GÜIRIA, Venezuela (AP) — One was a fisherman struggling to eke out a living on $100 a month. Another was a career criminal. A third was a former military cadet. And a fourth was a down-on-his-luck bus driver.

The men had little in common beyond their Venezuelan seaside hometowns and the fact all four were among the more than 60 people killed since early September when the U.S. military&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-strike-rubio-trump-0f901b2a30ee20e314bcab1385ffb0c0">began attacking boats</a>&nbsp;that the Trump administration alleges were smuggling drugs. President Donald Trump and top U.S. officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">have alleged the craft</a>&nbsp;were being operated by&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115373751811822463" target="_blank">narco-terrorists</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">cartel members</a>&nbsp;bound with deadly drugs for American communities.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-boat-strikes-drugs-cocaine-trafficking-e4fcf945e48e36bf2c510f9f111e031c">The Associated Press learned</a>&nbsp;the identities of four of the men – and pieced together details about at least five others – who were slain, providing the first comprehensive account of those who died in the strikes.

In dozens of interviews&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-strike-caribbean-drug-trafficking-trump-1061debe2f983ef7bc9666d3f002b3a0">in villages on Venezuela’s breathtaking northeastern coast</a>, from which some of the boats departed, residents and relatives said the dead men had indeed been running drugs but were not narco-terrorists or leaders of a cartel or gang.

Most of the nine men were crewing such craft for the first or second time, making at least $500 per trip, residents and relatives said. They were laborers, a fisherman, a motorcycle taxi driver. Two were low-level career criminals. One was a well-known local crime boss who contracted out his smuggling services to traffickers.

The men lived on the Paria Peninsula, in mostly unpainted cinderblock homes that can go weeks without water service and regularly lose power for several hours a day. They awoke to panoramic views of a national park’s tropical forests, the Gulf of Paria’s shallows and the Caribbean’s sparkling sapphire waters. When the time came for their drug runs, they boarded open-hulled fishing skiffs that relied on powerful outboard motors to haul their drugs to nearby Trinidad and other islands.

The residents and relatives interviewed by the AP&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-election-maduro-opposition-human-rights-abuses-dd6d0b103adbf88f00fe60b0d781a873">requested anonymity out of fear of reprisals</a>&nbsp;from drug smugglers, the Venezuelan government or the Trump administration. They said they were incensed that the men were killed without due process. In the past, their boats would have been interdicted by the U.S. authorities and the crewmen charged with federal crimes, affording them a day in court.

The U.S. government “should have stopped them,” a man’s relative said.

It has been difficult for relatives to learn much about their dead loved ones because criminal gangs and the Venezuelan government have long repressed the flow of information in the region.

Venezuelan officials have blasted the U.S. government over the strikes, and the nation’s ambassador to the U.N. called the attacks “extrajudicial executions.” They have also steadfastly denied that drug traffickers operate in the country and have yet to acknowledge that any of its citizens have been killed in boat strikes. Spokespeople for Venezuela’s government did not respond to a request for comment.

The Trump administration has justified the strikes by declaring drug cartels to be “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">unlawful combatants</a>&nbsp;” and said the U.S. is now in an “armed conflict” with them. Trump has said each sunken boat has saved 25,000 American lives, presumably from overdoses. The boats, however, appear to have been transporting cocaine, not the far more deadly synthetic opioids that kill tens of thousands of Americans each year.

Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman, said in a statement to the AP that the Defense Department has “consistently said that our intelligence did indeed confirm that the individuals involved in these drug operations were narco-terrorists, and we stand by that assessment.”

So far, the U.S. military has blown up 17 vessels, killing more than 60 people. Nine of the craft were targeted in the Caribbean, and at least three of those had departed from Venezuela, according to the Trump administration. The military is striking the boats at the same time the administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-boat-strikes-warships-6ffd9e6f4eb738048c816c6d8257a6ef">is applying increasing pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro</a>. The Justice Department doubled a reward for his arrest to $50 million, and the U.S. military has built up an unusually large&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">force in the Caribbean Sea</a>&nbsp;and the waters off Venezuela and has flown pairs of supersonic, heavy bombers along the country’s coast.

Relatives and acquaintances said they have confirmed the deaths through word-of-mouth and inexplicit social media posts that sought to convey information about the dead men&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-election-arrests-repression-prison-opposition-c07ddb20770f02139e4f4a05d7bc4f60">without drawing the attention of Venezuelan authorities</a>. They have also made what they described as reasonable deductions: The men have not returned phone calls or texts in weeks, or reached out to say they were okay; Venezuelan authorities, residents said, have also searched some of the homes of the dead men.

“I want an answer, but who can I ask?” said a relative of one of the men. “I can’t say anything.”

A native of Güiria, a village on the southeast side of the peninsula, Robert Sánchez dropped out of school as a teenager and like many others in the region became a fisherman like his father, according to friends and relatives. The 42-year-old was considered among the peninsula’s best pilots, they said, having spent the better part of three decades mastering the area’s currents and winds, so much so he could navigate the waters at night without instruments.

As part of hired crews, the father of four spent his days fishing for snapper, kingfish and dogfish. The fisherman wanted to save enough money to buy a 75-horsepower boat engine so he could operate his own boat and not work for others. It was a dream Sánchez knew he was likely to never realize, relatives said: Most of his income — about $100 a month — went to feed his children.

The peninsula is part of Sucre state,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-economic-crisis-maduro-food-families-hungry-3e980da7bca693cc3877df0d7647a837">one of Venezuela’s poorest</a>. Sucre was once home to several fish processing plants, an auto assembly plant and a large public university, all of which offered well-paying jobs. Most have shuttered. The peninsula is dotted by the unfulfilled promises of 26 years of a self-described socialist government, including an abandoned shipyard and the rusted infrastructure meant for a natural gas complex.

With its proximity to the Caribbean Sea, the area is a popular transit hub for cocaine making its way from Colombia to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trinidad-us-military-venezuela-strikes-fishing-fcd24c441f58162b811a24b247334fc5">Trinidad and other Caribbean islands</a>&nbsp;before heading to Europe. Colombian cocaine destined for the U.S. is generally smuggled out of Colombia through the Pacific coast.

The larger economic pressures — and Sánchez’s goal of owning a boat engine — are what pushed the fisherman to accept an offer to help traffickers navigate the tricky waters he knew so well, friends and relatives said.

Sánchez had just finished offloading a day’s catch last month when he told his mother he would be taking a short trip and would see her in a couple of days. They had no idea where he was going.

After seeing clips on social media that mentioned his death, relatives broke the news to his mother, but not until after ensuring she had taken her blood pressure medication. Sánchez’s youngest son, a third grader, could not accept for days that his father was gone. He kept asking adults if his father could have survived the explosion, noting he might still be at sea.

No, the adults told the boy. His father was gone.

Luis “Che” Martínez was killed in the first strike. A burly 60-year-old, Martínez was a longtime local crime boss, and he made most of his living smuggling drugs and people across borders, according to several people who knew him.

He had been jailed by Venezuelan authorities on human-trafficking charges after a boat he had operated capsized in December 2020,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-international-news-f8e553486c15efd8fec3415898fe1cc5">killing about two dozen people</a>, law enforcement officials said at the time. Among those who died in the accident were two of his sons and a granddaughter, relatives told the AP. The AP was not able to determine the disposition of his criminal case, but Martínez was eventually released from custody and returned to smuggling people and drugs, according to acquaintances.

Though they detested what he did for a living — and the control Martínez and similar criminals exerted over their villages — several residents said they appreciated how Martínez contributed annually to the town’s festival of the Virgin of the Valley, the patroness of fishermen, and he spent lavishly in local shops and restaurants. He also bet heavily on cockfights, a popular pastime, a bird breeder said.

Martínez was killed, a relative and several acquaintances said, in the first known U.S. strike, which took place Sept. 2. Trump quickly took to social media to claim the vessel had departed from Venezuela and had been carrying drugs. The 11-man crew, the president said, had been members of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-tren-aragua-trump-deportations-guantanamo-el-salvador-0e283ba28a6566426da45b21e4fdf9ee">Tren de Aragua gang</a>. He said all men were killed and also posted a short video clip of a small vessel appearing to explode in flames.

Martínez’s relatives said they did not believe the underworld figure was a member of that gang.

They said they have been provided no information from the Venezuelan government about his fate. They figured it out when they came across a photo of a body that had washed ashore in Trinidad. The photo had been shared on social media and messaging apps and depicted a badly mutilated body. The people familiar with Martínez said they knew instantly the stout corpse was Martínez because, on his left wrist, was strapped one of his most treasured belongings: an ostentatious watch.

Dushak Milovcic, 24, was drawn to crime by the adrenaline rush and money, so much that he dropped out of the country’s National Guard Academy, according to those who knew him. He started as a lookout for smugglers, they said. Though he had no experience at sea, he eventually won a promotion to the more lucrative and coveted jobs on drug-running boats.

It’s not clear how many trips he had undertaken before he was killed last month.

Juan Carlos “El Guaramero” Fuentes had operated a transit bus for several years but was facing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-economy-crisis-maduro-inflation-sanctions-dollar-5250770ae0e79fc69122b820ab8ac13e">dire financial circumstances</a>&nbsp;when it had broken down. The government had been unable — or unwilling — to fix it. That meant he was losing money because bus drivers in Venezuela typically pocket a portion of the fares, making it nearly impossible for him to feed and clothe his family.

Villagers said they were not surprised that Fuentes, who had no nautical experience, turned to smuggling to make ends meet. The higher-level traffickers who typically crewed such boats had been staying ashore to avoid being targeted by U.S. missiles. In their place, villagers said, they had been increasingly hiring novices like Fuentes.

Fuentes told friends he had been nervous about his first smuggling run, knowing it would be filled with risks from weather, rival gangs, even the U.S. military. The September trip had gone surprisingly smoothly, he told friends, and he readily agreed to join another crew. Fuentes was killed in a missile strike last month, friends said, the precise one unknown.

Konstantin Toropin contributed from Washington.

