By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

A new treatment being offered by High Plains Mental Health Center is proving to be life-changing for some people suffering from depression.

High Plains purchased a&nbsp;Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation unit, also known as TMS, last year.

The treatment is recommended for major depressive disorder, anxious depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. The treatment is approved for youth as young as 15 through adults of any age.

The treatment locally and nationwide is showing significant success in helping patients with treatment-resistant depression, which is people who have tried two or more mental health medications without success.

"By the time someone takes a fourth medication, there's less than a 4% chance of them getting any benefit from it,"&nbsp;Dr. Mark Romereim, High Plains medical director, said.

Romereim said about 10% to 15% of the population has depression at any one time. He estimated as many as a quarter of those people have treatment-resistant depression.

With TMS, patients have an 83% chance of improvement and a 62% chance of symptom relief and remission of the illness.

Inhaled ketamine has also been used for treatment-resistant depression but with lower success rates,&nbsp;Romereim said. That treatment has to be repeated once per week on an ongoing basis. Ketamine has a 67% response rate and a 35% remission rate.&nbsp;

"TMS adds the layer of get me in and get treated and come back in a year or not at all," Craig Poe, High Plains executive director, said, "and not experience depression at all, which is life-changing."

High Plains is the first community mental health center in Kansas and one of the few nationwide to offer TMS treatment.

"For us to be the first ... It's important for us to do something because this is an unmet need, and we want to do everything possible to help our people in northwest Kansas and treat depression using the most effective treatments available,"  Romereim said.

"This is by far the most effective treatment for treatment-resistant depression."

The TMS unit looks much like a dental chair. A device is placed next to the head. It transmits electromagnetic pulses that cause an electrical change in  the brain  and the creation of new neural pathways, Romereim said.

The treatment usually lasts about 19 minutes. It is an outpatient procedure, and clients can immediately return to normal activities after treatment. No anesthesia is required, and patients can drive themselves to and from appointments.

A course of treatment is usually daily, every weekday for seven weeks, for a total of 36 treatments.

Romereim said patients usually experience few side effects. Some complain of a mild headache, which can be treated with over-the-counter medication or a tapping sensation at the treatment site. He said most of the systems fade during the first week.

The treatment is unavailable for people with ferrous metal in their heads or necks. However, pacemakers are not affected.

NeuroStar, the High Plains' TMS unit manufacturer, has been operating for about 20 years. Romereim said the company's units have treated more than 180,000 people.

High Plains has been treating people with TMS since August. Eighteen people have completed treatment, and five more have ongoing treatment.&nbsp;

"We are seeing consistent results. One person, it didn't help,"&nbsp;Romereim said. ... "When it works, it's nothing short of phenomenal."

"To take someone who has been depressed anywhere from 10 to 30 years or their entire adult life, and now they're not," he said.

Romereim said this treatment could mean the difference between being nonfunctional and on disability to being employed and a functional member of the community again.

Some people can take less medication, and some don't have to take medication at all. Romereim said one-third of patients have to repeat the treatment after a year, while about two-thirds have long-lasting benefits and don't have to repeat the treatment.

Medicare and most major private insurance companies cover the treatment.&nbsp;

Medicaid does not cover it in Kansas.&nbsp;Half of U.S. states cover the treatment through Medicaid, which equals an out-of-pocket cost of $8,000.

High Plains and other mental health providers are lobbying the Kansas Legislature to get Kansas to cover the cost of TMS.

"It's hard to talk about things that might actually cure somebody in this type of industry, but it's possible that we would move them to a much better life because of Medicaid reimbursing for this service," Poe said.

Romereim said the treatment can prevent hospitalizations and save lives by preventing suicide.

"You can't put a number on [lives], but you can put a number on hospitalizations," he said. "We are seeing people treated with this who are not going to need to be hospitalized."

Poe said once insurance companies saw the value in reimbursing for the treatment, High Plains was able to invest in the technology.

High Plains invested $150,000 to purchase the TMS unit. Center administrators would like to purchase more units to serve more people. One machine can serve about 50 to 70 people per year.

High Plains covers a wide swath of northwest Kansas, including 20 counties north to the Nebraska border and west to the Colorado border.

"We want to continue to provide the best result we can to the clients who are getting this benefit," Poe said. "Only being able to give 50 to 60 people that benefit a year is something another machine would help us alleviate."

Poe said he would happily accept donations toward that purchase if anyone is interested.

Call High Plains at 785-628-2871 to find the service location closest to you. If you need to speak to someone immediately, call its 24/7 crisis hotline at 1-800-432-0333. You may also call or text 988.

You can also visit <a href="https://hpmhc.com/">High Plains Mental Health Center's&nbsp;</a>website or follow the center on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/HighPlainsMentalHealth">Facebook</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738186960743.jpeg" alt="Dr. Mark Romereim, High Plains Mental Health Center medical director, holds part of a&nbsp;Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation unit, which transmits electromagnetic pulses to the brain to treat treatment-resistant depression. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Mark Romereim, High Plains Mental Health Center medical director, holds part of a&nbsp;Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation unit, which transmits electromagnetic pulses to the brain to treat treatment-resistant depression. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostA new treatment being offered by High Plains Mental Health Center is proving to be life-changing for some people suffering from depression.High Plains purchased a&nbsp;Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation unit, also known as TMS, last year.The treatment is recommended for major depressive disorder, anxious depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. The treatment is approved for youth as young as 15 through adults of any age.The treatment locally and nationwide is showing significant success in helping patients with treatment-resistant depression, which is people who have tried two or more mental health medications without success."By the time someone takes a fourth medication, there's less than a 4% chance of them getting any benefit from it,"&nbsp;Dr. Mark Romereim, High Plains medical director, said.Romereim said about 10% to 15% of the population has depression at any one time. He estimated as many as a quarter of those people have treatment-resistant depression.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738186995659.jpeg" alt="This&nbsp;Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation unit is placed next to the head and provides electromagnetic pulses to the brain. It is used to treat depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>This&nbsp;Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation unit is placed next to the head and provides electromagnetic pulses to the brain. It is used to treat depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>With TMS, patients have an 83% chance of improvement and a 62% chance of symptom relief and remission of the illness.Inhaled ketamine has also been used for treatment-resistant depression but with lower success rates,&nbsp;Romereim said. That treatment has to be repeated once per week on an ongoing basis. Ketamine has a 67% response rate and a 35% remission rate.&nbsp;"TMS adds the layer of get me in and get treated and come back in a year or not at all," Craig Poe, High Plains executive director, said, "and not experience depression at all, which is life-changing."High Plains is the first community mental health center in Kansas and one of the few nationwide to offer TMS treatment."For us to be the first ... It's important for us to do something because this is an unmet need, and we want to do everything possible to help our people in northwest Kansas and treat depression using the most effective treatments available," Romereim said."This is by far the most effective treatment for treatment-resistant depression."The TMS unit looks much like a dental chair. A device is placed next to the head. It transmits electromagnetic pulses that cause an electrical change in the brain and the creation of new neural pathways, Romereim said.The treatment usually lasts about 19 minutes. It is an outpatient procedure, and clients can immediately return to normal activities after treatment. No anesthesia is required, and patients can drive themselves to and from appointments.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738187173375.jpeg" alt="Patients sit in this chair to receive&nbsp;Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation at High Plains Mental Health Center. The treatment is outpatient and has only a few minor side effects, according to providers. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Patients sit in this chair to receive&nbsp;Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation at High Plains Mental Health Center. The treatment is outpatient and has only a few minor side effects, according to providers. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>A course of treatment is usually daily, every weekday for seven weeks, for a total of 36 treatments.Romereim said patients usually experience few side effects. Some complain of a mild headache, which can be treated with over-the-counter medication or a tapping sensation at the treatment site. He said most of the systems fade during the first week.The treatment is unavailable for people with ferrous metal in their heads or necks. However, pacemakers are not affected.NeuroStar, the High Plains' TMS unit manufacturer, has been operating for about 20 years. Romereim said the company's units have treated more than 180,000 people.High Plains has been treating people with TMS since August. Eighteen people have completed treatment, and five more have ongoing treatment.&nbsp;"We are seeing consistent results. One person, it didn't help,"&nbsp;Romereim said. ... "When it works, it's nothing short of phenomenal.""To take someone who has been depressed anywhere from 10 to 30 years or their entire adult life, and now they're not," he said.Romereim said this treatment could mean the difference between being nonfunctional and on disability to being employed and a functional member of the community again.Some people can take less medication, and some don't have to take medication at all. Romereim said one-third of patients have to repeat the treatment after a year, while about two-thirds have long-lasting benefits and don't have to repeat the treatment.Medicare and most major private insurance companies cover the treatment.&nbsp;Medicaid does not cover it in Kansas.&nbsp;Half of U.S. states cover the treatment through Medicaid, which equals an out-of-pocket cost of $8,000.High Plains and other mental health providers are lobbying the Kansas Legislature to get Kansas to cover the cost of TMS."It's hard to talk about things that might actually cure somebody in this type of industry, but it's possible that we would move them to a much better life because of Medicaid reimbursing for this service," Poe said.Romereim said the treatment can prevent hospitalizations and save lives by preventing suicide."You can't put a number on [lives], but you can put a number on hospitalizations," he said. "We are seeing people treated with this who are not going to need to be hospitalized."Poe said once insurance companies saw the value in reimbursing for the treatment, High Plains was able to invest in the technology.High Plains invested $150,000 to purchase the TMS unit. Center administrators would like to purchase more units to serve more people. One machine can serve about 50 to 70 people per year.High Plains covers a wide swath of northwest Kansas, including 20 counties north to the Nebraska border and west to the Colorado border."We want to continue to provide the best result we can to the clients who are getting this benefit," Poe said. "Only being able to give 50 to 60 people that benefit a year is something another machine would help us alleviate."Poe said he would happily accept donations toward that purchase if anyone is interested.Call High Plains at 785-628-2871 to find the service location closest to you. If you need to speak to someone immediately, call its 24/7 crisis hotline at 1-800-432-0333. You may also call or text 988.You can also visit <a href="https://hpmhc.com/">High Plains Mental Health Center's&nbsp;</a>website or follow the center on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/HighPlainsMentalHealth">Facebook</a>.

