By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

What happens when a holiday show becomes the only hope to keep a theater alive? Hays Community Theatre explores that high-stakes tale in its newest production.

Cheryl Glassman, writer and director,&nbsp; said the original play is a “show within a show” that follows a cast working under pressure to keep their theater from closing.

"It follows the pursuits of the Gretchen, the director, and the entire cast," Glassman said. "Characters provide comedy, sentimental structure and share candid life moments."

Tickets are available <a href="https://www.hctks.com/?fbclid=IwY2xjawOevpJleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFpak8xaTZLY0gyMTZ0Wm1Vc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHhDb6VAT-kkc2DPaKeaKpGbF1n09Z8C4zmF3QZ47Fu313ueYsrgsjo_dNALX_aem_vBiwfKo3bijOfbf1sLi9Aw">online</a>&nbsp;and at the door for $10, with attendees asked to bring a nonperishable food item to support local food banks through the Ellis County Ministerial Alliance. Performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 2 p.m. Saturday at 121 E. Eighth St.

A bake sale at the theater will also raise funds for the family of Hays Police Sgt. Scott Heinmann, who was recently killed in the line of duty, and to the Lohrmeyer family, who recently lost their home in a fire.

Glassman said the production includes 26 performers,  including 13 children, some of whom are first-time actors. 

Glassman said she drew inspiration from her own theater experience and the many personalities she has worked with behind the scenes while creating productions.

"There's an interesting woman named Marvel, portrayed by Wendy Richmeier, and no one likes her at all. She thinks she's better than the rest of the cast," Glassman said. "I have dealt with people like that in real life before."

The cast includes Claire Nickerson as Gretchen, Gene Stramel as Miles, Kelsey Robben as Mary, Adam Conkey as Marty and Jeremy McGuire as Joe.

Glassman said the stage will feature 3D backdrop elements, including a built-in couch and Christmas tree. While props will be limited to keep attention on the actors, audiences can expect festive costumes throughout the show.

Glassman said she hopes audiences leave with a reminder to look beyond difficult times.&nbsp;

"It's OK to be frustrated, but being frustrated doesn't mean you have to stay there. You never really know what's going on around you until you open up and look at the big picture... seeing past yourself and knowing that there is a lot more to life than meets the eye," she said.

Glassman said the production will also feature some original songs she wrote and seven dancers from Spotlight Studios dance school in Hays. Auditions began in October with rehearsals starting after Halloween.&nbsp;

You can follow Hays Community Theatre on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hayscommunitytheatre">Facebook</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1764948966807.jpeg" alt="Jeremy McGuire as Joe, the janitor, watches as best friends Brandon (Mattias Miller) and Morgan (Jenson Miller) sing during the “show.” Courtesy of Hays Community Theatre" />
 <figcaption>Jeremy McGuire as Joe, the janitor, watches as best friends Brandon (Mattias Miller) and Morgan (Jenson Miller) sing during the “show.” Courtesy of Hays Community Theatre</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="Post Podcast: Hays Community Theatre presents 'A Down Home Christmas' Dec. 11-13" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:300px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?from=embed&i=m4a59-19de24e-pb&square=1&share=1&download=1&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&rtl=0&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=300" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostWhat happens when a holiday show becomes the only hope to keep a theater alive? Hays Community Theatre explores that high-stakes tale in its newest production.Cheryl Glassman, writer and director,&nbsp; said the original play is a “show within a show” that follows a cast working under pressure to keep their theater from closing."It follows the pursuits of the Gretchen, the director, and the entire cast," Glassman said. "Characters provide comedy, sentimental structure and share candid life moments."Tickets are available <a href="https://www.hctks.com/?fbclid=IwY2xjawOevpJleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFpak8xaTZLY0gyMTZ0Wm1Vc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHhDb6VAT-kkc2DPaKeaKpGbF1n09Z8C4zmF3QZ47Fu313ueYsrgsjo_dNALX_aem_vBiwfKo3bijOfbf1sLi9Aw">online</a>&nbsp;and at the door for $10, with attendees asked to bring a nonperishable food item to support local food banks through the Ellis County Ministerial Alliance. Performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 2 p.m. Saturday at 121 E. Eighth St.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1764949010508.jpeg" alt="Claire Nickerson as Gretchen, the “show’s” director, shares a dance with Jeremy McGuire as Joe, the janitor, during rehearsals for “A Down Home Christmas.” Courtesy of Hays Community Theatre" />
 <figcaption>Claire Nickerson as Gretchen, the “show’s” director, shares a dance with Jeremy McGuire as Joe, the janitor, during rehearsals for “A Down Home Christmas.” Courtesy of Hays Community Theatre</figcaption>
 </figure>A bake sale at the theater will also raise funds for the family of Hays Police Sgt. Scott Heinmann, who was recently killed in the line of duty, and to the Lohrmeyer family, who recently lost their home in a fire.Glassman said the production includes 26 performers, including 13 children, some of whom are first-time actors. Glassman said she drew inspiration from her own theater experience and the many personalities she has worked with behind the scenes while creating productions."There's an interesting woman named Marvel, portrayed by Wendy Richmeier, and no one likes her at all. She thinks she's better than the rest of the cast," Glassman said. "I have dealt with people like that in real life before."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1764949312947.jpeg" alt="Jerrett Leiker, as Justice, an actor in the "show," attempts to show Jenni Wittkorn, as Selena, an actor in the "show," ways to calm her nerves on stage. Courtesy Hays Community Theatre" />
 <figcaption>Jerrett Leiker, as Justice, an actor in the "show," attempts to show Jenni Wittkorn, as Selena, an actor in the "show," ways to calm her nerves on stage. Courtesy Hays Community Theatre</figcaption>
 </figure>The cast includes Claire Nickerson as Gretchen, Gene Stramel as Miles, Kelsey Robben as Mary, Adam Conkey as Marty and Jeremy McGuire as Joe.Glassman said the stage will feature 3D backdrop elements, including a built-in couch and Christmas tree. While props will be limited to keep attention on the actors, audiences can expect festive costumes throughout the show.Glassman said she hopes audiences leave with a reminder to look beyond difficult times.&nbsp;"It's OK to be frustrated, but being frustrated doesn't mean you have to stay there. You never really know what's going on around you until you open up and look at the big picture... seeing past yourself and knowing that there is a lot more to life than meets the eye," she said.Glassman said the production will also feature some original songs she wrote and seven dancers from Spotlight Studios dance school in Hays. Auditions began in October with rehearsals starting after Halloween.&nbsp;You can follow Hays Community Theatre on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hayscommunitytheatre">Facebook</a>.

Hays Community Theatre presents 'A Down Home Christmas' tonight through Saturday

JOHNSON COUNTY, Mo. —A suspect is in custody following an investigation into the online possession of child sexual abuse material.

In October, the Western Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children (WMICAC) Task Force received a cyber tip that prompted a joint investigation involving police, according to a media release from the Warrensburg Police Department.

 Detectives went to a residence in the corporate city limits of Warrensburg to contact their suspect identified as 20-year-old Noah Mclean Rogers.

Police took Rogers into custody on a warrant on requested charged of Possession of Child Pornography and Promotion of Child Pornography.

The court has set a bond at $75,000 cash only. Rogers is currently being held in the Johnson County Jail pending further legal proceedings.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765330158669.png" alt="Rogers photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Rogers photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY, Mo. —A suspect is in custody following an investigation into the online possession of child sexual abuse material.In October, the Western Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children (WMICAC) Task Force received a cyber tip that prompted a joint investigation involving police, according to a media release from the Warrensburg Police Department. Detectives went to a residence in the corporate city limits of Warrensburg to contact their suspect identified as 20-year-old Noah Mclean Rogers.Police took Rogers into custody on a warrant on requested charged of Possession of Child Pornography and Promotion of Child Pornography.The court has set a bond at $75,000 cash only. Rogers is currently being held in the Johnson County Jail pending further legal proceedings.

Tip led to arrest for online possession of child sexual abuse material

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve reduced its key interest rate by a quarter-point for the third time in a row Wednesday but signaled that it may leave rates unchanged in the coming months.

Chair Jerome Powell signaled at a news conference that the Fed would likely hold off on further rate cuts in the coming months while it evaluated the health of the economy. And in a set of quarterly economic projections, Fed officials signaled they expect to lower rates just once next year.

Wednesday's cut reduced the rate to about 3.6%, the lowest it has been in nearly three years. Lower rates from the Fed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-rate-cut-finances-credit-cards-auto-loans-mortgages-jobs-28c665ed26bcd1652abb299cf87145f8">can bring down borrowing costs</a>&nbsp;for mortgages, auto loans, and credit cards over time, though market forces can also affect those rates.

Fed officials “will carefully evaluate the incoming data," Powell said, adding that the Fed is “well positioned to wait to see how the economy evolves.” The chair also said that the Fed’s key rate was close to a level that neither restricts nor stimulates the economy.

Three Fed officials dissented from the move, the most dissents in six years and a sign of deep divisions on a committee that traditionally works by consensus. Two officials voted to keep the Fed's rate unchanged, while Stephen Miran, whom Trump appointed in September, voted for a half point cut.

December’s meeting could usher in a more contentious period for the Fed. Officials are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-inflation-8a0060c2f52f884ed3489450a66619b8">split</a>&nbsp;between those who support reducing rates to bolster hiring and those who’d prefer to keep rates unchanged because inflation remains above the central bank’s 2% target. Unless inflation shows clear signs of coming fully under control, or unemployment worsens, those divisions will likely remain.

“What you see is some people feel we should stop here and we’re in the right place and should wait, and some people think we should cut more next year,” Powell said. He did rule out a rate hike next year.

Trump on Wednesday criticized the cut as too small, and said he would have preferred “at least double.” The president could name a new Fed chair as soon as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-reserve-bessent-26f23d4bbccd2476e913c0e675fbffdc">later this month</a>&nbsp;to replace Powell when his term ends in May. Trump’s new chair is likely to push for sharper rate cuts than many officials may support.

Stocks jumped in response to the Fed's move, in part because some Wall Street investors expected Powell to be more forceful in shutting down the possibility of future cuts. The broad S&amp;P 500 stock index&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/financial-markets-fed-interest-rates-inflation-27ae743a2289c9870b0be4d2ddd6589a">rose 0.7%</a>&nbsp;and closed near an all-time high reached in October.

Powell was also optimistic about the economy's growth next year, and said that consumer spending remains resilient while companies are still investing in artificial intelligence infrastructure. He also suggested growing worker efficiency could boost growth as well.

