By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

After 100 years, Lincoln Elementary School will close at the end of this school year.

The Hays USD 489 school board voted to close the school at its board meeting on Monday.

Voters passed a $143 million bond issue in 2022. Lincoln is the oldest operating school in the district and needs significant repairs.

When the committee that recommended the bond reviewed the district schools and their future needs, the members determined that renovating Lincoln would be too costly.

The district is building a new high school, renovating the current high school into a middle school and converting the current middle school into a new elementary school.

O'Loughlin Elementary School is being expanded and remodeled. An addition and renovations at Roosevelt Elementary School are almost complete.

Wilson Elementary School is set to be closed as an elementary school at the end of the 2025-26 school year. Rockwell Administration Center will also close, and those offices will likely relocate to Wilson.

The students attending Lincoln and Wilson will be relocated to the other schools in the district.

District leaders have expressed intent to sell Lincoln and Rockwell once they are vacated. However, the board has not made any final decisions on the fate of those two buildings.

Revenue from the sale of those buildings could go back into bond projects or be used to pay down the bond.

Board member Allen Park voted against the closure. He said he wished to retain neighborhood schools.

Park said he feared families would leave the district because they didn't want their children to attend larger schools.

Roosevelt and Felten Elementary School, which will be in the former middle school, will both be able to accommodate four classes of each grade. O'Loughlin will remain a three-section school. Lincoln is only a two-section school.

Park suggested Lincoln be used for a magnet school.

However, board member Ruth Ruder said the district doesn't have the money to hire more teachers to staff Lincoln or for the utilities and insurance to keep the building open.

"Moving forward, it's not feasible," she said. ... "Keeping Lincoln open was never part of the plan, to my understanding."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726087259727.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostAfter 100 years, Lincoln Elementary School will close at the end of this school year.The Hays USD 489 school board voted to close the school at its board meeting on Monday.Voters passed a $143 million bond issue in 2022. Lincoln is the oldest operating school in the district and needs significant repairs.When the committee that recommended the bond reviewed the district schools and their future needs, the members determined that renovating Lincoln would be too costly.The district is building a new high school, renovating the current high school into a middle school and converting the current middle school into a new elementary school.O'Loughlin Elementary School is being expanded and remodeled. An addition and renovations at Roosevelt Elementary School are almost complete.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726087306663.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Wilson Elementary School is set to be closed as an elementary school at the end of the 2025-26 school year. Rockwell Administration Center will also close, and those offices will likely relocate to Wilson.The students attending Lincoln and Wilson will be relocated to the other schools in the district.District leaders have expressed intent to sell Lincoln and Rockwell once they are vacated. However, the board has not made any final decisions on the fate of those two buildings.Revenue from the sale of those buildings could go back into bond projects or be used to pay down the bond.Board member Allen Park voted against the closure. He said he wished to retain neighborhood schools.Park said he feared families would leave the district because they didn't want their children to attend larger schools.Roosevelt and Felten Elementary School, which will be in the former middle school, will both be able to accommodate four classes of each grade. O'Loughlin will remain a three-section school. Lincoln is only a two-section school.Park suggested Lincoln be used for a magnet school.However, board member Ruth Ruder said the district doesn't have the money to hire more teachers to staff Lincoln or for the utilities and insurance to keep the building open."Moving forward, it's not feasible," she said. ... "Keeping Lincoln open was never part of the plan, to my understanding."

Hays USD 489 board votes to close Lincoln Elementary School

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said Wednesday he will not endorse either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris, even as the former president continued to call Mahomes' wife, Brittany, a supporter of his campaign.

“I don't want my place and my platform to be used to endorse a candidate or do whatever, either way," Mahomes said before heading out to practice for Sunday's game against Cincinnati. "I think my place is to inform people to get registered to vote. It's to inform people to do their own research and then make the best decision for them and their family.”

The comments from the three-time Super Bowl champion came less than a day after Taylor Swift,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ravens-chiefs-taylor-swift-nfl-9f78a6dad40ff62993c2462e9c653964">who is dating his Chiefs teammate Travis Kelce</a>&nbsp;and has become friends with the Mahomes family, endorsed Harris for the presidency.

Swift's endorsement led Trump to say in a phone interview with Fox News on Wednesday: "I actually like Mrs. Mahomes much better, if you want to know the truth. She's a big Trump fan. I like Brittany. I think Brittany is great.”

Trump began referencing Brittany Mahomes last month, after she had liked — and then unliked — an Instagram post by the Republican presidential nominee outlining the “2024 GOP platform.” Trump posted soon afterward on Truth Social: “I want to thank beautiful Brittany Mahomes for so strongly defending me.”

Brittany Mahomes has since stayed out of the political spotlight except to respond to critics on social media, saying in a post: “To be a hater as an adult, you have to have some deep rooted issues you refuse to heal from childhood.”

Patrick Mahomes sidestepped a question Wednesday specifically about Trump's references to his wife, saying instead that “at the end of the day, it's about me and my family and how we treat other people.”

“I think you see Brittany does a lot in the community. I do a lot in the community to help bring people up, and give people an opportunity to use their voice,” he said. “In political times people are going to use stuff here and there, but I can't let that affect how I go about my business every single day of my life, and trying to live it to the best of my ability.”

Swift became close with the Mahomes family last year, when she began to date Kelce, often sharing the same suite during games at Arrowhead Stadium. Some thought a rift had developed between them when they were not seen together during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ravens-chiefs-taylor-swift-nfl-9f78a6dad40ff62993c2462e9c653964">Chiefs' season-opening win over the Ravens</a>&nbsp;last week, but they showed up together in New York last weekend&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-open-taylor-swift-4f92f1af167f695f0a196bb61b7ddf52">to watch the U.S. Open.</a>

“Whenever I'm hanging out with whoever, I'm not thinking about their political views or anything like that,” Patrick Mahomes said. “I'm thinking about the people and how they treat other people, and I was with a lot of great people this week.”

Swift offered her support to Harris shortly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=apnews+debate&amp;rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS1085US1085&amp;oq=apnews+debate&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBggAEEUYOzIGCAAQRRg7MgkIARAAGAoYgAQyCggCEAAYChgWGB4yDQgDEAAYhgMYgAQYigUyCggEEAAYgAQYogQyCggFEAAYgAQYogQyCggGEAAYgAQYogQyBggHEEUYQNIBCTI2MTFqMGoxNagCCLACAQ&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8">after the presidential debate ended</a>&nbsp;Tuesday night, a potentially significant coup for the Democratic nominee given Swift's dedicated following among young women, an important demographic for the November election. The endorsement also came after Trump's campaign&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/112984762512136574">shared a collage</a>&nbsp;of AI-generated images purporting to show Swift fans supporting him.

“I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos,” Swift wrote in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C_wtAOKOW1z/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D">an Instagram post</a>, which had been liked more than 9 million times by Wednesday afternoon.

Trump’s posts “brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter,” Swift wrote. She added that “I’ve done my research, and I’ve made my choice.”

Mahomes declined to speak specifically about his own political beliefs, instead talking more broadly about national unity.

