By BECKY KISER Hays Post

The Hays City Commission this afternoon will consider setting dates for public hearings of two requested economic development incentives for a planned 24/7 Travel Plaza and convenience store north of Interstate 70.

Commissioners will also vote on two rezoning requests on East 27th Street.&nbsp;

The first request is to rezone property at 2460 E. 27th St. from an agricultural district to a light industrial district. L&amp;A Enterprises owns the property. The owner wants the zoning change to expand services.

The second rezoning request is for the adjacent property at 2470 E. 27th St., owned by Josh Ziegler, to change the designation from general commercial district to&nbsp;light industrial district. Ziegler owns and operates&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tsbstorage.com/?gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=23323755535&amp;gbraid=0AAAAAokUTqCRaxeubmKyusoso_RcCp8Ue&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAl-_JBhBjEiwAn3rN7Uu-Tmxv4JVtdjMi4Fbm4GUE55Gcd4ji0N4oSpadTrSohYTt32qBghoCp2cQAvD_BwE">T.S.B. Storage</a>&nbsp;on&nbsp;the property.

A report from&nbsp;Holly Dickman,&nbsp;water conservation specialist, will update the city's water conservation program and results from 2025.

Eric Burks, president of Fort Hays Tech North Central and Diana Baumann, vice-president of finance and Hays operations for&nbsp;Fort Hays Tech North Central, will present the&nbsp;Big Creek&nbsp;Technical Training Center annual report.

The complete Feb. 26 agenda is available <a href="https://ks-hays.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02262026-1597">here</a>.

The meeting begins at 4 p.m. in Hays City Hall, 1507 Main.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584721067731.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostThe Hays City Commission this afternoon will consider setting dates for public hearings of two requested economic development incentives for a planned 24/7 Travel Plaza and convenience store north of Interstate 70.Commissioners will also vote on two rezoning requests on East 27th Street.&nbsp;The first request is to rezone property at 2460 E. 27th St. from an agricultural district to a light industrial district. L&amp;A Enterprises owns the property. The owner wants the zoning change to expand services.The second rezoning request is for the adjacent property at 2470 E. 27th St., owned by Josh Ziegler, to change the designation from general commercial district to&nbsp;light industrial district. Ziegler owns and operates&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tsbstorage.com/?gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=23323755535&amp;gbraid=0AAAAAokUTqCRaxeubmKyusoso_RcCp8Ue&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAl-_JBhBjEiwAn3rN7Uu-Tmxv4JVtdjMi4Fbm4GUE55Gcd4ji0N4oSpadTrSohYTt32qBghoCp2cQAvD_BwE">T.S.B. Storage</a>&nbsp;on&nbsp;the property.A report from&nbsp;Holly Dickman,&nbsp;water conservation specialist, will update the city's water conservation program and results from 2025.Eric Burks, president of Fort Hays Tech North Central and Diana Baumann, vice-president of finance and Hays operations for&nbsp;Fort Hays Tech North Central, will present the&nbsp;Big Creek&nbsp;Technical Training Center annual report.The complete Feb. 26 agenda is available <a href="https://ks-hays.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02262026-1597">here</a>. The meeting begins at 4 p.m. in Hays City Hall, 1507 Main. &nbsp;

Hays city commissioners to talk 24/7 Travel Plaza progress today

It was a record-high, warm Wednesday in Hays.

Official numbers from the K-State Agricultural Center show the temperature on Feb. 25 reached 78 degrees. 

That surpasses the previous record high for the date of 76 degrees set in&nbsp;2024 and again in 2025.

The <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/4b12fd7e-050c-4ec6-bd4e-15017e40c505">three-day forecast</a> calls for a wintry mix Sunday into Monday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771613487055.jpg" alt="Photo by Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostIt was a record-high, warm Wednesday in Hays.Official numbers from the K-State Agricultural Center show the temperature on Feb. 25 reached 78 degrees. That surpasses the previous record high for the date of 76 degrees set in&nbsp;2024 and again in 2025.The <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/4b12fd7e-050c-4ec6-bd4e-15017e40c505">three-day forecast</a> calls for a wintry mix Sunday into Monday.

Record high warm Wednesday in Hays; wintry mix possible on Sunday

HAVANA (AP) — Cuba’s government said late Wednesday that the 10 passengers on a boat that opened fire on its soldiers were armed Cubans living in the U.S. who were trying to infiltrate the island and unleash terrorism.

The announcement came hours after Cuba said its soldiers killed four people and wounded six others aboard a Florida-registered speed boat that had entered Cuban waters and opened fire on the soldiers first, injuring one Cuban officer.

Cuba’s government said the majority of the 10 people on the boat “have a known history of criminal and violent activity.”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had told reporters earlier that he was made aware of the incident and that the U.S. is now gathering its own information to determine if the victims were American citizens or permanent residents.

“We have various different elements of the U.S. government that are trying to identify elements of the story that may not be provided to us now,” Rubio said while at the airport in Basseterre, St. Kitts, where he was attending a regional summit with Caribbean leaders.

The Cuban government identified two of the boat passengers as Amijail Sánchez González and Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez, who are wanted by Cuban authorities “based on their involvement in the promotion, planning, organization, financing, support or commission of actions carried out in the national territory or in other countries, in connection with acts of terrorism.”

The government said it also had arrested Duniel Hernández Santos, adding that he was “sent from the United States to guarantee the reception of the armed infiltration, who at this time has confessed to his actions.”

The Associated Press was not immediately able to independently verify that information.

Cuba’s government said it obtained the details about the passengers aboard the boat from the suspects detained following the shootout.

It identified seven of the 10 passengers, including Conrado Galindo Sariol, José Manuel Rodríguez Castelló, Cristian Ernesto Acosta Guevara and Roberto Azcorra Consuegra. Cuba's government said that one of the four killed was Michel Ortega Casanova. Three others have not yet been identified.

“The investigation process continues until the facts are fully clarified,” the ministry said in a statement.

Misael Ortega Casanova, brother of Michel Ortega Casanova, told The Associated Press late Wednesday that he was mourning his brother’s death but lamented that he fell into what he called an “obsessive and diabolical” quest for Cuba’s freedom.

“Only us Cubans who have lived over there understand,” Misael Ortega Casanova said, referring to the “great suffering” that he and other Cubans on the island have faced.

He noted that his brother, who was a truck driver and an American citizen who lived for more than 20 years in the U.S., leaves behind his wife, his mother, two sisters — one of whom lives in Cuba — and a daughter who is pregnant.

“No one knew,” Misael said of his brother’s plans. “My mother is devastated.”

He added: “They became so obsessed that they didn’t think about the consequences nor their own lives.”

Misael said that he did not recognize any of the names that the Cuban government released.

He said that while he doesn’t believe in heroes — “because that is ignorance” — he hopes that his brother’s death might be a worthwhile sacrifice: “maybe it will justify that some day Cuba will be free.”

U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cuba-venezuela-maduro-oil-economy-b9ffd24928e34dc7e3fc1fdcb22709a1">President Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;top diplomat refused to speculate on what happened, saying that it could be a “wide range of things,” and that the U.S. will not solely rely on what the Cuban authorities have provided thus far.

“Suffice it to say, it is highly unusual to see shootouts in open sea like that. It’s not something that happens every day. It’s something, frankly, that hasn’t happened with Cuba in a very long time,” Rubio said.

He said both the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Coast Guard are investigating the incident and stressed that he wants to verify the facts.

“The majority of the facts being publicly reported are those by the information provided by the Cubans. We will verify that independently as we gather more information, and we’ll be prepared to respond accordingly," Rubio said. "We’re going to have our own information on this. We’re going to figure out exactly what happened.”

He said it was not a U.S. government operation and that he wasn’t "going to speculate about whose boat it was, what they were doing, why they were there, what actually happened.”

One of the men identified by the Cuban government, Conrado Galindo Sariol, was interviewed in June 2025 by Martí Noticias, a U.S.-based news site that has long called for a change of government in Cuba.

Galindo, whom the host called “a legend” and a former political prisoner, was quoted as saying that he wants to support the struggles that Cubans face, especially in the eastern part of the island “to achieve the freedom that is needed.”

He said that the protests in Cuba at that time were “not a spark that’s going to be extinguished.”

“The regime’s leaders are crisscrossing Cuba, trying to mitigate what’s coming very soon because ... they know they’re out of power, that they can’t do anything about it, and they’re looking for ways to prevent the protests from growing in other parts of the country,” Galindo was quoted as saying.