High Plains Mental Health provides 'life-changing' new treatment for depression

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Saturday signed an order to impose stiff tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada and China — fulfilling one of his post-campaign commitments to voters that also carries the risk of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariff-canada-mexico-trade-trump-economy-b228a60ec878cc5596c021ff80962441">sparking higher inflation</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/america-canada-mexico-tariffs-trump-trade-4568dababcf524945333bb518232ec4b">disrupting businesses across North America</a>.

Trump’s order also includes a mechanism to escalate the rates if the countries retaliate against the U.S., as they are possibly prepared to do.

The decision throws the global economy and Trump's own political mandate to combat inflation into possible turmoil, though the Republican president posted on social media that it was necessary “to protect Americans.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-import-tariff-fce31b5c5c9f058ff09353c6846b1cf9">tariffs</a>&nbsp;risk an economic standoff with America's two largest trading partners in Mexico and Canada, upending a decades-old trade relationship with the possibility of harsh reprisals by those two nations. The tariffs also if sustained could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-federal-reserve-4619a1d5d70a90b6a870535906d36028">cause inflation to significantly worsen</a>, possibly eroding voters' trust that Trump could as promised lower the prices of groceries, gasoline, housing, autos and other goods.

Trump declared an economic emergency in order to place duties of 10% on all imports from China and 25% on imports from Mexico and Canada. But energy imported from Canada, including oil, natural gas and electricity, would be taxed at a 10% rate.

The tariffs would go into effect on Tuesday, setting a showdown in North America that could potentially&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-federal-reserve-4619a1d5d70a90b6a870535906d36028">sabotage economic growth</a>. A new analysis by the Budget Lab at Yale laid out the possible damage to the U.S. economy, saying the average U.S. household would lose the equivalent of $1,170 in income from the taxes. Economic growth would slow and inflation would worsen — and the situation could be worse if Canada, Mexico and China retaliate.

For the moment, Mexico plans to stay cool-headed as it weighs its options.

Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum, appearing Saturday at an event promoting a government housing program outside Mexico City said, “I’m calm, I’ve been saying since yesterday, because I know that Mexico’s economy is very powerful, very strong.”

A senior administration official, insisting on anonymity to brief reporters, said the lower rate on energy reflected a desire to minimize any disruptive increases on the price of gasoline or utilities. That's a sign White House officials understand the gamble they're taking on inflation. Price spikes under former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;led to voter frustration that helped to return Trump to the White House last year.

The order signed by Trump contained no mechanism for granting exceptions, the official said, a possible blow to homebuilders who rely on Canadian lumber as well as farmers, automakers and other industries.

The Trump administration put the tariffs in place to force the three countries to stop the spread and manufacturing of fentanyl, in addition to pressuring Canada and Mexico to limit any illegal immigration into the United States.

The official did not provide specific benchmarks that could be met to lift the new tariffs, saying only that the best measure would be fewer Americans dying from fentanyl addition.

The order would also allow for tariffs on Canadian imports of less than $800. Imports below that sum are currently able to cross into the United States without customs and duties.

“It doesn’t make much economic sense,’’ said William Reinsch, senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and a former U.S. trade official. “Historically, most of our tariffs on raw materials have been low because we want to get cheaper materials so our manufacturers will be competitive ... Now, what’s he talking about? He’s talking about tariffs on raw materials. I don’t get the economics of it.’’

The Republican president is making a major political bet that his actions will not significantly worsen inflation, cause financial aftershocks that could destabilize the worldwide economy or provoke a voter backlash. AP VoteCast, an extensive survey of the electorate in last year's election, found that the U.S. was split on support for tariffs.

With the tariffs, Trump is honoring promises that are at the core of his economic and national security philosophy. But the announcement showed his seriousness around the issue as some Trump allies had played down the threat of higher import taxes as mere negotiating tactics.

The president is preparing more import taxes in a sign that tariffs will be an ongoing part of his second term. On Friday, he mentioned imported computer chips, steel, oil and natural gas, as well as against copper, pharmaceutical drugs and imports from the European Union — moves that could essentially pit the U.S. against much of the global economy.

It is unclear how the tariffs could affect the business investments that Trump said would happen because of his plans to cut corporate tax rates and remove regulations. Tariffs tend to raise prices for consumers and businesses by making it more expensive to bring in foreign goods.

Many voters turned to Trump in the November election on the belief that he could better handle the inflation that spiked under Biden. But inflation expectations are creeping upward in the University of Michigan's index of consumer sentiment as respondents expect prices to rise by 3.3%. That would be higher than the actual 2.9% annual inflation rate in December's consumer price index.

Trump has said that the government should raise more of its revenues from tariffs, as it did before the income tax became part of the Constitution in 1913. He claims, despite economic evidence to the contrary, that the U.S. was at its wealthiest in the 1890s under President William McKinley.

“We were the richest country in the world,” Trump said Friday. “We were a tariff country.”

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has told Canadians that they could be facing difficult times ahead, but that Ottawa was prepared to respond with retaliatory tariffs if needed and that the U.S. penalties would be self-sabotaging.

Trudeau said Canada is addressing Trump’s calls on border security by implementing a CDN$1.3 billion (US$900 million) border plan that includes helicopters, new canine teams and imaging tools.

Trump still has to get a budget, tax cuts and an increase to the government’s legal borrowing authority through Congress. The outcome of his tariff plans could strengthen his hand or weaken it.

Democrats were quick to say that any inflation going forward was the result of Trump, who is about to start his third week back as president.

“You’re worried about grocery prices. Don’s raising prices with his tariffs," Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York posted on X. "You’re worried about tomato prices. Wait till Trump’s Mexico tariffs raise your tomato prices. … You’re worried about car prices. Wait till Trump’s Canada tariffs raise your car prices,” he wrote in a series of posts.

Associated Press writers Christopher Sherman in Mexico City and Paul Wiseman in Washington contributed to this report.

