By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER and JOSH BOAK, AP Writers

WASHINGTON (AP) — Kevin Warsh has sought the job of Federal Reserve chair, off and on, since President Donald Trump first considered him for the position nearly a decade ago. Now that he is in line for the position, the enormity of the challenge ahead of him is clear.

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Trump names former Federal Reserve official Warsh as the next Fed chair to replace Powell

To be effective, Warsh must gain the trust of at least three constituencies: the committee of Federal Reserve officials whose votes he will have to win to change interest rates; the financial markets, which can undermine his efforts to reduce borrowing costs if they think he is acting politically; and not least Trump, a former real estate developer with an exquisite sense of just how much difference a cut or increase in interest rates can make for those with large debts, whether they are businesses, households or a government.

“He has to thread that needle,” said Raghuram Rajan, an economist at the University of Chicago and former head of India’s central bank. “If you are seen as too pliable to the administration, you lose the support of the members of the (Fed), you become ineffective in creating consensus.”

Yet if he alienates the White House, Rajan said, Warsh runs the risk of putting the Fed back in the White House’s sights. Under Trump, the current chair Jerome Powell has come under relentless fire for not cutting interest rates as quickly as the president would like, and is now under criminal investigation by the Department of Justice. Powell has called the investigation a pretext to force him to lower rates.

Warsh may also face a bumpy confirmation process in the Senate, where two Republicans have already said they will oppose his nomination unless the criminal investigation is resolved. One of them, Thom Tillis from North Carolina, is on the banking committee, and could prevent that panel from approving the nomination if he and all Democrats vote against it. Tillis repeated Friday that he would oppose Warsh until the Justice Department investigation is resolved.

And Democratic Sen. Mark Warner from Virginia, who is also on the committee, said: “It is difficult to trust that any chair of the Federal Reserve selected by this president will be able to act with the independence required of the position, knowing that this administration will levy charges against any leader who makes interest rate decisions based on facts and the needs of our economy rather than Trump’s personal preferences.”

And there may be even more drama ahead: Powell, as part of the Fed’s complex structure, could remain on the Fed’s governing board, as well as its rate-setting committee, even after his term as chair ends in May. That would leave Warsh facing a situation no Fed chair has dealt with in 80 years: A former chair potentially acting as a counterweight to the new leader of the Fed.

Demonstrating some independence from the White House will likely be Warsh’s biggest challenge. Alan Blinder, a former Fed vice chair, said that most important unknown is what promises Trump extracted from Warsh in return for nominating him to lead the U.S. central bank. The Princeton University economist said he worries about the private conversations between Trump and Warsh about what Fed policy needed to be.

“We all know Donald Trump — he wants a loyalty pledge of some kind,” Blinder said. “I hope Kevin Warsh didn’t give one.”

Blinder said that Warsh does have experience with markets and monetary policy, which are good preparation for the job. But, more importantly, Warsh is a people person who has the skills to influence other Fed officials when debating policy.

“The one thing he has in abundance is personal and diplomatic skills,” Blinder said. “He knows how to get along with people. He’s expert at that. He’s very likable.”

Don Kohn, a former Federal Reserve governor whose term overlapped with Warsh’s, said Warsh “is very smart — both intellectually and in his ability to read the room.”

“He understands how important it is that the Fed’s decisions be based on a longer-term view” of the Fed’s goals of stable prices and maximum employment, “rather than the short-term objectives of whomever happens to be in the White House,” Kohn said.

By Christopher Reynolds, Los Angeles Times

Yosemite’s firefall — the winter convergence of sunbeams and falling water that has drawn growing crowds to the national park’s Horsetail Falls — will be different this year. At least for those hoping to plan a trip.

A view of the firefall at Yosemite’s Horsetail Falls in 2019. (Raul Roa/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

When skies are clear and Horsetail Falls is flowing, the firefall phenomenon happens in mid- to late February as the setting sun illuminates the falls for a few minutes before disappearing, giving the water a lava-like orange glow. A hazy or cloudy evening can dramatically reduce or destroy the effect. Yet since photographer Galen Rowell captured a striking image in 1973, thousands of visitors (many of them photographers) have made the journey, vying for the ideal position, prompting various safety measures. By 2021, rangers were using reservation requirements to thin the crowds.

