NEW YORK (AP) — An appeals court has thrown out the massive civil fraud penalty against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>, ruling Thursday in New York state’s lawsuit accusing him of exaggerating his wealth.

The decision came seven months after the Republican returned to the White House. A panel of five judges in New York’s mid-level Appellate Division said the verdict, which stood to cost Trump more than $515 million and rock his real estate empire, was “excessive.”

After finding that Trump engaged in fraud by flagrantly padding financial statements that went to lenders and insurers, Judge Arthur Engoron&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-civil-fraud-verdict-engoron-244024861f0df886543c157c9fc5b3e4">ordered him</a>&nbsp;last year to pay $355 million in penalties. With interest, the sum has topped $515 million.

The total — combined with penalties levied on some other Trump Organization executives, including Trump’s sons Eric and Donald Jr. — now exceeds $527 million, with interest.

“While the injunctive relief ordered by the court is well crafted to curb defendants’ business culture, the court’s disgorgement order, which directs that defendants pay nearly half a billion dollars to the State of New York, is an excessive fine that violates the Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution,” Judges Dianne T. Renwick and Peter H. Moulton wrote in one of several opinions shaping the appeals court’s ruling.

Engoron also imposed other punishments, such as banning Trump and his two eldest sons&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-letitia-james-new-york-engoron-38bc3a7f2ccb22555c026e9bf70fd5bb">from serving in corporate leadership</a>&nbsp;for a few years. Those provisions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-civil-fraud-case-verdict-penalty-appeal-8447c48d0436083737204b13401438d2">have been on pause</a>&nbsp;during Trump’s appeal, and he was able to hold off collection of the money by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-civil-fraud-trial-feb0593a5bbd3837edc0db195554eda1">posting a $175 million bond</a>.

The court, which was split on the merits of the lawsuit and the lower court’s fraud finding, dismissed the penalty Engoron imposed in its entirety while also leaving a pathway for further appeals to the state’s highest court, the Court of Appeals.

The appeals court, the Appellate Division of the state’s trial court, took an unusually long time to rule, weighing Trump’s appeal for nearly 11 months after oral arguments last fall. Normally, appeals are decided in a matter of weeks or a few months.

New York Attorney General Letitia James, who brought the suit on the state’s behalf, has said the businessman-turned-politician engaged in “lying, cheating, and staggering fraud.” Her office had no immediate comment after Thursday's decision.

Trump and his co-defendants denied wrongdoing. In&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-lawsuit-new-york-closing-arguments-b36abe2fd695d0172e71f8ef9c5ee7f3">a six-minute summation of sorts</a>&nbsp;after a monthslong trial, Trump proclaimed in January 2024 that he was “an innocent man” and the case was a “fraud on me.” He has repeatedly maintained that the case and verdict were political moves by James and Engoron, who are both Democrats.

Trump’s Justice Department has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-james-attorney-general-justice-department-subpoena-9dec45248df0e06b1d99ff9944e6d327">subpoenaed James for records</a>&nbsp;related to the lawsuit, among other documents, as part of an investigation into whether she violated the president’s civil rights. James’ personal attorney, Abbe D. Lowell, has said that investigating the fraud case is “the most blatant and desperate example of this administration carrying out the president’s political retribution campaign.”

Trump and his lawyers said his financial statements weren’t deceptive, since they came with disclaimers noting they weren’t audited. The defense also noted that bankers and insurers independently evaluated the numbers, and the loans were repaid.

Despite such discrepancies as tripling the size of his Trump Tower penthouse, he said the financial statements were, if anything, lowball estimates of his fortune.

During an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-civil-fraud-appeal-letitia-james-8bc9e5ea0affc635c731e96448f69642">appellate court hearing</a>&nbsp;in September, Trump’s lawyers argued that many of the case’s allegations were too old, an assertion they made unsuccessfully before trial. The defense also contends that James misused a consumer-protection law to sue Trump and improperly policed private business transactions that were satisfactory to those involved.

State attorneys said the law in question applies to fraudulent or illegal business conduct, whether it targets everyday consumers or big corporations. Though Trump insists no one was harmed by the financial statements, the state contends that the numbers led lenders to make riskier loans than they knew, and that honest borrowers lose out when others game their net-worth numbers.

The state has argued that the verdict rests on ample evidence and that the scale of the penalty comports with Trump’s gains, including his profits on properties financed with the loans and the interest he saved by getting favorable terms offered to wealthy borrowers.

The civil fraud case was just one of several legal obstacles for Trump as he campaigned, won and segued to a second term as president.

On Jan. 10, he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-sentencing-stormy-daniels-33e070bd3c1acb609bba13f23d784a3a">sentenced in his criminal hush money case</a>&nbsp;to what’s known as an unconditional discharge, leaving his conviction on the books but sparing him jail, probation, a fine or other punishment. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-appeal-stormy-daniels-249a77a70cab97137595f000fbd49307">is appealing the conviction</a>.

And in December, a federal appeals court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-carroll-lawsuit-defamation-trial-78e4196024539653a6de492312770ff2">upheld a jury’s finding</a>&nbsp;that Trump sexually abused writer E. Jean Carroll in the mid-1990s and later defamed her, affirming a $5 million judgment against him. The appeals court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-e-jean-carroll-sexual-abuse-appeal-8e2db7bdb881ff0b9353b6fb17750f48">declined in June to reconsider</a>; he still can try to get the Supreme Court to hear his appeal.

He’s also appealing a subsequent verdict that requires him to pay Carroll $83.3 million for additional defamation claims.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680634182015.png" alt="File Donald Trump sits at the defense table with his defense team in a Manhattan court, Tuesday, April 4, 2023, in New York. . (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)" />
 <figcaption>File Donald Trump sits at the defense table with his defense team in a Manhattan court, Tuesday, April 4, 2023, in New York. . (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — An appeals court has thrown out the massive civil fraud penalty against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>, ruling Thursday in New York state’s lawsuit accusing him of exaggerating his wealth.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/StevenCheung47?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@StevenCheung47</a>: &quot;Another failed skirmish in the discredited lawfare campaign against President Trump, his family, and his business that other Democrat prosecutors are dropping left and right.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/GCOFdl6LQB">https://t.co/GCOFdl6LQB</a> <a href="https://t.co/EASHkPBQxl">pic.twitter.com/EASHkPBQxl</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1958559203192123837?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The decision came seven months after the Republican returned to the White House. A panel of five judges in New York’s mid-level Appellate Division said the verdict, which stood to cost Trump more than $515 million and rock his real estate empire, was “excessive.”After finding that Trump engaged in fraud by flagrantly padding financial statements that went to lenders and insurers, Judge Arthur Engoron&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-civil-fraud-verdict-engoron-244024861f0df886543c157c9fc5b3e4">ordered him</a>&nbsp;last year to pay $355 million in penalties. With interest, the sum has topped $515 million.The total — combined with penalties levied on some other Trump Organization executives, including Trump’s sons Eric and Donald Jr. — now exceeds $527 million, with interest.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">“I will come back before you soon with a check for $250 million dollars…and to let you know that he is no longer allowed to do business in the state of New York.&quot; 2023 How’d that work out for you <a href="https://twitter.com/TishJames?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TishJames</a>?😂 <a href="https://t.co/G9wIWGzsUP">pic.twitter.com/G9wIWGzsUP</a>&mdash; Spitfire (@DogRightGirl) <a href="https://twitter.com/DogRightGirl/status/1958564432239296681?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“While the injunctive relief ordered by the court is well crafted to curb defendants’ business culture, the court’s disgorgement order, which directs that defendants pay nearly half a billion dollars to the State of New York, is an excessive fine that violates the Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution,” Judges Dianne T. Renwick and Peter H. Moulton wrote in one of several opinions shaping the appeals court’s ruling.Engoron also imposed other punishments, such as banning Trump and his two eldest sons&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-letitia-james-new-york-engoron-38bc3a7f2ccb22555c026e9bf70fd5bb">from serving in corporate leadership</a>&nbsp;for a few years. Those provisions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-civil-fraud-case-verdict-penalty-appeal-8447c48d0436083737204b13401438d2">have been on pause</a>&nbsp;during Trump’s appeal, and he was able to hold off collection of the money by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-civil-fraud-trial-feb0593a5bbd3837edc0db195554eda1">posting a $175 million bond</a>.The court, which was split on the merits of the lawsuit and the lower court’s fraud finding, dismissed the penalty Engoron imposed in its entirety while also leaving a pathway for further appeals to the state’s highest court, the Court of Appeals.The appeals court, the Appellate Division of the state’s trial court, took an unusually long time to rule, weighing Trump’s appeal for nearly 11 months after oral arguments last fall. Normally, appeals are decided in a matter of weeks or a few months.New York Attorney General Letitia James, who brought the suit on the state’s behalf, has said the businessman-turned-politician engaged in “lying, cheating, and staggering fraud.” Her office had no immediate comment after Thursday's decision.Trump and his co-defendants denied wrongdoing. In&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-lawsuit-new-york-closing-arguments-b36abe2fd695d0172e71f8ef9c5ee7f3">a six-minute summation of sorts</a>&nbsp;after a monthslong trial, Trump proclaimed in January 2024 that he was “an innocent man” and the case was a “fraud on me.” He has repeatedly maintained that the case and verdict were political moves by James and Engoron, who are both Democrats.Trump’s Justice Department has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-james-attorney-general-justice-department-subpoena-9dec45248df0e06b1d99ff9944e6d327">subpoenaed James for records</a>&nbsp;related to the lawsuit, among other documents, as part of an investigation into whether she violated the president’s civil rights. James’ personal attorney, Abbe D. Lowell, has said that investigating the fraud case is “the most blatant and desperate example of this administration carrying out the president’s political retribution campaign.”Trump and his lawyers said his financial statements weren’t deceptive, since they came with disclaimers noting they weren’t audited. The defense also noted that bankers and insurers independently evaluated the numbers, and the loans were repaid.Despite such discrepancies as tripling the size of his Trump Tower penthouse, he said the financial statements were, if anything, lowball estimates of his fortune.During an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-civil-fraud-appeal-letitia-james-8bc9e5ea0affc635c731e96448f69642">appellate court hearing</a>&nbsp;in September, Trump’s lawyers argued that many of the case’s allegations were too old, an assertion they made unsuccessfully before trial. The defense also contends that James misused a consumer-protection law to sue Trump and improperly policed private business transactions that were satisfactory to those involved.State attorneys said the law in question applies to fraudulent or illegal business conduct, whether it targets everyday consumers or big corporations. Though Trump insists no one was harmed by the financial statements, the state contends that the numbers led lenders to make riskier loans than they knew, and that honest borrowers lose out when others game their net-worth numbers.The state has argued that the verdict rests on ample evidence and that the scale of the penalty comports with Trump’s gains, including his profits on properties financed with the loans and the interest he saved by getting favorable terms offered to wealthy borrowers.The civil fraud case was just one of several legal obstacles for Trump as he campaigned, won and segued to a second term as president.On Jan. 10, he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-sentencing-stormy-daniels-33e070bd3c1acb609bba13f23d784a3a">sentenced in his criminal hush money case</a>&nbsp;to what’s known as an unconditional discharge, leaving his conviction on the books but sparing him jail, probation, a fine or other punishment. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-appeal-stormy-daniels-249a77a70cab97137595f000fbd49307">is appealing the conviction</a>.And in December, a federal appeals court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-carroll-lawsuit-defamation-trial-78e4196024539653a6de492312770ff2">upheld a jury’s finding</a>&nbsp;that Trump sexually abused writer E. Jean Carroll in the mid-1990s and later defamed her, affirming a $5 million judgment against him. The appeals court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-e-jean-carroll-sexual-abuse-appeal-8e2db7bdb881ff0b9353b6fb17750f48">declined in June to reconsider</a>; he still can try to get the Supreme Court to hear his appeal.He’s also appealing a subsequent verdict that requires him to pay Carroll $83.3 million for additional defamation claims.

