By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

Kat’s Hallmark is giving away countless hugs to loyal customers as it prepares to close its doors before the end of the year.

Kathy and John Schupman, owners of Kat's Hallmark at 1003 Main St., announced the store will close Dec. 31. Kathy reflected on her move to Hays and on the store's evolution during the past decade.

"Where I'm at in life, it's time to balance family time and give to other events more so than my career," Kathy said.

Kat’s Hallmark will offer 75% off storewide and all cards priced at two for $1 through its final day from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Kathy moved to Hays from Ohio after meeting her husband, John, a Hays native, at a pinochle tournament that brought her to northwest Kansas.

Kathy said the idea of opening a store organically grew from her passion for community involvement. Through years of working at the Kansas State Fair, she built relationships with vendors and discovered a strong market for locally made gift items.

Kathy asked John if they could open a store featuring Kansas-made products, marking the start of a new business venture. During that time, the Hallmark store operated in Big Creek Crossing Mall and Tebo Village before settling in downtown Hays in 2023.

"The dream always was community involvement. I just love that, and I love being around people," Kathy said.

The historic building, constructed in 1919, previously housed JCPenney, Jackie Creamer’s Dance Studio and TR’s Sportswear. Kathy said the closure also comes as she can no longer manage the store on her own.

"It has been difficult to keep a consistent full-time staff in the last few years. We've had wonderful employees, but ultimately they graduate, move on or get married. Good things like that," she said.

"When we're 20 years old, you can keep kicking on," John said. "But once you get older, money ain't worth it if you're not healthy to go another 20 years."

Kathy said the store always had strong support from loyal customers, many of whom traveled from across Kansas and beyond. She said news of the closure reached customers as far away as coastal states.

"We're getting cards from people in Missouri, New York, people who traveled to Denver and stopped here," she said. "They heard we're closing, so they've been writing cards and sending us stuff. That's just so priceless," Kathy said.

She said she plans to pursue a slower-paced career and spend more time with family and at the VFW, where she also serves on the Honor Guard. Kathy and John said many hugs have been shared with customers during the store's final days.

"We're so appreciative and thankful for the relationships,&nbsp;camaraderie, and for including us in their family. The experience really was a Hallmark moment in total," Kathy said.&nbsp;

Kathy said her faith was central to the creation and operation of the gift shop, shaping the store’s identity and the products it carried, including religious items not commonly found in larger corporate stores.

"We have a crucifix hanging up, and it's from the Holy Land. That's what kept us going. Faith and family were able to create this," she said.

You can follow Kat's Hallmark on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/katshallmark/">Facebook</a>&nbsp;for any more announcements.&nbsp;

Kat's Hallmark in Hays to close after 10 years on New Year's Eve

SHERMAN COUNTY—Law enforcement released additional details on the activity that prompted a shelter-in-place in Goodland early Monday.

Just before 10 p.m. Sunday, police responded to a reported domestic incident at a home in the 400 block of East Fourth Street in Goodland, according to a media release. Officers determined the suspect used a knife in an attempt to stab a female victim, resulting in cuts to the victim's hand.

The victim left the home and went to the local hospital, where she was treated for her injuries and released.

Police, along with Sherman County deputies and Kansas Highway Patrol Troopers, attempted to make contact with the suspect at the residence. The suspect failed to respond and barricaded himself inside the home.

Due to the violent nature of the situation, the KHP Special Response Team responded. This team made multiple attempts through the night to establish contact with the suspect. He refused to respond or comply.&nbsp;

At 7 a.m. Monday, the KHP team located the suspect in the attic of the residence and took him into custody without further incident. There were no further injuries reported. The suspect faces multiple felony charges.

Police detail arrest that led to shelter in place in NW Kansas

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How to submit an obituary to the Hays Post

Please email obituaries to haysobits@eaglemedia.com.

Please allow up to 24 hours from the submission of the obituary for it to be posted on the Hays Post.&nbsp;

If you have questions, please contact Scarlett Deutscher at 785-301-2211.&nbsp;

If you have an issue outside of business hours or your obit has not been published within 24 hours, please email <a href="mailto:hayspost@eaglemedia.com" target="_blank">hayspost@eaglemedia.com</a> or call Cristina Janney, Hays Post editor, at 785-301-2077.&nbsp;

Recent obituaries, how to submit an obituary

Due to the observance of the New Years holiday, the refuse/recycling collection schedules will be altered as follows: &nbsp;Wednesday and Thursday routes will both be collected on Wednesday, December 31. 

