WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday signed an executive order meant to expand access to and reduce costs of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ivf-vitro-fertilization-trump-executive-order-65972cc1b10151bf1a0d9390fe5754d9">in vitro fertilization</a>&nbsp;and issued a presidential memorandum calling for “radical transparency requirements” from the government, which he suggested could reduce wasteful spending.

On the campaign trail, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/elections/2024/trump-calls-for-universal-coverage-of-ivf-treatment-with-no-specifics-on-how-his-plan-would-work/">called for universal coverage of IVF treatment</a>&nbsp;after his Supreme Court nominees helped to overturn Roe v. Wade, leading to a wave of restrictions in Republican-led states, including some that have threatened access to IVF by trying to define life as beginning at conception.

Trump, who was at his Florida residence and club Mar-a-Lago, also signed another executive order as well as a presidential memorandum. The second executive order outlined the oversight functions of the Office of Management and Budget, while the memo requires the government to detail the “waste, fraud and abuse” that’s found as the Department of Government Efficiency, overseen by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-doge-white-house-layoffs-0fcdbb692717c63203ef971cb9807b35">Elon Musk</a>, looks to cut government spending.

DOGE has often fallen short of the administration’s promises of transparency. Musk has taken questions from journalists only once since becoming Trump’s most powerful adviser, and he’s claimed it’s illegal to name people who are working for him. Sometimes DOGE staff members have demanded access to sensitive government databases with little explanation.

Trump took more than 30 minutes of questions Tuesday on a range of topics and bashed the Biden administration throughout, highlighting issues such as its handling of the U.S.-Mexico border, Venezuela policy and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/world-news/russia-ukraine-war-timeline-territorial-shifts-0000018f7d2fdca2afaf7fbf9a2f0000">Russia’s war in Ukraine</a>.

Trump said he thought he had a “good chance” to end Russia’s war in Ukraine but bristled at suggestions that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-russia-rubio-lavrov-ukraine-saudi-arabia-94bc4de5ecc86922d6ea4376e38f1cfd">U.S. and Russia had begun negotiations</a>&nbsp;to end fighting without Ukraine playing a role. He even seemed to suggest that Ukraine was to blame for a war that began only after Russia invaded that country.

“Today I heard, ‘Well, we weren’t invited.’ Well, you’ve been there for three years,” Trump said of Ukraine’s leaders. “You should have never started it.”

In anticipation of questions about his administration’s efforts to slash federal spending, the president said he wrote down examples of government programs around the world which he then listed off at length. They included funding to promote voter turnout in India and social cohesion initiatives in Mali — all of which Trump suggested collectively amounted to fraud.

Asked about the White House’s arguing in a court filing that Musk wasn’t the head of Trump’s government efficiency efforts, Trump said: “You could call him an employee, you could call him a consultant, you could call him whatever you want. But he’s a patriot.”

Trump said he thinks “women and families, husbands, are very appreciative” of his executive order on IVF, which offers a possible solution when a woman has trouble getting pregnant. The procedure involves retrieving her eggs and combining them in a lab dish with a man’s sperm to create a fertilized embryo, which is then transferred into the woman’s uterus in an attempt to create a pregnancy. IVF is done in cycles, and more than one may be required.

Barbara Collura, president and CEO of RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, said that what the White House put out “looks extremely promising.”

“The biggest barriers for people to building their families are the out-of-pocket costs, the lack of insurance coverage for this care,” she said.

Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat, said: “Donald Trump’s executive order does nothing to expand access to IVF. In fact, he’s the reason IVF is at risk in the first place.”

Duckworth said if Trump is going to follow through on his campaign promise to provide free IVF, he can start by supporting her legislation that would require insurance plans to cover IVF.

Trump, who spent the morning at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, spoke to reporters hours before his first joint TV interview with Musk airs in prime time on Fox News.

Musk has drawn criticism from Democrats in Congress and others for the methods he and his team at DOGE are using to cut spending, including foreign aid, and eliminate jobs across the bureaucracy.

The Fox News interview also follows Musk’s appearance with Trump in the Oval Office last week, when both&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-downsizing-federal-workers-doge-00683abc4de44a151f26aaa6cb0d0f30">defended Musk’s approach</a>&nbsp;to federal cost-cutting.

Mar-a-Lago was the setting Tuesday night for an awards program by America’s Future, a conservative group led by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-pardon-michael-flynn-russia-aeef585b08ba6f2c763c8c37bfd678ed">Mike Flynn</a>, who briefly served as national security adviser in the Republican president’s first term. The program aims to preserve individual rights and promote American values and traditions, according to its website. The event, celebrating American exceptionalism, honored one member each from the Army, the Navy, the Marines, the Air Force and the Space Force.

The event included a poolside reception, musical performances and dinner in Mar-a-Lago’s Grand Ballroom. The lineup included such names as Russell Brand, Ted Nugent and Mike Tyson.

Trump made an appearance at the event, according to video posted on social media Tuesday night, addressing the crowd on the patio as he stood near Tyson, Flynn and Nugent and declaring, “This is very, very friendly territory.”

Trump praised the men, including Flynn, who was one of the leading proponents of Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. The president called him “the real deal” and indicated he wanted to bring Flynn into his administration, saying he offered him “about 10 jobs."

“Anytime you want to come in, you know that, Mike, OK?” Trump said.

Flynn&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/0795b34ac17f4681934e31c07b442696">resigned from the first Trump administration</a>&nbsp;less than a month after Trump’s inauguration. He was charged in 2017 with lying to the FBI about conservations he had with the Russians on Trump’s behalf. He twice pleaded guilty, but Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-pardon-michael-flynn-russia-aeef585b08ba6f2c763c8c37bfd678ed">pardoned him</a>&nbsp;in the final weeks of his presidency.

Price reported from New York. Associated Press writers Will Weissert and Chris Megerian in Washington and Laura Ungar in Louisville, Kentucky, contributed to this report. Follow the AP's coverage of President Donald Trump at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump</a>.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday signed an executive order meant to expand access to and reduce costs of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ivf-vitro-fertilization-trump-executive-order-65972cc1b10151bf1a0d9390fe5754d9">in vitro fertilization</a>&nbsp;and issued a presidential memorandum calling for “radical transparency requirements” from the government, which he suggested could reduce wasteful spending.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🇺🇸MAKE FAMILIES GREAT AGAIN: President Trump has taken bold action to expand access to IVF! His Executive Order directs policy recommendations to safeguard IVF treatments and lower costs—making fertility care more affordable for American families! <a href="https://t.co/65ofNMcGfT">pic.twitter.com/65ofNMcGfT</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1891962340796448980?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On the campaign trail, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/elections/2024/trump-calls-for-universal-coverage-of-ivf-treatment-with-no-specifics-on-how-his-plan-would-work/">called for universal coverage of IVF treatment</a>&nbsp;after his Supreme Court nominees helped to overturn Roe v. Wade, leading to a wave of restrictions in Republican-led states, including some that have threatened access to IVF by trying to define life as beginning at conception.Trump, who was at his Florida residence and club Mar-a-Lago, also signed another executive order as well as a presidential memorandum. The second executive order outlined the oversight functions of the Office of Management and Budget, while the memo requires the government to detail the “waste, fraud and abuse” that’s found as the Department of Government Efficiency, overseen by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-doge-white-house-layoffs-0fcdbb692717c63203ef971cb9807b35">Elon Musk</a>, looks to cut government spending.DOGE has often fallen short of the administration’s promises of transparency. Musk has taken questions from journalists only once since becoming Trump’s most powerful adviser, and he’s claimed it’s illegal to name people who are working for him. Sometimes DOGE staff members have demanded access to sensitive government databases with little explanation.Trump took more than 30 minutes of questions Tuesday on a range of topics and bashed the Biden administration throughout, highlighting issues such as its handling of the U.S.-Mexico border, Venezuela policy and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/world-news/russia-ukraine-war-timeline-territorial-shifts-0000018f7d2fdca2afaf7fbf9a2f0000">Russia’s war in Ukraine</a>.Trump said he thought he had a “good chance” to end Russia’s war in Ukraine but bristled at suggestions that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-russia-rubio-lavrov-ukraine-saudi-arabia-94bc4de5ecc86922d6ea4376e38f1cfd">U.S. and Russia had begun negotiations</a>&nbsp;to end fighting without Ukraine playing a role. He even seemed to suggest that Ukraine was to blame for a war that began only after Russia invaded that country.“Today I heard, ‘Well, we weren’t invited.’ Well, you’ve been there for three years,” Trump said of Ukraine’s leaders. “You should have never started it.”In anticipation of questions about his administration’s efforts to slash federal spending, the president said he wrote down examples of government programs around the world which he then listed off at length. They included funding to promote voter turnout in India and social cohesion initiatives in Mali — all of which Trump suggested collectively amounted to fraud.Asked about the White House’s arguing in a court filing that Musk wasn’t the head of Trump’s government efficiency efforts, Trump said: “You could call him an employee, you could call him a consultant, you could call him whatever you want. But he’s a patriot.”Trump said he thinks “women and families, husbands, are very appreciative” of his executive order on IVF, which offers a possible solution when a woman has trouble getting pregnant. The procedure involves retrieving her eggs and combining them in a lab dish with a man’s sperm to create a fertilized embryo, which is then transferred into the woman’s uterus in an attempt to create a pregnancy. IVF is done in cycles, and more than one may be required.Barbara Collura, president and CEO of RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, said that what the White House put out “looks extremely promising.”“The biggest barriers for people to building their families are the out-of-pocket costs, the lack of insurance coverage for this care,” she said.Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat, said: “Donald Trump’s executive order does nothing to expand access to IVF. In fact, he’s the reason IVF is at risk in the first place.”Duckworth said if Trump is going to follow through on his campaign promise to provide free IVF, he can start by supporting her legislation that would require insurance plans to cover IVF.Trump, who spent the morning at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, spoke to reporters hours before his first joint TV interview with Musk airs in prime time on Fox News.Musk has drawn criticism from Democrats in Congress and others for the methods he and his team at DOGE are using to cut spending, including foreign aid, and eliminate jobs across the bureaucracy.The Fox News interview also follows Musk’s appearance with Trump in the Oval Office last week, when both&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-downsizing-federal-workers-doge-00683abc4de44a151f26aaa6cb0d0f30">defended Musk’s approach</a>&nbsp;to federal cost-cutting.Mar-a-Lago was the setting Tuesday night for an awards program by America’s Future, a conservative group led by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-pardon-michael-flynn-russia-aeef585b08ba6f2c763c8c37bfd678ed">Mike Flynn</a>, who briefly served as national security adviser in the Republican president’s first term. The program aims to preserve individual rights and promote American values and traditions, according to its website. The event, celebrating American exceptionalism, honored one member each from the Army, the Navy, the Marines, the Air Force and the Space Force.The event included a poolside reception, musical performances and dinner in Mar-a-Lago’s Grand Ballroom. The lineup included such names as Russell Brand, Ted Nugent and Mike Tyson.Trump made an appearance at the event, according to video posted on social media Tuesday night, addressing the crowd on the patio as he stood near Tyson, Flynn and Nugent and declaring, “This is very, very friendly territory.”Trump praised the men, including Flynn, who was one of the leading proponents of Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. The president called him “the real deal” and indicated he wanted to bring Flynn into his administration, saying he offered him “about 10 jobs."“Anytime you want to come in, you know that, Mike, OK?” Trump said.Flynn&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/0795b34ac17f4681934e31c07b442696">resigned from the first Trump administration</a>&nbsp;less than a month after Trump’s inauguration. He was charged in 2017 with lying to the FBI about conservations he had with the Russians on Trump’s behalf. He twice pleaded guilty, but Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-pardon-michael-flynn-russia-aeef585b08ba6f2c763c8c37bfd678ed">pardoned him</a>&nbsp;in the final weeks of his presidency.___Price reported from New York. Associated Press writers Will Weissert and Chris Megerian in Washington and Laura Ungar in Louisville, Kentucky, contributed to this report. Follow the AP's coverage of President Donald Trump at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump</a>.

