The Board of Directors of the United Way of Ellis County is issuing an urgent call for help from businesses, residents and community partners. After years of declining funding, compounded by recent leadership instability, our organization is at a critical juncture — and we need Ellis County to step up now.

· Over the past several years, funding for United Way of Ellis County has steadily decreased by about 20% since 2021. Much of our revenue comes from donations made by local businesses and members of this community, and contributions have not kept pace with rising demand for services.

· In June 2025, our executive director position was vacated. The board undertook a careful search and identified a highly qualified candidate expected to begin in October. However, after months of waiting, we have recently learned this individual is backing out of the job. This unexpected development has again left us without permanent leadership during a time of great need.

· In the interim, Bill Ring graciously stepped in as temporary director, guiding operations and ensuring that critical work continued through these past few months. We thank Bill for his dedication and willingness to step up for the community during this transition.

How United Way Serves Ellis County

United Way of Ellis County plays a critical role in the community by raising funds and distributing them to partner agencies that deliver vital services. 

Some of our 2025 partner agencies include:

· Big Brothers Big Sisters — youth mentoring programs

· Cancer Council of Ellis County — financial assistance for cancer patients and nutritional support

· CASA of the High Plains — Advocacy for abused/neglected children

· Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas — Support for early intervention and job follow-along services

· First Call For Help — Local assistance, Meals on Wheels, Backpacks for Kids

· Habitat for Humanity — Affordable housing programs

· Hays Senior Center — Meal services

· Options – Domestic &amp; Sexual Violence Services — Safe shelter and support

· Salvation Army — Financial assistance, food pantry services

· … and others that help with transportation, safe housing, crisis stabilization, parenting education, etc.

These agencies, and many more, depend on United Way of Ellis County for funding and support. When our funding falls short, so too do their services — at a time when many in our community are already stretched thin.

What we are asking from the community

1. Businesses: If your organization runs internal giving or payroll-deduction campaigns, we ask that you continue these efforts — and if possible, increase your contributions this year. Your ongoing support makes a measurable difference in ensuring basic human services remain available.

2. Residents: If you are able, please consider making a donation today. Even a modest increase over previous years helps multiply impact across all of our partner agencies. Every dollar stays local and supports people right here in Ellis County.

3. Potential leadership candidates: We are still actively recruiting for a dedicated, visionary executive director to lead United Way into a more stable future. If you know of someone who might be a strong fit, we encourage you to reach out to our board of directors.

The board of United Way of Ellis County remains committed to our mission: to support health, education, financial stability and resilience in our community. We believe deeply in the power of collaboration, and we believe that — together — Ellis County can overcome this moment of crisis.

We will continue to provide updates to the public as we secure new leadership and stabilize our funding base. In the meantime, we thank all those who have given in the past and strongly invite renewed and expanded support now.

— Jaden Richardson, board president of the United Way of Ellis County jrichardson@bankofhays.com director@liveunited.us

<a href="https://www.liveunited.us/">Click here for more information on the United Way of Ellis County.</a>

<a href="https://liveunited.harnessgiving.org/donate/?selected-method=one-time&amp;amount=50&amp;campaign_id=0">Or go straight to their donate page.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698091063975.png" alt="Image by Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image by Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>The Board of Directors of the United Way of Ellis County is issuing an urgent call for help from businesses, residents and community partners. After years of declining funding, compounded by recent leadership instability, our organization is at a critical juncture — and we need Ellis County to step up now.Key Challenges We Face· Over the past several years, funding for United Way of Ellis County has steadily decreased by about 20% since 2021. Much of our revenue comes from donations made by local businesses and members of this community, and contributions have not kept pace with rising demand for services.· In June 2025, our executive director position was vacated. The board undertook a careful search and identified a highly qualified candidate expected to begin in October. However, after months of waiting, we have recently learned this individual is backing out of the job. This unexpected development has again left us without permanent leadership during a time of great need.· In the interim, Bill Ring graciously stepped in as temporary director, guiding operations and ensuring that critical work continued through these past few months. We thank Bill for his dedication and willingness to step up for the community during this transition.How United Way Serves Ellis CountyUnited Way of Ellis County plays a critical role in the community by raising funds and distributing them to partner agencies that deliver vital services. Some of our 2025 partner agencies include:· Big Brothers Big Sisters — youth mentoring programs· Cancer Council of Ellis County — financial assistance for cancer patients and nutritional support· CASA of the High Plains — Advocacy for abused/neglected children· Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas — Support for early intervention and job follow-along services· First Call For Help — Local assistance, Meals on Wheels, Backpacks for Kids· Habitat for Humanity — Affordable housing programs· Hays Senior Center — Meal services· Options – Domestic &amp; Sexual Violence Services — Safe shelter and support· Salvation Army — Financial assistance, food pantry services· … and others that help with transportation, safe housing, crisis stabilization, parenting education, etc.These agencies, and many more, depend on United Way of Ellis County for funding and support. When our funding falls short, so too do their services — at a time when many in our community are already stretched thin.What we are asking from the community1. Businesses: If your organization runs internal giving or payroll-deduction campaigns, we ask that you continue these efforts — and if possible, increase your contributions this year. Your ongoing support makes a measurable difference in ensuring basic human services remain available.2. Residents: If you are able, please consider making a donation today. Even a modest increase over previous years helps multiply impact across all of our partner agencies. Every dollar stays local and supports people right here in Ellis County.3. Potential leadership candidates: We are still actively recruiting for a dedicated, visionary executive director to lead United Way into a more stable future. If you know of someone who might be a strong fit, we encourage you to reach out to our board of directors.Looking forwardThe board of United Way of Ellis County remains committed to our mission: to support health, education, financial stability and resilience in our community. We believe deeply in the power of collaboration, and we believe that — together — Ellis County can overcome this moment of crisis.We will continue to provide updates to the public as we secure new leadership and stabilize our funding base. In the meantime, we thank all those who have given in the past and strongly invite renewed and expanded support now.— Jaden Richardson, board president of the United Way of Ellis County jrichardson@bankofhays.com director@liveunited.us<a href="https://www.liveunited.us/">Click here for more information on the United Way of Ellis County.</a><a href="https://liveunited.harnessgiving.org/donate/?selected-method=one-time&amp;amount=50&amp;campaign_id=0">Or go straight to their donate page.</a>

LETTER: United Way of Ellis County needs community support to sustain vital services

SEDGWICK COUNTY— A Kansas woman who called 911 to report shooting her son in October of 2024 learned her fate on Friday.

On Friday, Judge Eric Williams sentenced&nbsp;Tesha Florence, 46, Wichita  to 194 months in prison with 36 months of post release supervision, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; She is also required to register as a violent offender.&nbsp;

SEDGWICK COUNTY— A Kansas woman who called 911 to report shooting her son in October of 2024 is expected to learn her fate on Friday.

Tesha Florence, 46, Wichita will attend a sentencing hearing&nbsp;in Judge Eric Williams courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In August, Florence pleaded no contest to charges of second degree murder,&nbsp; aggravated assault and aggravated burglary, according to the District Attorney's office.

On October 9, 2024, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received a 911 call from Florence reporting that she shot her son, according to Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses.

First responders located a 16-year-old identified as Robert Florence inside an apartment in the 9100 Block of East Harry. He had a single gunshot wound. EMS transported him to an area hospital where he was in extremely critical condition. He died two days later, according to Moses.

At the scene, officers detained&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=168822">&nbsp;Florence,</a>&nbsp;the boy's mother.&nbsp;&nbsp;

During the investigation into this case, detectives learned of a previously unreported incident from March 2024 where Florence threatened an ex-husband and his current girlfriend with a gun.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728510375843.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY— A Kansas woman who called 911 to report shooting her son in October of 2024 learned her fate on Friday.On Friday, Judge Eric Williams sentenced&nbsp;Tesha Florence, 46, Wichita to 194 months in prison with 36 months of post release supervision, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; She is also required to register as a violent offender.&nbsp;---------------SEDGWICK COUNTY— A Kansas woman who called 911 to report shooting her son in October of 2024 is expected to learn her fate on Friday.Tesha Florence, 46, Wichita will attend a sentencing hearing&nbsp;in Judge Eric Williams courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728555306481.png" alt="Florence photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Florence photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>In August, Florence pleaded no contest to charges of second degree murder,&nbsp; aggravated assault and aggravated burglary, according to the District Attorney's office.On October 9, 2024, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received a 911 call from Florence reporting that she shot her son, according to Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses.First responders located a 16-year-old identified as Robert Florence inside an apartment in the 9100 Block of East Harry. He had a single gunshot wound. EMS transported him to an area hospital where he was in extremely critical condition. He died two days later, according to Moses.At the scene, officers detained&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=168822">&nbsp;Florence,</a>&nbsp;the boy's mother.&nbsp;&nbsp;During the investigation into this case, detectives learned of a previously unreported incident from March 2024 where Florence threatened an ex-husband and his current girlfriend with a gun.

Sentencing day for Kan. mother who admitted killing 16-year-old son

SALINE COUNTY—Police arrested a Salina FedEx employee for allegedly making a threat to 'shoot up the business.'&nbsp;

Just after 2p.m. Wednesday,&nbsp; police were dispatched to FedEx, 3450 Centennial Road in Salina about an employee who made allegedly made threat a coworker, according to a media release from Salina Police.

Prior to the report, the suspect identified as 19-year -old Trenton Fears made a threat on Monday, October 13 to a coworker when they were on the jobsite. Allegedly the coworker said something to Fears, which prompted him to make the threat.

That same day, Fears went to another coworker and told them to 'not show up to work the following day.'&nbsp;

The next day, October 14, Fears told the coworker he threatened, that he would 'shoot the facility up.'

Management then called Salina Police on Wednesday regarding the threat. Fears was not at FedEx initially, but showed up at a later time and officers immediately arrived to the scene.&nbsp;

Fears was then arrested and booked into the Saline County Jail for the requested charge of Criminal Threat.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760658717901.png" alt="Fears photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Fears photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY—Police arrested a Salina FedEx employee for allegedly making a threat to 'shoot up the business.'&nbsp;Just after 2p.m. Wednesday,&nbsp; police were dispatched to FedEx, 3450 Centennial Road in Salina about an employee who made allegedly made threat a coworker, according to a media release from Salina Police.Prior to the report, the suspect identified as 19-year -old Trenton Fears made a threat on Monday, October 13 to a coworker when they were on the jobsite. Allegedly the coworker said something to Fears, which prompted him to make the threat.That same day, Fears went to another coworker and told them to 'not show up to work the following day.'&nbsp;The next day, October 14, Fears told the coworker he threatened, that he would 'shoot the facility up.'Management then called Salina Police on Wednesday regarding the threat. Fears was not at FedEx initially, but showed up at a later time and officers immediately arrived to the scene.&nbsp;Fears was then arrested and booked into the Saline County Jail for the requested charge of Criminal Threat.