This story was supported by funding from the Walton Family Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

By REGINA GARCIA CANOGÜIRIA, Venezuela (AP) — One was a fisherman struggling to eke out a living on $100 a month. Another was a career criminal. A third was a former military cadet. And a fourth was a down-on-his-luck bus driver.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Yesterday, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out three lethal kinetic strikes on four vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations (DTO) trafficking narcotics in the Eastern Pacific. The four vessels were known by our intelligence… <a href="https://t.co/UhoFlZ3jPG">pic.twitter.com/UhoFlZ3jPG</a>&mdash; Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1983164355999883548?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The men had little in common beyond their Venezuelan seaside hometowns and the fact all four were among the more than 60 people killed since early September when the U.S. military&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-strike-rubio-trump-0f901b2a30ee20e314bcab1385ffb0c0">began attacking boats</a>&nbsp;that the Trump administration alleges were smuggling drugs. President Donald Trump and top U.S. officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">have alleged the craft</a>&nbsp;were being operated by&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115373751811822463" target="_blank">narco-terrorists</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">cartel members</a>&nbsp;bound with deadly drugs for American communities.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-boat-strikes-drugs-cocaine-trafficking-e4fcf945e48e36bf2c510f9f111e031c">The Associated Press learned</a>&nbsp;the identities of four of the men – and pieced together details about at least five others – who were slain, providing the first comprehensive account of those who died in the strikes.In dozens of interviews&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-strike-caribbean-drug-trafficking-trump-1061debe2f983ef7bc9666d3f002b3a0">in villages on Venezuela’s breathtaking northeastern coast</a>, from which some of the boats departed, residents and relatives said the dead men had indeed been running drugs but were not narco-terrorists or leaders of a cartel or gang.Most of the nine men were crewing such craft for the first or second time, making at least $500 per trip, residents and relatives said. They were laborers, a fisherman, a motorcycle taxi driver. Two were low-level career criminals. One was a well-known local crime boss who contracted out his smuggling services to traffickers.The men lived on the Paria Peninsula, in mostly unpainted cinderblock homes that can go weeks without water service and regularly lose power for several hours a day. They awoke to panoramic views of a national park’s tropical forests, the Gulf of Paria’s shallows and the Caribbean’s sparkling sapphire waters. When the time came for their drug runs, they boarded open-hulled fishing skiffs that relied on powerful outboard motors to haul their drugs to nearby Trinidad and other islands.The residents and relatives interviewed by the AP&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-election-maduro-opposition-human-rights-abuses-dd6d0b103adbf88f00fe60b0d781a873">requested anonymity out of fear of reprisals</a>&nbsp;from drug smugglers, the Venezuelan government or the Trump administration. They said they were incensed that the men were killed without due process. In the past, their boats would have been interdicted by the U.S. authorities and the crewmen charged with federal crimes, affording them a day in court.The U.S. government “should have stopped them,” a man’s relative said.It has been difficult for relatives to learn much about their dead loved ones because criminal gangs and the Venezuelan government have long repressed the flow of information in the region.Venezuelan officials have blasted the U.S. government over the strikes, and the nation’s ambassador to the U.N. called the attacks “extrajudicial executions.” They have also steadfastly denied that drug traffickers operate in the country and have yet to acknowledge that any of its citizens have been killed in boat strikes. Spokespeople for Venezuela’s government did not respond to a request for comment.The Trump administration has justified the strikes by declaring drug cartels to be “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">unlawful combatants</a>&nbsp;” and said the U.S. is now in an “armed conflict” with them. Trump has said each sunken boat has saved 25,000 American lives, presumably from overdoses. The boats, however, appear to have been transporting cocaine, not the far more deadly synthetic opioids that kill tens of thousands of Americans each year.Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman, said in a statement to the AP that the Defense Department has “consistently said that our intelligence did indeed confirm that the individuals involved in these drug operations were narco-terrorists, and we stand by that assessment.”So far, the U.S. military has blown up 17 vessels, killing more than 60 people. Nine of the craft were targeted in the Caribbean, and at least three of those had departed from Venezuela, according to the Trump administration. The military is striking the boats at the same time the administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-boat-strikes-warships-6ffd9e6f4eb738048c816c6d8257a6ef">is applying increasing pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro</a>. The Justice Department doubled a reward for his arrest to $50 million, and the U.S. military has built up an unusually large&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">force in the Caribbean Sea</a>&nbsp;and the waters off Venezuela and has flown pairs of supersonic, heavy bombers along the country’s coast.Relatives and acquaintances said they have confirmed the deaths through word-of-mouth and inexplicit social media posts that sought to convey information about the dead men&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-election-arrests-repression-prison-opposition-c07ddb20770f02139e4f4a05d7bc4f60">without drawing the attention of Venezuelan authorities</a>. They have also made what they described as reasonable deductions: The men have not returned phone calls or texts in weeks, or reached out to say they were okay; Venezuelan authorities, residents said, have also searched some of the homes of the dead men.“I want an answer, but who can I ask?” said a relative of one of the men. “I can’t say anything.”<h2>The fisherman</h2>A native of Güiria, a village on the southeast side of the peninsula, Robert Sánchez dropped out of school as a teenager and like many others in the region became a fisherman like his father, according to friends and relatives. The 42-year-old was considered among the peninsula’s best pilots, they said, having spent the better part of three decades mastering the area’s currents and winds, so much so he could navigate the waters at night without instruments.As part of hired crews, the father of four spent his days fishing for snapper, kingfish and dogfish. The fisherman wanted to save enough money to buy a 75-horsepower boat engine so he could operate his own boat and not work for others. It was a dream Sánchez knew he was likely to never realize, relatives said: Most of his income — about $100 a month — went to feed his children.He was not alone in that situation.The peninsula is part of Sucre state,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-economic-crisis-maduro-food-families-hungry-3e980da7bca693cc3877df0d7647a837">one of Venezuela’s poorest</a>. Sucre was once home to several fish processing plants, an auto assembly plant and a large public university, all of which offered well-paying jobs. Most have shuttered. The peninsula is dotted by the unfulfilled promises of 26 years of a self-described socialist government, including an abandoned shipyard and the rusted infrastructure meant for a natural gas complex.With its proximity to the Caribbean Sea, the area is a popular transit hub for cocaine making its way from Colombia to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trinidad-us-military-venezuela-strikes-fishing-fcd24c441f58162b811a24b247334fc5">Trinidad and other Caribbean islands</a>&nbsp;before heading to Europe. Colombian cocaine destined for the U.S. is generally smuggled out of Colombia through the Pacific coast.The larger economic pressures — and Sánchez’s goal of owning a boat engine — are what pushed the fisherman to accept an offer to help traffickers navigate the tricky waters he knew so well, friends and relatives said.Sánchez had just finished offloading a day’s catch last month when he told his mother he would be taking a short trip and would see her in a couple of days. They had no idea where he was going.After seeing clips on social media that mentioned his death, relatives broke the news to his mother, but not until after ensuring she had taken her blood pressure medication. Sánchez’s youngest son, a third grader, could not accept for days that his father was gone. He kept asking adults if his father could have survived the explosion, noting he might still be at sea.No, the adults told the boy. His father was gone.<h2>One of the first to die</h2>Luis “Che” Martínez was killed in the first strike. A burly 60-year-old, Martínez was a longtime local crime boss, and he made most of his living smuggling drugs and people across borders, according to several people who knew him.He had been jailed by Venezuelan authorities on human-trafficking charges after a boat he had operated capsized in December 2020,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-international-news-f8e553486c15efd8fec3415898fe1cc5">killing about two dozen people</a>, law enforcement officials said at the time. Among those who died in the accident were two of his sons and a granddaughter, relatives told the AP. The AP was not able to determine the disposition of his criminal case, but Martínez was eventually released from custody and returned to smuggling people and drugs, according to acquaintances.Though they detested what he did for a living — and the control Martínez and similar criminals exerted over their villages — several residents said they appreciated how Martínez contributed annually to the town’s festival of the Virgin of the Valley, the patroness of fishermen, and he spent lavishly in local shops and restaurants. He also bet heavily on cockfights, a popular pastime, a bird breeder said.Martínez was killed, a relative and several acquaintances said, in the first known U.S. strike, which took place Sept. 2. Trump quickly took to social media to claim the vessel had departed from Venezuela and had been carrying drugs. The 11-man crew, the president said, had been members of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-tren-aragua-trump-deportations-guantanamo-el-salvador-0e283ba28a6566426da45b21e4fdf9ee">Tren de Aragua gang</a>. He said all men were killed and also posted a short video clip of a small vessel appearing to explode in flames.Martínez’s relatives said they did not believe the underworld figure was a member of that gang.They said they have been provided no information from the Venezuelan government about his fate. They figured it out when they came across a photo of a body that had washed ashore in Trinidad. The photo had been shared on social media and messaging apps and depicted a badly mutilated body. The people familiar with Martínez said they knew instantly the stout corpse was Martínez because, on his left wrist, was strapped one of his most treasured belongings: an ostentatious watch.<h2>The former cadet and bus driver</h2>Dushak Milovcic, 24, was drawn to crime by the adrenaline rush and money, so much that he dropped out of the country’s National Guard Academy, according to those who knew him. He started as a lookout for smugglers, they said. Though he had no experience at sea, he eventually won a promotion to the more lucrative and coveted jobs on drug-running boats.It’s not clear how many trips he had undertaken before he was killed last month.Juan Carlos “El Guaramero” Fuentes had operated a transit bus for several years but was facing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-economy-crisis-maduro-inflation-sanctions-dollar-5250770ae0e79fc69122b820ab8ac13e">dire financial circumstances</a>&nbsp;when it had broken down. The government had been unable — or unwilling — to fix it. That meant he was losing money because bus drivers in Venezuela typically pocket a portion of the fares, making it nearly impossible for him to feed and clothe his family.Villagers said they were not surprised that Fuentes, who had no nautical experience, turned to smuggling to make ends meet. The higher-level traffickers who typically crewed such boats had been staying ashore to avoid being targeted by U.S. missiles. In their place, villagers said, they had been increasingly hiring novices like Fuentes.Fuentes told friends he had been nervous about his first smuggling run, knowing it would be filled with risks from weather, rival gangs, even the U.S. military. The September trip had gone surprisingly smoothly, he told friends, and he readily agreed to join another crew. Fuentes was killed in a missile strike last month, friends said, the precise one unknown.—-Konstantin Toropin contributed from Washington.—This story was supported by funding from the Walton Family Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Report reveals details on those killed in U.S. military strikes on drug boats 

Gilbert Joseph Augustine, age 91, of Ellis, Kansas passed away Sunday, November 2, 2025, at HaysMed. He was born July 2, 1934, on the family farm in rural Ellis, Kansas to Rudolph and Regina (Reitmeyer) Augustine. He graduated from Ellis High School in 1954. On October 12,1954 he married Janet Lucille Ptaschek at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Ellis. She preceded him in death on August 30, 2021.

Gilbert was a lifelong farmer and a custodian for USD 388 for 33 years. He served in the National Guard. In his spare time, he enjoyed morning coffee breaks with his friends, playing cards especially pinochle, casino trips and vacationing with Janet and family. He was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and the Ellis 3rd and 4th Degree Knights of Columbus. Gilbert was a man who loved his family and had a strong work ethic and Catholic faith.

He is survived by three sons, Gregory Augustine and wife Pamela of Ellis, Gordon Augustine and wife Geri of Ellis and Wayne Augustine and wife Lori of Glen Elder, Kansas; four daughters, Elaine Weber of WaKeeney, Kansas, Deborah LaBarge and husband Martin of Ellis, Sandy Waldschmidt and husband Pete of Ellis, and Brenda Hutchison and husband Terry of Hays; his brothers, Vergil (Ann) Augustine of Ellis, Richard (Dorothy) Augustine of Hays, Arnold (Marilyn) Augustine of Hays and Darrell Augustine of Olathe; a sister, Irene Normandin of Olathe; 32 grandchildren, Adam Augustine (Gianna), Staci Hauschild, Wendy Waterson (David); Bill Weber Jr. (Tiffany), Mike Weber (Christine), Jason Weber, Kim Schmidtberger (Corey), Marty LaBarge (Rhonda), Matthew LaBarge (Alaina), Chris LaBarge (Jana), Jenny Schartz (Jake), Justin LaBarge (Rachel), Mindy Hazen, P.J. Waldschmidt, Valerie Andrews (Geoff), Cassie Jo Waldschmidt, Tyson Hutchison (Liz), Becky Doehling (Ryan), Dustin Hutchison, Brady Hutchison, Bethany Thompson (Jason), Josh Augustine, Nathan Augustine, Mike Browning, Ryan Augustine (Marleah), Bradley Augustine (Amanda), Allen Augustine, Kadon Augustine, Andrew Clark (Kelsey), Lesli Thomas (Cole), Austin Clark (Cheyanne), and Alex Clark (Brooke) as well as 54 great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Janet; son-in-law, Bill Weber Sr.; brothers, Alvin and Rudolph Jr.; sisters, Infant Dorothy, Betty J. (Robert) Weber, Shirley (Don) Leikam; and a brother-in-law, Louis Normandin; grandson, Jeffrey Browning; great grandchildren, Peyton Weber, Jonah Schmidtberger, and Bramdon Augustine; and great-great grandson, Noah Browning.