A stark sign of the Fed’s divisions was the wide range of cuts that the 19 members of the Fed’s rate-setting committee penciled in for 2026. Seven projected no cuts next year, while eight forecast that the central bank would implement two or more reductions. Four supported just one. Only 12 out of 19 members vote on rate decisions.

The Fed met against the backdrop of elevated inflation that has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-12-9-2025">frustrated</a>&nbsp;many Americans, with prices higher for groceries, rents, and utilities. Consumer prices have jumped 25% in the five years since COVID.

“We hear loud and clear how people are experiencing really high costs," Powell said Wednesday. "A lot of that isn’t the current rate of inflation, a lot of that is imbedded high costs due to higher inflations in 2022-2023.”

In a delayed report last week, the government said the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge remained high in September, with both&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-spending-eaa913f6df77db354019d0d22a4b01fe">overall and core prices rising 2.8%</a>&nbsp;from a year earlier. That is far below the spikes in inflation three years ago but still painful for many households after the big run-up since 2020.

The Fed typically keeps its key rate elevated to combat inflation, while it often reduces borrowing costs when unemployment worsens to spur more spending and hiring.

Adding to the Fed's challenges, job gains have slowed sharply this year and the unemployment rate has risen for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-unemployment-economy-trump-tariff-bf603d63e13d6dc1083e9a6616c7ffee">three straight months</a>&nbsp;to 4.4%. While that is still a low rate historically, it is the highest in four years. Layoffs are also muted, so far, as part of what many economists call a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-hiring-economy-c48fd84dfaa71eee962feb3a88fd8575">“low hire, low fire”</a>&nbsp;job market.

Still, Powell said the committee reduced borrowing costs out of concern that the job market is even weaker than it appears. While government data shows that the economy has added just 40,000 jobs a month since April, Powell said that figure could be revised lower by as much as 60,000, which would mean employers have actually been shedding an average of 20,000 jobs a month since the spring.

“It’s a labor market that seems to have significant downside risks," Powell told reporters. "People care about that. That’s their jobs.”

At the same time, Powell noted that there are signs inflation is continuing to cool. Tariffs have made many goods more expensive, but that could peak early next year, he said, while the cost of services — hotel rooms, entertainment, and restaurant meals — has been flat.

“If you get away from tariffs, inflation is in the low 2s," Powell said, near the Fed's target.

The lack of economic data since the government shutdown ended Nov. 13 has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-trump-federal-reserve-fabecefa501709184895bf73b3dc698a">contributed</a>&nbsp;to the divisions at the Fed. But when Fed officials next meet in late January, they’ll have up to three months of backlogged reports to consider. If those figures show that the job market has worsened, the Fed could reduce rates again in January.

By contrast, if hiring has stabilized while inflation remains elevated, they may hold off on additional cuts for several months.

Powell will preside over only three more Fed meetings before he steps down. He was asked about his legacy.

“I really want to turn this job over to whoever replaces me with the economy in really good shape,” he said. "I want inflation to be under control, coming back down to 2%, and I want the labor market to be strong.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve reduced its key interest rate by a quarter-point for the third time in a row Wednesday but signaled that it may leave rates unchanged in the coming months.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Fed Chair Powell: &quot;In support of our goals and in light of the balance of risks to employment and inflation, today the Federal Open Market Committee decided to lower our policy interest rate by a quarter percentage point.&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FOMC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FOMC</a> <a href="https://t.co/4Zmc94R3s4">pic.twitter.com/4Zmc94R3s4</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1998839255318278321?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Chair Jerome Powell signaled at a news conference that the Fed would likely hold off on further rate cuts in the coming months while it evaluated the health of the economy. And in a set of quarterly economic projections, Fed officials signaled they expect to lower rates just once next year.Wednesday's cut reduced the rate to about 3.6%, the lowest it has been in nearly three years. Lower rates from the Fed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-rate-cut-finances-credit-cards-auto-loans-mortgages-jobs-28c665ed26bcd1652abb299cf87145f8">can bring down borrowing costs</a>&nbsp;for mortgages, auto loans, and credit cards over time, though market forces can also affect those rates.Fed officials “will carefully evaluate the incoming data," Powell said, adding that the Fed is “well positioned to wait to see how the economy evolves.” The chair also said that the Fed’s key rate was close to a level that neither restricts nor stimulates the economy.Three Fed officials dissented from the move, the most dissents in six years and a sign of deep divisions on a committee that traditionally works by consensus. Two officials voted to keep the Fed's rate unchanged, while Stephen Miran, whom Trump appointed in September, voted for a half point cut.December’s meeting could usher in a more contentious period for the Fed. Officials are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-inflation-8a0060c2f52f884ed3489450a66619b8">split</a>&nbsp;between those who support reducing rates to bolster hiring and those who’d prefer to keep rates unchanged because inflation remains above the central bank’s 2% target. Unless inflation shows clear signs of coming fully under control, or unemployment worsens, those divisions will likely remain.“What you see is some people feel we should stop here and we’re in the right place and should wait, and some people think we should cut more next year,” Powell said. He did rule out a rate hike next year.Trump on Wednesday criticized the cut as too small, and said he would have preferred “at least double.” The president could name a new Fed chair as soon as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-reserve-bessent-26f23d4bbccd2476e913c0e675fbffdc">later this month</a>&nbsp;to replace Powell when his term ends in May. Trump’s new chair is likely to push for sharper rate cuts than many officials may support.Stocks jumped in response to the Fed's move, in part because some Wall Street investors expected Powell to be more forceful in shutting down the possibility of future cuts. The broad S&amp;P 500 stock index&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/financial-markets-fed-interest-rates-inflation-27ae743a2289c9870b0be4d2ddd6589a">rose 0.7%</a>&nbsp;and closed near an all-time high reached in October.Powell was also optimistic about the economy's growth next year, and said that consumer spending remains resilient while companies are still investing in artificial intelligence infrastructure. He also suggested growing worker efficiency could boost growth as well.A stark sign of the Fed’s divisions was the wide range of cuts that the 19 members of the Fed’s rate-setting committee penciled in for 2026. Seven projected no cuts next year, while eight forecast that the central bank would implement two or more reductions. Four supported just one. Only 12 out of 19 members vote on rate decisions.The Fed met against the backdrop of elevated inflation that has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-12-9-2025">frustrated</a>&nbsp;many Americans, with prices higher for groceries, rents, and utilities. Consumer prices have jumped 25% in the five years since COVID.“We hear loud and clear how people are experiencing really high costs," Powell said Wednesday. "A lot of that isn’t the current rate of inflation, a lot of that is imbedded high costs due to higher inflations in 2022-2023.”In a delayed report last week, the government said the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge remained high in September, with both&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-spending-eaa913f6df77db354019d0d22a4b01fe">overall and core prices rising 2.8%</a>&nbsp;from a year earlier. That is far below the spikes in inflation three years ago but still painful for many households after the big run-up since 2020.The Fed typically keeps its key rate elevated to combat inflation, while it often reduces borrowing costs when unemployment worsens to spur more spending and hiring.Adding to the Fed's challenges, job gains have slowed sharply this year and the unemployment rate has risen for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-unemployment-economy-trump-tariff-bf603d63e13d6dc1083e9a6616c7ffee">three straight months</a>&nbsp;to 4.4%. While that is still a low rate historically, it is the highest in four years. Layoffs are also muted, so far, as part of what many economists call a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-hiring-economy-c48fd84dfaa71eee962feb3a88fd8575">“low hire, low fire”</a>&nbsp;job market.Still, Powell said the committee reduced borrowing costs out of concern that the job market is even weaker than it appears. While government data shows that the economy has added just 40,000 jobs a month since April, Powell said that figure could be revised lower by as much as 60,000, which would mean employers have actually been shedding an average of 20,000 jobs a month since the spring.“It’s a labor market that seems to have significant downside risks," Powell told reporters. "People care about that. That’s their jobs.”At the same time, Powell noted that there are signs inflation is continuing to cool. Tariffs have made many goods more expensive, but that could peak early next year, he said, while the cost of services — hotel rooms, entertainment, and restaurant meals — has been flat.“If you get away from tariffs, inflation is in the low 2s," Powell said, near the Fed's target.The lack of economic data since the government shutdown ended Nov. 13 has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-trump-federal-reserve-fabecefa501709184895bf73b3dc698a">contributed</a>&nbsp;to the divisions at the Fed. But when Fed officials next meet in late January, they’ll have up to three months of backlogged reports to consider. If those figures show that the job market has worsened, the Fed could reduce rates again in January.By contrast, if hiring has stabilized while inflation remains elevated, they may hold off on additional cuts for several months.Powell will preside over only three more Fed meetings before he steps down. He was asked about his legacy.“I really want to turn this job over to whoever replaces me with the economy in really good shape,” he said. "I want inflation to be under control, coming back down to 2%, and I want the labor market to be strong.”

🎥Merry Christmas: Fed explains decision to cut interest rates

Mary Frances Diehl, age 95, of Hays, Kansas, passed away on
Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at HaysMed in Hays. She was born on July 29, 1930,
in Hays to Barney and Ida (Ruder) Herl.

Mary graduated from Hays Girls Catholic High School in 1948 and
married Willis A. Diehl on September 18, 1950, in Hays. He preceded her in
death on October 16, 2007.

From 1966 to 1986, she worked for Travenol-Hays, beginning on the
production line and later serving in the administrative office.

Mary’s life centered around her family, whom she loved
deeply—especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She took great joy
in hosting family gatherings, preparing meals, and creating a warm, welcoming
home filled with love and laughter.

A woman of strong faith, Mary volunteered to help keep her church
clean and was a proud member of the 'Heavenly Dusters,' a dedicated group of
parish women who cared for the church.

She is survived by her four sons:&nbsp;Steve and Pam Diehl and their family: Jeff and Irma Diehl and
their children: Josh, Jordan, and Jasmine • Kasey and Rob Le and their
children: Mason and Aivy;Bob and Mary Diehl and their family: Tom Diehl and Amber Gonzales
and their daughter, Camila • Mike and Lacey Diehl and their children: Maddox
and Deklan • Greg Diehl • Lucas Diehl;&nbsp;Glenn and Becky Diehl and their family: Magen and Keanan Kroetsch
and their children: Connor and Caroline • Ryan and Sierra Diehl; Kevin and Kelly Diehl and their family: Ryan Diehl • Kris and
Sarah Diehl and their children: Logan and Nolan • Jacob Diehl and fiancé,
Kennedy Pate.

