Congratulations&nbsp;to Ann Gottschalk and Kirk Pfannenstiel from Hays on becoming finalists in the Yuengling Flight&nbsp;Golf&nbsp;Cart Giveaway at Brogden GMC on Saturday.&nbsp;

Congratulations&nbsp;to Melissa Pinkney and Bryan Schoepf from Hays on becoming finalists in the Yuengling Flight&nbsp;Golf&nbsp;Cart Giveaway at LoKal Country Bar on Friday night.

1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Lance Armbruster – Wild West Festival – 7-2-2025

2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Curtis Wellbrock – Wild West Festival – 7-2-2025

3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ryan Cellmer – Mr. K’s Foodtown – 7-5-2025

4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Barry Gilliland – Mr. K’s Foodtown – 7-5-2025

5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Debbie Windholz – Malay’s Market – 7-12-2025

6.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Darren Dunn – Malay’s Market – 7-12-2025

7.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Bernita Augustine – American Shooters – 7-19-2025

8.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Doug Kutina – American Shooters – 7-19-2025

9.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Connie Steinle – Stop2Shop/Wilson Wine &amp; Spirits – 7-25-2025

10.&nbsp;Halie Eck - Stop2Shop/Wilson Wine &amp; Spirits – 7-25-2025

11.&nbsp;&nbsp;Kevin Prester - Stop2Shop/Wilson Wine &amp; Spirits – 7-25-2025

12.&nbsp;&nbsp;Tom Quenzer - Stop2Shop/Wilson Wine &amp; Spirits – 7-25-2025

13.&nbsp;Taylor Lunsford – A &amp; A Coors Yuengling Pub Crawl – 7-26-2025

14.&nbsp;Craig Karlin - A &amp; A Coors Yuengling Pub Crawl – 7-26-2025

15.&nbsp;Garrett Dreiling – Lewis Automotive – 8-16-2025

16.&nbsp;Ruthmary Muir – Lewis Automotive – 8-16-2025

17.&nbsp;Dustin Roths – National Radio Day at Eagle – 8-20-2025

18.&nbsp;James Rome – National Radio Day at Eagle – 8-20-2025

19.&nbsp;Melissa Pinkney – LoKal Country Bar – 8-22-2025

20.&nbsp;Bryan Schoepf – LoKal Country Bar – 8-22-2025

21.&nbsp;Ann Gottschalk – Brogden GMC – 8-23-2025

22.&nbsp;Kirk Pfannenstiel – Brogden GMC – 8-23-2025

The&nbsp;golf&nbsp;cart will be given away at this year’s Oktoberfest on Friday, Sept. 26th!&nbsp; Special thanks to A &amp; A Coors Yuengling for this great giveaway!

Keep listening to Eagle Radio and reading the Hays Post all summer long for your chance to become a finalist. Watch the Hays Post for announcement of finalists.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755614026735.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Congratulations&nbsp;to Ann Gottschalk and Kirk Pfannenstiel from Hays on becoming finalists in the Yuengling Flight&nbsp;Golf&nbsp;Cart Giveaway at Brogden GMC on Saturday.&nbsp;Congratulations&nbsp;to Melissa Pinkney and Bryan Schoepf from Hays on becoming finalists in the Yuengling Flight&nbsp;Golf&nbsp;Cart Giveaway at LoKal Country Bar on Friday night.They join the following finalists:1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Lance Armbruster – Wild West Festival – 7-2-20252.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Curtis Wellbrock – Wild West Festival – 7-2-20253.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ryan Cellmer – Mr. K’s Foodtown – 7-5-20254.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Barry Gilliland – Mr. K’s Foodtown – 7-5-20255.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Debbie Windholz – Malay’s Market – 7-12-20256.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Darren Dunn – Malay’s Market – 7-12-20257.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Bernita Augustine – American Shooters – 7-19-20258.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Doug Kutina – American Shooters – 7-19-20259.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Connie Steinle – Stop2Shop/Wilson Wine &amp; Spirits – 7-25-202510.&nbsp;Halie Eck - Stop2Shop/Wilson Wine &amp; Spirits – 7-25-202511.&nbsp;&nbsp;Kevin Prester - Stop2Shop/Wilson Wine &amp; Spirits – 7-25-202512.&nbsp;&nbsp;Tom Quenzer - Stop2Shop/Wilson Wine &amp; Spirits – 7-25-202513.&nbsp;Taylor Lunsford – A &amp; A Coors Yuengling Pub Crawl – 7-26-202514.&nbsp;Craig Karlin - A &amp; A Coors Yuengling Pub Crawl – 7-26-202515.&nbsp;Garrett Dreiling – Lewis Automotive – 8-16-202516.&nbsp;Ruthmary Muir – Lewis Automotive – 8-16-202517.&nbsp;Dustin Roths – National Radio Day at Eagle – 8-20-202518.&nbsp;James Rome – National Radio Day at Eagle – 8-20-202519.&nbsp;Melissa Pinkney – LoKal Country Bar – 8-22-202520.&nbsp;Bryan Schoepf – LoKal Country Bar – 8-22-202521.&nbsp;Ann Gottschalk – Brogden GMC – 8-23-202522.&nbsp;Kirk Pfannenstiel – Brogden GMC – 8-23-2025The&nbsp;golf&nbsp;cart will be given away at this year’s Oktoberfest on Friday, Sept. 26th!&nbsp; Special thanks to A &amp; A Coors Yuengling for this great giveaway!Keep listening to Eagle Radio and reading the Hays Post all summer long for your chance to become a finalist. Watch the Hays Post for announcement of finalists.

Brogden GMC, LoKal finalists named for Yuengling Flight Golf Cart Giveaway

Congratulations&nbsp;to Wanda Oborny and Duane Lang from Hays, our latest finalists in the Lite Beer from Miller&nbsp;UTV&nbsp;Giveaway.

Their names were selected as finalists at Kaiser Liquor in Hays on Friday, Aug. 22.

Special thanks to Briney Motorsports, Advantage Glass Plus, Commercial Sign Company, and A &amp; A Coors Miller of Hays!

Keep listening to Eagle Radio and reading the Hays Post all summer long for your chance to become a finalist.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753111227517.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750185433864.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Congratulations&nbsp;to Wanda Oborny and Duane Lang from Hays, our latest finalists in the Lite Beer from Miller&nbsp;UTV&nbsp;Giveaway. Their names were selected as finalists at Kaiser Liquor in Hays on Friday, Aug. 22.Special thanks to Briney Motorsports, Advantage Glass Plus, Commercial Sign Company, and A &amp; A Coors Miller of Hays!They join the following finalists:<ol>
 <li>Garrett Bland – Relay for Life Golf Tournament – 6-13-2025</li><li>Earl Brungardt – Relay for Life Golf Tournament – 6-13-2025</li><li>Tara Graham – LoKal Country Bar – 6-27-2025</li><li>Brad Leitner – LoKal Country Bar – 6-27-2025</li><li>Becky Wachs – WWF – 7-3-2025</li><li>Kirby Garrison – WWF – 7-3-2025</li><li>Marlin Sherfick – Trego Co. Fair – 7-11-2025</li><li>Dale Pfannenstiel – Trego Co. Fair – 7-11-2025</li><li>Danny Wasinger – Ellis Co. Fair – 7-18-2025</li><li>Brett Davidson – Ellis Co. Fair – 7-18-2025</li><li>Erin Storer – Doghouse Liquor – 7-19-2025</li><li>Landon Paul – Doghouse Liquor – 7-19-2025</li>
 </ol><ul>
 <li>13.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Mark Hauptman – Briney Motorsports – 7-25-2025</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>14.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Rod Goetz – Briney Motorsports – 7-25-2025</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>15.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Chad McCarty – Discount Smokes – 8-1-2025</li><li>16. Nolan Allen – Discount Smokes – 8-1-2025 </li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>17.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Mark Coomes – Phillipsburg Rodeo – 8-1-2025</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>18.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Matt Van Allen – Phillipsburg Rodeo – 8-1-2025</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>19.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pierce Day – Ole 40 Express – 8-4-2025</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>20.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Shane Wilson – Ole 40 Express – 8-4-2025</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>21.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Lyn Klein – Auto Collision Specialists – 8-15-2025</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>22.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyle Kirmer – Auto Collision Specialists – 8-15-2025</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>23.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Darin Myers – National Radio Day at Eagle – 8-20-2025</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>24.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;John Kaba – National Radio Day at Eagle – 8-20-2025</li>
 </ul>Keep listening to Eagle Radio and reading the Hays Post all summer long for your chance to become a finalist.

Kaiser Liquor finalists named for Lite Beer from Miller UTV Giveaway

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The K-State Ag Research Center reported .78 inches of rain as of 8 this morning.

Hays has received 2.54 inches of rain for the month and&nbsp;16.32 inches year to date. This is compared to a 3.01-inch average for August and a 17.70-inch average by the end of August.

