By BECKY KISER Hays Post

The Hays City Commission will conduct public hearings during its April 9 meeting for incentives for a planned travel plaza north of Interstate 70 at Exit 157.

&nbsp;The developer is requesting Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and a Community Improvement District (CID) for the project.

Commissioners unanimously approved the resolutions during their meeting on Thursday.

"I'm excited," said Alaina Cunningham, vice-mayor, who joined the meeting via Zoom. "I think it's a much-needed addition to that area."

Triplett, Inc., Salina, plans to construct a 9,000-square-foot full-service 24/7 Travel Plaza and convenience store, including gas and diesel fuel pumps, EV charging stations, a restaurant, a dog park and RV campsites. The total project cost will be $11 million.&nbsp;

The financing district would capture all incremental property tax revenues within the TIF District, but no sales taxes, in line with the city’s economic development policy. No bonds would be issued.

It's estimated the TIF would generate $4.5 million during its 20-year life for TIF-eligible expenses on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Within&nbsp;the improvement district, a 2% CID sales tax would be imposed in addition to the city's current 2.25% sales tax.&nbsp;

The CID sales tax revenues would be used to reimburse the developer on a pay-as-you-go&nbsp;basis for CID-eligible expenses, primarily for the private construction costs of the&nbsp;Travel Store, gas pumps and related improvements.

The developer estimates the CID sales tax would&nbsp;generate about $2 million to fund CID-eligible expenses during its 22-year life.&nbsp;

Commissioners approved two rezoning requests on East 27th Street.

The first request was to rezone property at 2460 E. 27th St. from an agricultural district to a light industrial district.&nbsp;

The property is owned by L&amp;A Enterprises. The owner wants the zoning change in order to expand services.

The second rezoning request was for the adjacent property at 2470 E. 27th St., owned by Josh Ziegler, to change the designation from general commercial district to&nbsp;light industrial district.&nbsp;

Ziegler owns and operates&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tsbstorage.com/?gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=23323755535&amp;gbraid=0AAAAAokUTqCRaxeubmKyusoso_RcCp8Ue&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAl-_JBhBjEiwAn3rN7Uu-Tmxv4JVtdjMi4Fbm4GUE55Gcd4ji0N4oSpadTrSohYTt32qBghoCp2cQAvD_BwE">T.S.B. Storage</a>&nbsp;on&nbsp;the property.

Both requests have already been approved by the Hays Area Planning Commission.&nbsp;

Fort Hays Tech North Central annual report

Eric Burks, president of Fort Hays Tech North Central, presented the annual report for the Big Creek Technical Training Center.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The college has a lease agreement to use the city-owned building at 101 Main as a south campus for several of its study programs.&nbsp;

With the recent opening of the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/7c02a9a6-ecd1-4269-8d3b-a2ab037ac756">new Hansen Construction Career Center</a> on the main campus at 2205 Wheatland Ave., and relocation of related programs to the 30,000-square-foot facility, Burks said plans are to move the programs of business management, business technology, culinary arts and telecommunications into the Big Creek campus.&nbsp;

The changes will require some remodeling of the building, which students will complete.&nbsp;

Culinary arts students will still conduct most of their cooking lessons at the Lb. Event Center, 121 E. 11th.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Fort Hays Tech North Central has a $31 million annual economic impact on the community, Burks said, serving about 1,300 students each year on the campuses in Hays and Beloit.

"During our 16-year partnership with the city, we've trained 741 full-time students in carpentry, electrical, plumbing, and heating and air conditioning," Burks said.&nbsp;

During that time, students built a range house at the Hays Police Department training facility and, with the assistance of Fort Hays State University students, also built the Hays Fire Department's regional fire training center.&nbsp;

Holly Dickman, water conservation specialist, presented a review of the city's 2025 water conservation programs. She said the number of rebates for purchase and installation of low-flow toilets and washing machines, turf conversions and shower heads remained steady from the previous year.&nbsp;

Dickman said, "Hays is not in a drought right now, but the seasonal outlook through May is showing the western half of the state in&nbsp;drought," according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.&nbsp;

Prior to the start of the meeting, Mayor Ruder signed a proclamation declaring the third week of March as "Fix a Leak Week" in Hays.&nbsp;

Watch the full Feb. 26 Hays City Commission meeting below.

🎙Hays City Commission sets hearing for travel plaza incentive requests

The University of Wyoming lists the following students from Kansas on the 2025 fall semester President’s Honor Roll.

The President’s Honor Roll consists of regularly enrolled undergraduates who earned a 4.0 (“A”) grade-point average for the semester. To be eligible, students must have been enrolled for a minimum of 12 credit hours taken for letter grades.

The University of Wyoming provides quality undergraduate and graduate programs to 12,388 students from all 50 states and 73 countries. Established in 1886, UW is a nationally recognized research institution with accomplished faculty and world-class facilities. Offering 200 areas of study, UW provides an environment for success. A low student/faculty ratio allows for individual instruction and attention, and undergraduates often participate in cutting-edge research projects.