Kansas man accused of threat of violence to work place

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man is going to prison for a double murder at a mobile home park in 2021.

On October 10, Judge Sean Hatfield sentenced 35-year-old&nbsp;&nbsp;Steven Fessenden to 188 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In Augus, Fessenden pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter.&nbsp;

On April 24,&nbsp; 2021 sheriff's deputies were sent to a check shots call at the Englewood mobile home park located at 3201 E MacArthur in Wichita, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick.

While responding, deputies received information that a man and woman were inside the residence with apparent gunshot wounds.

When deputies arrived, they had to force entry to the home. Inside the home, they located 42-year-old Nathan Brock and 41-year-old Trisha Benjamin deceased, according to Blick.

On April 26,&nbsp;Sedgwick County Sheriff’s detectives arrested and booked&nbsp; Fessenden of Wichita for the murder. He was not charged in the crime.

Sheriff’s deputies arrested Fessenden a second time in connection to the deaths.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619305057074.png" alt="Police tape near the fatal shooting investigation in April 2021 -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police tape near the fatal shooting investigation in April 2021 -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man is going to prison for a double murder at a mobile home park in 2021.On October 10, Judge Sean Hatfield sentenced 35-year-old&nbsp;&nbsp;Steven Fessenden to 188 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666976072271.png" alt="Fessenden photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Fessenden photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>In Augus, Fessenden pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter.&nbsp;On April 24,&nbsp; 2021 sheriff's deputies were sent to a check shots call at the Englewood mobile home park located at 3201 E MacArthur in Wichita, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick.While responding, deputies received information that a man and woman were inside the residence with apparent gunshot wounds.When deputies arrived, they had to force entry to the home. Inside the home, they located 42-year-old Nathan Brock and 41-year-old Trisha Benjamin deceased, according to Blick.On April 26,&nbsp;Sedgwick County Sheriff’s detectives arrested and booked&nbsp; Fessenden of Wichita for the murder. He was not charged in the crime.Sheriff’s deputies arrested Fessenden a second time in connection to the deaths.

Man going to prison for Kansas double-murder

MORRISTOWN, N.J. (AP) — Ace Frehley, the original lead guitarist and founding member of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kiss-band-history-2770bdbbf2f1f39049baf412864818c3">glam rock band Kiss</a>, who captivated audiences with his elaborate galactic makeup and smoking guitar, died Thursday. He was 74.

Frehley died peacefully surrounded by family in Morristown, New Jersey, following a recent fall, according to his agent.

Family members said in a statement that they are “completely devastated and heartbroken” but will cherish his laughter and celebrate the kindness he bestowed upon others.

Kiss, whose hits included “Rock and Roll All Nite” and “I Was Made for Lovin’ You," was known for its theatrical stage shows, with fire and fake blood spewing from the mouths of band members dressed in body armor, platform boots, wigs and signature black-and-white face paint.

Kiss' original lineup included Frehley, singer-guitarist Paul Stanley, tongue-wagging bassist Gene Simmons and drummer Peter Criss. Frehley’s is the first death among the four founding members.

Band members took on the personas of comic book-style characters — Frehley was known as “Space Ace” and “The Spaceman.” The New York-born entertainer and Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Famer often experimented with pyrotechnics, making his guitars glow, emit smoke and shoot rockets from the headstock.

“We are devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley,” Simmons and Stanley&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ace-frehley-tributes-321626f046ed5c5e557f9c2aad28ada2">said in a joint statement.</a>&nbsp;“He was an essential and irreplaceable rock soldier during some of the most formative foundational chapters of the band and its history. He is and will always be a part of KISS’s legacy.”

Born Paul Daniel Frehley, he grew up in a musical family and began playing guitar at age 13. Before joining Kiss, he played in local bands around New York City and was a roadie for Jimi Hendrix at age 18.

Kiss was especially popular in the mid-1970s, selling tens of millions of albums and licensing its iconic look to become a marketing marvel. “Beth” was its biggest commercial hit in the U.S., peaking at No. 7 on the Billboard Top 100 in 1976.

As the Kennedy Center’s new chairman, President Donald Trump named Kiss as one of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-kennedy-center-honorees-6c553c800ba334ad1ea47858b3dc271c">this year’s honorees</a>.

In 2024, the band sold their catalog, brand name and intellectual property to Swedish company Pophouse Entertainment Group in a deal estimated to be over $300 million.

Frehley frequently feuded with Stanley and Simmons through the years. He left the band in 1982, missing the years when they took off the makeup and had mixed success. Stanley later said they nearly replaced Frehley with Eddie Van Halen, but Vinnie Vincent assumed the lead guitar role.

Frehley performed both as a solo artist and with his band, Frehley’s Comet.

But he rejoined Kiss in the mid-1990s for a triumphant reunion and restoration of their original style that came after bands including Nirvana, Weezer and the Melvins had expressed affection for the band and paid them musical tributes.

He would leave again in 2002. When the original four entered the Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame in 2014, a dispute scrapped plans for them to perform. Simmons and Stanley objected to Criss and Frehley being inducted instead of then-guitarist Tommy Thayer and then-drummer Eric Singer.

Simmons told Rolling Stone magazine that year that Frehley and Criss “no longer deserve to wear the paint.” “The makeup is earned,” he added. “Just being there at the beginning is not enough.”

Frehley and Kiss also had a huge influence on the glammy style of 1980s so-called hair metal bands including Mötley Crüe and Poison.

“Ace, my brother, I surely cannot thank you enough for the years of great music, the many festivals we’ve done together and your lead guitar on Nothing But A Good Time,” Poison front man&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DP4zYL-EpAq/?hl=en">Bret Michaels</a>&nbsp;said on Instagram.

Harder-edged bands like Metallica and Pantera were also fans, and even country superstar Garth Brooks joined the band members for a recording of their “Hard Luck Woman” on a 1994 compilation.

Frehley would appear occasionally with Kiss for shows in later years. A 2023 concert at Madison Square Garden was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kiss-digital-avatars-end-of-road-finale-37a8ae9905099343c7b41654b2344d0c">billed as the band’s last.</a>&nbsp;While Stanley and Simmons said they would not tour again, they’ve been open to the possibility of more concerts, and they’ve stayed active promoting the group’s music and memorabilia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760654042119.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>MORRISTOWN, N.J. (AP) — Ace Frehley, the original lead guitarist and founding member of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kiss-band-history-2770bdbbf2f1f39049baf412864818c3">glam rock band Kiss</a>, who captivated audiences with his elaborate galactic makeup and smoking guitar, died Thursday. He was 74.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Our hearts are broken. Ace has passed on. No one can touch Ace’s legacy. I know he loved the fans. He told me many times. Sadder still, Ace didn’t live long enough to be honored at the Kennedy Ctr Honors event in Dec. Ace was the eternal rock soldier. Long may his legacy live on!&mdash; Gene Simmons (@genesimmons) <a href="https://twitter.com/genesimmons/status/1978970732836036970?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The Kennedy Center is saddened to hear of the passing of one of this year’s Kennedy Center Honorees, Ace Frehley of the band KISS. We send our deepest condolences to his friends, his family, and millions of fans worldwide. We will be paying tribute to this &quot;rock soldier&quot;, his… <a href="https://t.co/7wkAHIufDE">pic.twitter.com/7wkAHIufDE</a>&mdash; The Kennedy Center (@kencen) <a href="https://twitter.com/kencen/status/1978953977959002162?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Frehley died peacefully surrounded by family in Morristown, New Jersey, following a recent fall, according to his agent.Family members said in a statement that they are “completely devastated and heartbroken” but will cherish his laughter and celebrate the kindness he bestowed upon others.Kiss, whose hits included “Rock and Roll All Nite” and “I Was Made for Lovin’ You," was known for its theatrical stage shows, with fire and fake blood spewing from the mouths of band members dressed in body armor, platform boots, wigs and signature black-and-white face paint.Kiss' original lineup included Frehley, singer-guitarist Paul Stanley, tongue-wagging bassist Gene Simmons and drummer Peter Criss. Frehley’s is the first death among the four founding members.Band members took on the personas of comic book-style characters — Frehley was known as “Space Ace” and “The Spaceman.” The New York-born entertainer and Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Famer often experimented with pyrotechnics, making his guitars glow, emit smoke and shoot rockets from the headstock.“We are devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley,” Simmons and Stanley&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ace-frehley-tributes-321626f046ed5c5e557f9c2aad28ada2">said in a joint statement.</a>&nbsp;“He was an essential and irreplaceable rock soldier during some of the most formative foundational chapters of the band and its history. He is and will always be a part of KISS’s legacy.”Born Paul Daniel Frehley, he grew up in a musical family and began playing guitar at age 13. Before joining Kiss, he played in local bands around New York City and was a roadie for Jimi Hendrix at age 18.Kiss was especially popular in the mid-1970s, selling tens of millions of albums and licensing its iconic look to become a marketing marvel. “Beth” was its biggest commercial hit in the U.S., peaking at No. 7 on the Billboard Top 100 in 1976.As the Kennedy Center’s new chairman, President Donald Trump named Kiss as one of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-kennedy-center-honorees-6c553c800ba334ad1ea47858b3dc271c">this year’s honorees</a>.In 2024, the band sold their catalog, brand name and intellectual property to Swedish company Pophouse Entertainment Group in a deal estimated to be over $300 million.Frehley frequently feuded with Stanley and Simmons through the years. He left the band in 1982, missing the years when they took off the makeup and had mixed success. Stanley later said they nearly replaced Frehley with Eddie Van Halen, but Vinnie Vincent assumed the lead guitar role.Frehley performed both as a solo artist and with his band, Frehley’s Comet.But he rejoined Kiss in the mid-1990s for a triumphant reunion and restoration of their original style that came after bands including Nirvana, Weezer and the Melvins had expressed affection for the band and paid them musical tributes.He would leave again in 2002. When the original four entered the Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame in 2014, a dispute scrapped plans for them to perform. Simmons and Stanley objected to Criss and Frehley being inducted instead of then-guitarist Tommy Thayer and then-drummer Eric Singer.Simmons told Rolling Stone magazine that year that Frehley and Criss “no longer deserve to wear the paint.” “The makeup is earned,” he added. “Just being there at the beginning is not enough.”Frehley and Kiss also had a huge influence on the glammy style of 1980s so-called hair metal bands including Mötley Crüe and Poison.“Ace, my brother, I surely cannot thank you enough for the years of great music, the many festivals we’ve done together and your lead guitar on Nothing But A Good Time,” Poison front man&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DP4zYL-EpAq/?hl=en">Bret Michaels</a>&nbsp;said on Instagram.Harder-edged bands like Metallica and Pantera were also fans, and even country superstar Garth Brooks joined the band members for a recording of their “Hard Luck Woman” on a 1994 compilation.Frehley would appear occasionally with Kiss for shows in later years. A 2023 concert at Madison Square Garden was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kiss-digital-avatars-end-of-road-finale-37a8ae9905099343c7b41654b2344d0c">billed as the band’s last.</a>&nbsp;While Stanley and Simmons said they would not tour again, they’ve been open to the possibility of more concerts, and they’ve stayed active promoting the group’s music and memorabilia.