Rain is supposed to subside by noon today with a high of 70.

Tuesday's forecast calls for a high of 78, mostly sunny with chances of rain returning Tuesday night, Wednesday and Wednesday night.

Thursday and Friday are forecast to be cloudy and unseasonably cool with highs in the mid-70s.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730574545090.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe K-State Ag Research Center reported .78 inches of rain as of 8 this morning.Hays has received 2.54 inches of rain for the month and&nbsp;16.32 inches year to date. This is compared to a 3.01-inch average for August and a 17.70-inch average by the end of August.Rain is supposed to subside by noon today with a high of 70.Tuesday's forecast calls for a high of 78, mostly sunny with chances of rain returning Tuesday night, Wednesday and Wednesday night.Thursday and Friday are forecast to be cloudy and unseasonably cool with highs in the mid-70s.

Rain, cool weather continuing this week in Hays

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/demetris-nellas">DEMETRIS NELLAS</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mae-anderson">MAE ANDERSON</a>

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The end of an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-russia-india-9e388a55583e7007149819c52f0fd71b">exemption on tariff duties for low-value packages</a>&nbsp;coming into the United States is causing multiple international postal services to pause shipping as they await more clarity on the rule.

The exemption, known as the “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/de-minimis-trump-tariffs-china-1b52319a85572331baf31cb6287ecddf">de minimis” exemption</a>, allows packages worth less than $800 to come into the U.S. duty free. A total of 1.36 billion packages were sent in 2024 under this exemption, for goods worth $64.6 billion, according to data from the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Agency.

It is set to expire on Friday. On Saturday, postal services around Europe announced that they are suspending the shipment of many packages to the United States amid confusion over new import duties.

Postal services in Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Italy said they will stop shipping most merchandise to the U.S. effective immediately. France and Austria will follow on Monday.

The U.K.'s Royal Mail said it would halt shipments to the U.S. on Tuesday to allow time for those packages to arrive before duties kick in. Items originating in the United Kingdom worth over $100 — including gifts to friends and family — will incur a 10% duty, it said.

“Key questions remain unresolved, particularly regarding how and by whom customs duties will be collected in the future, what additional data will be required, and how the data transmission to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection will be carried out,” DHL, the largest shipping provider in Europe, said in a statement.

The company said starting Saturday it “will no longer be able to accept and transport parcels and postal items containing goods from business customers destined for the US.”

A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tariffs">trade framework agreed on by the U.S. and the European Union</a>&nbsp;last month set a 15% tariff on the vast majority of products shipped from the EU. Packages under $800 will now also be subject to the tariff.

The U.S. duty-free&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/de-minimis-trump-tariffs-china-1b52319a85572331baf31cb6287ecddf">exemption for goods originating from China</a>&nbsp;ended in May as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to curb American shoppers from ordering low-value Chinese goods. The exemption is being extended to shipments from around the world.

Many European postal services say they are pausing deliveries now because they cannot guarantee the goods will enter the U.S. before Aug. 29. They cite ambiguity about what kind of goods are covered by the new rules, and the lack of time to process their implications.

Postnord, the Nordic logistics company, and Italy’s postal service announced similar suspensions effective Saturday.

“In the absence of different instructions from US authorities ... Poste Italiane will be forced, like other European postal operators, to temporarily suspend acceptance of all shipments containing goods destined for the United States, starting August 23. Mail shipments not containing merchandise will continue to be accepted,” Poste Italiane said Friday.

Shipping by services such as DHL Express remains possible, it added.

Björn Bergman, head of PostNord’s Group Brand and Communication, said the pause was “unfortunate but necessary to ensure full compliance of the newly implemented rules.”

In the Netherlands, PostNL spokesperson Wout Witteveen said the Trump administration is pressing ahead with the new duties despite U.S. authorities lacking a system to collect them. He said that PostNL is working closely with its U.S. counterparts to find a solution.

“If you have something to send to America, you should do it today,” Witteveen told The Associated Press.

Austrian Post, Austria’s leading logistics and postal service provider, stated that the last acceptance of commercial shipments to the U.S., including Puerto Rico, will take place Tuesday.

France’s national postal service, La Poste, said the U.S. did not provide full details or allow enough time for the French postal service to prepare for new customs procedures.

″Despite discussions with U.S. customs services, no time was provided to postal operators to re-organize and assure the necessary computer updates to conform to the new rules,″ it said in a statement.

PostEurop, an association of 51 European public postal operators, said that if no solution can be found by Aug. 29 all its members will likely follow suit.

Anderson reported from New York. Associated Press writers Angela Charlton in Paris; Costas Kantouris in Thessaloniki, Greece; Stephanie Lichtenstein in Vienna; Brian Melley in London and Molly Quell in Amsterdam contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756074212592.png" alt="Post photo" />
 <figcaption>Post photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/demetris-nellas">DEMETRIS NELLAS</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mae-anderson">MAE ANDERSON</a>ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The end of an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-russia-india-9e388a55583e7007149819c52f0fd71b">exemption on tariff duties for low-value packages</a>&nbsp;coming into the United States is causing multiple international postal services to pause shipping as they await more clarity on the rule.The exemption, known as the “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/de-minimis-trump-tariffs-china-1b52319a85572331baf31cb6287ecddf">de minimis” exemption</a>, allows packages worth less than $800 to come into the U.S. duty free. A total of 1.36 billion packages were sent in 2024 under this exemption, for goods worth $64.6 billion, according to data from the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Agency.It is set to expire on Friday. On Saturday, postal services around Europe announced that they are suspending the shipment of many packages to the United States amid confusion over new import duties.Postal services in Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Italy said they will stop shipping most merchandise to the U.S. effective immediately. France and Austria will follow on Monday.The U.K.'s Royal Mail said it would halt shipments to the U.S. on Tuesday to allow time for those packages to arrive before duties kick in. Items originating in the United Kingdom worth over $100 — including gifts to friends and family — will incur a 10% duty, it said.“Key questions remain unresolved, particularly regarding how and by whom customs duties will be collected in the future, what additional data will be required, and how the data transmission to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection will be carried out,” DHL, the largest shipping provider in Europe, said in a statement.The company said starting Saturday it “will no longer be able to accept and transport parcels and postal items containing goods from business customers destined for the US.”A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tariffs">trade framework agreed on by the U.S. and the European Union</a>&nbsp;last month set a 15% tariff on the vast majority of products shipped from the EU. Packages under $800 will now also be subject to the tariff.The U.S. duty-free&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/de-minimis-trump-tariffs-china-1b52319a85572331baf31cb6287ecddf">exemption for goods originating from China</a>&nbsp;ended in May as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to curb American shoppers from ordering low-value Chinese goods. The exemption is being extended to shipments from around the world.Many European postal services say they are pausing deliveries now because they cannot guarantee the goods will enter the U.S. before Aug. 29. They cite ambiguity about what kind of goods are covered by the new rules, and the lack of time to process their implications.Postnord, the Nordic logistics company, and Italy’s postal service announced similar suspensions effective Saturday.“In the absence of different instructions from US authorities ... Poste Italiane will be forced, like other European postal operators, to temporarily suspend acceptance of all shipments containing goods destined for the United States, starting August 23. Mail shipments not containing merchandise will continue to be accepted,” Poste Italiane said Friday.Shipping by services such as DHL Express remains possible, it added.Björn Bergman, head of PostNord’s Group Brand and Communication, said the pause was “unfortunate but necessary to ensure full compliance of the newly implemented rules.”In the Netherlands, PostNL spokesperson Wout Witteveen said the Trump administration is pressing ahead with the new duties despite U.S. authorities lacking a system to collect them. He said that PostNL is working closely with its U.S. counterparts to find a solution.“If you have something to send to America, you should do it today,” Witteveen told The Associated Press.Austrian Post, Austria’s leading logistics and postal service provider, stated that the last acceptance of commercial shipments to the U.S., including Puerto Rico, will take place Tuesday.France’s national postal service, La Poste, said the U.S. did not provide full details or allow enough time for the French postal service to prepare for new customs procedures.″Despite discussions with U.S. customs services, no time was provided to postal operators to re-organize and assure the necessary computer updates to conform to the new rules,″ it said in a statement.PostEurop, an association of 51 European public postal operators, said that if no solution can be found by Aug. 29 all its members will likely follow suit.___Anderson reported from New York. Associated Press writers Angela Charlton in Paris; Costas Kantouris in Thessaloniki, Greece; Stephanie Lichtenstein in Vienna; Brian Melley in London and Molly Quell in Amsterdam contributed to this report.

Tariff confusion: Postal services suspend package shipments to US 

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

Hays' dogs made a big splash Saturday as they took over the pool for a day of tail-wagging fun.

