BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/meg-kinnard">MEG KINNARD</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — Dozens of Social Security Administration offices across the country are slated to close this year due to actions taken by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency as part of the Trump administration’s unprecedented effort to shrink the size of government.

DOGE has&nbsp;<a href="https://doge.gov/savings" target="_blank">published a list</a>&nbsp;of nearly 800 federal real estate leases that it is seeking to cancel. The Associated Press has obtained an internal planning document from the General Services Administration, which manages federal real estate, which shows when nearly two-thirds of those cancellations are expected to go into effect.

The offices are closing despite a new requirement that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-fraud-waste-doge-elon-musk-212e3089951f731fd3f83443e104b315">tighter identity-proofing</a>&nbsp;measures be put in place to prevent fraud and abuse. These steps will require millions of recipients and applicants to visit agency field offices rather than interact with agency employees over the phone.

The AP also obtained more information about each lease on DOGE’s list through other publicly available datasets, including their addresses, the dates the leases had started and were originally expected to expire, and the landlords who own the properties.

Of the 47 Social Security Administration offices listed for closure, only some had anticipated dates for when those lease cancellations would take effect. Here’s a state-by-state breakdown of the 26 offices listed as expected to close this year, along with the termination date for each lease, according to the General Services data:

965 Holiday Drive, Forrest City: April 25

825 N. Crest Drive, Grand Junction: June 21

1865 W. City Drive, Elizabeth City: June 24

1122 N. University Drive, Nacogdoches: May 7

1103 George Kostas Drive, Logan: April 30

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/meg-kinnard">MEG KINNARD</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — Dozens of Social Security Administration offices across the country are slated to close this year due to actions taken by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency as part of the Trump administration’s unprecedented effort to shrink the size of government.DOGE has&nbsp;<a href="https://doge.gov/savings" target="_blank">published a list</a>&nbsp;of nearly 800 federal real estate leases that it is seeking to cancel. The Associated Press has obtained an internal planning document from the General Services Administration, which manages federal real estate, which shows when nearly two-thirds of those cancellations are expected to go into effect.The offices are closing despite a new requirement that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-fraud-waste-doge-elon-musk-212e3089951f731fd3f83443e104b315">tighter identity-proofing</a>&nbsp;measures be put in place to prevent fraud and abuse. These steps will require millions of recipients and applicants to visit agency field offices rather than interact with agency employees over the phone.The AP also obtained more information about each lease on DOGE’s list through other publicly available datasets, including their addresses, the dates the leases had started and were originally expected to expire, and the landlords who own the properties.Of the 47 Social Security Administration offices listed for closure, only some had anticipated dates for when those lease cancellations would take effect. Here’s a state-by-state breakdown of the 26 offices listed as expected to close this year, along with the termination date for each lease, according to the General Services data:<h2>Alabama</h2>634 Broad St., Gadsden: Sept. 30<h2>Arkansas</h2>965 Holiday Drive, Forrest City: April 254083 Jefferson Ave., Texarkana: May 25<h2>Colorado</h2>825 N. Crest Drive, Grand Junction: June 21<h2>Florida</h2>4740 Dairy Road, Melbourne: May 16<h2>Georgia</h2>1338 Broadway, Columbus: Sept. 30<h2>Kentucky</h2>825 High St., Hazard: April 24<h2>Louisiana</h2>178 Civic Center Drive, Houma: April 25<h2>Mississippi</h2>4717 26th St., Meridian: June 1604 Yalobusha St., Greenwood: June 12383 Sunset Drive, Grenada: May 1<h2>Montana</h2>3701 American Way, Missoula: June 21<h2>North Carolina</h2>730 Roanoke Ave., Roanoke Rapids: Aug. 12123 Lakeside Drive, Franklin: June 232805 Charles Blvd., Greenville: June 241865 W. City Drive, Elizabeth City: June 24<h2>North Dakota</h2>1414 20th Ave. SW, Minot: June 21<h2>Nevada</h2>701 Bridger Ave., Las Vegas: June 1<h2>New York</h2>75 S. Broadway, White Plains: May 31332 Main St., Poughkeepsie: July 31<h2>Ohio</h2>30 N. Diamond St., Mansfield: May 17<h2>Oklahoma</h2>1610 SW Lee Blvd., Lawton: April 25<h2>Texas</h2>1122 N. University Drive, Nacogdoches: May 78208 NE Zac Lentz Parkway, May 25<h2>West Virginia</h2>1103 George Kostas Drive, Logan: April 30<h2>Wyoming</h2>79 Winston Drive, Rock Springs: June 20

List of the Social Security offices across the US expected to close 

NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tb-who-tuberculosis-covid-c0fd5cc6542e7f9135833366b71546d2">Tuberculosis continued to rise</a>&nbsp;again in the U.S. last year, reaching its highest levels in more than a dozen years.

More than 10,300 cases were reported last year, an 8% increase from 2023 and the highest since 2011, according to preliminary&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/tb-data/2024-provisional/index.html#cdc_report_pub_study_section_2-provisional-data">data</a>&nbsp;posted this month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Both the number of cases and the rate of infections rose. Rates were up among all age groups, and 34 states reported an increase.

CDC officials say the rise is the mainly due to international travel and migration. The vast majority of U.S. TB cases are diagnosed in people born in other countries. Other illnesses that weaken the immune system and allow latent TB infections to emerge may also be at play.

Outbreaks in several states have contributed to recent TB trends, including a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tuberculosis-tb-outbreak-kansas-largest-b6b58f4f5461abb430745e3a8e7dc758">one in the Kansas City, Kansas area</a>. The Kansas TB rate jumped 148% last year, according to the new CDC data. Alaska and Hawaii continue to have the highest case rates.

Tuberculosis is caused by bacteria that usually attack the lungs, and is spread through the air when an infectious person coughs or sneezes. If not treated properly, it can be fatal. In the late 1800s, TB killed one out of every seven people living in the United States and Europe. But the development of antibiotics and public health efforts succeeded in treating infections and tracking down those they infected, leading to cases falling for decades.

The new CDC statistics are not a count of how many people were newly infected, but rather of how many people developed a cough or other symptoms and were diagnosed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707492278650.png" alt=" A digitally colorized scan of Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria, which cause tuberculosis in human beings. Although tuberculosis cases have been rising, public health departments say they lack the resources to stop the disease from spreading (Courtesy of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)." />
 <figcaption> A digitally colorized scan of Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria, which cause tuberculosis in human beings. Although tuberculosis cases have been rising, public health departments say they lack the resources to stop the disease from spreading (Courtesy of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases).</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tb-who-tuberculosis-covid-c0fd5cc6542e7f9135833366b71546d2">Tuberculosis continued to rise</a>&nbsp;again in the U.S. last year, reaching its highest levels in more than a dozen years.More than 10,300 cases were reported last year, an 8% increase from 2023 and the highest since 2011, according to preliminary&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/tb-data/2024-provisional/index.html#cdc_report_pub_study_section_2-provisional-data">data</a>&nbsp;posted this month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Both the number of cases and the rate of infections rose. Rates were up among all age groups, and 34 states reported an increase.CDC officials say the rise is the mainly due to international travel and migration. The vast majority of U.S. TB cases are diagnosed in people born in other countries. Other illnesses that weaken the immune system and allow latent TB infections to emerge may also be at play.Outbreaks in several states have contributed to recent TB trends, including a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tuberculosis-tb-outbreak-kansas-largest-b6b58f4f5461abb430745e3a8e7dc758">one in the Kansas City, Kansas area</a>. The Kansas TB rate jumped 148% last year, according to the new CDC data. Alaska and Hawaii continue to have the highest case rates.Tuberculosis is caused by bacteria that usually attack the lungs, and is spread through the air when an infectious person coughs or sneezes. If not treated properly, it can be fatal. In the late 1800s, TB killed one out of every seven people living in the United States and Europe. But the development of antibiotics and public health efforts succeeded in treating infections and tracking down those they infected, leading to cases falling for decades.The new CDC statistics are not a count of how many people were newly infected, but rather of how many people developed a cough or other symptoms and were diagnosed.___

Tuberculosis cases in Kan. and the US rose to highest levels in years

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Police investigators are aware of an emerging scam targeting individuals who have lost a pet and have posted about it on social media platforms, such as Facebook, often offering a reward for the safe return of their pets, according to a social media statement from Wichita Police.

 Scammers are taking advantage of the emotions of pet owners by falsely claiming to have found their lost pet and requesting money before they will return it.

To help protect yourself from this type of scam, police encourage you to follow these precautions:

1. Never send money before reclaiming your pet. Legitimate individuals will not demand a reward in advance.

2. Verify the person's claim. Ask for detailed information or photos of your pet to confirm they genuinely have it.

3. Reclaim your pet safely. We recommend reclaiming your pet at your local police substation, between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday.

4. Contact your local police department. If you suspect or you have fallen victim to fraudulent activity or feel uncertain about any communication.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Police investigators are aware of an emerging scam targeting individuals who have lost a pet and have posted about it on social media platforms, such as Facebook, often offering a reward for the safe return of their pets, according to a social media statement from Wichita Police. Scammers are taking advantage of the emotions of pet owners by falsely claiming to have found their lost pet and requesting money before they will return it.To help protect yourself from this type of scam, police encourage you to follow these precautions:1. Never send money before reclaiming your pet. Legitimate individuals will not demand a reward in advance.2. Verify the person's claim. Ask for detailed information or photos of your pet to confirm they genuinely have it.3. Reclaim your pet safely. We recommend reclaiming your pet at your local police substation, between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday.4. Contact your local police department. If you suspect or you have fallen victim to fraudulent activity or feel uncertain about any communication.

Police: Scam targets owners who have lost a pet 

ROME (AP) — A weak and frail&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;left the hospital Sunday after surviving a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-hospitalizations-timeline-36392b07bd38d99f1b8c2475017199b7">five-week, life-threatening</a>&nbsp;bout of pneumonia, giving a thumbs up to an adoring crowd and taking a detour to go pray at a Rome-area church before returning home to the Vatican.

