By HANNAH SCHOENBAUM Associated Press

CBS News fired longtime “60 Minutes” correspondent Scott Pelley on Tuesday, a day after he reportedly said Editor-in-Chief&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cbs-news-bari-weiss-donald-trump-da7fd83b988882984748aaab978f02fb">Bari Weiss</a>&nbsp;was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cbs-bari-weiss-scott-pelley-60-minutes-5e00e86fe47440d86c036ed6e801c837">“murdering the show”</a>&nbsp;and accused its new producer of having “slender qualifications” for the job.

The move deepened the turmoil at the nation's most influential TV news program, days after a leadership overhaul.

Pelley, 68, criticized management Monday during a fiery staff meeting with Nick Bilton, the program's new executive producer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cbs-60-minutes-bari-weiss-bilton-0afb86888cccd9e47a3e103a88984bba">installed by Weiss last week</a>, according to a detailed report on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.status.news/p/scott-pelley-60-minutes-nick-bilton-bari-weiss">Status website.</a>

In a termination notice obtained Tuesday night by The Associated Press, Bilton, a technology journalist and filmmaker with no traditional broadcast news experience, accused Pelley of carrying out an “ambush” against him.

“Yesterday, you hijacked my first meeting with staff to disparage me, my qualifications, and my intentions with remarkable incivility and contempt,” the letter states.

Pelley said in a statement that “60 Minutes” has lost its DNA under new management. He accused them of asking him to “inject falsehoods and bias” into his work, without sharing specific details.

Pelley is accused of a ‘performative display of hostility’

Status, which said it had a recording of the Monday meeting, reported that Pelley had said Weiss was brought in to kill the news outlet, “and she’s doing exactly that.” Weiss was not present for the meeting.

Pelley reportedly grilled Bilton about the firings last week of Bilton’s predecessor, Tanya Simon, and correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega.

Alfonsi had criticized Weiss last year for postponing a segment about deportees sent to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-trump-prison-immigrants-4ab3fc3c0474efb308084604b61f8a37">notorious CECOT prison</a>&nbsp;in El Salvador as part of President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown.

Pelley said in his statement that those colleagues “stood for fairness against the forces of political bias.” He also accused CEO David Ellison of casting aside the show's reputation “apparently to curry a moment of favor with the Trump administration.” Ellison, an ally of the Republican president, has owned CBS since 2025, when its parent company, Paramount, merged with Skydance Media.

In the dismissal letter Tuesday, Bilton said Pelley’s “performative display of hostility” demonstrated that he has “no interest in contributing to the future success of the show.”

Since Weiss&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cbs-bari-weiss-skydance-5539ff80e8edf11ab9508dd5419faa83">took over the network's news operation</a>&nbsp;last October, it has traveled a bumpy road.

Pelley's termination came just five days after Weiss, who has become a polarizing figure in the media world since taking the reins, told staff in a memo that it was time for a “new approach” at the top-rated newsmagazine.

In the memo, Weiss and CBS News president Tom Cibrowski said their goal for “60 Minutes” was “building a show that thrives in the 21st century.” That could include extending the show beyond a 60-minute broadcast, they said.

“60 Minutes” first aired in 1968 and is the longest-running prime-time show in TV history. Its investigative journalism and probing interviews, sometimes with unwilling subjects, have given it the reputation of uncompromising journalism — precisely the trait that Pelley said he feared was under assault.

Pelley started working for CBS in 1989. He was its chief White House Correspondent from 1997 to 1999, during Bill Clinton's presidency, and anchored “CBS Evening News” from 2011 to 2017. He has won 51 Emmy Awards, according to his CBS bio.

By HANNAH SCHOENBAUM Associated PressCBS News fired longtime “60 Minutes” correspondent Scott Pelley on Tuesday, a day after he reportedly said Editor-in-Chief&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cbs-news-bari-weiss-donald-trump-da7fd83b988882984748aaab978f02fb">Bari Weiss</a>&nbsp;was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cbs-bari-weiss-scott-pelley-60-minutes-5e00e86fe47440d86c036ed6e801c837">“murdering the show”</a>&nbsp;and accused its new producer of having “slender qualifications” for the job.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/6/1780501746195.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>The move deepened the turmoil at the nation's most influential TV news program, days after a leadership overhaul.Pelley, 68, criticized management Monday during a fiery staff meeting with Nick Bilton, the program's new executive producer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cbs-60-minutes-bari-weiss-bilton-0afb86888cccd9e47a3e103a88984bba">installed by Weiss last week</a>, according to a detailed report on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.status.news/p/scott-pelley-60-minutes-nick-bilton-bari-weiss">Status website.</a>In a termination notice obtained Tuesday night by The Associated Press, Bilton, a technology journalist and filmmaker with no traditional broadcast news experience, accused Pelley of carrying out an “ambush” against him.“Yesterday, you hijacked my first meeting with staff to disparage me, my qualifications, and my intentions with remarkable incivility and contempt,” the letter states.Pelley said in a statement that “60 Minutes” has lost its DNA under new management. He accused them of asking him to “inject falsehoods and bias” into his work, without sharing specific details.<h2>Pelley is accused of a ‘performative display of hostility’</h2>Status, which said it had a recording of the Monday meeting, reported that Pelley had said Weiss was brought in to kill the news outlet, “and she’s doing exactly that.” Weiss was not present for the meeting.Pelley reportedly grilled Bilton about the firings last week of Bilton’s predecessor, Tanya Simon, and correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega.Alfonsi had criticized Weiss last year for postponing a segment about deportees sent to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-trump-prison-immigrants-4ab3fc3c0474efb308084604b61f8a37">notorious CECOT prison</a>&nbsp;in El Salvador as part of President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown.Pelley said in his statement that those colleagues “stood for fairness against the forces of political bias.” He also accused CEO David Ellison of casting aside the show's reputation “apparently to curry a moment of favor with the Trump administration.” Ellison, an ally of the Republican president, has owned CBS since 2025, when its parent company, Paramount, merged with Skydance Media.In the dismissal letter Tuesday, Bilton said Pelley’s “performative display of hostility” demonstrated that he has “no interest in contributing to the future success of the show.”<h2>An uneasy stretch for CBS News</h2>Since Weiss&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cbs-bari-weiss-skydance-5539ff80e8edf11ab9508dd5419faa83">took over the network's news operation</a>&nbsp;last October, it has traveled a bumpy road.Pelley's termination came just five days after Weiss, who has become a polarizing figure in the media world since taking the reins, told staff in a memo that it was time for a “new approach” at the top-rated newsmagazine.In the memo, Weiss and CBS News president Tom Cibrowski said their goal for “60 Minutes” was “building a show that thrives in the 21st century.” That could include extending the show beyond a 60-minute broadcast, they said.“60 Minutes” first aired in 1968 and is the longest-running prime-time show in TV history. Its investigative journalism and probing interviews, sometimes with unwilling subjects, have given it the reputation of uncompromising journalism — precisely the trait that Pelley said he feared was under assault.Pelley started working for CBS in 1989. He was its chief White House Correspondent from 1997 to 1999, during Bill Clinton's presidency, and anchored “CBS Evening News” from 2011 to 2017. He has won 51 Emmy Awards, according to his CBS bio.

Read the letter firing Scott Pelley from ‘60 Minutes’

Task force recommendations on state board’s June meeting agenda

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

TOPEKA — The Kansas Board of Regents plans to vote in mid-June on a proposal authorizing the six state universities to offer students the option of earning undergraduate degrees by completing as little as 90 credit hours of classes rather than the traditional minimum of 120 credit hours.

The Board of Regents has been studying the concept of accelerated bachelor’s degree programs since last fall. The goal would be to hustle students to graduation in response to the rising cost of higher education and evolving workforce demands. Under the draft of a Kansas task force’s reduced-credit plan, students could complete specific degrees in three years and save money on tuition, fees and housing costs before moving more swiftly into the job market.

The tax force met from October to April before recommending the Board of Regents approve policies guiding a reduced-credit pilot program that would last three years.

“These programs are intended to maintain an academic rigor and learning outcomes associated with the traditional bachelor’s degree while creating a more efficient pathway for our students,” said Jenn Bonds-Raacke, vice president for academic affairs with the Board of Regents.

Throughout internal deliberations, questions emerged about sustaining academic standards while cutting 30 hours of classes from four-year degrees. Controversy exists on what to call the innovative degrees and how to differentiate a reduced-credit degree from the four-year version on transcripts and job applications. Anxiety exists about the danger of lowering public confidence in the value of a public university bachelor’s degree in Kansas.

The decision before the Board of Regents centers on development of consistent student expectations, alignment with workforce trends and implications for transferring credits and considering institutional accreditation. The board would need to sort out whether to limit the degree option to technical, skill-based disciplines or broaden it to offerings throughout universities.

Board of Regents member John Dicus said he didn’t understand how the system would shift from focusing intently on student retention under four-year programs to driving students through universities in less time.

“Now we’re trying to get students off of campus quicker? How does that play out in the full scope of the university in offering an education to all students?” he said.

Bonds-Raacke said potential retention issues could be lessened among students enrolled in reduced-credit-hour programs because those students tended to be more focused and goal-oriented.

University of Kansas Chancellor Doug Girod said students earning an accelerated 90 credit-hour degree would need to understand they would lose one year of eligibility for financial aid. In addition, he said, a shortened undergraduate degrees couldn’t be used to propel the recipient into most graduate schools.

“You cannot go on to a master’s degree with one of these degrees,” Girod said.

Under the task force’s recommendations, the shortened degrees couldn’t fall below 90 credit hours and universities would have to accept as many as 60 credit hours in transfer credits tied to associate degrees in business administration, management and operations, computer science, elementary education, nursing and social work.

Current Board of Regents policy says bachelor’s degrees required 45 upper-division credit hours within a 120 credit-hour program — equivalent to 37.5% of the total. The task force says the same percentage should be applied to the new 90 credit-hour degrees outside of the half-dozen tied to previously imposed transfer agreements, which mean at least 34 upper-division credit hours would be necessary to graduate.

The task force recommended universities submitting proposals for accelerated bachelor’s degrees demonstrate sufficient market demand for graduates, but no cap on the number of degrees in the pilot project should be imposed.

