By BECKY KISER Hays Post

The city of Hays has been awarded a technical assistance grant from the Federal Emergency Management Association, which will increase its likelihood of receiving federal financial assistance for the R9 long-term water project for Hays and Russell.

John Braun, R9 project manager, told Hays city commissioners Thursday that the technical assistance grant will help the city prepare its Building Resilient Infrastructure Communities grant application.

"This non-finance assistance program provides wide-ranging technical assistance to communities to undertake hazard mitigation solutions, which in the case of the cities of Hays and Russell is drought mitigation through the development of the R9 wellfield and pipeline project," Braun said.

Hays was the only city in Kansas to receive the FEMA technical grant.

A memorandum of understanding for the technical grant will be signed at the Sept. 12 city commission meeting.

Collin Bielser, deputy city manager, reviewed an ordinance establishing a Reinvestment Housing Incentive District for The Grove&nbsp;development north of HaysMed.

The developer, Grow Hays, has asked the city to finance and construct infrastructure related to the project. 

The city would use incentive district revenues to offset its estimated $8.2 million costs.&nbsp;The incentive district would generate about $8.452 million during its maximum 25-year term.

A public hearing on the&nbsp;establishment of an incentive district will be during next Thursday's meeting.

Bielser also reviewed the development plan.

The Grove will be retiree-focused housing comprised of about 12 six-plex structures, eight duplexes, 50 single-family homes, along with infrastructure to serve the project. 

Also on the site will be a new multi-generational 14,000-square-foot facility, <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/52b97519-b934-46eb-bdf3-8bd246bf2675">The Bob and Pat Schmidt Community Center</a>, to include a senior/ child care/community center.

Commissioner Reese Barrick said he had heard from a constituent who was critical of the focus on retiree housing and believed it would hinder new business growth in the city.&nbsp;

"People are not only living longer but are healthier for a lot longer," Barrick said. 

"I think we need this type of housing to help out our population and the type of population that is going to be moving to Hays. This is really a crucial piece for the growth and stability of Hays."&nbsp;

Commissioner Alaina Cunningham said, "You need every generation to make a community work."

The Grove development will also extend the city’s multiuse path network by constructing a one-mile connector from 22nd Street and the existing HaysMed path north to the Sternberg Museum of Natural History.

Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler presented three changes to the 2024 Uniform Public Offense Code and Standard Traffic Ordinance for Kansas cities. Changes in state statute prompted all three changes.

Changes to the Uniform Public Offense Code:

Disorderly Conduct — The portion that made engaging in noisy conduct tending reasonably to arouse alarm, anger or resentment in others a violation of the law has been removed. The Kansas Supreme Court recently ruled this portion of the section was unconstitutional.&nbsp;

Possession of Marijuana, Drug Paraphernalia, Controlled Substances — Amended to give people immunity from prosecution for simple possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia when rendering aid to an overdose victim.

Changes to the Standard Traffic Ordinance:

&nbsp;Failure to Comply with Traffic Citation&nbsp;— Changes are designed to reduce suspensions of driving privileges and allow people to have a restricted license. The new law also limits license reinstatement surcharge to a single fee of $100 and increases the number of non-driving violations for which a license may be suspended or restricted.&nbsp;

Mayor Shaun Musil was absent from the work session.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725634309335.jpeg" alt="Hays City Commission members during their Sept. 5 work session. Photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Hays City Commission members during their Sept. 5 work session. Photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostThe city of Hays has been awarded a technical assistance grant from the Federal Emergency Management Association, which will increase its likelihood of receiving federal financial assistance for the R9 long-term water project for Hays and Russell.John Braun, R9 project manager, told Hays city commissioners Thursday that the technical assistance grant will help the city prepare its Building Resilient Infrastructure Communities grant application."This non-finance assistance program provides wide-ranging technical assistance to communities to undertake hazard mitigation solutions, which in the case of the cities of Hays and Russell is drought mitigation through the development of the R9 wellfield and pipeline project," Braun said.Hays was the only city in Kansas to receive the FEMA technical grant.A memorandum of understanding for the technical grant will be signed at the Sept. 12 city commission meeting.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725635074107.png" alt="The Grove RHID. City of Hays" />
 <figcaption>The Grove RHID. City of Hays</figcaption>
 </figure>Collin Bielser, deputy city manager, reviewed an ordinance establishing a Reinvestment Housing Incentive District for The Grove&nbsp;development north of HaysMed.The developer, Grow Hays, has asked the city to finance and construct infrastructure related to the project. The city would use incentive district revenues to offset its estimated $8.2 million costs.&nbsp;The incentive district would generate about $8.452 million during its maximum 25-year term.A public hearing on the&nbsp;establishment of an incentive district will be during next Thursday's meeting.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725634771297.png" alt="The Grove development plan. Map by Grow Hays." />
 <figcaption>The Grove development plan. Map by Grow Hays.</figcaption>
 </figure>Bielser also reviewed the development plan.The Grove will be retiree-focused housing comprised of about 12 six-plex structures, eight duplexes, 50 single-family homes, along with infrastructure to serve the project. Also on the site will be a new multi-generational 14,000-square-foot facility, <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/52b97519-b934-46eb-bdf3-8bd246bf2675">The Bob and Pat Schmidt Community Center</a>, to include a senior/ child care/community center.Commissioner Reese Barrick said he had heard from a constituent who was critical of the focus on retiree housing and believed it would hinder new business growth in the city.&nbsp;Barrick disagreed."People are not only living longer but are healthier for a lot longer," Barrick said. "I think we need this type of housing to help out our population and the type of population that is going to be moving to Hays. This is really a crucial piece for the growth and stability of Hays."&nbsp;Commissioner Alaina Cunningham said, "You need every generation to make a community work."The Grove development will also extend the city’s multiuse path network by constructing a one-mile connector from 22nd Street and the existing HaysMed path north to the Sternberg Museum of Natural History.Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler presented three changes to the 2024 Uniform Public Offense Code and Standard Traffic Ordinance for Kansas cities. Changes in state statute prompted all three changes.Changes to the Uniform Public Offense Code:Disorderly Conduct — The portion that made engaging in noisy conduct tending reasonably to arouse alarm, anger or resentment in others a violation of the law has been removed. The Kansas Supreme Court recently ruled this portion of the section was unconstitutional.&nbsp;Possession of Marijuana, Drug Paraphernalia, Controlled Substances — Amended to give people immunity from prosecution for simple possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia when rendering aid to an overdose victim.Changes to the Standard Traffic Ordinance:&nbsp;Failure to Comply with Traffic Citation&nbsp;— Changes are designed to reduce suspensions of driving privileges and allow people to have a restricted license. The new law also limits license reinstatement surcharge to a single fee of $100 and increases the number of non-driving violations for which a license may be suspended or restricted.&nbsp;The updates will be voted on next week.Mayor Shaun Musil was absent from the work session.&nbsp;

Hays receives FEMA help in federal grant application for R9 water project

One of the biggest fundraisers for the Downtown Hays Development Corporation is set for Saturday, Sept. 14.

Tickets are available online&nbsp;at <a href="https://www.downtownhays.com/">www.downtownhays.com</a> and at the DHDC office, 1200 Main.

Wines &amp; Steins starts at 6 p.m. with check-in at the downtown pavilion, 10th and Main, and then a leisurely stroll through 12 business locations in historic downtown Hays. The stroll-stop hosts have lined up a large variety of tasty hors d'oeuvres from local restaurants to pair with the different wines and micro-beers sampled at each location.

Following the stroll, the fun moves under the pavilion with live music, complimentary drinks, a dessert bar, and an auction featuring experience items, tastings, a golf package and overnight stays in popular locations.&nbsp;

A basket of gift cards worth several hundred dollars donated by DHDC board members will also be up for grabs.&nbsp;

Commemorative glassware is designed each year for Wines &amp; Steins. 

"People love to collect these," said Julie Rider, DHDC executive director. "Every style is unique."&nbsp;

Auto World is again the presenting glassware sponsor.

Other Wine &amp; Steins sponsors include Astra Bank, Insurance Planning, Nex-Tech, Nex-Tech Wireless, Midwest Energy, and Robert Brogden GMC. Contributors are Regeena's Flowers &amp; Events, Wedding Connections, 8th Street Liquor, G&amp;L Tire, Northwestern Printers, Coors, Wil Fischer Distributing, and Pepsi.

DHDC is not a membership organization, and downtown businesses do not pay dues or fees.&nbsp;

As a private nonprofit, DHDC receives about 60 percent of its annual budget through fundraisers and private donations to its partnership program.

