ELLIS COUNTY —Police are investigating a fatal pedestrian accident in Hays.

Just before 6p.m. Saturday, police responded to the report of an injury accident in the 1400 block of Hall Street in Hays, according to a media release. Officers arrived to find citizens assisting a pedestrian that had been struck by a car while crossing Hall Street.

According to police, the preliminary investigation indicates that a vehicle traveling northbound on Hall Street struck the pedestrian, an 82-year-old Hays resident, while he was crossing Hall Street in the crosswalk near 15th Street.

The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle remained on scene and cooperated with law enforcement.

The pedestrian received emergency treatment at the scene and was transported to HaysMed, 2220 Canterbury Drive. He was later air-lifted to a Wichita trauma center. He died during the transport, according to police.

Anyone with information relating to this incident is encouraged to contact Hays Police Department Detective Dave Gillan at (785) 625-1030.

ELLIS COUNTY —Police are investigating a fatal pedestrian accident in Hays.Just before 6p.m. Saturday, police responded to the report of an injury accident in the 1400 block of Hall Street in Hays, according to a media release. Officers arrived to find citizens assisting a pedestrian that had been struck by a car while crossing Hall Street.According to police, the preliminary investigation indicates that a vehicle traveling northbound on Hall Street struck the pedestrian, an 82-year-old Hays resident, while he was crossing Hall Street in the crosswalk near 15th Street.The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle remained on scene and cooperated with law enforcement.The pedestrian received emergency treatment at the scene and was transported to HaysMed, 2220 Canterbury Drive. He was later air-lifted to a Wichita trauma center. He died during the transport, according to police.Anyone with information relating to this incident is encouraged to contact Hays Police Department Detective Dave Gillan at (785) 625-1030.

82-year-old Hays man dies after struck by car in crosswalk

At 3:02 p.m. Sunday, a structure fire was reported at 435 E. Third St. Upon arrival, the responding crews observed a fire emanating from the back of the house, specifically in the kitchen area. 

The crews were able to successfully access the building through a side door and extinguish the fire. Engine 2 responded to the Third Street fire, while Ladder 1 was redirected to a fire that was reported on Brooks Street.

The house fire at 435 E. Third St. sustained significant fire damage, and a cat perished in the fire. The investigation revealed the fire originated from a space heater plugged into a surge protector.

At 3:11 p.m., a second structure fire was reported at 1306 N. Brooks, where law enforcement reported a fire in the attached garage.

Mutual aid was activated, and Russell Grant and ladder 1 worked swiftly to suppress the fire and confine it to the garage area.

The cause of the second fire was determined to be a malfunctioning refrigerator in the garage. 

Minimal damage was reported to the area around the garage, and no extension was observed into the residence. Once crews finished with the Brooks Street fire, they responded to assist with the Third Street fire.

Crews cleared the scene of the Third Street fire shortly before 5:30 p.m.

The City of Russell Fire Department extends its gratitude to Russell Grant Fire Department, Russell County EMS, Russell Electric Department, Russell Water Department, Russell County 911, Russell Police Department and the Russell County Sheriff’s Office for their invaluable assistance.

The city of Russell Fire Department would like to remind everyone that if you utilize space heaters, they need to be plugged directly into the wall. Furthermore, if you see a fire, please avoid the area and respect the scene so crews can work to put the fire out. You should never approach an emergency scene unless given permission.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1767645709117.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>City of Russell Fire DepartmentAt 3:02 p.m. Sunday, a structure fire was reported at 435 E. Third St. Upon arrival, the responding crews observed a fire emanating from the back of the house, specifically in the kitchen area. The crews were able to successfully access the building through a side door and extinguish the fire. Engine 2 responded to the Third Street fire, while Ladder 1 was redirected to a fire that was reported on Brooks Street.The house fire at 435 E. Third St. sustained significant fire damage, and a cat perished in the fire. The investigation revealed the fire originated from a space heater plugged into a surge protector.At 3:11 p.m., a second structure fire was reported at 1306 N. Brooks, where law enforcement reported a fire in the attached garage.Mutual aid was activated, and Russell Grant and ladder 1 worked swiftly to suppress the fire and confine it to the garage area.The cause of the second fire was determined to be a malfunctioning refrigerator in the garage. Minimal damage was reported to the area around the garage, and no extension was observed into the residence. Once crews finished with the Brooks Street fire, they responded to assist with the Third Street fire.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1767645774176.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
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 </figure>Crews cleared the scene of the Third Street fire shortly before 5:30 p.m.The City of Russell Fire Department extends its gratitude to Russell Grant Fire Department, Russell County EMS, Russell Electric Department, Russell Water Department, Russell County 911, Russell Police Department and the Russell County Sheriff’s Office for their invaluable assistance.The city of Russell Fire Department would like to remind everyone that if you utilize space heaters, they need to be plugged directly into the wall. Furthermore, if you see a fire, please avoid the area and respect the scene so crews can work to put the fire out. You should never approach an emergency scene unless given permission.

Multiple structure fires reported Sunday in Russell

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Hays Police Department activity log: Dec. 28-Jan. 3, 2026

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Hays Police Department arrest log: Dec. 28-Jan. 3, 2026

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

Hays reached a record high of 74 degrees Sunday, with a low of 28, according to the K-State Ag Research Center.

Exactly one year ago, the high was 26 and the low was 10. Hays has received 0 inches of moisture year-to-date.

On average, Hays receives .47 inches of rain in January and .47 inches of moisture year-to-date by the end of January.

The forecast for today is mostly sunny, with a high of 63 and a low of 36. Highs are expected to stay in the low 60s through Thursday, with a chance of showers that day.&nbsp;

<figure>
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 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostHays reached a record high of 74 degrees Sunday, with a low of 28, according to the K-State Ag Research Center.Exactly one year ago, the high was 26 and the low was 10. Hays has received 0 inches of moisture year-to-date.On average, Hays receives .47 inches of rain in January and .47 inches of moisture year-to-date by the end of January.The forecast for today is mostly sunny, with a high of 63 and a low of 36. Highs are expected to stay in the low 60s through Thursday, with a chance of showers that day.&nbsp;

Hays hits record high on Sunday; sunny days to come

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Ellis County Jail bookings: Dec. 28-Jan. 3, 2026

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Ellis County Sheriff's activity log: Dec. 28-Jan. 3, 2026

By DANIEL WHEATON <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2025-12-16/college-graduates-job-search-economy-student-loans-midwest">Kansas News Service</a>

As Ryan Jenkins was finishing his last semester of college, all he could do was watch while the jobs he was hoping to apply for were being cut.

Jenkins, then a student at St. Louis University, always wanted to work in local government, but federal funding cuts and the shrinking of government agencies meant there were fewer jobs to apply for.

“We just feel like the door is being closed in front of us,” Jenkins said, describing cuts to agencies carried out this spring by the Department of Government Efficiency.

Graduation came, and, from the 16 applications he submitted, Jenkins got no offers.

The Midwest Newsroom spoke to a dozen recent college graduates in six states about their experiences in the job market. These would-be entry level workers described using elaborate spreadsheets to track dozens of job applications, lost opportunities from federal cuts and hiring processes that made them question their self-worth.

While most of the 2025 spring graduates who spoke with The Midwest Newsroom ended up finding full-time jobs, graduates described hiring processes with limited communication.

The lack of communication is a point of tension for Generation Z, who have heard of peers submitting hundreds of applications and hearing nothing back.

For the past year, recent college graduates have faced a job market flooded with more applicants and fewer jobs. For the months where data is available, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported an estimated 685,000 jobs were created. During that same period last year, 1,384,000 jobs had been added to payrolls, which represents a decrease of 51%.

Recently, job creation has slowed, with a net loss of jobs in June and August of this year. Jobs are represented in thousands.

In normal economic conditions, it usually takes a college graduate about six months to find their first job, according to Iowa State University economics professor Peter Orazem. The graduates who spoke to The Midwest Newsroom described searches that lasted beyond that six-month mark, which for some, means a student loan bill coming due without a full-time salary. Most federal student loans include an automatic six-month grace period after graduation.

“Any group that has relatively less work experience or less education gets hurt more when you start moving into an economic slowdown,” Orazem said. “And we’ve certainly seen a slowdown in the demand for workers in the last year or so.”

As another cohort of students enters its last semester of college, most are trying to stay positive.

In December, aspiring newspaper columnist Caroline Siebels-Lindquist, was finishing up a podcast for her capstone project. She will graduate with a journalism degree from Drake University in spring 2026 and is about to begin searching for her first full time job.

From the headlines, LinkedIn posts and hearing from other recent grads, Siebels-Lindquist said she knows the job hunt won’t be easy.

“A lot of my senior peers are quite nervous,” she said.

To deal with that anxiety, Siebels-Lindquist plans on leaning on her mentors and peers — and, if all else fails, going back to a summer job managing canoes at a summer camp in the Boundary Waters.