Mass of Christian burial will be Saturday, December 13, 2025, at
10:00 AM at St. Joseph's Catholic Church - Hays, 215 West 13th Street Hays,
Kansas 67601. Interment will follow the services in the parish cemetery.
Viewing and visitation will be Friday, December 12, 2025, from 5 PM to 7 PM
with a combined parish vigil and rosary service beginning at 7 PM at Keithley
Funeral Homes and Crematory - Brock's Chapel, 2509 Vine Street Hays, Kansas
67601.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765396142525.png" alt="Mary Frances Diehl" />
 <figcaption>Mary Frances Diehl</figcaption>
 </figure>Mary Frances Diehl, age 95, of Hays, Kansas, passed away on
Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at HaysMed in Hays. She was born on July 29, 1930,
in Hays to Barney and Ida (Ruder) Herl.Mary graduated from Hays Girls Catholic High School in 1948 and
married Willis A. Diehl on September 18, 1950, in Hays. He preceded her in
death on October 16, 2007.From 1966 to 1986, she worked for Travenol-Hays, beginning on the
production line and later serving in the administrative office.Mary’s life centered around her family, whom she loved
deeply—especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She took great joy
in hosting family gatherings, preparing meals, and creating a warm, welcoming
home filled with love and laughter.A woman of strong faith, Mary volunteered to help keep her church
clean and was a proud member of the 'Heavenly Dusters,' a dedicated group of
parish women who cared for the church.She is survived by her four sons:&nbsp;Steve and Pam Diehl and their family: Jeff and Irma Diehl and
their children: Josh, Jordan, and Jasmine • Kasey and Rob Le and their
children: Mason and Aivy;Bob and Mary Diehl and their family: Tom Diehl and Amber Gonzales
and their daughter, Camila • Mike and Lacey Diehl and their children: Maddox
and Deklan • Greg Diehl • Lucas Diehl;&nbsp;Glenn and Becky Diehl and their family: Magen and Keanan Kroetsch
and their children: Connor and Caroline • Ryan and Sierra Diehl; Kevin and Kelly Diehl and their family: Ryan Diehl • Kris and
Sarah Diehl and their children: Logan and Nolan • Jacob Diehl and fiancé,
Kennedy Pate.Mass of Christian burial will be Saturday, December 13, 2025, at
10:00 AM at St. Joseph's Catholic Church - Hays, 215 West 13th Street Hays,
Kansas 67601. Interment will follow the services in the parish cemetery.
Viewing and visitation will be Friday, December 12, 2025, from 5 PM to 7 PM
with a combined parish vigil and rosary service beginning at 7 PM at Keithley
Funeral Homes and Crematory - Brock's Chapel, 2509 Vine Street Hays, Kansas
67601.

Mary Frances Diehl

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused in a deadly gunfight on Father's Day in Wichita will return to court Tuesday.

&nbsp;Eric Gonzalez-Gutierrez, 33, will attend a preliminary hearing in Judge&nbsp;Jeffrey Goering's courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just after 8:30p.m. on June 15, police responded to a shooting incident in the 1900 block of N. Jackson Street in Wichita, according to Police spokesman Andrew Ford.

While working to gather further information, the 911 dispatcher could hear gunfire in the background, prompting an immediate upgraded dispatch of officers to the scene.

First responders discovered 28-year-old Aron Lara suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Sedgwick County EMS provided initial critical care at the scene before transporting him to a nearby hospital where he died.

Another victim, a 22-year-old Hispanic man, sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot to the arm and was privately transported to St. Francis Hospital.

The incident occurred during a neighborhood barbecue in observance of Father's Day. According to preliminary reports, Lara, was involved in a verbal altercation with Eric Gonzales-Gutierrez earlier in the evening.&nbsp; Gonzales-Gutierrez allegedly returned home, retrieved a rifle, and fired upon the victim, who was unarmed at the time of the shooting.

It is believed that two men accompanying Lara returned fire, resulting in injuries to the second victim.

On June 16, police&nbsp; arrested Gonzalez-Gutierrez on requested charges including first-degree murder and felon in possession of a firearm in connection with the fatal shooting. He met the requirement for bond and was released from jail with an ankle monitor.&nbsp; On June 21, he cut the ankle monitor and fled to Mexico.

On October 15, the U.S. Marshals Service apprehended Gonzalez-Gutierrez&nbsp; in Mexico, according to Wichita Police Officer Kris Gupilan.

On October 30, deputies booked Gonzalez-Gutierrez back into the Sedgwick County Jail where he remains on bond totaling over $3 million on charges of first degree murder, criminal possession of a weapon and violation of the offender registration act, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730371257170.png" alt="Gonzalez-Gutierrez photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Gonzalez-Gutierrez photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused in a deadly gunfight on Father's Day in Wichita will return to court Tuesday.&nbsp;Eric Gonzalez-Gutierrez, 33, will attend a preliminary hearing in Judge&nbsp;Jeffrey Goering's courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Just after 8:30p.m. on June 15, police responded to a shooting incident in the 1900 block of N. Jackson Street in Wichita, according to Police spokesman Andrew Ford.While working to gather further information, the 911 dispatcher could hear gunfire in the background, prompting an immediate upgraded dispatch of officers to the scene.First responders discovered 28-year-old Aron Lara suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Sedgwick County EMS provided initial critical care at the scene before transporting him to a nearby hospital where he died.Another victim, a 22-year-old Hispanic man, sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot to the arm and was privately transported to St. Francis Hospital.The incident occurred during a neighborhood barbecue in observance of Father's Day. According to preliminary reports, Lara, was involved in a verbal altercation with Eric Gonzales-Gutierrez earlier in the evening.&nbsp; Gonzales-Gutierrez allegedly returned home, retrieved a rifle, and fired upon the victim, who was unarmed at the time of the shooting.It is believed that two men accompanying Lara returned fire, resulting in injuries to the second victim.On June 16, police&nbsp; arrested Gonzalez-Gutierrez on requested charges including first-degree murder and felon in possession of a firearm in connection with the fatal shooting. He met the requirement for bond and was released from jail with an ankle monitor.&nbsp; On June 21, he cut the ankle monitor and fled to Mexico.On October 15, the U.S. Marshals Service apprehended Gonzalez-Gutierrez&nbsp; in Mexico, according to Wichita Police Officer Kris Gupilan.On October 30, deputies booked Gonzalez-Gutierrez back into the Sedgwick County Jail where he remains on bond totaling over $3 million on charges of first degree murder, criminal possession of a weapon and violation of the offender registration act, according to online jail records.

Preliminary hearing for Kan. murder suspect captured in Mexico

President Donald J. Trump alongside U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins&nbsp; announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will make $12 billion available in one time bridge payments to American farmers in response to temporary trade market disruptions and increased production costs still impacting farmers, according to a media release from the USDA.

Of the $12 billion provided, up to $11 billion will be used for the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program, which provides broad relief to United States row crop farmers who produce Barley, Chickpeas, Corn, Cotton, Lentils, Oats, Peanuts, Peas, Rice, Sorghum, Soybeans, Wheat, Canola, Crambe, Flax, Mustard, Rapeseed, Safflower, Sesame, and Sunflower. 

FBA will help address market disruptions, elevated input costs, persistent inflation, and market losses from foreign competitors engaging in unfair trade practices that impede exports. The FBA Program applies simple, proportional support to producers using a uniform formula to cover a portion of modeled losses during the 2025 crop year. This national loss average is based on FSA reported planted acres, Economic Research Service cost of production estimates, World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates yields and prices and economic modeling.

Farmers who qualify for the FBA Program can expect payments to be released by February 28, 2026. Eligible farmers should ensure their 2025 acreage reporting is factual and accurate by 5pm ET on December 19, 2025. Commodity-specific payment rates will be released by the end of the month. Crop insurance linkage will not be required for the FBA Program; however, USDA strongly urges producers to take advantage of the new OBBBA risk management tools to best protect against price risk and volatility in the future.

The remaining $1 billion of the $12 billion in bridge payments will be reserved for commodities not covered in the FBA Program such as specialty crops and sugar, for example, though details including timelines for those payments are still under development and require additional understanding of market impacts and economic needs.

The $12 billion in farmer bridge payments, including those provided through the FBA Program, are authorized under the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Charter Act and will be administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA).

To submit questions, justification for USDA farmer bridge aid, or to request a meeting on farmer bridge aid, producers can reach out to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:farmerbridge@usda.gov">farmerbridge@usda.gov</a>.

“Four years under the failed Biden Administration continues to leave the American farm economy reeling from record inflation, a depleted farm safety net, and delayed disaster assistance. 

The lack of new trade deals under the last Administration turned a trade surplus under Trump into a $50 billion trade deficit, causing our farmers to lose markets and feel acute pain from lower commodity prices. President Trump will not let our farmers be left behind, so he directed our team to build a bridge program to see quick relief while the President’s dozens of new trade deals and new market access take effect,”&nbsp;said Secretary Brooke Rollins. 

“The plan we are announcing today ensures American farmers can continue to plan for the next crop year. It is imperative we do what it takes to help our farmers, because if we cannot feed ourselves, we will no longer have a country. With this program serving as a bridge to the improvements President Trump and Republicans in Congress have made, it will allow farmers to leverage strengthened price protection risk management tools and the reliability of fair trade deals so they do not have to depend on large ad hoc assistance packages from the government.”

Additional Farmer First Actions Taken by the Trump Administration

In addition to $12 billion in bridge payments announced today, the Trump Administration has been working around the clock since January 20th to put American farmers first after inheriting one of the worst farm economies the country has experienced in decades. The following actions have been taken to date and together show historic investments and bold and unrelenting dedication to helping our nation’s farmers thrive again.

Over $30 Billion in Ad Hoc Assistance Delivered to Farmers Since January 2025

Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/emergency-commodity-assistance-program/dashboard">ECAP</a>)&nbsp;is helping farmers recover from the economic hardships of 2024. This program distributed more than $9.3 billion to over 560,000 farmers for soy, corn, sorghum, and other row crops.

Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/marketing-assistance-specialty-crops-masc">MASC</a>)&nbsp;is helping specialty crop producers recover from rising input costs and other market disruptions stemming from the Biden Administration. This program distributed over 1.8 billion in assistance to over 52,000 producers.

The&nbsp;Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/supplemental-disaster-relief-program-sdrp/dashboard">SDRP</a>)&nbsp;is helping producers recover from severe weather events in 2023 and 2024. This program has distributed nearly $6 billion to over 388,000 farmers with up to an additional $9 billion to be distributed over the next four months.

Over $2.5 billion via&nbsp;block grants&nbsp;delivered to states and sugar beet and cane processors via block grants to cover losses from 2023 and 2024 that were left uncovered by existing USDA programs.

