By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

For 34 years, Roger Bixenman spent his days on fields, courts and scheduling games that shaped recreation in Hays, a role he now prepares to step away from.

Bixenman will retire on July 1, having joined the Hays Recreation Commission in 1992 as sports director and later serving as superintendent for 20 years.

"We've had a good board with a vision, and they've been very supportive of me," Bixenman said. "I can't say enough good things about my staff."

The commission announced in a press release that Matt Cook has been selected as the next executive director. Cook will begin in January and will be cross-trained by Bixenman for six months before Bixenman steps down.

Bixenman said the organization has evolved from a sports-focused operation into a full-service recreation agency offering leisure programs and a wide range of activities.

Bixenman and his wife are originally from Grinnell. He earned his undergraduate degree from Fort Hays State University in 1989 and later attended the University of Kansas to pursue a master’s degree in sports administration.

Bixenman did not complete his degree, as he and his wife wanted to move closer to home and saw Hays as a family-friendly community. They welcomed their first son in 1990 while living in Lawrence, before a job opening led the family into a new chapter.

"I applied for it and was fortunate enough to get it," he said.

Bixenman returned to Hays in 1992 to serve as sports director for the Hays Recreation Commission, which at the time had only four full-time staff members.

Bixenman said adult sports once drew strong participation, with about 45 summer adult softball teams, but those numbers have declined over time as youth sports and travel teams have grown.

"I remember the first full summer I was here in 1993. We had floods, so I got really good at rescheduling games. All I would do is reschedule games that whole summer," he said.

Bixenman’s second son was born in 1994. Both of his sons grew up participating in Hays Rec programs, with Bixenman coaching their teams in soccer, flag football, basketball and baseball.

"They loved sports. At least if I had to be out there coaching, I could be there with them," he said.

Bixenman oversaw significant facility additions, including the opening of Hays Aquatic Park in 2000 and a 2017 expansion of the leisure center to include the fitness center. The leisure center was previously renovated in 2011, but quickly outgrew that space.

Bixenman said he will have five grandchildren by June. He plans to spend more time with family and attend his grandchildren’s activities. At the same time, he hopes to stay involved with Hays Rec in some capacity.

"I still want to be there for them if they need help or need stuff covered. I am looking forward to the freedom of not having to worry about getting a phone call at night and having to go take care of whatever it is."

Bixenman said Cook is an energetic person and expects a smooth transition. Cook comes from FHSU athletics and brings extensive experience in sports administration and community engagement.

"I'm excited to work with him, and I think he'll be just fine here," Bixenman said.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/d4afff70-a0bd-49df-b50c-c6e05f103e82">SEE RELATED STORY: Matt Cook named next executive director of Hays Recreation Commission</a>

Hays Recreation Commission superintendent to retire after three decades

A 33-year-old Phillipsburg man died over the weekend after the car he was driving went into a ditch and struck a tree, according to a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansas.gov/khp-crashlogs/search/viewDetail/2025017214">crash report</a>.

A GoFundMe shared that Cody Harmon, the victim, was a father of three.

“Cody Harmon was a dear friend who touched the lives of everyone around him. He gave love generously, always working hard to lift others’ spirits and make someone smile, even when he was struggling to muster the same for himself,” the fundraiser reads. “The loss has left a deep void in their lives, and they are now facing an uncertain future without their father’s love and support. Cody’s legacy of compassion and strength lives on through his daughters, and it is our hope to honor him by helping them during this difficult time”.&nbsp;

You can find the GoFundMe&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-cody-harmons-daughters">here</a>.&nbsp;

GoFundMe created for Phillipsburg man killed in car accident 

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/category/obituaries">HERE</a>&nbsp;to view the most recent obituaries and service times from our funeral home partners.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/corrections-about-us">Click HERE for the Hays Post obituary policy.&nbsp;</a>

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

By JOHN P. TRETBAR Eagle Media

High seas tanker-takeovers prompt slightly higher crude prices. Over the weekend the Trump Administration was pursuing a third oil tanker in the Ocean near Venezuela amid a blockade of that country. Light sweet crude in New York on Friday closed a half-dollar higher at fifty-six sixty-six ($56.66) per barrel. NYMEX benchmark offers rose two-and-a-half percent on Monday, to trade a few cents shy of $58 a barrel. London Brent was rising toward $62 a barrel at midday Monday.