There are no anticipated changes to Monday, Tuesday or Friday routes.

It is anticipated that heavy volumes of refuse/recyclables will be encountered around the holidays. Please be sure to set your bags out by 7:00 a.m. on the collection day and keep in mind that the trucks have no set time schedule.

City of Hays customers that may have any questions regarding this notice should contact the Solid Waste Division of the Public Works Department at 785-628-7350.

Holiday week to alter refuse/recycling collection in Hays

By MICHAEL A. SMITH Insight Kansas

The beleaguered Kansas City Chiefs just scored their biggest win of the year. On December 22, the Chiefs announced a new agreement with the state of Kansas to spend $3.3 billion on a new domed stadium in western Wyandotte County, relying heavily on the tax mechanism called STAR bonds. Governor Laura Kelly and other policymakers are ecstatic about the deal, which also includes an entertainment district.

Unfortunately, economists have thoroughly documented that <a href="https://taxfoundation.org/blog/sports-stadium-subsidies-taxpayers/">sports stadium incentives do not pay for themselves</a>. The massive amounts of revenue diverted to pay back the STAR bonds could fund schools, libraries, first responders, and infrastructure. What economic growth the Chiefs generate is being relocated within the Kansas City area, not “created.” If the proposed entertainment district materializes, it will simply move the spending from other parts of the metro, such as Kansas City, MO’s Power and Light District.

It should also be noted that Kansas is a <a href="https://www.epi.org/publication/right-to-work-states-have-lower-wages/">“right to work”</a> state, meaning that the laws protecting unions are much weaker than Missouri’s. Non-union contractors paying workers less will likely be involved in constructing the new stadium– some may not even be located here. This also affects those who work at the concessions, who are <a href="https://www.seiu1.org/blog/2019/03/22/seiu-local-1-arrowhead-stadium-maintenance-workers-game-day-staff-win-strong-new-contract-kansas-city-chiefs">currently unionized</a> at the Truman Sports Complex in Missouri. After the big move, they may be stripped of their right to representation as well as some pay and benefits.

The Chiefs chose scrappy, often-overlooked Kansas City, Kansas over wealthy Johnson County for their project. Known as the Legends, the site lies in the western portion of Wyandotte County, surrounded by existing development including the Kansas Speedway, a soccer stadium, a theme park, hotels, and shopping. Unfortunately, because the STAR bonds will use the tax revenue generated to pay for the development itself, there will be little if any benefit to the eastern part of Wyandotte County, one of the poorest parts of the state where good jobs, stable tax revenue, and infrastructure development are badly needed.

The Chiefs deal and associated negotiations with the Royals also scuttled the border war truce. From 2009 until the truce was signed in 2018, Missouri and Kansas <a href="https://www.cato.org/blog/how-kansas-city-chiefs-royals-restarted-subsidies-war">wasted $335 million in potential tax revenue</a> luring businesses back and forth across the state line, creating only 1200 jobs, costing about $280,000 per job. The sports deals ended the truce, and just this week, real estate developer VanTrust Real Estate accepted nearly $120 million to move insurance brokerage firm Lockton to Leawood from Kansas City, MO’s Country Club Plaza, while the Plaza’s own developers simultaneously requested nearly half a billion in tax incentives of their own to redevelop that area.

In 2024, Jackson County, MO affordable housing advocates led a backlash against the sales tax funding the Truman Complex, arguing that a sales tax on food (among other things) should not be used to subsidize real estate developers and for-profit sports teams when others struggle to find affordable groceries and housing.

Now, any hope of taxpayers, unions, and property tax-reliant local schools being involved in a tax deal is gone. Team owners, politicians, and developers are back in the driver’s seat. This project will not pay for itself. Given their generosity, Kansas taxpayers can only hope that the Chiefs match their win in the capitol with more victories on the field.

Michael Smith is a professor of political science at Emporia State University.

