NORTON — Work will resume this week on asphalt crack repair Kansas Department of Transportation projects in Rice and Rush counties that were paused last season due to weather concerns.

One KDOT project will be on U.S. 183 in Rush County, from the Pawnee/Rush county line to the south city limits of La Crosse. The length is 10 miles.

The work is expected to begin around April 3 starting in Rice County, to be completed around April 11. The Rush County project will follow that, with both projects done by early May, weather permitting.

During the work, traffic will be guided by a pilot car and flaggers, and motorists should be prepared to slow down and stop and expect up to a 15-minute delay.

KDOT urges motorists to stay alert and follow posted signs in all work zones.

For current road conditions, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kandrive.gov/">www.kandrive.gov</a>&nbsp;or call 5-1-1. For updates on construction projects in south central Kansas, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ksdot.gov/projects/south-central-kansas-projects">https://www.ksdot.gov/projects/south-central-kansas-projects</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743608091376.jpeg" alt="Photo by Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>KDOTNORTON — Work will resume this week on asphalt crack repair Kansas Department of Transportation projects in Rice and Rush counties that were paused last season due to weather concerns.One KDOT project will be on U.S. 183 in Rush County, from the Pawnee/Rush county line to the south city limits of La Crosse. The length is 10 miles.The work is expected to begin around April 3 starting in Rice County, to be completed around April 11. The Rush County project will follow that, with both projects done by early May, weather permitting.During the work, traffic will be guided by a pilot car and flaggers, and motorists should be prepared to slow down and stop and expect up to a 15-minute delay.KDOT urges motorists to stay alert and follow posted signs in all work zones.For current road conditions, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kandrive.gov/">www.kandrive.gov</a>&nbsp;or call 5-1-1. For updates on construction projects in south central Kansas, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ksdot.gov/projects/south-central-kansas-projects">https://www.ksdot.gov/projects/south-central-kansas-projects</a>.

Crack repair resumes this month on U.S. Highway 183 in Rush County

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Suspected U.S. airstrikes battered rebel-controlled areas of Yemen into Wednesday, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">the Houthis</a>&nbsp;saying that one strike killed at least four people near the Red Sea port city of Hodeida.

Meanwhile, satellite images taken Wednesday and analyzed by The Associated Press show&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/b2-bombers-us-yemen-houthis-iran-israel-hamas-war-487247ed0d6c8743b21d18740b649d1c">at least six stealth B-2 Spirit bombers</a>&nbsp;now stationed at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean — a highly unusual deployment amid the Yemen campaign and tensions with Iran.

The intense campaign of airstrikes in Yemen under U.S. President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, targeting the rebels over their attacks on shipping in Mideast waters stemming from the Israel-Hamas war,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-us-strikes-iran-447f4abb39cc12c7f2f5596f0e33407b">has killed at least 65 people</a>, according to casualty figures released by the Houthis.

The campaign appears to show no signs of stopping as the Trump administration again linked their airstrikes on the Iranian-backed Houthis to an effort to pressure Iran over its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-program-us-tensions-explains-25acc4bfbbe165a374a58ebfa6a4ab41">rapidly advancing nuclear program</a>. While so far giving no specifics about the campaign and its targets, White House press secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-administration-press-secretary-4c550e04334e87d2075dc6bbe2e244bd">Karoline Leavitt</a>&nbsp;put the overall number of strikes on Tuesday at more than 200.

“Iran is incredibly weakened as a result of these attacks, and we have seen they have taken out Houthi leaders,” Leavitt said. “They’ve taken out critical members who were launching strikes on naval ships and on commercial vessels and this operation will not stop until the freedom of navigation in this region is restored.”

The Houthis haven’t acknowledged the loss of any of its leadership so far — and the U.S. hasn’t identified any official by name. However, messages released by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-atlantic-war-plans-signal-yemen-houthis-c0addd08c627ab01a37ea63621cb695e">the leak of a Signal conversation</a>&nbsp;between Trump administration officials and their public comments suggest a leader in the rebels’ missile forces had been targeted.

Overnight, a likely U.S. airstrike targeted what the Houthis described as a “water project” in Hodeida governorate’s Mansuriyah District, killing four people and wounding others. Other strikes into Wednesday targeted Hajjah, Saada and Sanaa governorates, the rebels said.

The rebels say they’ve continued to launch attacks against U.S. warships in the Red Sea, namely the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, which is carrying out the majority of the strikes on the Houthis. No warship has been struck yet, but the U.S. Navy has described the Houthi fire as the most&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-navy-yemen-houthis-israel-war-7a9997f9d84ac669fae69ecf819913fb">intense combat</a>&nbsp;its sailors have faced since World War II.

The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, now in Asia, is on its way to the Middle East to back up the Truman. Early Wednesday, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said that “additional squadrons and other air assets” would be deployed to the region, without elaborating.

More than 300 airmen and several A-10 Thunderbolt IIs have deployed into the Middle East as well to support the mission from the Idaho Air National Guard. The troops, from Idaho’s 124th Fighter Wing out of Boise, fly the aircraft known as the Warthog. The U.S. military’s Central Command, which oversees Mideast operations, posted an image Wednesday of two A-10s flying in the region.

Satellite photos taken Wednesday by Planet Labs PBC and analyzed by the AP showed at least six nuclear-capable B-2 bombers deployed to Camp Thunder Bay on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.

The deployment represents nearly a third of all the B-2 bombers in Washington’s arsenal. It’s also highly unusual to see that many at one base abroad. Typically, so-called show of force missions involving the B-2 have seen two or three of the aircraft conduct operations in foreign territory.

The B-2, which first saw action in 1999 in the Kosovo War, is rarely used by the U.S. military in combat, because each aircraft is worth around $1 billion. It has dropped bombs in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya as well. The bombers are based at Whiteman Air Base in Missouri and typically conduct long-range strikes from there.

The U.S. has used the B-2 in Yemen last year to attack&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-airstrikes-yemen-houthi-rebels-israel-hamas-war-99721f7f952d66d6da27e24dc3c189c3">underground Houthi bases</a>. The B-2 likely would need to be used if Washington ever tried to target&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-us-penetrator-bomb-c623a3e172298a244e47d5bf404fc55b">Iran’s underground nuclear sites</a>&nbsp;as well.

The Houthis on Tuesday said that they shot down&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-mq9-shot-down-israel-hamas-war-us-airstrikes-6bd7764ba19e84d2dddac0d3c762459a">another American MQ-9 drone</a>&nbsp;over the country.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-us-airstrikes-israel-hamas-278d07bc5aad75bb32e57f99a78cbe88">An AP review</a>&nbsp;has found the new American operation against the Houthis under Trump appears&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3WJ-C2gpDA" target="_blank">more extensive</a>&nbsp;than those under former U.S. President Joe Biden, as Washington moves from solely targeting launch sites to firing at ranking personnel and dropping bombs on cities.

The new campaign of airstrikes started after the rebels&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-israel-hamas-war-gaza-aid-ship-attacks-0da6c2453fe2c4e5f81923c84c7d3f3a">threatened to begin targeting “Israeli” ships</a>&nbsp;again over Israel blocking aid entering the Gaza Strip. The rebels have loosely defined what constitutes an Israeli ship, meaning many vessels could be targeted.

The Houthis targeted more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houthi-rebels-ship-attack-red-sea-yemen-bfa7d321e55c5bb59b268b82ef3c56ba">sinking two</a>&nbsp;of them and killing four sailors from November 2023 until January of this year. They also launched attacks targeting American warships without success.