Funeral services will be held Friday, November 14, 2025 at 10:00 AM at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Ellis. Burial will follow in the church cemetery with Fr. Dana Clark officiating.

Visitation will be Thursday, November 13, 2025 from 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM and on Friday from 9:00 AM until service time all at the church.

A combined parish vigil and Knights of Columbus rosary service will be on Thursday at 7:00 PM with the Ellis 4th Degree Knights of Columbus Honor Guard.

Memorial contributions are suggested to the Ellis Knights of Columbus #2133, St. Mary's Church or for masses.

Please share memories on Gilbert's tribute page at www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762641856184.jpeg" alt="Gilbert Joseph Augustine" />
 <figcaption>Gilbert Joseph Augustine</figcaption>
 </figure>Gilbert Joseph Augustine, age 91, of Ellis, Kansas passed away Sunday, November 2, 2025, at HaysMed. He was born July 2, 1934, on the family farm in rural Ellis, Kansas to Rudolph and Regina (Reitmeyer) Augustine. He graduated from Ellis High School in 1954. On October 12,1954 he married Janet Lucille Ptaschek at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Ellis. She preceded him in death on August 30, 2021.Gilbert was a lifelong farmer and a custodian for USD 388 for 33 years. He served in the National Guard. In his spare time, he enjoyed morning coffee breaks with his friends, playing cards especially pinochle, casino trips and vacationing with Janet and family. He was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and the Ellis 3rd and 4th Degree Knights of Columbus. Gilbert was a man who loved his family and had a strong work ethic and Catholic faith.He is survived by three sons, Gregory Augustine and wife Pamela of Ellis, Gordon Augustine and wife Geri of Ellis and Wayne Augustine and wife Lori of Glen Elder, Kansas; four daughters, Elaine Weber of WaKeeney, Kansas, Deborah LaBarge and husband Martin of Ellis, Sandy Waldschmidt and husband Pete of Ellis, and Brenda Hutchison and husband Terry of Hays; his brothers, Vergil (Ann) Augustine of Ellis, Richard (Dorothy) Augustine of Hays, Arnold (Marilyn) Augustine of Hays and Darrell Augustine of Olathe; a sister, Irene Normandin of Olathe; 32 grandchildren, Adam Augustine (Gianna), Staci Hauschild, Wendy Waterson (David); Bill Weber Jr. (Tiffany), Mike Weber (Christine), Jason Weber, Kim Schmidtberger (Corey), Marty LaBarge (Rhonda), Matthew LaBarge (Alaina), Chris LaBarge (Jana), Jenny Schartz (Jake), Justin LaBarge (Rachel), Mindy Hazen, P.J. Waldschmidt, Valerie Andrews (Geoff), Cassie Jo Waldschmidt, Tyson Hutchison (Liz), Becky Doehling (Ryan), Dustin Hutchison, Brady Hutchison, Bethany Thompson (Jason), Josh Augustine, Nathan Augustine, Mike Browning, Ryan Augustine (Marleah), Bradley Augustine (Amanda), Allen Augustine, Kadon Augustine, Andrew Clark (Kelsey), Lesli Thomas (Cole), Austin Clark (Cheyanne), and Alex Clark (Brooke) as well as 54 great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Janet; son-in-law, Bill Weber Sr.; brothers, Alvin and Rudolph Jr.; sisters, Infant Dorothy, Betty J. (Robert) Weber, Shirley (Don) Leikam; and a brother-in-law, Louis Normandin; grandson, Jeffrey Browning; great grandchildren, Peyton Weber, Jonah Schmidtberger, and Bramdon Augustine; and great-great grandson, Noah Browning.Funeral services will be held Friday, November 14, 2025 at 10:00 AM at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Ellis. Burial will follow in the church cemetery with Fr. Dana Clark officiating.Visitation will be Thursday, November 13, 2025 from 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM and on Friday from 9:00 AM until service time all at the church.A combined parish vigil and Knights of Columbus rosary service will be on Thursday at 7:00 PM with the Ellis 4th Degree Knights of Columbus Honor Guard.Memorial contributions are suggested to the Ellis Knights of Columbus #2133, St. Mary's Church or for masses.Please share memories on Gilbert's tribute page at www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com

Gilbert Joseph Augustine

Speaker: Ten Republicans in House refuse to sign petition to change U.S. House boundaries

TOPEKA — Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins stripped three Republicans of committee chairmanships for refusing to sign a petition calling for a special legislative session to redraw congressional boundaries in a bid to block reelection of Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids and to tackle a handful of unrelated bills.

Hawkins relied on his unilateral power as the House’s top leader to alter committee assignments and remove as chairmen GOP Reps. Steven Howe of Salina, Nathan Butler of Junction City and Jesse Borjon of Topeka. Hawkins also removed Rep. Clarke Sanders of Salina and Rep. Leah Howell of Derby from vice chair positions.

Sanders, who was vice chair of the House Higher Education Budget Committee, said Hawkins called him Friday with the news. Sanders said Republicans in committee leadership positions who wouldn’t sign the special session petition were targeted.

“Those of us who were chairs and vice chairs … have been relieved because we didn’t agree to sign on for a special session,” Sanders said. “I understand it. I knew that not signing it came with a risk. I just didn’t think it was the right thing to do. I hope to maintain a good relationship with the speaker, but this was something he felt he had to do.”

It’s likely additional committee vice chairs could be removed from leadership positions by the House speaker. Rank-and-file members of the House also could face sanctions in terms of committee assignments ahead of the 2026 legislative session in January.

The committee leaders demoted by Hawkins were among 10 Republican House members who declined to sign the petition for the special session. Neither Howe, Butler nor Borjon could be immediately reached for comment.

“I’m not shocked. It wasn’t too much of a surprise to me,” said Rep. Mark Schreiber, an Emporia Republican who was among the GOP representatives who didn’t sign the petition. “I’ve been there quite a long time as a lobbyist and legislator. I’ve seen that from leadership.”

He said the Republicans who lost committee assignments wouldn’t be deprived of an opportunity to represent their constituents in the House.

“They still have votes on the floor and can speak from the (House) well,” Schreiber said.

Hawkins was able to convince 78 of the 88 GOP members of the House to sign, which fell below the two-thirds requirement of 84 signatures from 125 House members to authorize the special session. Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson was able to secure the necessary 27 signatures to complete special session requirements in that chamber. The special session had been scheduled for Nov. 7.

On Tuesday, Hawkins threw in the towel on a plan to circumvent Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and call a special session devoted to congressional redistricting intended to undermine Davids, a four-term congresswoman with a district centered on Johnson County.

The Kansas Constitution permits the state’s governor to call special sessions. The Legislature also could convene the House and Senate at the Capitol for a special session, but that required petition signatures from at least two-thirds of members in the House and Senate.

Under legislative rules, Hawkins said, once the Nov. 7 deadline was breached the original House and Senate petitions would be voided and the signature search would have to start over.

“To say I’m disappointed would be an understatement,” Hawkins said in his newsletter posted Friday. “At this late date, the only option was to wait until we return for the regular session on January 12.”

In terms of Kansas’ four congressional districts, President Donald Trump urged GOP-led legislatures in Kansas and other states to redraw boundaries to promote election of more Republicans in November 2026 so the U.S. House might remain under GOP control.

Hawkins wanted the Legislature to gather in November to address Trump’s plea for mid-decade redistricting and to consider how to handle federal funding of rural health care and a court decision allowing Kansans to change gender information on a driver’s license. There also were discussions about taking up property tax legislation during the special session.

He said in a statement Tuesday that scheduling conflicts and competing agendas made planning a special session an “uphill battle.”

In the House speaker’s newsletter Friday, he said delaying decisions until January meant Kelly would have “full discretion” on allocation of new federal funding for health care in rural Kansas. Without advance guardrails, he said, funding accepted by Kelly couldn’t be returned to the federal government.

“Those who refused to sign a petition played right into the governor’s hands by giving her free rein without oversight on hundreds of millions of dollars. Sad,” Hawkins said.

Hawkins said delaying passage of a gender identification bill meant the Legislature’s action to nullify the court decision would be “very costly and difficult.”

The timeline for imposing new congressional districts on Kansans — the focus has been on splitting voter-rich Johnson County among multiple districts — would be “greatly shortened,” Hawkins said.

He also disclosed there were “valid” complaints about the cost to taxpayers of a special session, especially since the regular session would begin in two months on Jan. 12. The GOP-controlled Legislative Coordinating Council voted in October to allocate $460,000 to the special session.

“It’s also important to remember that the Legislature did their business in record time this (2025 regular) session saving a significant amount of money,” Hawkins said. “These savings would have been more than enough to cover the cost of a special session.”

Hawkins notified the chief clerk of the House of committee changes in a memo dated Friday.

The memo shows Rep. Adam Turk of Shawnee replaced Howe as the chair of Higher Education Budget Committee. Rep. Rick James of La Cygne replaced Butler as chair of the Veterans and Military Committee. Rep. Carl Turner of Leawood replaced Borjon as chair of the Legislative Modernization Committee.

Rep. Kyler Sweely of Hutchinson replaced Sanders as vice chair on the Higher Education Budget Committee, and Rep. John Resman of Olathe replaced Howell as vice chair on the Transportation and Public Safety Budget Committee.