The Hays Recreation Commission welcomed dogs of all sizes, from small pugs to towering huskies, for the special event. Pet owners got in on the fun too, paddling alongside their four-legged companions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756078120208.jpeg" alt="A French Bulldog on guard duty at the Hays Recreation Commission dog swim at Hays Aquatic Park. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A French Bulldog on guard duty at the Hays Recreation Commission dog swim at Hays Aquatic Park. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostHays' dogs made a big splash Saturday as they took over the pool for a day of tail-wagging fun.The Hays Recreation Commission welcomed dogs of all sizes, from small pugs to towering huskies, for the special event. Pet owners got in on the fun too, paddling alongside their four-legged companions.<figure>
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📷Local dogs cool off at Hays Aquatic Park

WASHINGTON (AP) — Some National Guard units patrolling the nation’s capital at the direction of President Donald Trump have started carrying firearms, an escalation of his military deployment that makes good on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-federal-intervention-trump-national-guard-df942130ec117288cfc648ab4e37f031">directive issued late last week</a>&nbsp;by his defense secretary.

A Defense Department official who was not authorized to speak publicly said some units on certain missions would be armed — some with handguns and others with rifles. The spokesperson said that all units with firearms have been trained and are operating under strict rules for use of force.

An Associated Press photographer on Sunday saw members of the South Carolina National Guard outside Union Station with holstered handguns.

A statement from the joint task force that has taken over policing in the nation’s capital said units began carrying their service weapons on Sunday and that the military's rules say force should be used “only as a last resort and solely in response to an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm.” It said the force is committed to protecting “the safety and wellbeing” of Washington's residents.

The defense official who spoke to The Associated Press said only troops on certain missions would carry guns, and that would include those patrolling to establish a law enforcement presence throughout the capital. Those working in transportation or administration would likely remain unarmed.

Thousands of National Guard and federal law enforcement officers are now&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/search/text?all=false&amp;startDateObj=2024-05-14T15:06:55.237Z&amp;endDate=5%2F14%2F2025&amp;sourceType=ap&amp;dateRangeType=live&amp;mediaSortType=newest&amp;viewType=list&amp;pagesize=100&amp;endDateObj=2025-05-14T15:06:55.195Z&amp;keyword=Takeover&amp;storyType=all&amp;mediatype=text&amp;pagenumber=0&amp;recentRange=1y">patrolling the district’s streets</a>, drawing sporadic protests from local residents.

The development in Trump’s extraordinary effort to override the law enforcement authority of state and local governments comes as he is considering expanding the deployments to other Democratic-led cities, including Baltimore,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crime-crackdown-dc-chicago-new-york-d5c658a7350a954ae1ab4bc80c920ac9">Chicago</a>&nbsp;and New York.

Earlier Sunday, the president responded to an offer by Maryland’s governor to join him in a tour of Baltimore by saying he might instead “send in the ‘troops.’”

Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, has criticized Trump's unprecedented flex of federal power aimed at combatting crime and homelessness in Washington. Moore last week invited Trump to visit his state to discuss public safety and walk the streets.

In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump said Moore asked “in a rather nasty and provocative tone,” and then raised the specter of repeating the National Guard deployment he made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-guard-los-angeles-immigration-raids-protests-8f668f3fbfd2a8b1f1408db840e9864d">in Los Angeles</a>&nbsp;over the objections of California's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom.

"Wes Moore’s record on Crime is a very bad one, unless he fudges his figures on crime like many of the other ‘Blue States’ are doing," Trump wrote, as he cited a pejorative nickname he uses frequently for the California governor. “But if Wes Moore needs help, like Gavin Newscum did in L.A., I will send in the ‘troops,’ which is being done in nearby DC, and quickly clean up the Crime.”

Moore said he invited Trump to Maryland “because he seems to enjoy living in this blissful ignorance" about improving crime rates in Baltimore. After a spike during the pandemic that matched nationwide trends, Baltimore's violent crime rate has fallen. The 200 homicides reported last year were down 24% from the prior year and 42% since 2021, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://app.powerbigov.us/view?r=eyJrIjoiZjcyZDY5NWYtNTBlZS00OTg0LTgyNDQtOWYwMDEyOGI5Y2M1IiwidCI6IjMxMmNiMTI2LWM2YWUtNGZjMi04MDBkLTMxOGU2NzljZTZjNyJ9&amp;pageName=ReportSectionb1fa0cb3c370416927ba">city data</a>. Between 2023 and 2024, overall violent crime was down nearly 8% and property crimes down 20%.

“The president is spending all of his time talking about me,” Moore said on CBS's “Face the Nation” on Sunday. “I'm spending my time talking about the people I serve.”

Trump is “spouting off a bunch of lies about public safety in Maryland,” Moore said in a fundraising email.

In Washington, where Trump has surged National Guard troops and federal law enforcement officers, a patchwork of protests popped up throughout the city over the weekend, while some normally bustling corners were noticeably quiet. In some of the most populated areas, residents walked by small groups of national guardsmen, often talking among themselves. Videos of arrests and detainments circulated on social media.

Trump has said Chicago and New York are most likely&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crime-crackdown-dc-chicago-new-york-d5c658a7350a954ae1ab4bc80c920ac9">his next targets</a>, eliciting strong pushback from Democratic leaders in both states. The Washington Post&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/08/23/trump-chicago-military-national-guard/">reported Saturday</a>&nbsp;that the Pentagon has spent weeks preparing for an operation in Chicago that would include National Guard troops and potentially active-duty forces.

Asked about the Post report, the White House pointed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crime-crackdown-dc-chicago-new-york-d5c658a7350a954ae1ab4bc80c920ac9">Trump's earlier comments</a>&nbsp;discussing his desire to expand his use of military forces to target local crime.

“I think Chicago will be our next,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday, adding, “And then we’ll help with New York.”

Trump has repeatedly described some of the nation’s largest cities — run by Democrats, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/black-mayors-national-guard-police-takeover-dc-aa9a9cd07f0704b13f3d2deb2e351e44">Black mayors</a>&nbsp;and majority-minority populations — as dangerous and filthy. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott is Black, as is Moore. The District of Columbia and New York also have Black mayors.

The Rev. Al Sharpton, speaking during a religious event Sunday at Howard University in Washington, said the Guard's presence in the nation's capital was not about crime: "This is about profiling us.”

“This is laced with bigotry and racism,” he later elaborated to reporters. "Not one white mayor has been designated. And I think this is a civil rights issue, a race issue, and an issue of D.C. statehood.”

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat, said there is&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/GovPritzker/status/1959421956509548587">no emergency</a>&nbsp;warranting the deployment of National Guard troops in Chicago.

“Donald Trump is attempting to manufacture a crisis, politicize Americans who serve in uniform, and continue abusing his power to distract from the pain he’s causing families,” Pritzker&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/GovPritzker/status/1959421957725720665">wrote on X</a>. “We’ll continue to follow the law, stand up for the sovereignty of our state, and protect Illinoisans.”

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said the city doesn't need “a military occupation" and would sue to block one. He said there has been no communication from the White House about a possible military deployment.

