WASHINGTON — The&nbsp;federal government shutdown&nbsp;is moving into its third week with&nbsp;no end in sight. Most members of the House of Representatives are finally back in Washington after being out for over a month. Second District Kansas Congressman what he's doing after arriving back in the nation's capitol.

House Speaker Mike Johnson hinted he might call the House back into session if Senate passes bill to pay furloughed workers.&nbsp; That could happen this week.

WASHINGTON — The&nbsp;federal government shutdown&nbsp;is moving into its third week with&nbsp;no end in sight. Most members of the House of Representatives are finally back in Washington after being out for over a month. Second District Kansas Congressman what he's doing after arriving back in the nation's capitol.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Day 20 of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SchumerShutdown?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SchumerShutdown</a>. <a href="https://t.co/iFUZTistPq">pic.twitter.com/iFUZTistPq</a>&mdash; Rep. Derek Schmidt Press (@RepDerekSchmidt) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepDerekSchmidt/status/1980295827429179669?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>House Speaker Mike Johnson hinted he might call the House back into session if Senate passes bill to pay furloughed workers.&nbsp; That could happen this week.

🎥Kansas Congressman: Government shutdown very frustrating

John
Lee 'Jack' Ostmeyer, 85, of Oakley, died Friday, October 17, 2025.

Jack
was born July 9, 1940, in Oakley, the son of Tony and Armella (Schwebach)
Ostmeyer. Jack was a proud Oakley Plainsman graduating with the class of 1958.

Jack
married Billie Munk in 1960. Together they had three sons, Jeff, Pat, and Todd.
After Billi's passing in 1967 when the boys were 3, 4, and 6, he married Ann
(Mannebach-Ryan) in 1969 to which two children, Lisa and Rex were born.

Farm
related occupations were his life choice having careers in IHC parts and
service, hay grinding, Moormans feed sales, and farming the land.

Throughout
his life Jack was active in his Catholic faith. He was a member of the Knights
of Columbus 3rd and 4th Degrees, as well as the Loyal Order of Elks, holding
offices in each organization. Sports were also a big part of his life, playing
many holes of golf, and watching countless Wildcat, Chiefs, and Royals games.
Later in life he enjoyed reading and was an avid collector of anything John
Wayne.

Survivors include his wife Ann; children,
Jeff (Karen), Pat, Todd (Ann), Lisa (Tim) Zenger, and Rex (Paula); thirteen
grandchildren, Brandon (Roxanne), Kayla (Brandon) Potts, Nicholas, Jacob
(Madeline), Brittany (Austin) Feyh, Keegan (Shawnna) Dick, Amber Dick, April
(Travis) Vonfeldt, Jackilyn (Jeffrey) (Zenger) Blundon, Scuyler Zenger, Shailyn
Zenger, Emily, and Natalie; ten great-grandchildren, Avalyn, Emmett, Rowan,
Keeleigh (Brenden) Steinert, Grayson, Parker, Jordan, Remington, and one
great-great grandchild Briggs, as well as his five siblings Stan, Joyce, Lynn,
Dixie, and Rick.

Preceding
him in death were his wife Billie, his parents, and his parents-in-law from
each marriage.

Visitation
is 5-7:00 p.m., with a Vigil at 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, October 21, 2025, at
Baalmann Mortuary, Oakley. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m.
on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Oakley with
Fr. Jesse Ochs officiating. Burial will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery, Oakley.
Memorials may be made to the Oakley Public Library, St. Joseph’s Catholic
Cemetery, or the Sheridan County Amusement Association and sent in care of
Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. For information or condolences
visit <a href="http://baalmannmortuary.com">baalmannmortuary.com</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761060053842.jpeg" alt="John Lee 'Jack' Ostmeyer" />
 <figcaption>John Lee 'Jack' Ostmeyer</figcaption>
 </figure>John
Lee 'Jack' Ostmeyer, 85, of Oakley, died Friday, October 17, 2025.Jack
was born July 9, 1940, in Oakley, the son of Tony and Armella (Schwebach)
Ostmeyer. Jack was a proud Oakley Plainsman graduating with the class of 1958.Jack
married Billie Munk in 1960. Together they had three sons, Jeff, Pat, and Todd.
After Billi's passing in 1967 when the boys were 3, 4, and 6, he married Ann
(Mannebach-Ryan) in 1969 to which two children, Lisa and Rex were born.Farm
related occupations were his life choice having careers in IHC parts and
service, hay grinding, Moormans feed sales, and farming the land.Throughout
his life Jack was active in his Catholic faith. He was a member of the Knights
of Columbus 3rd and 4th Degrees, as well as the Loyal Order of Elks, holding
offices in each organization. Sports were also a big part of his life, playing
many holes of golf, and watching countless Wildcat, Chiefs, and Royals games.
Later in life he enjoyed reading and was an avid collector of anything John
Wayne.Survivors include his wife Ann; children,
Jeff (Karen), Pat, Todd (Ann), Lisa (Tim) Zenger, and Rex (Paula); thirteen
grandchildren, Brandon (Roxanne), Kayla (Brandon) Potts, Nicholas, Jacob
(Madeline), Brittany (Austin) Feyh, Keegan (Shawnna) Dick, Amber Dick, April
(Travis) Vonfeldt, Jackilyn (Jeffrey) (Zenger) Blundon, Scuyler Zenger, Shailyn
Zenger, Emily, and Natalie; ten great-grandchildren, Avalyn, Emmett, Rowan,
Keeleigh (Brenden) Steinert, Grayson, Parker, Jordan, Remington, and one
great-great grandchild Briggs, as well as his five siblings Stan, Joyce, Lynn,
Dixie, and Rick.Preceding
him in death were his wife Billie, his parents, and his parents-in-law from
each marriage.Visitation
is 5-7:00 p.m., with a Vigil at 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, October 21, 2025, at
Baalmann Mortuary, Oakley. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m.
on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Oakley with
Fr. Jesse Ochs officiating. Burial will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery, Oakley.
Memorials may be made to the Oakley Public Library, St. Joseph’s Catholic
Cemetery, or the Sheridan County Amusement Association and sent in care of
Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. For information or condolences
visit <a href="http://baalmannmortuary.com">baalmannmortuary.com</a>

John Lee 'Jack' Ostmeyer

LYON COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating an alleged arson fire have made an arrest.

Just before 5:30a.m.&nbsp;October 18,&nbsp;the Emporia Fire Department responded to a reported vehicle fire in the area of&nbsp;West South Avenue and Neosho Street&nbsp;in Emporia, according to a media release.

Fire crews located the vehicle at&nbsp;10 South Neosho Street, where the fire was quickly extinguished. Following the initial response,&nbsp;Emporia Fire Department Fire Investigators&nbsp;determined the fire was intentionally set.

Police arrested 53-year-old Miguel Solorio Renterio, 53, of Emporia on requested charges of arson&nbsp;in connection with the incident. He has previous convictions for attempted battery on a law enforcement officer and criminal possession of a weapon, according to online records.

The case has been referred to the Lyon County Attorney’s Office&nbsp;for formal charges.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760968599933.png" alt="Renterio photo Lyon County" />
 <figcaption>Renterio photo Lyon County</figcaption>
 </figure>LYON COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating an alleged arson fire have made an arrest.Just before 5:30a.m.&nbsp;October 18,&nbsp;the Emporia Fire Department responded to a reported vehicle fire in the area of&nbsp;West South Avenue and Neosho Street&nbsp;in Emporia, according to a media release.Fire crews located the vehicle at&nbsp;10 South Neosho Street, where the fire was quickly extinguished. Following the initial response,&nbsp;Emporia Fire Department Fire Investigators&nbsp;determined the fire was intentionally set.Police arrested 53-year-old Miguel Solorio Renterio, 53, of Emporia on requested charges of arson&nbsp;in connection with the incident. He has previous convictions for attempted battery on a law enforcement officer and criminal possession of a weapon, according to online records.The case has been referred to the Lyon County Attorney’s Office&nbsp;for formal charges.

Kansas felon back in jail for alleged arson fire

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House on Monday started tearing down part of the East Wing, the traditional base of operations for the first lady, to build President Donald&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-trump-ballroom-ea5c645a45e8f8846ebc98d5b2976678">Trump's $250 million ballroom</a>&nbsp;despite lacking approval for construction from the federal agency that oversees such projects.

Dramatic photos of the demolition work showed construction equipment tearing into the East Wing façade and windows and other building parts in tatters on the ground. Some reporters watched from a park near the Treasury Department, which is next to the East Wing.

Trump announced the start of construction in a social media post and referenced the work while hosting 2025 college baseball champs Louisiana State University and LSU-Shreveport in the East Room. He noted the work was happening “right behind us.”

“We have a lot of construction going on, which you might hear periodically,” he said, adding, “It just started today.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ballroom-national-planning-commission-approval-f537fa373705d560a9842b6250aee9ef">White House has moved ahead with the massive construction project</a>&nbsp;despite not yet having sign-off from the National Capital Planning Commission, which approves construction work and major renovations to government buildings in the Washington area.

Its chairman, Will Scharf, who is also the White House staff secretary and one of Trump's top aides, said at the commission's September meeting that agency does not have jurisdiction over demolition or site preparation work for buildings on federal property.

“What we deal with is essentially construction, vertical build,” Scharf said last month.