For more information about the University of Wyoming, view the webpage at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.7gN4nZn7HGFn2f99omPhs5uPngD9rbRcGU81hbXCtIE-3DBWMC_wNhAn9efYrvevamcdiCkrLTwlAqnVTYIoRPSN2zfdQFBB8uUOy98L-2F8ykNVxhICeTrd8NBhLHy1Ap96HoY8ntrVxXtJ5-2BNVbUoNHYtJ1fHFyud5m1-2BI-2FSIiJfJaSgdrY7-2BNg6CAlPk5D9Z00KJKKTU9Do44-2FA8fitbOn9Kbk68ji-2FGSA05HW9j3ckWuOdEI5rPAW6d6PSQB1781Ma-2BPva1nmFj8jlB-2Bp5HWlvRaeWMN0s5tDvJ-2FSFKu8KXKVurO96mwLl7nCwJugOZ4YsdBZsrZyr-2B8MORpBYZSlZ6TPdwhLiRnZShtTbLpGTbac04coUQOVV2c8xV3zO-2BgWQxrIoyfSFTs9-2F0aujFSXxyOa9seI1gD-2FzNkd9OY18WfmGnAD">www.uwyo.edu</a>.

Hays resident on University of Wyoming fall semester president’s honor roll

Kansas Department of Transportation

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Transportation announces approved bids for state highway construction and maintenance projects. The letting took place Feb.18, 2026, in Topeka. Some of the bids may include multiple projects that have been bundled based on proximity and type of work.

Lane County —&nbsp;23-51 KA-6478-01, K-23, bridge #001 over the South Fork Walnut Creek located 0.57 mile south of K-96, bridge replacement, L &amp; M Contractors Inc., Great Bend, Kansas, $2,969,985.27.

KDOT announces approved February bids

By ALICIA BOOR Cottonwood Extension District

Dr. Cassandra Olds, professor of entomology at Kansas State University, is presenting a program on insect control for livestock in March. 

The program will be held at the Barton County Extension office at 3007 10th Street, Great Bend, on Thursday, March 12. The program will start at 9 a.m. with doughnuts and run about an hour.

Dr. Olds is an expert in control of common livestock pests including flies, and ticks among others.

Topics covered during the program include:

1. Determining which flies your livestock have a problem with

2.       Why flies develop resistance to insecticides

3.       What can you do to slow the spread of resistance within fly populations

4.       Developing an integrated pest management program

An RSVP is appreciated, but not necessary for the refreshments. Please email or call Alicia Boor at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:aboor@ksu.edu">aboor@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;or 785-628-9430 to RSVP.

Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact her by e-mail at aboor@ksu.edu or calling 620-793-1910.

BOOR: Program on insect control for livestock coming up in March

TOPEKA – Young cattlemen and women from across the state met in Topeka February 16-17 for the first installment of the 2026 Kansas Livestock Association (KLA) Young Stockmen’s Academy (YSA), which marks the program’s 20th year. 

Merck Animal Health remains the exclusive program sponsor, partnering with KLA to host members for an in-depth look into KLA and the beef industry. A series of four seminars are held throughout the year across Kansas.

In their first gathering, YSA members were introduced to the array of member services provided by KLA, heard about the importance of being an advocate for the livestock industry, learned about lobbying at the state Capitol and took part in the annual KLA legislative meeting and dinner. 

Additionally, YSA members toured the capitol with KLA lobbyists, viewed the House of Representatives in session and participated in a financial planning seminar conducted by Pinion. 

&nbsp;KLA communications staff, Riley County beef producers and entrepreneurs Andy and Sara Larson, and WIBW-Topeka farm broadcaster Greg Akagi gave the group an overview of various outlets available to help tell the beef production story, inspired them to get involved in their communities as a representative of the beef industry and shared information on how to handle media inquiries. 

The Larsons talked about their experience in launching their own direct-to-consumer beef business, 1880 Beef, and their interactions with consumers. Akagi led the class in mock radio and television interviews.

Members of the 2026 YSA class are James Brack, Moscow; Sierra Cargill, Medicine Lodge; Gatlin Clawson, Meade; Brooke Falk, Harveyville; MaKala Fitzsimmons, Cunningham; Shane Flach, Manhattan; Casey Giffing, Ulysses; Hannah Grund, Wallace; Nick Higgason, Olmitz; Justine Johns, Minneapolis; Luke Kaiser, Grinnell; Adalaide Kline, Colby; Brady McComb, Pratt; Nick Nowak, Ellis; Quinton Porter, Hays; Jack Roenne, Great Bend; Skye Schumaker, Pratt; Baylee Shultz, Berryton; Teagan Sturdy-Milliken, Lyndon; and Taylee Velasquez, Hugoton.