Court throws out Trump's $500 million fine in civil fraud case

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

Friday's annual fall art walk is the 41st for the Hays Arts Council and will feature&nbsp;"To the Stars," a national exhibition of the Society of Layerists in Multi-Media, which can be seen in the arts center.

Among the art walks, the fall event traditionally draws the largest number of participants, with college students back in town, school starting and vacation season ending.

The layerists society's members include local and regional artists, including Kathleen Kuchar, Hays, who helped Meder organize the national exhibition with 82 pieces.

"It's a mixed bag. This group has a very holistic (approach) and the concept of layering ideas. A lot of the work is not objective. It's color, and it's form. It's richly textured. There are some more representational things," Brenda Meder, Hays Arts Council executive director, said, "but it's just an explosion of color. A lot of good moments and messages run through their work."

Hays will be host to a conference of the layerists society next month.

For the first time, the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 1805 Vine, will join in the art walk as it shares its recently painted interior of traditional Romanesque art and design within modern structural architecture.

"It's really exciting to see how this all comes together," Meder said.&nbsp;

The church will be open to the public from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Other exhibitions include live music, wood carvings, paintings and drawings, quilt and fiber art, prints, photography, stained glass, ceramics,&nbsp; original hat designs and book signings by the authors.

The Hays Symphony will kick off its season with a concert in the downtown pavilion at 7:30 p.m. featuring "Summer Pops: A Night at the Movies."

Most of the exhibitions are in downtown Hays businesses and at Fort Hays State University and are available from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

The K-State Research and Extension Master Gardeners will welcome visitors to open houses at their perennial/pollinator and vegetable trial gardens at the Agricultural Research Center, 1232 240th Ave., from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

"A really broad, fabulous array of what the arts are in our community. There are the visual arts, there are the performing arts and there are the literary arts," Meder said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Friday's annual fall art walk is the 35th for Meder. It will also be her last art walk as she eases into retirement.

A public retirement reception, hosted by the board of directors, will be in the Hays Arts Center, 112 E. 11th, where the walk's anchor attraction will also be featured.

"It'll be fun," Meder said, "but if people come just to see me, then I haven't done my job."

A complete list of all the stops, some of which will also be open Saturday, is available on the Hays Arts Council's <a href="https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/916bb38b-09bf-4c28-bf9f-4da5a0b67707/downloads/b7015556-b3d3-4f94-9fcf-09c48f41d231/Fall%20Walk%20online%20copy.pdf?ver=1755449801447">website</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755721216572.jpeg" alt="Artwork in the&nbsp;"To the Stars" art exhibit that will be featured at the Hays Arts Center during the fall art walk. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Artwork in the&nbsp;"To the Stars" art exhibit that will be featured at the Hays Arts Center during the fall art walk. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostFriday's annual fall art walk is the 41st for the Hays Arts Council and will feature&nbsp;"To the Stars," a national exhibition of the Society of Layerists in Multi-Media, which can be seen in the arts center.Among the art walks, the fall event traditionally draws the largest number of participants, with college students back in town, school starting and vacation season ending.The layerists society's members include local and regional artists, including Kathleen Kuchar, Hays, who helped Meder organize the national exhibition with 82 pieces.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755721256624.jpeg" alt=""God's Path" by Barbara Jo Converse Stevens of Downs, a mixed-media piece of artwork in the "To the Stars" art exhibit that will anchor the fall art walk in Hays.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>"God's Path" by Barbara Jo Converse Stevens of Downs, a mixed-media piece of artwork in the "To the Stars" art exhibit that will anchor the fall art walk in Hays.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>"It's a mixed bag. This group has a very holistic (approach) and the concept of layering ideas. A lot of the work is not objective. It's color, and it's form. It's richly textured. There are some more representational things," Brenda Meder, Hays Arts Council executive director, said, "but it's just an explosion of color. A lot of good moments and messages run through their work."Hays will be host to a conference of the layerists society next month.<div><iframe title="Post Podcast: Hays Fall Art Walk" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:300px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?from=embed&i=7ptwu-193ca83-pb&square=1&share=1&download=1&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&rtl=0&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=300" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>For the first time, the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 1805 Vine, will join in the art walk as it shares its recently painted interior of traditional Romanesque art and design within modern structural architecture."It's really exciting to see how this all comes together," Meder said.&nbsp;The church will be open to the public from 5:30 to 8 p.m.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755721425284.jpeg" alt=""Kansas — rooted in History" by Dottie Staab of Hays is part of the&nbsp;To the Stars" art exhibit that kicks off Friday during the fall art walk.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>"Kansas — rooted in History" by Dottie Staab of Hays is part of the&nbsp;To the Stars" art exhibit that kicks off Friday during the fall art walk.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Other exhibitions include live music, wood carvings, paintings and drawings, quilt and fiber art, prints, photography, stained glass, ceramics,&nbsp; original hat designs and book signings by the authors.The Hays Symphony will kick off its season with a concert in the downtown pavilion at 7:30 p.m. featuring "Summer Pops: A Night at the Movies."Most of the exhibitions are in downtown Hays businesses and at Fort Hays State University and are available from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.The K-State Research and Extension Master Gardeners will welcome visitors to open houses at their perennial/pollinator and vegetable trial gardens at the Agricultural Research Center, 1232 240th Ave., from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m."A really broad, fabulous array of what the arts are in our community. There are the visual arts, there are the performing arts and there are the literary arts," Meder said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Friday's annual fall art walk is the 35th for Meder. It will also be her last art walk as she eases into retirement.A public retirement reception, hosted by the board of directors, will be in the Hays Arts Center, 112 E. 11th, where the walk's anchor attraction will also be featured."It'll be fun," Meder said, "but if people come just to see me, then I haven't done my job."A complete list of all the stops, some of which will also be open Saturday, is available on the Hays Arts Council's <a href="https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/916bb38b-09bf-4c28-bf9f-4da5a0b67707/downloads/b7015556-b3d3-4f94-9fcf-09c48f41d231/Fall%20Walk%20online%20copy.pdf?ver=1755449801447">website</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755711821095.png" alt=" " />
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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755711890010.png" alt=" " />
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🎙 Hays Arts Council's Fall Art Walk to feature mixed media artists

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a two accidents involving a carjacking that led to a crash with a KCPD vehicle just after 2:30p.m. Wednesday in Kansas City, Missouri.

Police were in pursuit of a Silver BMW 640I that was taken in conjunction with an Armed Robbery/Carjacking, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

 The BMW was traveling the wrong way southbound on Askew. Askew is a one way for northbound motorists only. 

The BMW struck an unoccupied gold Buick Enclave which was parked in the 200 block of Askew and the driver continued traveling southbound on Askew without stopping. 

In the area of Anderson and Askew, the BMW entered the controlled intersection, a posted stop sign for northbound motorist,&nbsp; and was struck by a marked police Dodge Durango that was traveling Code-1 (red lights and sirens) westbound on Anderson.

After impact, the BMW continued southbound on Askew, traveling off the roadway to the right and striking a wooden light pole before coming to rest. The driver and sole occupant of the BMW was taken into custody after a brief foot pursuit and was uninjured in the collision. 

The restrained officer and sole occupant of the police vehicle received non-life-threatening injuries from the collision and declined medical treatment/transport at the scene.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755770726295.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy Fox4Kansas City WDAF" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Fox4Kansas City WDAF</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a two accidents involving a carjacking that led to a crash with a KCPD vehicle just after 2:30p.m. Wednesday in Kansas City, Missouri.Police were in pursuit of a Silver BMW 640I that was taken in conjunction with an Armed Robbery/Carjacking, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino. The BMW was traveling the wrong way southbound on Askew. Askew is a one way for northbound motorists only. The BMW struck an unoccupied gold Buick Enclave which was parked in the 200 block of Askew and the driver continued traveling southbound on Askew without stopping. In the area of Anderson and Askew, the BMW entered the controlled intersection, a posted stop sign for northbound motorist,&nbsp; and was struck by a marked police Dodge Durango that was traveling Code-1 (red lights and sirens) westbound on Anderson.After impact, the BMW continued southbound on Askew, traveling off the roadway to the right and striking a wooden light pole before coming to rest. The driver and sole occupant of the BMW was taken into custody after a brief foot pursuit and was uninjured in the collision. The restrained officer and sole occupant of the police vehicle received non-life-threatening injuries from the collision and declined medical treatment/transport at the scene.&nbsp;

Carjacking suspect arrested after crash into KCPD SUV 

Osawatomie, Larned superintendents outline reasons to keep private contract labor

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The state of Kansas invests more than $60 million annually to hire contract nursing staff to work at state psychiatric hospitals in Larned and Osawatomie, but the financial boost hasn’t closed job vacancy gaps exceeding 33% at both facilities.

On Tuesday, Kansas legislators on a special committee exploring contract nursing shared disappointment with results of years of stopgap appropriations to hire temporary nurses provided by private companies. The state also has devoted resources to raising salaries and providing bonuses to encourage state-employed nurses to remain at the hospitals.