It was unclear whether the White House had submitted the ballroom plans for the agency's review and approval. The White House did not respond to a request for comment and the commission's offices are closed because of the government shutdown.

The Republican president had said in July when the project was announced that the ballroom would not interfere with the mansion itself.

“It’ll be near it but not touching it and pays total respect to the existing building, which I’m the biggest fan of,” he said of the White House.

The East Wing houses several offices, including those of the first lady. It was built in 1902 and and has been renovated over the years, with a second story added in 1942, according to the White House.

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said those East Wing offices will be temporarily relocated during construction and that wing of the building will be modernized and renovated.

“Nothing will be torn down,” Leavitt said when she announced the project in July.

Trump insists that presidents have desired such a ballroom for 150 years and that he's adding the massive 90,000-square-foot, glass-walled space because the East Room, which is the largest room in the White House with an approximately 200-person capacity, is too small. He also has said he does not like the idea of hosting kings, queens, presidents and prime ministers in pavilions on the South Lawn.

Trump said in the social media announcement that the project would be completed “with zero cost to the American Taxpayer! The White House Ballroom is being privately funded by many generous Patriots, Great American Companies, and, yours truly.”

The ballroom will be the biggest structural change to the Executive Mansion since the addition in 1948 of the Truman Balcony overlooking the South Lawn, even dwarfing the residence itself.

At a dinner he hosted last week for some of the wealthy business executives who are donating money toward the $250 million construction cost, Trump said the project had grown in size and now will accommodate 999 people. The capacity was 650 seated people at the July announcement.

The White House has said it will disclose information on who has contributed money to build the ballroom, but has yet to do so.

The clearing of trees on the south grounds and other site preparation work started in September. Plans call for the ballroom to be ready before Trump's term ends in January 2029.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House on Monday started tearing down part of the East Wing, the traditional base of operations for the first lady, to build President Donald&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-trump-ballroom-ea5c645a45e8f8846ebc98d5b2976678">Trump's $250 million ballroom</a>&nbsp;despite lacking approval for construction from the federal agency that oversees such projects.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;I am pleased to announce that ground has been broken on the White House grounds to build the new, big, beautiful White House Ballroom... The White House Ballroom is being privately funded by many generous Patriots, Great American Companies, and, yours truly.&quot; - President Trump <a href="https://t.co/GibeLevvFP">pic.twitter.com/GibeLevvFP</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1980385123037270023?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A lot of FAKE OUTRAGE over construction of the big, beautiful (and privately funded) White House Ballroom. FACT: Presidents have been renovating and expanding the White House for more than 100 years. In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt built the West Wing . In 1909,… <a href="https://t.co/p7opxjsNAm">pic.twitter.com/p7opxjsNAm</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1980411112307700146?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Dramatic photos of the demolition work showed construction equipment tearing into the East Wing façade and windows and other building parts in tatters on the ground. Some reporters watched from a park near the Treasury Department, which is next to the East Wing.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Construction has always been a part of the evolution of the White House. Losers who are quick to criticize need to stop their pearl clutching and understand the building needs to be modernized. Otherwise you’re just living in the past. <a href="https://t.co/OpINUW2ofA">pic.twitter.com/OpINUW2ofA</a>&mdash; Steven Cheung (@StevenCheung47) <a href="https://twitter.com/StevenCheung47/status/1980406883690389560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump announced the start of construction in a social media post and referenced the work while hosting 2025 college baseball champs Louisiana State University and LSU-Shreveport in the East Room. He noted the work was happening “right behind us.”“We have a lot of construction going on, which you might hear periodically,” he said, adding, “It just started today.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ballroom-national-planning-commission-approval-f537fa373705d560a9842b6250aee9ef">White House has moved ahead with the massive construction project</a>&nbsp;despite not yet having sign-off from the National Capital Planning Commission, which approves construction work and major renovations to government buildings in the Washington area.Its chairman, Will Scharf, who is also the White House staff secretary and one of Trump's top aides, said at the commission's September meeting that agency does not have jurisdiction over demolition or site preparation work for buildings on federal property.“What we deal with is essentially construction, vertical build,” Scharf said last month.It was unclear whether the White House had submitted the ballroom plans for the agency's review and approval. The White House did not respond to a request for comment and the commission's offices are closed because of the government shutdown.The Republican president had said in July when the project was announced that the ballroom would not interfere with the mansion itself.“It’ll be near it but not touching it and pays total respect to the existing building, which I’m the biggest fan of,” he said of the White House.The East Wing houses several offices, including those of the first lady. It was built in 1902 and and has been renovated over the years, with a second story added in 1942, according to the White House.Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said those East Wing offices will be temporarily relocated during construction and that wing of the building will be modernized and renovated.“Nothing will be torn down,” Leavitt said when she announced the project in July.Trump insists that presidents have desired such a ballroom for 150 years and that he's adding the massive 90,000-square-foot, glass-walled space because the East Room, which is the largest room in the White House with an approximately 200-person capacity, is too small. He also has said he does not like the idea of hosting kings, queens, presidents and prime ministers in pavilions on the South Lawn.Trump said in the social media announcement that the project would be completed “with zero cost to the American Taxpayer! The White House Ballroom is being privately funded by many generous Patriots, Great American Companies, and, yours truly.”The ballroom will be the biggest structural change to the Executive Mansion since the addition in 1948 of the Truman Balcony overlooking the South Lawn, even dwarfing the residence itself.At a dinner he hosted last week for some of the wealthy business executives who are donating money toward the $250 million construction cost, Trump said the project had grown in size and now will accommodate 999 people. The capacity was 650 seated people at the July announcement.The White House has said it will disclose information on who has contributed money to build the ballroom, but has yet to do so.The clearing of trees on the south grounds and other site preparation work started in September. Plans call for the ballroom to be ready before Trump's term ends in January 2029.

Part of White House demolished for Trump ballroom construction

Tiger Talk with Fort Hays State football coach Chris Brown. This week's player guest is linebacker Gavin Meyers.

Tiger Talk airs live Monday at 9:00 a.m. on Tiger Radio Mix-103.3.

Tiger Talk with Fort Hays State football coach Chris Brown. This week's player guest is linebacker Gavin Meyers.Tiger Talk airs live Monday at 9:00 a.m. on Tiger Radio Mix-103.3.<div><iframe title="Tiger Talk (October 20, 2025)" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=g4gcb-199b869-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=2" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎧 Defend the Fort Podcast: Tiger Talk (October 20, 2025)

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

Monday, October 20 KJLS: Tiger Talk, 9:00am KFIX: Chiefs Kingdom, 6:00pm

Wednesday, October 22 KAYS: Hawk Talk with Lance Leipold, 6:00pm

Friday, October 24 KAYS: Kansas MBKB at Louisville (exhibition), 6:00pm KKQY: Thunder Ridge FB at Osborne, 6:00pm KFIX: Hays High FB at Liberal, 6:30pm KHAZ: TMP-Marian FB vs. Plainville, 6:30pm

Saturday, October 25 KAYS: Kansas FB vs. Kansas State, 9:30am KJLS: Fort Hays State FB at Washburn, 12:00pm

KAYS - (1400/94.3) KFIX - (96.9) KHAZ - (99.5) KJLS - (103.3) KKQY - (101.9)Monday, October 20 KJLS: Tiger Talk, 9:00am KFIX: Chiefs Kingdom, 6:00pmTuesday, October 21 noneWednesday, October 22 KAYS: Hawk Talk with Lance Leipold, 6:00pmThursday, October 23 noneFriday, October 24 KAYS: Kansas MBKB at Louisville (exhibition), 6:00pm KKQY: Thunder Ridge FB at Osborne, 6:00pm KFIX: Hays High FB at Liberal, 6:30pm KHAZ: TMP-Marian FB vs. Plainville, 6:30pmSaturday, October 25 KAYS: Kansas FB vs. Kansas State, 9:30am KJLS: Fort Hays State FB at Washburn, 12:00pm Sunday, October 26 none

🎧 Eagle Radio, Hull sports broadcast schedule

Fort Hays State football travels to Maryville to face #19 Northwest Missouri State on Saturday, October 18, 2025 at Bearcat Stadium.

Fort Hays State football travels to Maryville to face #19 Northwest Missouri State on Saturday, October 18, 2025 at Bearcat Stadium.<div><iframe title="FHSU Rewind-FB at #19 Northwest Missouri State (October 18, 2025)" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=ewnvx-199b1a6-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=2" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎧 Defend the Fort Podcast: FHSU Rewind-FB at #19 NW Missouri State

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal crash and have made an arrest.

Just after 7p.m. October 17,&nbsp; police responded to a crash involving a sedan and a motorcycle at West 42nd Street South and South Seneca in Wichita, according to a media release. First responders located a 27-year-old motorcyclist, who was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Preliminary investigation indicates that the 61-year-old driver of a sedan was traveling north on Seneca and attempting to make a left turn onto 42nd Street. The motorcyclist was traveling south on Seneca when the sedan turned and struck him.

The Wichita Police Critical Accident Follow up Team was activated and AFU Detectives responded to the scene. Police arrested the sedan driver identified from county arrest records as Brian Adrian and booked him into jail on requested charges of Involuntary Manslaughter while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Alcohol is believed to have been a contributing factor in the crash, according to police.

