Comanche County school board leaders, principal strive to blunt public outrage

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>

COLDWATER — After the father of a small-town, southwest Kansas high school junior reported his daughter was the victim of sexual harassment and unwanted touching by her golf coach, he met with the coach and principal to lay out the teenager’s concerns and disgust.

By the end of that meeting in May, the father said, the three men seemed to have an understanding that the coach violated policy — if not the law — when he made a stunning comment to the girl during golf practice: He told her to grip a club like it was a penis.

At the meeting, the coach signed a document affirming he directed lurid comments at the girl, according to a copy of the document obtained by Kansas Reflector. The student confirmed the accusations in a report with law enforcement and in an interview with Kansas Reflector.

The document said the coach on multiple occasions grabbed the student’s hips, waist and shoulders while standing behind her. She also said that he held the back of her thigh, purportedly to improve her golf posture.

Ty Theurer eventually resigned as the South Central High School golf coach, which was his part-time assignment in the Comanche County School District. He didn’t surrender a much more influential position in the district: Superintendent.

Kansas Reflector interviews with students, parents, educators and elected officials tied to Comanche County schools revealed a concerted effort by insiders to shield the district’s top administrator, despite ongoing law enforcement and Title IX investigations. People with knowledge of Theurer’s past said the golf practice incident wasn’t the only example of inappropriate behavior by the superintendent, who for years personally controlled how the district responded to alleged sexual harassment.

Kansas Reflector reporting shows the Comanche County school board president and vice president along with the high school principal collaborated to minimize disciplinary action against Theurer. It indicated the president sought to tamp down scrutiny of the superintendent as word of the student’s allegation made its way through the sparsely populated district.

In a brief interview with Kansas Reflector, Theurer declined to respond to questions about the complaint.

“I’m not going to answer any of those questions,” he said. “I am under investigation. I’m not allowed to speak about it.”

The student who Theurer made the salacious comments to said she had been standing near him at a the Coldwater golf course during practice this spring, according to a Comanche County Sheriff’s Office report and an interview with Kansas Reflector. The student said Theurer approached her and said, “OK, now I’m going to be a little bold.”

She said he moved closer to her and whispered details of how he expected her to hold golf clubs. She quoted him: “I want you to imagine you have a penis.”

When the student responded with alarm to Theurer’s remark, she said, the superintendent cupped his hands around his groin, saying, “Just like this.”

Her description for law enforcement and Kansas Reflector also said the superintendent “ran his hand against the back of my neck and slowly moved me forward to help me with my putting position.” The summary said Theurer grabbed the back of her thigh as he urged her to bend her knees.

The student’s parents requested anonymity in this story to protect the privacy of their teenage daughter. Kansas Reflector and its parent organization, States Newsroom, do not identify survivors of sexual abuse.

In May, the student’s father reported the behavior to Andy Uhl, the Comanche County school board’s vice president. Uhl apparently passed the dad’s complaint up the chain of command. That resulted in the father’s meeting with Theurer and South Central High School principal Bud Valerius.

But instead of all seven members of the school board assuming a role in a personnel issue involving the person hired by the board to serve as superintendent, Valerius dealt with the student’s complaint as if it were a clash between coach and athlete, emails show. Valerius took that approach despite conflicts of interest, including his job as a direct subordinate of Theurer, his assignment as assistant golf coach and his friendship with Theurer.

School board president Kelly Herd said in an email to other board members that in her opinion, “There was nothing in the complaint that would warrant administrative leave” for superintendent Theurer. Instead, she told board members, coach Theurer had been given a “warning” to not offend again.

The school board replaced the superintendent as the district’s Title IX coordinator with oversight of sexual harassment or sex discrimination complaints because it would be improper for Theurer to investigate himself. Those duties were passed several months ago to the district’s elementary school principal, who would be expected initiate an investigation of the superintendent.

Dean Yoder is another member of the Comanche County school board, which governs the education of the 300 students near the Oklahoma boarder. Besides Coldwater, the district draws students from communities including Protection, Wilmore and Buttermilk. The district extends into Kiowa and Clark counties.

A majority of the school board was excluded at the outset from the process of dealing with the leadership crisis, Yoder said.

The school board president ordered him to “stand down,” Yoder said, and she argued the controversy involving Theurer had to be resolved quietly.

“Nothing has been handled right,” Yoder said.

