MAIZE -&nbsp;
















The remarkable postseason run for the Hays High boys soccer team came to and end Monday in a 1-0 loss to top-seeded Maize South in the 5A State
Quarterfinals.


Maize South improved to 17-2. They will face St. James Academy in the state semifinals Wednesday at the Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita.

Hays PostMAIZE -&nbsp;
















The remarkable postseason run for the Hays High boys soccer team came to and end Monday in a 1-0 loss to top-seeded Maize South in the 5A State
Quarterfinals.
The Indians end their season 10-9.&nbsp;Maize South improved to 17-2. They will face St. James Academy in the state semifinals Wednesday at the Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita.

⚽ HHS falls to Maize South in 5A quarterfinals

WASHINGTON (AP) — Some Republican-led states say they will block the Justice Department's election monitors from going inside polling places on Election Day, pushing back on federal authorities'&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-voting-rights-government-and-politics-a6ac1197dd47f784536c410a8d902bea">decades-long practice</a>&nbsp;of watching for violations of federal voting laws.

Officials in&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/FLSecofState/status/1852449643021447625/photo/1">Florida</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/TXsecofstate/status/1852511234819596772">Texas</a>&nbsp;have said they won't allow federal election monitors into polling sites on Tuesday. And on Monday, Missouri filed a federal lawsuit seeking a court order to block federal officials from observing inside polling places.

The Justice Department announced last week that it's deploying election monitors in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-monitor-polls-27-states-compliance-federal-voting-rights-laws">86 jurisdictions across 27 states</a>&nbsp;on Election Day. The Justice Department declined to comment on Monday on the Missouri lawsuit and the moves by other Republican-led states.

The race between Democratic nominee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;and Republican nominee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is a dead heat, and both sides are bracing for potential legal challenges to vote tallies. The Justice Department’s election monitoring effort, a long practice under both Democratic and Republican administrations, is meant to ensure that federal voting rights are being followed.

Here's a look at election monitors and the states' actions:

Election monitors are lawyers who work for the Justice Department, including in the civil rights division and U.S. attorney's offices across the country. They are not law enforcement officers or federal agents.

For decades, the Justice Department's civil rights division has sent attorneys and staff members to monitor polling places across the country in both federal and non-federal elections. The monitors are tasked with ensuring the compliance of federal voting rights laws.

The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division enforces a number of statutes protecting the right to vote. That includes Voting Rights Act, which prohibits intimidation and threats against those who are casting ballots or counting votes. And it includes the Americans with Disabilities Act, which mandates that election officials ensure people with disabilities have the full and equal opportunity to vote.

The 86 jurisdictions that the Justice Department will send monitors to on Tuesday include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/maricopa-county-election-2024/">Maricopa County, Arizona</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ruby-freeman-shaye-moss-gateway-pundit-settlement-3c55e2c7cf75cf0f8dc6496da14b094e">Fulton County, Georgia,</a>&nbsp;which in 2020 became the center of election conspiracy theories spread by Trump and other Republicans. Another place on the list is Portage County, Ohio, where a sheriff came under fire for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-sheriff-social-media-harris-yard-signs-fb116241e7119cac51f4a03a8b6c4cf1">social media post</a>&nbsp;in which he said people with Harris yard signs should have their addresses recorded so that immigrants can be sent to live with them if the Democrat wins the presidency

Other areas where federal monitors will be sent include Detroit, Michigan; Queens, New York; Providence, Rhode Island; Jackson County, South Dakota; Salem, Massachusetts; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Manassas, Virginia; Cuyahoga County, Ohio and Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska. The Justice Department's monitors will be in St. Louis, Missouri; four jurisdictions in Florida and eight jurisdictions in Texas.

In filing the lawsuit on Monday, Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft said state law “clearly and specifically limits who may be in polling places." He also accused the federal government of "attempting to illegally interfere in Missouri’s elections.”

The lawsuit states that Missouri law “permits only certain categories of persons to be present in voting locations, including voters, minor children accompanying voters, poll workers, election judges, etc.,” and not federal officials.

The Justice Department also sought to monitor polling places in Missouri in 2022. The agency planned to have officials at Cole County, which includes Jefferson City, the state capital. County Clerk Steve Korsmeyer had said he wouldn’t let them in if they show up.

The federal agency backed down after Ashcroft showed Justice Department officials the state law, Ashcroft said. He says the Justice Department is now “trying to go through the back door" by contacting local election officials for access.

Messages were left Monday with the St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners.

The St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners reached a settlement in 2021 with the Justice Department aimed at ensuring people with mobility and vision impairments can access to polling places after federal officials found problems, such as ramps that were too steep and inaccessible parking, according to the court papers. The settlement, which expires next year, says the board must “cooperate fully” with Justice Department's efforts to monitor compliance, “including but not limited to providing the United States with timely access to polling places (including on Election Day).”

In a letter to the Justice Department on Friday, Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson said wrote that “Texas law is clear: Justice Department monitors are not permitted inside polling places where ballots are being cast or a central counting station where ballots are being counted.”

“Texas has a robust processes and procedures in place to ensure that eligible voters may participate in a free and fair election," Nelson wrote.

In a similar letter Friday, Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd told the Justice Department that Florida law lists who is allowed inside the state's polling places and that Justice Department officials are not included. Byrd said that Florida is sending its own monitors to the four jurisdictions the Justice Department plans to send staff to and they will “ensure there is no interference with the voting process.”

__ Associated Press writer Brendan Farrington in Tallahassee contributed reporting, Salter reported from O’Fallon, Missouri.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730677370347.png" alt="Photo Johnson County election office" />
 <figcaption>Photo Johnson County election office</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Some Republican-led states say they will block the Justice Department's election monitors from going inside polling places on Election Day, pushing back on federal authorities'&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-voting-rights-government-and-politics-a6ac1197dd47f784536c410a8d902bea">decades-long practice</a>&nbsp;of watching for violations of federal voting laws.Officials in&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/FLSecofState/status/1852449643021447625/photo/1">Florida</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/TXsecofstate/status/1852511234819596772">Texas</a>&nbsp;have said they won't allow federal election monitors into polling sites on Tuesday. And on Monday, Missouri filed a federal lawsuit seeking a court order to block federal officials from observing inside polling places.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨BREAKING: I filed suit against the Biden-Harris DOJ for sending unauthorized poll monitors to Missouri polling locations. The law is clear that <a href="https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KamalaHarris</a> can’t just send unvetted individuals into our polling places. It’s illegal and undermines trust in our elections.&mdash; Attorney General Andrew Bailey (@AGAndrewBailey) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGAndrewBailey/status/1853454846088659431?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Justice Department announced last week that it's deploying election monitors in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-monitor-polls-27-states-compliance-federal-voting-rights-laws">86 jurisdictions across 27 states</a>&nbsp;on Election Day. The Justice Department declined to comment on Monday on the Missouri lawsuit and the moves by other Republican-led states.The race between Democratic nominee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;and Republican nominee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is a dead heat, and both sides are bracing for potential legal challenges to vote tallies. The Justice Department’s election monitoring effort, a long practice under both Democratic and Republican administrations, is meant to ensure that federal voting rights are being followed.Here's a look at election monitors and the states' actions:_____<h2>Who are the election monitors?</h2>Election monitors are lawyers who work for the Justice Department, including in the civil rights division and U.S. attorney's offices across the country. They are not law enforcement officers or federal agents.For decades, the Justice Department's civil rights division has sent attorneys and staff members to monitor polling places across the country in both federal and non-federal elections. The monitors are tasked with ensuring the compliance of federal voting rights laws.The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division enforces a number of statutes protecting the right to vote. That includes Voting Rights Act, which prohibits intimidation and threats against those who are casting ballots or counting votes. And it includes the Americans with Disabilities Act, which mandates that election officials ensure people with disabilities have the full and equal opportunity to vote.<h2>Where are election monitors being sent?</h2>The 86 jurisdictions that the Justice Department will send monitors to on Tuesday include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/maricopa-county-election-2024/">Maricopa County, Arizona</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ruby-freeman-shaye-moss-gateway-pundit-settlement-3c55e2c7cf75cf0f8dc6496da14b094e">Fulton County, Georgia,</a>&nbsp;which in 2020 became the center of election conspiracy theories spread by Trump and other Republicans. Another place on the list is Portage County, Ohio, where a sheriff came under fire for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-sheriff-social-media-harris-yard-signs-fb116241e7119cac51f4a03a8b6c4cf1">social media post</a>&nbsp;in which he said people with Harris yard signs should have their addresses recorded so that immigrants can be sent to live with them if the Democrat wins the presidencyOther areas where federal monitors will be sent include Detroit, Michigan; Queens, New York; Providence, Rhode Island; Jackson County, South Dakota; Salem, Massachusetts; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Manassas, Virginia; Cuyahoga County, Ohio and Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska. The Justice Department's monitors will be in St. Louis, Missouri; four jurisdictions in Florida and eight jurisdictions in Texas.<h2>What's happening in Missouri?</h2>In filing the lawsuit on Monday, Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft said state law “clearly and specifically limits who may be in polling places." He also accused the federal government of "attempting to illegally interfere in Missouri’s elections.”The lawsuit states that Missouri law “permits only certain categories of persons to be present in voting locations, including voters, minor children accompanying voters, poll workers, election judges, etc.,” and not federal officials.The Justice Department also sought to monitor polling places in Missouri in 2022. The agency planned to have officials at Cole County, which includes Jefferson City, the state capital. County Clerk Steve Korsmeyer had said he wouldn’t let them in if they show up.The federal agency backed down after Ashcroft showed Justice Department officials the state law, Ashcroft said. He says the Justice Department is now “trying to go through the back door" by contacting local election officials for access.Messages were left Monday with the St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners.The St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners reached a settlement in 2021 with the Justice Department aimed at ensuring people with mobility and vision impairments can access to polling places after federal officials found problems, such as ramps that were too steep and inaccessible parking, according to the court papers. The settlement, which expires next year, says the board must “cooperate fully” with Justice Department's efforts to monitor compliance, “including but not limited to providing the United States with timely access to polling places (including on Election Day).”<h2>What are the other states saying?</h2>In a letter to the Justice Department on Friday, Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson said wrote that “Texas law is clear: Justice Department monitors are not permitted inside polling places where ballots are being cast or a central counting station where ballots are being counted.”“Texas has a robust processes and procedures in place to ensure that eligible voters may participate in a free and fair election," Nelson wrote.In a similar letter Friday, Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd told the Justice Department that Florida law lists who is allowed inside the state's polling places and that Justice Department officials are not included. Byrd said that Florida is sending its own monitors to the four jurisdictions the Justice Department plans to send staff to and they will “ensure there is no interference with the voting process.”__ Associated Press writer Brendan Farrington in Tallahassee contributed reporting, Salter reported from O’Fallon, Missouri.