Trump signs order to study how to expand IVF 

SUMTERVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Native American activist Leonard Peltier was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/leonard-peltier-biden-pardons-eba525b713f2ec739b84aa4426366775">released from a Florida prison</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday, weeks after then-President Joe Biden angered law enforcement officials by commuting his life sentence in the 1975 killings of two FBI agents.

For nearly half a century, Peltier’s imprisonment has symbolized&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/leonard-peltier">systemic injustice</a>&nbsp;for Native Americans across the country who believe in his innocence. The decision to release the 80-year-old to home confinement was celebrated by supporters.

“He represents every person who’s been roughed up by a cop, profiled, had their children harassed at school,” said Nick Estes, a professor of American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota and a member of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe who advocated for Peltier’s release.

But the move just before Biden left office also prompted criticism from those who say Peltier is guilty, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chris-wray-fbi-farewell-trump-patel-partisanship-afe159a6e112e68dd5319ceac905d517">former FBI Director Christopher Wray</a>, who called him “a remorseless killer” in a private letter to Biden obtained by The Associated Press.

“Granting Peltier any relief from his conviction or sentence is wholly unjustified and would be an affront to the rule of law,” Wray wrote.

The commutation was not a pardon for crimes committed, something Peltier’s advocates have hoped for since he has always maintained his innocence.

Peltier left the prison Tuesday morning in an SUV, according to a prison official. He didn't stop to speak with reporters or his supporters outside the gates.

One of his attorneys, Jenipher Jones, said Peltier was looking forward to going home.

“We’re so excited for this moment,” Jones said. “He is in good spirits. He has the soul of a warrior.”

After being released from USP Coleman, a high-security prison, Peltier planned to return to North Dakota, where he is expected to celebrate with friends and family on Wednesday.

Biden commuted Peltier’s sentence Jan. 20, noting he had spent most of his life in prison and was now in poor health.

“We never thought he would get out,” Ray St. Clair, a member of the White Earth Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, said shortly before Peltier's release. “It shows you should never give up hope. We can take this repairing the damage that was done. This is a start.”

Peltier, an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians in North Dakota, was active in the American Indian Movement, which beginning in the 1960s fought for Native American treaty rights and tribal self-determination.

The group&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/protests-and-demonstrations-united-states-government-south-dakota-religion-b3b62b1e89e713160ee0051c8b760459">grabbed headlines</a>&nbsp;in 1969 when activists occupied the former prison island of Alcatraz in the San Francisco Bay, and again in 1972, when they presented presidential candidates with a list of demands including the restoration of tribal land. After they were ignored, they seized the headquarters of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

From then on, the group was subject to FBI surveillance and harassment under a covert program that sought to disrupt activism and was exposed in 1975.

Peltier's conviction stemmed from a confrontation that year on the Oglala Sioux Indian Reservation in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, in which FBI agents Jack Coler and Ronald Williams were killed. According to the FBI, the agents were there to serve arrest warrants for robbery and assault with a dangerous weapon.

Prosecutors maintained at trial that Peltier shot both agents in the head at point-blank range. Peltier acknowledged being present and firing a gun at a distance, but he said he fired in self-defense. A woman who claimed to have seen Peltier shoot the agents later recanted her testimony, saying it had been coerced.

He was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and given two consecutive life sentences.

Two other movement members, co-defendants Robert Robideau and Dino Butler, were acquitted on the grounds of self-defense.

Peltier was denied parole&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/leonard-peltier-parole-hearing-2d0df4e4997d988ec229b05de9dba648">as recently as July</a>&nbsp;and was not eligible to be considered for it again until 2026.

“Leonard Peltier’s release is the right thing to do given the serious and ongoing human rights concerns about the fairness of his trial, his nearly 50 years behind bars, his health and his age," Paul O’Brien, executive director with Amnesty International USA, said in a statement before Peltier's release. "While we welcome his release from prison, he should not be restricted to home confinement.”

Prominent Native American groups like the National Congress of the American Indian have called for Peltier's release for decades, and Amnesty International considered him a political prisoner. Prominent supporters over the years included South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, civil rights icon Coretta Scott King, actor and director Robert Redford and musicians Pete Seeger, Harry Belafonte and Jackson Browne.

Generations of Indigenous activists and leaders lobbied multiple presidents to pardon Peltier. Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, a member of the Pueblo of Laguna and the first Native American to hold the secretary's position, praised Biden's decision.

“I am grateful that Leonard can now go home to his family,” she said Jan. 20 in a post on X. “I applaud President Biden for this action and understanding what this means to Indian Country.”

As a young child, Peltier was taken from his family and sent to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-indian-country-harris-arizona-election-0ac697174d60f8481924a09cbc0c6d51">boarding school</a>. Thousands of Indigenous children over decades faced the same fate, and were in many cases subjected to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/indian-boarding-schools-biden-apology-3e5376d10406e21c25eee35fc6be7510">systemic physical, psychological and sexual abuse</a>.