Bill Faflick, executive director of the Kansas State High School Activities Association, said he wasn’t aware of the controversy in Comanche County schools before being contacted by Kansas Reflector.

He said the student who made the complaint should know she could have done nothing to warrant harassment by a school administrator. Assuming the complaint was proven, he said, the incident would make “every dad shudder.”

“If true, certainly that’s inappropriate. It’s wrong as wrong can be. There’s no place for that in school sports,” said Faflick, who worked for 30 years in administrative roles in Wichita public schools.

Herd, the school board president, appeared to shield information about the case from the full school board. In a video obtained by Kansas Reflector, Herd abruptly adjourned a June board meeting to circumvent discussion of Theurer’s conduct. She ordered her colleagues to stop speaking with community members about the controversy.

Herd resisted pleas, including from the golf athlete’s parents, to convene a special meeting so the board could learn more about the allegations and investigatory process, and weigh potential disciplinary options.

Since May, the board president sent a series of emails about the Theurer controversy to fellow board members. In that correspondence, Herd said she and the board’s vice president, in conjunction with the high school principal, dealt effectively with the sexual harassment complaint. Herd said “normal procedure” was followed.

Herd, who didn’t respond to Kansas Reflector requests for comment, said in an email to the board that the complaint ought to be viewed as a teachable moment for a coach rather than a leadership disaster centered on a district superintendent.

“As with any other HS coach, Bud (Valerius, high school principal) is the one to handle these issues. All coaches are given a warning and this will be considered (Theurer’s),” Herd’s email to board members said. “Bud called me and Andy (Uhl) to update us. We both agreed it has been addressed and handled. I assure you this was not taken lightly and it was not brushed aside.”

In another email, the board president instructed her elected peers to cooperate with her goal of limiting public knowledge of Theurer’s plight.

“This conversation regarding Ty has gotten far out of control in our community. We as board members must be careful to not continue to fuel the fire,” Herd wrote. “He has been written up and it is in his personnel file. He did not deny nor make excuses.”

The student’s parents, frustrated school board leadership hadn’t moved to guarantee student safety, filed a report with local law enforcement. Comanche County authorities referred the case of alleged battery to the Ford County Sheriff’s Office.

The school board’s president and the student’s parents said the sexual harassment complaint presented to the school district was forwarded to the Kansas Association of School Boards, which advises school boards on compliance with federal Title IX law. A representative of KASB has interviewed students and others associated within the school district regarding Theurer.

School board members expect to be briefed in executive session on the report, the school board president said.

Eventually, the school board association’s draft report must be shared with the superintendent and complainant. A “decision-maker,” potentially an independent hearing officer, would examine evidence and make a determination about whether harassment occurred. Both sides could appeal.

In a recent email to board members, Herd recommended board members fend off any reporter asking questions about Theurer by explaining they were unable to comment.

“I am not keeping secrets. Nor am I acting on my own,” the school board president said.

South Central High School graduate Isabel Hackney said in an interview with Kansas Reflector that Theurer’s objectionable pronouncements to students extended beyond the golf course.

Hackney said she accidentally collided with a male friend at the school in October 2024, and it was caught on security video. She and some other students decided to watch the footage in the high school’s administration office.

While they were watching, she said, the superintendent emerged from his office. Theurer asked to repeatedly watch the clip, Hackney said.

“Then he said, ‘Izzy, you just got teabagged,’ ” Hackney said, repeating slang for putting a scrotum near a face. “From then on, I felt honestly scared to be around Mr. Theurer.”

Emily Hackney, Isabel’s mother, subsequently confronted Theurer outside the high school about his remark. She told the superintendent it was wrong to speak to her daughter that way.

“He was trying to ignore me,” Emily Hackney said. “He tried to deny it.”

Klete Hackney, Isabel’s father, said his daughter feared retaliation if the family complained to anyone involved with the school district. Instead, Isabel refused to shake the superintendent’s hand at graduation this spring.

“She did it for herself and she did it for all the kids,” Klete Hackney said.

An attempt could be made during the school board’s meeting Wednesday evening at South Central High School to compel a vote by the seven-member board on a motion to place Theurer on administrative leave.

“If you don’t know anything about it, it’s because that’s the plan — sweep it under the rug and nobody will ever know,” said Zach Ellis, who has two children at the high school.