The class will meet again in May for the second installment of the 2026 program. Members will have the opportunity to learn more about the agribusiness and beef retail industries in the Kansas City area.

KLA is a trade organization representing the state’s livestock business on legislative, regulatory and industry issues at both the state and federal levels. The association’s work is funded through voluntary dues dollars paid by its more than 5,500 members.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Hays, Ellis producers part of Young Stockmen's Academy 

Last Thursday marked “Turnaround,” the key deadline that signals the halfway point of the 2026 Legislative Session. It was a busy week in the Senate, with two full days on the floor debating and voting on legislation. 

In total, the Senate passed more than 53 bills ahead of the deadline this week. 

Following extended sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Legislature recessed until February 24 to allow staff time to process the significant volume of legislation advanced this week. The long weekend allows legislative staff to “turnaround” the long list of bills and prepare them for consideration in the other chamber. 

Under legislative rules, most bills must pass their chamber of origin by Turnaround in order to remain eligible for consideration in the other chamber. 

When we return, the focus will shift to reviewing bills passed by the House, along with measures that are exempt from the Turnaround deadline. The Legislature will continue meeting through the end of March before a short recess. We will then return to consider any vetoes prior to final adjournment. 

The primary constitutional responsibility remaining this session is passage of the state budget. 

The Kansas Legislature operates on a 90-day calendar and is scheduled to adjourn April 11.

Veto Override SB 244 – Veto overridden; Establishes statutory definitions of sex for purposes of Kansas law and requires certain public documents and multiple-occupancy private spaces in public buildings to be designated based on biological sex at birth. The Legislature overrode the Governor’s veto, and the bill will become law.

Committee schedules, bill text, voting records, and other helpful information are available at www.kslegislature.org. For a more detailed explanation of specific bills, click on “Bills &amp; Laws,” select “Senate Bills,” locate the bill number you are interested in, and then click on “SN” (Supplemental Notes). 

These summaries are prepared by the nonpartisan Legislative Research and Revisor staff and provide a clear overview of each measure. The website also allows you to listen to or watch live sessions, as well as review past committee meetings and floor proceedings. 

Your engagement in the legislative process is important and always welcome.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and suggestions. An email is the best at this point in the session.

Senator Elaine Bowers Kansas State Capitol Building Room 223-E 300 SW 10th St. Topeka, KS 66612 &nbsp;elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov 785-296-7389 &nbsp;https://elainebowers.com/ <a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/">&nbsp;www.kslegislature.org</a>

BOWERS: 2026 Senate Scene – Session turnaround

By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension District

Winter canola possesses many of the same benefits as other common cover crop Brassica species, including an aggressive taproot, nutrient cycling, and overwintering biomass. The potential exists to increase the use of winter canola as a cover crop Brassica across the U.S. and to improve the plant traits that make it a capable cover crop, utilizing the germplasm pool under selection at K-State.

The K-State canola breeding program serves as a co-principal investigator on a National Cover Crop Variety Improvement and Seed Production Program, funded a USDA Sustainable Agricultural Systems grant, and led by the University of Missouri Center for Regenerative Agriculture. This nationally coordinated effort will catalyze more rapid and effective progress in meeting demand for regionally adapted, high-quality cover crop seed of five different cover crop species.

The MU Center for Regenerative Agriculture invites farmers from across the U.S. to complete a short online survey to better understand the types of traits and characteristics that producers’ value most in their cover crops. The results of the survey will directly inform future cover crop breeding and variety testing research, as well as outreach efforts, to help meet the needs of farmers across the country.

The survey will take approximately 5 to 15 minutes and is completely voluntary. All types of producers are encouraged to participate, including both those with and without cover crop experience. Survey findings will be shared through presentations, publications in peer-reviewed literature, and farm media outlets. 

If you have any questions, please contact Etienne Sutton at etiennesutton@missouri.edu.

Follow this link to complete the survey: <a href="https://missouri.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8oJnvCLDdrNHiKi">https://missouri.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8oJnvCLDdrNHiKi </a>

Article provided by Mike Stamm, KSU Canola Breeder, mjstamm@ksu.edu.

CAMPBELL: Building better cover crops: K-State joins national effort

<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

Submitted Join us in honoring the Stockton FFA chapter.

FFA Week will be celebrated&nbsp;Feb. 22-28.

🏀🎥 TMP-Marian Monarchs host Smith Center in postseason opener

Starting Tuesday, March 3, until further notice, Fort Street from 27th to 22nd in Hays will be undergoing roadwork improvements. 

South bound single lane traffic will continue with periods of temporary closure during the rehabilitation process. 

Please be cautious when traveling Fort Street between 27th &amp; 22nd as there will be construction traffic and activities in this area. 

