The Justice Department Wednesday announced the ongoing seizure of 32 internet domains used in Russian government-directed foreign malign influence campaigns colloquially referred to as “Doppelganger,” in violation of U.S. money laundering and criminal trademark laws, according to the United State's Department of Justice.

 As alleged in an unsealed affidavit, the Russian companies Social Design Agency (SDA), Structura National Technology (Structura), and ANO Dialog, operating under the direction and control of the Russian Presidential Administration, and in particular First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Vladilenovich Kiriyenko, used these domains, among others, to covertly spread Russian government propaganda with the aim of reducing international support for Ukraine, bolstering pro-Russian policies and interests, and influencing voters in U.S. and foreign elections, including the U.S. 2024 Presidential Election. &nbsp;

<a href="https://www.justice.gov/d9/2024-09/doppelganger_affidavit_9.4.24.pdf">Click here to read the</a> affidavit

In conjunction with the domain seizures, the U.S. Treasury Department announced the&nbsp;<a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2559" target="_blank">designation&nbsp;</a>of 10 individuals and two entities as part of a coordinated response to Russia’s malign influence efforts targeting the 2024 U.S. presidential election. This announcement follows the designation of actors involved in Doppelganger&nbsp;<a href="https://vmm0dj30.r.us-east-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%2F%2Fhome.treasury.gov%2Fnews%2Fpress-releases%2Fjy2195%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/01000191be104440-359d8f36-c9ed-4091-98ab-d28ec7dc8a9b-000000/TTf56XNwl_FEn5At6qVT5zUK1KI=390" target="_blank">announced</a>&nbsp;by the Treasury Department in March.

“The Justice Department is seizing 32 internet domains that the Russian government and Russian government-sponsored actors have used to engage in a covert campaign to interfere in and influence the outcome of our country’s elections,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “As alleged in our court filings, President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle, including Sergei Kiriyenko, directed Russian public relations companies to promote disinformation and state-sponsored narratives as part of a campaign to influence the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election. 

An internal planning document created by the Kremlin states that a goal of the campaign is to secure Russia’s preferred outcome in the election. The sites we are seizing today were filled with Russian government propaganda that had been created by the Kremlin to reduce international support for Ukraine, bolster pro-Russian policies and interests, and influence voters in the United States and other countries. Our actions today make clear that the Justice Department will be aggressive in countering and disrupting attempts by the Russian government, or any other malign actor, to interfere in our elections and undermine our democracy.”

“The Department’s seizure of 32 internet domains secretly deployed to spread foreign malign influence demonstrates once again that Russia remains a predominant foreign threat to our elections,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “At Putin’s direction, Russian companies SDA, Structura, and ANO Dialog used cybersquatting, fabricated influencers, and fake profiles to covertly promote AI-generated false narratives on social media. 

Those narratives targeted specific American demographics and regions in a calculated effort to subvert our election. Our republic depends on elections that are free from foreign interference, and we will not rest in our efforts to expose foreign malign influence operations and protect our democracy, without fear or favor.”

“Today’s announcement exposes the scope of the Russian government’s influence operations and their reliance on cutting-edge AI to sow disinformation,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Companies operating at the direction of the Russian government created websites to trick Americans into unwittingly consuming Russian propaganda.&nbsp; By seizing these websites, the FBI is making clear to the world what they are, Russian attempts to interfere in our elections and influence our society.&nbsp; The FBI will continue to work with our partners to expose and shutdown these covert influence campaigns.”

“This seizure illustrates vividly what the U.S. government and private sector partners have warned for months: the Russian government and its proxies are aggressively accelerating the Kremlin’s covert efforts to seed false stories and amplify disinformation directed at the American public,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today’s announcement reveals Russia is willing to impersonate our free and open press in its egregious schemes."

"This is our third disruption of Russian foreign malign influence operations in two months, and the Justice Department remains relentless in protecting Americans from such unacceptable conduct. To Russia, and any other government seeking to stoke discord in our society: know that we will spare no effort and use every available tool to disrupt and expose this malign activity and defend our democratic institutions.”

“Protecting our democratic processes from foreign malign influence is paramount to ensure enduring public trust,” said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “As America’s adversaries continue to spew propaganda and disinformation towards the American electorate, we’ll use every tool at our disposal to expose and dismantle their insidious foreign influence campaigns.”

The propaganda did not identify, and in fact purposefully obfuscated, the Russian government or its agents as the source of the content. The perpetrators extensively utilized “cybersquatted” domains, a method of registering a domain intended to mimic another person or company’s website (e.g.,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/d9/2024-09/exhibit_1_washingtonpost.pm__1.pdf">registering washingtonpost.pm to mimic washingtonpost.com</a>), to publish Russian government messaging falsely presented as content from legitimate news media organizations. In other instances, the perpetrators sought to create their own unique media brands to promote Doppelganger content (e.g., Recent Reliable News). Among the methods Doppelganger used to drive viewership to the cybersquatted and unique media domains was the deployment of “influencers” worldwide, paid social media advertisements (in some cases created using artificial intelligence tools), and the creation of social media profiles posing as U.S. (or other non-Russian) citizens to post comments on social media platforms with links to the cybersquatted domains, all of which attempted to trick viewers into believing they were being directed to a legitimate news media outlet’s website.

The affidavit describes the perpetrators’ own internal strategy meeting notes, project proposals, and other records obtained during the course of the investigation. Several notable propaganda project proposals directed against the United States included:

Doppelganger’s foreign malign influence efforts were not directed solely against audiences in the United States. Other targets of the perpetrators’ propaganda included Germany, Mexico, and Israel, among others. Doppelganger’s influence campaigns sought to influence the citizenry of those countries to support Russian government objectives, including by undermining the United States’ relationship with those countries.