“You've seen my history. I've come up with people from every aspect of life, from every background,” the Chiefs quarterback said, “and the best thing about football locker rooms and kind of how I've grown up in baseball locker rooms is people can come together and achieve something, and achieve a common goal. We talked about it a while back. If we can do that as a nation, we can get the best out of each other, so that's something I do every single day.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724461026275.png" alt="File photo Brittany Mahomes (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)" />
 <figcaption>File photo Brittany Mahomes (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said Wednesday he will not endorse either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris, even as the former president continued to call Mahomes' wife, Brittany, a supporter of his campaign.“I don't want my place and my platform to be used to endorse a candidate or do whatever, either way," Mahomes said before heading out to practice for Sunday's game against Cincinnati. "I think my place is to inform people to get registered to vote. It's to inform people to do their own research and then make the best decision for them and their family.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724460634025.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The comments from the three-time Super Bowl champion came less than a day after Taylor Swift,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ravens-chiefs-taylor-swift-nfl-9f78a6dad40ff62993c2462e9c653964">who is dating his Chiefs teammate Travis Kelce</a>&nbsp;and has become friends with the Mahomes family, endorsed Harris for the presidency.Swift's endorsement led Trump to say in a phone interview with Fox News on Wednesday: "I actually like Mrs. Mahomes much better, if you want to know the truth. She's a big Trump fan. I like Brittany. I think Brittany is great.”Trump began referencing Brittany Mahomes last month, after she had liked — and then unliked — an Instagram post by the Republican presidential nominee outlining the “2024 GOP platform.” Trump posted soon afterward on Truth Social: “I want to thank beautiful Brittany Mahomes for so strongly defending me.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724460661858.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Brittany Mahomes has since stayed out of the political spotlight except to respond to critics on social media, saying in a post: “To be a hater as an adult, you have to have some deep rooted issues you refuse to heal from childhood.”Patrick Mahomes sidestepped a question Wednesday specifically about Trump's references to his wife, saying instead that “at the end of the day, it's about me and my family and how we treat other people.”“I think you see Brittany does a lot in the community. I do a lot in the community to help bring people up, and give people an opportunity to use their voice,” he said. “In political times people are going to use stuff here and there, but I can't let that affect how I go about my business every single day of my life, and trying to live it to the best of my ability.”Swift became close with the Mahomes family last year, when she began to date Kelce, often sharing the same suite during games at Arrowhead Stadium. Some thought a rift had developed between them when they were not seen together during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ravens-chiefs-taylor-swift-nfl-9f78a6dad40ff62993c2462e9c653964">Chiefs' season-opening win over the Ravens</a>&nbsp;last week, but they showed up together in New York last weekend&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-open-taylor-swift-4f92f1af167f695f0a196bb61b7ddf52">to watch the U.S. Open.</a>“Whenever I'm hanging out with whoever, I'm not thinking about their political views or anything like that,” Patrick Mahomes said. “I'm thinking about the people and how they treat other people, and I was with a lot of great people this week.”Swift offered her support to Harris shortly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=apnews+debate&amp;rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS1085US1085&amp;oq=apnews+debate&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBggAEEUYOzIGCAAQRRg7MgkIARAAGAoYgAQyCggCEAAYChgWGB4yDQgDEAAYhgMYgAQYigUyCggEEAAYgAQYogQyCggFEAAYgAQYogQyCggGEAAYgAQYogQyBggHEEUYQNIBCTI2MTFqMGoxNagCCLACAQ&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8">after the presidential debate ended</a>&nbsp;Tuesday night, a potentially significant coup for the Democratic nominee given Swift's dedicated following among young women, an important demographic for the November election. The endorsement also came after Trump's campaign&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/112984762512136574">shared a collage</a>&nbsp;of AI-generated images purporting to show Swift fans supporting him.“I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos,” Swift wrote in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C_wtAOKOW1z/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D">an Instagram post</a>, which had been liked more than 9 million times by Wednesday afternoon.Trump’s posts “brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter,” Swift wrote. She added that “I’ve done my research, and I’ve made my choice.”Mahomes declined to speak specifically about his own political beliefs, instead talking more broadly about national unity.“You've seen my history. I've come up with people from every aspect of life, from every background,” the Chiefs quarterback said, “and the best thing about football locker rooms and kind of how I've grown up in baseball locker rooms is people can come together and achieve something, and achieve a common goal. We talked about it a while back. If we can do that as a nation, we can get the best out of each other, so that's something I do every single day.”

Patrick Mahomes comments on the 2024 race for President

By BRENT MARTIN St. Joseph Post

A Savannah, Missouri police officer has been fired in wake of being charged in the death of Savannah K-9 Officer Horus.

Savannah Police Lt. Daniel Zeigler has been charged with a misdemeanor in the death of Horus, left in a hot patrol car June 20th. An investigation by the Missouri State Highway Patrol determined Horus died of heat exhaustion. The report also found a safety measure in the car that could have prevented the death had been disabled.

The Savannah Board of Alderman voted to terminate Zeigler’s employment Tuesday.

The misdemeanor charge carries a punishment of up to one year in jail and a fine of $2,000.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720202220440.png" alt="Horus courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Horus courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTIN St. Joseph PostA Savannah, Missouri police officer has been fired in wake of being charged in the death of Savannah K-9 Officer Horus.Savannah Police Lt. Daniel Zeigler has been charged with a misdemeanor in the death of Horus, left in a hot patrol car June 20th. An investigation by the Missouri State Highway Patrol determined Horus died of heat exhaustion. The report also found a safety measure in the car that could have prevented the death had been disabled.The Savannah Board of Alderman voted to terminate Zeigler’s employment Tuesday.The misdemeanor charge carries a punishment of up to one year in jail and a fine of $2,000.

Officer fired after charges filed for police dog's hot car death

WASHINGTON (AP) — Taylor Swift, one of the music industry's biggest stars, endorsed Kamala Harris for president shortly&nbsp;after the presidential debate ended.

“I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos,” Swift wrote late Tuesday in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C_wtAOKOW1z/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D">an Instagram post</a>, which included a link to a voter registration website.

Swift has a dedicated following among young women, a key demographic in the November election, and her latest tour has generated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-eras-tour-billion-dollar-record-52945111233438b1f2166aa19eee365f">more than $1 billion</a>&nbsp;in ticket sales. In a half hour, the post received more than 2.3 million likes.

She included a picture of herself holding her cat Benjamin Button, and she signed the message “Childless Cat Lady.” The remark is a reference to three-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jd-vance-kamala-harris-childless-trump-0a37e991097b66c52bff5bf7ecf8de7b">comments made by JD Vance</a>, Donald Trump's running mate, about women without children not having an equal stake in the country's future.

A Harris senior campaign official said the endorsement was not coordinated with the campaign. Tim Walz, Harris’ running mate, appeared to learn about the endorsement in the middle of a live interview on MSNBC. As Rachel Maddow read the text, Walz broke into a smile and patted his chest.

“That was eloquent. And it was clear," Walz said. "And that’s the kind of courage we need in America to stand up.”

Swift wrote that her endorsement was partially prompted by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-taylor-swift-fake-endorsement-ai-fec99c412d960932839e3eab8d49fd5f">Trump’s decision to post artificial intelligence-generated pictures</a>&nbsp;suggesting that she had endorsed him. One showed Swift dressed as Uncle Sam, and the text said “Taylor wants YOU to VOTE for DONALD TRUMP.”

Trump's posts “brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter,” Swift wrote. She added that "I’ve done my research, and I’ve made my choice."

Trump said Wednesday that Swift's move “was just a question of time.” He told “Fox &amp; Friends” that Swift is “a very liberal person” who “seems to always endorse a Democrat and she'll probably pay a price in the marketplace.”

In 2020, she&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/taylorswift13/status/1313938080290803715?s=20">supported Democrat Joe Biden</a>, and she cheered for Harris in her debate against then-Vice President Mike Pence. She also was openly critical of Trump, saying he had stoked “the fires of white supremacy and racism.”