Insight Kansas: Playing devils advocate on the Chiefs deal

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced the Office of Rural Prosperity at the Department of Commerce has awarded $337,833 in Strategic Economic Expansion and Development (SEED) grants, supporting 15 quality-of-life projects across Kansas. The awards leveraged more than $744,186 in local contributions, bringing the total investment available for the projects to almost $1.1 million.

“Our small towns in Kansas are the heart of this state — they have character, history and most importantly, they have passion for growth,”&nbsp;Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Investing in these projects provides opportunities for smaller, rural communities to make themselves more appealing to their current and future residents as well as attract potential new businesses.”

Awardees of the grant represent communities with a population of 5,000 or less. They also commit to a minimum 10% match and to provide a completed project proposal within 12 months. The projects must be focused on economic development and revitalization efforts through one of the following quality-of-life categories: Childcare and Senior Programming, Community Vibrancy, Food Retail or Libraries.

The Kansas Office of Rural Prosperity had a special check presentation on Monday, December 22, in Yates Center for the awardees. The 2025 SEED grant recipients by category:

Funding for the SEED program, which is administered by the Office of Rural Prosperity in the Kansas Department of Commerce, is provided through the Technology Enabled Fiduciary Financial Institutions (TEFFI) Development and Expansion Fund. The TEFFI Act was enacted in 2021 through bipartisan legislation to promote economic development throughout the state.

The SEED grant funds are one of the many tools provided by Commerce to support rural Kansas communities. To view the list of past SEED awardees and projects, click&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.kansascommerce.gov%2Fseedgrants%2F/1/0101019b51280f22-e3791696-b540-4164-959f-9bc1869cf9af-000000/q4xSBeMSSMev4lOYo8ncz-C9Gpd79jg3tlOXrOhcYhg=437">here</a>.

About the Kansas Department of Commerce:&nbsp;

As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses. Through Commerce’s project successes, Kansas was awarded&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.5TWXrJO3b3qLJa9ieHzydq1eJNWfc7-AJ-GW80r08s8/s/1303135913/br/109392404636-l">Area Development Magazine’s</a>&nbsp;prestigious&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.K9Y9Tb0NsjacA1MsAu_7H-njrBFCuqNGN6ODZXi3nmY/s/1303135913/br/109392404636-l">Gold Shovel award</a>&nbsp;in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, and was awarded the 2021 and 2022 Governor’s Cup by&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.dNNQWTpQT0szY4qD2n2LvtDSg1A0HrY6qDhbvmHjyjk/s/1303135913/br/109392404636-l">Site Selection Magazine</a>.

15 rural economic development grant recipients announced

<a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

Three-day weather outlook

Hays Police Department activity log: Dec. 21-27, 2025

Hays Police Department arrest log: Dec. 21-27, 2025

By JOHN P. TRETBAR Eagle Media

Venezuela is now storing crude-oil in aging and obsolete oil tankers parked in its coastal waters. Inventories are mounting, with production of 1.1 million barrels a day, and shipping delays across the board prompted by the US blockade. Reuters reports an emerging backlog filling onshore storage. Venezuelan stockpiles are the highest since August, rising over 22 million barrels. They began transferring barrels to tankers over the weekend.

Reuters reported at least one crude carrier flagged to Panama returned to port in Venezuela following the US interception of another.&nbsp; Two tankers, the "Kelly" and the "Centuries," left port under escort by the Venezuelan Navy. The Coast Guard intercepted the Centuries. The Kelly returned to Caracas.

The United States told the United Nations it will impose and enforce sanctions (quote:) "to the maximum extent"... to deprive Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of resources.

Iran state media reports its Navy seized an oil tanker reportedly carrying 25-thousand barrels of smuggled fuel in the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Officials did not disclosed the flag of the tanker, nor the nationalities of the 16 crew members taken into custody Friday.

India's largest conglomerate is still receiving crude-oil shipments from Russian supplier Rosneft, despite US sanctions against the company and its customers. Reuters reports Reliance Industries has what it calls a temporary arrangement allowing it to receive Russian cargoes while working toward compliance. The Administration specifically sanctioned Rosneft, and gave its customers until November to comply. Additional shipments were expected in December and January.

The Rotary Rig Count from Baker Hughes dated Tuesday shows an increase of three oil rigs. The gas tally was unchanged. The total of 545 rigs of all types is down 44 from a year ago. This week, Texas is up two, Louisiana is up one and New Mexico is down one.