"Our funding allows us to promote downtown through advertising, hosting our website and the Downtown Directory. We welcome new businesses and celebrate big milestones for existing businesses with brick presentations," Rider said.&nbsp;

"The funding helps us put together retailer events like Bazaar on the Bricks and the Christmas holiday programs, as well as community events we host, like the Downtown Hays Market and the FrostFest parade."

The DHDC board is in the process of planning several downtown beautification projects.&nbsp;

"We promote downtown as a whole," Rider said. "We want everybody to be successful because when one business succeeds, we all succeed."

<a href="https://www.downtownhays.com/event-details/wines-steins-2024">Wines &amp; Steins tickets</a> are $65 for general admission and $85 for the VIP experience, which includes early check-in at the pavilion and personal delivery of a tasting glass and gifts earlier in the week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725396839755.png" alt="The annual Wines &amp; Steins fundraiser for the Downtown Hays Development Corporation is Saturday, Sept. 14. Courtesy images" />
 <figcaption>The annual Wines &amp; Steins fundraiser for the Downtown Hays Development Corporation is Saturday, Sept. 14. Courtesy images</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="Wines & Steins fundraiser for DHDC features tastings, live music, auction" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=53wct-16c644f-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=315" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>By BECKY KISER Hays PostOne of the biggest fundraisers for the Downtown Hays Development Corporation is set for Saturday, Sept. 14. Tickets are available online&nbsp;at <a href="https://www.downtownhays.com/">www.downtownhays.com</a> and at the DHDC office, 1200 Main.Wines &amp; Steins starts at 6 p.m. with check-in at the downtown pavilion, 10th and Main, and then a leisurely stroll through 12 business locations in historic downtown Hays. The stroll-stop hosts have lined up a large variety of tasty hors d'oeuvres from local restaurants to pair with the different wines and micro-beers sampled at each location.Following the stroll, the fun moves under the pavilion with live music, complimentary drinks, a dessert bar, and an auction featuring experience items, tastings, a golf package and overnight stays in popular locations.&nbsp;A basket of gift cards worth several hundred dollars donated by DHDC board members will also be up for grabs.&nbsp;Commemorative glassware is designed each year for Wines &amp; Steins. "People love to collect these," said Julie Rider, DHDC executive director. "Every style is unique."&nbsp;Auto World is again the presenting glassware sponsor.Other Wine &amp; Steins sponsors include Astra Bank, Insurance Planning, Nex-Tech, Nex-Tech Wireless, Midwest Energy, and Robert Brogden GMC. Contributors are Regeena's Flowers &amp; Events, Wedding Connections, 8th Street Liquor, G&amp;L Tire, Northwestern Printers, Coors, Wil Fischer Distributing, and Pepsi.DHDC is not a membership organization, and downtown businesses do not pay dues or fees.&nbsp;As a private nonprofit, DHDC receives about 60 percent of its annual budget through fundraisers and private donations to its partnership program."Our funding allows us to promote downtown through advertising, hosting our website and the Downtown Directory. We welcome new businesses and celebrate big milestones for existing businesses with brick presentations," Rider said.&nbsp;"The funding helps us put together retailer events like Bazaar on the Bricks and the Christmas holiday programs, as well as community events we host, like the Downtown Hays Market and the FrostFest parade."The DHDC board is in the process of planning several downtown beautification projects.&nbsp;"We promote downtown as a whole," Rider said. "We want everybody to be successful because when one business succeeds, we all succeed."<a href="https://www.downtownhays.com/event-details/wines-steins-2024">Wines &amp; Steins tickets</a> are $65 for general admission and $85 for the VIP experience, which includes early check-in at the pavilion and personal delivery of a tasting glass and gifts earlier in the week.Guests must be 21 to attend.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🎙Wines & Steins fundraiser for DHDC features tastings, live music, auction    

WINDER, Ga. (AP) — The father of the teenager accused of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-high-school-lockdown-3969d34cf6a7adc787facf21c469ef4d">opening fire at a Georgia high school</a>, killing four people and wounding nine, has been arrested on various charges including second-degree murder, authorities said Thursday.

Colin Gray, 54, the father of Colt Gray, was charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a social media post. No other details were immediately provided, but a news conference was planned for later in the day.

In Georgia, second-degree murder means that a person has caused the death of another person while committing second-degree cruelty to children, regardless of intent. It is punishable by 10 to 30 years in prison, while malice murder and felony murder carry a minimum sentence of life.

Authorities have charged 14-year-old Colt Gray as an adult with murder in the shootings Wednesday at Apalachee High School outside Atlanta. Arrest warrants obtained by the AP accuse him of using a semiautomatic assault-style rifle in the attack, which killed two students and two teachers and wounded nine other people.

The teen denied threatening to carry out a school shooting when authorities interviewed him last year about a menacing post on social media, according to a sheriff’s report obtained Thursday.

Conflicting evidence on the post's origin left investigators unable to arrest anyone, the report said. Jackson County Sheriff Janis Mangum said she reviewed the report from May 2023 and found nothing that would have justified bringing charges at the time.

“We did not drop the ball at all on this,” Mangum told The Associated Press in an interview. “We did all we could do with what we had at the time.”

When a sheriff's investigator from neighboring Jackson County interviewed Gray last year, his father said the boy had struggled with his parents’ separation and often got picked on at school. The teen frequently fired guns and hunted with his father, who photographed him with a deer's blood on his cheeks.

“He knows the seriousness of weapons and what they can do, and how to use them and not use them,” Colin Gray said according to a transcript obtained from the sheriff's office.

The teen was interviewed after the sheriff received a tip from the FBI that Colt Gray, then 13, “had possibly threatened to shoot up a middle school tomorrow.” The threat was made on Discord, a social media platform popular with video gamers, according to the sheriff's office incident report.

The FBI's tip pointed to a Discord account associated with an email address linked to Colt Gray, the report said. But the boy said “he would never say such a thing, even in a joking manner,” according to the investigator's report.

The interview transcript quotes the teen as saying: “I promise I would never say something where ...” with the rest of that denial listed as inaudible.

The investigator wrote that no arrests were made because of “inconsistent information” on the Discord account, which had profile information in Russian and a digital evidence trail indicating it had been accessed in different Georgia cities as well as Buffalo, New York.

The attack was&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/mass-killings/index.html">the latest</a>&nbsp;among dozens of school shootings across the U.S. in recent years, including especially deadly ones in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/violence-ee24f46a30d2426089b83bb2897dce4e">Newtown, Connecticut</a>;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-florida-gun-politics-school-boards-nikolas-cruz-44a0da3e406f0c487e5c0a6b0855ee2e">Parkland, Florida</a>; and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting">Uvalde, Texas</a>. The classroom killings have set off fervent debates about gun control and frayed the nerves of parents whose children are growing up accustomed to active-shooter drills. But there has been little change to national gun laws.

Classes were canceled Thursday at the Georgia high school, though some people came to leave flowers around the flagpole and kneel in the grass with heads bowed.

When the suspect slipped out of math class Wednesday, Lyela Sayarath figured her quiet classmate who recently transferred was skipping school again. But he returned later and wanted back into the room. Some students went to open the locked door but instead backed away.

“I’m guessing they saw something, but for some reason, they didn’t open the door,” Sayarath said.

The teen then opened fire in the hallway, authorities said.

Sayarath said she heard a barrage of 10 to 15 gunshots. The students fell to the floor and crawled in search of a safe corner to hide.

Two school resource officers confronted the shooter within minutes after the gunshots were reported, Hosey said. The teen immediately surrendered.

Gray was being held Thursday at a regional youth detention facility. His first court appearance was scheduled for Friday morning.

He has been charged in the deaths of students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, and teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53, according to Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey.

At least nine other people — eight students and one teacher at the school in Winder — were wounded and taken to hospitals. All were expected to survive, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said.

Authorities have not offered any motive or explained how the suspect obtained the gun and got it into the school of roughly 1,900 students in a rapidly developing area on the edge of metro Atlanta’s ever-expanding sprawl.

It was the 30th&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-mass-killings-list-14a356281ba8da1d72931cd6f56c41ba">mass killing</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. so far this year, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/mass-killings/index.html">database</a>&nbsp;maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University. At least 127 people have died in those killings, which are defined as events in which four or more people die within a 24-hour period, not including the killer — the same definition used by the FBI.

Prior cases have emerged in which someone who was once on the FBI's radar but was not arrested went on to commit violence.

A month before Nikolas Cruz killed 17 people at the Parkland, Florida, high school in 2018, the bureau received a warning that he had been talking about committing a mass shooting. The FBI also investigated a tip about the person later convicted in a deadly 2022 shooting at a gay nightclub in Colorado.