Swift is a popular figure nationwide, but especially among Democrats. An October 2023 Fox News poll found that 55% of voters overall, including 68% of Democrats, said they had a favorable view of Swift. Republicans were divided, with 43% having a favorable opinion and 45% an unfavorable one.

AP VoteCast suggests that a partisan divide on Swift was apparent as early as 2018. That’s the year Swift made her first political endorsement, supporting Tennessee Democrat Phil Bredesen for Senate over Republican Marsha Blackburn.

VoteCast found that among Tennessee voters that year, 55% of Democrats and just 19% of Republicans said they had a favorable opinion of Swift. Blackburn won by a comfortable margin in the deep red state.

Swift is the leading nominee at Wednesday’s MTV Video Music Awards. While it’s unclear whether Swift will attend the show in New York, she could use any acceptance speeches to elaborate on her support of Harris.

The event was shifted a day later to accommodate Tuesday’s debate. MTV has a long history of encouraging voter participation.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Taylor Swift, one of the music industry's biggest stars, endorsed Kamala Harris for president shortly&nbsp;after the presidential debate ended.<div><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C_wtAOKOW1z/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C_wtAOKOW1z/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; 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overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C_wtAOKOW1z/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift)</a></div></blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div>“I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos,” Swift wrote late Tuesday in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C_wtAOKOW1z/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D">an Instagram post</a>, which included a link to a voter registration website.Swift has a dedicated following among young women, a key demographic in the November election, and her latest tour has generated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-eras-tour-billion-dollar-record-52945111233438b1f2166aa19eee365f">more than $1 billion</a>&nbsp;in ticket sales. In a half hour, the post received more than 2.3 million likes.She included a picture of herself holding her cat Benjamin Button, and she signed the message “Childless Cat Lady.” The remark is a reference to three-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jd-vance-kamala-harris-childless-trump-0a37e991097b66c52bff5bf7ecf8de7b">comments made by JD Vance</a>, Donald Trump's running mate, about women without children not having an equal stake in the country's future.A Harris senior campaign official said the endorsement was not coordinated with the campaign. Tim Walz, Harris’ running mate, appeared to learn about the endorsement in the middle of a live interview on MSNBC. As Rachel Maddow read the text, Walz broke into a smile and patted his chest.“That was eloquent. And it was clear," Walz said. "And that’s the kind of courage we need in America to stand up.”Swift wrote that her endorsement was partially prompted by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-taylor-swift-fake-endorsement-ai-fec99c412d960932839e3eab8d49fd5f">Trump’s decision to post artificial intelligence-generated pictures</a>&nbsp;suggesting that she had endorsed him. One showed Swift dressed as Uncle Sam, and the text said “Taylor wants YOU to VOTE for DONALD TRUMP.”Trump's posts “brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter,” Swift wrote. She added that "I’ve done my research, and I’ve made my choice."Trump said Wednesday that Swift's move “was just a question of time.” He told “Fox &amp; Friends” that Swift is “a very liberal person” who “seems to always endorse a Democrat and she'll probably pay a price in the marketplace.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726077918382.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In 2020, she&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/taylorswift13/status/1313938080290803715?s=20">supported Democrat Joe Biden</a>, and she cheered for Harris in her debate against then-Vice President Mike Pence. She also was openly critical of Trump, saying he had stoked “the fires of white supremacy and racism.”Swift is a popular figure nationwide, but especially among Democrats. An October 2023 Fox News poll found that 55% of voters overall, including 68% of Democrats, said they had a favorable view of Swift. Republicans were divided, with 43% having a favorable opinion and 45% an unfavorable one.AP VoteCast suggests that a partisan divide on Swift was apparent as early as 2018. That’s the year Swift made her first political endorsement, supporting Tennessee Democrat Phil Bredesen for Senate over Republican Marsha Blackburn.VoteCast found that among Tennessee voters that year, 55% of Democrats and just 19% of Republicans said they had a favorable opinion of Swift. Blackburn won by a comfortable margin in the deep red state.Swift is the leading nominee at Wednesday’s MTV Video Music Awards. While it’s unclear whether Swift will attend the show in New York, she could use any acceptance speeches to elaborate on her support of Harris.The event was shifted a day later to accommodate Tuesday’s debate. MTV has a long history of encouraging voter participation.___

Trump responds to Taylor Swift's endorsement of Kamala Harris

SALINE COUNTY —USD 305 Salina is actively investigating a report of a student injury that occurred during class in a weight room within Salina Public Schools, according to a statement from the school district.

&nbsp;"The safety and well-being of our students remain our top priority. In accordance with district procedures, the teacher involved has been placed on administrative leave. We are committed to conducting a thorough review," the district wrote in a statement on the incident.

&nbsp;The student received medical care under the supervision of parents/guardians

Due to the investigation, USD 305 said it was unable to provide further details including the name of the teacher or the injury to the student.l.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694639848087.jpeg" alt="USD 305 Salina Public Schools District Office&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>USD 305 Salina Public Schools District Office&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —USD 305 Salina is actively investigating a report of a student injury that occurred during class in a weight room within Salina Public Schools, according to a statement from the school district.&nbsp;"The safety and well-being of our students remain our top priority. In accordance with district procedures, the teacher involved has been placed on administrative leave. We are committed to conducting a thorough review," the district wrote in a statement on the incident.&nbsp;The student received medical care under the supervision of parents/guardiansDue to the investigation, USD 305 said it was unable to provide further details including the name of the teacher or the injury to the student.l.&nbsp;&nbsp;Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

Kan. teacher placed on leave after student injured in weight room

WASHINGTON (AP) — The post-pandemic spike in U.S. inflation eased further last month as year-over-year price increases reached a three-year low, clearing the way for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates and likely shaping the economic debate in the final weeks of the presidential race.

Wednesday’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cpi.pdf">report</a>&nbsp;from the Labor Department showed that consumer prices rose 2.5% in August from a year earlier, down from 2.9% in July. It was the fifth straight annual drop and the smallest since February 2021. From July to August, prices rose just 0.2%.

Excluding volatile food and energy costs, so-called core prices rose 3.2% in August from a year ago, the same as in July. On a month-to-month basis, core prices rose 0.3%, a slight pickup from July's 0.2% increase. Economists closely watch core prices, which typically provide a better read of future inflation trends.

“Today’s report will add to confidence within the Fed that inflation is indeed on a sustainable path towards 2%,” the Fed's target level, Carl Weinberg, chief economist at High Frequency Economics, wrote in a note to clients.

For months, cooling inflation has provided gradual relief to America’s consumers, who were stung by the price surges that erupted three years ago, particularly for food, gas, rent and other necessities. Inflation peaked in mid-2022 at 9.1%, the highest rate in four decades.

And Americans’ paychecks have risen steadily for the past three years. Overall incomes have even outpaced inflation for roughly the past 18 months, helping more households handle elevated prices. On Tuesday, the Census Bureau&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/income-inflation-prices-pay-economy-poverty-4407a4a4b631f990f91cb0a0990eb710">reported</a>&nbsp;that the median inflation-adjusted household income rose 4% last year to above $80,000, essentially matching the 2019 peak.

Wednesday's inflation figures followed a presidential debate Tuesday night in which former President Donald Trump attacked Vice President Kamala Harris for the price spikes that began a few months after the Biden-Harris administration took office, when global supply chains seized up and caused severe shortages of parts and labor.

During the debate, Trump falsely characterized the scope of the inflation surge when he claimed, “They had the highest inflation perhaps in the history of our country.” In 1980, inflation reached 14.6% — much higher than the 2022 peak.

