SAN SALVADOR (AP) — Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen met Thursday in El Salvador with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kilmar-abrego-garcia-el-salvador-trump-deported-e537cfb69a9840046b5d3e512509e9a8">Kilmar Abrego Garcia</a>, a man who was sent there by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-deportees-el-salvador-contempt-boasberg-da282511ac6f5c8dd19af620995ca440">Trump administration</a>&nbsp;in March despite an immigration court order preventing his deportation.

Van Hollen posted a photo of the meeting on X, saying he also called Abrego Garcia's wife “to pass along his message of love.” The lawmaker did not provide an update on the status of Abrego Garcia, whose attorneys are fighting to force the Trump administration to facilitate his return to the U.S.

El Salvador’s Presidnet Nayib Bukele posted images of the meeting minutes before Van Hollen shared his post, saying “Kilmar Abrego Garcia, miraculously risen from the ‘death camps’ &amp; ‘torture’, now sipping margaritas with Sen. Van Hollen in the tropical paradise of El Salvador!”

The meeting came hours after Van Hollen said he was denied entry into an high-security El Salvador prison Thursday while he was trying to check on Abrego Garcia's well-being and push for his release.

The Democratic senator said at a news conference in San Salvador that his car was stopped by soldiers at a checkpoint about 3 kilometers (about 2 miles) from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-trump-prison-immigrants-4ab3fc3c0474efb308084604b61f8a37">Terrorism Confinement Center</a>, or CECOT, even as they let other cars go on.

“They stopped us because they are under orders not to allow us to proceed," Van Hollen said.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Bukele&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-white-house-el-salvador-kilmar-abrego-garcia-ad338d6b4558a6aba80e8290fd3eece9">said this week</a>&nbsp;that they have no basis to send Abrego Garcia back, even as the Trump administration has called his deportation a mistake and the U.S. Supreme Court has called on the administration to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-maryland-deportation-trump-9f46dd62890befdc321ed1ab56107470">facilitate his return</a>. Trump officials have said that Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran citizen who was living in Maryland, has ties to the MS-13 gang, but his attorneys say the government has provided no evidence of that and Abrego Garcia has never been charged with any crime related to such activity.

Van Hollen’s trip has become a partisan flashpoint in the U.S. as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abrego-garcia-trump-salvador-due-process-a1265923d0188dc375b01205a0742ac2">Democrats have seized on</a>&nbsp;Abrego Garcia's deportation as what they say is a cruel consequence of Trump's disregard for the courts. Republicans have criticized Democrats for defending him and argued that his deportation is part of a larger effort to reduce crime. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt held a news conference Wednesday with the mother of a Maryland woman who was killed by a fugitive from El Salvador in 2023.

The Maryland senator told reporters Wednesday that he met with Salvadoran Vice President Félix Ulloa, who said his government could not return Abrego Garcia to the United States.

“So today, I tried again to make contact with Mr. Abrego Garcia by driving to the CECOT prison,” Van Hollen said Thursday.

Van Hollen said Abrego Garcia has not had any contact with his family or his lawyers. “There has been no ability to find out anything about his health and well-being," Van Hollen said. He said Abrego Garcia should be able to have contact with his lawyers under international law.

“We won’t give up until Kilmar has his due process rights respected,” Van Hollen said. He said there would be “many more” lawmakers coming to El Salvador.

New Jersey Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cory-booker-new-jersey-senator-speech-ab573bb7c3c76fa107cacac7136d3823">Cory Booker</a>, D-N.J., is also considering a trip to El Salvador, as are some House Democrats.

While Van Hollen was denied entry, several House Republicans have visited the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-trump-prison-immigrants-4ab3fc3c0474efb308084604b61f8a37">notorious gang prison</a>&nbsp;in support of the Trump administration's efforts. Rep. Riley Moore, a West Virginia Republican, posted Tuesday evening that he’d visited the prison where Abrego Garcia is being held. He did not mention Abrego Garcia but said the facility “houses the country’s most brutal criminals.”

“I leave now even more determined to support President Trump’s efforts to secure our homeland,” Moore wrote on&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/RepRileyMoore/status/1912289444863828144">social media</a>.

Missouri Republican Rep. Jason Smith, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, also visited the prison. He posted on X that “thanks to President Trump" the facility “now includes illegal immigrants who broke into our country and committed violent acts against Americans.”

The fight over Abrego Garcia has also played out in contentious court filings, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abrego-garcia-maryland-father-deported-el-salvador-6de340ac95f2abb5fd3688fc1679fd66">repeated refusals</a>&nbsp;from the government to tell a judge what it plans to do, if anything, to repatriate him.

Since March, El Salvador has accepted from the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-el-salvador-immigration-dd4f61999f85c4dd8bcaba7d4fc7c9af">more than 200 Venezuelan immigrants</a>&nbsp;— whom Trump administration officials have accused of gang activity and violent crimes — and placed them inside the country’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-trump-prison-immigrants-4ab3fc3c0474efb308084604b61f8a37">maximum-security gang prison</a>&nbsp;just outside San Salvador. That prison is part of Bukele’s broader effort to crack down&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-bukele-central-america-crime-gangs-60c3a34c571dfdbdf0a203deb85abf71">on the country’s powerful street gangs</a>, which has put 84,000 people behind bars and made Bukele extremely popular at home.

Human rights groups have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-human-rights-abuses-amnesty-international-bukele-9e6df04aed5b8a21b02e8614b345105a">accused</a>&nbsp;Bukele's government of subjecting those jailed to “systematic use of torture and other mistreatment." Officials there deny wrongdoing.