This year, firefall views are considered mostly likely to take place Feb. 10-26, and a reservation is not required to see it or to visit Yosemite in February. Instead, park officials aim to limit crowds by restricting car and foot traffic. As the Mariposa Gazette reported, Yosemite National Park Superintendent Ray McPadden said that “a bunch of boots on the ground is going to be our principal strategy.” With these changes, here are a few things to know if you’re hoping to experience the glow.

Where to park

Rangers are urging visitors to park in the Yosemite Falls parking area (just west of Yosemite Valley Lodge) and walk 1.5 miles to the viewing area near El Capitan Picnic Area. If there’s no parking available at Yosemite Falls, rangers say, visitors should park at Yosemite Village or Curry Village and use the free shuttle (which stops at both) to get to Yosemite Falls parking/Yosemite Valley Lodge, then begin the walk.

What to bring

Expect snow and ice, and bring warm clothes, traction devices for your boots and a headlamp or flashlight for the 3-mile round-trip walk, rangers advise.

Visitors gather near Horsetail Falls in Yosemite in 2019. (Raul Roa/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Restricted areas

To make more room for pedestrians, Northside Drive will have one lane closed to vehicles between the viewing area and Yosemite Falls parking. Parking, stopping or unloading passengers will be prohibited between Lower Yosemite Fall and El Capitan Crossover (but vehicles displaying a disability placard will be allowed greater access). On busy weekends, rangers say, they may close Northside Drive entirely for about 30 minutes following sunset.

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Rangers say the park’s Southside Drive will be open to vehicles, but parking, stopping, and unloading passengers will be prohibited between El Capitan Crossover and Swinging Bridge Picnic Area. In addition, pedestrians will be banned from walking on or adjacent to the road in that area.

Also, from Cathedral Beach Picnic Area to Sentinel Beach Picnic Area, the area between the road and the Merced River (including the river itself) will be closed to visitors. El Capitan Crossover, the road that connects Northside and Southside Drives near El Capitan, will be open to vehicles, but parking, stopping and unloading passengers will be prohibited. The Yosemite National Park website includes a detailed map of the Horsetail Fall viewing area and restrictions.

©2026 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

By Gretchen McKay, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Like a lot of shoppers, I look for bargains when it comes to choosing which fruits and vegetables to cook each week.

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Even in winter, when selections can be slim if you’re not a fan of root veggies and brassicas like cabbage, broccoli and kale, I tend to buy not what looks the yummiest or most interesting, but what’s on sale — or at least has a price I can live with.

When it comes to cauliflower, I won’t spend more than $3 for a head of the nutritious crunchy vegetable my kids called “brains” when they were little. As adults, they love cauliflower after learning how good it tastes when slow-roasted or processed into “rice” for a gluten-free pizza crust.

This flavor-packed plant-forward recipe is another winner for brassica lovers. Instead of breaking the white head into florets or boiling and mashing it like you would potatoes, I sliced the cauliflower into thick “steaks.” Then, after seasoning the slabs with salt, pepper and smoked paprika, I fried it in butter with minced garlic until it was crispy on both sides.

The steaks then went into a hot oven and were slow-roasted until they were tender enough to be pierced with a fork.

The coup de maître? After plating the cauliflower on a swoosh of lemony white bean puree, I topped it with a bright and herbaceous (and garlicky) chimichurri made with fresh parsley and cilantro.

If eating more veggies is a new year’s goal, I succeeded brilliantly with this dish — and you can, too!

When choosing cauliflower, look for creamy white heads that feel heavy, with tightly packed florets. There shouldn’t be any black spots on the curds — that’s a sign the veggie is getting old and on a road to being tossed (though you can still eat it if you cut the spots off).

You can use any mix of fresh herbs for the chimichurri. Just be sure to add some vinegar along with the garlic and crushed red pepper to brighten the flavor.