Doppelganger’s use of the U.S.-based domain names at the direction and control of, and for the benefit of, sanctioned persons, including Sergei Vladilenovich Kiriyenko, SDA, and Structura, violates the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). As a result, the accompanying payments for Doppelganger’s online infrastructure violate federal money laundering laws. In addition, Doppelganger’s publication of content on cybersquatted domains with names and content that mimic legitimate media outlets violates federal criminal trademark laws because those domains feature trademarks registered on the Principal Register maintained by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

The FBI Philadelphia Field Office is investigating the case.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and National Security Cyber Section are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance from the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725475035602.png" alt="The perpetrators extensively utilized “cybersquatted” domains, a method of registering a domain intended to mimic another person or company’s website (e.g., registering washingtonpost.pm to mimic washingtonpost.com), to publish Russian government messaging falsely presented as content from legitimate news media organizations.-image U.S. Dept. of Justice" />
 <figcaption>The perpetrators extensively utilized “cybersquatted” domains, a method of registering a domain intended to mimic another person or company’s website (e.g., registering washingtonpost.pm to mimic washingtonpost.com), to publish Russian government messaging falsely presented as content from legitimate news media organizations.-image U.S. Dept. of Justice</figcaption>
 </figure>The Justice Department Wednesday announced the ongoing seizure of 32 internet domains used in Russian government-directed foreign malign influence campaigns colloquially referred to as “Doppelganger,” in violation of U.S. money laundering and criminal trademark laws, according to the United State's Department of Justice.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Attorney General Merrick Garland details two law enforcement actions to crack down on a Russian influence campaign intended to spread propaganda and sway U.S. elections. <a href="https://t.co/IsvStfYlgK">pic.twitter.com/IsvStfYlgK</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1831437967283437581?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div> As alleged in an unsealed affidavit, the Russian companies Social Design Agency (SDA), Structura National Technology (Structura), and ANO Dialog, operating under the direction and control of the Russian Presidential Administration, and in particular First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Vladilenovich Kiriyenko, used these domains, among others, to covertly spread Russian government propaganda with the aim of reducing international support for Ukraine, bolstering pro-Russian policies and interests, and influencing voters in U.S. and foreign elections, including the U.S. 2024 Presidential Election. &nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/d9/2024-09/doppelganger_affidavit_9.4.24.pdf">Click here to read the</a> affidavitIn conjunction with the domain seizures, the U.S. Treasury Department announced the&nbsp;<a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2559" target="_blank">designation&nbsp;</a>of 10 individuals and two entities as part of a coordinated response to Russia’s malign influence efforts targeting the 2024 U.S. presidential election. This announcement follows the designation of actors involved in Doppelganger&nbsp;<a href="https://vmm0dj30.r.us-east-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%2F%2Fhome.treasury.gov%2Fnews%2Fpress-releases%2Fjy2195%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/01000191be104440-359d8f36-c9ed-4091-98ab-d28ec7dc8a9b-000000/TTf56XNwl_FEn5At6qVT5zUK1KI=390" target="_blank">announced</a>&nbsp;by the Treasury Department in March.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725475113269.png" alt="The perpetrators extensively utilized “cybersquatted” domains, a method of registering a domain intended to mimic another person or company’s website (e.g., registering washingtonpost.pm to mimic washingtonpost.com), to publish Russian government messaging falsely presented as content from legitimate news media organizations -image U.S. Dept. of Justice" />
 <figcaption>The perpetrators extensively utilized “cybersquatted” domains, a method of registering a domain intended to mimic another person or company’s website (e.g., registering washingtonpost.pm to mimic washingtonpost.com), to publish Russian government messaging falsely presented as content from legitimate news media organizations -image U.S. Dept. of Justice</figcaption>
 </figure>“The Justice Department is seizing 32 internet domains that the Russian government and Russian government-sponsored actors have used to engage in a covert campaign to interfere in and influence the outcome of our country’s elections,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “As alleged in our court filings, President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle, including Sergei Kiriyenko, directed Russian public relations companies to promote disinformation and state-sponsored narratives as part of a campaign to influence the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election. An internal planning document created by the Kremlin states that a goal of the campaign is to secure Russia’s preferred outcome in the election. The sites we are seizing today were filled with Russian government propaganda that had been created by the Kremlin to reduce international support for Ukraine, bolster pro-Russian policies and interests, and influence voters in the United States and other countries. Our actions today make clear that the Justice Department will be aggressive in countering and disrupting attempts by the Russian government, or any other malign actor, to interfere in our elections and undermine our democracy.”“The Department’s seizure of 32 internet domains secretly deployed to spread foreign malign influence demonstrates once again that Russia remains a predominant foreign threat to our elections,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “At Putin’s direction, Russian companies SDA, Structura, and ANO Dialog used cybersquatting, fabricated influencers, and fake profiles to covertly promote AI-generated false narratives on social media. Those narratives targeted specific American demographics and regions in a calculated effort to subvert our election. Our republic depends on elections that are free from foreign interference, and we will not rest in our efforts to expose foreign malign influence operations and protect our democracy, without fear or favor.”“Today’s announcement exposes the scope of the Russian government’s influence operations and their reliance on cutting-edge AI to sow disinformation,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Companies operating at the direction of the Russian government created websites to trick Americans into unwittingly consuming Russian propaganda.&nbsp; By seizing these websites, the FBI is making clear to the world what they are, Russian attempts to interfere in our elections and influence our society.&nbsp; The FBI will continue to work with our partners to expose and shutdown these covert influence campaigns.”“This seizure illustrates vividly what the U.S. government and private sector partners have warned for months: the Russian government and its proxies are aggressively accelerating the Kremlin’s covert efforts to seed false stories and amplify disinformation directed at the American public,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today’s announcement reveals Russia is willing to impersonate our free and open press in its egregious schemes.""This is our third disruption of Russian foreign malign influence operations in two months, and the Justice Department remains relentless in protecting Americans from such unacceptable conduct. To Russia, and any other government seeking to stoke discord in our society: know that we will spare no effort and use every available tool to disrupt and expose this malign activity and defend our democratic institutions.”“Protecting our democratic processes from foreign malign influence is paramount to ensure enduring public trust,” said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “As America’s adversaries continue to spew propaganda and disinformation towards the American electorate, we’ll use every tool at our disposal to expose and dismantle their insidious foreign influence campaigns.”The propaganda did not identify, and in fact purposefully obfuscated, the Russian government or its agents as the source of the content. The perpetrators extensively utilized “cybersquatted” domains, a method of registering a domain intended to mimic another person or company’s website (e.g.,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/d9/2024-09/exhibit_1_washingtonpost.pm__1.pdf">registering washingtonpost.pm to mimic washingtonpost.com</a>), to publish Russian government messaging falsely presented as content from legitimate news media organizations. In other instances, the perpetrators sought to create their own unique media brands to promote Doppelganger content (e.g., Recent Reliable News). Among the methods Doppelganger used to drive viewership to the cybersquatted and unique media domains was the deployment of “influencers” worldwide, paid social media advertisements (in some cases created using artificial intelligence tools), and the creation of social media profiles posing as U.S. (or other non-Russian) citizens to post comments on social media platforms with links to the cybersquatted domains, all of which attempted to trick viewers into believing they were being directed to a legitimate news media outlet’s website.OverviewThe affidavit describes the perpetrators’ own internal strategy meeting notes, project proposals, and other records obtained during the course of the investigation. Several notable propaganda project proposals directed against the United States included:<ul>
 <li>Good Old USA Project: Attachments&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/d9/2024-09/exhibits_8a_and_8b.pdf">8A, 8B</a></li><li>The Guerilla Media Campaign: Attachments&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/d9/2024-09/exhibits_9a_and_9b.pdf">9A, 9B</a></li><li>U.S. Social Media Influencers Network Project: Attachments&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/d9/2024-09/exhibits_10a_and_10b.pdf">10A, 10B</a></li>
 </ul>Doppelganger’s foreign malign influence efforts were not directed solely against audiences in the United States. Other targets of the perpetrators’ propaganda included Germany, Mexico, and Israel, among others. Doppelganger’s influence campaigns sought to influence the citizenry of those countries to support Russian government objectives, including by undermining the United States’ relationship with those countries.Doppelganger’s use of the U.S.-based domain names at the direction and control of, and for the benefit of, sanctioned persons, including Sergei Vladilenovich Kiriyenko, SDA, and Structura, violates the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). As a result, the accompanying payments for Doppelganger’s online infrastructure violate federal money laundering laws. In addition, Doppelganger’s publication of content on cybersquatted domains with names and content that mimic legitimate media outlets violates federal criminal trademark laws because those domains feature trademarks registered on the Principal Register maintained by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.The FBI Philadelphia Field Office is investigating the case.The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and National Security Cyber Section are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance from the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.