Independent Oil and Gas Service notes 15 active drilling rigs in a report dated Christmas Day. Most of those rigs are shut down for the holiday, but actual drilling is reported on leases in Gove and Bourbon County. The current active-rig inventory is unchanged from last week, 14 percent higher than a month ago, and 37 percent lower than a year ago.

In it's final Red Top report for the year, Independent Oil and Gas Service notes 189 active licensed operators in Kansas who have drilled a well here this year. That's down 68 operators, or 26 percent, from last year. Overall activity is down 37 percent compared to last year.

There are nine new well-completions in the final weekly report, or completed wells 1,078 wells year-to-date.&nbsp; The completion tally trails last year by nearly three hundred wells.&nbsp; The statewide leaders are in eastern Kansas: Woodson County with 135 wells, and Anderson County with 117.*Ellis County with 25 well-completions this year, compared to 24 by the end of last year.*Barton County operators completed 33 wells, up from 30 last year.*Russell County completions drop by nearly half, from 19 a year ago to ten this year.*Stafford County is down four from last year to 17 wells.*Finney County operators completed 32 wells, Gove County reports 29 and Haskell County notches 17.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The US House passed a sweeping permitting and regulatory reform bill, the so-called SPEED Act, which stands for Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development. The measure eliminates some environmental reviews and accelerates approvals for major energy projects, along with infrastructure, manufacturing and data centers. The bill's supporters say it eliminates duplicate reviews and blocks litigation. Critics say it ties the hands of judges and local communities. It now faces an uncertain future in the Senate.

Crude oil production in North Dakota increased slightly in October. The Department of Mineral Resources in the number-three crude producing state reports output inched up by 483 barrels per day from September to October to 1.168 million barrels per day. Natural gas production is down, and statewide flared volume increased by nearly four percent. Operators were able the capture 95.2 percent of the natural gas coming out of their oil wells. The rest is vented or burned off.

News from the Oil Patch: Kansas completion stats up, down

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Hays received one inch of snow on Sunday, according to the K-State Ag Research Center.

Hays had wind gusts of up to 45 mph early Sunday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

Although Hays saw seasonably warm temperatures during the holiday, it did not reach a record high last week.

Hays has received .2 inches of precipitation for December compared to an annual average of .71 inches by the end of the month.

Hays has received 26.48 inches of precipitation year-to-date, compared to an average annual precipitation rate of 22.96 inches.

The high for today is forecast at 36 degrees, with sunny skies and the wind dying down in the afternoon.

Highs are forecast to be in the 50s on Tuesday and Wednesday, with a high of 46 degrees forecast for New Year's Day.

The forecast calls for sunny skies Tuesday and Wednesday and no precipitation through Friday.

Hays receives snow Sunday, but forecast calls for warming trend

The Board of Ellis County Commissioners will hold a special meeting on Tuesday to have an executive session. The purpose of the executive session is for non-elected personnel matters for interviews.

Ellis County Commission to hold special meeting

Make your nomination below to help us recognize an Ellis County Child Care Provider.

Nominate a Child Care Champion

The Dec. 30 (Tuesday) Hays City Commission work session has been canceled.

Hays City Commission work session canceled this week

City of Hays offices will be closed on Thursday, January 1, 2026, in observance of the New Year's Day holiday.

City of Hays offices closed on New Year's day holiday

Join our new Hays Post Newsletter and receive the top news stories from your community every morning in your email inbox plus one-click access to the latest obituaries.&nbsp;

Sign up for free Hays Post Newsletter

&nbsp;Submit events to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:admin@hayspost.com">admin@hayspost.com</a>. Cover photo courtesy Pixabay

Special thanks to <a href="https://www.visithays.com/183/Events">The Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau</a> and<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/"> Fort Hays State University</a> for their contributions to the community calendar.

Community Calendar

The Hays Eagle Media office will close at noon today for the Christmas holiday. The office will also be closed on Thursday for Christmas Day and reopen at 8 a.m. on Friday.

From all of us at Eagle Media, we wish you a Merry Christmas!

Hays Eagle Media office to close at noon Christmas Eve

Stay Strong, Stay Healthy: new strength training program for older adults

The Heartland Catholic Parishes have announced the following times for services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (services are listed in chronological order):

Dec. 24 (Wednesday) - Christmas Eve

Immaculate Heart of Mary - 1805 Vine, 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. (Bilingual).