“Miracles happen,” Siebels-Lindquist said. “Keep the faith.”

In July, Jenkins had an interview for the AmeriCorps VISTA program that would have placed him with Delmar Main Street, an organization that supports economic development in the St. Louis neighborhood that has historically been a racial and economic divide in the city.

Jenkins said the hiring manager got a call and had to pause the interview, but she didn’t turn off her camera.

“I can still see everything going on that’s nonverbal and I could tell something was up, just from her expression, and just by the length of time that she put herself on mute,” Jenkins said. “I just knew something was up.”

After the call, the hiring manager apologized and told Jenkins why she had to pause the interview. The funding for the position had been&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/17/us/politics/doge-cost-americorps-community-service.html" target="_blank">cut</a>.

AmeriCorps VISTA was among many of the government agencies&nbsp;<a href="https://corpsnetwork.org/we-must-act-now-to-save-americorps/" target="_blank">hollowed out</a>&nbsp;by the Department of Government Efficiency. While the department still exists, the cancellation of grants has limited the organization’s ability to fund positions.

Jenkins, whose family members were once city clerks and firefighters, said he found the experience disheartening, as he wanted to work in a government job to help his community.

He said he wasn’t mad at AmeriCorps, but the experience led him to pause his job search for a few weeks to recover from the setback.

“I feel like I’m being told I can’t, and not even that I can’t, but they don’t want me,” Jenkins said.

According to an August&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stlouisfed.org/on-the-economy/2025/aug/recent-college-grads-bear-brunt-labor-market-shifts" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, college graduates between the ages of 23 and 27 are seeing higher unemployment rates — from 3.25% in 2024 to 4.59% in 2025.

“This 1.34 percentage point increase represents more than just a statistical noise; it reflects a significant shift in how the economy is absorbing newly educated workers,” Federal Reserve researchers Serdar Ozkan and Nicholas Sullivan&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stlouisfed.org/on-the-economy/2025/aug/recent-college-grads-bear-brunt-labor-market-shifts" target="_blank">wrote</a>&nbsp;earlier this year.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers, or NACE, surveyed employers and universities to gauge the labor market for recent graduates. While the class of 2024 was entering a stable job market for new workers, signs that the job market was tightening for the class of 2025 appeared earlier this year.

“However, once the spring came, those numbers dropped to about flat,” Shawn VanDerziel, the president and CEO of NACE, said. “We knew it was going to be a very tough job market for that class.”

According to NACE’s 2026 Job Outlook report, 51% of employers ranked the job market as “fair” or “poor,” a significant change from the 2023 report when only 37% said the same thing.

With fewer jobs available, competition increases.

Abigale Baines, a University of San Diego graduate from a northern Chicago suburb, estimated she applied for more than 50 jobs after she graduated in May of 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. Originally hoping to become an immigration lawyer, her interests shifted to working in social work or in the nonprofit sector.

The many rejection emails she received, she said, all felt similar.

“Maybe they are all going to ChatGPT and are saying, like, ‘Hi, can you please give us a let-them-down-easy job application rejection email?’ and ChatGPT just has one format that it likes, and so it sends that to everybody, and nobody makes any tweaks to it,” she said.

Looking back on her search, Baines estimated that about a third of employers responded quickly with a rejection but said many potential employers didn’t respond at all.

While it wasn’t in her field, Baines found a job as an administrative assistant with Lodge Financial, a mortgage broker for corporations in Skokie, Illinois.

Baines said she was thankful her parents can empathize with her situation.They had graduated during a tight labor market in the 1980s. Her father worked at a dude ranch and her mother was a waitress.

“The economy was in a complete downturn, and then it just took a couple years, and then things turned around and, you know, they were able to build a career,” she said.

It took advice from peers, professors and a fourth-grade teacher for Jonah Zacks to figure out what he wanted his career to be after graduating from college.

Zacks, then a computer science and economics major at Washington University in St. Louis, said he always knew he wanted a career that would make other people’s lives better. Thanks to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.civicsunplugged.org/" target="_blank">Civics Unplugged</a>, he found a method for asking if a job would fulfill that desire.

“I need to find the ‘you-shaped hole’ in any given situation,” Zacks said. “And what that means is looking closely at myself and being really clear with myself about what assets, what abilities, I bring to the table.”

As graduation neared this year, the options for such jobs in the public sector began to dry up due to federal cuts. That’s when it became clear to Zacks: His place was still in the classroom — as a teacher instead of a student.

He applied to Teach for America and now teaches math in Spanish to middle schoolers at the George Washington Carver Dual Language School in Kansas City.

“You have to teach everything,” Zacks said. “You have to teach kids how to approach the world, how to confront challenges, how to keep themselves organized, how to take notes, and also how to see the content that you’re trying to teach in the context of a wider world.”

Zacks said he infuses civic ideals into his classroom, such as putting activities to a vote and encouraging students to focus on finding solutions rather than complaining.

While Zacks’ job search story was not as arduous as others shared with The Midwest Newsroom, he said the increase of automation and the lack of face-to-face communication concerned him.

“The more you can connect with your other humans, the happier, the more effective you are going to be, the better your quality of life is going to be,” Zacks said. “And that was really how I approached my job search.”

The first clue of a souring job market that Maddi Cave noticed was seeing last year’s graduates announcing their first jobs months after graduation.

One student had won awards from the Public Relations Student Society of America, but her job search lasted months.

“She was top of her game, had all the accolades, and she didn’t get a job till February. And I was like: ‘Oh no, I’m kind of scared,’” Cave said.

Cave, then a Drake University student studying public relations and strategic political communications, decided to lean on networking to speed up the job search.

Over the course of more than 30 meetings with Drake alumni and people in her field, she heard similar advice:

Cave said she did all of those things for months, and applied to more than 80 jobs. She heard back from only 12 employers.

“I’m sure that the advice that I was getting at one time would have really set me above my peers, but I had been doing that for these jobs and genuinely hearing crickets,” Cave said.

Job boards were often misleading, Cave said, such as listing a position as entry-level with entry-level pay but asking for years of experience.

“So it got harder and harder to listen to the advice with a straight face when, again, they meant well, but it was not even remotely working,” Cave said.

As her search went on, Cave began to question whether employers were posting jobs in good faith. In a tracking spreadsheet, she began noting if the job appeared in multiple places or if she got some sort of message telling her that her submission was accepted. In the rare instances when a person told her the application was on LinkedIn, she would follow up.

“For the record, none of those emails I ever got a response from,” Cave said.

The sheer lack of response from employers began to worry Cave, but friends, family and fellow alumni encouraged her to keep applying.

As graduation neared, she decided to hold off on applying and moved with her fiance to Green Bay, Wisconsin. There she landed a part-time social media internship with a grocery company during the summer, which allowed her the flexibility to keep searching.

In mid-September, Cave got the call she was waiting for.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.prevea.com/" target="_blank">Prevea Health</a>, a Wisconsin health care system, wanted to interview her for a public relations position.

Cave described the hiring process as night and day compared to the job search.

“In our conversations, they weren’t just asking me a list of super generic questions. They were asking about my work,” Cave said. “So they had obviously looked at it, which was totally new to me.”

After months of hearing crickets from employers, Cave said she felt respected by the organization.

On Oct. 7, her 10-month search for a job finally came to a close.

“The fact that they even just treated me like a good candidate would have been enough to, like, fuel my fire for another month or so of job searching,” Cave said. “But then I actually got the job, and I was like, this is even better.”

Job searching has always been difficult and emotionally taxing, the graduates told The Midwest Newsroom, but with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/2025-07-17/minimum-wage-is-not-enough-to-afford-to-rent-decent-housing-in-the-midwest-report-says" target="_blank">rising cost of living</a>, the job search has a new sense of urgency. Nearly half of Americans said they find groceries, utility bills, health care, housing and transportation difficult to afford, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/10/poll-affordability-cost-of-living-00678076" target="_blank">POLITICO Poll</a>&nbsp;conducted in November by Public First.

Jenkins’ break came in September, more than 10 months after he started the search, when an economic development coordinator position opened up in Fairview Heights, Illinois, in the St. Louis metro area. His first day was Sept. 22.

Still, with job creation being low, Generation Z will continue to compete with itself and others as workers have fewer options.

“We’re doing the best with what we have,” Baines, the University of San Diego graduate, said. “Please empathize with me.”

Cave said that some of the cultural pushback her generation is facing as they start their careers could be connected to changes in the culture of work. Generation Z is vocal about pushing back on expectations around unpaid overtime or enduring harassment at the workplace.

“What would be the point of working all the time if you never get to use any of your time or money to actually enjoy life, the things that are enjoyable about being a human?”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/midwest-newsroom" target="_blank">Midwest Newsroom</a>&nbsp;is an investigative and enterprise journalism collaboration that includes Iowa Public Radio, KCUR, Nebraska Public Media, St. Louis Public Radio and NPR.

There are many ways you can contact us with story ideas and leads, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/midwest-newsroom/contact-us" target="_blank">you can find that information here</a>.