Some GOP-led states refuse to let Justice Dept. monitors into polling places

The Kansas Golf Coaches Association is out with their All-State girls’
golf teams.
Hays High’s Jaycee Oakley is Second Team Class 5A.


Oakley finished ninth in last month’s 5A State Tournament.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728644505038.jpeg" alt="Jaycee Oakley (Courtesy HHS golf)" />
 <figcaption>Jaycee Oakley (Courtesy HHS golf)</figcaption>
 </figure>Hays PostThe Kansas Golf Coaches Association is out with their All-State girls’
golf teams.
Hays High’s Jaycee Oakley is Second Team Class 5A.
Oakley finished ninth in last month’s 5A State Tournament.

⛳ HHS' Oakley named 5A All-State by KGCA

The Fort Hays Tech | North Central Foundation is announcing its annual Founders' Week, a celebration that pays tribute to the pioneering spirits who envisioned and established Fort Hays Tech | North Central in 1964, and those who have contributed since. As Fort Hays Tech | North Central celebrates its 60th anniversary, Founders' Week, spans from November 4 to November 8, 2024, as a week of reflection, appreciation, and community spirit on both the Beloit and Hays campuses.

A group of remarkable trailblazers had a vision for a local technical education institution in the early 1960’s. Their tenacity and dedication led to the establishment of Fort Hays Tech | North Central as the first technical college in the state of Kansas. Founders' Week is a special time to honor these visionary leaders, as well as the instructors, administrators, and all members of the Fort Hays Tech | North Central community who have contributed to a legacy of excellence.

Founders’ Week is filled with exciting events that will take place in Beloit and Hays, bringing students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the community together to celebrate the spirit of Fort Hays Tech | North Central.

Monday, November 4 - Birthday Party on Beloit Campus: On Monday, November 4, Founders' Week will begin with a Birthday Party on the Beloit Campus in honor of Fort Hays Tech | North Central Founders and the establishment of the Technical College. A 60th Anniversary staff photo will be at 4:00pm, following this, students, faculty, and staff will enjoy cupcakes, and fun birthday party food and activities.

Tuesday, November 5 - Hays Hall of Fame Award Ceremony: The Fort Hays Tech | North Central Foundation will present this year’s recipient of the Hall of Fame Award on the Hays Campus on Tuesday, November 5, at 4:30 pm in Room B of the Business Occupations Center. Current Board of Trustees member, Dale Montgomery, who has served on the Board since 1987 and is still contributing at every meeting, has played a pivotal role in the growth and expansion of the College will be recognized. The public is encouraged to attend.

Wednesday, November 6 - Beloit Hall of Fame Award Ceremony: On Wednesday, November 6, the Fort Hays Tech | North Central Foundation will present the annual Hall of Fame award at

4:30pm in the Conference Room of the Student Union on the Beloit Campus. This year’s recipient is Dean Haddock, the “grandfather of technical education in the state of Kansas.” Dean researched and advocated for post-secondary technical education in the state as well as helped establish Fort Hays Tech | North Central in Beloit. The public is encouraged to attend.

Carpentry Alumni Social Event: At 5:30pm, following the Hall of Fame event, the Carpentry/Construction Technology Program will host an alumni event in the carpentry shop. All carpentry alumni, current students, faculty, staff and the public are invited to attend. This will be a great time to catch up with former classmates and reminisce with former instructors.

Thursday, November 7 - Birthday Party on Hays Campus Rounding out the week on Thursday, November 7, another Birthday Party will be hosted on the Hays Campus to honor Fort Hays Tech | North Central Founders and the establishment of our Technical College. A 60th Anniversary staff photo at 11:30am, following this, students, faculty, and staff will enjoy a food truck lunch, cake and fun birthday activities.

Ending November 8 - Week of Giving Match Campaign: Throughout Founders' Week, Fort Hays Tech | North Central is joining forces with our amazing donors to make a difference in the lives of future students. All supporters are invited to participate in our Week of Giving Match Campaign from November 4-8, where all donations made through our website donation portal will be generously matched. For more information about donating during our Founders' Week of Giving and to contribute, please visit https://fhtechnc.edu/donate-now/.

Founders' Week is a time to celebrate our past, present, and future. We invite the community to join us in commemorating our rich history and supporting the continued success of Fort Hays Tech | North Central.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727899367603.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedThe Fort Hays Tech | North Central Foundation is announcing its annual Founders' Week, a celebration that pays tribute to the pioneering spirits who envisioned and established Fort Hays Tech | North Central in 1964, and those who have contributed since. As Fort Hays Tech | North Central celebrates its 60th anniversary, Founders' Week, spans from November 4 to November 8, 2024, as a week of reflection, appreciation, and community spirit on both the Beloit and Hays campuses.A group of remarkable trailblazers had a vision for a local technical education institution in the early 1960’s. Their tenacity and dedication led to the establishment of Fort Hays Tech | North Central as the first technical college in the state of Kansas. Founders' Week is a special time to honor these visionary leaders, as well as the instructors, administrators, and all members of the Fort Hays Tech | North Central community who have contributed to a legacy of excellence.Founders’ Week is filled with exciting events that will take place in Beloit and Hays, bringing students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the community together to celebrate the spirit of Fort Hays Tech | North Central.Monday, November 4 - Birthday Party on Beloit Campus: On Monday, November 4, Founders' Week will begin with a Birthday Party on the Beloit Campus in honor of Fort Hays Tech | North Central Founders and the establishment of the Technical College. A 60th Anniversary staff photo will be at 4:00pm, following this, students, faculty, and staff will enjoy cupcakes, and fun birthday party food and activities.Tuesday, November 5 - Hays Hall of Fame Award Ceremony: The Fort Hays Tech | North Central Foundation will present this year’s recipient of the Hall of Fame Award on the Hays Campus on Tuesday, November 5, at 4:30 pm in Room B of the Business Occupations Center. Current Board of Trustees member, Dale Montgomery, who has served on the Board since 1987 and is still contributing at every meeting, has played a pivotal role in the growth and expansion of the College will be recognized. The public is encouraged to attend.Wednesday, November 6 - Beloit Hall of Fame Award Ceremony: On Wednesday, November 6, the Fort Hays Tech | North Central Foundation will present the annual Hall of Fame award at4:30pm in the Conference Room of the Student Union on the Beloit Campus. This year’s recipient is Dean Haddock, the “grandfather of technical education in the state of Kansas.” Dean researched and advocated for post-secondary technical education in the state as well as helped establish Fort Hays Tech | North Central in Beloit. The public is encouraged to attend.Carpentry Alumni Social Event: At 5:30pm, following the Hall of Fame event, the Carpentry/Construction Technology Program will host an alumni event in the carpentry shop. All carpentry alumni, current students, faculty, staff and the public are invited to attend. This will be a great time to catch up with former classmates and reminisce with former instructors.Thursday, November 7 - Birthday Party on Hays Campus Rounding out the week on Thursday, November 7, another Birthday Party will be hosted on the Hays Campus to honor Fort Hays Tech | North Central Founders and the establishment of our Technical College. A 60th Anniversary staff photo at 11:30am, following this, students, faculty, and staff will enjoy a food truck lunch, cake and fun birthday activities.Ending November 8 - Week of Giving Match Campaign: Throughout Founders' Week, Fort Hays Tech | North Central is joining forces with our amazing donors to make a difference in the lives of future students. All supporters are invited to participate in our Week of Giving Match Campaign from November 4-8, where all donations made through our website donation portal will be generously matched. For more information about donating during our Founders' Week of Giving and to contribute, please visit https://fhtechnc.edu/donate-now/.Founders' Week is a time to celebrate our past, present, and future. We invite the community to join us in commemorating our rich history and supporting the continued success of Fort Hays Tech | North Central.

