PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Friday that he's revoking former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden's</a>&nbsp;access to government secrets and ending the daily intelligence briefings he's receiving in payback for Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/biden-says-erratic-trump-shouldnt-get-intel-briefings-44b9f2c7204e482b55a2d03077a4c5bf">doing the same</a>&nbsp;to him in 2021.

Trump announced his decision in a post on his social media platform shortly after he arrived at his Mar-a-Lago home and private club in Palm Beach for the weekend.

“There is no need for Joe Biden to continue receiving access to classified information. Therefore, we are immediately revoking Joe Biden’s Security Clearances, and stopping his daily Intelligence Briefings,”&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113965169045323865">Trump wrote</a>. “He set this precedent in 2021, when he instructed the Intelligence Community (IC) to stop the 45th President of the United States (ME!) from accessing details on National Security, a courtesy provided to former Presidents.”

The move is the latest in a vengeance tour of Washington that Trump promised during his campaign. He has previously revoked security clearances from more than four dozen former intelligence officials who signed a 2020 letter saying that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-steve-bannon-politics-united-states-government-robert-hunter-d20948db8967e21024059f38cde5e94c">Hunter Biden laptop saga</a>&nbsp;bore the hallmarks of a “Russian information operation.” He's also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-pompeo-hook-iran-security-protections-987ca371756f48028ebd34ca7111f1c5">revoked security details</a>&nbsp;assigned to protect former government officials who have criticized him, including his own former secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-politics-government-iraq-qassim-soleimani-3353602bd30e683afec45d8c78196886">faces threats from Iran</a>, and former infectious disease expert&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fauci-trump-security-detail-4b2e317dc9e7768c0571df30750e863a">Dr. Anthony Fauci</a>.

Biden didn't immediately comment on the move.

Biden ended Trump's intelligence briefings after Trump helped spur efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and incited the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. At the time, Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/biden-says-erratic-trump-shouldnt-get-intel-briefings-44b9f2c7204e482b55a2d03077a4c5bf">said Trump's “erratic” behavior</a>&nbsp;should prevent him from getting the intel briefings.

Asked in an interview with CBS News what he feared if Trump continued to receive the briefings, Biden said he did not want to “speculate out loud” but made clear he did not want Trump to continue having access to such information.

“I just think that there is no need for him to have the intelligence briefings,” Biden said. “What value is giving him an intelligence briefing? What impact does he have at all, other than the fact he might slip and say something?”

in 2022, federal agents searched Trump's Florida home and seized boxes of classified records. He was indicted on dozens of felony counts accusing him of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-florida-indictment-highlights-857476c71e98e91521212a826efc8816">illegally hoarding classified records</a>&nbsp;and obstructing FBI efforts to get them back. He pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing. A judge dismissed the charges, ruling the special counsel who brought them was illegally appointed, and the Justice Department gave up appeals after Trump was elected in November.

In a related matter, Trump dismissed Colleen Shogan as the archivist of the United States, White House aide Sergio Gor posted on X Friday night.

Trump had said in early January that he would replace the head of the National Archives and Records Administration. The government agency drew his anger after it informed the Justice Department about issues with Trump’s handling of classified documents. Shogan, the first woman in the post, wasn’t the archivist of the United States at the time the issue emerged.

In his post on Biden, Trump cited the special counsel report last year into his handling of classified documents, saying, “The Hur Report revealed that Biden suffers from ‘poor memory’ and, even in his ‘prime,’ could not be trusted with sensitive information.”

He ended his post by saying, “I will always protect our National Security — JOE, YOU’RE FIRED. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

Special counsel Robert Hur investigated Biden’s handling of classified information and found that criminal charges were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-hur-garland-classified-documents-836b99fe9cbef9ba7d32602f4928efec">not warranted</a>&nbsp;but delivered a bitingly critical assessment of his handling of sensitive government records. The report&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-memory-age-special-counsel-report-doj-f4232bc8316e556ed467185b67c3e0a8">described</a>&nbsp;Biden’s memory as “hazy,” “fuzzy,” “faulty,” “poor” and having “significant limitations.” It said Biden could not recall defining milestones in his own life such as when his son Beau died or when he served as vice president.

Trump has the right to end the briefings for Biden because it is a sitting president’s decision on whether a past president should continue to have access to classified information.

Steven Cheung, the president’s communications director, shared Trump’s post on the X social media platform and said, “Hit the road Jack and don’t you come back no more!”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731519489185.png" alt="File photo White House" />
 <figcaption>File photo White House</figcaption>
 </figure>PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Friday that he's revoking former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden's</a>&nbsp;access to government secrets and ending the daily intelligence briefings he's receiving in payback for Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/biden-says-erratic-trump-shouldnt-get-intel-briefings-44b9f2c7204e482b55a2d03077a4c5bf">doing the same</a>&nbsp;to him in 2021.Trump announced his decision in a post on his social media platform shortly after he arrived at his Mar-a-Lago home and private club in Palm Beach for the weekend.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738983167971.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“There is no need for Joe Biden to continue receiving access to classified information. Therefore, we are immediately revoking Joe Biden’s Security Clearances, and stopping his daily Intelligence Briefings,”&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113965169045323865">Trump wrote</a>. “He set this precedent in 2021, when he instructed the Intelligence Community (IC) to stop the 45th President of the United States (ME!) from accessing details on National Security, a courtesy provided to former Presidents.”The move is the latest in a vengeance tour of Washington that Trump promised during his campaign. He has previously revoked security clearances from more than four dozen former intelligence officials who signed a 2020 letter saying that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-steve-bannon-politics-united-states-government-robert-hunter-d20948db8967e21024059f38cde5e94c">Hunter Biden laptop saga</a>&nbsp;bore the hallmarks of a “Russian information operation.” He's also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-pompeo-hook-iran-security-protections-987ca371756f48028ebd34ca7111f1c5">revoked security details</a>&nbsp;assigned to protect former government officials who have criticized him, including his own former secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-politics-government-iraq-qassim-soleimani-3353602bd30e683afec45d8c78196886">faces threats from Iran</a>, and former infectious disease expert&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fauci-trump-security-detail-4b2e317dc9e7768c0571df30750e863a">Dr. Anthony Fauci</a>.Biden didn't immediately comment on the move.Biden ended Trump's intelligence briefings after Trump helped spur efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and incited the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. At the time, Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/biden-says-erratic-trump-shouldnt-get-intel-briefings-44b9f2c7204e482b55a2d03077a4c5bf">said Trump's “erratic” behavior</a>&nbsp;should prevent him from getting the intel briefings.Asked in an interview with CBS News what he feared if Trump continued to receive the briefings, Biden said he did not want to “speculate out loud” but made clear he did not want Trump to continue having access to such information.“I just think that there is no need for him to have the intelligence briefings,” Biden said. “What value is giving him an intelligence briefing? What impact does he have at all, other than the fact he might slip and say something?”in 2022, federal agents searched Trump's Florida home and seized boxes of classified records. He was indicted on dozens of felony counts accusing him of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-florida-indictment-highlights-857476c71e98e91521212a826efc8816">illegally hoarding classified records</a>&nbsp;and obstructing FBI efforts to get them back. He pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing. A judge dismissed the charges, ruling the special counsel who brought them was illegally appointed, and the Justice Department gave up appeals after Trump was elected in November.In a related matter, Trump dismissed Colleen Shogan as the archivist of the United States, White House aide Sergio Gor posted on X Friday night.Trump had said in early January that he would replace the head of the National Archives and Records Administration. The government agency drew his anger after it informed the Justice Department about issues with Trump’s handling of classified documents. Shogan, the first woman in the post, wasn’t the archivist of the United States at the time the issue emerged.In his post on Biden, Trump cited the special counsel report last year into his handling of classified documents, saying, “The Hur Report revealed that Biden suffers from ‘poor memory’ and, even in his ‘prime,’ could not be trusted with sensitive information.”He ended his post by saying, “I will always protect our National Security — JOE, YOU’RE FIRED. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”Special counsel Robert Hur investigated Biden’s handling of classified information and found that criminal charges were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-hur-garland-classified-documents-836b99fe9cbef9ba7d32602f4928efec">not warranted</a>&nbsp;but delivered a bitingly critical assessment of his handling of sensitive government records. The report&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-memory-age-special-counsel-report-doj-f4232bc8316e556ed467185b67c3e0a8">described</a>&nbsp;Biden’s memory as “hazy,” “fuzzy,” “faulty,” “poor” and having “significant limitations.” It said Biden could not recall defining milestones in his own life such as when his son Beau died or when he served as vice president.Trump has the right to end the briefings for Biden because it is a sitting president’s decision on whether a past president should continue to have access to classified information.Steven Cheung, the president’s communications director, shared Trump’s post on the X social media platform and said, “Hit the road Jack and don’t you come back no more!”

Trump says he’s revoking Biden’s access to classified information

PLAINVILLE -&nbsp;The TMP-Marian Monarchs basketball teams earned a doubleheader sweep as they returned to Mid-Continent League play Friday night in Smith Center.

The Monarch girls claimed a 47-46 victory while the boys earned a 57-46 win.

Gracyn Schippers scored with just over five seconds left to play lifting the TMP Lady Monarchs to a 47-46 win over the Smith Center Lady Red in the first game of the day.

TMP opened the game on an 11-2 run that covered the first quarter.

The lead was short-lived though, as Smith Center outscored TMP 17-7 in the second quarter as they rallied for a one point lead at halftime, 19-18.

The opening minutes of the third quarter belonged to TMP as they started the second half on a 13-3 run and 31-21 midway through the third period.

After TMP led by six at the end of the third quarter, Smith Center came all the way back to take the lead at 46-45 with just 15 second left in the game.

But after a TMP coach John Linn called a timeout the Monarchs got the ball in the post and scored &nbsp;with just five and a half seconds lefts putting TMP &nbsp;up 48-47.