The attacks greatly raised the profile of the Houthis, who faced economic problems and launched a crackdown targeting dissent and aid workers in Yemen amid a decadelong stalemated war that has torn apart the Arab world’s poorest nation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743644959974.png" alt="This satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows six B-2 stealth bombers parked at Camp Thunder Cove in Diego Garcia on April 2, 2025 (Planet Labs PBC via AP)" />
 <figcaption>This satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows six B-2 stealth bombers parked at Camp Thunder Cove in Diego Garcia on April 2, 2025 (Planet Labs PBC via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Suspected U.S. airstrikes battered rebel-controlled areas of Yemen into Wednesday, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">the Houthis</a>&nbsp;saying that one strike killed at least four people near the Red Sea port city of Hodeida.Meanwhile, satellite images taken Wednesday and analyzed by The Associated Press show&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/b2-bombers-us-yemen-houthis-iran-israel-hamas-war-487247ed0d6c8743b21d18740b649d1c">at least six stealth B-2 Spirit bombers</a>&nbsp;now stationed at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean — a highly unusual deployment amid the Yemen campaign and tensions with Iran.The intense campaign of airstrikes in Yemen under U.S. President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, targeting the rebels over their attacks on shipping in Mideast waters stemming from the Israel-Hamas war,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-us-strikes-iran-447f4abb39cc12c7f2f5596f0e33407b">has killed at least 65 people</a>, according to casualty figures released by the Houthis.The campaign appears to show no signs of stopping as the Trump administration again linked their airstrikes on the Iranian-backed Houthis to an effort to pressure Iran over its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-program-us-tensions-explains-25acc4bfbbe165a374a58ebfa6a4ab41">rapidly advancing nuclear program</a>. While so far giving no specifics about the campaign and its targets, White House press secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-administration-press-secretary-4c550e04334e87d2075dc6bbe2e244bd">Karoline Leavitt</a>&nbsp;put the overall number of strikes on Tuesday at more than 200.“Iran is incredibly weakened as a result of these attacks, and we have seen they have taken out Houthi leaders,” Leavitt said. “They’ve taken out critical members who were launching strikes on naval ships and on commercial vessels and this operation will not stop until the freedom of navigation in this region is restored.”The Houthis haven’t acknowledged the loss of any of its leadership so far — and the U.S. hasn’t identified any official by name. However, messages released by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-atlantic-war-plans-signal-yemen-houthis-c0addd08c627ab01a37ea63621cb695e">the leak of a Signal conversation</a>&nbsp;between Trump administration officials and their public comments suggest a leader in the rebels’ missile forces had been targeted.<h2>Fatal strike reportedly targets Hodeida</h2>Overnight, a likely U.S. airstrike targeted what the Houthis described as a “water project” in Hodeida governorate’s Mansuriyah District, killing four people and wounding others. Other strikes into Wednesday targeted Hajjah, Saada and Sanaa governorates, the rebels said.The rebels say they’ve continued to launch attacks against U.S. warships in the Red Sea, namely the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, which is carrying out the majority of the strikes on the Houthis. No warship has been struck yet, but the U.S. Navy has described the Houthi fire as the most&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-navy-yemen-houthis-israel-war-7a9997f9d84ac669fae69ecf819913fb">intense combat</a>&nbsp;its sailors have faced since World War II.The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, now in Asia, is on its way to the Middle East to back up the Truman. Early Wednesday, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said that “additional squadrons and other air assets” would be deployed to the region, without elaborating.More than 300 airmen and several A-10 Thunderbolt IIs have deployed into the Middle East as well to support the mission from the Idaho Air National Guard. The troops, from Idaho’s 124th Fighter Wing out of Boise, fly the aircraft known as the Warthog. The U.S. military’s Central Command, which oversees Mideast operations, posted an image Wednesday of two A-10s flying in the region.<h2>More B-2s seen at Diego Garcia</h2>Satellite photos taken Wednesday by Planet Labs PBC and analyzed by the AP showed at least six nuclear-capable B-2 bombers deployed to Camp Thunder Bay on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.The deployment represents nearly a third of all the B-2 bombers in Washington’s arsenal. It’s also highly unusual to see that many at one base abroad. Typically, so-called show of force missions involving the B-2 have seen two or three of the aircraft conduct operations in foreign territory.The B-2, which first saw action in 1999 in the Kosovo War, is rarely used by the U.S. military in combat, because each aircraft is worth around $1 billion. It has dropped bombs in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya as well. The bombers are based at Whiteman Air Base in Missouri and typically conduct long-range strikes from there.The U.S. has used the B-2 in Yemen last year to attack&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-airstrikes-yemen-houthi-rebels-israel-hamas-war-99721f7f952d66d6da27e24dc3c189c3">underground Houthi bases</a>. The B-2 likely would need to be used if Washington ever tried to target&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-us-penetrator-bomb-c623a3e172298a244e47d5bf404fc55b">Iran’s underground nuclear sites</a>&nbsp;as well.The Houthis on Tuesday said that they shot down&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-mq9-shot-down-israel-hamas-war-us-airstrikes-6bd7764ba19e84d2dddac0d3c762459a">another American MQ-9 drone</a>&nbsp;over the country.<h2>Intense US bombings began on March 15</h2><a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-us-airstrikes-israel-hamas-278d07bc5aad75bb32e57f99a78cbe88">An AP review</a>&nbsp;has found the new American operation against the Houthis under Trump appears&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3WJ-C2gpDA" target="_blank">more extensive</a>&nbsp;than those under former U.S. President Joe Biden, as Washington moves from solely targeting launch sites to firing at ranking personnel and dropping bombs on cities.The new campaign of airstrikes started after the rebels&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-israel-hamas-war-gaza-aid-ship-attacks-0da6c2453fe2c4e5f81923c84c7d3f3a">threatened to begin targeting “Israeli” ships</a>&nbsp;again over Israel blocking aid entering the Gaza Strip. The rebels have loosely defined what constitutes an Israeli ship, meaning many vessels could be targeted.The Houthis targeted more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houthi-rebels-ship-attack-red-sea-yemen-bfa7d321e55c5bb59b268b82ef3c56ba">sinking two</a>&nbsp;of them and killing four sailors from November 2023 until January of this year. They also launched attacks targeting American warships without success.The attacks greatly raised the profile of the Houthis, who faced economic problems and launched a crackdown targeting dissent and aid workers in Yemen amid a decadelong stalemated war that has torn apart the Arab world’s poorest nation.

More B-2 bombers seen at US base in striking distance of Yemen, Iran

Crystal Ann “Chris” Trauer age 86 of Hays, Kansas died March
31, 2025. &nbsp;She was born August 7, 1938, in Pueblo, Colorado to Lyle and
Evelyn (Weight) Scott.

She married Robert Dennis in Pueblo, CO and had three children, Lauree, Steve,
and Mike.&nbsp; She grew up in Pueblo, CO and was a 1956 graduate of Central
High School.&nbsp; While living in Colorado Chris worked at Woolworths in
Denver and in 1972, they moved to Ellis, KS as her husband worked on the
railroad. She and Robert later separated.&nbsp;&nbsp; 

While living in Ellis she met Duane Trauer when she worked at the 11th Frame
Club, and&nbsp;they later
married on March 26, 1977, in Palco, KS.&nbsp; He preceded her in death on
January 20, 2011.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 

She and Duane started Trauer Insurance Agency in the basement of their house in
1977, and later moved the business to Northridge Plaza, and happily serving
numerous customers throughout Western KS in the crop/hail insurance industry.&nbsp;
They sold the agency in 2001, and Duane continued to work until 2011, and Chris
worked there until 2012.&nbsp; She was a member of the First United Methodist
Church, and a Life member of the V.F.W. Auxiliary Post # 9076 both of
Hays.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 

&nbsp;Chris had a passion for bowling and attended several state bowling
tournaments, loved gardening, traveling to Alaska to see her kids and
grandkids, and traveling with friends on cruises, trips to Hawaii, and other
places in the US, and spending time with her grand dog “Emmy”,

Crystal is survived by her children, Lauree Honas and husband, Jim, Ellis, KS;
Mike Dennis and wife, Jane, Big Lake, AK; Terri Cox, Pearisburg, VA; Tammi
Strutt and husband, Darvin, Colby, KS; her daughter-in-law, Audra Dennis, Hawaii;
her grandchildren, Eric Wedermyer; Amanda Wedermyer; Ryan Gross; Sarah Cummings
(Justin); Daniella Peterson (Kevin); Ryan Honas; Jessica Alocoer (Jose); Brain
Trauer; Tyler Trauer (Kayla); Dana Cox (Laura); Kirstie Wojtech (John); Trevor
Strutt (Amanda); her great grandchildren, Madison and Hailey Wedermyer; JuJaun
Lucas, and Lyric Gross; Caden, Brynlee, and Layton Peterson; Haven Wojtech;
Harper and Holton Trauer; Benson and Kami Trauer; and Shaylee Benoit.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Lyle and Evelyn Scott; her husband
Duane Trauer; her sons, Steve Dennis; Mark Trauer; and Gregg Trauer.

Chris will be missed dearly by her family, friends, and all who were blessed to
know her.

Though she
is no longer with us, the memories of her energetic spirit will live on in the
hearts of all the lives she touched.

A Celebration of Life Services will be at 1:00 P.M. Friday, April 4, 2025, at
Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary of Hays with Chaplain, Chad Pritchett
officiating.&nbsp; Inurnment will be at Mount Allen Cemetery, Hays, Kansas, 

&nbsp;The family will receive friends from 11:30 to 1:00 P.M. Friday, at
Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary&nbsp;of Hays. 