SAN SALVADOR (AP) — Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen met Thursday in El Salvador with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kilmar-abrego-garcia-el-salvador-trump-deported-e537cfb69a9840046b5d3e512509e9a8">Kilmar Abrego Garcia</a>, a man who was sent there by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-deportees-el-salvador-contempt-boasberg-da282511ac6f5c8dd19af620995ca440">Trump administration</a>&nbsp;in March despite an immigration court order preventing his deportation.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I said my main goal of this trip was to meet with Kilmar. Tonight I had that chance. I have called his wife, Jennifer, to pass along his message of love. I look forward to providing a full update upon my return. <a href="https://t.co/U9y2gZpxCb">pic.twitter.com/U9y2gZpxCb</a>&mdash; Senator Chris Van Hollen (@ChrisVanHollen) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisVanHollen/status/1913034619710034094?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Van Hollen posted a photo of the meeting on X, saying he also called Abrego Garcia's wife “to pass along his message of love.” The lawmaker did not provide an update on the status of Abrego Garcia, whose attorneys are fighting to force the Trump administration to facilitate his return to the U.S.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Kilmar Abrego Garcia, miraculously risen from the “death camps” &amp; “torture”, now sipping margaritas with Sen. Van Hollen in the tropical paradise of El Salvador!🍹 <a href="https://t.co/r6VWc6Fjtn">pic.twitter.com/r6VWc6Fjtn</a>&mdash; Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) <a href="https://twitter.com/nayibbukele/status/1913028548001923259?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>El Salvador’s Presidnet Nayib Bukele posted images of the meeting minutes before Van Hollen shared his post, saying “Kilmar Abrego Garcia, miraculously risen from the ‘death camps’ &amp; ‘torture’, now sipping margaritas with Sen. Van Hollen in the tropical paradise of El Salvador!”The meeting came hours after Van Hollen said he was denied entry into an high-security El Salvador prison Thursday while he was trying to check on Abrego Garcia's well-being and push for his release.The Democratic senator said at a news conference in San Salvador that his car was stopped by soldiers at a checkpoint about 3 kilometers (about 2 miles) from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-trump-prison-immigrants-4ab3fc3c0474efb308084604b61f8a37">Terrorism Confinement Center</a>, or CECOT, even as they let other cars go on.“They stopped us because they are under orders not to allow us to proceed," Van Hollen said.U.S. President Donald Trump and Bukele&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-white-house-el-salvador-kilmar-abrego-garcia-ad338d6b4558a6aba80e8290fd3eece9">said this week</a>&nbsp;that they have no basis to send Abrego Garcia back, even as the Trump administration has called his deportation a mistake and the U.S. Supreme Court has called on the administration to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-maryland-deportation-trump-9f46dd62890befdc321ed1ab56107470">facilitate his return</a>. Trump officials have said that Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran citizen who was living in Maryland, has ties to the MS-13 gang, but his attorneys say the government has provided no evidence of that and Abrego Garcia has never been charged with any crime related to such activity.Van Hollen’s trip has become a partisan flashpoint in the U.S. as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abrego-garcia-trump-salvador-due-process-a1265923d0188dc375b01205a0742ac2">Democrats have seized on</a>&nbsp;Abrego Garcia's deportation as what they say is a cruel consequence of Trump's disregard for the courts. Republicans have criticized Democrats for defending him and argued that his deportation is part of a larger effort to reduce crime. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt held a news conference Wednesday with the mother of a Maryland woman who was killed by a fugitive from El Salvador in 2023.The Maryland senator told reporters Wednesday that he met with Salvadoran Vice President Félix Ulloa, who said his government could not return Abrego Garcia to the United States.“So today, I tried again to make contact with Mr. Abrego Garcia by driving to the CECOT prison,” Van Hollen said Thursday.Van Hollen said Abrego Garcia has not had any contact with his family or his lawyers. “There has been no ability to find out anything about his health and well-being," Van Hollen said. He said Abrego Garcia should be able to have contact with his lawyers under international law.“We won’t give up until Kilmar has his due process rights respected,” Van Hollen said. He said there would be “many more” lawmakers coming to El Salvador.New Jersey Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cory-booker-new-jersey-senator-speech-ab573bb7c3c76fa107cacac7136d3823">Cory Booker</a>, D-N.J., is also considering a trip to El Salvador, as are some House Democrats.While Van Hollen was denied entry, several House Republicans have visited the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-trump-prison-immigrants-4ab3fc3c0474efb308084604b61f8a37">notorious gang prison</a>&nbsp;in support of the Trump administration's efforts. Rep. Riley Moore, a West Virginia Republican, posted Tuesday evening that he’d visited the prison where Abrego Garcia is being held. He did not mention Abrego Garcia but said the facility “houses the country’s most brutal criminals.”“I leave now even more determined to support President Trump’s efforts to secure our homeland,” Moore wrote on&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/RepRileyMoore/status/1912289444863828144">social media</a>.Missouri Republican Rep. Jason Smith, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, also visited the prison. He posted on X that “thanks to President Trump" the facility “now includes illegal immigrants who broke into our country and committed violent acts against Americans.”The fight over Abrego Garcia has also played out in contentious court filings, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abrego-garcia-maryland-father-deported-el-salvador-6de340ac95f2abb5fd3688fc1679fd66">repeated refusals</a>&nbsp;from the government to tell a judge what it plans to do, if anything, to repatriate him.Since March, El Salvador has accepted from the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-el-salvador-immigration-dd4f61999f85c4dd8bcaba7d4fc7c9af">more than 200 Venezuelan immigrants</a>&nbsp;— whom Trump administration officials have accused of gang activity and violent crimes — and placed them inside the country’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-trump-prison-immigrants-4ab3fc3c0474efb308084604b61f8a37">maximum-security gang prison</a>&nbsp;just outside San Salvador. That prison is part of Bukele’s broader effort to crack down&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-bukele-central-america-crime-gangs-60c3a34c571dfdbdf0a203deb85abf71">on the country’s powerful street gangs</a>, which has put 84,000 people behind bars and made Bukele extremely popular at home.Human rights groups have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-human-rights-abuses-amnesty-international-bukele-9e6df04aed5b8a21b02e8614b345105a">accused</a>&nbsp;Bukele's government of subjecting those jailed to “systematic use of torture and other mistreatment." Officials there deny wrongdoing.

Senator meets with Abrego Garcia in El Salvador amid fight over US return

ELLIS COUNTY —Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Ian&nbsp;is training his new K9 partner and says that everything is going well, according to social media post from Trooper Tod Hileman.

Ian and the K9 partner have about four weeks training to finish.&nbsp; Ian is trying to find just the right name for his partner and would love your input.&nbsp; &nbsp;Follow Trooper Tod on X and help name Ian's partner.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744932945747.png" alt="Photo KHP" />
 <figcaption>Photo KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>ELLIS COUNTY —Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Ian&nbsp;is training his new K9 partner and says that everything is going well, according to social media post from Trooper Tod Hileman.Ian and the K9 partner have about four weeks training to finish.&nbsp; Ian is trying to find just the right name for his partner and would love your input.&nbsp; &nbsp;Follow Trooper Tod on X and help name Ian's partner.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">OK, everybody, Trooper Ian is training his new partner and says that everything is going well and they have about four weeks to go. He is trying to pick a name for him and would love your input. Todro was already rejected 🤷‍♂️ Throw out your best suggestions. <a href="https://t.co/EP1Uz6yhva">pic.twitter.com/EP1Uz6yhva</a>&mdash; Trooper Tod (@TrooperTodKHP) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrooperTodKHP/status/1912990084065849627?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

KHP Trooper needs your help naming his K9 partner

DODGE
CITY – The Hays High softball team split their first two games of the Dodge City
Classic at Legends Park. The Indians beat Wichita Northwest 16-0 then lost to
Derby 12-1.

Hays
will play Goddard Eisenhower Friday at 10 a.m. then Maize South at 2 p.m.

Hays 16, Wichita Northwest 0 (4 innings)
 Jaylee Summers didn’t allow a hit as the Indians made short work of the Grizzlies.
Summers stuck out six and walked two in the run-rule victory.