St. Joseph, 215 W. 13th&nbsp;- 5 p.m., 11:30 p.m. choir music, Mass at midnight.

St. Nicholas of Myra, 2901 E. 13th&nbsp;- 5 p.m.

Comeau Catholic Campus Center, 506 W. Sixth – 9 a.m.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, 9 a.m., English; noon, Spanish. No 6 p.m. Mass or confessions.

Hays Medical Center Chapel, 2220 Canterbury Dr. - 11:15 a.m.

The following Protestant churches in Hays have announced their Christmas Eve services. (This is not a comprehensive list. It represents those churches who provided their service times. Services are listed in chronological order):

Celebration Community Church, 5790 230th&nbsp;Ave. - 1 p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 4 p.m.

St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 2422 Hyacinth Ave. - 2 p.m.

North Oak Community Church, 3000 Oak St. - 5:30 p.m.

Trinity Lutheran Church, 2703 Fort St. - 5:30 p.m.

First Presbyterian Church, 2900 Hall St. - 6 p.m.

First Baptist Church, 1111 Fort St. - 6:30 p.m.

First United Methodist Church, 305 W. Seventh - 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. The 5:30 p.m. service will be in both Spanish and English.

St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, 2900 Canal Blvd. - 11 p.m.

UPDATED: Hays churches announce Christmas Eve, Christmas Day service times

BOSTON (AP) —Environmental journalist Tatiana Schlossberg, one of three grandchildren of the late President John F. Kennedy, has died. She was 35.

Schlossberg, daughter of Kennedy’s daughter, Caroline Kennedy, and Edwin Schlossberg, revealed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kennedy-granddaughter-tatiana-schlossberg-cancer-cb813c7ef36faca26041c11de78adf2e">she had terminal cancer</a>&nbsp;in a November 2025 essay in The New Yorker. A family statement disclosing her death was posted on social media Tuesday by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation.

“Our beautiful Tatiana passed away this morning. She will always be in our hearts,” the statement said. It did not disclose a cause of death or say where she had died.

Schlossberg was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in May 2024 at 34. After the birth of her second child, her doctor noticed her white blood cell count was high. It turned out to be acute myeloid leukemia with a rare mutation, mostly seen in older people.

In the essay,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-weekend-essay/a-battle-with-my-blood?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=dhtwitter&amp;utm_content=null">“A Battle With My Blood,”</a>&nbsp;Schlossberg recounted going through rounds of chemotherapy and two stem cell transplants and participating in clinical trials. During the most recent trial, she wrote, her doctor told her “he could keep me alive for a year, maybe.”

Schlossberg also criticized policies pushed by her mother's cousin, Health and Human Services Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vance-rfk-jr-maha-summit-199786933b09fc610feb9c08695cbfc8">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>, in the essay, saying policies he backed could hurt cancer patients like her. Her mother had urged senators to reject his confirmation.

“As I spent more and more of my life under the care of doctors, nurses, and researchers striving to improve the lives of others, I watched as Bobby cut nearly a half billion dollars for research into mRNA vaccines, technology that could be used against certain cancers,” the essay reads.

Schlossberg had worked as a reporter covering climate change and the environment for The New York Times’ Science section. Her 2019 book “Inconspicuous Consumption: The Environmental Impact You Don’t Know You Have” won the Society of Environmental Journalists’ Rachel Carson Environment Book Award in 2020.

Schlossberg wrote in The New Yorker essay that she feared her daughter and son wouldn’t remember her. She felt cheated and sad that she wouldn’t get to keep living “the wonderful life” she had with her husband, George Moran.

While her parents and two siblings tried to hide their pain from her, she said she felt it every day. Her siblings, Rose and Jack Schlossberg, are JFK's other grandchildren.

“For my whole life, I have tried to be good, to be a good student and a good sister and a good daughter, and to protect my mother and never make her upset or angry,” she said. “Now I have added a new tragedy to her life, to our family’s life, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.”

Schlossberg's mother Caroline was 5 years old when her father, President Kennedy, was assassinated in Dallas in 1963. She was 10 when her uncle, Robert F. Kennedy, was assassinated in Los Angeles in 1968 while he was running for president.