The family suggests memorials made payable to: Fort Hays State University, for
Athletic Department in care of Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary of&nbsp; Hays, 1919 East 22nd
Street, Hays,Kansas
67601.

Condolences can be emailed to <a href="mailto:clineschapels@gmail.com">clineschapels@gmail.com</a> or left by guestbook at <a href="http://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com">www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743548061072.jpeg" alt="Crystal Ann 'Chris' Trauer" />
 <figcaption>Crystal Ann 'Chris' Trauer</figcaption>
 </figure>Crystal Ann “Chris” Trauer age 86 of Hays, Kansas died March
31, 2025. &nbsp;She was born August 7, 1938, in Pueblo, Colorado to Lyle and
Evelyn (Weight) Scott.She married Robert Dennis in Pueblo, CO and had three children, Lauree, Steve,
and Mike.&nbsp; She grew up in Pueblo, CO and was a 1956 graduate of Central
High School.&nbsp; While living in Colorado Chris worked at Woolworths in
Denver and in 1972, they moved to Ellis, KS as her husband worked on the
railroad. She and Robert later separated.&nbsp;&nbsp; While living in Ellis she met Duane Trauer when she worked at the 11th Frame
Club, and&nbsp;they later
married on March 26, 1977, in Palco, KS.&nbsp; He preceded her in death on
January 20, 2011.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She and Duane started Trauer Insurance Agency in the basement of their house in
1977, and later moved the business to Northridge Plaza, and happily serving
numerous customers throughout Western KS in the crop/hail insurance industry.&nbsp;
They sold the agency in 2001, and Duane continued to work until 2011, and Chris
worked there until 2012.&nbsp; She was a member of the First United Methodist
Church, and a Life member of the V.F.W. Auxiliary Post # 9076 both of
Hays.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Chris had a passion for bowling and attended several state bowling
tournaments, loved gardening, traveling to Alaska to see her kids and
grandkids, and traveling with friends on cruises, trips to Hawaii, and other
places in the US, and spending time with her grand dog “Emmy”,Crystal is survived by her children, Lauree Honas and husband, Jim, Ellis, KS;
Mike Dennis and wife, Jane, Big Lake, AK; Terri Cox, Pearisburg, VA; Tammi
Strutt and husband, Darvin, Colby, KS; her daughter-in-law, Audra Dennis, Hawaii;
her grandchildren, Eric Wedermyer; Amanda Wedermyer; Ryan Gross; Sarah Cummings
(Justin); Daniella Peterson (Kevin); Ryan Honas; Jessica Alocoer (Jose); Brain
Trauer; Tyler Trauer (Kayla); Dana Cox (Laura); Kirstie Wojtech (John); Trevor
Strutt (Amanda); her great grandchildren, Madison and Hailey Wedermyer; JuJaun
Lucas, and Lyric Gross; Caden, Brynlee, and Layton Peterson; Haven Wojtech;
Harper and Holton Trauer; Benson and Kami Trauer; and Shaylee Benoit.She was preceded in death by her parents, Lyle and Evelyn Scott; her husband
Duane Trauer; her sons, Steve Dennis; Mark Trauer; and Gregg Trauer.Chris will be missed dearly by her family, friends, and all who were blessed to
know her.Though she
is no longer with us, the memories of her energetic spirit will live on in the
hearts of all the lives she touched.A Celebration of Life Services will be at 1:00 P.M. Friday, April 4, 2025, at
Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary of Hays with Chaplain, Chad Pritchett
officiating.&nbsp; Inurnment will be at Mount Allen Cemetery, Hays, Kansas, &nbsp;The family will receive friends from 11:30 to 1:00 P.M. Friday, at
Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary&nbsp;of Hays. The family suggests memorials made payable to: Fort Hays State University, for
Athletic Department in care of Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary of&nbsp; Hays, 1919 East 22nd
Street, Hays,Kansas
67601.Condolences can be emailed to <a href="mailto:clineschapels@gmail.com">clineschapels@gmail.com</a> or left by guestbook at <a href="http://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com">www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com</a>

Crystal Ann 'Chris' Trauer

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<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743609948107.png" alt="G&amp;H Worx, LLC&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>G&amp;H Worx, LLC&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>SPONSORED: G&amp;H WorX is growing! General Laborer(s) WANTED!G&amp;H WorX is a family-owned and operated fence, sprinkler system and lawncare contractor that provides comprehensive management for residential and commercial clients throughout Kansas.The team is growing and they’re looking for some general laborers to join their team!Position includes:· Full-time employment – 40 hours a week · Safe Environment · Post Construction Cleanup or General Outside work – YOU CHOOSE! · Great Pay! · Awesome Culture!Immediate openings wanted filled soon with the right candidates! Give Brian a call at 785-621-2500. Learn more about G&amp;H WorX at <a href="https://www.ghworx.com/">www.ghworx.com</a>.

🎾 HHS boys place fifth in McPherson

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

You wouldn't think a cell phone and radio could weigh so much.

But for Hays Police Department Deputy Chief Brian Dawson, they carried the weight of being the No. 2 at the department. They carried the weight of responsibility of each call and sacrifice he made in his 25 years on the Hays Police Department.

On Friday, he took his last radio call. He handed in his phone, radio and badge for the final time, retiring from a lifetime of service to his community.

Dawson, 55, came later in life to law enforcement. He joined the police department as a 30-year-old rookie.&nbsp;

As a young man, he dreamed of joining the FBI. At that time, several tracks could lead to a career in the federal agency. He decided he would attempt to join the FBI through the accounting track, so he started as an accounting major at Fort Hays State University.

However, he soon discovered accounting was not for him.

At that time, FHSU did not have a criminal justice major, so he changed his major to broadcast communications with a minor in sociology with an emphasis in criminology.

After graduation, he had the opportunity to spend a summer as a counselor and ski instructor at a boy's summer camp, Camp Caribou in Bangor, Maine.

That gave him some experience working with youth, which would continue to be a theme throughout his career.

He worked in substance abuse prevention in Salina before returning to Hays, where he grew up, to work as a community consultant for the Ellis County Community Partnership, which was housed in the Smoky Hill Foundation.&nbsp;

He worked in drug and alcohol prevention, often working with youth.

He also worked with a state-funded tobacco cessation program and promoted the Red Ribbon Campaign and Great American Smokeout.

"A big part of my job was to get together with community leaders and get some funds and make sure there were alternative things for kids to do other than go have a pasture party or keg party," Dawson said. "And that we had good protective factors in the community."

Dawson, at 30, joined the Hays Police Department as a patrol officer.&nbsp;He described himself as a "late bloomer." When he started, he took a $3 an hour pay cut from his job working for the community partnership.

"That's where everyone starts," he said. ... "Nobody starts out as a detective. Nobody starts off as a captain. You have to start out as an officer and understand the laws and that protect and serve part, and then move up through the ranks through all of the different avenues."

Dawson was promoted after a little more than a year as a patrol officer to a school resource officer, a position he served in for nine and a half years.

Initially, he served all the schools in the school district. Then, a second school resource officer was hired.&nbsp;

Dawson said some officers prefer to work with older youth, but he also liked giving presentations to the elementary-age students.

"I just really liked being in the schools," he said. "I really liked being in the classroom, whether I was doing a presentation on the topic of search and seizure, or I got asked into a married life class. I got asked into the English class when they were reading 'Romeo and Juliet,' so I slipped in what is referred to as the Romeo and Juliet law, which is unlawful voluntary sexual relations."

Unlawful voluntary sexual relations is sex perpetrated by an&nbsp;offender who is 18 years old or younger with a victim who is 14 or 15 years old.

"I told them what their responsibilities were—that at age 10, they could be arrested. At age 14, they could be interviewed without an attorney or parent being present," he said.

He said he tried to help the students see the officer in the uniform is a person too.

"We are here to serve and help them," Dawson said. "They're my boss, and I'm here to help them be successful."

Dawson said he was disappointed when the school resource officer program was disbanded in Hays, but delighted in 2023 when it was resurrected.

He said being an SRO was the best of both worlds.

"I really liked the evening shift," Dawson said. "Otherwise, at 2 o'clock in the afternoon in the middle of July, your boots are melting into asphalt while doing an accident report. All that heavy gear is just not comfortable and not fun.

"I liked night shift. It's a little different clientele and different calls on night shift, even in Hays, compared to doing a stranger danger class with 5-year-olds. I got to bone back up on my DUI skills. I was super fortunate that I got to do all of that."

He became a member of the tactical team. He was first an operator and worked his way up to being a negotiator and assistant team leader.

"It's not like the movies," Dawson said. "You don't hit reset and have a different outfit and a different car next week and a different story. It's real life."

"You feel a sense of pride knowing you were on the team," he said.