The Board of Regents shouldn’t adopt a naming convention that included the word “accelerated” to describe pilot programs, the task force said. Instead, the task force recommended, specialized degrees ought to be designated as an RCBD or a reduced-credit bachelor’s degree.

“I’d be interested in hearing the viewpoint of employees on this topic,” said Board of Regents member Blake Benson, who serves as chairman. “I can see them supporting it because it gets employees to them quicker, but I also would wonder if they would have confusion related to what exactly a bachelor’s degree means.”

Board of Regents’ staff have been working with Fort Hays State University to conduct a survey of 3,200 businesses in Kansas to determine interest in graduates who earned an abbreviated degree. Results of the survey won’t be published until fall 2026.

“How would an employer distinguish between someone who did the reduced-credit degree and the full credit?” asked Board of Regent member Kathy Wolfe Moore. “I’m assuming the full credit would have value to it or else it wouldn’t be offered.”

In September, Kansas State University attempted to move the needle on 90 credit-hour degrees by proposing an undergraduate program in uncrewed aircraft systems.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/6/1780491487197.png" alt=" John Dicus, a member of the Kansas Board of Regents, says he's concerned a recommendation to offer three-year, reduced-credit hour bachelor's degrees at the state's public universities offers a conflicting narrative to students who have been told retention is a central goal at each institution. (Photo by Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)g" />
 <figcaption> John Dicus, a member of the Kansas Board of Regents, says he's concerned a recommendation to offer three-year, reduced-credit hour bachelor's degrees at the state's public universities offers a conflicting narrative to students who have been told retention is a central goal at each institution. (Photo by Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)g</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Task force recommendations on state board’s June meeting agenda</h2>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">Tim Carpenter</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Kansas Board of Regents plans to vote in mid-June on a proposal authorizing the six state universities to offer students the option of earning undergraduate degrees by completing as little as 90 credit hours of classes rather than the traditional minimum of 120 credit hours.The Board of Regents has been studying the concept of accelerated bachelor’s degree programs since last fall. The goal would be to hustle students to graduation in response to the rising cost of higher education and evolving workforce demands. Under the draft of a Kansas task force’s reduced-credit plan, students could complete specific degrees in three years and save money on tuition, fees and housing costs before moving more swiftly into the job market.The tax force met from October to April before recommending the Board of Regents approve policies guiding a reduced-credit pilot program that would last three years.“These programs are intended to maintain an academic rigor and learning outcomes associated with the traditional bachelor’s degree while creating a more efficient pathway for our students,” said Jenn Bonds-Raacke, vice president for academic affairs with the Board of Regents.Throughout internal deliberations, questions emerged about sustaining academic standards while cutting 30 hours of classes from four-year degrees. Controversy exists on what to call the innovative degrees and how to differentiate a reduced-credit degree from the four-year version on transcripts and job applications. Anxiety exists about the danger of lowering public confidence in the value of a public university bachelor’s degree in Kansas.The decision before the Board of Regents centers on development of consistent student expectations, alignment with workforce trends and implications for transferring credits and considering institutional accreditation. The board would need to sort out whether to limit the degree option to technical, skill-based disciplines or broaden it to offerings throughout universities.Board of Regents member John Dicus said he didn’t understand how the system would shift from focusing intently on student retention under four-year programs to driving students through universities in less time.“Now we’re trying to get students off of campus quicker? How does that play out in the full scope of the university in offering an education to all students?” he said.Bonds-Raacke said potential retention issues could be lessened among students enrolled in reduced-credit-hour programs because those students tended to be more focused and goal-oriented.University of Kansas Chancellor Doug Girod said students earning an accelerated 90 credit-hour degree would need to understand they would lose one year of eligibility for financial aid. In addition, he said, a shortened undergraduate degrees couldn’t be used to propel the recipient into most graduate schools.“You cannot go on to a master’s degree with one of these degrees,” Girod said.Under the task force’s recommendations, the shortened degrees couldn’t fall below 90 credit hours and universities would have to accept as many as 60 credit hours in transfer credits tied to associate degrees in business administration, management and operations, computer science, elementary education, nursing and social work.Current Board of Regents policy says bachelor’s degrees required 45 upper-division credit hours within a 120 credit-hour program — equivalent to 37.5% of the total. The task force says the same percentage should be applied to the new 90 credit-hour degrees outside of the half-dozen tied to previously imposed transfer agreements, which mean at least 34 upper-division credit hours would be necessary to graduate.The task force recommended universities submitting proposals for accelerated bachelor’s degrees demonstrate sufficient market demand for graduates, but no cap on the number of degrees in the pilot project should be imposed.The Board of Regents shouldn’t adopt a naming convention that included the word “accelerated” to describe pilot programs, the task force said. Instead, the task force recommended, specialized degrees ought to be designated as an RCBD or a reduced-credit bachelor’s degree.“I’d be interested in hearing the viewpoint of employees on this topic,” said Board of Regents member Blake Benson, who serves as chairman. “I can see them supporting it because it gets employees to them quicker, but I also would wonder if they would have confusion related to what exactly a bachelor’s degree means.”Board of Regents’ staff have been working with Fort Hays State University to conduct a survey of 3,200 businesses in Kansas to determine interest in graduates who earned an abbreviated degree. Results of the survey won’t be published until fall 2026.“How would an employer distinguish between someone who did the reduced-credit degree and the full credit?” asked Board of Regent member Kathy Wolfe Moore. “I’m assuming the full credit would have value to it or else it wouldn’t be offered.”In September, Kansas State University attempted to move the needle on 90 credit-hour degrees by proposing an undergraduate program in uncrewed aircraft systems.

Kansas Board of Regents testing appeal of streamlined, reduced-credit bachelor’s degrees

Ronald Eugene Scott, 75, of Quinter, Kansas, passed away on April 14, 2026, in Hays, Kansas.

Ron was born on October 30, 1950, in Colby, Kansas, to Orie Kenneth and Elizabeth Theresa (Fellhoelter) Scott. He was the fourth of seven children. Ron’s childhood was spent in Oakley and Selden, Kansas, where he enjoyed playing outdoors and working in the barn. He always knew when it was chicken butchering day, as his mother would be in the kitchen wearing her white, stained tennis shoes, ready for a full day’s work—those weren’t his favorite days. In his youth, the family returned to Oakley, Kansas. Ron attended Oakley High School and graduated in 1968. During high school, he played football, wrestled, and enjoyed spending time with friends and driving cars. He and his brother Nick worked at their dad’s gas and service station, the Fifth Wheel. He also helped out at the Ostmeyer Farm.

After graduation, Ron attended Colby Community College for one year, then transferred to Kansas State University for two years to study Geology. While at Colby Community College, Ron met Sandra K. Pilkington of Norton, Kansas. They were united in marriage on June 7, 1969, and welcomed three daughters: Amy Dawn, Mandy Sheree, and Sarah Janelle. Ron raised his family in Oakley, where he worked hard, followed his daughters to their sports and school activities, and made lasting family memories, including snow skiing trips.

Ron began his career in the millwright business, where he was trained and mentored by his father-in-law, John Pilkington. He worked for Pilkington Construction for many years and became a respected millwright. Eventually, he purchased and incorporated Scott Millwright Service in 2001, continuing its legacy. Scott Millwright has served managers of elevators, feed mills, and family farms for over 20 years.

Ron was united in marriage to Sandee Jo Mountain of Burlington, Colorado, on December 9, 2000, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Burlington, Colorado. Their daughter, Reegan Nicole, was born to this union. Together, they purchased their first home in Grinnell, Kansas, in 2001, and later moved to Quinter, Kansas, where they made their home for 19 years. Ron stayed busy following Reegan and Sandee’s many school and social activities. He enjoyed camping, even braving storms to hold down the tent, and cherished spring break trips to the mountains for snow skiing and snowboarding with friends and family.

Ron attended Bethlehem Lutheran Church in WaKeeney, Kansas, where he served on the Church Council and was a member of the building committee. His faith and relationship with God remained steadfast throughout his life, providing him with strength in every chapter.

Ron had a great love for many things. He worked hard and loved hard, always taking care of his family, who were his greatest treasure. When he wasn’t working, you could find him outside tending to his yard and flowers, taking vacations with family, hunting, or golfing with friends. His calm, loving demeanor made everyone around him feel comfortable and welcome.

Ron was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma Cancer in February 2009. His strength, love, and determination carried him through a 17-year journey, and he was passionate about living a full, productive life despite his diagnosis.

Ron is survived by his wife, Sandee Mountain Scott of Quinter, Kansas; his children Amy Hullet and husband Kelvin of Bismarck, North Dakota, Mandy Scott of Quinter, Kansas, Sarah Scott and Larry Parker of Olathe, Kansas, Reegan Scott of Lawrence, Kansas; siblings Sandra Poston of Wichita, Kansas, Sharon Hockersmith and Greg Reaser of Wichita, Kansas, Daniel Scott and wife Terry of Superior, Nebraska, Joe Badger and husband Steve of Oakley, Kansas, Chris Robben and husband Dan of Oakley, Kansas; grandchildren Clayton Hullet, Landon (Gina) Hullet, Megan (Rheanna) Shea, Layla Parker, Jackson Parker; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Kenneth and Elizabeth (Betty); parents-in-law Jesse (Ed) and Evelyn Mountain; brother Robert (Nick) Scott; nephew Corey Scott; and brothers-in-law Harvey Hockersmith, Vernie Kuhlman, and John Poston.

A Memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, June 5, 2026, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in WaKeeney, Kansas. Pastor Randy Gibbs will officiate. Burial will follow at 2:30 p.m. at Oakley Cemetery in Oakley, Kansas. 

Memorial contributions are suggested to the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge in Kansas City, Kansas, and the Quinter Public School Welding Department. Donations may be sent to Schmitt Funeral Home, 901 South Main, Quinter, Kansas, 67752.