“We’re not going to surrender our humanity to this tyrant," Johnson said Sunday on MSNBC. “I can tell you this, the city of Chicago has a long history of standing up against tyranny, resisting those who wish to undermine the interests of working people.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755882333777.png" alt="Image from White House video" />
 <figcaption>Image from White House video</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Some National Guard units patrolling the nation’s capital at the direction of President Donald Trump have started carrying firearms, an escalation of his military deployment that makes good on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-federal-intervention-trump-national-guard-df942130ec117288cfc648ab4e37f031">directive issued late last week</a>&nbsp;by his defense secretary.A Defense Department official who was not authorized to speak publicly said some units on certain missions would be armed — some with handguns and others with rifles. The spokesperson said that all units with firearms have been trained and are operating under strict rules for use of force.An Associated Press photographer on Sunday saw members of the South Carolina National Guard outside Union Station with holstered handguns.A statement from the joint task force that has taken over policing in the nation’s capital said units began carrying their service weapons on Sunday and that the military's rules say force should be used “only as a last resort and solely in response to an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm.” It said the force is committed to protecting “the safety and wellbeing” of Washington's residents.The defense official who spoke to The Associated Press said only troops on certain missions would carry guns, and that would include those patrolling to establish a law enforcement presence throughout the capital. Those working in transportation or administration would likely remain unarmed.Thousands of National Guard and federal law enforcement officers are now&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/search/text?all=false&amp;startDateObj=2024-05-14T15:06:55.237Z&amp;endDate=5%2F14%2F2025&amp;sourceType=ap&amp;dateRangeType=live&amp;mediaSortType=newest&amp;viewType=list&amp;pagesize=100&amp;endDateObj=2025-05-14T15:06:55.195Z&amp;keyword=Takeover&amp;storyType=all&amp;mediatype=text&amp;pagenumber=0&amp;recentRange=1y">patrolling the district’s streets</a>, drawing sporadic protests from local residents.The development in Trump’s extraordinary effort to override the law enforcement authority of state and local governments comes as he is considering expanding the deployments to other Democratic-led cities, including Baltimore,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crime-crackdown-dc-chicago-new-york-d5c658a7350a954ae1ab4bc80c920ac9">Chicago</a>&nbsp;and New York.Earlier Sunday, the president responded to an offer by Maryland’s governor to join him in a tour of Baltimore by saying he might instead “send in the ‘troops.’”Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, has criticized Trump's unprecedented flex of federal power aimed at combatting crime and homelessness in Washington. Moore last week invited Trump to visit his state to discuss public safety and walk the streets.In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump said Moore asked “in a rather nasty and provocative tone,” and then raised the specter of repeating the National Guard deployment he made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-guard-los-angeles-immigration-raids-protests-8f668f3fbfd2a8b1f1408db840e9864d">in Los Angeles</a>&nbsp;over the objections of California's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom."Wes Moore’s record on Crime is a very bad one, unless he fudges his figures on crime like many of the other ‘Blue States’ are doing," Trump wrote, as he cited a pejorative nickname he uses frequently for the California governor. “But if Wes Moore needs help, like Gavin Newscum did in L.A., I will send in the ‘troops,’ which is being done in nearby DC, and quickly clean up the Crime.”Moore said he invited Trump to Maryland “because he seems to enjoy living in this blissful ignorance" about improving crime rates in Baltimore. After a spike during the pandemic that matched nationwide trends, Baltimore's violent crime rate has fallen. The 200 homicides reported last year were down 24% from the prior year and 42% since 2021, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://app.powerbigov.us/view?r=eyJrIjoiZjcyZDY5NWYtNTBlZS00OTg0LTgyNDQtOWYwMDEyOGI5Y2M1IiwidCI6IjMxMmNiMTI2LWM2YWUtNGZjMi04MDBkLTMxOGU2NzljZTZjNyJ9&amp;pageName=ReportSectionb1fa0cb3c370416927ba">city data</a>. Between 2023 and 2024, overall violent crime was down nearly 8% and property crimes down 20%.“The president is spending all of his time talking about me,” Moore said on CBS's “Face the Nation” on Sunday. “I'm spending my time talking about the people I serve.”Trump is “spouting off a bunch of lies about public safety in Maryland,” Moore said in a fundraising email.In Washington, where Trump has surged National Guard troops and federal law enforcement officers, a patchwork of protests popped up throughout the city over the weekend, while some normally bustling corners were noticeably quiet. In some of the most populated areas, residents walked by small groups of national guardsmen, often talking among themselves. Videos of arrests and detainments circulated on social media.Trump has said Chicago and New York are most likely&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crime-crackdown-dc-chicago-new-york-d5c658a7350a954ae1ab4bc80c920ac9">his next targets</a>, eliciting strong pushback from Democratic leaders in both states. The Washington Post&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/08/23/trump-chicago-military-national-guard/">reported Saturday</a>&nbsp;that the Pentagon has spent weeks preparing for an operation in Chicago that would include National Guard troops and potentially active-duty forces.Asked about the Post report, the White House pointed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crime-crackdown-dc-chicago-new-york-d5c658a7350a954ae1ab4bc80c920ac9">Trump's earlier comments</a>&nbsp;discussing his desire to expand his use of military forces to target local crime.“I think Chicago will be our next,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday, adding, “And then we’ll help with New York.”Trump has repeatedly described some of the nation’s largest cities — run by Democrats, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/black-mayors-national-guard-police-takeover-dc-aa9a9cd07f0704b13f3d2deb2e351e44">Black mayors</a>&nbsp;and majority-minority populations — as dangerous and filthy. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott is Black, as is Moore. The District of Columbia and New York also have Black mayors.The Rev. Al Sharpton, speaking during a religious event Sunday at Howard University in Washington, said the Guard's presence in the nation's capital was not about crime: "This is about profiling us.”“This is laced with bigotry and racism,” he later elaborated to reporters. "Not one white mayor has been designated. And I think this is a civil rights issue, a race issue, and an issue of D.C. statehood.”Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat, said there is&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/GovPritzker/status/1959421956509548587">no emergency</a>&nbsp;warranting the deployment of National Guard troops in Chicago.“Donald Trump is attempting to manufacture a crisis, politicize Americans who serve in uniform, and continue abusing his power to distract from the pain he’s causing families,” Pritzker&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/GovPritzker/status/1959421957725720665">wrote on X</a>. “We’ll continue to follow the law, stand up for the sovereignty of our state, and protect Illinoisans.”Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said the city doesn't need “a military occupation" and would sue to block one. He said there has been no communication from the White House about a possible military deployment.“We’re not going to surrender our humanity to this tyrant," Johnson said Sunday on MSNBC. “I can tell you this, the city of Chicago has a long history of standing up against tyranny, resisting those who wish to undermine the interests of working people.”___

Some guard units in DC now carrying firearms; more cities targeted for possible deployment 

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/jeff-mcmurray">JEFF McMURRAY</a> Associated Press

Rose Hammond pushed authorities for years to lower the 55 mph speed limit on a two-lane road that passes her assisted living community, a church, two schools and a busy park that hosts numerous youth sports leagues.

“What are you waiting for, somebody to get&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-turnpike-crashes-5bd9bdca1835dac573f8461bf9166994">killed</a>?” the 85-year-old chided officials in northwest Ohio, complaining that nothing was being done about the motorcycles that race by almost daily.

Amid growing public pressure, Sylvania Township asked county engineers in March to analyze whether Mitchaw Road’s posted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/road-diets-traffic-safety-transportation-department-trump-2486cac519fdc56348532717e43dc81d">speed is too high.</a>&nbsp;The surprising answer: Technically, it’s 5 mph too low.

The reason dates back to studies on rural roads from the 1930s and 1940s that still play an outsized role in the way&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/speed-limiters-reckless-drivers-states-judges-washington-72165c45b7481b6b313248841006578b">speed limits</a>&nbsp;are set across the U.S. — even in urban areas.

Born from that research was a widely accepted concept known as the 85% rule, which suggests a road’s posted speed should be tied to the 15th-fastest vehicle out of every 100 traveling it in free-flowing traffic, rounded to the nearest 5 mph increment.

But after decades of closely following the rule, some states — with a nudge from the federal government — are seeking to modify if not replace it when setting guidelines for how local engineers should decide what speed limit to post.

The concept assumes that a road’s safest speed is the one most vehicles travel — neither too high nor too low. If drivers think the speed limit should be raised, they can simply step on the gas and “vote with their feet,” as an old brochure from the Institute of Transportation Engineers once put it.

“The problem with this approach is it creates this feedback loop,” said Jenny O’Connell, director of member programs for the National Association of City Transportation Officials. “People speed, and then the speed limits will be ratcheted up to match that speed.”

The association developed an alternative to the 85% rule known as “City Limits,” which aims to minimize the risk of injuries for all road users by setting the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/speeding-motorist-germany-autobahn-fine-record-e1fc8c77e62e7112d10e67c060512d80">speed limit</a>&nbsp;based on a formula that factors in a street’s activity level and the likelihood of conflicts, such as collisions.

The report points out the 85% rule is based on dated research and that “these historic roads are a far cry from the vibrant streets and arterials that typify city streets today.”

Amid a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/traffic-deaths-pedestrians-distracted-driving-fb7ec8a9ddbb862c9b29f6ac87d508f9">spike in road deaths</a>&nbsp;across the country, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/infrastructure-poor-bridges-highway-grants-f86c8a19145fc4584b0d978b0005e405">Federal Highway Administration</a>&nbsp;sent a subtle but important message to states that the 85% rule isn’t actually a rule at all and was carrying too much weight in determining local speed limits. In its first update since 2009 to a manual that establishes national guidelines for traffic signs, the agency clarified that communities should also consider such things as how the road is used, the risk to pedestrians, and the frequency of crashes.

Leah Shahum, who directs the Vision Zero Network, a nonprofit advocating for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hoboken-zero-traffic-deaths-daylighting-pedestrian-safety-007dec67706c1c09129da1436a3d9762">street safety,</a>&nbsp;said she wishes the manual had gone further in downplaying the 85% rule but acknowledges the change has already impacted the way some states set speed limits. Others, however, are still clinging to the simplicity and familiarity of the longstanding approach, she said.

“The 85th percentile should not be the Holy Grail or the Bible, and yet over and over again it is accepted as that,” Shahum said.

Under its “20 is Plenty” campaign, the Wisconsin capital of Madison has been changing signs across the city this summer, lowering the speed limit from 25 mph to 20 mph on local residential streets.