Dawson said working on the tactical team involves officers in volatile situations in which people can get hurt or killed.

Being a negotiator takes a totally different mindset, he said. A negotiator is trying to buy time to help things settle down and reach a peaceful conclusion.

"It's extremely challenging and can be extremely frustrating," he said.

Dawson was promoted to patrol lieutenant in 2010 and to assistant chief in 2011.

He said he felt great satisfaction if he could help someone.

"In this job, you see people at their best and at their worst. As a human being, that's tough. You try to serve and do the best you can in those situations. Training helps."

Responding to deaths was one aspect of the job that caught him off guard as a new patrol officer.&nbsp;

"We've done a number of death notifications, and you never walk away from one of those feeling you knocked that out of the park," he said. "You would like to think they get easier, but they don't. To tell someone they lost their kid, those are challenging.

"Even if it is natural causes, we are the ones that go and check and make sure it's natural causes. We are the ones who have to put hands on the body and remove the body with assistance from the people from the mortuary.

"I hadn't seen a lot of death to that point. I had a kind of sheltered life. It's something you don't think about. I thought, 'Boy, I wish they would have mentioned something more about that in the academy and prepared me for that."

He said police officers see things no one else sees and do things that no one else does.

"There's stress. There's a lot of responsibility. At 5:30, it's not over. It's not over on the weekends. It's not over at night. It's not over on holidays,"&nbsp;Dawson said. "I'm looking forward to getting rid of this phone and this radio and carrying the responsibility.

"There's things that you can't share with your family or your spouse," he said. "There's things you don't want to share with your family. You miss some events with the family."

Despite the sacrifices, he said he has been truly blessed to have great co-workers and a great community to work in.

"You can't make up what you see and get to experience," Dawson said. "It can be challenging at times. But I'm so fortunate because it's such a great community."

Dawson's last day with the police department was Friday. He and his wife are planning to move to Florida, where they will be living closer to Dawson's brother. They plan to enjoy the outdoors and go on some cruises.

Lt. Tim Greenwood's promotion to deputy chief was announced Tuesday.&nbsp;

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/183cca50-ee32-45da-ac3d-12bd10551970">SEE RELATED STORY: New Deputy Chief of Police in Hays announced</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743556468796.jpeg" alt="Brian Dawson, retired Hays Police deputy chief, at his retirement reception at Hays City Hall last week. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Brian Dawson, retired Hays Police deputy chief, at his retirement reception at Hays City Hall last week. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostYou wouldn't think a cell phone and radio could weigh so much.But for Hays Police Department Deputy Chief Brian Dawson, they carried the weight of being the No. 2 at the department. They carried the weight of responsibility of each call and sacrifice he made in his 25 years on the Hays Police Department.On Friday, he took his last radio call. He handed in his phone, radio and badge for the final time, retiring from a lifetime of service to his community.Dawson, 55, came later in life to law enforcement. He joined the police department as a 30-year-old rookie.&nbsp;As a young man, he dreamed of joining the FBI. At that time, several tracks could lead to a career in the federal agency. He decided he would attempt to join the FBI through the accounting track, so he started as an accounting major at Fort Hays State University.However, he soon discovered accounting was not for him.At that time, FHSU did not have a criminal justice major, so he changed his major to broadcast communications with a minor in sociology with an emphasis in criminology.After graduation, he had the opportunity to spend a summer as a counselor and ski instructor at a boy's summer camp, Camp Caribou in Bangor, Maine.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743556776334.jpeg" alt="Brian Dawson with his sister at his retirement reception last week at Hays City Hall. Dawson retired Friday as the Hays Police deputy chief after 25 years of service. He worked as a school resource officer, assistant tactical team leader and patrol&nbsp;lieutenant before being promoted to assistant chief in 2011. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Brian Dawson with his sister at his retirement reception last week at Hays City Hall. Dawson retired Friday as the Hays Police deputy chief after 25 years of service. He worked as a school resource officer, assistant tactical team leader and patrol&nbsp;lieutenant before being promoted to assistant chief in 2011. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>That gave him some experience working with youth, which would continue to be a theme throughout his career.He worked in substance abuse prevention in Salina before returning to Hays, where he grew up, to work as a community consultant for the Ellis County Community Partnership, which was housed in the Smoky Hill Foundation.&nbsp;He worked in drug and alcohol prevention, often working with youth.He also worked with a state-funded tobacco cessation program and promoted the Red Ribbon Campaign and Great American Smokeout."A big part of my job was to get together with community leaders and get some funds and make sure there were alternative things for kids to do other than go have a pasture party or keg party," Dawson said. "And that we had good protective factors in the community."Dawson, at 30, joined the Hays Police Department as a patrol officer.&nbsp;He described himself as a "late bloomer." When he started, he took a $3 an hour pay cut from his job working for the community partnership."That's where everyone starts," he said. ... "Nobody starts out as a detective. Nobody starts off as a captain. You have to start out as an officer and understand the laws and that protect and serve part, and then move up through the ranks through all of the different avenues."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743557155664.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Dawson was promoted after a little more than a year as a patrol officer to a school resource officer, a position he served in for nine and a half years.Initially, he served all the schools in the school district. Then, a second school resource officer was hired.&nbsp;Dawson said some officers prefer to work with older youth, but he also liked giving presentations to the elementary-age students."I just really liked being in the schools," he said. "I really liked being in the classroom, whether I was doing a presentation on the topic of search and seizure, or I got asked into a married life class. I got asked into the English class when they were reading 'Romeo and Juliet,' so I slipped in what is referred to as the Romeo and Juliet law, which is unlawful voluntary sexual relations."Unlawful voluntary sexual relations is sex perpetrated by an&nbsp;offender who is 18 years old or younger with a victim who is 14 or 15 years old."I told them what their responsibilities were—that at age 10, they could be arrested. At age 14, they could be interviewed without an attorney or parent being present," he said.He said he tried to help the students see the officer in the uniform is a person too."We are here to serve and help them," Dawson said. "They're my boss, and I'm here to help them be successful."Dawson said he was disappointed when the school resource officer program was disbanded in Hays, but delighted in 2023 when it was resurrected.He said being an SRO was the best of both worlds.During the summers, he worked patrol."I really liked the evening shift," Dawson said. "Otherwise, at 2 o'clock in the afternoon in the middle of July, your boots are melting into asphalt while doing an accident report. All that heavy gear is just not comfortable and not fun."I liked night shift. It's a little different clientele and different calls on night shift, even in Hays, compared to doing a stranger danger class with 5-year-olds. I got to bone back up on my DUI skills. I was super fortunate that I got to do all of that."He became a member of the tactical team. He was first an operator and worked his way up to being a negotiator and assistant team leader."It's not like the movies," Dawson said. "You don't hit reset and have a different outfit and a different car next week and a different story. It's real life.""You feel a sense of pride knowing you were on the team," he said.Dawson said working on the tactical team involves officers in volatile situations in which people can get hurt or killed.Being a negotiator takes a totally different mindset, he said. A negotiator is trying to buy time to help things settle down and reach a peaceful conclusion."It's extremely challenging and can be extremely frustrating," he said.Dawson was promoted to patrol lieutenant in 2010 and to assistant chief in 2011.He said he felt great satisfaction if he could help someone."In this job, you see people at their best and at their worst. As a human being, that's tough. You try to serve and do the best you can in those situations. Training helps."Responding to deaths was one aspect of the job that caught him off guard as a new patrol officer.&nbsp;"We've done a number of death notifications, and you never walk away from one of those feeling you knocked that out of the park," he said. "You would like to think they get easier, but they don't. To tell someone they lost their kid, those are challenging."Even if it is natural causes, we are the ones that go and check and make sure it's natural causes. We are the ones who have to put hands on the body and remove the body with assistance from the people from the mortuary."I hadn't seen a lot of death to that point. I had a kind of sheltered life. It's something you don't think about. I thought, 'Boy, I wish they would have mentioned something more about that in the academy and prepared me for that."He said police officers see things no one else sees and do things that no one else does."There's stress. There's a lot of responsibility. At 5:30, it's not over. It's not over on the weekends. It's not over at night. It's not over on holidays,"&nbsp;Dawson said. "I'm looking forward to getting rid of this phone and this radio and carrying the responsibility."There's things that you can't share with your family or your spouse," he said. "There's things you don't want to share with your family. You miss some events with the family."Despite the sacrifices, he said he has been truly blessed to have great co-workers and a great community to work in."You can't make up what you see and get to experience," Dawson said. "It can be challenging at times. But I'm so fortunate because it's such a great community."Dawson's last day with the police department was Friday. He and his wife are planning to move to Florida, where they will be living closer to Dawson's brother. They plan to enjoy the outdoors and go on some cruises.Lt. Tim Greenwood's promotion to deputy chief was announced Tuesday.&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/183cca50-ee32-45da-ac3d-12bd10551970">SEE RELATED STORY: New Deputy Chief of Police in Hays announced</a>

Hays deputy police chief retires after 25 years on the force

JUNCTION CITY - Hays High earned a pair of victories over Junction City on Tuesday behind strong pitching performances.&nbsp;

Game 1: Hays 6, Junction City 2 Hays senior Riley Dreher recorded four hits in the first game including an run scoring double in the first inning for the game's first run. Dreher's hit scored Alyse Zimmerman. Brooklyn Dinkel hit a sacrifice fly to deep left field to score Adelie Kippes.