The pattern underscores the challenges law enforcement faces in trying to determine when concerning behavior crosses into a crime. Investigators sift through tens of thousands of tips every year to try to determine which could yield a viable threat. Cases such as the Georgia school shooting prompt fresh questions about whether more intensive investigative work might have averted the violence.

The sheriff's report says investigator Daniel Miller spoke to the boy and his father May 21, 2023. The father said his son had access to guns in the house.

“I mean they aren't loaded, but they are down,” Gray's father said, according to the interview transcript.

He described a photo on his cellphone from a recent hunting trip with his son: "You see him with blood on his cheeks from shooting his first deer.” Gray's father called it “the greatest day ever.”

The teen told Miller he stopped using Discord a few months earlier after his account got hacked.

“I gotta take you at your word and I hope you’re being honest with me,” Miller replied.

A phone number associated with the account was linked to a different person in another Georgia city, the report said. The account's profile name, written in Russian, translated to Lanza. The investigator noted that Adam Lanza was the perpetrator of the 2012 mass shooting that killed 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

The sheriff’s office alerted local schools for continued monitoring of the teen. But the investigator concluded that he "could not substantiate the tip I received from the FBI to take further action.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725622947526.png" alt="Colin Gray photo Barrow County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Colin Gray photo Barrow County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>WINDER, Ga. (AP) — The father of the teenager accused of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-high-school-lockdown-3969d34cf6a7adc787facf21c469ef4d">opening fire at a Georgia high school</a>, killing four people and wounding nine, has been arrested on various charges including second-degree murder, authorities said Thursday.Colin Gray, 54, the father of Colt Gray, was charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a social media post. No other details were immediately provided, but a news conference was planned for later in the day.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725585758159.png" alt="Colt Gray photo Barrow County Sheriff's office" />
 <figcaption>Colt Gray photo Barrow County Sheriff's office</figcaption>
 </figure>In Georgia, second-degree murder means that a person has caused the death of another person while committing second-degree cruelty to children, regardless of intent. It is punishable by 10 to 30 years in prison, while malice murder and felony murder carry a minimum sentence of life.Authorities have charged 14-year-old Colt Gray as an adult with murder in the shootings Wednesday at Apalachee High School outside Atlanta. Arrest warrants obtained by the AP accuse him of using a semiautomatic assault-style rifle in the attack, which killed two students and two teachers and wounded nine other people.The teen denied threatening to carry out a school shooting when authorities interviewed him last year about a menacing post on social media, according to a sheriff’s report obtained Thursday.Conflicting evidence on the post's origin left investigators unable to arrest anyone, the report said. Jackson County Sheriff Janis Mangum said she reviewed the report from May 2023 and found nothing that would have justified bringing charges at the time.“We did not drop the ball at all on this,” Mangum told The Associated Press in an interview. “We did all we could do with what we had at the time.”When a sheriff's investigator from neighboring Jackson County interviewed Gray last year, his father said the boy had struggled with his parents’ separation and often got picked on at school. The teen frequently fired guns and hunted with his father, who photographed him with a deer's blood on his cheeks.“He knows the seriousness of weapons and what they can do, and how to use them and not use them,” Colin Gray said according to a transcript obtained from the sheriff's office.The teen was interviewed after the sheriff received a tip from the FBI that Colt Gray, then 13, “had possibly threatened to shoot up a middle school tomorrow.” The threat was made on Discord, a social media platform popular with video gamers, according to the sheriff's office incident report.The FBI's tip pointed to a Discord account associated with an email address linked to Colt Gray, the report said. But the boy said “he would never say such a thing, even in a joking manner,” according to the investigator's report.The interview transcript quotes the teen as saying: “I promise I would never say something where ...” with the rest of that denial listed as inaudible.The investigator wrote that no arrests were made because of “inconsistent information” on the Discord account, which had profile information in Russian and a digital evidence trail indicating it had been accessed in different Georgia cities as well as Buffalo, New York.The attack was&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/mass-killings/index.html">the latest</a>&nbsp;among dozens of school shootings across the U.S. in recent years, including especially deadly ones in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/violence-ee24f46a30d2426089b83bb2897dce4e">Newtown, Connecticut</a>;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-florida-gun-politics-school-boards-nikolas-cruz-44a0da3e406f0c487e5c0a6b0855ee2e">Parkland, Florida</a>; and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting">Uvalde, Texas</a>. The classroom killings have set off fervent debates about gun control and frayed the nerves of parents whose children are growing up accustomed to active-shooter drills. But there has been little change to national gun laws.Classes were canceled Thursday at the Georgia high school, though some people came to leave flowers around the flagpole and kneel in the grass with heads bowed.When the suspect slipped out of math class Wednesday, Lyela Sayarath figured her quiet classmate who recently transferred was skipping school again. But he returned later and wanted back into the room. Some students went to open the locked door but instead backed away.“I’m guessing they saw something, but for some reason, they didn’t open the door,” Sayarath said.The teen then opened fire in the hallway, authorities said.Sayarath said she heard a barrage of 10 to 15 gunshots. The students fell to the floor and crawled in search of a safe corner to hide.Two school resource officers confronted the shooter within minutes after the gunshots were reported, Hosey said. The teen immediately surrendered.Gray was being held Thursday at a regional youth detention facility. His first court appearance was scheduled for Friday morning.He has been charged in the deaths of students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, and teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53, according to Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey.At least nine other people — eight students and one teacher at the school in Winder — were wounded and taken to hospitals. All were expected to survive, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said.Authorities have not offered any motive or explained how the suspect obtained the gun and got it into the school of roughly 1,900 students in a rapidly developing area on the edge of metro Atlanta’s ever-expanding sprawl.It was the 30th&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-mass-killings-list-14a356281ba8da1d72931cd6f56c41ba">mass killing</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. so far this year, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/mass-killings/index.html">database</a>&nbsp;maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University. At least 127 people have died in those killings, which are defined as events in which four or more people die within a 24-hour period, not including the killer — the same definition used by the FBI.Prior cases have emerged in which someone who was once on the FBI's radar but was not arrested went on to commit violence.A month before Nikolas Cruz killed 17 people at the Parkland, Florida, high school in 2018, the bureau received a warning that he had been talking about committing a mass shooting. The FBI also investigated a tip about the person later convicted in a deadly 2022 shooting at a gay nightclub in Colorado.The pattern underscores the challenges law enforcement faces in trying to determine when concerning behavior crosses into a crime. Investigators sift through tens of thousands of tips every year to try to determine which could yield a viable threat. Cases such as the Georgia school shooting prompt fresh questions about whether more intensive investigative work might have averted the violence.The sheriff's report says investigator Daniel Miller spoke to the boy and his father May 21, 2023. The father said his son had access to guns in the house.“I mean they aren't loaded, but they are down,” Gray's father said, according to the interview transcript.He described a photo on his cellphone from a recent hunting trip with his son: "You see him with blood on his cheeks from shooting his first deer.” Gray's father called it “the greatest day ever.”The teen told Miller he stopped using Discord a few months earlier after his account got hacked.“I gotta take you at your word and I hope you’re being honest with me,” Miller replied.A phone number associated with the account was linked to a different person in another Georgia city, the report said. The account's profile name, written in Russian, translated to Lanza. The investigator noted that Adam Lanza was the perpetrator of the 2012 mass shooting that killed 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.The sheriff’s office alerted local schools for continued monitoring of the teen. But the investigator concluded that he "could not substantiate the tip I received from the FBI to take further action.”

Father of Georgia school shooting suspect jailed, faces years in prison

Fall brings back-to-school activities and lots of outdoor fun while the weather is still warm.

Melissa Dixon, Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director, has some highlights of community events happening in September.

An updated calendar of events is available on the CVB website at <a href="https://www.visithays.com/calendar.aspx">visithays.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673100607004.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostFall brings back-to-school activities and lots of outdoor fun while the weather is still warm.Melissa Dixon, Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director, has some highlights of community events happening in September.<div><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_eYbNckrzj4" title="cvb sept 24" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725551533782.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>An updated calendar of events is available on the CVB website at <a href="https://www.visithays.com/calendar.aspx">visithays.com</a>.

🎥 CVB: Community events in Hays during September

ABILENE - The TMP-Marian volleyball team lost all three of their matches at the Abilene quadrangular Thursday.

The Monarchs lost 2-1 to the host Cowgirls then were swept by Smoky Valley and Rock Creek.