When Seattle took a similar step in a pilot program seven years ago, not only did it see a noticeable decline in serious injury crashes but also a 7% drop in the 85th percentile speed, according to the Vision Zero Network.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-speed-alert-cars-bill-veto-588605f3980c952c894756da6579bf3d">California</a>&nbsp;embraces the 85% rule even more than most states as its basis for setting speed limits. But legislators have loosened the restrictions on local governments a bit in recent years, allowing them to depart from the guidelines if they can cite a proven safety need.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-public-transit-9002a8b3e0270db28587835a85c2ccb0">Advocates</a>&nbsp;for pedestrians and bicyclists say the change helps, but is not enough.

“We still have a long way to go in California in terms of putting value on all road users,” said Kendra Ramsey, executive director of the California Bicycle Coalition. “There’s still a very heavy mindset that automobiles are the primary method of travel and they should be given priority and reverence.”

But Jay Beeber, executive director for policy at the National Motorists Association, an advocacy organization for drivers, said following the 85% rule is usually the safest way to minimize the variation in speed between drivers who abide by the posted limit and those who far exceed it.

“It doesn’t really matter what number you put on a sign,” Beeber said. “The average driver drives the nature of the roadway. It would be patently unfair for a government to build a road to encourage people to drive 45 mph, put a 30 mph speed limit on it, and then ticket everyone for doing what they built the road to do.”

Fears about oil prices prompted Congress in the 1970s to set a 55 mph national maximum speed limit, which it later relaxed to 65 mph before repealing the law in 1995 and handing the authority to states. Since then, speed limits have kept climbing, with North Dakota this summer becoming the ninth state to allow drivers to go 80 mph on some stretches of highway. There’s even a 40-mile segment in Texas between Austin and San Antonio where 85 mph is allowed.

Although high-speed freeways outside major population centers aren’t the focus of most efforts to ease the 85% rule, a 2019 study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety — a research arm funded by auto insurers — illustrates the risks. Every 5 mph increase to a state’s maximum speed limit increases the chance of fatalities by 8.5% on interstate highways and 2.8% on other roads, the study found.

“Maybe back when you were driving a Model T you had a real feel for how fast you were going, but in modern vehicles you don’t have a sense of what 80 mph is. You’re in a cocoon,” said Chuck Farmer, the institute’s vice president for research, who conducted the study.

If elected officials in Sylvania Township, Ohio, got their way, Mitchaw Road’s posted speed limit would be cut dramatically — from 55 mph to 40 mph or lower. The county’s finding that the 85% rule actually calls for raising it to 60 mph surprised the town’s leaders, but not the engineers who ran the study.

“If we don’t make decisions based on data, it’s very difficult to make good decisions,” Lucas County Engineer Mike Pniewski said.

For now, the speed limit will remain as it is. That’s because Ohio law sets maximum speeds for 15 different types of roadways, regardless of what the 85% rule suggests.

And Ohio’s guidelines are evolving. The state now gives more consideration to roadway context and allows cities to reduce speed limits based on the lower standard of the 50th percentile speed when there’s a large presence of pedestrians and bicyclists. Authorities there recently hired a consultant to consider additional modifications based on what other states are doing.

“States have very slowly started to move away from the 85th percentile as being kind of the gold standard for decision-making,” said Michelle May, who manages Ohio’s highway safety program. “People are traveling and living differently than they did 40 years ago, and we want to put safety more at the focus.”

It’s unclear whether any of these changes will ultimately impact the posted speed on Mitchaw Road. After years of futile calls and emails to state, county and township officials, Hammond says she isn’t holding her breath.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755965299405.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/jeff-mcmurray">JEFF McMURRAY</a> Associated PressRose Hammond pushed authorities for years to lower the 55 mph speed limit on a two-lane road that passes her assisted living community, a church, two schools and a busy park that hosts numerous youth sports leagues.“What are you waiting for, somebody to get&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-turnpike-crashes-5bd9bdca1835dac573f8461bf9166994">killed</a>?” the 85-year-old chided officials in northwest Ohio, complaining that nothing was being done about the motorcycles that race by almost daily.Amid growing public pressure, Sylvania Township asked county engineers in March to analyze whether Mitchaw Road’s posted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/road-diets-traffic-safety-transportation-department-trump-2486cac519fdc56348532717e43dc81d">speed is too high.</a>&nbsp;The surprising answer: Technically, it’s 5 mph too low.The reason dates back to studies on rural roads from the 1930s and 1940s that still play an outsized role in the way&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/speed-limiters-reckless-drivers-states-judges-washington-72165c45b7481b6b313248841006578b">speed limits</a>&nbsp;are set across the U.S. — even in urban areas.Born from that research was a widely accepted concept known as the 85% rule, which suggests a road’s posted speed should be tied to the 15th-fastest vehicle out of every 100 traveling it in free-flowing traffic, rounded to the nearest 5 mph increment.But after decades of closely following the rule, some states — with a nudge from the federal government — are seeking to modify if not replace it when setting guidelines for how local engineers should decide what speed limit to post.<h2>Drivers set the speed</h2>The concept assumes that a road’s safest speed is the one most vehicles travel — neither too high nor too low. If drivers think the speed limit should be raised, they can simply step on the gas and “vote with their feet,” as an old brochure from the Institute of Transportation Engineers once put it.“The problem with this approach is it creates this feedback loop,” said Jenny O’Connell, director of member programs for the National Association of City Transportation Officials. “People speed, and then the speed limits will be ratcheted up to match that speed.”The association developed an alternative to the 85% rule known as “City Limits,” which aims to minimize the risk of injuries for all road users by setting the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/speeding-motorist-germany-autobahn-fine-record-e1fc8c77e62e7112d10e67c060512d80">speed limit</a>&nbsp;based on a formula that factors in a street’s activity level and the likelihood of conflicts, such as collisions.The report points out the 85% rule is based on dated research and that “these historic roads are a far cry from the vibrant streets and arterials that typify city streets today.”Amid a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/traffic-deaths-pedestrians-distracted-driving-fb7ec8a9ddbb862c9b29f6ac87d508f9">spike in road deaths</a>&nbsp;across the country, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/infrastructure-poor-bridges-highway-grants-f86c8a19145fc4584b0d978b0005e405">Federal Highway Administration</a>&nbsp;sent a subtle but important message to states that the 85% rule isn’t actually a rule at all and was carrying too much weight in determining local speed limits. In its first update since 2009 to a manual that establishes national guidelines for traffic signs, the agency clarified that communities should also consider such things as how the road is used, the risk to pedestrians, and the frequency of crashes.Leah Shahum, who directs the Vision Zero Network, a nonprofit advocating for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hoboken-zero-traffic-deaths-daylighting-pedestrian-safety-007dec67706c1c09129da1436a3d9762">street safety,</a>&nbsp;said she wishes the manual had gone further in downplaying the 85% rule but acknowledges the change has already impacted the way some states set speed limits. Others, however, are still clinging to the simplicity and familiarity of the longstanding approach, she said.“The 85th percentile should not be the Holy Grail or the Bible, and yet over and over again it is accepted as that,” Shahum said.<h2>Rethinking the need for speed</h2>Under its “20 is Plenty” campaign, the Wisconsin capital of Madison has been changing signs across the city this summer, lowering the speed limit from 25 mph to 20 mph on local residential streets.When Seattle took a similar step in a pilot program seven years ago, not only did it see a noticeable decline in serious injury crashes but also a 7% drop in the 85th percentile speed, according to the Vision Zero Network.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-speed-alert-cars-bill-veto-588605f3980c952c894756da6579bf3d">California</a>&nbsp;embraces the 85% rule even more than most states as its basis for setting speed limits. But legislators have loosened the restrictions on local governments a bit in recent years, allowing them to depart from the guidelines if they can cite a proven safety need.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-public-transit-9002a8b3e0270db28587835a85c2ccb0">Advocates</a>&nbsp;for pedestrians and bicyclists say the change helps, but is not enough.“We still have a long way to go in California in terms of putting value on all road users,” said Kendra Ramsey, executive director of the California Bicycle Coalition. “There’s still a very heavy mindset that automobiles are the primary method of travel and they should be given priority and reverence.”But Jay Beeber, executive director for policy at the National Motorists Association, an advocacy organization for drivers, said following the 85% rule is usually the safest way to minimize the variation in speed between drivers who abide by the posted limit and those who far exceed it.“It doesn’t really matter what number you put on a sign,” Beeber said. “The average driver drives the nature of the roadway. It would be patently unfair for a government to build a road to encourage people to drive 45 mph, put a 30 mph speed limit on it, and then ticket everyone for doing what they built the road to do.”<h2>80 is the new 55</h2>Fears about oil prices prompted Congress in the 1970s to set a 55 mph national maximum speed limit, which it later relaxed to 65 mph before repealing the law in 1995 and handing the authority to states. Since then, speed limits have kept climbing, with North Dakota this summer becoming the ninth state to allow drivers to go 80 mph on some stretches of highway. There’s even a 40-mile segment in Texas between Austin and San Antonio where 85 mph is allowed.Although high-speed freeways outside major population centers aren’t the focus of most efforts to ease the 85% rule, a 2019 study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety — a research arm funded by auto insurers — illustrates the risks. Every 5 mph increase to a state’s maximum speed limit increases the chance of fatalities by 8.5% on interstate highways and 2.8% on other roads, the study found.“Maybe back when you were driving a Model T you had a real feel for how fast you were going, but in modern vehicles you don’t have a sense of what 80 mph is. You’re in a cocoon,” said Chuck Farmer, the institute’s vice president for research, who conducted the study.<h2>A town’s attempt at change</h2>If elected officials in Sylvania Township, Ohio, got their way, Mitchaw Road’s posted speed limit would be cut dramatically — from 55 mph to 40 mph or lower. The county’s finding that the 85% rule actually calls for raising it to 60 mph surprised the town’s leaders, but not the engineers who ran the study.“If we don’t make decisions based on data, it’s very difficult to make good decisions,” Lucas County Engineer Mike Pniewski said.For now, the speed limit will remain as it is. That’s because Ohio law sets maximum speeds for 15 different types of roadways, regardless of what the 85% rule suggests.And Ohio’s guidelines are evolving. The state now gives more consideration to roadway context and allows cities to reduce speed limits based on the lower standard of the 50th percentile speed when there’s a large presence of pedestrians and bicyclists. Authorities there recently hired a consultant to consider additional modifications based on what other states are doing.“States have very slowly started to move away from the 85th percentile as being kind of the gold standard for decision-making,” said Michelle May, who manages Ohio’s highway safety program. “People are traveling and living differently than they did 40 years ago, and we want to put safety more at the focus.”It’s unclear whether any of these changes will ultimately impact the posted speed on Mitchaw Road. After years of futile calls and emails to state, county and township officials, Hammond says she isn’t holding her breath.

