By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Hays Middle School plans to alter its schedule for the next school year to include math and English daily.

Tom Albers, Hays Middle School principal, told the Hays school board Monday night the school has seen a decline in math and English state assessment scores.

After reviewing several factors, staff members decided spending more time with students in these classes could help them improve their skills.

The current block scheduling, which has been in place for four years, has students taking math and English in 75-minute blocks every other day.

English and reading instruction are split into two separate classes.

The new schedule combines English and reading. Students will have 70-minute English and math classes every day.

The students will keep their Falcon squad time, but seminar will be every other day and scheduled into one of their rotating blocks. Students can receive extra help from teachers during seminar or finish homework.

Students will continue having alternating block scheduling for all of their other classes.

Classes will also start at 7:55 a.m. to match the schedule at Hays High School.

Board vice president Jayme Goetz, a former district teacher, said she loves the new plan. She said she was excited to see students have more than 700 minutes of contact time with their math and English teachers over two weeks.

Teachers can introduce a concept on one day and work with the students as they put the concept into practice on the second day, Goetz said.

She said she sees the same trend in the math classes she teaches at the collegiate level. Her courses are now five credit-hour classes that meet five days per week.

Albers said the increase in the contact time is the benefit.

"Under block scheduling, if you see a kid on Thursday, and they have an activity or are sick, you might not see them again until the following Wednesday," Albers said.

Jerry Braun, teacher, said the schedule will allow teachers to get more material taught before the state assessments in March and allow for enrichment opportunities in April and May.

Board member Meagan Zampieri-Lillpopp expressed concerns about the lack of daily contact for band and orchestra.&nbsp;

Albers said those teachers could use their seminar time to work with smaller groups of students.

The new schedule will also allow for more electives. Under the new schedule, the seventh- and eighth-grade choir will be split.

Creative writing will also be added along with a couple of other electives, Albers said.

The school will need to add two math teachers and another special education teacher to accommodate the new schedule. One teacher within the school will move to teach math full-time, but two other new teachers will still be needed, Albers said.

Teachers will still have planning periods every day. They will alternate individual and team planning time.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737489986531.jpg" alt="Cover photo courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Cover photo courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostHays Middle School plans to alter its schedule for the next school year to include math and English daily.Tom Albers, Hays Middle School principal, told the Hays school board Monday night the school has seen a decline in math and English state assessment scores.After reviewing several factors, staff members decided spending more time with students in these classes could help them improve their skills.The current block scheduling, which has been in place for four years, has students taking math and English in 75-minute blocks every other day.English and reading instruction are split into two separate classes.The new schedule combines English and reading. Students will have 70-minute English and math classes every day.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737404084563.png" alt="M" />
 <figcaption>M</figcaption>
 </figure>The students will keep their Falcon squad time, but seminar will be every other day and scheduled into one of their rotating blocks. Students can receive extra help from teachers during seminar or finish homework.Students will continue having alternating block scheduling for all of their other classes.Classes will also start at 7:55 a.m. to match the schedule at Hays High School.Board vice president Jayme Goetz, a former district teacher, said she loves the new plan. She said she was excited to see students have more than 700 minutes of contact time with their math and English teachers over two weeks.Teachers can introduce a concept on one day and work with the students as they put the concept into practice on the second day, Goetz said.She said she sees the same trend in the math classes she teaches at the collegiate level. Her courses are now five credit-hour classes that meet five days per week.Albers said the increase in the contact time is the benefit."Under block scheduling, if you see a kid on Thursday, and they have an activity or are sick, you might not see them again until the following Wednesday," Albers said.Jerry Braun, teacher, said the schedule will allow teachers to get more material taught before the state assessments in March and allow for enrichment opportunities in April and May.Board member Meagan Zampieri-Lillpopp expressed concerns about the lack of daily contact for band and orchestra.&nbsp;Albers said those teachers could use their seminar time to work with smaller groups of students.The new schedule will also allow for more electives. Under the new schedule, the seventh- and eighth-grade choir will be split.Creative writing will also be added along with a couple of other electives, Albers said.The school will need to add two math teachers and another special education teacher to accommodate the new schedule. One teacher within the school will move to teach math full-time, but two other new teachers will still be needed, Albers said.Teachers will still have planning periods every day. They will alternate individual and team planning time.

Hays Middle School to alter schedule for next school year

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post

OAKLEY – The TMP-Marian Monarchs girls' basketball team
could not overcome a slow start and was held to its lowest-scoring output of
the season Tuesday. They fell 45-22 to the Oakley Plainsmen in the semifinals
of the Mid-Continent League tournament in Oakley.

TMP’s loss to Oakley ended a 12-game win streak against the
Plainsmen.

The Monarchs (4-5) got an early 5-2 lead, scoring on a
three-point play from Gracyn Schippers and a fastbreak layup by Raegan Allen.

After taking the lead, the Monarchs were held scoreless for
the next eight minutes while Oakley finished the first quarter and opened the
second quarter on a 13-0 run, building a double-digit that they would hold on
to for much of the game.

TMP trailed by as many as 11 in the first half while shooting
just 18 percent from the floor. They were down 23-15 at the break.

Oakley (7-3) opened the second half on a 9-0 run and led
32-15 with just over four minutes left in the third quarter.

The Monarchs never threatened in the fourth quarter in a
45-22 loss.

Gracyn Schippers led TMP with nine points.

Alexa Weiser scored a game-high 13 points for Oakley.

On Friday, Oakley will play Phillipsburg in the second
girl's semifinals in WaKeeney. 

TMP will take on Norton in the consolation semifinals on Thursday
afternoon in Hays. 

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays PostOAKLEY – The TMP-Marian Monarchs girls' basketball team
could not overcome a slow start and was held to its lowest-scoring output of
the season Tuesday. They fell 45-22 to the Oakley Plainsmen in the semifinals
of the Mid-Continent League tournament in Oakley.<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/2014934079&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-oakley-jan-21st-25" title="John Linn Postgame Interview vs Oakley (Jan 21st 25)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">John Linn Postgame Interview vs Oakley (Jan 21st 25)</a></div></div>TMP’s loss to Oakley ended a 12-game win streak against the
Plainsmen.The Monarchs (4-5) got an early 5-2 lead, scoring on a
three-point play from Gracyn Schippers and a fastbreak layup by Raegan Allen.After taking the lead, the Monarchs were held scoreless for
the next eight minutes while Oakley finished the first quarter and opened the
second quarter on a 13-0 run, building a double-digit that they would hold on
to for much of the game.TMP trailed by as many as 11 in the first half while shooting
just 18 percent from the floor. They were down 23-15 at the break.Oakley (7-3) opened the second half on a 9-0 run and led
32-15 with just over four minutes left in the third quarter.The Monarchs never threatened in the fourth quarter in a
45-22 loss.<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/2014931747&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-oakley-jan-21st-25" title="TMP WBKB Highlights Vs Oakley (Jan 21st 25)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">TMP WBKB Highlights Vs Oakley (Jan 21st 25)</a></div></div>Gracyn Schippers led TMP with nine points.Alexa Weiser scored a game-high 13 points for Oakley.On Friday, Oakley will play Phillipsburg in the second
girl's semifinals in WaKeeney. TMP will take on Norton in the consolation semifinals on Thursday
afternoon in Hays.