To share memories or leave condolences, please visit <a href="http://www.schmittfuneral.com">www.schmittfuneral.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/6/1780351170130.jpeg" alt="Ronald Eugene Scott" />
 <figcaption>Ronald Eugene Scott</figcaption>
 </figure>Ronald Eugene Scott, 75, of Quinter, Kansas, passed away on April 14, 2026, in Hays, Kansas.Ron was born on October 30, 1950, in Colby, Kansas, to Orie Kenneth and Elizabeth Theresa (Fellhoelter) Scott. He was the fourth of seven children. Ron’s childhood was spent in Oakley and Selden, Kansas, where he enjoyed playing outdoors and working in the barn. He always knew when it was chicken butchering day, as his mother would be in the kitchen wearing her white, stained tennis shoes, ready for a full day’s work—those weren’t his favorite days. In his youth, the family returned to Oakley, Kansas. Ron attended Oakley High School and graduated in 1968. During high school, he played football, wrestled, and enjoyed spending time with friends and driving cars. He and his brother Nick worked at their dad’s gas and service station, the Fifth Wheel. He also helped out at the Ostmeyer Farm.After graduation, Ron attended Colby Community College for one year, then transferred to Kansas State University for two years to study Geology. While at Colby Community College, Ron met Sandra K. Pilkington of Norton, Kansas. They were united in marriage on June 7, 1969, and welcomed three daughters: Amy Dawn, Mandy Sheree, and Sarah Janelle. Ron raised his family in Oakley, where he worked hard, followed his daughters to their sports and school activities, and made lasting family memories, including snow skiing trips.Ron began his career in the millwright business, where he was trained and mentored by his father-in-law, John Pilkington. He worked for Pilkington Construction for many years and became a respected millwright. Eventually, he purchased and incorporated Scott Millwright Service in 2001, continuing its legacy. Scott Millwright has served managers of elevators, feed mills, and family farms for over 20 years.Ron was united in marriage to Sandee Jo Mountain of Burlington, Colorado, on December 9, 2000, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Burlington, Colorado. Their daughter, Reegan Nicole, was born to this union. Together, they purchased their first home in Grinnell, Kansas, in 2001, and later moved to Quinter, Kansas, where they made their home for 19 years. Ron stayed busy following Reegan and Sandee’s many school and social activities. He enjoyed camping, even braving storms to hold down the tent, and cherished spring break trips to the mountains for snow skiing and snowboarding with friends and family.Ron attended Bethlehem Lutheran Church in WaKeeney, Kansas, where he served on the Church Council and was a member of the building committee. His faith and relationship with God remained steadfast throughout his life, providing him with strength in every chapter.Ron had a great love for many things. He worked hard and loved hard, always taking care of his family, who were his greatest treasure. When he wasn’t working, you could find him outside tending to his yard and flowers, taking vacations with family, hunting, or golfing with friends. His calm, loving demeanor made everyone around him feel comfortable and welcome.Ron was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma Cancer in February 2009. His strength, love, and determination carried him through a 17-year journey, and he was passionate about living a full, productive life despite his diagnosis.Ron is survived by his wife, Sandee Mountain Scott of Quinter, Kansas; his children Amy Hullet and husband Kelvin of Bismarck, North Dakota, Mandy Scott of Quinter, Kansas, Sarah Scott and Larry Parker of Olathe, Kansas, Reegan Scott of Lawrence, Kansas; siblings Sandra Poston of Wichita, Kansas, Sharon Hockersmith and Greg Reaser of Wichita, Kansas, Daniel Scott and wife Terry of Superior, Nebraska, Joe Badger and husband Steve of Oakley, Kansas, Chris Robben and husband Dan of Oakley, Kansas; grandchildren Clayton Hullet, Landon (Gina) Hullet, Megan (Rheanna) Shea, Layla Parker, Jackson Parker; and many nieces and nephews.He was preceded in death by his parents, Kenneth and Elizabeth (Betty); parents-in-law Jesse (Ed) and Evelyn Mountain; brother Robert (Nick) Scott; nephew Corey Scott; and brothers-in-law Harvey Hockersmith, Vernie Kuhlman, and John Poston.A Memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, June 5, 2026, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in WaKeeney, Kansas. Pastor Randy Gibbs will officiate. Burial will follow at 2:30 p.m. at Oakley Cemetery in Oakley, Kansas. Memorial contributions are suggested to the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge in Kansas City, Kansas, and the Quinter Public School Welding Department. Donations may be sent to Schmitt Funeral Home, 901 South Main, Quinter, Kansas, 67752.To share memories or leave condolences, please visit <a href="http://www.schmittfuneral.com">www.schmittfuneral.com</a>.

Ronald Eugene Scott

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;had another&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-health-doctor-medical-exam-8a3e9599e94ef81a9f904716bb7d0275">medical exam</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday, putting his health under renewed public scrutiny as he has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-health-mri-ct-scan-b453fdc14c4b130b95b37a13662772fd">worked to dismiss concerns</a>&nbsp;over his age and stamina.

The 79-year-old president spent more than three hours at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for what the White House described as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-health-doctor-medical-exam-8a3e9599e94ef81a9f904716bb7d0275">preventive medical and dental checkups</a>. It was Trump's fourth publicly disclosed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-physical-walter-reed-e4c3cd4ef5aab8e4d86d00b02a1ed710">medical exam</a>&nbsp;since he returned to office for a second term, and it comes as he tries to project strength ahead of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elections">midterm elections</a>&nbsp;that will test his sway with voters.

In a social media post after the visit, Trump said that he had just finished his “6 month physical” and that “Everything checked out PERFECTLY.”

For decades, administrations have released selected results from presidential physicals, offering the public&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d20364b00e23dfad474fe0e9288fce83">a glimpse at the commander-in-chief’s health</a>. But the results are filtered through the White House and must be approved by the president, raising questions about what the public does and doesn't get to see.

Trump, a Republican, turns 80 next month and was the oldest person elected U.S. president. His immediate predecessor, President Joe Biden, a Democrat, was 82 when he left office, dropping out of the 2024 presidential race because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-age-election-debate-trump-7c366fda83a697265d9ecc77e8a32fd1">widespread concerns he was too old for the job</a>.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/ABC-News-Washington-Post-Ipsos-Poll-April-2026">Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll</a>&nbsp;conducted in April found that less than half of U.S. adults think Trump has the mental sharpness or physical health to serve effectively as president.

“I think concern for the president’s physical health is probably at an all-time high, and I think advanced physical age is the No. 1 concern,” said Dr. Jeffrey Kuhlman, who served as a White House physician for more than a decade under Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

For a president of Trump’s age, a complete physical would be expected to include advanced heart testing, screening for common cancers and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-cognitive-test-neurology-brain-memory-522ecf3c0d746f4105ce7d4416422ba6">cognitive assessment</a>, along with basics like height, weight and blood pressure, Kuhlman said.

The White House has not disclosed what the visit entailed but expressed confidence in what it will show.

“President Trump is the sharpest and most accessible President in American history who is working nonstop to solve problems and deliver on his promises, and he remains in excellent health,” White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said in a statement.

No law requiring presidents to disclose their medical records

In the weeks leading up to his visit, Trump has been saying he feels as good as he did five decades ago — even as he jokes about his fondness for fast food and his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/presidential-fitness-test-award-trump-8b1d49c50ddbed38814f4fca22d75d52">minimal exercise regimen</a>. Yet he’s also sensitive to perceptions about his age, noting that he takes extra caution descending the steps from Air Force One to avoid headlines about a stumble.

There is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harris-presidential-election-age-health-medical-records-7bb8212c1024748371e43b85e137bae5">no law</a>&nbsp;requiring presidents to publicize their health records, and the degree of transparency has varied by administration. Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-physical-past-medial-records-oldest-president-fcac7240c4a2cf98c1c30709506ab4f1">past reports</a>&nbsp;have been criticized for offering scant detail and providing statistics that some medical experts eyed with skepticism.

At public appearances, Trump is often seen wearing makeup to conceal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/trump-diagnosed-with-chronic-venous-insufficiency-after-noticing-swollen-legs-bruised-hand-d3a60808275a444b96e7cf385538c364">bruising on his hands</a>, which the White House attributes to handshaking and regular aspirin use. He has sometimes appeared drowsy during meetings and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cabinet-doodle-misspelling-eyes-closed-84df52bbc901a001e98e325155224954">closed his eyes for long stretches</a>, though he denies having fallen asleep.

Trump often boasts of having&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-government-7f8fa3323bc4408f9a0753ce59316feb">“aced” cognitive tests</a>&nbsp;while frequently deriding Biden, who faced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-age-democrats-midterms-2028-6738bf46f73c06c70015e4b1abe43df7">questions about his mental acuity</a>. Biden and his aides pushed back aggressively against doubts raised about his fitness for office.

Some of Trump’s previous physicals have included the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-cognitive-test-neurology-brain-memory-522ecf3c0d746f4105ce7d4416422ba6">Montreal Cognitive Assessment</a>, used to screen for dementia and cognitive impairment. His physicians reported a score of 30 out of 30 for him at 2018 and 2025 checkups.

Yet critics have pointed to Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-news-conference-one-year-0c23d44f51f60f94c730a0cd80fe7fac">meandering speeches</a>&nbsp;and sometimes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-war-ceasefire-tehran-trump-civilization-threat-3fae8cb8c07f92184d7485da663f75b0">bellicose rhetoric</a>&nbsp;as evidence of cognitive decline.

Last month,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ippnw.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Medical-Concerns-about-Donald-Trump-5_5_26.docx.pdf">a statement</a>&nbsp;from more than 30 neurologists, psychiatrists and other medical experts — who acknowledged they’ve never examined him — said Trump was mentally unfit to serve and warned of an “increasingly dangerous decline” in his behavior based on what they called “objectively observable signs of serious medical concern.″

“Any so-called medical professionals engaging in armchair diagnosis or false speculation for political purposes are clearly breaking the Hippocratic Oath they’ve sworn to,” Ingle said.

Just like any other patient, presidents get to choose what’s disclosed about their health, said Sara Rosenthal, a bioethicist at the University of Kentucky who studies presidential health. Questions about transparency have become more acute as America elects aging presidents like Trump and Biden, she said.

“I think we can expect very little disclosure about the true health status of any president unless they’re in perfect health,” said Rosenthal, who has suggested an independent medical organization to review and report on the health of the president and those in the line of succession.