A key reason for last month's drop in overall inflation was the third drop in gas prices in the past four months: Average gas prices fell 0.6% from July to August and are down 10.6% from a year ago. And used cars fell 1% last month. Measured from a year earlier, used car prices have tumbled 10.4%.

Grocery prices were unchanged from July to August, extending a cool-down in food costs even though they remain much higher than they were three years ago. Over the past year, grocery prices have ticked up just 0.9%, similar to the pace of pre-pandemic food inflation.

Still, many Americans are taking steps to try to stretch their budgets. Kelsey Aubrey, who lives in North Palm Beach, Florida, and was shopping at the discount grocer Aldi on Tuesday, said she typically visits up to four or five stores in her search for the lowest grocery prices.

“We hop from store to store, trying to save where we can,” she said. “Our bills are still pretty high. And we’re working a ton to pay the bills.”

The tick-up in core inflation from July to August reflected an acceleration in housing costs and some spikes in the prices of air fares and hotel rooms, which are likely to prove temporary. Airline fares jumped 3.9% just from July to August after having dropped the previous five months. Hotel room prices climbed 1.8% last month; they had fallen in two of the previous three months.

Fed officials, who are watching housing costs closely, expect them to cool more consistently. According to the real estate brokerage Redfin, the median rent for a new lease rose just 0.9% in August from a year earlier, to $1,645 a month. But the government’s measure includes all rents, including those for people who have been in their apartments for years. It takes time for the slowdown in new rents to show up in the government’s data. Last month, rental costs rose 5.2% from a year ago, according to the government’s consumer price index.

The Fed's policymakers have signaled that they’re increasingly confident that inflation is falling back to their 2% target and are now shifting their focus to supporting the job market, which is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-hiring-federal-reserve-inflation-unemployment-economy-bac1b453d3873d5f23f2061344d28fd9">steadily cooling</a>. As a result, they are poised to begin cutting their benchmark interest rate next week from its 23-year high in hopes of bolstering growth and hiring.

A modest quarter-point cut is widely expected. The pickup in core inflation makes it unlikely that the Fed would consider cutting its key rate by a larger-than-usual half-point next week, as some Wall Street traders had hoped.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-economy-fed-rates-fb258e6f83db5796c442f48463c6bfdf">Stock prices slid</a>&nbsp;as a result, with the broad S&amp;P 500 index falling about 1.6% in mid-morning trading.

Still, over time, a series of Fed rate cuts should reduce the cost of borrowing across the economy, including for mortgages, auto loans and credit cards.

During the presidential campaign, Harris has proposed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-economy-taxes-homes-food-prices-insurance-e1ad3f26f2ce8e6cb365a4ffe2ca3e6b">subsidies for home buyers</a>&nbsp;and builders in an effort to ease housing costs. She also backs a federal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-price-gouging-ban-inflation-65dc8844bb41159d76886f752b6cab28">ban on price-gouging</a>&nbsp;for groceries. Trump has said he would boost energy production to try to reduce overall inflation.

A number of trends suggest that inflation will keep slowing. Those signs include a drop in oil prices to roughly $67 a barrel early Wednesday, down from a high of $80 last month.

Americans’ paychecks are also growing more slowly — an average of about 3.5% annually, still a solid pace — which reduces inflationary pressures. Two years ago, wage growth was topping 5%, a level that can force businesses to sharply raise prices to cover their higher labor costs.

In a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/interest-rates-prices-inflation-federal-reserve-economy-2cd182eb34a7d6772ff573bec0bcf64d">high-profile speech</a>&nbsp;last month, Fed Chair Jerome Powell noted that inflation was coming under control and suggested that the job market was unlikely to be a source of inflationary pressure.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642689710083.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The post-pandemic spike in U.S. inflation eased further last month as year-over-year price increases reached a three-year low, clearing the way for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates and likely shaping the economic debate in the final weeks of the presidential race.Wednesday’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cpi.pdf">report</a>&nbsp;from the Labor Department showed that consumer prices rose 2.5% in August from a year earlier, down from 2.9% in July. It was the fifth straight annual drop and the smallest since February 2021. From July to August, prices rose just 0.2%.Excluding volatile food and energy costs, so-called core prices rose 3.2% in August from a year ago, the same as in July. On a month-to-month basis, core prices rose 0.3%, a slight pickup from July's 0.2% increase. Economists closely watch core prices, which typically provide a better read of future inflation trends.“Today’s report will add to confidence within the Fed that inflation is indeed on a sustainable path towards 2%,” the Fed's target level, Carl Weinberg, chief economist at High Frequency Economics, wrote in a note to clients.For months, cooling inflation has provided gradual relief to America’s consumers, who were stung by the price surges that erupted three years ago, particularly for food, gas, rent and other necessities. Inflation peaked in mid-2022 at 9.1%, the highest rate in four decades.And Americans’ paychecks have risen steadily for the past three years. Overall incomes have even outpaced inflation for roughly the past 18 months, helping more households handle elevated prices. On Tuesday, the Census Bureau&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/income-inflation-prices-pay-economy-poverty-4407a4a4b631f990f91cb0a0990eb710">reported</a>&nbsp;that the median inflation-adjusted household income rose 4% last year to above $80,000, essentially matching the 2019 peak.Wednesday's inflation figures followed a presidential debate Tuesday night in which former President Donald Trump attacked Vice President Kamala Harris for the price spikes that began a few months after the Biden-Harris administration took office, when global supply chains seized up and caused severe shortages of parts and labor.During the debate, Trump falsely characterized the scope of the inflation surge when he claimed, “They had the highest inflation perhaps in the history of our country.” In 1980, inflation reached 14.6% — much higher than the 2022 peak.A key reason for last month's drop in overall inflation was the third drop in gas prices in the past four months: Average gas prices fell 0.6% from July to August and are down 10.6% from a year ago. And used cars fell 1% last month. Measured from a year earlier, used car prices have tumbled 10.4%.Grocery prices were unchanged from July to August, extending a cool-down in food costs even though they remain much higher than they were three years ago. Over the past year, grocery prices have ticked up just 0.9%, similar to the pace of pre-pandemic food inflation.Still, many Americans are taking steps to try to stretch their budgets. Kelsey Aubrey, who lives in North Palm Beach, Florida, and was shopping at the discount grocer Aldi on Tuesday, said she typically visits up to four or five stores in her search for the lowest grocery prices.“We hop from store to store, trying to save where we can,” she said. “Our bills are still pretty high. And we’re working a ton to pay the bills.”The tick-up in core inflation from July to August reflected an acceleration in housing costs and some spikes in the prices of air fares and hotel rooms, which are likely to prove temporary. Airline fares jumped 3.9% just from July to August after having dropped the previous five months. Hotel room prices climbed 1.8% last month; they had fallen in two of the previous three months.Fed officials, who are watching housing costs closely, expect them to cool more consistently. According to the real estate brokerage Redfin, the median rent for a new lease rose just 0.9% in August from a year earlier, to $1,645 a month. But the government’s measure includes all rents, including those for people who have been in their apartments for years. It takes time for the slowdown in new rents to show up in the government’s data. Last month, rental costs rose 5.2% from a year ago, according to the government’s consumer price index.The Fed's policymakers have signaled that they’re increasingly confident that inflation is falling back to their 2% target and are now shifting their focus to supporting the job market, which is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-hiring-federal-reserve-inflation-unemployment-economy-bac1b453d3873d5f23f2061344d28fd9">steadily cooling</a>. As a result, they are poised to begin cutting their benchmark interest rate next week from its 23-year high in hopes of bolstering growth and hiring.A modest quarter-point cut is widely expected. The pickup in core inflation makes it unlikely that the Fed would consider cutting its key rate by a larger-than-usual half-point next week, as some Wall Street traders had hoped.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-economy-fed-rates-fb258e6f83db5796c442f48463c6bfdf">Stock prices slid</a>&nbsp;as a result, with the broad S&amp;P 500 index falling about 1.6% in mid-morning trading.Still, over time, a series of Fed rate cuts should reduce the cost of borrowing across the economy, including for mortgages, auto loans and credit cards.During the presidential campaign, Harris has proposed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-economy-taxes-homes-food-prices-insurance-e1ad3f26f2ce8e6cb365a4ffe2ca3e6b">subsidies for home buyers</a>&nbsp;and builders in an effort to ease housing costs. She also backs a federal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-price-gouging-ban-inflation-65dc8844bb41159d76886f752b6cab28">ban on price-gouging</a>&nbsp;for groceries. Trump has said he would boost energy production to try to reduce overall inflation.A number of trends suggest that inflation will keep slowing. Those signs include a drop in oil prices to roughly $67 a barrel early Wednesday, down from a high of $80 last month.Americans’ paychecks are also growing more slowly — an average of about 3.5% annually, still a solid pace — which reduces inflationary pressures. Two years ago, wage growth was topping 5%, a level that can force businesses to sharply raise prices to cover their higher labor costs.In a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/interest-rates-prices-inflation-federal-reserve-economy-2cd182eb34a7d6772ff573bec0bcf64d">high-profile speech</a>&nbsp;last month, Fed Chair Jerome Powell noted that inflation was coming under control and suggested that the job market was unlikely to be a source of inflationary pressure.