The Indian bats were held silent until the fifth inning. Katie Klein opened the inning with a triple and then scored on a when Zimmerman put a ball into play for a 3-0 lead.&nbsp;

Hays added insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Zimmerman led off with a double followed by a sacrifice bunt by Kippes. Dreher drove in Zimmerman on a hard line drive to first base. Sophomore Brynlee Brous hit her first career home run three pitches later for a 6-0 advantage.

Dreher pitched strong through five innings before running into some trouble in the sixth and seventh. Junction City had runners at second and third with nobody out when Dreher caught a Blue Jay looking for the first out. A walk loaded the bases before another strikeout and a ground out ended the threat.

Junction City did break through in the seventh with a pair of runs on two hits and a walk. The Hays lead held though for the 6-2 win.&nbsp;

Dreher (3-0) struck out eight batters and walked two. She allowed seven hits and two runs, both of which were earned. Hays had eight hits in the victory.

Game 2:&nbsp;Hays 5, Junction City 0 Lanie Becker and Jaylee Summers combined for a shutout in the second game. Becker pitched the first three innings, allowing just two hits and striking out two. Summers took over for the next two innings. The first batter to face her singled. Summer retired the next six in a row, three via strike out. Becker (1-0) then re-entered the game and finished the last two innings by striking out three more batters while facing the minimum.

Catcher Avery Soliday ended the game by throwing a steal attempt at second base on the same pitch that recorded a strike out.

Hays scored one run in the second inning and two more in the third for a 3-0 lead. Brynlee Rupp walked to open the top of the second inning. She scored on back-to-back Blue Jay errors.&nbsp;

Lauren Klein and Riley Dreher lit up the scoreboard by each recording a triple to start the third inning. Brynlee Brous drove in Dreher with a sacrifice fly in foul territory for the 3-0 lead.

Hays threatened to score in the fourth and fifth inning but couldn't take advantage.

They broke through in the sixth with two more runs. Lanie Becker singled to open the frame but did not score until there was two outs when Alyse Zimmerman drove her in. Klein's third hit of the game brought Zimmerman home for the 5-0 final score.

Hays improves to 4-0 on the season. They head to Dodge City for a single game in the Western Athletic Conference opener on Tuesday, April 8th.&nbsp;

Hays Post SportsJUNCTION CITY - Hays High earned a pair of victories over Junction City on Tuesday behind strong pitching performances.&nbsp;Game 1: Hays 6, Junction City 2 Hays senior Riley Dreher recorded four hits in the first game including an run scoring double in the first inning for the game's first run. Dreher's hit scored Alyse Zimmerman. Brooklyn Dinkel hit a sacrifice fly to deep left field to score Adelie Kippes.The Indian bats were held silent until the fifth inning. Katie Klein opened the inning with a triple and then scored on a when Zimmerman put a ball into play for a 3-0 lead.&nbsp;<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2068735124&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/4-1-25-hhs-sb-dh-game-1-at" title="4-1-25 HHS SB DH Game 1 Highlights at Junction City" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">4-1-25 HHS SB DH Game 1 Highlights at Junction City</a></div></div>Hays added insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Zimmerman led off with a double followed by a sacrifice bunt by Kippes. Dreher drove in Zimmerman on a hard line drive to first base. Sophomore Brynlee Brous hit her first career home run three pitches later for a 6-0 advantage.Dreher pitched strong through five innings before running into some trouble in the sixth and seventh. Junction City had runners at second and third with nobody out when Dreher caught a Blue Jay looking for the first out. A walk loaded the bases before another strikeout and a ground out ended the threat.Junction City did break through in the seventh with a pair of runs on two hits and a walk. The Hays lead held though for the 6-2 win.&nbsp;Dreher (3-0) struck out eight batters and walked two. She allowed seven hits and two runs, both of which were earned. Hays had eight hits in the victory.Game 2:&nbsp;Hays 5, Junction City 0 Lanie Becker and Jaylee Summers combined for a shutout in the second game. Becker pitched the first three innings, allowing just two hits and striking out two. Summers took over for the next two innings. The first batter to face her singled. Summer retired the next six in a row, three via strike out. Becker (1-0) then re-entered the game and finished the last two innings by striking out three more batters while facing the minimum.Catcher Avery Soliday ended the game by throwing a steal attempt at second base on the same pitch that recorded a strike out.Hays scored one run in the second inning and two more in the third for a 3-0 lead. Brynlee Rupp walked to open the top of the second inning. She scored on back-to-back Blue Jay errors.&nbsp;Lauren Klein and Riley Dreher lit up the scoreboard by each recording a triple to start the third inning. Brynlee Brous drove in Dreher with a sacrifice fly in foul territory for the 3-0 lead.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2068801948&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/4-1-25-hhs-sb-dh-game-2-highlights-at-junction-city" title="4-1-25 HHS SB DH Game 2 Highlights at Junction City" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">4-1-25 HHS SB DH Game 2 Highlights at Junction City</a></div></div>Hays threatened to score in the fourth and fifth inning but couldn't take advantage.They broke through in the sixth with two more runs. Lanie Becker singled to open the frame but did not score until there was two outs when Alyse Zimmerman drove her in. Klein's third hit of the game brought Zimmerman home for the 5-0 final score.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2068802272&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/4-1-25-hhs-sb-dh-coach" title="4-1-25 HHS SB DH Coach Interview v. Junction City" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">4-1-25 HHS SB DH Coach Interview v. Junction City</a></div></div>Hays improves to 4-0 on the season. They head to Dodge City for a single game in the Western Athletic Conference opener on Tuesday, April 8th.&nbsp;

🥎 Hays High sweeps Junction City

HAYS – The TMP-Marian Monarchs baseball team extended their
win streak to four straight games to open the season, taking two from Ellinwood
on Tuesday in Hays.

GAME 1: TMP 14, Ellinwood 4 The Monarchs scored in all four innings, and all hitters in
the lineup, except one, collected at least one hit in a 14-4 win over the
Eagles in the first game of the doubleheader.

Freshman Grant Nehls gave the Monarchs an early lead,
hitting his second home run of the season —a first-inning grand slam —that gave
TMP a 4-0 lead.

The Monarchs added six more runs in the second inning,
capitalizing on a pair of errors and a walk to start the inning.

A Caden Dinkel sacrifice fly put TMP up 5-0. 

Adler Brown, two hitters later, added a two-run single to
extend the TMP lead to 6-0. Connor Breit followed with a two-run single,
extending TMP's lead to 8-0. Trevor Frabrizius added a two-run double, giving
TMP a 10-0 lead through two innings.

Already leading by double-digits, the Monarchs added three
more runs in the bottom of the third, taking advantage of three walks and a hit
by pitch. Dinkel singled home a run, and TMP added runs on a passed ball and a
Frabrizius walk with the bases loaded, helping the Monarchs to a 13-0 lead
through three innings.

TMP added a single run in the bottom of the fourth, making
it 14-0 on the second RBI single of the game for Dinkel.

The Monarchs went on to claim the 14-4 run-rule victory in
four and a half innings.

Grant Nehls finished 1-for-3 with the grand slam. Caden
Dinkel drove in three runs and finished two-for-two. Trevor Fabrizius also
drove in three runs for TMP.

Dinkel got the win on the mound. He allowed just two hits with
five strikeouts in four shutout innings.

GAME 2: TMP 6, Ellinwood 4 In the final game of the day, the Monarchs scored in all but
one inning and added a pair of runs in the sixth inning on their way to a 6-4
victory over the Eagles.

Ellinwood got the lead early in game two, scoring two runs
in the first inning.

TMP scored a single run in the bottom of the inning. After
the first two hitters of the game reached base for TMP, Ty Schmeidler drove in
a run with a groundout. 

With Ellinwood leading 2-1 heading into the top of the third
inning, the Eagles added another run on an RBI groundout for a 3-1 lead.