Kansas crude prices rose a dollar and a half on Friday, but remain two-and-a-half dollars lower than at the first of the month, and more than $13 a barrel lower than a year ago. Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson starts the week at $47 a barrel, a low price only achieved twice since 2021.

Kansas is among the ten cheapest states for holiday road trips, but Oklahoma and Colorado have us beat.&nbsp; Automotive fuel demand nationwide is down, and the government reports fuel inventories continue to rise. Last week there were only 13 states with average pump prices over three dollars. The auto club AAA reported a national average of $2.89 for a gallon of regular gasoline Thursday.&nbsp; The cheapest holiday road trip can be found in Oklahoma, where regular gas averaged $2.34 per gallon. Colorado prices average a fraction under $2.50.&nbsp; The Sunflower Statewide average is a fraction over $2.52 a gallon. Your 15-gallon fill-up will cost you about five dollars less than it did during the week before Christmas last year.

As the calendar year wanes, so does oilfield activity. Kansas regulators give their blessing to one new drilling permit this week, in Linn County, the only new drilling location approved statewide. So far this year, there are 636 permits for new drilling locations across Kansas, which is just over half the total reported at this time last year.

Independent Oil and Gas Service reports overall drilling activity trails last year by 38%. Operators completed 13 wells statewide, with three in Western Kansas. Total well completions so far this year trail last year by nearly three hundred wells.&nbsp; More than a thousand completions reported so far this year include 175 dry holes. That's 16 percent, which matches last year.

The Kansas Rig Count from Independent Oil and Gas Service is down one in eastern Kansas at four rigs, and up one at eleven active rigs West of Wichita. The weekly tally is down 12 percent from a month ago and 38 percent from a year ago. Drilling continued Friday on a lease in Gove County.

Baker Hughes reports 542 active on-land drilling rigs as of December 19th, down six rigs from last week. The tally of oil rigs drops by eight. The breakout for horizontal drilling rigs is down by five. Louisiana drops by five; New Mexico is down two. Texas is up two rigs. Colorado and Utah are each down one rig.

US crude-oil production surpassed 13.8 million barrels a day for a sixth consecutive week, but dropped ten thousand daily barrels from last week.&nbsp; Last week was not the best ever, but updated numbers show last week does rank second best. That makes this week number-three. The Energy Information Administration reports cumulative production, and the four-week average, each now exceed 13.5 million barrels a day. The current spike in US crude production began in November. The report for the week through November 7 reflects an increase of 211,000 daily barrels to the current all-time high over 13.86 million barrels per day. Output has topped 13.8 million each week since.

EIA reports another 200,000 barrels added to the nation's strategic crude reserves, which now top 412 million barrels.&nbsp; Commercial inventories drop by 1.3 million barrels from last week to just over 424 million barrels as of December 12. That's nearly three percent higher than a year ago. The government says stockpiles are about four percent below the five-year average for this time of year.

BP announced a major leadership change, naming Meg O'Neill as the super-major's new chief executive officer, starting this spring. O’Neill is currently CEO at Woodside Energy and worked at ExxonMobil for more than 20 years. She replaces Murray Auchincloss, who stepped down last week, from the CEO's office and the board of directors, after a long-running clash with the Chairman.

After raising its expectations for natural-gas and propane prices...and lowering it's expectations for temperatures, the government now says your heating bills will spike a little more than usual this winter.&nbsp; The Energy Information Administration adjusts its assessment of the marketplace and the forecast each month from October to March. Temperatures this month are now expected to average about eight percent colder than the average of the last ten Decembers. EIA says retail residential natural gas and propane prices have also topped its forecasts. Spot prices for natural gas jumped 30 percent from October to November.

At 6.5 million barrels a day, weekly US crude imports are down slightly from a week ago, slightly more from a year ago, and slightly more than that from two years ago. The four week average is slightly less than 6.5 million, dropping a quarter-million barrels a day or about two percent from a year ago.