🏀 TMP-Marian girls not able overcome slow start in loss to Oakley

The Hays High girls’ wrestling team remain third in the
latest Kanas Wrestling Coaches Association rankings released Tuesday. Shawnee
Heights remains atop the 5A poll with Basehor-Linwood second. Great Bend moves
up three spots to No. 10.

The Norton girls are ranked first in the 321A team rankings
with Oakley second, Russell third, Plainville fourth and Stockton fifth.

The Hoxie boys are first, Norton second, Phillipsburg third,
Russell fifth and Hill City ninth in the 321A boys team rankings.

The Hays girls’ have six wrestlers ranked this week. Senior
Tionna Napue moves down a spot to No. 2 at 135. Freshman Eleanor Stoppel
remains second at 190. Sophomore Timber Lovewell holds on to the No. 3 spot at
145, Junior Lexie Barnett remains third at 155 and sophomore Kenlee Vehige
remains fourth at 120. Sophomore Emersyn Copper is down a spot to No. 6 at 100.

Junior Johnny Rigler remains fourth at 190 for the Hays High
boys.

The Plainville girls has five ranked in 321A. Sophomore Caydence
Carter is ranked No. 1 at 190, Lillian Garcia is second at 145, Senior Zoe
Brown is second at 155, Ella Normandin third at 140 and Kaeleigh Klein is third
at 100.

Koa Mader of Ellis is third at 110, Trego’s Kallan Rothchild
third at 115 and teammate Annika Dietz fourth at 130.

Quinter’s Tate Blackwill is first at 113.

<a href="https://5starassets.blob.core.windows.net/multi-media/2636319/hub/5A%20Girls%20Week%207.pdf">5A Girls Rankings</a> <a href="https://5starassets.blob.core.windows.net/multi-media/2636319/hub/321A%20Girls%20Week%207.pdf">321A Girls Rankings</a> <a href="https://5starassets.blob.core.windows.net/multi-media/2636319/hub/5A%20Boys%20Week%207.pdf">5A Boys Rankings</a> <a href="https://5starassets.blob.core.windows.net/multi-media/2636319/hub/321A%20Boys%20Week%207.pdf">321 Boys Rankings</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604497727867.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Hays PostThe Hays High girls’ wrestling team remain third in the
latest Kanas Wrestling Coaches Association rankings released Tuesday. Shawnee
Heights remains atop the 5A poll with Basehor-Linwood second. Great Bend moves
up three spots to No. 10.The Norton girls are ranked first in the 321A team rankings
with Oakley second, Russell third, Plainville fourth and Stockton fifth.The Hoxie boys are first, Norton second, Phillipsburg third,
Russell fifth and Hill City ninth in the 321A boys team rankings.The Hays girls’ have six wrestlers ranked this week. Senior
Tionna Napue moves down a spot to No. 2 at 135. Freshman Eleanor Stoppel
remains second at 190. Sophomore Timber Lovewell holds on to the No. 3 spot at
145, Junior Lexie Barnett remains third at 155 and sophomore Kenlee Vehige
remains fourth at 120. Sophomore Emersyn Copper is down a spot to No. 6 at 100.Junior Johnny Rigler remains fourth at 190 for the Hays High
boys.The Plainville girls has five ranked in 321A. Sophomore Caydence
Carter is ranked No. 1 at 190, Lillian Garcia is second at 145, Senior Zoe
Brown is second at 155, Ella Normandin third at 140 and Kaeleigh Klein is third
at 100.Koa Mader of Ellis is third at 110, Trego’s Kallan Rothchild
third at 115 and teammate Annika Dietz fourth at 130.Quinter’s Tate Blackwill is first at 113.<a href="https://5starassets.blob.core.windows.net/multi-media/2636319/hub/5A%20Girls%20Week%207.pdf">5A Girls Rankings</a> <a href="https://5starassets.blob.core.windows.net/multi-media/2636319/hub/321A%20Girls%20Week%207.pdf">321A Girls Rankings</a> <a href="https://5starassets.blob.core.windows.net/multi-media/2636319/hub/5A%20Boys%20Week%207.pdf">5A Boys Rankings</a> <a href="https://5starassets.blob.core.windows.net/multi-media/2636319/hub/321A%20Boys%20Week%207.pdf">321 Boys Rankings</a>

🤼‍♀️ Several HHS and area wrestlers ranked in latest KBCA rankings

Despite beating a ranked 6A team and still being unbeaten,
the Hays High girls’ basketball team drops two spots to No. 8 in the latest 5A rankings
from the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association released Monday afternoon. The
Indians are one of two undefeated teams in 5A West (Topeka Seaman), and one of
three overall in Class 5A.

The Colby girls move up one spot to No. 5 in Class 3A while
Hoxie drops a spot to 6th in Class 2A. Quinter moves into the 1A Division 1
poll at No. 9.

The Great Bend boys are up three to No. 6 in Class 5A,
Logan-Palco remains 3rd and Otis-Bison drops a spot to 10th in 1A Division 2.

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

5A Girls
 1. Topeka Seaman 2. Overland Park&nbsp; - St. Thomas Aquinas 3. Andover 4. Kansas City Piper 5. Maize South 6. Lenexa - St. James Academy 7. De Soto 8. Hays 9. Andover Central 10. Arkansas City

4A Girls 1. Wellington 2. Roeland Park. -&nbsp; Bishop Miege 3. Topeka Hayden 4. Eudora 5. Clay Center 6. Labette County 7. Fort Scott 8. Baldwin 9. Buhler 10. St. George -&nbsp; Rock Creek

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

2A Girls 1. Pittsburg - St. Mary's Colgan 2. Eureka 3. Moundridge 4. Leoti - Wichita County 5. Inman 6. Hoxie 7. Highland - Doniphan West 8. Elbing - Berean Academy 9. Ellinwood 10. Bennington

1A Div. 1 Girls 1. Little River 2. Centralia 3. Montezuma&nbsp; -&nbsp; South Gray 4. Clyde&nbsp; - Clifton Clyde 5. Claflin - Central Plains 6. Madison - Hamilton 7. Troy 8. Atwood - Rawlins County 9. Quinter 10. Olpe