“He hasn’t really had a home since he was taken away to boarding school,” said Nick Tilsen, who has been advocating for Peltier's release since he was a teen and is CEO of NDN Collective, an Indigenous-led advocacy group based in South Dakota. “So he is excited to be at home and paint and have grandkids running around.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739893159547.png" alt="FILE - American Indian activist Leonard Peltier speaks during an interview at the U.S. Penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kan., April 29, 1999. (Joe Ledford/The Kansas City Star via AP, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - American Indian activist Leonard Peltier speaks during an interview at the U.S. Penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kan., April 29, 1999. (Joe Ledford/The Kansas City Star via AP, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>SUMTERVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Native American activist Leonard Peltier was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/leonard-peltier-biden-pardons-eba525b713f2ec739b84aa4426366775">released from a Florida prison</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday, weeks after then-President Joe Biden angered law enforcement officials by commuting his life sentence in the 1975 killings of two FBI agents.For nearly half a century, Peltier’s imprisonment has symbolized&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/leonard-peltier">systemic injustice</a>&nbsp;for Native Americans across the country who believe in his innocence. The decision to release the 80-year-old to home confinement was celebrated by supporters.“He represents every person who’s been roughed up by a cop, profiled, had their children harassed at school,” said Nick Estes, a professor of American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota and a member of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe who advocated for Peltier’s release.But the move just before Biden left office also prompted criticism from those who say Peltier is guilty, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chris-wray-fbi-farewell-trump-patel-partisanship-afe159a6e112e68dd5319ceac905d517">former FBI Director Christopher Wray</a>, who called him “a remorseless killer” in a private letter to Biden obtained by The Associated Press.“Granting Peltier any relief from his conviction or sentence is wholly unjustified and would be an affront to the rule of law,” Wray wrote.The commutation was not a pardon for crimes committed, something Peltier’s advocates have hoped for since he has always maintained his innocence.Peltier left the prison Tuesday morning in an SUV, according to a prison official. He didn't stop to speak with reporters or his supporters outside the gates.One of his attorneys, Jenipher Jones, said Peltier was looking forward to going home.“We’re so excited for this moment,” Jones said. “He is in good spirits. He has the soul of a warrior.”After being released from USP Coleman, a high-security prison, Peltier planned to return to North Dakota, where he is expected to celebrate with friends and family on Wednesday.Biden commuted Peltier’s sentence Jan. 20, noting he had spent most of his life in prison and was now in poor health.“We never thought he would get out,” Ray St. Clair, a member of the White Earth Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, said shortly before Peltier's release. “It shows you should never give up hope. We can take this repairing the damage that was done. This is a start.”Peltier, an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians in North Dakota, was active in the American Indian Movement, which beginning in the 1960s fought for Native American treaty rights and tribal self-determination.The group&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/protests-and-demonstrations-united-states-government-south-dakota-religion-b3b62b1e89e713160ee0051c8b760459">grabbed headlines</a>&nbsp;in 1969 when activists occupied the former prison island of Alcatraz in the San Francisco Bay, and again in 1972, when they presented presidential candidates with a list of demands including the restoration of tribal land. After they were ignored, they seized the headquarters of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.From then on, the group was subject to FBI surveillance and harassment under a covert program that sought to disrupt activism and was exposed in 1975.Peltier's conviction stemmed from a confrontation that year on the Oglala Sioux Indian Reservation in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, in which FBI agents Jack Coler and Ronald Williams were killed. According to the FBI, the agents were there to serve arrest warrants for robbery and assault with a dangerous weapon.Prosecutors maintained at trial that Peltier shot both agents in the head at point-blank range. Peltier acknowledged being present and firing a gun at a distance, but he said he fired in self-defense. A woman who claimed to have seen Peltier shoot the agents later recanted her testimony, saying it had been coerced.He was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and given two consecutive life sentences.Two other movement members, co-defendants Robert Robideau and Dino Butler, were acquitted on the grounds of self-defense.Peltier was denied parole&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/leonard-peltier-parole-hearing-2d0df4e4997d988ec229b05de9dba648">as recently as July</a>&nbsp;and was not eligible to be considered for it again until 2026.“Leonard Peltier’s release is the right thing to do given the serious and ongoing human rights concerns about the fairness of his trial, his nearly 50 years behind bars, his health and his age," Paul O’Brien, executive director with Amnesty International USA, said in a statement before Peltier's release. "While we welcome his release from prison, he should not be restricted to home confinement.”Prominent Native American groups like the National Congress of the American Indian have called for Peltier's release for decades, and Amnesty International considered him a political prisoner. Prominent supporters over the years included South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, civil rights icon Coretta Scott King, actor and director Robert Redford and musicians Pete Seeger, Harry Belafonte and Jackson Browne.Generations of Indigenous activists and leaders lobbied multiple presidents to pardon Peltier. Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, a member of the Pueblo of Laguna and the first Native American to hold the secretary's position, praised Biden's decision.“I am grateful that Leonard can now go home to his family,” she said Jan. 20 in a post on X. “I applaud President Biden for this action and understanding what this means to Indian Country.”As a young child, Peltier was taken from his family and sent to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-indian-country-harris-arizona-election-0ac697174d60f8481924a09cbc0c6d51">boarding school</a>. Thousands of Indigenous children over decades faced the same fate, and were in many cases subjected to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/indian-boarding-schools-biden-apology-3e5376d10406e21c25eee35fc6be7510">systemic physical, psychological and sexual abuse</a>.“He hasn’t really had a home since he was taken away to boarding school,” said Nick Tilsen, who has been advocating for Peltier's release since he was a teen and is CEO of NDN Collective, an Indigenous-led advocacy group based in South Dakota. “So he is excited to be at home and paint and have grandkids running around.”___Brewer reported from Norman, Oklahoma.

Man who killed 2 FBI agents is free after Biden commuted his sentence

The undefeated Hays High girls’ basketball team remains
fourth in the final Kansas Basketball Coaches Association Class 5A rankings released
Tuesday afternoon. The top six spots remain unchanged with undefeated Topeka
Seaman atop the 5A poll.

The Hoxie girls remain at No. 5 in Class 2A with
Phillipsburg in at No. 10. The Quinter girls remain seventh in 1A Division 1.
Wheatland-Grinnell holds at No. 8 in 1A Division 2.

Great Bend remains fourth in 5A, Goodland stays atop the 4A
poll, Logan-Palco moves up a spot to No. 2 in 1A Division 2 while Victoria
remains ranked 10th.

6A Girls
 1. Blue Valley North
 2. Derby
 3. Olathe South
 4. Wichita Heights
 5. Washburn Rural
 6. Olathe North
 7. Blue Valley Northwest
 8. Olathe West
 9. Wichita East
 10. Shawnee Mission South

5A Girls
 1. Topeka Seaman
 2. St. James Academy
 3. Andover
 4. Hays
 5. Kansas City Piper
 6. Maize South
 7. Arkansas City
 8. Spring Hill
 9. De Soto
 10. Kapaun Mt. Carmel

4A Girls
 1. Wellington
 2. Topeka Hayden
 3. Eudora
 4. Bishop Miege
 5. Fort Scott
 6. Labette County
 7. Clay Center
 8. Rock Creek
 9. Buhler
 10. Clearwater

3A Girls
 1. Hesston
 2. Halstead
 3. Osage City
 4. Colby
 5. Riley County
 6. Silver Lake
 7. Girard
 8. Neodesha
 9. Holcomb
 10. Haven

2A Girls
 1. Pittsburg-Colgan
 2. Moundridge
 3. Wichita County
 4. Inman
 5. Hoxie
 6. Ellinwood
 7. Bennington
 8. Doniphan West
 9. Chase County
 10. Phillipsburg

1A Division 1
 1. Little River
 2. Centralia
 3. South Gray
 4. Clifton Clyde
 5. Central Plains
 6. Troy
 7. Quinter
 8. St. John
 9. Rock Hills
 10. Rawlins County

1A Division 2
 1. Lebo
 2. Hanover
 3. South Haven
 4. Bucklin
 5. Wallace County
 6. Attica
 7. Hodgeman County
 8. Wheatland-Grinnell
 9. Hartford
 10. Cheylin

6A Boys
 1. Shawnee Mission Northwest
 2. Shawnee Mission South
 3. Derby 4. Wichita Heights
 5. Mill Valley
 6. Blue Valley
 7. Wichita Northwest
 8. Olathe North
 9. Blue Valley North
 10. Olathe Northwest

5A Boys
 1. Highland Park
 2. Kansas City Piper
 3. Kapaun Mt. Carmel
 4. Great Bend
 5. Andover
 6. Shawnee Heights
 7. Bonner Springs
 8. Topeka Seaman
 9. Emporia
 10. St. Thomas Aquinas

4A Boys
 1. Ottawa
 2. McPherson
 3. Rock Creek
 4. Baldwin
 5. Chanute
 6. Andale
 7. Topeka Hayden
 8. Pratt
 9. Coffeyville-Field Kinley
 10. Clay Center

3A Boys
 1. Goodland
 2. Haven
 3. Lakin
 4. Cheney
 5. Wichita Collegiate
 T6. Hesston
 T6. Galena
 8. Nemaha Central
 9. Scott City
 10. Holcomb

2A Boys
 1. Moundridge
 2. Sterling
 3. Salina-Sacred Heart
 4. Ell-Saline
 5. Maur Hill Mount Academy
 6. Rossville
 7. Berean Academy
 8. Bennington
 9. Hillsboro
 10. Valley Falls

1A Division 1 Boys
 1. South Central
 2. Olpe
 3. Lawrence-Seabury Academy
 4. South Gray
 5. Burden-Central
 6. Burlington
 7. Oxford
 8. Central Plains
 9. Macksville
 10. Kowa County

&nbsp;1A&nbsp; Division 2 Boys 1. Cunningham 2. Logan-Palco 3. Axtell 4. Elyria Christian 5. Dighton 6. Hanover 7. Weskan 8. Hodgeman County 9. St. John-Tipton 10. Victoria

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712064660369.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Hays PostThe undefeated Hays High girls’ basketball team remains
fourth in the final Kansas Basketball Coaches Association Class 5A rankings released
Tuesday afternoon. The top six spots remain unchanged with undefeated Topeka
Seaman atop the 5A poll.The Hoxie girls remain at No. 5 in Class 2A with
Phillipsburg in at No. 10. The Quinter girls remain seventh in 1A Division 1.
Wheatland-Grinnell holds at No. 8 in 1A Division 2.Great Bend remains fourth in 5A, Goodland stays atop the 4A
poll, Logan-Palco moves up a spot to No. 2 in 1A Division 2 while Victoria
remains ranked 10th.6A Girls
 1. Blue Valley North
 2. Derby
 3. Olathe South
 4. Wichita Heights
 5. Washburn Rural
 6. Olathe North
 7. Blue Valley Northwest
 8. Olathe West
 9. Wichita East
 10. Shawnee Mission South5A Girls
 1. Topeka Seaman
 2. St. James Academy
 3. Andover
 4. Hays
 5. Kansas City Piper
 6. Maize South
 7. Arkansas City
 8. Spring Hill
 9. De Soto
 10. Kapaun Mt. Carmel4A Girls
 1. Wellington
 2. Topeka Hayden
 3. Eudora
 4. Bishop Miege
 5. Fort Scott
 6. Labette County
 7. Clay Center
 8. Rock Creek
 9. Buhler
 10. Clearwater3A Girls
 1. Hesston
 2. Halstead
 3. Osage City
 4. Colby
 5. Riley County
 6. Silver Lake
 7. Girard
 8. Neodesha
 9. Holcomb
 10. Haven2A Girls
 1. Pittsburg-Colgan
 2. Moundridge
 3. Wichita County
 4. Inman
 5. Hoxie
 6. Ellinwood
 7. Bennington
 8. Doniphan West
 9. Chase County
 10. Phillipsburg1A Division 1
 1. Little River
 2. Centralia
 3. South Gray
 4. Clifton Clyde
 5. Central Plains
 6. Troy
 7. Quinter
 8. St. John
 9. Rock Hills
 10. Rawlins County1A Division 2
 1. Lebo
 2. Hanover
 3. South Haven
 4. Bucklin
 5. Wallace County
 6. Attica
 7. Hodgeman County
 8. Wheatland-Grinnell
 9. Hartford
 10. Cheylin6A Boys
 1. Shawnee Mission Northwest
 2. Shawnee Mission South
 3. Derby 4. Wichita Heights
 5. Mill Valley
 6. Blue Valley
 7. Wichita Northwest
 8. Olathe North
 9. Blue Valley North
 10. Olathe Northwest5A Boys
 1. Highland Park
 2. Kansas City Piper
 3. Kapaun Mt. Carmel
 4. Great Bend
 5. Andover
 6. Shawnee Heights
 7. Bonner Springs
 8. Topeka Seaman
 9. Emporia
 10. St. Thomas Aquinas4A Boys
 1. Ottawa
 2. McPherson
 3. Rock Creek
 4. Baldwin
 5. Chanute
 6. Andale
 7. Topeka Hayden
 8. Pratt
 9. Coffeyville-Field Kinley
 10. Clay Center3A Boys
 1. Goodland
 2. Haven
 3. Lakin
 4. Cheney
 5. Wichita Collegiate
 T6. Hesston
 T6. Galena
 8. Nemaha Central
 9. Scott City
 10. Holcomb2A Boys
 1. Moundridge
 2. Sterling
 3. Salina-Sacred Heart
 4. Ell-Saline
 5. Maur Hill Mount Academy
 6. Rossville
 7. Berean Academy
 8. Bennington
 9. Hillsboro
 10. Valley Falls1A Division 1 Boys
 1. South Central
 2. Olpe
 3. Lawrence-Seabury Academy
 4. South Gray
 5. Burden-Central
 6. Burlington
 7. Oxford
 8. Central Plains
 9. Macksville
 10. Kowa County&nbsp;1A&nbsp; Division 2 Boys 1. Cunningham 2. Logan-Palco 3. Axtell 4. Elyria Christian 5. Dighton 6. Hanover 7. Weskan 8. Hodgeman County 9. St. John-Tipton 10. Victoria