Weekly crude exports are up more than 600,000 barrels a day from a week ago at 4.6 million barrels per day.&nbsp; The four-week average is just under four million, an increase of nearly 200,000 barrels a day from a year ago.&nbsp;

News from the Oil Patch: Crude prices rise with drama on the high seas 

By BLAIR KOCHER KSU&nbsp;College of Business Administration

MANHATTAN — Kansas State University's&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://cba.k-state.edu/">College of Business Administration</a>&nbsp;has awarded $60,000 in funding to promising community and student entrepreneurs through the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://cba.k-state.edu/academics/departments/center-advancement-entrepreneurship/accelerator.html">K-State Accelerator program</a>. The competitive program supports founders at all stages of early venture development through two tailored tracks: the idea track and the growth track.

The program, led by K-State's&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://cba.k-state.edu/academics/departments/center-advancement-entrepreneurship/">Center for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship</a>, empowers innovators from across Kansas with education, mentorship and access to capital — strengthening the region's entrepreneurial ecosystem and accelerating the launch of new ventures.

Accelerator idea track supports early-stage entrepreneurs

Designed for aspiring entrepreneurs with a strong concept but limited validation or early traction, the idea track provides a foundation for building and testing high-potential business ideas. Participants engage in a six-week, in-person program. This track helps early-idea founders develop business models, understand customer needs, and strengthen their go-to-market strategies.

Entrepreneurs participating in the idea track included:

• Wesley Adolph, sophomore in finance,&nbsp;Beloit • Lakin Denny, senior in entrepreneurship and innovation,&nbsp;Colby

"What meant the most to me was the encouragement through every interview and conversation because it helped me realize my idea wasn't just possible, but worth investing in," said Mandy Simmons, idea track participant. "It ultimately gave me the push to take the final step and start my business."

The idea track culminated in a competition, with Alblooshi taking first place, Simmons taking second and Borberg placing third. Graves earned the Most Improved award.

Accelerator growth track takes startups to the next level

The growth track is built for startups that have generated initial sales or established proven business models and are ready to accelerate progress. This eight-week online program provides workshops led by K-State faculty, access to student consultant teams and engagement with a world-class K-State alumni mentor network.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Startups participating in the growth track included:

• JoEllyn Argabright, Grass Roots Farms,&nbsp;Atwood • Matthew Fulkerson, Atlas Ad Astra Missile Silo Adventure Resort,&nbsp;Wilson

"I truly appreciate the consultants' insights," said Cynthia Maddock, growth track entrepreneur. "The information was particularly invaluable; it highlighted a problem we didn't even realize we had, and it was an easy fix on our end." 

Two growth track founders were recognized with awards: Maddock received the Mentor's Choice Award, and Argabright was honored with the Spirit of Innovation Award.

The College of Business Administration's Accelerator program is a hybrid initiative that provides education, mentorship, consulting resources and equity-free funding to early-stage startups. Open to both students and community members, the program is part of K-State's broader mission to foster innovation and support the growth of Kansas-based ventures.

"We are proud to support these 21 startups as they drive innovation across Kansas," said Blair Kocher, assistant director of the Center for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship. "We look forward to continuing to grow the program next semester when we welcome a new cohort of small businesses ready to launch and scale their ventures."

Visit the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://cba.k-state.edu/academics/departments/center-advancement-entrepreneurship/accelerator.html">K-State Accelerator webpage</a>&nbsp;for more information about the program or to apply for the next cohort.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Area students among 21 startups boosted by K-State College of Business Administration

Across America, county jails have become the de facto front line for mental health crises. That is neither safe nor sustainable—for the people in crisis, for detention staff or for taxpayers. The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports about 44% of people in local jails have been told by a professional they have a mental disorder, and one in four meets the threshold for severe psychological distress in just the past 30 days.

Those numbers carry human consequences behind our walls. People with untreated mental illness face elevated risks while incarcerated, including a higher likelihood of self-harm and suicide if care is delayed or inconsistent. Quick access to treatment can save lives.

Here at home, we feel this pressure every day. Our detention officers and medical providers do outstanding work, but a county jail is not a hospital—and it cannot, and should not, serve as a long-term mental health facility. When a person needs inpatient stabilization or competency services, they typically must go to Larned State Hospital or another licensed facility. In recent years, wait times for competency evaluation and restoration have stretched from weeks to months, prompting action by the State of Kansas.