A motorcade carrying the 88-year-old pope wound its way through light Rome traffic Sunday morning and kept going after reaching Vatican City, where crowds of people had lined the streets to welcome him home. Francis later arrived across town at St. Mary Major basilica, where his favorite icon of the Madonna is located and where he always goes to pray after a foreign visit.

Before leaving Gemelli hospital, Francis gave a thumbs up and acknowledged the crowd after he was wheeled out onto the balcony overlooking the main entry. Hundreds of people had gathered on a brilliant Sunday morning to say goodbye.

“I see this woman with the yellow flowers. Brava!” a tired and bloated-looking Francis said. He gave a weak sign of the cross before being wheeled back inside.

Chants of “Viva il papa!” and “Papa Francesco” erupted from the crowd, which included patients who had been wheeled outside just to catch his brief appearance.

Doctors, who announced his planned release at a Saturday evening news conference, said he should refrain from meeting with big groups of people or exerting himself, but that eventually he should be able to resume all his normal activities.

His return home, after the longest hospitalization of his 12-year papacy and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-longest-hospitalizations-john-paul-ii-gemelli-619139a0ba7006b939816b50e31d1cdb">second-longest in recent papal history</a>, brought tangible relief to the Vatican and Catholic faithful who have been anxiously following 38 days of medical ups and downs and wondering if Francis would make it.

“Today I feel a great joy," said Dr. Rossella Russomando, a doctor from Salerno who didn't treat Francis but was at Gemelli on Sunday. “It is the demonstration that all our prayers, all the rosary prayers from all over the world, brought this grace.”

At the Vatican Sunday, pilgrims flocked as they have all year to St. Peter’s Basilica to participate in the 2025 Holy Year. They swarmed St. Peter’s Square and progressed through the Holy Door in groups, while big TV screens in the square were turned on to broadcast Francis’ hospital greeting live.

No special arrangements have been made at the Domus Santa Marta, the Vatican hotel next to the basilica where Francis lives in a two-room suite on the second floor. Francis will have access to supplemental oxygen and 24-hour medical care as needed, though his personal physician, Dr. Luigi Carbone, said he hoped Francis would progressively need less and less assistance breathing as his lungs recover.

While the pneumonia infection has been successfully treated, Francis will continue to take oral medication for quite some time to treat the fungal infection in his lungs and continue his respiratory and physical physiotherapy.

“For three or four days he’s been asking when he can go home, so he’s very happy,” Carbone said.

The Argentine pope, who has chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, was admitted to Gemelli on Feb. 14 after a bout of bronchitis worsened.

Doctors first diagnosed a complex&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-illness-polymicrobial-infection-6638f63730046f420b4d0a6d364826f7">bacterial, viral and fungal respiratory tract infection</a>&nbsp;and soon thereafter, pneumonia in both lungs. Blood tests showed signs of anemia, low blood platelets and the onset of kidney failure, all of which later resolved after two blood transfusions.

The most serious setbacks began on Feb. 28, when Francis experienced an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-pneumonia-conclave-70907cdf66ec28e276133002987303de">acute coughing fit</a>&nbsp;and inhaled vomit, requiring the use of a noninvasive mechanical ventilation mask to help him breathe. He suffered two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-pneumonia-65b0457c46d7de722305260079c3bb87">more respiratory crises</a>&nbsp;a few days later, which required doctors to manually aspirate “copious” amounts of mucus from his lungs, at which point he began sleeping with the ventilation mask at night to help his lungs clear the accumulation of fluids.

He was never intubated and at no point lost consciousness. Doctors reported he always remained alert and cooperative, though they say he has probably lost a bit of weight given a natural loss of appetite.

“Unfortunately yes, there was a moment when many were saying that he might not make it. And it was painful for us," said Mario Balsamo, the owner of coffee shop in front of Gemelli. "Instead, today with the discharge, we are very happy that he is well and we hope he will recover soon and will recover his strength.”

Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the medical and surgical chief at Gemelli who coordinated Francis’ medical team, stressed that not all patients who develop such a severe case of double pneumonia survive, much less are released from the hospital. He said Francis’ life was at risk twice, during the two acute respiratory crises, and that the pope at the time understandably lost his typical good sense of humor.

“But one morning we went to listen to his lungs and we asked him how he was doing. When he replied, ‘I’m still alive,’ we knew he was OK and had gotten his good humor back,” he said.

Alfieri confirmed that Francis was still having trouble speaking due to the damage to his lungs and respiratory muscles. But he said such problems were normal, especially in older patients, and predicted his voice would eventually return to normal.

The Vatican spokesman, Matteo Bruni, declined to confirm any upcoming events, including a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-king-charles-37aa3c7107e481ae0a302a648688982f">scheduled audience</a>&nbsp;on April 8 with King Charles III or Francis’ participation in Easter services at the end of the month. But Carbone said he hoped Francis might be well enough to travel to Turkey at the end of May to participate in an important ecumenical anniversary.

Francis is also returning to the Vatican in the throes of a Holy Year, the once-every-quarter-century celebration scheduled to draw more than 30 million pilgrims to Rome this year. The pope has already missed several Jubilee audiences and will presumably miss several more, but Vatican officials say his absence hasn't significantly impacted the numbers of expected pilgrims arriving.

Only St. John Paul II recorded a longer hospitalization in 1981, when he spent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-longest-hospitalizations-john-paul-ii-gemelli-619139a0ba7006b939816b50e31d1cdb">55 days at Gemelli</a>&nbsp;for minor surgery and treatment of an infection.

ROME (AP) — A weak and frail looking&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;appeared on a hospital balcony Sunday to bless the crowd in his first public outing in five weeks and ahead of his release from the hospital after surviving a life-threatening bout of pneumonia.

The 88-year-old pope gave a thumbs up and acknowledged the crowd after he was wheeled out onto the balcony overlooking the main entry of Rome’s Gemelli hospital, where hundreds of people had gathered on a brilliant Sunday morning.

“I see this woman with the yellow flowers. Brava!” a tired and bloated looking Francis said. He gave a weak sign of the cross before being wheeled back inside.