With the signing of the One Big Beautiful Bill in July, President Trump has made crop insurance more workable and affordable for American farmers and ranchers. Crop insurance is an essential risk management tool that allows American farmers and ranchers endure weather and market volatility. The bill increases crop insurance premium support for beginning farmers and ranchers by expanding the definition from five to 10 years of experience, enabling more producers to qualify for assistance over a longer period. These improvements will result in over $400 million in savings every year for America’s farmers on insurance premiums.

For the first time in over a decade the statutory reference prices for the farm safety net programs, ARC and PLC, were raised by 10-21% for major commodities such as corn, soybeans, and wheat. Thanks to OBBBA USDA is also expanding eligibility for these price support programs by adding more than 30 million new base acres to the program making them eligible for future PLC or ARC payments starting in crop year 2026.

OBBBA extended the marketing assistance loan programs through 2031 and updated loan rates for major commodities beginning in the 2026 crop year, providing stronger loan rates for crops like wheat, corn, cotton and soybeans.

The bill included historic investments to the domestic sugar programs and USDA made them available starting October 1, 2025. The loan rate for raw cane sugar has increased to an average 24 cents per pound for the 2025 - 2031 crop years, with refined beet sugar rates increased to an average of 32.77 cents per pound.

OBBBA invested in USDA’s major conservation programs, including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). These funds will result in over $34B in conservation work on agricultural land over the next 10 years.

OBBBA provides $285 million a year for agricultural trade promotion and facilitation. This is in addition to the existing $234M per year of funding for MAP and FMD. These dollars are key to opening and expanding foreign markets.

OBBBA included many important tax provisions for farmers and ranchers. Some of the most impactful provisions for agriculture are the permanency of the 20% qualified business income deduction, full bonus depreciation and the $15 million per individual estate tax exemption, now also indexed for inflation. With the current land values, equipment costs and input prices, even modest-sized farms can easily exceed that threshold, meaning upon the owner’s death, far more family operations would face massive tax bills than previously estimated. A permanent bonus depreciation means that farmers can continue to write off the entire cost of new equipment, land improvements, new barns and other capital upgrades in the year of purchase, rather than depreciating them over many years.

Oversight on Competition &amp; Farmer Input Costs

On September 26, 2025, the USDA and the Department of Justice signed a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025-09-29-doj-usda-mou-farm-inputs.pdf">Memorandum of Understanding</a>&nbsp;(PDF, 1.3 MB) that represents a joint commitment by both agencies to protect American farmers and ranchers from the burdens imposed by high and volatile input costs—such as feed, fertilizer, fuel, seed, equipment, and other essential goods—while ensuring competitive supply chains, lower consumer prices, and the resilience of U.S. agriculture and the food supply.

On December 6, 2025, President Trump signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/12/addressing-security-risks-from-price-fixing-and-anti-competitive-behavior-in-the-food-supply-chain/" target="_blank">Executive Order</a>&nbsp;to stop price fixing, anti-competitive behavior, and foreign influence that drives up prices and threatens the security of America’s food supply. This EO recognizes that sectors including seed, fertilizer, and farm equipment may be vulnerable to anti-competitive manipulation that result in higher prices for farmers and seeks to take aggressive action in part by the establishment of Task Forces created to investigate price fixing and anti-competitive behavior, especially regarding foreign owned entities.

These actions combined reiterate the Trump Administration’s commitment to scrutinizing competitive conditions in the agricultural marketplace, including antitrust enforcement that promotes free market competition.

Lowering Farm Labor Costs through Deregulatory Actions

Farm labor costs alone increased 47% since 2020 largely due to the high cost of utilizing the H-2A program to secure seasonal labor under the Biden Administration who artificially inflated Adverse Effect Wage Rates set by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) using USDA’s Farm Labor Survey which was never designed to be used for setting government-mandated wage rates and is duplicative of other DOL data sources. As such, USDA discontinued this survey while DOL issued a bold new interim final rule which decreased wage costs for H-2A agricultural employers resulting in initial savings of at least $2 billion. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a final rule, effective October 2, 2025, to streamline the filing process for certain temporary agricultural worker petitions. These actions combined are making farm labor more affordable and more accessible for American agriculture.

USDA is Prioritizing the Purchase of Healthy U.S. Grown Commodities to Feed Those Most in Need through Section 32 Buys

This year alone, USDA has provided nearly $1 billion in Section 32 purchases, all which benefit the charitable feeding network.

On November 24, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/11/24/secretary-rollins-announces-30-million-food-purchase-back-us-producers-and-strengthen-americas-food">announced a $30 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of American grown oranges, grapefruit, and mandarins.

On August 6, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/08/06/secretary-rollins-targets-invasive-species-announces-next-steps-clear-chesapeake-harmful-catfish">announced a $2 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of invasive Chesapeake Bay blue catfish.

On August 1, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/08/01/secretary-rollins-announces-local-food-purchases-communities-need">announced up to $230 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of Alaska pollock, catfish, apples, beans and cranberries.

On May 23, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/05/23/secretary-rollins-announces-food-purchases-communities-need">announced a $67 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of American groundfish, pears, cherries, shrimp and beans.

USDA will continue to buy Section 32 commodity purchases to support American seafood, fruit, vegetable, and tree-nut producers for distribution to U.S. food banks, schools, and other outlets serving low-income individuals. These actions support President Trump’s vision to Make America Healthy Again through U.S. local farmer grown, healthy, and nutritious commodities.

This is the most pro-biofuels Administration in history

President Trump recognizes how important the Renewable Fuel Standard is for American corn and soybean farmers. EPA Administrator Zeldin delivered the boldest Renewable Volume Obligations ever and provided much certainty in the market for our producers while delivering lower prices at the pump for consumers. The RVO gives the markets the incentive to invest in American products for American consumers and to export around the world.

EPA’s decision to allow the summer sale of E-15 constituted 2025 year-round E15 and continues to deliver immediate relief to consumers, give more choices at the pump, and drive demand for corn grown, processed, and used right here in America. America’s national security depends on our energy security, and biofuels are a crucial asset that brings more jobs and helps farmers in rural America.

List of Trade &amp; Market Access Wins to Date

USDA announced&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/america-first-trade-promotion-program">applications are now open</a>&nbsp;through January 23, 2026, for the $285 million America First Trade Promotion Program (AFTPP), a key component of the Trump Administration’s work to expand global market access and create new export opportunities for America’s farmers, ranchers, and producers.

Additionally, President Trump and his administration have worked to pen new trade deals and trade frameworks with more than 15 countries.

Switzerland and Liechtenstein&nbsp;will invest at least $200 billion in the United States, remove tariffs on several agricultural products, allow for market access for American beef, bison, and poultry, and remove non-tariff barriers for poultry and dairy.

El Salvador&nbsp;has removed non-tariff barriers including fumigation requirements and arbitrary geographic indicator restrictions on dairy product names.

Argentina&nbsp;will allow access for U.S. poultry and poultry products, within one year, and simplify red tape for U.S. exporters of beef, beef products, pork, and pork products. Argentina also has agreed to protect U.S. exporters’ use of certain meat and cheese terms, preserving market access and creating the potential for new opportunities in the region.

Ecuador&nbsp;has reduced or eliminated tariffs on American nuts, wheat, and wine; and will reduce major non-tariff barriers for many agricultural products regarding import licensing and facility registration requirements.

Guatemala&nbsp;will address and prevent barriers to U.S. agricultural products in its market; maintain science- and risk-based regulatory frameworks; and efficient authorization processes for agricultural products.

China&nbsp;committed to delaying new export controls on rare earth minerals, resume large purchases of U.S. soybeans, sorghum, and more. To date, China is already purchasing additional soybeans, wheat, and sorghum.

Malaysia&nbsp;will provide significant market access for U.S. products like dairy, horticultural products, poultry, pork, rice, and ethanol; recognize the U.S. food safety systems for U.S. meat, poultry, and dairy products; streamline its halal certification of U.S. food and agricultural products; and open market access for U.S. sorghum.

Cambodia&nbsp;will eliminate 100% of its tariffs on U.S. products, while the U.S. maintains a 19% reciprocal tariff rate for imports from Cambodia. It will also recognize the U.S. scientific guidelines for most U.S. agricultural goods and food.

Thailand&nbsp;will eliminate tariffs on 99% of U.S. goods, including most food and agricultural products and expedite access for USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service-certified meat and poultry products, giving American producers unprecedented access to the market.

Vietnam&nbsp;will accept preferential access for U.S. agricultural goods, including specialty cheese and meats, and is already improving access for U.S. peaches and nectarines. Vietnam will pay the United States 20% tariffs on all goods and 40% on any transshipped goods

South Korea&nbsp;will pay 15 percent tariff to the United States.

European Union&nbsp;will purchase $750 billion of American energy and addressing non-tariff barriers for farmers and ranchers - pork and dairy products. Market access for U.S. agricultural goods like tree nuts, sorghum, and more will also be provided as we work to commit to a simpler regulatory agenda.

Philippines&nbsp;is opening their market to the United States and charging us zero tariffs while the Philippines will pay 19 percent tariffs to the United States.

Indonesia&nbsp;will&nbsp;eliminate 90 percent of tariffs on American exports including for all agricultural products.

Japan&nbsp;agreed to $8 billion in American agricultural purchases including corn, soybeans, ethanol, fertilizer, and sustainable aviation fuel. Japan will increase US rice imports by 75%.

United Kingdom&nbsp;will create $5 billion in new agricultural export opportunities. $700 million in ethanol and better market access for American beef.