US accuses Russia of efforts to influence 2024 election

WINDER, Ga. (AP) — A 14-year-old student opened fire at a Georgia high school and killed four people on Wednesday, authorities said, sending students scrambling for shelter in their classrooms — and eventually to the football stadium — as officers swarmed the campus and parents raced to find out if their children were safe.

Click below to watch the briefing from the GBI

The dead were identified as two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School in Winder, about an hour’s drive from Atlanta. At least nine other people were taken to hospitals with injuries.

The words “hard lockdown” appeared on a screen in junior Layla Ferrell's health class and lights began flashing. She and her frightened classmates piled desks and chairs in front of the door to create a barricade, she recalled.

Sophomore Kaylee Abner was in geometry class when she heard the gunshots. She and her classmates ducked behind their teacher’s desk, and then the teacher began flipping the desk in an attempt to barricade the classroom door, Abner said. A classmate beside her was praying, and she held his hand while they all waited for police.

After students poured into the football stadium, Abner saw teachers who had taken off their shirts to help treat gunshot wounds.

Two school resource officers encountered the shooter within minutes after a report of shots fired went out, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said. The suspect, a student at the school, immediately surrendered and was taken into custody. He is being charged as an adult with murder.

Authorities were still looking into how the suspect obtained the gun used in the shooting and got it into the school in Barrow County, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of Atlanta. At an afternoon news conference, officials would not say what type of gun was used.

Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith choked up as he began to speak during the briefing. He said he was born and raised in the community and his kids are in the school system.

“My heart hurts for these kids. My heart hurts for our community,” he said. “But I want to make it very clear that hate will not prevail in this county. I want that to be very clear and known. Love will prevail over what happened today.”

It was the&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/mass-killings/index.html">the latest</a>&nbsp;among dozens of school shootings across the U.S. in recent years, including especially deadly ones in Newtown, Connecticut, Parkland, Florida, and Uvalde, Texas. The classroom killings have set off fervent debates about gun control and frayed the nerves of parents whose children are growing up accustomed to active shooter drills in classrooms. But they have done little to move the needle on national gun laws.

Before Wednesday, there had been 29&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-mass-killings-list-14a356281ba8da1d72931cd6f56c41ba">mass killings</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. so far this year, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University. At least 127 people have died in those killings, which are defined as incidents in which four or more people die within a 24-hour period, not including the killer — the same definition used by the FBI.

Last year ended with 217 deaths from 42 mass killings, making 2023 one of the deadliest years on record for such shootings in the country.

On Wednesday in Georgia, sophomore football player Jacob King said he had dozed off in his world history class after a morning practice when he heard about 10 gunshots.

King said he didn’t believe the shooting was real until he heard an officer yelling at someone to put down their gun. When his class was led out, he saw officers shielding what appeared to be an injured student.

Ashley Enoh was at home in the morning when she got a text from her brother, a senior at Apalachee High: “Just so you know, I love you.”

When Erin Clark, 42, received a text from her son Ethan, a senior, saying there was an active shooter, she rushed from her job at the Amazon warehouse to the school. The two texted “I love you,” and Clark said she prayed for her him as she drove.

With the main road to the school blocked, she parked and ran with other parents. They were directed to the football field, and amid the chaos, Clark found Ethan sitting on the bleachers.

Clark said her son was writing an essay in class when he first heard gunfire. He worked with his classmates to barricade the door and hide.

“I’m so proud of him for doing that,” she said. “He was so brave.”

“It makes me scared to send him back,” Clark said. “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

Traffic going to the school was backed up for more than a mile as parents tried to get to their children. Barrow County schools will be closed for the rest of the week as they cooperate with the investigation, but grief counseling will be available.

“It’s just outrageous that every day, in our country, in the United States of America, that parents have to send their children to school worried about whether or not their child will come home alive," Vice President Kamala Harris said during a campaign stop in New Hampshire.

In a message posted to social media, former President Donald Trump said: “These cherished children were taken from us far too soon by a sick and deranged monster.”

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said in a statement: “This is a day every parent dreads, and Georgians everywhere will hug their children tighter this evening because of this painful event.”

The FBI's Atlanta office said its agents were at the school “coordinating with and supporting local law enforcement.”

Apalachee High School has about 1,900 students, according to records from Georgia education officials. It opened in 2000, and is named after the Apalachee River on the southern edge of Barrow County, according to the school system.

The shooting had reverberations in Atlanta, where Mayor Andre Dickens said patrols of schools were beefed up.

In Winder, Abner said that when she goes home Wednesday night, she hopes to avoid thinking about those terrifying moments in her geometry class.

“I’ll probably not think about it, even though it happened,” she said. “Just think happy thoughts, don’t think about it anymore.”