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Saturday signed an order to impose stiff tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada and China — fulfilling one of his post-campaign commitments to voters that also carries the risk of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariff-canada-mexico-trade-trump-economy-b228a60ec878cc5596c021ff80962441">sparking higher inflation</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/america-canada-mexico-tariffs-trump-trade-4568dababcf524945333bb518232ec4b">disrupting businesses across North America</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">“We need to protect Americans, and it is my duty as President to ensure the safety of all. I made a promise on my Campaign to stop the flood of illegal aliens and drugs from pouring across our Borders, and Americans overwhelmingly voted in favor of it.” –President Trump <a href="https://t.co/rJ9opLBJzr">pic.twitter.com/rJ9opLBJzr</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1885833185012896054?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump’s order also includes a mechanism to escalate the rates if the countries retaliate against the U.S., as they are possibly prepared to do.The decision throws the global economy and Trump's own political mandate to combat inflation into possible turmoil, though the Republican president posted on social media that it was necessary “to protect Americans.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-import-tariff-fce31b5c5c9f058ff09353c6846b1cf9">tariffs</a>&nbsp;risk an economic standoff with America's two largest trading partners in Mexico and Canada, upending a decades-old trade relationship with the possibility of harsh reprisals by those two nations. The tariffs also if sustained could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-federal-reserve-4619a1d5d70a90b6a870535906d36028">cause inflation to significantly worsen</a>, possibly eroding voters' trust that Trump could as promised lower the prices of groceries, gasoline, housing, autos and other goods.Trump declared an economic emergency in order to place duties of 10% on all imports from China and 25% on imports from Mexico and Canada. But energy imported from Canada, including oil, natural gas and electricity, would be taxed at a 10% rate.The tariffs would go into effect on Tuesday, setting a showdown in North America that could potentially&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-federal-reserve-4619a1d5d70a90b6a870535906d36028">sabotage economic growth</a>. A new analysis by the Budget Lab at Yale laid out the possible damage to the U.S. economy, saying the average U.S. household would lose the equivalent of $1,170 in income from the taxes. Economic growth would slow and inflation would worsen — and the situation could be worse if Canada, Mexico and China retaliate.For the moment, Mexico plans to stay cool-headed as it weighs its options.Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum, appearing Saturday at an event promoting a government housing program outside Mexico City said, “I’m calm, I’ve been saying since yesterday, because I know that Mexico’s economy is very powerful, very strong.”A senior administration official, insisting on anonymity to brief reporters, said the lower rate on energy reflected a desire to minimize any disruptive increases on the price of gasoline or utilities. That's a sign White House officials understand the gamble they're taking on inflation. Price spikes under former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;led to voter frustration that helped to return Trump to the White House last year.The order signed by Trump contained no mechanism for granting exceptions, the official said, a possible blow to homebuilders who rely on Canadian lumber as well as farmers, automakers and other industries.The Trump administration put the tariffs in place to force the three countries to stop the spread and manufacturing of fentanyl, in addition to pressuring Canada and Mexico to limit any illegal immigration into the United States.The official did not provide specific benchmarks that could be met to lift the new tariffs, saying only that the best measure would be fewer Americans dying from fentanyl addition.The order would also allow for tariffs on Canadian imports of less than $800. Imports below that sum are currently able to cross into the United States without customs and duties.“It doesn’t make much economic sense,’’ said William Reinsch, senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and a former U.S. trade official. “Historically, most of our tariffs on raw materials have been low because we want to get cheaper materials so our manufacturers will be competitive ... Now, what’s he talking about? He’s talking about tariffs on raw materials. I don’t get the economics of it.’’The Republican president is making a major political bet that his actions will not significantly worsen inflation, cause financial aftershocks that could destabilize the worldwide economy or provoke a voter backlash. AP VoteCast, an extensive survey of the electorate in last year's election, found that the U.S. was split on support for tariffs.With the tariffs, Trump is honoring promises that are at the core of his economic and national security philosophy. But the announcement showed his seriousness around the issue as some Trump allies had played down the threat of higher import taxes as mere negotiating tactics.The president is preparing more import taxes in a sign that tariffs will be an ongoing part of his second term. On Friday, he mentioned imported computer chips, steel, oil and natural gas, as well as against copper, pharmaceutical drugs and imports from the European Union — moves that could essentially pit the U.S. against much of the global economy.It is unclear how the tariffs could affect the business investments that Trump said would happen because of his plans to cut corporate tax rates and remove regulations. Tariffs tend to raise prices for consumers and businesses by making it more expensive to bring in foreign goods.Many voters turned to Trump in the November election on the belief that he could better handle the inflation that spiked under Biden. But inflation expectations are creeping upward in the University of Michigan's index of consumer sentiment as respondents expect prices to rise by 3.3%. That would be higher than the actual 2.9% annual inflation rate in December's consumer price index.Trump has said that the government should raise more of its revenues from tariffs, as it did before the income tax became part of the Constitution in 1913. He claims, despite economic evidence to the contrary, that the U.S. was at its wealthiest in the 1890s under President William McKinley.“We were the richest country in the world,” Trump said Friday. “We were a tariff country.”Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has told Canadians that they could be facing difficult times ahead, but that Ottawa was prepared to respond with retaliatory tariffs if needed and that the U.S. penalties would be self-sabotaging.Trudeau said Canada is addressing Trump’s calls on border security by implementing a CDN$1.3 billion (US$900 million) border plan that includes helicopters, new canine teams and imaging tools.Trump still has to get a budget, tax cuts and an increase to the government’s legal borrowing authority through Congress. The outcome of his tariff plans could strengthen his hand or weaken it.Democrats were quick to say that any inflation going forward was the result of Trump, who is about to start his third week back as president.“You’re worried about grocery prices. Don’s raising prices with his tariffs," Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York posted on X. "You’re worried about tomato prices. Wait till Trump’s Mexico tariffs raise your tomato prices. … You’re worried about car prices. Wait till Trump’s Canada tariffs raise your car prices,” he wrote in a series of posts.___Associated Press writers Christopher Sherman in Mexico City and Paul Wiseman in Washington contributed to this report.

Trump signs order imposing tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Six Americans who had been detained in Venezuela in recent months were freed by the government of President Nicolás Maduro after he met Friday with a Trump administration official tasked with urging the authoritarian leader to take back deported migrants who have committed crimes in the United States.

U.S. President Donald Trump and his envoy for special missions, Richard Grenell, announced the release of the six men on social media. The visit by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/richard-grenell-secretary-of-state-trump-5e7410edd659870307a5eba762f8136c">Grenell</a>&nbsp;came as a shock to many Venezuelans who hoped that Trump would continue the “maximum pressure” campaign he pursued against Maduro during his first term.

Grenell’s hours long trip to Venezuela, according to the White House, was focused on Trump’s efforts to deport Venezuelans back to their home country, which currently does not accept them, and on the release of the detained Americans.

“We are wheels up and headed home with these 6 American citizens,” Grenell posted on X along with a photo showing him and the men aboard an aircraft. “They just spoke to @realDonaldTrump and they couldn’t stop thanking him.”

The meeting in Venezuela's capital took place less than a month after Maduro was sworn in for a third six-year term despite credible evidence that he lost last year's election. The U.S. government, along with several other Western nations, does not recognize Maduro's claim to victory and instead points to tally sheets collected by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-machado-biden-gonzalez-a625eb01979bc9cf5570d03242f198b1">opposition coalition</a>&nbsp;showing that its candidate,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-edmundo-opposition-presidential-election-reward-arrest-5b6bf23e53642db059304bef14d2f4ff">Edmundo González</a>, won by a more than a two-to-one margin.

Venezuelan state television aired footage of Grenell and Maduro speaking in the Miraflores Palace and said the meeting had been requested by the U.S. government.

Signing an executive order in the Oval Office on Friday, Trump was asked if Grenell being filmed meeting with Maduro lent legitimacy to a government that the Trump White House does not officially recognize.

“No. We want to do something with Venezuela. I’ve been a very big opponent of Venezuela and Maduro,” Trump responded. “They’ve treated us not so good, but they’ve treated, more importantly, the Venezuelan people, very badly."

Maduro, appearing on state television after Grenell had left Venezuela, said the visit yielded “initial agreements” but did not provide any details.

“I have seen three U.S. presidents pass before me," Maduro said. "This is the fourth term, and our message has been one: We want to build relationships of respect for Venezuela’s sovereignty, for Venezuela’s democratic life, for international law and for our Latin American region.”

“This is terrible timing," said Elliott Abrams, who served as special envoy to Venezuela and Iran during the first Trump administration. "A meeting with Maduro will be used by him to legitimize his rule and show that the Americans recognize him as president. If the purpose is to deliver a tough message about migration issues, the president could’ve done that himself. There was no need to send someone to Caracas.”

The dispute over the election results sparked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-machado-biden-gonzalez-elections-protests-d6e70bd88ee9511298a4850c224a12e2">nationwide protests</a>. More than 2,200 people were arrested during and after the demonstrations.

Among those detained&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-detained-americans-maduro-inauguration-trump-e53e88838f5f06a7f207d0d090d5212b">are as many as 10 Americans</a>&nbsp;who the government has linked to alleged plots to destabilize the country. Neither the White House nor Maduro's government immediately released the names of the six who were freed Friday.

A nonprofit group that had advocated for the release of a detainee said David Estrella, a 62-yer-old who was last heard from in September, was among those on their way back to the U.S. Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello had accused Estrella of being part of an alleged plot to assassinate Maduro.

The Trump administration has taken a slew of actions to make good on promises to crack down on illegal immigration and carry out the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-day-1-priorities-deportations-drilling-ukraine-6747c6e64b0440978f59450b928f61d1">largest mass deportation effort</a>&nbsp;in U.S. history.

Those measures include the revocation earlier this week of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-tps-biden-immigration-temporary-protected-status-f423f4f3cdbac535af35337ebda314f0">a Biden administration decision</a>&nbsp;that would have protected roughly 600,000 people from Venezuela from deportation, putting some at risk of being removed from the country in about two months.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Friday that Trump had instructed Grenell to “identify a place and ensure that repatriation flights" carrying Venezuelans, including members of the Tren de Aragua criminal organization, "land in Venezuela.” She said Trump also ordered Grenell to “ensure that all U.S. detainees in Venezuela are returned home.”

More than 7.7 million Venezuelans have left their home country since 2013, when its economy unraveled and Maduro first took office. Most settled in Latin America and the Caribbean, but after the pandemic, migrants increasingly set their sights on the U.S.

Venezuelans’ desire for better living conditions and their rejection of Maduro are expected to keep pushing people to emigrate.

Ahead of the presidential election last year, a nationwide poll by Venezuela-based research firm Delphos showed about a quarter of the population thinking about emigrating if Maduro was re-elected.