Roasted cauliflower “steaks” are served with a creamy white bean puree and topped with homemade chimichurri. (Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS)

Cauliflower ‘Steaks’ With White Bean Puree And Chinichurri

For steaks

1 large cauliflower
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons butter
3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

For chimichurri

1 cup packed fresh parsley leaves, including thin stems
1 cup packed cilantro leaves, including thin stems
1 shallot, chopped
2 or 3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1/2 -1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste

For bean puree

2 (14-ounce) cans great northern or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Juice 1 1/2 lemons
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Salt and pepper, to taste

Prepare the chimichurri. In blender or food processor, combine parsley, cilantro, shallots, garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, vinegar, oregano, black pepper, red pepper flakes and salt. Process until the ingredients are minced and combined, adding more olive oil until you reach the desired consistency. Season to taste with more salt or pepper, as desired, then transfer to a small bowl. (Sauce should be more like salad dressing than pesto.)

Prepare beans. Place beans into a blender with the juice of 1 1/2 lemons, 1 minced garlic clove, nutritional yeast and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Blend, adding a little bit of water at a time, until you get a creamy consistency. If you like, add a little garlic powder or white miso for extra oomph.

Chop 2 or 3 thick flat steaks out of the middle of the cauliflower by slicing from the stalk up to the top. Save the florets that fall off for another recipe or add to a pan with a little salt, pepper, paprika and olive oil and stir-fry until brown and crispy to serve on top of the finished dish.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Season steaks with salt, pepper and paprika on both sides. Add butter to a large cast-iron or other oven-proof pan (mine measured 12 inches) and heat over medium-high heat.

When butter is sizzling, add cauliflower slices and garlic and allow to cook for about 5 minutes until you get a good sear on one side of the steaks. (You will want to press it down with a spatula.) Then flip and cook the other side until seared and golden brown.

Place pan in preheated oven and roast until the cauliflower is tender and deeply golden brown, about 20 minutes. (You will be able to easily pierce it with a fork.)

To serve, spoon 1/2 cup bean purée into the middle of a plate and spread it in a circle with a spatula. Place cauliflower steak on top, drizzle with chimichurri and scatter over the fried reserved cauliflower bits, if using.

Serves 3-4.

Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette

©2026 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

By Sarah Boden, Drew Hawkins, Gulf States Newsroom, KFF Health News

Last year was a tough one for farmers. Amid falling prices for commodity crops such as corn and soybeans, rising input costs for supplies like fertilizer and seeds, as well as the Trump tariffs and the dismantling of USAID, many farms weren’t profitable last year.

And now, the enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies that many Americans, including farmers, relied on to purchase health insurance are gone, having expired at the end of December.

James Davis, 55, who grows cotton, soybeans, and corn in northern Louisiana, said he didn’t know how he and his wife would afford coverage. Their share of their insurance premium quadrupled for 2026, jumping to about $2,700 a month.

“You can’t afford it,” Davis said. “Bottom line. There’s nothing to discuss. You can’t afford it without the subsidies.”

A tractor in Richland Parish. ((Drew Hawkins/Gulf States Newsroom)/KFF HEALTH/TNS)

More than a quarter of the agricultural workforce purchases health insurance through the individual marketplace, according to an analysis from KFF, a health information nonprofit that includes KFF Health News.

That 27% rate is much higher than the overall population’s — only 6% of U.S. adults have non-group coverage.

Farmers are used to facing challenges such as unpredictable weather and fluctuating commodity prices. But the loss of the enhanced subsidies, coupled with challenging economic conditions, will make coverage unaffordable for many.

Without major intervention from Washington, farmers say they’ll have to choose between being uninsured or leaving the farm work behind for a job that offers health insurance.

A Gamble for Farmers

Farming is dangerous work. Agricultural workers spend much of their time outside and exposed to the elements. Many of their duties can lead to injury or illness. They drive and operate heavy machinery, work with toxic chemicals, and handle large animals.

The rate of work-related deaths for farmers is seven times the national average.