His blessing came before he was due to be released and return home to the Vatican for a two-month period of rest and convalescence.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742729302744.png" alt="Pope Francis thumbs up as he appears at a window of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, Sunday, March 23, 2025, where he has been treated for bronchitis and bilateral pneumonia since Feb. 14. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)" />
 <figcaption>Pope Francis thumbs up as he appears at a window of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, Sunday, March 23, 2025, where he has been treated for bronchitis and bilateral pneumonia since Feb. 14. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)</figcaption>
 </figure>ROME (AP) — A weak and frail&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;left the hospital Sunday after surviving a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-hospitalizations-timeline-36392b07bd38d99f1b8c2475017199b7">five-week, life-threatening</a>&nbsp;bout of pneumonia, giving a thumbs up to an adoring crowd and taking a detour to go pray at a Rome-area church before returning home to the Vatican.A motorcade carrying the 88-year-old pope wound its way through light Rome traffic Sunday morning and kept going after reaching Vatican City, where crowds of people had lined the streets to welcome him home. Francis later arrived across town at St. Mary Major basilica, where his favorite icon of the Madonna is located and where he always goes to pray after a foreign visit.Before leaving Gemelli hospital, Francis gave a thumbs up and acknowledged the crowd after he was wheeled out onto the balcony overlooking the main entry. Hundreds of people had gathered on a brilliant Sunday morning to say goodbye.“I see this woman with the yellow flowers. Brava!” a tired and bloated-looking Francis said. He gave a weak sign of the cross before being wheeled back inside.Chants of “Viva il papa!” and “Papa Francesco” erupted from the crowd, which included patients who had been wheeled outside just to catch his brief appearance.Doctors, who announced his planned release at a Saturday evening news conference, said he should refrain from meeting with big groups of people or exerting himself, but that eventually he should be able to resume all his normal activities.His return home, after the longest hospitalization of his 12-year papacy and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-longest-hospitalizations-john-paul-ii-gemelli-619139a0ba7006b939816b50e31d1cdb">second-longest in recent papal history</a>, brought tangible relief to the Vatican and Catholic faithful who have been anxiously following 38 days of medical ups and downs and wondering if Francis would make it.“Today I feel a great joy," said Dr. Rossella Russomando, a doctor from Salerno who didn't treat Francis but was at Gemelli on Sunday. “It is the demonstration that all our prayers, all the rosary prayers from all over the world, brought this grace.”<h2>Pope is happy to go home</h2>At the Vatican Sunday, pilgrims flocked as they have all year to St. Peter’s Basilica to participate in the 2025 Holy Year. They swarmed St. Peter’s Square and progressed through the Holy Door in groups, while big TV screens in the square were turned on to broadcast Francis’ hospital greeting live.No special arrangements have been made at the Domus Santa Marta, the Vatican hotel next to the basilica where Francis lives in a two-room suite on the second floor. Francis will have access to supplemental oxygen and 24-hour medical care as needed, though his personal physician, Dr. Luigi Carbone, said he hoped Francis would progressively need less and less assistance breathing as his lungs recover.While the pneumonia infection has been successfully treated, Francis will continue to take oral medication for quite some time to treat the fungal infection in his lungs and continue his respiratory and physical physiotherapy.“For three or four days he’s been asking when he can go home, so he’s very happy,” Carbone said.<h2>Two life-threatening crises</h2>The Argentine pope, who has chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, was admitted to Gemelli on Feb. 14 after a bout of bronchitis worsened.Doctors first diagnosed a complex&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-illness-polymicrobial-infection-6638f63730046f420b4d0a6d364826f7">bacterial, viral and fungal respiratory tract infection</a>&nbsp;and soon thereafter, pneumonia in both lungs. Blood tests showed signs of anemia, low blood platelets and the onset of kidney failure, all of which later resolved after two blood transfusions.The most serious setbacks began on Feb. 28, when Francis experienced an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-pneumonia-conclave-70907cdf66ec28e276133002987303de">acute coughing fit</a>&nbsp;and inhaled vomit, requiring the use of a noninvasive mechanical ventilation mask to help him breathe. He suffered two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-pneumonia-65b0457c46d7de722305260079c3bb87">more respiratory crises</a>&nbsp;a few days later, which required doctors to manually aspirate “copious” amounts of mucus from his lungs, at which point he began sleeping with the ventilation mask at night to help his lungs clear the accumulation of fluids.He was never intubated and at no point lost consciousness. Doctors reported he always remained alert and cooperative, though they say he has probably lost a bit of weight given a natural loss of appetite.“Unfortunately yes, there was a moment when many were saying that he might not make it. And it was painful for us," said Mario Balsamo, the owner of coffee shop in front of Gemelli. "Instead, today with the discharge, we are very happy that he is well and we hope he will recover soon and will recover his strength.”<h2>‘I’m still alive!'</h2>Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the medical and surgical chief at Gemelli who coordinated Francis’ medical team, stressed that not all patients who develop such a severe case of double pneumonia survive, much less are released from the hospital. He said Francis’ life was at risk twice, during the two acute respiratory crises, and that the pope at the time understandably lost his typical good sense of humor.“But one morning we went to listen to his lungs and we asked him how he was doing. When he replied, ‘I’m still alive,’ we knew he was OK and had gotten his good humor back,” he said.Alfieri confirmed that Francis was still having trouble speaking due to the damage to his lungs and respiratory muscles. But he said such problems were normal, especially in older patients, and predicted his voice would eventually return to normal.<h2>No confirmed appointments for now</h2>The Vatican spokesman, Matteo Bruni, declined to confirm any upcoming events, including a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-king-charles-37aa3c7107e481ae0a302a648688982f">scheduled audience</a>&nbsp;on April 8 with King Charles III or Francis’ participation in Easter services at the end of the month. But Carbone said he hoped Francis might be well enough to travel to Turkey at the end of May to participate in an important ecumenical anniversary.Francis is also returning to the Vatican in the throes of a Holy Year, the once-every-quarter-century celebration scheduled to draw more than 30 million pilgrims to Rome this year. The pope has already missed several Jubilee audiences and will presumably miss several more, but Vatican officials say his absence hasn't significantly impacted the numbers of expected pilgrims arriving.Only St. John Paul II recorded a longer hospitalization in 1981, when he spent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-longest-hospitalizations-john-paul-ii-gemelli-619139a0ba7006b939816b50e31d1cdb">55 days at Gemelli</a>&nbsp;for minor surgery and treatment of an infection.------------ROME (AP) — A weak and frail looking&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;appeared on a hospital balcony Sunday to bless the crowd in his first public outing in five weeks and ahead of his release from the hospital after surviving a life-threatening bout of pneumonia.The 88-year-old pope gave a thumbs up and acknowledged the crowd after he was wheeled out onto the balcony overlooking the main entry of Rome’s Gemelli hospital, where hundreds of people had gathered on a brilliant Sunday morning.“I see this woman with the yellow flowers. Brava!” a tired and bloated looking Francis said. He gave a weak sign of the cross before being wheeled back inside.Chants of “Viva il papa!” and “Papa Francesco” erupted from the crowd, which included patients who had been wheeled outside just to catch his brief appearance.His blessing came before he was due to be released and return home to the Vatican for a two-month period of rest and convalescence.Doctors, who announced his planned release at a Saturday evening news conference, said he should refrain from meeting with big groups of people or exerting himself, but that eventually he should be able to resume all his normal activities.His return home, after the longest hospitalization of his 12-year papacy and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-longest-hospitalizations-john-paul-ii-gemelli-619139a0ba7006b939816b50e31d1cdb">second-longest in recent papal history</a>, brought tangible relief to the Vatican and Catholic faithful who have been anxiously following 38 days of medical ups and downs and wondering if Francis would make it.“Today I feel a great joy," said Dr. Rossella Russomando, a doctor from Salerno who didn't treat Francis but was at Gemelli on Sunday. “It is the demonstration that all our prayers, all the rosary prayers from all over the world, brought this grace.”<h2>Pope is happy to go home</h2>At the Vatican Sunday, pilgrims flocked as they have all year to St. Peter’s Basilica to participate in the 2025 Holy Year. They swarmed St. Peter’s Square and progressed through the Holy Door in groups, while big TV screens in the square were turned on to broadcast Francis’ hospital greeting live.No special arrangements have been made at the Domus Santa Marta, the Vatican hotel next to the basilica where Francis lives in a two-room suite on the second floor. Francis will have access to supplemental oxygen and 24-hour medical care as needed, though his personal physician, Dr. Luigi Carbone, said he hoped Francis would progressively need less and less assistance breathing as his lungs recover.While the pneumonia infection has been successfully treated, Francis will continue to take oral medication for quite some time to treat the fungal infection in his lungs and continue his respiratory and physical physiotherapy.“For three or four days he’s been asking when he can go home, so he’s very happy,” Carbone said.<h2>Two life-threatening crises</h2>The Argentine pope, who has chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, was admitted to Gemelli on Feb. 14 after a bout of bronchitis worsened.Doctors first diagnosed a complex&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-illness-polymicrobial-infection-6638f63730046f420b4d0a6d364826f7">bacterial, viral and fungal respiratory tract infection</a>&nbsp;and soon thereafter, pneumonia in both lungs. Blood tests showed signs of anemia, low blood platelets and the onset of kidney failure, all of which later resolved after two blood transfusions.The most serious setbacks began on Feb. 28, when Francis experienced an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-pneumonia-conclave-70907cdf66ec28e276133002987303de">acute coughing fit</a>&nbsp;and inhaled vomit, requiring the use of a noninvasive mechanical ventilation mask to help him breathe. He suffered two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-pneumonia-65b0457c46d7de722305260079c3bb87">more respiratory crises</a>&nbsp;a few days later, which required doctors to manually aspirate “copious” amounts of mucus from his lungs, at which point he began sleeping with the ventilation mask at night to help his lungs clear the accumulation of fluids.He was never intubated and at no point lost consciousness. Doctors reported he always remained alert and cooperative, though they say he has probably lost a bit of weight given a natural loss of appetite.“Unfortunately yes, there was a moment when many were saying that he might not make it. And it was painful for us," said Mario Balsamo, the owner of coffee shop in front of Gemelli. "Instead, today with the discharge, we are very happy that he is well and we hope he will recover soon and will recover his strength.”<h2>‘I’m still alive!'</h2>Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the medical and surgical chief at Gemelli who coordinated Francis’ medical team, stressed that not all patients who develop such a severe case of double pneumonia survive, much less are released from the hospital. He said Francis’ life was at risk twice, during the two acute respiratory crises, and that the pope at the time understandably lost his typical good sense of humor.“But one morning we went to listen to his lungs and we asked him how he was doing. When he replied, ‘I’m still alive,’ we knew he was OK and had gotten his good humor back,” he said.Alfieri confirmed that Francis was still having trouble speaking due to the damage to his lungs and respiratory muscles. But he said such problems were normal, especially in older patients, and predicted his voice would eventually return to normal.<h2>No confirmed appointments for now</h2>The Vatican spokesman, Matteo Bruni, declined to confirm any upcoming events, including a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-king-charles-37aa3c7107e481ae0a302a648688982f">scheduled audience</a>&nbsp;on April 8 with King Charles III or Francis’ participation in Easter services at the end of the month. But Carbone said he hoped Francis might be well enough to travel to Turkey at the end of May to participate in an important ecumenical anniversary.Francis is also returning to the Vatican in the throes of a Holy Year, the once-every-quarter-century celebration scheduled to draw more than 30 million pilgrims to Rome this year. The pope has already missed several Jubilee audiences and will presumably miss several more, but Vatican officials say his absence hasn't significantly impacted the numbers of expected pilgrims arriving.Only St. John Paul II recorded a longer hospitalization in 1981, when he spent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-longest-hospitalizations-john-paul-ii-gemelli-619139a0ba7006b939816b50e31d1cdb">55 days at Gemelli</a>&nbsp;for minor surgery and treatment of an infection.___Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Pope leaves hospital after surviving life-threatening bout of pneumonia,

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Friday began sketching a roadmap for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-education-department-shutdown-b1d25a2e1bdcd24cfde8ad8b655b9843">dismantling the Education Department</a>, with other agencies taking over responsibility for federal student loans and programs serving students with disabilities.

The executive order Trump signed Thursday to do away with the department did not offer a timeline or instructions, but his administration appears poised to carve away all but the department’s most vital operations.

The Republican president said during a White House event that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-repayment-trump-9fb6287fe52ed0be73719b53dd5bf90d">student loans</a>&nbsp;will be handled by the Small Business Administration, and “it will be serviced much better than it has in the past.” He also said programs involving students with disabilities would be shifted to the Department of Health and Human Services.

The decisions drew blowback from advocacy groups that fear disruptions will be inevitable. The Small Business Association announced Friday it will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sba-small-business-loeffler-doge-ba0be2d55f65f9a3e0e453d4c72ce6ab">cut its staff by 43%</a>, raising questions about its ability to take on the Education Department’s $1.6 trillion loan portfolio.

“This can only result in borrowers experiencing erratic and inconsistent management of their federal student loans,” said Jessica Thompson, senior vice president of the Institute of College Access and Success. “Errors will prove costly to borrowers and ultimately, to taxpayers.”

Trump’s executive order said the student loan portfolio is too big for the Education Department to manage. After the SBA cuts, however, it will be left with fewer than 4,000 employees — about the size of the Education Department before it was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-department-layoffs-job-cuts-linda-mcmahon-ce9f6a8a63972aede0d8fbdf057ab788">cut in half</a>&nbsp;by the Trump administration.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon said she is preparing to relocate the department’s core operations to other agencies and roll back federal regulations. In an opinion piece published Friday by Fox News Channel, she said abolishing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-department-trump-ab509ad5778497dfbd6d53b9eef692b5">the department</a>&nbsp;“will not happen tomorrow,” but she plans to pave the way.