Caroline's brother, John F. Kennedy Jr., died in 1999 when the single-engine plane he was piloting plunged into the Atlantic Ocean, near Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. His wife, Carolyn, and her sister, Lauren Bessette, also died in the crash.

Levy reported from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and Brumfield from Cockeysville, Maryland.

Granddaughter of the late President John F. Kennedy has died at 35

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Federal Homeland Security officials were conducting a fraud investigation on Monday in Minneapolis, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said.

The action comes after years of investigation that began with the $300 million scheme at the nonprofit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/feeding-our-future-pandemic-fraud-trial-847f42be252ecd373c60125fd4fae6e9">Feeding Our Future,</a>&nbsp;for which 57 defendants in Minnesota have been convicted. Prosecutors said the organization was at the center of the country’s largest&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-food-fraud-bag-of-cash-7106883911765bb0c3794fe6196fcf9d">COVID-19-related fraud</a>&nbsp;scam, when defendants exploited a state-run, federally funded program intended to provide food for children.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-fraud-charges-fbad68312012dc02a4060852474f72ee">federal prosecutor alleged</a>&nbsp;earlier in December that half or more of the roughly $18 billion in federal funds that supported 14 programs in Minnesota since 2018&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-fraud-somalis-minnesota-walz-omar-64bfe699cc409f3f1ff6aa49b9210996">may have been stolen</a>. Most of the defendants are Somali Americans, they said.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said then that fraud will not be tolerated and that his administration “will continue to work with federal partners to ensure fraud is stopped and fraudsters are caught.”

Noem on Monday posted a video on the social platform X showing DHS officers going into an unidentified business and questioning the person working behind the counter. Noem said that officers were “conducting a massive investigation on childcare and other rampant fraud.”

“The American people deserve answers on how their taxpayer money is being used and ARRESTS when abuse is found,” U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement posted.

The action comes a day after FBI Director Kash Patel said on X that the agency had “surged personnel and investigative resources to Minnesota to dismantle large-scale fraud schemes exploiting federal programs.”

Patel said that previous fraud arrests in Minnesota were “just the tip of a very large iceberg.”

President Donald Trump has criticized Walz’s administration over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-fraud-charges-fbad68312012dc02a4060852474f72ee">fraud cases</a>&nbsp;to date.

In recent weeks,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-minneapolis-somalia-de1187fd703abbc9dc4dc1c5c6a243c5">tensions have been high</a>&nbsp;between state and federal enforcement in the area as the Trump administration’s immigration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/somalis-minnesota-trump-immigration-5b772dfcf1b342693f12083779247359">crackdown</a>&nbsp;focused on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/somalis-immigration-crackdown-minneapolis-minnesota-trump-54d7f381845dc747cd1c7e366663f0b0">Somali community</a>&nbsp;in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, which is the largest in the country.

Among those running schemes to get funds for child nutrition, housing services and autism programs, 82 of the 92 defendants are Somali Americans, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Minnesota.

Walz spokesperson Claire Lancaster said that the governor has worked for years to “crack down on fraud” and was seeking more authority from the Legislature to take aggressive action. Walz has supported criminal prosecutions and taken a number of other steps, including strengthening oversight and hiring an outside firm to audit payments to high-risk programs, Lancaster said.

Homeland Security: Massive fraud investigation underway in Minneapolis

BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Patients with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas health insurance will be covered in network when they receive care from the St. Francis campus in Topeka after the two organizations reached agreement last week.

“Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas is pleased to announce that the University of Kansas Health System St. Francis will remain in the Blue Cross network for 2026, ensuring continued access to local care for our members,” according to a BCBS statement.

The University of Kansas St. Francis campus said in a Monday statement that their patients with BCBS of Kansas plans won’t experience care disruptions and do not need to take any action.

The two organizations&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/12/01/kansas-blue-cross-topeka-hospital-system-struggle-to-reach-agreement/">had been unable to reach agreement</a>&nbsp;for the St. Francis system to be in network, which concerned insurance customers who didn’t want to lose their health providers if a contract wasn’t in place by the end of the year.

“This agreement reflects our commitment to ensuring patients across the region have uninterrupted access to care,” St. Francis said in a statement.