Grenell has reached out to Maduro before on Trump’s behalf to secure the release of imprisoned Americans only to come home empty handed.

In 2020, he traveled with Erik Prince, the founder of controversial security firm Blackwater, to Mexico City for a secret meeting with a top Maduro aide. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-venezuela-miami-arrests-mexico-city-080bf19aa627f731c065a33a410ae2f1">backchannel talks</a>&nbsp;centered on Maduro’s offer to swap eight Americans then imprisoned in Venezuela for businessman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-colombia-caribbean-miami-nicolas-maduro-f6d107240cd8085f54d192b9f7b549f3">Alex Saab</a>, a close ally of the president charged in the U.S. with money laundering, The Associated Press previously reported.

No deal was struck and Grenell’s demand that Maduro step down was dismissed by the Venezuelan president’s envoy. Grenell has always denied he was negotiating a hostage swap.

Later, in December 2023, the Biden administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-saab-detained-americans-biden-d7148a34dd009d5bab3d5f50c28ed93e">exchanged Saab for 10 Americans</a>&nbsp;as part of a policy to re-engage Maduro ahead of presidential elections.

Goodman reported from Miami. Associated Press writer Will Weissert contributed to this report from Washington.

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Six Americans who had been detained in Venezuela in recent months were freed by the government of President Nicolás Maduro after he met Friday with a Trump administration official tasked with urging the authoritarian leader to take back deported migrants who have committed crimes in the United States.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We are home. 🇺🇸 God bless these Americans. <a href="https://t.co/L36mNkvEom">pic.twitter.com/L36mNkvEom</a>&mdash; Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) <a href="https://twitter.com/RichardGrenell/status/1885567024795132035?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>U.S. President Donald Trump and his envoy for special missions, Richard Grenell, announced the release of the six men on social media. The visit by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/richard-grenell-secretary-of-state-trump-5e7410edd659870307a5eba762f8136c">Grenell</a>&nbsp;came as a shock to many Venezuelans who hoped that Trump would continue the “maximum pressure” campaign he pursued against Maduro during his first term.Grenell’s hours long trip to Venezuela, according to the White House, was focused on Trump’s efforts to deport Venezuelans back to their home country, which currently does not accept them, and on the release of the detained Americans.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/ltyGcGiiKR">pic.twitter.com/ltyGcGiiKR</a>&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1885740072705650821?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“We are wheels up and headed home with these 6 American citizens,” Grenell posted on X along with a photo showing him and the men aboard an aircraft. “They just spoke to @realDonaldTrump and they couldn’t stop thanking him.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We are wheels up and headed home with these 6 American citizens. They just spoke to <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> and they couldn’t stop thanking him. <a href="https://t.co/sCvCO4HQQv">pic.twitter.com/sCvCO4HQQv</a>&mdash; Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) <a href="https://twitter.com/RichardGrenell/status/1885482064050610536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">“Hello. I’m an American diplomat sent by President Trump and I’m here to bring you home.” <a href="https://t.co/mMJ7nDu88s">pic.twitter.com/mMJ7nDu88s</a>&mdash; Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) <a href="https://twitter.com/RichardGrenell/status/1885540197879714064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The meeting in Venezuela's capital took place less than a month after Maduro was sworn in for a third six-year term despite credible evidence that he lost last year's election. The U.S. government, along with several other Western nations, does not recognize Maduro's claim to victory and instead points to tally sheets collected by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-machado-biden-gonzalez-a625eb01979bc9cf5570d03242f198b1">opposition coalition</a>&nbsp;showing that its candidate,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-edmundo-opposition-presidential-election-reward-arrest-5b6bf23e53642db059304bef14d2f4ff">Edmundo González</a>, won by a more than a two-to-one margin.Venezuelan state television aired footage of Grenell and Maduro speaking in the Miraflores Palace and said the meeting had been requested by the U.S. government.Signing an executive order in the Oval Office on Friday, Trump was asked if Grenell being filmed meeting with Maduro lent legitimacy to a government that the Trump White House does not officially recognize.“No. We want to do something with Venezuela. I’ve been a very big opponent of Venezuela and Maduro,” Trump responded. “They’ve treated us not so good, but they’ve treated, more importantly, the Venezuelan people, very badly."Maduro, appearing on state television after Grenell had left Venezuela, said the visit yielded “initial agreements” but did not provide any details.“I have seen three U.S. presidents pass before me," Maduro said. "This is the fourth term, and our message has been one: We want to build relationships of respect for Venezuela’s sovereignty, for Venezuela’s democratic life, for international law and for our Latin American region.”Some Republicans criticized the visit.“This is terrible timing," said Elliott Abrams, who served as special envoy to Venezuela and Iran during the first Trump administration. "A meeting with Maduro will be used by him to legitimize his rule and show that the Americans recognize him as president. If the purpose is to deliver a tough message about migration issues, the president could’ve done that himself. There was no need to send someone to Caracas.”The dispute over the election results sparked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-machado-biden-gonzalez-elections-protests-d6e70bd88ee9511298a4850c224a12e2">nationwide protests</a>. More than 2,200 people were arrested during and after the demonstrations.Among those detained&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-detained-americans-maduro-inauguration-trump-e53e88838f5f06a7f207d0d090d5212b">are as many as 10 Americans</a>&nbsp;who the government has linked to alleged plots to destabilize the country. Neither the White House nor Maduro's government immediately released the names of the six who were freed Friday.A nonprofit group that had advocated for the release of a detainee said David Estrella, a 62-yer-old who was last heard from in September, was among those on their way back to the U.S. Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello had accused Estrella of being part of an alleged plot to assassinate Maduro.The Trump administration has taken a slew of actions to make good on promises to crack down on illegal immigration and carry out the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-day-1-priorities-deportations-drilling-ukraine-6747c6e64b0440978f59450b928f61d1">largest mass deportation effort</a>&nbsp;in U.S. history.Those measures include the revocation earlier this week of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-tps-biden-immigration-temporary-protected-status-f423f4f3cdbac535af35337ebda314f0">a Biden administration decision</a>&nbsp;that would have protected roughly 600,000 people from Venezuela from deportation, putting some at risk of being removed from the country in about two months.White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Friday that Trump had instructed Grenell to “identify a place and ensure that repatriation flights" carrying Venezuelans, including members of the Tren de Aragua criminal organization, "land in Venezuela.” She said Trump also ordered Grenell to “ensure that all U.S. detainees in Venezuela are returned home.”More than 7.7 million Venezuelans have left their home country since 2013, when its economy unraveled and Maduro first took office. Most settled in Latin America and the Caribbean, but after the pandemic, migrants increasingly set their sights on the U.S.Venezuelans’ desire for better living conditions and their rejection of Maduro are expected to keep pushing people to emigrate.Ahead of the presidential election last year, a nationwide poll by Venezuela-based research firm Delphos showed about a quarter of the population thinking about emigrating if Maduro was re-elected.Grenell has reached out to Maduro before on Trump’s behalf to secure the release of imprisoned Americans only to come home empty handed.In 2020, he traveled with Erik Prince, the founder of controversial security firm Blackwater, to Mexico City for a secret meeting with a top Maduro aide. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-venezuela-miami-arrests-mexico-city-080bf19aa627f731c065a33a410ae2f1">backchannel talks</a>&nbsp;centered on Maduro’s offer to swap eight Americans then imprisoned in Venezuela for businessman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-colombia-caribbean-miami-nicolas-maduro-f6d107240cd8085f54d192b9f7b549f3">Alex Saab</a>, a close ally of the president charged in the U.S. with money laundering, The Associated Press previously reported.No deal was struck and Grenell’s demand that Maduro step down was dismissed by the Venezuelan president’s envoy. Grenell has always denied he was negotiating a hostage swap.Later, in December 2023, the Biden administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-saab-detained-americans-biden-d7148a34dd009d5bab3d5f50c28ed93e">exchanged Saab for 10 Americans</a>&nbsp;as part of a policy to re-engage Maduro ahead of presidential elections.___Goodman reported from Miami. Associated Press writer Will Weissert contributed to this report from Washington.

Trump envoy brings home 6 Americans detained in Venezuela for months

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Police boats combed the banks of the Potomac River on Friday, slowly scanning the shoreline under rainy skies as investigators sought clues into the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-aircraft-crash-9d79051a9e535bd855df5a4e5553b2e9">midair collision that killed 67 people</a>&nbsp;and raised questions about air traffic safety around the nation’s capital.

No one survived the Wednesday night collision between the commercial airliner and an Army helicopter. The remains of 41 people had been pulled from the river as of Friday afternoon, including 28 that had been positively identified, Washington, D.C., Fire Chief John Donnelly Sr. said at a news conference. He said next of kin notifications had been made to 18 families, and that he expects the remains of all 67 people who died to eventually be recovered.

The wreckage of the plane's fuselage will probably have to be pulled from the water to get all the bodies, he said.

“This is heartbreaking work,” Donnelly said, noting that more than 300 responders were taking part in the effort at any one time, including teams of divers and two U.S. Coast Guard cutters, at least one of which carries a crane. “It’s been a tough response for a lot of our people.”