TMP-Marian lost to Abilene 25-18, 20-25, 18-15 TMP-Marian lost to Smoky Valley 22-25, 22-25 TMP-Marian lost to Rock Creek 16-25, 20-25

Hays PostABILENE - The TMP-Marian volleyball team lost all three of their matches at the Abilene quadrangular Thursday.The Monarchs lost 2-1 to the host Cowgirls then were swept by Smoky Valley and Rock Creek.TMP-Marian lost to Abilene 25-18, 20-25, 18-15 TMP-Marian lost to Smoky Valley 22-25, 22-25 TMP-Marian lost to Rock Creek 16-25, 20-25The Monarchs drop to 3-7 on the season.

🏐 Monarchs drop three matches at Abilene quad

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Pop superstar Taylor Swift returned to Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night to watch her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, and the rest of the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs open the NFL season against the Baltimore Ravens.

Swift arrived about 90 minutes prior to the AFC title game rematch,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/RobCollinsTV/status/1831828437260292389">wearing a denim crop top and shorts</a>&nbsp;along with red, knee-high heeled boots. She joined nearly 80,000 fans awaiting kickoff as storms began popping up in the area.

Swift became one of the Chiefs' biggest fans last season, when she began&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-chiefs-broncos-b08b0e53fdd232dc0a468b5fa43b5b04">her high-profile romance with Kelce,</a>&nbsp;a pop culture heavyweight in his own right. Kelce had failed to give her a friendship bracelet at one of her concerts, so he took to social media to invite Swift to a game, and the “Anti-Hero” singer took him up on the offer for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-kelce-chiefs-891e7df84295f5b35cfa97a5ec427721">a September matchup with the Bears</a>.

They continued to see each other throughout the season, whenever Swift was on break from her Eras Tour. The 14-time Grammy winner even made a much-publicized sprint from a stadium show in Japan to Las Vegas in time for the Super Bowl, where she partied with friends such as Blake Lively, enjoyed Post Malone's performance of “America the Beautiful," won what appeared to be a beer chugging contest, and then celebrated the Chiefs' triumph&nbsp;<a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/02/10/taylor-swift-kisses-travis-kelce-on-the-field-after-his-chiefs-beat-the-49ers-in-the-super-bowl/">by locking lips with Kelce on the field</a>.

Along the way, Swift became close friends with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany.

During the offseason, Kelce frequently dropped in on the Eras Tour, even making an onstage cameo in a tuxedo during a performance. Swift later said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C8myZeBOoV6/?">social media post</a>&nbsp;she was still “cracking up/swooning over (Kelce’s) Eras Tour debut” before 90,000 screaming fans at Wembley Stadium in London, and that “she was never going to forget these shows.”

Indeed, it has been a busy offseason for both of the superstars.

Swift recently concluded the European leg of the Eras Tour with five consecutive shows at Wembley, and she is on break until October, when she begins the North American leg with stops across the U.S. and Canada stretching into December.

Kelce and his brother, retired Eagles center Jason Kelce,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kelce-chiefs-eagles-jason-travis-new-heights-92761f6968b12ee06603d66e7ce9c5b7">recently struck a deal</a>&nbsp;reportedly worth nine figures to take their “New Heights” podcast to Amazon’s Wondery service. He also is due to appear in&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/daV1NI7hxY0?si=PtU8BgFwX79OgD_i">Ryan Murphy’s murder mystery “Grotesquerie”</a>&nbsp;on FX debuting Sept. 25, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/travis-kelce-are-you-smarter-than-a-celebrity-prime-video">he is hosting “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity”</a>&nbsp;on Prime Video premiering Oct. 16.

Then there’s the fact that the Chiefs, who have won two straight Super Bowls and three in the past five years, are chasing some history beginning Thursday night. No team has ever won the Lombardi Trophy three consecutive times.

Kelce was asked this week how he juggles everything, and he pointed to the Chiefs practice facility — and Arrowhead Stadium, which sits just up the hill and across a parking lot — as his sanctuary, where he is surrounded by his closest friends.

“I just love football and how it takes me away from life,” he explained, “and it gives me something I can feel genuinely happy about. I enjoy coming into the building, working on my craft, getting to understand a new game plan and perfecting that for the people around me. It gives me a purpose to kind of go about my day and to live my life.”

Not everything was smooth for Swift and Kelce during the offseason.

Last month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-cia-vienna-concerts-foiled-attack-7e454af63efcff2a3ab0a20c718aba8d">Swift canceled three sold-out shows in Vienna</a>&nbsp;after the CIA discovered intelligence that led to multiple arrests of men linked to the Islamic State group. The agency’s deputy director, David Cohen, said “they were plotting to kill a huge number — tens of thousands of people at this concert, including I am sure many Americans — and were quite advanced in this.”

Then on Thursday, a spokesperson for Kelce denounced a document recently posted online calling into question the authenticity of their romance as “entirely false and fabricated.” The document, carrying the title “Comprehensive Media Plan For Travis Kelce’s Relations Following Breakup with Taylor Swift,” was posted on Reddit but has since been deleted.

It surfaced about the same time that&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/CbaIDysFUuQ?si=s7Zg_6hSRtFvFBVw">Kelce appeared on “The Rich Eisen Show,”</a>&nbsp;where he discussed their relationship.

“She had just been so open to learning the game,” Kelce said. “I think what makes her so good in her profession is that she’s so detailed in every aspect of it, from the words to her music and even the releases and the music videos and everything. She’s just so detailed and a part of it, that I think she was just curious about the profession.”

Kelce even said that Swift had started drawing up some plays for him, though he noted with a smile: “She’s a little biased and just creates plays for me. So we’ll see if they can make coach (Andy) Reid’s office.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725580468000.png" alt="Taylor Swift arrives at Arrowhead Stadium for the Chiefs' season opener -photo by&nbsp;Micaela Dea courtesy KAKE&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Taylor Swift arrives at Arrowhead Stadium for the Chiefs' season opener -photo by&nbsp;Micaela Dea courtesy KAKE&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Pop superstar Taylor Swift returned to Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night to watch her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, and the rest of the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs open the NFL season against the Baltimore Ravens.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨| Taylor Swift stuns arriving at Arrowhead Stadium for today&#39;s Chiefs va Ravens game! <a href="https://t.co/v283TIqMd8">pic.twitter.com/v283TIqMd8</a>&mdash; The Eras Tour (@tswifterastour) <a href="https://twitter.com/tswifterastour/status/1831829709992480819?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨| Taylor Swift looks absolutely alluring at today&#39;s Chiefs vs Ravens game at Arrowhead Stadium! <a href="https://t.co/jza64xEXzv">pic.twitter.com/jza64xEXzv</a>&mdash; The Eras Tour (@tswifterastour) <a href="https://twitter.com/tswifterastour/status/1831834703558799712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Swift arrived about 90 minutes prior to the AFC title game rematch,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/RobCollinsTV/status/1831828437260292389">wearing a denim crop top and shorts</a>&nbsp;along with red, knee-high heeled boots. She joined nearly 80,000 fans awaiting kickoff as storms began popping up in the area.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨| Taylor Swift and Ed Kelce at today&#39;s Chiefs vs Ravens game! <a href="https://t.co/eMezCRHZKT">pic.twitter.com/eMezCRHZKT</a>&mdash; The Eras Tour (@tswifterastour) <a href="https://twitter.com/tswifterastour/status/1831851010366857294?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Swift became one of the Chiefs' biggest fans last season, when she began&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-chiefs-broncos-b08b0e53fdd232dc0a468b5fa43b5b04">her high-profile romance with Kelce,</a>&nbsp;a pop culture heavyweight in his own right. Kelce had failed to give her a friendship bracelet at one of her concerts, so he took to social media to invite Swift to a game, and the “Anti-Hero” singer took him up on the offer for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-kelce-chiefs-891e7df84295f5b35cfa97a5ec427721">a September matchup with the Bears</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨| Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce leaving after today&#39;s Chiefs vs Ravens game! <a href="https://t.co/soAHLC6hAq">pic.twitter.com/soAHLC6hAq</a>&mdash; The Eras Tour (@tswifterastour) <a href="https://twitter.com/tswifterastour/status/1831929172580823268?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>They continued to see each other throughout the season, whenever Swift was on break from her Eras Tour. The 14-time Grammy winner even made a much-publicized sprint from a stadium show in Japan to Las Vegas in time for the Super Bowl, where she partied with friends such as Blake Lively, enjoyed Post Malone's performance of “America the Beautiful," won what appeared to be a beer chugging contest, and then celebrated the Chiefs' triumph&nbsp;<a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/02/10/taylor-swift-kisses-travis-kelce-on-the-field-after-his-chiefs-beat-the-49ers-in-the-super-bowl/">by locking lips with Kelce on the field</a>.Along the way, Swift became close friends with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany.During the offseason, Kelce frequently dropped in on the Eras Tour, even making an onstage cameo in a tuxedo during a performance. Swift later said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C8myZeBOoV6/?">social media post</a>&nbsp;she was still “cracking up/swooning over (Kelce’s) Eras Tour debut” before 90,000 screaming fans at Wembley Stadium in London, and that “she was never going to forget these shows.”Indeed, it has been a busy offseason for both of the superstars.Swift recently concluded the European leg of the Eras Tour with five consecutive shows at Wembley, and she is on break until October, when she begins the North American leg with stops across the U.S. and Canada stretching into December.Kelce and his brother, retired Eagles center Jason Kelce,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kelce-chiefs-eagles-jason-travis-new-heights-92761f6968b12ee06603d66e7ce9c5b7">recently struck a deal</a>&nbsp;reportedly worth nine figures to take their “New Heights” podcast to Amazon’s Wondery service. He also is due to appear in&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/daV1NI7hxY0?si=PtU8BgFwX79OgD_i">Ryan Murphy’s murder mystery “Grotesquerie”</a>&nbsp;on FX debuting Sept. 25, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/travis-kelce-are-you-smarter-than-a-celebrity-prime-video">he is hosting “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity”</a>&nbsp;on Prime Video premiering Oct. 16.Then there’s the fact that the Chiefs, who have won two straight Super Bowls and three in the past five years, are chasing some history beginning Thursday night. No team has ever won the Lombardi Trophy three consecutive times.Kelce was asked this week how he juggles everything, and he pointed to the Chiefs practice facility — and Arrowhead Stadium, which sits just up the hill and across a parking lot — as his sanctuary, where he is surrounded by his closest friends.“I just love football and how it takes me away from life,” he explained, “and it gives me something I can feel genuinely happy about. I enjoy coming into the building, working on my craft, getting to understand a new game plan and perfecting that for the people around me. It gives me a purpose to kind of go about my day and to live my life.”Not everything was smooth for Swift and Kelce during the offseason.Last month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-cia-vienna-concerts-foiled-attack-7e454af63efcff2a3ab0a20c718aba8d">Swift canceled three sold-out shows in Vienna</a>&nbsp;after the CIA discovered intelligence that led to multiple arrests of men linked to the Islamic State group. The agency’s deputy director, David Cohen, said “they were plotting to kill a huge number — tens of thousands of people at this concert, including I am sure many Americans — and were quite advanced in this.”Then on Thursday, a spokesperson for Kelce denounced a document recently posted online calling into question the authenticity of their romance as “entirely false and fabricated.” The document, carrying the title “Comprehensive Media Plan For Travis Kelce’s Relations Following Breakup with Taylor Swift,” was posted on Reddit but has since been deleted.It surfaced about the same time that&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/CbaIDysFUuQ?si=s7Zg_6hSRtFvFBVw">Kelce appeared on “The Rich Eisen Show,”</a>&nbsp;where he discussed their relationship.“She had just been so open to learning the game,” Kelce said. “I think what makes her so good in her profession is that she’s so detailed in every aspect of it, from the words to her music and even the releases and the music videos and everything. She’s just so detailed and a part of it, that I think she was just curious about the profession.”Kelce even said that Swift had started drawing up some plays for him, though he noted with a smile: “She’s a little biased and just creates plays for me. So we’ll see if they can make coach (Andy) Reid’s office.”---------------