1A Div. 2 Girls 1. Hanover 2. Lebo 3. Wallace County - Sharon Springs 4. Jetmore - Hodgeman County 5.&nbsp; South Haven 6. Marias des Cygnes Valley 7. St. Paul 8. Hartford 9. Bucklin 10. Cheylin

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

5A Boys 1. Topeka - Highland Park 2. Kansas City Piper 3. Wichita - Kapaun Mt. Carmel 4. Tecumseh – Shawnee Heights 5. Topeka Seaman 6. Great Bend 7. Topeka West 8. Andover 9. Andover Central 10. KC - Washington

4A Boys 1. Ottawa 2. McPherson 3. St. George - Rock Creek 4. Baldwin 5. Atchison 6. Andale 7. Pratt 8. Abilene 9. Clay Center 10. Concordia

3A Boys 1. Wichita Collegiate 2. Goodland 3. Cheney 4. Hesston 5. Haven 6. Nemaha Central 7. Lakin 8. St. Mary's 9. Holcomb 10. Scott Community

2A Boys 1. Moundridge 2. Salina - Sacred Heart 3. Brookville - Ell Saline 4. Sterling 5. Whitewater&nbsp; -&nbsp; Remington 6. Elbing - Berean Academy 7. Atchison - Maur Hill Mount Academy 8. Rossville 9. Valley Falls 10.&nbsp; Pittsburg - St. Mary's Colgan

1A Div. 1 Boys 1. Coldwater - South Central 2. Lawrence - Seabury Academy 3. Olpe 4. Claflin - Central Plains 5. Oxford 6. Macksville 7. Burlingame 8. Montezuma - South Gray 9. Burden - Central 10. Spearville

1A&nbsp; Div. 2 Boys 1. Cunningham 2. Axtell 3. Logan - Palco 4. McPherson - Elyria Christian 5. Hanover 6. Weskan 7. Jetmore - Hodgeman County 8. Dighton 9. St. John/Tipton 10. Otis/Bison

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712064660369.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Hays PostDespite beating a ranked 6A team and still being unbeaten,
the Hays High girls’ basketball team drops two spots to No. 8 in the latest 5A rankings
from the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association released Monday afternoon. The
Indians are one of two undefeated teams in 5A West (Topeka Seaman), and one of
three overall in Class 5A.The Colby girls move up one spot to No. 5 in Class 3A while
Hoxie drops a spot to 6th in Class 2A. Quinter moves into the 1A Division 1
poll at No. 9.The Great Bend boys are up three to No. 6 in Class 5A,
Logan-Palco remains 3rd and Otis-Bison drops a spot to 10th in 1A Division 2.6A Girls
 1. OP - Blue Valley North 2. Wichita Heights 3. Derby 4. Shawnee Mission South 5. Olathe North 6. Topeka - Washburn Rural 7. Olathe South 8. Shawnee Mission Northwest 9. Wichita East 10. Lawrence 5A Girls
 1. Topeka Seaman 2. Overland Park&nbsp; - St. Thomas Aquinas 3. Andover 4. Kansas City Piper 5. Maize South 6. Lenexa - St. James Academy 7. De Soto 8. Hays 9. Andover Central 10. Arkansas City4A Girls 1. Wellington 2. Roeland Park. -&nbsp; Bishop Miege 3. Topeka Hayden 4. Eudora 5. Clay Center 6. Labette County 7. Fort Scott 8. Baldwin 9. Buhler 10. St. George -&nbsp; Rock Creek 

3A Girls 1. Hesston 2. Halstead 3. Silver Lake 4. Girard 5. Colby 6. Osage City 7. Holcomb 8. Cheney 9. Haven 10. Neodesha 2A Girls 1. Pittsburg - St. Mary's Colgan 2. Eureka 3. Moundridge 4. Leoti - Wichita County 5. Inman 6. Hoxie 7. Highland - Doniphan West 8. Elbing - Berean Academy 9. Ellinwood 10. Bennington 1A Div. 1 Girls 1. Little River 2. Centralia 3. Montezuma&nbsp; -&nbsp; South Gray 4. Clyde&nbsp; - Clifton Clyde 5. Claflin - Central Plains 6. Madison - Hamilton 7. Troy 8. Atwood - Rawlins County 9. Quinter 10. Olpe1A Div. 2 Girls 1. Hanover 2. Lebo 3. Wallace County - Sharon Springs 4. Jetmore - Hodgeman County 5.&nbsp; South Haven 6. Marias des Cygnes Valley 7. St. Paul 8. Hartford 9. Bucklin 10. Cheylin6A Boys 1. Shawnee Mission Northwest 2. Wichita Heights 3. Shawnee Mission South 4. Derby 5. Junction City 6. Wichita Northwest 7. Blue Valley North 8. Mill Valley 9. Olathe North 10. Blue Valley Northwest 

5A Boys 1. Topeka - Highland Park 2. Kansas City Piper 3. Wichita - Kapaun Mt. Carmel 4. Tecumseh – Shawnee Heights 5. Topeka Seaman 6. Great Bend 7. Topeka West 8. Andover 9. Andover Central 10. KC - Washington 4A Boys 1. Ottawa 2. McPherson 3. St. George - Rock Creek 4. Baldwin 5. Atchison 6. Andale 7. Pratt 8. Abilene 9. Clay Center 10. Concordia3A Boys 1. Wichita Collegiate 2. Goodland 3. Cheney 4. Hesston 5. Haven 6. Nemaha Central 7. Lakin 8. St. Mary's 9. Holcomb 10. Scott Community 2A Boys 1. Moundridge 2. Salina - Sacred Heart 3. Brookville - Ell Saline 4. Sterling 5. Whitewater&nbsp; -&nbsp; Remington 6. Elbing - Berean Academy 7. Atchison - Maur Hill Mount Academy 8. Rossville 9. Valley Falls 10.&nbsp; Pittsburg - St. Mary's Colgan 1A Div. 1 Boys 1. Coldwater - South Central 2. Lawrence - Seabury Academy 3. Olpe 4. Claflin - Central Plains 5. Oxford 6. Macksville 7. Burlingame 8. Montezuma - South Gray 9. Burden - Central 10. Spearville1A&nbsp; Div. 2 Boys 1. Cunningham 2. Axtell 3. Logan - Palco 4. McPherson - Elyria Christian 5. Hanover 6. Weskan 7. Jetmore - Hodgeman County 8. Dighton 9. St. John/Tipton 10. Otis/Bison

🏀 HHS girls fall in latest KBCA rankings

The Hays USD 489 school board approved a contract for the sale of Lincoln Elementary School at its meeting Monday night.