Kiss' original lead guitarist and founding member dies at 74

AnnaBell married Bernard Herman Ostmeyer on October 28, 1947. Eight children were born to Ben and AnnaBell:  Timothy Bernard Ostmeyer (deceased); Carol Ann Cooper of Hoxie, Kansas; Deborah Dea Ochs (Daniel) of Grainfield, Kansas; Margaret Marie Pope (Wally) of Skiatook, Oklahoma; Angela Mary Pope (Jon) of Manhattan, Kansas; Catherine Jane White (Harry) of Monument, Colorado; Charles James Ostmeyer (Cindy) of Milford, Kansas; and Jessica Jo Ostmeyer of Hill City, Kansas.  AnnaBell was a Grandmother to 22, Great-Grandmother to 54, and Great-Great-Grandmother to 10.

For over 50 years, AnnaBell nurtured children with love, patience, and compassion. She was a guide and mentor to countless families in Hoxie. AnnaBell’s home was more than a daycare, it was a safe haven where laughter echoed, tiny hands held, skinned knees kissed, and young hearts and minds shaped. AnnaBell had a gift for making her daycare parents and children feel seen and cherished and her impact will live on through the many lives she touched. Parents trusted AnnaBell for the genuine care and connection she shared with them and their children.

When her day at the daycare ended, AnnaBell shared her great musical talent. She found joy as an organist at church and as a piano teacher to many children and their children in later years.

AnnaBell is preceded in death by her husband, Ben; son, Tim; son-in-law, Gregg Cooper; and grandsons-in-law, Adam Creamer and George Modricin, as well as her father and mother; brothers, Bill, Charlie, Francis, Jim, and Bobby, and sisters, Bea and Rose Marie.

Left surviving AnnaBell are her children and their families, Carol, Deb, Marge, Angie, Cathy, Charlie, and Jessica, and her brother, Denny Beckman, of Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Mass of Christian Burial iwill be held Saturday, October 18, 2025, 10:30 AM, St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church, Hoxie, Kansas with burial in the St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Cemetery.  The Visitation will be Thursday, October 17, 2025, 4:00 PM – 7:00 Pm at the Mickey-Leopold Funeral Home in Hoxie, Kansas.  Family will receive friends from 5:30 PM untio 7:00 PM.  Vigil and Service will immediately follow the visitation at 7:00 at the funeral home.  Memorials are suggested to the St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Cemetery, Sheridan County Benefit wilk or of donor’s choice.  Memorials may be sent to the Mickey-Leopold Funeral Home, PO Box 987, Hoxie, Kansas 67740.

AnnaBell’s smile, soft touch, and warm heart will be missed by her family and the many people lucky enough to have known her. It was heard numerous times in her last days how her touch to a cheek, a wink, and her radiant smile will be very missed by all those around her.

We held her hands while we prayed, asking Jesus to take her home.  We caressed her soft skin.  We realized how her hands had served her well throughout the years.  Though wrinkled, shriveled, and weak, her hands had been tools used to reach out and embrace life. Words written by AnnaBell on April 23, 2012

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760647457873.jpeg" alt="AnnaBell Mae (Beckman) Ostmeyer" />
 <figcaption>AnnaBell Mae (Beckman) Ostmeyer</figcaption>
 </figure>AnnaBell married Bernard Herman Ostmeyer on October 28, 1947. Eight children were born to Ben and AnnaBell: Timothy Bernard Ostmeyer (deceased); Carol Ann Cooper of Hoxie, Kansas; Deborah Dea Ochs (Daniel) of Grainfield, Kansas; Margaret Marie Pope (Wally) of Skiatook, Oklahoma; Angela Mary Pope (Jon) of Manhattan, Kansas; Catherine Jane White (Harry) of Monument, Colorado; Charles James Ostmeyer (Cindy) of Milford, Kansas; and Jessica Jo Ostmeyer of Hill City, Kansas. AnnaBell was a Grandmother to 22, Great-Grandmother to 54, and Great-Great-Grandmother to 10.For over 50 years, AnnaBell nurtured children with love, patience, and compassion. She was a guide and mentor to countless families in Hoxie. AnnaBell’s home was more than a daycare, it was a safe haven where laughter echoed, tiny hands held, skinned knees kissed, and young hearts and minds shaped. AnnaBell had a gift for making her daycare parents and children feel seen and cherished and her impact will live on through the many lives she touched. Parents trusted AnnaBell for the genuine care and connection she shared with them and their children.When her day at the daycare ended, AnnaBell shared her great musical talent. She found joy as an organist at church and as a piano teacher to many children and their children in later years.AnnaBell is preceded in death by her husband, Ben; son, Tim; son-in-law, Gregg Cooper; and grandsons-in-law, Adam Creamer and George Modricin, as well as her father and mother; brothers, Bill, Charlie, Francis, Jim, and Bobby, and sisters, Bea and Rose Marie.Left surviving AnnaBell are her children and their families, Carol, Deb, Marge, Angie, Cathy, Charlie, and Jessica, and her brother, Denny Beckman, of Colorado Springs, Colorado.Mass of Christian Burial iwill be held Saturday, October 18, 2025, 10:30 AM, St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church, Hoxie, Kansas with burial in the St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Cemetery. The Visitation will be Thursday, October 17, 2025, 4:00 PM – 7:00 Pm at the Mickey-Leopold Funeral Home in Hoxie, Kansas. Family will receive friends from 5:30 PM untio 7:00 PM. Vigil and Service will immediately follow the visitation at 7:00 at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Cemetery, Sheridan County Benefit wilk or of donor’s choice. Memorials may be sent to the Mickey-Leopold Funeral Home, PO Box 987, Hoxie, Kansas 67740.AnnaBell’s smile, soft touch, and warm heart will be missed by her family and the many people lucky enough to have known her. It was heard numerous times in her last days how her touch to a cheek, a wink, and her radiant smile will be very missed by all those around her.We held her hands while we prayed, asking Jesus to take her home. We caressed her soft skin. We realized how her hands had served her well throughout the years. Though wrinkled, shriveled, and weak, her hands had been tools used to reach out and embrace life. Words written by AnnaBell on April 23, 2012

AnnaBell Mae (Beckman) Ostmeyer

Cynthia L. 'Cindy' Wilhelm, 62, of La Crosse, Kansas, passed away October 15, 2025 in La Crosse. She was born on May 16, 1963, in Great Bend, Kansas, to Ronald and Diane Wilhelm. 

She was the proud owner of Grasshoppers Vapes in Hays, Kansas, and previously operated CW Transportation, where she worked as both owner and driver. Her entrepreneurial spirit and hard-working nature were matched only by her adventurous outlook on life. 

Cindy shared 25 wonderful years of marriage with her wife, Theresa Herlocker. Together they built a life filled with love, laughter, and companionship, always supporting one another through every adventure and challenge. 

Those who knew Cindy will remember her deep love for animals and the many pets she cared for throughout her life. She also took great pride in the beautiful plants she grew, nurturing them with the same care and attention she gave to those around her. Her kind heart, outgoing personality, and lasting friendships will be remembered by all who knew her. 

She is survived by her wife, Theresa Herlocker; her mother, Diane Wilhelm; her sister, Coleen Wilhelm; her niece, Billi Sue; and her nephews, Tyler, Craig, Jason, Aaron, and Blake. Cindy was preceded in death by her father, Ronald Wilhelm, and her sister, Christy Keenan. 

No services are planned at this time. Memorials are not requested. 

Arrangements entrusted to Janousek Funeral Home, La Crosse, Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760641865239.jpeg" alt="Cynthia L. 'Cindy' Wilhelm" />
 <figcaption>Cynthia L. 'Cindy' Wilhelm</figcaption>
 </figure>Cynthia L. 'Cindy' Wilhelm, 62, of La Crosse, Kansas, passed away October 15, 2025 in La Crosse. She was born on May 16, 1963, in Great Bend, Kansas, to Ronald and Diane Wilhelm. She was the proud owner of Grasshoppers Vapes in Hays, Kansas, and previously operated CW Transportation, where she worked as both owner and driver. Her entrepreneurial spirit and hard-working nature were matched only by her adventurous outlook on life. Cindy shared 25 wonderful years of marriage with her wife, Theresa Herlocker. Together they built a life filled with love, laughter, and companionship, always supporting one another through every adventure and challenge. Those who knew Cindy will remember her deep love for animals and the many pets she cared for throughout her life. She also took great pride in the beautiful plants she grew, nurturing them with the same care and attention she gave to those around her. Her kind heart, outgoing personality, and lasting friendships will be remembered by all who knew her. She is survived by her wife, Theresa Herlocker; her mother, Diane Wilhelm; her sister, Coleen Wilhelm; her niece, Billi Sue; and her nephews, Tyler, Craig, Jason, Aaron, and Blake. Cindy was preceded in death by her father, Ronald Wilhelm, and her sister, Christy Keenan. No services are planned at this time. Memorials are not requested. Arrangements entrusted to Janousek Funeral Home, La Crosse, Kansas.

Cynthia L. 'Cindy' Wilhelm

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/aamer-madhani">AAMER MADHANI</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/seung-min-kim">SEUNG MIN KIM</a>&nbsp;

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Thursday he will meet again with Russia’s Vladimir Putin in an effort to end&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">the war in Ukraine</a>. A date has not been set, but Trump wrote on social media that the meeting would take place in Budapest, Hungary.

“I believe great progress was made with today’s telephone conversation,” Trump wrote after talking to Putin. They previously met in Alaska in August, which did not produce a diplomatic breakthrough.

Before Trump and Putin meet, U.S. officials led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio will sit down with Russian representatives next week. It’s unclear where that meeting will take place.

The call came ahead of Trump’s meeting on Friday at the White House with Ukrainian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>, who has been pressing Trump to sell Kyiv Tomahawk missiles that would allow Ukrainian forces to strike deeper into Russian territory. Zelenskyy has argued such strikes would help compel Putin to take Trump’s calls for direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine to end the war more seriously.