Rubio said he found out about the shooting before the Cuban government posted on social media, noting that the U.S. has “constant contact” with the country “at the Coast Guard level.”

Earlier, Cuba’s Interior Ministry issued a statement that provided few details about the shooting, but noted that the boat was roughly 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) northeast of Cayo Falcones, off Cuba’s north coast.

The government provided the boat’s registration number, but The Associated Press was unable to readily verify details of the boat because boat registrations are not public in the state of Florida.

It wasn’t immediately known what the boat and its occupants were doing in Cuban waters. In the statement, the ministry said Cuba’s government was “safeguarding its sovereignty and ensuring stability in the region.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida said it would pursue answers “through every legal and diplomatic channel available,” adding that “facts remain unclear and conflicting.”

U.S. Vice President JD Vance said late Wednesday afternoon that Rubio had briefed him on the incident. He added that the White House was monitoring the situation.

“Hopefully it’s not as bad as we fear it could be,” Vance said.

The shooting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cuba-health-care-us-energy-embargo-crisis-33ad8447dc4b442ea9b614eb91392be5">threatens to increase tensions</a>&nbsp;between the U.S. and Cuba. Following the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Trump and top administration officials have taken an increasingly aggressive stance toward Cuba, which had been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cuba-airplanes-fuel-shortages-us-blockade-oil-18d79e2f138520dcbf28c24c1599b1a5">largely kept economically afloat</a>&nbsp;by Venezuela’s oil.

The energy crisis Cuba has been grappling with in recent years entered new extremes last month when Trump signed an executive order that would impose a tariff on any country that sells or provides oil to Cuba. The move put pressure on Mexico, which Cuba became largely dependent on for petroleum after Trump halted oil shipments from Venezuela.

Meanwhile, James Uthmeier, Florida’s attorney general, said he has ordered prosecutors to work with federal, state and law enforcement partners to start an investigation.

“The Cuban government cannot be trusted, and we will do everything in our power to hold these communists accountable,” he wrote on X.

Lee reported from Basseterre, St. Kitts and Coto from San José, Costa Rica. Associated Press reporters Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska, and Michael Biesecker, Aamer Madhani and Konstantin Toropin in Washington contributed to this report.

HAVANA (AP) — Cuba’s government said late Wednesday that the 10 passengers on a boat that opened fire on its soldiers were armed Cubans living in the U.S. who were trying to infiltrate the island and unleash terrorism.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">SECRETARY RUBIO on CUBA: What I’m telling you is we’re going to find out exactly what happened and who was involved. We’re not going to just take what somebody else tells us. I’m very confident we will be able to know the story independently. <a href="https://t.co/965ul2lC8b">pic.twitter.com/965ul2lC8b</a>&mdash; Department of State (@StateDept) <a href="https://twitter.com/StateDept/status/2026882562551873825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The announcement came hours after Cuba said its soldiers killed four people and wounded six others aboard a Florida-registered speed boat that had entered Cuban waters and opened fire on the soldiers first, injuring one Cuban officer.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Note from the Ministry of the Interior: On the morning of February 25, 2026, a violating speedboat was detected within Cuban territorial waters. The vessel, registered in Florida, United States, with registration number FL7726SH, approached up to 1 nautical mile northeast of the… <a href="https://t.co/AEmwtAZ4lO">pic.twitter.com/AEmwtAZ4lO</a>&mdash; Cuban Embassy in US (@EmbaCubaUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/EmbaCubaUS/status/2026732911114760673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Cuba’s government said the majority of the 10 people on the boat “have a known history of criminal and violent activity.”U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had told reporters earlier that he was made aware of the incident and that the U.S. is now gathering its own information to determine if the victims were American citizens or permanent residents.“We have various different elements of the U.S. government that are trying to identify elements of the story that may not be provided to us now,” Rubio said while at the airport in Basseterre, St. Kitts, where he was attending a regional summit with Caribbean leaders.The Cuban government identified two of the boat passengers as Amijail Sánchez González and Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez, who are wanted by Cuban authorities “based on their involvement in the promotion, planning, organization, financing, support or commission of actions carried out in the national territory or in other countries, in connection with acts of terrorism.”The government said it also had arrested Duniel Hernández Santos, adding that he was “sent from the United States to guarantee the reception of the armed infiltration, who at this time has confessed to his actions.”The Associated Press was not immediately able to independently verify that information.Cuba’s government said it obtained the details about the passengers aboard the boat from the suspects detained following the shootout.It identified seven of the 10 passengers, including Conrado Galindo Sariol, José Manuel Rodríguez Castelló, Cristian Ernesto Acosta Guevara and Roberto Azcorra Consuegra. Cuba's government said that one of the four killed was Michel Ortega Casanova. Three others have not yet been identified.“The investigation process continues until the facts are fully clarified,” the ministry said in a statement.Misael Ortega Casanova, brother of Michel Ortega Casanova, told The Associated Press late Wednesday that he was mourning his brother’s death but lamented that he fell into what he called an “obsessive and diabolical” quest for Cuba’s freedom.“Only us Cubans who have lived over there understand,” Misael Ortega Casanova said, referring to the “great suffering” that he and other Cubans on the island have faced.He noted that his brother, who was a truck driver and an American citizen who lived for more than 20 years in the U.S., leaves behind his wife, his mother, two sisters — one of whom lives in Cuba — and a daughter who is pregnant.“No one knew,” Misael said of his brother’s plans. “My mother is devastated.”He added: “They became so obsessed that they didn’t think about the consequences nor their own lives.”Misael said that he did not recognize any of the names that the Cuban government released.He said that while he doesn’t believe in heroes — “because that is ignorance” — he hopes that his brother’s death might be a worthwhile sacrifice: “maybe it will justify that some day Cuba will be free.”<h2>A ‘highly unusual’ shootout</h2>U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cuba-venezuela-maduro-oil-economy-b9ffd24928e34dc7e3fc1fdcb22709a1">President Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;top diplomat refused to speculate on what happened, saying that it could be a “wide range of things,” and that the U.S. will not solely rely on what the Cuban authorities have provided thus far.“Suffice it to say, it is highly unusual to see shootouts in open sea like that. It’s not something that happens every day. It’s something, frankly, that hasn’t happened with Cuba in a very long time,” Rubio said.He said both the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Coast Guard are investigating the incident and stressed that he wants to verify the facts.“The majority of the facts being publicly reported are those by the information provided by the Cubans. We will verify that independently as we gather more information, and we’ll be prepared to respond accordingly," Rubio said. "We’re going to have our own information on this. We’re going to figure out exactly what happened.”He said it was not a U.S. government operation and that he wasn’t "going to speculate about whose boat it was, what they were doing, why they were there, what actually happened.”One of the men identified by the Cuban government, Conrado Galindo Sariol, was interviewed in June 2025 by Martí Noticias, a U.S.-based news site that has long called for a change of government in Cuba.Galindo, whom the host called “a legend” and a former political prisoner, was quoted as saying that he wants to support the struggles that Cubans face, especially in the eastern part of the island “to achieve the freedom that is needed.”He said that the protests in Cuba at that time were “not a spark that’s going to be extinguished.”“The regime’s leaders are crisscrossing Cuba, trying to mitigate what’s coming very soon because ... they know they’re out of power, that they can’t do anything about it, and they’re looking for ways to prevent the protests from growing in other parts of the country,” Galindo was quoted as saying.<h2>Fear over increased tensions</h2>Rubio said he found out about the shooting before the Cuban government posted on social media, noting that the U.S. has “constant contact” with the country “at the Coast Guard level.”Earlier, Cuba’s Interior Ministry issued a statement that provided few details about the shooting, but noted that the boat was roughly 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) northeast of Cayo Falcones, off Cuba’s north coast.The government provided the boat’s registration number, but The Associated Press was unable to readily verify details of the boat because boat registrations are not public in the state of Florida.It wasn’t immediately known what the boat and its occupants were doing in Cuban waters. In the statement, the ministry said Cuba’s government was “safeguarding its sovereignty and ensuring stability in the region.”The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida said it would pursue answers “through every legal and diplomatic channel available,” adding that “facts remain unclear and conflicting.”U.S. Vice President JD Vance said late Wednesday afternoon that Rubio had briefed him on the incident. He added that the White House was monitoring the situation.“Hopefully it’s not as bad as we fear it could be,” Vance said.The shooting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cuba-health-care-us-energy-embargo-crisis-33ad8447dc4b442ea9b614eb91392be5">threatens to increase tensions</a>&nbsp;between the U.S. and Cuba. Following the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Trump and top administration officials have taken an increasingly aggressive stance toward Cuba, which had been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cuba-airplanes-fuel-shortages-us-blockade-oil-18d79e2f138520dcbf28c24c1599b1a5">largely kept economically afloat</a>&nbsp;by Venezuela’s oil.The energy crisis Cuba has been grappling with in recent years entered new extremes last month when Trump signed an executive order that would impose a tariff on any country that sells or provides oil to Cuba. The move put pressure on Mexico, which Cuba became largely dependent on for petroleum after Trump halted oil shipments from Venezuela.Meanwhile, James Uthmeier, Florida’s attorney general, said he has ordered prosecutors to work with federal, state and law enforcement partners to start an investigation.“The Cuban government cannot be trusted, and we will do everything in our power to hold these communists accountable,” he wrote on X.___Lee reported from Basseterre, St. Kitts and Coto from San José, Costa Rica. Associated Press reporters Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska, and Michael Biesecker, Aamer Madhani and Konstantin Toropin in Washington contributed to this report.