🏀 Hays girls remain 4th, Victoria boys 10th in final KBCA poll

WASHINGTON (AP) — His group spent nearly $1 million on ads opposing Robert F. Kennedy Jr.,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;pick to lead the nation's health agencies. He's delivering speeches urging the president to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-us-marc-fogel-prisoner-swap-98418693957b1fa0189ee8ac4e8b4f2d">stand with longstanding foreign allies</a>&nbsp;and lobbying members of Congress while aides write letters and opinion columns.

This weekend,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Mike_Pence/status/1890887398461948057">he posted an article he penned more than a decade ago</a>&nbsp;on the limits of presidential power after&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114009179225169296">Trump claimed</a>&nbsp;that, “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-pence">Mike Pence</a>&nbsp;is emerging as one of the last Republicans in Washington willing to publicly criticize the new administration.

It's an especially jarring role for the former vice president, whose refusal to break with Trump defined their time together in office until the two had a falling out over Trump’s refusal to accept the results of the 2020 election and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-virus-outbreak-elections-voting-fraud-and-irregularities-2d39186996f69de245e59c966d4d140f">his efforts to remain in power</a>.

Pence and those who work with him at Advancing American Freedom, his political advocacy group, stress they are not looking to take on the “Never Trump" mantle. They intend to praise the administration when they agree with it, while raising concerns when they don't, advocating for longtime conservative principles that have fallen out of favor as Trump's “Make America Great Again” brand of populism has taken hold.

“We’re calling balls and strikes here,” Pence told The Associated Press.

Pence opposed Kennedy — who has since been confirmed as secretary of health and human services — due to Kennedy’s past comments voicing support for abortion rights. His group is now lobbying against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cabinet-labor-secretary-lori-chavez-deremer-decd9cff41794205bd06223f939f9e7b">Lori Chavez-DeRemer</a>, Trump's pick for labor secretary,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/AmericanFreedom/status/1889826692493091262">accusing her of being pro-union</a>, and plans to spend the coming months pushing to increase military spending, shrink the deficit, and make permanent 2017 tax cuts, as well as trying to convince Trump to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-reciprocal-imports-tax-trade-economy-54c0a26687dc96157d96229068894720">stop slapping tariffs</a>&nbsp;on allies.

The AP recently sat down with Pence to discuss his efforts and his relationship with Trump — including a closely watched handshake at the funeral of President Jimmy Carter and his wife's lack of reaction as the 45th and 47th president took his seat.

Here is a transcript of that conversation, which has been lightly edited for space and clarity:

Q: What do you see as your role and the role of AAF over the next four years?

Pence: “To be an anchor to windward ... I came across that line I think in a Herman Melville book a long time ago.”

“The wind blows in the direction of more government. And I think it’s a role of conservatives to anchor the party so that when the wind blows, you put the anchor to windward so you stay grounded and hopefully do some small part to hold, you know, hold the ship of state on the principles that really minted my career in this movement.”

“A strong defense, to American leadership of the free world, limited government, fiscal responsibility, growth, the right to life, traditional values — those were the values that drew me to the Republican Party. And I still think that they are the timeless ideals of the party of Lincoln. And so I want to do my part, even as a former elected official, to use whatever remains of my bully pulpit to be a champion for those principles.”

Pence: “Well, for me, it’s always principles first. It’s not personal. I went to the inauguration last month and I was very moved in the outpouring of kind words and expressions of appreciation from former colleagues, including many members of the new administration who I encountered in hallways. And I saw Secretary of State (Marco) Rubio. I gave him a hug, told him how proud I was of him. We had praised him from here when he was selected. I must have seen about or interacted with about half the incoming Cabinet."

“We went to the Carter funeral. And the president and I had a very cordial exchange. You know, he was coming down the row in front of us at the National Cathedral and he said, ‘Hi, Mike.’ And I was standing up, extended my hand, and I said, ‘Congratulations, Mr. President.’ And I could see his countenance softened. And he said, ‘Thanks.’ And Melania reached out and I said, ‘Congratulations, Melania.’ And it was, you know, the people that know me know it’s not personal. I’ve long since forgiven the president for any differences that we had at the end of our administration. We still have those differences as the president still holds the view that, to my knowledge, that I had some authority that I did not have under the Constitution or laws of the country. But from my heart, I've prayed often for the president."

“And so, to answer your question, I think that the way we want to approach this is with integrity to principle. And I’m very encouraged. I think the Trump administration is off to a great start ... I’m very pleased about the president undoing Biden’s border policies and putting back into place the policies that we had negotiated and established that secured the border. But you know, with regard to the nomination of RFK ... for me, it would begin and end with the right to life ... I saw the nomination of an abortion rights supporter to be secretary of HHS to be a dramatic departure from 50 years of strong pro-life leadership at HHS under Republican administrations. So we thought it was important to speak out. And we got a lot of quiet encouragement about that."

“Well, we got a lot of quiet encouragement from people that, for whatever reason, didn't feel compelled to join us in that chorus. But I thought it was an important point for us to make. And, you know, we'll continue to be a champion."

Q: Why are Republicans so reluctant to speak out publicly?

Pence: “I never speculate on motives. You know, I’m not new to town. I’ve waged lonely battles before.”

“But you know, you have to be willing to step out and lead. And my hope is that even in the wake of this fight that, you know, the Senate has worked its will, the president will get his choice at HHS. My hope is that when the next issue of life comes up, that people will have been encouraged, emboldened to know that they’re not alone.”

Q: Is there support in the party for moving back in the direction that you'd like to see versus the populist, MAGA wing of the party that's ascendant?

Pence: “Well now you hit it. Now you're on it. I don’t think — look, I think some of the prominent voices in the party have embraced a more populist thinking. I don’t believe the overwhelming majority of people that ever vote Republican think any differently than they thought during our administration when we hewed to a conservative agenda or the years before or since."

"Let me give you one anecdote. So I'm at a town hall meeting when I’m running for president. And at the end of the town hall meeting — it was well-attended, it was in Iowa — a farmer walked up to me and he said, ‘It was a great town hall meeting. I agree with everything you say.’ You know, and I argued for — this was literally in the wake of the Oct. 7 attack. And I argued for strong American support for Israel, strong American leadership in the world, continued support for Ukraine in their fight and limited government and bringing about reforms to put our fiscal house in order and right to life.

And this farmer says to me, he said, ‘I agree with absolutely everything you said.’ So I said, ‘Well, can I count on your vote?’ And he said, ‘No, I got to be for Trump this time.’ And he goes, ‘But I’ll see you in four years. You’re going to be a great president someday.’ I said, ‘Would you mind telling me, you know, why?’ And he said words I never forgot, which was in effect: He lamented Biden’s failed record. And I saw that he was drawn to the need for a rematch. And then he said, ‘Plus, if they can do that to a former president, they can do that to me.’ And the ‘lawfare’ stuff went into higher relief.

“So I didn’t see in this last election a Republican Party that was embracing big government or a vision to pull back from America’s commitments on the world stage or marginalizing the right to life. I didn’t see that traveling all over the country and I still don’t see it. I think there were other factors that gave the former president a decided advantage in the election. He’d earned it. He’d won it. And then he won it in the fall. But I don’t think the party’s changed."

Q: You mentioned the Carter funeral earlier. Tell me about your wife's reaction to the Trumps that day.

(At the funeral, former second lady Karen Pence refused to acknowledge the then-president elect or shake Melania Trump’s hands — footage that ended up going viral online.)

Pence: “My wife loves her husband. And I love my wife and I have great respect for her. And so — but I’ve been really moved at how many people around the country have thanked us both for that day.