Trump had told reporters traveling with him to Israel on Sunday that he had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tomahawk-missiles-russia-ukraine-war-522fb8bb8fe8ce87107e1eb320abae0e">planned to discuss the Tomahawks</a>&nbsp;with Putin as a way to pressure him to end&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia’s war in Ukraine</a>. “Do they want to have Tomahawks going in that direction? I don’t think so,” Trump said on Sunday. “I think I might speak to Russia about that.”

With a fragile&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-ceasefire-latest-10-15-2025-6ce9818c8d0474a2986ac6544a49a2b0">Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage deal</a>&nbsp;holding, Trump has said he’s now turning his attention to bringing the war in Ukraine to an end and is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tomahawk-missiles-russia-ukraine-war-522fb8bb8fe8ce87107e1eb320abae0e">weighing providing Kyiv long-range weaponry</a>&nbsp;as he looks to prod Moscow to the negotiating table.

Ending the wars in Ukraine and Gaza was central to Trump’s 2024 reelection pitch, in which he persistently pilloried President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;for his handling of the conflicts. Yet, like his predecessor, Trump also has been stymied by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vladimir-putin">Putin</a>&nbsp;as he’s unsuccessfully pressed the Russian leader to hold direct talks with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;to end the war, which is nearing its fourth year.

But fresh off the Gaza ceasefire, Trump is showing new confidence that he can finally make headway on ending the Russian invasion. He’s also signaling that he’s ready to step up pressure on Putin if he doesn’t come to the table soon.

“Interestingly we made progress today, because of what’s happened in the Middle East,” Trump said of the Russia-Ukraine war on Wednesday evening as he welcomed supporters of his White House ballroom project to a glitzy dinner.

Earlier this week in Jerusalem,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-israel-hamas-war-ceasefire-hostages-egypt-6347e7da64f6c97b95109558096c0b6c">in a speech to the Knesset</a>, Trump predicted the truce in Gaza would lay the groundwork for the U.S. to help Israel and many of its Middle East neighbors normalize relations. But Trump also made clear his top foreign policy priority now is ending the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II.

“First we have to get Russia done,” Trump said, turning to his special envoy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/steve-witkoff-special-envoy-russia-ukraine-mideast-d26c80c87a57fd3a811e4b0aa0eda58e">Steve Witkoff</a>, who has also served as his administration’s chief interlocutor with Putin. “We gotta get that one done. If you don’t mind, Steve, let’s focus on Russia first. All right?”

Trump is set to host Zelenskyy for talks Friday, their fourth face-to-face meeting this year.

Ahead of the meeting, Trump has said he’s weighing selling Kyiv long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. Putin has made clear that providing Ukraine with Tomahawks would cross a red line and further damage relations between Moscow and Washington.

“He’d like to have Tomahawks,” Trump said of Zelenskyy on Tuesday. “We have a lot of Tomahawks.”

Agreeing to sell Ukraine Tomahawks would be a splashy move, said Mark Montgomery, an analyst at the conservative Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington. But it could take years to supply and train Kyiv on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-trump-zelenskyy-weapons-31e8d494c92300524a0f50cebff28f7d">Tomahawk system</a>.

Montgomery said Ukraine could be better served in the near term with a surge of Extended Range Attack Munition, or ERAM, missiles and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-biden-what-are-atacms-missiles-8d8621321af8c673bd42a5693c2ad1f4">Army Tactical Missile System, known as ATACMS</a>. The U.S. already approved the sale of up to 3,350 ERAMs to Kyiv earlier this year.

The Tomahawk, with a range of about 995 miles (1,600 kilometers), would allow Ukraine to strike far deeper in Russian territory than either the ERAM (about 285 miles, or 460 km) or ATACMS (about 186 miles, or 300 kilometers).

“To provide Tomahawks is as much a political decision as it is a military decision,” Montgomery said. “The ERAM is shorter range, but this can help them put pressure on Russia operationally, on their logistics, the command and control, and its force disbursement within several hundred kilometers of the front line. It can be very effective.”

Signs of White House interest in new Russia sanctions

Zelenskyy is expected to reiterate his plea to Trump to hit Russia’s economy with further sanctions, something the Republican, to date, has appeared reluctant to do.

Congress has weighed legislation that would lead to tougher sanctions on Moscow, but Trump has largely focused his attention on pressuring NATO members and other allies to cut off their purchases of Russian oil, the engine fueling Moscow’s war machine. To that end, Trump said Wednesday that India, which became one of Russia’s biggest crude buyers after the Ukraine invasion, had agreed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-india-russian-oil-ukraine-1b2b993847d5d03f9a23f47bd035270a">stop buying oil from Moscow.</a>

Waiting for Trump’s blessing is legislation in the Senate that would impose steep tariffs on countries that purchase Russia’s oil, gas, uranium and other exports in an attempt to cripple Moscow economically.

Though the president hasn’t formally endorsed it — and Republican leaders do not plan to move forward without his support — the White House has shown, behind the scenes, more interest in the bill in recent weeks.

Administration officials have gone through the legislation in depth, offering line edits and requesting technical changes, according to two officials with knowledge of the discussions between the White House and the Senate. That has been interpreted on Capitol Hill as a sign that Trump is getting more serious about the legislation, sponsored by close ally Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., along with Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.

A White House official said the administration is working with lawmakers to make sure that “introduced bills advance the president’s foreign policy objectives and authorities.” The official, who was granted anonymity to discuss private deliberations, said any sanctions package needs to give the president “complete flexibility.”

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Wednesday the administration is waiting for greater buy-in from Europe, which he noted faces a bigger threat from Russian aggression than the U.S. does.

“So all I hear from the Europeans is that Putin is coming to Warsaw,” Bessent said. “There are very few things in life I’m sure about. I’m sure he’s not coming to Boston. So, we will respond ... if our European partners will join us.”

AP writers Fatima Hussein, Chris Megerian and Didi Tang contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755292993508.png" alt="File photo Russian President Putin and President Trump during the summit in Alaska-image White House" />
 <figcaption>File photo Russian President Putin and President Trump during the summit in Alaska-image White House</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/aamer-madhani">AAMER MADHANI</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/seung-min-kim">SEUNG MIN KIM</a>&nbsp;WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Thursday he will meet again with Russia’s Vladimir Putin in an effort to end&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">the war in Ukraine</a>. A date has not been set, but Trump wrote on social media that the meeting would take place in Budapest, Hungary.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/ASQmI2Kt0q">pic.twitter.com/ASQmI2Kt0q</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1978871979928359235?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“I believe great progress was made with today’s telephone conversation,” Trump wrote after talking to Putin. They previously met in Alaska in August, which did not produce a diplomatic breakthrough.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">“President Putin congratulated President Trump for solving peace in the Middle East” <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a> gives an update on President Trump’s call with President Putin 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/vcdxlkb9U8">pic.twitter.com/vcdxlkb9U8</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1978887396335693911?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Before Trump and Putin meet, U.S. officials led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio will sit down with Russian representatives next week. It’s unclear where that meeting will take place.The call came ahead of Trump’s meeting on Friday at the White House with Ukrainian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>, who has been pressing Trump to sell Kyiv Tomahawk missiles that would allow Ukrainian forces to strike deeper into Russian territory. Zelenskyy has argued such strikes would help compel Putin to take Trump’s calls for direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine to end the war more seriously.Trump had told reporters traveling with him to Israel on Sunday that he had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tomahawk-missiles-russia-ukraine-war-522fb8bb8fe8ce87107e1eb320abae0e">planned to discuss the Tomahawks</a>&nbsp;with Putin as a way to pressure him to end&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia’s war in Ukraine</a>. “Do they want to have Tomahawks going in that direction? I don’t think so,” Trump said on Sunday. “I think I might speak to Russia about that.”With a fragile&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-ceasefire-latest-10-15-2025-6ce9818c8d0474a2986ac6544a49a2b0">Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage deal</a>&nbsp;holding, Trump has said he’s now turning his attention to bringing the war in Ukraine to an end and is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tomahawk-missiles-russia-ukraine-war-522fb8bb8fe8ce87107e1eb320abae0e">weighing providing Kyiv long-range weaponry</a>&nbsp;as he looks to prod Moscow to the negotiating table.Ending the wars in Ukraine and Gaza was central to Trump’s 2024 reelection pitch, in which he persistently pilloried President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;for his handling of the conflicts. Yet, like his predecessor, Trump also has been stymied by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vladimir-putin">Putin</a>&nbsp;as he’s unsuccessfully pressed the Russian leader to hold direct talks with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;to end the war, which is nearing its fourth year.But fresh off the Gaza ceasefire, Trump is showing new confidence that he can finally make headway on ending the Russian invasion. He’s also signaling that he’s ready to step up pressure on Putin if he doesn’t come to the table soon.“Interestingly we made progress today, because of what’s happened in the Middle East,” Trump said of the Russia-Ukraine war on Wednesday evening as he welcomed supporters of his White House ballroom project to a glitzy dinner.Earlier this week in Jerusalem,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-israel-hamas-war-ceasefire-hostages-egypt-6347e7da64f6c97b95109558096c0b6c">in a speech to the Knesset</a>, Trump predicted the truce in Gaza would lay the groundwork for the U.S. to help Israel and many of its Middle East neighbors normalize relations. But Trump also made clear his top foreign policy priority now is ending the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II.“First we have to get Russia done,” Trump said, turning to his special envoy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/steve-witkoff-special-envoy-russia-ukraine-mideast-d26c80c87a57fd3a811e4b0aa0eda58e">Steve Witkoff</a>, who has also served as his administration’s chief interlocutor with Putin. “We gotta get that one done. If you don’t mind, Steve, let’s focus on Russia first. All right?”<h2>Trump weighs Tomahawks for Ukraine</h2>Trump is set to host Zelenskyy for talks Friday, their fourth face-to-face meeting this year.Ahead of the meeting, Trump has said he’s weighing selling Kyiv long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. Putin has made clear that providing Ukraine with Tomahawks would cross a red line and further damage relations between Moscow and Washington.But Trump has been undeterred.“He’d like to have Tomahawks,” Trump said of Zelenskyy on Tuesday. “We have a lot of Tomahawks.”Agreeing to sell Ukraine Tomahawks would be a splashy move, said Mark Montgomery, an analyst at the conservative Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington. But it could take years to supply and train Kyiv on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-trump-zelenskyy-weapons-31e8d494c92300524a0f50cebff28f7d">Tomahawk system</a>.Montgomery said Ukraine could be better served in the near term with a surge of Extended Range Attack Munition, or ERAM, missiles and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-biden-what-are-atacms-missiles-8d8621321af8c673bd42a5693c2ad1f4">Army Tactical Missile System, known as ATACMS</a>. The U.S. already approved the sale of up to 3,350 ERAMs to Kyiv earlier this year.The Tomahawk, with a range of about 995 miles (1,600 kilometers), would allow Ukraine to strike far deeper in Russian territory than either the ERAM (about 285 miles, or 460 km) or ATACMS (about 186 miles, or 300 kilometers).“To provide Tomahawks is as much a political decision as it is a military decision,” Montgomery said. “The ERAM is shorter range, but this can help them put pressure on Russia operationally, on their logistics, the command and control, and its force disbursement within several hundred kilometers of the front line. It can be very effective.”<h2>Signs of White House interest in new Russia sanctions</h2>Zelenskyy is expected to reiterate his plea to Trump to hit Russia’s economy with further sanctions, something the Republican, to date, has appeared reluctant to do.Congress has weighed legislation that would lead to tougher sanctions on Moscow, but Trump has largely focused his attention on pressuring NATO members and other allies to cut off their purchases of Russian oil, the engine fueling Moscow’s war machine. To that end, Trump said Wednesday that India, which became one of Russia’s biggest crude buyers after the Ukraine invasion, had agreed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-india-russian-oil-ukraine-1b2b993847d5d03f9a23f47bd035270a">stop buying oil from Moscow.</a>Waiting for Trump’s blessing is legislation in the Senate that would impose steep tariffs on countries that purchase Russia’s oil, gas, uranium and other exports in an attempt to cripple Moscow economically.Though the president hasn’t formally endorsed it — and Republican leaders do not plan to move forward without his support — the White House has shown, behind the scenes, more interest in the bill in recent weeks.Administration officials have gone through the legislation in depth, offering line edits and requesting technical changes, according to two officials with knowledge of the discussions between the White House and the Senate. That has been interpreted on Capitol Hill as a sign that Trump is getting more serious about the legislation, sponsored by close ally Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., along with Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.A White House official said the administration is working with lawmakers to make sure that “introduced bills advance the president’s foreign policy objectives and authorities.” The official, who was granted anonymity to discuss private deliberations, said any sanctions package needs to give the president “complete flexibility.”Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Wednesday the administration is waiting for greater buy-in from Europe, which he noted faces a bigger threat from Russian aggression than the U.S. does.“So all I hear from the Europeans is that Putin is coming to Warsaw,” Bessent said. “There are very few things in life I’m sure about. I’m sure he’s not coming to Boston. So, we will respond ... if our European partners will join us.”___AP writers Fatima Hussein, Chris Megerian and Didi Tang contributed to this report.