🎥Why did Cuba kill 4 on speedboat from U.S.?

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The iconic Blue Light Lady limestone sculpture created by Pete Felten is set to be moved from its location at 26th and Indian Trail to Historic Fort Hays.

The Elizabeth Polly&nbsp;Blue Light Lady statue sits in green space west of Indian Trail, south of Dairy Queen and east of Centennial Towers in Hays.

The statue has resided there since 1982. The Hays Arts Council spearheaded the statue's placement at the park.

Although there is a small playground area on the east side of Indian Trail, the statue sits alone and is often overlooked by visitors and even residents of Hays.

The Society of Friends of Historic Fort Hays has raised funds to move the statue to a site at the historic fort, where it will be more visible and can be used to tell Elizabeth Polly's story.

Elizabeth Polly was born in 1843. Her husband was a hospital steward at Fort Hays. She tended to&nbsp;cholera victims at Fort Hays during an outbreak in&nbsp;1867. She contracted cholera and died that same year.

"She was a courageous, young woman who sacrificed her life nursing soldiers suffering from cholera.&nbsp;While she has become a legend through her ghostly hauntings, her actual life is even more inspiring. 

"We&nbsp;want our visitors, adults and children, to leave admiring the woman. Our history is full of sacrifice, which&nbsp;provides us with enduring lessons of strength and perseverance," the Friends of the Fort said.

In addition to the statue, the Friends of the Historic Fort want to place a plaque on a pillar adjacent to it that tells the stories of Polly and Felten.

The fort is also home to Felten's Monarch of the Plains bison sculpture. Felten died on Feb. 4.&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f8028923-65bd-48c2-b29d-d2a1cb622950">Read more on Felten's life and work HERE.</a>

Adam Conkey, Historic Fort Hays site administrator, said the fort is still in the planning and fundraising stages of the move.

The fort would like to locate the statue near the hospital site. Conkey said the hospital did not exist on that site when Polly was tending the sick. She would likely have cared for soldiers housed in hospital tents.&nbsp;

Polly was buried at the base of Sentinel Hill, but her remains were moved to the top of the hill, said Marla Matkin of Friends of the Fort, who also portrays Polly during reenactments.

"She knew the risk she took in nursing these young men," Matkin said, "but she felt she was providing a very needed service, and she was."

Polly was given a full military funeral service because of her dedication to caring for the soldiers, Matkin said.

There is a monument marking Polly's grave on Sentinel Hill, but since it is on private property, permission from the landowner would be required to visit.

Conkey said some of the Polly story has been told through family legend, and it's difficult to know what is accurate.

According to legend, Poly was buried in a blue dress. Locals have said for generations that they have seen her ghost, cloaked in a misty blue light, wandering the area.

The Friends of the Fort hope to have the statue moved in April and have a formal unveiling of the sculpture at its new site on Sept. 26, Matkin said. 80 Proof Alice will perform at the event.

The Friends of the Fort also has upcoming monthly events, as well as a July 4 celebration to honor the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

The fort's period baseball team will play.

This year is also the 150th anniversary of the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Reinforcements from Fort Hays were called north to serve after the battle, Matkin said.

George Custer, who spent time at Fort Hays, was killed at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, during which Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes engaged the 7th Cavalry Regiment of the U.S. Army.

If you would like to donate to the Elizabeth Polly statue project, write a check to the Society of Friends of Historic Fort Hays, with "Elizabeth Polly statue" in the subject line, and mail it to Historic Fort Hays at 1472 U.S. 183 Alternate, Hays, KS 67601.

Matkin said the Friends of the Fort is always looking for more volunteers. If you are interested, you can visit the fort and talk with Conkey.

"It is a commemorative year," Matkin said. "It's a great time to see some of the stuff and learn some history and maybe get involved and become a part of it."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1772037586943.jpeg" alt="The Elizabeth Polly statue by Pete Felten near 26th and Indian Trail is set to be moved to Historic Fort Hays in April. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The Elizabeth Polly statue by Pete Felten near 26th and Indian Trail is set to be moved to Historic Fort Hays in April. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe iconic Blue Light Lady limestone sculpture created by Pete Felten is set to be moved from its location at 26th and Indian Trail to Historic Fort Hays.The Elizabeth Polly&nbsp;Blue Light Lady statue sits in green space west of Indian Trail, south of Dairy Queen and east of Centennial Towers in Hays.The statue has resided there since 1982. The Hays Arts Council spearheaded the statue's placement at the park.Although there is a small playground area on the east side of Indian Trail, the statue sits alone and is often overlooked by visitors and even residents of Hays.The Society of Friends of Historic Fort Hays has raised funds to move the statue to a site at the historic fort, where it will be more visible and can be used to tell Elizabeth Polly's story.Elizabeth Polly was born in 1843. Her husband was a hospital steward at Fort Hays. She tended to&nbsp;cholera victims at Fort Hays during an outbreak in&nbsp;1867. She contracted cholera and died that same year."She was a courageous, young woman who sacrificed her life nursing soldiers suffering from cholera.&nbsp;While she has become a legend through her ghostly hauntings, her actual life is even more inspiring. "We&nbsp;want our visitors, adults and children, to leave admiring the woman. Our history is full of sacrifice, which&nbsp;provides us with enduring lessons of strength and perseverance," the Friends of the Fort said.In addition to the statue, the Friends of the Historic Fort want to place a plaque on a pillar adjacent to it that tells the stories of Polly and Felten.The fort is also home to Felten's Monarch of the Plains bison sculpture. Felten died on Feb. 4.&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f8028923-65bd-48c2-b29d-d2a1cb622950">Read more on Felten's life and work HERE.</a>Adam Conkey, Historic Fort Hays site administrator, said the fort is still in the planning and fundraising stages of the move.The fort would like to locate the statue near the hospital site. Conkey said the hospital did not exist on that site when Polly was tending the sick. She would likely have cared for soldiers housed in hospital tents.&nbsp;Polly was buried at the base of Sentinel Hill, but her remains were moved to the top of the hill, said Marla Matkin of Friends of the Fort, who also portrays Polly during reenactments."She knew the risk she took in nursing these young men," Matkin said, "but she felt she was providing a very needed service, and she was."Polly was given a full military funeral service because of her dedication to caring for the soldiers, Matkin said.There is a monument marking Polly's grave on Sentinel Hill, but since it is on private property, permission from the landowner would be required to visit.Conkey said some of the Polly story has been told through family legend, and it's difficult to know what is accurate.According to legend, Poly was buried in a blue dress. Locals have said for generations that they have seen her ghost, cloaked in a misty blue light, wandering the area.The Friends of the Fort hope to have the statue moved in April and have a formal unveiling of the sculpture at its new site on Sept. 26, Matkin said. 80 Proof Alice will perform at the event.The Friends of the Fort also has upcoming monthly events, as well as a July 4 celebration to honor the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.The fort's period baseball team will play.This year is also the 150th anniversary of the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Reinforcements from Fort Hays were called north to serve after the battle, Matkin said.George Custer, who spent time at Fort Hays, was killed at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, during which Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes engaged the 7th Cavalry Regiment of the U.S. Army.If you would like to donate to the Elizabeth Polly statue project, write a check to the Society of Friends of Historic Fort Hays, with "Elizabeth Polly statue" in the subject line, and mail it to Historic Fort Hays at 1472 U.S. 183 Alternate, Hays, KS 67601.Matkin said the Friends of the Fort is always looking for more volunteers. If you are interested, you can visit the fort and talk with Conkey."It is a commemorative year," Matkin said. "It's a great time to see some of the stuff and learn some history and maybe get involved and become a part of it."