Hays
struck for eight runs in the bottom of the first then added four in the second
and four more in the fourth.

Riley
Dreher, Lanie Becker and Brynlee Rupp all had two hits. Dreher drove in four
runs.



Derby 12, Hays 1 (5 innings)
 The Panthers scored two in the second, three in the third and five in the third.

Hays
committed six errors which resulted in eight of Derby’s runs being unearned.

The
Indians were held to only two hits in the game. Alyse Zimmerman drove in the lone
run with a two-out single in the second inning.

Riley
Dreher allowed five runs (one earned) on three hits over two innings and took
the loss.

Hays Post SportsDODGE
CITY – The Hays High softball team split their first two games of the Dodge City
Classic at Legends Park. The Indians beat Wichita Northwest 16-0 then lost to
Derby 12-1.Hays
will play Goddard Eisenhower Friday at 10 a.m. then Maize South at 2 p.m.Hays 16, Wichita Northwest 0 (4 innings)
 Jaylee Summers didn’t allow a hit as the Indians made short work of the Grizzlies.
Summers stuck out six and walked two in the run-rule victory.Hays
struck for eight runs in the bottom of the first then added four in the second
and four more in the fourth.Riley
Dreher, Lanie Becker and Brynlee Rupp all had two hits. Dreher drove in four
runs.

Derby 12, Hays 1 (5 innings)
 The Panthers scored two in the second, three in the third and five in the third.Hays
committed six errors which resulted in eight of Derby’s runs being unearned.The
Indians were held to only two hits in the game. Alyse Zimmerman drove in the lone
run with a two-out single in the second inning.Riley
Dreher allowed five runs (one earned) on three hits over two innings and took
the loss.

🥎 HHS splits first two games at Dodge City Classic

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The 20-year-old son of a sheriff’s deputy opened fire Thursday at Florida State University with his mother’s former service weapon, killing two people and wounding at least six others, investigators said.

Officers quickly arrived and shot and wounded the shooter after he refused to comply with commands, said Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell.

Authorities have not yet revealed a motive for the shooting, which began around lunch time just outside the student union, sending students and frightened parents hiding for cover in a bowling alley and a freight elevator inside the building.

The shooter, identified by police as Phoenix Ikner, is believed to be a Florida State student, investigators said.

He had obtained access to a weapon that belongs to his mother, who has been with the sheriff’s office for over 18 years, said Walt McNeil, Sheriff of Leon County. Police said they believed Ikner shot the victims using his mother's former service handgun.

The two people who died were not students at the university, said Florida State University Police Chief Jason Trumbower, adding that he would not release additional information about the victims.

Tallahassee Memorial Hospital confirmed it was treating six patients wounded from in the shooting, one in critical condition.

Ambulances, fire trucks and patrol vehicles from multiple law enforcement agencies raced toward the campus just west of Florida's capital after the university issued an active shooter alert Thursday.

Ryan Cedergren, a 21-year-old communications student, said he and about 30 others hid in the bowling alley in the union's lower level after seeing students running from a nearby bar.

“In that moment, it was survival,” he said.

Chris Pento said he and his twins were getting lunch at the student union during a campus tour when they heard gunshots. “It was surreal. And people just started running,” he told WCTV in Tallahassee.

They crammed into a service elevator after encountering locked doors at the end of a hallway. “That was probably the scariest point because we didn’t know. It could get worse, right?” he said. “The doors opened and two officers were there, guns drawn.”

Dozens of patrol vehicles, including a forensics van, were parked outside the student union hours after the shooting. Officers blocked off the area with crime scene tape.

Students and staff who left behind phones, keys and other items in the rush to evacuate waited in the shade and prayed for the victims.

President Donald Trump said from the Oval Office that he had been fully briefed on the shooting. “It’s a horrible thing. It’s horrible that things like this take place,” he said.

After receiving warnings of an active shooter, students and faculty took cover and waited in classrooms, offices and dorms across campus.

The first thing you think of is just, ‘This can’t be true,’ right?” said Kai McGalla, a sophomore who spoke by phone while locked down at a campus testing center.

Junior Joshua Sirmans, 20, was in the main library when alarms went off. Law enforcement officers escorted him and other students from the library with their hands over their heads, he said.

Florida State University is one of Florida’s 12 public universities, with its main campus in Tallahassee. About 44,000 students are enrolled in the university, per the school’s 2024 fact sheet.

In 2014, the main library was the site of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/1be5cc23a6bf497baaf76e3928145c8e">shooting that wounded three people</a>. Officers shot and killed the gunman, 31-year-old Myron May.

The university canceled all classes and events for Thursday. It also canceled home athletic events through Sunday.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A gunman opened fire Thursday at Florida State University, killing two people and wounded at least five others, police said. The 20-year-old gunman was the son of a sheriff’s deputy whose former service weapon was used in the shooting, authorities said.

The two people who died were not students at the university, but the shooter is believed to be a student, Florida State University Police Chief Jason Trumbower.

Five people were being treated at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, Trumbower said, and the shooter was also receiving medical attention.

Students and frightened parents hid in a bowling alley and crammed into a freight elevator inside the student union after hearing gunshots outside the building.

Ambulances, fire trucks and patrol vehicles from multiple law enforcement agencies raced toward the campus just west of Florida's capital after the university issued an active shooter alert midday Thursday, saying police were responding near the student union.

After about 15 minutes, university police escorted the students out of the building and he saw a person getting emergency treatment on the lawn, he said.

Chris Pento told WCTV in Tallahassee that he and his twins were getting lunch at the student union during a campus tour when they heard gunshots.

“It was surreal. And people just started running,” he told the TV station.

They packed into a service elevator after encountering locked doors at the end of a hallway. “That was probably the scariest point because we didn’t know. It could get worse, right?” he said. “The doors opened and two officers were there, guns drawn.”

Florida State’s alert system announced about three hours after the shooting that law enforcement had "neutralized the threat." Officials asked students and faculty to avoid the student union and other areas still considered an active crime scene.

Dozens of patrol vehicles, including a forensics van, were parked outside the student union. Officers blocked off the area with crime scene tape.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Multiple victims were reported in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-state-university-shooter-alert-bf66a24ea91959697c7138089b2ef6fb">a shooting Thursday at Florida State University</a>&nbsp;and a suspect was taken into police custody, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. The extent of the victims’ injuries was not immediately known and there were no additional details about the person who was in custody.

The person was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-state-shooting-what-to-know-d444a6ee8f31024f83f0ee320acf7339">Police and FBI were on scene at the university.</a>

Florida State University is canceling classes through Friday, which is two weeks before the university’s scheduled commencement ceremony for graduates on May 2 to 3.

The university’s official finals week per its academic calendar are scheduled to start April 28.