🎥Taylor Swift shows up at Arrowhead to watch Kelce, Chiefs in NFL opener

WICHITA - The Hays High boys soccer team opened their season with a 2-1 loss to Life Prep Academy Thursday at the Stryker Sports Complex.

Hays PostWICHITA - The Hays High boys soccer team opened their season with a 2-1 loss to Life Prep Academy Thursday at the Stryker Sports Complex.The Indians are 0-1 on the season.

⚽ HHS boys drop season opener in Wichita

BARTON COUNTY – The Hays High boys and girls cross country
teams opened their 2024 seasons Thursday morning at the Great Bend Invitational
at the Lake Barton Golf Course. The boys finished in 13th place. No girls team
scores were posted. Garden City won the boys race with 53 points, 23 better
than second place Holcomb.

Taevian Maupin finished in 24th place to lead the HHS boys.
Maupin had a time of 17:22.52. Logan Leiker was the next closest HHS runner,
finishing 82nd.

Ava Biggs led the Indian girls with a time of 24:10.47 and
placed 80th.

Southeast of Saline’s Brayden Walker won the boys race with a
time of 16:08.58. Salina Central’s Katelyne Rupe won the girls’ race with a
time of 17:14.86.

Hays PostBARTON COUNTY – The Hays High boys and girls cross country
teams opened their 2024 seasons Thursday morning at the Great Bend Invitational
at the Lake Barton Golf Course. The boys finished in 13th place. No girls team
scores were posted. Garden City won the boys race with 53 points, 23 better
than second place Holcomb.Taevian Maupin finished in 24th place to lead the HHS boys.
Maupin had a time of 17:22.52. Logan Leiker was the next closest HHS runner,
finishing 82nd.Ava Biggs led the Indian girls with a time of 24:10.47 and
placed 80th.Southeast of Saline’s Brayden Walker won the boys race with a
time of 16:08.58. Salina Central’s Katelyne Rupe won the girls’ race with a
time of 17:14.86.

🏃‍♂️ HHS opens season at Great Bend Invitational

WINDER, Ga. (AP) — A 14-year-old student opened fire at a Georgia high school and killed four people on Wednesday, authorities said, sending students scrambling for shelter in their classrooms — and eventually to the football stadium — as officers swarmed the campus and parents raced to find out if their children were safe.

The dead were identified as two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School in Winder, about an hour’s drive from Atlanta. Killed were two other 14-year-olds, Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, and instructors Richard Aspinwall and Christina Irimie, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said in a nighttime news conference.

At least nine other people — eight students and one teacher — were taken to hospitals with injuries. All were expected to survive, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said.

The words “hard lockdown” appeared on a screen in junior Layla Ferrell's health class and lights began flashing. She and her frightened classmates piled desks and chairs in front of the door to create a barricade, she recalled.

Sophomore Kaylee Abner was in geometry class when she heard the gunshots. She and her classmates ducked behind their teacher’s desk, and then the teacher began flipping the desk in an attempt to barricade the classroom door, Abner said. A classmate beside her was praying, and she held his hand while they all waited for police.

After students poured into the football stadium, Abner saw teachers who had taken off their shirts to help treat gunshot wounds.

Two school resource officers encountered the shooter within minutes after a report of shots fired went out, Hosey said. The suspect, a student at the school, immediately surrendered and was taken into custody. He is being charged as an adult with murder. Authorities said the weapon was an assault-style rifle.

The teen had been interviewed after the FBI received anonymous tips in May 2023 about online threats to commit an unspecified school shooting, the agency said in a statement.

The FBI narrowed the threats down and referred to the case to the sheriff’s department in Jackson County, which is adjacent to Barrow County.

The sheriff’s office interviewed the then-13-year-old and his father, who said there were hunting guns in the house but the teen did not have unsupervised access to them. The teen also denied making any online threats.

The sheriff’s office alerted local schools for continued monitoring of the teen, but there was no probable cause for arrest to additional action, the FBI said.

Hosey said the state Division of Family and Children’s Services also had previous contact with the teen and will investigate whether that has any connection with the shooting.

Authorities were still looking into how the suspect obtained the gun used in the shooting and got it into the school in Barrow County, a rapidly suburbanizing area on the edge of metro Atlanta's ever-expanding sprawl.

At an afternoon news conference, Smith choked up as he began to speak. He said he was born and raised in the community and his kids are in the school system.

“My heart hurts for these kids. My heart hurts for our community,” he said. “But I want to make it very clear that hate will not prevail in this county. I want that to be very clear and known. Love will prevail over what happened today.”

It was the&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/mass-killings/index.html">the latest</a>&nbsp;among dozens of school shootings across the U.S. in recent years, including especially deadly ones in Newtown, Connecticut, Parkland, Florida, and Uvalde, Texas. The classroom killings have set off fervent debates about gun control and frayed the nerves of parents whose children are growing up accustomed to active shooter drills in classrooms. But they have done little to move the needle on national gun laws.

Before Wednesday, there had been 29&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-mass-killings-list-14a356281ba8da1d72931cd6f56c41ba">mass killings</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. so far this year, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University. At least 127 people have died in those killings, which are defined as incidents in which four or more people die within a 24-hour period, not including the killer — the same definition used by the FBI.

Last year ended with 217 deaths from 42 mass killings, making 2023 one of the deadliest years on record for such shootings in the country.