Felten's Blue Light Lady statue to find new home

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President JD Vance announced Wednesday that the Trump administration would “temporarily halt” some Medicaid funding to the state of Minnesota&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-fraud-charges-fbad68312012dc02a4060852474f72ee">over fraud concerns</a>, as part of what he described as an aggressive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-minnesota-covid-nutrition-cc55a566c806a29a7f2e64c762975a09">crackdown on misuse of public funds</a>.

Vance, who made the announcement with Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said the administration was taking the action “in order to ensure that the state of Minnesota takes its obligations seriously to be good stewards of the American people’s tax money.”

Oz, who referred to people committing fraud as “self-serving scoundrels,” said the federal government would hold off on paying $259.5 million to Minnesota in funding for Medicaid, the health care safety net for low-income Americans.

“This is not a problem with the people of Minnesota, it’s a problem with the leadership of Minnesota and other states who do not take Medicaid preservation seriously,” Oz said.

Wednesday’s move is part of a larger Trump administration effort to spotlight fraud around the country. That effort comes after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-fraud-immigration-enforcement-somali-76e246b70d582f1dd42f1242cf7d7a66">allegations of fraud</a>&nbsp;involving day care centers run by Somali residents in Minneapolis prompted a massive immigration crackdown in the Midwestern city, resulting in widespread protests. President Donald Trump, in his State of the Union address on Tuesday, announced Vance would spearhead a national “war on fraud.”

Trump also recently nominated Colin McDonald to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-fraud-division-colin-mcdonald-trump-91da4a174aa88706c3b6bfbd67399689">serve as the first assistant attorney general</a>&nbsp;in charge of a Justice Department division dedicated to rooting out fraud.

Oz said the administration was simultaneously notifying Minnesota’s Democratic Gov. Tim Walz as he was making the announcement publicly.

“We will give them the money, but we’re going to hold it and only release it after they propose and act on a comprehensive corrective action plan to solve the problem,” Oz said.

He said Walz would have 60 days to respond and advised health care providers and Medicaid beneficiaries who were concerned to contact Walz’s office.

Walz, former Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2024 running mate, said in a pair of social media posts that the administration’s move had nothing to do with fraud.

“This is a campaign of retribution. Trump is weaponizing the entirety of the federal government to punish blue states like Minnesota,” Walz said. “These cuts will be devastating for veterans, families with young kids, folks with disabilities, and working people across our state.”

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said in a statement that his team has secured over 300 Medicaid fraud convictions since he took office in 2019. And he noted that he called on the Legislature earlier Wednesday to give him more staff and new legal tools to combat Medicaid fraud.

"Courts have repeatedly found that their pattern of cutting first and asking questions later is illegal, and if the federal government is unlawfully withholding money meant for the 1.2 million low-income Minnesotans on Medicaid, we will see them in court,” Ellison said.

Oz said the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services were also taking action to crack down on fraud in Medicare, the health care system relied upon by millions of older adults.

He said CMS for six months would block any new Medicare enrollments for suppliers of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics or other supplies used to treat chronic conditions or assist in injury recovery.

The Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found last year that Medicare improperly paid suppliers nearly $23 million for durable medical equipment from 2018 through 2024. But it found that most of that was before January 2020, when changes to the system were implemented.

Oz also announced a new crowdsourcing effort he said would help “crush fraud” by soliciting Americans’ tips and suggestions.

“All of us are smarter than any one of us,” he said.

In a news release accompanying the announcement, CMS said the funding being paused in Minnesota included some $244 million in unsupported or potentially fraudulent Medicaid claims and about $15 million in claims involving “individuals lacking a satisfactory immigration status.”

Immigrants who are not living in the U.S. legally, as well as some lawfully present immigrants, are not allowed to enroll in the Medicaid program that provides nearly-free coverage for health services.

CMS said in the release that if Minnesota fails to satisfy its requirements, it may defer up to $1 billion in federal funds to the state over the next year. CMS spokesperson Catherine Howden said the agency's review of potential fraud cases would include sampling claims to see if they comply with federal requirements, and potentially requesting more information about specific claims.

Akeiisa Coleman, the senior program officer for Medicaid at the Commonwealth Fund, said CMS was taking a “highly unusual step" in deferring funding. She said if the state doesn't have enough funds available, it may have to halt payments to providers, which could affect care.

The administration has threatened to cut off funding for various programs for some Democratic-run states over fraud concerns over the last few months.

One judge blocked those actions and required that payments flowing to Minnesota and four other states — California, Colorado, Illinois and New York — for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-service-funds-trump-democratic-states-536a40afc6abca52bd9a660196394333">variety of social service programs</a>. The government had said that there was “reason to believe” that those states were granting benefits to people in the country illegally. It did not initially explain where that information came from, but a government lawyer told the judge it was largely in reaction to news reports about possible fraud.

Another judge said she would not let it cut off funding for administrative costs for 22 states that have refused to hand over information about applicants and recipients of food aid through the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/judge-blocks-trump-administration-snap-recipients-data-af9113866b0138699e96ce173d53a58e">Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program</a>.

The latest action was prompted in part by a series of fraud cases, including a nonprofit called Feeding Our Future accused of stealing pandemic aid meant for school meals. Prosecutors have put the losses from that case at $300 million.

Since then, Trump has targeted the Somali diaspora in Minnesota with immigration enforcement actions and has made a series of disparaging comments about the community. During his State of the Union address on Tuesday, Trump said “pirates” have “ransacked Minnesota.”

Federal agencies have also been enlisted to assist in targeting fraud in Minnesota.

Last December, the U.S. Treasury Department issued an order requiring money wire services that people use to send money to Somalia to submit additional verification to the Treasury.

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services told Minnesota in January that it intended to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-money-minnesota-snap-medicaid-child-care-38de05fb90bddbe953adad4e0c87c218">freeze parts of payments</a>&nbsp;for some Medicaid programs that were deemed high-risk. The state said that those cuts would add up to more than $2 billion annually if they lasted and made an administrative appeal.