Trump's first medical report in his second term was released last April. In July, he was diagnosed with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chronic-venous-insufficiency-trump-c2e8884d5e5debd1a0c156cb0060928a">chronic venous insufficiency</a>, a common condition in older adults that causes blood to pool in his veins. Photographs have shown the president with swollen feet, ankles and calves, described by the White House as a symptom of chronic venous insufficiency leading to “mild swelling” in his lower legs.

Following his last publicly disclosed exam, described as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mri-physical-white-house-0c66f2f9fca865d842ee94329a210a42">routine follow-up last October</a>, Trump’s physician issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-physical-walter-reed-e4c3cd4ef5aab8e4d86d00b02a1ed710">one-page summary</a>&nbsp;saying the president was in “exceptional health” without divulging many specific results.

The frequency of Trump's medical checkups is not uncommon for someone his age, according to S. Jay Olshansky of the University of Illinois-Chicago, who has studied the health of past presidents. It's part of a strategy to catch problems while they’re still treatable, Olshansky said.

Olshansky says the public deserves to see more than White House medical summaries that “may be subject to editorial discretion.” Full, unredacted medical records should be made public, he said: “Nothing should be hidden.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/5/1779836566759.jpeg" alt="President Donald Trump departs Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Bethesda, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)" />
 <figcaption>President Donald Trump departs Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Bethesda, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;had another&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-health-doctor-medical-exam-8a3e9599e94ef81a9f904716bb7d0275">medical exam</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday, putting his health under renewed public scrutiny as he has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-health-mri-ct-scan-b453fdc14c4b130b95b37a13662772fd">worked to dismiss concerns</a>&nbsp;over his age and stamina.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">PERFECT BILL OF HEALTH! 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/nxyEpQF0Qe">pic.twitter.com/nxyEpQF0Qe</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/2059320007905980838?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The 79-year-old president spent more than three hours at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for what the White House described as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-health-doctor-medical-exam-8a3e9599e94ef81a9f904716bb7d0275">preventive medical and dental checkups</a>. It was Trump's fourth publicly disclosed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-physical-walter-reed-e4c3cd4ef5aab8e4d86d00b02a1ed710">medical exam</a>&nbsp;since he returned to office for a second term, and it comes as he tries to project strength ahead of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elections">midterm elections</a>&nbsp;that will test his sway with voters.In a social media post after the visit, Trump said that he had just finished his “6 month physical” and that “Everything checked out PERFECTLY.”For decades, administrations have released selected results from presidential physicals, offering the public&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d20364b00e23dfad474fe0e9288fce83">a glimpse at the commander-in-chief’s health</a>. But the results are filtered through the White House and must be approved by the president, raising questions about what the public does and doesn't get to see.Trump, a Republican, turns 80 next month and was the oldest person elected U.S. president. His immediate predecessor, President Joe Biden, a Democrat, was 82 when he left office, dropping out of the 2024 presidential race because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-age-election-debate-trump-7c366fda83a697265d9ecc77e8a32fd1">widespread concerns he was too old for the job</a>.A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/ABC-News-Washington-Post-Ipsos-Poll-April-2026">Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll</a>&nbsp;conducted in April found that less than half of U.S. adults think Trump has the mental sharpness or physical health to serve effectively as president.“I think concern for the president’s physical health is probably at an all-time high, and I think advanced physical age is the No. 1 concern,” said Dr. Jeffrey Kuhlman, who served as a White House physician for more than a decade under Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.For a president of Trump’s age, a complete physical would be expected to include advanced heart testing, screening for common cancers and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-cognitive-test-neurology-brain-memory-522ecf3c0d746f4105ce7d4416422ba6">cognitive assessment</a>, along with basics like height, weight and blood pressure, Kuhlman said.The White House has not disclosed what the visit entailed but expressed confidence in what it will show.“President Trump is the sharpest and most accessible President in American history who is working nonstop to solve problems and deliver on his promises, and he remains in excellent health,” White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said in a statement.<h2>No law requiring presidents to disclose their medical records</h2>In the weeks leading up to his visit, Trump has been saying he feels as good as he did five decades ago — even as he jokes about his fondness for fast food and his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/presidential-fitness-test-award-trump-8b1d49c50ddbed38814f4fca22d75d52">minimal exercise regimen</a>. Yet he’s also sensitive to perceptions about his age, noting that he takes extra caution descending the steps from Air Force One to avoid headlines about a stumble.There is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harris-presidential-election-age-health-medical-records-7bb8212c1024748371e43b85e137bae5">no law</a>&nbsp;requiring presidents to publicize their health records, and the degree of transparency has varied by administration. Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-physical-past-medial-records-oldest-president-fcac7240c4a2cf98c1c30709506ab4f1">past reports</a>&nbsp;have been criticized for offering scant detail and providing statistics that some medical experts eyed with skepticism.At public appearances, Trump is often seen wearing makeup to conceal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/trump-diagnosed-with-chronic-venous-insufficiency-after-noticing-swollen-legs-bruised-hand-d3a60808275a444b96e7cf385538c364">bruising on his hands</a>, which the White House attributes to handshaking and regular aspirin use. He has sometimes appeared drowsy during meetings and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cabinet-doodle-misspelling-eyes-closed-84df52bbc901a001e98e325155224954">closed his eyes for long stretches</a>, though he denies having fallen asleep.Trump often boasts of having&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-government-7f8fa3323bc4408f9a0753ce59316feb">“aced” cognitive tests</a>&nbsp;while frequently deriding Biden, who faced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-age-democrats-midterms-2028-6738bf46f73c06c70015e4b1abe43df7">questions about his mental acuity</a>. Biden and his aides pushed back aggressively against doubts raised about his fitness for office.Some of Trump’s previous physicals have included the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-cognitive-test-neurology-brain-memory-522ecf3c0d746f4105ce7d4416422ba6">Montreal Cognitive Assessment</a>, used to screen for dementia and cognitive impairment. His physicians reported a score of 30 out of 30 for him at 2018 and 2025 checkups.Yet critics have pointed to Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-news-conference-one-year-0c23d44f51f60f94c730a0cd80fe7fac">meandering speeches</a>&nbsp;and sometimes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-war-ceasefire-tehran-trump-civilization-threat-3fae8cb8c07f92184d7485da663f75b0">bellicose rhetoric</a>&nbsp;as evidence of cognitive decline.Last month,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ippnw.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Medical-Concerns-about-Donald-Trump-5_5_26.docx.pdf">a statement</a>&nbsp;from more than 30 neurologists, psychiatrists and other medical experts — who acknowledged they’ve never examined him — said Trump was mentally unfit to serve and warned of an “increasingly dangerous decline” in his behavior based on what they called “objectively observable signs of serious medical concern.″“Any so-called medical professionals engaging in armchair diagnosis or false speculation for political purposes are clearly breaking the Hippocratic Oath they’ve sworn to,” Ingle said.Just like any other patient, presidents get to choose what’s disclosed about their health, said Sara Rosenthal, a bioethicist at the University of Kentucky who studies presidential health. Questions about transparency have become more acute as America elects aging presidents like Trump and Biden, she said.“I think we can expect very little disclosure about the true health status of any president unless they’re in perfect health,” said Rosenthal, who has suggested an independent medical organization to review and report on the health of the president and those in the line of succession.<h2>'Nothing should be hidden'</h2>Trump's first medical report in his second term was released last April. In July, he was diagnosed with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chronic-venous-insufficiency-trump-c2e8884d5e5debd1a0c156cb0060928a">chronic venous insufficiency</a>, a common condition in older adults that causes blood to pool in his veins. Photographs have shown the president with swollen feet, ankles and calves, described by the White House as a symptom of chronic venous insufficiency leading to “mild swelling” in his lower legs.Following his last publicly disclosed exam, described as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mri-physical-white-house-0c66f2f9fca865d842ee94329a210a42">routine follow-up last October</a>, Trump’s physician issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-physical-walter-reed-e4c3cd4ef5aab8e4d86d00b02a1ed710">one-page summary</a>&nbsp;saying the president was in “exceptional health” without divulging many specific results.The frequency of Trump's medical checkups is not uncommon for someone his age, according to S. Jay Olshansky of the University of Illinois-Chicago, who has studied the health of past presidents. It's part of a strategy to catch problems while they’re still treatable, Olshansky said.Olshansky says the public deserves to see more than White House medical summaries that “may be subject to editorial discretion.” Full, unredacted medical records should be made public, he said: “Nothing should be hidden.”

President Trump describes result of his 3rd medical exam since inauguration

Ruth S.
Kirtland, 89, Hays passed away Monday, October 20, 2025 at Hays Good Samaritan
Society.

She was born
May 15, 1936, the daughter of John O. and Virginia B. (Oldham) Kirtland at
Hadley Hospital in Hays. &nbsp;She was among the first premature babies to
thrive in an “incubator” newly available to hospitals. 