US inflation reaches a 3-year low as Fed prepares to cut interest rates

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post

The parents of a young child killed as a result of child
abuse in May 2015 in Hays will both serve a year of probation.

According to court documents, the 4-month-old child of
Ahmed Keita and Kassie Day was hospitalized on May 16, 2015, with retinal
hemorrhages and bruises on her cheek. The child was pronounced brain dead two
days later and died at a Wichita hospital.

The Sedgwick County district coroner performed an autopsy
and ruled the death a homicide.

Court documents showed the coroner’s report found bruising,
hemorrhaging and damage to the spinal cord.

The case then lay dormant until Ellis County Attorney Robert
Anderson convened a grand jury in August 2023.

Fourteen of the 15 members of the grand jury returned an
indictment charging both Keita and Day with felony first-degree murder.

During pretrial negotiations, Day told the prosecutor that
she believed Keita was responsible for the child’s death and agreed to testify
against him.

Day recalled an incident in which she believed that Keita
was shaking the baby when she entered the room. Another time, the child was left
alone with Keita. When Day returned, she said the child was experiencing unusual
behavior. Keita also tried to stop Day from taking the child to the emergency
room after the incident. 

Finally, according to court documents, when the couple
learned of the baby’s death from abuse, Day claimed Keita did not show the same
emotions she did.

As a result of her plea agreement, Day agreed to testify
against Keita, and she pled no contest to aggravated endangering a child, a level
nine person felony and interference with law enforcement — falsely reporting information,
a severity level nine nonperson felony on Oct. 24, 2023. A conviction on both
charges carries a sentence of presumptive probation.

In May 2024, Keita entered into a plea agreement with the Ellis County Attorney’s office. 

He pled to two misdemeanors, including endangerment, a misdemeanor
and interference with law enforcement, a misdemeanor.

Both charges were not as serious as the ones that Day pled
no contest to.

Keita was sentenced to 12 months unsupervised probation with
an underlying sentence of 10 months on May 3, 2024.

Day, according to court documents, was upset with the Keita
plea deal and wanted to testify against Keita at trial, “holding him (Keita)
accountable for what he had done to their daughter.”

She initially asked for her pleas to be withdrawn and requested
that the state drop the charges. When that did not happen, she accepted the
same plea agreement that Keita had received, which included misdemeanor charges of endangerment and
interference. 

The judge in the case accepted Day’s motion to withdraw her
initial plea and accepted a guilty plea at a hearing on Aug. 30. Day was
sentenced to a year of unsupervised probation with an underlying prison
sentence of 10 months.

According to court documents, Day continues to maintain her innocence in the case. She accepted the misdemeanor plea because “she does
not want to risk a conviction and a lifetime in prison.”

In documents filed in Ellis County District Court, Attorney
Robert Anderson said he believed that Keita was responsible for the child’s
death, but the primary investigator in the case believed Day was the responsible
party.

Anderson, who did not offer comment on the case, said in
court filings, “During the pendency of both cases, the
Ellis County Attorney struggled with competing interests.” 

"Ultimately, the undersigned counsel could not have in good
conscience stood in front of a jury and asked them to find, based upon the
evidence and beyond a reasonable doubt, that either or both of these parents
were guilty of 'felony murder.'"

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays PostThe parents of a young child killed as a result of child
abuse in May 2015 in Hays will both serve a year of probation.According to court documents, the 4-month-old child of
Ahmed Keita and Kassie Day was hospitalized on May 16, 2015, with retinal
hemorrhages and bruises on her cheek. The child was pronounced brain dead two
days later and died at a Wichita hospital.The Sedgwick County district coroner performed an autopsy
and ruled the death a homicide.Court documents showed the coroner’s report found bruising,
hemorrhaging and damage to the spinal cord.The case then lay dormant until Ellis County Attorney Robert
Anderson convened a grand jury in August 2023.Fourteen of the 15 members of the grand jury returned an
indictment charging both Keita and Day with felony first-degree murder.During pretrial negotiations, Day told the prosecutor that
she believed Keita was responsible for the child’s death and agreed to testify
against him.Day recalled an incident in which she believed that Keita
was shaking the baby when she entered the room. Another time, the child was left
alone with Keita. When Day returned, she said the child was experiencing unusual
behavior. Keita also tried to stop Day from taking the child to the emergency
room after the incident. Finally, according to court documents, when the couple
learned of the baby’s death from abuse, Day claimed Keita did not show the same
emotions she did.As a result of her plea agreement, Day agreed to testify
against Keita, and she pled no contest to aggravated endangering a child, a level
nine person felony and interference with law enforcement — falsely reporting information,
a severity level nine nonperson felony on Oct. 24, 2023. A conviction on both
charges carries a sentence of presumptive probation.In May 2024, Keita entered into a plea agreement with the Ellis County Attorney’s office. He pled to two misdemeanors, including endangerment, a misdemeanor
and interference with law enforcement, a misdemeanor.Both charges were not as serious as the ones that Day pled
no contest to.Keita was sentenced to 12 months unsupervised probation with
an underlying sentence of 10 months on May 3, 2024.Day, according to court documents, was upset with the Keita
plea deal and wanted to testify against Keita at trial, “holding him (Keita)
accountable for what he had done to their daughter.”She initially asked for her pleas to be withdrawn and requested
that the state drop the charges. When that did not happen, she accepted the
same plea agreement that Keita had received, which included misdemeanor charges of endangerment and
interference. The judge in the case accepted Day’s motion to withdraw her
initial plea and accepted a guilty plea at a hearing on Aug. 30. Day was
sentenced to a year of unsupervised probation with an underlying prison
sentence of 10 months.According to court documents, Day continues to maintain her innocence in the case. She accepted the misdemeanor plea because “she does
not want to risk a conviction and a lifetime in prison.”In documents filed in Ellis County District Court, Attorney
Robert Anderson said he believed that Keita was responsible for the child’s
death, but the primary investigator in the case believed Day was the responsible
party.Anderson, who did not offer comment on the case, said in
court filings, “During the pendency of both cases, the
Ellis County Attorney struggled with competing interests.” "Ultimately, the undersigned counsel could not have in good
conscience stood in front of a jury and asked them to find, based upon the
evidence and beyond a reasonable doubt, that either or both of these parents
were guilty of 'felony murder.'"