On Wednesday in Winder, Landon Culver, an 11th grader, said he had stepped out of his algebra class to get a drink of water when he heard shots and then saw someone wearing a black hoodie with a long gun.

“I didn’t really stick around too long to look,” he said.

Instead he ran back inside the classroom and locked the door. The class huddled in the back in the dark and waited for the rampage to end. Culver listened as gunshots rang out in the building.

“You’re just wondering like, which one of those is going to be somebody that you’re best friends with or somebody that you love?” he said.

Later police officers arrived and escorted the students out. As they were leaving the building, Culver saw “multiple people who had been shot.”

“You hear about this kind of stuff, but you like never think it’s going to happen to you until like it’s happening.”

When Erin Clark, 42, received a text from her son Ethan, a senior, saying there was an active shooter, she rushed from her job at the Amazon warehouse to the school. The two texted “I love you,” and Clark prayed for her him as she drove.

With the main road to the school blocked, she parked and ran with other parents. They were directed to the football field, and amid the chaos, Clark found Ethan sitting on the bleachers.

Clark said her son was writing an essay in class when he first heard gunfire. He worked with his classmates to barricade the door and hide.

“I’m so proud of him for doing that,” she said. “He was so brave.”

“It makes me scared to send him back,” Clark said. “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

Traffic going to the school was backed up for more than a mile as parents tried to get to their children. Barrow County schools will be closed for the rest of the week as they cooperate with the investigation, but grief counseling will be available.

“It’s just outrageous that every day, in our country, in the United States of America, that parents have to send their children to school worried about whether or not their child will come home alive," Vice President Kamala Harris said during a campaign stop in New Hampshire.

In a message posted to social media, former President Donald Trump said: “These cherished children were taken from us far too soon by a sick and deranged monster.”

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who canceled a speech planned for the Republican Jewish Coalition in Las Vegas and returned to the state, said in a statement: “This is a day every parent dreads, and Georgians everywhere will hug their children tighter this evening because of this painful event.”

Apalachee High School opened in 2000 and has about 1,900 students, according to records from Georgia education officials.

On Wednesday evening, hundreds gathered in Jug Tavern Park in downtown Winder for a vigil. Volunteers handed out candles and also water, pizza and tissues. Some knelt as a Methodist minister led the crowd in prayer after a Barrow County commissioner read a Jewish prayer of mourning.

Some were clad in athletic gear from Apalachee’s crosstown rival, Winder-Barrow High School. At the end of the vigil, someone released balloons in Apalachee’s blue, gold and white.

Sophomore Shantal Sanvee, who was in a classroom near the gunshots, said she saw “a whole lot of blood. And it was just, it was just horrible.”

“I don't think I want to be here for like a long time now,” Sanvee said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725532431031.png" alt="Richard Aspinwal courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Richard Aspinwal courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WINDER, Ga. (AP) — A 14-year-old student opened fire at a Georgia high school and killed four people on Wednesday, authorities said, sending students scrambling for shelter in their classrooms — and eventually to the football stadium — as officers swarmed the campus and parents raced to find out if their children were safe.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725532456462.png" alt="Christina Irimie courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Christina Irimie courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The dead were identified as two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School in Winder, about an hour’s drive from Atlanta. Killed were two other 14-year-olds, Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, and instructors Richard Aspinwall and Christina Irimie, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said in a nighttime news conference.At least nine other people — eight students and one teacher — were taken to hospitals with injuries. All were expected to survive, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said.The words “hard lockdown” appeared on a screen in junior Layla Ferrell's health class and lights began flashing. She and her frightened classmates piled desks and chairs in front of the door to create a barricade, she recalled.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/QZxD3TqFbp">pic.twitter.com/QZxD3TqFbp</a>&mdash; FBI Atlanta (@FBIAtlanta) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIAtlanta/status/1831479818749141244?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Sophomore Kaylee Abner was in geometry class when she heard the gunshots. She and her classmates ducked behind their teacher’s desk, and then the teacher began flipping the desk in an attempt to barricade the classroom door, Abner said. A classmate beside her was praying, and she held his hand while they all waited for police.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725468533716.png" alt="photo courtesy WAGA TV" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy WAGA TV</figcaption>
 </figure>After students poured into the football stadium, Abner saw teachers who had taken off their shirts to help treat gunshot wounds.Two school resource officers encountered the shooter within minutes after a report of shots fired went out, Hosey said. The suspect, a student at the school, immediately surrendered and was taken into custody. He is being charged as an adult with murder. Authorities said the weapon was an assault-style rifle.The teen had been interviewed after the FBI received anonymous tips in May 2023 about online threats to commit an unspecified school shooting, the agency said in a statement.The FBI narrowed the threats down and referred to the case to the sheriff’s department in Jackson County, which is adjacent to Barrow County.The sheriff’s office interviewed the then-13-year-old and his father, who said there were hunting guns in the house but the teen did not have unsupervised access to them. The teen also denied making any online threats.The sheriff’s office alerted local schools for continued monitoring of the teen, but there was no probable cause for arrest to additional action, the FBI said.Hosey said the state Division of Family and Children’s Services also had previous contact with the teen and will investigate whether that has any connection with the shooting.Authorities were still looking into how the suspect obtained the gun used in the shooting and got it into the school in Barrow County, a rapidly suburbanizing area on the edge of metro Atlanta's ever-expanding sprawl.At an afternoon news conference, Smith choked up as he began to speak. He said he was born and raised in the community and his kids are in the school system.“My heart hurts for these kids. My heart hurts for our community,” he said. “But I want to make it very clear that hate will not prevail in this county. I want that to be very clear and known. Love will prevail over what happened today.”It was the&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/mass-killings/index.html">the latest</a>&nbsp;among dozens of school shootings across the U.S. in recent years, including especially deadly ones in Newtown, Connecticut, Parkland, Florida, and Uvalde, Texas. The classroom killings have set off fervent debates about gun control and frayed the nerves of parents whose children are growing up accustomed to active shooter drills in classrooms. But they have done little to move the needle on national gun laws.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725473398427.png" alt="Photo courtesy WAGA TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy WAGA TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Before Wednesday, there had been 29&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-mass-killings-list-14a356281ba8da1d72931cd6f56c41ba">mass killings</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. so far this year, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University. At least 127 people have died in those killings, which are defined as incidents in which four or more people die within a 24-hour period, not including the killer — the same definition used by the FBI.Last year ended with 217 deaths from 42 mass killings, making 2023 one of the deadliest years on record for such shootings in the country.On Wednesday in Winder, Landon Culver, an 11th grader, said he had stepped out of his algebra class to get a drink of water when he heard shots and then saw someone wearing a black hoodie with a long gun.“I didn’t really stick around too long to look,” he said.Instead he ran back inside the classroom and locked the door. The class huddled in the back in the dark and waited for the rampage to end. Culver listened as gunshots rang out in the building.“You’re just wondering like, which one of those is going to be somebody that you’re best friends with or somebody that you love?” he said.Later police officers arrived and escorted the students out. As they were leaving the building, Culver saw “multiple people who had been shot.”“You hear about this kind of stuff, but you like never think it’s going to happen to you until like it’s happening.”When Erin Clark, 42, received a text from her son Ethan, a senior, saying there was an active shooter, she rushed from her job at the Amazon warehouse to the school. The two texted “I love you,” and Clark prayed for her him as she drove.With the main road to the school blocked, she parked and ran with other parents. They were directed to the football field, and amid the chaos, Clark found Ethan sitting on the bleachers.Clark said her son was writing an essay in class when he first heard gunfire. He worked with his classmates to barricade the door and hide.“I’m so proud of him for doing that,” she said. “He was so brave.”“It makes me scared to send him back,” Clark said. “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”Traffic going to the school was backed up for more than a mile as parents tried to get to their children. Barrow County schools will be closed for the rest of the week as they cooperate with the investigation, but grief counseling will be available.“It’s just outrageous that every day, in our country, in the United States of America, that parents have to send their children to school worried about whether or not their child will come home alive," Vice President Kamala Harris said during a campaign stop in New Hampshire.In a message posted to social media, former President Donald Trump said: “These cherished children were taken from us far too soon by a sick and deranged monster.”Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who canceled a speech planned for the Republican Jewish Coalition in Las Vegas and returned to the state, said in a statement: “This is a day every parent dreads, and Georgians everywhere will hug their children tighter this evening because of this painful event.”Apalachee High School opened in 2000 and has about 1,900 students, according to records from Georgia education officials.On Wednesday evening, hundreds gathered in Jug Tavern Park in downtown Winder for a vigil. Volunteers handed out candles and also water, pizza and tissues. Some knelt as a Methodist minister led the crowd in prayer after a Barrow County commissioner read a Jewish prayer of mourning.Some were clad in athletic gear from Apalachee’s crosstown rival, Winder-Barrow High School. At the end of the vigil, someone released balloons in Apalachee’s blue, gold and white.Sophomore Shantal Sanvee, who was in a classroom near the gunshots, said she saw “a whole lot of blood. And it was just, it was just horrible.”“I don't think I want to be here for like a long time now,” Sanvee said.