"But again, you know, I want to emphasize, we’re eyes forward here. You know, I’d always thought the president was going to come around on the position he took on Jan. 6. If you read the end of my book, which I’d be flattered if you did, you’ll read we actually parted on very amicable terms, very good terms. But in the spring, when he returned to the rhetoric about how I could have done something that neither the Constitution nor the law would ever permit any vice president to do, then I just decided it was important to go our separate ways. But hope springs eternal. And we want to be a constructive force for the conservative agenda. I think that’s good for the administration. It’s good for the Congress. More importantly, it’s good for America.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736435328583.png" alt="As Trump went to his seat before the Jimmy Carter memorial service began, he shook hands with Mike Pence in a rare interaction with his former vice president. The two men had a falling out over Pence’s refusal to help Trump overturn his election defeat to Biden four years ago. -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>As Trump went to his seat before the Jimmy Carter memorial service began, he shook hands with Mike Pence in a rare interaction with his former vice president. The two men had a falling out over Pence’s refusal to help Trump overturn his election defeat to Biden four years ago. -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — His group spent nearly $1 million on ads opposing Robert F. Kennedy Jr.,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;pick to lead the nation's health agencies. He's delivering speeches urging the president to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-us-marc-fogel-prisoner-swap-98418693957b1fa0189ee8ac4e8b4f2d">stand with longstanding foreign allies</a>&nbsp;and lobbying members of Congress while aides write letters and opinion columns.This weekend,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Mike_Pence/status/1890887398461948057">he posted an article he penned more than a decade ago</a>&nbsp;on the limits of presidential power after&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114009179225169296">Trump claimed</a>&nbsp;that, “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law.”<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-pence">Mike Pence</a>&nbsp;is emerging as one of the last Republicans in Washington willing to publicly criticize the new administration.It's an especially jarring role for the former vice president, whose refusal to break with Trump defined their time together in office until the two had a falling out over Trump’s refusal to accept the results of the 2020 election and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-virus-outbreak-elections-voting-fraud-and-irregularities-2d39186996f69de245e59c966d4d140f">his efforts to remain in power</a>.Pence and those who work with him at Advancing American Freedom, his political advocacy group, stress they are not looking to take on the “Never Trump" mantle. They intend to praise the administration when they agree with it, while raising concerns when they don't, advocating for longtime conservative principles that have fallen out of favor as Trump's “Make America Great Again” brand of populism has taken hold.“We’re calling balls and strikes here,” Pence told The Associated Press.Pence opposed Kennedy — who has since been confirmed as secretary of health and human services — due to Kennedy’s past comments voicing support for abortion rights. His group is now lobbying against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cabinet-labor-secretary-lori-chavez-deremer-decd9cff41794205bd06223f939f9e7b">Lori Chavez-DeRemer</a>, Trump's pick for labor secretary,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/AmericanFreedom/status/1889826692493091262">accusing her of being pro-union</a>, and plans to spend the coming months pushing to increase military spending, shrink the deficit, and make permanent 2017 tax cuts, as well as trying to convince Trump to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-reciprocal-imports-tax-trade-economy-54c0a26687dc96157d96229068894720">stop slapping tariffs</a>&nbsp;on allies.The AP recently sat down with Pence to discuss his efforts and his relationship with Trump — including a closely watched handshake at the funeral of President Jimmy Carter and his wife's lack of reaction as the 45th and 47th president took his seat.Here is a transcript of that conversation, which has been lightly edited for space and clarity:<h2>Q: What do you see as your role and the role of AAF over the next four years?</h2>Pence: “To be an anchor to windward ... I came across that line I think in a Herman Melville book a long time ago.”“The wind blows in the direction of more government. And I think it’s a role of conservatives to anchor the party so that when the wind blows, you put the anchor to windward so you stay grounded and hopefully do some small part to hold, you know, hold the ship of state on the principles that really minted my career in this movement.”“A strong defense, to American leadership of the free world, limited government, fiscal responsibility, growth, the right to life, traditional values — those were the values that drew me to the Republican Party. And I still think that they are the timeless ideals of the party of Lincoln. And so I want to do my part, even as a former elected official, to use whatever remains of my bully pulpit to be a champion for those principles.”<h2>Q: How are you picking your battles?</h2>Pence: “Well, for me, it’s always principles first. It’s not personal. I went to the inauguration last month and I was very moved in the outpouring of kind words and expressions of appreciation from former colleagues, including many members of the new administration who I encountered in hallways. And I saw Secretary of State (Marco) Rubio. I gave him a hug, told him how proud I was of him. We had praised him from here when he was selected. I must have seen about or interacted with about half the incoming Cabinet."“We went to the Carter funeral. And the president and I had a very cordial exchange. You know, he was coming down the row in front of us at the National Cathedral and he said, ‘Hi, Mike.’ And I was standing up, extended my hand, and I said, ‘Congratulations, Mr. President.’ And I could see his countenance softened. And he said, ‘Thanks.’ And Melania reached out and I said, ‘Congratulations, Melania.’ And it was, you know, the people that know me know it’s not personal. I’ve long since forgiven the president for any differences that we had at the end of our administration. We still have those differences as the president still holds the view that, to my knowledge, that I had some authority that I did not have under the Constitution or laws of the country. But from my heart, I've prayed often for the president."“And so, to answer your question, I think that the way we want to approach this is with integrity to principle. And I’m very encouraged. I think the Trump administration is off to a great start ... I’m very pleased about the president undoing Biden’s border policies and putting back into place the policies that we had negotiated and established that secured the border. But you know, with regard to the nomination of RFK ... for me, it would begin and end with the right to life ... I saw the nomination of an abortion rights supporter to be secretary of HHS to be a dramatic departure from 50 years of strong pro-life leadership at HHS under Republican administrations. So we thought it was important to speak out. And we got a lot of quiet encouragement about that."<h2>Q: Quiet encouragement?</h2>“Well, we got a lot of quiet encouragement from people that, for whatever reason, didn't feel compelled to join us in that chorus. But I thought it was an important point for us to make. And, you know, we'll continue to be a champion."<h2>Q: Why are Republicans so reluctant to speak out publicly?</h2>Pence: “I never speculate on motives. You know, I’m not new to town. I’ve waged lonely battles before.”“But you know, you have to be willing to step out and lead. And my hope is that even in the wake of this fight that, you know, the Senate has worked its will, the president will get his choice at HHS. My hope is that when the next issue of life comes up, that people will have been encouraged, emboldened to know that they’re not alone.”<h2>Q: Is there support in the party for moving back in the direction that you'd like to see versus the populist, MAGA wing of the party that's ascendant?</h2>Pence: “Well now you hit it. Now you're on it. I don’t think — look, I think some of the prominent voices in the party have embraced a more populist thinking. I don’t believe the overwhelming majority of people that ever vote Republican think any differently than they thought during our administration when we hewed to a conservative agenda or the years before or since.""Let me give you one anecdote. So I'm at a town hall meeting when I’m running for president. And at the end of the town hall meeting — it was well-attended, it was in Iowa — a farmer walked up to me and he said, ‘It was a great town hall meeting. I agree with everything you say.’ You know, and I argued for — this was literally in the wake of the Oct. 7 attack. And I argued for strong American support for Israel, strong American leadership in the world, continued support for Ukraine in their fight and limited government and bringing about reforms to put our fiscal house in order and right to life.And this farmer says to me, he said, ‘I agree with absolutely everything you said.’ So I said, ‘Well, can I count on your vote?’ And he said, ‘No, I got to be for Trump this time.’ And he goes, ‘But I’ll see you in four years. You’re going to be a great president someday.’ I said, ‘Would you mind telling me, you know, why?’ And he said words I never forgot, which was in effect: He lamented Biden’s failed record. And I saw that he was drawn to the need for a rematch. And then he said, ‘Plus, if they can do that to a former president, they can do that to me.’ And the ‘lawfare’ stuff went into higher relief.“So I didn’t see in this last election a Republican Party that was embracing big government or a vision to pull back from America’s commitments on the world stage or marginalizing the right to life. I didn’t see that traveling all over the country and I still don’t see it. I think there were other factors that gave the former president a decided advantage in the election. He’d earned it. He’d won it. And then he won it in the fall. But I don’t think the party’s changed."<h2>Q: You mentioned the Carter funeral earlier. Tell me about your wife's reaction to the Trumps that day.</h2>(At the funeral, former second lady Karen Pence refused to acknowledge the then-president elect or shake Melania Trump’s hands — footage that ended up going viral online.)Pence: “My wife loves her husband. And I love my wife and I have great respect for her. And so — but I’ve been really moved at how many people around the country have thanked us both for that day."But again, you know, I want to emphasize, we’re eyes forward here. You know, I’d always thought the president was going to come around on the position he took on Jan. 6. If you read the end of my book, which I’d be flattered if you did, you’ll read we actually parted on very amicable terms, very good terms. But in the spring, when he returned to the rhetoric about how I could have done something that neither the Constitution nor the law would ever permit any vice president to do, then I just decided it was important to go our separate ways. But hope springs eternal. And we want to be a constructive force for the conservative agenda. I think that’s good for the administration. It’s good for the Congress. More importantly, it’s good for America.”

Mike Pence is one of the few Republicans willing to challenge Trump 2.0

By DIANE GASPER-O’BRIEN Special to Hays Post

There are a variety of ways of measuring top team performances in sporting events.

Take, for example, the Hays High School boys’ swim team.

The Indians finished second in team scoring at last week’s Western Athletic Conference Championships while fielding the smallest roster in the meet.

But the team trophy is about the only top award the Indians didn’t bring home.

The HHS squad of 10 swimmers won eight of the 11 events and recorded four other top-three finishes.

The Indians powered their way through the meet, recording first-place times in the first seven events, then winning the meet finale (the 400-yard freestyle relay).

However, Hays High ultimately couldn’t keep up with Garden City’s roster depth. The Buffaloes were able to enter numerous swimmers whose points in lower placings added to their team score.

In the end, the Indians finished second to Garden City in team points (390-346.5) but still came home with 14 gold medals – more than twice as many as Garden City.

Following that impressive performance, Hays High coach Tyler Stein was voted WAC Coach of the Year, and HHS senior Marshall Sook earned WAC swimmer-of-the-year honors.