“We will systematically unwind unnecessary regulations and prepare to reassign the department’s other functions to the states or other agencies,” McMahon wrote.

The functions to be reassigned include the distribution of federal money to support low-income students and students with disabilities, the department’s management of student financial aid,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-education-department-layoffs-civil-rights-8cbf463cce765f497c10d688ab4d51e1">civil rights enforcement</a>&nbsp;and data collection, she wrote.

Some parent groups fear the reorganization could result in weaker protections for children with disabilities. The National Parents Union said families are anxious HHS might treat students’ learning disabilities as medical issues and make them subject to insurance claims.

″Do we really think they are going to pay for our kid’s reading interventions?” said Keri Rodrigues, the group’s president. “Our children are not sick. They are not broken. They are not insurance claims.”

Only Congress has the power to bring a full end to the Education Department. Republicans in Congress are planning legislation to eliminate the agency, though they face heavy opposition from Democrats.

Democrats on Friday said Trump does not have authority to move federal loans or disability services to other agencies. They noted federal law places those duties under the management of the Education Department, including in the Higher Education Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Tom Harnisch, vice president for government relations for the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association, said he questions the capacity of another agency to take over the massive student loan portfolio.

“That’s been one of our large concerns,” he said. “And what is the value added by making this overhaul to this agency?”

On Friday, Democrats introduced a House resolution requesting Trump and McMahon turn over records related to the shutdown attempt. If the House Committee on Education and the Workforce takes action within 14 legislative days, it could go before the full House.

Trump has denounced the department as a waste of taxpayer money, saying it has become infected by liberal ideology. He said its power should be turned over to states, which he sees as a remedy for America’s lagging education system.

Since the Education Department was created in 1979, the nation’s student test scores have remained flat despite $1 trillion in agency spending, McMahon said in her Fox News piece.

Conservatives have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-education-department-closure-republicans-funding-districts-f3c2403d3d147f67a7b2cc77b6a70649">long dreamed</a>&nbsp;of closing the department, calling it an unneeded layer of bureaucracy that burdens local schools. Among those at the signing were governors of several Republican states along with activists who say parents should have more power over their children’s education. ___

AP education writer Cheyanne Mumphrey in Phoenix contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Friday began sketching a roadmap for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-education-department-shutdown-b1d25a2e1bdcd24cfde8ad8b655b9843">dismantling the Education Department</a>, with other agencies taking over responsibility for federal student loans and programs serving students with disabilities.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨 President Trump announces that the SBA will begin handling student loans -- and that HHS will handle the special needs and nutrition programs. &quot;Coming out of the Department of Education immediately.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/2gbz2n2Q7s">pic.twitter.com/2gbz2n2Q7s</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1903109579895963703?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The executive order Trump signed Thursday to do away with the department did not offer a timeline or instructions, but his administration appears poised to carve away all but the department’s most vital operations.The Republican president said during a White House event that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-repayment-trump-9fb6287fe52ed0be73719b53dd5bf90d">student loans</a>&nbsp;will be handled by the Small Business Administration, and “it will be serviced much better than it has in the past.” He also said programs involving students with disabilities would be shifted to the Department of Health and Human Services.The decisions drew blowback from advocacy groups that fear disruptions will be inevitable. The Small Business Association announced Friday it will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sba-small-business-loeffler-doge-ba0be2d55f65f9a3e0e453d4c72ce6ab">cut its staff by 43%</a>, raising questions about its ability to take on the Education Department’s $1.6 trillion loan portfolio.“This can only result in borrowers experiencing erratic and inconsistent management of their federal student loans,” said Jessica Thompson, senior vice president of the Institute of College Access and Success. “Errors will prove costly to borrowers and ultimately, to taxpayers.”Trump’s executive order said the student loan portfolio is too big for the Education Department to manage. After the SBA cuts, however, it will be left with fewer than 4,000 employees — about the size of the Education Department before it was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-department-layoffs-job-cuts-linda-mcmahon-ce9f6a8a63972aede0d8fbdf057ab788">cut in half</a>&nbsp;by the Trump administration.Education Secretary Linda McMahon said she is preparing to relocate the department’s core operations to other agencies and roll back federal regulations. In an opinion piece published Friday by Fox News Channel, she said abolishing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-department-trump-ab509ad5778497dfbd6d53b9eef692b5">the department</a>&nbsp;“will not happen tomorrow,” but she plans to pave the way.“We will systematically unwind unnecessary regulations and prepare to reassign the department’s other functions to the states or other agencies,” McMahon wrote.The functions to be reassigned include the distribution of federal money to support low-income students and students with disabilities, the department’s management of student financial aid,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-education-department-layoffs-civil-rights-8cbf463cce765f497c10d688ab4d51e1">civil rights enforcement</a>&nbsp;and data collection, she wrote.Some parent groups fear the reorganization could result in weaker protections for children with disabilities. The National Parents Union said families are anxious HHS might treat students’ learning disabilities as medical issues and make them subject to insurance claims.″Do we really think they are going to pay for our kid’s reading interventions?” said Keri Rodrigues, the group’s president. “Our children are not sick. They are not broken. They are not insurance claims.”Only Congress has the power to bring a full end to the Education Department. Republicans in Congress are planning legislation to eliminate the agency, though they face heavy opposition from Democrats.Democrats on Friday said Trump does not have authority to move federal loans or disability services to other agencies. They noted federal law places those duties under the management of the Education Department, including in the Higher Education Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.Tom Harnisch, vice president for government relations for the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association, said he questions the capacity of another agency to take over the massive student loan portfolio.“That’s been one of our large concerns,” he said. “And what is the value added by making this overhaul to this agency?”On Friday, Democrats introduced a House resolution requesting Trump and McMahon turn over records related to the shutdown attempt. If the House Committee on Education and the Workforce takes action within 14 legislative days, it could go before the full House.Trump has denounced the department as a waste of taxpayer money, saying it has become infected by liberal ideology. He said its power should be turned over to states, which he sees as a remedy for America’s lagging education system.Since the Education Department was created in 1979, the nation’s student test scores have remained flat despite $1 trillion in agency spending, McMahon said in her Fox News piece.Conservatives have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-education-department-closure-republicans-funding-districts-f3c2403d3d147f67a7b2cc77b6a70649">long dreamed</a>&nbsp;of closing the department, calling it an unneeded layer of bureaucracy that burdens local schools. Among those at the signing were governors of several Republican states along with activists who say parents should have more power over their children’s education. ___AP education writer Cheyanne Mumphrey in Phoenix contributed to this report.

Trump: Education Dept. will shed oversight of student loans, special ed

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. (AP) —A beloved bald eagle who gained popularity for incubating a rock in 2023 is being mourned Saturday after the 33-year-old avian died following intense storms that recently moved through Missouri.

Murphy, who surpassed the average life span of 25 years, died last week at the World Bird Sanctuary in Valley Park, Missouri. Sanctuary officials believe the violent storms that ripped apart homes and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornadoes-wildfires-deaths-eb53f6b2463a96b18a08ca9e2db266ab">claimed 12 lives</a>&nbsp;last weekend may have factored in the bird's death.

They said birds have access to shelters where they can weather storms and the sanctuary has contingency plans for different environmental situations. But evacuations weren't performed since no tornadoes approached the sanctuary. Three other birds who were in the same shelter with Murphy survived.

A veterinarian performed a necropsy and found the bald eagle sustained head trauma. “We are unable to determine if Murphy was spooked by something and hit his head while jumping off a perch or if wind and precipitation played a part in the injury,” a statement shared by the sanctuary on social media said.

Murphy lived in the sanctuary's Avian Avenue exhibit area and rose to prominence in 2023 when he incubated a rock. His instincts were rewarded when he was allowed to foster an injured eaglet that he nurtured back to health. The eaglet was eventually released back to the wild and another eaglet was entrusted to Murphy's care. The second eaglet is expected to be released into the wild this summer.

“In honor of Murphy’s legacy, we plan to name the eventual eagle fostering aviary Murphy’s Manor, so that we can continue to remember him for decades to come,” the sanctuary's statement added.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742692402375.png" alt="Photos World Bird Sanctuary" />
 <figcaption>Photos World Bird Sanctuary</figcaption>
 </figure>ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. (AP) —A beloved bald eagle who gained popularity for incubating a rock in 2023 is being mourned Saturday after the 33-year-old avian died following intense storms that recently moved through Missouri.Murphy, who surpassed the average life span of 25 years, died last week at the World Bird Sanctuary in Valley Park, Missouri. Sanctuary officials believe the violent storms that ripped apart homes and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornadoes-wildfires-deaths-eb53f6b2463a96b18a08ca9e2db266ab">claimed 12 lives</a>&nbsp;last weekend may have factored in the bird's death.They said birds have access to shelters where they can weather storms and the sanctuary has contingency plans for different environmental situations. But evacuations weren't performed since no tornadoes approached the sanctuary. Three other birds who were in the same shelter with Murphy survived.A veterinarian performed a necropsy and found the bald eagle sustained head trauma. “We are unable to determine if Murphy was spooked by something and hit his head while jumping off a perch or if wind and precipitation played a part in the injury,” a statement shared by the sanctuary on social media said.Murphy lived in the sanctuary's Avian Avenue exhibit area and rose to prominence in 2023 when he incubated a rock. His instincts were rewarded when he was allowed to foster an injured eaglet that he nurtured back to health. The eaglet was eventually released back to the wild and another eaglet was entrusted to Murphy's care. The second eaglet is expected to be released into the wild this summer.“In honor of Murphy’s legacy, we plan to name the eventual eagle fostering aviary Murphy’s Manor, so that we can continue to remember him for decades to come,” the sanctuary's statement added.

Beloved bald eagle dies following violent storms in Missouri

WICHITA, KS — Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Wichita.

Just before 4 a.m. Saturday, police responded to an EMS call at a residence in the 14000 block of E. Twinlake Drive in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Reboledo. 