That is precisely why the High Plains Mental Health Center Crisis Intervention Center in Hays is so important. High Plains has broken ground on a 22-bed facility in the Hadley Center’s east wing—the first of its kind in western Kansas—to provide short-term stabilization and detox services for adults in crisis, including both voluntary and non-voluntary referrals. The center is designed to relieve pressure on our jail and on state hospitals, shorten wait times and get people into treatment faster.

This is not just a humanitarian imperative—it is fiscally responsible. Evaluations of diversion and crisis-care models show that connecting people to treatment instead of cycling them through jail reduces re-arrests and saves taxpayers thousands of dollars per person.

High Plains continues to seek private donations, business sponsorships and civic grants to complete the build-out, hire staff, and provide 24/7 care. Community support matters just as much. Every dollar helps turn a crisis into a care plan—and turns a jail bed back into a last resort, not a default.

Ellis County deputies and detention officers are committed to protecting public safety. But we also see the people behind the calls. When our neighbors get the right help at the right time, they become safer, healthier and more productive members of our community—and we all save money by avoiding the costs of repeated incarceration.

That’s the promise of the Crisis Intervention Center, and it’s why I’m asking our community to stand behind it. If you’re able, please consider giving to High Plains Mental Health Center and sharing this message with friends, churches and civic groups. Together, we can build a response that is smarter, safer and more compassionate—for Ellis County and for western Kansas.

— Sheriff Scott J. Braun Ellis County

Editor's note: Information about donating to the Crisis Intervention Center can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://donatehighplains.com/">donatehighplains.com</a>

Gifts can be made online or by check, payable to HPMHC Endowment. High Plains can also accept pledges and set up payment plans. Contact&nbsp;donate@hpmh.com. Gifts of $500 or more receive a plaque on the center's mobile donor wall.&nbsp;

LETTER: Why our community needs Crisis Intervention Center

Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas

Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas is proud to announce a grant award from the Heartland Community Foundation in the amount of $905.28. The grant will go toward the purchase of two otoscopes for DSNWK’s nursing staff based in the Hays area.

The otoscopes, which are used to visualize and examine the ear canal and eardrum, will be used by DSNWK nurses to evaluate and monitor the auditory health of individuals during routine check-ups, contributing to current health monitoring practices. “We are grateful to the Heartland Community Foundation for this grant award,” states Jerry Michaud, DSNWK President. “Having this type of equipment allows DSNWK to meet the health needs of those we serve.”

DSNWK is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving 18 counties in northwest Kansas with a mission to advocate for persons with disabilities and those who care about them by planning and supporting a life of dignity, interdependence, and personal satisfaction in the community.

Heartland Foundation grants DSNWK for Otoscopes

<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

The chilly fall weather is here, and you know winter will be on its way— warm up your vehicle this winter with a REMOTE START PACKAGE from XIBIT CUSTOMS, the remote start headquarters in HAYS.

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Ask about the drone capabilities that allow you to start, unlock and even locate your car right from your smartphone.

And are you looking for a perfect gift?!!!! Grill guards, bumpers, LED light kits, along with fender flares, lift kits, wheels and tires and MORE...Weathertech Floor Mats, heated seats, new stereo and speakers.

IT'S ALL AVAILABLE NOW AT XIBIT CUSTOMS, JUST SOUTH OFF 1-70, 1005 E. 27th&nbsp;St, IN HAYS.

Call them today for an appointment! (785) 621-4340&nbsp;

Hays Police Department activity log: Dec. 14-20, 2025

Hays Police Department arrest log: Dec. 14-20, 2025

&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

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

WAKEENEY — For some of us, 2025 has been filled with darkness. You may have lost a loved one and are still coping with that death. Maybe you are living with the diagnosis of cancer or some other medical condition that puts a question mark over the future. Others may be dealing with a divorce or a shattered relationship, living with a difficult work situation, struggling to conceive a baby, living with loneliness and isolation, or experiencing financial difficulties. Or perhaps this season is a time that is difficult for other reasons.

For many people, the approaching Christmas holiday does not bring with it the joy and happiness that is depicted in movies or in greeting cards. Typical holiday festivities—caroling, decorating, buying gifts, Christmas parties, family gatherings—leave little room for our feelings of pain or grief, and we experience feelings of isolation. Our spirits sink as the days grow shorter. We feel the darkness growing deeper around us.