In the bottom of the third, the Monarchs loaded the bases
with no one out, and Adler Brown drove in the second TMP run on a groundout, making
it 3-2 Ellinwood.

But TMP left two runners in scoring position. 

After a 1-2-3 top of the fourth inning, the Monarchs came
all the way to tie the game at three on an RBI triple from Ty Schmeidler.

Ellinwood got another run in the inning and led TMP 4-3.

TMP again tied it in the bottom of the frame on a Connor
Breit ground out.

In the bottom of the sixth, Ian Nehls singled with two outs and
then stole second and third base before sliding in safely at home on a passed
ball, giving TMP a 5-4 lead.

They added a Caden Dinkel RBI double, hitting, giving TMP
the 6-4 lead heading into the seventh inning.

In the seventh, with one out, the Eagles threatened in their
half of the inning, before the Monarchs closed the doors on an Ellinwood
comeback with a game-ending double play, securing the 6-4 TMP victory. 

Ian Nehls finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Ty
Schmeidler also scored a pair of runs, drove in two runs, and finished 2-for-3.

Grant Nehls earned the win in relief. He allowed one
unearned run on four hits, striking out five in three and a third innings
pitched.

The Monarchs travel to Hoisington on Friday. 

Hays Post SportsHAYS – The TMP-Marian Monarchs baseball team extended their
win streak to four straight games to open the season, taking two from Ellinwood
on Tuesday in Hays.GAME 1: TMP 14, Ellinwood 4 The Monarchs scored in all four innings, and all hitters in
the lineup, except one, collected at least one hit in a 14-4 win over the
Eagles in the first game of the doubleheader.Freshman Grant Nehls gave the Monarchs an early lead,
hitting his second home run of the season —a first-inning grand slam —that gave
TMP a 4-0 lead.The Monarchs added six more runs in the second inning,
capitalizing on a pair of errors and a walk to start the inning.A Caden Dinkel sacrifice fly put TMP up 5-0. Adler Brown, two hitters later, added a two-run single to
extend the TMP lead to 6-0. Connor Breit followed with a two-run single,
extending TMP's lead to 8-0. Trevor Frabrizius added a two-run double, giving
TMP a 10-0 lead through two innings.Already leading by double-digits, the Monarchs added three
more runs in the bottom of the third, taking advantage of three walks and a hit
by pitch. Dinkel singled home a run, and TMP added runs on a passed ball and a
Frabrizius walk with the bases loaded, helping the Monarchs to a 13-0 lead
through three innings.TMP added a single run in the bottom of the fourth, making
it 14-0 on the second RBI single of the game for Dinkel.The Monarchs went on to claim the 14-4 run-rule victory in
four and a half innings.Grant Nehls finished 1-for-3 with the grand slam. Caden
Dinkel drove in three runs and finished two-for-two. Trevor Fabrizius also
drove in three runs for TMP.Dinkel got the win on the mound. He allowed just two hits with
five strikeouts in four shutout innings.GAME 2: TMP 6, Ellinwood 4 In the final game of the day, the Monarchs scored in all but
one inning and added a pair of runs in the sixth inning on their way to a 6-4
victory over the Eagles.Ellinwood got the lead early in game two, scoring two runs
in the first inning.TMP scored a single run in the bottom of the inning. After
the first two hitters of the game reached base for TMP, Ty Schmeidler drove in
a run with a groundout. With Ellinwood leading 2-1 heading into the top of the third
inning, the Eagles added another run on an RBI groundout for a 3-1 lead.In the bottom of the third, the Monarchs loaded the bases
with no one out, and Adler Brown drove in the second TMP run on a groundout, making
it 3-2 Ellinwood.But TMP left two runners in scoring position. After a 1-2-3 top of the fourth inning, the Monarchs came
all the way to tie the game at three on an RBI triple from Ty Schmeidler.Ellinwood got another run in the inning and led TMP 4-3.TMP again tied it in the bottom of the frame on a Connor
Breit ground out.In the bottom of the sixth, Ian Nehls singled with two outs and
then stole second and third base before sliding in safely at home on a passed
ball, giving TMP a 5-4 lead.They added a Caden Dinkel RBI double, hitting, giving TMP
the 6-4 lead heading into the seventh inning.In the seventh, with one out, the Eagles threatened in their
half of the inning, before the Monarchs closed the doors on an Ellinwood
comeback with a game-ending double play, securing the 6-4 TMP victory. Ian Nehls finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Ty
Schmeidler also scored a pair of runs, drove in two runs, and finished 2-for-3.Grant Nehls earned the win in relief. He allowed one
unearned run on four hits, striking out five in three and a third innings
pitched.The Monarchs travel to Hoisington on Friday.

⚾ Monarchs pick up two wins against Ellinwood

HAYS – The Hays High baseball team scored two runs in the
bottom of the sixth inning then worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh
to beat No. 4 Great Bend 5-4 to open Western Athletic Conference play Tuesday
at Leo-Harper Field.

The Indians (2-1, 1-0 WAC) grabbed the lead on a two-run
homer from Jonathan Cano in the third. Cano singled with two outs in the fifth
then scored on a Cooper Johnson two-run double to push the lead to 3-0.

Great Bend answered with four runs in top of the sixth to take
a 4-3 lead.

The Indians came right back with two in the bottom of the
inning to retake the lead. They scored the tying run on an error and the
go-ahead run on a balk.

The Panthers used two walks and a single to load the bases
with two outs in the seventh but a groundout to short ended the game.

Carter Graham (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings of relief
and picked up the win. Starter Cooper Johnson allowed two runs on two hits with
six strikeouts and one walk over five innings. Cano allowed two runs on two
hits without recording an out in the sixth but went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and two
runs scored at the plate.

Hays Post SportsHAYS – The Hays High baseball team scored two runs in the
bottom of the sixth inning then worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh
to beat No. 4 Great Bend 5-4 to open Western Athletic Conference play Tuesday
at Leo-Harper Field.The Indians (2-1, 1-0 WAC) grabbed the lead on a two-run
homer from Jonathan Cano in the third. Cano singled with two outs in the fifth
then scored on a Cooper Johnson two-run double to push the lead to 3-0.Great Bend answered with four runs in top of the sixth to take
a 4-3 lead.The Indians came right back with two in the bottom of the
inning to retake the lead. They scored the tying run on an error and the
go-ahead run on a balk.The Panthers used two walks and a single to load the bases
with two outs in the seventh but a groundout to short ended the game.Carter Graham (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings of relief
and picked up the win. Starter Cooper Johnson allowed two runs on two hits with
six strikeouts and one walk over five innings. Cano allowed two runs on two
hits without recording an out in the sixth but went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and two
runs scored at the plate.UP NEXTHays travels to Dodge City on Friday.

⚾ Indians hold off Great Bend in WAC opener

HAYS – The TMP-Marian softball team picked up two more wins Tuesday
in a doubleheader sweep of Ellinwood, improving their record to 4-0 to start
the season.

GAME 1: TMP 12, Ellinwood 1 In the first game of the doubleheader, every Monarchs hitter,
except for one, collected a base hit, and TMP doubled the Eagles' hit total in
a 12-1 run-rule victory.

Brynn Rebel got the action started for the Monarchs. After
she recorded two of her seven strikeouts in the first inning, she led off the
bottom of the first with a solo homerun, the third of her career, putting TMP
up 1-0.

She struck out two more in the top of the second, and then
Ellinwood missed played a long flyball in center field off the bat of Teagan
Gottschalk, who eventually came in to score, extending TMP’s lead to 2-0.

TMP scored off two more Ellinwood errors in the inning, and
Brooke Koenigsman added an RBI double, while Bria Windholz had an RBI single,
as TMP led 6-0 through two innings.

Following a scoreless third, the Monarchs' offense exploded
for six more runs in the fourth inning.

Four straight singles to open the inning led to RBIs for Koenigsman
and Windholz. A Gottschalk single with one out in the inning put TMP up 10-0.

TMP also added a run on a Raegan Allen pop out and a Molly
Helget double for a 12-0 lead heading into the fifth.

Ellinwood was also to record their only run of the game in
the top of the fifth inning, but TMP held on for the 12-1 victory.

Brynn Rebel allowed just one run on seven hits, striking out
seven. 

Brooke Koenigsman finished three-for-three with two runs and
two RBI’s. Bria Windholz was two-for-three with two runs and two RBI’s.

GAME 2: TMP 6, Ellinwood 5 The Monarchs rallied from an early three-run deficit, and
Piper Simson recorded three hits in a 6-5 win over the Eagles in the final game
of the doubleheader.