At the same time, President Trump is securing new, unprecedented market access for American agricultural producers around the world. For example, wine exports to Mexico are up 30 percent in 2025, reaching $18 million; South Korea has purchased $1 billion in corn, more than double from 2024; Bangladesh purchased $172 million in soybeans; Costa Rica streamlined its dairy access for U.S. producers; and India cut its bourbon tariff in half.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625596705829.png" alt="Post photo" />
 <figcaption>Post photo</figcaption>
 </figure>President Donald J. Trump alongside U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins&nbsp; announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will make $12 billion available in one time bridge payments to American farmers in response to temporary trade market disruptions and increased production costs still impacting farmers, according to a media release from the USDA.Of the $12 billion provided, up to $11 billion will be used for the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program, which provides broad relief to United States row crop farmers who produce Barley, Chickpeas, Corn, Cotton, Lentils, Oats, Peanuts, Peas, Rice, Sorghum, Soybeans, Wheat, Canola, Crambe, Flax, Mustard, Rapeseed, Safflower, Sesame, and Sunflower. FBA will help address market disruptions, elevated input costs, persistent inflation, and market losses from foreign competitors engaging in unfair trade practices that impede exports. The FBA Program applies simple, proportional support to producers using a uniform formula to cover a portion of modeled losses during the 2025 crop year. This national loss average is based on FSA reported planted acres, Economic Research Service cost of production estimates, World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates yields and prices and economic modeling.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨 <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;I&#39;m delighted to announce this afternoon that the United States will be taking a small portion of the hundreds of billions of dollars we receive in tariffs... We&#39;re going to use that money to provide $12B in economic assistance to American farmers.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/upHPD6a9eP">pic.twitter.com/upHPD6a9eP</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998115240983019905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Farmers who qualify for the FBA Program can expect payments to be released by February 28, 2026. Eligible farmers should ensure their 2025 acreage reporting is factual and accurate by 5pm ET on December 19, 2025. Commodity-specific payment rates will be released by the end of the month. Crop insurance linkage will not be required for the FBA Program; however, USDA strongly urges producers to take advantage of the new OBBBA risk management tools to best protect against price risk and volatility in the future.The remaining $1 billion of the $12 billion in bridge payments will be reserved for commodities not covered in the FBA Program such as specialty crops and sugar, for example, though details including timelines for those payments are still under development and require additional understanding of market impacts and economic needs.The $12 billion in farmer bridge payments, including those provided through the FBA Program, are authorized under the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Charter Act and will be administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA).To submit questions, justification for USDA farmer bridge aid, or to request a meeting on farmer bridge aid, producers can reach out to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:farmerbridge@usda.gov">farmerbridge@usda.gov</a>.“Four years under the failed Biden Administration continues to leave the American farm economy reeling from record inflation, a depleted farm safety net, and delayed disaster assistance. The lack of new trade deals under the last Administration turned a trade surplus under Trump into a $50 billion trade deficit, causing our farmers to lose markets and feel acute pain from lower commodity prices. President Trump will not let our farmers be left behind, so he directed our team to build a bridge program to see quick relief while the President’s dozens of new trade deals and new market access take effect,”&nbsp;said Secretary Brooke Rollins. “The plan we are announcing today ensures American farmers can continue to plan for the next crop year. It is imperative we do what it takes to help our farmers, because if we cannot feed ourselves, we will no longer have a country. With this program serving as a bridge to the improvements President Trump and Republicans in Congress have made, it will allow farmers to leverage strengthened price protection risk management tools and the reliability of fair trade deals so they do not have to depend on large ad hoc assistance packages from the government.”Additional Farmer First Actions Taken by the Trump AdministrationIn addition to $12 billion in bridge payments announced today, the Trump Administration has been working around the clock since January 20th to put American farmers first after inheriting one of the worst farm economies the country has experienced in decades. The following actions have been taken to date and together show historic investments and bold and unrelenting dedication to helping our nation’s farmers thrive again.Over $30 Billion in Ad Hoc Assistance Delivered to Farmers Since January 2025Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/emergency-commodity-assistance-program/dashboard">ECAP</a>)&nbsp;is helping farmers recover from the economic hardships of 2024. This program distributed more than $9.3 billion to over 560,000 farmers for soy, corn, sorghum, and other row crops.Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/marketing-assistance-specialty-crops-masc">MASC</a>)&nbsp;is helping specialty crop producers recover from rising input costs and other market disruptions stemming from the Biden Administration. This program distributed over 1.8 billion in assistance to over 52,000 producers.The&nbsp;Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/supplemental-disaster-relief-program-sdrp/dashboard">SDRP</a>)&nbsp;is helping producers recover from severe weather events in 2023 and 2024. This program has distributed nearly $6 billion to over 388,000 farmers with up to an additional $9 billion to be distributed over the next four months.Over $2.5 billion via&nbsp;block grants&nbsp;delivered to states and sugar beet and cane processors via block grants to cover losses from 2023 and 2024 that were left uncovered by existing USDA programs.Trump Supported OBBBA Farmer WinsWith the signing of the One Big Beautiful Bill in July, President Trump has made crop insurance more workable and affordable for American farmers and ranchers. Crop insurance is an essential risk management tool that allows American farmers and ranchers endure weather and market volatility. The bill increases crop insurance premium support for beginning farmers and ranchers by expanding the definition from five to 10 years of experience, enabling more producers to qualify for assistance over a longer period. These improvements will result in over $400 million in savings every year for America’s farmers on insurance premiums.For the first time in over a decade the statutory reference prices for the farm safety net programs, ARC and PLC, were raised by 10-21% for major commodities such as corn, soybeans, and wheat. Thanks to OBBBA USDA is also expanding eligibility for these price support programs by adding more than 30 million new base acres to the program making them eligible for future PLC or ARC payments starting in crop year 2026.OBBBA extended the marketing assistance loan programs through 2031 and updated loan rates for major commodities beginning in the 2026 crop year, providing stronger loan rates for crops like wheat, corn, cotton and soybeans.The bill included historic investments to the domestic sugar programs and USDA made them available starting October 1, 2025. The loan rate for raw cane sugar has increased to an average 24 cents per pound for the 2025 - 2031 crop years, with refined beet sugar rates increased to an average of 32.77 cents per pound.OBBBA invested in USDA’s major conservation programs, including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). These funds will result in over $34B in conservation work on agricultural land over the next 10 years.OBBBA provides $285 million a year for agricultural trade promotion and facilitation. This is in addition to the existing $234M per year of funding for MAP and FMD. These dollars are key to opening and expanding foreign markets.OBBBA included many important tax provisions for farmers and ranchers. Some of the most impactful provisions for agriculture are the permanency of the 20% qualified business income deduction, full bonus depreciation and the $15 million per individual estate tax exemption, now also indexed for inflation. With the current land values, equipment costs and input prices, even modest-sized farms can easily exceed that threshold, meaning upon the owner’s death, far more family operations would face massive tax bills than previously estimated. A permanent bonus depreciation means that farmers can continue to write off the entire cost of new equipment, land improvements, new barns and other capital upgrades in the year of purchase, rather than depreciating them over many years.Oversight on Competition &amp; Farmer Input CostsOn September 26, 2025, the USDA and the Department of Justice signed a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025-09-29-doj-usda-mou-farm-inputs.pdf">Memorandum of Understanding</a>&nbsp;(PDF, 1.3 MB) that represents a joint commitment by both agencies to protect American farmers and ranchers from the burdens imposed by high and volatile input costs—such as feed, fertilizer, fuel, seed, equipment, and other essential goods—while ensuring competitive supply chains, lower consumer prices, and the resilience of U.S. agriculture and the food supply.On December 6, 2025, President Trump signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/12/addressing-security-risks-from-price-fixing-and-anti-competitive-behavior-in-the-food-supply-chain/" target="_blank">Executive Order</a>&nbsp;to stop price fixing, anti-competitive behavior, and foreign influence that drives up prices and threatens the security of America’s food supply. This EO recognizes that sectors including seed, fertilizer, and farm equipment may be vulnerable to anti-competitive manipulation that result in higher prices for farmers and seeks to take aggressive action in part by the establishment of Task Forces created to investigate price fixing and anti-competitive behavior, especially regarding foreign owned entities.These actions combined reiterate the Trump Administration’s commitment to scrutinizing competitive conditions in the agricultural marketplace, including antitrust enforcement that promotes free market competition.Lowering Farm Labor Costs through Deregulatory ActionsFarm labor costs alone increased 47% since 2020 largely due to the high cost of utilizing the H-2A program to secure seasonal labor under the Biden Administration who artificially inflated Adverse Effect Wage Rates set by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) using USDA’s Farm Labor Survey which was never designed to be used for setting government-mandated wage rates and is duplicative of other DOL data sources. As such, USDA discontinued this survey while DOL issued a bold new interim final rule which decreased wage costs for H-2A agricultural employers resulting in initial savings of at least $2 billion. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a final rule, effective October 2, 2025, to streamline the filing process for certain temporary agricultural worker petitions. These actions combined are making farm labor more affordable and more accessible for American agriculture.USDA is Prioritizing the Purchase of Healthy U.S. Grown Commodities to Feed Those Most in Need through Section 32 BuysThis year alone, USDA has provided nearly $1 billion in Section 32 purchases, all which benefit the charitable feeding network.On November 24, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/11/24/secretary-rollins-announces-30-million-food-purchase-back-us-producers-and-strengthen-americas-food">announced a $30 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of American grown oranges, grapefruit, and mandarins.On August 6, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/08/06/secretary-rollins-targets-invasive-species-announces-next-steps-clear-chesapeake-harmful-catfish">announced a $2 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of invasive Chesapeake Bay blue catfish.On August 1, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/08/01/secretary-rollins-announces-local-food-purchases-communities-need">announced up to $230 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of Alaska pollock, catfish, apples, beans and cranberries.On May 23, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/05/23/secretary-rollins-announces-food-purchases-communities-need">announced a $67 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of American groundfish, pears, cherries, shrimp and beans.USDA will continue to buy Section 32 commodity purchases to support American seafood, fruit, vegetable, and tree-nut producers for distribution to U.S. food banks, schools, and other outlets serving low-income individuals. These actions support President Trump’s vision to Make America Healthy Again through U.S. local farmer grown, healthy, and nutritious commodities.This is the most pro-biofuels Administration in historyPresident Trump recognizes how important the Renewable Fuel Standard is for American corn and soybean farmers. EPA Administrator Zeldin delivered the boldest Renewable Volume Obligations ever and provided much certainty in the market for our producers while delivering lower prices at the pump for consumers. The RVO gives the markets the incentive to invest in American products for American consumers and to export around the world.EPA’s decision to allow the summer sale of E-15 constituted 2025 year-round E15 and continues to deliver immediate relief to consumers, give more choices at the pump, and drive demand for corn grown, processed, and used right here in America. America’s national security depends on our energy security, and biofuels are a crucial asset that brings more jobs and helps farmers in rural America.List of Trade &amp; Market Access Wins to DateUSDA announced&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/america-first-trade-promotion-program">applications are now open</a>&nbsp;through January 23, 2026, for the $285 million America First Trade Promotion Program (AFTPP), a key component of the Trump Administration’s work to expand global market access and create new export opportunities for America’s farmers, ranchers, and producers.Additionally, President Trump and his administration have worked to pen new trade deals and trade frameworks with more than 15 countries.Switzerland and Liechtenstein&nbsp;will invest at least $200 billion in the United States, remove tariffs on several agricultural products, allow for market access for American beef, bison, and poultry, and remove non-tariff barriers for poultry and dairy.El Salvador&nbsp;has removed non-tariff barriers including fumigation requirements and arbitrary geographic indicator restrictions on dairy product names.Argentina&nbsp;will allow access for U.S. poultry and poultry products, within one year, and simplify red tape for U.S. exporters of beef, beef products, pork, and pork products. Argentina also has agreed to protect U.S. exporters’ use of certain meat and cheese terms, preserving market access and creating the potential for new opportunities in the region.Ecuador&nbsp;has reduced or eliminated tariffs on American nuts, wheat, and wine; and will reduce major non-tariff barriers for many agricultural products regarding import licensing and facility registration requirements.Guatemala&nbsp;will address and prevent barriers to U.S. agricultural products in its market; maintain science- and risk-based regulatory frameworks; and efficient authorization processes for agricultural products.China&nbsp;committed to delaying new export controls on rare earth minerals, resume large purchases of U.S. soybeans, sorghum, and more. To date, China is already purchasing additional soybeans, wheat, and sorghum.Malaysia&nbsp;will provide significant market access for U.S. products like dairy, horticultural products, poultry, pork, rice, and ethanol; recognize the U.S. food safety systems for U.S. meat, poultry, and dairy products; streamline its halal certification of U.S. food and agricultural products; and open market access for U.S. sorghum.Cambodia&nbsp;will eliminate 100% of its tariffs on U.S. products, while the U.S. maintains a 19% reciprocal tariff rate for imports from Cambodia. It will also recognize the U.S. scientific guidelines for most U.S. agricultural goods and food.Thailand&nbsp;will eliminate tariffs on 99% of U.S. goods, including most food and agricultural products and expedite access for USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service-certified meat and poultry products, giving American producers unprecedented access to the market.Vietnam&nbsp;will accept preferential access for U.S. agricultural goods, including specialty cheese and meats, and is already improving access for U.S. peaches and nectarines. Vietnam will pay the United States 20% tariffs on all goods and 40% on any transshipped goodsSouth Korea&nbsp;will pay 15 percent tariff to the United States.European Union&nbsp;will purchase $750 billion of American energy and addressing non-tariff barriers for farmers and ranchers - pork and dairy products. Market access for U.S. agricultural goods like tree nuts, sorghum, and more will also be provided as we work to commit to a simpler regulatory agenda.Philippines&nbsp;is opening their market to the United States and charging us zero tariffs while the Philippines will pay 19 percent tariffs to the United States.Indonesia&nbsp;will&nbsp;eliminate 90 percent of tariffs on American exports including for all agricultural products.Japan&nbsp;agreed to $8 billion in American agricultural purchases including corn, soybeans, ethanol, fertilizer, and sustainable aviation fuel. Japan will increase US rice imports by 75%.United Kingdom&nbsp;will create $5 billion in new agricultural export opportunities. $700 million in ethanol and better market access for American beef.At the same time, President Trump is securing new, unprecedented market access for American agricultural producers around the world. For example, wine exports to Mexico are up 30 percent in 2025, reaching $18 million; South Korea has purchased $1 billion in corn, more than double from 2024; Bangladesh purchased $172 million in soybeans; Costa Rica streamlined its dairy access for U.S. producers; and India cut its bourbon tariff in half.