Lawmakers expressed skepticism Kansas would ever have enough people to fill vacancies at state hospitals serving involuntarily committed or criminally charged individuals with mental health issues, as well as sexually violent offenders detained at Larned after serving prison sentences.

“In my experience, we’re not going to build this staff to take care of the number of people that are out there right now,” said Rep. Will Carpenter, an El Dorado Republican who chairs the Legislature’s interim health committee. “Prove me wrong, because I want to be wrong.”

Carpenter suggested consideration be given to transferring about 100 patients from Larned to other locations so staffing levels could be sustained without contract nurses. In 2027, Kansas is scheduled to open a new 104-bed state psychiatric hospital in Sedgwick County.

Expenditures at Larned State Hospital for nursing contract labor increased from $5.9 million in 2019 to $8.6 million in 2021, $43.1 million in 2023 and $46 million in 2025. At Osawatomie State Hospital, contract costs surged from $233,000 in 2019 to $3.2 million in 2021, $16 million in 2023 and $15.4 million in 2025. The job vacancy rate at Osawatomie stood at 35.5%, while the rate at Larned was 33.5%.

“I’ve been incredibly disappointed on how that’s worked,” Carpenter said.

Scott Brunner, deputy secretary of the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, said the agency used state tax dollars to bring in dozens of registered nurses and licensed practice nurses to care for patients who generally had complex medical needs. Some require one-on-one care.

“To keep our bed count open at the levels that they are,” he said, “we have to have enough staff to make sure patients are safe.”

He said the starting salary for a registered nurse at the state hospitals was about $40 per hour. The state paid companies providing contract registered nurses $90 to $100 per hour to take on the same responsibilities, with the nurse receiving approximately two-thirds of the total.

“We certainly don’t think contract labor is a solution,” Brunner said. “It’s a way of addressing the need to keep beds open and keep patients moving through the system.”

He recommended the Legislature pass&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2237/" target="_blank">House Bill 2237</a>, which is hung up in the Senate, to place in state law the ability of state agencies to award employee bonuses in amounts up to $10,000 per year. He urged lawmakers to keep funding cost-of-living and market-rate adjustments to salaries so state hospitals could compete with the private sector for labor. The existing budget for contract nurses needs to be sustained, he said.

In addition, Brunner suggested the state expand college scholarships for nurses, consider providing nursing students with financial support in exchange for post-graduation employment agreements and provide training opportunities for experienced nurses to advance their careers.

Ashley Byram, superintendent of the Osawatomie hospital, said only half of the facility’s RNs, LPNs and mental health technicians were state employees. Here’s the split between state employee and agency contract workers at Osawatomie: RNs, 16 state and 16 private; LPNs, three state and 13 private; and mental health techs, 39 state and 33 private.

She said Osawatomie contract nurses were asked what it would take for them to accept state employment. The nurses weren’t interested in signing bonuses or housing allowances, she said, but were keen to earn salaries of at least $50 per hour. The average RN at Osawatomie has been paid $44 per hour, or $59 per hour when benefits were included.

“I would increase the salaries,” Byram said. “It’s the current wage gap between agency and state positions that is our primary obstacle.”

If the Legislature prohibited payment of contract nurses to staff the Osawatomie hospital, she said, the facility had enough nurses to make use of 43 beds. She said 116 beds at Osawatomie would be closed if contract nurses were removed and replacements weren’t hired.

Lindsey Topps, superintendent at Larned, said the hospital averaged 400 patients with more than half the total in a sexual predator treatment program.

“We have, I say, no fat on campus,” Topps said. “We’ve maximized the amount of residents or patients to the RNs and LPNs in order to provide safe and good patient care as well as follow the regulations.”

Here is the breakdown between state employees and contract laborers at Larned: Registered nurses, 17 state and 38 private; LPNs, nine state and 27 private; mental health workers or CNAs, 194 state and 179 private.

Topps said debate by the Legislature about reducing contract nursing labor should take into consideration the aggressive, disruptive, suicidal and homicidal conduct of people at Larned. She said most community-based health facilities didn’t have the staff or facilities to deal with individuals who ended up at the state hospital.

“We have some of the most severe mentally ill individuals in the state of Kansas,” Topps said.

During the 2025 legislative session, the House and Senate didn’t approve financing for new spending on contract nursing at the two state hospitals.

“Sometimes we set aside money because that feels good and we think that’s going to to do something,” said Sen. Beverly Gossage, a Republican from Eudora.

Sen. Renee Erickson, R-Wichita, said the state had a handful of initiatives designed to develop a Kansas pipeline of nurses who could fill jobs at state hospitals. She said the state spent millions of dollars so 2,700 high school students could take courses required to become a certified nursing assistant. She said only one-third of those students became CNAs.

“We’re paying to fill that pipeline, but it’s not translating,” she said. “It doesn’t appear like (it’s) actually reducing the demand and getting to the root of the problem. It doesn’t seem to be making the impact it should or we would hope it should.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755719328268.png" alt=" Rep. Will Carpenter, R-El Dorado, says he doubts the state can ever build the nursing staff needed to operate state psychiatric hospitals in Larned and Osawatomie. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Rep. Will Carpenter, R-El Dorado, says he doubts the state can ever build the nursing staff needed to operate state psychiatric hospitals in Larned and Osawatomie. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Osawatomie, Larned superintendents outline reasons to keep private contract labor</h2>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The state of Kansas invests more than $60 million annually to hire contract nursing staff to work at state psychiatric hospitals in Larned and Osawatomie, but the financial boost hasn’t closed job vacancy gaps exceeding 33% at both facilities.On Tuesday, Kansas legislators on a special committee exploring contract nursing shared disappointment with results of years of stopgap appropriations to hire temporary nurses provided by private companies. The state also has devoted resources to raising salaries and providing bonuses to encourage state-employed nurses to remain at the hospitals.Lawmakers expressed skepticism Kansas would ever have enough people to fill vacancies at state hospitals serving involuntarily committed or criminally charged individuals with mental health issues, as well as sexually violent offenders detained at Larned after serving prison sentences.“In my experience, we’re not going to build this staff to take care of the number of people that are out there right now,” said Rep. Will Carpenter, an El Dorado Republican who chairs the Legislature’s interim health committee. “Prove me wrong, because I want to be wrong.”Carpenter suggested consideration be given to transferring about 100 patients from Larned to other locations so staffing levels could be sustained without contract nurses. In 2027, Kansas is scheduled to open a new 104-bed state psychiatric hospital in Sedgwick County.Expenditures at Larned State Hospital for nursing contract labor increased from $5.9 million in 2019 to $8.6 million in 2021, $43.1 million in 2023 and $46 million in 2025. At Osawatomie State Hospital, contract costs surged from $233,000 in 2019 to $3.2 million in 2021, $16 million in 2023 and $15.4 million in 2025. The job vacancy rate at Osawatomie stood at 35.5%, while the rate at Larned was 33.5%.“I’ve been incredibly disappointed on how that’s worked,” Carpenter said.<h2>Contract labor not answer</h2>Scott Brunner, deputy secretary of the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, said the agency used state tax dollars to bring in dozens of registered nurses and licensed practice nurses to care for patients who generally had complex medical needs. Some require one-on-one care.“To keep our bed count open at the levels that they are,” he said, “we have to have enough staff to make sure patients are safe.”He said the starting salary for a registered nurse at the state hospitals was about $40 per hour. The state paid companies providing contract registered nurses $90 to $100 per hour to take on the same responsibilities, with the nurse receiving approximately two-thirds of the total.“We certainly don’t think contract labor is a solution,” Brunner said. “It’s a way of addressing the need to keep beds open and keep patients moving through the system.”He recommended the Legislature pass&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2237/" target="_blank">House Bill 2237</a>, which is hung up in the Senate, to place in state law the ability of state agencies to award employee bonuses in amounts up to $10,000 per year. He urged lawmakers to keep funding cost-of-living and market-rate adjustments to salaries so state hospitals could compete with the private sector for labor. The existing budget for contract nurses needs to be sustained, he said.In addition, Brunner suggested the state expand college scholarships for nurses, consider providing nursing students with financial support in exchange for post-graduation employment agreements and provide training opportunities for experienced nurses to advance their careers.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755719398717.png" alt=" Lindsey Topps, superintendent of Larned State Hospital, said the facility serving about 400 patients with mental illness relies extensively on contract nursing staff to operate programs serving sexual predators, individuals charged with crimes and people struggling with acute illness. (Kansas Reflector screen capture of Kansas Legislature video)" />
 <figcaption> Lindsey Topps, superintendent of Larned State Hospital, said the facility serving about 400 patients with mental illness relies extensively on contract nursing staff to operate programs serving sexual predators, individuals charged with crimes and people struggling with acute illness. (Kansas Reflector screen capture of Kansas Legislature video)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘Increase the salaries’</h2>Ashley Byram, superintendent of the Osawatomie hospital, said only half of the facility’s RNs, LPNs and mental health technicians were state employees. Here’s the split between state employee and agency contract workers at Osawatomie: RNs, 16 state and 16 private; LPNs, three state and 13 private; and mental health techs, 39 state and 33 private.She said Osawatomie contract nurses were asked what it would take for them to accept state employment. The nurses weren’t interested in signing bonuses or housing allowances, she said, but were keen to earn salaries of at least $50 per hour. The average RN at Osawatomie has been paid $44 per hour, or $59 per hour when benefits were included.“I would increase the salaries,” Byram said. “It’s the current wage gap between agency and state positions that is our primary obstacle.”If the Legislature prohibited payment of contract nurses to staff the Osawatomie hospital, she said, the facility had enough nurses to make use of 43 beds. She said 116 beds at Osawatomie would be closed if contract nurses were removed and replacements weren’t hired.Lindsey Topps, superintendent at Larned, said the hospital averaged 400 patients with more than half the total in a sexual predator treatment program.“We have, I say, no fat on campus,” Topps said. “We’ve maximized the amount of residents or patients to the RNs and LPNs in order to provide safe and good patient care as well as follow the regulations.”Here is the breakdown between state employees and contract laborers at Larned: Registered nurses, 17 state and 38 private; LPNs, nine state and 27 private; mental health workers or CNAs, 194 state and 179 private.Topps said debate by the Legislature about reducing contract nursing labor should take into consideration the aggressive, disruptive, suicidal and homicidal conduct of people at Larned. She said most community-based health facilities didn’t have the staff or facilities to deal with individuals who ended up at the state hospital.“We have some of the most severe mentally ill individuals in the state of Kansas,” Topps said.<h2>‘It’s not translating’</h2>During the 2025 legislative session, the House and Senate didn’t approve financing for new spending on contract nursing at the two state hospitals.“Sometimes we set aside money because that feels good and we think that’s going to to do something,” said Sen. Beverly Gossage, a Republican from Eudora.Sen. Renee Erickson, R-Wichita, said the state had a handful of initiatives designed to develop a Kansas pipeline of nurses who could fill jobs at state hospitals. She said the state spent millions of dollars so 2,700 high school students could take courses required to become a certified nursing assistant. She said only one-third of those students became CNAs.“We’re paying to fill that pipeline, but it’s not translating,” she said. “It doesn’t appear like (it’s) actually reducing the demand and getting to the root of the problem. It doesn’t seem to be making the impact it should or we would hope it should.”