Associated Press writers Geoff Mulvihill in Philadelphia, Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis and Fatima Hussein in Washington contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President JD Vance announced Wednesday that the Trump administration would “temporarily halt” some Medicaid funding to the state of Minnesota&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-fraud-charges-fbad68312012dc02a4060852474f72ee">over fraud concerns</a>, as part of what he described as an aggressive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-minnesota-covid-nutrition-cc55a566c806a29a7f2e64c762975a09">crackdown on misuse of public funds</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a>: &quot;Far too many people have gotten rich by taking what is best of the American spirit and getting rich off of it instead of providing services to kids who need it. That is stopping today.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/AjAoc9osmh">https://t.co/AjAoc9osmh</a> <a href="https://t.co/LXJQzhrN0Z">pic.twitter.com/LXJQzhrN0Z</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2026779392609825065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/DrOzCMS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DrOzCMS</a>: &quot;I&#39;m proud to announce the largest anti-fraud effort of its kind in CMS history... We&#39;re not going to let fraudsters steal it from you.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/AjAoc9osmh">https://t.co/AjAoc9osmh</a> <a href="https://t.co/jtAOpFKEDf">pic.twitter.com/jtAOpFKEDf</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2026780012490154251?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a>: &quot;What we want to see from the Governor of Minnesota, from the entire administration there in Minnesota, is some affirmative steps to make sure that the people who are billing us for Medicaid services, are actually providing those Medicaid services.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/sId7NY8H0e">pic.twitter.com/sId7NY8H0e</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2026783283938275471?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/DrOzCMS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DrOzCMS</a>: &quot;If Minnesota fails to clean up the systems, the state will rack up $1 billion of deferred payments this year. <a href="https://twitter.com/GovTimWalz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovTimWalz</a> has 60 days to respond... We have more announcements of other states coming soon.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/AjAoc9osmh">https://t.co/AjAoc9osmh</a> <a href="https://t.co/nw18bsv64z">pic.twitter.com/nw18bsv64z</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2026781835179565155?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a>: &quot;The problem is not going after the fraud, the problem is the fact that these programs are being defrauded to begin with. They WILL NOT EXIST. Our social safety net with disappear unless we take fraud more seriously.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/AjAoc9osmh">https://t.co/AjAoc9osmh</a> <a href="https://t.co/PpMASU5vYs">pic.twitter.com/PpMASU5vYs</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2026784685171339363?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/DrOzCMS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DrOzCMS</a> details just a fraction of the fraud in Minnesota: One scheme involved criminals paying moms $1,000 to enroll their children — falsely — as autistic, then billed Medicaid millions of dollars for services that were never rendered. <a href="https://t.co/AjAoc9osmh">https://t.co/AjAoc9osmh</a> <a href="https://t.co/7AKMGSKwPj">pic.twitter.com/7AKMGSKwPj</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2026781360266830026?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Vance, who made the announcement with Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said the administration was taking the action “in order to ensure that the state of Minnesota takes its obligations seriously to be good stewards of the American people’s tax money.”Oz, who referred to people committing fraud as “self-serving scoundrels,” said the federal government would hold off on paying $259.5 million to Minnesota in funding for Medicaid, the health care safety net for low-income Americans.“This is not a problem with the people of Minnesota, it’s a problem with the leadership of Minnesota and other states who do not take Medicaid preservation seriously,” Oz said.Wednesday’s move is part of a larger Trump administration effort to spotlight fraud around the country. That effort comes after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-fraud-immigration-enforcement-somali-76e246b70d582f1dd42f1242cf7d7a66">allegations of fraud</a>&nbsp;involving day care centers run by Somali residents in Minneapolis prompted a massive immigration crackdown in the Midwestern city, resulting in widespread protests. President Donald Trump, in his State of the Union address on Tuesday, announced Vance would spearhead a national “war on fraud.”Trump also recently nominated Colin McDonald to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-fraud-division-colin-mcdonald-trump-91da4a174aa88706c3b6bfbd67399689">serve as the first assistant attorney general</a>&nbsp;in charge of a Justice Department division dedicated to rooting out fraud.<h2>Minnesota pushes back</h2>Oz said the administration was simultaneously notifying Minnesota’s Democratic Gov. Tim Walz as he was making the announcement publicly.“We will give them the money, but we’re going to hold it and only release it after they propose and act on a comprehensive corrective action plan to solve the problem,” Oz said.He said Walz would have 60 days to respond and advised health care providers and Medicaid beneficiaries who were concerned to contact Walz’s office.Walz, former Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2024 running mate, said in a pair of social media posts that the administration’s move had nothing to do with fraud.“This is a campaign of retribution. Trump is weaponizing the entirety of the federal government to punish blue states like Minnesota,” Walz said. “These cuts will be devastating for veterans, families with young kids, folks with disabilities, and working people across our state.”Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said in a statement that his team has secured over 300 Medicaid fraud convictions since he took office in 2019. And he noted that he called on the Legislature earlier Wednesday to give him more staff and new legal tools to combat Medicaid fraud."Courts have repeatedly found that their pattern of cutting first and asking questions later is illegal, and if the federal government is unlawfully withholding money meant for the 1.2 million low-income Minnesotans on Medicaid, we will see them in court,” Ellison said.Oz said the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services were also taking action to crack down on fraud in Medicare, the health care system relied upon by millions of older adults.He said CMS for six months would block any new Medicare enrollments for suppliers of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics or other supplies used to treat chronic conditions or assist in injury recovery.The Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found last year that Medicare improperly paid suppliers nearly $23 million for durable medical equipment from 2018 through 2024. But it found that most of that was before January 2020, when changes to the system were implemented.Oz also announced a new crowdsourcing effort he said would help “crush fraud” by soliciting Americans’ tips and suggestions.“All of us are smarter than any one of us,” he said.In a news release accompanying the announcement, CMS said the funding being paused in Minnesota included some $244 million in unsupported or potentially fraudulent Medicaid claims and about $15 million in claims involving “individuals lacking a satisfactory immigration status.”Immigrants who are not living in the U.S. legally, as well as some lawfully present immigrants, are not allowed to enroll in the Medicaid program that provides nearly-free coverage for health services.CMS said in the release that if Minnesota fails to satisfy its requirements, it may defer up to $1 billion in federal funds to the state over the next year. CMS spokesperson Catherine Howden said the agency's review of potential fraud cases would include sampling claims to see if they comply with federal requirements, and potentially requesting more information about specific claims.Akeiisa Coleman, the senior program officer for Medicaid at the Commonwealth Fund, said CMS was taking a “highly unusual step" in deferring funding. She said if the state doesn't have enough funds available, it may have to halt payments to providers, which could affect care.<h2>Democratic-run states face cutoffs</h2>The administration has threatened to cut off funding for various programs for some Democratic-run states over fraud concerns over the last few months.One judge blocked those actions and required that payments flowing to Minnesota and four other states — California, Colorado, Illinois and New York — for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-service-funds-trump-democratic-states-536a40afc6abca52bd9a660196394333">variety of social service programs</a>. The government had said that there was “reason to believe” that those states were granting benefits to people in the country illegally. It did not initially explain where that information came from, but a government lawyer told the judge it was largely in reaction to news reports about possible fraud.Another judge said she would not let it cut off funding for administrative costs for 22 states that have refused to hand over information about applicants and recipients of food aid through the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/judge-blocks-trump-administration-snap-recipients-data-af9113866b0138699e96ce173d53a58e">Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program</a>.The latest action was prompted in part by a series of fraud cases, including a nonprofit called Feeding Our Future accused of stealing pandemic aid meant for school meals. Prosecutors have put the losses from that case at $300 million.Since then, Trump has targeted the Somali diaspora in Minnesota with immigration enforcement actions and has made a series of disparaging comments about the community. During his State of the Union address on Tuesday, Trump said “pirates” have “ransacked Minnesota.”Federal agencies have also been enlisted to assist in targeting fraud in Minnesota.Last December, the U.S. Treasury Department issued an order requiring money wire services that people use to send money to Somalia to submit additional verification to the Treasury.The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services told Minnesota in January that it intended to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-money-minnesota-snap-medicaid-child-care-38de05fb90bddbe953adad4e0c87c218">freeze parts of payments</a>&nbsp;for some Medicaid programs that were deemed high-risk. The state said that those cuts would add up to more than $2 billion annually if they lasted and made an administrative appeal.___Associated Press writers Geoff Mulvihill in Philadelphia, Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis and Fatima Hussein in Washington contributed to this report.

VP: Largest anti-fraud effort of its kind in Medicaid history

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

A 22-year-old Hays woman allegedly rammed her vehicle into a man's car during a chase.

Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler said officers were dispatched about 12:10 p.m. on Feb. 20 to the 1300 block of Western Plains Drive. The investigation later determined the incident began as a domestic dispute between Ashton Caitlen Tabor and a Hays man with whom she had previously been in a relationship.

After allegedly throwing a brick at the man’s vehicle and causing damage, Tabor then pursued him and allegedly struck his vehicle with her own.

Scheibler said Ellis County deputies stopped Tabor’s vehicle, and she was taken into custody without incident.

Tabor was arrested on charges of alleged aggravated battery and criminal damage. Scheibler said the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office is investigating additional drug-related charges

The man Tabor was allegedly pursuing was later arrested on unrelated charges. No injuries were reported.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1772122027281.png" alt="Tabor photo Ellis County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Tabor photo Ellis County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostA 22-year-old Hays woman allegedly rammed her vehicle into a man's car during a chase.Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler said officers were dispatched about 12:10 p.m. on Feb. 20 to the 1300 block of Western Plains Drive. The investigation later determined the incident began as a domestic dispute between Ashton Caitlen Tabor and a Hays man with whom she had previously been in a relationship.After allegedly throwing a brick at the man’s vehicle and causing damage, Tabor then pursued him and allegedly struck his vehicle with her own.Scheibler said Ellis County deputies stopped Tabor’s vehicle, and she was taken into custody without incident.Tabor was arrested on charges of alleged aggravated battery and criminal damage. Scheibler said the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office is investigating additional drug-related chargesThe man Tabor was allegedly pursuing was later arrested on unrelated charges. No injuries were reported.