The Midwest Newsroom is a partner of&nbsp;<a href="https://thetrustproject.org/trust-indicators/" target="_blank">The Trust Project</a>. We invite you to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/midwest-newsroom/ethics-and-practices" target="_blank">review our ethics and practices here</a>.

To report this story, Daniel Wheaton published a call-out story in late October asking for recent graduates to talk about their experiences finding their first full-time jobs. From those responses, he conducted interviews asking graduates to recount their experiences and reflect on finding work in a tight labor market. He used the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data to compare the macroeconomic conditions with the individual experiences of recent graduates.

<a href="https://www.kcur.org/education/2025-10-30/class-of-2025-hows-the-job-search-going-the-midwest-newsroom-wants-to-know" target="_blank">Class of 2025: How’s the job search going? The Midwest Newsroom wants to know</a>&nbsp;(Midwest Newsroom | October 2025)

<a href="https://www.stlouisfed.org/on-the-economy/2025/aug/recent-college-grads-bear-brunt-labor-market-shifts" target="_blank">Recent College Grads Bear Brunt of Labor Market Shifts</a>&nbsp;| (St. Louis Federal Reserve Blog, Aug. 25, 2025)

<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/17/us/politics/doge-cost-americorps-community-service.html" target="_blank">DOGE Guts Agency That Organizes Community Service Programs</a>&nbsp;| (The New York Times | April 17, 2025)

<a href="https://corpsnetwork.org/we-must-act-now-to-save-americorps/" target="_blank">We Must Act Now to Save AmeriCorps</a>&nbsp;| (The Corps Network | Oct. 16 2025)

<a href="https://naceweb.org/research/reports/job-outlook/2026" target="_blank">2026 Job Outlook</a>&nbsp;| (NACE | December 2025)

Recent college graduates face a world with fewer jobs — and loan payments are due soon

By TONY GUERRERO and CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The Ellis County Commission will consider a conditional-use permit on Tuesday for a $275 million solar project in southwest Ellis County.

The land on which the solar project would be built is zoned agricultural.

The protest petition deadline for the permit was Wednesday. As of the filing of the county commission agenda, six protest petitions had been filed. Any additional petitions that were received by the deadline will be added to the commissioner's packet before Tuesday.

Developer ibV of Florida wants to build a facility that would generate 175MW of power for the Southwest Power Pool energy market, connecting via ITC Holdings’ 345-kilovolt Spearville-Post Rock transmission line.&nbsp;

The facility will include 600- to 700-W panels mounted on a tracking system to follow the sun throughout the day. The maximum height of the panels will be about 12 feet.&nbsp;The facility will have no on-site battery storage.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/43b108f6-bc5c-46de-969e-92813c1887e5">The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of the permit after a public hearing on Dec. 17, which drew about 75 people.</a>

Many of the attendees at the public hearing asked questions about environmental effects and safety.

The project could have a significant effect on the local economy and generate substantial tax revenue.

Strategic Economic Research conducted an economic impact study for ibV, estimating 148 new jobs would be created locally during construction and 17 in the long term.

The research firm estimated $10.2 million in local earnings would be created during construction, with almost $1 million in annual long-term local earnings in Ellis County.

The project could net as much as $25.9 million in property tax revenue across the taxing entities during the estimated 35-year life of the project, according to the research firm.

IbV is estimated that construction on the project will begin in 2027, with about 18 months until completion in 2028.

The Ellis County Commission will take action on the preliminary plat for Big Creek Third Addition, a proposed residential subdivision located north of Reservation Road.

The development proposed by Adam Pray would include 14 residential lots and one stormwater retention lot. A public hearing was held on Dec. 17, and the Joint Ellis County Planning Commission approved the preliminary plat.

The proposed lots vary in size from about 12,200 to 25,500.

The Ellis County District Court will seek approval to transfer $9,600 from opioid settlement funds to purchase a one-year license for a phone application that would be used to monitor up to 30 individuals released on supervised bond.

The commission will be asked to approve a resolution formally establishing weight limits on certain county-maintained bridges.

You can view the full agenda <a href="https://www.ellisco.net/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01062026-720">here</a>.

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 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO and CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Ellis County Commission will consider a conditional-use permit on Tuesday for a $275 million solar project in southwest Ellis County.The land on which the solar project would be built is zoned agricultural.The protest petition deadline for the permit was Wednesday. As of the filing of the county commission agenda, six protest petitions had been filed. Any additional petitions that were received by the deadline will be added to the commissioner's packet before Tuesday.Developer ibV of Florida wants to build a facility that would generate 175MW of power for the Southwest Power Pool energy market, connecting via ITC Holdings’ 345-kilovolt Spearville-Post Rock transmission line.&nbsp;The facility will include 600- to 700-W panels mounted on a tracking system to follow the sun throughout the day. The maximum height of the panels will be about 12 feet.&nbsp;The facility will have no on-site battery storage.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/43b108f6-bc5c-46de-969e-92813c1887e5">The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of the permit after a public hearing on Dec. 17, which drew about 75 people.</a>Many of the attendees at the public hearing asked questions about environmental effects and safety.The project could have a significant effect on the local economy and generate substantial tax revenue.Strategic Economic Research conducted an economic impact study for ibV, estimating 148 new jobs would be created locally during construction and 17 in the long term.The research firm estimated $10.2 million in local earnings would be created during construction, with almost $1 million in annual long-term local earnings in Ellis County.The project could net as much as $25.9 million in property tax revenue across the taxing entities during the estimated 35-year life of the project, according to the research firm.IbV is estimated that construction on the project will begin in 2027, with about 18 months until completion in 2028.<h2>Big Creek Estates 3rd Addition</h2>The Ellis County Commission will take action on the preliminary plat for Big Creek Third Addition, a proposed residential subdivision located north of Reservation Road.The development proposed by Adam Pray would include 14 residential lots and one stormwater retention lot. A public hearing was held on Dec. 17, and the Joint Ellis County Planning Commission approved the preliminary plat.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1767371045038.png" alt="Preliminary plat for Big Creek Estates 3rd Addition" />
 <figcaption>Preliminary plat for Big Creek Estates 3rd Addition</figcaption>
 </figure>The proposed lots vary in size from about 12,200 to 25,500.<h2>Other business</h2>The Ellis County District Court will seek approval to transfer $9,600 from opioid settlement funds to purchase a one-year license for a phone application that would be used to monitor up to 30 individuals released on supervised bond.The commission will be asked to approve a resolution formally establishing weight limits on certain county-maintained bridges.You can view the full agenda <a href="https://www.ellisco.net/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01062026-720">here</a>.

Ellis County Commission to consider permit for solar project on Tuesday

By&nbsp;TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/12/18/kansas-board-of-regents-works-to-incorporate-critique-of-tenure-workforce-policy-changes/">Kansas Reflector</a>

Dissenters point to ‘rigid’ post-tenure reviews, short timeline for making improvement

TOPEKA — The Kansas Board of Regents agreed to weigh feedback from professors, administrators and legislators before voting on systemwide faculty tenure and workload policies designed to bring accountability and transparency to academic personnel decisions at the state’s six public universities.

Since the Board of Regents released drafts of the policies in November, complaints surfaced that allowing the firing of university professors after two consecutive unsatisfactory annual evaluations was “overly rigid” and didn’t take into account “extenuating circumstances,” such as an employee’s personal crisis.

In addition, concern was expressed the workload policy conflicted with standards of the American Association of University Professors or with academic program accreditation guidelines.

Objections were raised about membership of post-tenure review committees and whether the university committee deciding to place a faculty member on a one-year improvement plan would be the same group that performed the follow-up evaluation. Another issue was that one year could be an unrealistic period of time for a faculty member to correct deficiencies in research productivity, officials said.

“We’re appreciative of that input because it is beneficial and helpful as we look at trying to stand up this policy,” said Board of Regents member Alysia Johnston, who has a background in community college administration.

She said the goal was implementation of umbrella policies applicable to the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, Wichita State University, Fort Hays State University, Pittsburg State University and Emporia State University.

The Board of Regents engaged in general discussion of the draft policies Wednesday and could take formal action on both in January.

During the past few years, members of the Legislature have taken greater interest in university workload and tenure decisions. In 2024, a Kansas House committee welcomed to the Capitol a tenured faculty member at Emporia State who recommended retroactive elimination of tenure at state universities. The idea was opposed by K-State president Richard Linton and KU chancellor Doug Girod.

Rusty Monhollon, vice president of academic affairs for the Board of Regents, said the systemwide tenure and workload policies were the result of persistent calls for greater transparency and accountability regarding faculty appointments.

“It’s my own sense that very few faculty would be opposed to greater accountability because the work they do is good. They are very productive and they would stand up under scrutiny,” he said.

Monhollon, a former executive director of the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, said tenure was awarded to faculty following extensive vetting of each person’s teaching, research and service performance over a period of years. Tenure was mistakenly viewed by the public as a lifetime appointment, he said.