Sophomore Shantal Sanvee, who was in a classroom near the gunshots, said "I saw, like, a whole lot of blood. And it was just, it was just horrible.”

“I don't think I want to be here for like a long time now,” she added.

As an officer led students towards the stadium, freshman Michelle Moncada was in tears. People she knew had been shot, and she saw one friend on the floor who had been grazed by a bullet.

“It doesn’t feel real,” Moncada said.

The dead were identified as two students and two teachers, and at least nine other people were taken to hospitals with injuries.

The suspect, a student at Apalachee High School in Winder, about an hour’s drive from Atlanta, was taken into custody, authorities said, and was being charged as an adult with murder.

“What you see behind us is an evil thing,” Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said at a brief news conference outside the school. He declined to give details about the suspect. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said four people were dead and at least nine injured.

The school shooting was&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/mass-killings/index.html">just the latest</a>&nbsp;among dozens across the U.S. in recent years, including especially deadly ones in Newtown, Connecticut, Parkland, Florida, and Uvalde, Texas. The classroom killings have set off fervent debates about gun control and frayed the nerves of parents whose children are growing up accustomed to active shooter drills in classrooms. But they have done little to move the needle on national gun laws.

Jacob King, a sophomore football player, said he had dozed off in his world history class after a morning practice when he heard about 10 gunshots.

King said he didn’t believe the shooting was real until he heard an officer yelling at someone to put down their gun. King said when his class was led out, he saw officers shielding what appeared to be an injured student.

Before Wednesday’s shooting, there had been 29 mass killings in the U.S. so far this year, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University. At least 127 people have died in those killings, which are defined as incidents in which four or more people die within a 24-hour period, not including the killer — the same definition used by the FBI.

Last year ended with 217 deaths from 42 mass killings in the U.S., making 2023 one of the deadliest years on record in the country.

Ashley Enoh was at home Wednesday morning when she got a text from her brother, who’s a senior at Apalachee High:

“Just so you know, I love you," he texted her.

Sophomore Kaylee Abner was in geometry class when she heard gunshots. She and her classmates ducked behind their teacher's desk, and then the teacher began flipping the desk in an attempt to barricade the classroom door, Abner said. A classmate beside her was praying and she held his hand while the students waited for police.

Layla Ferrell, a junior, was in a health class when the words “hard lockdown” appeared on a screen in the classroom and lights began flashing. Ferrell said she and her frightened classmates piled desks and chairs in front of the door to create a barricade.

Helicopter video from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/massive-police-presence-apalachee-high-school-barrow-county/S3LVRPI5DRFPFIFP4O7WXE3VOE/?fbclid=IwY2xjawFFXl1leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHbc-IDhzc6pqBadc2QKltFywcD_V8DXkwOwFTj5d287RQWCHHICal2RkJQ_aem_QceSOl6RlrcttaZBw6S7gw">WSB-TV</a>&nbsp;showed dozens of law enforcement and emergency vehicles surrounding the school in Barrow County, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of Atlanta.

When Erin Clark, 42, received a text from her son Ethan, a senior at the high school, that there was an active shooter, she rushed from her job at the Amazon warehouse to the school. The two texted “I love you,” and Clark said she prayed for her son as she drove to the high school.

With the main road blocked to the school, Clark parked and ran with other parents. Parents were then directed to the football field. Amid the chaos, Clark found Ethan sitting on the bleachers.

Clark said her son was writing an essay in class when he first heard the gunshots. Her son then worked with his classmates to barricade the door and hide.

Students had only started the school year a little over a month ago.

“It makes me scared to send him back,” she said. “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

Traffic going to the school was backed up for more than a mile as parents tried to get to their children there.

The FBI's Atlanta office said its agents were at the school "coordinating with and supporting local law enforcement.”

Apalachee High School has about 1,900 students, according to records from Georgia education officials. It became Barrow County's second largest public high school when it opened in 2000, according to the Barrow County School System. It’s named after the Apalachee River on the southern edge of Barrow County.

The shooting had reverberations in Atlanta, where patrols of schools in that city were beefed up, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said.

As an officer led the students towards the football stadium, freshman Michelle Moncada was in tears. People who she knew had been shot.

“I was just really, really nervous,” Moncada said.

The stadium was filled with tear-stricken students wondering whether their friends were okay. She saw one of her friends on the floor. A bullet had grazed him.

WINDER, Ga. (AP) — Four people were killed and at least nine were injured Wednesday in a shooting at a high school outside of Atlanta where students ran to seek safety in the football stadium, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said.

Shots were fired Wednesday morning, and officers swarmed the campus of Apalachee High School as parents raced to find out if their children were safe at the school in Winder, Georgia.

A suspect was in custody, authorities said. It was not immediately clear if the shooter was a student at the school.

“What you see behind us is an evil thing,” Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said at a brief news conference outside the school. He declined to give details about casualties, or about the suspect.

The episode is&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/mass-killings/index.html">just the latest</a>&nbsp;among dozens of school shootings across the U.S. in recent years, including especially deadly ones in Newtown, Connecticut, Parkland, Florida, and Uvalde, Texas. The killings in classrooms have set off fervent debates about gun control and frayed the nerves of parents whose children are growing up accustomed to active shooter drills in classrooms. But they have done little to move the needle on national gun laws.

When she asked in the family group chat what was going on, he said there was a shooter at the school. Enoh’s younger sister, a junior at the school, said she had heard about the shooter and that everything was on lockdown.

Few details were immediately available from authorities, who were dispatched shortly before 10:30 a.m. to respond to an “active shooting,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

Students had only started the school year a little over a month ago before the shooting Wednesday.

14-year-old student fatally shot 4 people in rampage at a Georgia school

Beginning Thursday at approximately 8 a.m., part of Ash Street between 19th and 20th Streets in Hays will be closed for a sewer line replacement. 

Any residents affected by this project will be notified for any interruption of services and traffic control will be set in areas of work being completed.&nbsp;

The city of Hays regrets any inconvenience this may cause to the public. 

If there are any questions, please call the contractor, M&amp;D Excavating at 785-259-2383 or the Office of Project Management at 785-628-7350.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708450682772.jpeg" alt="File photo/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>File photo/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>City of HaysBeginning Thursday at approximately 8 a.m., part of Ash Street between 19th and 20th Streets in Hays will be closed for a sewer line replacement. Any residents affected by this project will be notified for any interruption of services and traffic control will be set in areas of work being completed.&nbsp;The city of Hays regrets any inconvenience this may cause to the public. If there are any questions, please call the contractor, M&amp;D Excavating at 785-259-2383 or the Office of Project Management at 785-628-7350.