States rethink a long-held practice of setting speed limits based on how fast drivers travel

Reporter Cristina Janney speaks with Doug Williams of Grow Hays about housing and the ribbon cutting of the Bob and Pat Community Center on this episode of the Hays Post Podcast.

Please submit your questions for Doug for future interviews to&nbsp;hayspost@eaglemedia.com.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650389030295.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="Post Podcast: Grow Hays" 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=srsdw-193fae9-pb&square=1&share=1&download=1&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&rtl=0&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=300" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>Reporter Cristina Janney speaks with Doug Williams of Grow Hays about housing and the ribbon cutting of the Bob and Pat Community Center on this episode of the Hays Post Podcast.Please submit your questions for Doug for future interviews to&nbsp;hayspost@eaglemedia.com.

🎙 Post Podcast: Doug Williams of Grow Hays on new community center

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

A long-abandoned downtown building has been transformed into a new event center in the heart of Hays.

Cassidy Sowers, general manager of Gella’s Diner and LB Brewing, said the space is designed to meet the demand for a larger venue downtown.

"It was technically a historical building, so we couldn't completely redo it," Sowers said. "We kind of brought old history back to life and added some modern touches to it."

The venue, 121 E. 11th St., was created from a vacant building next to the diner, which Sowers said now includes a state-of-the-art catering kitchen, bar and other amenities.

The room includes a projector and can hold up to 126 people with seating for 92, accommodating events such as business meetings, Christmas parties, small weddings, wedding receptions and celebrations of life.

Renovations began more than a year ago. Sowers said it is now available for booking, with reservations taken at 785-621-2739.

The Chamber in Hays will host <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/24032430886448819">a grand opening and ribbon-cutting</a> for the event center at 3 p.m. Sept. 4.

"We're eager to get this place going," Sowers said.

Sowers said culinary students from Fort Hays Tech North Central are already using the kitchen for classes conducted Mondays through Wednesdays.

In addition to the new space next door, Gella’s has renovated a smaller banquet room called The Nook to host smaller gatherings when the larger room is booked.

The Nook features a modern design with a TV and plug-ins for work meetings or small parties, and seating for up to 36 guests.&nbsp;Sowers said the smaller room can be reserved but is also available for everyday diners.

"I just want to get people in here. I want them to see it because it's a drastic change. It's a night-and-day difference," Sowers said.

The kitchen in the larger event venue will handle catering for off-site events, with a new menu to be introduced. Sowers said everything was made possible by the team she is a part of.

You can visit the diner's website <a href="https://www.lbbrewing.com/">here</a> and follow them on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LbBrewing">Facebook</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755794713566.jpeg" alt="Chairs and tables at the event center next to Gella's Diner and LB Brewing in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Chairs and tables at the event center next to Gella's Diner and LB Brewing in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostA long-abandoned downtown building has been transformed into a new event center in the heart of Hays.Cassidy Sowers, general manager of Gella’s Diner and LB Brewing, said the space is designed to meet the demand for a larger venue downtown."It was technically a historical building, so we couldn't completely redo it," Sowers said. "We kind of brought old history back to life and added some modern touches to it."The venue, 121 E. 11th St., was created from a vacant building next to the diner, which Sowers said now includes a state-of-the-art catering kitchen, bar and other amenities.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755802878213.jpeg" alt="A bar at the event center next to Gella's Diner and LB Brewing in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A bar at the event center next to Gella's Diner and LB Brewing in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755802905688.jpeg" alt="Chairs, tables and a projector at the event center next to Gella's Diner and LB Brewing in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Chairs, tables and a projector at the event center next to Gella's Diner and LB Brewing in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>The room includes a projector and can hold up to 126 people with seating for 92, accommodating events such as business meetings, Christmas parties, small weddings, wedding receptions and celebrations of life.Renovations began more than a year ago. Sowers said it is now available for booking, with reservations taken at 785-621-2739.The Chamber in Hays will host <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/24032430886448819">a grand opening and ribbon-cutting</a> for the event center at 3 p.m. Sept. 4."We're eager to get this place going," Sowers said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755802919219.jpeg" alt="Chairs and tables at the event center next to Gella's Diner and LB Brewing in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Chairs and tables at the event center next to Gella's Diner and LB Brewing in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755802948014.jpeg" alt="The kitchen at the event center next to Gella's Diner and LB Brewing in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The kitchen at the event center next to Gella's Diner and LB Brewing in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Sowers said culinary students from Fort Hays Tech North Central are already using the kitchen for classes conducted Mondays through Wednesdays.In addition to the new space next door, Gella’s has renovated a smaller banquet room called The Nook to host smaller gatherings when the larger room is booked.The Nook features a modern design with a TV and plug-ins for work meetings or small parties, and seating for up to 36 guests.&nbsp;Sowers said the smaller room can be reserved but is also available for everyday diners.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755802981709.jpeg" alt="The Nook at Gella's Diner and LB Brewing in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The Nook at Gella's Diner and LB Brewing in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755803007442.jpeg" alt="The Nook at Gella's Diner and LB Brewing in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The Nook at Gella's Diner and LB Brewing in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755803035485.jpeg" alt="The Nook at Gella's Diner and LB Brewing in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The Nook at Gella's Diner and LB Brewing in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>"I just want to get people in here. I want them to see it because it's a drastic change. It's a night-and-day difference," Sowers said.The kitchen in the larger event venue will handle catering for off-site events, with a new menu to be introduced. Sowers said everything was made possible by the team she is a part of.You can visit the diner's website <a href="https://www.lbbrewing.com/">here</a> and follow them on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LbBrewing">Facebook</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755803063305.jpeg" alt="The entrance of the new event center next to Gella's Diner and LB Brewing at 121 E. 11th St. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The entrance of the new event center next to Gella's Diner and LB Brewing at 121 E. 11th St. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>

New event center in downtown Hays open for booking

KANSAS CITY—Two Kansas City men face charges for tampering with a witness on social media, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2710/Hernandez-REDACT-COMP">Eduardo V. Hernandez</a>, 22, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2712/Cerritos-FloresAdan---Complaint">Adan G. Cerritos-Flores</a>&nbsp;each face two counts of Tampering with a Witness in a Felony Prosecution.&nbsp; If convicted, they could face up to seven years in prison.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2709/Hernandez-REDACT-PC">According to court records</a>, a series of separate shootings occurred between July 12-13 and on July 16. Shots were fired into multiple occupied residences, some with juveniles inside. No injuries were reported. Last week, Antonio Lopez-Hernandez, Julian Chavarria, and Alexis Vega-Martinez were charged and taken into custody for their roles in the shootings.