Kansas legislators despair about $60 million annual cost of contract nurses at psychiatric hospitals

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

A Hugoton man allegedly battered a woman while on the dance floor at Chuck's, 507 W. Seventh St.

Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler said 24-year-old David Cruz-Soto was arrested on alleged charges of aggravated sexual battery and interference with law enforcement after he resisted arrest.

Scheibler said officers were dispatched to the bar at about 12:51 a.m. on Aug. 16 after a woman reported being battered. The woman said a Hispanic man allegedly came up behind her, touched her inappropriately and then put his arm around her neck, choking her.

Scheibler said the woman was able to get away and officers found the suspect inside the establishment. He said the victim did not suffer injuries requiring hospital treatment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755743861745.png" alt="Cruz-Soto photo Ellis Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Cruz-Soto photo Ellis Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostA Hugoton man allegedly battered a woman while on the dance floor at Chuck's, 507 W. Seventh St.Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler said 24-year-old David Cruz-Soto was arrested on alleged charges of aggravated sexual battery and interference with law enforcement after he resisted arrest.Scheibler said officers were dispatched to the bar at about 12:51 a.m. on Aug. 16 after a woman reported being battered. The woman said a Hispanic man allegedly came up behind her, touched her inappropriately and then put his arm around her neck, choking her.Scheibler said the woman was able to get away and officers found the suspect inside the establishment. He said the victim did not suffer injuries requiring hospital treatment.

Hugoton man allegedly batters woman in Hays bar

By BECKY KISER Hays&nbsp; Post

Financing for several new projects in Hays will be reviewed during Thursday's city commission work session.

Commissioners will hear from Kim Rupp, finance director, about ordinances and resolutions to issue general obligation bonds and temporary notes for the automated water meter infrastructure, the police department and municipal court facility, The Grove housing development and an economic development grant and construction of infrastructure at Interstate 70, Exit 161. &nbsp;

A recommended bid award will be presented for the Hays Regional Airport terminal passenger parking lot expansion. The airport has been seeing record enplanements, and the parking lot needs to be enlarged for a second time.&nbsp;Morgan Brothers Construction of&nbsp;La Crosse was the low bidder at&nbsp;$248,019.

A rezoning request will be presented for the proposed Lincoln School apartment complex, 1906 Ash, from a public and institutional district to a residential multi-family district.

The owner of the property, Hays developer Michael Graham, is&nbsp;proposing remodeling the former school into apartments and constructing a&nbsp;residential multi-family housing development on the surrounding property.

&nbsp;Jana's Campaign and Options Domestic &amp; Sexual Violence Services will also present about the SafeBar Alliance Training and Bystander Intervention Training.

The complete Aug. 21 agenda is available <a href="https://haysusa.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08212025-1565">here</a>.

The work session starts at 4 p.m. in Hays City Hall, 1507 Main.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584473406560.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays&nbsp; PostFinancing for several new projects in Hays will be reviewed during Thursday's city commission work session.Commissioners will hear from Kim Rupp, finance director, about ordinances and resolutions to issue general obligation bonds and temporary notes for the automated water meter infrastructure, the police department and municipal court facility, The Grove housing development and an economic development grant and construction of infrastructure at Interstate 70, Exit 161. &nbsp;A recommended bid award will be presented for the Hays Regional Airport terminal passenger parking lot expansion. The airport has been seeing record enplanements, and the parking lot needs to be enlarged for a second time.&nbsp;Morgan Brothers Construction of&nbsp;La Crosse was the low bidder at&nbsp;$248,019.A rezoning request will be presented for the proposed Lincoln School apartment complex, 1906 Ash, from a public and institutional district to a residential multi-family district.The owner of the property, Hays developer Michael Graham, is&nbsp;proposing remodeling the former school into apartments and constructing a&nbsp;residential multi-family housing development on the surrounding property.&nbsp;Jana's Campaign and Options Domestic &amp; Sexual Violence Services will also present about the SafeBar Alliance Training and Bystander Intervention Training.The complete Aug. 21 agenda is available <a href="https://haysusa.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08212025-1565">here</a>.The work session starts at 4 p.m. in Hays City Hall, 1507 Main.

Hays City Commission to hear financing details of new developments

By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER Hays Post Sports

HAYS - The 2024 football season for Hays High ended with the program's first ever appearance in the state championship game. The loss in that finale did nothing to damper the expectations looking forward. Head coach Tony Crough knows the experience will pay off for his team. "I don't know that our kids feel a whole lot different about it. That doesn't mean you get to go in and make it back to the state championship game every year. But, it just feels like they are lot more settled in with what it looked like and how to operate."

Crough (45-28) enters his eighth year at the helm.&nbsp;

Mother Nature decided day number one of the football season would end with a cancelled practice. The following morning at 6:00 a.m. the team held their first practice on the turf at the brand new high school.

106 players donned helmets for a Indian team that returns most of the pieces from the prior year's running game. "With that offensive line coming back, that's always the staple of a good offense. Of course we are really talented in the backfield with Holden (Lind) and bringing in some new guys. But, being stable up front, having those guys that know what to do...it looks natural, looks normal, and they look comfortable."

Much of the focus on the offensive line lands on sophomore Gus Corsair. He landed a number of Power Five offers during the offseason.

Hays used a tough regular season in 2024 to ready themselves for a magical postseason run. That schedule gets even tougher in 2025.&nbsp;

The Indians traveled to Arvada, Colorado last year to face the Wheatridge Farmers. Wheatridge won't be making the return trip which left Hays High in search of a new opponent for week two of the season and the first varsity football game held at the new Hays High School. That opponent will be Choctaw, Oklahoma. The Yellowjackets are the 6A-II defending state champions, winning their last ten games in 2024.

The Indians' first eight opponents went a combined 63-24 last season. Only one of the schools had a final record under .500.&nbsp;They will travel to Derby to open the season with the Panthers on September 5th.

By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER Hays Post SportsHAYS - The 2024 football season for Hays High ended with the program's first ever appearance in the state championship game. The loss in that finale did nothing to damper the expectations looking forward. Head coach Tony Crough knows the experience will pay off for his team. "I don't know that our kids feel a whole lot different about it. That doesn't mean you get to go in and make it back to the state championship game every year. But, it just feels like they are lot more settled in with what it looked like and how to operate."Crough (45-28) enters his eighth year at the helm.&nbsp;<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2156400432&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/tony-crough-preseason-2025" title="Tony Crough Preseason 2025" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Tony Crough Preseason 2025</a></div></div>Mother Nature decided day number one of the football season would end with a cancelled practice. The following morning at 6:00 a.m. the team held their first practice on the turf at the brand new high school.106 players donned helmets for a Indian team that returns most of the pieces from the prior year's running game. "With that offensive line coming back, that's always the staple of a good offense. Of course we are really talented in the backfield with Holden (Lind) and bringing in some new guys. But, being stable up front, having those guys that know what to do...it looks natural, looks normal, and they look comfortable."Much of the focus on the offensive line lands on sophomore Gus Corsair. He landed a number of Power Five offers during the offseason.Hays used a tough regular season in 2024 to ready themselves for a magical postseason run. That schedule gets even tougher in 2025.&nbsp;The Indians traveled to Arvada, Colorado last year to face the Wheatridge Farmers. Wheatridge won't be making the return trip which left Hays High in search of a new opponent for week two of the season and the first varsity football game held at the new Hays High School. That opponent will be Choctaw, Oklahoma. The Yellowjackets are the 6A-II defending state champions, winning their last ten games in 2024.The Indians' first eight opponents went a combined 63-24 last season. Only one of the schools had a final record under .500.&nbsp;They will travel to Derby to open the season with the Panthers on September 5th.

🏈 Hays High returns with heightened expectations

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/josh-funk">JOSH FUNK</a>

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska announced plans Tuesday for an immigration detention center in the remote southwest corner of the state as President Donald Trump’s administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/border-immigration-kristi-noem-alligator-alcatraz-02daf485e8a499022491c35f7c656fe8">races to expand</a>&nbsp;the infrastructure necessary for increasing deportations.

The facility will be dubbed the “Cornhusker Clink,” a play on Nebraska’s nickname of the Cornhusker State and an old slang term for jail. The alliterative name follows in the vein of the previously announced “Alligator Alcatraz” and “Deportation Depot” detention centers in Florida and the “Speedway Slammer” in Indiana.

Republican Gov. Jim Pillen said he and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had agreed to use an existing minimum security prison work camp in McCook — a remote city of about 7,000 people in the middle of the wide-open prairies between Denver and Omaha — to house people awaiting deportation and being held for other immigration proceedings. It’s expected to be a Midwest hub for detainees from several states.

“This is about keeping Nebraskans – and Americans across our country – safe,” Pillen said in a statement.

The facility can accommodate 200 people with plans to expand to 300. McCook is about 210 miles (338 kilometers) west of Lincoln, the state capital.

“If you are in America illegally, you could find yourself in Nebraska’s Cornhusker Clink. Avoid arrest and self deport now using the CBP Home App,” Noem&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/08/19/cornhusker-clink-new-partnership-dhs-and-state-nebraska-expand-detention-space" target="_blank">said in a separate statement.</a>

Noem’s agency&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/dhsgov/status/1957931320044138759?s=46" target="_blank">posted a picture</a>&nbsp;on social media showing ears of corn wearing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement hats, standing in front of a prison fence.

The governor said later at a news conference in McCook that the center will have the advantage of being located at an existing facility and near a regional airport. He told reporters he didn’t know if the center would house women as well as men or if children could be held there. He said he first learned the federal government was interested in the facility on Friday.