With the game scoreless through the first two innings,
Ellinwood took advantage of two walks, two TMP errors, and a pair of singles
for a 3-0 Eagles lead.

Brooke Koenigsman pulled the Monarchs within a run in the
bottom of the third inning with a two-run home run. But she suffered an injury
stepping on home plate and was forced to leave the game.

The Monarchs tied the ball game at three with one out in the
bottom of the fourth inning on a Piper Simpson RBI single.

Adi Gottschalk’s sacrifice fly broke the tie and gave the Monarchs
a 4-3.

Brynn Rebel added an RBI triple, putting TMP up 5-3 through
four innings.

Simpson added an RBI double in the bottom of the fifth inning,
giving the team a 6-3 lead.

Ellinwood hit a two-run home run in the top of the seventh,
but the Monarchs held on for a 6-5 victory.

Piper Simson finished 3-for-3 with two RBI’s and a run
scored. Brooke Koenigsman added two RBI, and she and Paige Koenigsman each collected
two hits. 

Bria Windholz moved to 2-0 on the season. She allowed five
runs, two earned, on five hits with four walks and nine strikeouts in seven
innings. 

Hays Post SportsHAYS – The TMP-Marian softball team picked up two more wins Tuesday
in a doubleheader sweep of Ellinwood, improving their record to 4-0 to start
the season.GAME 1: TMP 12, Ellinwood 1 In the first game of the doubleheader, every Monarchs hitter,
except for one, collected a base hit, and TMP doubled the Eagles' hit total in
a 12-1 run-rule victory.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2068754324&color=%23111111&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/tmp-softball-vs-ellinwood" title="TMP Softball vs Ellinwood Softball COACH Melissa Schoepf Postgame Interview" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">TMP Softball vs Ellinwood Softball COACH Melissa Schoepf Postgame Interview</a></div></div>Brynn Rebel got the action started for the Monarchs. After
she recorded two of her seven strikeouts in the first inning, she led off the
bottom of the first with a solo homerun, the third of her career, putting TMP
up 1-0.She struck out two more in the top of the second, and then
Ellinwood missed played a long flyball in center field off the bat of Teagan
Gottschalk, who eventually came in to score, extending TMP’s lead to 2-0.TMP scored off two more Ellinwood errors in the inning, and
Brooke Koenigsman added an RBI double, while Bria Windholz had an RBI single,
as TMP led 6-0 through two innings.Following a scoreless third, the Monarchs' offense exploded
for six more runs in the fourth inning.Four straight singles to open the inning led to RBIs for Koenigsman
and Windholz. A Gottschalk single with one out in the inning put TMP up 10-0.TMP also added a run on a Raegan Allen pop out and a Molly
Helget double for a 12-0 lead heading into the fifth.Ellinwood was also to record their only run of the game in
the top of the fifth inning, but TMP held on for the 12-1 victory.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2068765448&color=%23111111&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/tmp-sb-vs-ellinwood-game-1" title="TMP SB vs Ellinwood Game 1 HIGHLIGHTS 4-1-25" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">TMP SB vs Ellinwood Game 1 HIGHLIGHTS 4-1-25</a></div></div>Brynn Rebel allowed just one run on seven hits, striking out
seven. Brooke Koenigsman finished three-for-three with two runs and
two RBI’s. Bria Windholz was two-for-three with two runs and two RBI’s.GAME 2: TMP 6, Ellinwood 5 The Monarchs rallied from an early three-run deficit, and
Piper Simson recorded three hits in a 6-5 win over the Eagles in the final game
of the doubleheader.With the game scoreless through the first two innings,
Ellinwood took advantage of two walks, two TMP errors, and a pair of singles
for a 3-0 Eagles lead.Brooke Koenigsman pulled the Monarchs within a run in the
bottom of the third inning with a two-run home run. But she suffered an injury
stepping on home plate and was forced to leave the game.The Monarchs tied the ball game at three with one out in the
bottom of the fourth inning on a Piper Simpson RBI single.Adi Gottschalk’s sacrifice fly broke the tie and gave the Monarchs
a 4-3.Brynn Rebel added an RBI triple, putting TMP up 5-3 through
four innings.Simpson added an RBI double in the bottom of the fifth inning,
giving the team a 6-3 lead.Ellinwood hit a two-run home run in the top of the seventh,
but the Monarchs held on for a 6-5 victory.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2068757516&color=%23111111&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/tmp-softball-vs-ellinwood-game" title="TMP Softball vs Ellinwood Game 2 Highlights 4-1-25" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">TMP Softball vs Ellinwood Game 2 Highlights 4-1-25</a></div></div>Piper Simson finished 3-for-3 with two RBI’s and a run
scored. Brooke Koenigsman added two RBI, and she and Paige Koenigsman each collected
two hits. Bria Windholz moved to 2-0 on the season. She allowed five
runs, two earned, on five hits with four walks and nine strikeouts in seven
innings.

🥎 TMP-Marian downs Ellinwood in home doubleheader

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mike-catalini">MIKE CATALINI</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a feat of determination, New Jersey Democratic Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-cory-booker-senate-speech-4540f0c98e620b591bfbea8c1001419a">Cory Booker</a>&nbsp;held the Senate floor with a marathon speech that lasted all night and into Tuesday evening, setting a historic mark to show Democrats’ resistance to President Donald Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-campaign-promise-tracker/">sweeping actions</a>.

Booker took to the Senate floor on Monday evening, saying he would remain there as long as he was “physically able.” More than 24 hours later, the 55-year-old senator, a former football tight end, was still going. It set the record for the longest continuous Senate floor speech in the chamber’s history, though Booker was assisted by fellow Democrats who gave him a break from speaking by asking him questions on the Senate floor.

It was a remarkable show of stamina as Democrats try to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/democrats-anger-backlash-trump-musk-426c189225ee978b4eea09352ac122b7">show their frustrated supporters</a>&nbsp;that they are doing everything possible to contest Trump’s agenda. Yet Booker also provided a moment of historical solace for a party searching for its way forward: By standing on the Senate floor for more than a night and day and refusing to leave, he had broken a record set 68 years ago by then Sen. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, a segregationist, to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/about/resources/pdf/thurmond-strom-filibuster-1957.pdf">filibuster the advance</a>&nbsp;of the Civil Rights Act in 1957.

Now, Booker, who spoke openly on the Senate floor of his roots as the descendant of both slaves and slave-owners, holds that record. In his speech, Booker said he drew upon the entirety of his ancestry because "they speak to the complicated history of America.”

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the first Black party leader in Congress who had slipped into the Senate chamber to watch Booker on Tuesday afternoon, called it “an incredibly powerful moment" because he had broken the record of a segregationist and was “fighting to preserve the American way of life and our democracy.”

Still, Booker centered his speech on a call for his party to find its resolve, saying, “We all must look in the mirror and say, ‘We will do better.’”

“These are not normal times in our nation,” Booker said as he began the speech Monday evening. “And they should not be treated as such in the United States Senate. The threats to the American people and American democracy are grave and urgent, and we all must do more to stand against them.”

Booker warns of a ‘looming constitutional crisis’

Shifting his feet, then leaning on his podium, Booker railed for hours against cuts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-offices-closures-doge-trump-b2b1a5b2ba4fb968abc3379bf90715ff">Social Security offices</a>&nbsp;led by Trump adviser Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. He listed the impacts of Trump's early orders and spoke to concerns that broader cuts to the social safety net could be coming, though Republican lawmakers say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-trump-doge-social-security-92de2ce547df0dcdcc00a5876e1a7bd6">the program won't be touched</a>.

Booker also read what he said were letters from constituents, donning and doffing his reading glasses. One writer was alarmed by the Republican president's talk of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-imperialism-canada-panama-greenland-b4b53445dee97398b498b79eab54d49b">annexing Greenland and Canada</a>&nbsp;and a “looming constitutional crisis.”

Throughout the day Tuesday, Booker got help from Democratic colleagues, who gave him a break from speaking to ask him questions. Booker yielded for questions but made sure to say he would not give up the floor. He read that line from a piece of paper to ensure he did not slip and inadvertently end his speech. He stayed standing to comply with Senate rules.

“Your strength, your fortitude, your clarity has just been nothing short of amazing and all of America is paying attention to what you’re saying,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said as he asked Booker a question on the Senate floor. “All of America needs to know there’s so many problems, the disastrous actions of this administration.”

As Booker stood for hour after hour, he appeared to have nothing more than a couple glasses of water to sustain him. Yet his voice grew strong with emotion as his speech stretched into the evening, and House members from the Congressional Black Caucus stood on the edge of the Senate floor to support Booker.