First responders located a victim who had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. The victim, a 24-year-old man was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the incident occurred during a gathering at the residence, where a disturbance broke out between the suspect and the victim, which ultimately led to the shooting. The individuals involved are known to each other, and this is not believed to be a random act of violence.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the victim or possible suspect details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742695155005.png" alt="Photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KS — Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Wichita.Just before 4 a.m. Saturday, police responded to an EMS call at a residence in the 14000 block of E. Twinlake Drive in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Reboledo. First responders located a victim who had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. The victim, a 24-year-old man was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.Preliminary investigations indicate that the incident occurred during a gathering at the residence, where a disturbance broke out between the suspect and the victim, which ultimately led to the shooting. The individuals involved are known to each other, and this is not believed to be a random act of violence.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the victim or possible suspect details.

Police: 24-year-old killed in disturbance at Kansas home

OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating two suspect on drug allegations.

On March 17, Osage County Sheriff’s Investigators and Deputies conducted a narcotics search warrant in the 1100 block of Laing Street in Osage City, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

Dennis R. Bent, 74, of Osage City was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of Distribution of methamphetamine, Distribution of drug paraphernalia, Criminal use of weapons and No drug tax stamp

Shane M. Weller, 36, of Osage City was taken into custody on March 21st on an arrest warrant for Distribution of methamphetamine and requested charges of Distribution of drug paraphernalia, Criminal use of weapons, Defacing identification marks on a firearm, No drug tax stamp and a Johnson County arrest warrant.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742575635717.png" alt="Weller photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>Weller photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating two suspect on drug allegations.On March 17, Osage County Sheriff’s Investigators and Deputies conducted a narcotics search warrant in the 1100 block of Laing Street in Osage City, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742575592185.png" alt="Bent photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>Bent photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Dennis R. Bent, 74, of Osage City was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of Distribution of methamphetamine, Distribution of drug paraphernalia, Criminal use of weapons and No drug tax stampShane M. Weller, 36, of Osage City was taken into custody on March 21st on an arrest warrant for Distribution of methamphetamine and requested charges of Distribution of drug paraphernalia, Criminal use of weapons, Defacing identification marks on a firearm, No drug tax stamp and a Johnson County arrest warrant.

74-year-old Kansas man accused of selling methamphetamine

JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating after suspicious activity near a Kansas park.

Just after 1p.m. On March 17, police were dispatched to the 11300 block of South Cook Street in Olathe regarding suspicious activity, according to Olathe Police Sergeant John Moncayo.

It was reported that a man asked juveniles to enter his vehicle while they were playing at an area park.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Officers arrived and contacted the&nbsp;juveniles and their parent. Officers also checked the area and were unable to locate the vehicle, which was described as a grey or silver 4-door passenger vehicle missing its hubcaps. 

The man was described as being in his 50’s or 60’s, with darker brown skin and short black hair and was last seen wearing a red shirt and dark pants.

This case remains under investigation by the Olathe Police Department. Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to call the Olathe Police Department at (913) 971-6363 or the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-8477.

JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating after suspicious activity near a Kansas park.Just after 1p.m. On March 17, police were dispatched to the 11300 block of South Cook Street in Olathe regarding suspicious activity, according to Olathe Police Sergeant John Moncayo.It was reported that a man asked juveniles to enter his vehicle while they were playing at an area park.&nbsp;&nbsp;Officers arrived and contacted the&nbsp;juveniles and their parent. Officers also checked the area and were unable to locate the vehicle, which was described as a grey or silver 4-door passenger vehicle missing its hubcaps. The man was described as being in his 50’s or 60’s, with darker brown skin and short black hair and was last seen wearing a red shirt and dark pants.This case remains under investigation by the Olathe Police Department. Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to call the Olathe Police Department at (913) 971-6363 or the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-8477.

Police: Man allegedly asked children to get into his car

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes rose in February as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-de5d62c8b6ae2725f00cf168e9a7f8d2">easing mortgage rates</a>&nbsp;and more properties on the market encouraged home shoppers.

Existing home sales rose 4.2% last month from January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.26 million units, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday.

Sales fell 1.2% compared with February last year, ending a string of five straight annual increases. The latest home sales topped the 3.92 million pace economists were expecting, according to FactSet. On an unadjusted basis, sales fell 5.2% from February last year, when the month included an extra day because 2024 was a leap year.

Home prices increased on an annual basis for the 20th consecutive month. The national median sales price rose 3.8% in February from a year earlier to $398,400, an all-time high for the month of February. All told, the U.S. median home sales price is up 47% over the last five years.

“Home buyers are slowly entering the market,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist. “Mortgage rates have not changed much, but more inventory and choices are releasing pent-up housing demand.”

The U.S. housing sales began to slump in 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell last year to their lowest level in nearly 30 years.

While the average rate on a 30-year mortgage briefly fell to a 2-year low last September, it didn’t stay there long, climbing to just above 7% by mid-January. Mortgage rates mostly declined since then, sliding to an average of 6.76% by the last week of February.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-de5d62c8b6ae2725f00cf168e9a7f8d2">The rate averaged 6.67% this week,</a>&nbsp;according to mortgage buyer Freddie Mac.

That’s more than double the 2.65% record low that the average rate reached a little over four years ago.

A lag of a month or two usually exists between when a contract is signed and when the home sale is finalized, so the recent pullback in rates may point to improved sales this month as the spring homebuying season gets going.

Still, Yun said a survey of NAR member real estate agents showed that buyer traffic was down in February from a year earlier, while seller traffic was up.

”(The) market clearly needs lower interest rates to fundamentally lift it a little higher on a sustained basis,” Yun said.

Rising home prices and elevated mortgage rates, which can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers, have frozen out many would-be homebuyers and discouraged homeowners who locked in ultra-low mortgage rates a few years ago from selling.

These trends have made it especially tough on first-time buyers, as they don’t have equity from an existing home to put toward a new home purchase.

Even so, they accounted for 31% of all homes sold last month, up from 28% in January and 26% in February last year. The annual share of first-time buyers fell last year to a record-low 24%. It’s been 40% historically.

Homebuyers who paid all cash for a home accounted for 32% of sales last month, up from 29% in January, NAR said.

Those who can afford to buy at current home loan rates or to sidestep them entirely by paying cash also stand to benefit from a wider selection of properties on the market.

There were 1.24 million unsold homes at the end of last month, up 5.1% from January and up 17% from February last year, NAR said.

That translates to a 3.5-month supply at the current sales pace, unchanged from January and up from a 3-month pace at the end of February last year. Traditionally, a 5- to 6-month supply is considered a balanced market between buyers and sellers.

Yun said the months’ supply shows the housing market remains tight, adding he would like to see 30% more homes for sale for the market to be more balanced between buyers and sellers.

“In the spring and summer months, we will have more inventory,” he said.

One reason the inventory of homes for sale has been rising is properties are taking longer to sell.

Homes typically remained on the market for 42 days last month before selling, up from 41 days in January and 38 days in February last year, NAR said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1659001075252.jpeg" alt="File photo Associated Press" />
 <figcaption>File photo Associated Press</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;ALEX VEIGAULOS ANGELES (AP) — Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes rose in February as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-de5d62c8b6ae2725f00cf168e9a7f8d2">easing mortgage rates</a>&nbsp;and more properties on the market encouraged home shoppers.Existing home sales rose 4.2% last month from January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.26 million units, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday.Sales fell 1.2% compared with February last year, ending a string of five straight annual increases. The latest home sales topped the 3.92 million pace economists were expecting, according to FactSet. On an unadjusted basis, sales fell 5.2% from February last year, when the month included an extra day because 2024 was a leap year.Home prices increased on an annual basis for the 20th consecutive month. The national median sales price rose 3.8% in February from a year earlier to $398,400, an all-time high for the month of February. All told, the U.S. median home sales price is up 47% over the last five years.“Home buyers are slowly entering the market,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist. “Mortgage rates have not changed much, but more inventory and choices are releasing pent-up housing demand.”The U.S. housing sales began to slump in 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell last year to their lowest level in nearly 30 years.While the average rate on a 30-year mortgage briefly fell to a 2-year low last September, it didn’t stay there long, climbing to just above 7% by mid-January. Mortgage rates mostly declined since then, sliding to an average of 6.76% by the last week of February.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-de5d62c8b6ae2725f00cf168e9a7f8d2">The rate averaged 6.67% this week,</a>&nbsp;according to mortgage buyer Freddie Mac.That’s more than double the 2.65% record low that the average rate reached a little over four years ago.A lag of a month or two usually exists between when a contract is signed and when the home sale is finalized, so the recent pullback in rates may point to improved sales this month as the spring homebuying season gets going.Still, Yun said a survey of NAR member real estate agents showed that buyer traffic was down in February from a year earlier, while seller traffic was up.”(The) market clearly needs lower interest rates to fundamentally lift it a little higher on a sustained basis,” Yun said.Rising home prices and elevated mortgage rates, which can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers, have frozen out many would-be homebuyers and discouraged homeowners who locked in ultra-low mortgage rates a few years ago from selling.These trends have made it especially tough on first-time buyers, as they don’t have equity from an existing home to put toward a new home purchase.Even so, they accounted for 31% of all homes sold last month, up from 28% in January and 26% in February last year. The annual share of first-time buyers fell last year to a record-low 24%. It’s been 40% historically.Homebuyers who paid all cash for a home accounted for 32% of sales last month, up from 29% in January, NAR said.Those who can afford to buy at current home loan rates or to sidestep them entirely by paying cash also stand to benefit from a wider selection of properties on the market.There were 1.24 million unsold homes at the end of last month, up 5.1% from January and up 17% from February last year, NAR said.That translates to a 3.5-month supply at the current sales pace, unchanged from January and up from a 3-month pace at the end of February last year. Traditionally, a 5- to 6-month supply is considered a balanced market between buyers and sellers.Yun said the months’ supply shows the housing market remains tight, adding he would like to see 30% more homes for sale for the market to be more balanced between buyers and sellers.“In the spring and summer months, we will have more inventory,” he said.One reason the inventory of homes for sale has been rising is properties are taking longer to sell.Homes typically remained on the market for 42 days last month before selling, up from 41 days in January and 38 days in February last year, NAR said.