The St. Francis campus in Topeka is owned by Ardent Health, which manages operations, and the University of Kansas Health System. Ardent is based in Brentwood, Tennessee.

Kansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, St. Francis health system reach agreement

KANSAS CITY —Two people were injured in a fire at an apartment building in Kansas City, Missouri. Police are now investigating.

Just before 7:30p.m. Monday, crews&nbsp;were dispatched to a reported apartment fire in the 1700 block of Kansas Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

On arrival, crews reported heavy fire showing from the 2nd and 3rd floors, with residents trapped inside the structure. An offensive fire attack, with rescue operations was immediately initiated.

A 2nd Alarm response was ordered.&nbsp;Crews rescued 5 people from the third floor of the building, and multiple handlines were used to extinguish the fire, which was brought under control at 7:46 p.m.

EMS transported 2 people to area hospitals. They were listed in stable condition. Red Cross has been ordered for 14 people.&nbsp;After an initial investigation conducted by KCFD, the Kansas City Police Departments Bomb and Arson unit was requested and the investigation has been turned over to their agency.

5 rescued, 2 hospitalized after KC apartment fire

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;warned Iran on Monday that the U.S. could carry out further military strikes if the country attempts to reconstitute its nuclear program as he held wide-ranging talks with Israeli Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/benjamin-netanyahu">Benjamin Netanyahu</a>&nbsp;at his home in Florida.

Trump had previously insisted that Tehran's nuclear capabilities were “completely and fully obliterated” by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iran-nuclear-fordo-ef530114e5297884b1c3b76a04a3b1de">U.S. strikes on key nuclear enrichment sites</a>&nbsp;in June. But with Netanyahu by his side, Trump raised the possibility that suspected activity could be taking place outside those sites. Israeli officials, meanwhile, have been quoted in local media expressing concern about Iran rebuilding its supply of long-range missiles capable of striking Israel.

“Now I hear that Iran is trying to build up again,” Trump told reporters gathered at his Mar-a-Lago estate. “And if they are, we’re going to have to knock them down. We'll knock them down. We'll knock the hell out of them. But hopefully that’s not happening.”

Trump’s warning to Iran comes as his administration has committed significant resources to targeting drug trafficking in South America and the president looks to create fresh momentum for the U.S.-brokered Israel-Hamas ceasefire. The Gaza deal is in danger of stalling before reaching its complicated second phase that would involve naming an international governing body and rebuilding the devastated Palestinian territory.

At a news conference with Netanyahu after their meeting, Trump suggested that he could order another U.S. strike.

“If it’s confirmed, they know the consequences, and the consequences will be very powerful, maybe more powerful than the last time,” Trump said.

Iran has insisted that it is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-sites-explained-israel-attack-4535b4ecb4aefb2f3de9e3ad62fe363f">no longer enriching uranium</a>&nbsp;at any site in the country, trying to signal to the West that it remains open to potential negotiations over its atomic program. The two leaders discussed the possibility of taking new military action against Tehran just months after June’s 12-day war.

The Iranian mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump’s warning.

Trump, with Netanyahu by his side, said he wants to get to the second phase of the Gaza deal “as quickly as we can.”

“But there has to be a disarming of Hamas,” Trump added.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">ceasefire between Israel and Hamas</a>&nbsp;that Trump championed has mostly held, but progress has slowed recently. Both sides&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-palestinians-war-news-24-12-2025-64ef5cd8810543e62360b639c3e47010">accuse each other of violations</a>, and divisions have emerged among the U.S., Israel and Arab countries about the path forward.

The truce's first phase began in October, days after the two-year anniversary of the initial Hamas-led attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-netanyahu-ran-gvili-594f8faf7514f49750756de52f5c5f95">All but one of the 251 hostages</a>&nbsp;taken then have been released,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-hostages-alon-ohel-5b87cb0e35544d0edd1076c04a0ec95d">alive or dead</a>.

The Israeli leader, who also met separately with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, has signaled he is in no rush to move forward with the next phase as long as the remains of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-netanyahu-ran-gvili-594f8faf7514f49750756de52f5c5f95">Ran Gvili</a>&nbsp;are still in Gaza.

Gvili’s parents met with Netanyahu as well as Rubio, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, in Florida on Monday.