“Having my old coach there and other coaches I’ve gotten to know through the years was cool,” said Stein, a former all-state swimmer at Great Bend High School. “It was rewarding to see that they felt I had done a good job this year.”

Sook won both his individual events – the 50- and 100-yard freestyle – and also was a member of the Indians’ two gold-medal relay teams (the 200-yard medley and 400-yard freestyle).

Juniors Karsen Flaska and Chase Zadina also each won four golds.

Both swam on those championship relay teams with Sook, while Flaska also won the 200-yard individual medley and 500-yard freestyle, and Zadina won the 100-yard butterfly and tied for first in the 200-yard freestyle.

The final member of the championship 200-yard medley relay team was junior Noah Schaeffer, who also was fourth in the 100-yard breaststroke.

Schaeffer also helped the Indians’ 200-yard freestyle relay team finish third along with seniors Christian Miller, Bryton Unsworth and Justin Reeves. Those three seniors completed their prep careers in style by winning WAC medals while also scoring valuable points in other races along with junior Levi Crisenberry.

“I was really proud of all the guys, and I made sure they knew that,” Stein said. “I wanted them to know how grateful I am how hard they worked this year, and that hard work paid off.”

Sophomore Cedric Durr won two medals – a gold in the 400-yard freestyle relay and a silver in the 100-yard butterfly.&nbsp;

Completing the Indians’ list of individual WAC medalists was junior Jude Hileman, the runner-up in the 100y backstroke.

Next up for the Indians is this weekend’s Class 5-1A Swimming and Diving State Championships in Lenexa.

Hays High has qualified for state in five events – five more automatic qualifications than a year ago.

“I am so proud of this team, especially with them only making a state consideration time last year,” Stein said. “The improvement this year individually and in the relays has been phenomenal.”

Sook will compete at state in his two freestyle specialties as well as the 200-yard and 400-yard freestyle relays.

Flaska, Zadina and Durr will make up three-fourths of both those relays as well as the 200-yard medley relay. Schaeffer will complete the foursome in the medley relay, and Hileman will accompany the team to state as an alternate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739896495238.jpeg" alt="Hays High swim coach Tyler Stein talks strategy with HHS senior standout Marshall Sook before the 100-yard freestyle race at last week’s Western Athletic Conference meet in Garden City. That duo was named WAC coach and swimmer of the year following the meet. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Hays High swim coach Tyler Stein talks strategy with HHS senior standout Marshall Sook before the 100-yard freestyle race at last week’s Western Athletic Conference meet in Garden City. That duo was named WAC coach and swimmer of the year following the meet. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By DIANE GASPER-O’BRIEN Special to Hays PostThere are a variety of ways of measuring top team performances in sporting events.Take, for example, the Hays High School boys’ swim team.The Indians finished second in team scoring at last week’s Western Athletic Conference Championships while fielding the smallest roster in the meet.But the team trophy is about the only top award the Indians didn’t bring home.The HHS squad of 10 swimmers won eight of the 11 events and recorded four other top-three finishes.The Indians powered their way through the meet, recording first-place times in the first seven events, then winning the meet finale (the 400-yard freestyle relay).However, Hays High ultimately couldn’t keep up with Garden City’s roster depth. The Buffaloes were able to enter numerous swimmers whose points in lower placings added to their team score.In the end, the Indians finished second to Garden City in team points (390-346.5) but still came home with 14 gold medals – more than twice as many as Garden City.Following that impressive performance, Hays High coach Tyler Stein was voted WAC Coach of the Year, and HHS senior Marshall Sook earned WAC swimmer-of-the-year honors.“Having my old coach there and other coaches I’ve gotten to know through the years was cool,” said Stein, a former all-state swimmer at Great Bend High School. “It was rewarding to see that they felt I had done a good job this year.”Sook won both his individual events – the 50- and 100-yard freestyle – and also was a member of the Indians’ two gold-medal relay teams (the 200-yard medley and 400-yard freestyle).Juniors Karsen Flaska and Chase Zadina also each won four golds.Both swam on those championship relay teams with Sook, while Flaska also won the 200-yard individual medley and 500-yard freestyle, and Zadina won the 100-yard butterfly and tied for first in the 200-yard freestyle.The final member of the championship 200-yard medley relay team was junior Noah Schaeffer, who also was fourth in the 100-yard breaststroke.Schaeffer also helped the Indians’ 200-yard freestyle relay team finish third along with seniors Christian Miller, Bryton Unsworth and Justin Reeves. Those three seniors completed their prep careers in style by winning WAC medals while also scoring valuable points in other races along with junior Levi Crisenberry.“I was really proud of all the guys, and I made sure they knew that,” Stein said. “I wanted them to know how grateful I am how hard they worked this year, and that hard work paid off.”Sophomore Cedric Durr won two medals – a gold in the 400-yard freestyle relay and a silver in the 100-yard butterfly.&nbsp;Completing the Indians’ list of individual WAC medalists was junior Jude Hileman, the runner-up in the 100y backstroke.<h2>Not finished yet</h2>Next up for the Indians is this weekend’s Class 5-1A Swimming and Diving State Championships in Lenexa.Hays High has qualified for state in five events – five more automatic qualifications than a year ago.“I am so proud of this team, especially with them only making a state consideration time last year,” Stein said. “The improvement this year individually and in the relays has been phenomenal.”Sook will compete at state in his two freestyle specialties as well as the 200-yard and 400-yard freestyle relays.Flaska, Zadina and Durr will make up three-fourths of both those relays as well as the 200-yard medley relay. Schaeffer will complete the foursome in the medley relay, and Hileman will accompany the team to state as an alternate.

🏊 Golden day at WAC for Hays High swimmers

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

The Ellis County Public Works director discussed plans for road repairs and improvements on 48th Street, Vineyard Road and Commerce Parkway at Tuesday's Ellis County Commission meeting.

Public Works Director Brendan Mackay presented repairs that involve milling the existing asphalt and applying hot mix asphalt layers to extend the road's lifespan. The Vineyard Road and Commerce Parkway improvements focus on upgrading the surface to asphalt and drainage upgrades.

The commissioners provided direction, agreeing to move forward with&nbsp;Bettis Asphalt &amp; Construction and confirming the city's contribution of $377,000 for the projects. Construction is expected to begin in August.

Traffic lights at Canterbury Drive and Old Highway 40 intersection

Commissioner Neal Younger requested a review of the turn signals at the Highway 40 and Canterbury Drive intersection. The recently installed westbound traffic pole includes extra wiring to potentially add left-turn signals in the future.

"I'm going to be in favor of this. I foresee an increase in traffic when the school district changes their school location," Commissioner Nathan Leiker said.

The commissioners reviewed funding and the project timeline with Public Works Director Brendan Mackay, acknowledging the project's necessity due to recent accidents and the need for preventative measures.

The commission approved two fire brush truck upgrades, which will involve transferring their utility bodies onto new Ford F-550 chassis.

County commissioners authorized the sale of items from multiple departments through Purplewave, an online auction platform.

The commissioners approved the annual noxious weed report and 2025 management plan.

Craig Poe, executive director of High Plains Mental Health, discussed the state of mental health services in the region and plans to open a crisis intervention center in Hays.

Amanda Rupp of the Ellis County Historical Society provided an update on the organization's current projects and funding challenges.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684183971486.png" alt="Ellis County" />
 <figcaption>Ellis County</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostThe Ellis County Public Works director discussed plans for road repairs and improvements on 48th Street, Vineyard Road and Commerce Parkway at Tuesday's Ellis County Commission meeting.Public Works Director Brendan Mackay presented repairs that involve milling the existing asphalt and applying hot mix asphalt layers to extend the road's lifespan. The Vineyard Road and Commerce Parkway improvements focus on upgrading the surface to asphalt and drainage upgrades.The commissioners provided direction, agreeing to move forward with&nbsp;Bettis Asphalt &amp; Construction and confirming the city's contribution of $377,000 for the projects. Construction is expected to begin in August.<h2>Traffic lights at Canterbury Drive and Old Highway 40 intersection</h2>Commissioner Neal Younger requested a review of the turn signals at the Highway 40 and Canterbury Drive intersection. The recently installed westbound traffic pole includes extra wiring to potentially add left-turn signals in the future."I'm going to be in favor of this. I foresee an increase in traffic when the school district changes their school location," Commissioner Nathan Leiker said.The commissioners reviewed funding and the project timeline with Public Works Director Brendan Mackay, acknowledging the project's necessity due to recent accidents and the need for preventative measures.<h2>Other business</h2>The commission approved two fire brush truck upgrades, which will involve transferring their utility bodies onto new Ford F-550 chassis.County commissioners authorized the sale of items from multiple departments through Purplewave, an online auction platform.The commissioners approved the annual noxious weed report and 2025 management plan.Craig Poe, executive director of High Plains Mental Health, discussed the state of mental health services in the region and plans to open a crisis intervention center in Hays.Amanda Rupp of the Ellis County Historical Society provided an update on the organization's current projects and funding challenges.

Ellis County Commission discussed 48th Street repair plans

Topeka February 18, 2025

In the past two weeks the Senate adopted the following:

With veto-proof supermajorities, the Senate passed two Kansas election bills.

SB4 passed and will set the cut off for receipt of advance ballots to 7:00 p.m. on Election Day, the same deadline all other votes must be cast by in order to be counted. This past year, a federal appeals court ruled that “grace periods” are unconstitutional.

SB6 will ban ranked choice voting in Kansas. Ranked choice voting has proven to be a disaster where it has been tried, resulting in delayed results and some voters’ legitimate ballots being trashed to get to a “forced majority.”

SB84 which would expand the criminal use of a financial card to include gift cards in an effort to stamp out fraud. The bill would provide that conduct involving a gift card would be classified and penalized in the same manner as conduct involving a financial card. It would be unlawful to use a gift card without the owner’s consent, possess or retain a gift card without authorization, or alter or tamper with a gift card.