Pillen also announced he would order the Nebraska National Guard to provide administrative and logistical support to Nebraska-based immigration agents. About 20 soldiers will be involved. And he said the Nebraska State Patrol would allow six troopers to help federal immigration agents make arrests.

Adding detention facilities to hold growing number of immigrants arrested

The Trump administration is adding new detention facilities across the country to hold the growing number of immigrants it has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/immigration">arrested and accused</a>&nbsp;of being in the country illegally. ICE centers were holding more than 56,000 immigrants in June, the most since 2019.

The new and planned facilities include the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-immigration-ice-trump-alligator-alcatraz-2edf0cd03409b3526f34d4d7b33074be">remote detention center in the Florida Everglades</a>&nbsp;known as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alligator-alcatraz-immigration-detainees-florida-cc2fb9e34e760a50e97f13fe59cbf075">“Alligator Alcatraz,”</a>&nbsp;which opened last month. It’s designed to hold up to 3,000 detainees in temporary tent structures. When Trump toured it,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-everglades-immigrant-detention-facility-visit-5dc5568ec15534947c29c9149b773d1d">he suggested it could be a model</a>&nbsp;for future lockups nationwide.

The Florida facility also been the subject of legal challenges by attorneys who allege violations of due process there, including the rights of detainees to meet with their attorneys, limited access to immigration courts and poor living conditions. Critics have been trying to stop further construction and operations until it comes into compliance with federal environmental laws.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-immigration-detention-center-desantis-dce8b6b8f634152a604eb06bfc2fb461">announced last week</a>&nbsp;that his administration is preparing to open a second facility, dubbed “Deportation Depot,” at a state prison in north Florida. It’s expected to have 1,300 immigration beds, though that capacity could be expanded to 2,000, state officials said.

Also last week, officials in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-immigration-detention-facility-a4cbf17febb9c345282d2fc33087fc2b">rural Tennessee town of Mason</a>&nbsp;voted to approve agreements to turn a former prison into an immigration detention facility operated by a private company, despite loud objections from residents and activists during a contentious public meeting.

And the Trump administration announced plans earlier this month for a 1,000-bed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-detention-indiana-prison-immigrants-f4af2d5ad5ece8481b0750dad53fb743">detention center in Indiana</a>&nbsp;that would be dubbed “Speedway Slammer,” prompting a backlash in the Midwestern state that hosts the Indianapolis 500 auto race.

Corrections director Rob Jeffreys said the 186 inmates currently at the McCook work camp will be transferred to other state facilities over the next 45 to 60 days. The repurposed facility will be run by the state but will be paid for by the federal government. He said it’s already set up and accredited to hold prisoners, so detainees won’t be housed in tents or other temporary quarters.

The Nebraska plan has already raised concerns

In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/758115393643071" target="_blank">video</a>&nbsp;posted to social media, state Sen. Megan Hunt, an independent, blasted a lack of transparency about plans for a detention center, citing her unfulfilled request to the governor and executive branch for emails and other records.

She urged people to support local immigrant rights groups.

“The No. 1 thing we need to do is protect our neighbors, protect the people in our communities who are being targeted by these horrible people, these horrible organizations that are making choices to lock up, detain, disappear our neighbors and families and friends,” Hunt said.

Around a half-dozen protesters sat in the hallway outside the governor’s office Tuesday afternoon making signs that said, “No Nazi Nebraska” and “ICE = Gestapo.”

Maghie Miller-Jenkins of Lincoln said she doesn’t think an ICE detention center is a good idea, adding the state should tackle problems like child hunger and homelessness. “This state has numerous things they could focus on that would benefit the constituents,” she said.

Associated Press reporters Steve Karnowski in St. Paul, Minnesota, Jack Dura in Fargo, North Dakota, and Scott McFetridge in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this story.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755655048611.png" alt=" The McCook Work Ethic Camp in McCook, Nebraska. (Courtesy of Nebraska Department of Correctional Services)" />
 <figcaption> The McCook Work Ethic Camp in McCook, Nebraska. (Courtesy of Nebraska Department of Correctional Services)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/josh-funk">JOSH FUNK</a>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska announced plans Tuesday for an immigration detention center in the remote southwest corner of the state as President Donald Trump’s administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/border-immigration-kristi-noem-alligator-alcatraz-02daf485e8a499022491c35f7c656fe8">races to expand</a>&nbsp;the infrastructure necessary for increasing deportations.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755656991928.png" alt="Google map" />
 <figcaption>Google map</figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">COMING SOON: THE CORNHUSKER CLINK 🌽 <a href="https://t.co/jGrZS8opsW">https://t.co/jGrZS8opsW</a> <a href="https://t.co/W75pCHipHm">pic.twitter.com/W75pCHipHm</a>&mdash; Homeland Security (@DHSgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHSgov/status/1957931320044138759?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The facility will be dubbed the “Cornhusker Clink,” a play on Nebraska’s nickname of the Cornhusker State and an old slang term for jail. The alliterative name follows in the vein of the previously announced “Alligator Alcatraz” and “Deportation Depot” detention centers in Florida and the “Speedway Slammer” in Indiana.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755655006412.png" alt="Photo Homeland Security" />
 <figcaption>Photo Homeland Security</figcaption>
 </figure>Republican Gov. Jim Pillen said he and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had agreed to use an existing minimum security prison work camp in McCook — a remote city of about 7,000 people in the middle of the wide-open prairies between Denver and Omaha — to house people awaiting deportation and being held for other immigration proceedings. It’s expected to be a Midwest hub for detainees from several states.“This is about keeping Nebraskans – and Americans across our country – safe,” Pillen said in a statement.The facility can accommodate 200 people with plans to expand to 300. McCook is about 210 miles (338 kilometers) west of Lincoln, the state capital.“If you are in America illegally, you could find yourself in Nebraska’s Cornhusker Clink. Avoid arrest and self deport now using the CBP Home App,” Noem&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/08/19/cornhusker-clink-new-partnership-dhs-and-state-nebraska-expand-detention-space" target="_blank">said in a separate statement.</a>Noem’s agency&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/dhsgov/status/1957931320044138759?s=46" target="_blank">posted a picture</a>&nbsp;on social media showing ears of corn wearing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement hats, standing in front of a prison fence.The governor said later at a news conference in McCook that the center will have the advantage of being located at an existing facility and near a regional airport. He told reporters he didn’t know if the center would house women as well as men or if children could be held there. He said he first learned the federal government was interested in the facility on Friday.Pillen also announced he would order the Nebraska National Guard to provide administrative and logistical support to Nebraska-based immigration agents. About 20 soldiers will be involved. And he said the Nebraska State Patrol would allow six troopers to help federal immigration agents make arrests.<h2>Adding detention facilities to hold growing number of immigrants arrested</h2>The Trump administration is adding new detention facilities across the country to hold the growing number of immigrants it has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/immigration">arrested and accused</a>&nbsp;of being in the country illegally. ICE centers were holding more than 56,000 immigrants in June, the most since 2019.The new and planned facilities include the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-immigration-ice-trump-alligator-alcatraz-2edf0cd03409b3526f34d4d7b33074be">remote detention center in the Florida Everglades</a>&nbsp;known as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alligator-alcatraz-immigration-detainees-florida-cc2fb9e34e760a50e97f13fe59cbf075">“Alligator Alcatraz,”</a>&nbsp;which opened last month. It’s designed to hold up to 3,000 detainees in temporary tent structures. When Trump toured it,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-everglades-immigrant-detention-facility-visit-5dc5568ec15534947c29c9149b773d1d">he suggested it could be a model</a>&nbsp;for future lockups nationwide.The Florida facility also been the subject of legal challenges by attorneys who allege violations of due process there, including the rights of detainees to meet with their attorneys, limited access to immigration courts and poor living conditions. Critics have been trying to stop further construction and operations until it comes into compliance with federal environmental laws.Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-immigration-detention-center-desantis-dce8b6b8f634152a604eb06bfc2fb461">announced last week</a>&nbsp;that his administration is preparing to open a second facility, dubbed “Deportation Depot,” at a state prison in north Florida. It’s expected to have 1,300 immigration beds, though that capacity could be expanded to 2,000, state officials said.Also last week, officials in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-immigration-detention-facility-a4cbf17febb9c345282d2fc33087fc2b">rural Tennessee town of Mason</a>&nbsp;voted to approve agreements to turn a former prison into an immigration detention facility operated by a private company, despite loud objections from residents and activists during a contentious public meeting.And the Trump administration announced plans earlier this month for a 1,000-bed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-detention-indiana-prison-immigrants-f4af2d5ad5ece8481b0750dad53fb743">detention center in Indiana</a>&nbsp;that would be dubbed “Speedway Slammer,” prompting a backlash in the Midwestern state that hosts the Indianapolis 500 auto race.Corrections director Rob Jeffreys said the 186 inmates currently at the McCook work camp will be transferred to other state facilities over the next 45 to 60 days. The repurposed facility will be run by the state but will be paid for by the federal government. He said it’s already set up and accredited to hold prisoners, so detainees won’t be housed in tents or other temporary quarters.<h2>The Nebraska plan has already raised concerns</h2>In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/758115393643071" target="_blank">video</a>&nbsp;posted to social media, state Sen. Megan Hunt, an independent, blasted a lack of transparency about plans for a detention center, citing her unfulfilled request to the governor and executive branch for emails and other records.She urged people to support local immigrant rights groups.“The No. 1 thing we need to do is protect our neighbors, protect the people in our communities who are being targeted by these horrible people, these horrible organizations that are making choices to lock up, detain, disappear our neighbors and families and friends,” Hunt said.Around a half-dozen protesters sat in the hallway outside the governor’s office Tuesday afternoon making signs that said, “No Nazi Nebraska” and “ICE = Gestapo.”Maghie Miller-Jenkins of Lincoln said she doesn’t think an ICE detention center is a good idea, adding the state should tackle problems like child hunger and homelessness. “This state has numerous things they could focus on that would benefit the constituents,” she said.___Associated Press reporters Steve Karnowski in St. Paul, Minnesota, Jack Dura in Fargo, North Dakota, and Scott McFetridge in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this story.

‘Cornhusker Clink’ immigration detention center to open near NW Kansas

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The halls of Hays High School were bustling with curious students the last two days as students were allowed a sneak peek of their new school.

Today is the first day of school for all Hays USD 489 students, and the first full day of classes for the new $100 million high school.