Adrian remains in custody on a $200,000 bond, according to online jail records. This case will be presented to the District Attorney’s office for formal charges.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760814308179.png" alt="Police near the crash scene photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police near the crash scene photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal crash and have made an arrest.Just after 7p.m. October 17,&nbsp; police responded to a crash involving a sedan and a motorcycle at West 42nd Street South and South Seneca in Wichita, according to a media release. First responders located a 27-year-old motorcyclist, who was pronounced deceased at the scene.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760814274895.png" alt="Adrian photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Adrian photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>Preliminary investigation indicates that the 61-year-old driver of a sedan was traveling north on Seneca and attempting to make a left turn onto 42nd Street. The motorcyclist was traveling south on Seneca when the sedan turned and struck him.The Wichita Police Critical Accident Follow up Team was activated and AFU Detectives responded to the scene. Police arrested the sedan driver identified from county arrest records as Brian Adrian and booked him into jail on requested charges of Involuntary Manslaughter while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Alcohol is believed to have been a contributing factor in the crash, according to police.Adrian remains in custody on a $200,000 bond, according to online jail records. This case will be presented to the District Attorney’s office for formal charges.

Kansas man accused of DUI in crash that killed motorcyclist

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The United States will slash assistance to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/colombia">Colombia</a>&nbsp;because its leader,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/gustavo-petro">Gustavo Petro</a>, “does nothing to stop” drug production,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Sunday, escalating the friction between Washington and one of its closest allies in Latin America.

In a social media post, Trump referred to Petro as “an illegal drug leader” who is “low rated and very unpopular.” The Republican president warned that Petro “better close up” drug operations “or the United States will close them up for him, and it won’t be done nicely.”

Hours later, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the latest U.S. strike on a vessel that was allegedly carrying “substantial amounts of narcotics.”

He said the vessel was associated with a Colombian rebel group —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dni.gov/nctc/terrorist_groups/eln.html" target="_blank">the National Liberation Army, or ELN</a>&nbsp;— that has been in conflict with Petro’s government. He did not provide any evidence for his assertions, but he shared a brief video clip of a boat engulfed in flames after an explosion on Friday.

Petro, who can be as vocal on social media as his American counterpart, rejected Trump’s accusations and defended his work to fight narcotics in Colombia, the world’s largest exporter of cocaine.

“Trying to promote peace in Colombia is not being a drug trafficker,” Petro wrote. He suggested that Trump was being deceived by his advisers, described himself as “the main enemy” of drugs in his country and said Trump was being “rude and ignorant toward Colombia.”

The Colombian Foreign Ministry described Trump’s statement as a “direct threat to national sovereignty by proposing an illegal intervention in Colombian territory.” Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez told reporters that the country “has used all its capability and also lost men and women fighting drug trafficking.”

Trump’s latest broadside against Petro raises the possibility of an expanding clash in Latin America, where the U.S. has already increased pressure on neighboring Venezuela and its leader, Nicolás Maduro.

American naval ships, fighter jets and drones are deployed in the region for what the administration has described as an “armed conflict” with drug cartels. Trump also authorized covert operations inside Venezuela.

Unlike Venezuela, Colombia is a longtime U.S. ally and the top recipient of American assistance in the region. But coca cultivation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/colombia-coca-crop-033c449cf1124b4ce23cec3716e1aeef">reached an all-time high</a>&nbsp;last year, according to the United Nations, and there has been fresh violence in rural areas where the government spent years battling insurgents before reaching a peace deal a decade ago.

In September, the Trump administration accused Colombia of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-colombia-drug-war-cooperation-14493c8f7a9af102a8a29cc368ac1e03">failing to cooperate</a>&nbsp;in the drug war, although at the time Washington issued a waiver of sanctions that would have triggered aid cuts.

Colombia received an estimated $230 million in the U.S. budget year that ended Sept. 30, a drop from recent years that exceeded $700 million, according to U.S. figures.

Petro, Colombia’s first leftist president, has repeatedly feuded with Trump this year. Petro initially rejected U.S. military flights of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/colombia-immigration-deportation-flights-petro-trump-us-67870e41556c5d8791d22ec6767049fd">deported migrants,</a>&nbsp;leading Trump to threaten tariffs. The State Department said it would revoke Petro’s visa when he attended the U.N. General Assembly in New York because he told American soldiers to disobey Trump’s orders.

Petro and Trump have also been at odds over American strikes on boats in the Caribbean. On Sunday, Petro accused the U.S. government of assassination, pointing to a Sept. 16 strike that he said killed a Colombian man named Alejandro Carranza. Petro said Carranza was a fisherman with no ties to drug trafficking, and his boat was malfunctioning when it was hit.

“The United States has invaded our national territory, fired a missile to kill a humble fisherman, and destroyed his family, his children. This is Bolívar’s homeland, and they are murdering his children with bombs,” Petro wrote on social media. He said that he asked his country’s attorney general’s office to initiate legal proceedings internationally and in U.S. courts.

The White House and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Petro’s accusations.

Despite Petro’s criticism, his government plans to prosecute the Colombian survivor of a more recent U.S. strike on a submersible that was allegedly carrying drugs.

Another survivor was repatriated to Ecuador, where the Ministry of the Interior said he would not face charges after prosecutors met with him and determined that he had not committed any crimes within the country’s borders.

The ELN, which Hegseth said was the target of Friday’s strike, has long denied any role in drug trafficking and offered to submit to the scrutiny of an international commission. It did not respond to Hegseth’s announcement. Colombian authorities regularly report the dismantling of cocaine laboratories and the seizure of drugs believed to belong to the guerrillas.

There have been seven U.S. strikes in the region since early September that the administration says are targeting alleged drug traffickers. At least 32 people have been killed.

Trump said Sunday that Petro had “a fresh mouth toward America.” He complained that drug smuggling continues “despite large scale payments and subsidies from the USA that are nothing more than a long term rip off of America.”

“AS OF TODAY, THESE PAYMENTS, OR ANY OTHER FORM OF PAYMENT, OR SUBSIDIES, WILL NO LONGER BE MADE TO COLOMBIA,” he added.

Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst for the Andes region at International Crisis Group, said “it is befuddling and profoundly unwise of the United States to alienate its strongest military partner in Latin America at a moment when tension between Washington and Venezuela are at its highest point in recent years.”

She said Washington and Bogota have long treated their relationship as foundational, but “that wisdom is being thrown out the window, with really catastrophic effects.”

Colombia lost significant U.S. funding when Trump slashed the U.S. Agency for International Development earlier this year. More cuts could affect military cooperation and undermine efforts to fight rebel groups.

“If that is cut, we will see a strategic loss of capability for the Colombian military and police at precisely the moment when they’re confronting the greatest security crisis in Colombia for over a decade,” she said.