Details from USDA on $12 billion assistance for farmers

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

From Grandma Dot's rolls to Gracie's cheesecake, which funded an adoption, Andy Stanton's family life has centered around food.

"I have always loved to cook, being in the kitchen with my parents and grandparents. I have always enjoyed cooking," he said.

Stanton has self-published a new cookbook, "Kitchen Therapy," which he said is based on family recipes and others he and his family have refined over the years in his home.

Stanton, 56, admits he is by no means a professional chef. He has worked for years in communications and marketing and works out of a home office in Hays as a marketing coach for Farm Bureau Financial Services.

He learned from cooking with his grandparents, watching kitchen shows in the 1990s and 2000s, and experimenting in his own kitchen.

Andy's great-grandma, Ashley, was a school cook when the school lunch program began in 1948 in Logan, where Andy grew up. A few years later, his grandmother, Dot Stanton, joined her mother in the kitchen.

She was the head cook at Logan Public Schools for many years, retiring in 1977.

His aunt was also a full-time cook at the school, and his mom and dad were substitute cooks.

He fondly recalls in the book going to school in the wee hours of the morning with his grandma, who arrived early to bake bread.

The cookbook's first recipe is Dot's bread, a general yeast bread that Dot used to make rolls. All of the recipes in the book are favorites, but he said his grandmother's bread is a favorite among favorites.

He uses the basic recipe for dinner rolls, bierocks and cinnamon rolls.&nbsp;

"A lot of my time in the kitchen is reliving those old recipes and coming up with new ones," he said. "That is why I titled the cookbook 'Kitchen Therapy,' because it truly is my therapy. When I am stressed and I am done with everything, and I want to have my own time, I go to the kitchen.

"From baking to cooking meals, it's just been fun."

"Some people spend time in the woodshop or on the golf course," he said. "I spend my time in the kitchen."

For years, Andy has shared images of his culinary creations on Facebook and Instagram. He went back to those images for inspiration, but he still needed more images for the cookbook.

His family and friends benefited from the bounty as he revisited some of his favorite recipes, taking color photos to show the step-by-step progression of the recipes.

The cookbook has a diversity of recipes from local favorites such as bieroks, green bean dumpling soup, and kolaches to a bit fancier cuisine such as creme brulee, cream puffs and eggs Benedict.

Andy said he had never had creme brulee until he was 30 and on a work trip. He researched and compared recipes until he found one that he liked.

"I usually put my own twist on it," he said.

When Andy's youngest son, Gabe, was in about seventh grade, he told his dad he wanted to learn to cook some of his recipes. A summer of cooking with Gabe is where the cream puff recipe came from.

"We had a dad and Gabe cooking school that summer," Andy said.&nbsp;

Gabe considered becoming a chef, but is now studying nutrition, health, and human performance at Fort Hays State University.

Andy's oldest son, Jackson, also loves to cook, but prefers smoking and working with meats.

Andy's biscuits and gravy is another favorite of the favorites. He makes his biscuits square. He saw no use in leaving so much waste by cutting round biscuits.

Jackson calls them square biscuits of awesomeness.

Although Andy and Dana's daughter, Gracie, who is preparing for law school at Kansas State University, prefers to stay out of the kitchen, she has a recipe named for her in the cookbook—Gracie's cheesecake.

Gracie and her brother, Gabe, were both adopted from China. When Andy and Dana decided to pursue adoption, they knew they needed to raise about $20,000 in a year.

"We said, 'OK, what are our talents? What can we do? We did all sorts of things, but one thing we did was start a catering company out of our home. One of the things we got really good at was making cheesecake," Andy said.

However, her parents said back in 2004, "We'll get to China one cheesecake at a time." And they did.

Although Andy has been asked about opening a restaurant, he said that's not in the stars for him.

"I don't want it to be my work," he said. "I want it to be my leisure time."

Trained in publication design, Andy designed, wrote and did all the photography for the cookbook. He published through Amazon Publishing on Demand.

Andy said his main objective was to compile his favorite recipes into a book to share with his friends and family.

"It would be great if I became a New York Times bestselling author, but I don't think that's going to happen," he joked.

This is not Andy's first foray into cookbooks or publishing. He helped put together a cookbook that contained some of his family's recipes as a fundraiser for the Logan school district. He also collected his grandparents' handwritten recipes into a few copies for his family.

His wife, Dana, joked as she flipped open a copy of the family cookbook, its pages filled with handwritten recipe cards.

"One is the one thing kids can't read—cursive," Dana laughed. "They call us up and say, 'I can't understand what grandma is saying.'"

Andy said he had been thinking about writing the cookbook for a couple of years, with periodic nudges from friends and family members, but he finally set a deadline this spring. He set his sights on completion by the end of October.

"I hope people enjoy looking at the book and making these recipes as much as I enjoy cooking them and sharing those dishes with my friends," he said.

He said he has already been collecting recipes for a second book.

Andy parted with a few tidbits of advice for beginning cooks.

• Always read the recipe completely before beginning to make sure you have all the ingredients and equipment you need. "Make a game plan." • Good, sharp knives are a must. Dull knives can cause injuries in the kitchen • Don't be afraid of experimenting and don't be discouraged if your recipe flops. "It happens to all of us."