In other changes, Rep. Blake Carpenter was removed from the Interstate Cooperation Committee, Rep. Brian Bergkamp was removed from the Child Welfare and Foster Care Committee, and Rep. Megan Steele was removed from the Veterans and Military Committee.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762552150857.png" alt=" Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican campaigning for state insurance commissioner, removed at least three House Republicans from committee chairmanships for declining to sign a petition allowing a special session of the Kansas Legislature to consider President Donald Trump's request to redraw the state's U.S. House district boundaries to improve odds of defeating Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids in the November 2026 election. This March 2025 image is of Hawkins speaking to a GOP colleague. (Photo by Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican campaigning for state insurance commissioner, removed at least three House Republicans from committee chairmanships for declining to sign a petition allowing a special session of the Kansas Legislature to consider President Donald Trump's request to redraw the state's U.S. House district boundaries to improve odds of defeating Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids in the November 2026 election. This March 2025 image is of Hawkins speaking to a GOP colleague. (Photo by Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Speaker: Ten Republicans in House refuse to sign petition to change U.S. House boundaries</h2>TIM CARPENTER Kansas Reflector&nbsp;TOPEKA — Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins stripped three Republicans of committee chairmanships for refusing to sign a petition calling for a special legislative session to redraw congressional boundaries in a bid to block reelection of Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids and to tackle a handful of unrelated bills.Hawkins relied on his unilateral power as the House’s top leader to alter committee assignments and remove as chairmen GOP Reps. Steven Howe of Salina, Nathan Butler of Junction City and Jesse Borjon of Topeka. Hawkins also removed Rep. Clarke Sanders of Salina and Rep. Leah Howell of Derby from vice chair positions.Sanders, who was vice chair of the House Higher Education Budget Committee, said Hawkins called him Friday with the news. Sanders said Republicans in committee leadership positions who wouldn’t sign the special session petition were targeted.“Those of us who were chairs and vice chairs … have been relieved because we didn’t agree to sign on for a special session,” Sanders said. “I understand it. I knew that not signing it came with a risk. I just didn’t think it was the right thing to do. I hope to maintain a good relationship with the speaker, but this was something he felt he had to do.”It’s likely additional committee vice chairs could be removed from leadership positions by the House speaker. Rank-and-file members of the House also could face sanctions in terms of committee assignments ahead of the 2026 legislative session in January.The committee leaders demoted by Hawkins were among 10 Republican House members who declined to sign the petition for the special session. Neither Howe, Butler nor Borjon could be immediately reached for comment.“I’m not shocked. It wasn’t too much of a surprise to me,” said Rep. Mark Schreiber, an Emporia Republican who was among the GOP representatives who didn’t sign the petition. “I’ve been there quite a long time as a lobbyist and legislator. I’ve seen that from leadership.”He said the Republicans who lost committee assignments wouldn’t be deprived of an opportunity to represent their constituents in the House.“They still have votes on the floor and can speak from the (House) well,” Schreiber said.Hawkins was able to convince 78 of the 88 GOP members of the House to sign, which fell below the two-thirds requirement of 84 signatures from 125 House members to authorize the special session. Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson was able to secure the necessary 27 signatures to complete special session requirements in that chamber. The special session had been scheduled for Nov. 7.On Tuesday, Hawkins threw in the towel on a plan to circumvent Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and call a special session devoted to congressional redistricting intended to undermine Davids, a four-term congresswoman with a district centered on Johnson County.The Kansas Constitution permits the state’s governor to call special sessions. The Legislature also could convene the House and Senate at the Capitol for a special session, but that required petition signatures from at least two-thirds of members in the House and Senate.Under legislative rules, Hawkins said, once the Nov. 7 deadline was breached the original House and Senate petitions would be voided and the signature search would have to start over.“To say I’m disappointed would be an understatement,” Hawkins said in his newsletter posted Friday. “At this late date, the only option was to wait until we return for the regular session on January 12.”In terms of Kansas’ four congressional districts, President Donald Trump urged GOP-led legislatures in Kansas and other states to redraw boundaries to promote election of more Republicans in November 2026 so the U.S. House might remain under GOP control.Hawkins wanted the Legislature to gather in November to address Trump’s plea for mid-decade redistricting and to consider how to handle federal funding of rural health care and a court decision allowing Kansans to change gender information on a driver’s license. There also were discussions about taking up property tax legislation during the special session.He said in a statement Tuesday that scheduling conflicts and competing agendas made planning a special session an “uphill battle.”In the House speaker’s newsletter Friday, he said delaying decisions until January meant Kelly would have “full discretion” on allocation of new federal funding for health care in rural Kansas. Without advance guardrails, he said, funding accepted by Kelly couldn’t be returned to the federal government.“Those who refused to sign a petition played right into the governor’s hands by giving her free rein without oversight on hundreds of millions of dollars. Sad,” Hawkins said.Hawkins said delaying passage of a gender identification bill meant the Legislature’s action to nullify the court decision would be “very costly and difficult.”The timeline for imposing new congressional districts on Kansans — the focus has been on splitting voter-rich Johnson County among multiple districts — would be “greatly shortened,” Hawkins said.He also disclosed there were “valid” complaints about the cost to taxpayers of a special session, especially since the regular session would begin in two months on Jan. 12. The GOP-controlled Legislative Coordinating Council voted in October to allocate $460,000 to the special session.“It’s also important to remember that the Legislature did their business in record time this (2025 regular) session saving a significant amount of money,” Hawkins said. “These savings would have been more than enough to cover the cost of a special session.”Hawkins notified the chief clerk of the House of committee changes in a memo dated Friday.The memo shows Rep. Adam Turk of Shawnee replaced Howe as the chair of Higher Education Budget Committee. Rep. Rick James of La Cygne replaced Butler as chair of the Veterans and Military Committee. Rep. Carl Turner of Leawood replaced Borjon as chair of the Legislative Modernization Committee.Rep. Kyler Sweely of Hutchinson replaced Sanders as vice chair on the Higher Education Budget Committee, and Rep. John Resman of Olathe replaced Howell as vice chair on the Transportation and Public Safety Budget Committee.In other changes, Rep. Blake Carpenter was removed from the Interstate Cooperation Committee, Rep. Brian Bergkamp was removed from the Child Welfare and Foster Care Committee, and Rep. Megan Steele was removed from the Veterans and Military Committee.

Kansas House speaker punishes GOP colleagues for not supporting special session

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Every year, scammers get more active around Medicare Open Enrollment Period, trying to get your money, information, or both. As you consider your health coverage and prescription options during this period (October 15-December 7), learn to spot the scams.

First, know that scammers often impersonate Medicare and contact you unexpectedly. They might sound professional and even have some of your personal information. They’ll say you need a “new” or “updated” Medicare card and ask for your Medicare, bank account, or credit card number. But real Medicare cards are free and mailed to you automatically. And true Medicare representatives won’t call, text, or email you out of the blue to ask for your numbers or a payment.

Here are some ways to protect yourself from Medicare scams during Open Enrollment — and year-round:

Report Medicare impersonators and other Medicare scams at 1-800-MEDICARE. Then tell the FTC at&nbsp;<a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>.

For additional help to prevent, detect, and report potential Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse, contact your local&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/now-leaving?external_url=https%3A%2F%2Fsmpresource.org%2F&amp;back_url=https%3A%2F%2Fconsumer.ftc.gov%2Fconsumer-alerts%2F2025%2F09%2Fmedicare-open-enrollment-season-learn-how-protect-yourself-scams%3Futm_source%3Dgovdelivery">Senior Medicare&nbsp;Patrol</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667744326469.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Federal Trade CommissionWASHINGTON, D.C. — Every year, scammers get more active around Medicare Open Enrollment Period, trying to get your money, information, or both. As you consider your health coverage and prescription options during this period (October 15-December 7), learn to spot the scams.First, know that scammers often impersonate Medicare and contact you unexpectedly. They might sound professional and even have some of your personal information. They’ll say you need a “new” or “updated” Medicare card and ask for your Medicare, bank account, or credit card number. But real Medicare cards are free and mailed to you automatically. And true Medicare representatives won’t call, text, or email you out of the blue to ask for your numbers or a payment.Here are some ways to protect yourself from Medicare scams during Open Enrollment — and year-round:<ul>
 <li>Ignore unexpected calls from anyone who demands you share Medicare, personal, or financial information.&nbsp;Medicare will only ask you to verify information if&nbsp;you&nbsp;contact&nbsp;them&nbsp;first, and they won’t try to sell you anything or tell you to pay for your Medicare card. Only scammers do that.</li><li>Don’t rely on your caller ID.&nbsp;It might show Medicare’s name or phone number, but caller ID can be faked. To check it out, hang up and call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).</li><li>Get help to compare costs, coverage, and plans.&nbsp;Contact your&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/now-leaving?external_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.shiphelp.org%2F&amp;back_url=https%3A%2F%2Fconsumer.ftc.gov%2Fconsumer-alerts%2F2025%2F09%2Fmedicare-open-enrollment-season-learn-how-protect-yourself-scams%3Futm_source%3Dgovdelivery">State Health Insurance Assistance Program&nbsp;(SHIP)</a>&nbsp;for assistance. And find information about your coverage options at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medicare.gov/">Medicare.gov</a>&nbsp;— the official U.S. government site for Medicare — or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE.</li>
 </ul>Report Medicare impersonators and other Medicare scams at 1-800-MEDICARE. Then tell the FTC at&nbsp;<a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>.For additional help to prevent, detect, and report potential Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse, contact your local&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/now-leaving?external_url=https%3A%2F%2Fsmpresource.org%2F&amp;back_url=https%3A%2F%2Fconsumer.ftc.gov%2Fconsumer-alerts%2F2025%2F09%2Fmedicare-open-enrollment-season-learn-how-protect-yourself-scams%3Futm_source%3Dgovdelivery">Senior Medicare&nbsp;Patrol</a>.

FTC: This Medicare Open Enrollment season, learn how to protect yourself from scams

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement continue investigating and searching for a suspect in a fatal shooting that occurred October 23 at Dr. Glen Dey Park, located at 2801 N. Grove in Wichita. During a press conference on Oct. 28, police announced&nbsp; Crime Stoppers is now offering a $5,000 reward in the case.&nbsp; Police also indicated they have only received three tips on the investigation since the crime occurred.

(Click below to watch the Oct. 28, police briefing on the shooting)

At approximately 7:03 p.m. an off-duty WPD detective working secondary employment at&nbsp; the park heard multiple gunshots from another area of the park. The detective immediately ran toward the scene and found 32-year-old Travon Stewart suffering from gunshot wounds.

The detective called for backup and emergency medical services, then began life-saving measures until EMS arrived. Stewart was transported to a local hospital in extremely critical condition and later died from his injuries.

Preliminary findings indicate that around 200 to 300 people were in attendance at the football games. Stewart was at the park selling concessions as a fundraiser for a football team not affiliated with the Wichita Junior Football League.

Homicide investigators responded to the scene and interviewed witnesses who remained in the area. Detectives believe this was a targeted shooting and not connected to the youth football games.

Crime Stoppers is offering up to a $5,00 reward for information leading to an arrest in the shooting.

Anyone who attended the games or may have information is urged to contact the Wichita Police Department Investigations Section at 316-268-4407.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761331970728.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement continue investigating and searching for a suspect in a fatal shooting that occurred October 23 at Dr. Glen Dey Park, located at 2801 N. Grove in Wichita. During a press conference on Oct. 28, police announced&nbsp; Crime Stoppers is now offering a $5,000 reward in the case.&nbsp; Police also indicated they have only received three tips on the investigation since the crime occurred.(Click below to watch the Oct. 28, police briefing on the shooting)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=280&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F2252850385227575%2F&show_text=true&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="395" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>At approximately 7:03 p.m. an off-duty WPD detective working secondary employment at&nbsp; the park heard multiple gunshots from another area of the park. The detective immediately ran toward the scene and found 32-year-old Travon Stewart suffering from gunshot wounds.The detective called for backup and emergency medical services, then began life-saving measures until EMS arrived. Stewart was transported to a local hospital in extremely critical condition and later died from his injuries.Preliminary findings indicate that around 200 to 300 people were in attendance at the football games. Stewart was at the park selling concessions as a fundraiser for a football team not affiliated with the Wichita Junior Football League.Homicide investigators responded to the scene and interviewed witnesses who remained in the area. Detectives believe this was a targeted shooting and not connected to the youth football games.Crime Stoppers is offering up to a $5,00 reward for information leading to an arrest in the shooting.Anyone who attended the games or may have information is urged to contact the Wichita Police Department Investigations Section at 316-268-4407.&nbsp;

Suspect in killing at Kan. youth football game still at large

The Kansas Highway Patrol&nbsp;(KHP)&nbsp;held a ribbon cutting ceremony on October 22 commemorating the recent completion of a&nbsp;KHP&nbsp;aircraft hangar facility at the Hays Regional Airport.