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The United States will slash assistance to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/colombia">Colombia</a>&nbsp;because its leader,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/gustavo-petro">Gustavo Petro</a>, “does nothing to stop” drug production,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Sunday, escalating the friction between Washington and one of its closest allies in Latin America.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/RkULBLNrzI">pic.twitter.com/RkULBLNrzI</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1979892335690629356?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In a social media post, Trump referred to Petro as “an illegal drug leader” who is “low rated and very unpopular.” The Republican president warned that Petro “better close up” drug operations “or the United States will close them up for him, and it won’t be done nicely.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">On October 17th, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel affiliated with Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN), a Designated Terrorist Organization, that was operating in the USSOUTHCOM area of responsibility. The… <a href="https://t.co/1v7oR879LC">pic.twitter.com/1v7oR879LC</a>&mdash; Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1979930208472912048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Hours later, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the latest U.S. strike on a vessel that was allegedly carrying “substantial amounts of narcotics.”He said the vessel was associated with a Colombian rebel group —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dni.gov/nctc/terrorist_groups/eln.html" target="_blank">the National Liberation Army, or ELN</a>&nbsp;— that has been in conflict with Petro’s government. He did not provide any evidence for his assertions, but he shared a brief video clip of a boat engulfed in flames after an explosion on Friday.Petro, who can be as vocal on social media as his American counterpart, rejected Trump’s accusations and defended his work to fight narcotics in Colombia, the world’s largest exporter of cocaine.“Trying to promote peace in Colombia is not being a drug trafficker,” Petro wrote. He suggested that Trump was being deceived by his advisers, described himself as “the main enemy” of drugs in his country and said Trump was being “rude and ignorant toward Colombia.”The Colombian Foreign Ministry described Trump’s statement as a “direct threat to national sovereignty by proposing an illegal intervention in Colombian territory.” Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez told reporters that the country “has used all its capability and also lost men and women fighting drug trafficking.”Trump’s latest broadside against Petro raises the possibility of an expanding clash in Latin America, where the U.S. has already increased pressure on neighboring Venezuela and its leader, Nicolás Maduro.American naval ships, fighter jets and drones are deployed in the region for what the administration has described as an “armed conflict” with drug cartels. Trump also authorized covert operations inside Venezuela.Unlike Venezuela, Colombia is a longtime U.S. ally and the top recipient of American assistance in the region. But coca cultivation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/colombia-coca-crop-033c449cf1124b4ce23cec3716e1aeef">reached an all-time high</a>&nbsp;last year, according to the United Nations, and there has been fresh violence in rural areas where the government spent years battling insurgents before reaching a peace deal a decade ago.In September, the Trump administration accused Colombia of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-colombia-drug-war-cooperation-14493c8f7a9af102a8a29cc368ac1e03">failing to cooperate</a>&nbsp;in the drug war, although at the time Washington issued a waiver of sanctions that would have triggered aid cuts.Colombia received an estimated $230 million in the U.S. budget year that ended Sept. 30, a drop from recent years that exceeded $700 million, according to U.S. figures.Petro, Colombia’s first leftist president, has repeatedly feuded with Trump this year. Petro initially rejected U.S. military flights of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/colombia-immigration-deportation-flights-petro-trump-us-67870e41556c5d8791d22ec6767049fd">deported migrants,</a>&nbsp;leading Trump to threaten tariffs. The State Department said it would revoke Petro’s visa when he attended the U.N. General Assembly in New York because he told American soldiers to disobey Trump’s orders.Petro and Trump have also been at odds over American strikes on boats in the Caribbean. On Sunday, Petro accused the U.S. government of assassination, pointing to a Sept. 16 strike that he said killed a Colombian man named Alejandro Carranza. Petro said Carranza was a fisherman with no ties to drug trafficking, and his boat was malfunctioning when it was hit.“The United States has invaded our national territory, fired a missile to kill a humble fisherman, and destroyed his family, his children. This is Bolívar’s homeland, and they are murdering his children with bombs,” Petro wrote on social media. He said that he asked his country’s attorney general’s office to initiate legal proceedings internationally and in U.S. courts.The White House and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Petro’s accusations.Despite Petro’s criticism, his government plans to prosecute the Colombian survivor of a more recent U.S. strike on a submersible that was allegedly carrying drugs.Another survivor was repatriated to Ecuador, where the Ministry of the Interior said he would not face charges after prosecutors met with him and determined that he had not committed any crimes within the country’s borders.The ELN, which Hegseth said was the target of Friday’s strike, has long denied any role in drug trafficking and offered to submit to the scrutiny of an international commission. It did not respond to Hegseth’s announcement. Colombian authorities regularly report the dismantling of cocaine laboratories and the seizure of drugs believed to belong to the guerrillas.There have been seven U.S. strikes in the region since early September that the administration says are targeting alleged drug traffickers. At least 32 people have been killed.Trump said Sunday that Petro had “a fresh mouth toward America.” He complained that drug smuggling continues “despite large scale payments and subsidies from the USA that are nothing more than a long term rip off of America.”“AS OF TODAY, THESE PAYMENTS, OR ANY OTHER FORM OF PAYMENT, OR SUBSIDIES, WILL NO LONGER BE MADE TO COLOMBIA,” he added.Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst for the Andes region at International Crisis Group, said “it is befuddling and profoundly unwise of the United States to alienate its strongest military partner in Latin America at a moment when tension between Washington and Venezuela are at its highest point in recent years.”She said Washington and Bogota have long treated their relationship as foundational, but “that wisdom is being thrown out the window, with really catastrophic effects.”Colombia lost significant U.S. funding when Trump slashed the U.S. Agency for International Development earlier this year. More cuts could affect military cooperation and undermine efforts to fight rebel groups.“If that is cut, we will see a strategic loss of capability for the Colombian military and police at precisely the moment when they’re confronting the greatest security crisis in Colombia for over a decade,” she said.

Trump responds after Colombian leader accuses US of murder in strike on drug boat

Downtown Hays will once again transform into a festive Halloween wonderland for Trick or Treat on The Bricks, happening Friday, October 31, 2025, from 3–5 PM. Hosted by&nbsp;The Bricks in Downtown, this annual tradition brings families together to enjoy a safe and spirited afternoon in the heart of the community.

Dozens of downtown businesses will line Main Street and beyond, handing out candy and hosting fun activities for costumed trick-or-treaters. The event provides children with a safe, family-friendly way to celebrate Halloween while encouraging the community to explore and support local businesses.

“This is a beloved family event,” said Lee Ann June, executive director of The Bricks. “Downtown businesses look forward to greeting kids in costume, and parents appreciate the safe environment we create together.”

To keep the event safe and enjoyable for all, volunteer crossing guards will be stationed throughout downtown Hays, helping families cross busy intersections as they make their way along the route.

Families are encouraged to wear their best costumes and bring a treat bag to collect candy and goodies.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760108507901.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>The Bricks in Downtown HaysDowntown Hays will once again transform into a festive Halloween wonderland for Trick or Treat on The Bricks, happening Friday, October 31, 2025, from 3–5 PM. Hosted by&nbsp;The Bricks in Downtown, this annual tradition brings families together to enjoy a safe and spirited afternoon in the heart of the community.Dozens of downtown businesses will line Main Street and beyond, handing out candy and hosting fun activities for costumed trick-or-treaters. The event provides children with a safe, family-friendly way to celebrate Halloween while encouraging the community to explore and support local businesses.“This is a beloved family event,” said Lee Ann June, executive director of The Bricks. “Downtown businesses look forward to greeting kids in costume, and parents appreciate the safe environment we create together.”To keep the event safe and enjoyable for all, volunteer crossing guards will be stationed throughout downtown Hays, helping families cross busy intersections as they make their way along the route.Families are encouraged to wear their best costumes and bring a treat bag to collect candy and goodies.

Trick or Treat on the Bricks in Downtown Hays on Halloween

OSAGE COUNTY –Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas couple on multiple drug allegations.

Just after 8:30a.m. October 16, an Osage County Sheriff’s Office Investigators and Special Response Team (SRT) executed a narcotic search warrant in the 200 block of Elm Street in Overbrook, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.&nbsp; The investigating led to two arrests

Crystal S. Worley, 47, and Dallas M. Worley, 41, both of Overbrook, are being held in the Osage County Jail on requested charges of&nbsp;Distribution of methamphetamine, Distribution of opiates, Distribution of marijuana, Possession of drug paraphernalia and for No drug tax stamp

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760921098464.png" alt="Worley -photo Osage County" />
 <figcaption>Worley -photo Osage County</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY –Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas couple on multiple drug allegations.Just after 8:30a.m. October 16, an Osage County Sheriff’s Office Investigators and Special Response Team (SRT) executed a narcotic search warrant in the 200 block of Elm Street in Overbrook, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.&nbsp; The investigating led to two arrests<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760921066598.png" alt="Worley photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>Worley photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Crystal S. Worley, 47, and Dallas M. Worley, 41, both of Overbrook, are being held in the Osage County Jail on requested charges of&nbsp;Distribution of methamphetamine, Distribution of opiates, Distribution of marijuana, Possession of drug paraphernalia and for No drug tax stamp

Sheriff: Kan. couple accused of selling meth from their. home

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — As states consider&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-election-2026-texas-california-trump-1e23e2b3f8e09031cf1eee8979ff3559">redrawing their congressional district lines</a>&nbsp;to favor one political party, some politicians warn that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gerrymandering-texas-congress-redistricting-0c751f48a7757fc11214472944670413">attempts to gerrymander</a>&nbsp;can devolve into “dummymandering,” when partisan goals end up helping the opposing party in neighboring districts.

Pushed initially&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-congress-house-republicans-texas-redistricting-d18e8280a32872d9eefcbb26f66a0331">by President Donald Trump</a>, state legislators across the country are discussing and at times agreeing to change boundaries in hopes of helping members of their party and ultimately deciding control of the U.S. House in 2026. Some are finding it's not as easy as it seems.

“Trying to win more seats comes with a risk, because in order to win more seats, they have to draw districts more competitively,” said University of Texas at Dallas political science professor Thomas L. Brunell, who helped coin the term dummymander.

Republicans could try redistricting Nebraska

U.S. House districts are typically redrawn once a decade, immediately after a census, but some states allow it to happen more frequently. And the U.S. Supreme Court has said there is no federal curb on political gerrymandering, in which districts are intentionally drawn to favor one party.

Nebraska is among a number of states being targeted for mid-decade redrawing of congressional district lines, with the head of the National Republican Redistricting Trust last week naming Nebraska among its top candidates for change. Republican Gov. Jim Pillen said he supports the idea.

The focus would be the Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District, a “blue dot” with Nebraska’s highest concentration of Democratic voters in a state otherwise dominated by Republicans.

Republicans hold all three of Nebraska’s U.S. House seats, including the 2nd District, but the Omaha seat is considered vulnerable. Incumbent Rep. Don Bacon eked out wins in the last two elections and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-nebraska-don-bacon-retiring-fb00b2cab3a37e167447e0d358d8a107">won't seek reelection</a>&nbsp;in 2026, bolstering Democratic hopes.

Gerrymandering in a state where Republicans outnumber Democrats by a 2-1 ratio would seem simple, but state Sen. John Cavanaugh said it's not.

Cavanaugh, a Democrat who worked on Nebraska’s last redistricting effort following the 2020 U.S. Census and is now seeking the 2nd District seat, said Nebraska’s congressional districts already heavily favor Republicans following decades of GOP-led redistricting efforts.

“They’ve gone to great lengths to make the 2nd District less competitive,” Cavanaugh said.

Redistricting and the 2026 midterm elections

This summer, Trump urged Republican-led Texas to reshape districts so the GOP could win more seats in next year’s elections, jump-starting an offseason redistricting battle. The Republican Party typically loses congressional seats in midterm elections and the president is trying to buck that trend. Democrats need to gain just three seats to take control of the House.