The sale is contingent on the Kansas Legislature's approval. State law stipulates the Legislature has the first right of refusal in the sale of public school buildings.

The 100-year-old school will close at the end of this school year.

Hays developer Michael Graham plans to purchase the building for $850,000 and renovate it into apartments.

Graham plans to renovate the school into 26 to 28 one—and two-bedroom apartments, which will be moderate-income housing. He also plans to build on the property surrounding the school.

Closing on the property is set for Oct. 1, according to the contract.

Bill Jeter, board attorney, said this time frame will allow the district to remove any furniture, equipment or fixtures after the end of the school year.

The Lincoln closure is part of a series of bond-funded projects, including renovations and the expansion of Roosevelt Elementary School and O'Loughlin Elementary School. The current middle school will also be renovated into a new elementary school.

Wilson Elementary School also is set to close as an elementary school. Administrative offices will likely be moved to that building.

Roosevelt's grand opening was in December. A groundbreaking for the O'Loughlin project is set for March 6.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/1cf1f167-3d2b-4a78-9fe7-240b64b595ae">SEE RELATED STORY: Hays developer to purchase Lincoln school for apartment project</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/1cf1f167-3d2b-4a78-9fe7-240b64b595ae"></a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/551a9176-6517-460f-83bf-7bd35b8f51ac">SEE RELATED STORY: Hays USD 489 school board votes to sell Lincoln school</a>

The board also approved the district's audit, district-level administrator contracts and policy changes.

The district-level contracts included Superintendent Ron Wilson, Assistant Superintendents Shanna Dinkel and Chris Hipp, and Kyle Carlin, director of the special education cooperative.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726087259727.jpeg" alt="Lincoln Elementary School. File photo" />
 <figcaption>Lincoln Elementary School. File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Hays USD 489 school board approved a contract for the sale of Lincoln Elementary School at its meeting Monday night.The sale is contingent on the Kansas Legislature's approval. State law stipulates the Legislature has the first right of refusal in the sale of public school buildings.The 100-year-old school will close at the end of this school year.Hays developer Michael Graham plans to purchase the building for $850,000 and renovate it into apartments.Graham plans to renovate the school into 26 to 28 one—and two-bedroom apartments, which will be moderate-income housing. He also plans to build on the property surrounding the school.Closing on the property is set for Oct. 1, according to the contract.Bill Jeter, board attorney, said this time frame will allow the district to remove any furniture, equipment or fixtures after the end of the school year.The Lincoln closure is part of a series of bond-funded projects, including renovations and the expansion of Roosevelt Elementary School and O'Loughlin Elementary School. The current middle school will also be renovated into a new elementary school.Wilson Elementary School also is set to close as an elementary school. Administrative offices will likely be moved to that building.Roosevelt's grand opening was in December. A groundbreaking for the O'Loughlin project is set for March 6.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/1cf1f167-3d2b-4a78-9fe7-240b64b595ae">SEE RELATED STORY: Hays developer to purchase Lincoln school for apartment project</a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/1cf1f167-3d2b-4a78-9fe7-240b64b595ae"></a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/551a9176-6517-460f-83bf-7bd35b8f51ac">SEE RELATED STORY: Hays USD 489 school board votes to sell Lincoln school</a>The board also approved the district's audit, district-level administrator contracts and policy changes.The district-level contracts included Superintendent Ron Wilson, Assistant Superintendents Shanna Dinkel and Chris Hipp, and Kyle Carlin, director of the special education cooperative.

Hays USD 489 approves contract for sale of Lincoln Elementary School

NORTON – The TMP-Marian Monarchs came up short on the road
against the Norton Bluejays Monday in the quarterfinals of the Mid-Continent
League tournament, falling 48-40.

TMP (3-6, 2-1 MCL) matched a season-high seven three-pointers, four of which
came in the first quarter, and they only
trailed by one at 13-12 at the end of the first quarter.

Norton (7-3, 4-0 MCL) extended the lead to eight, at 21-13, midway through
the second quarter, but TMP sophomore Jacob Seib scored six straight points to pull them within two. 

Seib scored in double figures for the third straight game and finished with 12 points.

The Bluejays scored five quick points to build a nine-point
lead midway through the third quarter.

TMP again answered and trimmed the Norton lead at 28-24.

It seemed as though Norton had an answer every time TMP
made a run. 

With Norton leading by eight again, Carson Liles banked in a three at the end of the third quarter, pulling
TMP within five at 35-30.

Norton expanded
their lead to seven in the fourth quarter at 39-32, only to see the Monarchs close within two at
41-39. 

However, the Monarchs could not get any closer in the final minutes.

Norton closed the game by outscoring
the Monarchs 7-1, with the Bluejays securing a 48-40 victory.

TMP will take Phillipsburg Thursday
in the consolation semifinals at approximately 6:15 p.m. at Al Billinger Field House.


<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600893786937.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays PostNORTON – The TMP-Marian Monarchs came up short on the road
against the Norton Bluejays Monday in the quarterfinals of the Mid-Continent
League tournament, falling 48-40.<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/2013987903&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-mbkb-post-v-norton-jan-20-2025" title="TMP MBKB Post V Norton Jan 20, 2025" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">TMP MBKB Post V Norton Jan 20, 2025</a></div></div>TMP (3-6, 2-1 MCL) matched a season-high seven three-pointers, four of which
came in the first quarter, and they only
trailed by one at 13-12 at the end of the first quarter.Norton (7-3, 4-0 MCL) extended the lead to eight, at 21-13, midway through
the second quarter, but TMP sophomore Jacob Seib scored six straight points to pull them within two. TMP trailed 23-19 at the halftime break.Seib scored in double figures for the third straight game and finished with 12 points.The Bluejays scored five quick points to build a nine-point
lead midway through the third quarter.TMP again answered and trimmed the Norton lead at 28-24.It seemed as though Norton had an answer every time TMP
made a run. With Norton leading by eight again, Carson Liles banked in a three at the end of the third quarter, pulling
TMP within five at 35-30.Norton expanded
their lead to seven in the fourth quarter at 39-32, only to see the Monarchs close within two at
41-39. However, the Monarchs could not get any closer in the final minutes.Norton closed the game by outscoring
the Monarchs 7-1, with the Bluejays securing a 48-40 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/2013987411&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-mbkb-highlights-v-norton" title="TMP MBKB Highlights v Norton Jan 20, 2025" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">TMP MBKB Highlights v Norton Jan 20, 2025</a></div></div>TMP will take Phillipsburg Thursday
in the consolation semifinals at approximately 6:15 p.m. at Al Billinger Field House.