Hays woman arrested after alleged vehicle chase with ex

BARTON COUNTY —A Kansas school resource officer continues to receive recognition for his courage.

On social media Wednesday, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall wrote, " Congratulations to SRO Paul Millard of the Great Bend Police Department, named Law Enforcement Officer of the Year by the Wichita Metro Crime Commission."

"While off duty, he heard gunshots and acted immediately to stop the threat until Wichita Police arrived."&nbsp; 

"Thank you, Officer Millard, for your bravery and dedication to protecting Kansans."

Around 3:30 p.m. on Aug. 8, Millard and his wife were leaving Towne East Mall after a day of shopping when they heard gunshots in the parking lot. Taking immediate action, Millard rushed over to the scene, restrained a suspect and stopped the threat until the Wichita Police arrived.

With 27 years of service at the Great Bend Police Department, Millard has spent the past decade as the SRO for the USD 428 School System. He also leads the department’s Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E) program and has been member of the bike patrol unit and SWAT team, as well as a supervisor throughout his extensive career.

&nbsp;Millard also received national recognition as SRO of the Month by the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) in August.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754967933271.jpeg" alt="School Resource officer Paul Millard -photo by Mike Courson Great Bend Post" />
 <figcaption>School Resource officer Paul Millard -photo by Mike Courson Great Bend Post</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —A Kansas school resource officer continues to receive recognition for his courage.On social media Wednesday, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall wrote, " Congratulations to SRO Paul Millard of the Great Bend Police Department, named Law Enforcement Officer of the Year by the Wichita Metro Crime Commission.""While off duty, he heard gunshots and acted immediately to stop the threat until Wichita Police arrived."&nbsp; "Thank you, Officer Millard, for your bravery and dedication to protecting Kansans."Around 3:30 p.m. on Aug. 8, Millard and his wife were leaving Towne East Mall after a day of shopping when they heard gunshots in the parking lot. Taking immediate action, Millard rushed over to the scene, restrained a suspect and stopped the threat until the Wichita Police arrived.With 27 years of service at the Great Bend Police Department, Millard has spent the past decade as the SRO for the USD 428 School System. He also leads the department’s Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E) program and has been member of the bike patrol unit and SWAT team, as well as a supervisor throughout his extensive career.&nbsp;Millard also received national recognition as SRO of the Month by the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) in August.

Another honor for brave Kansas school resource officer 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger offered a sharp contrast to President Donald Trump’s depiction of the nation as being in a “golden age” during his State of the Union, arguing in her Democratic rebuttal that costs remain high for many Americans more than a year into his second term.

Her message, that families are still struggling under Trump’s policies, is one Democrats plan to carry nationwide ahead of the midterm elections. Party leaders point to Spanberger’s double-digit victory in Virginia last November as validation of a disciplined, cost-focused campaign they now hope to replicate across the country.

“Democrats across the country are laser-focused on affordability in our nation’s capital and in state capitals and communities across America,” said Spanberger. “In the most innovative and exceptional nation in the history of the world, Americans deserve to know that their leaders are focused on addressing the problems that keep them up at night.”

Spanberger asks Americans whether life is better under Trump

Spanberger was flanked by American flags as she delivered the speech from Colonial Williamsburg, a living history museum with restored 18th-century buildings, invoking the site’s role at the heart of Virginia’s early opposition to British rule.

“As we celebrate 250 years since America declared our independence from tyranny, I can think of no better place to speak to you,” Spanberger said.

Spanberger said she wanted to “plainly and honestly” speak to people watching at home. She structured her speech around a series of direct questions: “Is the president working to make life more affordable for you and your family? Is the president working to keep Americans safe, both at home and abroad? Is the president working for you?”

She contrasted those questions with what she described as the reality under Trump, saying he “has sent poorly trained federal agents into our cities, where they have arrested and detained American citizens and people who aspire to be Americans.” She added that Trump seeks to “pit us against one another” while “enriching himself, his family, his friends.”

“This is not what our founders envisioned. Not by a long shot,” said Spanberger. “So I’ll ask again: Is the president working for you? We all know the answer is no.”

Spanberger had a fraction of Trump’s record-breaking time

Spanberger had far less time than the Republican president to make her case, speaking for around 13 minutes. Trump’s address to Congress stretched for just over an hour and 48 minutes, the longest in history, and ran late into the night.

In his speech, Trump described a nation with lower costs than when he took office, declaring, “This is the golden age of America.”

He also goaded the Democratic side of the House chambers throughout the speech for not standing, increasing his insults throughout the speech and calling his opponents “crazy.” But Democrats inside the chamber largely didn’t react, sitting silently. Texas Rep. Al Green was removed from the chamber barely two minutes into the president’s address after holding a protest sign reading “Black People Aren’t Apes!”

Outside the chamber, Democrats who had skipped the speech responded at counterprogramming events, including a “People’s State of the Union” featuring Democratic lawmakers alongside state and local leaders and celebrities.

“We know our state of the union. We know it is under attack,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland said at the event.'

Democrats look toward November’s midterms

Democrats believe the political environment is shifting in their favor. Spanberger’s win in Virginia was followed by other high-profile Democratic victories, including a special election this month in Texas, where a Democrat flipped a reliably Republican state Senate district that Trump carried by 17 percentage points in 2024.

In California Sen. Alex Padilla’s Spanish-language response to Trump’s address, he described the nation as “living a nightmare that divides and destroys our communities” and urged viewers to “prepare, starting today, for your voice to reverberate this November.”

Padilla, who was forcefully removed from a Homeland Security news conference in Los Angeles last year while questioning immigration raids, referenced the moment in his remarks.

“They may have knocked me down for a moment, but I got right back up,” he said. “As our parents taught us: If you fall seven times, get up eight. I am still here. Standing. Still fighting.”

Spanberger, meanwhile, sought to tie Republicans in Congress closely to Trump as Democrats aim to flip the House and Senate in November. She warned that additional tariffs would raise costs “and Republicans in Congress, they remain unwilling to assert their constitutional authority to stop him.”