FSU’s alert system announced shortly after 3 p.m. that law enforcement had “neutralized the threat."

Officials are asking students and faculty to avoid the Student Union and several other areas that are still considered an active crime scene. People are otherwise free to move about the campus.

Jake Nair, a senior at Florida State University, was studying in the library when a police officer dashed out of the building, yelling for everyone to stay in place.

“He ran outside with his gun out,” Nair said. “Not all the students heard him, and some of them ran out the back of the library.”

Nair said an alarm in the library then went off and a recorded message warned students to shelter in place because of an active shooter on campus.

Then about five officers came into the library and escorted the students out with their hands up.

“I think they just wanted to make sure none of us had a weapon on us,” Nair said. “To be honest, it was a bit of a surreal moment. It’s the kind of thing you only see on the news.”

The county medical examiner’s office has no updates at this time

An office employee for the Leon County Medical Examiner’s office declined to release information on whether any deaths had been reported to their office at this time, noting that the investigation is still ongoing.

For some Florida State University faculty and staffers who have been on campus for the past dozen years, Thursday’s events brought back memories of another shooting at the school’s main library more than a decade ago.

Three people in 2014 were shot just outside and inside the entrance of Strozier Library in the middle of FSU’s campus. Officers who arrived within two minutes of the first call shot and killed the gunman, 31-year-old Myron May.

Three bullets struck 21-year-old student Farhan “Ronny” Ahmed, including a shot that severely damaged his spine and left him paralyzed from the waist down. The other two victims were library employee Nathan Scott who was shot in the leg and later released from the hospital and a student who was grazed by a bullet.

May, a 2005 FSU graduate and an attorney, reloaded at least once and tried to enter the library, but was blocked by lobby security barriers. Police responded and fired off a barrage of bullets that killed him.

Videos and a journal obtained by police indicate May thought he was being watched and targeted by the government.

Nearby Florida A&amp;M University cancels classes

Florida A&amp;M University, a university minutes away from Florida State University in Tallahassee,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/FAMU_1887/status/1912936344105410841">announced Thursday afternoon</a>&nbsp;that classes and student activities are canceled for the rest of the day, in response to the shooting.

Employees have the option to work remotely for the rest of the day.

‘We didn’t know — it could get worse, right?’

Chris Pento told Tallahassee TV station WCTV that he was on campus Thursday for a tour with his twins and that they were inside the student union getting lunch when they heard gunshots.

Pento said he and several others crammed into a service elevator after first encountering locked doors at the end of a hallway.

“That was probably the scariest point because we didn’t know — it could get worse, right?” he said. “The doors opened, and two officers were there, guns drawn.”

He said the officers asked if they’d seen anything and then pointed them to safety.

Kai McGalla, an FSU sophomore studying finance and Spanish, was taking a test on Excel spreadsheets at a testing center on campus when he started to hear sirens headed to the student union about a 20-minute walk away. The test proctor told them they were being locked down at the center because of the shooting.

“I’m in shock, you know, it’s so hard to believe,” McGalla said by phone while still locked down at the testing center. “The first thing you think of is just, ‘This can’t be true,’ right?”

Florida State cancels all home athletic events through Sunday

The canceled events include three baseball and three softball games.

It’s not immediately clear if FSU teams scheduled for road events will also see their games canceled or postponed.

Ryan Cedergren, a 21-year-old communications student, said he and about 30 others hid in the bowling alley in the lower level of the student union after seeing students running from a nearby bar.

“In that moment, it was survival,” Cedergren said.

After about 15 minutes of hiding, university police escorted the students out of the union, and Cedergren said he saw a person receiving emergency treatment on the lawn.

The president opened his Oval Office meeting with the Italian prime minister with comments on the shooting at Florida State University.

Trump said he had been “fully briefed.”

“It’s a horrible thing. It’s horrible that things like this take place,” he said.

Florida State University is one of Florida’s 12 public universities, with its main campus located in Tallahassee, where the shooting occurred, just minutes from the state Capitol building. About 44,300 students are enrolled in the university, per the school’s 2024 fact sheet.

At least six people have been hospitalized

One person is in critical condition, a spokesperson for Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare said. The other patients are in serious condition, the spokesperson said.

A suspect has been taken into police custody

Florida State gunman used deputy mom's former service weapon to kill 

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — More than 9,000 Catholic employers do not need to abide by federal regulations requiring accommodations for workers who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pregnant-workers-fairness-act-abortion-d2a25371e09a20734803b1b9cce53c85">seek abortions</a>&nbsp;and fertility treatments, according to a ruling issued this week by a federal judge in North Dakota.

The Catholic Benefits Association and the Bismarck Diocese filed a lawsuit last year challenging the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s regulations on implementing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for pregnancy and childbirth-related needs. The EEOC interpreted the statute to include abortion and fertility treatments as among those needs, which the Catholic groups argued violated their religious rights.

The Catholic groups also challenged separate EEOC guidelines for enforcing anti-harassment laws, which the agency updated last year to specify that workers cannot be harassed over their gender-identity or for seeking or contemplating having abortions.

U.S. District Judge Daniel Traynor ruled Tuesday that he would make permanent an earlier&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-dakota-catholic-benefits-association-abortion-bc75f5aeac6cc89967154e0ee9ab7804">preliminary injunction</a>&nbsp;that blocked the EEOC from enforcing both its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pregnant-workers-fairness-act-abortion-women-accomodations-18e5f726a9f6d04b2fa26036bbdcbb6f">final rule for</a>&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pregnant-workers-fairness-act-eeoc-rules-abortion-efbebe81e022ef8d7bb1bd3e0c317c3a">Pregnant Workers Fairness Act</a>&nbsp;and the harassment guidelines against the Catholic employers.

Traynor, who was appointed by President Donald Trump in 2020, wrote last year: “It is a precarious time for people of religious faith in America. It has been described as a post-Christian age. One indication of this dire assessment may be the repeated illegal and unconstitutional administrative actions against one of the founding principles of our country, the free exercise of religion.”

Pregnant Workers Fairness Act initially had bipartisan support

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act passed with widespread bipartisan support in December 2022, and it had the support of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. But controversy ensued when the EEOC&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pregnant-workers-fairness-act-abortion-d2a25371e09a20734803b1b9cce53c85">adopted an expansive view</a>&nbsp;of conditions related to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pregnancy-and-childbirth">pregnancy and childbirth</a>&nbsp;that required accommodations, including for abortion, fertility treatment and birth control. While the rule includes an exemption for religious employers, it says determinations must be made on a case-by-case basis.

In earlier court papers, the association and the diocese said, “The combined effect of EEOC’s pronouncements is that they require CBA Members, contrary to their Catholic faith, to accommodate their employees’ abortions and immoral fertility treatments, to use false pronouns when requested by transitioning employees, to abstain from expressing Catholic teaching regarding sexual issues, and to give employees of one sex access to private spaces reserved to those of the other sex.”