This 6,800 square foot hangar facility was completed in May 2025 and includes hangar space, offices for the trooper pilots, and a conference room for training and flight planning. This project was a collaborative effort between the City of Hays and&nbsp;KHP, where the city managed construction and&nbsp;KHP&nbsp;assumed ownership of the facility at a cost of $1.7 million. The hangar will house multiple law enforcement aircraft and serve as a staging location for joint agency air support operations within the region. Hays is a strategic location for&nbsp;KHP’s&nbsp;Air Support Unit. In conjunction with aircraft bases in Wichita and Topeka, the Hays base affords statewide coverage.

“We would like to extend our appreciation to those who committed so much of their time and talent to making this partnership a reality,” said Colonel Erik Smith,&nbsp;KHP&nbsp;Superintendent. “The project is a model for interagency and intergovernmental cooperation.”

“Regional airports such as Hays provide vital and critical resources to local communities that reach far beyond air travel, especially when assisting with emergency response. These efforts often go unnoticed,” said Jamie Salter, Hays Regional Airport Director. “The collaborative nature of this project highlights the importance of partnership between governmental agencies to best service our communities.”

“The capabilities that&nbsp;KHP&nbsp;provides to local law enforcement is critical to rural communities like Hays,” said State Representative Ken Rahjes (Agra, Kansas). “We are grateful for the service of State Troopers in Western Kansas.”

KHP&nbsp;is the only entity in Kansas operating tactical law enforcement aircraft, providing vital support to local public safety agencies. The agency acquired its first aircraft in 1961 to patrol state highways and first established an aircraft base in Hays in 1979. In 2024,&nbsp;KHP&nbsp;flight crews in Hays were requested to assist local law enforcement agencies with numerous missions, including 17 manhunts, 23 vehicle pursuits, 19 searches for missing or endangered people, and three hazardous weather events involving endangered motorists.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762353116469.jpeg" alt="The Kansas Highway Patrol at the ribbon cutting ceremony for an aircraft hanger facility at Hays Regional Airport. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>The Kansas Highway Patrol at the ribbon cutting ceremony for an aircraft hanger facility at Hays Regional Airport. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas Highway PatrolThe Kansas Highway Patrol&nbsp;(KHP)&nbsp;held a ribbon cutting ceremony on October 22 commemorating the recent completion of a&nbsp;KHP&nbsp;aircraft hangar facility at the Hays Regional Airport.This 6,800 square foot hangar facility was completed in May 2025 and includes hangar space, offices for the trooper pilots, and a conference room for training and flight planning. This project was a collaborative effort between the City of Hays and&nbsp;KHP, where the city managed construction and&nbsp;KHP&nbsp;assumed ownership of the facility at a cost of $1.7 million. The hangar will house multiple law enforcement aircraft and serve as a staging location for joint agency air support operations within the region. Hays is a strategic location for&nbsp;KHP’s&nbsp;Air Support Unit. In conjunction with aircraft bases in Wichita and Topeka, the Hays base affords statewide coverage.“We would like to extend our appreciation to those who committed so much of their time and talent to making this partnership a reality,” said Colonel Erik Smith,&nbsp;KHP&nbsp;Superintendent. “The project is a model for interagency and intergovernmental cooperation.”“Regional airports such as Hays provide vital and critical resources to local communities that reach far beyond air travel, especially when assisting with emergency response. These efforts often go unnoticed,” said Jamie Salter, Hays Regional Airport Director. “The collaborative nature of this project highlights the importance of partnership between governmental agencies to best service our communities.”“The capabilities that&nbsp;KHP&nbsp;provides to local law enforcement is critical to rural communities like Hays,” said State Representative Ken Rahjes (Agra, Kansas). “We are grateful for the service of State Troopers in Western Kansas.”KHP&nbsp;is the only entity in Kansas operating tactical law enforcement aircraft, providing vital support to local public safety agencies. The agency acquired its first aircraft in 1961 to patrol state highways and first established an aircraft base in Hays in 1979. In 2024,&nbsp;KHP&nbsp;flight crews in Hays were requested to assist local law enforcement agencies with numerous missions, including 17 manhunts, 23 vehicle pursuits, 19 searches for missing or endangered people, and three hazardous weather events involving endangered motorists.

KHP 2025-21: Kansas Highway Patrol held ribbon cutting ceremony

PAWNEE COUNTY — Faith Ann Dinning, 31 of Garfield, Kansas, made her formal First Appearance Wednesday in the custody of the Pawnee County Sheriff before Pawnee Magistrate Judge Julie Cowell on a three&nbsp; count domestic violence Criminal Complaint, according to Pawnee County Attorney Doug McNett.

Dinning is charged with one count of Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon, one count of Domestic Battery, and one count of Disorderly Conduct. All charges have been designated as Domestic Violence Offenses.

The charges stem from an investigation by the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Department after deputies were dispatched to a possible automobile accident occurring in the City of Garfield the morning of October 31. 

Law enforcement dispatch received the accident report from an automated Life360 accident notification. Subsequent to Life360 notification, emergency dispatch received a concerned citizen call reporting a domestic altercation at a place of business in Garfield involving Dinning and one of their employees. The reporting party also advised dispatch the parties in question had left the business in separate vehicles, but that a T-bone vehicle accident occurred almost immediately thereafter approximately a block north of the business.

Upon arrival, deputies encountered Dinning with her incapacitated vehicle. The second vehicle involved had left the scene prior to law enforcement’s arrival. No serious injuries were reported. It was later determined that Dinning’s significant other had been driving the second vehicle. Based in part on the tire impressions and skid marks in the gravel road, and estimated rate of speed, law enforcement arrested Dinning without incident for intentionally driving her vehicle into the other vehicle.

Deputies also arrested the second party based on the sheriff’s department’s domestic violence mandatory arrest policy. After reviewing the case reports, however, the Pawnee County Attorney’s Office declined to file formal criminal charges against Dinning’s significant other.

Counsel was appointed to represent Dinning and a Preliminary Hearing was scheduled for November 19, 2025, at 2:00 p.m..

Dinning remains in custody at the Pawnee County Jail with bond set at $20,000 cash or surety. The Court has included a no contact order as a condition of bond.

Under Kansas Law, “Domestic Violence” means an act or threatened act of violence against a person with whom the offender is involved or has been involved in a dating relationship, or an act or threatened act of violence against a family or household member by a family or household member.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762383857994.png" alt="Dinning photo Pawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Dinning photo Pawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>PAWNEE COUNTY — Faith Ann Dinning, 31 of Garfield, Kansas, made her formal First Appearance Wednesday in the custody of the Pawnee County Sheriff before Pawnee Magistrate Judge Julie Cowell on a three&nbsp; count domestic violence Criminal Complaint, according to Pawnee County Attorney Doug McNett.Dinning is charged with one count of Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon, one count of Domestic Battery, and one count of Disorderly Conduct. All charges have been designated as Domestic Violence Offenses.The charges stem from an investigation by the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Department after deputies were dispatched to a possible automobile accident occurring in the City of Garfield the morning of October 31. Law enforcement dispatch received the accident report from an automated Life360 accident notification. Subsequent to Life360 notification, emergency dispatch received a concerned citizen call reporting a domestic altercation at a place of business in Garfield involving Dinning and one of their employees. The reporting party also advised dispatch the parties in question had left the business in separate vehicles, but that a T-bone vehicle accident occurred almost immediately thereafter approximately a block north of the business.Upon arrival, deputies encountered Dinning with her incapacitated vehicle. The second vehicle involved had left the scene prior to law enforcement’s arrival. No serious injuries were reported. It was later determined that Dinning’s significant other had been driving the second vehicle. Based in part on the tire impressions and skid marks in the gravel road, and estimated rate of speed, law enforcement arrested Dinning without incident for intentionally driving her vehicle into the other vehicle.Deputies also arrested the second party based on the sheriff’s department’s domestic violence mandatory arrest policy. After reviewing the case reports, however, the Pawnee County Attorney’s Office declined to file formal criminal charges against Dinning’s significant other.Counsel was appointed to represent Dinning and a Preliminary Hearing was scheduled for November 19, 2025, at 2:00 p.m..Dinning remains in custody at the Pawnee County Jail with bond set at $20,000 cash or surety. The Court has included a no contact order as a condition of bond.Under Kansas Law, “Domestic Violence” means an act or threatened act of violence against a person with whom the offender is involved or has been involved in a dating relationship, or an act or threatened act of violence against a family or household member by a family or household member.

Kan. woman accused of using her vehicle as a weapon

PHELPS COUNTY —The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control (DDCC) announces criminal charges against Melvin J. Fincher, 39, of Rolla, MO. Fincher has pending charges in other counties which include Phelps, Dent, Polk, and Nodaway Counties.

On October 24, Fincher was arrested after an investigation conducted by the Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control Rural Crimes Investigation Unit with the assistance of area law enforcement.

In July of 2024, the Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control was made aware of suspicious activity involving the sale of livestock and farm equipment in Phelps County, Missouri.

Texas authorities informed investigators in Missouri of a cattle theft investigation, involving 42 head of cattle from a livestock market in Texas. 

The theft occurred between August 10 and 11, 2024, and the total value of the cattle was $71,078.00.&nbsp; After further investigation, it was determined the cattle were received by Melvin Fincher, a resident of Phelps County, Missouri.

During the investigation, and while searching property associated with Fincher, USDA livestock tags were located in the livestock pens on the premises. Identification numbers indicated the tags were issued to the livestock market in Texas where the cattle were originally stolen. 

Additional evidence was collected connecting Fincher to the theft of cattle in Texas.

On December 2, 2024, Fincher was formally charged by the Phelps County Prosecuting Attorney with one count of Stealing Livestock/Wildlife - Prior Offense. Fincher later pled guilty to this charge.

On October 27, 2025, Fincher was sentenced to 10 years incarceration with the Missouri Department of Corrections. The sentence was suspended in execution of sentence, and Fincher is currently serving five years of supervised probation.

Fincher is also facing numerous charges in Dent, Polk, and Nodaway Counties for other related criminal offenses including identify theft, livestock theft, and farm equipment theft

&nbsp;The total value of damages involving these cases exceeds $219,000.00.