SB7 will increase the bonding cap on general obligation bonds issued by townships for the reconstruction, repair, and equipment of township buildings in any township with a population of more that 5,000 and would increase the bonding cap for bond issues of a township fire department.

SB36 amends a law concerning conservation districts. The bill would change the date from September 1 to November 1 by which conservation districts are required to submit a certificate to the Division of Conservation of the amount of moneys required for conservation district activities each year, and would increase the cap on the amount of funding that would be allocated by the Division to the conservation districts from $25,000 to $50,000 per district, beginning in FY 2026, subject to appropriation. This bill would also increase the State’s current matching fund from $1 to $2 state funding to $1 county funding.

SB125 authorized various claims against the state. Many of the claims filed against the state come from the Department of Corrections when inmates file claims for personal items that have been stolen or misplaced.

This week the Senate will spend our time on the Senate floor discussing bills followed by “turn around.” Turn around is when the bills passed by the Senate go to the House for consideration and the House sends their passed bills to the Senate.

My office has several dates available for 6th graders through high school to serve as a page. Working as a page in the Kansas Legislature is an excellent way to learn more about the legislative process. If your child is interested in being a page for my office the following dates are available: March 3 and March 10.

I am honored and grateful to represent the 40th Senate District in Kansas. 

Please do not hesitate to contact me by email: rick.billinger@senate.ks.gov or call me with your questions or concerns. My office number is 785 296-7399 or my cell number is 785-899-4700. If you are in Topeka, stop by my office at&nbsp;545-S.

I will try to keep everyone up to date as to what is happening under the dome.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1581353884625.jpeg" alt="Sen. Rick Billinger , R-Goodland, 40th Dist. File photo/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Rick Billinger , R-Goodland, 40th Dist. File photo/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Topeka February 18, 2025 In the past two weeks the Senate adopted the following:With veto-proof supermajorities, the Senate passed two Kansas election bills.SB4 passed and will set the cut off for receipt of advance ballots to 7:00 p.m. on Election Day, the same deadline all other votes must be cast by in order to be counted. This past year, a federal appeals court ruled that “grace periods” are unconstitutional.SB6 will ban ranked choice voting in Kansas. Ranked choice voting has proven to be a disaster where it has been tried, resulting in delayed results and some voters’ legitimate ballots being trashed to get to a “forced majority.”SB84 which would expand the criminal use of a financial card to include gift cards in an effort to stamp out fraud. The bill would provide that conduct involving a gift card would be classified and penalized in the same manner as conduct involving a financial card. It would be unlawful to use a gift card without the owner’s consent, possess or retain a gift card without authorization, or alter or tamper with a gift card.SB7 will increase the bonding cap on general obligation bonds issued by townships for the reconstruction, repair, and equipment of township buildings in any township with a population of more that 5,000 and would increase the bonding cap for bond issues of a township fire department.SB36 amends a law concerning conservation districts. The bill would change the date from September 1 to November 1 by which conservation districts are required to submit a certificate to the Division of Conservation of the amount of moneys required for conservation district activities each year, and would increase the cap on the amount of funding that would be allocated by the Division to the conservation districts from $25,000 to $50,000 per district, beginning in FY 2026, subject to appropriation. This bill would also increase the State’s current matching fund from $1 to $2 state funding to $1 county funding.SB125 authorized various claims against the state. Many of the claims filed against the state come from the Department of Corrections when inmates file claims for personal items that have been stolen or misplaced.This week the Senate will spend our time on the Senate floor discussing bills followed by “turn around.” Turn around is when the bills passed by the Senate go to the House for consideration and the House sends their passed bills to the Senate.My office has several dates available for 6th graders through high school to serve as a page. Working as a page in the Kansas Legislature is an excellent way to learn more about the legislative process. If your child is interested in being a page for my office the following dates are available: March 3 and March 10.I am honored and grateful to represent the 40th Senate District in Kansas. Please do not hesitate to contact me by email: rick.billinger@senate.ks.gov or call me with your questions or concerns. My office number is 785 296-7399 or my cell number is 785-899-4700. If you are in Topeka, stop by my office at&nbsp;545-S.I will try to keep everyone up to date as to what is happening under the dome.

BILLINGER: Senate Update, Feb. 18

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

Less snow than predicted fell in Hays Monday night. 

The official measurement at 8 a.m. from the K-State Agricultural Research Center south of town was 2 inches. 

Flurries will continue throughout the day with accumulations of 1 to 2 more inches, according to the National Weather Service in Dodge City. A winter storm warning remains in effect until 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Moisture was at 0.10, most of which came from the snow melt from last week's snowfall. Month-to-date moisture measures 0.30. with snowfall so far in February at 7 inches.

Monday's high temperature was 28 degrees. The overnight low was a -5 degrees. The temperature continued to fall after 8 a.m.

The <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f0e300e1-180c-418a-b9c5-2962e65b5fbb">three-day weather forecast</a> calls continued cold with highs in the single digits and overnight lows in the negative double digits.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739125382013.jpg" alt="Picture by Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Picture by Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostLess snow than predicted fell in Hays Monday night. The official measurement at 8 a.m. from the K-State Agricultural Research Center south of town was 2 inches. Flurries will continue throughout the day with accumulations of 1 to 2 more inches, according to the National Weather Service in Dodge City. A winter storm warning remains in effect until 6 a.m. Wednesday.Moisture was at 0.10, most of which came from the snow melt from last week's snowfall. Month-to-date moisture measures 0.30. with snowfall so far in February at 7 inches.Monday's high temperature was 28 degrees. The overnight low was a -5 degrees. The temperature continued to fall after 8 a.m.The <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f0e300e1-180c-418a-b9c5-2962e65b5fbb">three-day weather forecast</a> calls continued cold with highs in the single digits and overnight lows in the negative double digits..

Two of inches snow falls in Hays; bitterly cold temps remain

Reporter Cristina Janney speaks with Doug Williams of Grow Hays about President Trump's recent tariffs and inflation and the effects they might have on the local economy on this episode of the Hays Post Podcast.

<div><iframe title="Grow Hays: Inflation and Tariffs" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:300px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?from=embed&i=935fz-17fdfbc-pb&square=1&share=1&download=1&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&rtl=0&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=300" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>Reporter Cristina Janney speaks with Doug Williams of Grow Hays about President Trump's recent tariffs and inflation and the effects they might have on the local economy on this episode of the Hays Post Podcast.

🎙 Post Podcast: Doug Williams of Grow Hays discusses tariffs, inflation

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The Hays school district approved five capital projects Monday night related to the new Hays High School, which is set to open this summer.

Four projects will be paid for with capital outlay funds, and one will be paid for with bond funds.

The board approved a bid and down payment for new scoreboards at Hays High School for $777,680. 

These include scoreboards for the new Hays High School football stadium, both gyms and the softball field.

HHS broadcasting students will be able to participate in creating videos for the video boards.&nbsp;

The district will offer marketing packages that will help pay for the scoreboards, Superintendent Ron Wilson said.

Board member Derek Yarmer said he thought the money from this project should have come from bond funds.&nbsp;

Board member Allen Park and Yarmer voted against the project.

The board approved a $687,937 bid from Stallbaumer Construction to construct new tennis courts at Hays High. The project will include&nbsp;adding four new courts and reconditioning the existing four.

The tennis courts will allow Hays High to host tournaments.

Wilson said Hays Middle School PE also could use the courts for classes.

The new courts should be available for use by the fall season.

The board approved a digital marquee sign that will allow for recognition of students, staff and schools for Hays Middle School and Hays High&nbsp; School to be placed on 13th Street between Hays Middle and Hays High. The cost of the marquee is $66,364.

The bid did not include the stone monument and electrical extension to the sign. Wilson said he thought those costs would be $15,000 or less. He said the district plans to use excess material from construction at the Hays High School to build the monument.

Yarmer said he wanted the exact cost of the project. He voted against the purchase.

The board approved a bid from BSN Sports for weight room equipment for $146,710 for the new Hays High School. The funds are coming from bond proceeds.

The board approved a bid to purchase Resilite wrestling mats for $57,714 for the new Hays High School.

Yarmer said he thought the district overspent on the Hays High School project and is now paying for projects out of capital outlay. He said other projects, such as Hays Middle School, are suffering as a result.

"I feel the taxpayers have been generous. We are taking advantage of their generosity," Yarmer said.

Yarmer and Park voted against the purchase.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739820656236.png" alt="Conceptual drawing for Hays High football video scoreboard. Courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Conceptual drawing for Hays High football video scoreboard. Courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Hays school district approved five capital projects Monday night related to the new Hays High School, which is set to open this summer.Four projects will be paid for with capital outlay funds, and one will be paid for with bond funds.The board approved a bid and down payment for new scoreboards at Hays High School for $777,680. These include scoreboards for the new Hays High School football stadium, both gyms and the softball field.HHS broadcasting students will be able to participate in creating videos for the video boards.&nbsp;The district will offer marketing packages that will help pay for the scoreboards, Superintendent Ron Wilson said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739820722817.png" alt="Conceptual drawing for Hays High gym video scoreboard. Courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Conceptual drawing for Hays High gym video scoreboard. Courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>Board member Derek Yarmer said he thought the money from this project should have come from bond funds.&nbsp;Board member Allen Park and Yarmer voted against the project.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739843529339.png" alt="HHS tennis courts design layout. Courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>HHS tennis courts design layout. Courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Tennis courts</h2>The board approved a $687,937 bid from Stallbaumer Construction to construct new tennis courts at Hays High. The project will include&nbsp;adding four new courts and reconditioning the existing four.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739843587708.png" alt="HHS tennis court site location. Courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>HHS tennis court site location. Courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>The tennis courts will allow Hays High to host tournaments.Wilson said Hays Middle School PE also could use the courts for classes.The new courts should be available for use by the fall season.Yarmer voted against the project.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739820362336.png" alt="Conceptual drawing of HHS/HMS marquee. Courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Conceptual drawing of HHS/HMS marquee. Courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Marquee</h2>The board approved a digital marquee sign that will allow for recognition of students, staff and schools for Hays Middle School and Hays High&nbsp; School to be placed on 13th Street between Hays Middle and Hays High. The cost of the marquee is $66,364.The bid did not include the stone monument and electrical extension to the sign. Wilson said he thought those costs would be $15,000 or less. He said the district plans to use excess material from construction at the Hays High School to build the monument.Yarmer said he wanted the exact cost of the project. He voted against the purchase.<h2>Weight room equipment</h2>The board approved a bid from BSN Sports for weight room equipment for $146,710 for the new Hays High School. The funds are coming from bond proceeds.<h2>Wrestling mats</h2>The board approved a bid to purchase Resilite wrestling mats for $57,714 for the new Hays High School.Yarmer said he thought the district overspent on the Hays High School project and is now paying for projects out of capital outlay. He said other projects, such as Hays Middle School, are suffering as a result."I feel the taxpayers have been generous. We are taking advantage of their generosity," Yarmer said.Yarmer and Park voted against the purchase.