🏀 Monarchs come up short in MCL tournament quarterfinals

By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER Hays Post

WICHITA - Hays had their second make-up game in the month as they traveled to Wichita and faced the Independent Panthers.

GIRLS: #6 Hays 73, Independent 18 Hays scored the first seven points of the game and never looked back on the way to a 73-18 victory. A 21-3 run that started in the first quarter and lasted into the early second pushed the Indian lead to 23 points at 30-7.

Independent could never put together a run to threaten the Indians. Hays outscored the Panthers 16-3 in the second quarter for a 41-10 lead at halftime.

Hays outscored Independent in all four quarter. The Indians had an 18-6 advantage in the third and 14-2 edge in the fourth for the 73-18 victory.&nbsp;

10 players scored in the victory led by Jenna Schmeidler with 16. Zoe Winter matched a season high 14 points. Hays matched a season low with seven turnovers. Independent had 34 turnovers.

Hays(9-0) heads to the Colby Orange &amp; Black Thursday where they will face Goodland in the first round. Independent falls to 1-7.

Jenna Schmeidler 16; Annie Humphrey 3; Katie Linenberger 9; Molly Martin 9; Kenlee Winter 3; Morgan Armbruster 8; Jaysa Roa 0; Kinsley Newell 0; Riley Dreher 0; Molly Buckles 6; Zoe Winter 14; Liz Cunningham 3; Rylen Harrington 0.

BOYS: Hays 76, Independent 22 Hays scored the first 30 points of the game on their way to a 76-22 on Monday. It is the most points Hays has scored this season.

The Indians didn't allow any made field goals on just eight total shots by the Panthers in the first half. Hays forced 21 turnovers in the first half. Independent ended the game with 31 turnovers and made seven field goals.

The Panthers managed just four free throw makes and Hays led 43-4 at half.&nbsp;

The Hays lead continued to increase as they went up 51-4 two minutes into the third quarter. The Panthers managed four field goals in the quarter including three three pointers. Hays still led 64-16 heading to the fourth.&nbsp;

Hays (5-4) has won back-to-back games for the second time this season. The Indians head to the Colby Orange &amp; Black on Thursday where they will face Concordia in the first round.

By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER Hays PostWICHITA - Hays had their second make-up game in the month as they traveled to Wichita and faced the Independent Panthers.GIRLS: #6 Hays 73, Independent 18 Hays scored the first seven points of the game and never looked back on the way to a 73-18 victory. A 21-3 run that started in the first quarter and lasted into the early second pushed the Indian lead to 23 points at 30-7.Independent could never put together a run to threaten the Indians. Hays outscored the Panthers 16-3 in the second quarter for a 41-10 lead 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/2013955827&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-814667509/01-20-25-hhs-wbkb-vs-wichita-independent-highlights" title="01 - 20 - 25 HHS WBKB Vs Wichita Independent Highlights" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">01 - 20 - 25 HHS WBKB Vs Wichita Independent Highlights</a></div></div>Hays outscored Independent in all four quarter. The Indians had an 18-6 advantage in the third and 14-2 edge in the fourth for the 73-18 victory.&nbsp;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/2014040227&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-coach-len-melvin-postgame-v-wichita-independent" title="Hays High Coach Len Melvin Postgame v Wichita Independent" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Hays High Coach Len Melvin Postgame v Wichita Independent</a></div></div>10 players scored in the victory led by Jenna Schmeidler with 16. Zoe Winter matched a season high 14 points. Hays matched a season low with seven turnovers. Independent had 34 turnovers.Hays(9-0) heads to the Colby Orange &amp; Black Thursday where they will face Goodland in the first round. Independent falls to 1-7.Jenna Schmeidler 16; Annie Humphrey 3; Katie Linenberger 9; Molly Martin 9; Kenlee Winter 3; Morgan Armbruster 8; Jaysa Roa 0; Kinsley Newell 0; Riley Dreher 0; Molly Buckles 6; Zoe Winter 14; Liz Cunningham 3; Rylen Harrington 0.BOYS: Hays 76, Independent 22 Hays scored the first 30 points of the game on their way to a 76-22 on Monday. It is the most points Hays has scored this season.The Indians didn't allow any made field goals on just eight total shots by the Panthers in the first half. Hays forced 21 turnovers in the first half. Independent ended the game with 31 turnovers and made seven field goals.The Panthers managed just four free throw makes and Hays led 43-4 at half.&nbsp;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/2013955811&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-814667509/01-20-25-hhs-mbkb-vs-wichita-independent-highlights" title="01 - 20 - 25 HHS MBKB Vs Wichita Independent Highlights" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">01 - 20 - 25 HHS MBKB Vs Wichita Independent Highlights</a></div></div>The Hays lead continued to increase as they went up 51-4 two minutes into the third quarter. The Panthers managed four field goals in the quarter including three three pointers. Hays still led 64-16 heading to the fourth.&nbsp;Coach Sean Dreiling<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2013955779&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-814667509/01-20-25-hhs-mbkb-coach-sean-dreiling-interview" title="01 - 20 - 25 HHS MBKB Coach Sean Dreiling Interview" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">01 - 20 - 25 HHS MBKB Coach Sean Dreiling Interview</a></div></div>Hays (5-4) has won back-to-back games for the second time this season. The Indians head to the Colby Orange &amp; Black on Thursday where they will face Concordia in the first round.

🏀 Both Hays teams win big at Independent

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/sally-ho">SALLY HO</a> Associated Press

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday to keep TikTok operating for 75 days, a relief to the social media platform’s users even as national security questions persist.

TikTok’s China-based parent ByteDance was supposed to find a U.S. buyer or&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tiktok-ban-da11df6d59c17e2c17eea40c4042386d">be banned on Jan. 19</a>. Trump’s order could give ByteDance more time to find a buyer.

“I guess I have a warm spot for TikTok,” Trump said.

Shou Zi Chew, TikTok’s CEO, attended Trump’s inauguration earlier in the day,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-inauguration-tech-billionaires-zuckerberg-musk-wealth-0896bfc3f50d941d62cebc3074267ecd">seated with American tech heavyweights</a>.

Trump has amassed nearly 15 million followers on TikTok since&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/elections/2024/trump-joins-tiktok-and-calls-it-an-honor-as-president-he-once-tried-to-ban-the-video-sharing-app/" target="_blank">he joined last year</a>, and he has credited the trendsetting platform with helping him gain traction among young voters. Yet its 170 million U.S. users could not access TikTok for more than 12 hours between Saturday night and Sunday morning.