Hays parents get year of probation in 4-month-old's death

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating an alleged school threat in a Kansas City area school district have made an arrest.

&nbsp;On Monday,&nbsp; police in Lee's Summit were made aware of a threatening post on social media that contained a detailed threat towards the East Trails Middle School,&nbsp;1001 SE Bailey Road, in Lee’s Summit, according to a media release.

  Investigators from the Police Department worked into the evening and located a juvenile suspect in the case. Contact was made with the suspect and a parent. Police took a juvenile suspect into custody. 

 The Police Department is thankful for the assistance given by partners with the FBI as well as our partnership with the R-7 School District to work quickly to identify and arrest a suspect in the case and keep the schools safe and free from violence.

Following the arrest, Superintendent&nbsp;Dr. David Buck sent a letter to parents.

Yesterday evening, East Trails Middle School&nbsp;and district administration, the Lee’s Summit Police Department and the FBI swiftly responded to a threatening message posted on TikTok referencing that school.

LSPD officers have since identified and made contact with a student connected to the post. That student was taken into police custody and is not in school today thanks to this quick action.

Earlier this week, we communicated to four school buildings about a vague social media threat that police were unable to corroborate. Threats like the ones we have responded to this week disrupt the learning environment for students and consume staff resources. Please help us emphasize to all students that making a threat against a public school, even as a joke, has serious legal and disciplinary consequences. We are processing this incident in full accordance with school policy and in partnership with our police partners.

These situations reinforce the importance of each and every member of our school community always reporting any threatening post or communication to our school staff and police. We will continue to encourage an environment where students, staff, and families feel empowered to report anything that might be suspicious or out of the ordinary; prompt reporting is important in enabling us to be proactive in maintaining a safe school environment. We’re grateful to the students and parents who exhibited this quick thinking this week.

Finally, if you see a social media threat, please don’t forward or repost it. Instead, take a screenshot and share it with our school administrators and police. Sharing the post makes it harder to find out who started it and slows down the investigation. Our SafeSchool hotlines, accessible on our school websites, are another way to confidentially share information with our leaders.

Thank you for your cooperation, support and patience as we make decisions to keep our students and staff safe. Please also help us thank our law enforcement partners who partner with us each and every day to support safe learning environments in LSR7.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697128767642.png" alt="School threat" />
 <figcaption>School threat</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating an alleged school threat in a Kansas City area school district have made an arrest.&nbsp;On Monday,&nbsp; police in Lee's Summit were made aware of a threatening post on social media that contained a detailed threat towards the East Trails Middle School,&nbsp;1001 SE Bailey Road, in Lee’s Summit, according to a media release. Investigators from the Police Department worked into the evening and located a juvenile suspect in the case. Contact was made with the suspect and a parent. Police took a juvenile suspect into custody. The Police Department is thankful for the assistance given by partners with the FBI as well as our partnership with the R-7 School District to work quickly to identify and arrest a suspect in the case and keep the schools safe and free from violence.Following the arrest, Superintendent&nbsp;Dr. David Buck sent a letter to parents.Dear LSR7 Families &amp; Staff:Yesterday evening, East Trails Middle School&nbsp;and district administration, the Lee’s Summit Police Department and the FBI swiftly responded to a threatening message posted on TikTok referencing that school.LSPD officers have since identified and made contact with a student connected to the post. That student was taken into police custody and is not in school today thanks to this quick action.Earlier this week, we communicated to four school buildings about a vague social media threat that police were unable to corroborate. Threats like the ones we have responded to this week disrupt the learning environment for students and consume staff resources. Please help us emphasize to all students that making a threat against a public school, even as a joke, has serious legal and disciplinary consequences. We are processing this incident in full accordance with school policy and in partnership with our police partners.These situations reinforce the importance of each and every member of our school community always reporting any threatening post or communication to our school staff and police. We will continue to encourage an environment where students, staff, and families feel empowered to report anything that might be suspicious or out of the ordinary; prompt reporting is important in enabling us to be proactive in maintaining a safe school environment. We’re grateful to the students and parents who exhibited this quick thinking this week.Finally, if you see a social media threat, please don’t forward or repost it. Instead, take a screenshot and share it with our school administrators and police. Sharing the post makes it harder to find out who started it and slows down the investigation. Our SafeSchool hotlines, accessible on our school websites, are another way to confidentially share information with our leaders.Thank you for your cooperation, support and patience as we make decisions to keep our students and staff safe. Please also help us thank our law enforcement partners who partner with us each and every day to support safe learning environments in LSR7.

Police, FBI make arrest after threat toward KC area middle school

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

Fort Hays State University has unveiled a new website that provides resources on&nbsp;artificial intelligence for staff and students as it seeks to be at&nbsp;the forefront of AI in Kansas.

Andrew Feldstein, FHSU assistant provost of teaching innovation and learning technologies, said AI has had a greater impact than other technological advancements.

"Nothing has ever been adopted at the rate of generative artificial intelligence. It exploded into this world," he said.

AI is a rapidly emerging technology that can benefit communities like Hays. FHSU acknowledges the importance of integrating it into classrooms thoughtfully and responsibly with resources,&nbsp;Feldstein said.

"In order for our students to be successful in the world, this is something they're going to need to be able to work with and understand," Feldstein said.

Instructional Technologist and Chairwoman of the FHSU Generative AI Task Force Magdalene Moy works with Feldstein to increase awareness and guide faculty and students on the benefits and challenges of generative AI.

"Part of our goal is to educate faculty on how to use it appropriately and to be transparent with our stakeholders, staff and students on how we should use it and its importance," Moy said.

The task force launched an AI website with resources and tools for faculty and students in and out of the classroom.

Students, faculty, and staff can use Microsoft CoPilot for free. It is an AI chat platform powered by OpenAI's ChatGPT-4 and DALL-E that generates text and image responses.

The website also provides the latest information on AI, how to incorporate AI in teaching and learning, and writing in this new age of tech and workshops.&nbsp;

You can visit the Generative AI Task Force's new website <a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/ai/">here</a>.

Moy said FHSU faculty and staff have mixed opinions on AI in classrooms. Some discourage its use, while others recognize its potential.

One concern among faculty is that AI is viewed as a form of cheating. Some students hesitate to use it for class assignments, while others find it helpful.

The potential benefits of incorporating AI in education are increased efficiency, time-saving and personalized learning for faculty and staff.

AI can also be beneficial for brainstorming and career preparation. FHSU student Staton Clark said he uses it to assist with studying math and writing essays.

"I ask for similar questions to my homework. I copy and paste questions and say, 'Give me another one like this,'" Clark said. "It helps me with essays like 'give me a topic to discuss' and 'revise my text to see what you can improve.'"

FHSU student Damaris Castro said AI enhances her study habits by helping generate ideas and verify answers but hesitates to use it for writing due to ethical concerns.

"I try not to use AI for big essays," she said. "When you're writing an essay, you want to make sure you're being fully original."

&nbsp;Feldstein said one way teachers can identify AI in writing assignments is by being familiar with their students' writing styles.

Moy said using AI is different from plagiarism, and detection tools for identifying AI-generated content are unreliable. They often incorrectly flag the work of individuals whose English is not their first language.