Following their arrests, detectives discovered publicly visible posts on social media that were intimidating and threatening in nature toward the victims and witnesses of the shootings. The posts were made from Hernandez and Cerritos-Flores’s social media accounts.&nbsp;

Hernandez is being held on a $50,000 cash bond. Cerritos-Flores is being held on a $10,000 cash bond with CHA.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755869911733.png" alt="Hernandez photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Hernandez photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Two Kansas City men face charges for tampering with a witness on social media, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2710/Hernandez-REDACT-COMP">Eduardo V. Hernandez</a>, 22, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2712/Cerritos-FloresAdan---Complaint">Adan G. Cerritos-Flores</a>&nbsp;each face two counts of Tampering with a Witness in a Felony Prosecution.&nbsp; If convicted, they could face up to seven years in prison.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2709/Hernandez-REDACT-PC">According to court records</a>, a series of separate shootings occurred between July 12-13 and on July 16. Shots were fired into multiple occupied residences, some with juveniles inside. No injuries were reported. Last week, Antonio Lopez-Hernandez, Julian Chavarria, and Alexis Vega-Martinez were charged and taken into custody for their roles in the shootings.Following their arrests, detectives discovered publicly visible posts on social media that were intimidating and threatening in nature toward the victims and witnesses of the shootings. The posts were made from Hernandez and Cerritos-Flores’s social media accounts.&nbsp;Hernandez is being held on a $50,000 cash bond. Cerritos-Flores is being held on a $10,000 cash bond with CHA.&nbsp;

Two accused of witness tampering on social media following KC shootings 

NEW YORK (AP) — A pair of federal lawsuits filed in San Francisco and New York this week accuse&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-us-news-travel-tx-state-wire-ga-state-wire-ef706d685070e0beffc327d35eae6580">Delta Air Lines and United Airlines</a>&nbsp;of misleading passengers by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-3f1130fd2636587adfa1fccd809afe19">charging premium fees</a>&nbsp;for window seats next to blank walls.

A New York law firm brought the cases as proposed class actions on behalf of any passengers who say they wouldn’t have selected or&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/airlines-46d5bf3090c341ecac073c391caa02c8">paid more</a>&nbsp;for their reserved places if they had known the seats did not include a window.

“We have received a flood of interest from passengers who feel they have been harmed by this practice and who wish to join the lawsuits,” the Greenbaum Olbrantz firm said in a statement. “It makes sense that people are upset. The majority of Americans fly on one of these airlines at some point and a large proportion of them want or need a window, and they pay good money for the privilege.”

Both Delta and United declined to comment, citing pending litigation.

The lawsuit against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/travel-and-tourism-general-news-3fda17e9e00a4db39b255d70e755beb5">Delta Air Lines</a>&nbsp;states that when New York resident Nicholas Meyer arrived at row No. 23 for a flight to California earlier this month, he discovered the seat he bought was next to a blank wall.

At no point during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/southwest-airlines-co-dallas-national-ccd54018a9894e92bd3a651550177fb2">seat selection process</a>&nbsp;did Delta warn him that 23F was a windowless window seat, according to Meyer, one of the lead plaintiffs.

Alaska Airlines and American Airlines also sell such seats but disclose the information when customers choose their seats, the lawsuits assert.

The lawsuits allege that United and Delta long have been aware of consumer complaints posted on social media about the windowless seats yet continued charging extra for window seats without windows.

The Delta lawsuit includes screenshots of some of those complaints.

“Your seat map should not consider this premium, nor should it call it a window seat ... There is actually LESS leg room and no perks,” one Delta customer said in a post on Reddit.

NEW YORK (AP) — A pair of federal lawsuits filed in San Francisco and New York this week accuse&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-us-news-travel-tx-state-wire-ga-state-wire-ef706d685070e0beffc327d35eae6580">Delta Air Lines and United Airlines</a>&nbsp;of misleading passengers by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-3f1130fd2636587adfa1fccd809afe19">charging premium fees</a>&nbsp;for window seats next to blank walls.A New York law firm brought the cases as proposed class actions on behalf of any passengers who say they wouldn’t have selected or&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/airlines-46d5bf3090c341ecac073c391caa02c8">paid more</a>&nbsp;for their reserved places if they had known the seats did not include a window.“We have received a flood of interest from passengers who feel they have been harmed by this practice and who wish to join the lawsuits,” the Greenbaum Olbrantz firm said in a statement. “It makes sense that people are upset. The majority of Americans fly on one of these airlines at some point and a large proportion of them want or need a window, and they pay good money for the privilege.”Both Delta and United declined to comment, citing pending litigation.The lawsuit against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/travel-and-tourism-general-news-3fda17e9e00a4db39b255d70e755beb5">Delta Air Lines</a>&nbsp;states that when New York resident Nicholas Meyer arrived at row No. 23 for a flight to California earlier this month, he discovered the seat he bought was next to a blank wall.At no point during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/southwest-airlines-co-dallas-national-ccd54018a9894e92bd3a651550177fb2">seat selection process</a>&nbsp;did Delta warn him that 23F was a windowless window seat, according to Meyer, one of the lead plaintiffs.Alaska Airlines and American Airlines also sell such seats but disclose the information when customers choose their seats, the lawsuits assert.The lawsuits allege that United and Delta long have been aware of consumer complaints posted on social media about the windowless seats yet continued charging extra for window seats without windows.The Delta lawsuit includes screenshots of some of those complaints.“Your seat map should not consider this premium, nor should it call it a window seat ... There is actually LESS leg room and no perks,” one Delta customer said in a post on Reddit.

Passengers sue airlines for selling ‘window’ seats next to blank walls

On this episode of the Hays Post Podcast, news reporter Becky Kiser talks about understanding pre-diabetes with Jessica Phelan, Fort Hays State University Department of Health and Human Performance assistant professor.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650389030295.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>On this episode of the Hays Post Podcast, news reporter Becky Kiser talks about understanding pre-diabetes with Jessica Phelan, Fort Hays State University Department of Health and Human Performance assistant professor.<div><iframe title="Post Podcast: Understanding pre-diabetes" 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=xnv37-193e31e-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>

🎙 Post Podcast: Understanding pre-diabetes

TORONTO (AP) — Canada is dropping retaliatory tariffs to match U.S. tariff exemptions for goods covered under the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-canada-mexico-exemption-969a4cfb03638ce9d6c0ffad2b98b4b1">United States-Mexico-Canada trade pact,</a>&nbsp;Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Friday.

Carney said Canada will include the carve-out that the U.S. has on Canadian goods under the 2020 free trade deal that shields the vast majority of goods from the punishing duties.

“Canada currently has the best trade deal with the United States. And while it’s different from what we had before, it's still better than that of any other country,” Carney said.

Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump spoke on the phone Thursday, and Carney met with his Cabinet on Friday before making the announcement.

“We had a very good call,” Trump said Friday in the Oval Office. “We are working on something. We want to be very good to Canada. I like Carney a lot. I think he’s a very good person."

“I am fighting for the United States, and Canada and Mexico have taken a lot of our business over the years,” Trump said.

Carney said Trump told him that lifting the tariffs would reset trade negotiations.

The USMCA is up for review in 2026, and Carney called the trade pact a unique advantage for Canada at a time when it is clear that the U.S. is charging for access to its market.

Carney said the commitment of the U.S. to the core of USMCA means that over 85% of Canada-U.S. trade continues to be free of tariffs. He said the U.S. average tariff rate on Canadian goods is 5.6% and remains the lowest among all its trading partners.

Canadian and Mexican companies can claim preferential treatment under the USMCA.

Canada and China are the only countries that have retaliated against Trump in his trade war. Canada imposed 25% tariffs on a long list of American goods in March, including oranges, alcohol, clothing and shoes, motorcycles and cosmetics.

Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau initially put on retaliatory tariffs in response to U.S. tariffs, but before the U.S. tariffs were applied the Trump administration exempted goods covered by the free trade deal.

Most imports from Canada and Mexico are still protected by the USMCA, but U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has said, “I think the president is absolutely going to renegotiate USMCA.”

Preserving the free trade pact will be critical for Canada and Mexico. More than 75% of Canada’s exports go to the U.S. while more than 80% of Mexico’s exports go there.

Trump has announced some sector-specific tariffs that do apply for Canada despite the USMCA — known as 232 tariffs — which are having an impact on the Canadian economy. There is a 50% tariff on steel and aluminum imports, for example.

“Canada and the United States have reestablished free trade for the vast majority of our goods," Carney said. “Canada will retain our tariffs on steel, aluminum and autos as we work intensively to resolve the issues there.”

Carney previously rescinded Canada's plan to tax U.S. technology firms after Trump said he was suspending&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/canada-prime-minister-carney-trump-c279642998197ecb212f39bf38184388">trade talks with Canada</a>&nbsp;over those plans, which he called “a direct and blatant attack on our country.”

The prime minister disputed any notion that Canada is appeasing Trump, noting that Canada is matching what the U.S. is doing.

“The president and I had a long conversation,” Carney said. “There is a review of the free trade agreement in the spring. We're starting our preparations.”

Lana Payne, president of Unifor, Canada’s largest private sector union, characterized Carney's announcement as Canada backing down, and said the country shouldn't back down unless the U.S. drops all punitive tariffs.