In response, the Prairie Faith Parish Nurse Ministry holds The Longest Night Service, offering a somber, gentle space for the community to gather on the winter solstice, the longest night of the year. The service is simple: candles are lit, scripture is read, and the focus is on personal needs, in an atmosphere of quiet contemplation. 

This non-denominational worship experience is a way to acknowledge the reality of difficult or painful life circumstances, while still recognizing that part of the reason for Jesus’ coming was to bring hope and comfort, to heal the sick, to seek the lost, to restore the broken and the broken-hearted. This is a quiet meditative time for remembering, sharing our hurting places with God, and preparing our hearts for the coming of Christ.

Those who do experience this season as a happy time can also find meaning in The Longest Night Service, as it serves as a time of quiet retreat from the hectic nature of the commercial aspect of the season and guides worshippers back to the real meaning of Christmas.

The Longest Night Service will be held on Sunday, December 21, 2025 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 338 N. 7th St. in WaKeeney. The service will be followed by an opportunity to pray or meditate in the sanctuary for those who wish to do so. 

Please help spread the word in the community to family, friends and neighbors, and feel free to call Nancy or the church office at 785-743-2005 (please leave a message) with any questions or concerns or to request a ride to the service.

“I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched.&nbsp;My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God.” Psalm 69:3

'Longest Night' worship service offered Sunday in WaKeeney

VINCENT — The “Little Town of Bethlehem” nativity at St. Boniface Catholic Church, Vincent, will be open for visitors on Sunday. Dec. 21 and also&nbsp;Christmas Day from 1-5 p.m. both days. &nbsp;Cookies and cider will be served.

Appointments can also be made at any other time by calling Carol at 785-<a target="_blank" href="tel:735-9282">735-9282</a>.

This is the 99th year of the nativity, begun by the parish priest Fr. Callistus Rectenwald in 1927. Over the years, the nativity has become a worldwide representation of Christmas.&nbsp; 

Rocks from all 50 states and 105 countries surround the scene, in particular rocks from the Cave of Lourdes and the Sea of Galilee. Infant Jesus is from Spain, and Mary, Joseph and the Three Kings are from Germany. A special section of the nativity is dedicated to our veterans who could not be home for Christmas over the years, featuring rocks from Germany, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, Wake Island and Christmas Island, to name a few. The nativity has had special lighting effects added the last few years - a color changing rock show and a neon blue lit sky in the background. Four trickling waterfalls, animals and shepherds dot the scene surrounding the Bethlehem Inn, and the stable made from a nearby pear tree in 1927.

St. Boniface Catholic Church is located 5.5 miles south of Victoria and two miles east.

99th year of 'Little Town of Bethlehem' nativity at St. Boniface Catholic Church, Vincent

Hays Angel Tree gift pick up delayed

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

Community members typically provide desserts for the Hays Community Christmas and we are in need of more.&nbsp;

Anyone wanting to provide dessert can contact 785-675-1344 or email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:communitychristmasdinner@gmail.com">communitychristmasdinner@gmail.com</a>.

Desserts still needed for Hays Community Christmas 

City of Hays offices will be closed on Wednesday, December 24, 2025, in celebration of the Christmas Eve holiday and on Thursday, December 25, 2025, in celebration of the Christmas Day holiday.

Ciity of Hays offices closed for Christmas holiday

Due to the observance of the Christmas holiday, the refuse/recycling collection schedules will be altered as follows: &nbsp;Monday and Tuesday routes will both be collected on Monday, December 22, Wednesday and Thursday routes will both be collected on Tuesday, December 23. 

There are no anticipated changes to Friday's route.

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.

Refuse/recycling collections change in Hays for Christmas holiday

Westview Church, 3000 W. 41st, Hays, Christmas Eve Candlelight Service is Wed., December 24, 2025 at 6:00 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Candle light Christmas Eve service at Westview Church in Hays 

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has announced a bold plan for the Navy to build a new, large warship that he is calling a “battleship” as part of a larger vision to create a “Golden Fleet.”

“They’ll be the fastest, the biggest, and by far 100 times more powerful than any battleship ever built,” Trump claimed during the announcement at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

According to Trump, the ship, the first of which will be named the USS Defiant, will be longer and larger than the World War II-era Iowa-class battleships and will be armed with hypersonic missiles, nuclear cruise missiles, rail guns, and high-powered lasers — all technologies that are in various stages of development by the Navy.