Brooke Koenigsman for TMP led the way &nbsp;14 points. Claire Schippers add 14 points.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The TMP boys outscored Smith Center 26-5 to close out the game as they go on to win it, 57-46.

The first quarter featured seven lead changes and the Monarchs and Redmen were tied at 17 through the first quarter.

In the second neither team was able to build a substantial lead but a Ty Schmeidler three-pointer late in the first half gave TMP a 26-23 led.

TMP took a 28-25 lead into the second half.

In the third period Smith Center erased a four-point deficit with a 12-5 run giving the Redmen a four-point lead at 41-37 lead.

Trailing by four Schmeidler connected on a three-pointer to close the third quarter with TMP down just one at 41-40.

The Monarchs used that three pointer to close out the Redmen.

They outscored Smith Center 20-5 over the final eight-plus minuets as TMP clinched the 57-46 &nbsp;victory

Schmeidler scored a team-high 15 points and Carson Lyes 11 points and eight rebounds for TMP.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

PLAINVILLE -&nbsp;The TMP-Marian Monarchs basketball teams earned a doubleheader sweep as they returned to Mid-Continent League play Friday night in Smith Center.The Monarch girls claimed a 47-46 victory while the boys earned a 57-46 win.GIRLS: TMP 47, Smith Center 46Gracyn Schippers scored with just over five seconds left to play lifting the TMP Lady Monarchs to a 47-46 win over the Smith Center Lady Red in the first game of the day.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2029164076&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/john-linn-postgame-interview-vs-smith-center-feb-7th-25" title="John Linn Postgame Interview Vs Smith Center (Feb 7th 25)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">John Linn Postgame Interview Vs Smith Center (Feb 7th 25)</a></div> </div>TMP opened the game on an 11-2 run that covered the first quarter.The lead was short-lived though, as Smith Center outscored TMP 17-7 in the second quarter as they rallied for a one point lead at halftime, 19-18.The opening minutes of the third quarter belonged to TMP as they started the second half on a 13-3 run and 31-21 midway through the third period.After TMP led by six at the end of the third quarter, Smith Center came all the way back to take the lead at 46-45 with just 15 second left in the game.But after a TMP coach John Linn called a timeout the Monarchs got the ball in the post and scored &nbsp;with just five and a half seconds lefts putting TMP &nbsp;up 48-47.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2029164592&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/tmp-wbkb-highlights-vs-smith-center-feb-7th-25-mixdown" title="TMP WBKB Highlights Vs Smith Center (Feb 7th 25) Mixdown" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">TMP WBKB Highlights Vs Smith Center (Feb 7th 25) Mixdown</a></div></div>Brooke Koenigsman for TMP led the way &nbsp;14 points. Claire Schippers add 14 points.Boys: TMP 57, Smith Center 46&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The TMP boys outscored Smith Center 26-5 to close out the game as they go on to win it, 57-46.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2029163208&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/bill-meagher-postgame-3" title="Bill Meagher Postgame Interview vs Smiith Center (Feb 7th 25)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Bill Meagher Postgame Interview vs Smiith Center (Feb 7th 25)</a></div></div>The first quarter featured seven lead changes and the Monarchs and Redmen were tied at 17 through the first quarter.In the second neither team was able to build a substantial lead but a Ty Schmeidler three-pointer late in the first half gave TMP a 26-23 led.TMP took a 28-25 lead into the second half.In the third period Smith Center erased a four-point deficit with a 12-5 run giving the Redmen a four-point lead at 41-37 lead.Trailing by four Schmeidler connected on a three-pointer to close the third quarter with TMP down just one at 41-40.The Monarchs used that three pointer to close out the Redmen.They outscored Smith Center 20-5 over the final eight-plus minuets as TMP clinched the 57-46 &nbsp;victory<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2029164508&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/tmp-mbkb-highlights-vs-smith-center-feb-7th-25" title="TMP MBKB Highlights Vs Smith Center (Feb 7th 25)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">TMP MBKB Highlights Vs Smith Center (Feb 7th 25)</a></div></div>Schmeidler scored a team-high 15 points and Carson Lyes 11 points and eight rebounds for TMP.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

🏀Monarchs sweep Smith Center in return to MCL play

Hays High returned to Western Athletic Conference play by hosting Dodge City on Friday.

Girls #4 Hays High 63, Dodge City 19

Hays scored the first thirty points of the game on their way to a 63-19 over Dodge City.

The Indians held Dodge City without a point through the first quarter. Hays took advantage making ten of fifteen field goal attempts through the first eight minutes. They also threw a free throw in for a 28-0 lead after the first eight minutes.

Hays led 30-0 before Dodge City scored their first points with 6:50 remaining in the second quarter. After the 30-0 score the rest of the quarter was a 10-8 ball game with the Indians holding the advantage during that time to lead 40-8 at halftime.

The Indians scored the first eleven points of the third quarter which increased their lead to 51-8. Hays outscored the Red Demons 17-4 in the third for a 57-12 lead heading to the fourth.

That large of a margin kicked in a continuous clock fourth quarter with Hays winning 63-19.

Hays(15-0, 4-0) has won fifteen consecutive WAC games. Molly Martin passed Brenda Bruggeman for fourth in career points and now has 949. She is one points behind Melissa Beyer in third. Dodge City(1-14, 0-3) has lost twelve games in a row. The two will rematch in Dodge City on February 25th for the Indians last road game of the regular season.

Jenna Schmeidler 14; Annie Humphrey 0; Katie Linenberger 0; Molly Martin 12; Kenlee Winter 8; Morgan Armbruster 0; Jays Roa 0; Kinslee Newell 2; Riley Dreher 4; Molly Buckles 14 (career high); Zoe Winter 9; Liz Cunningham 0; Rylen Harrington 0; Haley LaBarge 0; Brenna Fletcher 0.

Hays High used a 16-2 third quarter run to blow open a tight game on their way to a win over Dodge City 61-44.

Hays did not trail in the first half scoring the first five points. The Indians went on a 8-0 run after the Red Demons scored their first three points. Hays led 13-3 with 2:17 left in the first quarter but did not score again. Back-to-back three pointers by Dodge City brought the game back to a four point different heading to the second quarter 13-9

Dodge City outscored Hays 9-5 to start the second quarter to tie the game at 18. The Indians answered right back with a three pointer only to have Dodge City score shortly after to make it a 21-20 game. The Red Demons had the ball and got a shot off around the rim but didn't connect to take the lead.

Hays led 25-21 at halftime and started the second half on a game decisive run. Dodge City scored the first point of the third quarter to close the gap to a single possession at 25-22. The Indians then erupted on a 16-2 run in which five different players scored. When the dust settled on that stretch Hays owned a 41-24 lead.&nbsp;

Hays scored 24 points in the third after knocking in 25 points in the entire first half.

The Indians grew their lead to 22 in the fourth quarter and Dodge City could no closer than 15 rest of the way resulting in the 61-44 victory for Hays.

Hays(8-7, 3-1) snaps a three game skid and stays within a game of Great Bend in the WAC race. Dodge City(5-10, 2-1) will host Hays on February 25th. The Indians outrebounded Dodge City 41-19. Izaac Fox had a career high 12 boards.

Carter Lang 0; Johnny Cano 15; Trace Jacobs 3; Cooper Lindenmeyer 6; Brogan Albers 0; Trey Oakley 10; Tiger Johnson 17; Brody Harmony 0; Izaac Fox 8; Noah Smalley 0; Brecken Otte 0; Alex Loving 0.

Hays High returned to Western Athletic Conference play by hosting Dodge City on Friday.Girls #4 Hays High 63, Dodge City 19Hays scored the first thirty points of the game on their way to a 63-19 over Dodge City.The Indians held Dodge City without a point through the first quarter. Hays took advantage making ten of fifteen field goal attempts through the first eight minutes. They also threw a free throw in for a 28-0 lead after the first eight minutes.Hays led 30-0 before Dodge City scored their first points with 6:50 remaining in the second quarter. After the 30-0 score the rest of the quarter was a 10-8 ball game with the Indians holding the advantage during that time to lead 40-8 at halftime.Highlights<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2029145576&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/hays-high-wbkb-highlights-v-5" title="Hays High WBKB Highlights v Dodge City Feb 7, 2025" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Hays High WBKB Highlights v Dodge City Feb 7, 2025</a></div></div>The Indians scored the first eleven points of the third quarter which increased their lead to 51-8. Hays outscored the Red Demons 17-4 in the third for a 57-12 lead heading to the fourth.That large of a margin kicked in a continuous clock fourth quarter with Hays winning 63-19.Coach Len Melvin<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2029146076&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/hays-high-wbkb-coach-post-v-2" title="Hays High WBKB Coach Post v Dodge City Feb 7, 2025" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Hays High WBKB Coach Post v Dodge City Feb 7, 2025</a></div></div>Hays(15-0, 4-0) has won fifteen consecutive WAC games. Molly Martin passed Brenda Bruggeman for fourth in career points and now has 949. She is one points behind Melissa Beyer in third. Dodge City(1-14, 0-3) has lost twelve games in a row. The two will rematch in Dodge City on February 25th for the Indians last road game of the regular season.Jenna Schmeidler 14; Annie Humphrey 0; Katie Linenberger 0; Molly Martin 12; Kenlee Winter 8; Morgan Armbruster 0; Jays Roa 0; Kinslee Newell 2; Riley Dreher 4; Molly Buckles 14 (career high); Zoe Winter 9; Liz Cunningham 0; Rylen Harrington 0; Haley LaBarge 0; Brenna Fletcher 0.Boys Hays 61, Dodge City 44Hays High used a 16-2 third quarter run to blow open a tight game on their way to a win over Dodge City 61-44.Hays did not trail in the first half scoring the first five points. The Indians went on a 8-0 run after the Red Demons scored their first three points. Hays led 13-3 with 2:17 left in the first quarter but did not score again. Back-to-back three pointers by Dodge City brought the game back to a four point different heading to the second quarter 13-9Dodge City outscored Hays 9-5 to start the second quarter to tie the game at 18. The Indians answered right back with a three pointer only to have Dodge City score shortly after to make it a 21-20 game. The Red Demons had the ball and got a shot off around the rim but didn't connect to take the lead.Highlights<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2029146200&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/hays-high-mbkb-highlights-v-6" title="Hays High MBKB Highlights v Dodge City Feb 7, 2025" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Hays High MBKB Highlights v Dodge City Feb 7, 2025</a></div></div>Hays led 25-21 at halftime and started the second half on a game decisive run. Dodge City scored the first point of the third quarter to close the gap to a single possession at 25-22. The Indians then erupted on a 16-2 run in which five different players scored. When the dust settled on that stretch Hays owned a 41-24 lead.&nbsp;Hays scored 24 points in the third after knocking in 25 points in the entire first half.The Indians grew their lead to 22 in the fourth quarter and Dodge City could no closer than 15 rest of the way resulting in the 61-44 victory for Hays.Coach Sean Dreiling<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2029146532&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/hays-high-mbkb-coach-post-v-2" title="Hays High MBKB Coach Post v Dodge City Feb 7, 2025" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Hays High MBKB Coach Post v Dodge City Feb 7, 2025</a></div></div>Hays(8-7, 3-1) snaps a three game skid and stays within a game of Great Bend in the WAC race. Dodge City(5-10, 2-1) will host Hays on February 25th. The Indians outrebounded Dodge City 41-19. Izaac Fox had a career high 12 boards.Carter Lang 0; Johnny Cano 15; Trace Jacobs 3; Cooper Lindenmeyer 6; Brogan Albers 0; Trey Oakley 10; Tiger Johnson 17; Brody Harmony 0; Izaac Fox 8; Noah Smalley 0; Brecken Otte 0; Alex Loving 0.