Mario Hernandez, a junior, was there with other members of the student council serving as ambassadors for the new school.

Hernandez, a football player, said he is excited for the new athletic facilities.

Hays High has never played a home football game at its own facility. For years, the district has leased Fort Hays State University's Lewis Field. The Indians will play their first home game on Friday, Sept. 5.

"We have a beautiful new field, a new weight room. It's great," he said.

Kamden McBride, junior, said he is excited about the new performing arts center on campus. He said driving to another location was cumbersome. He's looking forward to the first performances of the chorus, band and orchestra in the new building.

"The whole school is amazing. I'm not into football, but having the view of the football field is beautiful."

The former Hays High School did not have an auditorium. Students either had to use the 12th Street auditorium, which was built more than 70 years ago and is in disrepair, or lease space at FHSU.

The new performing arts center seats 800 people, has an attached dressing room, costume shop and set workshop.

Alex Underwood, chorus teacher, noted the auditorium was designed with special attention to acoustics and rigging for scenery.

McBride said he wasn't too concerned about navigating the new school. He said finding classes was easy once you oriented yourself with the commons. He said he thought it was easier to navigate than the former Hays High.&nbsp;

The building is color-coded. Math and science are green, ground floor west. Music, performing arts and social studies are beige, ground floor east. Math, science, ag, business and the media center are light blue, second floor west. Art, English and world language are dark blue, second floor east.

The athletics wing is in the southwest portion of the building and painted with Hays High Indians logos in maroon and gold.

Avery Arias, junior, said, "The classrooms are bigger, and it allows for more space. There is new equipment and arts supplies and new culinary stuff. It opens up a lot of new opportunities for students in all areas, sports, art, business, everything."

&nbsp;Teachers are looking forward to their new spaces as well.

Maleigha&nbsp;Albers,&nbsp;English teacher, said&nbsp;the new extra space will help with her interactions with students.

"I love it. I love the room. Last year, I couldn't walk to the back of my room because it was so congested. I can move. I can help my kids better. I can maneuver the classroom a little bit better," she said.

Kathy Wagoner, English teacher, said, "It's an exciting time. I'm just thankful that the community has given us this opportunity to help kids grow. I love the extra space. It's an incredible building."

Wagoner said she taught for 34 years in a classroom with no windows. The new classrooms have many windows, which allow in natural light.

Many of the classrooms have class sliding doors that open into halls with flexible seating so students can work in small groups.

Wagoner said the design will allow for better supervision. In the old classrooms with the wooden doors, it was challenging to monitor both students working in the hall and the classroom.&nbsp;

"You were stuck in the doorway, and you had to look back and forth," she said.

Kayla Brown, chemistry teacher, said of her new classroom, "It's fabulous. More room to move around. Being able to use the desk as a class desk and dual lab benches is great. They are on casters, so it's easy to move them around."&nbsp;

She said the room has additional storage and it's more accessible.&nbsp;

A public ribbon cutting for the new high school will be at 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 29, followed by the Maroon and Gold scrimmage. The public will be allowed to tour the building at that time.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755634947316.jpeg" alt="Juniors and seniors gathered for a sneak peek of the new Hays High School in the commons on Monday. Today is the first day of classes in the $100 million building that was paid for through a bond passed in 2022. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Juniors and seniors gathered for a sneak peek of the new Hays High School in the commons on Monday. Today is the first day of classes in the $100 million building that was paid for through a bond passed in 2022. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="Post Podcast: Ron Wilson" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:300px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?from=embed&i=5tjvy-193b79e-pb&square=1&share=1&download=1&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&rtl=0&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=300" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe halls of Hays High School were bustling with curious students the last two days as students were allowed a sneak peek of their new school.Today is the first day of school for all Hays USD 489 students, and the first full day of classes for the new $100 million high school.Mario Hernandez, a junior, was there with other members of the student council serving as ambassadors for the new school.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755570751577.jpeg" alt="View of the new Hays High football field from the lower floor commons. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>View of the new Hays High football field from the lower floor commons. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755635542345.jpeg" alt="Learning stairs in the new Hays High commons. Students can gather here during lunch or in groups for class or club meetings. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Learning stairs in the new Hays High commons. Students can gather here during lunch or in groups for class or club meetings. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Hernandez, a football player, said he is excited for the new athletic facilities.Hays High has never played a home football game at its own facility. For years, the district has leased Fort Hays State University's Lewis Field. The Indians will play their first home game on Friday, Sept. 5."We have a beautiful new field, a new weight room. It's great," he said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755635671383.jpeg" alt="The new Hays High performing arts center will accommodate 800 people. The former high school did not have an auditorium. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The new Hays High performing arts center will accommodate 800 people. The former high school did not have an auditorium. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755635764668.jpeg" alt="The performing arts center, looking from the audience, has an orchestra pit and riggings for scenery and lighting.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The performing arts center, looking from the audience, has an orchestra pit and riggings for scenery and lighting.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755636343137.jpeg" alt="The band room has a door that leads to the football field for use by the marching band.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The band room has a door that leads to the football field for use by the marching band.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755636680078.jpeg" alt="Choir director Alex Underwood with students in the new chorus room.&nbsp;The new band and chorus rooms are adjacent to practice rooms. A private donor has given music stands, keyboards and audio equipment to outfit those rooms. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Choir director Alex Underwood with students in the new chorus room.&nbsp;The new band and chorus rooms are adjacent to practice rooms. A private donor has given music stands, keyboards and audio equipment to outfit those rooms. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755637502204.jpeg" alt="The dressing room adjacent to the performing arts center in the new Hays High School.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The dressing room adjacent to the performing arts center in the new Hays High School.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Kamden McBride, junior, said he is excited about the new performing arts center on campus. He said driving to another location was cumbersome. He's looking forward to the first performances of the chorus, band and orchestra in the new building."The whole school is amazing. I'm not into football, but having the view of the football field is beautiful."The former Hays High School did not have an auditorium. Students either had to use the 12th Street auditorium, which was built more than 70 years ago and is in disrepair, or lease space at FHSU.The new performing arts center seats 800 people, has an attached dressing room, costume shop and set workshop.Alex Underwood, chorus teacher, noted the auditorium was designed with special attention to acoustics and rigging for scenery.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755636009809.jpeg" alt="An art room in the new Hays High. The school has built-in display cases for art in this wing of the building.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>An art room in the new Hays High. The school has built-in display cases for art in this wing of the building.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755636213396.jpeg" alt="Students and teachers gather in the hall of the English wing of the new Hays High. The halls have flexible seating so students can work in small groups. Glass doors allow light in and teachers to monitor students working in the hallways. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Students and teachers gather in the hall of the English wing of the new Hays High. The halls have flexible seating so students can work in small groups. Glass doors allow light in and teachers to monitor students working in the hallways. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755637673090.jpeg" alt="Additional collaboration workspace for students.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Additional collaboration workspace for students.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>McBride said he wasn't too concerned about navigating the new school. He said finding classes was easy once you oriented yourself with the commons. He said he thought it was easier to navigate than the former Hays High.&nbsp;The building is color-coded. Math and science are green, ground floor west. Music, performing arts and social studies are beige, ground floor east. Math, science, ag, business and the media center are light blue, second floor west. Art, English and world language are dark blue, second floor east.The athletics wing is in the southwest portion of the building and painted with Hays High Indians logos in maroon and gold.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755636781146.jpeg" alt="A new culinary arts kitchen that will be used for student instruction. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A new culinary arts kitchen that will be used for student instruction. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755636918264.jpeg" alt="New Hays High media center. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>New Hays High media center. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755636984582.jpeg" alt="The new student broadcast studio at Hays High. Adjacent to this room are video editing bays. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The new student broadcast studio at Hays High. Adjacent to this room are video editing bays. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Avery Arias, junior, said, "The classrooms are bigger, and it allows for more space. There is new equipment and arts supplies and new culinary stuff. It opens up a lot of new opportunities for students in all areas, sports, art, business, everything."&nbsp;Teachers are looking forward to their new spaces as well.Maleigha&nbsp;Albers,&nbsp;English teacher, said&nbsp;the new extra space will help with her interactions with students."I love it. I love the room. Last year, I couldn't walk to the back of my room because it was so congested. I can move. I can help my kids better. I can maneuver the classroom a little bit better," she said.Kathy Wagoner, English teacher, said, "It's an exciting time. I'm just thankful that the community has given us this opportunity to help kids grow. I love the extra space. It's an incredible building."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755637113384.jpeg" alt="New chemistry lab with lab desks that are on casters for more flexibility. The labs also have more in-room storage. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>New chemistry lab with lab desks that are on casters for more flexibility. The labs also have more in-room storage. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755637236885.jpeg" alt="Teacher work space. Because teachers have this workspace, classrooms can be used all hours of the day if needed, and teachers can work in one of these workrooms during their planning periods. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Teacher work space. Because teachers have this workspace, classrooms can be used all hours of the day if needed, and teachers can work in one of these workrooms during their planning periods. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755637934225.jpeg" alt="A social studies classroom.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A social studies classroom.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Wagoner said she taught for 34 years in a classroom with no windows. The new classrooms have many windows, which allow in natural light.Many of the classrooms have class sliding doors that open into halls with flexible seating so students can work in small groups.Wagoner said the design will allow for better supervision. In the old classrooms with the wooden doors, it was challenging to monitor both students working in the hall and the classroom.&nbsp;"You were stuck in the doorway, and you had to look back and forth," she said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755638032843.jpeg" alt="Auxiliary gym.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Auxiliary gym.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755638046450.jpeg" alt="Main competition gym.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Main competition gym.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755638057619.jpeg" alt="First floor of the two-floor weight room.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>First floor of the two-floor weight room.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755638071736.jpeg" alt="New Hays High football field and scoreboard looking southeast from the home stands.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>New Hays High football field and scoreboard looking southeast from the home stands.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755638084905.jpeg" alt="Press box and home stands.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Press box and home stands.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Kayla Brown, chemistry teacher, said of her new classroom, "It's fabulous. More room to move around. Being able to use the desk as a class desk and dual lab benches is great. They are on casters, so it's easy to move them around."&nbsp;She said the room has additional storage and it's more accessible.&nbsp;A public ribbon cutting for the new high school will be at 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 29, followed by the Maroon and Gold scrimmage. The public will be allowed to tour the building at that time.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755638288507.jpeg" alt="The Hays High Indian logo in the stairwell of the athletics wing.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The Hays High Indian logo in the stairwell of the athletics wing.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755638535942.jpeg" alt="Some of the new private bathrooms at Hays High School. The stalls are installed with smoke detectors and cameras outside in the common areas. The stalls are labled male and female.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Some of the new private bathrooms at Hays High School. The stalls are installed with smoke detectors and cameras outside in the common areas. The stalls are labled male and female.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755638494809.jpeg" alt="The private bathrooms have common sink areas. The entrances to the sinks are open to the halls. School administrators say this style of bathroom will provide more privacy for students and be easier for teachers and staff to monitor. However, a small group of residents has opposed this design throughout the project.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>The private bathrooms have common sink areas. The entrances to the sinks are open to the halls. School administrators say this style of bathroom will provide more privacy for students and be easier for teachers and staff to monitor. However, a small group of residents has opposed this design throughout the project.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure>

🎙 New Hays High opens today for first day of classes

Rats. Mid-August and I’ve only seen one hummer in the yard! 