Academic freedom, a pivotal component of faculty tenure across the United States, was essential to success of colleges or universities, he said.

“Tenure is there to protect faculty to pursue research or to take on topics that are controversial,” Monhollon said. “If those protections aren’t in place for faculty, I think we lose that ability of faculty to take on difficult challenges, maybe pursue paths that are a bit unconventional, that many times bear the kind of results that really advance society and benefit all of us.”

Matt Crocker, a Manhattan businessman appointed to the Board of Regents in October, said changes to workload and tenure expectations at state universities should recognize the value in making certain taxpayers received proper return on public investments in higher education. He serves as CEO of SPS Companies, which includes Steel and Pipe Supply Co.

He said Monhollon’s comments about protecting academic freedom raised the question: “Protect them from whom?”

“If an individual’s not working in line with the mission of the university, I’m not sure that’s really something we want to protect,” Crocker said. “I don’t think we want to mix a lot of concepts together inadvertently as we look through these policies.”

Under the proposed reforms, the Board of Regents would adopt academic workload expectations and require post-tenure review of faculty at research-centered KU, WSU and K-State and the regional universities in Pittsburg, Emporia and Hays. The core obligation of all faculty in the system would be teaching, research and service, but instruction of students would be the most significant factor in assessments.

Faculty at K-State, WSU and KU would be expected to have teaching loads ranging from 40% to 55%. The three regional universities would have teaching loads of 60% to 75%. Research expectations for tenured professors would be specific to each discipline.

The faculty would have personalized work plans that were revised annually. Tenured faculty would be reviewed by a university committee every five years. Proponents of reform say collection of data on faculty would serve to better identify professors who excelled and those who fell short. The process could replace subjective elements of faculty evaluations with tangible evidence of research, teaching and service.

Each university would retain control of post-tenure faculty reviews and the provisions of self-improvement programs for faculty. Individuals could be placed in one-year remediation programs. The policy would enable universities to dismiss faculty who failed the follow-up review.

The universities would submit to the Board of Regents annual reports on tenure that included information on tenure awards and denials, the number of faculty placed on improvement plans as well as faculty resignations and dismissals. Biennial reports prepared for the Board of Regents would document faculty credit hour production, graduation rates, publications and research funding.

Johnston, who chairs the Board of Regents’ academic affairs committee, said she anticipated reports on tenure and workload to prove state universities in Kansas maintained high expectations of tenured faculty.

“I hope, with greater transparency, the data will prove just that,” she said. “I believe it will show that this is a rigorous process.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1766432718726.jpeg" alt="Matt Crocker, a member of the Kansas Board of Regents, says faculty tenure and workforce policies under consideration for the state’s six public universities must take into account the necessity of guaranteeing the public receives proper return on investments in higher education. Photo by Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector" />
 <figcaption>Matt Crocker, a member of the Kansas Board of Regents, says faculty tenure and workforce policies under consideration for the state’s six public universities must take into account the necessity of guaranteeing the public receives proper return on investments in higher education. Photo by Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/12/18/kansas-board-of-regents-works-to-incorporate-critique-of-tenure-workforce-policy-changes/">Kansas Reflector</a><h2>Dissenters point to ‘rigid’ post-tenure reviews, short timeline for making improvement</h2>TOPEKA — The Kansas Board of Regents agreed to weigh feedback from professors, administrators and legislators before voting on systemwide faculty tenure and workload policies designed to bring accountability and transparency to academic personnel decisions at the state’s six public universities.Since the Board of Regents released drafts of the policies in November, complaints surfaced that allowing the firing of university professors after two consecutive unsatisfactory annual evaluations was “overly rigid” and didn’t take into account “extenuating circumstances,” such as an employee’s personal crisis.In addition, concern was expressed the workload policy conflicted with standards of the American Association of University Professors or with academic program accreditation guidelines.Objections were raised about membership of post-tenure review committees and whether the university committee deciding to place a faculty member on a one-year improvement plan would be the same group that performed the follow-up evaluation. Another issue was that one year could be an unrealistic period of time for a faculty member to correct deficiencies in research productivity, officials said.“We’re appreciative of that input because it is beneficial and helpful as we look at trying to stand up this policy,” said Board of Regents member Alysia Johnston, who has a background in community college administration.She said the goal was implementation of umbrella policies applicable to the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, Wichita State University, Fort Hays State University, Pittsburg State University and Emporia State University.The Board of Regents engaged in general discussion of the draft policies Wednesday and could take formal action on both in January.During the past few years, members of the Legislature have taken greater interest in university workload and tenure decisions. In 2024, a Kansas House committee welcomed to the Capitol a tenured faculty member at Emporia State who recommended retroactive elimination of tenure at state universities. The idea was opposed by K-State president Richard Linton and KU chancellor Doug Girod.<h2>Return on investment</h2>Rusty Monhollon, vice president of academic affairs for the Board of Regents, said the systemwide tenure and workload policies were the result of persistent calls for greater transparency and accountability regarding faculty appointments.“It’s my own sense that very few faculty would be opposed to greater accountability because the work they do is good. They are very productive and they would stand up under scrutiny,” he said.Monhollon, a former executive director of the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, said tenure was awarded to faculty following extensive vetting of each person’s teaching, research and service performance over a period of years. Tenure was mistakenly viewed by the public as a lifetime appointment, he said.Academic freedom, a pivotal component of faculty tenure across the United States, was essential to success of colleges or universities, he said.“Tenure is there to protect faculty to pursue research or to take on topics that are controversial,” Monhollon said. “If those protections aren’t in place for faculty, I think we lose that ability of faculty to take on difficult challenges, maybe pursue paths that are a bit unconventional, that many times bear the kind of results that really advance society and benefit all of us.”Matt Crocker, a Manhattan businessman appointed to the Board of Regents in October, said changes to workload and tenure expectations at state universities should recognize the value in making certain taxpayers received proper return on public investments in higher education. He serves as CEO of SPS Companies, which includes Steel and Pipe Supply Co.He said Monhollon’s comments about protecting academic freedom raised the question: “Protect them from whom?”“If an individual’s not working in line with the mission of the university, I’m not sure that’s really something we want to protect,” Crocker said. “I don’t think we want to mix a lot of concepts together inadvertently as we look through these policies.”<h2>Revised expectations</h2>Under the proposed reforms, the Board of Regents would adopt academic workload expectations and require post-tenure review of faculty at research-centered KU, WSU and K-State and the regional universities in Pittsburg, Emporia and Hays. The core obligation of all faculty in the system would be teaching, research and service, but instruction of students would be the most significant factor in assessments.Faculty at K-State, WSU and KU would be expected to have teaching loads ranging from 40% to 55%. The three regional universities would have teaching loads of 60% to 75%. Research expectations for tenured professors would be specific to each discipline.The faculty would have personalized work plans that were revised annually. Tenured faculty would be reviewed by a university committee every five years. Proponents of reform say collection of data on faculty would serve to better identify professors who excelled and those who fell short. The process could replace subjective elements of faculty evaluations with tangible evidence of research, teaching and service.Each university would retain control of post-tenure faculty reviews and the provisions of self-improvement programs for faculty. Individuals could be placed in one-year remediation programs. The policy would enable universities to dismiss faculty who failed the follow-up review.The universities would submit to the Board of Regents annual reports on tenure that included information on tenure awards and denials, the number of faculty placed on improvement plans as well as faculty resignations and dismissals. Biennial reports prepared for the Board of Regents would document faculty credit hour production, graduation rates, publications and research funding.Johnston, who chairs the Board of Regents’ academic affairs committee, said she anticipated reports on tenure and workload to prove state universities in Kansas maintained high expectations of tenured faculty.“I hope, with greater transparency, the data will prove just that,” she said. “I believe it will show that this is a rigorous process.”

Kansas Board of Regents works to incorporate critique of tenure, workforce policy changes

WASHINGTON —&nbsp;The Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service today provided guidance on the “No Tax on Car Loan Interest” provision enacted under the One, Big, Beautiful Bill.