If you have any further information regarding these cases, please contact DDCC at 573-526-6122.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762393817899.png" alt="Fincher photo Polk County" />
 <figcaption>Fincher photo Polk County</figcaption>
 </figure>PHELPS COUNTY —The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control (DDCC) announces criminal charges against Melvin J. Fincher, 39, of Rolla, MO. Fincher has pending charges in other counties which include Phelps, Dent, Polk, and Nodaway Counties.On October 24, Fincher was arrested after an investigation conducted by the Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control Rural Crimes Investigation Unit with the assistance of area law enforcement.In July of 2024, the Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control was made aware of suspicious activity involving the sale of livestock and farm equipment in Phelps County, Missouri.Texas authorities informed investigators in Missouri of a cattle theft investigation, involving 42 head of cattle from a livestock market in Texas. The theft occurred between August 10 and 11, 2024, and the total value of the cattle was $71,078.00.&nbsp; After further investigation, it was determined the cattle were received by Melvin Fincher, a resident of Phelps County, Missouri.During the investigation, and while searching property associated with Fincher, USDA livestock tags were located in the livestock pens on the premises. Identification numbers indicated the tags were issued to the livestock market in Texas where the cattle were originally stolen. Additional evidence was collected connecting Fincher to the theft of cattle in Texas.On December 2, 2024, Fincher was formally charged by the Phelps County Prosecuting Attorney with one count of Stealing Livestock/Wildlife - Prior Offense. Fincher later pled guilty to this charge.On October 27, 2025, Fincher was sentenced to 10 years incarceration with the Missouri Department of Corrections. The sentence was suspended in execution of sentence, and Fincher is currently serving five years of supervised probation.Fincher is also facing numerous charges in Dent, Polk, and Nodaway Counties for other related criminal offenses including identify theft, livestock theft, and farm equipment theft&nbsp;The total value of damages involving these cases exceeds $219,000.00.If you have any further information regarding these cases, please contact DDCC at 573-526-6122.

Man admits to livestock theft, other rural crimes

On October 29, the Ellis County Career Expo brought together more than 900 high school students from across Ellis County for a dynamic day of career exploration and community engagement. 

Hosted at the new Hays High School and sponsored by The Chamber in Hays, along with premier sponsor Hess Services, the event featured over 30 local businesses and organizations eager to share post-secondary pathways and employment opportunities with students in grades 10 through 12.

Among the standout contributors was the Fort Hays Tech Affiliation, whose member schools showcased a wide array of technical and career-focused programs designed to prepare students for the evolving workforce in western Kansas. Their presence underscored a shared commitment to building a robust talent pipeline and supporting rural vitality through education and workforce development.

Ben Schears, vice president for Economic and Workforce Development at Fort Hays State University, attended the event and praised the collaborative spirit on display.

“It’s inspiring to see our affiliated schools working hand-in-hand with local businesses and community leaders,” Schears said. “Together, we’re creating real opportunities for students to envision their futures right here in Ellis County, and that’s how we keep our communities strong.”

The Career Expo was organized by the Ellis County Economic Development Committee in partnership with The Chamber in Hays, the Ellis County Workforce Committee, and all four county high schools. The event served as a strategic initiative to bridge the gap between student aspirations and employer needs.

David Clingan, director of recruitment and retention at Grow Hays, emphasized the importance of such events.

“One of the things I hear most from our community businesses is how difficult it is to find and recruit new employees,” Clingan noted. “While at the same time, I regularly speak with students and young adults who tell me they are struggling to find work. That is why having successful events like this Career Expo is so important,” Clingan said.

The Fort Hays Tech Affiliation’s involvement exemplifies how educational institutions can play a pivotal role in regional workforce development. By connecting students with hands-on learning and career pathways, they are helping to shape the future of Ellis County and western Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762448559729.jpeg" alt="Ellis County Career Expo. Photo by Fort Hays State University&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Ellis County Career Expo. Photo by Fort Hays State University&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University CommunicationsOn October 29, the Ellis County Career Expo brought together more than 900 high school students from across Ellis County for a dynamic day of career exploration and community engagement. Hosted at the new Hays High School and sponsored by The Chamber in Hays, along with premier sponsor Hess Services, the event featured over 30 local businesses and organizations eager to share post-secondary pathways and employment opportunities with students in grades 10 through 12.Among the standout contributors was the Fort Hays Tech Affiliation, whose member schools showcased a wide array of technical and career-focused programs designed to prepare students for the evolving workforce in western Kansas. Their presence underscored a shared commitment to building a robust talent pipeline and supporting rural vitality through education and workforce development.Ben Schears, vice president for Economic and Workforce Development at Fort Hays State University, attended the event and praised the collaborative spirit on display.“It’s inspiring to see our affiliated schools working hand-in-hand with local businesses and community leaders,” Schears said. “Together, we’re creating real opportunities for students to envision their futures right here in Ellis County, and that’s how we keep our communities strong.”The Career Expo was organized by the Ellis County Economic Development Committee in partnership with The Chamber in Hays, the Ellis County Workforce Committee, and all four county high schools. The event served as a strategic initiative to bridge the gap between student aspirations and employer needs.David Clingan, director of recruitment and retention at Grow Hays, emphasized the importance of such events.“One of the things I hear most from our community businesses is how difficult it is to find and recruit new employees,” Clingan noted. “While at the same time, I regularly speak with students and young adults who tell me they are struggling to find work. That is why having successful events like this Career Expo is so important,” Clingan said.The Fort Hays Tech Affiliation’s involvement exemplifies how educational institutions can play a pivotal role in regional workforce development. By connecting students with hands-on learning and career pathways, they are helping to shape the future of Ellis County and western Kansas.

Fort Hays Tech Affiliation plays key role in successful Ellis County Career Expo

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/josh-funk">JOSH FUNK</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/rio-yamat">RIO YAMAT</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) —Airports in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago along with hubs across the U.S. are among the 40 that will see flights cut starting Friday due to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-longest-trump-republican-senators-democrats-9712df6c11ef19c5df8f18c8a4f7b341">government shutdown</a>, according to a list distributed to the airlines and obtained by The Associated Press.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/federal-aviation-administration">Federal Aviation Administration</a>&nbsp;announced Wednesday that it would reduce air traffic by 10% across 40 “high-volume” markets to maintain travel safety as air traffic controllers exhibit signs of strain during the ongoing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-longest-trump-republican-senators-democrats-9712df6c11ef19c5df8f18c8a4f7b341">government shutdown</a>.

The affected airports covering more than two dozen states include the busiest ones across the U.S. — including Atlanta, Denver, Dallas, Orlando, Miami, and San Francisco. In some of the biggest cities — such as New York, Houston and Chicago — multiple airports will be affected.

Full list of airports affected by FAA service cuts

The FAA is imposing the flight reductions to relieve pressure on air traffic controllers who are working without pay during the government shutdown and have been increasingly calling off work.

Controllers already have missed one full paycheck and are scheduled to again receive nothing next week as as the shutdown drags on.

The FAA has been delaying flights at times when airports or its other facilities are short on controllers.

Passengers should start to be notified about cancellations Thursday. Airlines said they would try to minimize the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-travel-delays-canceled-flights-38bd3f9d066b064b5f2aa248864fe13b">impact on customers</a>, some of whom will see weekend travel plans disrupted with little notice.

United Airlines said it would focus the cuts on smaller regional routes that use smaller planes like 737s. United, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines said they would offer refunds to passengers who opt not to fly -- even if they purchased tickets that aren’t normally refundable.

What to do if you’re facing flight disruptions during the government shutdownStaffing shortages have caused flight delays at a growing number of airports as disruptions pile up nationwide.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-travel-delays-canceled-flights-38bd3f9d066b064b5f2aa248864fe13b">Here is what to know about your rights as a passenger.</a>

The head of Frontier Airlines recommended that travelers buy backup tickets with another airline to avoid being stranded.

Experts predict hundreds if not thousands of flights&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-travel-delays-canceled-flights-38bd3f9d066b064b5f2aa248864fe13b">could be canceled</a>. The cuts could represent as many as 1,800 flights and upwards of 268,000 seats combined, according to an estimate by aviation analytics firm Cirium.

“I’m not aware in my 35-year history in the aviation market where we’ve had a situation where we’re taking these kinds of measures,” Bedford said Wednesday. “We’re in new territory in terms of government shutdowns.”

Air traffic controllers have been working unpaid since the shutdown began Oct. 1. Most work mandatory overtime six days a week, leaving little time for side jobs to help cover bills and other expenses unless they call out.

Mounting staffing pressures are forcing the agency to act, Bedford said.

“We can’t ignore it,” he said, adding that even if the shutdown ends before Friday, the FAA wouldn’t automatically resume normal operations until staffing improves and stabilizes.

Bedford and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Wednesday that they would meet with airline executives to figure out how to safely implement the reductions.

Major airlines, aviation unions and the broader travel industry have been urging Congress to end the shutdown, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/longest-government-shutdown-trump-schumer-elections-183a80e0bb9ab6a2ee6ddd5e8367f100">on Wednesday</a>&nbsp;became the longest on record.

The shutdown is putting unnecessary strain on the system and “forcing difficult operational decisions that disrupt travel and damage confidence in the U.S. air travel experience,” said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman in a statement.

Duffy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-air-traffic-controllers-duffy-delays-9afedfa9e5000510c77465808404c830">warned</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday that there could be chaos in the skies if the shutdown drags on long enough for air traffic controllers to miss their second full paycheck next week.

Duffy said some controllers can get by missing one paycheck, but not two or more. And he has said some controllers are even struggling to pay for transportation to work.

Staffing can run short both in regional control centers that manage multiple airports and in individual airport towers, but they don’t always lead to flight disruptions. Throughout October, flight delays caused by staffing problems had been largely isolated and temporary.

But the past weekend brought some of the worst staffing issues since the start of the shutdown.

From Friday to Sunday evening, at least 39 air traffic control facilities reported potential staffing limits, according to an Associated Press analysis of operations plans shared through the Air Traffic Control System Command Center system. The figure, which is likely an undercount, is well above the average for weekends before the shutdown.

During weekends from Jan. 1 to Sept. 30, the average number of airport towers, regional control centers and facilities monitoring traffic at higher altitudes that announced potential staffing issues was 8.3, according to the AP analysis. But during the five weekend periods since the shutdown began, the average more than tripled to 26.2 facilities.