“Moments like this require us to be more creative or more imaginative, or just more persistent and dogged and determined,” Booker said.

Booker's cousin and brother, as well as Democratic aides, watched from the chamber's gallery. Sen. Chris Murphy accompanied Booker on the Senate floor throughout the day and night. Murphy was returning the comradeship that Booker had given to him in 2016 when the Connecticut Democrat held the floor for almost 15 hours to argue for gun control legislation.

His Senate floor speech breaks Thurmond's record

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743501571096.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mike-catalini">MIKE CATALINI</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — In a feat of determination, New Jersey Democratic Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-cory-booker-senate-speech-4540f0c98e620b591bfbea8c1001419a">Cory Booker</a>&nbsp;held the Senate floor with a marathon speech that lasted all night and into Tuesday evening, setting a historic mark to show Democrats’ resistance to President Donald Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-campaign-promise-tracker/">sweeping actions</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenSchumer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenSchumer</a>: &quot;Would the Senator yield for a question?&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/SenBooker?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenBooker</a>: &quot;Chuck Schumer, it&#39;s the only time in my life I can tell you no.&quot; Schumer: &quot;I just wanted to tell you, a question, do you know you have just broken the record?&quot; <a href="https://t.co/kRPK5Iq659">pic.twitter.com/kRPK5Iq659</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1907213181937668537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">In his prayer, Senate chaplain Black alludes to Cory Booker marathon speech: &quot;Today we are grateful for the efforts of the floor staff, Capitol Police, the stenographers, the pages and all those who have worked through the night. We pray you give them the strength they need...&quot; <a href="https://t.co/uBumUrX8k5">pic.twitter.com/uBumUrX8k5</a>&mdash; Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) <a href="https://twitter.com/HowardMortman/status/1907105050201100373?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Booker took to the Senate floor on Monday evening, saying he would remain there as long as he was “physically able.” More than 24 hours later, the 55-year-old senator, a former football tight end, was still going. It set the record for the longest continuous Senate floor speech in the chamber’s history, though Booker was assisted by fellow Democrats who gave him a break from speaking by asking him questions on the Senate floor.It was a remarkable show of stamina as Democrats try to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/democrats-anger-backlash-trump-musk-426c189225ee978b4eea09352ac122b7">show their frustrated supporters</a>&nbsp;that they are doing everything possible to contest Trump’s agenda. Yet Booker also provided a moment of historical solace for a party searching for its way forward: By standing on the Senate floor for more than a night and day and refusing to leave, he had broken a record set 68 years ago by then Sen. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, a segregationist, to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/about/resources/pdf/thurmond-strom-filibuster-1957.pdf">filibuster the advance</a>&nbsp;of the Civil Rights Act in 1957.Now, Booker, who spoke openly on the Senate floor of his roots as the descendant of both slaves and slave-owners, holds that record. In his speech, Booker said he drew upon the entirety of his ancestry because "they speak to the complicated history of America.”House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the first Black party leader in Congress who had slipped into the Senate chamber to watch Booker on Tuesday afternoon, called it “an incredibly powerful moment" because he had broken the record of a segregationist and was “fighting to preserve the American way of life and our democracy.”Still, Booker centered his speech on a call for his party to find its resolve, saying, “We all must look in the mirror and say, ‘We will do better.’”“These are not normal times in our nation,” Booker said as he began the speech Monday evening. “And they should not be treated as such in the United States Senate. The threats to the American people and American democracy are grave and urgent, and we all must do more to stand against them.”<h2>Booker warns of a ‘looming constitutional crisis’</h2>Shifting his feet, then leaning on his podium, Booker railed for hours against cuts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-offices-closures-doge-trump-b2b1a5b2ba4fb968abc3379bf90715ff">Social Security offices</a>&nbsp;led by Trump adviser Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. He listed the impacts of Trump's early orders and spoke to concerns that broader cuts to the social safety net could be coming, though Republican lawmakers say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-trump-doge-social-security-92de2ce547df0dcdcc00a5876e1a7bd6">the program won't be touched</a>.Booker also read what he said were letters from constituents, donning and doffing his reading glasses. One writer was alarmed by the Republican president's talk of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-imperialism-canada-panama-greenland-b4b53445dee97398b498b79eab54d49b">annexing Greenland and Canada</a>&nbsp;and a “looming constitutional crisis.”Throughout the day Tuesday, Booker got help from Democratic colleagues, who gave him a break from speaking to ask him questions. Booker yielded for questions but made sure to say he would not give up the floor. He read that line from a piece of paper to ensure he did not slip and inadvertently end his speech. He stayed standing to comply with Senate rules.“Your strength, your fortitude, your clarity has just been nothing short of amazing and all of America is paying attention to what you’re saying,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said as he asked Booker a question on the Senate floor. “All of America needs to know there’s so many problems, the disastrous actions of this administration.”As Booker stood for hour after hour, he appeared to have nothing more than a couple glasses of water to sustain him. Yet his voice grew strong with emotion as his speech stretched into the evening, and House members from the Congressional Black Caucus stood on the edge of the Senate floor to support Booker.“Moments like this require us to be more creative or more imaginative, or just more persistent and dogged and determined,” Booker said.Booker's cousin and brother, as well as Democratic aides, watched from the chamber's gallery. Sen. Chris Murphy accompanied Booker on the Senate floor throughout the day and night. Murphy was returning the comradeship that Booker had given to him in 2016 when the Connecticut Democrat held the floor for almost 15 hours to argue for gun control legislation.<h2>His Senate floor speech breaks Thurmond's record</h2>As Booker neared Thurmond's record, he remarked, "I don’t have that much gas in the tank.”Yet anticipation in the Capitol was growing that he could supplant Thurmond, who died in 2003, as the record holder for the longest Senate floor speech. Democratic senators sat at their desks to listen and the Senate gallery filled with onlookers.He had already surpassed the longest speech time for a sitting senator — the 21 hours and 19 minutes that Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ted-cruz">Ted Cruz</a>, a Texas Republican, had held the floor to contest the Affordable Care Act in 2013. Responding to his record being broken, Cruz posted a meme of Homer Simpson crying on social media.Throughout his determined performance, Booker repeatedly invoked the civil rights leader Rep. John Lewis of Georgia on Tuesday, arguing that overcoming opponents like Thurmond would require more than just talking.“You think we got civil rights one day because Strom Thurmond — after filibustering for 24 hours — you think we got civil rights because he came to the floor one day and said, ‘I’ve seen the light,’” Booker said. "No, we got civil rights because people marched for it, sweat for it and John Lewis bled for it."Booker's speech was not a filibuster, which is a speech meant to halt the advance of a specific piece of legislation. Instead, Booker's performance was a broader critique of Trump's agenda, meant to hold up the Senate's business and draw attention to what Democrats are doing to contest the president. Without a majority in either congressional chamber, Democrats have been almost completely locked out of legislative power but are turning to procedural maneuvers to try to thwart Republicans.<h2>Can his speech rally the anti-Trump resistance?</h2>Booker is serving his second term in the Senate. He was an unsuccessful presidential candidate in 2020, when he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a4917019ce954f809677941533f38f51">launched his campaign from the steps of his home in Newark</a>. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-cory-booker-ia-state-wire-deval-patrick-iowa-a737f1e88c667cac19c59bf8acb2c16e">dropped out</a>&nbsp;after struggling to gain a foothold in a packed field, falling short of the threshold to meet in a January 2020 debate.But as Democrats search for a next generation of leadership, frustrated with the old-timers at the top, Booker's speech could cement his status as a leading figure in the party.On Tuesday afternoon, tens of thousands of people were watching on Booker’s Senate YouTube page, as well as on other live streams.Even before taking to the national political stage, Booker was considered a rising star in the Democratic Party in New Jersey, serving as mayor of Newark, the state's largest city, from 2006 to 2013.During college, he played tight end for Stanford University's football team. He became a Rhodes scholar and graduated from Yale Law before starting his career as an attorney for nonprofits.He was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2013 during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-senate-united-states-congress-general-news-senate-elections-united-states-government-31beb16e9f704852991d5e6576b2cdaf">a special election</a>&nbsp;held after the death of incumbent Democrat Frank Lautenberg. He won his first full term in 2014 and reelection in 2020.As Democratic colleagues made their way to the Senate chamber to help Booker by asking him questions, he also made heartfelt tributes to his fellow senators, recalling their personal backgrounds and shared experiences in the Senate. Booker also called on Americans to respond not just with resistance to Trump’s actions but with kindness and generosity for those in their communities.Booker said, “I may be afraid — my voice may shake — but I’m going to speak up more."___Catalini reported from Trenton, N.J. Associated Press writer Matt Brown contributed.