The City of Hays regrets any inconvenience this may cause to the public. If there are any questions, please call the Public Works Department at 785-628-7350.

Portion of Fort Street in Hays narrowed to one lane for reconstruction 

&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 Fort Hays State University Criminal Justice Program will host its 8th annual Criminal Justice Career Fair on Monday, March 2, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Fort Hays Ballroom, Memorial Union.

The event brings together a wide range of agencies and organizations representing law enforcement, court administration and court services, corrections, community corrections, mental health services, advocacy organizations, family services, and related professional fields.

The Career Fair is designed to connect students and community members with employers seeking qualified candidates for internships, part-time employment, and full-time career opportunities. 

While rooted in criminal justice, the event highlights the interdisciplinary nature of today’s workforce. 

Agencies will be recruiting individuals pursuing degrees not only in criminal justice, but also in psychology, social work, leadership, political science, sociology, business and accounting, nursing, natural sciences, human resources, and other career fields.

“This event reflects the broad scope of careers that intersect with the justice system,” said Tamara Lynn, chair and professor of criminal justice. “It is an opportunity for students to explore meaningful career pathways while engaging directly with professionals serving our communities.”

The Criminal Justice Career Fair is free and open to FHSU students and alumni. Professional dress and copies of résumés are encouraged.

Fort Hays State University to host Criminal Justice Career Fair on Monday

The last two K-State Extension Crop Talk webinars will be held each Tuesday at 12 noon to 1 p.m. on March 3 and 10.

You register for them only once, and then you will receive an email with the zoom and YouTube link. If you happen to miss it, you can go back and listen to the recording and view the presenters' slides as well.

These Crop Talk webinars are for growers in northcentral and northwest areas and counties of Kansas and are brought to you by the Extension agents of those areas.

On March 3, Rodrigo Onofre, Extension row crop pathologist, will discuss "Fungicide Applications in Corn and Sorghum." The last crop talk webinar will be March 10 with Anthony Zukoff, Extension entomologist, highlighting "Insects to Watch for in the Field this Growing Season."

To register do an internet search for KSU Crop Talk webinar and the <a href="https://www.wkrec.org/events/croptalk/">link</a> should pull up. Once you have registered, you will receive an email with the zoom and YouTube link to join us each Tuesday at 12 noon to 1 pm. on March 3 and 10.

If you have questions contact Stacy Campbell, at the Cottonwood Extension Office in Hays at 785-628-9430.

Fungicide applications, insects are topics of March 'Crop Talk' Extension webinars

DODGE CITY — United Wireless Arena, managed by&nbsp;VenuWorks, is excited to announce&nbsp;Flatland Cavalry as the official&nbsp;2026 Dodge City Days Concert on&nbsp;Saturday, July 25. Doors will open at&nbsp;6:30 p.m. on July 25 and the show will start at 7:30 p.m.

The pre-sale for FLATLAND CAVALRY begins Thursday, March 5 at 10:00 a.m.,&nbsp;ending at 10:00 p.m., while the public on sale starts Friday, March 6 at 10:00 a.m.

For the past decade, Flatland Cavalry has built a reputation as “one of the most dynamic&nbsp;presences in country music” (Rolling Stone) with their signature “easy on the ears, heavy on&nbsp;the heart” sound. In 2024, the sextet celebrated 10 years together with Flatland Forever, an&nbsp;acclaimed album that pays tribute to their journey, revisiting fan favorites while introducing&nbsp;new songs that showcase how far they’ve come. 

The past year has been full of milestones for&nbsp;the Nashville and Texas-based band. 

They earned their first ACM Award nomination for Group&nbsp;of the Year, achieved their first RIAA Gold certification for their breakout single “A Life&nbsp;Where We Work Out,” and made their mark in film and television with contributions to the&nbsp;Twisters and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds &amp; Snakes soundtracks, as well as&nbsp;featured placements on Yellowstone and Landman. 

Their relentless touring schedule reached&nbsp;new heights, including sold-out headline performances at Fort Worth’s Dickies Arena and the&nbsp;legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre. 

Since first emerging in 2014, Flatland Cavalry has racked&nbsp;up seven #1 singles on Texas Country Radio and amassed more than 500 million streams.&nbsp;Along the way, they’ve shared the stage with Willie Nelson, Luke Combs, Lainey Wilson,&nbsp;Jordan Davis, Midland, and more — proving that their brand of storytelling and musicianship&nbsp;resonates far beyond their roots. 

Flatland Cavalry is Cleto Cordero (vocals, acoustic guitar),&nbsp;Jason Albers (drums, percussion), Jonathan Saenz (bass), Reid Dillon (electric guitar), Wesley&nbsp;Hall (fiddle), and Adam Gallegos (piano, organ, keys, mandolin, banjo).

Tickets for Flatland Cavalry will go on sale Friday, March 6 at 10:00 a.m. CST. Tickets can&nbsp;be purchased at the United Wireless Arena box office or online through Ticketmaster.com.