The platform went offline before the ban&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-fire-congressmans-office-wisconsin-a815e6592bea4c028b1c7748491461ed">approved by Congress</a>&nbsp;and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court took effect Sunday. After Trump promised he would pause the ban Monday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-trump-biden-china-bdc79b7ce741a81761f67ea56d410103">TikTok restored access</a>&nbsp;for existing users. Google and Apple, however, still have not reinstated TikTok to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-app-stores-apple-google-a905693c43984e9b80d432a3a933a73f">their app stores</a>.

Business leaders, lawmakers, legal scholars, and influencers who make money on TikTok are watching to see how Trump tries to resolve a thicket of regulatory, legal, financial and geopolitical issues with his signature.

TikTok’s app allows users to create and watch short-form videos, and broke new ground by operating with an algorithm that fed viewers recommendations based on their viewing habits. But concerns about its potential to serve as a tool for Beijing to manipulate and spy on Americans pre-date Trump’s first presidency.

In 2020, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/global-trade-ap-top-news-politics-asia-business-719d8c83f689929c9c9d8c9aa5593fc8">issued executive orders</a>&nbsp;banning dealings with ByteDance and the owners of the Chinese messaging app WeChat. Courts ended up blocking the orders, but less than a year ago Congress overwhelmingly passed a law citing national security concerns to ban TikTok unless ByteDance sold it to an approved buyer.

The law, which went into force Sunday, allows for fines of up to $5,000 per U.S. TikTok user against major mobile app stores — like the ones operated by Apple and Google — and internet hosting services like Oracle if they continued to distribute TikTok to U.S. users beyond the deadline for ByteDance’s divestment.

Trump on Sunday said he had asked TikTok’s U.S. service providers to continue supporting the platform and app while he prepared to sign an executive order to stop the ban for now.

“The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order,” Trump posted on Truth Social, his social networking site.

The law that Congress passed and now-former President Joe Biden signed in April allowed for a 90-day extension if there had been progress toward a sale before the statute’s effective date. Less certain is whether that provision can be applied retroactively, according to Sarah Kreps, director of Cornell University’s Tech Policy Institute.

“Executive orders cannot override existing laws,” Kreps said. “It’s not clear that the new president has that authority to issue the 90-day extension of a law that’s already gone into effect.”

What difference might the sale of TikTok make?

Kreps also doubts the conditions for a delay exist at this point without so much as even a potential buyer being named to prove that a sale was moving along.

But Alan Rozenshtein, a University of Minnesota law professor, has written that the law also empowers the president to decide what constitutes a “qualified divestiture” — suggesting Trump could have discretion to say whether or when ByteDance meets the terms of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.

Although ByteDance spent months repeating it wasn’t interested in selling, Beijing on Monday also signaled a possible easing on China’s stance on TikTok to allow it to be divested from its Chinese parent company.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/han-zheng-vance-musk-trump-xi-2a82e553c50259d65f0e070c3079d8ce">China’s vice president</a>&nbsp;held meetings with Vice President JD Vance and Tesla tech titan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-inauguration-elon-musk-mars-tech-billionaires-70ad9d5f854fce40f44cdabbd8084734">Elon Musk</a>&nbsp;on Sunday.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning, said Monday that business operations and acquisitions “should be independently decided by companies in accordance with market principles.”

“If it involves Chinese companies, China’s laws and regulations should be observed,” Mao said.

Until now, it was widely believed that Beijing would not allow the sale of TikTok, which had come to embody China’s defiance in the face of “U.S. robbery.” However, TikTok was among several issues brought up in a phone call between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Trump on Friday, though details were not available.

Trump on Monday said he is looking to have the U.S. government broker a deal for 50% control of TikTok, adding that “every rich person” has called him about acquiring the social media platform.

“I think the U.S. should be entitled to get half of TikTok and, congratulations, TikTok has a good partner and that would be worth, you know, could be $500 billion,” Trump said. “The numbers are crazy, but it’s worthless” without a U.S. buyer.

The Justice Department is generally tasked with enforcing the laws of the federal government. Trump’s executive order instructs the U.S. attorney general not to take any action to enforce the TikTok ban for 75 days “to allow my Administration an opportunity to determine the appropriate course forward in an orderly way that protects national security while avoiding an abrupt shutdown of a communications platform used by millions of Americans.”

Such a move might itself be subject to legal scrutiny but would buy time for TikTok.

Trump’s efforts to save TikTok may put him at odds with some of the House members and senators who voted for the law, which received broad bipartisan support. House Speaker Mike Johnson called ByteDance’s ownership “a very dangerous thing,” and said he expected a full sale to happen.

“I think we will enforce the law,” Johnson told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday.

Legislators now stand to “look a little bit silly” if the ban doesn’t last, Kreps said.

“(The case) becomes about the separations of powers, and checks and balances, that we don’t have a king who decides what happens with the law,” Kreps said. “Enforcement isn’t only up to the executive branch.”

What are other potential legal obstacles?

Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, in a message posted on X, listed a number of state and federal agencies, and private entities, that might be willing to go to court to get the ban enforced.

“Any company that hosts, distributes, services, or otherwise facilitates communist-controlled TikTok could face hundreds of billions of dollars of ruinous liability under the law, not just from DOJ, but also under securities law, shareholder lawsuits, and state AGs,” Cotton noted.

Despite the intense scrutiny and potential costs involved, the machinations over TikTok are in some ways just business as usual for the tech companies involved, according to Gus Hurwitz, a legal scholar with the International Center for Law and Economics.

“The fines that we’re talking about are civil penalties and companies risk civil penalties all the time,” Hurwitz said.

Still, the hard business calculus of complying with a law in limbo or risk defying a president who holds lucrative federal contracts over those companies could come into focus if shareholders sue.

Oracle, for example, has a part of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-politics-amazoncom-inc-cloud-computing-us-department-of-defense-bfaeb3549b4d42328f35e579d7cb40b0">the Pentagon’s $9 billion contract</a>&nbsp;to build its cloud computing network.

“This actually could be the right business decision to make,” Hurwitz said. “That’s not necessarily a breach of duty to shareholders.”

Which companies are deciding whether to trust Trump’s assurances?

There’s been lots of questions about how companies such as Oracle and Akamai Technologies are powering TikTok’s servers to stay online, while others such as Apple and Google have made the app unavailable for new users to download.

None of the companies have responded to requests for comment.

Oracle in 2020 announced it had a 12.5% stake in TikTok Global after securing its business as the app’s cloud technology provider.