"The truth of the matter is that any tool that is programmed to detect AI is problematic," she said. "We would encourage faculty to talk with students to discuss whether or not they're using it."&nbsp;

Potential negatives are concerns about cheating, job displacement, data and ethical use, and bias in data training.

Moy said AI is pervasive, and establishing guidelines would be more effective than creating policies, especially since FHSU already has a policy addressing cheating.

"One of the reasons for making guidelines and not policies is we already have a policy on cheating. We can tell students 'hey, if you didn't write this paper, that's cheating,'" she said.

According to <a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/judicial/academic-misconduct/">FHSU's Office of Student Affairs</a>, examples of plagiarism include but are not limited to presenting someone else's work as your own and using another person’s computer program or document.

Faculty are encouraged to include disciplinary or class-specific definitions in course syllabi.

"Because AI is in use everywhere, you are often not aware that you are using it. It is embedded in Google Chrome, Snapchat, your smartphone and countless other places. It's in these tools that we already have access to," Moy said.

Feldstein said major international companies like <a href="https://www.ibm.com/us-en">International Business Machines</a>, a global leader in AI advancements, are holding thousands of job vacancies open while determining how many can be replaced by AI.

He said AI won't fully replace humans, as generative AI is derivative and can only remix existing information and ideas. This leaves creativity and the ability to understand context as distinct human strengths.

According to <a href="https://www.goldmansachs.com/">Goldman Sachs</a>, Generative AI will affect 300 million full-time jobs worldwide, and AI will take over between 25% and 50% of the workload.

65% of skills in the workforce are also expected to change by 2030 because of AI, according to Linkedin.

With AI taking on a large workload, people can devote their time and effort to other skills, such as leadership and management, critical thinking, and emotional and social intelligence.

"In order for our students to be successful in the world, this is something they're going to need to work with and understand because a large percentage of jobs require students to know how to use generative AI," he said.

Moy said Hays adopts new technology at a more gradual pace than other cities. These skills are often underutilized due to the limited job opportunities that require them.

Moy sees the potential to integrate AI into the community in specific careers and fields.

"Because we're located in northwest Kansas, Fort Hays is well positioned to bridge AI and agriculture, AI in nursing and AI in education," she said.

FHSU is leading the way in AI compared to other Kansas institutions, such as the University of Kansas and Kansas State University, FHSU President Tisa Mason said.

"We're really excited to be on the forefront of AI," Mason said. "I use AI a lot in my role as president."

Feldstein and Moy said there is a time and place to use generative AI as it may not be beneficial to include AI-based activities in every classroom.

Their goal is not simply to promote AI but to increase awareness of the proper and ethical uses of generative AI in the classroom, research and in general.

In the spring 2024 semester, the AI Task Force organized a seminar for teachers and staff on AI.

The sessions covered topics such as Philosophy for AI, creating custom textbooks, AI in research methodologies, AI applications for image enhancement and creation, and comparing different generative AI platforms.

On March 18, the Generative AI Task Force will host an AI fair at the Memorial Union, which will be open to the Hays community.

The event will feature AI workshops and exhibits, including voice modulation, prompting challenges and demonstrations of general AI tools.

"We've always had a spirit of innovation, and we are thrilled with the leadership [of Teaching Innovation and Learning Technologies staff]," Mason said.

The Generative AI Task Force is looking for new students to join its team. More information is available on its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/ai/ai-certificates-and-microcredentials">website</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726004923309.jpeg" alt="Courtesy Image" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy Image</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostFort Hays State University has unveiled a new website that provides resources on&nbsp;artificial intelligence for staff and students as it seeks to be at&nbsp;the forefront of AI in Kansas.Andrew Feldstein, FHSU assistant provost of teaching innovation and learning technologies, said AI has had a greater impact than other technological advancements."Nothing has ever been adopted at the rate of generative artificial intelligence. It exploded into this world," he said.AI is a rapidly emerging technology that can benefit communities like Hays. FHSU acknowledges the importance of integrating it into classrooms thoughtfully and responsibly with resources,&nbsp;Feldstein said."In order for our students to be successful in the world, this is something they're going to need to be able to work with and understand," Feldstein said.Instructional Technologist and Chairwoman of the FHSU Generative AI Task Force Magdalene Moy works with Feldstein to increase awareness and guide faculty and students on the benefits and challenges of generative AI."Part of our goal is to educate faculty on how to use it appropriately and to be transparent with our stakeholders, staff and students on how we should use it and its importance," Moy said.The task force launched an AI website with resources and tools for faculty and students in and out of the classroom.Students, faculty, and staff can use Microsoft CoPilot for free. It is an AI chat platform powered by OpenAI's ChatGPT-4 and DALL-E that generates text and image responses.The website also provides the latest information on AI, how to incorporate AI in teaching and learning, and writing in this new age of tech and workshops.&nbsp;You can visit the Generative AI Task Force's new website <a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/ai/">here</a>.Moy said FHSU faculty and staff have mixed opinions on AI in classrooms. Some discourage its use, while others recognize its potential.One concern among faculty is that AI is viewed as a form of cheating. Some students hesitate to use it for class assignments, while others find it helpful.The potential benefits of incorporating AI in education are increased efficiency, time-saving and personalized learning for faculty and staff.AI can also be beneficial for brainstorming and career preparation. FHSU student Staton Clark said he uses it to assist with studying math and writing essays."I ask for similar questions to my homework. I copy and paste questions and say, 'Give me another one like this,'" Clark said. "It helps me with essays like 'give me a topic to discuss' and 'revise my text to see what you can improve.'"FHSU student Damaris Castro said AI enhances her study habits by helping generate ideas and verify answers but hesitates to use it for writing due to ethical concerns."I try not to use AI for big essays," she said. "When you're writing an essay, you want to make sure you're being fully original."&nbsp;Feldstein said one way teachers can identify AI in writing assignments is by being familiar with their students' writing styles.Moy said using AI is different from plagiarism, and detection tools for identifying AI-generated content are unreliable. They often incorrectly flag the work of individuals whose English is not their first language."The truth of the matter is that any tool that is programmed to detect AI is problematic," she said. "We would encourage faculty to talk with students to discuss whether or not they're using it."&nbsp;Potential negatives are concerns about cheating, job displacement, data and ethical use, and bias in data training. These issues are not new to education.Moy said AI is pervasive, and establishing guidelines would be more effective than creating policies, especially since FHSU already has a policy addressing cheating."One of the reasons for making guidelines and not policies is we already have a policy on cheating. We can tell students 'hey, if you didn't write this paper, that's cheating,'" she said.According to <a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/judicial/academic-misconduct/">FHSU's Office of Student Affairs</a>, examples of plagiarism include but are not limited to presenting someone else's work as your own and using another person’s computer program or document.Faculty are encouraged to include disciplinary or class-specific definitions in course syllabi."Because AI is in use everywhere, you are often not aware that you are using it. It is embedded in Google Chrome, Snapchat, your smartphone and countless other places. It's in these tools that we already have access to," Moy said.Feldstein said major international companies like <a href="https://www.ibm.com/us-en">International Business Machines</a>, a global leader in AI advancements, are holding thousands of job vacancies open while determining how many can be replaced by AI.He said AI won't fully replace humans, as generative AI is derivative and can only remix existing information and ideas. This leaves creativity and the ability to understand context as distinct human strengths.According to <a href="https://www.goldmansachs.com/">Goldman Sachs</a>, Generative AI will affect 300 million full-time jobs worldwide, and AI will take over between 25% and 50% of the workload.65% of skills in the workforce are also expected to change by 2030 because of AI, according to Linkedin.With AI taking on a large workload, people can devote their time and effort to other skills, such as leadership and management, critical thinking, and emotional and social intelligence."In order for our students to be successful in the world, this is something they're going to need to work with and understand because a large percentage of jobs require students to know how to use generative AI," he said.Moy said Hays adopts new technology at a more gradual pace than other cities. These skills are often underutilized due to the limited job opportunities that require them.Moy sees the potential to integrate AI into the community in specific careers and fields."Because we're located in northwest Kansas, Fort Hays is well positioned to bridge AI and agriculture, AI in nursing and AI in education," she said.FHSU is leading the way in AI compared to other Kansas institutions, such as the University of Kansas and Kansas State University, FHSU President Tisa Mason said."We're really excited to be on the forefront of AI," Mason said. "I use AI a lot in my role as president."Feldstein and Moy said there is a time and place to use generative AI as it may not be beneficial to include AI-based activities in every classroom.Their goal is not simply to promote AI but to increase awareness of the proper and ethical uses of generative AI in the classroom, research and in general.In the spring 2024 semester, the AI Task Force organized a seminar for teachers and staff on AI.The sessions covered topics such as Philosophy for AI, creating custom textbooks, AI in research methodologies, AI applications for image enhancement and creation, and comparing different generative AI platforms.On March 18, the Generative AI Task Force will host an AI fair at the Memorial Union, which will be open to the Hays community.The event will feature AI workshops and exhibits, including voice modulation, prompting challenges and demonstrations of general AI tools."We've always had a spirit of innovation, and we are thrilled with the leadership [of Teaching Innovation and Learning Technologies staff]," Mason said.The Generative AI Task Force is looking for new students to join its team. More information is available on its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/ai/ai-certificates-and-microcredentials">website</a>.