<a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Andy-Stanton/author/B0G1L8FBJB?fbclid=IwY2xjawOeybdleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFNeVZ6Vk4xNmdXdnlBU3lmc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHkx7UAKnO4K89WuLK17Umj6ih8jqeS_iQpzC29Do3vhb47-Lol4Zn9SS4fky_aem_vBiwfKo3bijOfbf1sLi9Aw&amp;ref=ap_rdr&amp;isDramIntegrated=true&amp;shoppingPortalEnabled=true&amp;ccs_id=200c8998-3cda-4797-b4db-17f66a87dc2f">The paperback copies of "Kitchen Therapy" are $14.99</a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Andy-Stanton/author/B0G1L8FBJB?fbclid=IwY2xjawOeybdleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFNeVZ6Vk4xNmdXdnlBU3lmc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHkx7UAKnO4K89WuLK17Umj6ih8jqeS_iQpzC29Do3vhb47-Lol4Zn9SS4fky_aem_vBiwfKo3bijOfbf1sLi9Aw&amp;ref=ap_rdr&amp;isDramIntegrated=true&amp;shoppingPortalEnabled=true&amp;ccs_id=200c8998-3cda-4797-b4db-17f66a87dc2f" target="_blank">&nbsp;on Amazon, and the hardbacks are $24.99. You can</a>&nbsp;also&nbsp;purchase directly from Stanton locally for $15 for paperbacks and $25 for hardbacks. Go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kitchentherapycookbook.com/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExaWNTN3d0eUx2ZXNrYlBXRXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR5V3j4NtDH7rRQsynkaggOxg6SavRm2RU6hsZtqx8iOx5S73slx3UJa7D09nQ_aem_vRDZ2sUsSM0BQaA83O4_jg" target="_blank">www.kitchentherapycookbook.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1764881138200.jpeg" alt="Andy Stanton of Hays displays his new cookbook, "Kitchen Therapy," from his home kitchen in Hays. The cookbook features local favorites like bierocks and green bean dumpling soup and self-taught variations on fancier dishes, such as creme brulee and eggs Benedict. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Andy Stanton of Hays displays his new cookbook, "Kitchen Therapy," from his home kitchen in Hays. The cookbook features local favorites like bierocks and green bean dumpling soup and self-taught variations on fancier dishes, such as creme brulee and eggs Benedict. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765209150989.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostFrom Grandma Dot's rolls to Gracie's cheesecake, which funded an adoption, Andy Stanton's family life has centered around food."I have always loved to cook, being in the kitchen with my parents and grandparents. I have always enjoyed cooking," he said.Stanton has self-published a new cookbook, "Kitchen Therapy," which he said is based on family recipes and others he and his family have refined over the years in his home.Stanton, 56, admits he is by no means a professional chef. He has worked for years in communications and marketing and works out of a home office in Hays as a marketing coach for Farm Bureau Financial Services.He learned from cooking with his grandparents, watching kitchen shows in the 1990s and 2000s, and experimenting in his own kitchen.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1764952393373.jpeg" alt="Andy's Grandma Stanton in the Logan High School kitchen. She and other family members cooked for the school district. Andy said his love of cooking was inspired by his early memories of his family in the kitchen. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Andy's Grandma Stanton in the Logan High School kitchen. She and other family members cooked for the school district. Andy said his love of cooking was inspired by his early memories of his family in the kitchen. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Andy's great-grandma, Ashley, was a school cook when the school lunch program began in 1948 in Logan, where Andy grew up. A few years later, his grandmother, Dot Stanton, joined her mother in the kitchen.She was the head cook at Logan Public Schools for many years, retiring in 1977.His aunt was also a full-time cook at the school, and his mom and dad were substitute cooks.He fondly recalls in the book going to school in the wee hours of the morning with his grandma, who arrived early to bake bread.The cookbook's first recipe is Dot's bread, a general yeast bread that Dot used to make rolls. All of the recipes in the book are favorites, but he said his grandmother's bread is a favorite among favorites.He uses the basic recipe for dinner rolls, bierocks and cinnamon rolls.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1764952583467.jpeg" alt="Andy's mom working over the Thanksgiving Day table. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Andy's mom working over the Thanksgiving Day table. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>"A lot of my time in the kitchen is reliving those old recipes and coming up with new ones," he said. "That is why I titled the cookbook 'Kitchen Therapy,' because it truly is my therapy. When I am stressed and I am done with everything, and I want to have my own time, I go to the kitchen."From baking to cooking meals, it's just been fun."Andy decided cooking would be his niche."Some people spend time in the woodshop or on the golf course," he said. "I spend my time in the kitchen."For years, Andy has shared images of his culinary creations on Facebook and Instagram. He went back to those images for inspiration, but he still needed more images for the cookbook.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1764952910798.jpeg" alt="Andy and his dad at Thanksgiving. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Andy and his dad at Thanksgiving. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>His family and friends benefited from the bounty as he revisited some of his favorite recipes, taking color photos to show the step-by-step progression of the recipes.The cookbook has a diversity of recipes from local favorites such as bieroks, green bean dumpling soup, and kolaches to a bit fancier cuisine such as creme brulee, cream puffs and eggs Benedict.Andy said he had never had creme brulee until he was 30 and on a work trip. He researched and compared recipes until he found one that he liked."I usually put my own twist on it," he said.When Andy's youngest son, Gabe, was in about seventh grade, he told his dad he wanted to learn to cook some of his recipes. A summer of cooking with Gabe is where the cream puff recipe came from."We had a dad and Gabe cooking school that summer," Andy said.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1764952649763.jpeg" alt="Andy's youngest son, Gabe, with cream puffs. When Gabe was in middle school, he and his dad spent a summer learning new recipes together. Cream puffs was one of the recipes Gabe wanted to learn. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Andy's youngest son, Gabe, with cream puffs. When Gabe was in middle school, he and his dad spent a summer learning new recipes together. Cream puffs was one of the recipes Gabe wanted to learn. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Gabe considered becoming a chef, but is now studying nutrition, health, and human performance at Fort Hays State University.Andy's oldest son, Jackson, also loves to cook, but prefers smoking and working with meats.Andy's biscuits and gravy is another favorite of the favorites. He makes his biscuits square. He saw no use in leaving so much waste by cutting round biscuits.Jackson calls them square biscuits of awesomeness.Although Andy and Dana's daughter, Gracie, who is preparing for law school at Kansas State University, prefers to stay out of the kitchen, she has a recipe named for her in the cookbook—Gracie's cheesecake.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1764881365915.jpeg" alt="The Stanton family, second from left, Gracie, Gabe, Andy, Dana, and Jackson, and their children's significant others. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>The Stanton family, second from left, Gracie, Gabe, Andy, Dana, and Jackson, and their children's significant others. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Gracie and her brother, Gabe, were both adopted from China. When Andy and Dana decided to pursue adoption, they knew they needed to raise about $20,000 in a year."We said, 'OK, what are our talents? What can we do? We did all sorts of things, but one thing we did was start a catering company out of our home. One of the things we got really good at was making cheesecake," Andy said.Gracie is not a big fan of cheesecake.However, her parents said back in 2004, "We'll get to China one cheesecake at a time." And they did.Although Andy has been asked about opening a restaurant, he said that's not in the stars for him."I don't want it to be my work," he said. "I want it to be my leisure time."Trained in publication design, Andy designed, wrote and did all the photography for the cookbook. He published through Amazon Publishing on Demand.Andy said his main objective was to compile his favorite recipes into a book to share with his friends and family.But who knows?"It would be great if I became a New York Times bestselling author, but I don't think that's going to happen," he joked.This is not Andy's first foray into cookbooks or publishing. He helped put together a cookbook that contained some of his family's recipes as a fundraiser for the Logan school district. He also collected his grandparents' handwritten recipes into a few copies for his family.His wife, Dana, joked as she flipped open a copy of the family cookbook, its pages filled with handwritten recipe cards."One is the one thing kids can't read—cursive," Dana laughed. "They call us up and say, 'I can't understand what grandma is saying.'"<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1764881189383.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Andy said he had been thinking about writing the cookbook for a couple of years, with periodic nudges from friends and family members, but he finally set a deadline this spring. He set his sights on completion by the end of October."I hope people enjoy looking at the book and making these recipes as much as I enjoy cooking them and sharing those dishes with my friends," he said.He said he has already been collecting recipes for a second book.Andy parted with a few tidbits of advice for beginning cooks.• Always read the recipe completely before beginning to make sure you have all the ingredients and equipment you need. "Make a game plan." • Good, sharp knives are a must. Dull knives can cause injuries in the kitchen • Don't be afraid of experimenting and don't be discouraged if your recipe flops. "It happens to all of us."<a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Andy-Stanton/author/B0G1L8FBJB?fbclid=IwY2xjawOeybdleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFNeVZ6Vk4xNmdXdnlBU3lmc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHkx7UAKnO4K89WuLK17Umj6ih8jqeS_iQpzC29Do3vhb47-Lol4Zn9SS4fky_aem_vBiwfKo3bijOfbf1sLi9Aw&amp;ref=ap_rdr&amp;isDramIntegrated=true&amp;shoppingPortalEnabled=true&amp;ccs_id=200c8998-3cda-4797-b4db-17f66a87dc2f">The paperback copies of "Kitchen Therapy" are $14.99</a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Andy-Stanton/author/B0G1L8FBJB?fbclid=IwY2xjawOeybdleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFNeVZ6Vk4xNmdXdnlBU3lmc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHkx7UAKnO4K89WuLK17Umj6ih8jqeS_iQpzC29Do3vhb47-Lol4Zn9SS4fky_aem_vBiwfKo3bijOfbf1sLi9Aw&amp;ref=ap_rdr&amp;isDramIntegrated=true&amp;shoppingPortalEnabled=true&amp;ccs_id=200c8998-3cda-4797-b4db-17f66a87dc2f" target="_blank">&nbsp;on Amazon, and the hardbacks are $24.99. You can</a>&nbsp;also&nbsp;purchase directly from Stanton locally for $15 for paperbacks and $25 for hardbacks. Go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kitchentherapycookbook.com/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExaWNTN3d0eUx2ZXNrYlBXRXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR5V3j4NtDH7rRQsynkaggOxg6SavRm2RU6hsZtqx8iOx5S73slx3UJa7D09nQ_aem_vRDZ2sUsSM0BQaA83O4_jg" target="_blank">www.kitchentherapycookbook.com</a>.

Nwester: Family central in Hays home chef's 'Kitchen Therapy' cookbook

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;announced a $12 billion farm aid package on Monday — a boost to farmers who have struggled to sell their crops while getting hit by rising costs after the president raised&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tariffs">tariffs</a>&nbsp;on China as part of a broader trade war.

He unveiled the plan Monday afternoon at a White House roundtable with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, lawmakers and farmers who raise cattle and grow corn, cotton, sorghum, soybeans, rice, wheat, and potatoes.

“$12 billion is a lot of money,” Trump said, adding that the additional aid will help provide certainty for farmers. The money is coming from tariff revenue, he said.

Rollins said that $11 billion is being announced on Monday, while another $1 billion is being held back for specialty crops as the administration works to better understand the circumstances for those farmers. The aid will move by the end of next February, Rollins said.

“We looked at how they were hurt, to what extent they were hurt,” Trump said in explaining how the administration came up with the size of the package. “We figured out a very exact number, and it was about $12 billion.”

Farmers have backed Trump politically, but his aggressive trade policies and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-coffee-beef-fruit-4fe084c2724ec6d92096efa263fdcf76">frequently changing tariff rates</a>&nbsp;have come under increasing scrutiny because of the impact on the agricultural sector and because of broader consumer worries.

Upwards of $11 billion is set aside for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmer Bridge Assistance program, which the White House says will offer one-time payments to farmers for row crops.

Soybeans and sorghum were hit the hardest by the trade dispute with China because more than half of those crops are exported each year with most of the harvest going to China.

The aid is meant to help farmers who have suffered from trade wars with other nations, inflation, and other market disruptions. The rest of the money will be for farmers who grow crops not covered under the bridge assistance program, according to a White House official who was granted anonymity ahead of the formal announcement to detail the new plan. The money is intended to offer certainty to farmers as they sell their current harvest, as well as plan for next year’s crop.

In October, after Trump met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea, the White House said Beijing had promised to buy at least 12 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans by the end of the calendar year, plus 25 million metric tons a year in each of the next three years. Soybean farmers have been hit especially hard by Trump’s trade war with China, which is the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/president-donald-trump-tariffs-agriculture-china-d5674c21e240acdc72cde76e474f172a">world’s largest buyer</a>&nbsp;of soybeans.

China has purchased more than 2.8 million metric tons of soybeans since Trump announced the agreement at the end of October. That’s only about one quarter of what administration officials said China had promised, but Bessent has said China is on track to meet its goal by the end of February.

“These prices haven’t come in, because the Chinese actually used our soybean farmers as pawns in the trade negotiations,” Bessent said on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” explaining why a “bridge payment” to farmers was needed.

The size of the $12 billion aid package is roughly the value of total U.S. soybean exports to China in 2024 and half of the total exports of U.S. farm goods to China in 2024.