To family
and friends, Ruth’s extraordinary sense of adventure and love of life brought
many experiences at home, and especially in her career as a teacher of
elementary aged students&nbsp;overseas&nbsp;on U.S. Air Force
bases.&nbsp;&nbsp;After schooling at Hays High School, Fort Hays
State,&nbsp;and Kansas State University, she began her teaching career in
Casper, Wyoming.&nbsp;&nbsp;There she learned of the program for teachers to
work and live abroad on&nbsp;U. S. Air&nbsp;Force&nbsp;bases.&nbsp;&nbsp;In
1963, she took at position in Adana,&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;at Incirlik. The
following two years she taught in England at Alconbury. &nbsp;Her next
assignment to Tripoli, Libya in 1966-67 was interrupted by the evacuation of
Wheeler Air Force Base due to the&nbsp;military coup&nbsp;by&nbsp;Muammar
Gaddafi. &nbsp;With her personal items packed into one or two trunks, she flew
safely to Madrid, Spain where she taught from 1967-1969.&nbsp;&nbsp;Her trunks
were lost then were spotted in a storage room, and she was&nbsp;ultimately
reunited&nbsp;with her belongings. &nbsp;Following her tenure in Spain, where
she&nbsp;purchased&nbsp;an antique Rolls Royce which she painted black and
yellow, she ended her teaching career in Upper Heyford and Bicester England
(1969-1989). &nbsp;This twenty-year life of teaching in England made her a
solid anglophile who&nbsp;later&nbsp;followed The Royals in American news
reports.&nbsp; In England, she owned her own home and cultivated a proper
English garden. At home in Hays, from 1990 on, she gave her&nbsp;life to caring
for her elderly mother with the support of a Hays contingent of family
members.&nbsp;

Those who
knew Ruth loved her sense of humor, her love and generosity, and
her&nbsp;tremendous affection for animals of every kind – feline, canine and
even a parrot.&nbsp;&nbsp;

During the
war years, Ruth was a teenager. &nbsp;She was the baby of three sisters, Joan
and Marilyn. &nbsp;In the yard south of the home on south Main Street grew a
mighty Hackberry tree which supported a swing.&nbsp;&nbsp;Ruth would climb
the&nbsp;tree and&nbsp;never missed an opportunity to whistle at the soldiers
walking on the sidewalk, while one of her sisters innocently swung in the tree.
&nbsp;This joyful trickery was not necessarily appreciated by her
sisters.&nbsp;

Many videos
of family and friends chronicle her life, and one might see her atop a camel
with Egyptian pyramids in the backdrop, or in a family favorite – her photo
with her mother dangling in the air above the ski slope in Jackson Hole,
Wyoming.&nbsp;&nbsp;

She is
survived by her sister Joan Kirtland McAfee of Kansas City, Kansas, her nieces
Melinda McAfee and Wanda Osborn (John), her nephews Brian Doerfler (Deanna) and
Doug Doerfler (Debbie), and many great nieces and nephews.

She was
proceeded in death by her parents, her sister Marilyn Doerfler, her
brothers-in-law Alex Doerfler and Troy McAfee, and two nephews John Doerfler
and Carl McAfee. 

Funeral
services will be at 10:00 am on Saturday, May 30, 2026 at Hays Memorial Chapel
Funeral Home with Rev. Christine Wagner officiating.&nbsp; 

The family will receive friends from 9:30 am
until service time on Saturday at the funeral home.&nbsp; Private family
inurnment will be in Mount Allen Cemetery.&nbsp; 

Memorials are suggested to
American Overseas Schools Historical Society (AOSHS) Operating Fund, 704 W.
Douglas Ave. Wichita, KS 67203.&nbsp; Condolences and memories of Ruth may be
left for her family at www.haysmemorial.com

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761070189121.jpeg" alt="Ruth S. Kirtland" />
 <figcaption>Ruth S. Kirtland</figcaption>
 </figure>Ruth S.
Kirtland, 89, Hays passed away Monday, October 20, 2025 at Hays Good Samaritan
Society.She was born
May 15, 1936, the daughter of John O. and Virginia B. (Oldham) Kirtland at
Hadley Hospital in Hays. &nbsp;She was among the first premature babies to
thrive in an “incubator” newly available to hospitals. To family
and friends, Ruth’s extraordinary sense of adventure and love of life brought
many experiences at home, and especially in her career as a teacher of
elementary aged students&nbsp;overseas&nbsp;on U.S. Air Force
bases.&nbsp;&nbsp;After schooling at Hays High School, Fort Hays
State,&nbsp;and Kansas State University, she began her teaching career in
Casper, Wyoming.&nbsp;&nbsp;There she learned of the program for teachers to
work and live abroad on&nbsp;U. S. Air&nbsp;Force&nbsp;bases.&nbsp;&nbsp;In
1963, she took at position in Adana,&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;at Incirlik. The
following two years she taught in England at Alconbury. &nbsp;Her next
assignment to Tripoli, Libya in 1966-67 was interrupted by the evacuation of
Wheeler Air Force Base due to the&nbsp;military coup&nbsp;by&nbsp;Muammar
Gaddafi. &nbsp;With her personal items packed into one or two trunks, she flew
safely to Madrid, Spain where she taught from 1967-1969.&nbsp;&nbsp;Her trunks
were lost then were spotted in a storage room, and she was&nbsp;ultimately
reunited&nbsp;with her belongings. &nbsp;Following her tenure in Spain, where
she&nbsp;purchased&nbsp;an antique Rolls Royce which she painted black and
yellow, she ended her teaching career in Upper Heyford and Bicester England
(1969-1989). &nbsp;This twenty-year life of teaching in England made her a
solid anglophile who&nbsp;later&nbsp;followed The Royals in American news
reports.&nbsp; In England, she owned her own home and cultivated a proper
English garden. At home in Hays, from 1990 on, she gave her&nbsp;life to caring
for her elderly mother with the support of a Hays contingent of family
members.&nbsp;Those who
knew Ruth loved her sense of humor, her love and generosity, and
her&nbsp;tremendous affection for animals of every kind – feline, canine and
even a parrot.&nbsp;&nbsp;During the
war years, Ruth was a teenager. &nbsp;She was the baby of three sisters, Joan
and Marilyn. &nbsp;In the yard south of the home on south Main Street grew a
mighty Hackberry tree which supported a swing.&nbsp;&nbsp;Ruth would climb
the&nbsp;tree and&nbsp;never missed an opportunity to whistle at the soldiers
walking on the sidewalk, while one of her sisters innocently swung in the tree.
&nbsp;This joyful trickery was not necessarily appreciated by her
sisters.&nbsp;Many videos
of family and friends chronicle her life, and one might see her atop a camel
with Egyptian pyramids in the backdrop, or in a family favorite – her photo
with her mother dangling in the air above the ski slope in Jackson Hole,
Wyoming.&nbsp;&nbsp;She is
survived by her sister Joan Kirtland McAfee of Kansas City, Kansas, her nieces
Melinda McAfee and Wanda Osborn (John), her nephews Brian Doerfler (Deanna) and
Doug Doerfler (Debbie), and many great nieces and nephews.She was
proceeded in death by her parents, her sister Marilyn Doerfler, her
brothers-in-law Alex Doerfler and Troy McAfee, and two nephews John Doerfler
and Carl McAfee. Funeral
services will be at 10:00 am on Saturday, May 30, 2026 at Hays Memorial Chapel
Funeral Home with Rev. Christine Wagner officiating.&nbsp; The family will receive friends from 9:30 am
until service time on Saturday at the funeral home.&nbsp; Private family
inurnment will be in Mount Allen Cemetery.&nbsp; Memorials are suggested to
American Overseas Schools Historical Society (AOSHS) Operating Fund, 704 W.
Douglas Ave. Wichita, KS 67203.&nbsp; Condolences and memories of Ruth may be
left for her family at www.haysmemorial.com

Ruth S. Kirtland

Sandra Lou Markus was greeted by her dearest loved ones as she
made her journey home, May 23rd, 2026, at age 84. 

Born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, October 17th, 1941, to Ray &amp; Emma
Sutton, she was one of five siblings, with closeness they shared in raising
families, traveling, and much laughter. 

She married her greatest love, Stanley Markus, on August 19th,
1961, sharing 64 years together in Kokomo, Indiana. Stanley devotedly cared for
her throughout her life, as Sandy was a three-time cancer survivor who never
lost her light.

She was cherished by many who lovingly called her Memir. 

“Meme” treasured every child, nurturing generations with
compassion and leaving a legacy of love through her daycare of over 30 years.

Sandy loved singing, cheering on the Chicago Cubs, cooking and
baking, slot machines, and a good cup of coffee. She never went without makeup,
hair spray and her signature fragrance, showing up for everyone, at any moments
notice. 

She is survived by her adoring husband of 64 years, Stanley
Markus; her children, Tim Markus and wife Chris, Chris Markus and wife Tina,
Grandchildren; Allysha Conwell and partner Jason, Allayna Parker, Reid Markus,
Ella Markus, Morgan Markus, Great-grandson Noah Leonard; six bonus
step-grandchildren, Caitlin (Justin) Tyminski, Andrew (Josie) Granfield and
their son Rylan, Holly, Hannah, Laurel, and Ben Granfield; her sister, Edna
Dehaven, niece Denise, nephew Dana, great niece Stacie McNeal and their beautiful
family, along with many other nieces and nephews.

She leaves behind dear lifelong friends, including Doris Mudroney,
Shirley &amp; Larry Nix, the ladies of the Bridge Club, Marie Scott and the
families she lovingly helped shape and raise through the years. 

She was predeceased by her parents, Ray and Emma Sutton, brothers
Roy, Bud (Marilou), Steve, her beloved daughter Jennifer Lynn Markus, and niece
Mary Sims, along with many aunts and cousins. She will be reunited with the
many furry pets she loved and cared for so deeply.

Memir leaves behind the secret family recipe for “Poticia” and the
best chocolate chip cookies, but above all, family and friends who cherish her
spirit forever. 

Visitation will be held at Sunset Memory Garden Funeral Home, 2097
West Alto Road, Kokomo, IN 46902, on May 28, 2026, from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm. A
Funeral Service will follow at 2:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers please donate to the American Cancer Society or
plant a tree to honor her legacy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/5/1779816743984.jpeg" alt="Sandra Lou Markus" />
 <figcaption>Sandra Lou Markus</figcaption>
 </figure>Sandra Lou Markus was greeted by her dearest loved ones as she
made her journey home, May 23rd, 2026, at age 84. Born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, October 17th, 1941, to Ray &amp; Emma
Sutton, she was one of five siblings, with closeness they shared in raising
families, traveling, and much laughter. She married her greatest love, Stanley Markus, on August 19th,
1961, sharing 64 years together in Kokomo, Indiana. Stanley devotedly cared for
her throughout her life, as Sandy was a three-time cancer survivor who never
lost her light.She was cherished by many who lovingly called her Memir. “Meme” treasured every child, nurturing generations with
compassion and leaving a legacy of love through her daycare of over 30 years.Sandy loved singing, cheering on the Chicago Cubs, cooking and
baking, slot machines, and a good cup of coffee. She never went without makeup,
hair spray and her signature fragrance, showing up for everyone, at any moments
notice. She is survived by her adoring husband of 64 years, Stanley
Markus; her children, Tim Markus and wife Chris, Chris Markus and wife Tina,
Grandchildren; Allysha Conwell and partner Jason, Allayna Parker, Reid Markus,
Ella Markus, Morgan Markus, Great-grandson Noah Leonard; six bonus
step-grandchildren, Caitlin (Justin) Tyminski, Andrew (Josie) Granfield and
their son Rylan, Holly, Hannah, Laurel, and Ben Granfield; her sister, Edna
Dehaven, niece Denise, nephew Dana, great niece Stacie McNeal and their beautiful
family, along with many other nieces and nephews.She leaves behind dear lifelong friends, including Doris Mudroney,
Shirley &amp; Larry Nix, the ladies of the Bridge Club, Marie Scott and the
families she lovingly helped shape and raise through the years. She was predeceased by her parents, Ray and Emma Sutton, brothers
Roy, Bud (Marilou), Steve, her beloved daughter Jennifer Lynn Markus, and niece
Mary Sims, along with many aunts and cousins. She will be reunited with the
many furry pets she loved and cared for so deeply.Memir leaves behind the secret family recipe for “Poticia” and the
best chocolate chip cookies, but above all, family and friends who cherish her
spirit forever. Visitation will be held at Sunset Memory Garden Funeral Home, 2097
West Alto Road, Kokomo, IN 46902, on May 28, 2026, from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm. A
Funeral Service will follow at 2:00 PM.In lieu of flowers please donate to the American Cancer Society or
plant a tree to honor her legacy.