FHSU offers student resources on artificial intelligence

The Hays USD 489 school board voted to table a motion to accept the maximum guaranteed price for renovations and additions to O'Loughlin Elementary School at its meeting on Monday.

Nabholz Construction has bid the project, and the board was set to approve the maximum price of $14.49 million at Monday's meeting. The bids came in about $172,000 under budget.

The O'Loughlin project is the last major renovation project to be paid for through a $143 million bond issue.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/6ad3de3f-ac12-4721-b09f-f8c2367b44a3">The designs for the O'Loughlin project were approved at a prior meeting.</a>

Nabholz said 31 percent of the bids came from local contractors, which they said was very good for a project like this.

The current Hays High School is set to be remodeled into a middle school, and the current middle school is set to be remodeled into an elementary school.

Board member Derek Yarmer said he did not want to approve the O'Loughlin project until he had the prices for the Hays Middle and Hays High remodeling projects.

"We're putting money in here without knowing what is needed for the rest of the bond. There's been no talk or deciding what needs to be done at the other buildings, so we don't run out of money for those," he said.

The district has budgeted $3.6 million for the renovation of the current Hays High School building into a middle school. The budget has an additional $4.5 million in unallocated funds. Superintendent Ron Wilson estimated that work at the current middle school will cost less than $2 million.

As part of the bond projects, a new high school is being built, and Roosevelt Elementary School is being expanded and remodeled. The high school is on budget, and Roosevelt is on budget with the exception of a previously approved change order.

Wilson said both the current Hays High School and Hays Middle School&nbsp;buildings will only need light renovations-paint, carpet and moving a wall or two.

Both schools are more than large enough to accommodate the number of students who will be using those schools, he said.

The greatest expense will be the addition of bathrooms for the kindergarten rooms in the current middle school, he said.&nbsp;

The Nabholz representatives said they could not have the exact costs of the renovations until the district's architects drew the plans and the contracts were bid.

Wilson said, "We could actually tomorrow move kids across the street from Wilson to Felten and hold school there other than except for a couple of classrooms for kindergarten classrooms."

Yarmer said, based on the cost of some of the other projects, he thought the district would be short on funds to cover the rest of the renovations.

Wilson said the district is not building new structures or adding space at the new middle or elementary school sites.

Yarmer questioned the plumbing at the current Hays High School.

"I think we should have an idea of what all we should be doing before we approve this," he said.

Board member Ruth Ruder asked if the sale of Lincoln Elementary School and Rockwell Administration Center could be used to pay for bond projects.

Board member Jayme Goetz said she would at least like to know the cost of adding the bathrooms at the new elementary school before voting on the O'Loughlin project.

Board members Yarmer, Curt Vajnar, Ruder, Goetz and Allen Park voted to table the O'Loughlin project until the next school board meeting so more information could be presented on the cost of the remaining bond work.

Board members Ken Brooks and Meagan Zampieri-Lillpopp voted against the motion to table. They both expressed a desire to approve the project's cost Monday night.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726001868374.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Hays USD 489 school board voted to table a motion to accept the maximum guaranteed price for renovations and additions to O'Loughlin Elementary School at its meeting on Monday.Nabholz Construction has bid the project, and the board was set to approve the maximum price of $14.49 million at Monday's meeting. The bids came in about $172,000 under budget.The O'Loughlin project is the last major renovation project to be paid for through a $143 million bond issue.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/6ad3de3f-ac12-4721-b09f-f8c2367b44a3">The designs for the O'Loughlin project were approved at a prior meeting.</a>Nabholz said 31 percent of the bids came from local contractors, which they said was very good for a project like this.The current Hays High School is set to be remodeled into a middle school, and the current middle school is set to be remodeled into an elementary school.Board member Derek Yarmer said he did not want to approve the O'Loughlin project until he had the prices for the Hays Middle and Hays High remodeling projects."We're putting money in here without knowing what is needed for the rest of the bond. There's been no talk or deciding what needs to be done at the other buildings, so we don't run out of money for those," he said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725997670101.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The district has budgeted $3.6 million for the renovation of the current Hays High School building into a middle school. The budget has an additional $4.5 million in unallocated funds. Superintendent Ron Wilson estimated that work at the current middle school will cost less than $2 million.As part of the bond projects, a new high school is being built, and Roosevelt Elementary School is being expanded and remodeled. The high school is on budget, and Roosevelt is on budget with the exception of a previously approved change order.Wilson said both the current Hays High School and Hays Middle School&nbsp;buildings will only need light renovations-paint, carpet and moving a wall or two.Both schools are more than large enough to accommodate the number of students who will be using those schools, he said.The greatest expense will be the addition of bathrooms for the kindergarten rooms in the current middle school, he said.&nbsp;The Nabholz representatives said they could not have the exact costs of the renovations until the district's architects drew the plans and the contracts were bid.Wilson said, "We could actually tomorrow move kids across the street from Wilson to Felten and hold school there other than except for a couple of classrooms for kindergarten classrooms."Yarmer said, based on the cost of some of the other projects, he thought the district would be short on funds to cover the rest of the renovations.Wilson said the district is not building new structures or adding space at the new middle or elementary school sites.Yarmer questioned the plumbing at the current Hays High School."I think we should have an idea of what all we should be doing before we approve this," he said.Board member Ruth Ruder asked if the sale of Lincoln Elementary School and Rockwell Administration Center could be used to pay for bond projects.Wilson said yes.Board member Jayme Goetz said she would at least like to know the cost of adding the bathrooms at the new elementary school before voting on the O'Loughlin project.Board members Yarmer, Curt Vajnar, Ruder, Goetz and Allen Park voted to table the O'Loughlin project until the next school board meeting so more information could be presented on the cost of the remaining bond work.Board members Ken Brooks and Meagan Zampieri-Lillpopp voted against the motion to table. They both expressed a desire to approve the project's cost Monday night.