It was unclear how long the recovery operation would take.

“We’re working as fast as we can,” he said. "We need your patience.”

Although Ronald Reagan National Airport has reopened, two of its three runways remain closed to keep aircraft from flying over the crash scene while taking off or landing, said Terry Liercke, the airport's vice president and manager. Roughly 100 flights were canceled Friday.

Officials also heavily restricted helicopter traffic around the airport, an official said, hours after President Donald Trump claimed in a social media post that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aircraft-collision-black-hawk-bombardier-potomac-2b151f42ba09602bade7b82abe8b995f">Army Black Hawk</a>&nbsp;had been flying higher than its allowed limit.

Investigators have recovered the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder of the American Airlines jetliner, which struck the chopper as the plane was coming in for a landing at the Washington-area airport. Officials are scrutinizing a range of factors in what&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-transportation-safety-board-dc-helicopter-crash-e6f43d112e9fa48f7a2ead01a6a61d27">National Transportation Safety Board</a>&nbsp;Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy has called an “all-hands-on-deck event.”

Investigators are examining the actions of the military pilot as well as air traffic control, after the helicopter apparently flew into the jet's path. Air crash investigations normally take 12-18 months, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-crash-62adba7fb1f546b4cf1716e42b86482b">investigators told reporters Thursday</a>&nbsp;that they wouldn't speculate on the cause.

Authorities were still looking for the helicopter's black box recorder, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Friday on Fox News Channel. Other factors in the crash, including the helicopter’s altitude and whether the crew was using its night vision goggles, are still under investigation, he said.

Although some airspace had already been restricted following the crash, the Federal Aviation Administration decided to indefinitely bar most helicopters from using the low-to-the-ground routes that run under or parallel to the airport’s flightpaths, an official told The Associated Press on Friday. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter.

Military aircraft frequently conduct such flights in and around the nation’s capital for familiarization with routes they would fly in case of a major catastrophe or an attack on the U.S. that would require relocating key government officials.

The plane&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-plane-collision-victims-ee829891574aa35a30d8262b7e07e638">carried 60 passengers</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/plane-crash-kansas-dc-american-airlines-army-4fb9cd89ef9023fa848fc2331b24ee8e">four crew members</a>. The remains of one of the three soldiers who were aboard the helicopter have been recovered.

Officials said flight conditions were clear as the jet arrived from Wichita, Kansas, carrying, among others, nine students and parents from Fairfax County, Virginia schools,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-helicopter-jet-crash-figure-skaters-391a4c7bd0e617a08d9532a8faab206b">a group of elite young figure skaters</a>, their parents and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vadim-naumov-evgenia-shishkova-dc-jet-crash-c4788cb6f3e123f0caff83e57347a00d">coaches</a>&nbsp;and a group of hunters.

Details have been emerging about others who died in the crash, including Danasia Elder, a flight attendant on the American Airlines flight, WSOC-TV in Charlotte, North Carolina, reported.

Her brother-in-law, Brandon Payne, said she was married with two children and had dreamed of getting the airline job.

“She would want y’all to do the same thing she did. Chase your dreams, no matter what. Don’t let nothing scare you, push you away. Just believe in yourself, believe in God, and follow the path,” Payne said.

Debris from the crash has drifted miles (kilometers) downriver.

Dean Naujoks, who routinely patrols the Potomac for the environmental group Waterkeeper Alliance, on Thursday found floating debris that had been pushed by the wind and current into a pair of shallow coves along the Maryland shore.

The wreckage included pages from a flight manual, part of the plane’s cabin wall, a woman’s sweater, dozens of sugar packets with the American Airlines logo and what appeared to be the cushion from a pilot’s seat. Naujoks, who had law enforcement permission to take his motorboat to the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge, about 2 miles (roughly 3 kilometers) downriver from the crash site, turned the items over to the FBI.

“Everything is covered in jet fuel,” Naujoks said Friday. “The sugar packets made me think of the flight attendants. I’m thinking of the people these things belonged to and it’s a punch to the gut. It’s just a sad day on the river.”

One air traffic controller was responsible for coordinating helicopter traffic and arriving and departing planes when the collision happened, according to an FAA report obtained by the AP. Those duties are often divided between two people, but the airport typically combines the roles at 9:30 p.m., once traffic begins to slow down. On Wednesday, the tower supervisor directed that they be combined earlier.

“The position configuration was not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic,” the report said.

A person familiar with the matter, however, said the tower staffing that night was at a normal level. The positions are regularly combined when controllers need to step away from the console for breaks, during shift changes or when air traffic is slow, the person said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal procedures.

The FAA has long struggled with a shortage of air traffic controllers.

Jonathan Koziol, chief of staff for Army aviation, said the helicopter crew was “very experienced” and familiar with the congested flying that occurs daily around the city.

The helicopter's maximum allowed altitude at the time was 200 feet (about 60 meters), Koziol said. It was not immediately clear whether it exceeded that limit, but Hegseth said altitude seemed to be a factor in the collision.

A day after he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crash-reagan-washington-buttigieg-diversity-biden-ef1e07684bbc845e9e7981c1ae060af2">questioned the helicopter pilot’s actions</a>&nbsp;and blamed diversity initiatives for undermining air safety, Trump said in a Friday post on Truth Social that the helicopter was “flying too high” at the time of the crash.

“It was far above the 200 foot limit. That’s not really too complicated to understand, is it???” Trump said.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-air-collision-video-footage-b444f2c4015fee7266e8a38716ec4ef6">Wednesday's crash</a>&nbsp;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 residential area of Belle Harbor, New York, just after takeoff from Kennedy Airport, killing all 260 people aboard and five people on the ground.

Experts often highlight that plane travel is overwhelmingly safe, but the airspace around Reagan National&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/american-airlines-5342-blackhawk-reagan-national-airport-81a43f2ba5cc59cbe9273fa593f1e9cf">can challenge even the most experienced pilots</a>. They must navigate hundreds of other commercial planes, military aircraft and restricted areas around sensitive sites.