Ticket prices are $84 or $64 for reserved seating depending on location, plus applicable fees&nbsp;and taxes. The floor will be general admission, standing only. 

United Wireless Arena is an&nbsp;exclusive Ticketmaster facility and cannot guarantee tickets purchased as resale or through a&nbsp;third-party vendor. 

Doors will open one hour before showtime. 

Handicapped accessible seating&nbsp;must be arranged directly through the United Wireless Arena Ticket Office. 

United Wireless&nbsp;Arena has a clear bag policy in place. Please check our <a href="https://www.unitedwirelessarena.com/">website</a> for more details.

'Flatland Cavalary' brings signature sound as official Dodge City Days concert

By JORDAN EDWARDS Fort Hays Tech | Northwest

GOODLAND — Fort Hays Tech | Northwest will host a ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony on Friday, February 27, at 1 p.m. (MT) to celebrate the official opening of the Schears Family Center for Innovation and Design and the Tiny Tigers Child Care Facility.

The event will take place at 1407 Eustis Avenue in Goodland and is open to the public. Community members, donors, partners, and supporters are invited to attend and help mark this important milestone for the college.

The ceremony will honor the Schears Family for their generosity and lasting impact on Fort Hays Tech | Northwest. 

The Schears Family Center for Innovation and Design represents a significant investment in hands-on learning, creativity, and workforce preparation, providing students with modern spaces designed to support collaboration, innovation, and technical excellence.

Ben Schears, FHSU Vice President for Economic and Workforce Development and former president of Fort Hays Tech | Northwest, said the college has played a foundational role in his family.

“With all five of our kids having graduated from Fort Hays Tech | Northwest, Rachel teaching math, and as a former employee myself, the college has had a fundamental impact on each of our lives,” Schears said. “Our entire family is humbled by the honor. We love the Tech and are thrilled to see the new childcare center making a difference.”

The opening of the Tiny Tigers Child Care Facility further strengthens the college’s commitment to student success and community support. The facility will serve as a learning environment for students in the Child Care Specialist program while also providing high-quality childcare services for families in the region.

“This project reflects our commitment to remove barriers, expand opportunity, and create spaces that support both education and community needs,” said President Dr. Corey Isbell. “We are grateful to the Schears family and all who helped make this vision a reality.”

The ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony will include remarks, a formal ribbon cutting, and opportunities for attendees to tour the new facilities.

For more information about the event or Fort Hays Tech | Northwest, visit <a target="_blank" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.7LNxDHQVpzCjONIZ4OYIqugsOgS21wCFwNLUBKgCqkA-3DGhUA_1ix3pnygukYWZfKiCJpm8BsHsayWXlw0ucteiDEo46fRc0p9DVWJmv2prlqkbHR6S2dsrJiXPEopagJAn55fgrGOya21Ubchf288oY8AFP4iYaBJwhylwdd5l9F7UOfOqvt2CQH4kxOaFChik5xVfsLl5bIW1g-2FXg8-2FYNmd4Wyn1VzaGMb03kI0kRxQYzQQKHS6Kp77y4YvC-2BuPEg4VtkJJarJ9kPDCs5R5sTTnDYWgl7NUq2K-2F3tLU3aV-2Bb32CtCazaaFMFcGSLrfZHfR0XRKHTYBOE2QlMaWj1tbneYF-2FbwMyEfE98y8s1LYmswtUTyM-2F1Lde3K2yaFafhrUr59KYFieUoosDySFQXlkPAxj82yC1EHP-2BXu2rzhbyC3Y1A">www.fhnw.edu</a>

Fort Hays Tech|NW to host ribbon cutting, ceremony honoring Schears family

Kansas Scholastic Chess Association tourney in Hays on Feb. 28

Informational meeting set for Tuesday for 100 Who Care

The items are arriving fast and furious for the Eagle On-Line Auction at Hays Post.

&nbsp;If you would like to get in on the action of this year’s online auction, click on the link below.&nbsp;

Dive into a digital treasure trove of savings with the Eagle Radio Online Auction!

<a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/eagle-radio-auction-descriptions-of-items">Click here&nbsp;to get registered, view items and bid.</a>

Bid now on an expansive collection ranging from home essentials to tantalizing restaurant gift cards, and valuable services from esteemed local companies and save.

 Whether you're seeking something specific or just browsing for unexpected finds, our vast selection promises both variety and value. 

The Eagle Radio online auction — where saving money is just a click away!

Eagle Radio Auction live now!

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Ayatollah&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ali-khamenei">Ali Khamenei</a>, who assembled theocratic power in Iran over the decades as its supreme leader and sought to turn it into a regional powerhouse, bringing it into confrontation with Israel and the United States&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-iran-politics-government-mahmoud-ahmadinejad-6acdb64d36fcbe05b3ee725d8a585d96">over its nuclear program</a>&nbsp;while crushing democracy protesters at home, has died. He was 86.