Trump announces another face-to-face meeting with Putin 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats rejected for the 10th time Thursday a stopgap spending bill that would reopen the government, insisting they won’t back away from demands that Congress take up&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-subsidies-congress-shutdown-democrats-republicans-bb3464820a347fd2c0399e78e335881e">health care benefits</a>.

The vote failed Thursday morning on a 51-45 vote, well short of the 60 needed to advance with the Senate's filibuster rules.

The repetition of votes on the funding bill has become a daily drumbeat in Congress, underscoring how intractable the situation has become. It has been at times the only item on the agenda for the Senate floor, while House Republicans have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-johnson-government-shutdown-grijalva-526647b57faa2710382674646dfd2b37">left Washington altogether</a>. The standoff has lasted over two weeks, leaving hundreds of thousands of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-federal-workers-shutdown-layoffs-5bef57b6c431830a9af84fbfcc59b324">federal workers</a>&nbsp;furloughed, even more without a guaranteed payday and Congress essentially paralyzed.

“Every day that goes by, there are more and more Americans who are getting smaller and smaller paychecks,” said Senate Majority Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/john-thune">John Thune</a>, adding that there have been thousands of flight delays across the country as well.

Thune, a South Dakota Republican, again and again has tried to pressure Democrats to break from their strategy of voting against the stopgap funding bill. It hasn't worked. And while some bipartisan talks have been ongoing about potential compromises on health care, they haven't produced any meaningful progress toward reopening the government.

Thune has also offered to hold a later vote on extending subsidies for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-health-care-tax-credits-obamacare-shutdown-f1ee636ddba7f65baa5234c55cb0c96e">health plans offered</a>&nbsp;under Affordable Care Act marketplaces, but said he would not “guarantee a result or an outcome.”

Democrats say they won't budge until they get a guarantee on extending the tax credits for the health plans. They warn that millions of Americans who buy their own health insurance — such as small business owners, farmers and contractors — will see large increases when premium prices go out in the coming weeks. Looking ahead to a Nov. 1 deadline in most states, they think&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-tax-credits-health-insurance-trump-poll-obamacare-dab7b10bf13dec33a884df5f9fe343f6">voters will demand</a>&nbsp;that Republicans enter into serious negotiations.

"The ACA crisis is looming over everyone’s head, and yet Republicans seem ready to let people’s premiums spike,” said Senate Democratic leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/charles-schumer">Chuck Schumer</a>&nbsp;in a floor speech.

Meanwhile, Thune was also trying a different tack Thursday with a vote to proceed to appropriations bills — a move that could grease the Senate's gears into some action or just deepen the divide between the two parties.

Democrats have rallied around their priorities on health care as they hold out against voting for a Republican bill that would reopen the government. Yet they also warn that the time to strike a deal to prevent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-health-care-tax-credits-obamacare-shutdown-f1ee636ddba7f65baa5234c55cb0c96e">large increases for many health plans</a>&nbsp;is drawing short.

When they controlled Congress during the pandemic, Democrats boosted subsidies for Affordable Care Act health plans. It pushed enrollment under President Barack Obama's signature health care law to new levels and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/obamacare-aca-health-care-coverage-biden-trump-0c73dcde4a19aea65cb83de01f2d5d2e">drove the rate of uninsured people to a historic low</a>. Nearly 24 million people currently get their health insurance from subsidized marketplaces, according to health care research nonprofit KFF.

Democrats — and some Republicans — are worried that many of those people will forgo insurance if the price rises dramatically. While the tax credits don't expire until next year, health insurers will soon send out notices of the price increases. In most states, they go out Nov. 1.

Sen. Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said she has heard from “families who are absolutely panicking about their premiums that are doubling."

“They are small business owners who are having to think about abandoning the job they love to get employer-sponsored health care elsewhere or just forgoing coverage altogether,” she added.

Murray also said that if many people decide to leave their health plan, it could have an effect across medical insurance because the pool of people under health plans will shrink. That could result in higher prices across the board, she said.

Some Republicans have acknowledged that the expiration of the tax credits could be a problem and floated potential compromises to address it, but there is hardly a consensus among the GOP.

House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>, R-La., this week called the COVID-era subsidies a "boondoggle,” adding that “when you subsidize the health care system and you pay insurance companies more, the prices increase.”

President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has said he would “like to see a deal done for great health care,” but has not meaningfully weighed into the debate. And Thune has insisted that Democrats first vote to reopen the government before entering any negotiations on health care.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760633855654.png" alt="Counting votes Thursday morning in the U.S. Senate-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Counting votes Thursday morning in the U.S. Senate-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats rejected for the 10th time Thursday a stopgap spending bill that would reopen the government, insisting they won’t back away from demands that Congress take up&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-subsidies-congress-shutdown-democrats-republicans-bb3464820a347fd2c0399e78e335881e">health care benefits</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Unbelievable. Dems have now voted 10 times to keep our government shutdown, and just voted against paying our troops while the Schumer Shutdown drags on. They’re playing politics and working AGAINST Americans.&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1978892091640950960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The vote failed Thursday morning on a 51-45 vote, well short of the 60 needed to advance with the Senate's filibuster rules.The repetition of votes on the funding bill has become a daily drumbeat in Congress, underscoring how intractable the situation has become. It has been at times the only item on the agenda for the Senate floor, while House Republicans have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-johnson-government-shutdown-grijalva-526647b57faa2710382674646dfd2b37">left Washington altogether</a>. The standoff has lasted over two weeks, leaving hundreds of thousands of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-federal-workers-shutdown-layoffs-5bef57b6c431830a9af84fbfcc59b324">federal workers</a>&nbsp;furloughed, even more without a guaranteed payday and Congress essentially paralyzed.“Every day that goes by, there are more and more Americans who are getting smaller and smaller paychecks,” said Senate Majority Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/john-thune">John Thune</a>, adding that there have been thousands of flight delays across the country as well.Thune, a South Dakota Republican, again and again has tried to pressure Democrats to break from their strategy of voting against the stopgap funding bill. It hasn't worked. And while some bipartisan talks have been ongoing about potential compromises on health care, they haven't produced any meaningful progress toward reopening the government.Thune has also offered to hold a later vote on extending subsidies for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-health-care-tax-credits-obamacare-shutdown-f1ee636ddba7f65baa5234c55cb0c96e">health plans offered</a>&nbsp;under Affordable Care Act marketplaces, but said he would not “guarantee a result or an outcome.”Democrats say they won't budge until they get a guarantee on extending the tax credits for the health plans. They warn that millions of Americans who buy their own health insurance — such as small business owners, farmers and contractors — will see large increases when premium prices go out in the coming weeks. Looking ahead to a Nov. 1 deadline in most states, they think&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-tax-credits-health-insurance-trump-poll-obamacare-dab7b10bf13dec33a884df5f9fe343f6">voters will demand</a>&nbsp;that Republicans enter into serious negotiations."The ACA crisis is looming over everyone’s head, and yet Republicans seem ready to let people’s premiums spike,” said Senate Democratic leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/charles-schumer">Chuck Schumer</a>&nbsp;in a floor speech.Meanwhile, Thune was also trying a different tack Thursday with a vote to proceed to appropriations bills — a move that could grease the Senate's gears into some action or just deepen the divide between the two parties.<h2>A deadline for subsidies on health plans</h2>Democrats have rallied around their priorities on health care as they hold out against voting for a Republican bill that would reopen the government. Yet they also warn that the time to strike a deal to prevent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-health-care-tax-credits-obamacare-shutdown-f1ee636ddba7f65baa5234c55cb0c96e">large increases for many health plans</a>&nbsp;is drawing short.When they controlled Congress during the pandemic, Democrats boosted subsidies for Affordable Care Act health plans. It pushed enrollment under President Barack Obama's signature health care law to new levels and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/obamacare-aca-health-care-coverage-biden-trump-0c73dcde4a19aea65cb83de01f2d5d2e">drove the rate of uninsured people to a historic low</a>. Nearly 24 million people currently get their health insurance from subsidized marketplaces, according to health care research nonprofit KFF.Democrats — and some Republicans — are worried that many of those people will forgo insurance if the price rises dramatically. While the tax credits don't expire until next year, health insurers will soon send out notices of the price increases. In most states, they go out Nov. 1.Sen. Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said she has heard from “families who are absolutely panicking about their premiums that are doubling."“They are small business owners who are having to think about abandoning the job they love to get employer-sponsored health care elsewhere or just forgoing coverage altogether,” she added.Murray also said that if many people decide to leave their health plan, it could have an effect across medical insurance because the pool of people under health plans will shrink. That could result in higher prices across the board, she said.Some Republicans have acknowledged that the expiration of the tax credits could be a problem and floated potential compromises to address it, but there is hardly a consensus among the GOP.House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>, R-La., this week called the COVID-era subsidies a "boondoggle,” adding that “when you subsidize the health care system and you pay insurance companies more, the prices increase.”President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has said he would “like to see a deal done for great health care,” but has not meaningfully weighed into the debate. And Thune has insisted that Democrats first vote to reopen the government before entering any negotiations on health care.