Founders’ week of events at Fort Hays Tech | North Central: Honoring Trailblazers, celebrating community and giving back

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An Iranian-American journalist who once worked for a U.S. government-funded broadcaster is believed to have been detained by Iran for months now, authorities said Sunday, further raising the stakes as Tehran threatens to retaliate over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-attack-shahroud-guard-base-satellite-photos-b9cdb18b252d6dd9014dc4dcb3dd4b2f">an Israeli attack on the country</a>.

The imprisonment of Reza Valizadeh was confirmed to The Associated Press by the U.S. State Department as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/10e62420e55c4eff9ddb96319f704fbc">Iran marked the 45th anniversary of the takeover of the American Embassy</a>&nbsp;and hostage crisis on Sunday. It also followed a threat by Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei a day earlier to provide&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bakersfield.com/ap/national/irans-supreme-leader-threatens-israel-and-us-with-a-crushing-response-over-israeli-attack/article_7a23d4f9-73e2-58ae-86b9-119f381e44f6.html">"a crushing response”</a>&nbsp;to Israel and the U.S. as long-range B-52 bombers reached the Middle East in an attempt to deter Tehran.

Valizadeh had worked for Radio Farda, an outlet under Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that's overseen by the U.S. Agency for Global Media. In February, he wrote on the social platform X that his family members had been detained in an effort to make him return to Iran.

In August, Valizadeh apparently posted two messages suggesting he had returned to Iran despite Radio Farda being viewed by Iran's theocracy as a hostile outlet.

“I arrived in Tehran on March 6, 2024. Before that, I had unfinished negotiations with the (Revolutionary Guard's) intelligence department,” the message read in part. “Eventually I came back to my country after 13 years without any security guarantee, even a verbal one.”

Valizadeh added the name of a man who he claimed belonged to Iran's Intelligence Ministry. The AP could not verify if the person worked for the ministry.

Rumors have been circulating for weeks that Valizadeh had been detained. The Human Rights Activists News Agency, which monitors cases in Iran, said that he had been detained on arrival to the country earlier this year but later released.

He was then rearrested and sent to Evin prison, where he now faces a case in Iran's Revolutionary Court, which routinely holds closed-door hearings in which defendants face secret evidence, the agency reported. Valizadeh had faced arrest in 2007 as well, it said.

The State Department told the AP that it was “aware of reports that this dual U.S.-Iranian citizen has been arrested in Iran" when asked about Valizadeh.

“We are working with our Swiss partners who serve as the protecting power for the United States in Iran to gather more information about this case,” the State Department said. “Iran routinely imprisons U.S. citizens and other countries’ citizens unjustly for political purposes. This practice is cruel and contrary to international law.”

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty separately said that Valizadeh “has been detained in Iran.”

“We have had no official confirmation of the charges against him,” it said in a statement. "Reza, a U.S.-Iranian national, left RFE/RL in November 2022. We are profoundly concerned about the continued arrest, harassment and threats against media professionals by the Iranian regime.”

Iran has not acknowledged detaining Valizadeh. Iran's mission to the United Nations did not respond to a request for comment.

The Voice of America, another U.S. government-funded media outlet overseen by the Agency for Global Media, first reported that the State Department was acknowledging Valizadeh's detention in Iran.

Since the 1979 U.S. Embassy crisis, in which dozens of hostages were released after 444 days in captivity, Iran has used prisoners with Western ties as bargaining chips in negotiations with the world. In September 2023,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-prisoner-swap-sanctions-assets-4e1fa477f8e6af45fb764acd259c2f1a">five Americans detained for years in Iran were freed in exchange</a>&nbsp;for five Iranians in U.S. custody and for $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets to be released by South Korea.

Valizadeh is the first American known to be detained by Iran since then.

Meanwhile, Iranian state television broadcast video Sunday of different cities across the country marking the anniversary of the embassy takeover.

Gen. Hossein Salami, the head of the Guard, also spoke in Tehran, where he repeated a pledge made the day before by Khamenei.

“The resistance front and Iran will equip itself with whatever necessary to confront and defeat the enemy,” he said, referring to militant groups like Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah backed by Tehran.

In Tehran, thousands of people at the gate of the former U.S. Embassy chanted “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.” Some burned flags of the countries and effigies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

They also carried images of killed top figures of Iran’s allied militant groups, including Lebanese Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Palestinian Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. The crowd in the state-organized rallies chanted that they were ready to defend the Palestinians.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An Iranian-American journalist who once worked for a U.S. government-funded broadcaster is believed to have been detained by Iran for months now, authorities said Sunday, further raising the stakes as Tehran threatens to retaliate over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-attack-shahroud-guard-base-satellite-photos-b9cdb18b252d6dd9014dc4dcb3dd4b2f">an Israeli attack on the country</a>.The imprisonment of Reza Valizadeh was confirmed to The Associated Press by the U.S. State Department as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/10e62420e55c4eff9ddb96319f704fbc">Iran marked the 45th anniversary of the takeover of the American Embassy</a>&nbsp;and hostage crisis on Sunday. It also followed a threat by Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei a day earlier to provide&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bakersfield.com/ap/national/irans-supreme-leader-threatens-israel-and-us-with-a-crushing-response-over-israeli-attack/article_7a23d4f9-73e2-58ae-86b9-119f381e44f6.html">"a crushing response”</a>&nbsp;to Israel and the U.S. as long-range B-52 bombers reached the Middle East in an attempt to deter Tehran.Valizadeh had worked for Radio Farda, an outlet under Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that's overseen by the U.S. Agency for Global Media. In February, he wrote on the social platform X that his family members had been detained in an effort to make him return to Iran.In August, Valizadeh apparently posted two messages suggesting he had returned to Iran despite Radio Farda being viewed by Iran's theocracy as a hostile outlet.“I arrived in Tehran on March 6, 2024. Before that, I had unfinished negotiations with the (Revolutionary Guard's) intelligence department,” the message read in part. “Eventually I came back to my country after 13 years without any security guarantee, even a verbal one.”Valizadeh added the name of a man who he claimed belonged to Iran's Intelligence Ministry. The AP could not verify if the person worked for the ministry.Rumors have been circulating for weeks that Valizadeh had been detained. The Human Rights Activists News Agency, which monitors cases in Iran, said that he had been detained on arrival to the country earlier this year but later released.He was then rearrested and sent to Evin prison, where he now faces a case in Iran's Revolutionary Court, which routinely holds closed-door hearings in which defendants face secret evidence, the agency reported. Valizadeh had faced arrest in 2007 as well, it said.The State Department told the AP that it was “aware of reports that this dual U.S.-Iranian citizen has been arrested in Iran" when asked about Valizadeh.“We are working with our Swiss partners who serve as the protecting power for the United States in Iran to gather more information about this case,” the State Department said. “Iran routinely imprisons U.S. citizens and other countries’ citizens unjustly for political purposes. This practice is cruel and contrary to international law.”Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty separately said that Valizadeh “has been detained in Iran.”“We have had no official confirmation of the charges against him,” it said in a statement. "Reza, a U.S.-Iranian national, left RFE/RL in November 2022. We are profoundly concerned about the continued arrest, harassment and threats against media professionals by the Iranian regime.”Iran has not acknowledged detaining Valizadeh. Iran's mission to the United Nations did not respond to a request for comment.The Voice of America, another U.S. government-funded media outlet overseen by the Agency for Global Media, first reported that the State Department was acknowledging Valizadeh's detention in Iran.Since the 1979 U.S. Embassy crisis, in which dozens of hostages were released after 444 days in captivity, Iran has used prisoners with Western ties as bargaining chips in negotiations with the world. In September 2023,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-prisoner-swap-sanctions-assets-4e1fa477f8e6af45fb764acd259c2f1a">five Americans detained for years in Iran were freed in exchange</a>&nbsp;for five Iranians in U.S. custody and for $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets to be released by South Korea.Valizadeh is the first American known to be detained by Iran since then.Meanwhile, Iranian state television broadcast video Sunday of different cities across the country marking the anniversary of the embassy takeover.Gen. Hossein Salami, the head of the Guard, also spoke in Tehran, where he repeated a pledge made the day before by Khamenei.“The resistance front and Iran will equip itself with whatever necessary to confront and defeat the enemy,” he said, referring to militant groups like Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah backed by Tehran.In Tehran, thousands of people at the gate of the former U.S. Embassy chanted “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.” Some burned flags of the countries and effigies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.They also carried images of killed top figures of Iran’s allied militant groups, including Lebanese Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Palestinian Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. The crowd in the state-organized rallies chanted that they were ready to defend the Palestinians.___

US: Iranian-American held in Iran as tensions high following Israeli attack

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>

WASHINGTON — Voters are determining whether the next president enters office with a friendly Congress or a hostile one set on blocking their policies and nominees — and as the election roars into its last moments it’s still very unclear what the makeup of the House and Senate might be.