“They’re making your life harder. They’re making your life more expensive,” she said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger offered a sharp contrast to President Donald Trump’s depiction of the nation as being in a “golden age” during his State of the Union, arguing in her Democratic rebuttal that costs remain high for many Americans more than a year into his second term.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WATCH: Full Democratic Response from Gov. Abigail Spanberger (<a href="https://twitter.com/GovernorVA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovernorVA</a>): &quot;This is not what our founders envisioned, not by a longshot.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Vu2GetqNlq">pic.twitter.com/Vu2GetqNlq</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2026517803209982241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Her message, that families are still struggling under Trump’s policies, is one Democrats plan to carry nationwide ahead of the midterm elections. Party leaders point to Spanberger’s double-digit victory in Virginia last November as validation of a disciplined, cost-focused campaign they now hope to replicate across the country.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Trump is lying. Coffee is up 18.3% Ground beef is up 17.2% Cereal is up 6.2 Bananas are up 5.4% Fish is up 5.1% Cookies are up 5%&mdash; Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenWarren/status/2026491842481500211?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Democrats across the country are laser-focused on affordability in our nation’s capital and in state capitals and communities across America,” said Spanberger. “In the most innovative and exceptional nation in the history of the world, Americans deserve to know that their leaders are focused on addressing the problems that keep them up at night.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I just finished hearing from <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> – here are my thoughts. <a href="https://t.co/fKnJLZc897">pic.twitter.com/fKnJLZc897</a>&mdash; Rep. Sharice Davids (@RepDavids) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepDavids/status/2026512699652186202?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Gov. Abigail Spanberger (<a href="https://twitter.com/GovernorVA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovernorVA</a>): &quot;In his speech tonight, the president did what he always does, he lied, he scapegoated and he distracted and he offered no real solutions to our nation&#39;s pressing challenges...&quot; <a href="https://t.co/xnGu3ZkNn8">pic.twitter.com/xnGu3ZkNn8</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/2026513929053081958?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</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">Democratic Rep. Al Green was escorted from the chamber at the beginning of President Trump&#39;s State of the Union address after he unfurled a sign of protest that read “Black People Aren’t Apes!” The sign appeared to be a reference to a racist video the president posted.… <a href="https://t.co/2YREck19UA">pic.twitter.com/2YREck19UA</a>&mdash; The Associated Press (@AP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AP/status/2026511986788348094?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Tonight, I boycotted the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SOTU26?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SOTU26</a>. Instead, I joined the People’s State of the Union — because our democracy belongs to the people, not to billionaires. Tonight I stood with working families, with our students, with our elders, &amp; with everyone who stands against hate. <a href="https://t.co/dXk0WMaCA6">pic.twitter.com/dXk0WMaCA6</a>&mdash; Melanie Stansbury (@MelanieforNM) <a href="https://twitter.com/MelanieforNM/status/2026509696962822164?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2>Spanberger asks Americans whether life is better under Trump</h2>Spanberger was flanked by American flags as she delivered the speech from Colonial Williamsburg, a living history museum with restored 18th-century buildings, invoking the site’s role at the heart of Virginia’s early opposition to British rule.“As we celebrate 250 years since America declared our independence from tyranny, I can think of no better place to speak to you,” Spanberger said.Spanberger said she wanted to “plainly and honestly” speak to people watching at home. She structured her speech around a series of direct questions: “Is the president working to make life more affordable for you and your family? Is the president working to keep Americans safe, both at home and abroad? Is the president working for you?”She contrasted those questions with what she described as the reality under Trump, saying he “has sent poorly trained federal agents into our cities, where they have arrested and detained American citizens and people who aspire to be Americans.” She added that Trump seeks to “pit us against one another” while “enriching himself, his family, his friends.”“This is not what our founders envisioned. Not by a long shot,” said Spanberger. “So I’ll ask again: Is the president working for you? We all know the answer is no.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We cannot normalize Trump’s shredding of our Constitution, his attacks on our democracy, and his serial lying. That’s why I was proud to join true patriots at the People’s State of the Union where people gathered to speak up and stand up for the country we love, and called… <a href="https://t.co/zE28evzOaK">pic.twitter.com/zE28evzOaK</a>&mdash; Senator Chris Van Hollen (@ChrisVanHollen) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisVanHollen/status/2026516777023221814?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2>Spanberger had a fraction of Trump’s record-breaking time</h2>Spanberger had far less time than the Republican president to make her case, speaking for around 13 minutes. Trump’s address to Congress stretched for just over an hour and 48 minutes, the longest in history, and ran late into the night.In his speech, Trump described a nation with lower costs than when he took office, declaring, “This is the golden age of America.”He also goaded the Democratic side of the House chambers throughout the speech for not standing, increasing his insults throughout the speech and calling his opponents “crazy.” But Democrats inside the chamber largely didn’t react, sitting silently. Texas Rep. Al Green was removed from the chamber barely two minutes into the president’s address after holding a protest sign reading “Black People Aren’t Apes!”Outside the chamber, Democrats who had skipped the speech responded at counterprogramming events, including a “People’s State of the Union” featuring Democratic lawmakers alongside state and local leaders and celebrities.“We know our state of the union. We know it is under attack,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland said at the event.'<h2>Democrats look toward November’s midterms</h2>Democrats believe the political environment is shifting in their favor. Spanberger’s win in Virginia was followed by other high-profile Democratic victories, including a special election this month in Texas, where a Democrat flipped a reliably Republican state Senate district that Trump carried by 17 percentage points in 2024.In California Sen. Alex Padilla’s Spanish-language response to Trump’s address, he described the nation as “living a nightmare that divides and destroys our communities” and urged viewers to “prepare, starting today, for your voice to reverberate this November.”Padilla, who was forcefully removed from a Homeland Security news conference in Los Angeles last year while questioning immigration raids, referenced the moment in his remarks.“They may have knocked me down for a moment, but I got right back up,” he said. “As our parents taught us: If you fall seven times, get up eight. I am still here. Standing. Still fighting.”Spanberger, meanwhile, sought to tie Republicans in Congress closely to Trump as Democrats aim to flip the House and Senate in November. She warned that additional tariffs would raise costs “and Republicans in Congress, they remain unwilling to assert their constitutional authority to stop him.”“They’re making your life harder. They’re making your life more expensive,” she said.

🎥Democrat lawmakers respond to Trump's State of the Union

The Hays USD 489 school board approved a maximum guaranteed price of $5.7 million for renovations of Felten Elementary School at its meeting Monday night.

The renovations will include new ceiling tiles, flooring, paint and new cabinetry. For the lower grades, bathrooms will be added to the classrooms.

A new drive will be added off of Oak Street. New concrete sidewalks will be added on the west side of the school, extending to the parking lot, and in the southeast corner of the school property.

New fencing will be installed on the west side of the school to enhance safety as the former middle school transitions into an elementary school.

The parking lots will have mill and overlay.

Board member Derek Yarmer asked whether workers scoped the plumbing to determine whether any further repairs were needed. 

Chris Billinger,&nbsp;Nabholz Construction project manager, said the plumbing system was scoped, and the results were sent to DLR, the district's architect, to determine which areas needed repairs. Those repairs were included in the designs before the project was bid.

An additional $1 million of plumbing work had to be added to the O'Loughlin Elementary School project after the initial bid because a later scope of the pipes found significant problems.

"It's good to know everything you're dealing with before you go into a project," Yarmer said.

Yarmer asked how much more money would be needed from the capital outlay fund to finish the renovations once the Nabholz Construction contract is completed.

Superintendent Ron Wilson said, "Originally we thought there would be areas that we would not be able to cover, but under this plan, we are touching everything."

Chris Hipp, assistant superintendent for business services, said the district will have expenses to plant grass and to set up the playground equipment that used to be at Lincoln and Wilson elementary schools at Felten. That moneywill come from the capital outlay fund.

Yarmer said since the bond-funded projects are set to be completed, there should be fewer maintenance needs from the capital-outlay fund.

Billinger said he was pleased with how the bidding process went. The total for all bids came in under budget.

The local contractor's participation equaled 69.9% of the project.

Felten is the last project to be bid in the district's current slate of bond-funded projects. With this project added, construction costs will total $148,690,000.

With the addition of design and other costs, the total of all the bond-funded projects will be $165,497,000.

Board members Allen Park and Derek Yarmer voted against the Felten contract, saying they wanted more time to consider it.

Wilson said the board members have known for some time that the contract would come before them for a vote, and delaying the vote could result in the project not being completed by the beginning of the next school year.

Board member Craig Pallister said, "I don't want to hurt kids and teachers by not getting this building done just because we have a personality conflict on a procedure."

Billinger said delaying approval of the contract would put substantial strain on the ability to complete the project on time and could require rebidding at a higher price.

Board Vice President Ruth Ruder said she was confused as to why other board members wanted to delay, since they knew, since the bond issue was approved, what the scope of work and cost of renovations would be for the new elementary school.

Board member Jayme Goetz said she felt she was being bullied for wanting to step back and review the contract more closely.

Work on the Felten renovations will begin soon. The school is set to open to students in the fall.

Wilson Elementary School students will be moving into the renovated Felten Elementary School, and Wilson will close as an elementary school at the end of this school year.