🏀 Hays girls and boys pick up WAC wins over Dodge City

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Friday dealt President Donald Trump and billionaire ally Elon Musk their first big setback in their dismantling of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-musk-doge-7ec0a2b4032d4782d41c00164003b5de">U.S. Agency for International Development,</a>&nbsp;ordering a temporary halt to plans to pull thousands of agency staffers off the job.

U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee, also agreed to block an order that would have given the thousands of overseas USAID workers the administration wanted to place on abrupt administrative leave just 30 days to move families and households back to the U.S. on government expense.

Both moves would have exposed the U.S. workers and their spouses and children to unwarranted risk and expense, the judge said.

Nichols pointed to accounts from workers abroad that the Trump administration, in its rush to shut down the agency and its programs abroad, had cut some workers off from government emails and other communication systems they needed to reach the U.S. government in case of a health or safety emergency.

The Associated Press reported earlier that USAID contractors in the Middle East and elsewhere had found even “panic button” apps&nbsp;<a href="https://that%20both%20orders%20exposed%20u.s.%20aid%20and%20development%20workers%20abroad%20to%20unwarranted%20risk%20and%20hardship./">wiped off their mobile phones</a>&nbsp;or disabled when the administration abruptly furloughed them.

“Administrative leave in Syria is not the same as administrative leave in Bethesda,” the judge said in his order Friday night.

In agreeing to stop the 30-day deadline given USAID staffers to return home at government expense, Nichols cited statements from agency employees who had no home to go to in the U.S. after decades abroad, who faced pulling children with special needs out of school midyear, and had other difficulties.

The judge also ordered USAID staffers already placed on leave by the Trump administration reinstated. But he declined a request from two federal employee associations to grant a temporary block on a Trump administration funding freeze that has shut down the six-decade-old agency and its work, pending more hearings on the workers' lawsuit.

Nichols stressed in the hearing earlier Friday on the request to pause the Trump administration's actions that his order was not a decision on the employees' request to roll back the administration's swiftly moving destruction of the agency.

“CLOSE IT DOWN,” Trump said on social media of USAID before the judge’s ruling.

The American Foreign Service Association and the American Federation of Government Employees argue that Trump lacks the authority to shut down the agency without approval from Congress. Democratic lawmakers have made the same argument.

Trump's administration moved quickly Friday to literally erase the agency's name. Workers on a crane scrubbed the name from the stone front of its Washington headquarters. They used duct tape to block it out on a sign and took down USAID flags. Someone placed a bouquet of flowers outside the door.

The Trump administration and&nbsp;<a href="https://elon%20musk/">Musk</a>, who is running a budget-cutting Department of Government Efficiency, have made USAID their biggest target so far in an unprecedented challenge of the federal government and many of its programs.

Administration appointees and Musk's teams have shut down almost all funding for the agency, stopping aid and development programs worldwide. They have placed staffers and contractors on leave and furlough and locked them out of the agency's email and other systems. According to Democratic lawmakers, they also carted away USAID's computer servers.

“This is a full-scale gutting of virtually all the personnel of an entire agency,” Karla Gilbride, the attorney for the employee associations, told the judge.

Justice Department attorney Brett Shumate argued that the administration has all the legal authority it needs to place agency staffers on leave. “The government does this across the board every day,” Shumate said. “That’s what’s happening here. It’s just a large number.”

Friday’s ruling is the latest setback in the courts for the Trump administration, whose policies to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/buyout-offer-deadline-trump-federal-workers-ce854b19c41b90cd657f75cf09511e96">offer financial incentives for federal workers</a>&nbsp;to resign and end&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-birthright-citizenship-executive-order-3ac5d6dc51ee95dcccc647a8c080c3e3">birthright citizenship</a>&nbsp;for anyone born in the U.S. to someone in the country illegally have been temporarily paused by judges.

Earlier Friday, a group of a half-dozen USAID officials speaking to reporters strongly disputed assertions from Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the most essential life-saving programs abroad were getting waivers to continue funding. None were, the officials said.

Among the programs they said had not received waivers: $450 million in food grown by U.S. farmers sufficient to feed 36 million people, which was not being paid for or delivered; and water supplies for 1.6 million people displaced by war in Sudan’s Darfur region, which were being cut off without money for fuel to run water pumps in the desert.

The judge’s order involved the Trump administration’s decision earlier this week to pull almost all USAID workers off the job and out of the field worldwide.

Trump and congressional Republicans have spoken of moving a much-reduced number of aid and development programs under the State Department.

Within the State Department itself, employees fear substantial staff reductions following the deadline for the Trump administration's offer of financial incentives for federal workers to resign, according to officials who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal. A judge temporarily blocked that offer and set a hearing Monday.

The administration earlier this week gave almost all USAID staffers posted overseas 30 days, starting Friday, to return to the U.S., with the government paying for their travel and moving costs. Diplomats at embassies asked for waivers allowing more time for some, including families forced to pull their children out of schools midyear.

In a notice posted on the USAID website late Thursday, the agency clarified that none of the overseas personnel put on leave would be forced to leave the country where they work. But it said that workers who chose to stay longer than 30 days might have to cover their own expenses unless they received a specific hardship waiver.

Rubio said Thursday during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rubio-panama-canal-gaza-migration-usaid-b148af6bb15da37a8b6e4edf5a873829">a trip to the Dominican Republic</a>&nbsp;that the government would help staffers get home within 30 days “if they so desired" and would listen to those with special conditions.

He insisted the moves were the only way to get cooperation because staffers were working “to sneak through payments and push through payments despite the stop order” on foreign assistance. Agency staffers deny his claims of obstruction.