In August, Texas lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-texas-redistricting-trump-map-congress-b6222dd39c494c9ab48beafabc66dc35">redrew the state’s</a>&nbsp;congressional districts to give Republicans a shot at winning five more seats.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-california-redistricting-battle-f0ac783b6a5fd6ecaab0ca419125b72a">Democratic-led California</a>&nbsp;responded with a redistricting plan intended to help Democrats win more seats, though it still&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-house-trump-newsom-democrats-republicans-43868bbcfb81cf2b1ef5d2862b2665a9">needs voter approval</a>. Leaders in other Democratic-leaning states, such as Maryland, New York and Illinois, have said they’re considering their own mid-decade redistricting plans.

Last month, Republican-led Missouri&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-gerrymander-trump-missouri-936e8daecadb32556fcfbd2eb9f7457b">adopted revised districts</a>&nbsp;aimed at helping the GOP win another seat. North Carolina Republican legislative leaders also have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-congress-redistricting-house-b32b6b1c52d9f59efac41c3b8c0db971">announced plans</a>&nbsp;to vote next week on redrawing the state’s House district map.

Redistricting remains under consideration in several other states,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jd-vance-indiana-redistricting-donald-trump-fafc5bd34f741b3886913e792ab33048">including Indiana</a>&nbsp;and Kansas, where Republican lawmakers are gathering petition signatures from colleagues in an effort to call a special session for congressional redistricting.

Some Republicans remain hesitant, partially because of concerns that mid-decade redistricting could backfire. To make Democratic-leaning districts more favorable to Republicans, map drawers would have to shift some Democratic areas into districts currently held by Republicans, making them more vulnerable.

In South Carolina, Republican leaders worry that redrawing its seven U.S. House districts could be dangerous in a state where the GOP hovers at roughly 55% in competitive elections. Republicans usually hold six of seven seats&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-house-elections-united-states-house-of-representatives-87e5a14395bb417391d413028a905739">but lost one</a>&nbsp;for a term in 2018.

Kansas had already attempted to make the state’s four districts an all-GOP congressional delegation when it redrew the lines in 2022 to weaken the Democratic stronghold on the Kansas City-area. But Democratic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-biden-legislature-c33d92d6b33fc33c524f6b78024f3700">incumbent Rep. Sharice Davids</a>&nbsp;still won easily in 2022 and 2024.

Trump’s push to redraw the maps comes as his administration’s policies face skepticism among many voters, according to polling by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnorc.org/">The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research</a>.

Moon Duchin, a computer and data science professor at the University of Chicago and redistricting expert, said creating reliably partisan congressional maps in a large state like Texas is easier because the state has 38 districts, offering plenty of options to tinker.

It's tougher in states like Nebraska or Kansas, she said.

“You have fewer lines; you’re not going to be able to put them as far out of reach without creating opportunities elsewhere," Duchin said. "And so, yes, you have to do it really carefully because it can backfire.”

Even in Texas, Republicans saw the effects of dummymandering after they aggressively redrew political lines in the 2010s that helped pad the GOP’s House majority. That lasted until 2018, when a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/democrats-seize-house-control-but-trumps-gop-holds-senate-c0be062914e048d79f70bcf120e1ccbb">backlash against Trump</a>&nbsp;in his first term led Democrats to flip two seats that Republicans had thought safe.

“That’s the thing about gerrymandering — people are still going to vote, and you have to make guesses about future voting behavior,” Duchin said.

After initial reluctance, Republicans in states including Texas and Missouri came around to support redistricting.

That could happen in Nebraska, too, but some key Republican lawmakers remain opposed.

Republican state Sen. Merv Riepe said he's not inclined to support such a measure, leaving Republicans with too few votes to overcome a filibuster.

That's in line with Republicans' failure last year to pass a bill that would have made Nebraska the 49th state to award its Electoral College votes on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-winner-take-all-bill-electoral-votes-ccf51606a3cd7ea9676442993c3ae368">winner-take-all</a>&nbsp;basis.

Currently, only Nebraska and Maine allow presidential electoral votes to be split by congressional district. Nebraska's 2nd District's vote has gone to Democrats three times in the last two decades — to Barack Obama in 2008,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-lincoln-omaha-93fdcb5a05fc62878b4fe70c2f7f6e5a">Joe Biden in 2020</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-house-election-2024-bacon-vargas-e17c217dc6f5c1b1227aa0d22aa504ee">Kamala Harris in 2024</a>.

Associated Press writers David A. Lieb in Jefferson City, Missouri; John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas; Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina; and Gary D. Robertson in Raleigh, North Carolina contributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643147273216.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — As states consider&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-election-2026-texas-california-trump-1e23e2b3f8e09031cf1eee8979ff3559">redrawing their congressional district lines</a>&nbsp;to favor one political party, some politicians warn that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gerrymandering-texas-congress-redistricting-0c751f48a7757fc11214472944670413">attempts to gerrymander</a>&nbsp;can devolve into “dummymandering,” when partisan goals end up helping the opposing party in neighboring districts.Pushed initially&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-congress-house-republicans-texas-redistricting-d18e8280a32872d9eefcbb26f66a0331">by President Donald Trump</a>, state legislators across the country are discussing and at times agreeing to change boundaries in hopes of helping members of their party and ultimately deciding control of the U.S. House in 2026. Some are finding it's not as easy as it seems.“Trying to win more seats comes with a risk, because in order to win more seats, they have to draw districts more competitively,” said University of Texas at Dallas political science professor Thomas L. Brunell, who helped coin the term dummymander.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Extreme D.C. politicians who’ve never set foot in Kansas shouldn’t get to decide who represents you. <a href="https://t.co/jhe4cRyLzg">pic.twitter.com/jhe4cRyLzg</a>&mdash; Sharice Davids (@sharicedavids) <a href="https://twitter.com/sharicedavids/status/1978612604378443901?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2>Republicans could try redistricting Nebraska</h2>U.S. House districts are typically redrawn once a decade, immediately after a census, but some states allow it to happen more frequently. And the U.S. Supreme Court has said there is no federal curb on political gerrymandering, in which districts are intentionally drawn to favor one party.Nebraska is among a number of states being targeted for mid-decade redrawing of congressional district lines, with the head of the National Republican Redistricting Trust last week naming Nebraska among its top candidates for change. Republican Gov. Jim Pillen said he supports the idea.The focus would be the Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District, a “blue dot” with Nebraska’s highest concentration of Democratic voters in a state otherwise dominated by Republicans.Republicans hold all three of Nebraska’s U.S. House seats, including the 2nd District, but the Omaha seat is considered vulnerable. Incumbent Rep. Don Bacon eked out wins in the last two elections and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-nebraska-don-bacon-retiring-fb00b2cab3a37e167447e0d358d8a107">won't seek reelection</a>&nbsp;in 2026, bolstering Democratic hopes.Gerrymandering in a state where Republicans outnumber Democrats by a 2-1 ratio would seem simple, but state Sen. John Cavanaugh said it's not.Cavanaugh, a Democrat who worked on Nebraska’s last redistricting effort following the 2020 U.S. Census and is now seeking the 2nd District seat, said Nebraska’s congressional districts already heavily favor Republicans following decades of GOP-led redistricting efforts.“They’ve gone to great lengths to make the 2nd District less competitive,” Cavanaugh said.<h2>Redistricting and the 2026 midterm elections</h2>This summer, Trump urged Republican-led Texas to reshape districts so the GOP could win more seats in next year’s elections, jump-starting an offseason redistricting battle. The Republican Party typically loses congressional seats in midterm elections and the president is trying to buck that trend. Democrats need to gain just three seats to take control of the House.In August, Texas lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-texas-redistricting-trump-map-congress-b6222dd39c494c9ab48beafabc66dc35">redrew the state’s</a>&nbsp;congressional districts to give Republicans a shot at winning five more seats.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-california-redistricting-battle-f0ac783b6a5fd6ecaab0ca419125b72a">Democratic-led California</a>&nbsp;responded with a redistricting plan intended to help Democrats win more seats, though it still&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-house-trump-newsom-democrats-republicans-43868bbcfb81cf2b1ef5d2862b2665a9">needs voter approval</a>. Leaders in other Democratic-leaning states, such as Maryland, New York and Illinois, have said they’re considering their own mid-decade redistricting plans.Last month, Republican-led Missouri&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-gerrymander-trump-missouri-936e8daecadb32556fcfbd2eb9f7457b">adopted revised districts</a>&nbsp;aimed at helping the GOP win another seat. North Carolina Republican legislative leaders also have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-congress-redistricting-house-b32b6b1c52d9f59efac41c3b8c0db971">announced plans</a>&nbsp;to vote next week on redrawing the state’s House district map.Redistricting remains under consideration in several other states,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jd-vance-indiana-redistricting-donald-trump-fafc5bd34f741b3886913e792ab33048">including Indiana</a>&nbsp;and Kansas, where Republican lawmakers are gathering petition signatures from colleagues in an effort to call a special session for congressional redistricting.<h2>The effort could backfire</h2>Some Republicans remain hesitant, partially because of concerns that mid-decade redistricting could backfire. To make Democratic-leaning districts more favorable to Republicans, map drawers would have to shift some Democratic areas into districts currently held by Republicans, making them more vulnerable.In South Carolina, Republican leaders worry that redrawing its seven U.S. House districts could be dangerous in a state where the GOP hovers at roughly 55% in competitive elections. Republicans usually hold six of seven seats&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-house-elections-united-states-house-of-representatives-87e5a14395bb417391d413028a905739">but lost one</a>&nbsp;for a term in 2018.Kansas had already attempted to make the state’s four districts an all-GOP congressional delegation when it redrew the lines in 2022 to weaken the Democratic stronghold on the Kansas City-area. But Democratic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-biden-legislature-c33d92d6b33fc33c524f6b78024f3700">incumbent Rep. Sharice Davids</a>&nbsp;still won easily in 2022 and 2024.Trump’s push to redraw the maps comes as his administration’s policies face skepticism among many voters, according to polling by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnorc.org/">The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research</a>.Moon Duchin, a computer and data science professor at the University of Chicago and redistricting expert, said creating reliably partisan congressional maps in a large state like Texas is easier because the state has 38 districts, offering plenty of options to tinker.It's tougher in states like Nebraska or Kansas, she said.“You have fewer lines; you’re not going to be able to put them as far out of reach without creating opportunities elsewhere," Duchin said. "And so, yes, you have to do it really carefully because it can backfire.”Even in Texas, Republicans saw the effects of dummymandering after they aggressively redrew political lines in the 2010s that helped pad the GOP’s House majority. That lasted until 2018, when a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/democrats-seize-house-control-but-trumps-gop-holds-senate-c0be062914e048d79f70bcf120e1ccbb">backlash against Trump</a>&nbsp;in his first term led Democrats to flip two seats that Republicans had thought safe.“That’s the thing about gerrymandering — people are still going to vote, and you have to make guesses about future voting behavior,” Duchin said.<h2>Nebraska has other challenges</h2>After initial reluctance, Republicans in states including Texas and Missouri came around to support redistricting.That could happen in Nebraska, too, but some key Republican lawmakers remain opposed.Republican state Sen. Merv Riepe said he's not inclined to support such a measure, leaving Republicans with too few votes to overcome a filibuster.That's in line with Republicans' failure last year to pass a bill that would have made Nebraska the 49th state to award its Electoral College votes on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-winner-take-all-bill-electoral-votes-ccf51606a3cd7ea9676442993c3ae368">winner-take-all</a>&nbsp;basis.Currently, only Nebraska and Maine allow presidential electoral votes to be split by congressional district. Nebraska's 2nd District's vote has gone to Democrats three times in the last two decades — to Barack Obama in 2008,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-lincoln-omaha-93fdcb5a05fc62878b4fe70c2f7f6e5a">Joe Biden in 2020</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-house-election-2024-bacon-vargas-e17c217dc6f5c1b1227aa0d22aa504ee">Kamala Harris in 2024</a>.___Associated Press writers David A. Lieb in Jefferson City, Missouri; John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas; Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina; and Gary D. Robertson in Raleigh, North Carolina contributed.