Partial road closure in Hays Thursday on Ash between 19th, 20th 

Crews with the Kansas Department of Transportation are
working to remove the 150th Ave. bridge over Interstate 70 in
Trego County.

The Northwest Kansas KDOT Facebook page shared video of the
demolition and said now the cleanup process is underway.

Traffic is being detoured around the bridge location off of
I-70. 

Work began at 4 a.m. Wednesday and is expected to take less
than 24 hours to complete.

Hays PostCrews with the Kansas Department of Transportation are
working to remove the 150th Ave. bridge over Interstate 70 in
Trego County.The Northwest Kansas KDOT Facebook page shared video of the
demolition and said now the cleanup process is underway.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FNWKansasKDOT%2Fvideos%2F823413066529716%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Traffic is being detoured around the bridge location off of
I-70. Work began at 4 a.m. Wednesday and is expected to take less
than 24 hours to complete.

🎥WATCH: KDOT implodes bridge over I-70

SHAWNEE COUNTY —A Kansas teen died in an accident just after 8p.m. Tuesday in Shawnee County.

Sheriff's deputies and emergency crews responded to a 911 call regarding an injury accident involving a dirt bike in the 5100 Block of NW Leedy Road, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

Despite first responders effort to provided life-saving measures at the scene, the teen rider was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; The accident remains under investigation.&nbsp; Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

SHAWNEE COUNTY —A Kansas teen died in an accident just after 8p.m. Tuesday in Shawnee County.Sheriff's deputies and emergency crews responded to a 911 call regarding an injury accident involving a dirt bike in the 5100 Block of NW Leedy Road, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.Despite first responders effort to provided life-saving measures at the scene, the teen rider was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; The accident remains under investigation.&nbsp; Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

Kansas teen dies in dirt bike accident

The Society of Friends of Historic Fort
Hays invites the public to a free historical presentation titled “Swords into Plowshares: A History of
Frontier Army Gardens” on Saturday, September 7th at 2:00 PM at the Fort
Hays State Historic Site, 1472 US Highway 183 Alt.

Presented by board member and Extension
Master Gardener Jeremy Gill, the talk will explore the unique role that
gardening played at the 19th-century post. Attendees will learn
about why soldiers grew gardens and the many challenges they faced on the
Kansas prairie to provide their own food supply.

Following the presentation, guests are
welcome to tour and ask questions about the Fort Hays Heirloom Garden, which is
maintained by the hard work and dedication of the Ellis County Extension Master
Gardeners.

For more information, please contact
Historic Fort Hays staff at (785) 625-6812 or Jeremy Gill at
jgill@hayslibrary.org

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1725050591980.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedThe Society of Friends of Historic Fort
Hays invites the public to a free historical presentation titled “Swords into Plowshares: A History of
Frontier Army Gardens” on Saturday, September 7th at 2:00 PM at the Fort
Hays State Historic Site, 1472 US Highway 183 Alt.Presented by board member and Extension
Master Gardener Jeremy Gill, the talk will explore the unique role that
gardening played at the 19th-century post. Attendees will learn
about why soldiers grew gardens and the many challenges they faced on the
Kansas prairie to provide their own food supply.Following the presentation, guests are
welcome to tour and ask questions about the Fort Hays Heirloom Garden, which is
maintained by the hard work and dedication of the Ellis County Extension Master
Gardeners.For more information, please contact
Historic Fort Hays staff at (785) 625-6812 or Jeremy Gill at
jgill@hayslibrary.org

Society of Friends of Historic Fort Hays to a host presentation on frontier gardens

SMITH
CENTER – The TMP-Marian volleyball team went 0-2 at a triangular in Smith
Center Tuesday. The Monarchs lost in two sets to Smith Center (18-25, 23-25)
and in two sets to Norton (22-25, 20-25).

Hays PostSMITH
CENTER – The TMP-Marian volleyball team went 0-2 at a triangular in Smith
Center Tuesday. The Monarchs lost in two sets to Smith Center (18-25, 23-25)
and in two sets to Norton (22-25, 20-25).TMP
is now 3-4 on the season.

🏐 TMP-Marian swept in Smith Center

HAYS
– The TMP-Marian girls’ golf team finished second and Hays High third at the
Hays High Lady Indians Invitational Tuesday afternoon at Smoky Hill County
Club.

Hays
High’s Jaycee Oakley was tied for the lead after nine holes with a 41 but lost on
the first playoff hole to finish second behind Atwood’s Amelia Bowles.

The
Monarchs had three golfers finish in the top-10. Brynn Schoeph is fifth (48), Jenna
Brull seventh (51) and Ava Schumacher 10th (52).

Garden
City won the team title with a 195, 13 shots better than the Monarchs who fired
a 208. Hays High finished with a 212.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725451921045.jpeg" alt="The TMP-Marian girls' golf team finished second at the HHS Lady Invitational on Tuesday, September 3, 2024. (Courtesy photo)" />
 <figcaption>The TMP-Marian girls' golf team finished second at the HHS Lady Invitational on Tuesday, September 3, 2024. (Courtesy photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>Hays PostHAYS
– The TMP-Marian girls’ golf team finished second and Hays High third at the
Hays High Lady Indians Invitational Tuesday afternoon at Smoky Hill County
Club.Hays
High’s Jaycee Oakley was tied for the lead after nine holes with a 41 but lost on
the first playoff hole to finish second behind Atwood’s Amelia Bowles.The
Monarchs had three golfers finish in the top-10. Brynn Schoeph is fifth (48), Jenna
Brull seventh (51) and Ava Schumacher 10th (52).Garden
City won the team title with a 195, 13 shots better than the Monarchs who fired
a 208. Hays High finished with a 212.

⛳ TMP second, HHS third at Hays High Lady Indians Invitational

Fort Hays State Tiger football coach Chris Brown, runnin back Shane Watts and linebacker Makel Williams spoke to the media Tuesday before the Tigers host Missouri Western State University on Saturday.