Sandra Lou Markus

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement continue investigating and searching for a suspect in a fatal shooting that occurred October 23 at Dr. Glen Dey Park, located at 2801 N. Grove in Wichita.&nbsp; Crime Stoppers is offering a $10,000 reward in the case.  Police indicated they have only received very few tips on the investigation since the crime occurred.

At approximately 7:03 p.m. an off-duty WPD detective working secondary employment at&nbsp; the park heard multiple gunshots from another area of the park. The detective immediately ran toward the scene and found 32-year-old Travon Stewart suffering from gunshot wounds.

The detective called for backup and emergency medical services, then began life-saving measures until EMS arrived. Stewart was transported to a local hospital in extremely critical condition and later died from his injuries.

Preliminary findings indicate that around 200 to 300 people were in attendance at the football games. Stewart was at the park selling concessions as a fundraiser for a football team not affiliated with the Wichita Junior Football League.

Homicide investigators responded to the scene and interviewed witnesses who remained in the area. Detectives believe this was a targeted shooting and not connected to the youth football games.

Anyone who attended the games or may have information is urged to contact the Wichita Police Department Investigations Section at 316-268-4407.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761331970728.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation in October -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation in October -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement continue investigating and searching for a suspect in a fatal shooting that occurred October 23 at Dr. Glen Dey Park, located at 2801 N. Grove in Wichita.&nbsp; Crime Stoppers is offering a $10,000 reward in the case. Police indicated they have only received very few tips on the investigation since the crime occurred.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762985053767.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">CRIME STOPPERS APPROVES $10,000 REWARD ***PRESS RELEASE*** WICHITA, Kan. – Crime Stoppers of Wichita/Sedgwick County has approved an increased reward of $10,000 for information leading to the arrest of the suspect responsible for the homicide of Trayvon Stewart. <a href="https://t.co/sgNgtHlJHj">pic.twitter.com/sgNgtHlJHj</a>&mdash; Crime Stoppers ICT (@crimestoppers) <a href="https://twitter.com/crimestoppers/status/1988667731865211043?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>At approximately 7:03 p.m. an off-duty WPD detective working secondary employment at&nbsp; the park heard multiple gunshots from another area of the park. The detective immediately ran toward the scene and found 32-year-old Travon Stewart suffering from gunshot wounds.The detective called for backup and emergency medical services, then began life-saving measures until EMS arrived. Stewart was transported to a local hospital in extremely critical condition and later died from his injuries.Preliminary findings indicate that around 200 to 300 people were in attendance at the football games. Stewart was at the park selling concessions as a fundraiser for a football team not affiliated with the Wichita Junior Football League.Homicide investigators responded to the scene and interviewed witnesses who remained in the area. Detectives believe this was a targeted shooting and not connected to the youth football games.Anyone who attended the games or may have information is urged to contact the Wichita Police Department Investigations Section at 316-268-4407.&nbsp;

7 months and no arrest in deadly Kan. youth football game shooting

SEDGWICK COUNTY— A Kansas man is going to prison for a DUI crash that killed a motorcyclist.

Judge Sean Hatfield sentenced 62-year-old Brian Adrian to 55 months in prison for a crash that killed&nbsp; 27-year-old Bryce Rowland, according to the Segwick County District Attorney's office.

In March, Adrian pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of vehicular homicide and a felony count of aggravated battery while driving under the influence, according to the District Attorney's Office.

He was originally charged with felony involuntary manslaughter.&nbsp;

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 motorcyclist identified as 27-year-old Bryce Rowland, who was pronounced deceased at the scene

Preliminary investigation indicates that the driver of a sedan, identified as Adrian, was traveling north on Seneca in Wichita 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 Adrian. He has been in jail on a $200,000 bond since his arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760814274895.png" alt="-Adrian-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>-Adrian-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY— A Kansas man is going to prison for a DUI crash that killed a motorcyclist.Judge Sean Hatfield sentenced 62-year-old Brian Adrian to 55 months in prison for a crash that killed&nbsp; 27-year-old Bryce Rowland, according to the Segwick County District Attorney's office.In March, Adrian pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of vehicular homicide and a felony count of aggravated battery while driving under the influence, according to the District Attorney's Office.He was originally charged with felony involuntary manslaughter.&nbsp;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 motorcyclist identified as 27-year-old Bryce Rowland, who was pronounced deceased at the scenePreliminary investigation indicates that the driver of a sedan, identified as Adrian, was traveling north on Seneca in Wichita 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 Adrian. He has been in jail on a $200,000 bond since his arrest.

Prison for Kansas man in DUI crash that killed motorcyclist

WASHINGTON (AP) —Memorial Day is a U.S. holiday that is officially about mourning the nation’s fallen service members, but it has come to signal the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/memorial-day-travel-summer-6a7e62a50bb9703c748e5e81b6b4c993">unofficial start of summer</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/travel-stress-holiday-tips-db5e5d819b6251bd415a9ad204baa03a">a long weekend of travel</a>&nbsp;and discounts on anything from mattresses to lawn mowers.

Here is a look at the holiday and how it has evolved:

It falls on the last Monday of May. This year, it is May 25.

It’s a day of reflection and remembrance of those who died while serving in the U.S. military, according to the Congressional Research Service.

The holiday is observed in part by the National Moment of Remembrance, which encourages all Americans to pause at 3 p.m. for a moment of silence.

The holiday’s origins can be traced to the American Civil War, which killed more than 600,000 service members, Union and Confederate, between 1861 and 1865.

The first national observance of what was then called Decoration Day occurred May 30, 1868, after an organization of Union veterans called for decorating war graves with flowers that were in bloom.

The practice was already widespread. Waterloo, New York, began a formal observance on May 5, 1866, and was later proclaimed to be the holiday’s birthplace.

Yet Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, traced its first observance to October 1864, according to the Library of Congress. And women in some Confederate states decorated graves before the war’s end.

David Blight, a Yale history professor, points to May 1, 1865, when as many as 10,000 people, many of them Black, held a parade, heard speeches and dedicated the graves of Union dead in Charleston, South Carolina.

A total of 267 Union troops had died at a Confederate prison and were buried in a mass grave. After the war, members of Black churches buried them in individual graves.

“What happened in Charleston does have the right to claim to be first, if that matters,” Blight&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/31e1623c75654d82b7a75d31d1f76dc2">told The Associated Press in 2011</a>.

When did Memorial Day become a source of contention?

As early as 1869, The New York Times wrote that the holiday could become “sacrilegious” and no longer “sacred” if it focused more on pomp, dinners and oratory.

In an 1871 Decoration Day speech at Arlington National Cemetery, abolitionist Frederick Douglass said he feared Americans were forgetting the Civil War’s impetus: enslavement.

“We must never forget that the loyal soldiers who rest beneath this sod flung themselves between the nation and the nation’s destroyers,” Douglass said.

His concerns were well-founded, said Ben Railton, a professor of English and American studies at Fitchburg State University in Massachusetts.

Although roughly 180,000 Black men served in the Union Army, the holiday in many communities would essentially become “white Memorial Day,” especially after the rise of the Jim Crow South, Railton told the AP in 2023.

In the 1880s, then-President Grover Cleveland was said to have spent the holiday going fishing, and “people were appalled,” Matthew Dennis, an emeritus history professor at the University of Oregon, told the AP.

But when the Indianapolis 500 held its inaugural race on May 30, 1911, an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ap-was-there-ray-harroun-wins-1st-indianapolis-500-in-1911-4c4507a3b0a8412d9c035cf59059f159">AP report</a>&nbsp;made no mention of the holiday, or any controversy.

Dennis said Memorial Day’s potency diminished somewhat with the addition of Armistice Day, which marked the end of World War I on Nov. 11, 1918. Armistice Day became a national holiday by 1938 and was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.

In 1971, Congress changed Memorial Day from every May 30 to the last Monday in May. Dennis said the creation of the three-day weekend recognized that Memorial Day had been transformed into a more generic remembrance of the dead, as well as a day of leisure.

A year later, Time Magazine wrote that the holiday had become “a three-day nationwide hootenanny that seems to have lost much of its original purpose.”

Why is Memorial Day tied to sales and travel?

Even in the 19th century, grave ceremonies were followed by leisure activities such as picnicking and foot races, Dennis said.

The holiday also evolved alongside baseball and the automobile, the five-day work week and summer vacation, according to the 2002 book “A History of Memorial Day: Unity, Discord and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

In the mid-20th century, a small number of businesses began to open defiantly on the holiday.

Once the holiday moved to Monday, “the traditional barriers against doing business began to crumble,” authors Richard Harmond and Thomas Curran wrote.