US home sales rose in February as mortgage rates eased 

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Friday that war plans should not be shared with his adviser&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a>&nbsp;because of his business interests, a rare suggestion that the billionaire entrepreneur's expansive role in the administration will face limits.

Trump made the comments during an Oval Office meeting on developing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fighter-jet-ngad-trump-hegseth-china-55d7b3d15e5a4fa9cb061ec85ac19ae2">a new fighter jet</a>, and he rejected reports that Musk would be briefed on how the United States would fight a hypothetical war with China.

“Elon has businesses in China,” the Republican president said. “And he would be susceptible, perhaps, to that.”

Trump praised Musk as a patriot. However, the reference to his businesses — which include Tesla, an electric vehicle manufacturer trying to expand&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/byd-biyadi-tesla-ev-automaker-9389c7355326c6b84091389d3616b44a">sales</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-tesla-ev-battery-shanghai-531a85cdd9c99e68b2e4f40d6d613d4d">production</a>&nbsp;in China — is an unusual acknowledgement of concerns about Musk balancing his corporate and government responsibilities.

Trump had previously brushed off questions about Musk's potential conflicts of interest, simply saying that he would steer clear when necessary.

The president said that Musk visited the Pentagon on Friday morning to discuss reducing costs, which he's been working on through the Department of Government Efficiency.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Musk was there "to talk about efficiencies, to talk about innovations.”

Musk said while leaving the Pentagon that he was ready to do “anything that could be helpful," according to a CNN video. He also refused to answer questions as to whether he received a classified briefing on China as part of the visit.

Musk has played an integral role in the Trump administration’s push to dramatically reduce the size of the government. He's faced intense blowback from some lawmakers and voters for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-chainsaw-trump-doge-6568e9e0cfc42ad6cdcfd58a409eb312">his chainsaw-wielding approach</a>&nbsp;to laying off workers and slashing programs, although Trump's supporters have hailed it.

A senior defense official told reporters on Tuesday that roughly 50,000 to 60,000 civilian jobs will be cut in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-department-of-defense">the Defense Department</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741402594718.png" alt="Elon Musk and Trump in the Oval Office March 14-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Elon Musk and Trump in the Oval Office March 14-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Friday that war plans should not be shared with his adviser&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a>&nbsp;because of his business interests, a rare suggestion that the billionaire entrepreneur's expansive role in the administration will face limits.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: I don&#39;t want anybody seeing plans for a potential war with China. We don&#39;t want to have a potential war with China, but if we did, we&#39;re very well-equipped... but certainly, you wouldn&#39;t show it to a businessman... The <a href="https://twitter.com/nytimes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nytimes</a> is just as fake as CNN and MSDNC. <a href="https://t.co/Hg1DfjkkAk">pic.twitter.com/Hg1DfjkkAk</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1903115116867944753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump made the comments during an Oval Office meeting on developing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fighter-jet-ngad-trump-hegseth-china-55d7b3d15e5a4fa9cb061ec85ac19ae2">a new fighter jet</a>, and he rejected reports that Musk would be briefed on how the United States would fight a hypothetical war with China.“Elon has businesses in China,” the Republican president said. “And he would be susceptible, perhaps, to that.”Trump praised Musk as a patriot. However, the reference to his businesses — which include Tesla, an electric vehicle manufacturer trying to expand&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/byd-biyadi-tesla-ev-automaker-9389c7355326c6b84091389d3616b44a">sales</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-tesla-ev-battery-shanghai-531a85cdd9c99e68b2e4f40d6d613d4d">production</a>&nbsp;in China — is an unusual acknowledgement of concerns about Musk balancing his corporate and government responsibilities.Trump had previously brushed off questions about Musk's potential conflicts of interest, simply saying that he would steer clear when necessary.The president said that Musk visited the Pentagon on Friday morning to discuss reducing costs, which he's been working on through the Department of Government Efficiency.Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Musk was there "to talk about efficiencies, to talk about innovations.”Musk said while leaving the Pentagon that he was ready to do “anything that could be helpful," according to a CNN video. He also refused to answer questions as to whether he received a classified briefing on China as part of the visit.Musk has played an integral role in the Trump administration’s push to dramatically reduce the size of the government. He's faced intense blowback from some lawmakers and voters for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-chainsaw-trump-doge-6568e9e0cfc42ad6cdcfd58a409eb312">his chainsaw-wielding approach</a>&nbsp;to laying off workers and slashing programs, although Trump's supporters have hailed it.A senior defense official told reporters on Tuesday that roughly 50,000 to 60,000 civilian jobs will be cut in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-department-of-defense">the Defense Department</a>.

🎥Trump acknowledges concerns over Musk's business interests

WASHINGTON (AP) — With massive job cuts, the National Weather Service is eliminating or reducing vital weather balloon launches in eight northern locations, which meteorologists and former agency leaders said will degrade the accuracy of forecasts just as severe weather season kicks in.

The normally twice-daily launches of weather balloons in about 100 locations provide information that forecasters and computer models use to figure out what the weather will be and how dangerous it can get, so cutting back is a mistake, said eight different scientists, meteorologists and former top officials at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — the weather service's parent agency.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/gjt/education_corner_balloon">balloons soar 100,000 feet</a>&nbsp;in the air with sensors called radiosondes hanging about 20 feet below them that measure temperature, dew point, humidity, barometric pressure, wind speed and direction.

“The thing about weather balloons is that they give you information you can't get any other way,” said D. James Baker, a former NOAA chief during the Clinton administration. He had to cut spending in the agency during his tenure but he said he refused to cut observations such as weather balloons. “It's an absolutely essential piece of the forecasting system.”

University of Oklahoma environment professor Renee McPherson said, “This frankly is just dangerous.”

“Bad,” Ryan Maue, who was NOAA's chief scientist at the end of President Donald Trump's first term, wrote in an email. “We should not degrade our weather system by skipping balloon launches. Not only is this embarrassing for NOAA, the cessation of weather balloon launches will worsen America's weather forecasts.”

Launches will be&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/media/notification/pdf_2025/pns25-17_Suspension_RAOB_Launches_OAX-UNR.pdf">eliminated in Omaha, Nebraska, and Rapid City, South Dakota</a>, “due to a lack of Weather Forecast Office (WFO) staffing,” the weather service said in a notice issued late Thursday. It also is cutting from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/media/notification/pdf_2025/pns25-18_Reduction_RAOB_Launches_ABR_GJT_GRB_APX_LBF_RIW.pdf">twice daily to once daily launches i</a>&nbsp;n Aberdeen, South Dakota; Grand Junction, Colorado; Green Bay, Wisconsin; Gaylord, Michigan; North Platte, Nebraska and Riverton, Wyoming.

The Trump administration and its Department of Government Efficiency&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/noaa-job-cuts-weather-forecasts-trump-doge-musk-7e35e9d5d757d8fc3f0f50b2bd71c87d">fired hundreds, likely more than 1,000, NOAA workers</a>&nbsp;earlier this year. The government then sent out letters telling probationary employees let go that they will get paid, but should not report to work.

Earlier this month, the agency had announced weather balloon cuts in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/media/notification/pdf_2025/pns25-11_intermittent_suspension_of_raob_Launches-aly_gyx.pdf">Albany, New York and Gray, Maine,</a>&nbsp;and in late February, it&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/media/notification/pdf_2025/pns25-08_kotzebue_ak_upper_air_suspension.pdf">ended launches in Kotzebue, Alaska</a>. That makes 11 announced sites with reduced or eliminated balloon observations, or about one out of nine launch locations which include part of the Pacific and Caribbean.

Among regularly reporting weather stations, NOAA had averaged about only one outage of balloon launches a day from 2021 to 2024, according to an Associated Press analysis of launch data.

Meteorologists Jeff Masters and Tomer Burg calculate that 14 of 83 U.S. balloon sites, or 17%, are doing partial or no launches. That includes two stations that aren't launching because of a helium shortage and a third that is hindered because of coastal erosion.

“The more data we can feed into our weather models, the more accurate our forecasts, but I can’t speculate on the extent of future impacts,” weather service spokesperson Susan Buchanan said in an email.

University at Albany meteorology professor Kristen Corbosiero looked at the map of launches Friday and said “wow, that is an empty area ... That's not great.”

Corbosiero works in the building where the Albany weather service used to go to the roof to launch twice-daily weather balloons. It's now down to one at night, which she said it is worrisome heading into severe weather season.

“For those of us east of the Rocky Mountains, this is probably the worst time of year,” said Oklahoma's McPherson. “It's the time of year that we have some of our largest tornado outbreaks, especially as we move into April and May.”

Former National Weather Service Director Elbert “Joe” Friday said the weather balloons get “the detailed lower atmospheric level of temperature and humidity that can determine whether the atmosphere is going to be hot enough to set off severe storms and how intense they might be.”

Satellites do a good job getting a big picture and ground measurements and radar show what's happening on the ground, but the weather balloons provide the key middle part of the forecasting puzzle — the atmosphere — where so much weather brews, several meteorologists said.

All of the 10 announced reductions are in the northern part of the United States. That's about where the jet stream — which is a river of air that moves weather systems across the globe — is this time of year, so not having as many observations is especially problematic, McPherson and Corbosiero said.

Weather balloons are also vital for helping forecast when and where it will rain, said Baker and another former NOAA chief, Rick Spinrad.

The weather agency has been launching balloons regularly since the 1930s. During World War II, weather balloon launches in the Arctic helped America win the air battle over Europe with better forecasts for planes, former weather chief Friday said.

It takes 90 minutes to an hour to fill a weather balloon with helium or hydrogen, get it fitted with a sensor, then ready it for launch making sure the radiosonde doesn't drag on the ground, said Friday, who recalled launching a balloon in Nome, Alaska with 30 mph winds and windchill of about 30 degrees below zero.