Hays PostFort Hays State Tiger football coach Chris Brown, runnin back Shane Watts and linebacker Makel Williams spoke to the media Tuesday before the Tigers host Missouri Western State University on Saturday.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bxnMqOhUvl4?si=kbv9220V9v14yxPL" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6Fr7v7GQZI0?si=JVRoR5M4kY8wHx3t" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/prFbGfMPx8M?si=mXW80nJTl9H4bG-E" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

🏈📹 FHSU weekly press conference 

Two more finalists were chosen Friday from entries at&nbsp;Doghouse Liquor&nbsp;for the Coors Light Chill Ride UTV Giveaway.&nbsp;

The finalists are Bart Lunsford and Brian Lacy from Hays.

Watch the Hays Post and listen to Eagle Radio for your next chance to enter to win.

The Coors Light Chill Ride UTV Giveaway is courtesy of A &amp; A Coors, Briney Motorsports, Advantage Glass Plus, and Commercial Sign Company all of Hays.

The winner of the Coors Light Chill Ride UTV will be announced at the Fort Hays State University football game on Sept. 7.

1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Brianne Sultzer from Hays – Briney Motorsports – 6/14

2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Greg Beougher from Quinter – Briney Motorsports – 6/14

3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Doug Pfannenstiel from Hays – Ellis Co Community Fair – 6/21

4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Tawnya Rohr from Hays – Ellis Co Community Fair – 6/21

5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Rene Meyers from Hays – WWF / High Plains Roofing – 7/3

6.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Doug Kutina from Ellis – WWF / High Plains Roofing – 7/3

7.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Amy Schoenberger from Hays – Auto Collision Specialists 7/12

8.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Steve Dreiling from Hays – Auto Collision Specialists 7/12

9.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Dan Wynn from WaKeeney – Trego Co Fair 7/12

10.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Derek Walt from Collyer – Trego Co Fair 7/12

11.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jeff Ridgway from Hays – Larks Game/A &amp; A Coors 7-13

12.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kevin Koerner from Hays – Larks Game/A &amp; A Coors 7-13

13.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Tom Fross from Hays – Ellis Co Fair 7/20

14.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Dean Haselhorst from Gorham – Ellis Co Fair 7/20

15.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Brenda Linenberger from Russell – Bottlenecks Liquor 7/26

16.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Richard Kerr from Russell – Bottlenecks Liquor 7/26

17.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kevin Bobek from Plainville – Mr. K’s Foodtown 8/1

18.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jay Hrabe from Plainville – Mr. K’s Foodtown 8/1

19.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Mark Coomes from Phillipsburg – Phillipsburg Rodeo 8/2

20.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Becky Dougherty from Phillipsburg – Phillipsburg Rodeo 8/2

21.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Lori Schmidt from Hays – Ole 40 Express 8/3

22.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Gary Hammersmith from Hays – Ole 40 Express 8/3

23.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Duane Lang from Hays – Kaiser Liquor 8/9

24.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Chris Chrisler from Hays – Kaiser Liquor 8/9

25.&nbsp; &nbsp; Alan Wahrman from Hays – Hays Chevrolet 8/16

26.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Michael Schmeidler from Hays – Hays Chevrolet 8/16

27.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Chuck White from Hays – Discount Smokes 8/23

28.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yvonne Mattheyer from Ellis – Discount Smokes 8/23

29.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Bart Lunsford from Hays – Doghouse Liquor 8/30

30.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Brian Lacy from Hays – Doghouse Liquor 8/30

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716322467979.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Two more finalists were chosen Friday from entries at&nbsp;Doghouse Liquor&nbsp;for the Coors Light Chill Ride UTV Giveaway.&nbsp;The finalists are Bart Lunsford and Brian Lacy from Hays.Watch the Hays Post and listen to Eagle Radio for your next chance to enter to win.The Coors Light Chill Ride UTV Giveaway is courtesy of A &amp; A Coors, Briney Motorsports, Advantage Glass Plus, and Commercial Sign Company all of Hays.The winner of the Coors Light Chill Ride UTV will be announced at the Fort Hays State University football game on Sept. 7.All finalists to date:1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Brianne Sultzer from Hays – Briney Motorsports – 6/142.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Greg Beougher from Quinter – Briney Motorsports – 6/143.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Doug Pfannenstiel from Hays – Ellis Co Community Fair – 6/214.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Tawnya Rohr from Hays – Ellis Co Community Fair – 6/215.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Rene Meyers from Hays – WWF / High Plains Roofing – 7/36.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Doug Kutina from Ellis – WWF / High Plains Roofing – 7/37.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Amy Schoenberger from Hays – Auto Collision Specialists 7/128.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Steve Dreiling from Hays – Auto Collision Specialists 7/129.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Dan Wynn from WaKeeney – Trego Co Fair 7/1210.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Derek Walt from Collyer – Trego Co Fair 7/1211.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jeff Ridgway from Hays – Larks Game/A &amp; A Coors 7-1312.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kevin Koerner from Hays – Larks Game/A &amp; A Coors 7-1313.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Tom Fross from Hays – Ellis Co Fair 7/2014.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Dean Haselhorst from Gorham – Ellis Co Fair 7/2015.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Brenda Linenberger from Russell – Bottlenecks Liquor 7/2616.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Richard Kerr from Russell – Bottlenecks Liquor 7/2617.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kevin Bobek from Plainville – Mr. K’s Foodtown 8/118.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jay Hrabe from Plainville – Mr. K’s Foodtown 8/119.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Mark Coomes from Phillipsburg – Phillipsburg Rodeo 8/220.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Becky Dougherty from Phillipsburg – Phillipsburg Rodeo 8/221.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Lori Schmidt from Hays – Ole 40 Express 8/322.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Gary Hammersmith from Hays – Ole 40 Express 8/323.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Duane Lang from Hays – Kaiser Liquor 8/924.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Chris Chrisler from Hays – Kaiser Liquor 8/925.&nbsp; &nbsp; Alan Wahrman from Hays – Hays Chevrolet 8/1626.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Michael Schmeidler from Hays – Hays Chevrolet 8/1627.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Chuck White from Hays – Discount Smokes 8/2328.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yvonne Mattheyer from Ellis – Discount Smokes 8/2329.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Bart Lunsford from Hays – Doghouse Liquor 8/3030.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Brian Lacy from Hays – Doghouse Liquor 8/30

Latest Coors Light Chill Ride UTV finalists announced

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish authorities on Monday detained 15 members of an anti-American youth organization who physically assaulted two U.S. military personnel in the city of Izmir, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.

The agency said members of the Turkish Youth Union, which is affiliated with the Patriotic Party — a small, nationalist political party without parliament seats — were detained on the orders of a prosecutor.