Gomez Licon reported from Miami. AP writer Lea Skene contributed to this report. Writers Lolita C. Baldor, Tara Copp, Meg Kinnard, Chris Megerian, Aamer Madhani and Michael Biesecker contributed from Washington. Sarah Brumfield reported from Cockeysville, Maryland.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738343782845.png" alt="Photo U.S. Coast Guard" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Coast Guard</figcaption>
 </figure>ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Police boats combed the banks of the Potomac River on Friday, slowly scanning the shoreline under rainy skies as investigators sought clues into the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-aircraft-crash-9d79051a9e535bd855df5a4e5553b2e9">midair collision that killed 67 people</a>&nbsp;and raised questions about air traffic safety around the nation’s capital.No one survived the Wednesday night collision between the commercial airliner and an Army helicopter. The remains of 41 people had been pulled from the river as of Friday afternoon, including 28 that had been positively identified, Washington, D.C., Fire Chief John Donnelly Sr. said at a news conference. He said next of kin notifications had been made to 18 families, and that he expects the remains of all 67 people who died to eventually be recovered.The wreckage of the plane's fuselage will probably have to be pulled from the water to get all the bodies, he said.“This is heartbreaking work,” Donnelly said, noting that more than 300 responders were taking part in the effort at any one time, including teams of divers and two U.S. Coast Guard cutters, at least one of which carries a crane. “It’s been a tough response for a lot of our people.”It was unclear how long the recovery operation would take.“We’re working as fast as we can,” he said. "We need your patience.”Although Ronald Reagan National Airport has reopened, two of its three runways remain closed to keep aircraft from flying over the crash scene while taking off or landing, said Terry Liercke, the airport's vice president and manager. Roughly 100 flights were canceled Friday.Officials also heavily restricted helicopter traffic around the airport, an official said, hours after President Donald Trump claimed in a social media post that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aircraft-collision-black-hawk-bombardier-potomac-2b151f42ba09602bade7b82abe8b995f">Army Black Hawk</a>&nbsp;had been flying higher than its allowed limit.Investigators have recovered the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder of the American Airlines jetliner, which struck the chopper as the plane was coming in for a landing at the Washington-area airport. Officials are scrutinizing a range of factors in what&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-transportation-safety-board-dc-helicopter-crash-e6f43d112e9fa48f7a2ead01a6a61d27">National Transportation Safety Board</a>&nbsp;Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy has called an “all-hands-on-deck event.”Investigators are examining the actions of the military pilot as well as air traffic control, after the helicopter apparently flew into the jet's path. Air crash investigations normally take 12-18 months, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-crash-62adba7fb1f546b4cf1716e42b86482b">investigators told reporters Thursday</a>&nbsp;that they wouldn't speculate on the cause.Authorities were still looking for the helicopter's black box recorder, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Friday on Fox News Channel. Other factors in the crash, including the helicopter’s altitude and whether the crew was using its night vision goggles, are still under investigation, he said.Although some airspace had already been restricted following the crash, the Federal Aviation Administration decided to indefinitely bar most helicopters from using the low-to-the-ground routes that run under or parallel to the airport’s flightpaths, an official told The Associated Press on Friday. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter.Military aircraft frequently conduct such flights in and around the nation’s capital for familiarization with routes they would fly in case of a major catastrophe or an attack on the U.S. that would require relocating key government officials.The plane&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-plane-collision-victims-ee829891574aa35a30d8262b7e07e638">carried 60 passengers</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/plane-crash-kansas-dc-american-airlines-army-4fb9cd89ef9023fa848fc2331b24ee8e">four crew members</a>. The remains of one of the three soldiers who were aboard the helicopter have been recovered.Officials said flight conditions were clear as the jet arrived from Wichita, Kansas, carrying, among others, nine students and parents from Fairfax County, Virginia schools,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-helicopter-jet-crash-figure-skaters-391a4c7bd0e617a08d9532a8faab206b">a group of elite young figure skaters</a>, their parents and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vadim-naumov-evgenia-shishkova-dc-jet-crash-c4788cb6f3e123f0caff83e57347a00d">coaches</a>&nbsp;and a group of hunters.Details have been emerging about others who died in the crash, including Danasia Elder, a flight attendant on the American Airlines flight, WSOC-TV in Charlotte, North Carolina, reported.Her brother-in-law, Brandon Payne, said she was married with two children and had dreamed of getting the airline job.“She would want y’all to do the same thing she did. Chase your dreams, no matter what. Don’t let nothing scare you, push you away. Just believe in yourself, believe in God, and follow the path,” Payne said.Debris from the crash has drifted miles (kilometers) downriver.Dean Naujoks, who routinely patrols the Potomac for the environmental group Waterkeeper Alliance, on Thursday found floating debris that had been pushed by the wind and current into a pair of shallow coves along the Maryland shore.The wreckage included pages from a flight manual, part of the plane’s cabin wall, a woman’s sweater, dozens of sugar packets with the American Airlines logo and what appeared to be the cushion from a pilot’s seat. Naujoks, who had law enforcement permission to take his motorboat to the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge, about 2 miles (roughly 3 kilometers) downriver from the crash site, turned the items over to the FBI.“Everything is covered in jet fuel,” Naujoks said Friday. “The sugar packets made me think of the flight attendants. I’m thinking of the people these things belonged to and it’s a punch to the gut. It’s just a sad day on the river.”One air traffic controller was responsible for coordinating helicopter traffic and arriving and departing planes when the collision happened, according to an FAA report obtained by the AP. Those duties are often divided between two people, but the airport typically combines the roles at 9:30 p.m., once traffic begins to slow down. On Wednesday, the tower supervisor directed that they be combined earlier.“The position configuration was not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic,” the report said.A person familiar with the matter, however, said the tower staffing that night was at a normal level. The positions are regularly combined when controllers need to step away from the console for breaks, during shift changes or when air traffic is slow, the person said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal procedures.The FAA has long struggled with a shortage of air traffic controllers.Jonathan Koziol, chief of staff for Army aviation, said the helicopter crew was “very experienced” and familiar with the congested flying that occurs daily around the city.The helicopter's maximum allowed altitude at the time was 200 feet (about 60 meters), Koziol said. It was not immediately clear whether it exceeded that limit, but Hegseth said altitude seemed to be a factor in the collision.A day after he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crash-reagan-washington-buttigieg-diversity-biden-ef1e07684bbc845e9e7981c1ae060af2">questioned the helicopter pilot’s actions</a>&nbsp;and blamed diversity initiatives for undermining air safety, Trump said in a Friday post on Truth Social that the helicopter was “flying too high” at the time of the crash.“It was far above the 200 foot limit. That’s not really too complicated to understand, is it???” Trump said.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-air-collision-video-footage-b444f2c4015fee7266e8a38716ec4ef6">Wednesday's crash</a>&nbsp;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 residential area of Belle Harbor, New York, just after takeoff from Kennedy Airport, killing all 260 people aboard and five people on the ground.Experts often highlight that plane travel is overwhelmingly safe, but the airspace around Reagan National&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/american-airlines-5342-blackhawk-reagan-national-airport-81a43f2ba5cc59cbe9273fa593f1e9cf">can challenge even the most experienced pilots</a>. They must navigate hundreds of other commercial planes, military aircraft and restricted areas around sensitive sites.___Gomez Licon reported from Miami. AP writer Lea Skene contributed to this report. Writers Lolita C. Baldor, Tara Copp, Meg Kinnard, Chris Megerian, Aamer Madhani and Michael Biesecker contributed from Washington. Sarah Brumfield reported from Cockeysville, Maryland.

‘Heartbreaking’ search for those killed in DC aircraft collision takes its toll

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

Fort Hays State University's International Student Union ringed in the Lunar New Year on Friday under the glow of decorations and aroma of fresh dumplings.

The event featured a presentation on the Lunar New Year, snake-themed crafts, a raffle and Asian cuisines.

The date of the Lunar Year is based on the traditional Chinese calendar and usually falls between Jan. 21 and Feb. 20. This year, the Lunar New Year fell on Jan. 29, ushering in the Year of the Snake.

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 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostFort Hays State University's International Student Union ringed in the Lunar New Year on Friday under the glow of decorations and aroma of fresh dumplings.The event featured a presentation on the Lunar New Year, snake-themed crafts, a raffle and Asian cuisines.The date of the Lunar Year is based on the traditional Chinese calendar and usually falls between Jan. 21 and Feb. 20. This year, the Lunar New Year fell on Jan. 29, ushering in the Year of the Snake.<figure>
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Photo gallery: FHSU celebrates 2025 Lunar New Year

By JACOB KLAUDT K-State Research and Extension news service

Kansas State University has just released the 2025 Chemical Weed Control for Field Crops, Pastures, Rangeland, and Noncropland guide, an annual publication that weed specialist Sarah Lancaster says “has a variety of information related to herbicides.”

While this year’s guide does not include many new active ingredients, readers can find information about latest products, such as IronGate, which is labeled for use in wheat.

“The active ingredients in Irongate are flucarbazone and pyroxsulam,” Lancaster said. “I've looked at it for control of downy brome and it did a nice job; some of the key weeds that this product will control are weedy bromes, mustards and Italian ryegrass.”

Beyond IronGate, Surtain stands as one of the more novel herbicides found in the 2025 guide, according to Lancaster, noting that it has performed well in research trials against other products like Resicore and Acuron.

“It's a BASF product that is a premix of pyroxasulfone (Zidua and Anthem) along with saflufenacil (Sharpen),” she said. “The thing that is different about Surtain is that the saflufenacil is encapsulated, and so, even though we typically think about Sharpen as having quite a bit of burndown activity, and with the encapsulation, it doesn't.”

Additionally, producers growing glufosinate tolerant soybeans might consider using the newly added herbicide Zalo – an AMVAC product that is a premix of glufosinate and quazolifop.

“Quazolifop is the active ingredient in Assure,” Lancaster said. “This soybean product is used for grass control. The glufosinate helps control broadleaf weeds as well.”

Liberty Ultra also remains on the list of just-released herbicides Lancaster has been paying attention to. In this case, Liberty Ultra holds the title of the first herbicide label to be compliant with the Endangered Species Act requirements.

“It is a purified version of Liberty 280 SL,” she said. “Use patterns are going to be really similar to Liberty 280 but the rates are bumped down just a little bit to account for the higher concentration of the active form of the glufosinate molecule.”

Other present-day products listed in the 2025 Chemical Weed Control for Field Crops, Pastures, Rangeland, and Noncropland guide include:

· Inversa, Corteva’s encapsulated acetochlor product. Acetochlor is a Group 15 herbicide that growers use both pre- and post-emergence.

· Resicore REV. Lancaster said the key difference between Resicore REV and Resicore XL is that inert ingredients of Resicore REV has been modified to improve handling

The 2025 Chemical Weed Control for Field Crops, Pastures, Rangeland, and Noncropland guide is accessible online at <a href="https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/item/2025-chemical-weed-control-for-field-crops-pastures-rangeland-and-noncropland_SRP1190">https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/</a>.

Hard copies are also available in local extension offices in Kansas.

Brand names appearing in this article are for identification purposes only and does not imply endorsement or disapproval by Kansas State University of any particular product.