Meteorologists then track the data for a couple hours before the balloon falls back to the ground for a total of about four of five hours work for one person, Friday said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — With massive job cuts, the National Weather Service is eliminating or reducing vital weather balloon launches in eight northern locations, which meteorologists and former agency leaders said will degrade the accuracy of forecasts just as severe weather season kicks in.The normally twice-daily launches of weather balloons in about 100 locations provide information that forecasters and computer models use to figure out what the weather will be and how dangerous it can get, so cutting back is a mistake, said eight different scientists, meteorologists and former top officials at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — the weather service's parent agency.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/gjt/education_corner_balloon">balloons soar 100,000 feet</a>&nbsp;in the air with sensors called radiosondes hanging about 20 feet below them that measure temperature, dew point, humidity, barometric pressure, wind speed and direction.“The thing about weather balloons is that they give you information you can't get any other way,” said D. James Baker, a former NOAA chief during the Clinton administration. He had to cut spending in the agency during his tenure but he said he refused to cut observations such as weather balloons. “It's an absolutely essential piece of the forecasting system.”University of Oklahoma environment professor Renee McPherson said, “This frankly is just dangerous.”“Bad,” Ryan Maue, who was NOAA's chief scientist at the end of President Donald Trump's first term, wrote in an email. “We should not degrade our weather system by skipping balloon launches. Not only is this embarrassing for NOAA, the cessation of weather balloon launches will worsen America's weather forecasts.”Launches will be&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/media/notification/pdf_2025/pns25-17_Suspension_RAOB_Launches_OAX-UNR.pdf">eliminated in Omaha, Nebraska, and Rapid City, South Dakota</a>, “due to a lack of Weather Forecast Office (WFO) staffing,” the weather service said in a notice issued late Thursday. It also is cutting from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/media/notification/pdf_2025/pns25-18_Reduction_RAOB_Launches_ABR_GJT_GRB_APX_LBF_RIW.pdf">twice daily to once daily launches i</a>&nbsp;n Aberdeen, South Dakota; Grand Junction, Colorado; Green Bay, Wisconsin; Gaylord, Michigan; North Platte, Nebraska and Riverton, Wyoming.The Trump administration and its Department of Government Efficiency&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/noaa-job-cuts-weather-forecasts-trump-doge-musk-7e35e9d5d757d8fc3f0f50b2bd71c87d">fired hundreds, likely more than 1,000, NOAA workers</a>&nbsp;earlier this year. The government then sent out letters telling probationary employees let go that they will get paid, but should not report to work.Earlier this month, the agency had announced weather balloon cuts in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/media/notification/pdf_2025/pns25-11_intermittent_suspension_of_raob_Launches-aly_gyx.pdf">Albany, New York and Gray, Maine,</a>&nbsp;and in late February, it&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/media/notification/pdf_2025/pns25-08_kotzebue_ak_upper_air_suspension.pdf">ended launches in Kotzebue, Alaska</a>. That makes 11 announced sites with reduced or eliminated balloon observations, or about one out of nine launch locations which include part of the Pacific and Caribbean.Among regularly reporting weather stations, NOAA had averaged about only one outage of balloon launches a day from 2021 to 2024, according to an Associated Press analysis of launch data.Meteorologists Jeff Masters and Tomer Burg calculate that 14 of 83 U.S. balloon sites, or 17%, are doing partial or no launches. That includes two stations that aren't launching because of a helium shortage and a third that is hindered because of coastal erosion.“The more data we can feed into our weather models, the more accurate our forecasts, but I can’t speculate on the extent of future impacts,” weather service spokesperson Susan Buchanan said in an email.University at Albany meteorology professor Kristen Corbosiero looked at the map of launches Friday and said “wow, that is an empty area ... That's not great.”Corbosiero works in the building where the Albany weather service used to go to the roof to launch twice-daily weather balloons. It's now down to one at night, which she said it is worrisome heading into severe weather season.“For those of us east of the Rocky Mountains, this is probably the worst time of year,” said Oklahoma's McPherson. “It's the time of year that we have some of our largest tornado outbreaks, especially as we move into April and May.”Former National Weather Service Director Elbert “Joe” Friday said the weather balloons get “the detailed lower atmospheric level of temperature and humidity that can determine whether the atmosphere is going to be hot enough to set off severe storms and how intense they might be.”Satellites do a good job getting a big picture and ground measurements and radar show what's happening on the ground, but the weather balloons provide the key middle part of the forecasting puzzle — the atmosphere — where so much weather brews, several meteorologists said.All of the 10 announced reductions are in the northern part of the United States. That's about where the jet stream — which is a river of air that moves weather systems across the globe — is this time of year, so not having as many observations is especially problematic, McPherson and Corbosiero said.Weather balloons are also vital for helping forecast when and where it will rain, said Baker and another former NOAA chief, Rick Spinrad.The weather agency has been launching balloons regularly since the 1930s. During World War II, weather balloon launches in the Arctic helped America win the air battle over Europe with better forecasts for planes, former weather chief Friday said.It takes 90 minutes to an hour to fill a weather balloon with helium or hydrogen, get it fitted with a sensor, then ready it for launch making sure the radiosonde doesn't drag on the ground, said Friday, who recalled launching a balloon in Nome, Alaska with 30 mph winds and windchill of about 30 degrees below zero.Meteorologists then track the data for a couple hours before the balloon falls back to the ground for a total of about four of five hours work for one person, Friday said.

After job cuts, National Weather Service reducing weather balloon launches

KANSAS CITY —At the request of the Kansas City, Missouri police department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol's division of drug and crime control is investigating an officer involved shooting that occurred on Friday.

Just before 5p.m., KCPD officers located a white Hyundai passenger car which had been stolen earlier in the day during a burglary, according to a media release from the MSHP.

KCPD officers initiated a traffic stop on the car near Independence Avenue and Benton Boulevard. The driver refused to stop and fled. A KCPD helicopter in the area quickly located the car. KCPD officers on the ground discontinued any active pursuit of the car. The Hyundai began circling the area and a KCPD officer was able to successfully deploy a tire deflation device.&nbsp; The Hyundai came to a stop near 11th Street and Prospect Avenue where the driver ran from the car. KCPD officers responded to the area and began chasing the suspect on foot. Just after 5p.m. one officer fired shots striking the suspect.&nbsp; The suspect continued to run but was taken into custody a short distance later. 

EMS transported the suspect to a local hospital in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries. Police recovered a handgun from the scene where the suspect had been shot. No officers were injured. The Patrol is in charge of the investigation. The nane of the suspect and possible charges have not been released.

KANSAS CITY —At the request of the Kansas City, Missouri police department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol's division of drug and crime control is investigating an officer involved shooting that occurred on Friday.Just before 5p.m., KCPD officers located a white Hyundai passenger car which had been stolen earlier in the day during a burglary, according to a media release from the MSHP.KCPD officers initiated a traffic stop on the car near Independence Avenue and Benton Boulevard. The driver refused to stop and fled. A KCPD helicopter in the area quickly located the car. KCPD officers on the ground discontinued any active pursuit of the car. The Hyundai began circling the area and a KCPD officer was able to successfully deploy a tire deflation device.&nbsp; The Hyundai came to a stop near 11th Street and Prospect Avenue where the driver ran from the car. KCPD officers responded to the area and began chasing the suspect on foot. Just after 5p.m. one officer fired shots striking the suspect.&nbsp; The suspect continued to run but was taken into custody a short distance later. EMS transported the suspect to a local hospital in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries. Police recovered a handgun from the scene where the suspect had been shot. No officers were injured. The Patrol is in charge of the investigation. The nane of the suspect and possible charges have not been released.

Kansas City car theft suspect wounded in police shooting

BUTLER COUNTY —A controlled burn got too close to the Kansas Turnpike late Thursday. The Kansas Highway Patrol shared a&nbsp;midnight view from Master Trooper Zeller and Trooper J. Hill of fire at milepost 84.8 south of the Cassoday exit in Butler County. 

Kansas weather has been crazy the last week with mid-80’s, blizzard conditions, high winds, wildfires, and more. It’s not uncommon to see controlled burns along the turnpike in the spring though. The smoke can create challenges for drivers, so please remember the following safety tips. 

When driving into smoke, turn on your headlights (low-beams). Never use high-beams.&nbsp;Slow down and adjust your speed to the visibility.&nbsp;Increase following distance between vehicles in anticipation of sudden stops or changes in traffic.&nbsp;Do not stop in a travel lane. Find a safe place completely off the roadway and away from other vehicles if you stop. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742564511543.png" alt="Photo KHP" />
 <figcaption>Photo KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>BUTLER COUNTY —A controlled burn got too close to the Kansas Turnpike late Thursday. The Kansas Highway Patrol shared a&nbsp;midnight view from Master Trooper Zeller and Trooper J. Hill of fire at milepost 84.8 south of the Cassoday exit in Butler County. Kansas weather has been crazy the last week with mid-80’s, blizzard conditions, high winds, wildfires, and more. It’s not uncommon to see controlled burns along the turnpike in the spring though. The smoke can create challenges for drivers, so please remember the following safety tips. When driving into smoke, turn on your headlights (low-beams). Never use high-beams.&nbsp;Slow down and adjust your speed to the visibility.&nbsp;Increase following distance between vehicles in anticipation of sudden stops or changes in traffic.&nbsp;Do not stop in a travel lane. Find a safe place completely off the roadway and away from other vehicles if you stop.

KHP: Controlled burn too close to the Kansas Turnpike

KANSAS CITY, Kan.&nbsp;– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is investigating a death that occurred Friday afternoon in Kansas City, Kansas, during a warrant arrest, according to a media release from the KBI.

The Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) requested the KBI conduct an investigation on Friday, March 21, at around 4:34 p.m. KBI agents and the Crime Scene Response Team responded to the scene.