The U.S. Embassy confirmed the incident, saying service members on board the USS Wasp were “now safe.”

“We are troubled by this assault on U.S. service members and are appreciative that Turkish police are taking this matter seriously and holding those responsible accountable,” National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said.

The group posted a video of the incident on social media platform X and said they placed sacks over the heads of soldiers who had disembarked from the U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship USS Wasp.

The video shows a group of men yelling, “Yankee go home!” while restraining a man and attempting to put a sack over his head.

“The U.S. soldiers who carry the blood of our soldiers and thousands of Palestinians on their hands cannot pollute our country,” the group said on X.

The USS Wasp arrived in Izmir on Sunday after conducting joint training with Turkish assault ships in the Mediterranean.

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish authorities on Monday detained 15 members of an anti-American youth organization who physically assaulted two U.S. military personnel in the city of Izmir, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.The agency said members of the Turkish Youth Union, which is affiliated with the Patriotic Party — a small, nationalist political party without parliament seats — were detained on the orders of a prosecutor.The U.S. Embassy confirmed the incident, saying service members on board the USS Wasp were “now safe.”<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fusdos.turkey%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0zpiVr1spf3bUChTKpjj8Qg7Za7WTD7AvX6mGfXbAwLs31wBVsoxDunNGps9UTcCVl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="317" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>“We are troubled by this assault on U.S. service members and are appreciative that Turkish police are taking this matter seriously and holding those responsible accountable,” National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said.The group posted a video of the incident on social media platform X and said they placed sacks over the heads of soldiers who had disembarked from the U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship USS Wasp.The video shows a group of men yelling, “Yankee go home!” while restraining a man and attempting to put a sack over his head.“The U.S. soldiers who carry the blood of our soldiers and thousands of Palestinians on their hands cannot pollute our country,” the group said on X.The USS Wasp arrived in Izmir on Sunday after conducting joint training with Turkish assault ships in the Mediterranean.

15 detained after 2 US Marines assaulted in Turkey

By LINN ANN HUNTINGTON Special to the Hays Post

The Ellis County Ministerial Alliance will be opening up a cold weather shelter this fall to house the homeless and travelers stranded in Hays when the temperatures dip to 20 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. This will be the first time Ellis County has had any type of cold weather shelter.

A ministerial alliance committee has been working for two years to formulate plans and find a suitable location for the shelter. Now, the organization iscallingl for volunteers to go through the training necessary to staff the shelter when it is open.

The first informational meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10, at First Baptist Church, 11th&nbsp;and Fort streets. A second informational meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, at the same location. Those interested in volunteering need only attend one of the meetings. Attendees are asked to register at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ourecma.com/hayscoldshelter">www.ourecma.com/hayscoldshelter</a>.

Cheryl Glassman,&nbsp;ministerial alliance president, emphasized that these one-hour meetings do not obligate a person to sign up as a volunteer. They are informational only.

Linda Mills, co-chairwoman of the&nbsp;ministerial alliance Cold Weather Committee, said, “We would like people to sign up so we know how many people are coming.”

Those who decide to volunteer will attend a four-hour training session later in the fall. Those training dates are on the website.

No taxpayer dollars are being used to fund the shelter. It is being financed through private funding. Mills is working on a grant to help with that.

The other members of the committee are Brandon Nimz, co-chair, who is the leader of Unite Ministry in Hays; the Rev. G. Chris Prater, pastor of Hays First Baptist Church; and the Rev. Christine Wagner, transitional pastor at First Presbyterian Church.

Mills said, “At this time, we estimate there are two to five people in the community who, because of limited resources, must sleep outside or in vehicles during extreme cold weather.”

She said that estimate is based on her decade heading First Call for Help of Ellis County, an agency supported financially by the ministerial alliance. She has since retired, but she said on cold nights, it was not unusual for up to five homeless people to appear at First Call’s office asking for money to stay in a motel room for the night.

Unfortunately, First Call is not able to provide monetary assistance to homeless people in Ellis County or operate a walk-in homeless shelter.

She said the committee looked at the average temperatures in Hays over the last few years. Based on that research, the committee believes “we may need to open the shelter as many as 20 nights between November and March,” she said. The shelter hours will be 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. on those nights when the temperature is forecasted to drop to 20 degrees or lower.

The shelter will be at Hays First Baptist Church, 11th&nbsp;and Fort Streets. Finding a suitable shelter location was the first challenge the committee addressed, Mills said. It had to be large enough to allow men and women to have separate sleeping areas. It had to have running water and heat, and there were liability insurance questions that had to be resolved.

The shelter is non-denominational, and “no one will be preached at,” Mills said.

The committee also looked at what times the shelter will be open. The committee members decided on 8 p.m. to 7 a.m., with check-in from 8 to 10 p.m. If no guests arrive by 10 p.m., volunteers will be able to go home, she said.

Guests will not be given food, money or transportation, she said. No pets will be allowed. Guests must be 18 or older. Those younger than 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Lastly, the committee looked at what training the volunteers will need. 

“The volunteers are going to be there to ensure the safety of our guests,” Mills said.

The four hours of volunteer training will include the following: learning about the shelter facility (for example, where the fuse box is if the power goes out, where cleaning supplies are located, etc.), interaction with guests, safety issues, dealing with challenging situations, de-escalation training, check-in procedures, and specific things that volunteers will need to be aware of during the night.

Mills said the committee met with Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler to make him aware of the shelter’s upcoming opening, and she described him as very helpful.

There will be two volunteers on duty at all times. Volunteers may sign up for shifts or may choose to work the entire night, Mills said. “The more volunteers we have, the less often they will have to work,” she added.

Volunteers will sign an agreement spelling out their duties and ECMA’s expectations. Guests will also sign a statement agreeing to abide by the shelter rules (no drugs, alcohol, weapons, etc.). Mills said the committee looked at other cities of a similar size and used their agreements as models.

Glassman, the&nbsp;ministerial alliance president, said setting up this type of shelter has been a long-term goal of the organization.

"When I visit my daughter in New York City, I see numerous individuals asleep on the streets. However, in Hays, Kansas, I don't think we see it, but it exists here," Glassman said. &nbsp;

“As Christians, we are called to serve those in need.&nbsp;One of the reasons we have ECMA is to address the spiritual&nbsp;issues of our community, including, but not limited to, assistance. First Call for Help, which is supported by ECMA, can provide assistance&nbsp;to&nbsp;those in need but cannot provide a place for the homeless to stay when the temperatures outside are life-threatening.”