Submitted by Stacy Campbell Cottonwood Extension District, Hays

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738086548192.jpeg" alt="Kansas Research and Extension" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Research and Extension</figcaption>
 </figure>By JACOB KLAUDT K-State Research and Extension news serviceKansas State University has just released the 2025 Chemical Weed Control for Field Crops, Pastures, Rangeland, and Noncropland guide, an annual publication that weed specialist Sarah Lancaster says “has a variety of information related to herbicides.”While this year’s guide does not include many new active ingredients, readers can find information about latest products, such as IronGate, which is labeled for use in wheat.“The active ingredients in Irongate are flucarbazone and pyroxsulam,” Lancaster said. “I've looked at it for control of downy brome and it did a nice job; some of the key weeds that this product will control are weedy bromes, mustards and Italian ryegrass.”Beyond IronGate, Surtain stands as one of the more novel herbicides found in the 2025 guide, according to Lancaster, noting that it has performed well in research trials against other products like Resicore and Acuron.“It's a BASF product that is a premix of pyroxasulfone (Zidua and Anthem) along with saflufenacil (Sharpen),” she said. “The thing that is different about Surtain is that the saflufenacil is encapsulated, and so, even though we typically think about Sharpen as having quite a bit of burndown activity, and with the encapsulation, it doesn't.”Additionally, producers growing glufosinate tolerant soybeans might consider using the newly added herbicide Zalo – an AMVAC product that is a premix of glufosinate and quazolifop.“Quazolifop is the active ingredient in Assure,” Lancaster said. “This soybean product is used for grass control. The glufosinate helps control broadleaf weeds as well.”Liberty Ultra also remains on the list of just-released herbicides Lancaster has been paying attention to. In this case, Liberty Ultra holds the title of the first herbicide label to be compliant with the Endangered Species Act requirements.“It is a purified version of Liberty 280 SL,” she said. “Use patterns are going to be really similar to Liberty 280 but the rates are bumped down just a little bit to account for the higher concentration of the active form of the glufosinate molecule.”Other present-day products listed in the 2025 Chemical Weed Control for Field Crops, Pastures, Rangeland, and Noncropland guide include:· Inversa, Corteva’s encapsulated acetochlor product. Acetochlor is a Group 15 herbicide that growers use both pre- and post-emergence.· Resicore REV. Lancaster said the key difference between Resicore REV and Resicore XL is that inert ingredients of Resicore REV has been modified to improve handlingThe 2025 Chemical Weed Control for Field Crops, Pastures, Rangeland, and Noncropland guide is accessible online at <a href="https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/item/2025-chemical-weed-control-for-field-crops-pastures-rangeland-and-noncropland_SRP1190">https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/</a>.Hard copies are also available in local extension offices in Kansas.Brand names appearing in this article are for identification purposes only and does not imply endorsement or disapproval by Kansas State University of any particular product.Submitted by Stacy Campbell Cottonwood Extension District, Hays

CAMPBELL: K-State weed specialist outlines products making first-time appearances

By LAAH TUCKER American Legion Auxiliary Unit 109

NATOMA — In the small rural community of Natoma, American Legion Post 109 Commander William Workman and Terry Tucker, Sons of the American Legion, received a $4,000 grant from the McFadden Family Charitable Trust. 

The McFadden’s generosity enables the American Legion to complete a major project for a safe parking area on level ground. In addition, a gazebo will be constructed for celebrations. 

The Post 109 Hall was formerly a WWII Army Air Corps barrack moved to the current location from Walker Air Base in Ellis County following the war. 

The building is the hub for the Legion and Auxiliary in organizing a myriad of annual projects and community events. 

January 29 began the first of many annual projects with the auxiliary co-hosting a Kansas Day event for Natoma-Paradise-Waldo USD 399 elementary students. A Kansas Historical Museum’s trunk of antiquities with history and crafts will be shared by members and teachers. 

For God and Country, the American Legion Post 109 and the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 109 continue serving veterans, their families, children, youth, and community. 

For information contact: American Legion and Sons of the American Legion, Commander William Workman, 785-224-7993. For American Legion Auxiliary, Jenjer Murphy, Unit 109 president, 785-885-8079.

Photograph (R-L): American Legion Commander William Workman. Natoma Post 109, and Terry Tucker, Sons of the American Legion, received $4,000 from the McFadden Family Charitable Trust for completing a major project in Natoma.

Laah Tucker, American Legion Auxiliary Unit 109

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738080317946.jpeg" alt="American Legion Commander William Workman, Natoma Post 109, and Terry Tucker, Sons of the American Legion, received $4,000 from the McFadden Family Charitable Trust for completing a major project in Natoma. Photo by&nbsp;Laah Tucker/&nbsp;American Legion Auxiliary Unit 109" />
 <figcaption>American Legion Commander William Workman, Natoma Post 109, and Terry Tucker, Sons of the American Legion, received $4,000 from the McFadden Family Charitable Trust for completing a major project in Natoma. Photo by&nbsp;Laah Tucker/&nbsp;American Legion Auxiliary Unit 109</figcaption>
 </figure>By LAAH TUCKER American Legion Auxiliary Unit 109NATOMA — In the small rural community of Natoma, American Legion Post 109 Commander William Workman and Terry Tucker, Sons of the American Legion, received a $4,000 grant from the McFadden Family Charitable Trust. The McFadden’s generosity enables the American Legion to complete a major project for a safe parking area on level ground. In addition, a gazebo will be constructed for celebrations. The Post 109 Hall was formerly a WWII Army Air Corps barrack moved to the current location from Walker Air Base in Ellis County following the war. The building is the hub for the Legion and Auxiliary in organizing a myriad of annual projects and community events. January 29 began the first of many annual projects with the auxiliary co-hosting a Kansas Day event for Natoma-Paradise-Waldo USD 399 elementary students. A Kansas Historical Museum’s trunk of antiquities with history and crafts will be shared by members and teachers. For God and Country, the American Legion Post 109 and the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 109 continue serving veterans, their families, children, youth, and community. For information contact: American Legion and Sons of the American Legion, Commander William Workman, 785-224-7993. For American Legion Auxiliary, Jenjer Murphy, Unit 109 president, 785-885-8079.Photograph (R-L): American Legion Commander William Workman. Natoma Post 109, and Terry Tucker, Sons of the American Legion, received $4,000 from the McFadden Family Charitable Trust for completing a major project in Natoma.Story line and Photograph byLaah Tucker, American Legion Auxiliary Unit 109

Natoma American Legion gets grant for new parking lot, gazebo

By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER Hays Post

GREAT BEND - Hays High capped eight straight road games that started with the final game of 2024 as they traveled to Great Bend Friday.

GIRLS:&nbsp;#2 Hays 65, Great Bend 39 The Hays girls moved up six spots in the coaches' poll to #2 ahead of their game with the Panthers. A 34-1 first half run provided more than enough cushion for Hays to pull out a 65-39 victory.

It was a slow start for Hays. Great Bend hit four of their first five shots and led 9-2 midway through the first quarter. The Indians started getting to the free throw line and closing the gap. Hays closed the first quarter with a 16-0 run and then scored the first six points of the second quarter.

The 22-0 run put Hays up 24-9 two minutes into the second quarter. Great Bend hit one of two free throws before the Indians scored 12 straight to lead 36-10 three minutes later.

Hays led 42-15 at halftime and were never threatened in the second half.

Hays started the third quarter slow as well but Great Bend could only take four points off the Indian lead. Hays pushed their advantage to 30 by the end of the third quarter at 58-28.&nbsp;

The Indians grabbed a 65-39 victory after a continuous clock fourth quarter.

Hays(12-0, 3-0) has won fourteen consecutive WAC games. Great Bend(4-10) falls to 0-3 in league games. The 65 points and 34 rebounds for Hays was right at their season average.

Hays returns home on Tuesday. It is their first home game since December 13, 2024.

Jenna Schmeidler 15; Annie Humphrey 0; Katie Linenberger 10; Molly Martin 11; Kenlee Winter 7; Morgan Armbruster 3; Jaysa Roa 0; Kinslee Newell 0; Riley Dreher 6; Lynsi Kanak 5; Molly Buckles 6; Zoe Winter 2; Liz Cunningham 0; Rylen Harrington 0.

BOYS:&nbsp;#4 Great Bend 64, Hays 52 An 11-0 run by Great Bend to open the second gave the Panthers a lead they would never give up as they beat the Indians 64-52.

The game featured eight lead changes and four ties. Seven of those lead changes and three ties all happened in the first half. The two teams traded blows through the first quarter. The Indians knocked down a trio of three pointers to boost themselves to a 12-8 lead through eight minutes.

Great Bend started the second quarter with a 8-2 run that gave the Panthers a 19-14 lead. Hays again started knocking down threes and made three more to lead 27-24 at halftime.

The big 11-0 run for Great Bend opened the third quarter. The Panthers led 35-27 before Hays scored their first points of the half with 4:11 remaining in the third. Hays never got any closer that five points rest of the way. The Indians trailed 43-37 with under a minute remaining in the quarter when Great Bend scored four quick points to increase their lead to ten points going the fourth.

The Panthers led by as many as 16 points at 56-40 before Hays tried to mount a comeback. The Indians got lead down to ten at 56-46 on a pair of technical free throws and had the ball but turned it over.

Hays got the lead down to nine inside of two minutes and eight inside a minute but couldn't get shots to drop to draw closer, falling 64-52.

Hays(7-6, 2-1) has four losses to state ranked teams this season. Great Bend(13-1, 3-0) takes over the WAC lead. The Panthers have won ten straight.