The announcement comes just a month after the Navy scrapped its plans to build a new, small warship, citing growing delays and cost overruns, deciding instead to go with a modified version of a Coast Guard cutter that was being produced until recently. The sea service has also failed to build its other newly designed ships, like the new Ford-class aircraft carrier and Columbia-class submarines, on time and on budget.

Meanwhile, the Navy has struggled to field some of the technologies Trump says will be aboard the new ship.

The Navy spent hundreds of millions of dollars and more than 15 years trying to field a railgun aboard a ship before finally abandoning the effort in 2021.

Laser technology has seen more success in making its way onto Navy ships in recent years, but its employment is still limited. One system that is designed to blind or disable drone sensors is now aboard eight destroyers after spending eight years in development.

Developing nuclear cruise missile capabilities or deploying them on ships may also violate non-proliferation treaties that the U.S. has signed with Russia.

A U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing plans, told The Associated Press that design efforts are now underway for the new ship and construction is planned to begin in the early 2030s.

Both Trump and Navy Secretary John Phelan spoke about the new Trump-class warship as a spiritual successor to the battleships of the 20th century, but historically that term has referred to a very specific type of ship — a large, heavily armored vessel armed with massive guns designed to bombard other ships or targets ashore.

This type of ship was at the height of prominence during World War II, and the largest of the U.S. battleships, the Iowa-class, were roughly 60,000 tons. But after World War II, the battleship’s role in modern fleets diminished rapidly in favor of aircraft carriers and long-range missiles. The U.S. Navy did modernize four Iowa-class battleships in the 1980s by adding cruise missiles and anti-ship missiles, along with modern radars, but by the 1990s all four were decommissioned.

According to a&nbsp;<a href="http://goldenfleet.navy.mil/" target="_blank">newly created website for the “Golden Fleet,”</a>&nbsp;this new “guided missile battleship” is set to be roughly the same size as Iowa-class battleships but only weigh about half as much, around 35,000 tons, and have far smaller crews — between 650 and 850 sailors.

Its primary weapons will also be missiles, not large naval guns.

Trump has long held strong opinions on specific aspects of the Navy’s fleet, sometimes with a view toward keeping older technology instead of modernizing.

During his first term, he unsuccessfully called for the return to steam-powered catapults to launch jets from the Navy’s newest aircraft carriers instead of the more modern electromagnetic system.

He has also complained to Phelan about the look of the Navy’s destroyers and decried Navy ships being covered in rust.

Phelan told senators at his confirmation hearing that Trump “has texted me numerous times very late at night, sometimes after one (o’clock) in the morning” about “rusty ships or ships in a yard, asking me what am I doing about it.”

On a visit to a shipyard that was working on the now-canceled Constellation-class frigate in 2020, Trump said he personally changed the design of the ship.

“I looked at it, I said, ‘That’s a terrible-looking ship, let’s make it beautiful,’” Trump said at the time.

He said Monday he will have a direct role in designing this new warship as well.

“The U.S. Navy will lead the design of these ships along with me, because I’m a very aesthetic person,” Trump said.

🎥U.S. to build "Trump-class" warships for "Golden Fleet"

Preliminary hearing 1:30 Judge Jeffry Goering

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man accused in a fatal hit-and-run that killed a teen will return to court on Tuesday.

Gauge Brasher, now 20,&nbsp; will appear for a preliminary hearing in the courtroom of Judge Jeffrey Goering, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; The DA's office charged Brasher with 2nd degree murder in the death of&nbsp;14-year-old Jackson Nzabonimpa. He is also charged with failure to stop at an accident and criminal damage to property.

&nbsp;Wichita police took Brasher&nbsp; into custody shortly after 4 p.m. August 15, in the 3100 block of E. Range Road, according to a statement from Wichita Police.

Around 6:30 p.m. August 13, a nearby Kansas Highway Patrol trooper in the area saw the aftermath of the crash that killed&nbsp;14-year-old Jackson Nzabonimpa and saw two men running from a black BMW that had crashed. After a short foot pursuit, both men were apprehended.