At 3:34 p.m., on Friday, March 21, KHP initiated a traffic stop on I-70 near the 7th&nbsp;Street exit to serve an arrest warrant for Daijon Estell, 24. During the stop, a trooper gave verbal commands for Estell to exit the vehicle. Estell did not comply with the commands, and produced a handgun. Estell fired one round, which resulted in a self-inflicted head wound. No law enforcement personnel discharged any firearms during the incident.

Troopers attempted life-saving measures until EMS arrived. At 3:43 p.m., Estell was pronounced deceased. No law enforcement officers were injured.

A small child was in the back seat of Estell’s vehicle. The child was unharmed, and was safely removed from the vehicle. The child was taken by the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department to be reunited with other family members.

This independent investigation aims to discover all events leading up to the incident. In use of force cases, the KBI releases details to the public as soon as possible. This information is preliminary in nature, and is based on evidence collected and early statements of the parties involved, witnesses, medical personnel and others. It does not represent final or thorough findings which take several weeks to complete.

When this investigation concludes, case findings will be presented to the Wyandotte County District Attorney. The investigation is ongoing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742643109671.png" alt="Estell from a previous arrest in Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Estell from a previous arrest in Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Kan.&nbsp;– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is investigating a death that occurred Friday afternoon in Kansas City, Kansas, during a warrant arrest, according to a media release from the KBI.The Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) requested the KBI conduct an investigation on Friday, March 21, at around 4:34 p.m. KBI agents and the Crime Scene Response Team responded to the scene.At 3:34 p.m., on Friday, March 21, KHP initiated a traffic stop on I-70 near the 7th&nbsp;Street exit to serve an arrest warrant for Daijon Estell, 24. During the stop, a trooper gave verbal commands for Estell to exit the vehicle. Estell did not comply with the commands, and produced a handgun. Estell fired one round, which resulted in a self-inflicted head wound. No law enforcement personnel discharged any firearms during the incident.Troopers attempted life-saving measures until EMS arrived. At 3:43 p.m., Estell was pronounced deceased. No law enforcement officers were injured.A small child was in the back seat of Estell’s vehicle. The child was unharmed, and was safely removed from the vehicle. The child was taken by the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department to be reunited with other family members.This independent investigation aims to discover all events leading up to the incident. In use of force cases, the KBI releases details to the public as soon as possible. This information is preliminary in nature, and is based on evidence collected and early statements of the parties involved, witnesses, medical personnel and others. It does not represent final or thorough findings which take several weeks to complete.When this investigation concludes, case findings will be presented to the Wyandotte County District Attorney. The investigation is ongoing.

Police investigate death during a warrant arrest of Kansas man

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;seems to be in no hurry to address an issue that has irritated Republican and Democratic administrations alike: the ability of a single judge to block a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-transgender-troops-military-7e1a52f94ee60dcd58d4c2086e14acc3">nationwide policy</a>.

Federal judges responding to a flurry of lawsuits have stopped or slowed one Trump administration action after another, from efforts to restrict birthright citizenship to freezes on domestic and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usaid-federal-judge-trump-administration-bdc919a5d98eda5ab72a32fdfe2f147d">international spending</a>.

While several justices have expressed concern about the use of so-called nationwide, or universal, injunctions, the high court has sidestepped multiple requests to do something about them.

The latest plea comes in the form of an emergency appeal the Justice Department filed with the court last week, seeking to narrow orders issued by judges in Maryland, Massachusetts and Washington that prohibit the nationwide enforcement of an executive order signed by President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-immigration-birthright-citizenship-5f1ebd68996f10a84972108f943476fd">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;to restrict&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-administration-birthright-citizenship-059a5d7a564ee025d5b4b6e4492c6e66">birthright citizenship</a>.

The justices usually order the other side in an emergency appeal to respond in a few days or a week. But in this case, they have set a deadline of April 4, without offering any explanation.

What are nationwide, or universal, injunctions?

The standard practice in U.S. courts is that a judge issues an order that gives only the people who sued what they want. As the name suggests, nationwide injunctions go well beyond the parties to a case and apply everywhere and to everyone who might be affected.

There is a scholarly dispute over when the first nationwide injunctions were issued, but there is no disagreement that they started increasing in frequency during the Obama administration and have only grown in number since.

One reason for the growth in these broad orders may be a corresponding increase in executive action.

In 2015, for instance, a judge in Texas blocked President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/daca-immigration-trump-deferred-action-obama-1302d284b9c4bdf3b4a5aa6a2a155e56">Barack Obama’s</a>&nbsp;program to protect immigrant parents of U.S. children after Congress failed to pass an immigration overhaul. Shortly after Trump took office for the first time, judges initially shut down his imposition of travel restrictions on immigrants from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3a20abe305bd4c989116f82bf535393b">seven Muslim-majority countries</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672235865420.png" alt="Supreme Court Credit: Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States" />
 <figcaption>Supreme Court Credit: Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;MARK SHERMANWASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;seems to be in no hurry to address an issue that has irritated Republican and Democratic administrations alike: the ability of a single judge to block a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-transgender-troops-military-7e1a52f94ee60dcd58d4c2086e14acc3">nationwide policy</a>.Federal judges responding to a flurry of lawsuits have stopped or slowed one Trump administration action after another, from efforts to restrict birthright citizenship to freezes on domestic and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usaid-federal-judge-trump-administration-bdc919a5d98eda5ab72a32fdfe2f147d">international spending</a>.While several justices have expressed concern about the use of so-called nationwide, or universal, injunctions, the high court has sidestepped multiple requests to do something about them.The latest plea comes in the form of an emergency appeal the Justice Department filed with the court last week, seeking to narrow orders issued by judges in Maryland, Massachusetts and Washington that prohibit the nationwide enforcement of an executive order signed by President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-immigration-birthright-citizenship-5f1ebd68996f10a84972108f943476fd">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;to restrict&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-administration-birthright-citizenship-059a5d7a564ee025d5b4b6e4492c6e66">birthright citizenship</a>.The justices usually order the other side in an emergency appeal to respond in a few days or a week. But in this case, they have set a deadline of April 4, without offering any explanation.<h2>What are nationwide, or universal, injunctions?</h2>The standard practice in U.S. courts is that a judge issues an order that gives only the people who sued what they want. As the name suggests, nationwide injunctions go well beyond the parties to a case and apply everywhere and to everyone who might be affected.There is a scholarly dispute over when the first nationwide injunctions were issued, but there is no disagreement that they started increasing in frequency during the Obama administration and have only grown in number since.One reason for the growth in these broad orders may be a corresponding increase in executive action.In 2015, for instance, a judge in Texas blocked President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/daca-immigration-trump-deferred-action-obama-1302d284b9c4bdf3b4a5aa6a2a155e56">Barack Obama’s</a>&nbsp;program to protect immigrant parents of U.S. children after Congress failed to pass an immigration overhaul. Shortly after Trump took office for the first time, judges initially shut down his imposition of travel restrictions on immigrants from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3a20abe305bd4c989116f82bf535393b">seven Muslim-majority countries</a>.<h2>Shopping for judges to get a result</h2>The Trump administration’s acting top Supreme Court lawyer, Sarah Harris, described one major flaw in these court orders with universal effect. “Years of experience have shown that the Executive Branch cannot properly perform its functions if any judge anywhere can enjoin every presidential action everywhere,” Harris wrote in the emergency appeal over birthright citizenship.Her predecessor in the Biden administration, Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, struck a similar theme in high court filings last year, noting that “the government must prevail in every suit to keep its policy in force, but plaintiffs can block a federal statute or regulation nationwide with just a single lower-court victory.”The issue has been exacerbated by the tendency of conservatives to seek out like-minded judges in Texas, Louisiana and Missouri, while liberals file suit in friendlier courthouses in Massachusetts, California and New York.“You look at something like that and you think, that can’t be right,” Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-elena-kagan-ethics-code-0de5fc0fb31eaab57202cf96b4e9c3e7">Elena Kagan</a>&nbsp;said in 2022. “In the Trump years, people used to go to the Northern District of California, and in the Biden years, they go to Texas. It just can’t be right that one district judge can stop a nationwide policy in its tracks and leave it stopped for the years that it takes to go through the normal process.”<h2>Are nationwide injunctions even legal?</h2>At least two justices,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/clarence-thomas-supreme-court-senate-harlan-crow-f538d244f148065de8c52fb13e2f9853">Clarence Thomas</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-justice-gorsuch-book-over-ruled-3bdd27fe9dd50e39bffd6eef030ad24f">Neil Gorsuch</a>&nbsp;have made clear they think the answer is no. Several others have suggested the injunctions raise questions the court might someday answer.Samuel Bray, a professor at Notre Dame Law School, is a leading voice arguing that judges have no power to issue nationwide injunctions. The limits on a judge’s power remain even in the face of an obviously unconstitutional policy, Bray said.That restraint applies even in the birthright citizenship cases, Bray wrote on the Divided Argument blog. “Any illegal act by the president should be rejected by the federal courts. But they should reject it as courts do—one case at a time, with remedies for the parties,” he wrote, citing Kagan’s remarks.People challenging the executive order could file a class-action lawsuit, which would have broader application. Indeed, an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/american-civil-liberties-union">American Civil Liberties Union</a>&nbsp;lawyer representing immigration advocates and individuals in a case in New Hampshire told a judge that the ACLU was considering a nationwide class action.But the group’s lawyer, Cody Wofsy, pointed out what might happen in the interim, if the Supreme Court agrees to the administration’s request. “Children would be exposed to all the harms we’ve talked about immediately,” Wofsy said.Amanda Frost, a professor at the University of Virginia School of Law, thinks the Supreme Court could be open to addressing the broader issue at some point because judges impose nationwide injunctions too often.But birthright citizenship would be a terrible issue on which to do so, Frost said.“It would create a burden on people at a moment in their lives when they’re entering into the labor delivery room...And then you create a patchwork across the United States, incentivizing pregnant women to leave for a state that recognizes birthright citizenship,” she said.She added: “You think about the chaos that would play out.”