Rubio said the U.S. government will continue providing foreign aid, “but it is going to be foreign aid that makes sense and is aligned with our national interest."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738896794184.jpeg" alt="Democrat members of Congress protest USAID cuts Wednesday-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Democrat members of Congress protest USAID cuts Wednesday-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Friday dealt President Donald Trump and billionaire ally Elon Musk their first big setback in their dismantling of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-musk-doge-7ec0a2b4032d4782d41c00164003b5de">U.S. Agency for International Development,</a>&nbsp;ordering a temporary halt to plans to pull thousands of agency staffers off the job.U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee, also agreed to block an order that would have given the thousands of overseas USAID workers the administration wanted to place on abrupt administrative leave just 30 days to move families and households back to the U.S. on government expense.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738968148672.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Both moves would have exposed the U.S. workers and their spouses and children to unwarranted risk and expense, the judge said.Nichols pointed to accounts from workers abroad that the Trump administration, in its rush to shut down the agency and its programs abroad, had cut some workers off from government emails and other communication systems they needed to reach the U.S. government in case of a health or safety emergency.The Associated Press reported earlier that USAID contractors in the Middle East and elsewhere had found even “panic button” apps&nbsp;<a href="https://that%20both%20orders%20exposed%20u.s.%20aid%20and%20development%20workers%20abroad%20to%20unwarranted%20risk%20and%20hardship./">wiped off their mobile phones</a>&nbsp;or disabled when the administration abruptly furloughed them.“Administrative leave in Syria is not the same as administrative leave in Bethesda,” the judge said in his order Friday night.In agreeing to stop the 30-day deadline given USAID staffers to return home at government expense, Nichols cited statements from agency employees who had no home to go to in the U.S. after decades abroad, who faced pulling children with special needs out of school midyear, and had other difficulties.The judge also ordered USAID staffers already placed on leave by the Trump administration reinstated. But he declined a request from two federal employee associations to grant a temporary block on a Trump administration funding freeze that has shut down the six-decade-old agency and its work, pending more hearings on the workers' lawsuit.Nichols stressed in the hearing earlier Friday on the request to pause the Trump administration's actions that his order was not a decision on the employees' request to roll back the administration's swiftly moving destruction of the agency.“CLOSE IT DOWN,” Trump said on social media of USAID before the judge’s ruling.The American Foreign Service Association and the American Federation of Government Employees argue that Trump lacks the authority to shut down the agency without approval from Congress. Democratic lawmakers have made the same argument.Trump's administration moved quickly Friday to literally erase the agency's name. Workers on a crane scrubbed the name from the stone front of its Washington headquarters. They used duct tape to block it out on a sign and took down USAID flags. Someone placed a bouquet of flowers outside the door.The Trump administration and&nbsp;<a href="https://elon%20musk/">Musk</a>, who is running a budget-cutting Department of Government Efficiency, have made USAID their biggest target so far in an unprecedented challenge of the federal government and many of its programs.Administration appointees and Musk's teams have shut down almost all funding for the agency, stopping aid and development programs worldwide. They have placed staffers and contractors on leave and furlough and locked them out of the agency's email and other systems. According to Democratic lawmakers, they also carted away USAID's computer servers.“This is a full-scale gutting of virtually all the personnel of an entire agency,” Karla Gilbride, the attorney for the employee associations, told the judge.Justice Department attorney Brett Shumate argued that the administration has all the legal authority it needs to place agency staffers on leave. “The government does this across the board every day,” Shumate said. “That’s what’s happening here. It’s just a large number.”Friday’s ruling is the latest setback in the courts for the Trump administration, whose policies to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/buyout-offer-deadline-trump-federal-workers-ce854b19c41b90cd657f75cf09511e96">offer financial incentives for federal workers</a>&nbsp;to resign and end&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-birthright-citizenship-executive-order-3ac5d6dc51ee95dcccc647a8c080c3e3">birthright citizenship</a>&nbsp;for anyone born in the U.S. to someone in the country illegally have been temporarily paused by judges.Earlier Friday, a group of a half-dozen USAID officials speaking to reporters strongly disputed assertions from Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the most essential life-saving programs abroad were getting waivers to continue funding. None were, the officials said.Among the programs they said had not received waivers: $450 million in food grown by U.S. farmers sufficient to feed 36 million people, which was not being paid for or delivered; and water supplies for 1.6 million people displaced by war in Sudan’s Darfur region, which were being cut off without money for fuel to run water pumps in the desert.The judge’s order involved the Trump administration’s decision earlier this week to pull almost all USAID workers off the job and out of the field worldwide.Trump and congressional Republicans have spoken of moving a much-reduced number of aid and development programs under the State Department.Within the State Department itself, employees fear substantial staff reductions following the deadline for the Trump administration's offer of financial incentives for federal workers to resign, according to officials who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal. A judge temporarily blocked that offer and set a hearing Monday.The administration earlier this week gave almost all USAID staffers posted overseas 30 days, starting Friday, to return to the U.S., with the government paying for their travel and moving costs. Diplomats at embassies asked for waivers allowing more time for some, including families forced to pull their children out of schools midyear.In a notice posted on the USAID website late Thursday, the agency clarified that none of the overseas personnel put on leave would be forced to leave the country where they work. But it said that workers who chose to stay longer than 30 days might have to cover their own expenses unless they received a specific hardship waiver.Rubio said Thursday during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rubio-panama-canal-gaza-migration-usaid-b148af6bb15da37a8b6e4edf5a873829">a trip to the Dominican Republic</a>&nbsp;that the government would help staffers get home within 30 days “if they so desired" and would listen to those with special conditions.He insisted the moves were the only way to get cooperation because staffers were working “to sneak through payments and push through payments despite the stop order” on foreign assistance. Agency staffers deny his claims of obstruction.Rubio said the U.S. government will continue providing foreign aid, “but it is going to be foreign aid that makes sense and is aligned with our national interest."

30-day deadline: Judge blocks Trump from placing USAID workers on leave

Victor E. Tiger is 25 years old and the Fort Hays State University mascot's birthday is being celebrated during February.

On this episode of the Hays Post Podcast, news reporter Becky Kiser visits with Janette Meis, communications specialist/event planner in the FHSU president's office, along with Scott Cason, chief communications officer.

For 25 years, FHSU spirit has infused athletic and other events with the help of one special character, Victor E. Tiger. During the next month, FHSU will celebrate the 25th birthday of its iconic mascot with a slate of events sure to please Tiger fans of any age.

• Feb. 7, 10-10:30 a.m. Hays Public Library, children’s story time room. Pre-K children can start their day with a tiger-themed story time and an opportunity to meet Victor E. Tiger.

• Feb. 8, 2 and 4 p.m. FHSU basketball games, Gross Memorial Coliseum. Former Victor E. Tiger mascot DJ Dawna will entertain the audience with her famous jams.

• Feb. 15, 10:00 a.m.-Noon. Walmart Supercenter - in front of the Tiger Spirit Store. Victor E. Tiger Autograph and Photo Opportunity

• Feb. 19, 2-4 p.m. FHSU Makerspace - Picken Hall 102. Stop at the Makerspace to laser-cut a tiger-themed birthday card for Victor.

• Feb. 22. FHSU Basketball Game. Gross Memorial Coliseum. Victor E. Tiger’s official Big Birthday Bash.

o Face painting o Tiger tattoos o Make a birthday hat o Photos with Victor E. Tiger o Special treats o Games, crafts, and more

• 2 p.m. FHSU Women’s Basketball Game vs. Pittsburg State with special birthday halftime presentation

• 3-4 p.m. Free birthday activities (see list above)

• 4 p.m. FHSU Men’s Basketball Game vs. Pittsburg State

• Feb. 26, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Defiance Downtown. Tiger Trivia Night. Join the FHSU History Club for a tiger and mascot-themed trivia night, with a special appearance by Victor E. Tiger.

• Feb. 20, 3-4 p.m. Memorial Union - Stouffer Lounge. History of Victor E. panel. Learn about the history of the tiger mascot and the origin story of Victor E. Tiger with panelists FHSU President Emeritus Dr. Edward Hammond, former Victor E. Mascot Larry Dreiling, and FHSU Art Director Scott Gross. Instruction and Outreach Librarian Cyndi Landis at Forsyth Library will moderate the panel. Refreshments provided. 

FHSU Online is hosting a contest for online students to create a birthday card for Victor’s 25th Birthday. To enter the contest, draw, paint, design, or craft a card to be delivered in the mail by February 20th. Mail your birthday card to FHSU Online, 600 Park Street, Hays, KS 67601. All cards in the contest will be displayed at the big birthday celebration on February 22. Prizes will be awarded to the top five card designs. 

Monday, February 17 – Monday, February 24 Online at Tiger2Tiger. Test your knowledge of tigers and mascots and FHSU history with this online trivia game. Learn about Victor’s background along the way. 

Larry Dreiling Online Exhibit at <a href="https://scholars.fhsu.edu/tiger_tales/">https://scholars.fhsu.edu/tiger_tales/</a>. Watch an oral history of ‘80 and ‘85 alum Larry Dreiling as he discusses his time serving as the tiger mascot and why he continues to support the mascot’s efforts to spread FHSU pride.

More information about Victor E. Tiger’s birthday events is available at:<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/president/tiger-birthday/"> https://www.fhsu.edu/president/tiger-birthday/</a>.

<div><iframe title="Post Podcast: Victor E. Tiger celebrates his 25th birthday" 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=q592s-17eb14a-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><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738175139663.png" alt="FHSU" />
 <figcaption>FHSU</figcaption>
 </figure>Victor E. Tiger is 25 years old and the Fort Hays State University mascot's birthday is being celebrated during February.On this episode of the Hays Post Podcast, news reporter Becky Kiser visits with Janette Meis, communications specialist/event planner in the FHSU president's office, along with Scott Cason, chief communications officer.FHSU University CommunicationsFor 25 years, FHSU spirit has infused athletic and other events with the help of one special character, Victor E. Tiger. During the next month, FHSU will celebrate the 25th birthday of its iconic mascot with a slate of events sure to please Tiger fans of any age.• Feb. 7, 10-10:30 a.m. Hays Public Library, children’s story time room. Pre-K children can start their day with a tiger-themed story time and an opportunity to meet Victor E. Tiger.• Feb. 8, 2 and 4 p.m. FHSU basketball games, Gross Memorial Coliseum. Former Victor E. Tiger mascot DJ Dawna will entertain the audience with her famous jams.• Feb. 15, 10:00 a.m.-Noon. Walmart Supercenter - in front of the Tiger Spirit Store. Victor E. Tiger Autograph and Photo Opportunity• Feb. 19, 2-4 p.m. FHSU Makerspace - Picken Hall 102. Stop at the Makerspace to laser-cut a tiger-themed birthday card for Victor.• Feb. 22. FHSU Basketball Game. Gross Memorial Coliseum. Victor E. Tiger’s official Big Birthday Bash.• 1-2 p.m. free birthday activitieso Face painting o Tiger tattoos o Make a birthday hat o Photos with Victor E. Tiger o Special treats o Games, crafts, and more• 2 p.m. FHSU Women’s Basketball Game vs. Pittsburg State with special birthday halftime presentation• 3-4 p.m. Free birthday activities (see list above)• 4 p.m. FHSU Men’s Basketball Game vs. Pittsburg State• Feb. 26, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Defiance Downtown. Tiger Trivia Night. Join the FHSU History Club for a tiger and mascot-themed trivia night, with a special appearance by Victor E. Tiger.• Feb. 20, 3-4 p.m. Memorial Union - Stouffer Lounge. History of Victor E. panel. Learn about the history of the tiger mascot and the origin story of Victor E. Tiger with panelists FHSU President Emeritus Dr. Edward Hammond, former Victor E. Mascot Larry Dreiling, and FHSU Art Director Scott Gross. Instruction and Outreach Librarian Cyndi Landis at Forsyth Library will moderate the panel. Refreshments provided. ONLINE EVENTSBirthday Card Contest FHSU Online is hosting a contest for online students to create a birthday card for Victor’s 25th Birthday. To enter the contest, draw, paint, design, or craft a card to be delivered in the mail by February 20th. Mail your birthday card to FHSU Online, 600 Park Street, Hays, KS 67601. All cards in the contest will be displayed at the big birthday celebration on February 22. Prizes will be awarded to the top five card designs. Mascot Trivia GameMonday, February 17 – Monday, February 24 Online at Tiger2Tiger. Test your knowledge of tigers and mascots and FHSU history with this online trivia game. Learn about Victor’s background along the way. Tiger Tales Larry Dreiling Online Exhibit at <a href="https://scholars.fhsu.edu/tiger_tales/">https://scholars.fhsu.edu/tiger_tales/</a>. Watch an oral history of ‘80 and ‘85 alum Larry Dreiling as he discusses his time serving as the tiger mascot and why he continues to support the mascot’s efforts to spread FHSU pride. More information about Victor E. Tiger’s birthday events is available at:<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/president/tiger-birthday/"> https://www.fhsu.edu/president/tiger-birthday/</a>.