Government Shutdown: Senate fails for 10th time to pass funding bill  

TOPEKA—On Monday, the GOP Kansas Legislative Coordinating Council approved $460,000 to fund a four-day special legislative session focused on redistricting the state of Kansas, without holding any public forum, according to a media release from Kansas House Democrats.

Missouri and Texas have already approved new maps.

On Wednesday, Kansas Democrat Congresswoman responded to the effort to redraw the maps.

Republicans already hold three of the state’s four congressional districts. A revised map would target the suburban Kansas City district held by&nbsp; Davids.

TOPEKA—On Monday, the GOP Kansas Legislative Coordinating Council approved $460,000 to fund a four-day special legislative session focused on redistricting the state of Kansas, without holding any public forum, according to a media release from Kansas House Democrats.Missouri and Texas have already approved new maps.On Wednesday, Kansas Democrat Congresswoman responded to the effort to redraw the maps.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I’m outside the White House, where Kansas Republicans are scheming to redraw maps and silence your voice. Kansans deserve fairness. Call your legislators and tell them NO to this power grab. <a href="https://t.co/Q7hEQowrvo">pic.twitter.com/Q7hEQowrvo</a>&mdash; Sharice Davids (@sharicedavids) <a href="https://twitter.com/sharicedavids/status/1978488536866202080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Republicans already hold three of the state’s four congressional districts. A revised map would target the suburban Kansas City district held by&nbsp; Davids.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Kansas GOP leaders are at the White House today taking direct orders from Donald Trump only a day after approving $460,000 tax payer dollars for a politically motivated redistricting special session here in Kansas. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ksleg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ksleg</a> <a href="https://t.co/0uHL6arzdr">https://t.co/0uHL6arzdr</a>&mdash; Kansas House Democrats (@KSHouseDems) <a href="https://twitter.com/KSHouseDems/status/1978541287163797884?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Extreme D.C. politicians who’ve never set foot in Kansas shouldn’t get to decide who represents you. <a href="https://t.co/jhe4cRyLzg">pic.twitter.com/jhe4cRyLzg</a>&mdash; Sharice Davids (@sharicedavids) <a href="https://twitter.com/sharicedavids/status/1978612604378443901?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Kan. Rep. responds to effort to re-draw state congressional map

Andrew James ‘Andy” Kieffer, age 50, of Hays, Kansas Hays
passed away peacefully at home on October 13, 2025, after a long battle with
cancer. 

He was born July 19, 1975, at Hutchinson, Kansas to James Stephen Kieffer and
Joan Margaret (Tieking). &nbsp;

He was a devoted husband, loving father, son, nephew, uncle, and brother. He
was married to his high school sweetheart, and the love of his life, Michele
(Kippes) for 18 years. They were married on September 2, 2007, at Boulder, Colorado.
Together they raised their beautiful daughters, Avery (14) and Macie (6). He
was a constant source of strength for his family.

Before Andy turned two, the family moved to Colorado, but returned to Kansas in
1982. Hays was home for Andy from that point on. He graduated from TMP-Marian
High School in 1993. After graduation, he began his 31 year career with S &amp;
W Supply where he made lifelong friendships with his coworkers and customers.
They stood by Andy and his family during the toughest days.

Andy will be remembered for his loyalty to his family, friends, the KC Chiefs,
KU Jayhawks and KC Royals. He took great pride in everything he did. He was an
expert handyman, a talented artist, a self-taught guitarist, an accomplished
cook, an excellent mechanic, a beer enthusiast, and a well-known prankster. He
found joy in working on his Nova wagon, but most enjoyed spending time with his
family. He dabbled in photography, which left us with snapshots of his family
that we will always treasure. He was a devoted husband, loving father, son,
nephew, uncle and brother. 

Andy is survived by his wife, Michele; his children, Avery and Macie; all of
the home; his mother, Joan and step father, Larry Perkins, Hays, KS; his
stepmother, Dixie Kieffer, Rancho Murietta, CA; his mother-in-law, &nbsp;Margaret
Kippes, Hays, KS; his brothers, Brad Kieffer and wife, Sandra, Bella Vista, AR;
Eric Kieffer and wife, Janya, Dallas, TX; Todd Kieffer and wife, Christina,
Kansas City, MO; his sister, Lynette Mullinax and husband, Mike, Silver Lake,
KS; his step sisters, Celeste Clelland and husband, Chris, Lees Summit, MO;
Marianne Nelson and husband Greg, Rawlins, WY; his brothers-in-law, Kurt Kippes
and wife, Kellie, Fenton, MI; John Kippes and wife, Mariel, Colorado Springs,
CO; his sisters-in-law, Janelle Limon and husband, Richard, Colorado Springs,
CO; Renee Downey and husband, Brian, Jetmore, KS; and numerous aunts, uncles,
cousins, nieces, nephews.

A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be at 10:00 A.M. Monday, October
20, 2025, at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary of Hays with Joe Popelka
officiating.&nbsp; Inurnment will be at Fort Hays Memorial Gardens Cemetery,
Hays, Kansas.&nbsp; 

The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Sunday, and from 9:00 to
10:00 A.M. Monday, at
Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary of Hays. 

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials made payable to: Children’s
Mercy Heart Center Research; the Cancer Council of Ellis County; or to Michele
Kieffer {the Andy Kieffer family} in care of Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary of
Hays,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/maps/search/1919+East+22?entry=gmail&amp;source=g" target="_blank">1919 East 22</a>nd&nbsp;Street, Hays, Kansas 67601.

Condolences can be emailed to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:clineschapels@gmail.com" target="_blank">clineschapels@gmail.com</a>&nbsp;or
left by guest book at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com/" target="_blank">www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760484553676.jpeg" alt="Andrew James ‘Andy' Kieffer" />
 <figcaption>Andrew James ‘Andy' Kieffer</figcaption>
 </figure>Andrew James ‘Andy” Kieffer, age 50, of Hays, Kansas Hays
passed away peacefully at home on October 13, 2025, after a long battle with
cancer. He was born July 19, 1975, at Hutchinson, Kansas to James Stephen Kieffer and
Joan Margaret (Tieking). &nbsp;He was a devoted husband, loving father, son, nephew, uncle, and brother. He
was married to his high school sweetheart, and the love of his life, Michele
(Kippes) for 18 years. They were married on September 2, 2007, at Boulder, Colorado.
Together they raised their beautiful daughters, Avery (14) and Macie (6). He
was a constant source of strength for his family.Before Andy turned two, the family moved to Colorado, but returned to Kansas in
1982. Hays was home for Andy from that point on. He graduated from TMP-Marian
High School in 1993. After graduation, he began his 31 year career with S &amp;
W Supply where he made lifelong friendships with his coworkers and customers.
They stood by Andy and his family during the toughest days.Andy will be remembered for his loyalty to his family, friends, the KC Chiefs,
KU Jayhawks and KC Royals. He took great pride in everything he did. He was an
expert handyman, a talented artist, a self-taught guitarist, an accomplished
cook, an excellent mechanic, a beer enthusiast, and a well-known prankster. He
found joy in working on his Nova wagon, but most enjoyed spending time with his
family. He dabbled in photography, which left us with snapshots of his family
that we will always treasure. He was a devoted husband, loving father, son,
nephew, uncle and brother. Andy is survived by his wife, Michele; his children, Avery and Macie; all of
the home; his mother, Joan and step father, Larry Perkins, Hays, KS; his
stepmother, Dixie Kieffer, Rancho Murietta, CA; his mother-in-law, &nbsp;Margaret
Kippes, Hays, KS; his brothers, Brad Kieffer and wife, Sandra, Bella Vista, AR;
Eric Kieffer and wife, Janya, Dallas, TX; Todd Kieffer and wife, Christina,
Kansas City, MO; his sister, Lynette Mullinax and husband, Mike, Silver Lake,
KS; his step sisters, Celeste Clelland and husband, Chris, Lees Summit, MO;
Marianne Nelson and husband Greg, Rawlins, WY; his brothers-in-law, Kurt Kippes
and wife, Kellie, Fenton, MI; John Kippes and wife, Mariel, Colorado Springs,
CO; his sisters-in-law, Janelle Limon and husband, Richard, Colorado Springs,
CO; Renee Downey and husband, Brian, Jetmore, KS; and numerous aunts, uncles,
cousins, nieces, nephews.A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be at 10:00 A.M. Monday, October
20, 2025, at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary of Hays with Joe Popelka
officiating.&nbsp; Inurnment will be at Fort Hays Memorial Gardens Cemetery,
Hays, Kansas.&nbsp; The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Sunday, and from 9:00 to
10:00 A.M. Monday, at
Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary of Hays. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials made payable to: Children’s
Mercy Heart Center Research; the Cancer Council of Ellis County; or to Michele
Kieffer {the Andy Kieffer family} in care of Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary of
Hays,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/maps/search/1919+East+22?entry=gmail&amp;source=g" target="_blank">1919 East 22</a>nd&nbsp;Street, Hays, Kansas 67601.Condolences can be emailed to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:clineschapels@gmail.com" target="_blank">clineschapels@gmail.com</a>&nbsp;or
left by guest book at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com/" target="_blank">www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com</a>

Andrew James ‘Andy' Kieffer

The public release of a Young Republican group chat that included racist language, jokes about rape and flippant commentary on gas chambers prompted bipartisan calls for those involved to be removed from or resign their positions.

The Young Republican National Federation, the GOP’s political organization for Republicans between 18 and 40, called for those involved to step down from the organization. The group described the exchanges, first reported by Politico, as “unbecoming of any Republican.”

Republican Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jd-vance">JD Vance</a>, however, has weighed in several times to speak out against what he characterized as “pearl clutching” over the leaked messages.

Politico obtained months of exchanges from a Telegram conversation between leaders and members of the Young Republican National Federation and some of its affiliates in New York, Kansas, Arizona and Vermont.