Meanwhile, as of Monday night, a search for TikTok on Apple’s app store directs to an online statement that reads in part: “Apple is obligated to follow the laws in the jurisdictions where it operates,” while Google’s app store notes downloads for TikTok “are paused due to current US legal requirements.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737424060647.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/sally-ho">SALLY HO</a> Associated PressPresident Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday to keep TikTok operating for 75 days, a relief to the social media platform’s users even as national security questions persist.TikTok’s China-based parent ByteDance was supposed to find a U.S. buyer or&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tiktok-ban-da11df6d59c17e2c17eea40c4042386d">be banned on Jan. 19</a>. Trump’s order could give ByteDance more time to find a buyer.“I guess I have a warm spot for TikTok,” Trump said.Shou Zi Chew, TikTok’s CEO, attended Trump’s inauguration earlier in the day,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-inauguration-tech-billionaires-zuckerberg-musk-wealth-0896bfc3f50d941d62cebc3074267ecd">seated with American tech heavyweights</a>.Trump has amassed nearly 15 million followers on TikTok since&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/elections/2024/trump-joins-tiktok-and-calls-it-an-honor-as-president-he-once-tried-to-ban-the-video-sharing-app/" target="_blank">he joined last year</a>, and he has credited the trendsetting platform with helping him gain traction among young voters. Yet its 170 million U.S. users could not access TikTok for more than 12 hours between Saturday night and Sunday morning.The platform went offline before the ban&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-fire-congressmans-office-wisconsin-a815e6592bea4c028b1c7748491461ed">approved by Congress</a>&nbsp;and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court took effect Sunday. After Trump promised he would pause the ban Monday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-trump-biden-china-bdc79b7ce741a81761f67ea56d410103">TikTok restored access</a>&nbsp;for existing users. Google and Apple, however, still have not reinstated TikTok to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-app-stores-apple-google-a905693c43984e9b80d432a3a933a73f">their app stores</a>.Business leaders, lawmakers, legal scholars, and influencers who make money on TikTok are watching to see how Trump tries to resolve a thicket of regulatory, legal, financial and geopolitical issues with his signature.<h2>How did the TikTok ban come about?</h2>TikTok’s app allows users to create and watch short-form videos, and broke new ground by operating with an algorithm that fed viewers recommendations based on their viewing habits. But concerns about its potential to serve as a tool for Beijing to manipulate and spy on Americans pre-date Trump’s first presidency.In 2020, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/global-trade-ap-top-news-politics-asia-business-719d8c83f689929c9c9d8c9aa5593fc8">issued executive orders</a>&nbsp;banning dealings with ByteDance and the owners of the Chinese messaging app WeChat. Courts ended up blocking the orders, but less than a year ago Congress overwhelmingly passed a law citing national security concerns to ban TikTok unless ByteDance sold it to an approved buyer.The law, which went into force Sunday, allows for fines of up to $5,000 per U.S. TikTok user against major mobile app stores — like the ones operated by Apple and Google — and internet hosting services like Oracle if they continued to distribute TikTok to U.S. users beyond the deadline for ByteDance’s divestment.Trump on Sunday said he had asked TikTok’s U.S. service providers to continue supporting the platform and app while he prepared to sign an executive order to stop the ban for now.“The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order,” Trump posted on Truth Social, his social networking site.The law that Congress passed and now-former President Joe Biden signed in April allowed for a 90-day extension if there had been progress toward a sale before the statute’s effective date. Less certain is whether that provision can be applied retroactively, according to Sarah Kreps, director of Cornell University’s Tech Policy Institute.“Executive orders cannot override existing laws,” Kreps said. “It’s not clear that the new president has that authority to issue the 90-day extension of a law that’s already gone into effect.”<h2>What difference might the sale of TikTok make?</h2>Kreps also doubts the conditions for a delay exist at this point without so much as even a potential buyer being named to prove that a sale was moving along.But Alan Rozenshtein, a University of Minnesota law professor, has written that the law also empowers the president to decide what constitutes a “qualified divestiture” — suggesting Trump could have discretion to say whether or when ByteDance meets the terms of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.Although ByteDance spent months repeating it wasn’t interested in selling, Beijing on Monday also signaled a possible easing on China’s stance on TikTok to allow it to be divested from its Chinese parent company.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/han-zheng-vance-musk-trump-xi-2a82e553c50259d65f0e070c3079d8ce">China’s vice president</a>&nbsp;held meetings with Vice President JD Vance and Tesla tech titan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-inauguration-elon-musk-mars-tech-billionaires-70ad9d5f854fce40f44cdabbd8084734">Elon Musk</a>&nbsp;on Sunday.Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning, said Monday that business operations and acquisitions “should be independently decided by companies in accordance with market principles.”“If it involves Chinese companies, China’s laws and regulations should be observed,” Mao said.Until now, it was widely believed that Beijing would not allow the sale of TikTok, which had come to embody China’s defiance in the face of “U.S. robbery.” However, TikTok was among several issues brought up in a phone call between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Trump on Friday, though details were not available.Trump on Monday said he is looking to have the U.S. government broker a deal for 50% control of TikTok, adding that “every rich person” has called him about acquiring the social media platform.“I think the U.S. should be entitled to get half of TikTok and, congratulations, TikTok has a good partner and that would be worth, you know, could be $500 billion,” Trump said. “The numbers are crazy, but it’s worthless” without a U.S. buyer.<h2>Who or what can enforce the ban?</h2>The Justice Department is generally tasked with enforcing the laws of the federal government. Trump’s executive order instructs the U.S. attorney general not to take any action to enforce the TikTok ban for 75 days “to allow my Administration an opportunity to determine the appropriate course forward in an orderly way that protects national security while avoiding an abrupt shutdown of a communications platform used by millions of Americans.”Such a move might itself be subject to legal scrutiny but would buy time for TikTok.Trump’s efforts to save TikTok may put him at odds with some of the House members and senators who voted for the law, which received broad bipartisan support. House Speaker Mike Johnson called ByteDance’s ownership “a very dangerous thing,” and said he expected a full sale to happen.“I think we will enforce the law,” Johnson told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday.Legislators now stand to “look a little bit silly” if the ban doesn’t last, Kreps said.“(The case) becomes about the separations of powers, and checks and balances, that we don’t have a king who decides what happens with the law,” Kreps said. “Enforcement isn’t only up to the executive branch.”<h2>What are other potential legal obstacles?</h2>Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, in a message posted on X, listed a number of state and federal agencies, and private entities, that might be willing to go to court to get the ban enforced.“Any company that hosts, distributes, services, or otherwise facilitates communist-controlled TikTok could face hundreds of billions of dollars of ruinous liability under the law, not just from DOJ, but also under securities law, shareholder lawsuits, and state AGs,” Cotton noted.Despite the intense scrutiny and potential costs involved, the machinations over TikTok are in some ways just business as usual for the tech companies involved, according to Gus Hurwitz, a legal scholar with the International Center for Law and Economics.“The fines that we’re talking about are civil penalties and companies risk civil penalties all the time,” Hurwitz said.Still, the hard business calculus of complying with a law in limbo or risk defying a president who holds lucrative federal contracts over those companies could come into focus if shareholders sue.Oracle, for example, has a part of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-politics-amazoncom-inc-cloud-computing-us-department-of-defense-bfaeb3549b4d42328f35e579d7cb40b0">the Pentagon’s $9 billion contract</a>&nbsp;to build its cloud computing network.“This actually could be the right business decision to make,” Hurwitz said. “That’s not necessarily a breach of duty to shareholders.”<h2>Which companies are deciding whether to trust Trump’s assurances?</h2>There’s been lots of questions about how companies such as Oracle and Akamai Technologies are powering TikTok’s servers to stay online, while others such as Apple and Google have made the app unavailable for new users to download.None of the companies have responded to requests for comment.Oracle in 2020 announced it had a 12.5% stake in TikTok Global after securing its business as the app’s cloud technology provider.Meanwhile, as of Monday night, a search for TikTok on Apple’s app store directs to an online statement that reads in part: “Apple is obligated to follow the laws in the jurisdictions where it operates,” while Google’s app store notes downloads for TikTok “are paused due to current US legal requirements.”