The financial toll of non-fatal farm injuries is also significant. A study from the University of Nebraska Medical Center found that the average cost of a farming injury was $10,878 in medical care and $4,735 in lost work.

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It’s essential that farmers can purchase comprehensive insurance, said Florence Becot, a rural sociologist and associate professor of agricultural health and safety at Pennsylvania State University, where she studies the social and economic needs of farm households.

In a 2022 study, Becot found that more than 20% of U.S. farm households had medical debt exceeding $1,000 and that more than half were not confident they could cover the costs of a major illness or injury.

“That shows you the level of vulnerability and concerns that farmers are facing,” she said.

Mental health is also a concern. Farmers are roughly twice as likely to die by suicide compared with the general population. Mental health hotlines that serve rural communities have seen an uptick in calls.

These concerns around farmers’ increased emotional distress, coupled with a rise in bankruptcies, conjures memories of the farm crisis of the 1980s, said Michael Klein, a vice president at the industry group USA Rice. During that decade, there was a raft of foreclosures, and hundreds of farmers took their own lives.

“We’re really afraid of what’s going to happen,” Klein said.

Prairie Star Farm has been in Meghan Palmer’s family for three generations. ((Meghan Palmer)/KFF HEALTH/TNS)

Farmers can be reluctant to acknowledge that they rely on government-subsidized insurance, said Meghan Palmer, 43, who runs a dairy farm in northeastern Iowa with her husband, John, 45.

“We’re not handout-takers,” Palmer said.

More than 40% of dairy farmers lack health insurance — one of the highest rates among all agricultural sectors.

But going uninsured is not an option for the Palmers.

During their first year of marriage, the couple recalled, they were uninsured and had to pay out-of-pocket for two unexpected health crises: Palmer had an appendectomy, and her husband needed stitches after getting kicked in the face by one of his cows.

“It was stupid of us,” Palmer said of the decision to forgo coverage.

But this year, the combined out-of-pocket monthly cost of their plans is increasing by more than 90%, to $368.18. Their total 2026 deductible is $7,200.

Palmer is a registered nurse who picks up shifts on an as-needed basis, allowing her the flexibility to prioritize her work on the farm. She’s now searching for a job with health benefits. But she worries a job that doesn’t allow her to keep up with the farm work will create a greater burden for her husband.

“John is working exhausted most of the time,” she said. “That’s when mistakes get made and you end up in the ER.”

Cotton grows on a farm in Richland Parish in northern Louisiana. James Davis grows cotton, soybeans, and corn in the region. Like many farmers, he is seeing his health insurance costs spike. ((Drew Hawkins/Gulf States Newsroom)/KFF HEALTH/TNS)

Political Consequences

Even after the enhanced subsidies expired at the end of 2025, the Palmers estimate their income will still be low enough that they’ll qualify for some tax credits to purchase coverage.

However, under the GOP’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, repayment limits are being eliminated, so if the Palmers have a surprisingly profitable 2026, they’ll be forced to pay some, or even all, of that subsidy back at tax time.

A farmer’s income can vary drastically year to year, Becot said, partly because commodity prices can fluctuate rapidly.

Some farmers might deliberately choose to not expand their businesses, because too much profit might mean they lose access to health care subsidies.

Farmers who are insured through Medicaid have similar concerns, Becot said. But prioritizing health care affordability by suppressing operational growth can have long-term consequences for a farm’s success.

Palmer, in Iowa, and Davis, in Louisiana, are both upset that lawmakers aren’t more sensitive to the economic demands of farming and how those have coincided with rising health costs.

President Donald Trump recently pledged $12 billion in one-time bridge payments to row crop farmers, but that’s not going to stop health care costs from ballooning.

Republicans are aware that health care affordability is a problem and have put forth proposals, said Donna Hoffman, a political scientist at the University of Northern Iowa. But most don’t support extending the enhanced ACA subsidies, because they don’t see them as a good solution to the problem of rising health care costs.

This article is from a partnership that includes the Gulf States Newsroom, NPR, and KFF Health News.

©2026 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.