These days, Memorial Day sales and traveling are deeply woven into the nation’s muscle memory.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/5/1779709362061.jpg" alt="Image Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Memorial Day is a U.S. holiday that is officially about mourning the nation’s fallen service members, but it has come to signal the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/memorial-day-travel-summer-6a7e62a50bb9703c748e5e81b6b4c993">unofficial start of summer</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/travel-stress-holiday-tips-db5e5d819b6251bd415a9ad204baa03a">a long weekend of travel</a>&nbsp;and discounts on anything from mattresses to lawn mowers.Here is a look at the holiday and how it has evolved:<h2>When is Memorial Day?</h2>It falls on the last Monday of May. This year, it is May 25.<h2>Why is Memorial Day celebrated?</h2>It’s a day of reflection and remembrance of those who died while serving in the U.S. military, according to the Congressional Research Service.The holiday is observed in part by the National Moment of Remembrance, which encourages all Americans to pause at 3 p.m. for a moment of silence.<h2>What are the origins of Memorial Day?</h2>The holiday’s origins can be traced to the American Civil War, which killed more than 600,000 service members, Union and Confederate, between 1861 and 1865.The first national observance of what was then called Decoration Day occurred May 30, 1868, after an organization of Union veterans called for decorating war graves with flowers that were in bloom.The practice was already widespread. Waterloo, New York, began a formal observance on May 5, 1866, and was later proclaimed to be the holiday’s birthplace.Yet Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, traced its first observance to October 1864, according to the Library of Congress. And women in some Confederate states decorated graves before the war’s end.David Blight, a Yale history professor, points to May 1, 1865, when as many as 10,000 people, many of them Black, held a parade, heard speeches and dedicated the graves of Union dead in Charleston, South Carolina.A total of 267 Union troops had died at a Confederate prison and were buried in a mass grave. After the war, members of Black churches buried them in individual graves.“What happened in Charleston does have the right to claim to be first, if that matters,” Blight&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/31e1623c75654d82b7a75d31d1f76dc2">told The Associated Press in 2011</a>.<h2>When did Memorial Day become a source of contention?</h2>As early as 1869, The New York Times wrote that the holiday could become “sacrilegious” and no longer “sacred” if it focused more on pomp, dinners and oratory.In an 1871 Decoration Day speech at Arlington National Cemetery, abolitionist Frederick Douglass said he feared Americans were forgetting the Civil War’s impetus: enslavement.“We must never forget that the loyal soldiers who rest beneath this sod flung themselves between the nation and the nation’s destroyers,” Douglass said.His concerns were well-founded, said Ben Railton, a professor of English and American studies at Fitchburg State University in Massachusetts.Although roughly 180,000 Black men served in the Union Army, the holiday in many communities would essentially become “white Memorial Day,” especially after the rise of the Jim Crow South, Railton told the AP in 2023.In the 1880s, then-President Grover Cleveland was said to have spent the holiday going fishing, and “people were appalled,” Matthew Dennis, an emeritus history professor at the University of Oregon, told the AP.But when the Indianapolis 500 held its inaugural race on May 30, 1911, an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ap-was-there-ray-harroun-wins-1st-indianapolis-500-in-1911-4c4507a3b0a8412d9c035cf59059f159">AP report</a>&nbsp;made no mention of the holiday, or any controversy.<h2>How has Memorial Day changed?</h2>Dennis said Memorial Day’s potency diminished somewhat with the addition of Armistice Day, which marked the end of World War I on Nov. 11, 1918. Armistice Day became a national holiday by 1938 and was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.In 1971, Congress changed Memorial Day from every May 30 to the last Monday in May. Dennis said the creation of the three-day weekend recognized that Memorial Day had been transformed into a more generic remembrance of the dead, as well as a day of leisure.A year later, Time Magazine wrote that the holiday had become “a three-day nationwide hootenanny that seems to have lost much of its original purpose.”<h2>Why is Memorial Day tied to sales and travel?</h2>Even in the 19th century, grave ceremonies were followed by leisure activities such as picnicking and foot races, Dennis said.The holiday also evolved alongside baseball and the automobile, the five-day work week and summer vacation, according to the 2002 book “A History of Memorial Day: Unity, Discord and the Pursuit of Happiness.”In the mid-20th century, a small number of businesses began to open defiantly on the holiday.Once the holiday moved to Monday, “the traditional barriers against doing business began to crumble,” authors Richard Harmond and Thomas Curran wrote.These days, Memorial Day sales and traveling are deeply woven into the nation’s muscle memory.

The origins of Memorial Day and how it has evolved

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/marcia-dunn">MARCIA DUNN</a> Associated Press

SpaceX launched its biggest, most powerful Starship yet on a test flight Friday, an upgraded version that NASA is counting on to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-moon-artemis-astronauts-83132fc4f86c3491984844fc309e25d2">land astronauts on the moon</a>.

The redesigned mega rocket made its debut two days after SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced he’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-initial-public-offering-musk-da83ecf78085755a522b8376254a8273">taking the company public</a>. It blasted off from the southern tip of Texas, carrying 20 mock Starlink satellites that were released midway through the hourlong spaceflight that stretched halfway around the world.

The spacecraft reached its final destination — the Indian Ocean — despite some engine trouble, before erupting in flames upon impact. That last part was not unexpected, according to SpaceX.

Musk called it “an epic” launch and landing.

“You scored a goal for humanity,” he told his team via X.

It’s the 12th test flight of the rocket that Musk is building to get people to Mars one day. But first comes the moon and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-artemis-moon-astronauts-apollo-74008cb58e79ed525ae5e1fe08a04ad9">NASA’s Artemis program</a>.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman flew in for the launch, saying Starship is now one step closer to the moon.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-starship-elon-musk-b4ac6a3ff6ecb04100fab1ac7cf832e6">last of the old space-skimming Starships</a>&nbsp;lifted off in October. SpaceX’s third-generation Starship — a souped-up version dubbed V3 — soared from a brand-new launch pad at Starbase, near the Mexican border. Last-minute pad issues thwarted Thursday evening’s launch attempt.

SpaceX was hoping to avoid the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-starship-elon-musk-0c260a324f597a172300315c6486b9df">fireworks</a>&nbsp;it experienced during back-to-back launches last year when midair explosions rained wreckage down on the Atlantic. Earlier flights also ended in flames.

There was no fireball this time until the very end. The spacecraft plummeted upright into the Indian Ocean under seemingly full control, then toppled over and ignited.

While the liftoff itself went well, not all of the engines fired as the booster attempted a controlled return. The spacecraft also had to make do with fewer engines, but kept heading eastward 120 miles (194 kilometers) up. A pair of modified, camera-equipped Starlinks ejected from Starship provided brief views of the spacecraft in flight — a remarkable first.

At 407 feet (124 meters), the latest model eclipses the older Starship lines by several feet (more than 1 meter) and packs more engine thrust.

The revamped booster sports fewer but bigger and stronger grid fins for steering it back to Earth following liftoff, and a larger and more robust fuel transfer line to feed the 33 main engines. This fuel line is the size of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 first-stage booster. The retro-looking, stainless steel spacecraft also has more of everything — more cameras and more navigation and computer power — as well as docking cones for future rendezvous and moon missions.

Starship is meant to be fully reusable, with giant mechanical arms at the launch pads to catch the returning rocket stages. But on this latest trial run, nothing was being recovered. The Gulf of Mexico marked the end of the road for the redesigned first-stage booster, and the Indian Ocean for the spacecraft and its satellite demos.

NASA is paying SpaceX billions of dollars — and also Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin — to provide the lunar landers that will be used to land Artemis astronauts on the moon.

The two companies are scrambling to be first.

While Starship has reached the fringes of space on multiple flights lasting an hour at most, Bezos’ Blue Moon has yet to lift off, although a prototype is being readied for a moonshot later this year.

NASA is following April’s successful lunar flyaround by four astronauts with a docking trial run in orbit around Earth planned for next year. For that Artemis III mission, astronauts will practice docking their Orion capsule with Starship, Blue Moon or both.

A moon landing by two astronauts — Artemis IV — could follow as soon as 2028 using either Starship or Blue Moon, whichever lander is safer and ready first. It will be NASA’s first lunar landing with a crew since 1972’s Apollo 17. The goal this time is a moon base near the lunar south pole, staffed by astronauts as well as robots.

SpaceX is already taking reservations for private flights to the moon and Mars on Starship.

The world’s first space tourist, California businessman Dennis Tito, and his wife signed up 3 1/2 years ago for a flight around the moon. The timing is uncertain.

This week, another wealthy space tourist — Chinese-born bitcoin investor Chun Wang — announced he will fly to Mars on Starship’s first interplanetary mission. Wang previously chartered a SpaceX polar flight in a Dragon capsule last year and, along with his hand-picked crew, became the first to orbit above the north and south poles.