Associated Press journalist Christopher L. Keller contributed from Albuquerque, New Mexico.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762444088736.png" alt="View from LAX cameras early Thursday" />
 <figcaption>View from LAX cameras early Thursday</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/josh-funk">JOSH FUNK</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/rio-yamat">RIO YAMAT</a>WASHINGTON (AP) —Airports in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago along with hubs across the U.S. are among the 40 that will see flights cut starting Friday due to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-longest-trump-republican-senators-democrats-9712df6c11ef19c5df8f18c8a4f7b341">government shutdown</a>, according to a list distributed to the airlines and obtained by The Associated Press.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/federal-aviation-administration">Federal Aviation Administration</a>&nbsp;announced Wednesday that it would reduce air traffic by 10% across 40 “high-volume” markets to maintain travel safety as air traffic controllers exhibit signs of strain during the ongoing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-longest-trump-republican-senators-democrats-9712df6c11ef19c5df8f18c8a4f7b341">government shutdown</a>.The affected airports covering more than two dozen states include the busiest ones across the U.S. — including Atlanta, Denver, Dallas, Orlando, Miami, and San Francisco. In some of the biggest cities — such as New York, Houston and Chicago — multiple airports will be affected.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨 BREAKING: <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDuffy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecDuffy</a> announces a 10% reduction in scheduled flight capacity at the nation&#39;s top 40 high-traffic markets due to the Democrat Shutdown&#39;s strain on air traffic controllers. <a href="https://t.co/g6yJygA96W">pic.twitter.com/g6yJygA96W</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1986182615372849270?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2>Full list of airports affected by FAA service cuts</h2><ul>
 <li>Anchorage International (ANC)</li><li>Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL)</li><li>Boston Logan International (BOS)</li><li>Baltimore/Washington International (BWI)</li><li>Charlotte Douglas International (CLT)</li><li>Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International (CVG)</li><li>Dallas Love Field (DAL)</li><li>Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA)</li><li>Denver International (DEN)</li><li>Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW)</li><li>Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW)</li><li>Newark Liberty International (EWR)</li><li>Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International (FLL)</li><li>Honolulu International (HNL)</li><li>Houston Hobby Airport (HOU)</li><li>Washington Dulles International (IAD)</li><li>George Bush Houston Intercontinental (IAH)</li><li>Indianapolis International (IND)</li><li>New York John F. Kennedy International (JFK)</li><li>Las Vegas McCarran International (LAS)</li><li>Los Angeles International (LAX)</li><li>New York LaGuardia (LGA)</li><li>Orlando International (MCO)</li><li>Chicago Midway (MDW)</li><li>Memphis International (MEM)</li><li>Miami International (MIA)</li><li>Minneapolis/St. Paul International (MSP)</li><li>Oakland International (OAK)</li><li>Ontario International (ONT)</li><li>Chicago O'Hare International (ORD)</li><li>Portland International (PDX)</li><li>Philadelphia International (PHL)</li><li>Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX)</li><li>San Diego International (SAN)</li><li>Louisville International (SDF)</li><li>Seattle/Tacoma International (SEA)</li><li>San Francisco International (SFO)</li><li>Salt Lake City International (SLC)</li><li>Teterboro Airport (TEB)</li><li>Tampa International (TPA)</li>
 </ul>The FAA is imposing the flight reductions to relieve pressure on air traffic controllers who are working without pay during the government shutdown and have been increasingly calling off work.Controllers already have missed one full paycheck and are scheduled to again receive nothing next week as as the shutdown drags on.The FAA has been delaying flights at times when airports or its other facilities are short on controllers.Passengers should start to be notified about cancellations Thursday. Airlines said they would try to minimize the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-travel-delays-canceled-flights-38bd3f9d066b064b5f2aa248864fe13b">impact on customers</a>, some of whom will see weekend travel plans disrupted with little notice.United Airlines said it would focus the cuts on smaller regional routes that use smaller planes like 737s. United, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines said they would offer refunds to passengers who opt not to fly -- even if they purchased tickets that aren’t normally refundable.What to do if you’re facing flight disruptions during the government shutdownStaffing shortages have caused flight delays at a growing number of airports as disruptions pile up nationwide.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-travel-delays-canceled-flights-38bd3f9d066b064b5f2aa248864fe13b">Here is what to know about your rights as a passenger.</a><ul>
 <li>My flight was canceled. Now what?&nbsp;If you are already at the airport, it is time to find another flight. Airlines will rebook you on a later flight for no additional charge. You can ask to be booked on another airline, but airlines aren’t required to put you on another carrier’s flight. It is often hit or miss.</li><li>Am I owed a refund?&nbsp;If your flight is canceled and you no longer want to take the trip, or have found another way of getting to your destination, the airline is legally required to refund your money, even if you bought a non-refundable ticket.</li><li>Can I get compensation?&nbsp;U.S. airlines are not required to pay additional cash compensation and cover lodging and meals for passengers who are stranded, even if a flight cancellation or a severe delay is the airline’s fault.</li>
 </ul>The head of Frontier Airlines recommended that travelers buy backup tickets with another airline to avoid being stranded.Experts predict hundreds if not thousands of flights&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-travel-delays-canceled-flights-38bd3f9d066b064b5f2aa248864fe13b">could be canceled</a>. The cuts could represent as many as 1,800 flights and upwards of 268,000 seats combined, according to an estimate by aviation analytics firm Cirium.“I’m not aware in my 35-year history in the aviation market where we’ve had a situation where we’re taking these kinds of measures,” Bedford said Wednesday. “We’re in new territory in terms of government shutdowns.”Air traffic controllers have been working unpaid since the shutdown began Oct. 1. Most work mandatory overtime six days a week, leaving little time for side jobs to help cover bills and other expenses unless they call out.Mounting staffing pressures are forcing the agency to act, Bedford said.“We can’t ignore it,” he said, adding that even if the shutdown ends before Friday, the FAA wouldn’t automatically resume normal operations until staffing improves and stabilizes.Bedford and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Wednesday that they would meet with airline executives to figure out how to safely implement the reductions.Major airlines, aviation unions and the broader travel industry have been urging Congress to end the shutdown, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/longest-government-shutdown-trump-schumer-elections-183a80e0bb9ab6a2ee6ddd5e8367f100">on Wednesday</a>&nbsp;became the longest on record.The shutdown is putting unnecessary strain on the system and “forcing difficult operational decisions that disrupt travel and damage confidence in the U.S. air travel experience,” said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman in a statement.Duffy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-air-traffic-controllers-duffy-delays-9afedfa9e5000510c77465808404c830">warned</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday that there could be chaos in the skies if the shutdown drags on long enough for air traffic controllers to miss their second full paycheck next week.Duffy said some controllers can get by missing one paycheck, but not two or more. And he has said some controllers are even struggling to pay for transportation to work.Staffing can run short both in regional control centers that manage multiple airports and in individual airport towers, but they don’t always lead to flight disruptions. Throughout October, flight delays caused by staffing problems had been largely isolated and temporary.But the past weekend brought some of the worst staffing issues since the start of the shutdown.From Friday to Sunday evening, at least 39 air traffic control facilities reported potential staffing limits, according to an Associated Press analysis of operations plans shared through the Air Traffic Control System Command Center system. The figure, which is likely an undercount, is well above the average for weekends before the shutdown.During weekends from Jan. 1 to Sept. 30, the average number of airport towers, regional control centers and facilities monitoring traffic at higher altitudes that announced potential staffing issues was 8.3, according to the AP analysis. But during the five weekend periods since the shutdown began, the average more than tripled to 26.2 facilities.___Associated Press journalist Christopher L. Keller contributed from Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Government shutdown: Airports on the FAA’s list for flight reductions

KANSAS CITY —A second person has died from injuries that occurred just before 1:30a.m. October 19, in Kansas City Missouri.

A gray Chevrolet Malibu was southbound on Paseo at a very high rate of speed, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. At 16th and Paseo, the car went into a broad slide, continued over the curb through the grass and struck a large tree.

EMS transported the unrestrained driver to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries and was subsequently pronounced deceased by hospital staff.

The front seat passenger and left rear seat passenger were both transported to local hospitals with critical injuries. 

On Tuesday authorities were notified by the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office that the front seat passenger had been pronounced deceased by hospital staff on Oct. 19,&nbsp; at 3:31 a.m.&nbsp;

The right rear seat passenger was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. . The left rear seat passenger was reported in serious condition and the right rear seat passenger was in stable condition.&nbsp; Police did not release names of those involved.

This is fatality #56 compared to #80 at this time last year.

KANSAS CITY —A second person has died from injuries that occurred just before 1:30a.m. October 19, in Kansas City Missouri.A gray Chevrolet Malibu was southbound on Paseo at a very high rate of speed, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. At 16th and Paseo, the car went into a broad slide, continued over the curb through the grass and struck a large tree.EMS transported the unrestrained driver to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries and was subsequently pronounced deceased by hospital staff.The front seat passenger and left rear seat passenger were both transported to local hospitals with critical injuries. On Tuesday authorities were notified by the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office that the front seat passenger had been pronounced deceased by hospital staff on Oct. 19,&nbsp; at 3:31 a.m.&nbsp;The right rear seat passenger was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. . The left rear seat passenger was reported in serious condition and the right rear seat passenger was in stable condition.&nbsp; Police did not release names of those involved.This is fatality #56 compared to #80 at this time last year.

KCPD: 2nd person dies after violent crash into a tree

Delores D.
Lockhart, 70, of Oakley, died Monday, November 3, 2025. She was born October
19, 1955, in Quinter, KS, to Victor and Esmaria 'Esta' (Wolf) Schmidtberger.
Delores grew up on the family farm near Grainfield and graduated from Wheatland
High School in 1973. 

She married
Eugene Baalmann on November 23, 1973, and made their home in Oakley. The couple
had two boys who, especially after Gene’s passing, kept her on her toes.
Delores was a dedicated employee and always took pride in her work. After high
school she took a job at C.D. Clark &amp; Sons, working in the parts department
and later moved to the office where she learned accounting. She remained there
until 1991 when she went to work at Hoxie Implement, where she stayed for 25
years. She was employed at American Implement in Colby at the time of her
death. She also did the accounting for Cross Country Trucking and Baalmann
Mortuary. Along with accounting, she was a notary and had her insurance
license. After Gene’s passing in 1996, Delores met Daniel Lockhart and they
were married in August 2002. 

She never met a
stranger and remembered everyone! She enjoyed socializing at her weekly ladies
bowling league and one of the highlights of her year was bartending with Danny
at the annual St. Joesph School Winter Blast. This led to them bartending many
weddings, which she was always thrilled to do. She was known for her huge
garden, which she took great pride in. She loved giving the produce away to
coworkers, family, and St. Joseph School. What she didn’t give away she enjoyed
canning, cooking and baking with. She also loved playing cards, going to her
grandchildren’s events and spending time with family. Delores was a member of
St. Joseph Church, where she served on the Finance Council and was part of the
Altar Society.

She was
preceded in death by her parents, husband Eugene Baalmann and infant brother
Mark Alan. 

Delores is
survived by her husband Danny; sons, David (Julie), of Louisburg, KS and Jason
(Shane) of Colby, KS; grandchildren, Kylie, Carson, Connor, Liam, Elan and
Audra; step-children, Ryan (Amanda) Lockhart and Elizabeth (Ethan) DeVader;
nine step- grandchildren; siblings, Sylvia (Terry) Krannawitter, Lela Cooksey,
Doris Schmidtberger-Baker, Leroy (Pam) Schmidtberger, Joe (Jennifer)
Schmidtberger, Delmar (Linda) Schmidtberger, Arnold (Kathy) Schmidtberger,
Alvera (Gary) Bruggeman, and Vicki (Sean) Timiney; and numerous nieces, nephews
and cousins. 