Most House races are not competitive. But House leaders are closely watching about two dozen toss-up contests to see whether Democrats or Republicans end up with the magic 218 lawmakers needed to control the speaker’s gavel, the agenda and the floor schedule.

The GOP’s razor-thin majority during the last two years created significant obstacles for leadership’s legislative goals and ended Kevin McCarthy’s speakership.

Neither political party is expected to gain a large House majority during the next Congress, set to begin in January. There’s even a possibility the majority party has less wiggle room than the 220-212 split that currently exists, along with three vacancies. Experts warn it may not be known on election night or for some time who’s won the House.

Senate leaders have been equally focused on hard-fought and close campaigns in Arizona, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Any one of them could deliver control of the upper chamber.

Republicans are favored to turn over the West Virginia seat occupied by Joe Manchin III, potentially pushing them past the 50-member benchmark if they hold onto seats occupied by incumbents Ted Cruz in Texas, Deb Fischer in Nebraska and Rick Scott in Florida.

If Democrats keep 50 seats, that would mean whichever party holds the vice presidency controls the Senate, making even just one pickup in either direction a priority for both political parties.

The outcome in both the House and Senate will have sweeping implications for the country’s future, including whether the GOP overhauls Obamacare, how lawmakers address core aspects of Republicans’ 2017 tax law set to expire in the coming months and whether the country defaults on its debts for the first time in history.

The nonpartisan Cook Political Report with Amy Walter&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/senate-race-ratings" target="_blank">rates</a>&nbsp;four Senate races as toss-ups, meaning there’s a relatively even chance for Democrats or Republicans to win.

While the campaigns have shifted around a bit during the last few months, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are all considered neck and neck heading into Election Day.

Arizona and Nevada are categorized as leaning toward Democrats and Montana is expected to lean toward a Republican pickup, potentially giving the GOP its 51st seat and a narrow majority.

It’s also possible there could be upsets in Republican-held states traditionally considered safer, like Florida, Nebraska and Texas.That could alter the math for both Democrats and Republicans, depending on how things shake out after all the votes are counted, recounts finalized and lawsuits settled in the days and weeks following Nov. 5.

Jessica Taylor, editor for U.S. Senate and Governors at the Cook Political Report, said in a statement released Friday the “battle for the Senate fundamentally ends where the cycle began — with an overwhelmingly favorable map that very likely portends a GOP majority.”

Her projections show the GOP picking up two to five seats, giving the party a majority between 51 and 54 members.

A narrower majority, Taylor said, would allow “moderates like Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Maine Sen. Susan Collins to wield outsized influence in the next Congress.”

Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said during an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?539651-1/sen-gary-peters-discusses-senate-races" target="_blank">interview</a>&nbsp;with Washington Post Live in late October that he expects voters in Montana and Ohio will split their tickets.

He acknowledged getting voters to support Democratic Sens. Jon Tester in Montana and Sherrod Brown in Ohio, while also voting for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, will be much more challenging than in the past.

“Certainly, it’s not easy if there’s a lot of political gravity,” Peters said. “I’m not going to sugarcoat that in any way.”

But, he said, both Tester and Brown have been consistently polling within the margin of error against their GOP challengers.

“It’s about who’s going to get their voters out and do the kind of ground campaign necessary to win,” Peters said. “We’re doing that in Montana. We’re doing that in Ohio as well.”

The Senate is more important to the next president than the House, since the upper chamber is responsible for vetting and confirming the next commander-in-chief’s selections for their Cabinet as well as judicial nominees.

A GOP Senate would be a gift for Trump but likely tough for Vice President Kamala Harris.

The opposite could also be true — a Democratic majority in the Senate could put the brakes on many of Trump’s plans for a second term, while it would aid Harris in setting up her administration and potentially confirming a Supreme Court justice or two.

The Senate is the more bipartisan of the two chambers, thanks to the legislative filibuster — the rule requiring at least 60 senators agree to advance legislation toward final passage.

Without bipartisan support, bills and some nominees will be stuck in limbo, regardless of which party runs the Senate or controls the White House.

Philip Wallach, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative-leaning think tank, said a Harris administration and a Republican Senate would need to work out an agreement quickly “or risk going into some kind of protracted standoff over executive branch nominations.”

Both Trump and President Joe Biden had the luxury of same-party Senate control during their full terms and former President Barack Obama had a Democratic Senate during his first six years in office. Harris possibly having to work with the opposing party to establish her Cabinet would be especially challenging, Wallach said in an interview.

“I would expect Republicans to try to come up with some pretty concrete asks as a conference: To say, ‘If we’re going to put any of your nominees up for a vote, here’s what we want in return, and here’s what kind of nominees we will accept.’ And, you know, I expect that would play out as a fairly heated public confrontation,” he said.

Trump and a Republican Senate would likely agree on some nominees and policy goals, though there would be significant differences over issues like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-vows-levy-horrible-tariffs-imports-rejecting-fears-inflation-spike" target="_blank">tariffs</a>.

“I think there are a lot of Republican senators who want to see some real limits to that, who still think of themselves as basically in favor of free trade and making sure that American businesses don’t find themselves on the wrong end of a trade war,” Wallach said. “Especially in the Senate, I just don’t think they’re that eager to just march to Trump’s tune.”

A Trump administration, he said, could also disagree with GOP lawmakers on the specific details of how to address tax policy.

“I think it’s a very live possibility that there could be a much more confrontational kind of dynamic this time around, in part, because Trump and some of the people right around him have this idea that playing nicely in 2017 was a big mistake,” Wallach said.

Control of the 435-member House is more uncertain than the Senate, with 22 races&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/house-race-ratings" target="_blank">rated as toss-ups</a>&nbsp;by the Cook Political Report.

Twelve of those are held by Republicans, while 10 are occupied by Democratic lawmakers. At the moment, 205 House seats are at least leaning toward a Democratic win, with 208 districts at least leaning toward Republicans.

The Cook Political Report’s final projections range from Republicans adding five seats to their majority to Democrats picking up 10 seats and taking over the majority again.

“The race for control of the U.S. House remains as close as it’s ever been,”

Erin Covey, editor for the House at CPR, said in a written statement.

“The battleground is confined to a few dozen seats, with neither party having a clear advantage in a majority of seats,” Covey added. “And with several competitive races in West Coast states that take longer to count their ballots, it’s highly possible we won’t know which party has control on election night.”

The House is essential to turning bills into law, though it doesn’t have any role in confirming presidential nominees. And unlike the Senate, there’s no legislative filibuster, which means the majority party can approve any bills it wants without buy-in from the minority party, as long as the leaders in the majority have the votes from their own members.

Republican control of at least one chamber of Congress and a Harris victory would force significant bipartisan compromise on must-pass legislation, like the dozen annual government funding bills and the defense policy bill known as the National Defense Authorization Act.

It could also lead to the types of bipartisan legislation that Biden made a hallmark of his term in office, including the bipartisan infrastructure law.

That type of divided government is unlikely to produce the sweeping changes to home ownership, prescription drug prices, price gouging and reproductive rights that Harris has highlighted throughout her campaign.

But it could lead Republicans and Democrats to resurrect&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/bipartisan-border-bill-loses-support-fails-procedural-vote-us-senate" target="_blank">the bipartisan immigration and border security bill</a>&nbsp;that Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Lankford, Connecticut Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy and Arizona independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema agreed to earlier this year.

Trump in the White House and Democrats holding onto at least one chamber in Congress could also force bipartisan compromise, though likely with a far different tone and approach than under a Harris-Republican Congress scenario.

Trump regaining the presidency along with GOP control of Congress would give the party at least two chances to use the complex budget reconciliation process to pass certain legislation.

The party would likely use one of those opportunities to address provisions in the 2017 Republican tax law that have expired or are about to.

The budget reconciliation process, which has considerable rules and restrictions, is how Republicans passed the tax bill during Trump’s first term in office.

It doesn’t require at least 60 senators to advance the bill. But it does include something known as a vote-a-rama, where the Senate holds dozens of votes on amendments to the bill. The process typically lasts throughout the night and gives the party not in power a chance to force their colleagues across the aisle to vote on tough issues.

Budget reconciliation is the process Republicans used to try to repeal and replace the 2010 health care law that’s often referred to as the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, during Trump’s first term in office.

Speaker Mike Jonson, R-La., said in late October on Fox Business that some of his<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/speaker-johnson-criticizes-obamacare-promises-massive-reform-trump-win-rcna177853" target="_blank">&nbsp;prior comments</a>&nbsp;about overhauling the ACA were taken out of context and that he wants to make changes to the program, but not entirely end it.