Carter Lang 0; Johnny Cano 10; Trace Jacobs 0; Cooper Lindenmeyer 2; Trey Oakley 5; Tiger Johnson 17; Izaac Fox 1; Dawson Ruder 17.

By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER Hays PostGREAT BEND - Hays High capped eight straight road games that started with the final game of 2024 as they traveled to Great Bend Friday.GIRLS:&nbsp;#2 Hays 65, Great Bend 39 The Hays girls moved up six spots in the coaches' poll to #2 ahead of their game with the Panthers. A 34-1 first half run provided more than enough cushion for Hays to pull out a 65-39 victory.It was a slow start for Hays. Great Bend hit four of their first five shots and led 9-2 midway through the first quarter. The Indians started getting to the free throw line and closing the gap. Hays closed the first quarter with a 16-0 run and then scored the first six points of the second quarter.The 22-0 run put Hays up 24-9 two minutes into the second quarter. Great Bend hit one of two free throws before the Indians scored 12 straight to lead 36-10 three minutes later.Hays led 42-15 at halftime and were never threatened in the second half.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/2023198228&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-4" title="Hays High WBKB Highlights v Great Bend Jan 31 2025" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Hays High WBKB Highlights v Great Bend Jan 31 2025</a></div></div>Hays started the third quarter slow as well but Great Bend could only take four points off the Indian lead. Hays pushed their advantage to 30 by the end of the third quarter at 58-28.&nbsp;The Indians grabbed a 65-39 victory after a continuous clock fourth quarter.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/2023197956&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-1" title="Hays High WBKB Coach Post v Great Bend Jan 31 2025" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Hays High WBKB Coach Post v Great Bend Jan 31 2025</a></div></div>Hays(12-0, 3-0) has won fourteen consecutive WAC games. Great Bend(4-10) falls to 0-3 in league games. The 65 points and 34 rebounds for Hays was right at their season average.Hays returns home on Tuesday. It is their first home game since December 13, 2024.Jenna Schmeidler 15; Annie Humphrey 0; Katie Linenberger 10; Molly Martin 11; Kenlee Winter 7; Morgan Armbruster 3; Jaysa Roa 0; Kinslee Newell 0; Riley Dreher 6; Lynsi Kanak 5; Molly Buckles 6; Zoe Winter 2; Liz Cunningham 0; Rylen Harrington 0.BOYS:&nbsp;#4 Great Bend 64, Hays 52 An 11-0 run by Great Bend to open the second gave the Panthers a lead they would never give up as they beat the Indians 64-52.The game featured eight lead changes and four ties. Seven of those lead changes and three ties all happened in the first half. The two teams traded blows through the first quarter. The Indians knocked down a trio of three pointers to boost themselves to a 12-8 lead through eight minutes.Great Bend started the second quarter with a 8-2 run that gave the Panthers a 19-14 lead. Hays again started knocking down threes and made three more to lead 27-24 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/2023198420&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-5" title="Hays High MBKB Highlights v Great Bend Jan 31 2025" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Hays High MBKB Highlights v Great Bend Jan 31 2025</a></div></div>The big 11-0 run for Great Bend opened the third quarter. The Panthers led 35-27 before Hays scored their first points of the half with 4:11 remaining in the third. Hays never got any closer that five points rest of the way. The Indians trailed 43-37 with under a minute remaining in the quarter when Great Bend scored four quick points to increase their lead to ten points going the fourth.The Panthers led by as many as 16 points at 56-40 before Hays tried to mount a comeback. The Indians got lead down to ten at 56-46 on a pair of technical free throws and had the ball but turned it over.Hays got the lead down to nine inside of two minutes and eight inside a minute but couldn't get shots to drop to draw closer, falling 64-52.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/2023198328&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-1" title="Hays High MBKB Coach Post v Great Bend Jan 31 2025" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Hays High MBKB Coach Post v Great Bend Jan 31 2025</a></div></div>Hays(7-6, 2-1) has four losses to state ranked teams this season. Great Bend(13-1, 3-0) takes over the WAC lead. The Panthers have won ten straight.Carter Lang 0; Johnny Cano 10; Trace Jacobs 0; Cooper Lindenmeyer 2; Trey Oakley 5; Tiger Johnson 17; Izaac Fox 1; Dawson Ruder 17.

🏀 Hays girls remain unblemished; boys fall to Great Bend

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post

HAYS – The TMP-Marian Monarchs renewed an old MSAA rivalry Friday
night inside Al Billinger Fieldhouse when they split a doubleheader with the Larned
Indians. It was the TMP boys and the Indian girls picking up victories. 

GIRLS: Larned 40, TMP 37 The Larned Indians outscored the TMP girls by eight to open
the third quarter on their way to a 40-37 win over the Monarchs Friday night.

The two teams played to an early pair of ties before Larned took
a 7-6 lead into the first quarter break.

Larned (7-5) outscored the Monarchs 8-4 in the second quarter
and led 15-10 at halftime.

Larned built its largest lead in the third quarter, at
20-13, but the Monarchs (7-6) eventually tied the game at 23 on a Gracyn
Schippers three-point play to close out the third quarter.

The Indians led by as many as six in the fourth quarter on their
way to a 40-37 victory.

Schippers tied her career-high with 13 points, and Brooke
Koenigsman added 11 points for the Monarchs. 

BOYS: TMP 46, Larned 33 The TMP boys led by as many as 10 in the first half and 17
in the second half on their way to a 46-33 victory.

There were a pair of ties and lead changes early, and after
leading 9-8 at the end of the first quarter, TMP (6-7) outscored Larned (5-7)
14-9 in the second quarter for a 23-15 lead at halftime. A lead they never
surrendered. 

The Monarchs opened the third quarter scoring eight straight
points on three-pointers from Will Eck and Ty Schmeidler and a layup by Jacob
Seib that gave TMP the 31-17 a little more than a minute gone in the third
quarter. 

The Indians would never go away, though, trailing by double figures.
They outscore the Monarchs 14-2 over the next six minutes of gameplay to close
out the third quarter and open the fourth quarter. 

They had closed within four at 33-244 with five minutes left
in the game.

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays PostHAYS – The TMP-Marian Monarchs renewed an old MSAA rivalry Friday
night inside Al Billinger Fieldhouse when they split a doubleheader with the Larned
Indians. It was the TMP boys and the Indian girls picking up victories. GIRLS: Larned 40, TMP 37 The Larned Indians outscored the TMP girls by eight to open
the third quarter on their way to a 40-37 win over the Monarchs Friday night.<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/2023201664&color=%23294b71&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-larned-jan-31st-25" title="John Linn Postgame Interview Vs Larned (Jan 31st 25)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">John Linn Postgame Interview Vs Larned (Jan 31st 25)</a></div></div>The two teams played to an early pair of ties before Larned took
a 7-6 lead into the first quarter break.Larned (7-5) outscored the Monarchs 8-4 in the second quarter
and led 15-10 at halftime.Larned built its largest lead in the third quarter, at
20-13, but the Monarchs (7-6) eventually tied the game at 23 on a Gracyn
Schippers three-point play to close out the third quarter.The Indians led by as many as six in the fourth quarter on their
way to a 40-37 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/2023201136&color=%23294b71&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-larned-jan-31st-25" title="TMP WBKB Highlights Vs Larned (Jan 31st 25)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">TMP WBKB Highlights Vs Larned (Jan 31st 25)</a></div></div>Schippers tied her career-high with 13 points, and Brooke
Koenigsman added 11 points for the Monarchs. BOYS: TMP 46, Larned 33 The TMP boys led by as many as 10 in the first half and 17
in the second half on their way to a 46-33 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/2023201520&color=%23294b71&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-interview-vs-larned-jan-31st-25" title="Bill Meagher Postgame Interview Vs Larned (Jan 31st 25)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Bill Meagher Postgame Interview Vs Larned (Jan 31st 25)</a></div></div>There were a pair of ties and lead changes early, and after
leading 9-8 at the end of the first quarter, TMP (6-7) outscored Larned (5-7)
14-9 in the second quarter for a 23-15 lead at halftime. A lead they never
surrendered. The Monarchs opened the third quarter scoring eight straight
points on three-pointers from Will Eck and Ty Schmeidler and a layup by Jacob
Seib that gave TMP the 31-17 a little more than a minute gone in the third
quarter. <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/2023198420&color=%23294b71&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/hays-high-mbkb-highlights-v-5" title="Hays High MBKB Highlights v Great Bend Jan 31 2025" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Hays High MBKB Highlights v Great Bend Jan 31 2025</a></div></div>The Indians would never go away, though, trailing by double figures.
They outscore the Monarchs 14-2 over the next six minutes of gameplay to close
out the third quarter and open the fourth quarter. They had closed within four at 33-244 with five minutes left
in the game.The Monarchs Ty Schmeidler knocked down a three-pointer, scoring
a 13-0 TMP run for a 46-29 lead. In the final minutes, four scored four points,
making it 46-33 TMP. Schmeidler finished with 13 points, and Seib scored 11.TMP will host Trego Community on Tuesday.