Police ID teachers, students killed in Georgia school shooting

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Ellis USD 388 showed off the work for its completed $4.55 million bond projects during an open house on Tuesday night.

Work was completed on Washington Elementary School and Ellis Jr./Sr. High School.

Work at the high school included renovations to the junior high and high school science rooms.

The fixed tables were replaced by tables on wheels so the teachers could rearrange the space as needed for activities and experiments. Both rooms also have additional storage.

The main office at the junior high/high school was remodeled to include a secure entrance. Other exterior doors and part of the roof were replaced.&nbsp;

The flooring throughout Washington Elementary School was replaced. The new floors will not require waxing.

About $2.38 million of the bond was budgeted to replace the HVAC system at the elementary school.

The school was being cooled by window air-conditioning units, which Principal John Befort said were noisy.&nbsp;

He said the boiler system was more than 25 years old, well beyond its lifespan.

He anticipates the new system will be more energy efficient and provide a more comfortable climate for students and staff in the classrooms.

About 60 percent of Washington Elementary School's roof was replaced, but Befort said the district hopes to replace the rest of the roof within the next year through insurance funds from hail damage and capital outlay money.

Superintendent&nbsp;Janice Wilson said she was grateful to the Ellis community for supporting the bond.

&nbsp;"We want to thank the Ellis community for seeing the need. That's really the big thing. It's been a great process. I feel we got done what the community expected," Wilson said. "Hopefully, there's a bond in the future to address some more of the maintenance things."

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/8cb680b9-fc70-4c82-aef8-3bcdba44fd07">SEE RELATED STORY: Voters to decide Ellis USD 388 bond issue Thursday</a> <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/27984c56-7fed-4153-931e-320c33ca5a32">SEE RELATED STORY: Ellis USD 388 bond issue proposal passes by wide margin</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725468500719.jpeg" alt="The flooring and HVAC system were replaced throughout Washington Elementary School as part of a $4.55 million bond project. The circle on the ceiling in this photo is the new vent in one of the elementary school classrooms. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The flooring and HVAC system were replaced throughout Washington Elementary School as part of a $4.55 million bond project. The circle on the ceiling in this photo is the new vent in one of the elementary school classrooms. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostEllis USD 388 showed off the work for its completed $4.55 million bond projects during an open house on Tuesday night.Work was completed on Washington Elementary School and Ellis Jr./Sr. High School.Work at the high school included renovations to the junior high and high school science rooms.The fixed tables were replaced by tables on wheels so the teachers could rearrange the space as needed for activities and experiments. Both rooms also have additional storage.The main office at the junior high/high school was remodeled to include a secure entrance. Other exterior doors and part of the roof were replaced.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725468827131.jpeg" alt="The remodeled Ellis Junior High science classroom. Both the junior high and high school classrooms now have tables on wheels so the seating can be reconfigured for activities and experiments. The classrooms also have additional storage. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>The remodeled Ellis Junior High science classroom. Both the junior high and high school classrooms now have tables on wheels so the seating can be reconfigured for activities and experiments. The classrooms also have additional storage. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>The flooring throughout Washington Elementary School was replaced. The new floors will not require waxing.About $2.38 million of the bond was budgeted to replace the HVAC system at the elementary school.The school was being cooled by window air-conditioning units, which Principal John Befort said were noisy.&nbsp;He said the boiler system was more than 25 years old, well beyond its lifespan.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725469107733.jpeg" alt="The Ellis Jr./Sr. High School office was renovated, and a new secure entrance was added. During the school day, office staff will buzz visitors into the building. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The Ellis Jr./Sr. High School office was renovated, and a new secure entrance was added. During the school day, office staff will buzz visitors into the building. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>He anticipates the new system will be more energy efficient and provide a more comfortable climate for students and staff in the classrooms.About 60 percent of Washington Elementary School's roof was replaced, but Befort said the district hopes to replace the rest of the roof within the next year through insurance funds from hail damage and capital outlay money.Superintendent&nbsp;Janice Wilson said she was grateful to the Ellis community for supporting the bond.&nbsp;"We want to thank the Ellis community for seeing the need. That's really the big thing. It's been a great process. I feel we got done what the community expected," Wilson said. "Hopefully, there's a bond in the future to address some more of the maintenance things."<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/8cb680b9-fc70-4c82-aef8-3bcdba44fd07">SEE RELATED STORY: Voters to decide Ellis USD 388 bond issue Thursday</a> <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/27984c56-7fed-4153-931e-320c33ca5a32">SEE RELATED STORY: Ellis USD 388 bond issue proposal passes by wide margin</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725469710024.jpeg" alt="The new secure entrance at Ellis Jr./Sr. High School. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The new secure entrance at Ellis Jr./Sr. High School. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725469725305.jpeg" alt="New flooring in the hallways of Washington Elementary School in Ellis. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>New flooring in the hallways of Washington Elementary School in Ellis. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725469742106.jpeg" alt="The new power supply and HVAC units at Washington Elementary School. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The new power supply and HVAC units at Washington Elementary School. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>

Ellis USD 388 shows off completed bond projects

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Close to 80,000 fans are expected to pack Arrowhead Stadium to watch the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs play the Baltimore Ravens in a rematch of the AFC championship game Thursday night,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ravens-chiefs-nfl-preview-mahomes-jackson-76936f5d925080022a692555b46e5088">lifting the lid on the NFL season.</a>

Many will be watching for Taylor Swift to appear in one of the stadium suites, too.

The pop superstar became one of the Chiefs' biggest fans last season, when she began&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-chiefs-broncos-b08b0e53fdd232dc0a468b5fa43b5b04">a high-profile romance with tight end Travis Kelce</a>. He had failed in an attempt to deliver a friendship bracelet at one of her concerts, so Kelce took to social media to invite Swift to a game, and the “Anti-Hero” singer showed up for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-kelce-chiefs-891e7df84295f5b35cfa97a5ec427721">a September matchup with the Bears</a>.

During this past offseason, Kelce frequently dropped in on the Eras Tour, even making an on-stage cameo. Swift later said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C8myZeBOoV6/?">social media post</a>&nbsp;she was still “cracking up/swooning over (Kelce's) Eras Tour debut” before 90,000 screaming fans at Wembley Stadium in London, and that “she was never going to forget these shows.”

Swift recently concluded the European leg of the Eras Tour with five consecutive shows at Wembley Stadium, and she is on break until October, when she begins the North American leg with stops across the U.S. and Canada stretching into December.

Kelce and his brother, retired Eagles center Jason Kelce,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kelce-chiefs-eagles-jason-travis-new-heights-92761f6968b12ee06603d66e7ce9c5b7">recently struck a deal</a>&nbsp;reportedly worth nine figures to take their “New Heights” podcast to Amazon's Wondery. He is due to appear in&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/daV1NI7hxY0?si=PtU8BgFwX79OgD_i">Ryan Murphy's murder mystery “Grotesquerie”</a>&nbsp;on FX debuting Sept. 25, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/travis-kelce-are-you-smarter-than-a-celebrity-prime-video">he is hosting “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity”</a>&nbsp;on Prime Video premiering Oct. 16.

Then there's the fact that the Chiefs, who have won two straight Super Bowls and three in the past five years, are chasing some history beginning Thursday night. No team has ever won the Lombardi Trophy three consecutive times.

Kelce was asked this week how he juggles everything, and he pointed to the Chiefs practice facility — and Arrowhead Stadium, which sits just up the hill and across the parking lot — as his sanctuary, where he is surrounded by his closest friends.

“I just love football and how it takes me away from life,” he explained, “and it gives me something I can feel genuinely happy about. I enjoy coming into the building, working on my craft, getting to understand a new game plan and perfecting that for the people around me. It gives me a purpose to kind of go about my day and to live my life. I have so much excitement doing it.”

Not everything has been smooth for Swift and Kelce this offseason, though.

Last month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-cia-vienna-concerts-foiled-attack-7e454af63efcff2a3ab0a20c718aba8d">Swift canceled three sold-out shows in Vienna</a>&nbsp;after the CIA discovered intelligence that led to multiple arrests of men linked to the Islamic State group. The agency's deputy director, David Cohen, said "they were plotting to kill a huge number — tens of thousands of people at this concert, including I am sure many Americans — and were quite advanced in this.”