“I said the ACA, unfortunately, is deeply ingrained in our health care system now,” he said. “Do we need further improvements? Absolutely. We need to expand quality of care, access to care and obviously lower the cost of health care.”

Johnson said during the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRGW9IVOaP4" target="_blank">interview</a>&nbsp;that he was “convinced” Republicans would gain unified control of government following the election and that he had compiled a “two-hour slide show presentation” detailing what the GOP would do with that power.

“We will secure the border on day one with a President Trump executive order and then legislation to follow, and we will turn immediately to the economy,” Johnson said. “Energy policy will be the center of that as well.”

Deeply conservative House bills might not garner the support needed to overcome the Senate’s legislative filibuster.

Unified Republican control of Congress and the White House would challenge the GOP to address the nation’s debt limit mostly on its own during the first half of next year after&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-sends-biden-debt-limit-legislation-ahead-monday-default-deadline" target="_blank">the current law</a>&nbsp;expires.

A default on the nation’s debt is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-hit-debt-limit-much-sooner-expected-thrusting-congress-showdown" target="_blank">vastly different from a partial government shutdown</a>, which takes place when Congress doesn’t pass an appropriations package on time.

Failing to either raise or suspend the nation’s debt limit, before what’s known as extraordinary measures runs out, would likely cause a global financial crisis.

The GOP has been extremely vocal about cutting government spending, but that is separate from addressing the nation’s debt limit, which gives the Treasury Department the borrowing authority to ensure all of the country’s bills are paid in full and on time.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720316487639.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>WASHINGTON — Voters are determining whether the next president enters office with a friendly Congress or a hostile one set on blocking their policies and nominees — and as the election roars into its last moments it’s still very unclear what the makeup of the House and Senate might be.Most House races are not competitive. But House leaders are closely watching about two dozen toss-up contests to see whether Democrats or Republicans end up with the magic 218 lawmakers needed to control the speaker’s gavel, the agenda and the floor schedule.The GOP’s razor-thin majority during the last two years created significant obstacles for leadership’s legislative goals and ended Kevin McCarthy’s speakership.Neither political party is expected to gain a large House majority during the next Congress, set to begin in January. There’s even a possibility the majority party has less wiggle room than the 220-212 split that currently exists, along with three vacancies. Experts warn it may not be known on election night or for some time who’s won the House.Senate leaders have been equally focused on hard-fought and close campaigns in Arizona, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Any one of them could deliver control of the upper chamber.Republicans are favored to turn over the West Virginia seat occupied by Joe Manchin III, potentially pushing them past the 50-member benchmark if they hold onto seats occupied by incumbents Ted Cruz in Texas, Deb Fischer in Nebraska and Rick Scott in Florida.If Democrats keep 50 seats, that would mean whichever party holds the vice presidency controls the Senate, making even just one pickup in either direction a priority for both political parties.The outcome in both the House and Senate will have sweeping implications for the country’s future, including whether the GOP overhauls Obamacare, how lawmakers address core aspects of Republicans’ 2017 tax law set to expire in the coming months and whether the country defaults on its debts for the first time in history.<h2>Four tense toss-ups in the Senate</h2>The nonpartisan Cook Political Report with Amy Walter&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/senate-race-ratings" target="_blank">rates</a>&nbsp;four Senate races as toss-ups, meaning there’s a relatively even chance for Democrats or Republicans to win.While the campaigns have shifted around a bit during the last few months, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are all considered neck and neck heading into Election Day.Arizona and Nevada are categorized as leaning toward Democrats and Montana is expected to lean toward a Republican pickup, potentially giving the GOP its 51st seat and a narrow majority.It’s also possible there could be upsets in Republican-held states traditionally considered safer, like Florida, Nebraska and Texas.That could alter the math for both Democrats and Republicans, depending on how things shake out after all the votes are counted, recounts finalized and lawsuits settled in the days and weeks following Nov. 5.Jessica Taylor, editor for U.S. Senate and Governors at the Cook Political Report, said in a statement released Friday the “battle for the Senate fundamentally ends where the cycle began — with an overwhelmingly favorable map that very likely portends a GOP majority.”Her projections show the GOP picking up two to five seats, giving the party a majority between 51 and 54 members.A narrower majority, Taylor said, would allow “moderates like Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Maine Sen. Susan Collins to wield outsized influence in the next Congress.”<h2>Will some voters split their tickets?</h2>Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said during an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?539651-1/sen-gary-peters-discusses-senate-races" target="_blank">interview</a>&nbsp;with Washington Post Live in late October that he expects voters in Montana and Ohio will split their tickets.He acknowledged getting voters to support Democratic Sens. Jon Tester in Montana and Sherrod Brown in Ohio, while also voting for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, will be much more challenging than in the past.“Certainly, it’s not easy if there’s a lot of political gravity,” Peters said. “I’m not going to sugarcoat that in any way.”But, he said, both Tester and Brown have been consistently polling within the margin of error against their GOP challengers.“It’s about who’s going to get their voters out and do the kind of ground campaign necessary to win,” Peters said. “We’re doing that in Montana. We’re doing that in Ohio as well.”The Senate is more important to the next president than the House, since the upper chamber is responsible for vetting and confirming the next commander-in-chief’s selections for their Cabinet as well as judicial nominees.A GOP Senate would be a gift for Trump but likely tough for Vice President Kamala Harris.The opposite could also be true — a Democratic majority in the Senate could put the brakes on many of Trump’s plans for a second term, while it would aid Harris in setting up her administration and potentially confirming a Supreme Court justice or two.The Senate is the more bipartisan of the two chambers, thanks to the legislative filibuster — the rule requiring at least 60 senators agree to advance legislation toward final passage.Without bipartisan support, bills and some nominees will be stuck in limbo, regardless of which party runs the Senate or controls the White House.<h2>Possible standoff</h2>Philip Wallach, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative-leaning think tank, said a Harris administration and a Republican Senate would need to work out an agreement quickly “or risk going into some kind of protracted standoff over executive branch nominations.”Both Trump and President Joe Biden had the luxury of same-party Senate control during their full terms and former President Barack Obama had a Democratic Senate during his first six years in office. Harris possibly having to work with the opposing party to establish her Cabinet would be especially challenging, Wallach said in an interview.“I would expect Republicans to try to come up with some pretty concrete asks as a conference: To say, ‘If we’re going to put any of your nominees up for a vote, here’s what we want in return, and here’s what kind of nominees we will accept.’ And, you know, I expect that would play out as a fairly heated public confrontation,” he said.Trump and a Republican Senate would likely agree on some nominees and policy goals, though there would be significant differences over issues like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-vows-levy-horrible-tariffs-imports-rejecting-fears-inflation-spike" target="_blank">tariffs</a>.“I think there are a lot of Republican senators who want to see some real limits to that, who still think of themselves as basically in favor of free trade and making sure that American businesses don’t find themselves on the wrong end of a trade war,” Wallach said. “Especially in the Senate, I just don’t think they’re that eager to just march to Trump’s tune.”A Trump administration, he said, could also disagree with GOP lawmakers on the specific details of how to address tax policy.“I think it’s a very live possibility that there could be a much more confrontational kind of dynamic this time around, in part, because Trump and some of the people right around him have this idea that playing nicely in 2017 was a big mistake,” Wallach said.<h2>House ‘as close as it’s ever been’</h2>Control of the 435-member House is more uncertain than the Senate, with 22 races&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/house-race-ratings" target="_blank">rated as toss-ups</a>&nbsp;by the Cook Political Report.Twelve of those are held by Republicans, while 10 are occupied by Democratic lawmakers. At the moment, 205 House seats are at least leaning toward a Democratic win, with 208 districts at least leaning toward Republicans.The Cook Political Report’s final projections range from Republicans adding five seats to their majority to Democrats picking up 10 seats and taking over the majority again.“The race for control of the U.S. House remains as close as it’s ever been,”Erin Covey, editor for the House at CPR, said in a written statement.“The battleground is confined to a few dozen seats, with neither party having a clear advantage in a majority of seats,” Covey added. “And with several competitive races in West Coast states that take longer to count their ballots, it’s highly possible we won’t know which party has control on election night.”The House is essential to turning bills into law, though it doesn’t have any role in confirming presidential nominees. And unlike the Senate, there’s no legislative filibuster, which means the majority party can approve any bills it wants without buy-in from the minority party, as long as the leaders in the majority have the votes from their own members.Republican control of at least one chamber of Congress and a Harris victory would force significant bipartisan compromise on must-pass legislation, like the dozen annual government funding bills and the defense policy bill known as the National Defense Authorization Act.It could also lead to the types of bipartisan legislation that Biden made a hallmark of his term in office, including the bipartisan infrastructure law.That type of divided government is unlikely to produce the sweeping changes to home ownership, prescription drug prices, price gouging and reproductive rights that Harris has highlighted throughout her campaign.But it could lead Republicans and Democrats to resurrect&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/bipartisan-border-bill-loses-support-fails-procedural-vote-us-senate" target="_blank">the bipartisan immigration and border security bill</a>&nbsp;that Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Lankford, Connecticut Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy and Arizona independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema agreed to earlier this year.Trump in the White House and Democrats holding onto at least one chamber in Congress could also force bipartisan compromise, though likely with a far different tone and approach than under a Harris-Republican Congress scenario.<h2>GOP trifecta?</h2>Trump regaining the presidency along with GOP control of Congress would give the party at least two chances to use the complex budget reconciliation process to pass certain legislation.The party would likely use one of those opportunities to address provisions in the 2017 Republican tax law that have expired or are about to.The budget reconciliation process, which has considerable rules and restrictions, is how Republicans passed the tax bill during Trump’s first term in office.It doesn’t require at least 60 senators to advance the bill. But it does include something known as a vote-a-rama, where the Senate holds dozens of votes on amendments to the bill. The process typically lasts throughout the night and gives the party not in power a chance to force their colleagues across the aisle to vote on tough issues.Budget reconciliation is the process Republicans used to try to repeal and replace the 2010 health care law that’s often referred to as the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, during Trump’s first term in office.Speaker Mike Jonson, R-La., said in late October on Fox Business that some of his<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/speaker-johnson-criticizes-obamacare-promises-massive-reform-trump-win-rcna177853" target="_blank">&nbsp;prior comments</a>&nbsp;about overhauling the ACA were taken out of context and that he wants to make changes to the program, but not entirely end it.“I said the ACA, unfortunately, is deeply ingrained in our health care system now,” he said. “Do we need further improvements? Absolutely. We need to expand quality of care, access to care and obviously lower the cost of health care.”Johnson said during the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRGW9IVOaP4" target="_blank">interview</a>&nbsp;that he was “convinced” Republicans would gain unified control of government following the election and that he had compiled a “two-hour slide show presentation” detailing what the GOP would do with that power.“We will secure the border on day one with a President Trump executive order and then legislation to follow, and we will turn immediately to the economy,” Johnson said. “Energy policy will be the center of that as well.”Deeply conservative House bills might not garner the support needed to overcome the Senate’s legislative filibuster.Unified Republican control of Congress and the White House would challenge the GOP to address the nation’s debt limit mostly on its own during the first half of next year after&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-sends-biden-debt-limit-legislation-ahead-monday-default-deadline" target="_blank">the current law</a>&nbsp;expires.A default on the nation’s debt is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-hit-debt-limit-much-sooner-expected-thrusting-congress-showdown" target="_blank">vastly different from a partial government shutdown</a>, which takes place when Congress doesn’t pass an appropriations package on time.Failing to either raise or suspend the nation’s debt limit, before what’s known as extraordinary measures runs out, would likely cause a global financial crisis.The GOP has been extremely vocal about cutting government spending, but that is separate from addressing the nation’s debt limit, which gives the Treasury Department the borrowing authority to ensure all of the country’s bills are paid in full and on time.