Iranian state media reported the death early Sunday, after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-explosion-tehran-c2f11247d8a66e36929266f2c557a54c">a major attack</a>&nbsp;launched by Israel and the United States. U.S. President Donald Trump said hours earlier that Khamenei had been killed in the joint operation.

Khamenei dramatically remolded the Islamic Republic since he took the reins after the death of Ayatollah&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3042785d564d4acaa2e4a18bfc206d25">Ruhollah Khomeini</a>&nbsp;in 1989. Khomeini was the fiery, charismatic ideologue who led the overthrow of the shah and installed rule by Shiite Muslim clerics tasked with spreading religious purity. It fell to Khamenei, a stodgier figure with weaker religious credentials and a leaden demeanor, to turn that revolutionary vision into a state establishment.

He ended up ruling far longer than Khomeini. He greatly expanded the Shiite clerical class and built the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/1a91d52c042141e4b7c8e93e6a20040e">paramilitary Revolutionary Guard</a>&nbsp;into the most important body underpinning his rule. The Guard became a military and business behemoth, the country’s most elite force and head of its ballistic missile arsenal, with hands across Iran’s economic sectors.

But the strains became harder to contain. Political repression and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/soaring-cost-of-food-and-essentials-squeeze-iranian-families-amid-tensions-with-us-4fca82ab094b4cedb3e8ad630b704c40">the faltering economy</a>&nbsp;fueled successively bigger waves of mass protests. Anger over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-mahsa-amini-crackdown-f26a5f687d87785841241d266ca3e872">2022 death of Mahsa Amini</a>, detained for not wearing her mandatory headscarf properly, escalated into demonstrations against social restrictions. In early January, hundreds of thousands marched in cities across the country, many chanting, “Death to Khamenei.”

Khamenei responded with the deadliest crackdown seen in nearly 50 years of clerical rule as security forces opened fire on crowds, killing thousands.

At the same time, the Mideast wars sparked by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-ceasefire-deaths-numbers-3e74e053814fd798fc1321c44f3e3c34">Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel</a>&nbsp;set in motion the collapse of the regionwide “Axis of Resistance” built by Khamenei. Israel and Iran attacked each other directly for the first time in 2024. I&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-nuclear-timeline-war-146b4072f1f6cc43cfd3bde740313a5c">srael struck Iran again in June 2025</a>, as it and the United States&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-iaea-sanctions-728b811da537abe942682e13a82ff8bd">targeted the country’s nuclear program</a>&nbsp;and killed top military officers and nuclear scientists. Iran retaliated by sending missiles and drones at Israel.

Khamenei’s death raises questions about the future of the Islamic Republic.

The 88-seat Assembly of Experts, a group of mostly hard-line clerics, will choose Khamenei’s replacement. But no clear successor is in place.

As he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/live-updates-israel-iran-february-28-2026">launched the bombing</a>&nbsp;in February, U.S. President Donald Trump called on Iranians to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-trump-address-f662a4f3378535d81197be699fb35a3e">“take over your government. It will be yours to take.</a>&nbsp;This will be probably your only chance for generations.” What happens next may depend greatly on bodies like the Revolutionary Guard, which has repeatedly shown its willingness to use overwhelming force to keep power even as many of Iran’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-memorials-chehelom-71e5db503a287126a2d31cb32a2809eb">90 million people grow disenchanted</a>.

“Culturally, the government is bankrupt,” said Mehdi Khalaji, an analyst at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said in 2017. “The ideology of the Islamic Republic did not work at all.”

From a questioned start to a hard-line grip on Iran

Ali Khamenei was born into a religious family in the northeastern holy city of Mashhad, a hotbed of revolutionary fervor during the struggle against the Western-allied shah,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/343d87fdb960424e9ec0f4a90dc64fcb">Mohammad Reza Pahlavi</a>.

Like many other Iranian leaders, he studied under Khomeini at the seminary in the holy city of Qom, south of Tehran, in the early 1960s, before the Khomeini's exile to Iraq and France.

Khamenei joined the anti-shah movement, facing time in both prison and in hiding. When&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3042785d564d4acaa2e4a18bfc206d25">Khomeini returned to Iran in triumph in February 1979</a>&nbsp;and proclaimed the Islamic Republic, Khamenei was appointed to the secretive Revolutionary Council. In 1981, he was elected Iran's third president; that same year, a bombing by opponents left him with one hand paralyzed.

With his thick, heavy-framed glasses, Khamenei lacked the steely gaze and fiery aura of Khomeini, the father of the Islamic Revolution. He fell far short of Khomeini’s religious scholarship, holding the relatively low rank of “hojatolislam” in the Shiite clerical hierarchy.