Traynor was a board member of the North Dakota Catholic Conference, which represents the state’s Catholic bishops, according to a Senate Judiciary Committee judicial nominee&nbsp;<a href="https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Daniel%20Mack%20Traynor%20Senate%20Questionnaire%20-%20PUBLIC.pdf" target="_blank">questionnaire</a>. In March 2024, he blocked the government from enforcing federal laws and regulations requiring a Christian employers’ organization to provide insurance coverage for gender-transition surgeries, counseling and other care.

Those that sued are ‘thankful ... for vindicating religious freedom rights’

Attorney Martin Nussbaum said his clients are “very thankful to the federal judiciary for vindicating religious freedom rights” in the case and previous ones involving the association.

“One of the things that we’ve seen is an emerging practice on behalf of some of the federal administrations — we also see this in certain states — a desire not only to mandate immoral benefits but to impose speech codes that would be contrary to Catholic values,” Nussbaum said. “But the speech codes go beyond pronouns to even speaking about what Catholic teaching is, and we’re just grateful to this court for protecting the freedom of speech of Catholic organizations as well.”

Bishop David D. Kagan, of Bismarck, said: “The Court has upheld our religious freedom rights and that is all we ever wanted.”

A Better Balance, a legal advocacy group that led a decades-long campaign for the passage of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, condemned the ruling.

“This ruling is part of a broad trend of attacks on women’s rights and reproductive freedom. The fact that IVF — a highly popular and common medical procedure that millions of Catholics and Christians support — is being targeted speaks to the extremist nature of this case,” A Better Balance President Inimai Chettiar said in a statement.

Backers of Pregnant Workers Fairness Act say ruling could add to confusion

She said the ruling would contribute to confusion over implementation of a law that “was designed to close gaps in the law and bring clarity to pregnant workers and employers alike.” Chettiar emphasized that the entirety of the law remains in effect for most workers.

In an interview, she said it will be interesting to see whether the Justice Department appeals.

The EEOC declined to comment. It had previously asked the judge to deny a permanent injunction and said the other side can’t back up its claims.

However,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eeoc-trump-gender-identity-discrimination-alabama-73a065c8aa5e0060472e1cac1ecd8212">the EEOC’s priorities have shifted dramatically</a>&nbsp;under the administration of Trump,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/equal-employment-eeoc-trump-lawsuit-11c89b6c6a55c006c09345b1c80421b5">who fired two of the agency’s Democratic commissioners</a>&nbsp;in January. The new acting EEOC chair, Andrea Lucas, a Republican, has said she intends to push for a commission vote to change both the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act rules and the updated harassment guidelines.

The Catholic Benefits Association serves more than 9,000 Catholic employers and has about 164,000 employees enrolled in member health plans, according to its website.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744904171890.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — More than 9,000 Catholic employers do not need to abide by federal regulations requiring accommodations for workers who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pregnant-workers-fairness-act-abortion-d2a25371e09a20734803b1b9cce53c85">seek abortions</a>&nbsp;and fertility treatments, according to a ruling issued this week by a federal judge in North Dakota.The Catholic Benefits Association and the Bismarck Diocese filed a lawsuit last year challenging the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s regulations on implementing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for pregnancy and childbirth-related needs. The EEOC interpreted the statute to include abortion and fertility treatments as among those needs, which the Catholic groups argued violated their religious rights.The Catholic groups also challenged separate EEOC guidelines for enforcing anti-harassment laws, which the agency updated last year to specify that workers cannot be harassed over their gender-identity or for seeking or contemplating having abortions.U.S. District Judge Daniel Traynor ruled Tuesday that he would make permanent an earlier&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-dakota-catholic-benefits-association-abortion-bc75f5aeac6cc89967154e0ee9ab7804">preliminary injunction</a>&nbsp;that blocked the EEOC from enforcing both its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pregnant-workers-fairness-act-abortion-women-accomodations-18e5f726a9f6d04b2fa26036bbdcbb6f">final rule for</a>&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pregnant-workers-fairness-act-eeoc-rules-abortion-efbebe81e022ef8d7bb1bd3e0c317c3a">Pregnant Workers Fairness Act</a>&nbsp;and the harassment guidelines against the Catholic employers.Traynor, who was appointed by President Donald Trump in 2020, wrote last year: “It is a precarious time for people of religious faith in America. It has been described as a post-Christian age. One indication of this dire assessment may be the repeated illegal and unconstitutional administrative actions against one of the founding principles of our country, the free exercise of religion.”<h2>Pregnant Workers Fairness Act initially had bipartisan support</h2>The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act passed with widespread bipartisan support in December 2022, and it had the support of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. But controversy ensued when the EEOC&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pregnant-workers-fairness-act-abortion-d2a25371e09a20734803b1b9cce53c85">adopted an expansive view</a>&nbsp;of conditions related to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pregnancy-and-childbirth">pregnancy and childbirth</a>&nbsp;that required accommodations, including for abortion, fertility treatment and birth control. While the rule includes an exemption for religious employers, it says determinations must be made on a case-by-case basis.In earlier court papers, the association and the diocese said, “The combined effect of EEOC’s pronouncements is that they require CBA Members, contrary to their Catholic faith, to accommodate their employees’ abortions and immoral fertility treatments, to use false pronouns when requested by transitioning employees, to abstain from expressing Catholic teaching regarding sexual issues, and to give employees of one sex access to private spaces reserved to those of the other sex.”Traynor was a board member of the North Dakota Catholic Conference, which represents the state’s Catholic bishops, according to a Senate Judiciary Committee judicial nominee&nbsp;<a href="https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Daniel%20Mack%20Traynor%20Senate%20Questionnaire%20-%20PUBLIC.pdf" target="_blank">questionnaire</a>. In March 2024, he blocked the government from enforcing federal laws and regulations requiring a Christian employers’ organization to provide insurance coverage for gender-transition surgeries, counseling and other care.<h2>Those that sued are ‘thankful ... for vindicating religious freedom rights’</h2>Attorney Martin Nussbaum said his clients are “very thankful to the federal judiciary for vindicating religious freedom rights” in the case and previous ones involving the association.“One of the things that we’ve seen is an emerging practice on behalf of some of the federal administrations — we also see this in certain states — a desire not only to mandate immoral benefits but to impose speech codes that would be contrary to Catholic values,” Nussbaum said. “But the speech codes go beyond pronouns to even speaking about what Catholic teaching is, and we’re just grateful to this court for protecting the freedom of speech of Catholic organizations as well.”Bishop David D. Kagan, of Bismarck, said: “The Court has upheld our religious freedom rights and that is all we ever wanted.”A Better Balance, a legal advocacy group that led a decades-long campaign for the passage of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, condemned the ruling.“This ruling is part of a broad trend of attacks on women’s rights and reproductive freedom. The fact that IVF — a highly popular and common medical procedure that millions of Catholics and Christians support — is being targeted speaks to the extremist nature of this case,” A Better Balance President Inimai Chettiar said in a statement.<h2>Backers of Pregnant Workers Fairness Act say ruling could add to confusion</h2>She said the ruling would contribute to confusion over implementation of a law that “was designed to close gaps in the law and bring clarity to pregnant workers and employers alike.” Chettiar emphasized that the entirety of the law remains in effect for most workers.In an interview, she said it will be interesting to see whether the Justice Department appeals.The EEOC declined to comment. It had previously asked the judge to deny a permanent injunction and said the other side can’t back up its claims.However,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eeoc-trump-gender-identity-discrimination-alabama-73a065c8aa5e0060472e1cac1ecd8212">the EEOC’s priorities have shifted dramatically</a>&nbsp;under the administration of Trump,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/equal-employment-eeoc-trump-lawsuit-11c89b6c6a55c006c09345b1c80421b5">who fired two of the agency’s Democratic commissioners</a>&nbsp;in January. The new acting EEOC chair, Andrea Lucas, a Republican, has said she intends to push for a commission vote to change both the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act rules and the updated harassment guidelines.The Catholic Benefits Association serves more than 9,000 Catholic employers and has about 164,000 employees enrolled in member health plans, according to its website.