Once again, the earth has tilted on its axis, turning days golden and foretelling southward hummingbird migrations. Where are these late summer travelers?

I remind myself, I don’t hang out in the yard all day every day, so, in theory, dozens could visit our bright blooms, and I haven’t a clue. But . . . I don’t think so. 

I’m outside several extended stretches throughout the day, and I regularly gander out the windows. So far I spied one iridescent traveler sipping nectar from an overloaded flower pot. Nearby neighbors report a few additional sightings, but not in numbers I expect this time of year.

Once days take on the golden shade that suggests autumn’s approach, those transcontinental travelers need to get their affairs in order. This homo sapien traveler suggests planned stops during their long journeys so they can rest and refuel. Throwing in a personal advertisement, I offer my yard, since I plant flowers to encourage those stopovers.

Based on birding posts, some folks do see frequent visitors at their feeders. That suggests an issue because we opted to forego artificial feeders filled with 4 to 1 water/sugar mixture in favor of more bright blooms throughout the yard. 

I did it because it’s difficult to keep glass and plastic that hangs outside well-sanitized this scorching time of year. I hoped to prevent my whirring-winged guests from getting more than a sugar buzz.

In the past, when temps exceeded 85 degrees, I dumped leftover syrup, washed feeders in hot soapy water, and followed with multiple rinses before refilling with fresh solution. That complicates matters for families who want to leave town for a few hours or days. Who wants to leave hungry hummers wondering where their feeder went?

Since we saw hummingbirds choose blooms over Gramma’s syrup every summer, we decided to experiment and offer additional flower selections. 

Though heat takes a toll, roses, salvia, helianthus, holly hocks, trumpet vine, Indian blanket, larkspur, black-eyed Susans, coneflower, petunias, geraniums, schwarzenberry, nasturtiums, moss rose, cosmos, sunflower, marigold, tomato, squash, and pepper keep blooming to attract famished hummers. During refueling stops, they can rest on shady branches and sip water from multiple bird baths. We’re all about accommodating these exotic guests.

Those who follow this column know I suffer this angst annually. Obviously, ditching the feeder and sugar water solution complicates matters. However, I’m convinced hummers used to sipping nectar in northern fields of flowers will thrill to find flavorful prairie and garden blossoms replacing those they left behind.

Hopefully, you’ll soon read that hordes of hummers like you’d see outside mountain condos are flying donuts choosing which flowers to sample. I’d love to exhaust my clicker finger taking photos to share. 

For those feeling sorry for travelers who have to work for natural food, hang a feeder or two of your own. Just follow the 4 to 1 water/sugar formula and sanitize it daily in hot weather.

Karen Madorin is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and sixth-generation Kansan.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755250956818.jpeg" alt="Photo by Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By KAREN MADORINRats. Mid-August and I’ve only seen one hummer in the yard! Once again, the earth has tilted on its axis, turning days golden and foretelling southward hummingbird migrations. Where are these late summer travelers?I remind myself, I don’t hang out in the yard all day every day, so, in theory, dozens could visit our bright blooms, and I haven’t a clue. But . . . I don’t think so. I’m outside several extended stretches throughout the day, and I regularly gander out the windows. So far I spied one iridescent traveler sipping nectar from an overloaded flower pot. Nearby neighbors report a few additional sightings, but not in numbers I expect this time of year.Once days take on the golden shade that suggests autumn’s approach, those transcontinental travelers need to get their affairs in order. This homo sapien traveler suggests planned stops during their long journeys so they can rest and refuel. Throwing in a personal advertisement, I offer my yard, since I plant flowers to encourage those stopovers.Based on birding posts, some folks do see frequent visitors at their feeders. That suggests an issue because we opted to forego artificial feeders filled with 4 to 1 water/sugar mixture in favor of more bright blooms throughout the yard. Some ask why. I did it because it’s difficult to keep glass and plastic that hangs outside well-sanitized this scorching time of year. I hoped to prevent my whirring-winged guests from getting more than a sugar buzz.In the past, when temps exceeded 85 degrees, I dumped leftover syrup, washed feeders in hot soapy water, and followed with multiple rinses before refilling with fresh solution. That complicates matters for families who want to leave town for a few hours or days. Who wants to leave hungry hummers wondering where their feeder went?Since we saw hummingbirds choose blooms over Gramma’s syrup every summer, we decided to experiment and offer additional flower selections. Though heat takes a toll, roses, salvia, helianthus, holly hocks, trumpet vine, Indian blanket, larkspur, black-eyed Susans, coneflower, petunias, geraniums, schwarzenberry, nasturtiums, moss rose, cosmos, sunflower, marigold, tomato, squash, and pepper keep blooming to attract famished hummers. During refueling stops, they can rest on shady branches and sip water from multiple bird baths. We’re all about accommodating these exotic guests.Those who follow this column know I suffer this angst annually. Obviously, ditching the feeder and sugar water solution complicates matters. However, I’m convinced hummers used to sipping nectar in northern fields of flowers will thrill to find flavorful prairie and garden blossoms replacing those they left behind.Hopefully, you’ll soon read that hordes of hummers like you’d see outside mountain condos are flying donuts choosing which flowers to sample. I’d love to exhaust my clicker finger taking photos to share. For those feeling sorry for travelers who have to work for natural food, hang a feeder or two of your own. Just follow the 4 to 1 water/sugar formula and sanitize it daily in hot weather.Karen Madorin is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and sixth-generation Kansan.

MADORIN: Yellow days again

By LINN ANN HUNTINGTON Special to Hays Post

A new interdenominational organization for moms will hold its first meeting from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, at North Oak Community Church, 3000 Oak St.

“The MomCo. is a faith-based community of moms with children of any age who meet together to be an encouragement and support to one another in our walk through motherhood and our relationship with Jesus,” said Alicia Kumer, one of the group’s leaders.

She said the organization was once known as MOPS (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers) and was geared to moms of younger children. But the new organization invites moms of all ages, Kumer said. Moms with grown children and grandmothers are welcome to attend and sometimes even become “mentor moms” to some of the younger members, she said.

Free childcare will be provided. Kumer said it will be helpful if moms could call the church at 785-628-8887 to let organizers know how many children will be accompanying them.

She said the group will meet the second Saturday of the month from September through May. More information is available by calling the above number.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754921616280.png" alt="Photo by Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By LINN ANN HUNTINGTON Special to Hays PostA new interdenominational organization for moms will hold its first meeting from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, at North Oak Community Church, 3000 Oak St.“The MomCo. is a faith-based community of moms with children of any age who meet together to be an encouragement and support to one another in our walk through motherhood and our relationship with Jesus,” said Alicia Kumer, one of the group’s leaders.She said the organization was once known as MOPS (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers) and was geared to moms of younger children. But the new organization invites moms of all ages, Kumer said. Moms with grown children and grandmothers are welcome to attend and sometimes even become “mentor moms” to some of the younger members, she said.Free childcare will be provided. Kumer said it will be helpful if moms could call the church at 785-628-8887 to let organizers know how many children will be accompanying them.She said the group will meet the second Saturday of the month from September through May. More information is available by calling the above number.

New faith organization for moms to hold first meeting

In honor of National Radio Day today, we're giving you an opportunity to register to become a finalist in the Lite Beer from Miller UTV Giveaway&nbsp;AND&nbsp;the Yuengling Flight Golf Cart Giveaway at our studios at the Eagle Media Center, 2300 Hall, Hays, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.!

Both of these beautiful units will be on display.&nbsp;

While you’re here getting registered, enjoy some delicious snacks (meat, cheese and brats) courtesy of Big E Meats in Hays and&nbsp;MEAT&nbsp;your favorite Eagle on-air personalities from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.&nbsp;

Special thanks to sponsors A &amp; A Coors – Miller – Yuengling, Briney Motorsports, Advantage Glass Plus, and Commercial Sign Company in Hays!&nbsp;&nbsp;

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

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755614126836.png" alt=" " />
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 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755614026735.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Eagle MediaIn honor of National Radio Day today, we're giving you an opportunity to register to become a finalist in the Lite Beer from Miller UTV Giveaway&nbsp;AND&nbsp;the Yuengling Flight Golf Cart Giveaway at our studios at the Eagle Media Center, 2300 Hall, Hays, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.! Both of these beautiful units will be on display.&nbsp; While you’re here getting registered, enjoy some delicious snacks (meat, cheese and brats) courtesy of Big E Meats in Hays and&nbsp;MEAT&nbsp;your favorite Eagle on-air personalities from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.&nbsp; Special thanks to sponsors A &amp; A Coors – Miller – Yuengling, Briney Motorsports, Advantage Glass Plus, and Commercial Sign Company in Hays!&nbsp;&nbsp;Keep listening to Eagle Radio and reading the Hays Post all summer long for your chance to become a finalist.

Register to become finalist for UTV, golf cart giveaways today at Eagle Media Center

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The U.S. gymnastics world was only just recovering from a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-0c2c815aa329494ea687d11db4c4653d">devastating sexual abuse scandal</a>&nbsp;when a promising young coach moved from Mississippi to Iowa to take a job in 2018 at an elite academy known for training Olympic champions.

Liang “Chow” Qiao, the owner of Chow’s Gymnastics and Dance Institute in West Des Moines, thought highly enough of his new hire, Sean Gardner, to put him in charge of the club's premier junior event and to coach some of its most promising girls.

But four years later, Gardner was gone from Chow’s with little notice.