Visitation is
5-7:00 p.m. with Vigil at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, November 6, 2025, at St. Joseph
Catholic Church, Oakley. The Funeral Mass will be at 10:00 a.m. Friday,
November 7, 2025, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, with burial in St. Paul
Catholic Cemetery, Angelus. Memorials may be made to St. Joseph Catholic School
and sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. For
information or condolences visit <a href="http://baalmannmortuary.com">baalmannmortuary.com</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762367281207.jpeg" alt="Delores D. Lockhart" />
 <figcaption>Delores D. Lockhart</figcaption>
 </figure>Delores D.
Lockhart, 70, of Oakley, died Monday, November 3, 2025. She was born October
19, 1955, in Quinter, KS, to Victor and Esmaria 'Esta' (Wolf) Schmidtberger.
Delores grew up on the family farm near Grainfield and graduated from Wheatland
High School in 1973. She married
Eugene Baalmann on November 23, 1973, and made their home in Oakley. The couple
had two boys who, especially after Gene’s passing, kept her on her toes.
Delores was a dedicated employee and always took pride in her work. After high
school she took a job at C.D. Clark &amp; Sons, working in the parts department
and later moved to the office where she learned accounting. She remained there
until 1991 when she went to work at Hoxie Implement, where she stayed for 25
years. She was employed at American Implement in Colby at the time of her
death. She also did the accounting for Cross Country Trucking and Baalmann
Mortuary. Along with accounting, she was a notary and had her insurance
license. After Gene’s passing in 1996, Delores met Daniel Lockhart and they
were married in August 2002. She never met a
stranger and remembered everyone! She enjoyed socializing at her weekly ladies
bowling league and one of the highlights of her year was bartending with Danny
at the annual St. Joesph School Winter Blast. This led to them bartending many
weddings, which she was always thrilled to do. She was known for her huge
garden, which she took great pride in. She loved giving the produce away to
coworkers, family, and St. Joseph School. What she didn’t give away she enjoyed
canning, cooking and baking with. She also loved playing cards, going to her
grandchildren’s events and spending time with family. Delores was a member of
St. Joseph Church, where she served on the Finance Council and was part of the
Altar Society.She was
preceded in death by her parents, husband Eugene Baalmann and infant brother
Mark Alan. Delores is
survived by her husband Danny; sons, David (Julie), of Louisburg, KS and Jason
(Shane) of Colby, KS; grandchildren, Kylie, Carson, Connor, Liam, Elan and
Audra; step-children, Ryan (Amanda) Lockhart and Elizabeth (Ethan) DeVader;
nine step- grandchildren; siblings, Sylvia (Terry) Krannawitter, Lela Cooksey,
Doris Schmidtberger-Baker, Leroy (Pam) Schmidtberger, Joe (Jennifer)
Schmidtberger, Delmar (Linda) Schmidtberger, Arnold (Kathy) Schmidtberger,
Alvera (Gary) Bruggeman, and Vicki (Sean) Timiney; and numerous nieces, nephews
and cousins. Visitation is
5-7:00 p.m. with Vigil at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, November 6, 2025, at St. Joseph
Catholic Church, Oakley. The Funeral Mass will be at 10:00 a.m. Friday,
November 7, 2025, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, with burial in St. Paul
Catholic Cemetery, Angelus. Memorials may be made to St. Joseph Catholic School
and sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. For
information or condolences visit <a href="http://baalmannmortuary.com">baalmannmortuary.com</a>

Delores D. Lockhart

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Fort Hays State had three individuals receive Player of the Week honors from the Great American Conference on Tuesday. Juan Linares was named Offensive Player of the Week, Jackson Elgas was the Co-Defender of the Week, and Payton Roehrich was the Goalkeeper of the Week.

Linares recorded two goals and an assist for five points over two matches, helping FHSU to a 4-0 win over Ouachita Baptist and a 5-0 win over Harding. He scored the first two goals of the 4-0 win at OBU, converting a penalty kick and then a shot from about 30 yards out. In the 5-0 win over Harding, he provided an assist on FHSU's fourth goal.

Jackson Elgas played a team-high 150 minutes for the week, helping FHSU remain unbeaten at 14-0-3 overall and 10-0-1 in the GAC. He played 75 minutes in both matches, helping the team record its 12th and 13th shutouts of the season. He provided a team save on an OBU shot that was headed for an empty net late in the first half, then he had the assist on the game-winning goal at Harding with a nice crossing pass. He helped the Tigers limit the opposition to just 8.5 shots per match for the week.

Payton Roehrich picked up a pair of combined shutouts with Simon Niksch on the road in Arkansas, his fourth and fifth combined shutouts of the season. Roehrich played the first 70 minutes of the match at Ouachita Baptist and made four saves before being lifted when FHSU had a comfortable lead. In the win at Harding, Roehrich only played the first half of contest at Harding and did not have to make a save, but yielded to Niksch when the Tigers were up 3-0 at halftime. Roehrich made four saves for the week.

Elgas shared the Defender of the Week honor with Artur Carvalho of Rogers State, making four honorees for the weekly GAC honors overall.

FHSU Men's Soccer now has 13 player of the week honors from the conference office this season. Roehrich has now earned Goalkeeper of the Week three times this season. Dimitry Tchantcheu (defender), Oliver Wright (defender), and Linares (offense) have all earned weekly honors twice this season. Elias Ovelar Semeniuk (offense), Bastian Carlman (offense), Harrison Bensouda (defender), and Elgas (defender) have all earned an honor once this year. The Tigers have claimed 12 of their 13 honors within the months of October and November.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762342355014.png" alt="FHSU Athletics image" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics image</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsRUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Fort Hays State had three individuals receive Player of the Week honors from the Great American Conference on Tuesday. Juan Linares was named Offensive Player of the Week, Jackson Elgas was the Co-Defender of the Week, and Payton Roehrich was the Goalkeeper of the Week.Linares recorded two goals and an assist for five points over two matches, helping FHSU to a 4-0 win over Ouachita Baptist and a 5-0 win over Harding. He scored the first two goals of the 4-0 win at OBU, converting a penalty kick and then a shot from about 30 yards out. In the 5-0 win over Harding, he provided an assist on FHSU's fourth goal.Jackson Elgas played a team-high 150 minutes for the week, helping FHSU remain unbeaten at 14-0-3 overall and 10-0-1 in the GAC. He played 75 minutes in both matches, helping the team record its 12th and 13th shutouts of the season. He provided a team save on an OBU shot that was headed for an empty net late in the first half, then he had the assist on the game-winning goal at Harding with a nice crossing pass. He helped the Tigers limit the opposition to just 8.5 shots per match for the week.Payton Roehrich picked up a pair of combined shutouts with Simon Niksch on the road in Arkansas, his fourth and fifth combined shutouts of the season. Roehrich played the first 70 minutes of the match at Ouachita Baptist and made four saves before being lifted when FHSU had a comfortable lead. In the win at Harding, Roehrich only played the first half of contest at Harding and did not have to make a save, but yielded to Niksch when the Tigers were up 3-0 at halftime. Roehrich made four saves for the week.Elgas shared the Defender of the Week honor with Artur Carvalho of Rogers State, making four honorees for the weekly GAC honors overall.FHSU Men's Soccer now has 13 player of the week honors from the conference office this season. Roehrich has now earned Goalkeeper of the Week three times this season. Dimitry Tchantcheu (defender), Oliver Wright (defender), and Linares (offense) have all earned weekly honors twice this season. Elias Ovelar Semeniuk (offense), Bastian Carlman (offense), Harrison Bensouda (defender), and Elgas (defender) have all earned an honor once this year. The Tigers have claimed 12 of their 13 honors within the months of October and November.

⚽ Trio of Tigers receive GAC Player of the Week honors

Karen
Adelia (Bell) Ashbaugh, 85, of Ellis, Kansas, passed away peacefully on October
31, 2025, in Denton, TX. She was born on November 9, 1939, in Moscow, Kansas.



Karen was a devoted wife to the late Darwin Ashbaugh, whom she married in
Moscow on August 2, 1964. Together, they built a life centered on faith, love,
and service. Darwin preceded her in death in 2008, after 43 years of marriage.



Above all, Karen was a proud and loving mother to her son Mike Ashbaugh, wife
Jodi, and grandmother to Erin and Bryce Ashbaugh. She took great joy in their
achievements, and they were a constant source of support and love for her.



An educator at heart, Karen spent many years as a teacher in the Ellis and
Palco School systems, where she touched the lives of countless students. She
had a unique ability to inspire those she taught.



Karen was a member of the United Methodist Church in Ellis, where she actively
participated in the church community. She also enjoyed quilting and developed
many lifelong friends. She was a member of KNEA during her time as an educator.



Karen is survived by her son Mike Ashbaugh (Jodi), and her grandchildren Erin
&amp; Bryce Ashbaugh, all of Denton, TX. She is also survived by her sisters,
Helen Felzein, Kay Thompson, Ronda Fondoble and brother, Jim Bell, along with
many extended family members and friends.



Karen was preceded in death by her husband Darwin, her parents, William and
Mary Bell, sisters, Mildred Cassidy and Dorothy Ladnier, brothers, Jack, Allen,
and Doug Bell.


<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762273703791.jpeg" alt="Karen Adelia (Bell) Ashbaugh" />
 <figcaption>Karen Adelia (Bell) Ashbaugh</figcaption>
 </figure>Karen
Adelia (Bell) Ashbaugh, 85, of Ellis, Kansas, passed away peacefully on October
31, 2025, in Denton, TX. She was born on November 9, 1939, in Moscow, Kansas.

Karen was a devoted wife to the late Darwin Ashbaugh, whom she married in
Moscow on August 2, 1964. Together, they built a life centered on faith, love,
and service. Darwin preceded her in death in 2008, after 43 years of marriage.

Above all, Karen was a proud and loving mother to her son Mike Ashbaugh, wife
Jodi, and grandmother to Erin and Bryce Ashbaugh. She took great joy in their
achievements, and they were a constant source of support and love for her.

An educator at heart, Karen spent many years as a teacher in the Ellis and
Palco School systems, where she touched the lives of countless students. She
had a unique ability to inspire those she taught.

Karen was a member of the United Methodist Church in Ellis, where she actively
participated in the church community. She also enjoyed quilting and developed
many lifelong friends. She was a member of KNEA during her time as an educator.

Karen is survived by her son Mike Ashbaugh (Jodi), and her grandchildren Erin
&amp; Bryce Ashbaugh, all of Denton, TX. She is also survived by her sisters,
Helen Felzein, Kay Thompson, Ronda Fondoble and brother, Jim Bell, along with
many extended family members and friends.

Karen was preceded in death by her husband Darwin, her parents, William and
Mary Bell, sisters, Mildred Cassidy and Dorothy Ladnier, brothers, Jack, Allen,
and Doug Bell.

She will be remembered as a woman of strength, deep faith, and a compassionate
educator, who left a lasting impact on those around her.

A celebration of Karen’s life will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, November 7,
2025, at the United Methodist Church in Ellis, Kansas, with Pastor Scott
Tempero officiating. 

Interment immediately following at Mount Hope cemetery in Ellis, Kansas, where
she will be laid to rest beside her husband Darwin. 

Visitation hours will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, November
6, 2025 at Keithley Funeral Chapel 400 E. 17th in Ellis, Kansas. 

Memorial contributions in Karen’s honor may be made to the Ellis United
Methodist Church, 1201 Washington St, Ellis, KS 67637.

Memories may be shared on Karen's tribute page at <a href="http://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com">www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com</a>