States are redistricting to help one party but sometimes the move can backfire

NOAA’s National Weather Service released their Winter Outlook.

This outlook shows the likely temperature and precipitation the U.S. could experience during meteorological winter (December 1, 2025 through February 28, 2026) and drought conditions through January 31, 2026.

La Niña conditions are expected to develop later this fall and will be a factor in the winter outlook.

A milder-than-average winter is favored across the southern tier of the country and along the Eastern Seaboard.

Drought conditions are expected to persist and worsen from southern Texas to California.

NOAA’s seasonal outlooks provide the likelihood that average temperature and total precipitation for the three-month period will be above-, near- or below-average and how drought conditions are anticipated to change in the months ahead.

Keep In Mind: The outlook does not project seasonal snowfall accumulations as snow forecasts are generally not predictable more than a week in advance, and cold weather can still be experienced in areas that are warmer-than-normal over the course of the season.

NOAA’s National Weather Service released their Winter Outlook.This outlook shows the likely temperature and precipitation the U.S. could experience during meteorological winter (December 1, 2025 through February 28, 2026) and drought conditions through January 31, 2026.Here are the highlights:<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">NOAA’s National Weather Service Winter Outlook has been released. This outlook shows the likely temperature and precipitation the U.S. could experience during meteorological winter (December 1, 2025 through February 28, 2026) and drought conditions through January 31, 2026.… <a href="https://t.co/wM6eQBDDoq">pic.twitter.com/wM6eQBDDoq</a>&mdash; National Weather Service (@NWS) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWS/status/1978839667907744157?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>La Niña conditions are expected to develop later this fall and will be a factor in the winter outlook.A milder-than-average winter is favored across the southern tier of the country and along the Eastern Seaboard.Drought conditions are expected to persist and worsen from southern Texas to California.NOAA’s seasonal outlooks provide the likelihood that average temperature and total precipitation for the three-month period will be above-, near- or below-average and how drought conditions are anticipated to change in the months ahead.Keep In Mind: The outlook does not project seasonal snowfall accumulations as snow forecasts are generally not predictable more than a week in advance, and cold weather can still be experienced in areas that are warmer-than-normal over the course of the season.

Highlights of the National Weather Service winter outlook 

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

KAYS - (1400/94.3) KFIX - (96.9) KHAZ - (99.5) KJLS - (103.3) KKQY - (101.9)Sunday, October 19 KFIX: Kansas City Chiefs FB vs. Los Vegas Raiders, 11:00am

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (AP) — The U.S. Embassy in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/trinidad-and-tobago">Trinidad and Tobago</a>&nbsp;cautioned Americans on Saturday to stay away from American government facilities on the twin-island nation.

It was an unusual warning that came as tensions grow between the United States and Venezuela over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-drugs-venezuela-911-hegseth-3db3aafed492556bb9ca7de855c4849e">deadly U.S. strikes in Caribbean waters</a>&nbsp;targeting suspected drug traffickers.

The embassy didn’t specify why it issued the warning, saying only that, “due to a heightened state of alert, please avoid and refrain from visiting all U.S. government facilities through the holiday weekend,” as it urged people to “be aware of your surroundings.” Monday is a holiday to celebrate Diwali, a Hindu festival of lights widely celebrated in Trinidad and Tobago, where 35% of its 1.4 million people identify as East Indian.

Venezuela is located just miles away from Trinidad, where people in one coastal community&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-trinidad-us-strikes-fishermen-killed-286230c6e51deaa706fdb0d2837a7ca5">are mourning the disappearance</a>&nbsp;of two local fishermen believed killed in a U.S. strike on Tuesday.

The alert is based on threats directed at American citizens in the Caribbean nation, with U.S. authorities saying “it could be linked” to ongoing tensions in the region, Trinidad and Tobago’s minister of homeland security, Roger Alexander, told The Associated Press. However, local authorities declined to share specific details about the reported threats.

Authorities in Trinidad and Tobago have responded to the threats by implementing security measures to deal with any situations that may arise, Alexander said.

With six strikes killing at least 29 people since early September, the tense situation in the region was mentioned by U.S. officials in a briefing with authorities in Trinidad and Tobago, Alexander said.

Following the most recent attack, the U.S. government&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-drug-smuggling-pentagon-strike-12820c173da3de80c1a7a559c252c743">took survivors into custody</a>, after the military struck a suspected drug-carrying vessel in the Caribbean, officials said Friday.

The Trump administration has said it considers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">alleged drug traffickers as unlawful combatants</a>&nbsp;who must be met with military force.

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (AP) — The U.S. Embassy in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/trinidad-and-tobago">Trinidad and Tobago</a>&nbsp;cautioned Americans on Saturday to stay away from American government facilities on the twin-island nation.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Due to a heightened state of alert, please avoid and refrain from visiting all U.S. Government facilities in Trinidad and Tobago through the holiday weekend. Actions to take: Avoid all U.S. government facilities in Trinidad and Tobago. Be aware of your surroundings. Monitor… <a href="https://t.co/9iCqOkF1vy">pic.twitter.com/9iCqOkF1vy</a>&mdash; U.S. Embassy Port of Spain (@USinTT) <a href="https://twitter.com/USinTT/status/1979552663395045747?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>It was an unusual warning that came as tensions grow between the United States and Venezuela over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-drugs-venezuela-911-hegseth-3db3aafed492556bb9ca7de855c4849e">deadly U.S. strikes in Caribbean waters</a>&nbsp;targeting suspected drug traffickers.The embassy didn’t specify why it issued the warning, saying only that, “due to a heightened state of alert, please avoid and refrain from visiting all U.S. government facilities through the holiday weekend,” as it urged people to “be aware of your surroundings.” Monday is a holiday to celebrate Diwali, a Hindu festival of lights widely celebrated in Trinidad and Tobago, where 35% of its 1.4 million people identify as East Indian.Venezuela is located just miles away from Trinidad, where people in one coastal community&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-trinidad-us-strikes-fishermen-killed-286230c6e51deaa706fdb0d2837a7ca5">are mourning the disappearance</a>&nbsp;of two local fishermen believed killed in a U.S. strike on Tuesday.The alert is based on threats directed at American citizens in the Caribbean nation, with U.S. authorities saying “it could be linked” to ongoing tensions in the region, Trinidad and Tobago’s minister of homeland security, Roger Alexander, told The Associated Press. However, local authorities declined to share specific details about the reported threats.Authorities in Trinidad and Tobago have responded to the threats by implementing security measures to deal with any situations that may arise, Alexander said.With six strikes killing at least 29 people since early September, the tense situation in the region was mentioned by U.S. officials in a briefing with authorities in Trinidad and Tobago, Alexander said.Following the most recent attack, the U.S. government&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-drug-smuggling-pentagon-strike-12820c173da3de80c1a7a559c252c743">took survivors into custody</a>, after the military struck a suspected drug-carrying vessel in the Caribbean, officials said Friday.The Trump administration has said it considers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">alleged drug traffickers as unlawful combatants</a>&nbsp;who must be met with military force.