🎙 Victor E. Tiger celebrates his 25th birthday 

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal scientific publication on Thursday returned from a forced two-week hiatus with two papers examining the health effects of wildfires in Hawaii and California.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention resumed the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, which the Trump administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-health-communications-cdc-hhs-fda-1eeca64c1ccc324b31b779a86d3999a4">suspended</a>&nbsp;as part of a “pause” on regulations, guidance, announcements, press releases, social media posts and website posts.

The CDC has gradually restarted some communications and reports, but the silencing of MMWR, as it it known, prompted a chorus of concern from public health leaders and some legislators.

“Outbreaks are not contained because scientists are ordered to stop talking about them,” Sen. Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois, said in a Wednesday night statement calling for the publication to be restarted.

MMWR issues typically run 20 to 25 pages and contain four or more reports about disease investigations, health trends or other public health developments.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/wr/pdfs/mm7403-H.pdf" target="_blank">Thursday’s publication</a>&nbsp;was slimmer than usual: just over eight pages, with two short reports.

<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/wr/mm7403a1.htm?s_cid=mm7403a1_w" target="_blank">One of the reports</a>&nbsp;was about last year’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-maui-wildfire-settlement-supreme-court-insurance-c910d3f66cbe76555a872b1584d0e429">Maui wildfire</a>. Researchers measured the blood of responding firefighters, looking for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. The manmade chemicals have been linked to cancer and other health problems.

Previous studies have shown firefighters have higher concentrations of some PFAS in their blood. Thousands of firefighters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/firefighters-cancer-pfas-turnout-gear-chemicals-868e4eb6af158e7a34fb229c2dd79ebf">have sued</a>&nbsp;manufacturers and companies that make firefighting gear and foam, seeking damages for their exposure.

The new study looked at about 180 firefighters and 80 other county employees. It found the firefighters’ blood had higher concentrations of some PFAS, but most were still at levels below a medical threshold that triggers the need for further testing. The researchers had no baseline measurements of the people in the study from before the 2023 fire, so it’s hard to know if blaze contributed, the authors acknowledged.

<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/wr/mm7403a2.htm?s_cid=mm7403a2_w" target="_blank">The second article</a>&nbsp;looked at hospital emergency department visits during last month’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-emergency-alerts-los-angeles-d78c30c9f73570c31aae9c9154c685ae">Los Angeles wildfires</a>. It found visits decreased 9% over the first six days of the wildfires.

That’s consistent with other research that has shown declines in ER visits immediately after natural disasters. The drop may be due to evacuations that caused people to leave Los Angeles or to get medical care from places other than hospitals. Information from hospitals in surrounding counties was not included in the new report.

Before the journal went on hiatus, the CDC was expected to soon publish articles about the bird flu outbreak. A CDC spokesperson didn’t say why the articles weren’t published this week but said they “are still in the pipeline.”

Dr. Tom Frieden, the CDC director during the Obama administration, said he was pleased to see the journal return but also concerned that it “doesn’t contain any reports on bird flu spreading in animals and people, the new strain of mpox spreading or other emerging health threats.”

Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, said he wants to see meatier issues that have the information that researchers, local health officials and others need “to make data-driven decisions.”

The MMWR has been called “the voice of the CDC.” Published weekly since 1961, it has for generations been the main way the agency recounted disease investigations, shared public health recommendations and conveyed other health information.

Typically released every Thursday, the journal has more than 147,000 electronic&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/about.html" target="_blank">subscribers</a>&nbsp;— a readership that’s mainly doctors, nurses, educators, researchers and public health scientists.

Articles often turn into news for the general public

A paper published in June 1981, about previously healthy gay Los Angeles men who came down with lung infections, turned out to be the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/june_5.htm" target="_blank">first published report</a>&nbsp;documenting the disease that came to be known as AIDS. In April 2009, the journal reported&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5816a7.htm" target="_blank">the first two cases</a>&nbsp;of what became known as the H1N1 “swine flu” pandemic.

In 2020, during the first Trump administration, the MMWR became the focus of concerns about political interference with CDC’s scientific work. White House officials believed CDC scientists were undermining Trump by trying to make the COVID-19 pandemic appear worse than it was.

The journal’s editor at the time, Dr. Charlotte Kent,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/james-clyburn-alex-azar-coronavirus-pandemic-d582aeb73e53f242fa1d33f099e14cd3">later told Congress</a>&nbsp;that administration officials pressed her to delay publication of at least one article and told her to delete an email that showed political meddling.

“If political decisions determine which health threats to highlight, we’ll all be less safe,” said Frieden, president of Resolve to Save Lives, a not-for-profit organization that works on international public health issues. “I hope the new administration will see the value in CDC publishing information on health threats every week, without political interference.”

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

BY&nbsp;MIKE STOBBENEW YORK (AP) — A federal scientific publication on Thursday returned from a forced two-week hiatus with two papers examining the health effects of wildfires in Hawaii and California.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention resumed the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, which the Trump administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-health-communications-cdc-hhs-fda-1eeca64c1ccc324b31b779a86d3999a4">suspended</a>&nbsp;as part of a “pause” on regulations, guidance, announcements, press releases, social media posts and website posts.The CDC has gradually restarted some communications and reports, but the silencing of MMWR, as it it known, prompted a chorus of concern from public health leaders and some legislators.“Outbreaks are not contained because scientists are ordered to stop talking about them,” Sen. Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois, said in a Wednesday night statement calling for the publication to be restarted.MMWR issues typically run 20 to 25 pages and contain four or more reports about disease investigations, health trends or other public health developments.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/wr/pdfs/mm7403-H.pdf" target="_blank">Thursday’s publication</a>&nbsp;was slimmer than usual: just over eight pages, with two short reports.<h2>Research on health effects of wildfires</h2><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/wr/mm7403a1.htm?s_cid=mm7403a1_w" target="_blank">One of the reports</a>&nbsp;was about last year’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-maui-wildfire-settlement-supreme-court-insurance-c910d3f66cbe76555a872b1584d0e429">Maui wildfire</a>. Researchers measured the blood of responding firefighters, looking for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. The manmade chemicals have been linked to cancer and other health problems.Previous studies have shown firefighters have higher concentrations of some PFAS in their blood. Thousands of firefighters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/firefighters-cancer-pfas-turnout-gear-chemicals-868e4eb6af158e7a34fb229c2dd79ebf">have sued</a>&nbsp;manufacturers and companies that make firefighting gear and foam, seeking damages for their exposure.The new study looked at about 180 firefighters and 80 other county employees. It found the firefighters’ blood had higher concentrations of some PFAS, but most were still at levels below a medical threshold that triggers the need for further testing. The researchers had no baseline measurements of the people in the study from before the 2023 fire, so it’s hard to know if blaze contributed, the authors acknowledged.<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/wr/mm7403a2.htm?s_cid=mm7403a2_w" target="_blank">The second article</a>&nbsp;looked at hospital emergency department visits during last month’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-emergency-alerts-los-angeles-d78c30c9f73570c31aae9c9154c685ae">Los Angeles wildfires</a>. It found visits decreased 9% over the first six days of the wildfires.That’s consistent with other research that has shown declines in ER visits immediately after natural disasters. The drop may be due to evacuations that caused people to leave Los Angeles or to get medical care from places other than hospitals. Information from hospitals in surrounding counties was not included in the new report.<h2>Journal has never taken two weeks off</h2>Before the journal went on hiatus, the CDC was expected to soon publish articles about the bird flu outbreak. A CDC spokesperson didn’t say why the articles weren’t published this week but said they “are still in the pipeline.”Dr. Tom Frieden, the CDC director during the Obama administration, said he was pleased to see the journal return but also concerned that it “doesn’t contain any reports on bird flu spreading in animals and people, the new strain of mpox spreading or other emerging health threats.”Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, said he wants to see meatier issues that have the information that researchers, local health officials and others need “to make data-driven decisions.”The MMWR has been called “the voice of the CDC.” Published weekly since 1961, it has for generations been the main way the agency recounted disease investigations, shared public health recommendations and conveyed other health information.It had never taken a two-week break.Typically released every Thursday, the journal has more than 147,000 electronic&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/about.html" target="_blank">subscribers</a>&nbsp;— a readership that’s mainly doctors, nurses, educators, researchers and public health scientists.<h2>Articles often turn into news for the general public</h2>A paper published in June 1981, about previously healthy gay Los Angeles men who came down with lung infections, turned out to be the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/june_5.htm" target="_blank">first published report</a>&nbsp;documenting the disease that came to be known as AIDS. In April 2009, the journal reported&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5816a7.htm" target="_blank">the first two cases</a>&nbsp;of what became known as the H1N1 “swine flu” pandemic.In 2020, during the first Trump administration, the MMWR became the focus of concerns about political interference with CDC’s scientific work. White House officials believed CDC scientists were undermining Trump by trying to make the COVID-19 pandemic appear worse than it was.The journal’s editor at the time, Dr. Charlotte Kent,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/james-clyburn-alex-azar-coronavirus-pandemic-d582aeb73e53f242fa1d33f099e14cd3">later told Congress</a>&nbsp;that administration officials pressed her to delay publication of at least one article and told her to delete an email that showed political meddling.“If political decisions determine which health threats to highlight, we’ll all be less safe,” said Frieden, president of Resolve to Save Lives, a not-for-profit organization that works on international public health issues. “I hope the new administration will see the value in CDC publishing information on health threats every week, without political interference.”<h2>___</h2>The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

‘Voice of the CDC’ resumes publication after Trump executive order

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DAVE%20COLLINS%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DAVE COLLINS &nbsp;Associated Press</a>

Democratic attorneys general in several states vowed Thursday to file a lawsuit to stop Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency from accessing federal payment systems&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-trump-doge-intelligence-cia-4a4e99c7925b02e014e6e65d2ef9a055">containing Americans' sensitive personal information.</a>

A dozen attorneys general, including New York's Letitia James, said in a statement that they were taking action “in defense of our Constitution, our right to privacy, and the essential funding that individuals and communities nationwide are counting on."