<a target="_blank" href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.federalregister.gov%2Fpublic-inspection%2F2025-24154%2Fcar-loan-interest-deduction/1/0100019b74d957c6-156be576-39fc-4344-85a0-c84a772c0b3f-000000/dB0mXREam7-XDhS7x6XI0t7I-AudUZncyTvQ62Gz3xU=438">The proposed regulations</a>&nbsp;issued today relate to a new deduction for interest paid on vehicle loans incurred after Dec. 31, 2024, to purchase new made-in-America vehicles for personal use. This new tax benefit applies to both taxpayers who take the standard deduction and those who itemize deductions.&nbsp;

Who can take a deduction for interest on car loans

To help taxpayers take advantage of this new tax benefit, today’s guidance addresses important eligibility criteria, including:

The IRS previously announced&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.irs.gov%2Fnewsroom%2Ftreasury-irs-provide-transition-relief-for-2025-for-businesses-reporting-car-loan-interest-under-the-one-big-beautiful-bill/1/0100019b74d957c6-156be576-39fc-4344-85a0-c84a772c0b3f-000000/Rzf5D9WG-l-HcgT3A0ewB_nBVIsuenf9DgMoglCBH1g=438">transition guidance</a>&nbsp;for certain lenders and other taxpayers receiving&nbsp;interest&nbsp;for vehicle loans in 2025. In general, those persons&nbsp;must file information returns with the IRS to report interest received during the tax year and other information related to the loan. These information returns enable taxpayers to claim the benefits of the vehicle loan interest deduction. To help lenders implement these information reporting requirements, the proposed regulations clarify:

Treasury and IRS invite comments from the public on these proposed regulations by Feb. 2, 2026. Comments can be submitted through&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.regulations.gov%2F/1/0100019b74d957c6-156be576-39fc-4344-85a0-c84a772c0b3f-000000/dIJJwTPdwsY8DD9x2R5dVqOZZBM0y19T5JMcphjkDQ8=438">Regulations.gov</a>&nbsp;and instructions can be found in the proposed regulations.

For more information, see&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.irs.gov%2Fnewsroom%2Fone-big-beautiful-bill-provisions/1/0100019b74d957c6-156be576-39fc-4344-85a0-c84a772c0b3f-000000/FP_nte4n1yCQiTPpk-AT8X3TXDzwOsolmrR7tmqrRp4=438">One, Big, Beautiful Bill provisions</a>&nbsp;on IRS.gov.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740609345748.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON —&nbsp;The Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service today provided guidance on the “No Tax on Car Loan Interest” provision enacted under the One, Big, Beautiful Bill.<a target="_blank" href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.federalregister.gov%2Fpublic-inspection%2F2025-24154%2Fcar-loan-interest-deduction/1/0100019b74d957c6-156be576-39fc-4344-85a0-c84a772c0b3f-000000/dB0mXREam7-XDhS7x6XI0t7I-AudUZncyTvQ62Gz3xU=438">The proposed regulations</a>&nbsp;issued today relate to a new deduction for interest paid on vehicle loans incurred after Dec. 31, 2024, to purchase new made-in-America vehicles for personal use. This new tax benefit applies to both taxpayers who take the standard deduction and those who itemize deductions.&nbsp;<h2>Who can take a deduction for interest on car loans</h2>To help taxpayers take advantage of this new tax benefit, today’s guidance addresses important eligibility criteria, including:<ul>
 <li>Providing rules relating to new vehicles eligible for the deduction, including for determining if the final assembly of a vehicle occurred in the United States;</li><li>Providing rules for determining which vehicle loans qualify and the amount of interest paid on a loan that may be deductible;</li><li>Providing rules for determining if a new vehicle is purchased for personal use; and</li><li>Identifying taxpayers who can take the deduction and clarifying the $10,000 annual deduction limit.</li>
 </ul><h2>What lenders need to know</h2>The IRS previously announced&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.irs.gov%2Fnewsroom%2Ftreasury-irs-provide-transition-relief-for-2025-for-businesses-reporting-car-loan-interest-under-the-one-big-beautiful-bill/1/0100019b74d957c6-156be576-39fc-4344-85a0-c84a772c0b3f-000000/Rzf5D9WG-l-HcgT3A0ewB_nBVIsuenf9DgMoglCBH1g=438">transition guidance</a>&nbsp;for certain lenders and other taxpayers receiving&nbsp;interest&nbsp;for vehicle loans in 2025. In general, those persons&nbsp;must file information returns with the IRS to report interest received during the tax year and other information related to the loan. These information returns enable taxpayers to claim the benefits of the vehicle loan interest deduction. To help lenders implement these information reporting requirements, the proposed regulations clarify:<ul>
 <li>Which lenders and other interest recipients are required to report and the time and manner for this reporting; and</li><li>What information must be included on the form provided to&nbsp;the&nbsp;IRS and to taxpayers.</li>
 </ul><h2>More information</h2>Treasury and IRS invite comments from the public on these proposed regulations by Feb. 2, 2026. Comments can be submitted through&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.regulations.gov%2F/1/0100019b74d957c6-156be576-39fc-4344-85a0-c84a772c0b3f-000000/dIJJwTPdwsY8DD9x2R5dVqOZZBM0y19T5JMcphjkDQ8=438">Regulations.gov</a>&nbsp;and instructions can be found in the proposed regulations.For more information, see&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.irs.gov%2Fnewsroom%2Fone-big-beautiful-bill-provisions/1/0100019b74d957c6-156be576-39fc-4344-85a0-c84a772c0b3f-000000/FP_nte4n1yCQiTPpk-AT8X3TXDzwOsolmrR7tmqrRp4=438">One, Big, Beautiful Bill provisions</a>&nbsp;on IRS.gov.

Treasury, IRS provide guidance on the new deduction for car loan interest

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1767365971445.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure><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

By STEVE GILLILAND Explore Kansas Outdoors

The first year I trapped beavers in Kansas was a terribly dry year, yet I found a rogue stretch of river just north of where I live that still held water; lots of water! There were holes in this stretch too deep for me to wade into with chest waders, yet from there the river turned east, and was bone dry as far as the eye could see. In this deep portion was a colony of beavers and that morning I had just caught the first one.

When I watch hunting shows where a hunter harvests a big animal high up in the mountains, I often wonder if he had considered all the extra work it’s was gonna’ take to get it packed out of there. Along those same lines, I don’t know what I was thinking when I set that trap. It was a challenge just to get to, let along tote anything out that I might catch. So, picture this; my wife (who is at least a head shorter) and I standing in the middle of the dry river bed, she about 6 feet in front of me, with an 8-foot tree limb between us on our shoulders. Trussed up with a rope and dangling precariously from that limb hung a 50-pound beaver. This was my wife’s idea and at first I had scoffed. But aside from the fact that we must have looked like 2 natives hauling a dead monkey from the jungle for dinner, it worked pretty well.

Telling you we were 300 yards from our pickup doesn’t begin to give you the whole picture. For starters, the first 50 yards included a short trek along the dry river bed then straight up a deer trail to the bank 10 feet above. After a much-needed break, we followed that same deer trail through an obstacle course of briars and downed tree limbs for another 50 yards to the edge of an alfalfa field, took another breather and then untrussed the beaver and literally drug it and ourselves the final 200 yards through the alfalfa to the truck.

River beavers usually dig large den holes into the bank with the entrance below the water line. Wading along the river can often locate the dens, but this wasn’t an option here since the water was so deep. The only way to catch these beavers was to place traps to take advantage of the creature’s movements and social behaviors. Beavers are very territorial and mark their boundaries by building mounds of mud and debris on the bank called castor mounds. They scent these mounds with secretion from glands at the base of their tail called “castor glands.” Other beavers that travel through the area stop and place their scent on these mounds too, so the resident adults are always checking these to see if any intruders are present. I found one of those mounds that didn’t appear to be used anymore, and “spiced” it up with some lure to make the residents believe they needed to check it again, and one of them soon found himself dangling from the tree limb between Joyce and I.

Trapping, like hunting and fishing, is a harvest. With this stretch of river being one of very few holding water enough for beavers that year their population could easily have grown out of control. The landowner had already complained to me about them dropping trees across his electric fence. I caught 3 beavers from that short stretch of river; certainly&nbsp;not enough to hurt there population much, or for my wife’s fur coat, but maybe enough to keep them out of trouble with their landlord!

Steve can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="Steve Gilliland. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Steve Gilliland. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By STEVE GILLILAND Explore Kansas OutdoorsThe first year I trapped beavers in Kansas was a terribly dry year, yet I found a rogue stretch of river just north of where I live that still held water; lots of water! There were holes in this stretch too deep for me to wade into with chest waders, yet from there the river turned east, and was bone dry as far as the eye could see. In this deep portion was a colony of beavers and that morning I had just caught the first one.When I watch hunting shows where a hunter harvests a big animal high up in the mountains, I often wonder if he had considered all the extra work it’s was gonna’ take to get it packed out of there. Along those same lines, I don’t know what I was thinking when I set that trap. It was a challenge just to get to, let along tote anything out that I might catch. So, picture this; my wife (who is at least a head shorter) and I standing in the middle of the dry river bed, she about 6 feet in front of me, with an 8-foot tree limb between us on our shoulders. Trussed up with a rope and dangling precariously from that limb hung a 50-pound beaver. This was my wife’s idea and at first I had scoffed. But aside from the fact that we must have looked like 2 natives hauling a dead monkey from the jungle for dinner, it worked pretty well.Telling you we were 300 yards from our pickup doesn’t begin to give you the whole picture. For starters, the first 50 yards included a short trek along the dry river bed then straight up a deer trail to the bank 10 feet above. After a much-needed break, we followed that same deer trail through an obstacle course of briars and downed tree limbs for another 50 yards to the edge of an alfalfa field, took another breather and then untrussed the beaver and literally drug it and ourselves the final 200 yards through the alfalfa to the truck.River beavers usually dig large den holes into the bank with the entrance below the water line. Wading along the river can often locate the dens, but this wasn’t an option here since the water was so deep. The only way to catch these beavers was to place traps to take advantage of the creature’s movements and social behaviors. Beavers are very territorial and mark their boundaries by building mounds of mud and debris on the bank called castor mounds. They scent these mounds with secretion from glands at the base of their tail called “castor glands.” Other beavers that travel through the area stop and place their scent on these mounds too, so the resident adults are always checking these to see if any intruders are present. I found one of those mounds that didn’t appear to be used anymore, and “spiced” it up with some lure to make the residents believe they needed to check it again, and one of them soon found himself dangling from the tree limb between Joyce and I.Trapping, like hunting and fishing, is a harvest. With this stretch of river being one of very few holding water enough for beavers that year their population could easily have grown out of control. The landowner had already complained to me about them dropping trees across his electric fence. I caught 3 beavers from that short stretch of river; certainly&nbsp;not enough to hurt there population much, or for my wife’s fur coat, but maybe enough to keep them out of trouble with their landlord!Steve can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Explore Kansas Outdoors: Beaver on a stick