Farmers appreciate the aid package, but they say it’s likely only a down payment on what’s needed and government aid doesn’t solve the fundamental problems farmers are facing of soaring costs and uncertain markets for their crops. During Trump’s first term, he gave farmers more than $22 billion in aid payments in 2019 at the start of his trade war with China and nearly $46 billion in 2020, although that year also included aid related to the COVID pandemic.

But farmers want to make a profit off of selling their crops -- not rely on government aid to survive.

“That’s a start, but I think we need to be looking for some avenues to find other funding opportunities and we need to get our markets going. That’s where we want to be able to make a living from,” said Caleb Ragland, the Kentucky farmer who serves as president of the American Soybean Association.

If farmers can’t make ends meet this year, there will likely be additional consolidation in the industry with giant industrial farms only getting bigger while the number of smaller family farmers continues to shrink. The farmers most at risk are younger farmers and those who rent -- instead of own -- most of the ground they farm because they don’t have much ability to borrow against the equity in their land.

Most established farmers will be able to borrow more to survive the trade war. But older farmers who spent their whole lives building up equity may decide to retire instead of risk everything they built up unless they are trying to help the next generation of farmers get established on their land.

Iowa farmer Robb Ewoldt is in a difficult position because he only owns 160 of the 2,000 acres he farms. So he’s selling some of his equipment that’s not essential and looking into whether he can pick up some overnight trucking jobs to help raise some cash.

“It is to the point where I don’t want to saddle my kid with the kind of stress that my wife and I are under right now,” Ewoldt said.

Trump has also been under pressure to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-beef-justice-department-c6c57effee6ef1a8c1088d4e5edcc60a">address soaring beef prices</a>, which have hit records for a number of reasons. Demand for beef has been strong at a time when drought has cut U.S. herds and imports from Mexico are down due to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/screwworm-mexico-cattle-tariffs-parasite-nuevo-leon-649a82dedfa81dc215aebba16bb8cc67">resurgence in a parasite</a>. Trump has said he would allow for more imports of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/beef-argentina-us-consumers-prices-f7fadbe1b3fef4646f9c3623f901209a">Argentine beef</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765228441626.jpeg" alt="President Trump with farmers and ranchers in Oval Office Monday-photo by Margo Martin, Assistant to the President" />
 <figcaption>President Trump with farmers and ranchers in Oval Office Monday-photo by Margo Martin, Assistant to the President</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;announced a $12 billion farm aid package on Monday — a boost to farmers who have struggled to sell their crops while getting hit by rising costs after the president raised&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tariffs">tariffs</a>&nbsp;on China as part of a broader trade war.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨 <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;I&#39;m delighted to announce this afternoon that the United States will be taking a small portion of the hundreds of billions of dollars we receive in tariffs... We&#39;re going to use that money to provide $12B in economic assistance to American farmers.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/upHPD6a9eP">pic.twitter.com/upHPD6a9eP</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998115240983019905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecRollins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRollins</a>: As <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> said, we are very pleased to announce that today, we are going to be effectuating a $11B bridge payment to our farmers... by the end of this month, every farmer that is able to apply for it will know exactly what that number looks like. <a href="https://t.co/3cKmFw6OQC">https://t.co/3cKmFw6OQC</a> <a href="https://t.co/hUk5XFmVMd">pic.twitter.com/hUk5XFmVMd</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998118157178069161?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecScottBessent?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecScottBessent</a>: &quot;These direct payments will give producers the breathing room they need to market this year’s harvest and plan for next season... thanks to the administration&#39;s pro growth policies, input costs like fuel and fertilizer are easing... Interest rates are coming… <a href="https://t.co/3cKmFw6OQC">https://t.co/3cKmFw6OQC</a> <a href="https://t.co/afbyMM1E89">pic.twitter.com/afbyMM1E89</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998120274764632411?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on lowering the cost of farm equipment: &quot;We’re going to take off a lot of the environmental restrictions that they have on machinery... we’re going to take a lot of that nonsense off of the equipment, which is going to reduce [prices].&quot; <a href="https://t.co/bPuKHsgeGA">pic.twitter.com/bPuKHsgeGA</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998119170899136723?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> announces 12 billion in economic assistance to farmers: &quot;We&#39;re going to use that money to provide 12 billion dollars in economic assistance to American farmers&quot; <a href="https://t.co/SR3Yti19GA">pic.twitter.com/SR3Yti19GA</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1998125773304066198?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> announces 12 billion in economic assistance to farmers: &quot;We&#39;re going to use that money to provide 12 billion dollars in economic assistance to American farmers&quot; <a href="https://t.co/SR3Yti19GA">pic.twitter.com/SR3Yti19GA</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1998125773304066198?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">“Farmers are an indispensable national asset, part of the backbone of America…I’ve always felt it so strongly. They are so important.” <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/hDv28uOrdM">pic.twitter.com/hDv28uOrdM</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1998122795981541672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Meryl Kennedy, Rice, Corn, and Soybean Farmer from Monroe, LA: &quot;The rice industry thanks you sincerely for what you have done for the California rice market into Japan. It has been monumental for our industry.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/4tqdnu25Io">pic.twitter.com/4tqdnu25Io</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998124143968145796?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Cordt Holub, Corn and Soybean Farmer from Dysart, Iowa: &quot;I think you brought Christmas to farmers with this bridge payment... What you&#39;re doing here in D.C. is working... I&#39;ll be able to potentially pass on a farm to my children because of you.&quot; ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/3cKmFw6h14">https://t.co/3cKmFw6h14</a> <a href="https://t.co/aW1qXFws2Q">pic.twitter.com/aW1qXFws2Q</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998122935828058237?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>He unveiled the plan Monday afternoon at a White House roundtable with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, lawmakers and farmers who raise cattle and grow corn, cotton, sorghum, soybeans, rice, wheat, and potatoes.“$12 billion is a lot of money,” Trump said, adding that the additional aid will help provide certainty for farmers. The money is coming from tariff revenue, he said.Rollins said that $11 billion is being announced on Monday, while another $1 billion is being held back for specialty crops as the administration works to better understand the circumstances for those farmers. The aid will move by the end of next February, Rollins said.“We looked at how they were hurt, to what extent they were hurt,” Trump said in explaining how the administration came up with the size of the package. “We figured out a very exact number, and it was about $12 billion.”Farmers have backed Trump politically, but his aggressive trade policies and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-coffee-beef-fruit-4fe084c2724ec6d92096efa263fdcf76">frequently changing tariff rates</a>&nbsp;have come under increasing scrutiny because of the impact on the agricultural sector and because of broader consumer worries.Upwards of $11 billion is set aside for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmer Bridge Assistance program, which the White House says will offer one-time payments to farmers for row crops.Soybeans and sorghum were hit the hardest by the trade dispute with China because more than half of those crops are exported each year with most of the harvest going to China.The aid is meant to help farmers who have suffered from trade wars with other nations, inflation, and other market disruptions. The rest of the money will be for farmers who grow crops not covered under the bridge assistance program, according to a White House official who was granted anonymity ahead of the formal announcement to detail the new plan. The money is intended to offer certainty to farmers as they sell their current harvest, as well as plan for next year’s crop.<h2>China purchases have been slow</h2>In October, after Trump met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea, the White House said Beijing had promised to buy at least 12 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans by the end of the calendar year, plus 25 million metric tons a year in each of the next three years. Soybean farmers have been hit especially hard by Trump’s trade war with China, which is the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/president-donald-trump-tariffs-agriculture-china-d5674c21e240acdc72cde76e474f172a">world’s largest buyer</a>&nbsp;of soybeans.China has purchased more than 2.8 million metric tons of soybeans since Trump announced the agreement at the end of October. That’s only about one quarter of what administration officials said China had promised, but Bessent has said China is on track to meet its goal by the end of February.“These prices haven’t come in, because the Chinese actually used our soybean farmers as pawns in the trade negotiations,” Bessent said on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” explaining why a “bridge payment” to farmers was needed.The size of the $12 billion aid package is roughly the value of total U.S. soybean exports to China in 2024 and half of the total exports of U.S. farm goods to China in 2024.Farmers appreciate the aid package, but they say it’s likely only a down payment on what’s needed and government aid doesn’t solve the fundamental problems farmers are facing of soaring costs and uncertain markets for their crops. During Trump’s first term, he gave farmers more than $22 billion in aid payments in 2019 at the start of his trade war with China and nearly $46 billion in 2020, although that year also included aid related to the COVID pandemic.But farmers want to make a profit off of selling their crops -- not rely on government aid to survive.“That’s a start, but I think we need to be looking for some avenues to find other funding opportunities and we need to get our markets going. That’s where we want to be able to make a living from,” said Caleb Ragland, the Kentucky farmer who serves as president of the American Soybean Association.If farmers can’t make ends meet this year, there will likely be additional consolidation in the industry with giant industrial farms only getting bigger while the number of smaller family farmers continues to shrink. The farmers most at risk are younger farmers and those who rent -- instead of own -- most of the ground they farm because they don’t have much ability to borrow against the equity in their land.Most established farmers will be able to borrow more to survive the trade war. But older farmers who spent their whole lives building up equity may decide to retire instead of risk everything they built up unless they are trying to help the next generation of farmers get established on their land.Iowa farmer Robb Ewoldt is in a difficult position because he only owns 160 of the 2,000 acres he farms. So he’s selling some of his equipment that’s not essential and looking into whether he can pick up some overnight trucking jobs to help raise some cash.“It is to the point where I don’t want to saddle my kid with the kind of stress that my wife and I are under right now,” Ewoldt said.Trump has also been under pressure to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-beef-justice-department-c6c57effee6ef1a8c1088d4e5edcc60a">address soaring beef prices</a>, which have hit records for a number of reasons. Demand for beef has been strong at a time when drought has cut U.S. herds and imports from Mexico are down due to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/screwworm-mexico-cattle-tariffs-parasite-nuevo-leon-649a82dedfa81dc215aebba16bb8cc67">resurgence in a parasite</a>. Trump has said he would allow for more imports of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/beef-argentina-us-consumers-prices-f7fadbe1b3fef4646f9c3623f901209a">Argentine beef</a>.He also had asked the Department of Justice to investigate foreign-owned meat packers he accused of driving up&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/us-news/beef-prices-rising-us">the price of beef</a>, although he has not provided evidence to back his claims.On Saturday, Trump signed an executive order directing the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission to look at “anti-competitive behavior” in food supply chains — including seed, fertilizer and equipment — and consider taking enforcement actions or developing new regulations.___Funk reported from Omaha, Nebraska. Associated Press writers Michelle L. Price in Washington, Bill Barrow in Atlanta and Jack Dura in Bismarck, North Dakota contributed to this report.