Judge blocks worker protections for abortion and fertility care for Catholic employers

Congratulations to&nbsp;Gary Pinkall, who&nbsp;finished just one point behind in second place and receives $100 in Chamber Checks in Fort Hays Tech North Central March Mania Bracket Challenge from Hays Post!

Bob Mickelson was the first-place winner.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744901443997.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Congratulations to&nbsp;Gary Pinkall, who&nbsp;finished just one point behind in second place and receives $100 in Chamber Checks in Fort Hays Tech North Central March Mania Bracket Challenge from Hays Post!Bob Mickelson was the first-place winner.

Fort Hays Tech North Central March Mania Bracket Challenge 2nd-place winner

The National Weather Service in Dodge City has issued a red flag warning for wind and low relative humidity, which is in effect from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday.

Affectted counties include Trego-Ellis-Scott-Lane-Ness-Rush-Hamilton-Kearny-Finney-Hodgeman-Pawnee-Stafford-Stanton-Grant-Haskell-Gray-Ford-Edwards-Kiowa-Pratt-Morton-Stevens-Seward-Meade-Clark-Comanche-Barber

A red flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744886075141.png" alt="National Weather Service, Dodge City" />
 <figcaption>National Weather Service, Dodge City</figcaption>
 </figure>Hays PostThe National Weather Service in Dodge City has issued a red flag warning for wind and low relative humidity, which is in effect from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday.Affectted counties include Trego-Ellis-Scott-Lane-Ness-Rush-Hamilton-Kearny-Finney-Hodgeman-Pawnee-Stafford-Stanton-Grant-Haskell-Gray-Ford-Edwards-Kiowa-Pratt-Morton-Stevens-Seward-Meade-Clark-Comanche-BarberA red flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior.

Red flag warning issued for Ellis County Thursday

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

A new name is rolling into town, but the same trusted team is staying behind the wheel as Hays Chevrolet is now Lewis Chevrolet of Hays.

Lewis Automotive Group made the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/lewisautomotivegroup">announcement</a>&nbsp;on social media on Tuesday. The transition is led by Lewis Automotive owner Brad Lewis and his sister, Jamey Lewis-Gonzales.

"This is more than just a new location, it's the continuation of a legacy that Wayne and Karol Kieffer built over the past 18 years with hard work, dedication and a genuine love for the Hays community," Brad said.

Saying he admired and respected Wayne, Lewis said Wayne will still be the general manager. He praised Wayne’s approach to treating customers like family and his commitment to serving the community.

"I'm personally grateful to Wayne for his trust in allowing us to carry that torch forward," Brad said.

Lewis said customers can look forward to seeing the same familiar faces, an increase in Chevrolet inventory, a doubling of the size of used car inventory and the support of the Lewis family.

He said the group remains dedicated to serving the Hays area with the same integrity, transparency and community focus it has demonstrated across Kansas.

"We're not just here to sell cars, we're here to be a part of the fabric of this community," Lewis said.

You can follow Lewis Chevrolet of Hays on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575257579432">Facebook</a>&nbsp;for the latest updates, new Chevrolet arrivals, community events and special deals.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744827015453.jpeg" alt="A Lewis Chevrolet of Hays sign outside the former Hays Chevrolet location. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>A Lewis Chevrolet of Hays sign outside the former Hays Chevrolet location. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostA new name is rolling into town, but the same trusted team is staying behind the wheel as Hays Chevrolet is now Lewis Chevrolet of Hays.Lewis Automotive Group made the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/lewisautomotivegroup">announcement</a>&nbsp;on social media on Tuesday. The transition is led by Lewis Automotive owner Brad Lewis and his sister, Jamey Lewis-Gonzales."This is more than just a new location, it's the continuation of a legacy that Wayne and Karol Kieffer built over the past 18 years with hard work, dedication and a genuine love for the Hays community," Brad said.Saying he admired and respected Wayne, Lewis said Wayne will still be the general manager. He praised Wayne’s approach to treating customers like family and his commitment to serving the community."I'm personally grateful to Wayne for his trust in allowing us to carry that torch forward," Brad said.Lewis said customers can look forward to seeing the same familiar faces, an increase in Chevrolet inventory, a doubling of the size of used car inventory and the support of the Lewis family.He said the group remains dedicated to serving the Hays area with the same integrity, transparency and community focus it has demonstrated across Kansas."We're not just here to sell cars, we're here to be a part of the fabric of this community," Lewis said.You can follow Lewis Chevrolet of Hays on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575257579432">Facebook</a>&nbsp;for the latest updates, new Chevrolet arrivals, community events and special deals.

Hays Chevrolet joins Lewis Automotive family

The Ellis County Fire Department's average on-scene time for incident responses for 2025 is 10 minutes and 19 seconds.

Catherine's average response time was 14 minutes and 46 seconds, while Munjor's was four minutes and 43 seconds.

"10 minutes and 19 seconds may seem like a long time, especially when you're in need [during] an emergency, but our firefighters are not at the station. They're all paged for calls," Ellis County Fire Chief Darin Myers said.

Myers said the average response time reflects the initial page to arrival on scene across the county’s 900 square miles. He noted Catherine’s higher average is also influenced by the low number of calls they receive.

"Since I've been keeping statistics over the years, [the overall average] has actually gotten a little better," Myers said.

Ellis County Fire Department has responded to 63 incidents so far this year, with motor vehicle accidents and EMS assists each accounting for 14.3% of the total call volume.