By&nbsp;ZANE IRWIN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2025-12-30/whos-running-to-represent-kansas-in-the-u-s-senate-in-2026-heres-a-guide-to-the-candidates">Kansas News Service</a>

Democratic political outsiders are vying to unseat Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall — and end nearly a century of Republican control of the state’s U.S. Senate seats.

A Democrat has not represented Kansas in the U.S. Senate since before the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032138/" target="_blank">original Wizard of Oz</a>&nbsp;film played in theaters.

Ever since Democratic Sen. George McGill left his seat in January of 1939, Kansas Republicans have enjoyed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/states/KS/senators.htm" target="_blank">an 86-year run</a>&nbsp;in the upper chamber of Congress.

Ahead of the 2026 elections, five Democratic candidates&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fec.gov/data/elections/senate/KS/2026/" target="_blank">have filed</a>&nbsp;to challenge first-term Republican Sen. Roger Marshall.

<a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/senate-race-ratings" target="_blank">Oddsmakers</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/2026-senate/" target="_blank">favor</a>&nbsp;Republicans to retain their majority in the Senate. But Democrats hope enough&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/12/17/nx-s1-5645003/trump-poll-economy-approval" target="_blank">popular dissatisfaction</a>&nbsp;with the current presidential administration might damage Republicans’ electoral chances in Congress.

Primary elections are on Aug. 4, 2026. Voters will decide the next governor of Kansas — as well as a U.S. senator, state attorney general, state insurance commissioner, secretary of state and state treasurer — on Nov. 3, 2026.

This list will be updated as candidates join or leave the race.

Read more on this candidate at&nbsp;<a href="https://mikeforkansas.my.canva.site/">https://mikeforkansas.my.canva.site/.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767109934439.png" alt="Voters in Kansas City, Kansas, showing up at the Wyandotte County Election office for the last minutes of early voting on Nov. 7, 2022.&nbsp;Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3 V" />
 <figcaption>Voters in Kansas City, Kansas, showing up at the Wyandotte County Election office for the last minutes of early voting on Nov. 7, 2022.&nbsp;Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3 V</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;ZANE IRWIN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2025-12-30/whos-running-to-represent-kansas-in-the-u-s-senate-in-2026-heres-a-guide-to-the-candidates">Kansas News Service</a><h2>Democratic political outsiders are vying to unseat Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall — and end nearly a century of Republican control of the state’s U.S. Senate seats.</h2>A Democrat has not represented Kansas in the U.S. Senate since before the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032138/" target="_blank">original Wizard of Oz</a>&nbsp;film played in theaters.Ever since Democratic Sen. George McGill left his seat in January of 1939, Kansas Republicans have enjoyed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/states/KS/senators.htm" target="_blank">an 86-year run</a>&nbsp;in the upper chamber of Congress.Ahead of the 2026 elections, five Democratic candidates&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fec.gov/data/elections/senate/KS/2026/" target="_blank">have filed</a>&nbsp;to challenge first-term Republican Sen. Roger Marshall.<a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/senate-race-ratings" target="_blank">Oddsmakers</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/2026-senate/" target="_blank">favor</a>&nbsp;Republicans to retain their majority in the Senate. But Democrats hope enough&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/12/17/nx-s1-5645003/trump-poll-economy-approval" target="_blank">popular dissatisfaction</a>&nbsp;with the current presidential administration might damage Republicans’ electoral chances in Congress.Primary elections are on Aug. 4, 2026. Voters will decide the next governor of Kansas — as well as a U.S. senator, state attorney general, state insurance commissioner, secretary of state and state treasurer — on Nov. 3, 2026.This list will be updated as candidates join or leave the race.<h2>Republican candidates</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767109296258.png" alt="Official photo / Roger Marshall, incumbent Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Kansas." />
 <figcaption>Official photo / Roger Marshall, incumbent Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Kansas.</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Roger Marshall, Republican</h2><ul>
 <li>Political experience: Marshall, in Great Bend, assumed office as Kansas’ junior senator in 2021. Previously, he served one term as the U.S. Representative for the state’s “Big First” rural district encompassing much of western and central Kansas.&nbsp;</li><li>What else? Marshall is a former OB-GYN. He also served in the U.S. Army Reserve for seven years.&nbsp;</li><li>Platform: The former physician has taken strong stances against expanded abortion access and mask mandates&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-08-26/kansas-senator-roger-marshall-is-a-doctor-but-his-covid-19-advice-doesnt-always-sound-like-it" target="_blank">during the COVID-19 pandemic</a>. He was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/insurrection-at-the-capitol/2021/01/07/954380156/here-are-the-republicans-who-objected-to-the-electoral-college-count" target="_blank">one of six Republican senators</a>&nbsp;who objected to the 2020 electoral count based on unsubstantiated&nbsp;claims of widespread voter fraud — after rioters descended on the capitol and disrupted proceedings. Most recently, the senator proposed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-marshall-drops-the-marshall-plan/" target="_blank">a “Marshall” plan</a>&nbsp;to address rising health care costs. Instead of extending enhanced premium tax credits for three years, as Democrats had demanded during the government shutdown, Marshall proposed extending the credits for one year and then replacing them with health savings accounts. Congress&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/12/20/nx-s1-5649415/what-lawmakers-advanced-and-stalled-on-health-care-this-week" target="_blank">did not end up extending the subsidies</a>&nbsp;at all.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><h2>Democratic Candidates</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767109433077.png" alt="Christy Davis for Kansas /&nbsp;Christy Davis, Democratic Candidate for U.S. Senate in Kansas." />
 <figcaption>Christy Davis for Kansas /&nbsp;Christy Davis, Democratic Candidate for U.S. Senate in Kansas.</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Christy Davis, Democrat</h2><ul>
 <li>Political experience: Davis, in Cottonwood Falls,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2022/06/23/usda-announces-additional-farm-service-agency-and-rural-development-state-directors#:~:text=Rural%20Development:,10%2Dyear%2Dold%20son." target="_blank">served</a>&nbsp;as the Kansas director for USDA rural development under former President Joe Biden. She was also on the board of the Chase County Chamber of Commerce and led the Symphony in the Flint Hills.</li><li>What else? Davis ran for Kansas’ 1st Congressional District in 2020.&nbsp;</li><li>Platform: Davis says President Trump’s tariffs are causing instability for farmers and rural communities. On immigration, Davis’ website says she will “fight for immigration reform that provides a pathway to citizenship and ends inhumane policies that terrorize families and unconstitutionally deprive Kansans of due process.”&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767109524020.png" alt="Anne Parelkar for U.S. Senate 2026 / Facebook&nbsp;Anne Parelkar, Democratic Candidate for U.S. Senate in Kansas." />
 <figcaption>Anne Parelkar for U.S. Senate 2026 / Facebook&nbsp;Anne Parelkar, Democratic Candidate for U.S. Senate in Kansas.</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Anne Parelkar, Democrat</h2><ul>
 <li>Political experience: Parelkar, in Overland Park, has never run for public office.&nbsp;</li><li>What else? Parelkar has worked as an immigration attorney. She’s admitted to practice law in Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas, where she grew up.&nbsp;</li><li>Platform: In an email, Parelkar said she wants to create “a single consolidated program” to provide health care to people under 18, rather than relying on a patchwork of options like Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, or CHIP. She said that would simplify coverage and ensure children have health care access regardless of family circumstances. Parelkar also would like to pass stronger antitrust and consumer protection laws.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767109637361.png" alt="Erik Murray for Kansas /&nbsp;Erik Murray, Democratic Candidate for U.S. Senate in Kansas." />
 <figcaption>Erik Murray for Kansas /&nbsp;Erik Murray, Democratic Candidate for U.S. Senate in Kansas.</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Erik Murray, Democrat</h2><ul>
 <li>Political experience: Murray, in Kansas City, Kansas, is a commercial real estate developer. He has never run for public office.&nbsp;</li><li>What else? The Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, recently chose Murray’s firm to lead a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.metrowiremedia.com/news/indian-springs-redevelopment-nears-1-billion-with-updated-plans" target="_blank">billion-dollar project</a>&nbsp;to redevelop the site of the former Indian Springs mall.&nbsp;</li><li>Platform: If elected, Murray’s website says he would focus on lowering costs for starting and running small businesses. He&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article313616915.html" target="_blank">told the Kansas City Star</a>&nbsp;that he supports federal policies like the Opportunity Zones program, which provides tax incentives for investments in economically distressed areas.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767109732278.png" alt="&nbsp;Michael Soetaert for Senate / Facebook&nbsp;Michael Soetaert, Democratic Candidate for U.S. Senate in Kansas." />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Michael Soetaert for Senate / Facebook&nbsp;Michael Soetaert, Democratic Candidate for U.S. Senate in Kansas.</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Michael Soetaert, Democrat</h2>Read more on this candidate at&nbsp;<a href="https://mikeforkansas.my.canva.site/">https://mikeforkansas.my.canva.site/.</a><ul>
 <li>Political experience: Soetaert was,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cityofwellington.net/newsview.aspx?nid=6940" target="_blank">until recently</a>, a city council member in Wellington. For years, the former Republican has run for various local, state and federal offices.&nbsp;</li><li>What else? Soetaert grew up in Spring Hill, Kansas.&nbsp;</li><li>Platform: Soetaert&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hutchnews.com/story/news/local/2019/10/23/council-grove-man-running-for-city-offices-congress/2468107007/" target="_blank">told the Hutchinson News</a>&nbsp;in 2019 that he was a conservative, pro-life candidate. His website says he changed his mind on the issue of abortion after “Kansans&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-08-02/kansas-voters-rejected-an-amendment-that-would-have-stripped-away-abortion-rights" target="_blank">voted</a>&nbsp;for bodily autonomy.” Soetaert supported the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/12/08/1140808263/what-does-the-respect-for-marriage-act-do-the-answer-will-vary-by-state" target="_blank">Respect for Marriage Act</a>&nbsp;in 2022, which shored up some protections for gay marriage in case the U.S. Supreme Court overturns its 2015 decision establishing the right.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1767109811675.png" alt="&nbsp;Sandy for Kansas / X.Com&nbsp;Sandy Spidel Neumann, Democratic Candidate for U.S. Senate in Kansas." />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Sandy for Kansas / X.Com&nbsp;Sandy Spidel Neumann, Democratic Candidate for U.S. Senate in Kansas.</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Sandy Spidel Neumann, Democrat</h2><ul>
 <li>Political experience: Spidel Neumann, in Mission, has not held public office.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=Sandy+Spidel+Neumann" target="_blank">Records</a>&nbsp;show she has made over 120 donations to Democratic candidates and organizations, including a recent $5,000 donation to the Kansas Democratic Party.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>What else? She recently retired after over 20 years as a financial services executive at Ameriprise.&nbsp;</li><li>Platform: On health care, Spidel Neumann says she “supports reinstating Medicaid funding, extending funding for ACA subsidies, keeping the government out of women’s healthcare decisions, and fighting pharmaceutical companies to reduce arbitrary and escalating drug prices.” She says she opposes cuts to funding for veterans’ mental health and other services.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>