Then on Thursday, a spokesperson for Kelce denounced a document recently posted online that called into question the authenticity of their romance as “entirely false and fabricated.” The document, carrying the title "Comprehensive Media Plan For Travis Kelce’s Relations Following Breakup with Taylor Swift,” was posted on Reddit but has since been deleted.

It was posted about the same time that&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/CbaIDysFUuQ?si=s7Zg_6hSRtFvFBVw">Kelce appeared on “The Rich Eisen Show,”</a>&nbsp;where he discussed their relationship.

Kelce even said that Swift had started drawing up some plays for him, though he noted with a smile, "She’s a little biased and just creates plays for me. So we’ll see if they can make coach (Andy) Reid’s office.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695606865962.png" alt="File photo -Taylor Swift watches from a suite alongside Travis Kelce's mother, Donna Kelce, inside Arrowhead Stadium (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)" />
 <figcaption>File photo -Taylor Swift watches from a suite alongside Travis Kelce's mother, Donna Kelce, inside Arrowhead Stadium (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Close to 80,000 fans are expected to pack Arrowhead Stadium to watch the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs play the Baltimore Ravens in a rematch of the AFC championship game Thursday night,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ravens-chiefs-nfl-preview-mahomes-jackson-76936f5d925080022a692555b46e5088">lifting the lid on the NFL season.</a>Many will be watching for Taylor Swift to appear in one of the stadium suites, too.The pop superstar became one of the Chiefs' biggest fans last season, when she began&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-chiefs-broncos-b08b0e53fdd232dc0a468b5fa43b5b04">a high-profile romance with tight end Travis Kelce</a>. He had failed in an attempt to deliver a friendship bracelet at one of her concerts, so Kelce took to social media to invite Swift to a game, and the “Anti-Hero” singer showed up for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-kelce-chiefs-891e7df84295f5b35cfa97a5ec427721">a September matchup with the Bears</a>.They continued to see each other throughout the season, whenever Swift was on break from her Eras Tour. The 14-time Grammy winner even made a much-publicized sprint from a stadium show in Japan to Las Vegas in time for the Super Bowl, where she partied with friends such as Blake Lively, enjoyed Post Malone's performance of “America the Beautiful," won what appeared to be a beer chugging contest, and then celebrated the Chiefs' triumph&nbsp;<a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/02/10/taylor-swift-kisses-travis-kelce-on-the-field-after-his-chiefs-beat-the-49ers-in-the-super-bowl/">by locking lips with Kelce on the field</a>.Along the way, Swift became close friends with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany.During this past offseason, Kelce frequently dropped in on the Eras Tour, even making an on-stage cameo. Swift later said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C8myZeBOoV6/?">social media post</a>&nbsp;she was still “cracking up/swooning over (Kelce's) Eras Tour debut” before 90,000 screaming fans at Wembley Stadium in London, and that “she was never going to forget these shows.”Indeed, it has been a busy offseason for both of the superstars.Swift recently concluded the European leg of the Eras Tour with five consecutive shows at Wembley Stadium, and she is on break until October, when she begins the North American leg with stops across the U.S. and Canada stretching into December.Kelce and his brother, retired Eagles center Jason Kelce,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kelce-chiefs-eagles-jason-travis-new-heights-92761f6968b12ee06603d66e7ce9c5b7">recently struck a deal</a>&nbsp;reportedly worth nine figures to take their “New Heights” podcast to Amazon's Wondery. He is due to appear in&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/daV1NI7hxY0?si=PtU8BgFwX79OgD_i">Ryan Murphy's murder mystery “Grotesquerie”</a>&nbsp;on FX debuting Sept. 25, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/travis-kelce-are-you-smarter-than-a-celebrity-prime-video">he is hosting “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity”</a>&nbsp;on Prime Video premiering Oct. 16.Then there's the fact that the Chiefs, who have won two straight Super Bowls and three in the past five years, are chasing some history beginning Thursday night. No team has ever won the Lombardi Trophy three consecutive times.Kelce was asked this week how he juggles everything, and he pointed to the Chiefs practice facility — and Arrowhead Stadium, which sits just up the hill and across the parking lot — as his sanctuary, where he is surrounded by his closest friends.“I just love football and how it takes me away from life,” he explained, “and it gives me something I can feel genuinely happy about. I enjoy coming into the building, working on my craft, getting to understand a new game plan and perfecting that for the people around me. It gives me a purpose to kind of go about my day and to live my life. I have so much excitement doing it.”Not everything has been smooth for Swift and Kelce this offseason, though.Last month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-cia-vienna-concerts-foiled-attack-7e454af63efcff2a3ab0a20c718aba8d">Swift canceled three sold-out shows in Vienna</a>&nbsp;after the CIA discovered intelligence that led to multiple arrests of men linked to the Islamic State group. The agency's deputy director, David Cohen, said "they were plotting to kill a huge number — tens of thousands of people at this concert, including I am sure many Americans — and were quite advanced in this.”Then on Thursday, a spokesperson for Kelce denounced a document recently posted online that called into question the authenticity of their romance as “entirely false and fabricated.” The document, carrying the title "Comprehensive Media Plan For Travis Kelce’s Relations Following Breakup with Taylor Swift,” was posted on Reddit but has since been deleted.It was posted about the same time that&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/CbaIDysFUuQ?si=s7Zg_6hSRtFvFBVw">Kelce appeared on “The Rich Eisen Show,”</a>&nbsp;where he discussed their relationship.“She had just been so open to learning the game,” Kelce said. “I think what makes her so good in her profession is that she’s so detailed in every aspect of it, from the words to her music and even the releases and the music videos and everything. She’s just so detailed and a part of it, that I think she was just curious about the profession.”Kelce even said that Swift had started drawing up some plays for him, though he noted with a smile, "She’s a little biased and just creates plays for me. So we’ll see if they can make coach (Andy) Reid’s office.”___

Will Taylor Swift shows up for Chiefs' season opener Thursday night?

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A Missouri man is facing federal charges after making threats on TikTok towards Donald Trump, other Republicans, and police, according to the United State's Attorney.

On July 31, Justin White posted a video on TikTok saying, “This goes to every Republican out there. You don’t start playing fair with them votes, I’ll start showing up with a gun, I promise you. I’ll show you what real [EXPLETIVE] violence is, and I’m not afraid to kill you or a [EXPLETIVE] cop. So, if you want to play dirty at the votes this year, in 2024, just remember, where I come from, we get physical. So, if you Republicans don’t play fair, there will be guns and violence involved this year." according to federal court documents.

The caption of the video stated, “This is a message to Donald Trump and the Republicans. If you don’t play…”

On August 22, White made three similar explicit posts on his Facebook page, making threats to kill police. One of the posts included a picture of a gun and ammunition.

Federal investigators say White is a known person to the Springfield Police Department because he posted similar videos in the past.

On August 29, federal investigators searched White’s house and arrested him. Authorities recovered a gun and 100 bullets.

During his post-Miranda interview, White told investigators his hatred towards police started because of videos on TikTok and YouTube about cops being aggressive or violent. He also mentioned when he was a teenager in St. Louis, he was involved in a shooting with a police officer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725445826277.png" alt="White-photo Greene Co." />
 <figcaption>White-photo Greene Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A Missouri man is facing federal charges after making threats on TikTok towards Donald Trump, other Republicans, and police, according to the United State's Attorney.On July 31, Justin White posted a video on TikTok saying, “This goes to every Republican out there. You don’t start playing fair with them votes, I’ll start showing up with a gun, I promise you. I’ll show you what real [EXPLETIVE] violence is, and I’m not afraid to kill you or a [EXPLETIVE] cop. So, if you want to play dirty at the votes this year, in 2024, just remember, where I come from, we get physical. So, if you Republicans don’t play fair, there will be guns and violence involved this year." according to federal court documents.The caption of the video stated, “This is a message to Donald Trump and the Republicans. If you don’t play…”On August 22, White made three similar explicit posts on his Facebook page, making threats to kill police. One of the posts included a picture of a gun and ammunition.Federal investigators say White is a known person to the Springfield Police Department because he posted similar videos in the past.On August 29, federal investigators searched White’s house and arrested him. Authorities recovered a gun and 100 bullets.During his post-Miranda interview, White told investigators his hatred towards police started because of videos on TikTok and YouTube about cops being aggressive or violent. He also mentioned when he was a teenager in St. Louis, he was involved in a shooting with a police officer.According to the FBI, White made the Facebook posts because he was angry after, he believed, he saw an officer stopped at his house looking at his cars. White said he had gotten into an argument with someone about politics on TikTok before he posted that video.