“As the richest man in the world, Elon Musk is not used to being told ‘no,’ but in our country, no one is above the law," the statement said. “The President does not have the power to give away our private information to anyone he chooses, and he cannot cut federal payments approved by Congress.”

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday afternoon.

Government officials and labor unions have been among those raising concerns about DOGE's involvement with the payment system for the federal government, saying it could lead to security risks or missed payments for programs such as Social Security and Medicare.

Also Thursday, a federal judge ordered that two Musk allies have “read only” access to Treasury Department payment systems, but no one else will get access for now, including Musk himself. The ruling comes in a lawsuit filed by federal workers unions trying to stop the billionaire’s DOGE from following through on what they call a massive privacy invasion.

It was not immediate clear when the Democratic attorneys general will file their lawsuit.

Joining James in the statement were the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, Rhode Island and Vermont.

President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;tapped Musk, the world’s richest man, to shrink the size of the U.S. government.

Democrats have criticized the tech billionaire’s maneuvers, which include the hostile seizure of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-elon-musk-doge-treasury-5e26cc80fcb766981cea56afd57ae759">taxpayer data</a>&nbsp;and the apparent closure of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usaid-foreign-aid-freeze-trump-peter-marocco-8253d7dda766df89e10390c1645e78aa">government’s leading international humanitarian aid agency</a>.

DOGE recently has gained access to sensitive payment data within the Treasury Department. It came after Treasury’s acting Deputy Secretary David Lebryk resigned under pressure after more than 30 years of service. The Washington Post reported that Lebryk resigned after Musk and DOGE requested access to sensitive Treasury data.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738777949415.png" alt="Elon Musk-file photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Elon Musk-file photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DAVE%20COLLINS%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DAVE COLLINS &nbsp;Associated Press</a>Democratic attorneys general in several states vowed Thursday to file a lawsuit to stop Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency from accessing federal payment systems&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-trump-doge-intelligence-cia-4a4e99c7925b02e014e6e65d2ef9a055">containing Americans' sensitive personal information.</a>A dozen attorneys general, including New York's Letitia James, said in a statement that they were taking action “in defense of our Constitution, our right to privacy, and the essential funding that individuals and communities nationwide are counting on."“As the richest man in the world, Elon Musk is not used to being told ‘no,’ but in our country, no one is above the law," the statement said. “The President does not have the power to give away our private information to anyone he chooses, and he cannot cut federal payments approved by Congress.”The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday afternoon.Government officials and labor unions have been among those raising concerns about DOGE's involvement with the payment system for the federal government, saying it could lead to security risks or missed payments for programs such as Social Security and Medicare.Also Thursday, a federal judge ordered that two Musk allies have “read only” access to Treasury Department payment systems, but no one else will get access for now, including Musk himself. The ruling comes in a lawsuit filed by federal workers unions trying to stop the billionaire’s DOGE from following through on what they call a massive privacy invasion.It was not immediate clear when the Democratic attorneys general will file their lawsuit.Joining James in the statement were the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, Rhode Island and Vermont.President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;tapped Musk, the world’s richest man, to shrink the size of the U.S. government.Democrats have criticized the tech billionaire’s maneuvers, which include the hostile seizure of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-elon-musk-doge-treasury-5e26cc80fcb766981cea56afd57ae759">taxpayer data</a>&nbsp;and the apparent closure of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usaid-foreign-aid-freeze-trump-peter-marocco-8253d7dda766df89e10390c1645e78aa">government’s leading international humanitarian aid agency</a>.DOGE recently has gained access to sensitive payment data within the Treasury Department. It came after Treasury’s acting Deputy Secretary David Lebryk resigned under pressure after more than 30 years of service. The Washington Post reported that Lebryk resigned after Musk and DOGE requested access to sensitive Treasury data.

States to sue over DOGE access to government payment systems, personal data

WASHINGTON (AP) —Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said Thursday that NTSB officials in a briefing told senators that the helicopter's Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) — an aviation surveillance technology that transmits aircraft location and other data to air traffic control and other aircraft — was off.

“The reason for turning it off does not seem justified," Cruz said. "And in this instance, this was a training mission, so there was no compelling national security reason for ADS-B to be turned off.”

President Donald Trump on Thursday blamed the deadly collision of a passenger jet and Army helicopter last week on what he called an “obsolete” computer system used by U.S. air traffic controllers.

He vowed to replace it after NTSB officials told members of Congress that advanced surveillance technology available on the helicopter was turned off.

Trump said during an event that “a lot of mistakes happened” on Jan. 29 when an American Airlines flight out of Wichita, Kansas,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-aircraft-crash-9d79051a9e535bd855df5a4e5553b2e9">collided</a>&nbsp;with an Army helicopter as the plane was about to land at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fatal-washington-flight-passengers-ca062f03b729c130058d4f74393dfa31">killing all 67 people</a>&nbsp;on board the two aircraft.

NTSB officials also told media outlets that the helicopter crew was likely wearing night vision goggles.

In the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crash-reagan-washington-buttigieg-diversity-biden-ef1e07684bbc845e9e7981c1ae060af2">blamed it on diversity hiring programs</a>. But on Thursday, he blamed the computer system used by the country's air traffic controllers.

During a speech at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-national-prayer-breakfast-30ff6f55a2e3c7b8643a15e7b158537d">National Prayer Breakfast</a>&nbsp;at the U.S. Capitol, Trump said the U.S. spent billions of dollars trying to “renovate an old, broken system” instead of investing in a new one. He said in his private jet, he uses a system from another country when he lands because his pilot says the existing system in the U.S. is obsolete.

“I think what is going to happen is we’re all going to sit down and do a great computerized system for our control towers,” he said.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Elon Musk said in posts on X that Musk's team at the Department of Government Efficiency is going to help rapidly upgrade the nation’s aviation safety system.

The Federal Aviation Administration has been working since the mid-2000s to upgrade the air traffic control system through its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.faa.gov/nextgen">NextGen program</a>.

Federal officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/airlines-faa-close-calls-senate-hearing-7309801ccbf64bcecfb0cf58e3e58498">have been raising concerns</a>&nbsp;about an overtaxed and understaffed air traffic control system for years, especially after a series of close calls between planes at U.S. airports. Among the reasons they have cited for staffing shortages are uncompetitive pay, long shifts, intensive training and mandatory retirements.

Trump said that if the nation had a newer system, alarms would have sounded when the Black Hawk helicopter, which was on a training exercise, reached the same altitude as the plane.

But an FAA report after the crash said that the controller did get an alert that the plane and helicopter were converging when they were still more than a mile (1.6 kilometers) apart. The controller responded by asking the helicopter if it had the plane in sight and directed the helicopter to pass behind the plane. The helicopter responded that it did have the plane in sight.

The FAA made it clear Thursday it is going to ensure that helicopters and planes will no longer share the same airspace over the Potomac River.

An early focus of the investigation has been confirming the altitude of the plane and helicopter. The jet’s flight recorder showed its altitude as 325 feet (99 meters), plus or minus 25 feet (7.6 meters).

Data from the airport’s air traffic control system suggests the helicopter was above its 200-foot (61-meter) flight ceiling. The screen the controller was looking at that night showed that based on radar and other data, the helicopter was at 300 feet (91 meters), the NTSB said, noting that the figure would have been rounded to the nearest 100 feet (30 meters).

To get more precise information, investigators need to be able to examine the wreckage of the Black Hawk. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Thursday afternoon that all major components of the helicopter and jet have been removed from the river. Salvage crews will work to remove smaller debris with baskets over the next 10 days before finishing work on Feb. 16.

“We will continue pushing forward in the coming days until we are confident the river is safe for navigation and that elements of evidentiary value are recovered and provided to the appropriate authorities,” the Corps Baltimore District Commander Col. Francis Pera said.

This crash was the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aircraft-crashes-history-washington-ee55776ea0c5f9e322fc77ea1ea452d1">deadliest in the U.S.</a>&nbsp;since Nov. 12, 2001, when a jet slammed into a New York City neighborhood just after takeoff, killing all 260 people on board and five on the ground.

There was concern after the crash that Trump's efforts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-executive-orders-power-border-tiktok-history-e77458bc0312c60f3f2b0eeb131d0056">slash the size</a>&nbsp;of the federal workforce could worsen the shortage of air traffic controllers if some of them accepted the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-buyout-offer-federal-workers-doge-bdb6cd89e383ff1120eeb262904b4060">deferred resignation offers</a>&nbsp;sent to all federal employees last week. But air traffic controllers were told by their union Thursday that certain positions within the Federal Aviation Administration, including theirs, were exempt.

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association said in its email to members that additional positions might be exempt based on the employees’ “national security or public safety responsibilities.” The union had already recommended to its members that they reject the offers, which were extended the day before the midair collision.

Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani, Adriana Gomez Licon and Thomas Beaumont contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738207177867.png" alt="Image of the moment of impact from Kennedy Center web camera" />
 <figcaption>Image of the moment of impact from Kennedy Center web camera</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said Thursday that NTSB officials in a briefing told senators that the helicopter's Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) — an aviation surveillance technology that transmits aircraft location and other data to air traffic control and other aircraft — was off.“The reason for turning it off does not seem justified," Cruz said. "And in this instance, this was a training mission, so there was no compelling national security reason for ADS-B to be turned off.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738703092495.png" alt="The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District, working with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/USCGMidAtlantic?__cft__[0]=AZVaKqPNSiwSuKRH01L03JB8k_89iOrQZOlRWtfzOBsAJCt3z8QQvEYQa8XpseNu6lXA2LDrRWcHbQW3Fa1vXPGXU-T_5Dh2wbhpnKG7qo382L0qE0fMgmG5jv5Z_FFWJHRL1dX62558wBmmNSH_sOYY5t0GOUldAsRj2QW9WelwbsHdhaP3oE4VMMl2yUaEBbw&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">U.S. Coast Guard Mid-Atlantic</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/USNavy?__cft__[0]=AZVaKqPNSiwSuKRH01L03JB8k_89iOrQZOlRWtfzOBsAJCt3z8QQvEYQa8XpseNu6lXA2LDrRWcHbQW3Fa1vXPGXU-T_5Dh2wbhpnKG7qo382L0qE0fMgmG5jv5Z_FFWJHRL1dX62558wBmmNSH_sOYY5t0GOUldAsRj2QW9WelwbsHdhaP3oE4VMMl2yUaEBbw&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">U.S. Navy</a>&nbsp;Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV), began wreckage removal operations on Monday, at the site of the Potomac River Aviation Incident near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Phoso U.S. Army Corps of Engineers" />
 <figcaption>The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District, working with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/USCGMidAtlantic?__cft__[0]=AZVaKqPNSiwSuKRH01L03JB8k_89iOrQZOlRWtfzOBsAJCt3z8QQvEYQa8XpseNu6lXA2LDrRWcHbQW3Fa1vXPGXU-T_5Dh2wbhpnKG7qo382L0qE0fMgmG5jv5Z_FFWJHRL1dX62558wBmmNSH_sOYY5t0GOUldAsRj2QW9WelwbsHdhaP3oE4VMMl2yUaEBbw&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">U.S. Coast Guard Mid-Atlantic</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/USNavy?__cft__[0]=AZVaKqPNSiwSuKRH01L03JB8k_89iOrQZOlRWtfzOBsAJCt3z8QQvEYQa8XpseNu6lXA2LDrRWcHbQW3Fa1vXPGXU-T_5Dh2wbhpnKG7qo382L0qE0fMgmG5jv5Z_FFWJHRL1dX62558wBmmNSH_sOYY5t0GOUldAsRj2QW9WelwbsHdhaP3oE4VMMl2yUaEBbw&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">U.S. Navy</a>&nbsp;Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV), began wreckage removal operations on Monday, at the site of the Potomac River Aviation Incident near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Phoso U.S. Army Corps of Engineers</figcaption>
 </figure>President Donald Trump on Thursday blamed the deadly collision of a passenger jet and Army helicopter last week on what he called an “obsolete” computer system used by U.S. air traffic controllers.He vowed to replace it after NTSB officials told members of Congress that advanced surveillance technology available on the helicopter was turned off.Trump said during an event that “a lot of mistakes happened” on Jan. 29 when an American Airlines flight out of Wichita, Kansas,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-aircraft-crash-9d79051a9e535bd855df5a4e5553b2e9">collided</a>&nbsp;with an Army helicopter as the plane was about to land at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fatal-washington-flight-passengers-ca062f03b729c130058d4f74393dfa31">killing all 67 people</a>&nbsp;on board the two aircraft.NTSB officials also told media outlets that the helicopter crew was likely wearing night vision goggles.In the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crash-reagan-washington-buttigieg-diversity-biden-ef1e07684bbc845e9e7981c1ae060af2">blamed it on diversity hiring programs</a>. But on Thursday, he blamed the computer system used by the country's air traffic controllers.During a speech at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-national-prayer-breakfast-30ff6f55a2e3c7b8643a15e7b158537d">National Prayer Breakfast</a>&nbsp;at the U.S. Capitol, Trump said the U.S. spent billions of dollars trying to “renovate an old, broken system” instead of investing in a new one. He said in his private jet, he uses a system from another country when he lands because his pilot says the existing system in the U.S. is obsolete.“I think what is going to happen is we’re all going to sit down and do a great computerized system for our control towers,” he said.Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Elon Musk said in posts on X that Musk's team at the Department of Government Efficiency is going to help rapidly upgrade the nation’s aviation safety system.The Federal Aviation Administration has been working since the mid-2000s to upgrade the air traffic control system through its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.faa.gov/nextgen">NextGen program</a>.Federal officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/airlines-faa-close-calls-senate-hearing-7309801ccbf64bcecfb0cf58e3e58498">have been raising concerns</a>&nbsp;about an overtaxed and understaffed air traffic control system for years, especially after a series of close calls between planes at U.S. airports. Among the reasons they have cited for staffing shortages are uncompetitive pay, long shifts, intensive training and mandatory retirements.Trump said that if the nation had a newer system, alarms would have sounded when the Black Hawk helicopter, which was on a training exercise, reached the same altitude as the plane.But an FAA report after the crash said that the controller did get an alert that the plane and helicopter were converging when they were still more than a mile (1.6 kilometers) apart. The controller responded by asking the helicopter if it had the plane in sight and directed the helicopter to pass behind the plane. The helicopter responded that it did have the plane in sight.The FAA made it clear Thursday it is going to ensure that helicopters and planes will no longer share the same airspace over the Potomac River.An early focus of the investigation has been confirming the altitude of the plane and helicopter. The jet’s flight recorder showed its altitude as 325 feet (99 meters), plus or minus 25 feet (7.6 meters).Data from the airport’s air traffic control system suggests the helicopter was above its 200-foot (61-meter) flight ceiling. The screen the controller was looking at that night showed that based on radar and other data, the helicopter was at 300 feet (91 meters), the NTSB said, noting that the figure would have been rounded to the nearest 100 feet (30 meters).To get more precise information, investigators need to be able to examine the wreckage of the Black Hawk. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Thursday afternoon that all major components of the helicopter and jet have been removed from the river. Salvage crews will work to remove smaller debris with baskets over the next 10 days before finishing work on Feb. 16.“We will continue pushing forward in the coming days until we are confident the river is safe for navigation and that elements of evidentiary value are recovered and provided to the appropriate authorities,” the Corps Baltimore District Commander Col. Francis Pera said.This crash was the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aircraft-crashes-history-washington-ee55776ea0c5f9e322fc77ea1ea452d1">deadliest in the U.S.</a>&nbsp;since Nov. 12, 2001, when a jet slammed into a New York City neighborhood just after takeoff, killing all 260 people on board and five on the ground.There was concern after the crash that Trump's efforts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-executive-orders-power-border-tiktok-history-e77458bc0312c60f3f2b0eeb131d0056">slash the size</a>&nbsp;of the federal workforce could worsen the shortage of air traffic controllers if some of them accepted the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-buyout-offer-federal-workers-doge-bdb6cd89e383ff1120eeb262904b4060">deferred resignation offers</a>&nbsp;sent to all federal employees last week. But air traffic controllers were told by their union Thursday that certain positions within the Federal Aviation Administration, including theirs, were exempt.The National Air Traffic Controllers Association said in its email to members that additional positions might be exempt based on the employees’ “national security or public safety responsibilities.” The union had already recommended to its members that they reject the offers, which were extended the day before the midair collision.___Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani, Adriana Gomez Licon and Thomas Beaumont contributed to this report.

Senator: Helicopter in midair crash had a safety system off

LABETTE COUNTY—Authorities investigating a fatal crash during a police chase have identified the man who died as 52-year-old John H. Jones, according to a statement from the Labette County Sheriff.

Just after 1:30p.m. Thursday, while driving northbound on Wallace Road., a Labette County Deputy observed a tan Ford F-150 run the stop sign at 20000 and Wallace Road. at a high rate of speed, acc

Upon seeing the deputy, the driver later identified as Jones attempted several evasive maneuvers to lose the deputy, including driving through a field. 

 Upon activating the emergency lights, Jones started driving northbound on Wallace Road at speeds over 100 mph. 

The driver ran four motorists off the road and at one point, Jones slammed on their brakes, causing the deputy to sideswipe the suspect’s vehicle. 

Once the deputy went around the suspect’s vehicle, the Jones sped up, attempting to ram the deputy’s vehicle.&nbsp; Jones continued northbound at high speeds on Wallace Road., ignoring the warning signs. The suspect missed the curve at 22097 Wallace Road., then collided with a tree near 22097 Wallace Road

 Emergency medical and Oswego and Neosho fire departments were dispatched to the accident scene. Jones was transported to Labette Health, where he died of his injuries.&nbsp;

Deputies learned that Jones’ was driving while suspended and had arrest warrants issued out of Montgomery County and Neosho County.&nbsp; He also had previous convictions for aggravated burglary, theft, criminal threat obstruction and seven for drug related activity, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

LABETTE COUNTY —The Kansas Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal crash during a police chase that occurred just before 2p.m. Thursday in Labette County.

According to the Patrol, law enforcement was northbound on Wallace Road one mile south of U.S. 400 in pursuit of a vehicle. 

The the driver of the suspect vehicle failed to negotiate a curve. The vehicle traveled off the roadway to the right struck a tree.&nbsp; The KHP released no additional details early Friday.

Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

LABETTE COUNTY—Authorities investigating a fatal crash during a police chase have identified the man who died as 52-year-old John H. Jones, according to a statement from the Labette County Sheriff.Just after 1:30p.m. Thursday, while driving northbound on Wallace Road., a Labette County Deputy observed a tan Ford F-150 run the stop sign at 20000 and Wallace Road. at a high rate of speed, accUpon seeing the deputy, the driver later identified as Jones attempted several evasive maneuvers to lose the deputy, including driving through a field. Upon activating the emergency lights, Jones started driving northbound on Wallace Road at speeds over 100 mph. The driver ran four motorists off the road and at one point, Jones slammed on their brakes, causing the deputy to sideswipe the suspect’s vehicle. Once the deputy went around the suspect’s vehicle, the Jones sped up, attempting to ram the deputy’s vehicle.&nbsp; Jones continued northbound at high speeds on Wallace Road., ignoring the warning signs. The suspect missed the curve at 22097 Wallace Road., then collided with a tree near 22097 Wallace Road Emergency medical and Oswego and Neosho fire departments were dispatched to the accident scene. Jones was transported to Labette Health, where he died of his injuries.&nbsp;Deputies learned that Jones’ was driving while suspended and had arrest warrants issued out of Montgomery County and Neosho County.&nbsp; He also had previous convictions for aggravated burglary, theft, criminal threat obstruction and seven for drug related activity, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.---------------LABETTE COUNTY —The Kansas Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal crash during a police chase that occurred just before 2p.m. Thursday in Labette County.According to the Patrol, law enforcement was northbound on Wallace Road one mile south of U.S. 400 in pursuit of a vehicle. The the driver of the suspect vehicle failed to negotiate a curve. The vehicle traveled off the roadway to the right struck a tree.&nbsp; The KHP released no additional details early Friday.Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

KHP investigating fatal crash during police chase

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Kady Stevens remembers when she first entered Oxford House.

Struggling with alcohol and drugs, she slept outside of a women's Oxford House in Hays the night before she was set to interview to become a member.

At that point, she said meth had taken her life away.

Members of the house who had worked overnight shifts stayed up to give her an interview on a Monday morning. She felt grateful.

Although she had bumps along the way, Stevens will celebrate her fourth year sober on Feb. 27. She is now an alumna helping other women establish a new Oxford House for women in Hays.

This new Oxford House is for women and is the first in Hays to include housing for women with children.

The Midnight Oxford House, on MacArthur Road in Hays, can accommodate eight women and has two rooms for women with children.

The first Oxford House in the country opened in 1975. Hays has six Oxford Houses. Midnight is the second women's house in Hays.

All Oxford House members agree to stay clean, said Stevens, who is an outreach coordinator for the Friends of Recovery Association and is living in the Midnight Oxford House to assist the house getting off the ground.

Members are encouraged to participate in some type of recovery program, which could include programs such as Narcotics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous, Celebrate Recovery or a church-sponsored sobriety program.

Members often go to meetings together, Stevens said. They also celebrate members' sobriety milestones together.

"If someone is getting their 30-day tag or their 60-day tag, we'll try to go as a house and make it a unity event," she said.

Eighty percent of Oxford House members retain long-term sobriety, according to information provided by Oxford House.

Stevens said having stable housing is the bedrock for staying sober.&nbsp;

About 23% of members entering Oxford Houses were staying with family before becoming members, and another 17% were homeless. Only about a third of members were living independently before entering a house, according to Oxford House Inc.

"If you are worrying about where you're going to sleep, that takes a lot of effort and a lot of energy," Stevens said. "If you have a safe place to come home to every day, your focus can be on so many other things—finding a job, working that job, working the program of recovery."

Stevens said when she was in the throes of her addiction, she was living at someone else's house and had no possessions to her name.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738862920831.jpeg" alt="The latest Oxford House in Hays supports sober living for women and their children. The house is the first of its kind in Hays to allow children. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post." />
 <figcaption>The latest Oxford House in Hays supports sober living for women and their children. The house is the first of its kind in Hays to allow children. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post.</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostKady Stevens remembers when she first entered Oxford House.Struggling with alcohol and drugs, she slept outside of a women's Oxford House in Hays the night before she was set to interview to become a member.At that point, she said meth had taken her life away.Members of the house who had worked overnight shifts stayed up to give her an interview on a Monday morning. She felt grateful.Although she had bumps along the way, Stevens will celebrate her fourth year sober on Feb. 27. She is now an alumna helping other women establish a new Oxford House for women in Hays.This new Oxford House is for women and is the first in Hays to include housing for women with children.The Midnight Oxford House, on MacArthur Road in Hays, can accommodate eight women and has two rooms for women with children.The first Oxford House in the country opened in 1975. Hays has six Oxford Houses. Midnight is the second women's house in Hays.All Oxford House members agree to stay clean, said Stevens, who is an outreach coordinator for the Friends of Recovery Association and is living in the Midnight Oxford House to assist the house getting off the ground.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738863542297.jpeg" alt="Oxford Houses are self-governed and self-supported financially. Members vote on house rules and financial decisions. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Oxford Houses are self-governed and self-supported financially. Members vote on house rules and financial decisions. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Members are encouraged to participate in some type of recovery program, which could include programs such as Narcotics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous, Celebrate Recovery or a church-sponsored sobriety program.Members often go to meetings together, Stevens said. They also celebrate members' sobriety milestones together."If someone is getting their 30-day tag or their 60-day tag, we'll try to go as a house and make it a unity event," she said.Eighty percent of Oxford House members retain long-term sobriety, according to information provided by Oxford House.Stevens said having stable housing is the bedrock for staying sober.&nbsp;About 23% of members entering Oxford Houses were staying with family before becoming members, and another 17% were homeless. Only about a third of members were living independently before entering a house, according to Oxford House Inc."If you are worrying about where you're going to sleep, that takes a lot of effort and a lot of energy," Stevens said. "If you have a safe place to come home to every day, your focus can be on so many other things—finding a job, working that job, working the program of recovery."Stevens said when she was in the throes of her addiction, she was living at someone else's house and had no possessions to her name.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738863587552.jpeg" alt="Oxford Houses provide stable homes for people who are engaging in recovery programs. Women in the Oxford Houses often attend recovery meetings together and celebrate recovery milestones. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Oxford Houses provide stable homes for people who are engaging in recovery programs. Women in the Oxford Houses often attend recovery meetings together and celebrate recovery milestones. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>"When you are living every day trying to find out where you're going to live, you don't have time to think of anything else," she said. "By providing a safe place for people to come home to and be supported and surrounded by other people doing the same thing, it pushes you in a strong direction of doing better."Oxford houses are self-governed and self-supported financially.Stevens said living in an Oxford House helped her in her recovery journey."Living in the home helps teach responsibility back into our lives and different things we've lost through addiction like not paying bills or not keeping up on our house—some of those you let go of when you're in addiction," she said.&nbsp;The house members meet weekly to make rules and vote on issues involving the house. Oxford Houses also have chapter meetings, where the leaders of each area's houses come together.All of the members in the houses have chores. They pay what they call equal expense shares, which are the expenses of the home divided among the members of the home.Houses get start-up loans. Those can come from other Oxford Houses or the state association. Those funds are paid back through monthly payments.Stevens initially struggled with her sobriety and left the house in Hays. After a stint in treatment, she began again at an Oxford House in Topeka. Since her treatment, she has remained clean, and she gives some of the credit for her success to Oxford House. She went to a chapter meeting on her first day at the house in Topeka."I got involved in fundraising and could just see the sense of purpose that being involved in something like this was doing for other people, and I wanted that too," she said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738863736251.jpeg" alt="The newly opened Oxford House for women in Hays has openings. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The newly opened Oxford House for women in Hays has openings. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>In 2021, Stevens moved back to Hays to be closer to family and interviewed and was accepted to live in a women's Oxford house in Hays again.&nbsp;Stevens said living in an Oxford House provides a sense of community and support."You gain a whole family," she said. "I can't even begin to tell you the amount of people I have in my life today because of my involvement in Oxford House all across the state and other states."She said living in Oxford House helps a person who has struggled with addiction learn to be a good human again and a good member of society."Living with other people working toward that same goal helps instill those principles back into your life," Stevens said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738864794046.jpeg" alt="Most of the furniture for the new women's Oxford Hosue was donated. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Most of the furniture for the new women's Oxford Hosue was donated. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>The length of stay in an Oxford House varies. The likelihood of staying sober increases if you stay for at least 18 months, Stevens said.Stevens' first stay in an Oxford House was in a house that only accepted women, no children. For her to work to regain custody of her children, she had to move out of the house."I was only in Oxford House as a member for a year, and then I had to move out. I wish I could have stayed longer," she said.Stevens said she has found success in her sobriety by continuing to be involved as an alumna."I truly think I experienced addiction in the way that I did to be able to do what I do today and be a voice and show people that you can come out of it. Had I not experienced a lot of those things, I don't think I could connect to a lot of people the way that I do," she said. "Who am I if I haven't experienced it also?"Stevens said she has found a purpose in helping others."I really enjoy seeing people come in. They come in so lost and confused. Sometimes, you get that person, and they're at the end of everything. They stick with it, and you can slowly see that light turn back on in their eyes, and that hope comes back," Stevens said.The Midnight House has openings now.&nbsp;To apply for any Oxford House online at <a href="http://oxfordvacancies.com">oxfordvacancies.com</a>. You can search by location anywhere in the United States. You can also call houses directly. Contact information is available on the website.Everyone who enters a house goes through an interview process with the other house members. It takes an 80% approval of the current membership of an individual house to enter that house.Oxford Houses can accept monetary donations, which go toward the operation of the houses. Furniture is accepted when new houses open.You can learn more about donating to a house by calling that house. You can find contact information on the Oxford House website listed above.Stevens said the Hays Oxford House chapter plans to open a new men's house by the end of March.Most of the furnishings for the Midnight house were donated. The house received so many donations that some are being stored for the next house.