Trump signs order to delay TikTok ban

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump, who overcame&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/trump-impeachment">impeachments</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-special-counsel-aileen-cannon-d7be86dad89227f12a6f5aac3433b202">criminal indictments</a>&nbsp;and a pair of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/attempted-assassination-of-donald-trump">assassination attempts</a>&nbsp;to win another term in the White House, will be sworn in Monday as the 47th U.S. president taking charge as Republicans claim unified control of Washington and set out to reshape the country’s institutions.

Trump’s swearing-in ceremony, moved indoors due to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-inauguration-capitol-rotunda-cold-weather-2e527b4f40309be7fd2b48a8173af390">intense cold</a>, will begin at noon ET. But festivities will start earlier when the incoming president arrives for service at St. John’s Episcopal Church.

Trump’s inauguration address echoes his rally speeches

The speech Trump is delivering sounds a lot like his rally speeches, with plenty of grievance, including references to those who tried to “take my freedom” and the “weaponization of our Justice Department.”

Trump, after leaving office, became the first former president to be indicted, convicted and sentenced. But he has long tried to cast his many investigations as politically motivated.

Some Democrats join standing ovation over border emergency

Trump is laying out his executive orders, starting with declaring a state of emergency on the southern border, which received a standing ovation from all Republicans and a few swing state Democrats, including Reps. Don Davis and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez.

Trump wants to make Martin Luther King Jr.‘s dream ‘a reality’

Trump marked the fact that his inauguration is occurring on Martin Luther King Jr. Day., saying in his speech that his administration will “strive together to make his dream a reality.”

“We will make his dream come true,” Trump vowed of the Rev. King.

Trump referred to the assassination attempt against him, saying he was “saved by God to make America great again,” drawing a standing ovation from Republicans in the room while Democrats, including Biden and Harris, remained seated and still.

Trump says the election has given him “a mandate to completely and totally reverse a horrible betrayal” he says has taken place, “and to give the people back their faith, their wealth, their democracy and indeed their freedom. From this moment on, America’s decline is over.”

Speaking just feet from former Biden, Trump is delivering a forceful critique of the federal government, which he says “cannot manage even a simple crisis at home.”

He cites the wildfires in California and flooding in North Carolina, crises about which he has repeatedly spread incorrect claims. He also points to “a continuing catalogue of catastrophic events abroad” and illegal immigration.

Trump: The ‘golden age of America begins right now’

Trump in his first remarks as the 47th president declared that the “golden age of America begins right now.”

Cheers erupt in Rotunda as Trump is sworn in

Trump’s family surrounds him after his swearing-in.

JD Vance has been sworn in by Justice Brett Kavanaugh

Vance’s wife, Usha, and their three young children were at his side.

Donald Trump takes oath of office as nation’s 47th president promising ‘revolution of common sense’

President-elect Donald Trump plans to use his own Bible, which was given to him by his mother, and the Lincoln Bible for his swearing-in ceremony.

The Lincoln Bible was provided during Lincoln’s 1861 inauguration by William Thomas Carroll, clerk of the Supreme Court. That’s because Lincoln’s family Bible was still packed and on its way to Washington from Springfield, Illinois, along with the Lincoln family’s other belongings.

In 2017, Trump stacked a family Bible atop Lincoln’s while taking the oath. He’s set to do the same with his own Bible and Lincoln’s this time.

That recalls Barack Obama, who also used the Lincoln Bible during his first swearing-in in 2009. During his second in 2014, he paired it with a Bible that had belonged to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

White House staff turning over the mansion for Trump during inauguration

The staff of the White House residence starts the work of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-inauguration-moving-day-white-house-biden-a907323a682749a62cddf3deaafc5506">moving out</a>&nbsp;one president and preparing the mansion for a new president as soon as the outgoing and incoming presidents leave for the inauguration at the Capitol.

The White House chief usher is the staff person who oversees the process and will have worked with Melania Trump to coordinate the move. One former White House usher describes the process as “organized chaos.”

While reciting the presidential oath of office is mandated by the Constitution, using a Bible isn’t.

Theodore Roosevelt didn’t use one when he was sworn in following the assassination of William McKinley in 1901. John Quincy Adams used a law text for his 1825 inauguration.

And, sworn in aboard Air Force One after John Kennedy’s assassination in 1963, Lyndon B. Johnson used a Catholic missal.

Also, who holds the Bible during the inaugural ceremony isn’t spelled out. Lady Bird Johnson set a tradition that has continued until today when she became the first incoming-first lady to hold the Bible for her husband Lyndon’s second inauguration in January 1965.

Prior to that, the Bibles were often held by an unknown official — people not easily identified in historical photographs.

Jill Biden and Doug Emhoff exchange a hug and a smile

The two awaited the arrival of their spouses on the inauguration platform.

The former presidents in attendance — Obama, Bush and Clinton — drew applause from the audience.

Two former first ladies were there, too, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-inauguration-obama-bush-clinton-f7212766dc0f69444d8a4537a736c2d2">Michelle Obama</a>&nbsp;skipped the inauguration.

She wasn’t with the former U.S. leaders and their spouses at former President Jimmy Carter’s state funeral earlier this month either.

No explanation has been given for her absences.

The former first and second ladies that aren’t attending

While former Vice President Mike Pence is in attendance at Trump’s inauguration, his wife, former second lady Karen, is not.

Karen Pence snubbed the Trumps earlier this month at former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral, where she ignored Melania Trump’s efforts to shake her hand.

Dan Quayle and Mike Pence arrived on the platform with a standing ovation from members of both the House and Senate.