Will control of Congress shift? The results hinge on a handful of states and races

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Nick and Andrea Felder knew they were headed for a big life change when the couple found out they were pregnant again nine months after the birth of their twins.

The couple was living in Topeka and working for Blue Cross Blue Shield. Nick has a degree in structural engineering, and Andrea worked in accounting.

With a third child younger than 3 soon to come into their household, the couple wanted to move back to western Kansas, where they were raised.&nbsp;

When they started inquiring about child care, Nick said people laughed at them. Child care slots were extremely difficult to find in Hays at that time, and it was almost impossible to find three open slots for siblings younger than 2.

"That's when we realized what need there was for something," Nick said. "That's when we combined the need for us to combine career paths with the obvious need for child care and just the love for our kids and our family's kids, nieces and nephews."

The Felders decided to take a leap of faith. They set out to open a child care center, Bright Minds Academy.

As the couple worked through the red tape of buying land and rezoning property on Wheatland Drive, Nick was also studying to receive his child care center director certification.

The couple also sold their house and moved into a small townhome to have the capital to invest in the center.

"We just knew we wanted to get back here," Andrea said.

Well, we all know what happened next— the pandemic hit.

The Felders were able to remain open during the pandemic. They had door drop-off and special precautions that included temperature checks. The Ellis County Health Department also allowed the center to maintain a room for COVID-positive children.&nbsp;

Andrea said another significant challenge has been staffing. State regulations require a minimum number of adults in each classroom. If someone is sick, they must scramble to find someone to substitute or be forced to send children home.

Nick and Andrea substitute, but they have also hired a full-time staff member who can alternate between classes as needed.

"It's a stressor every single day," Andrea said.

The center's mission is to provide the next generation with the best quality of care and education.&nbsp;

Nick said centers have an advantage in that children can socialize and learn with their peers. The center also doesn't have to close. In-home providers might have to close if someone is sick.

The center serves children from birth through 5 and provides age-appropriate education. Under Kansas' newly revised regulations, the Wheatland center is licensed for 63 children.

"We know that 0 to 5, they learn primarily through play-based learning," Nick said.

Andrea said they modeled their center after a similar facility their twins attended when they were younger.

The center offered extracurricular activities, so the parents had opportunities to get to know each other. She said it felt like a family, and that's what the Felders wanted for Bright Minds.

The Felders said they have reaped the rewards of working with children and families.

"It's definitely more stressful than our previous jobs," Andrea said, "but the payback is 10 fold. I feel like our quality of life is a lot better. It is a lot more fulfilling. 

"Just this last year, we had preschoolers graduate who started with us in the infant room. Just seeing them from here to there, some tears were shed."

"The kids walking through the door and their faces lighting up to see you and see their teachers and be happy to be here, it's hard to describe the feeling you get from that versus working in insurance," he said.

The Felders now have four children. The twins are 7, and all four of the children have attended Bright Minds. The youngest of the four started coming to the center when he was 2 weeks old.

"It was a motivating factor," Nick said. "We get to work with kids, but we also get to see our kids anytime down the hall if we wanted to."

Parent James Robben nominated the Felders for the October Child Care Champion Award.

"Bright Minds Academy not only provides child care, but they provide a warm and educational learning environment for the children," Robben said. "I'm so glad we decided to send our children to Bright Minds. Nick, Andrea, and all of the staff at BMA do an amazing job. It really feels like an in-home family day care, but with the education qualities we were looking for."

One year ago, HaysMed opened a child care center on its campus. The hospital contracts with the Felders to operate that facility, which is licensed for 84 children.

The Grove Community Center will open next year, and the Felders will also contract to operate it.

Bright Minds is taking deposits to hold spots at The Grove. Under the new regulations, The Grove will be able to accommodate up to 83 children.

Because The Grove community center will also be the new home to the Hays Senior Center, the Felders also hope to incorporate an intergenerational aspect to that center.

Nick said the child care capacity in Hays has increased substantially since the couple opened Bright Minds.

"We want the people who were in our shoes six years ago and got chuckled at on the phone to be able to call and actually find care and be able to move here,"&nbsp; he said.

Both of the facilities they manage now are almost full.

The couple said Hays should be close to meeting its child care needs once The Grove is completed. They would like to expand and open child care homes in more rural areas of the region.

Andrea, 38, attended school in Victoria, and Nick, 37, attended school through middle school in Ransom.

"We don't want to see those types of communities fizzle out because of a problem like child care," Nick said.

Nick said Bright Minds could not be possible without its staff.