“They’re waiting for their son to come home," Trump said of the family of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-netanyahu-ran-gvili-594f8faf7514f49750756de52f5c5f95">the young police officer</a>&nbsp;known affectionately as “Rani."

The path to implementing Trump's peace plan is certainly complicated.

If successful, the second phase would see the rebuilding of a demilitarized Gaza under international supervision by a group chaired by Trump and known as the Board of Peace. The Palestinians would form a “technocratic, apolitical” committee to run daily affairs in Gaza, under Board of Peace supervision.

It further calls for normalized relations between Israel and the Arab world and a possible pathway to Palestinian independence. Then there are thorny logistical and humanitarian questions, including rebuilding war-ravaged Gaza, disarming Hamas and creating a security apparatus called the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/international-stabilization-force-gaza-united-nations-trump-464cfda6fbec02b8553a9df9d093df06">International Stabilization Force</a>.

Two main challenges have complicated moving to the second phase, according to an official who was briefed on those meetings. Israeli officials have been taking a lot of time to vet and approve members of the Palestinian technocratic committee from a list given to them by the mediators, and Israel continues its military strikes.

Trump’s plan also calls for the stabilization force, proposed as a multinational body, to maintain security. But it, too, has yet to be formed. Whether details will be forthcoming after Monday's meeting is unclear.

A Western diplomat said there is a “huge gulf” between the U.S.-Israeli understanding of the force's mandate and that of other major countries in the region, as well as European governments.

All spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide details that haven't been made public.

The U.S. and Israel want the force to have a “commanding role” in security duties, including disarming Hamas and other militant groups. But countries being courted to contribute troops fear that mandate will make it an “occupation force,” the diplomat said.

Hamas has said it is ready to discuss “freezing or storing” its arsenal of weapons but insists it has a right to armed resistance as long as Israel occupies Palestinian territory. One U.S. official said a potential plan might be to offer cash incentives in exchange for weapons, echoing a “buyback” program Witkoff has previously floated.

Trump makes case once again for Netanyahu pardon

The two leaders, who have a long and close relationship, heaped praise on each other. Trump also tweaked the Israeli leader, who at moments during the war has raised Trump's ire, for being “very difficult on occasion.”

Netanyahu said Trump during the lunch was formally told that his country's education ministry will award him the Israel Prize, breaking the long-held convention of bestowing the honor on an Israeli citizen or resident.

“President Trump has broken so many conventions to the surprise of people,” Netanyahu said. He added, “So we decided to break a convention too, or create a new one."

Trump also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-netanyahu-trump-politics-letter-trial-36cfeeacf4fa038e784f43f31a56fe4e">renewed his call</a>&nbsp;on Israeli President Isaac Herzog to grant Netanyahu, who is in the midst of a corruption trial, a pardon.

Netanyahu is the only sitting prime minister in Israeli history to stand trial, after being charged with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-corruption-netanyahu-gaza-war-scandal-17518bca5b27fc47216eed974e96f3e6">fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes</a>&nbsp;in three separate cases accusing him of exchanging favors with wealthy political supporters.

Trump has previously written to Herzog to urge a pardon and advocated for one during his October speech before the Knesset. He said Monday that Herzog has told him “it’s on its way" without offering further details.

“He’s a wartime prime minister who’s a hero. How do you not give a pardon?" Trump said.

Herzog's office said in a statement that the Israeli president and Trump have not spoken since the pardon request was submitted, but that Herzog has spoken with a Trump representative about the U.S. president's letter advocating for Netanyahu's pardon.

“During that conversation, an explanation was provided regarding the stage of the process in which the request currently stands, and that any decision on the matter will be made in accordance with the established procedures,” the Israeli president's office said.

🎥Trump issues new warning to Iran of further US strikes 

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Detectives with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department have announced that additional charges have been filed against Damon Leonard, 47, of Pleasanton, Kan., in connection with the death of his 13-year-old neighbor, Airen Andula, according to a media release from the department.

Leonard was originally charged in Bates County, Mo. with abandonment of a corpse related to the boy's death. KCKPD detectives have now filed further charges in Linn County, Kan. including interference with law enforcement, criminal desecration, and having a vicious dog at large. 

Multiple dogs were also seized from his property. The investigation remains ongoing, with the potential for additional charges being filed.

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