US Embassy issues unusual warning to Americans in Trinidad and Tobago

By GERARD WELLBROCK Hays Post

MARYVILLE, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State remained rushed for a season-high 437 yards and remained unbeaten in MIAA play with a 52-3 rout of Fort Hays State Saturday afternoon at Bearcat Stadium. The 19th-ranked Bearcats (6-1, 5-0 MIAA) scored touchdowns on three of their first four possessions as they won their sixth-straight.&nbsp;

It's the first time the Tigers have been held without a touchdown since September 19, 2018 in a 15-0 win over Central Oklahoma.

The Bearcats scored six of their seven touchdowns in the ground with three of them on plays 50 or more yards. Quarterback Zechariah Owens scored on touchdown runs of 56 and 73 yards and running back Quincy Torry added one from 85 yards out. Owens finished with 164 rushing yards on eight carries, while Torry had 114 yards on eight carries.

Fort Hays State's (4-4, 3-3 MIAA) lone score came on a 39-yard Zane Hall field goal on their second possession. The Bearcats scored the final 10 points of the first half and led 24-3 at halftime then scored touchdowns on their first four possessions of the second half.

FHSU was held to just 131 total yards for the day. Caleb Heavner threw for 63 yards, while Curtis Douglas rushed for 27. Ryan Allen had 24 receiving yards. Michael Chavez led the Tiger defense with 10 tackles.

Fort Hays State will be on the road again next week at Washburn. Kickoff in Topeka is set for 1 p.m. at Yager Stadium on October 25. The Ichabods snapped a five-game losing streak with a 37-17 home win over Central Missouri Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760850299105.png" alt="Fort Hays State receiver Keyshawn Dooley (5) runs the ball after making a catch against Northwest Missouri State on Saturday, October 18, 2025 in Maryville, Mo. (FHSU Athletics photo/Aaron Hare, NMSU Athletics)" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State receiver Keyshawn Dooley (5) runs the ball after making a catch against Northwest Missouri State on Saturday, October 18, 2025 in Maryville, Mo. (FHSU Athletics photo/Aaron Hare, NMSU Athletics)</figcaption>
 </figure>By GERARD WELLBROCK Hays PostMARYVILLE, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State remained rushed for a season-high 437 yards and remained unbeaten in MIAA play with a 52-3 rout of Fort Hays State Saturday afternoon at Bearcat Stadium. The 19th-ranked Bearcats (6-1, 5-0 MIAA) scored touchdowns on three of their first four possessions as they won their sixth-straight.&nbsp;<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/soundcloud%253Atracks%253A2193434883&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/chris-brown-post-game-vs-nw-mo" title="Chris Brown Postgame at #19 NW Missouri State (October 18, 2025)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Chris Brown Postgame at #19 NW Missouri State (October 18, 2025)</a></div></div>It's the first time the Tigers have been held without a touchdown since September 19, 2018 in a 15-0 win over Central Oklahoma.The Bearcats scored six of their seven touchdowns in the ground with three of them on plays 50 or more yards. Quarterback Zechariah Owens scored on touchdown runs of 56 and 73 yards and running back Quincy Torry added one from 85 yards out. Owens finished with 164 rushing yards on eight carries, while Torry had 114 yards on eight carries.Fort Hays State's (4-4, 3-3 MIAA) lone score came on a 39-yard Zane Hall field goal on their second possession. The Bearcats scored the final 10 points of the first half and led 24-3 at halftime then scored touchdowns on their first four possessions of the second half.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/soundcloud%253Atracks%253A2193435103&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/michael-chavez-post-game-vs-nw" title="Michael Chavez Postgame at #19 NW Missouri State (October 18, 2025)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Michael Chavez Postgame at #19 NW Missouri State (October 18, 2025)</a></div></div><div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/soundcloud%253Atracks%253A2193434999&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/mason-mcminn-post-game-vs-nw" title="Mason McMinn Postgame at #19 NW Missouri State (October 18, 2025)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Mason McMinn Postgame at #19 NW Missouri State (October 18, 2025)</a></div></div>FHSU was held to just 131 total yards for the day. Caleb Heavner threw for 63 yards, while Curtis Douglas rushed for 27. Ryan Allen had 24 receiving yards. Michael Chavez led the Tiger defense with 10 tackles.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/soundcloud%253Atracks%253A2193435215&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/fhsu-fb-highlights-vs-nw-mo" title="Fort Hays State FB Highlights at #19 NW Missouri State (October 18, 2025)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Fort Hays State FB Highlights at #19 NW Missouri State (October 18, 2025)</a></div></div>Up nextFort Hays State will be on the road again next week at Washburn. Kickoff in Topeka is set for 1 p.m. at Yager Stadium on October 25. The Ichabods snapped a five-game losing streak with a 37-17 home win over Central Missouri Saturday.

🏈 No. 19/15 Bearcats run away from Tigers in Maryville

WASHINGTON (AP) — The two survivors of an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-drug-smuggling-pentagon-strike-12820c173da3de80c1a7a559c252c743">American military strike</a>&nbsp;on a suspected drug-carrying vessel in the Caribbean will be sent to Ecuador and Colombia, their home countries, President Donald Trump said Saturday.

The military rescued the pair after striking a submersible vessel Thursday, in what was at least the sixth such attack since early September.

“It was my great honor to destroy a very large DRUG-CARRYING SUBMARINE that was navigating towards the United States on a well known narcotrafficking transit route,” Trump said in a social media post. “U.S. Intelligence confirmed this vessel was loaded up with mostly Fentanyl, and other illegal narcotics.”

After Trump’s announcement, the Pentagon posted on X a brief black-and-white video of the strike. In the clip, a vessel can be seen moving through the waves, its front portion submerged inches below the water’s surface. Then, several explosions are seen, with at least one over the back of the vessel.

The Republican president said two people onboard were killed — one more than was previously reported — and the two who survived are being sent to their home countries “for detention and prosecution.”

However, the press office for Ecuador’s government said Saturday it was not aware of the plans for repatriation.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the presidential press office in Colombia did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

With Trump’s statement on his Truth Social platform of the death toll, that would mean U.S. military action against vessels in the region have killed at least 29 people.

The president has justified the strikes by asserting that the United States is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-drugs-venezuela-911-hegseth-3db3aafed492556bb9ca7de855c4849e">engaged in an “armed conflict”</a>&nbsp;with drug cartels. He is relying on the same legal authority used by the George W. Bush administration when it declared a war on terrorism after the Sept. 11 attacks, and that includes the ability to capture and detain combatants and to use lethal force to take out their leadership. Trump is also treating the suspected traffickers as if they were enemy soldiers in a traditional war.

The repatriation would avoid questions for the Trump administration about what the legal status of the two would have been in the U.S. justice system. It may also sidestep some of the legal issues that arose out of the detention of enemy combatants in the global war on terrorism as well as challenges to the constitutionality of the current operation.

To some legal scholars, Trump's use of such military force against suspect drug cartels, along with his authorization of covert action inside Venezuela, possibly to oust President Nicolás Maduro, stretches the bounds of international law.

On Friday, Trump seemed to confirm reports that Maduro has offered a stake in Venezuela’s oil and other mineral wealth in recent months to try to stave off mounting pressure from the United States. Venezuelan government officials have also floated a plan in which Maduro would eventually leave office, according to a former Trump administration official. That plan was also rejected by the White House, The Associated Press reported.

The strikes in the Caribbean have caused unease among members of Congress from both parties and complaints about receiving insufficient information on how the attacks are being conducted. But most Republican senators backed the administration last week on a measure that would have required Trump's team to get approval from Congress before more strikes.

Meanwhile, another resolution to be considered would prevent Trump from outright attacking Venezuela without congressional authorization.