Myers said that despite challenges, no calls have gone unanswered by volunteers in more than 10 years, with an average of 13 firefighters responding to each incident

"Most of the firefighters, like Ellis County in general, work in Hays. Sometimes it does take a little bit longer during the daytime hours... to get their stations, get dressed and get the truck rolling to the scene," he said.

According to fire and emergency management reports, 32 acres have been burned in wildfires so far this year.&nbsp;

The Ellis County Fire Department announced a temporary burn ban on March 11 for all unincorporated county areas. The ban is still in effect.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/0afcba90-c663-41d1-87c9-1528ac958305">SEE RELATED STORY: Burn ban in effect for rural Ellis County</a>

Myers said he is not a big fan of the burn ban but emphasized it’s necessary for public safety. He recognized some residents are eager for the restriction to be lifted.

"It's my job as a fire service to help protect our community. Having that burn ban in place does limit when people can burn and what they can burn," he said.

During a burn ban, open burning of yard debris, pastures, ditches and other materials is restricted. However, normal household trash can still be burned in a barrel with a protected screen cover.

Myers said many fires begin as controlled burns that reignite days later, potentially spreading and putting surrounding properties at risk.

Myers said the ban will likely be lifted once stable weather conditions reduce the risk of grass fires spreading across the county.

"I just need that moisture, and I will be happy to lift the burn ban," he said.&nbsp;

As of the release of the last drought map on April 10, Ellis County was listed as abnormally dry to being in moderate drought. The updated drought map will be released today, but the county has received no rainfall in the last week.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/0024c52e-fc09-40d6-8b3a-ae2097629656">Ellis County is under a red flag warning until 9 tonight.</a>

Hays has a 30 percent chance of rain forecast for Friday with chances increasing through Sunday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744830633867.jpg" alt="Courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="Post Podcast: Ellis County Fire Department shares response time update" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=mdvfk-1881fc5-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=315" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostThe Ellis County Fire Department's average on-scene time for incident responses for 2025 is 10 minutes and 19 seconds.Catherine's average response time was 14 minutes and 46 seconds, while Munjor's was four minutes and 43 seconds."10 minutes and 19 seconds may seem like a long time, especially when you're in need [during] an emergency, but our firefighters are not at the station. They're all paged for calls," Ellis County Fire Chief Darin Myers said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744815747969.png" alt="Company two is Catherine, company four is Victoria, company five is Hays, company six is Ellis, company eight is&nbsp;Schoenchen and company nine is Munjor." />
 <figcaption>Company two is Catherine, company four is Victoria, company five is Hays, company six is Ellis, company eight is&nbsp;Schoenchen and company nine is Munjor.</figcaption>
 </figure>Myers said the average response time reflects the initial page to arrival on scene across the county’s 900 square miles. He noted Catherine’s higher average is also influenced by the low number of calls they receive."Since I've been keeping statistics over the years, [the overall average] has actually gotten a little better," Myers said.Ellis County Fire Department has responded to 63 incidents so far this year, with motor vehicle accidents and EMS assists each accounting for 14.3% of the total call volume.Myers said that despite challenges, no calls have gone unanswered by volunteers in more than 10 years, with an average of 13 firefighters responding to each incident"Most of the firefighters, like Ellis County in general, work in Hays. Sometimes it does take a little bit longer during the daytime hours... to get their stations, get dressed and get the truck rolling to the scene," he said.<h2>Fire calls, burn ban</h2>According to fire and emergency management reports, 32 acres have been burned in wildfires so far this year.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744828973718.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Ellis County Fire Department announced a temporary burn ban on March 11 for all unincorporated county areas. The ban is still in effect.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/0afcba90-c663-41d1-87c9-1528ac958305">SEE RELATED STORY: Burn ban in effect for rural Ellis County</a>Myers said he is not a big fan of the burn ban but emphasized it’s necessary for public safety. He recognized some residents are eager for the restriction to be lifted."It's my job as a fire service to help protect our community. Having that burn ban in place does limit when people can burn and what they can burn," he said.During a burn ban, open burning of yard debris, pastures, ditches and other materials is restricted. However, normal household trash can still be burned in a barrel with a protected screen cover.Myers said many fires begin as controlled burns that reignite days later, potentially spreading and putting surrounding properties at risk.Myers said the ban will likely be lifted once stable weather conditions reduce the risk of grass fires spreading across the county."I just need that moisture, and I will be happy to lift the burn ban," he said.&nbsp;As of the release of the last drought map on April 10, Ellis County was listed as abnormally dry to being in moderate drought. The updated drought map will be released today, but the county has received no rainfall in the last week.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/0024c52e-fc09-40d6-8b3a-ae2097629656">Ellis County is under a red flag warning until 9 tonight.</a>Hays has a 30 percent chance of rain forecast for Friday with chances increasing through Sunday.

Ellis County Fire Department shares response time update

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post&nbsp;

The Hays City Commission will hear a request for industrial revenue bonds for a new facility for A&amp;A Coors at its meeting at 4 p.m. at Hays City Hall.

The business, 823 E. Eighth St., wants to build a new 43,000 square foot commercial warehouse and distribution facility in the industrial park at Ninth and Commerce Parkway.

The developer estimates the facility to be about a $7 million project, Jarrod Kuckleman, assistant city manager, said.

The developer is requesting industrial revenue bonds, also known as IRBs, be issued to benefit the project. Using the bonds will allow the developer to obtain a sales tax exemption for all purchases related to the project's construction and a real property tax abatement for up to 10 years.

Before granting the request, the city must have a public hearing on the bonds.

The payment obligations solely belong to the developer and would not increase local taxes.

The commission will also hear the following reports during the work session:

• A report from Fort Hays Tech/North Central on the Big Creek Technical Training facility.

• A bid for water resource department parking lot and access improvements.&nbsp;City staff solicited bids for concrete paving of the parking lot and entrance area at the Water Treatment Plant and Water Resources Maintenance Facility. 

The project was budgeted for $130,000. A single bid was received for $136,483 from&nbsp;Morgan Brothers Construction. Despite being slightly over budget, the city staff is recommending approval of the bid.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584721067731.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post&nbsp;The Hays City Commission will hear a request for industrial revenue bonds for a new facility for A&amp;A Coors at its meeting at 4 p.m. at Hays City Hall.The business, 823 E. Eighth St., wants to build a new 43,000 square foot commercial warehouse and distribution facility in the industrial park at Ninth and Commerce Parkway.The developer estimates the facility to be about a $7 million project, Jarrod Kuckleman, assistant city manager, said.The developer is requesting industrial revenue bonds, also known as IRBs, be issued to benefit the project. Using the bonds will allow the developer to obtain a sales tax exemption for all purchases related to the project's construction and a real property tax abatement for up to 10 years.Before granting the request, the city must have a public hearing on the bonds.The payment obligations solely belong to the developer and would not increase local taxes.The commission will also hear the following reports during the work session:• A report from Fort Hays Tech/North Central on the Big Creek Technical Training facility.• A bid for water resource department parking lot and access improvements.&nbsp;City staff solicited bids for concrete paving of the parking lot and entrance area at the Water Treatment Plant and Water Resources Maintenance Facility. The project was budgeted for $130,000. A single bid was received for $136,483 from&nbsp;Morgan Brothers Construction. Despite being slightly over budget, the city staff is recommending approval of the bid.• A bid for pavement marking.