“Trump’s attacks on auto, steel, aluminum, and forestry sectors are hurting Canadian workers in real time,” she posted on social media. “Walking back counter-tariffs isn’t an olive branch. It only enables more U.S. aggression.”

TORONTO (AP) — Canada is dropping retaliatory tariffs to match U.S. tariff exemptions for goods covered under the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-canada-mexico-exemption-969a4cfb03638ce9d6c0ffad2b98b4b1">United States-Mexico-Canada trade pact,</a>&nbsp;Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Friday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">LIVE: Update on Canada-U.S. trade • EN DIRECT : Mise à jour sur le commerce Canada-États-Unis <a href="https://t.co/gAgEzWJCss">https://t.co/gAgEzWJCss</a>&mdash; Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkJCarney/status/1958924505461792874?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Carney said Canada will include the carve-out that the U.S. has on Canadian goods under the 2020 free trade deal that shields the vast majority of goods from the punishing duties.“Canada currently has the best trade deal with the United States. And while it’s different from what we had before, it's still better than that of any other country,” Carney said.Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump spoke on the phone Thursday, and Carney met with his Cabinet on Friday before making the announcement.“We had a very good call,” Trump said Friday in the Oval Office. “We are working on something. We want to be very good to Canada. I like Carney a lot. I think he’s a very good person."“I am fighting for the United States, and Canada and Mexico have taken a lot of our business over the years,” Trump said.Carney said Trump told him that lifting the tariffs would reset trade negotiations.The USMCA is up for review in 2026, and Carney called the trade pact a unique advantage for Canada at a time when it is clear that the U.S. is charging for access to its market.Carney said the commitment of the U.S. to the core of USMCA means that over 85% of Canada-U.S. trade continues to be free of tariffs. He said the U.S. average tariff rate on Canadian goods is 5.6% and remains the lowest among all its trading partners.Canadian and Mexican companies can claim preferential treatment under the USMCA.Canada and China are the only countries that have retaliated against Trump in his trade war. Canada imposed 25% tariffs on a long list of American goods in March, including oranges, alcohol, clothing and shoes, motorcycles and cosmetics.Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau initially put on retaliatory tariffs in response to U.S. tariffs, but before the U.S. tariffs were applied the Trump administration exempted goods covered by the free trade deal.Most imports from Canada and Mexico are still protected by the USMCA, but U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has said, “I think the president is absolutely going to renegotiate USMCA.”Preserving the free trade pact will be critical for Canada and Mexico. More than 75% of Canada’s exports go to the U.S. while more than 80% of Mexico’s exports go there.Trump has announced some sector-specific tariffs that do apply for Canada despite the USMCA — known as 232 tariffs — which are having an impact on the Canadian economy. There is a 50% tariff on steel and aluminum imports, for example.“Canada and the United States have reestablished free trade for the vast majority of our goods," Carney said. “Canada will retain our tariffs on steel, aluminum and autos as we work intensively to resolve the issues there.”Carney previously rescinded Canada's plan to tax U.S. technology firms after Trump said he was suspending&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/canada-prime-minister-carney-trump-c279642998197ecb212f39bf38184388">trade talks with Canada</a>&nbsp;over those plans, which he called “a direct and blatant attack on our country.”The prime minister disputed any notion that Canada is appeasing Trump, noting that Canada is matching what the U.S. is doing.“The president and I had a long conversation,” Carney said. “There is a review of the free trade agreement in the spring. We're starting our preparations.”Lana Payne, president of Unifor, Canada’s largest private sector union, characterized Carney's announcement as Canada backing down, and said the country shouldn't back down unless the U.S. drops all punitive tariffs.“Trump’s attacks on auto, steel, aluminum, and forestry sectors are hurting Canadian workers in real time,” she posted on social media. “Walking back counter-tariffs isn’t an olive branch. It only enables more U.S. aggression.”

🎥Canada to remove retaliatory tariffs on many U.S. goods

Fort Hays State University broke ground on expanding Stroup Hall to address the growing need for Kansas health care workers.

FHSU President Tisa Mason introduced speakers at the ceremony for the $15.4 million project that will add 30,000 square feet to the nursing building.

"This commitment to education and health care lays the foundation for a brighter future and in some cases, the very survival of our rural communities," Mason said.

Stroup Hall opened in 1981 and has played a vital role in nursing education as the demand for health care professionals in rural areas continues to grow.

The project will unite the Departments of Nursing and Allied Health under one roof, placing Allied Health on the second floor and providing state-of-the-art spaces for learning and training.

FHSU Nursing Chairwoman Jenny Manry and Allied Health Chairwoman Christa Beiker said the expansion will allow the two departments to collaborate more closely in training the next generation of students, including those studying from home.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755880749881.jpeg" alt="Fort Hays State University President Tisa Mason, alongside several speakers and staff, at the FHSU Stroup Hall groundbreaking ceremony with shovels. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State University President Tisa Mason, alongside several speakers and staff, at the FHSU Stroup Hall groundbreaking ceremony with shovels. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostFort Hays State University broke ground on expanding Stroup Hall to address the growing need for Kansas health care workers.FHSU President Tisa Mason introduced speakers at the ceremony for the $15.4 million project that will add 30,000 square feet to the nursing building."This commitment to education and health care lays the foundation for a brighter future and in some cases, the very survival of our rural communities," Mason said.Stroup Hall opened in 1981 and has played a vital role in nursing education as the demand for health care professionals in rural areas continues to grow.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755880779194.jpeg" alt="Fort Hays State University President Tisa Mason speaking at the FHSU Stroup Hall groundbreaking ceremony. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State University President Tisa Mason speaking at the FHSU Stroup Hall groundbreaking ceremony. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755880857045.jpeg" alt="A map layout of the first floor of the Fort Hays State University Stroup Hall renovation" />
 <figcaption>A map layout of the first floor of the Fort Hays State University Stroup Hall renovation</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755880874929.jpeg" alt="A map layout of the second floor of the Fort Hays State University Stroup Hall renovation" />
 <figcaption>A map layout of the second floor of the Fort Hays State University Stroup Hall renovation</figcaption>
 </figure>The project will unite the Departments of Nursing and Allied Health under one roof, placing Allied Health on the second floor and providing state-of-the-art spaces for learning and training.FHSU Nursing Chairwoman Jenny Manry and Allied Health Chairwoman Christa Beiker said the expansion will allow the two departments to collaborate more closely in training the next generation of students, including those studying from home."[Our new hybrid program] strengthens our ability to prepare highly qualified nurses, while ensuring that rural communities throughout Kansas have access to health care professionals they urgently need," Manry said."We want them to get out there, hit the ground running, and be successful and competent out in the clinical environment," Beiker said. "A lot of our students stay at the hospitals where they need to go for clinicals. They're filling those voids."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755881484781.jpeg" alt="Fort Hays State University Stroup Hall expansion rendering of the northeast entrance. PGAV Architects" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State University Stroup Hall expansion rendering of the northeast entrance. PGAV Architects</figcaption>
 </figure>Mason said enrollment in the nursing program is expected to grow by more than 65% and in medical diagnostic imaging by more than 40% with the expansion.The project, funded by the Kansas Legislature, will include simulation labs, updated classrooms and hands-on training opportunities, with completion expected in December 2026, Mason said.Jeff Briggs, dean of FHSU’s College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, said Sen. Jerry Moran helped secure $3 million in federal funding."Their support signifies their commitment to not only our students but also the hospitals, the clinics and care facilities here in western Kansas and throughout the state," Briggs said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755881518045.jpeg" alt="Fort Hays State University Stroup Hall expansion rendering of the southeast entrance. PGAV Architects" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State University Stroup Hall expansion rendering of the southeast entrance. PGAV Architects</figcaption>
 </figure>At the ceremony, Sen. Rick Billinger said the day was not only about breaking ground but about planting seeds of service, while highlighting the critical role of nurses."Together, we are building more than a facility. We are building a legacy," Billinger said.In a previous interview with FHSU Alumni Director Kim Cebula, Briggs said annual admissions to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program have grown from 60 to 80 students in 15 years.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/830b6fd6-d1e7-4180-a549-41470fa3cf76">SEE RELATED STORY: FHSU to expand Stroup Hall, nursing program for students</a>Briggs recognized the support of Hays Medical Center, several critical access hospitals, and nearby technical and community colleges.You can follow the FHSU <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NursingFHSU">Department of Nursing</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FHSUAlliedHealth/">Department of Allied Health</a> on Facebook.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755881039189.jpeg" alt="Fort Hays State University President Tisa Mason, alongside several speakers and staff at the FHSU Stroup Hall groundbreaking ceremony, tosses soil. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State University President Tisa Mason, alongside several speakers and staff at the FHSU Stroup Hall groundbreaking ceremony, tosses soil. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
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