Here's a rundown of reaction to the inflammatory group chat, in which the operatives and officials involved openly worried that their comments might be leaked, even as they continued their conversation:

After Politico's initial report Tuesday, Vance posted on X a screen grab from 2022 text messages in which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-election-lieutenant-governor-attorney-general-5d58f8479dae6e747106bd583ca5ff21">Jay Jones</a>, the Democratic candidate in Virginia’s attorney general race, suggested that a prominent Republican get “two bullets to the head.”

“This is far worse than anything said in a college group chat, and the guy who said it could become the AG of Virginia," Vance wrote Tuesday. "I refuse to join the pearl clutching when powerful people call for political violence.”

Jones has taken “full responsibility" for his comments and offered a public apology to Todd Gilbert, who then was speaker of Virginia’s House of Delegates.

Vance reiterated his initial sentiment Wednesday on “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-presidential-medal-of-freedom-f895a361c5c1d2663cacd64082bb5ed7">The Charlie Kirk Show</a>&nbsp;” podcast, saying when asked about the reporting that a "person seriously wishing for political violence and political assassination is 1,000 times worse than what a bunch of young people, a bunch of kids say in a group chat, however offensive it might be.”

Vance, 41, said he grew up in a different era where “most of what I, the stupid things that I did as a teenager and as a young adult, they’re not on the internet.”

The father of three said he would caution his own children, “especially my boys, don’t put things on the internet, like, be careful with what you post. If you put something in a group chat, assume that some scumbag is going to leak it in an effort to try to cause you harm or cause your family harm.”

“I really don’t want to us to grow up in a country where a kid telling a stupid joke, telling a very offensive, stupid joke is cause to ruin their lives,” Vance said.

In a statement from her office, Kansas governor Laura Kelly wrote, “While I appreciate the words of condemnation expressed by several Republican leaders and their expulsion of the Young Republicans chapter from the Kansas Republican Party, their words ring hollow when some of them repeatedly post content on social media that directly contradicts their statements condemning racism."

“I would encourage those leaders in the Republican Party to reflect on their own language and behavior to determine if they have provided license to younger followers to engage in such overtly racist dialogue. Those in positions of leadership have a responsibility to lead by example in both word and deed. They also need to remember that they represent our state and that Kansans celebrate diversity, not mock or condemn it.”

Other Republicans demanded more immediate intervention. Republican legislative leaders in Vermont, along with Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vermont-phil-scott-workplace-culture-vermont-state-government-general-news-b0aff9d95fe8aa3b122433055da96682">Phil Scott</a>&nbsp;— also a Republican — called for the resignation of state Sen. Sam Douglass, revealed to be a participant in the chat. A joint statement from the GOP lawmakers termed the comments “unacceptable and deeply disturbing."

Saying she was “absolutely appalled to learn about the alleged comments made by leaders of the New York State Young Republicans," Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elise-stefanik-united-nations-ambassador-trump-96ef705d7498f080f9f399416b647f99">Elise Stefanik</a>&nbsp;of New York called for those involved to step down from their positions. Danedri Herbert, chair of the Kansas GOP, said the remarks “do not reflect the beliefs of Republicans and certainly not of Kansas Republicans at large.”

In a statement posted to X on Tuesday, the Young Republican National Federation said it was “appalled” by the reported messages and calling for those involved to resign from their positions within the organization. Young Republican leaders said the behavior was “disgraceful, unbecoming of any Republican, and stands in direct opposition to the values our movement represents.”

Democrats have been more uniform in their condemnation. On Wednesday, California Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-chatbots-children-safety-ai-newsom-33be4d57d0e2d14553e02a94d9529976">Gavin Newsom</a>&nbsp;wrote to House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer asking for an investigation into the “vile and offensive text messages," which he called “the definition of conduct that can create a hostile and discriminatory environment that violates civil rights laws.”

Speaking on the Senate floor, Senate Democratic leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-congress-chuck-schumer-shutdown-6a420d356335f738c874381b6ade3c10">Chuck Schumer</a>&nbsp;of New York on Tuesday described the chat as “revolting," calling for Republicans including Trump and Vance to “condemn these comments swiftly and unequivocally.”

Asked about the reporting, New York Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-mayor-hochul-endorses-mamdani-9af64a46fe071f608177d98a903d3e7c">Kathy Hochul</a>&nbsp;called the exchanges “vile” and called for consequences for those involved.

“Kick them out of the party. Take away their official roles. Stop using them as campaign advisers,” Hochul said. "There needs to be consequences. This bulls—- has to stop."

Associated Press writer Michelle L. Price contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760571470555.png" alt="Vice President JD Vance-image from White House video" />
 <figcaption>Vice President JD Vance-image from White House video</figcaption>
 </figure>By MEG KINNARD Associated PressThe public release of a Young Republican group chat that included racist language, jokes about rape and flippant commentary on gas chambers prompted bipartisan calls for those involved to be removed from or resign their positions.The Young Republican National Federation, the GOP’s political organization for Republicans between 18 and 40, called for those involved to step down from the organization. The group described the exchanges, first reported by Politico, as “unbecoming of any Republican.”Republican Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jd-vance">JD Vance</a>, however, has weighed in several times to speak out against what he characterized as “pearl clutching” over the leaked messages.Politico obtained months of exchanges from a Telegram conversation between leaders and members of the Young Republican National Federation and some of its affiliates in New York, Kansas, Arizona and Vermont.Here's a rundown of reaction to the inflammatory group chat, in which the operatives and officials involved openly worried that their comments might be leaked, even as they continued their conversation:<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">This is far worse than anything said in a college group chat, and the guy who said it could become the AG of Virginia. I refuse to join the pearl clutching when powerful people call for political violence. <a href="https://t.co/kV57Wq7BLG">pic.twitter.com/kV57Wq7BLG</a>&mdash; JD Vance (@JDVance) <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance/status/1978235740833153196?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2>Vance</h2>After Politico's initial report Tuesday, Vance posted on X a screen grab from 2022 text messages in which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-election-lieutenant-governor-attorney-general-5d58f8479dae6e747106bd583ca5ff21">Jay Jones</a>, the Democratic candidate in Virginia’s attorney general race, suggested that a prominent Republican get “two bullets to the head.”“This is far worse than anything said in a college group chat, and the guy who said it could become the AG of Virginia," Vance wrote Tuesday. "I refuse to join the pearl clutching when powerful people call for political violence.”Jones has taken “full responsibility" for his comments and offered a public apology to Todd Gilbert, who then was speaker of Virginia’s House of Delegates.Vance reiterated his initial sentiment Wednesday on “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-presidential-medal-of-freedom-f895a361c5c1d2663cacd64082bb5ed7">The Charlie Kirk Show</a>&nbsp;” podcast, saying when asked about the reporting that a "person seriously wishing for political violence and political assassination is 1,000 times worse than what a bunch of young people, a bunch of kids say in a group chat, however offensive it might be.”Vance, 41, said he grew up in a different era where “most of what I, the stupid things that I did as a teenager and as a young adult, they’re not on the internet.”The father of three said he would caution his own children, “especially my boys, don’t put things on the internet, like, be careful with what you post. If you put something in a group chat, assume that some scumbag is going to leak it in an effort to try to cause you harm or cause your family harm.”“I really don’t want to us to grow up in a country where a kid telling a stupid joke, telling a very offensive, stupid joke is cause to ruin their lives,” Vance said.<h2>Kansas Governor Laura Kelly&nbsp;</h2>In a statement from her office, Kansas governor Laura Kelly wrote, “While I appreciate the words of condemnation expressed by several Republican leaders and their expulsion of the Young Republicans chapter from the Kansas Republican Party, their words ring hollow when some of them repeatedly post content on social media that directly contradicts their statements condemning racism."“I would encourage those leaders in the Republican Party to reflect on their own language and behavior to determine if they have provided license to younger followers to engage in such overtly racist dialogue. Those in positions of leadership have a responsibility to lead by example in both word and deed. They also need to remember that they represent our state and that Kansans celebrate diversity, not mock or condemn it.”<h2>Republicans</h2>Other Republicans demanded more immediate intervention. Republican legislative leaders in Vermont, along with Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vermont-phil-scott-workplace-culture-vermont-state-government-general-news-b0aff9d95fe8aa3b122433055da96682">Phil Scott</a>&nbsp;— also a Republican — called for the resignation of state Sen. Sam Douglass, revealed to be a participant in the chat. A joint statement from the GOP lawmakers termed the comments “unacceptable and deeply disturbing."Saying she was “absolutely appalled to learn about the alleged comments made by leaders of the New York State Young Republicans," Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elise-stefanik-united-nations-ambassador-trump-96ef705d7498f080f9f399416b647f99">Elise Stefanik</a>&nbsp;of New York called for those involved to step down from their positions. Danedri Herbert, chair of the Kansas GOP, said the remarks “do not reflect the beliefs of Republicans and certainly not of Kansas Republicans at large.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We are appalled by the vile and inexcusable language revealed in the Politico article published today. Such behavior is disgraceful, unbecoming of any Republican, and stands in direct opposition to the values our movement represents. Those involved must immediately resign from… <a href="https://t.co/SM12D8kMXb">pic.twitter.com/SM12D8kMXb</a>&mdash; Young Republicans (@yrnational) <a href="https://twitter.com/yrnational/status/1978188660915777973?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In a statement posted to X on Tuesday, the Young Republican National Federation said it was “appalled” by the reported messages and calling for those involved to resign from their positions within the organization. Young Republican leaders said the behavior was “disgraceful, unbecoming of any Republican, and stands in direct opposition to the values our movement represents.”<h2>Democrats</h2>Democrats have been more uniform in their condemnation. On Wednesday, California Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-chatbots-children-safety-ai-newsom-33be4d57d0e2d14553e02a94d9529976">Gavin Newsom</a>&nbsp;wrote to House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer asking for an investigation into the “vile and offensive text messages," which he called “the definition of conduct that can create a hostile and discriminatory environment that violates civil rights laws.”Speaking on the Senate floor, Senate Democratic leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-congress-chuck-schumer-shutdown-6a420d356335f738c874381b6ade3c10">Chuck Schumer</a>&nbsp;of New York on Tuesday described the chat as “revolting," calling for Republicans including Trump and Vance to “condemn these comments swiftly and unequivocally.”Asked about the reporting, New York Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-mayor-hochul-endorses-mamdani-9af64a46fe071f608177d98a903d3e7c">Kathy Hochul</a>&nbsp;called the exchanges “vile” and called for consequences for those involved.“Kick them out of the party. Take away their official roles. Stop using them as campaign advisers,” Hochul said. "There needs to be consequences. This bulls—- has to stop."___Associated Press writer Michelle L. Price contributed to this report.