Hays USD 489 school board approves 5 purchases for new high school

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — The top diplomats from Russia and the U.S. met Tuesday in Saudi Arabia to discuss improving ties and negotiating an end to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ukraine-russia-war-putin-zelenskyy-europe-7940f9c5828fc46431928bc073170bc2">war in Ukraine</a>&nbsp;— talks that reflected a major and rapid change in American foreign policy under President Donald Trump.

No Ukrainian officials were present at the meeting, which came as the beleaguered country is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-pokrovsk-d33999044aea4cf2173cbcf294bd8843">slowly but steadily losing ground</a>&nbsp;against more numerous Russian troops in a grinding war that began nearly three years ago. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country won’t accept any outcome from this week's talks if Kyiv doesn't take part. European allies have also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ukraine-russia-war-putin-zelenskyy-europe-7940f9c5828fc46431928bc073170bc2">expressed concerns</a>&nbsp;they are being sidelined.

Beyond Ukraine, the meeting — attended by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and other senior officials — had been expected to focus on thawing relations between the two countries, whose ties have fallen to their lowest level in decades.

In an interview with The Associated Press after the meeting, Rubio said the two side agreed broadly to pursue three goals: to restore staffing at their respective embassies in Washington and Moscow, to create a high-level team to support Ukraine peace talks, and to explore closer relations and economic cooperation.

Both embassies have been hit hard by expulsions of large numbers of diplomats over the course of several years as relations soured and the U.S., along with European nations, imposed a raft of sanctions on Russia. The allies have repeatedly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-russia-ukraine-trump-6501850b84c460824a722a233d46c4e6">expanded the measures</a>&nbsp;to damage its economy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739876989638.png" alt="Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the table in Riyadh- image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the table in Riyadh- image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — The top diplomats from Russia and the U.S. met Tuesday in Saudi Arabia to discuss improving ties and negotiating an end to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ukraine-russia-war-putin-zelenskyy-europe-7940f9c5828fc46431928bc073170bc2">war in Ukraine</a>&nbsp;— talks that reflected a major and rapid change in American foreign policy under President Donald Trump.No Ukrainian officials were present at the meeting, which came as the beleaguered country is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-pokrovsk-d33999044aea4cf2173cbcf294bd8843">slowly but steadily losing ground</a>&nbsp;against more numerous Russian troops in a grinding war that began nearly three years ago. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country won’t accept any outcome from this week's talks if Kyiv doesn't take part. European allies have also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ukraine-russia-war-putin-zelenskyy-europe-7940f9c5828fc46431928bc073170bc2">expressed concerns</a>&nbsp;they are being sidelined.Beyond Ukraine, the meeting — attended by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and other senior officials — had been expected to focus on thawing relations between the two countries, whose ties have fallen to their lowest level in decades.<h2>Improving Russian-US relations</h2>In an interview with The Associated Press after the meeting, Rubio said the two side agreed broadly to pursue three goals: to restore staffing at their respective embassies in Washington and Moscow, to create a high-level team to support Ukraine peace talks, and to explore closer relations and economic cooperation.Both embassies have been hit hard by expulsions of large numbers of diplomats over the course of several years as relations soured and the U.S., along with European nations, imposed a raft of sanctions on Russia. The allies have repeatedly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-russia-ukraine-trump-6501850b84c460824a722a233d46c4e6">expanded the measures</a>&nbsp;to damage its economy.“Should this conflict come to an acceptable end, the incredible opportunities that exist to partner with the Russians geopolitically on issues of common interest and frankly, economically on issues that hopefully will be good for the world and also improve our relations in the long term,” Rubio said.His remarks were further evidence of the remarkable U.S. reversal on Russia after years in which Trump’s predecessor led international efforts to isolate Moscow.Tuesday's meeting was meant to pave the way for a summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. After the talks wrapped, Putin’s foreign affairs advisor, Yuri Ushakov, told Russia’s Channel One that no date has been set yet for that summit but that it was “unlikely” to take place next week.Ushakov’s remarks suggested the two sides made little progress. Russia and the United States agreed to “take each other’s interests into account” and advance their relations. He added that it was “hard to say” that the two countries’ positions “are getting closer, but there was talk about it.”Previously, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the talks would be primarily focused on “restoring the entire range of U.S.-Russian relations, as well as preparing possible talks on the Ukrainian settlement and organizing a meeting of the two presidents.” U.S. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce has said the meeting was aimed at determining how serious the Russians are about wanting peace and whether detailed negotiations can be started.<h2>Concerns from allies they are being sidelined</h2>The recent U.S. diplomatic blitz on the war has sent Ukraine and key allies scrambling to ensure a seat at the table amid concerns that Washington and Moscow could press ahead with a deal that won’t be favorable to them.Kyiv's absence at Tuesday's talks has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-peace-talks-trump-reaction-a3135cb1dfecc7dbcde663d3bb512e77">rankled many Ukrainians</a>, and France called an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eu-europe-ukraine-nato-security-summit-trump-060c8661c59f8f75b96711d3889ce559">emergency meeting</a>&nbsp;of European Union countries and the U.K. on Monday to discuss the war.Bruce has said that even though Ukraine will not be at the table Tuesday, any actual peace negotiations will include the country. Kyiv’s participation in such talks was a bedrock of U.S. policy under Joe Biden, whose administration also led&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-trump-putin-ukraine-war-32f3b815693df3485b086e647d2e26f7">international efforts to isolate Russia</a>&nbsp;over the war.White House officials have also pushed back against the notion that Europe has been left out of the conversation, noting that administration officials have spoken to several leaders.French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said he spoke by phone to Trump and Zelenskyy following the meeting he called in Paris.“We seek a strong and lasting peace in Ukraine,” Macron wrote on social media platform X. “To achieve this, Russia must end its aggression, and this must be accompanied by strong and credible security guarantees for the Ukrainians,” he said and vowed to “work on this together with all Europeans, Americans, and Ukrainians.”Peskov on Tuesday said that Putin has repeatedly expressed readiness for peace talks, and noted that a durable settlement of the conflict in Ukraine would be impossible without “a comprehensive consideration of security issues” in Europe.<h2>Saudi Arabia's role</h2>The meeting at the Diriyah Palace in the Saudi capital of Riyadh also highlights de facto leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s efforts to be a major diplomatic player, burnishing a reputation severely tarnished by the 2018&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/33223f5934d04756836ca393a805ebea">killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi</a>.Saudi state media described the talks as happening at the prince’s direction. Like the neighboring United Arab Emirates, the prince has maintained close relations to Russia throughout its war on Ukraine, both through the OPEC+ oil cartel and diplomatically as well.Saudi Arabia has also helped in prisoner negotiations and hosted Zelenskyy for an Arab League summit in 2023. Zelenskyy said he would travel to the kingdom later this week.Rubio was accompanied by U.S. national security adviser Mike Waltz and special envoy Steve Witkoff, while Lavrov sat next to the Kremlin's foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov. Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan and national security adviser Musaed al Alban joined Rubio, Lavrov and others for the start of the meeting but were expected to leave early in the talks.Ahead of the talks, Kirill Dmitriev, the head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund who the Kremlin said might join, underscored the importance of the meeting.“Good U.S.-Russia relations are very important for the whole world. Only jointly can Russia and the U.S. address lots of world problems, resolve for global conflicts and offer solutions,” Dmitriev, who said he and his team would focus on economic issues at the talks, told the AP.The meeting marked the most extensive contact between the two countries since Moscow's Feb. 24, 2022, invasion. Lavrov and then-U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-russia-ukraine-g20-blinken-lavrov-1af60a2c2918e9c0777b33b3e71bd54b">talked briefly on the sidelines of a G-20</a>&nbsp;meeting in India nearly two years ago, and in the fall of 2022, U.S. and Russian spymasters met in Turkey amid Washington’s concerns that Moscow could resort to nuclear weapons amid battlefield setbacks.<h2>War continues</h2>Meanwhile, Russia continued to pummel Ukraine with drones, according to Kyiv's military. The Ukrainian air force said Russian troops launched a barrage of 176 drones at Ukraine overnight, most of which were destroyed or disabled by jamming.One Russian drone struck a residential building in Dolynska in the Kirovohrad region, wounding a mother and her two children and prompting an evacuation of 38 apartments, the regional administration reported. Four more residential buildings were damaged by drone debris in the Cherkasy region of Ukraine, according to local officials.___Litvinova reported from Tallinn, Estonia. Associated Press writers Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Illia Novikov in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed to this report.