Now the shelter will be able to do that. Questions about the shelter or the informational meetings may be directed to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:hayscoldshelter@gmail.com">hayscoldshelter@gmail.com</a>.

The&nbsp;ministerial alliance will have its first formal meeting of fall 2024 from noon to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11, at The Center for Life Experience, 103C E. 27th. The&nbsp;ministerial alliance welcomes all Christians who are involved in ministry or are retired from ministry to&nbsp;attend meetings.&nbsp;

“A non-denominational organization, ECMA provides support for local organizations who care for the needy. ‘ONE Magazine’ is also part of ECMA.&nbsp;ECMA's two big projects are the annual free Thanksgiving dinner, which will be held at the Hays National Guard Armory on Thanksgiving Day, and The National&nbsp;Day of Prayer.&nbsp;The National Day of Prayer is the first Thursday of May every year and will be held again in 2025 at the Hays VFW,” Glassman said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1725029964108.jpg" alt="Photo courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By LINN ANN HUNTINGTON Special to the Hays PostThe Ellis County Ministerial Alliance will be opening up a cold weather shelter this fall to house the homeless and travelers stranded in Hays when the temperatures dip to 20 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. This will be the first time Ellis County has had any type of cold weather shelter.A ministerial alliance committee has been working for two years to formulate plans and find a suitable location for the shelter. Now, the organization iscallingl for volunteers to go through the training necessary to staff the shelter when it is open.The first informational meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10, at First Baptist Church, 11th&nbsp;and Fort streets. A second informational meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, at the same location. Those interested in volunteering need only attend one of the meetings. Attendees are asked to register at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ourecma.com/hayscoldshelter">www.ourecma.com/hayscoldshelter</a>.Cheryl Glassman,&nbsp;ministerial alliance president, emphasized that these one-hour meetings do not obligate a person to sign up as a volunteer. They are informational only.Linda Mills, co-chairwoman of the&nbsp;ministerial alliance Cold Weather Committee, said, “We would like people to sign up so we know how many people are coming.”Those who decide to volunteer will attend a four-hour training session later in the fall. Those training dates are on the website.No taxpayer dollars are being used to fund the shelter. It is being financed through private funding. Mills is working on a grant to help with that.The other members of the committee are Brandon Nimz, co-chair, who is the leader of Unite Ministry in Hays; the Rev. G. Chris Prater, pastor of Hays First Baptist Church; and the Rev. Christine Wagner, transitional pastor at First Presbyterian Church.Mills said, “At this time, we estimate there are two to five people in the community who, because of limited resources, must sleep outside or in vehicles during extreme cold weather.”She said that estimate is based on her decade heading First Call for Help of Ellis County, an agency supported financially by the ministerial alliance. She has since retired, but she said on cold nights, it was not unusual for up to five homeless people to appear at First Call’s office asking for money to stay in a motel room for the night.Unfortunately, First Call is not able to provide monetary assistance to homeless people in Ellis County or operate a walk-in homeless shelter.She said the committee looked at the average temperatures in Hays over the last few years. Based on that research, the committee believes “we may need to open the shelter as many as 20 nights between November and March,” she said. The shelter hours will be 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. on those nights when the temperature is forecasted to drop to 20 degrees or lower.The shelter will be at Hays First Baptist Church, 11th&nbsp;and Fort Streets. Finding a suitable shelter location was the first challenge the committee addressed, Mills said. It had to be large enough to allow men and women to have separate sleeping areas. It had to have running water and heat, and there were liability insurance questions that had to be resolved.The shelter is non-denominational, and “no one will be preached at,” Mills said.The committee also looked at what times the shelter will be open. The committee members decided on 8 p.m. to 7 a.m., with check-in from 8 to 10 p.m. If no guests arrive by 10 p.m., volunteers will be able to go home, she said.Guests will not be given food, money or transportation, she said. No pets will be allowed. Guests must be 18 or older. Those younger than 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.Lastly, the committee looked at what training the volunteers will need. “The volunteers are going to be there to ensure the safety of our guests,” Mills said.The four hours of volunteer training will include the following: learning about the shelter facility (for example, where the fuse box is if the power goes out, where cleaning supplies are located, etc.), interaction with guests, safety issues, dealing with challenging situations, de-escalation training, check-in procedures, and specific things that volunteers will need to be aware of during the night.Mills said the committee met with Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler to make him aware of the shelter’s upcoming opening, and she described him as very helpful.There will be two volunteers on duty at all times. Volunteers may sign up for shifts or may choose to work the entire night, Mills said. “The more volunteers we have, the less often they will have to work,” she added.Volunteers will sign an agreement spelling out their duties and ECMA’s expectations. Guests will also sign a statement agreeing to abide by the shelter rules (no drugs, alcohol, weapons, etc.). Mills said the committee looked at other cities of a similar size and used their agreements as models.Glassman, the&nbsp;ministerial alliance president, said setting up this type of shelter has been a long-term goal of the organization."When I visit my daughter in New York City, I see numerous individuals asleep on the streets. However, in Hays, Kansas, I don't think we see it, but it exists here," Glassman said. &nbsp;“As Christians, we are called to serve those in need.&nbsp;One of the reasons we have ECMA is to address the spiritual&nbsp;issues of our community, including, but not limited to, assistance. First Call for Help, which is supported by ECMA, can provide assistance&nbsp;to&nbsp;those in need but cannot provide a place for the homeless to stay when the temperatures outside are life-threatening.”Now the shelter will be able to do that. Questions about the shelter or the informational meetings may be directed to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:hayscoldshelter@gmail.com">hayscoldshelter@gmail.com</a>.The&nbsp;ministerial alliance will have its first formal meeting of fall 2024 from noon to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11, at The Center for Life Experience, 103C E. 27th. The&nbsp;ministerial alliance welcomes all Christians who are involved in ministry or are retired from ministry to&nbsp;attend meetings.&nbsp;“A non-denominational organization, ECMA provides support for local organizations who care for the needy. ‘ONE Magazine’ is also part of ECMA.&nbsp;ECMA's two big projects are the annual free Thanksgiving dinner, which will be held at the Hays National Guard Armory on Thanksgiving Day, and The National&nbsp;Day of Prayer.&nbsp;The National Day of Prayer is the first Thursday of May every year and will be held again in 2025 at the Hays VFW,” Glassman said.