A & A Coors seeks industrial revenue bonds to build new warehouse

PAWNEE COUNTY —The Kansas Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal crash that occurred just after 2:30p.m. Wednesday in Pawnee County.

The patrol reported a vehicle was westbound on U.S. Highway 56 five miles west of Garfield. 

The vehicle traveled onto the north shoulder, into a ditch, struck a dirt embankment and rolled end over end before coming to rest in the ditch.

The Patrol reported no additional details late Wednesday. Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

PAWNEE COUNTY —The Kansas Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal crash that occurred just after 2:30p.m. Wednesday in Pawnee County.The patrol reported a vehicle was westbound on U.S. Highway 56 five miles west of Garfield. The vehicle traveled onto the north shoulder, into a ditch, struck a dirt embankment and rolled end over end before coming to rest in the ditch.The Patrol reported no additional details late Wednesday. Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

KHP investigating fatal rollover crash

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Wednesday said he has found probable cause to hold the Trump administration in&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.278436/gov.uscourts.dcd.278436.81.0_1.pdf">criminal contempt</a>&nbsp;of court for violating his orders last month to turn around planes carrying deportees to an El Salvador prison.

<a href="https://ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_public_doc?2025cv0766-81">Click here to read the full ruling</a>

The ruling from U.S District Judge James E. Boasberg, whom President Donald Trump has said should be impeached, marks a dramatic battle between the judicial and executive branches of government over the president’s powers to carry out key White House priorities.

Boasberg accused administration officials of rushing deportees out of the country under the Alien Enemies Act last month before they could challenge their removal in court, and then willfully disregarding his order that planes already in the air should return to the United States.

The judge warned he could hold hearings and potentially refer the matter for prosecution if the administration does not act to remedy the violation. If the Justice Department declines to prosecute the matter, Boasberg said he will appoint another attorney to do so.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744068208069.png" alt="Image from video provided by El Salvador President Nayib Bukele and U.S. Senator from Missouri Eric Schmitt" />
 <figcaption>Image from video provided by El Salvador President Nayib Bukele and U.S. Senator from Missouri Eric Schmitt</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Wednesday said he has found probable cause to hold the Trump administration in&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.278436/gov.uscourts.dcd.278436.81.0_1.pdf">criminal contempt</a>&nbsp;of court for violating his orders last month to turn around planes carrying deportees to an El Salvador prison.<a href="https://ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_public_doc?2025cv0766-81">Click here to read the full ruling</a>The ruling from U.S District Judge James E. Boasberg, whom President Donald Trump has said should be impeached, marks a dramatic battle between the judicial and executive branches of government over the president’s powers to carry out key White House priorities.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744833653771.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Boasberg accused administration officials of rushing deportees out of the country under the Alien Enemies Act last month before they could challenge their removal in court, and then willfully disregarding his order that planes already in the air should return to the United States.The judge warned he could hold hearings and potentially refer the matter for prosecution if the administration does not act to remedy the violation. If the Justice Department declines to prosecute the matter, Boasberg said he will appoint another attorney to do so.“The Constitution does not tolerate willful disobedience of judicial orders — especially by officials of a coordinate branch who have sworn an oath to uphold it," wrote Boasberg, the chief judge of Washington's federal court.The administration said it would appeal.“The President is 100% committed to ensuring that terrorists and criminal illegal migrants are no longer a threat to Americans and their communities across the country,” White House communications director Steven Cheung wrote in a post on X.The case has become one of the most contentious amid a slew of legal battles being waged against the Republican administration that has put the White House on a collision course with the federal courts.Administration officials have repeatedly criticized judges for reigning in the president's actions, accusing the courts of improperly impinging on his executive powers. Trump and his allies have called for impeaching Boasberg, prompting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-federal-judges-impeachment-29da1153a9f82106748098a6606fec39">a rare statement</a>&nbsp;from Chief Justice John Roberts, who said “impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision.”Boasberg said the government could avoid contempt proceedings if it takes custody of the deportees, who were sent to the El Salvador prison in violation of his order, so they have a chance to challenge their removal. It was not clear how that would work because he said the government "would not need to release any of those individuals, nor would it need to transport them back to the homeland.”In a separate case, the administration has acknowledged mistakenly deporting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-abrego-garcia-e1b2af6528f915a1f0ec60f9a1c73cdd">Kilmar Abrego Garcia</a>&nbsp;to the El Salvador prison, but does not intend to return him to the U.S. despite a Supreme Court ruling that the administration must “facilitate” his release. The judge in that case has said she is determining whether to undertake contempt proceedings, saying officials “appear to have done nothing to aid in Abrego Garcia’s release from custody and return to the United States.”Boasberg, who was nominated for the federal bench by Democratic President Barack Obama, had ordered the administration last month not to deport anyone in its custody under the Alien Enemies Act after Trump invoked the 1798 wartime law over what he claimed was an invasion by the Venezuelan gang&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tren-de-aragua-gang-venezuela-trump-40ec0390047c2b17e961dd029da02e65">Tren de Aragua</a>.When Boasberg was told there were already planes in the air headed to El Salvador, which has agreed to house deported migrants in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-el-salvador-immigration-dd4f61999f85c4dd8bcaba7d4fc7c9af">notorious</a>&nbsp;prison, the judge said the aircraft needed to be returned to the United States. But hours later, El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, announced that the deportees had arrived in his country. In a social media post, he said, “Oopsie...too late” above an article referencing Boasberg’s order.The administration has argued it did not violate any orders, noted the judge did not include the turnaround directive in his written order and said the planes had already left the U.S. by the time that order came down.The Supreme Court earlier this month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-deportations-el-salvador-9988b667199e1b02fc0a6a83570225c1">vacated Boasberg's temporary order</a>&nbsp;blocking the deportations under the Alien Enemies Act, but said the immigrants must be given a chance to fight their removals before they are deported. The conservative majority said the legal challenges must take place in Texas, instead of a Washington courtroom.Boasberg wrote that even though the Supreme Court found his order “suffered from a legal defect,” that “does not excuse the Government’s violation.”He wrote that the government's “conduct betrayed a desire to outrun the equitable reach of the Judiciary.”"The Court does not reach such conclusion lightly or hastily; indeed, it has given Defendants ample opportunity to rectify or explain their actions. None of their responses has been satisfactory," Boasberg wrote.