Megerian reported from West Palm Beach, Florida.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The two survivors of an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-drug-smuggling-pentagon-strike-12820c173da3de80c1a7a559c252c743">American military strike</a>&nbsp;on a suspected drug-carrying vessel in the Caribbean will be sent to Ecuador and Colombia, their home countries, President Donald Trump said Saturday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/3oRyqbFY0X">pic.twitter.com/3oRyqbFY0X</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1979621169629155743?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The military rescued the pair after striking a submersible vessel Thursday, in what was at least the sixth such attack since early September.“It was my great honor to destroy a very large DRUG-CARRYING SUBMARINE that was navigating towards the United States on a well known narcotrafficking transit route,” Trump said in a social media post. “U.S. Intelligence confirmed this vessel was loaded up with mostly Fentanyl, and other illegal narcotics.”After Trump’s announcement, the Pentagon posted on X a brief black-and-white video of the strike. In the clip, a vessel can be seen moving through the waves, its front portion submerged inches below the water’s surface. Then, several explosions are seen, with at least one over the back of the vessel.The Republican president said two people onboard were killed — one more than was previously reported — and the two who survived are being sent to their home countries “for detention and prosecution.”However, the press office for Ecuador’s government said Saturday it was not aware of the plans for repatriation.Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the presidential press office in Colombia did not immediately return messages seeking comment.With Trump’s statement on his Truth Social platform of the death toll, that would mean U.S. military action against vessels in the region have killed at least 29 people.The president has justified the strikes by asserting that the United States is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-drugs-venezuela-911-hegseth-3db3aafed492556bb9ca7de855c4849e">engaged in an “armed conflict”</a>&nbsp;with drug cartels. He is relying on the same legal authority used by the George W. Bush administration when it declared a war on terrorism after the Sept. 11 attacks, and that includes the ability to capture and detain combatants and to use lethal force to take out their leadership. Trump is also treating the suspected traffickers as if they were enemy soldiers in a traditional war.The repatriation would avoid questions for the Trump administration about what the legal status of the two would have been in the U.S. justice system. It may also sidestep some of the legal issues that arose out of the detention of enemy combatants in the global war on terrorism as well as challenges to the constitutionality of the current operation.To some legal scholars, Trump's use of such military force against suspect drug cartels, along with his authorization of covert action inside Venezuela, possibly to oust President Nicolás Maduro, stretches the bounds of international law.On Friday, Trump seemed to confirm reports that Maduro has offered a stake in Venezuela’s oil and other mineral wealth in recent months to try to stave off mounting pressure from the United States. Venezuelan government officials have also floated a plan in which Maduro would eventually leave office, according to a former Trump administration official. That plan was also rejected by the White House, The Associated Press reported.The strikes in the Caribbean have caused unease among members of Congress from both parties and complaints about receiving insufficient information on how the attacks are being conducted. But most Republican senators backed the administration last week on a measure that would have required Trump's team to get approval from Congress before more strikes.Meanwhile, another resolution to be considered would prevent Trump from outright attacking Venezuela without congressional authorization.___Megerian reported from West Palm Beach, Florida.

Trump releases video of US drone strike on ‘drug-carrying submarine’

HAYS, Kan. - The Fort Hays State volleyball team picked up a four-set victory against Arkansas-Fort Smith Saturday afternoon (Oct. 18), winning 20-25, 25-18, 26-24, 25-19. The Tigers (14-7, 3-6 MIAA) posted a .247 attack percentage and racked up 10 blocks while the Lions (13-8, 3-5 MIAA) recorded a swing rate of .166.

The Tigers raced out to a big early lead, scoring six of the first seven points to quickly lead by five. The visitors answered with five-straight to tie the score at six, but the Tigers were able to stay on top and later led by as many as four, 16-12. The Lions then answered with another 5-0 run to take their first lead at 17-16. FHSU tied the score at 17 but played from behind the rest of the way, eventually dropping the set by five despite recording one more kill than the Lions in the frame.

Fort Hays State got out to another good start in the second set, leading 5-2 and later 10-4. The Tigers maintained their lead for much of the set, later leading by as many as eight, 21-13. The Lions had one final push in them, scoring five in a row to narrow the gap to three, but FHSU responded with the final four points to even the match at one set apiece.

The theme continued in the third, with FHSU quickly leading 5-1 thanks in part to an Annie Eaton service ace. The Tigers led 10-8 later in the frame before UAFS scored four in a row to flip the script. The Lions later led by as many as five, 21-16, before the Tigers mounted their rally. Kills from Ashlyn Reeves and Gracie Rains and a pair of UAFS miscues helped the Tigers narrow the gap to one, 21-20.

More kills from Rains later helped the Tigers tie things at 23 and again at 24, fending off set point. Rains then gave the Tigers a 25-24 lead with her 11th kill of the match before a Lion error handed the Tigers the two-point victory.

After tallying five kills in both the second and third sets, Rains upped that total with six in the fourth to help the Tigers complete the victory. The teams traded points early before FHSU built a three-point lead at 9-6. A combo block from Reeves and Peyton Bergschneider extended the lead to six, 18-12, before the visitors used a 6-2 run to claw within two, 20-18.

Multiple Lion errors followed by a Bergschneider service ace helped the Tigers reach match point with four-consecutive scores before Rains finished things off with her team-best 17th kill of the day.

The senior recorded just three errors, posting a swing rate of .519. Ella Goodwin added 10 kills and two blocks, while Reeves tallied nine kills and five blocks (one solo). Carsyn Cormaney contributed six kills and four blocks, while Abrey Galt tossed up 26 assists alongside 12 digs. Eaton added 22 assists and one ace, while Bergschneider led the team with 17 digs along with five kills and three blocks.

The Tigers will return to action one week from today (Oct. 25) when they host fifth-ranked Nebraska-Kearney beginning at 3 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760848640743.png" alt="Fort Hays State's Gracie Rains (9) attempts an attack against Arkansas-Fort Smith on on Saturday, October 18, 2025 in Hays, Kan. (FHSU Athletics photo/Parker NIsbeth))" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State's Gracie Rains (9) attempts an attack against Arkansas-Fort Smith on on Saturday, October 18, 2025 in Hays, Kan. (FHSU Athletics photo/Parker NIsbeth))</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsHAYS, Kan. - The Fort Hays State volleyball team picked up a four-set victory against Arkansas-Fort Smith Saturday afternoon (Oct. 18), winning 20-25, 25-18, 26-24, 25-19. The Tigers (14-7, 3-6 MIAA) posted a .247 attack percentage and racked up 10 blocks while the Lions (13-8, 3-5 MIAA) recorded a swing rate of .166.The Tigers raced out to a big early lead, scoring six of the first seven points to quickly lead by five. The visitors answered with five-straight to tie the score at six, but the Tigers were able to stay on top and later led by as many as four, 16-12. The Lions then answered with another 5-0 run to take their first lead at 17-16. FHSU tied the score at 17 but played from behind the rest of the way, eventually dropping the set by five despite recording one more kill than the Lions in the frame.Fort Hays State got out to another good start in the second set, leading 5-2 and later 10-4. The Tigers maintained their lead for much of the set, later leading by as many as eight, 21-13. The Lions had one final push in them, scoring five in a row to narrow the gap to three, but FHSU responded with the final four points to even the match at one set apiece.The theme continued in the third, with FHSU quickly leading 5-1 thanks in part to an Annie Eaton service ace. The Tigers led 10-8 later in the frame before UAFS scored four in a row to flip the script. The Lions later led by as many as five, 21-16, before the Tigers mounted their rally. Kills from Ashlyn Reeves and Gracie Rains and a pair of UAFS miscues helped the Tigers narrow the gap to one, 21-20.More kills from Rains later helped the Tigers tie things at 23 and again at 24, fending off set point. Rains then gave the Tigers a 25-24 lead with her 11th kill of the match before a Lion error handed the Tigers the two-point victory.After tallying five kills in both the second and third sets, Rains upped that total with six in the fourth to help the Tigers complete the victory. The teams traded points early before FHSU built a three-point lead at 9-6. A combo block from Reeves and Peyton Bergschneider extended the lead to six, 18-12, before the visitors used a 6-2 run to claw within two, 20-18.Multiple Lion errors followed by a Bergschneider service ace helped the Tigers reach match point with four-consecutive scores before Rains finished things off with her team-best 17th kill of the day.The senior recorded just three errors, posting a swing rate of .519. Ella Goodwin added 10 kills and two blocks, while Reeves tallied nine kills and five blocks (one solo). Carsyn Cormaney contributed six kills and four blocks, while Abrey Galt tossed up 26 assists alongside 12 digs. Eaton added 22 assists and one ace, while Bergschneider led the team with 17 digs along with five kills and three blocks.The Tigers will return to action one week from today (Oct. 25) when they host fifth-ranked Nebraska-Kearney beginning at 3 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.

🏐 Tigers top Lions in four

ELLIS — As you consider your end-of-year giving, remember the impact of giving local. This October is the perfect time to support community projects, as every dollar donated will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the Patterson Family Foundation.

The Community Foundation of Ellis (CFOE) is proud to sponsor this year’s October Match Month, supporting four meaningful projects that will directly benefit Ellis. Donors may choose a specific project or allow their gift to be shared among all four. Every contribution—large or small—makes a difference. This year's campaign highlights these projects.

1. Ellis Food Pantry Endowment CFOE funds and operates the Ellis Food Pantry, which serves neighbors in need year-round. The Foundation’s goal is to raise at least $50,000 to establish an endowment, ensuring long-term sustainability for operational costs. Informational flyers about this campaign were delivered to every home in Ellis last week.

2. Ellis Public Library Upgrades Built in the 1960s and serving as the public library since 1986, the building is in urgent need of updates. Drafty windows, leaky glass storefront panels, and outdated electrical outlets make the space inefficient and uncomfortable. The Library Board has been working hard to modernize the facility, aiming to make it brighter, safer, and more welcoming. The project cost is $51,000.

3. Lakeside Campground Playground Equipment A new piece of playground equipment, originally planned as part of the campground expansion, was cut from the budget due to costs. This $12,000 addition would provide small children with safe and fun recreation while staying at the campground. Details about the equipment were shared in September’s city utility newsletter.

4. Ellis High School Weight Room Equipment To support lifelong fitness for students, athletes, and community members, the project seeks $10,000 for new cardio and strength-training equipment. Planned purchases include a rowing machine, stationary bike, barbell sets with rack, medicine balls, and landmine bars. This equipment that will benefit both students, athletes and the wider community.

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