After being named supreme leader after Khomeini's death, he bounded overnight to the level of grand ayatollah, at the top of the hierarchy, and for years had to deal with skepticism over his credentials.

Khamenei acknowledged the doubts with humility. “I am an individual with many faults and shortcomings and truly a minor seminarian,” he said in his first speech in his new post.

Despite his lack of charisma, Khamenei stabilized Iran after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-iraq-5da81b6ba552db5f9ad6eb9bf4cc8525">the 1980s war with Iraq</a>&nbsp;and governed for over three decades — far longer than Khomeini.

Hard-liners considered him second only to God in his authority. Khamenei created an ever-growing bureaucracy of Shiite clerics and governmental agencies that blurred responsibilities and left him as the ultimate arbiter. As Iran questioned whether to keep the Revolutionary Guard after the war with Iraq, Khamenei came to its rescue and allowed the paramilitary force to gain a powerful grip on Iran’s economy. He also used a system of appointees to undercut the civilian government elected by its people.

The rise and fall of Iran’s proxy forces

Under Khamenei's reign, Iran shifted fully from conventional warfare to support for proxies, building the so-called Axis of Resistance to advance its interests in the region. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-hezbollahisrael-lebanon-b4daa0a6084df27099cef45b59120034">Lebanese militant group Hezbollah</a>, established with Iran's help in the 1980s, drove Israel from southern Lebanon in 2000 and battled it to a stalemate in the monthlong 2006 war.

Through Hezbollah, Iran perfected a strategy of making local militant groups its allies to project power — often through violence. Iran followed that model when backing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-attacks-iran-ships-retaliation-15d10ed74c7f3cc7fd36fa0f77f73e54">Yemen's Houthi rebels</a>, who in 2014 seized the country's capital, Sanaa, and held on for over a decade in a stalemated war in the Arab world's poorest nation — despite facing a Saudi-led coalition and later,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-red-sea-attacks-israel-f820b848eb76fa3ecc8056ca332cabae">U.S.-led airstrikes over their attacks in the Red Sea</a>&nbsp;corridor.

Elsewhere, suspected Iranian-backed militants bombed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/argentina-bombing-jewish-community-center-921ee279365a80a729f819117ca905ce">Jewish center in Buenos Aires in 1994</a>, killing 85 people. Iran also was allegedly linked to the 1996 bombing of the Khobar Towers housing complex in Saudi Arabia, which killed 19 members of the U.S. military. Iran denied responsibility for both attacks.

Iran emerged as a prime beneficiary of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iraq-invasion-war-timeline-saddam-hussein-50828061c98e410063753045179bdcfb">U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003</a>, which replaced its main regional threat, Saddam Hussein, with a friendly Shiite-led government. Iranian-backed militias waged a brutal insurgency against U.S. forces and embedded themselves within the country's political landscape.

Khamenei used the Guard's expeditionary Quds Force most successfully after the Sunni extremists of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-orleans-crash-islamic-state-lone-wolves-4bb6446c484737fbe9dd1b9c26a899a9">Islamic State group seized large swaths</a>&nbsp;of Iraq and Syria in 2014. Guard troops advised Shiite militias, the best fighters in Iraq, and gave crucial support to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-assad-sweida-daraa-homs-hts-qatar-816e538565d1ae47e016b5765b044d31">President Assad in Syria’s civil war</a>.

That secured Assad for a decade, until the chaos sparked by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-music-festival-6a55aae2375944f10ecc4c52d05f2ffe">Hamas' attack on Israel</a>&nbsp;in 2023. Israel devastated the Gaza Strip and launched airstrikes and ground operations pulverizing Hamas, which Iran had armed and funded for years. Israel is widely believed to have killed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-hamas-israel-30968a7acb31cd8b259de9650014b779">Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh</a>&nbsp;in an operation in Tehran in 2024, further embarrassing the Islamic Republic.

Hezbollah found its ranks targeted by exploding pagers and an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hezbollah-lebanon-israel-nasrallah-8da2e424e85152f0f41aa142391075ed">Israeli campaign killed its longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah</a>. Then, in December 2024,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-assad-ousted-rebel-offensive-timeline-8c54a8b97803d4b10cde53b97227128e">rebel fighters toppled Assad</a>&nbsp;in an offensive in Syria, ending a half-century of his family's autocratic rule.

Nuclear program advances to near-weapons-grade levels

The supreme leader remained deeply suspicious of the U.S.,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-presidential-election-us-israel-hamas-war-analysis-b876feed55807a36aef03ea44fd1c10d">referring to it as the “Great Satan”</a>&nbsp;even after President Barack Obama came into office in 2009, offering dialogue and a fresh start.