Who's running to represent Kansas in the U.S. Senate in 2026? Here's a guide to the candidates

A new year is here, and many of us are thinking about how to do something meaningful. Resolve to make a difference in 2026 by becoming an American Red Cross volunteer.

“Volunteers are the true heart of the Red Cross, making up 90% of our workforce and powering our humanitarian mission every day. Whether responding to disasters, teaching lifesaving skills, supporting military families, or helping patients in need of blood, their impact is profound,” said Jane Blocher, Executive Director of the Red Cross of Greater Kansas.

In 2026, join a team of changemakers working together to make an impact.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://cisionone-email.us.redcross.org/c/eJw8y01uwyAQxfHTwA4LMF9esMjG14gGmImt2nUCNG5vXyWquv299y9RWjSQOUblndd-cqPnS7RSIxnykIp1E2F2oEwmGXRWJZDia3STdSFR0tJAvipNbixBmhCUl6NmRra14Mf6EDusG9Ym_JSSLZ4Sie_z0d3wGvgWl97vjY0Xpmem5_M8h4ol16O14ag3pufnsX19dsTK9JwwHzsKEP84LH3f-I5lBVFxQ2go1hLfcP0DNl60tMFYXuMCP-1-tM6MRLht-D4O-dh56xVxf8VSO6IJrbCgUBgFVkzBO1GI8uiMSeAVf0b9GwAA__-uP2U5">Sign up here</a>&nbsp;and be part of the solution.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687900222536.jpeg" alt="

Courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>

Courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedA new year is here, and many of us are thinking about how to do something meaningful. Resolve to make a difference in 2026 by becoming an American Red Cross volunteer.“Volunteers are the true heart of the Red Cross, making up 90% of our workforce and powering our humanitarian mission every day. Whether responding to disasters, teaching lifesaving skills, supporting military families, or helping patients in need of blood, their impact is profound,” said Jane Blocher, Executive Director of the Red Cross of Greater Kansas.In 2026, join a team of changemakers working together to make an impact.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://cisionone-email.us.redcross.org/c/eJw8y01uwyAQxfHTwA4LMF9esMjG14gGmImt2nUCNG5vXyWquv299y9RWjSQOUblndd-cqPnS7RSIxnykIp1E2F2oEwmGXRWJZDia3STdSFR0tJAvipNbixBmhCUl6NmRra14Mf6EDusG9Ym_JSSLZ4Sie_z0d3wGvgWl97vjY0Xpmem5_M8h4ol16O14ag3pufnsX19dsTK9JwwHzsKEP84LH3f-I5lBVFxQ2go1hLfcP0DNl60tMFYXuMCP-1-tM6MRLht-D4O-dh56xVxf8VSO6IJrbCgUBgFVkzBO1GI8uiMSeAVf0b9GwAA__-uP2U5">Sign up here</a>&nbsp;and be part of the solution.HELP HOSPITAL PATIENTS<a target="_blank" href="https://cisionone-email.us.redcross.org/c/eJxMjzFywyAURE8DHRpAfJAKCje6hgfEx2KCjAzYSm6fsSdFup23-4oNlgMqt1K0wmgjzaxHQzcbQMCkQHkYEfwqJogawHCvVlRGcZqsnkFPPnrJlVuvQkY9homraRKGj5Io3lLAr_Rgu0sZa2Nm9h6CiT6y7_PR9fAuaLZb70cj44XIhcjlPM-hYlhraW0o9Ubk8ir5ee-I9X9m5ThK7c976gkbkUvFwD4WC5jTC2sbtr5nIhe6Y0iOVczoGrIU7Adc_wAZL5K_39JqN_fTjtI6URzdLeNnOKxlp61XxP0tc6ljnBEYOIFMCQdsnoxmIcZ11Ep5ZwR9WfkbAAD__1Hhbx8">BLOOD TRANSPORTATION SPECIALISTS</a>&nbsp;Blood Transportation Specialists bring lifesaving blood and blood products to local hospitals within their region. They choose when they want to help with either scheduled shifts or our on-demand opportunities. As an on-demand volunteer, you can choose shifts that fit your schedule. You’ll receive real-time alerts when hospitals have a critical request for urgently needed blood and be on your way to the distribution site within 30 minutes to two hours. Your time driving could be the difference in helping save a patient’s life.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://cisionone-email.us.redcross.org/c/eJwszLtuwjAUBuCnsTcj3y-DByTE1LFSu6Hj-LixSBSIDSlvXwV1_f5LjtyghoFiFM466YJVjo4xK5-CzrJAKEUYB4lzaZRXThZhgqE12mCsTyVJrmG4CFmsyp5r74XjShLNW814rXc2Q51wbcyFlEx2JRX2u927PewBneLY-60RdSTyTOR527bDa3n0R8LDsMy7QB9Gos5Pok7fbPxsHzh8na50xlyBrTghNGQ1xzdc_oGoo-TGa0PXOMKr3ZbWieYIPxO-i_s7bX1FnPcxl7aUgIYZEMi0AMOCd5blUgZltU7gBH1G-RcAAP__uj5eFQ">Find more information here.</a><a target="_blank" href="https://cisionone-email.us.redcross.org/c/eJxMyz3y2yAUBPDTQIeGb1BB8W90Dc9DPCwmkpEBW8ntM_akSLfz290UuEENK8UgnHXSzVY5uoWUNQivuEpiTU6hFdYKLwx34MBmQ0uws7E-5ii5hvUmZLYqea69F44rSTTvJeGv8mQHlB1bZ26O0SSXY2a_r-ew06ege9jGODtRP0QuRC7XdU0N09pq71NtdyKXd91fj4HY_s-snmdt4_Uoo2Ancol7rYml-qiNwRGhd0i1Tds4dnpgKsAa7ggdWUnhC7d_QNSP5MZrQ1vY4E8_ax9Ec4T7jt_htNaD9tEQj8-ZS5vzjIYZEMi0AMNm7yxLOa_Kah3BCfoO8m8AAAD__z7acDU">BLOOD DONOR AMBASSADOR</a>&nbsp;If you enjoy connecting with people, consider becoming a Blood Donor Ambassador, a role that makes a real difference in your community. Ambassadors help ensure every blood donor has a positive experience, from the moment they arrive to the moment they leave. You’ll greet donors, assist with registration, answer questions, share helpful information and offer refreshments after their donation. Whether you volunteer regularly or occasionally is up to you.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://cisionone-email.us.redcross.org/c/eJwszMtu4jAUBuCnsXdGvhzfFl6gGSGNNH2ArtBxfEyiJgJiQ8rbV0Hdfv-lJGkJcOCUlHde--iM52MyplKIKlspDWEOKshSZcTgh6A8AJ-Si9aFXLOWgMNZ6epMCRJCUF4azUC2qdDXdBcLTjOtTfiYsy2-5iq-t3t3hz3gcxp7vzVmjkyfmD5t23Z4XR_9kekwXJddsA8jM6cnM38vf-CDoPwX_z75QmVCsdJM2EhMJb3h_AvMHLW0ASxf04ivdru2zkASXmZ6F_d33vpKtOxjqV2tkaywqEiAQiti8E6UWgfjADJ6xZ9J_wQAAP__bRddhg">Learn more here.</a>BE THE CALM DURING A DISASTER<a target="_blank" href="https://cisionone-email.us.redcross.org/c/eJwsyz1ywyAQxfHTQIcG0PKhgsKNruFZxGIxkSwbiJXcPmNP2t97_xSkIcCFU1DOOu0mOzq-BqsmGwmcm0YfjQQLxmgpPUVQPiPwEuxkrI85agm4XJXOdkxegvfKyVEzkK0k-ipPsWPZqDbhphhNcjlm8XM-ux3eA9_C2vujsfHC9Mz0fJ7nUCkt9WhtOOqN6fl1bN_3TlSZnlNp2DpVgUsvx110wn1Y-77xnVJBUWkjbCRKCh-4_gMbL1oaD4bXsOJvexytM5CEt40-x2E5dt56JdrfsdQ254mMMKhIgEIjJu-sSDkvowWI6BR_Bf0XAAD___NzZJY">DISASTER ACTION TEAM</a>&nbsp;Every year, the Red Cross responds to over 65,000 emergencies. The vast majority of these are local, personal crises like home fires. These events may not make headlines, but they shatter lives. For more than 60 years, our Disaster Action Team volunteers have been ready 24 hours a day, 365 days a year — to deliver immediate relief, emotional support, and long-term recovery resources. When disaster strikes, we make sure families never face it alone.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://cisionone-email.us.redcross.org/c/eJwsy8tu1DAUxvGncXaO7GPHl0UWgVGQWBQQQtBuKl-OG9OkmbFNM-3To1bd_r7vH0c2oHShw5FrpUFbJXS3jMEHaxJY4MYIEMJKLiJ4J1ALkxLr8qjsoIxPHph04Z5DUiIaJo3hmgkgktUc8TFf6ObyiqVSbb0fok4-0etxaap_G7p1XFo7VyImAjOB-TiOvmAMZa-138sDgfl5X_89NcRCYI65utqwUBda3p9oQ7f1S9tWIuZa6tpyJOI0pe3Tt_1c9cT_TNZcv-Bv-evn43pzu7Cb-fr3srzcydPn8PW13n33P7bby1JOYF-7DWN2tOCKriLNcXyH-w8gYgI2GDl0ZVzcSz3vtRHJ0D2s-H7sw751tRXE7S1moFKyONDBcaSSu4FaoxWNKQWhpPRO8-55hP8BAAD__4pWfIc">Learn more&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://cisionone-email.us.redcross.org/c/eJxMy72u4yAUBOCnMR0WHP4LijR5jQjMIUZrBwdIvPv2q0S3uN3om5nkmUIZFoKeG23AOC0MWb0w4Jh0Cni0bslGS4CYwCThEHSwpHjtlLYxR2AyLDcOWYtkmbSWGyZgkqyXhH_Kk-6hbNg6NS5GlUyOmf49n0PPn4Jsfh3j6JO4THCd4Hqe59wwLa32Ptd2n-D6rtvrMRDb70zrcdQ2Xo8yCvZ5HftGdkwl0IYbho60JP-F2w9M4gJMWalI82v414_axyQZhvuG3-G81J300RD3z5mBztmhoipwpJIHRZ01mqacF6GljMFw8vbwPwAA___OUGaj">DUTY OFFICER</a>&nbsp;As a Duty Officer, you’ll be the vital link between disaster responders and those in need — dispatching volunteers to scenes like home fires and floods, all from the comfort of your own home. This is a remote, on-call role that keeps our disaster response program running smoothly. You’ll coordinate with field teams, emergency partners and staff to ensure fast, effective help reaches those affected by disaster.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://cisionone-email.us.redcross.org/c/eJwsy8tu1DAUxvGncXaO7GPHl0UWgVGQWBQQQtBuKl-OG9OkmbFNM-3To1bd_r7vH0c2oHShw5FrpUFbJXS3jMEHaxJY4MYIEMJKLiJ4J1ALkxLr8qjsoIxPHph04Z5DUiIaJo3hmgkgktUc8TFf6ObyiqVSbb0fok4-0etxaap_G7p1XFo7VyImAjOB-TiOvmAMZa-138sDgfl5X_89NcRCYI65utqwUBda3p9oQ7f1S9tWIuZa6tpyJOI0pe3Tt_1c9cT_TNZcv-Bv-evn43pzu7Cb-fr3srzcydPn8PW13n33P7bby1JOYF-7DWN2tOCKriLNcXyH-w8gYgI2GDl0ZVzcSz3vtRHJ0D2s-H7sw751tRXE7S1moFKyONDBcaSSu4FaoxWNKQWhpPRO8-55hP8BAAD__4pWfIc">Learn more here</a>.JOIN US&nbsp;Your time and talents can drive our lifesaving mission forward. Don’t see an opportunity here that speaks to you? One not available in your area? There are lots of other ways to get involved! Visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://cisionone-email.us.redcross.org/c/eJw8y01uwyAQxfHTwA4LMF9esMjG14gGmImt2nUCNG5vXyWquv299y9RWjSQOUblndd-cqPnS7RSIxnykIp1E2F2oEwmGXRWJZDia3STdSFR0tJAvipNbixBmhCUl6NmRra14Mf6EDusG9Ym_JSSLZ4Sie_z0d3wGvgWl97vjY0Xpmem5_M8h4ol16O14ag3pufnsX19dsTK9JwwHzsKEP84LH3f-I5lBVFxQ2go1hLfcP0DNl60tMFYXuMCP-1-tM6MRLht-D4O-dh56xVxf8VSO6IJrbCgUBgFVkzBO1GI8uiMSeAVf0b9GwAA__-uP2U5">redcross.org/volunteertoday</a>&nbsp;and get started on what will be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life.&nbsp;About the American Red Cross: The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://cisionone-email.us.redcross.org/c/eJwsy01uwyAQxfHTmB0WnzOwYJFNrhENMCRWbTkBq25vXyXq9vfevybl2VERnDQCGoxgUTxSU9EGT1A0BgTAEnJ22mOhzNFiFkuC6CHklo1yVG7aNLA1KBeCRmXN5NRYKn8tL7nRsnIfEmPOvmLLTf6crwPm9yDW9DiO52Qvk7lO5nqe59y5lr6PMe_9LjauC8nOK9NgudT0gds_TPZilA_Oi54e9Due-zgmp5juK3-Oc9k3MY7OvL1jZaC1yF560iydJi9jQJC1tWLBuUyoxXcyfwEAAP__xdZWDA">redcross.org</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://cisionone-email.us.redcross.org/c/eJwsy0tOwzAUheHV2DNHfj8GHlRIXQAbqK7t68aQkNYOBFg9asX0O-cvkRvUkClG4ayTLljl6ByVQ1tUkilLUbVXBoIWNRdeFGTDPW3RBmN9qklyDfkiZLWqeK69F44rSTQfreB7u7MV2oJ9MBdSMsXVVNn3cd_t9BjoEud9vxF1IvJM5Pk4jumlf_6-bm9wWrG3DB8wbf1KVywNWMcFYSBrJT7h8g9EnSQ3Xhva4ww_47aNnWiOcF3weZzyttKxd8T1EXNpaw1omAGBTAswLHhnWak1K6t1AifoV5R_AQAA__9Ri1mb">CruzRojaAmericana.org</a>, or follow us on social media.

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