Kan. governor, Vance respond to racist, offensive Young Republican group chat

KAYS - (1400/94.3) KFIX - (96.9) KHAZ - (99.5) KJLS - (103.3) KKQY - (101.9)

Friday, October 17 KAYS: Fort Hays State VB vs. Central Oklahoma, 5:45pm KKQY: Hill City FB at Stockton, 6:00pm KFIX: Hays High FB vs. Great Bend, 6:30pm KHAZ: TMP-Marian FB at Syracuse, 6:30pm

Saturday, October 18 KJLS: Fort Hays State FB at Northwest Missouri State, 12:30pm

Sunday, October 19 KFIX: Kansas City Chiefs FB vs. Los Vegas Raiders, 11:00am

KAYS - (1400/94.3) KFIX - (96.9) KHAZ - (99.5) KJLS - (103.3) KKQY - (101.9)Thursday, October 16 noneFriday, October 17 KAYS: Fort Hays State VB vs. Central Oklahoma, 5:45pm KKQY: Hill City FB at Stockton, 6:00pm KFIX: Hays High FB vs. Great Bend, 6:30pm KHAZ: TMP-Marian FB at Syracuse, 6:30pmSaturday, October 18 KJLS: Fort Hays State FB at Northwest Missouri State, 12:30pmSunday, October 19 KFIX: Kansas City Chiefs FB vs. Los Vegas Raiders, 11:00am

🎧 Eagle Radio, Hull sports broadcast schedule

By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">Ariana Figueroa</a>

WASHINGTON — A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order Wednesday, blocking the Trump administration from moving forward with the thousands of layoffs it initiated after the government shutdown began Oct. 1, as well as any others that officials might want to carry out.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759315687610.png" alt="Photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">Ariana Figueroa</a>WASHINGTON — A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order Wednesday, blocking the Trump administration from moving forward with the thousands of layoffs it initiated after the government shutdown began Oct. 1, as well as any others that officials might want to carry out.&nbsp;&nbsp;The hearing in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California took place at the same time White House budget director Russ Vought appeared on the conservative Charlie Kirk podcast to preview his next steps.Vought warned the initial Reductions in Force, the technical term for a layoff notice, were just “a snapshot” and that as many as 10,000 federal workers would lose their jobs if the shutdown drags on.“We’re going to keep those RIFs rolling throughout this shutdown because we think it’s important to stay on offense for the American taxpayer and the American people,” Vought said. “We want to be very aggressive where we can be in shuttering the bureaucracy, not just the funding, but the bureaucracy.”Judge Susan Illston said during the hearing that she granted the temporary restraining order because Trump administration officials had “taken advantage of the lapse in government spending, government functioning to assume that all bets are off, that the laws don’t apply to them anymore and that they can impose the structures that they like on the government situation that they don’t like.”&nbsp;Illston said laws and regulations still apply during a shutdown and that, by all appearances, the Trump administration’s actions in the case are politically motivated.&nbsp;“Things are being done before they’re thought through — very much ready, fire, aim,” Illston said.The ruling will put the approximately 4,000 layoffs noticed during the shutdown on hold as the court case proceeds.&nbsp;<h2>DOJ unprepared to speak on merits of case</h2>Elizabeth Hedges, a Justice Department attorney arguing the case on behalf of the Trump administration, said several times during the brief hearing she wasn’t prepared to speak about the merits of the case — a position that confounded the judge, who gave Hedges several chances to reverse course.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We may be able to address the merits at the next stage,” Hedges said, after telling Illston she would need to check with others before making any statements about why the administration believes its actions are legal.&nbsp;Danielle Leonard, an attorney representing the labor unions that brought the lawsuit, urged the judge to grant a temporary restraining order for all the departments and agencies that make up the executive branch, not just those that have announced RIFs.Leonard said she believes Trump administration officials have decided how many additional federal employees to lay off during the shutdown, but have opted not to share that information with the court.“The decision has been made, it’s just a question of implementation and timing,” Leonard said, around the same time Vought was giving his podcast interview.&nbsp;Illston, who was nominated by former President Bill Clinton, said at the end of the hearing she expected the attorneys to find a day in the coming weeks when they can attend a hearing on the next stage, which would be a preliminary injunction.<h2>Senate deadlocks for ninth time</h2>On the other side of the country, Republicans and Democrats continued to spar on Capitol Hill over the reasons for the shutdown, as the Senate failed for a ninth time to advance a short-term government spending bill.&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00572.htm" target="_blank">51-44 vote</a>&nbsp;was nearly identical to the others that have taken place since mid-September, and neither side appeared inclined to make concessions or even try to negotiate.&nbsp;Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto and Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, both Democrats, and Maine independent Sen. Angus King voted with Republicans to advance the bill. Kentucky GOP Sen. Rand Paul voted no.Democrats maintain there must be a bipartisan deal to extend the enhanced tax credits that are set to expire at the end of this year for people who get their health insurance from the Affordable Care Act Marketplace.&nbsp;GOP leaders said they are willing to begin negotiations on that issue, but only after Democrats vote to advance the stopgap bill that would fund government through Nov. 21.&nbsp;The House&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/chance-government-shutdown-rises-us-senate-fails-advance-spending-bill" target="_blank">voted mostly along party</a>&nbsp;lines to approve the legislation in mid-September, but it has remained stalled in the Senate ever since, unable to garner the 60 votes needed to advance toward final passage. Republicans control the chamber with 53 seats.Congress needs to approve the stopgap bill since it, once again, failed to approve all 12 of the full-year government funding bills by the Oct. 1 start of the new fiscal year.The only other way to end the funding lapse would be for both chambers to reach a broadly bipartisan consensus on all of those appropriations bills.&nbsp;<h2>Layoffs across agencies</h2>The layoffs initiated by the Trump administration during the shutdown were detailed further on Tuesday in court filings from the labor unions’ attorneys as well as Trump administration officials.&nbsp;&nbsp;Stephen Billy, senior adviser at the Office of Management and Budget, wrote the number of layoff notices had changed since Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/substantial-layoffs-federal-workers-launched-trump-administration-amid-shutdown" target="_blank">when he outlined</a>&nbsp;the Reductions in Force to the court.The numbers have fluctuated significantly for some departments, but not for all.&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Commerce: Approximately 600 employees, up from 315</li><li>Education: Remained at 466 employees</li><li>Health and Human Services: 982 employees, down from a range of 1,100 to 1,200</li><li>Housing and Urban Development: Stayed at 442 employees</li><li>Homeland Security: Decreased to 54 from 176 employees</li><li>Treasury: Reduced somewhat to 1,377 employees, from 1,446&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><h2>Energy, EPA layoffs</h2>Federal workers at those departments have 60 days between when the notice was sent and when they will no longer have jobs, though a different standard is in place at the Energy Department and the Environmental Protection Agency.&nbsp;Energy officials, the document says, “issued a general RIF notice informing 179 employees that they may receive a specific notice in the future if it is determined they will be part of any RIF. If so, that notice would provide the relevant notice period.”But a spokesperson for the Energy Department emailed States Newsroom on Tuesday evening to confirm officials had issued RIF notices to workers in the Offices of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Clean Energy Demonstrations, State and Community Energy Programs and Minority Economic Impact.“All these offices played a major role in the Biden administration’s war on American Energy,” the spokesperson wrote. “They oversaw billions of dollars in wasteful spending and massive regulatory overreach, resulting in more expensive and less reliable energy. These offices are being realigned to reflect the Trump administration’s commitment to advancing affordable, reliable, and secure energy for the American people and a more responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars.”Further confusing the situation at the Energy Department, a footnote in the court document filed by Billy said that particular agency isn’t actually experiencing a lapse in funding.&nbsp;The Billy court document said EPA officials sent 28 employees “intent to RIF” notices and will send formal RIF notices “to any affected employees at least 60 days prior to the effective date.”&nbsp;A separate document, filed by Thomas J. Nagy Jr., deputy assistant secretary for Human Resources at HHS, said “data discrepancies and processing errors” led to 1,760 employees receiving layoff notices instead of the intended 982.“Employees have been working since October 10, 2025, to rescind the notices that had been issued in error,” Nagy wrote.&nbsp;<h2>At CDC, ‘eliminating entire offices’</h2>Yolanda Jacobs, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 2883, wrote in a brief to the court that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “issued RIF notices to approximately 1,300 employees, eliminating entire offices at the agency. Then, within 24 hours, the CDC rescinded approximately 700 of those RIF notices.”&nbsp;Jacobs wrote the 600 CDC workers who received RIFs will officially lose their jobs on Dec. 8, even though they have already lost access to work email and computers.&nbsp;“Many Union members have told me that they are experiencing serious mental health problems and have found it very difficult to get their work done, given all of the turmoil that they have experienced this year,” Jacobs wrote, referencing previous RIF notices and reinstatements. “Members have told me that they worry on a day-to-day basis about whether they will have a job the next day. They said that they have felt like the Trump Administration has been using them as bargaining chips this year.”Jacobs wrote that the Trump administration has decided to lay off many human resources workers, which had blocked other workers who received RIFs from being able to get information about how to roll over their health insurance coverage.&nbsp;During past RIFs, she wrote, workers had “access to the employment records, including paystubs and performance records, that they need for processing their separations,” but cannot since they are locked out of computer systems.&nbsp;<h2>Layoffs hit Department of Education</h2>Rachel Gittleman, president of AFGE Local 252, which represents nearly 3,000 Education Department workers, wrote in a separate filing the layoffs will impact numerous programs, including civil rights, communications and outreach, elementary and secondary education, post secondary education, and special education and rehabilitative services.“Receiving RIF notices has caused many employees enormous stress. A father of two young boys contacted me—he just moved into a new home and relies on his job to support his family,” Gittleman wrote. “He told me (he) doesn’t know what he will do next.”Workers on maternity or disability leave also received layoff notices, “forcing them to job-hunt and face financial insecurity while managing newborns or health conditions,” she wrote.&nbsp;Following past RIF notices, the department provided “career transitioning and counseling, benefits and retirement training, and access to other human resources and employee assistance programs.” But Gittleman wrote that isn’t happening this time.&nbsp;<h2>‘Devastated’ HUD employees</h2>Ashaki Robinson, regional vice president for AFGE Council 222, which represents nearly 5,000 HUD workers, said the layoff notices for that department will impact employees in Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Massachusetts, Puerto Rico, Texas and Washington, D.C., who manage a variety of programs.&nbsp;“They are devastated that the RIF is happening and are very concerned about losing their incomes, health insurance coverage for themselves and dependents, and other employment benefits in 60 days, when they will be separated from employment,” Robinson wrote.&nbsp;The hundreds of HUD workers who have received RIF notices, she wrote, were “targeted for termination not because of anything they did themselves, but because of decisions made by elected officials that may have been driven by politics.”