He shrugged off U.N. sanctions and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/un-nuclear-watchdog-iaea-iran-4706276a489b1a4cce2ca6260d0b3182">pushed ahead with Iran’s nuclear program</a>, which the U.S. and its allies say hid a secret project to build a nuclear weapon up until 2003. Khamenei issued a verbal fatwa, or religious ruling, that nuclear weapons are un-Islamic, but vowed the country would never give up its right to develop what he called a peaceful nuclear energy program.

Under Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, Tehran agreed to drastically reduce its stockpile and enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. But only three years later, Trump in his first term unilaterally withdrew Washington from the accord, arguing it didn't go far enough.

Iran has since broken all the limits of the nuclear deal and accumulated a stockpile of uranium enriched to nearly weapons-grade levels, now large enough to pursue several nuclear weapons if it chose to do so. Diplomatic efforts to restore the deal under President Joe Biden stalled.

In a March 2011 speech, Khamenei used toppled Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, who had given up his own nuclear program years earlier, as an example of why Iran’s nuclear program remained so important&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/egypt-middle-east-islamic-state-group-coronavirus-pandemic-tunisia-26e27da4a70743eafb25a5bcf5d61ba1">in the wake of the Arab Spring</a>&nbsp;upheavals in the Middle East.

“Just the way you give a lollipop to a child, Westerners gave ‘incentives’ to them and they gave up everything,” Khamenei said.

Protests and demands for change intensified

Khamenei's first major challenge came in 1997, when pro-reform politicians gained control of parliament and cleric&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-ea865319f1ff4afebe4ce358d89ab217">Mohammad Khatami was elected president</a>&nbsp;by a landslide, riding a large youth vote. The reformists demanded a loosening of the strict social rules imposed by the revolution and called for improved ties with the outside world, including the U.S.

Khamenei-backed hard-liners moved to contain the liberal movement, fearing it would eventually call for an end to clerical rule. Khamenei stopped parliament from loosening restrictions on the media in an unusually overt intervention. Clerical bodies blocked other key liberal legislation and banned many reformist lawmakers from running for reelection, ensuring a return of hard-liner control in the 2004 elections.

That set the stage for the election of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-election-raisi-ahmadinejad-557dd8e41a9abf78e0ad02e0e21d4e00">hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad</a>&nbsp;in 2005 and his disputed reelection in 2009 amid charges of vote-rigging. Mass&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ab649e2190834e19b1f006f76493645f">protests broke out, posing the greatest threat</a>&nbsp;in decades to Iran’s clerical leadership. The Revolutionary Guard, Basij militia and police unleashed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-b94b46844e9646c08d8cd0764d8cd840">crackdown in which dozens were killed</a>&nbsp;and hundreds arrested.

The turmoil, and reports of protesters being tortured to death or raped in prison, dealt a severe blow to Khamenei’s prestige.

As sanctions bit further, popular unrest rose. Economic protests broke out in 2017 and demonstrations escalated in 2019 over a rise in government-set gasoline prices. A bloody crackdown that followed killed over 300 people, according to activists.

Although Khamenei struggled to preserve the ideological purity of the Islamic Revolution, Iran’s government has largely failed to rid the country of Western influence. Satellite dishes, banned in theory, crowd Tehran’s rooftops. Banned social media sites are widely used, even by some prominent politicians, despite being blocked.

Protests erupted again in 2022 over the death of Amini, a young woman detained for not wearing her hijab, or headscarf, to the liking of authorities. More than 500 people were killed and tens of thousands arrested when security forces crushed the demonstrations again.

In late December 2025, new economic protests erupted and would grow into what appeared to be the biggest protest movement ever. Hundreds of thousands across the country took to the streets, overtly demanding an end to the Islamic Republic. Some even chanted for the return of the shah's son, living in exile since 1979. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/iran-security-forces-threaten-staff-at-hospitals-packed-with-protesters-aff95a0ba6a34f9496eddc0b5e44abb1">ferocity of the crackdown</a>&nbsp;stunned Iranians.

With U.S. President Donald Trump, Khamenei faced a more aggressive and unpredictable American drive to stop Iran’s nuclear program. Trump unilaterally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-ap-top-news-politics-iran-cead755353a1455bbef08ef289448994">withdrew America from Iran’s nuclear deal</a>&nbsp;with world powers in 2018, bringing a return of sanctions.

The two sides came close to war with the United States after an American drone strike killed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-tehran-international-news-iraq-ali-khamenei-5597ff0f046a67805cc233d5933a53ed">Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani</a>&nbsp;in January 2020. At Soleimani’s mass funeral that drew millions to the streets,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ali-khamenei-ap-top-news-iraq-iran-united-arab-emirates-14792cc1d7f73ffec8f8c425b73b44fb">Khamenei wept over the casket</a>&nbsp;of the man he once called a “living martyr.” Two days later, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-21f4a92a2dfbc38581719664bdf6f38e">Guard mistakenly shot down a Ukrainian airliner</a>&nbsp;after its takeoff from Tehran, killing all 176 people aboard.

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