No price tag or date was revealed for his Mars cruise.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/marcia-dunn">MARCIA DUNN</a> Associated PressSpaceX launched its biggest, most powerful Starship yet on a test flight Friday, an upgraded version that NASA is counting on to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-moon-artemis-astronauts-83132fc4f86c3491984844fc309e25d2">land astronauts on the moon</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Liftoff of Starship! <a href="https://t.co/LQLdjK5V6K">pic.twitter.com/LQLdjK5V6K</a>&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/2057952539417461045?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/w2mlKm3nTf">pic.twitter.com/w2mlKm3nTf</a>&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/2057974937923490301?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Splashdown confirmed! Congratulations to the entire SpaceX team on the twelfth flight test of Starship! <a href="https://t.co/XXBAtryPpL">pic.twitter.com/XXBAtryPpL</a>&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/2057969484879528267?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Starship is executing a banking maneuver that mimics the final approach it would take while returning to Starbase for a catch on a future mission <a href="https://t.co/3YQr8LKAaj">pic.twitter.com/3YQr8LKAaj</a>&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/2057968316891746337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The redesigned mega rocket made its debut two days after SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced he’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-initial-public-offering-musk-da83ecf78085755a522b8376254a8273">taking the company public</a>. It blasted off from the southern tip of Texas, carrying 20 mock Starlink satellites that were released midway through the hourlong spaceflight that stretched halfway around the world.The spacecraft reached its final destination — the Indian Ocean — despite some engine trouble, before erupting in flames upon impact. That last part was not unexpected, according to SpaceX.Musk called it “an epic” launch and landing.“You scored a goal for humanity,” he told his team via X.It’s the 12th test flight of the rocket that Musk is building to get people to Mars one day. But first comes the moon and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-artemis-moon-astronauts-apollo-74008cb58e79ed525ae5e1fe08a04ad9">NASA’s Artemis program</a>.NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman flew in for the launch, saying Starship is now one step closer to the moon.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-starship-elon-musk-b4ac6a3ff6ecb04100fab1ac7cf832e6">last of the old space-skimming Starships</a>&nbsp;lifted off in October. SpaceX’s third-generation Starship — a souped-up version dubbed V3 — soared from a brand-new launch pad at Starbase, near the Mexican border. Last-minute pad issues thwarted Thursday evening’s launch attempt.SpaceX was hoping to avoid the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-starship-elon-musk-0c260a324f597a172300315c6486b9df">fireworks</a>&nbsp;it experienced during back-to-back launches last year when midair explosions rained wreckage down on the Atlantic. Earlier flights also ended in flames.There was no fireball this time until the very end. The spacecraft plummeted upright into the Indian Ocean under seemingly full control, then toppled over and ignited.While the liftoff itself went well, not all of the engines fired as the booster attempted a controlled return. The spacecraft also had to make do with fewer engines, but kept heading eastward 120 miles (194 kilometers) up. A pair of modified, camera-equipped Starlinks ejected from Starship provided brief views of the spacecraft in flight — a remarkable first.At 407 feet (124 meters), the latest model eclipses the older Starship lines by several feet (more than 1 meter) and packs more engine thrust.The revamped booster sports fewer but bigger and stronger grid fins for steering it back to Earth following liftoff, and a larger and more robust fuel transfer line to feed the 33 main engines. This fuel line is the size of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 first-stage booster. The retro-looking, stainless steel spacecraft also has more of everything — more cameras and more navigation and computer power — as well as docking cones for future rendezvous and moon missions.Starship is meant to be fully reusable, with giant mechanical arms at the launch pads to catch the returning rocket stages. But on this latest trial run, nothing was being recovered. The Gulf of Mexico marked the end of the road for the redesigned first-stage booster, and the Indian Ocean for the spacecraft and its satellite demos.NASA is paying SpaceX billions of dollars — and also Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin — to provide the lunar landers that will be used to land Artemis astronauts on the moon.The two companies are scrambling to be first.While Starship has reached the fringes of space on multiple flights lasting an hour at most, Bezos’ Blue Moon has yet to lift off, although a prototype is being readied for a moonshot later this year.NASA is following April’s successful lunar flyaround by four astronauts with a docking trial run in orbit around Earth planned for next year. For that Artemis III mission, astronauts will practice docking their Orion capsule with Starship, Blue Moon or both.A moon landing by two astronauts — Artemis IV — could follow as soon as 2028 using either Starship or Blue Moon, whichever lander is safer and ready first. It will be NASA’s first lunar landing with a crew since 1972’s Apollo 17. The goal this time is a moon base near the lunar south pole, staffed by astronauts as well as robots.SpaceX is already taking reservations for private flights to the moon and Mars on Starship.The world’s first space tourist, California businessman Dennis Tito, and his wife signed up 3 1/2 years ago for a flight around the moon. The timing is uncertain.This week, another wealthy space tourist — Chinese-born bitcoin investor Chun Wang — announced he will fly to Mars on Starship’s first interplanetary mission. Wang previously chartered a SpaceX polar flight in a Dragon capsule last year and, along with his hand-picked crew, became the first to orbit above the north and south poles.No price tag or date was revealed for his Mars cruise.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

🎥SpaceX launches biggest, most beefed-up Starship yet

Gov. Laura Kelly will consider options for replacing retired Chief Justice Marla Luckert

TOPEKA — The state’s nonpartisan nominating commission Thursday named three district court judges as finalists for a vacancy on the Kansas Supreme Court.

Commissioners interviewed seven applicants and voted during a public meeting to present Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly a list comprised of Johnson County District Judge Robert Wonnell of Olathe, a 2015 appointee of GOP Gov. Sam Brownback; Johnson County District Judge Chris Jayaram of Lenexa; and Douglas County District Judge Carl Folsom of Lawrence. Kelly appointed Jayaram to the bench in 2021 and selected Folsom for the district court in 2022.

Former Chief Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/former-kansas-supreme-court-chief-justice-to-retire-march-28/">Marla Luckert’s retirement</a>&nbsp;in March created a vacancy on the seven-justice court. Luckert, who devoted 23 years of her legal career to the serving on the Supreme Court, stepped down after suffering a stroke in October that preceded a vehicle accident.

Under the state’s merit-selection process for filling slots on the Supreme Court, Kelly would have 60 days to choose from among the three finalists. In the unlikely event the governor didn’t meet that deadline, Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Rosen would make the pick.

Kansas’ system of placing justices on the Supreme Court could be dramatically altered with passage in August of a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution requiring election of justices.

Wonnell, who earned a law degree at the University of Kanas in 2001, worked in private practice in the Kansas City area before chosen 11 years ago by Brownback to serve on the Johnson County District Court. He’s taken an active role in advancing the district’s special behavioral health court and treatment docket.

“I am excited about the opportunity to play a role in case law, in what guides our courts,” Wonnell said. “I’m excited for the secondary role of a Supreme Court justice to work in the administration of the justice system across the state.”

Folsom, who graduated in 2005 from KU’s law school, accumulated years of experience as a state and federal public defender before appointed to the Douglas County District Court. He was among three Lawrence applicants for this vacancy on the Supreme Court.

“This job is a perfect combination of my love of Kansas, my love of public service and my love of the law,” Folsom said.

Folsom was twice nominated to the Kansas Court of Appeals by Kelly, who said he was as “imminently qualified.” The GOP-led Kansas Senate voted to reject his nominations in 2020 and 2021.

“I think the best judges, and really all judges, should try to block out the outside noise,” Folsom said. “You make the decision on the facts and the law of the case.”

Jayaram took his place five years ago on the Johnson County District Court after two decades in private practice focused on business law. He earned his law degree in 1997 at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. In 2025, he was a finalist for the Supreme Court position awarded to Leawood&nbsp;attorney Larkin Walsh.

“I’ve really worked hard throughout my career to try and master the areas of law which I practice,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/5/1779453572352.png" alt=" A Kansas nonpartisan, independent commission selects District Judges Robert Wonnell, Chris Jayaram and Carl Folsom as finalists to fill a vacancy on the Kansas Supreme Court. Gov. Laura Kelly is responsible for appointing a replacement for retired Supreme Court Chief Justice Marla Luckert, who was photographed in 2024 while at the Capitol for the annual State of the Judiciary speech to the Legislature. (Photo by Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> A Kansas nonpartisan, independent commission selects District Judges Robert Wonnell, Chris Jayaram and Carl Folsom as finalists to fill a vacancy on the Kansas Supreme Court. Gov. Laura Kelly is responsible for appointing a replacement for retired Supreme Court Chief Justice Marla Luckert, who was photographed in 2024 while at the Capitol for the annual State of the Judiciary speech to the Legislature. (Photo by Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Gov. Laura Kelly will consider options for replacing retired Chief Justice Marla Luckert</h2>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">Tim Carpenter</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The state’s nonpartisan nominating commission Thursday named three district court judges as finalists for a vacancy on the Kansas Supreme Court.Commissioners interviewed seven applicants and voted during a public meeting to present Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly a list comprised of Johnson County District Judge Robert Wonnell of Olathe, a 2015 appointee of GOP Gov. Sam Brownback; Johnson County District Judge Chris Jayaram of Lenexa; and Douglas County District Judge Carl Folsom of Lawrence. Kelly appointed Jayaram to the bench in 2021 and selected Folsom for the district court in 2022.Former Chief Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/former-kansas-supreme-court-chief-justice-to-retire-march-28/">Marla Luckert’s retirement</a>&nbsp;in March created a vacancy on the seven-justice court. Luckert, who devoted 23 years of her legal career to the serving on the Supreme Court, stepped down after suffering a stroke in October that preceded a vehicle accident.Under the state’s merit-selection process for filling slots on the Supreme Court, Kelly would have 60 days to choose from among the three finalists. In the unlikely event the governor didn’t meet that deadline, Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Rosen would make the pick.Kansas’ system of placing justices on the Supreme Court could be dramatically altered with passage in August of a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution requiring election of justices.Wonnell, who earned a law degree at the University of Kanas in 2001, worked in private practice in the Kansas City area before chosen 11 years ago by Brownback to serve on the Johnson County District Court. He’s taken an active role in advancing the district’s special behavioral health court and treatment docket.“I am excited about the opportunity to play a role in case law, in what guides our courts,” Wonnell said. “I’m excited for the secondary role of a Supreme Court justice to work in the administration of the justice system across the state.”Folsom, who graduated in 2005 from KU’s law school, accumulated years of experience as a state and federal public defender before appointed to the Douglas County District Court. He was among three Lawrence applicants for this vacancy on the Supreme Court.“This job is a perfect combination of my love of Kansas, my love of public service and my love of the law,” Folsom said.Folsom was twice nominated to the Kansas Court of Appeals by Kelly, who said he was as “imminently qualified.” The GOP-led Kansas Senate voted to reject his nominations in 2020 and 2021.“I think the best judges, and really all judges, should try to block out the outside noise,” Folsom said. “You make the decision on the facts and the law of the case.”Jayaram took his place five years ago on the Johnson County District Court after two decades in private practice focused on business law. He earned his law degree in 1997 at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. In 2025, he was a finalist for the Supreme Court position awarded to Leawood&nbsp;attorney Larkin Walsh.“I’ve really worked hard throughout my career to try and master the areas of law which I practice,” he said.He said much of his district court docket focused on family law and required difficult decisions about best interests of children in custody cases.“I think that takes courage because whatever decision you’re going to make is either going to be … unpopular with at least 50% of the litigants and, often times, it’s 100% of the litigants that are unhappy with the decisions,” Jayaram said.Other applicants for the Supreme Court opening were Lawrence attorney Meryl Carver-Allmond, Wichita attorney Molly Gordon, Douglas County District Judge Amy Hanley and Kansas Board of Tax Appeals Chair Kristen Wheeler of Wichita.