"We just manage the chaos," he said. "It's really our teachers and our staff who do the Lord's work in here. We couldn't do anything without the good people we have here."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730404434835.jpeg" alt="Nick and Andrea Felder, Bright Minds Academy owners, were named the October Child Care Champions. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Nick and Andrea Felder, Bright Minds Academy owners, were named the October Child Care Champions. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostNick and Andrea Felder knew they were headed for a big life change when the couple found out they were pregnant again nine months after the birth of their twins.The couple was living in Topeka and working for Blue Cross Blue Shield. Nick has a degree in structural engineering, and Andrea worked in accounting.With a third child younger than 3 soon to come into their household, the couple wanted to move back to western Kansas, where they were raised.&nbsp;When they started inquiring about child care, Nick said people laughed at them. Child care slots were extremely difficult to find in Hays at that time, and it was almost impossible to find three open slots for siblings younger than 2."That's when we realized what need there was for something," Nick said. "That's when we combined the need for us to combine career paths with the obvious need for child care and just the love for our kids and our family's kids, nieces and nephews."The Felders decided to take a leap of faith. They set out to open a child care center, Bright Minds Academy.As the couple worked through the red tape of buying land and rezoning property on Wheatland Drive, Nick was also studying to receive his child care center director certification.The couple also sold their house and moved into a small townhome to have the capital to invest in the center."We just knew we wanted to get back here," Andrea said.The center opened in January 2020.Well, we all know what happened next— the pandemic hit.The Felders were able to remain open during the pandemic. They had door drop-off and special precautions that included temperature checks. The Ellis County Health Department also allowed the center to maintain a room for COVID-positive children.&nbsp;Andrea said another significant challenge has been staffing. State regulations require a minimum number of adults in each classroom. If someone is sick, they must scramble to find someone to substitute or be forced to send children home.Nick and Andrea substitute, but they have also hired a full-time staff member who can alternate between classes as needed."It's a stressor every single day," Andrea said.The center's mission is to provide the next generation with the best quality of care and education.&nbsp;Nick said centers have an advantage in that children can socialize and learn with their peers. The center also doesn't have to close. In-home providers might have to close if someone is sick.The center serves children from birth through 5 and provides age-appropriate education. Under Kansas' newly revised regulations, the Wheatland center is licensed for 63 children."We know that 0 to 5, they learn primarily through play-based learning," Nick said.Andrea said they modeled their center after a similar facility their twins attended when they were younger.The center offered extracurricular activities, so the parents had opportunities to get to know each other. She said it felt like a family, and that's what the Felders wanted for Bright Minds.The Felders said they have reaped the rewards of working with children and families."It's definitely more stressful than our previous jobs," Andrea said, "but the payback is 10 fold. I feel like our quality of life is a lot better. It is a lot more fulfilling. "Just this last year, we had preschoolers graduate who started with us in the infant room. Just seeing them from here to there, some tears were shed."Nick also shared his memories."The kids walking through the door and their faces lighting up to see you and see their teachers and be happy to be here, it's hard to describe the feeling you get from that versus working in insurance," he said.The Felders now have four children. The twins are 7, and all four of the children have attended Bright Minds. The youngest of the four started coming to the center when he was 2 weeks old."It was a motivating factor," Nick said. "We get to work with kids, but we also get to see our kids anytime down the hall if we wanted to."Parent James Robben nominated the Felders for the October Child Care Champion Award."Bright Minds Academy not only provides child care, but they provide a warm and educational learning environment for the children," Robben said. "I'm so glad we decided to send our children to Bright Minds. Nick, Andrea, and all of the staff at BMA do an amazing job. It really feels like an in-home family day care, but with the education qualities we were looking for."One year ago, HaysMed opened a child care center on its campus. The hospital contracts with the Felders to operate that facility, which is licensed for 84 children.The Grove Community Center will open next year, and the Felders will also contract to operate it.Bright Minds is taking deposits to hold spots at The Grove. Under the new regulations, The Grove will be able to accommodate up to 83 children.Because The Grove community center will also be the new home to the Hays Senior Center, the Felders also hope to incorporate an intergenerational aspect to that center.Nick said the child care capacity in Hays has increased substantially since the couple opened Bright Minds."We want the people who were in our shoes six years ago and got chuckled at on the phone to be able to call and actually find care and be able to move here,"&nbsp; he said.Both of the facilities they manage now are almost full.The couple said Hays should be close to meeting its child care needs once The Grove is completed. They would like to expand and open child care homes in more rural areas of the region.Andrea, 38, attended school in Victoria, and Nick, 37, attended school through middle school in Ransom."We don't want to see those types of communities fizzle out because of a problem like child care," Nick said.Nick said Bright Minds could not be possible without its staff."We just manage the chaos," he said. "It's really our teachers and our staff who do the Lord's work in here. We couldn't do anything without the good people we have here."

Child Care Champions take leap of faith to start new careers in child care

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Right-handed pitcher&nbsp;Seth Lugo&nbsp;and shortstop&nbsp;Bobby Witt Jr.&nbsp;were named winners of 2024 American League&nbsp;Rawlings&nbsp;Gold Glove Awards for the first time in their careers,&nbsp;Rawlings&nbsp;Sporting Goods Inc. announced tonight. The&nbsp;Rawlings&nbsp;Gold Glove Awards honor the best individual fielding performances at each position in the American League and National League. Winners were chosen by a combination of votes from MLB managers and coaches, and the SABR Defensive Index.

They are the 16th and 17th Royals, respectively, to win the award. The Royals now have 22&nbsp;Rawlings&nbsp;Gold Gloves over the last 14 seasons since 2011, the most in the Majors during that time.

Lugo is the second Royals pitcher to win the award, joining Royals Hall of Famer&nbsp;Bret Saberhagen&nbsp;(1989). Witt Jr. is the second shortstop in franchise history to earn the honor, joining&nbsp;Alcides Escobar&nbsp;(2015). Witt Jr., who played in his age-24 season, became the 3rd-youngest Royal to win the Award, only older than&nbsp;Eric Hosmer&nbsp;and&nbsp;Salvador&nbsp;Perez, who both won their first Gold Glove Awards at age 23 in 2013. Lugo and Witt Jr. are the first Royals to win a Gold Glove Award since outfielders&nbsp;Andrew Benintendi&nbsp;and&nbsp;Michael A. Taylor&nbsp;in 2021.

Lugo, who turns 35 in two weeks, was one of 10 American League pitchers to finish with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage and make at least 30 starts, and he started more games (33) and covered more innings (206.2) than everyone in that group. Lugo had 43 defensive chances this season, 2nd to Boston’s&nbsp;Tanner Houck&nbsp;(51) for the AL lead. He successfully recorded 14 putouts and 29 assists, while contributing to 3 double plays, 1 shy of&nbsp;Michael Lorenzen&nbsp;and&nbsp;Casey Mize&nbsp;for the AL lead. Lugo registered 5 Defensive Runs Saved, 1 shy of&nbsp;Tanner Bibee’s&nbsp;American League-leading 6 for pitchers.

Witt Jr., 24, posted a .974 fielding percentage across 1393.2 innings, tied for the 2nd-highest mark by a qualified American League shortstop, behind Texas’&nbsp;Corey Seager&nbsp;(.983, 959.1 innings). He was the only shortstop in the AL to start at least 160 games, and his 1393.2 innings marked the 4th-most innings played at shortstop in franchise history, behind only a trio of seasons from&nbsp;Alcides Escobar&nbsp;in 2014 and 2016-17, headlined by his 1433.2 innings in 162 starts in 2014. Witt Jr. recorded a career-high Fielding Run Value (12), which paced American League shortstops and only trailed&nbsp;Dansby Swanson&nbsp;(14)&nbsp;of the Cubs for the Major League lead. He also logged 16 Outs Above Average, per&nbsp;Baseball Savant, the highest mark among AL shortstops, 3 ahead of New York’s&nbsp;Anthony Volpe.

According to&nbsp;FanGraphs’&nbsp;Defensive Runs Above Average (DEF), a statistic that measures a player’s defensive value relative to league average, Witt Jr.’s score of 17.6 was the 2nd best at his position behind Swanson’s 18.9, and it finished more than a full point higher than the next AL shortstop (Volpe, 16.2).&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730720651347.jpeg" alt="FILE - Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. throws out New York Yankees' Gleyber Torres at first during the first inning in Game 3 of an American League Division baseball playoff series, Oct. 9, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. throws out New York Yankees' Gleyber Torres at first during the first inning in Game 3 of an American League Division baseball playoff series, Oct. 9, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas City RoyalsKANSAS CITY, Mo. - Right-handed pitcher&nbsp;Seth Lugo&nbsp;and shortstop&nbsp;Bobby Witt Jr.&nbsp;were named winners of 2024 American League&nbsp;Rawlings&nbsp;Gold Glove Awards for the first time in their careers,&nbsp;Rawlings&nbsp;Sporting Goods Inc. announced tonight. The&nbsp;Rawlings&nbsp;Gold Glove Awards honor the best individual fielding performances at each position in the American League and National League. Winners were chosen by a combination of votes from MLB managers and coaches, and the SABR Defensive Index.They are the 16th and 17th Royals, respectively, to win the award. The Royals now have 22&nbsp;Rawlings&nbsp;Gold Gloves over the last 14 seasons since 2011, the most in the Majors during that time.Lugo is the second Royals pitcher to win the award, joining Royals Hall of Famer&nbsp;Bret Saberhagen&nbsp;(1989). Witt Jr. is the second shortstop in franchise history to earn the honor, joining&nbsp;Alcides Escobar&nbsp;(2015). Witt Jr., who played in his age-24 season, became the 3rd-youngest Royal to win the Award, only older than&nbsp;Eric Hosmer&nbsp;and&nbsp;Salvador&nbsp;Perez, who both won their first Gold Glove Awards at age 23 in 2013. Lugo and Witt Jr. are the first Royals to win a Gold Glove Award since outfielders&nbsp;Andrew Benintendi&nbsp;and&nbsp;Michael A. Taylor&nbsp;in 2021.Lugo, who turns 35 in two weeks, was one of 10 American League pitchers to finish with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage and make at least 30 starts, and he started more games (33) and covered more innings (206.2) than everyone in that group. Lugo had 43 defensive chances this season, 2nd to Boston’s&nbsp;Tanner Houck&nbsp;(51) for the AL lead. He successfully recorded 14 putouts and 29 assists, while contributing to 3 double plays, 1 shy of&nbsp;Michael Lorenzen&nbsp;and&nbsp;Casey Mize&nbsp;for the AL lead. Lugo registered 5 Defensive Runs Saved, 1 shy of&nbsp;Tanner Bibee’s&nbsp;American League-leading 6 for pitchers.Witt Jr., 24, posted a .974 fielding percentage across 1393.2 innings, tied for the 2nd-highest mark by a qualified American League shortstop, behind Texas’&nbsp;Corey Seager&nbsp;(.983, 959.1 innings). He was the only shortstop in the AL to start at least 160 games, and his 1393.2 innings marked the 4th-most innings played at shortstop in franchise history, behind only a trio of seasons from&nbsp;Alcides Escobar&nbsp;in 2014 and 2016-17, headlined by his 1433.2 innings in 162 starts in 2014. Witt Jr. recorded a career-high Fielding Run Value (12), which paced American League shortstops and only trailed&nbsp;Dansby Swanson&nbsp;(14)&nbsp;of the Cubs for the Major League lead. He also logged 16 Outs Above Average, per&nbsp;Baseball Savant, the highest mark among AL shortstops, 3 ahead of New York’s&nbsp;Anthony Volpe. According to&nbsp;FanGraphs’&nbsp;Defensive Runs Above Average (DEF), a statistic that measures a player’s defensive value relative to league average, Witt Jr.’s score of 17.6 was the 2nd best at his position behind Swanson’s 18.9, and it finished more than a full point higher than the next AL shortstop (Volpe, 16.2).&nbsp;&nbsp;