USA Gymnastics, the organization rocked by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-us-news-ap-top-news-lansing-in-state-wire-3b446f2430674bafb5b6909549ea8142">Larry Nassar sex-abuse crisis</a>&nbsp;that led to the creation of the U.S. Center for SafeSport, had been informed by the watchdog group that Gardner was suspended from all contact with gymnasts.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755612703063.png" alt="Gardner photo Iowa Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Gardner photo Iowa Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>By RYAN J. FOLEY and EDDIE PELLS&nbsp;IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The U.S. gymnastics world was only just recovering from a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-0c2c815aa329494ea687d11db4c4653d">devastating sexual abuse scandal</a>&nbsp;when a promising young coach moved from Mississippi to Iowa to take a job in 2018 at an elite academy known for training Olympic champions.Liang “Chow” Qiao, the owner of Chow’s Gymnastics and Dance Institute in West Des Moines, thought highly enough of his new hire, Sean Gardner, to put him in charge of the club's premier junior event and to coach some of its most promising girls.But four years later, Gardner was gone from Chow’s with little notice.USA Gymnastics, the organization rocked by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-us-news-ap-top-news-lansing-in-state-wire-3b446f2430674bafb5b6909549ea8142">Larry Nassar sex-abuse crisis</a>&nbsp;that led to the creation of the U.S. Center for SafeSport, had been informed by the watchdog group that Gardner was suspended from all contact with gymnasts.The reason for Gardner’s removal wasn’t disclosed. But court records obtained exclusively by The Associated Press show the coach was accused of sexually abusing at least three young gymnasts at Chow’s and secretly recording others undressing in a gym bathroom at his prior job in Mississippi.Last week, more than three years after being suspended from coaching, the FBI arrested Gardner, 38, on a federal child pornography charge. But his disciplinary case has still not been resolved by SafeSport, which handles sex-abuse cases in Olympic sports.In cases like Gardner’s, the public can be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/olympics-sex-abuse-safesport-nassar-dff194c817ea985fe7f94055edbeb0b7">in the dark for years while SafeSport investigates</a>&nbsp;and sanctions coaches. SafeSport requires that allegations be reported to police to ensure abusers don’t run unchecked outside of sports, but critics say the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/butt-slap-safesport-swimming-olympics-sexual-abuse-3699dae4adc281696ae1fbb5f7b76c6a">system is a slow, murky process.</a>“From an outward operational view, it seems that if SafeSport is involved in any way, the situation turns glow-in-the-dark toxic,” said attorney Steve Silvey, a longtime SafeSport critic who has represented people in cases involving the center.While acknowledging there can be delays as its investigations unfold, SafeSport defended its temporary suspensions in a statement as “a unique and valuable intervention” when there are concerns of a risk to others.Nevertheless, in 2024, Gardner was able to land a job helping care for surgical patients at an Iowa hospital — two years after the abuse allegations against him were reported to SafeSport and the police.And it was not until late May that West Des Moines police executed a search warrant at his home, eventually leading to the recovery of a trove of photos and videos on his computer and cellphone of nude young girls, court records show.Authorities in Iowa sealed the court documents after the AP asked about the investigation earlier this month, before details of the federal charge were made public Friday. Gardner, Qiao and Gardner’s former employer in Mississippi did not respond to AP requests for comment.<h2>‘The job that I’ve always wanted’</h2>Chow’s Gymnastics is best known as the academy where U.S. gymnasts Shawn Johnson and Gabby Douglas trained before becoming gold medalists at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.Qiao opened the gym in 1998 after starring on the Chinese national team and moving to the United States to coach at the University of Iowa. The gym became a draw for top youth gymnasts, with some families moving to Iowa to train there.Gardner moved to Iowa in September 2018, jumping at the opportunity to coach under Qiao.“This is the job that I’ve always wanted. Chow is really someone I have looked up to since I’ve been coaching,” Gardner told the ABC affiliate WOI-TV in 2019. “And you can tell when you step foot in the gym, just even from coaching the girls, the culture that he’s built. It’s amazing. It’s beautiful.”A year later, Gardner was promoted to director of Chow’s Winter Classic, an annual meet that draws more than 1,000 gymnasts to Iowa. He also coached a junior Olympics team during his four-year tenure at Chow’s.Several of his students earned college gymnastics scholarships, but Gardner said he had bigger goals.“You want to leave a thumbprint on their life, so when they go off hopefully to school, to bigger and better things, that they remember Chow’s as family,” he said in a 2020 interview with WOI-TV.<h2>Coach accused of sexual misconduct in Iowa and Mississippi</h2>Gardner is accused of abusing his position at Chow’s and his former job at Jump’In Gymnastics in Mississippi to prey on girls under his tutelage, according to a nine-page FBI affidavit released Friday that summarizes the allegations against him.A girl reported to SafeSport in March 2022 that Gardner used “inappropriate spotting techniques” in which he would put his hands between her legs and touch her vagina, the affidavit said.It said she alleged Gardner would ask girls if they were sexually active and call them “idiots, sluts, and whores.” She said this behavior began after his hiring in 2018 and continued until she left the gym in 2020 and provided the names of six other potential victims.SafeSport suspended Gardner in July 2022 – four months after the girl's report – a provisional step it can take in severe cases with “sufficient evidentiary support” as investigations proceed.A month after that, the center received a report from another girl alleging additional “sexual contact and physical abuse,” including that Gardner similarly fondled her during workouts, the FBI affidavit said. The girl said that he once dragged her across the carpet so hard that it burned her buttocks, the affidavit said.SafeSport shared the reports with West Des Moines police, in line with its policy requiring adults who interact with youth athletes to disclose potential criminal cases to law enforcement.While SafeSport's suspension took Gardner out of gymnastics, the criminal investigation quickly hit a roadblock.Police records show a detective told SafeSport to urge the alleged victims to file criminal complaints, but only one of their mothers contacted police in 2022. That woman said her daughter did not want to pursue criminal charges, and police suspended the investigation.Victims of abuse are often reluctant to cooperate with police, said Ken Lang, a retired detective and associate professor of criminal justice at Milligan University.“In this case you have the prestige of this facility,” he said. “Do they want to associate their name with that, in that way, when their aspirations were to succeed in gymnastics?”Police suspended the investigation, even as Gardner was on probation for his second-offense of driving while intoxicated.<h2>A dormant case reopened, and a year later, an arrest</h2>The case stayed dormant until April 2024 when another former Chow’s student came forward to the West Des Moines Police Department to report abuse allegations, according to a now-sealed affidavit signed by police detective Jeff Lyon. The AP is not identifying the student in line with its policy of not naming victims of alleged sexual abuse.The now 18-year-old told police she began taking lessons from Gardner when she was 11 or 12 in 2019, initially seeing him as a “father figure” who tried to help her get through her parents’ divorce. He told her she could tell him “anything,” the affidavit said.When she moved in 2021, she told police, he gave her a hug and said she could text and follow him on Instagram and other social media sites, where he went by the nickname “Coach Seanie,” because gym policy barring such contact no longer applied.According to a summary of her statement provided in Lyon’s affidavit, she said Gardner fondled her during exercises, repeatedly touching her vagina; rubbed her back and butt and discussed his sex life; and made her do inappropriate stretches that exposed her privates.She told police she suspected he used his cellphone to film her in that position.Reached by the AP, the teen’s mother declined comment. The mother told police she was interested in a monetary settlement with Chow’s because the gym “had been made aware of the complaints and they did nothing to stop them,” according to Lyon’s affidavit. The gym didn’t return AP messages seeking comment.It took 16 months after the teen’s 2024 report for the FBI to arrest Gardner, who made an initial court appearance in Des Moines on Friday on a charge of producing visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, which can carry up to 30 years in prison. A public defender assigned to represent him didn’t return AP messages seeking comment.It’s unclear why the case took so long to investigate and also when the FBI, which had to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/larry-nassar-justice-department-settlement-3b760f3d317cbe18209aa02a611a298f">pay $138 million to Nassar’s victims</a>&nbsp;for botching that investigation, got involved in the case.Among evidence seized by investigators in late May were a cellphone, laptop and a desktop computer along with handwritten notes between Gardner and his former pupils, according to the sealed court documents.They found images of girls, approximately 6 to 14 years in age, who were nude, using the toilet or changing into leotards, those documents show. Those images appear to have come from a hidden camera in a restroom.They also uncovered 50 video files and 400 photos, including some that appeared to be child pornography, according to the FBI affidavit. One video allegedly shows Gardner entering the bathroom and turning off the camera.Investigators also found images of an adult woman secretly filmed entering and exiting a bathtub, and identified her as Gardner’s ex-girlfriend. That woman as well as the gym’s owner, Candi Workman, told investigators the images appeared to come from Jump’In Gymnastics’ facility in Purvis, Mississippi, which has since been closed.<h2>SafeSport’s power has limits</h2>SafeSport has long touted that it can deliver sanctions in cases where criminal charges are not pursued as key to its mission. However, Gardner’s ability to land a job in health care illustrates the limits of that power: It can ban people from sports but that sanction is not guaranteed to reach the general public.While not commenting about Gardner’s case directly, it said in a statement provided to AP that a number of issues factor into why cases can take so long to close, including the 8,000 reports it receives a year with only around 30 full-time investigators. It has revamped&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/olympics-abuse-safesport-1685e2e20397de86a28b6479793b47c3">some procedures, it said,</a>&nbsp;in an attempt to become more efficient.“While the Center is able and often does cooperate in law enforcement investigations,” it said, “law enforcement is not required to share information, updates, or even confirm an investigation is ongoing.”USA Gymnastics President Li Li Leung called the center’s task “really tough, difficult to navigate.”“I would like to see more consistency with their outcomes and sanctions,” Leung said. “I would like to see more standardization on things. I would like to see more communication, more transparency from their side.”<h2>A case that lingers, even after the SafeSport ban</h2>As the investigation proceeded, Gardner said on his Facebook page he had landed a new job in May 2024 as a surgical technologist at MercyOne West Des Moines Medical Center. It's a role that calls for positioning patients on the operating room table, and assisting with procedures and post-surgery care.Asked about Gardner’s employment, hospital spokesman Todd Mizener told the AP: “The only information I can provide is that he is no longer" at the hospital.Meanwhile, the case lingers, leaving lives in limbo more than three years after the SafeSport Center and police first learned of it.“SafeSport is now part of a larger problem rather than a solution, if it was ever a solution,” said attorney Silvey. “The most fundamental professional task such as coordination with local or federal law enforcement gets botched on a daily basis, hundreds of times a year now.”___