Wilson will eventually be converted for use as an administrative center, and the Rockwell Administration Center will be closed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771965066865.jpeg" alt="The former Hays Middle School, 201 W. 29th, will soon be renovated into Felten Elementary School. The Hays USD 489 approved the $5.7 million construction contract Monday night. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The former Hays Middle School, 201 W. 29th, will soon be renovated into Felten Elementary School. The Hays USD 489 approved the $5.7 million construction contract Monday night. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Hays USD 489 school board approved a maximum guaranteed price of $5.7 million for renovations of Felten Elementary School at its meeting Monday night.The renovations will include new ceiling tiles, flooring, paint and new cabinetry. For the lower grades, bathrooms will be added to the classrooms.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771954347543.png" alt="Improvements planned for the west section of the Felten Elementary School, which is the former middle school. Courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Improvements planned for the west section of the Felten Elementary School, which is the former middle school. Courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771961075943.png" alt="Improvements planned for the east section of the Felten Elementary School, which is the former middle school. Courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Improvements planned for the east section of the Felten Elementary School, which is the former middle school. Courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771961097128.png" alt="Improvements planned for the north section of the Felten Elementary School, which is the former middle school. Courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Improvements planned for the north section of the Felten Elementary School, which is the former middle school. Courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771961131425.png" alt="Exterior improvements for Felten Elementary School, which is the former middle school. Courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Exterior improvements for Felten Elementary School, which is the former middle school. Courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>A new drive will be added off of Oak Street. New concrete sidewalks will be added on the west side of the school, extending to the parking lot, and in the southeast corner of the school property.New fencing will be installed on the west side of the school to enhance safety as the former middle school transitions into an elementary school.The parking lots will have mill and overlay.Board member Derek Yarmer asked whether workers scoped the plumbing to determine whether any further repairs were needed. Chris Billinger,&nbsp;Nabholz Construction project manager, said the plumbing system was scoped, and the results were sent to DLR, the district's architect, to determine which areas needed repairs. Those repairs were included in the designs before the project was bid.An additional $1 million of plumbing work had to be added to the O'Loughlin Elementary School project after the initial bid because a later scope of the pipes found significant problems."It's good to know everything you're dealing with before you go into a project," Yarmer said.Yarmer asked how much more money would be needed from the capital outlay fund to finish the renovations once the Nabholz Construction contract is completed.Superintendent Ron Wilson said, "Originally we thought there would be areas that we would not be able to cover, but under this plan, we are touching everything."Chris Hipp, assistant superintendent for business services, said the district will have expenses to plant grass and to set up the playground equipment that used to be at Lincoln and Wilson elementary schools at Felten. That moneywill come from the capital outlay fund.Yarmer said since the bond-funded projects are set to be completed, there should be fewer maintenance needs from the capital-outlay fund.Billinger said he was pleased with how the bidding process went. The total for all bids came in under budget.The local contractor's participation equaled 69.9% of the project.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771961161676.png" alt="Updated bond-funded projects budget. Courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Updated bond-funded projects budget. Courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>Felten is the last project to be bid in the district's current slate of bond-funded projects. With this project added, construction costs will total $148,690,000.With the addition of design and other costs, the total of all the bond-funded projects will be $165,497,000.Board members Allen Park and Derek Yarmer voted against the Felten contract, saying they wanted more time to consider it.Wilson said the board members have known for some time that the contract would come before them for a vote, and delaying the vote could result in the project not being completed by the beginning of the next school year.Board member Craig Pallister said, "I don't want to hurt kids and teachers by not getting this building done just because we have a personality conflict on a procedure."Billinger said delaying approval of the contract would put substantial strain on the ability to complete the project on time and could require rebidding at a higher price.Board Vice President Ruth Ruder said she was confused as to why other board members wanted to delay, since they knew, since the bond issue was approved, what the scope of work and cost of renovations would be for the new elementary school.Board member Jayme Goetz said she felt she was being bullied for wanting to step back and review the contract more closely.Work on the Felten renovations will begin soon. The school is set to open to students in the fall.Wilson Elementary School students will be moving into the renovated Felten Elementary School, and Wilson will close as an elementary school at the end of this school year.Wilson will eventually be converted for use as an administrative center, and the Rockwell Administration Center will be closed.

Hays USD 489 board approves construction contract for Felten Elementary

Across the United States, property taxes are a primary source of funding for local services as public schools, infrastructure, emergency services and community programs. While these services benefit communities, senior citizens and disabled veterans often argue that their income does not rise at the same pace as property taxes. 

To address these concerns, many states offer relief programs for seniors including Kansas. 

During the Legislative Session in 2021 a bill was passed and signed into law for property tax relief. This bill addresses property tax relief claims for senior citizens and disabled veterans. 

The rebate to you will be the difference between the 2021 real estate tax amount and the real estate tax amount as of the year you are applying for the rebate. 

A household adjusted gross income is also considered in this bill. A cost-of-living adjustment is made to the household income limitation each year. For the calendar year 2025 your Adjusted Gross Income (KAGI) was $58,041 or less. Social Security benefits are subtracted from KAGI income limit. To qualify you must live in your home for the entire year you are requesting reimbursement and your house must be valued at $350,000 or less in the year you first qualify. 

• AGE/VETERAN STATUS: 65 YEARS OR OLDER FOR ALL THE YEARS YOU APPLY (BORN BEFORE JAN. 1, 1961) OR DISABLED VETERAN. • YOU OWN AND HAVE LIVED IN YOUR HOUSE IN KANSAS FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR OF THE YEAR YOU ARE APPLYING FOR. • YOUR HOME WAS VALUED AT $350,000 OR LESS IN THE YEAR YOU QUALIFIED. • YOUR TOTAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME FOR THE YEAR 2025 WAS $58,041 (AND MAY CHANGE ANNUALLY) OR LESS WHICH DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY SOCIAL SECURITY YOU MAY BE RECEIVING.

TO OBTAIN A PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FORM K-40SVR IT MAY BE DOWNLOADED FROM <a href="https://www.ksrevenue.gov/PDF/K-40SVR25.PDF">HTTPS://WWW.KSREVENUE.GOV/PDF/K-40SVR25.PDF</a> OR CALL KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE FOR ASSISTANCE 785-368-8222.

This last week Ways and Means completed the budget which has been sent to the printers. Over the next two weeks, both the House and the Senate will present and debate their budgets on their respective floors.

The “Unaffordable” Care Act, known as Obamacare, continues to make private health insurance extremely expensive for individuals.

 Many Americans turn to health care sharing ministry plans, which are considerably less expensive by making access health care more affordable. SB 368 passed the Senate and furthers the objective as it creates the Health Care Sharing Ministries Tax Deduction Act to provide a subtraction modification for qualified health care expenses.

I am honored and grateful to represent the 40th Senate District in Kansas. Please do not hesitate to contact me by email: rick.billinger@senate.ks.gov or call me with your questions or concerns. My office number is 785-296-7399 or my cell number is 785-899-4700. If you are in Topeka, stop by my office at 545-S.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644852447177.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, 40th Dist. File photo/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, 40th Dist. File photo/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA Across the United States, property taxes are a primary source of funding for local services as public schools, infrastructure, emergency services and community programs. While these services benefit communities, senior citizens and disabled veterans often argue that their income does not rise at the same pace as property taxes. To address these concerns, many states offer relief programs for seniors including Kansas. During the Legislative Session in 2021 a bill was passed and signed into law for property tax relief. This bill addresses property tax relief claims for senior citizens and disabled veterans. The rebate to you will be the difference between the 2021 real estate tax amount and the real estate tax amount as of the year you are applying for the rebate. A household adjusted gross income is also considered in this bill. A cost-of-living adjustment is made to the household income limitation each year. For the calendar year 2025 your Adjusted Gross Income (KAGI) was $58,041 or less. Social Security benefits are subtracted from KAGI income limit. To qualify you must live in your home for the entire year you are requesting reimbursement and your house must be valued at $350,000 or less in the year you first qualify. A RECAP TO QUALIFY:•• AGE/VETERAN STATUS: 65 YEARS OR OLDER FOR ALL THE YEARS YOU APPLY (BORN BEFORE JAN. 1, 1961) OR DISABLED VETERAN. • YOU OWN AND HAVE LIVED IN YOUR HOUSE IN KANSAS FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR OF THE YEAR YOU ARE APPLYING FOR. • YOUR HOME WAS VALUED AT $350,000 OR LESS IN THE YEAR YOU QUALIFIED. • YOUR TOTAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME FOR THE YEAR 2025 WAS $58,041 (AND MAY CHANGE ANNUALLY) OR LESS WHICH DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY SOCIAL SECURITY YOU MAY BE RECEIVING. TO OBTAIN A PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FORM K-40SVR IT MAY BE DOWNLOADED FROM <a href="https://www.ksrevenue.gov/PDF/K-40SVR25.PDF">HTTPS://WWW.KSREVENUE.GOV/PDF/K-40SVR25.PDF</a> OR CALL KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE FOR ASSISTANCE 785-368-8222.This last week Ways and Means completed the budget which has been sent to the printers. Over the next two weeks, both the House and the Senate will present and debate their budgets on their respective floors.The “Unaffordable” Care Act, known as Obamacare, continues to make private health insurance extremely expensive for individuals. Many Americans turn to health care sharing ministry plans, which are considerably less expensive by making access health care more affordable. SB 368 passed the Senate and furthers the objective as it creates the Health Care Sharing Ministries Tax Deduction Act to provide a subtraction modification for qualified health care expenses.I am honored and grateful to represent the 40th Senate District in Kansas. Please do not hesitate to contact me by email: rick.billinger@senate.ks.gov or call me with your questions or concerns. My office number is 785-296-7399 or my cell number is 785-899-4700. If you are in Topeka, stop by my office at 545-S.