⚾ Royals Lugo, Witt Jr. named 2024 Rawlings Gold Glove Award winners

Alyssa Church of Hays has earned the highest award in Girl Scouting— the Gold Award, and she will be recognized this weekend in Wichita for her achievement.

Church created 100 Homework Buddy bags for children in the five elementary schools in Hays.

Church, 16, is a junior at Thomas More Prep-Marian and an Ambassador-level Girl Scout.&nbsp;

The bags were filled with new and used school supplies. Some of the supplies included crayons, pencils, markers, erasers, glue, rulers, colored pencils and a homemade crayon that Church made herself.

Church also included sheets highlighting good study habits.

She also decorated the outside of the bags.

Although First Call for Help has the annual Back Pack for Kids school supply giveaway, those school supplies are meant to stay at school.

Church wanted the Hays children to have school supplies they could take home to use when they were working on homework.

"A lot of kids don't have things at home," she said. "They don't have a box of crayons or markers at home. The purpose of my project is to give them the supplies they need to successfully complete their homework at&nbsp; home."

Church conducted a drive for supplies at school and sent out a request on social media.

Church said when she was presenting her project to the awards committee, one of the members, who had been a kindergarten teacher, said one of her students tried to sneak school supplies from the classroom into his backpack because the child had nothing to use at home for homework.

Church developed the project idea because she wanted to rehome the pencils, markers and crayons her family no longer used.

"I wanted a way for the families who needed them to get them," she said.

&nbsp;Church had to complete 80 hours of volunteer service toward her project and earn a Journey badge to earn her Gold Award.

Church hopes to be a preschool teacher after she graduates high school.

"I just love being around kids. I love kids. I love being around the little ones who are preschool or kindergarten age," she said.

Church has experience babysitting and worked at Bright Minds Academy in its preschool this summer.

Church said she loves helping people, and she's been able to do that through Girl Scouts.

She and her Troop — No. 11210 — have been together since kindergarten.

Church's mother, Amy, has been her leader since the beginning.

"I'm very proud. I read that only 5.4 percent of Girl Scouts make their Gold Award. She put a lot of hard work into it," Amy said.

The Girl Scout Gold Award is often compared to the Boy Scout Eagle Award. Awardees can apply for special scholarships. They can also join the military at one rank higher, as can Eagle Scouts.

Her project was approved by the Gold Award committee in spring 2023, and Church presented the bags to the schools at the beginning of this school year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730218132422.jpeg" alt="Girl Scout Alyssa Church of Hays with the Homework Buddy bags she made for students in Hays. Church's service project helped her earn the highest award in Girl Scouting—the Gold Award. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Girl Scout Alyssa Church of Hays with the Homework Buddy bags she made for students in Hays. Church's service project helped her earn the highest award in Girl Scouting—the Gold Award. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostAlyssa Church of Hays has earned the highest award in Girl Scouting— the Gold Award, and she will be recognized this weekend in Wichita for her achievement.Church created 100 Homework Buddy bags for children in the five elementary schools in Hays.Church, 16, is a junior at Thomas More Prep-Marian and an Ambassador-level Girl Scout.&nbsp;The bags were filled with new and used school supplies. Some of the supplies included crayons, pencils, markers, erasers, glue, rulers, colored pencils and a homemade crayon that Church made herself.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730218404036.jpeg" alt="Girl Scout Alyssa Church with&nbsp;supplies she received from Thomas More Prep-Marian students. The students donated 475 items. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Girl Scout Alyssa Church with&nbsp;supplies she received from Thomas More Prep-Marian students. The students donated 475 items. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Church also included sheets highlighting good study habits.She also decorated the outside of the bags.Although First Call for Help has the annual Back Pack for Kids school supply giveaway, those school supplies are meant to stay at school.Church wanted the Hays children to have school supplies they could take home to use when they were working on homework."A lot of kids don't have things at home," she said. "They don't have a box of crayons or markers at home. The purpose of my project is to give them the supplies they need to successfully complete their homework at&nbsp; home."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730218616491.jpeg" alt="Contents of one of Church's Homework Buddy Bags. The bags contain supplies students can use to complete homework at home.&nbsp; Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Contents of one of Church's Homework Buddy Bags. The bags contain supplies students can use to complete homework at home.&nbsp; Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Church conducted a drive for supplies at school and sent out a request on social media.Church said when she was presenting her project to the awards committee, one of the members, who had been a kindergarten teacher, said one of her students tried to sneak school supplies from the classroom into his backpack because the child had nothing to use at home for homework.Church developed the project idea because she wanted to rehome the pencils, markers and crayons her family no longer used."I wanted a way for the families who needed them to get them," she said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730218714621.jpeg" alt="Church delivering Homework Buddy bags to Holy Family Elementary School. Church made 100 bags. Each of the five elementary schools in Hays received bags. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Church delivering Homework Buddy bags to Holy Family Elementary School. Church made 100 bags. Each of the five elementary schools in Hays received bags. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Church had to complete 80 hours of volunteer service toward her project and earn a Journey badge to earn her Gold Award.Church hopes to be a preschool teacher after she graduates high school."I just love being around kids. I love kids. I love being around the little ones who are preschool or kindergarten age," she said.Church has experience babysitting and worked at Bright Minds Academy in its preschool this summer.Church said she loves helping people, and she's been able to do that through Girl Scouts.She and her Troop — No. 11210 — have been together since kindergarten.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730218911268.jpeg" alt="Church presenting Homework Buddy bags to O'Loughlin Elementary School Principal Rene Burns. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Church presenting Homework Buddy bags to O'Loughlin Elementary School Principal Rene Burns. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Church's mother, Amy, has been her leader since the beginning."I'm very proud. I read that only 5.4 percent of Girl Scouts make their Gold Award. She put a lot of hard work into it," Amy said.The Girl Scout Gold Award is often compared to the Boy Scout Eagle Award. Awardees can apply for special scholarships. They can also join the military at one rank higher, as can Eagle Scouts.Her project was approved by the Gold Award committee in spring 2023, and Church presented the bags to the schools at the beginning of this school year.The four girls who remain in the troop also have participated in various service projects.Although the Gold Award is an individual project, troops can do the precursors to it—the Bronze and Silver awards—with their troops.Girl Scouts complete their Bronze Awards as Juniors in the fourth or fifth grades. Silver Awards are completed when Girl Scouts are Cadettes in middle school.Troop 11210 members created homemade dog toys for the Humane Society of the High Plains for their Bronze Award. They made activity bags, called Kid Kits, for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ellis County and Court Appointed Special Advocates for their Silver Award.Church has also traveled with Girl Scouts. This summer, she went whitewater rafting in Colorado and made the cover of a Girl Scout magazine."Being a Girl Scout is so much fun since I started in kindergarten," Church said. "I'm really glad that I was able to be a Girl Scout this long and complete my Gold Award."Amy said she has also enjoyed being a volunteer."Looking back at these girls since kindergarten and seeing how much they have matured and grown over the years and their friendships and their bonds," she said. ... We've done a lot—a lot of volunteer work, service work. We put on our church Easter egg hunt."I've watched them grow, and in two years, they'll be in college, and maybe they'll be a Girl Scout leader and volunteer that way and give back," she said.Alyssa said she would like to be a Girl Scout leader as well.If you are interested in becoming a Girl Scout or volunteering with Girl Scouts, you can call 1-888-686-6468 or email us at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:info@gskh.org">info@gskh.org</a>.Editor's note: Cristina Janney is a Girl Scout volunteer.