The preliminary investigation indicated the BMW was traveling at a high rate of speed when it hit a power pole and then a utility box. The impact forced the power pole and utility box into Nzabonimpa, who died on scene from his injuries.&nbsp;

Witnesses at the intersection identified the 19-year-old suspect Gauge Brasher, who fled as the driver. He is suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. The investigation indicated that impairment and speed were likely contributing factors in the collision. Brasher was admitted to the hospital for medical treatment and later left the hospital. Police issued an alert in attempt to locate him. The passenger in the BMW is a 24-year-old man who was detained and later released with no charges.&nbsp;&nbsp;

 Brasher is no longer in custody, according to online jail records.&nbsp;

Preliminary hearing for Kan. driver who hid after crash that killed boy

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating the recovery of a body&nbsp;&nbsp;found in a wooded area near the YMCA building in Salina have identified the victim as&nbsp;60-year old, Shane T. Duffy of Salina, according to a statement from Salina Police.

The cause of death was a heart attack and the contributing factors were chronic substance abuse, according to police. There was no&nbsp;indication of foul play.&nbsp;&nbsp;A passerby found the deceased body and contacted police on Nov. 20.

There was no home address listed for Duffy, as he was deemed to be homeless.

Police ID body of man found in wooded area near Salina YMCA

The Kansas Highway Patrol is seeking assistance from the public to identify a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) involved in a fatality crash that occurred between midnight and 7a.m. on Monday.

The Patrol reported a 2017 Chevy Silverado driven by&nbsp; Aaron Bradley&nbsp;Patton, 26, Liberal, was eastbound on U.S. 54 just east of County Road 9. The pickup crossed over the fog line onto the eastbound shoulder and collided with a stopped commercial motor vehicle.

Patton was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Hornung Family Funeral Home.&nbsp;&nbsp;

 The CMV&nbsp; left the collision scene prior to notification of the collision to law enforcement.&nbsp;The CMV is believed to be light-colored, possibly sliver or gray, and was transporting an oversized load that included a large steel cylinder.

If anyone has information regarding witnesses or the&nbsp;CMV&nbsp;involved in the crash, please contact Technical Trooper Clayton Tarpley, Troop E, at&nbsp;<a href="tel: 6202763201">620-276-3201</a>.

KHP seeking witnesses to fatal crash in SW Kansas 

Missouri wasn’t able to put its best foot forward, House Speaker Jon Patterson said, because ‘leadership was very fragmented’

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">Jason Hancock</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jonathanshorman/">Jonathan Shorman</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>

Nearly a decade after Missouri lost its NFL franchise in St. Louis to Los Angeles, the state learned Monday that the Kansas City Chiefs are moving across the state line to Kansas.

The news, rumored for days, was greeted with shock and despair in Missouri, where hopes were high that a $1.5 billion incentives package approved by state lawmakers would be enough to keep the team in Arrowhead Stadium.

In the end, a much more lucrative package from Kansas won out.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“This is a painful day for everyone in Missouri who loves our Chiefs,” said state Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Kansas City Democrat.&nbsp;

“A lot of us in Missouri, we feel like we’ve been incredibly loyal to the Chiefs despite all of the frustrations over decades,” Nurrenbern added. “We stuck with the Chiefs every step of the way. So this is so disappointing. I can imagine that Lamar Hunt today is rolling in his grave.”

House Speaker Jon Patterson, a Lee’s Summit Republican, echoed the disappointment, saying Missouri entered into stadium negotiations at a disadvantage.&nbsp;

“I think money was part of it, but I think it’s also the opportunities available in Kansas,” Patterson said. “You know, Arrowhead can’t do a Super Bowl. Arrowhead can’t do a Final Four. If you have a dome stadium, those things are all possibilities, and I think that’s probably what ultimately led to the decision to move.”

Missouri wasn’t able to put its best foot forward, Patterson said, because “leadership was very fragmented.”

“Kansas leadership was very united and professional, and they just took advantage of a once in a lifetime opportunity,” he said, adding: “It would be deliciously satisfying to start pointing fingers, but I hope we can avoid that right now and just look forward.”

State Rep. Mark Sharp, a Kansas City Democrat, was not ready to be so magnanimous.&nbsp;

He said years of bad decisions led to Monday’s news. Specifically, he pointed to former Jackson County Executive Frank White, who was recently removed from office after a recall vote.

White, Sharp said in a social media post, “presided over a deeply dysfunctional and adversarial approach to our professional sports teams.”&nbsp;

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