Ellis said he signed up to speak at the next school board meeting, but he’s not certain the board would allow him to say what he wanted to say. On social media, Ellis encouraged people with ties to the school district to join him at the meeting.

He said the school board by now should have adopted new policies or procedures designed to deter sexual harassment. It was “absolutely ridiculous” the school board allowed a superintendent under investigation for sexual harassment and battery to run the district, he said.

“I’ve got a daughter who is a junior. I’m all about making sure that her safety is protected,” Ellis said. “She avoids him. Her words not mine: ‘He creeps me out, so I avoid him.’ ”

The father of the former golf team member said that during the May meeting with the principal and superintendent the principal read aloud a one-page document that summarized the daughter’s allegations against the superintendent. Theurer and Valerius agreed the signing confirmed they discussed the memo. The superintendent didn’t challenge the student’s recollections at the time, the father said.

“I said, ‘I’m not leaving this office without some documentation that this conversation happened,'” the father said. “That’s when the principal said, ‘Hey, we can all sign it here. He can sign it to admit his guilt.’ ”

In an interview, the student said that when she joined the high school’s golf team, other girls warned her to “be careful, Ty’s a little weird.”

“My first day we were in a line,” she said. “He came up behind me and placed his hands on my hips. I wasn’t asked if that was OK. Whenever I asked the golf girls … ‘Hey, does he do this a lot?’ And they’re, like, ‘Yeah, you’ll get used to it.’ ”

She quit the team after the superintendent made the penis remark.

In June, the student’s parents attended a regularly scheduled Comanche County school board meeting with the goal of sharing information about what their daughter said she endured while coached by Theurer.

Herd, the board president, called the mother before the meeting in an attempt to dissuade her from making public comments about the superintendent, the mother said.

The mother decided to go to the board meeting. She attempted to read from a written statement. Herd cut her off by adjourning the meeting. A video obtained by Kansas Reflector showed Herd and other board members walking out of the room with the mother still reading from her prepared remarks.

“How could this not be a priority? Not for my family alone, but for the school community?” the mother said in an interview. “The sudden adjournment and insistence that such an issue of import was literally worth walking out on is deeply troubling.”

She said the school board president’s attempt to bury the complaint was “completely unacceptable” and risked the health and safety of students in the district’s three schools. Failure of the school board to address the superintendent’s misconduct ran “the risk of appearing complicit in continuing toxic and dangerous situations,” the mother said.

“There is no result that can serve justice other than immediate termination,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1756845981827.png" alt="Comanche County School District Superintendent Ty Theurer, photographed with the 2019 graduating class at South Central High School in Coldwater, is under investigation for alleged sexual harassment of a student. He was serving as golf coach this spring, according to the student’s complaint, when he told her to hold golf clubs as if she was grasping a penis. (Comanche County School District)" />
 <figcaption>Comanche County School District Superintendent Ty Theurer, photographed with the 2019 graduating class at South Central High School in Coldwater, is under investigation for alleged sexual harassment of a student. He was serving as golf coach this spring, according to the student’s complaint, when he told her to hold golf clubs as if she was grasping a penis. (Comanche County School District)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Comanche County school board leaders, principal strive to blunt public outrage</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>COLDWATER — After the father of a small-town, southwest Kansas high school junior reported his daughter was the victim of sexual harassment and unwanted touching by her golf coach, he met with the coach and principal to lay out the teenager’s concerns and disgust.By the end of that meeting in May, the father said, the three men seemed to have an understanding that the coach violated policy — if not the law — when he made a stunning comment to the girl during golf practice: He told her to grip a club like it was a penis.At the meeting, the coach signed a document affirming he directed lurid comments at the girl, according to a copy of the document obtained by Kansas Reflector. The student confirmed the accusations in a report with law enforcement and in an interview with Kansas Reflector.The document said the coach on multiple occasions grabbed the student’s hips, waist and shoulders while standing behind her. She also said that he held the back of her thigh, purportedly to improve her golf posture.Ty Theurer eventually resigned as the South Central High School golf coach, which was his part-time assignment in the Comanche County School District. He didn’t surrender a much more influential position in the district: Superintendent.Kansas Reflector interviews with students, parents, educators and elected officials tied to Comanche County schools revealed a concerted effort by insiders to shield the district’s top administrator, despite ongoing law enforcement and Title IX investigations. People with knowledge of Theurer’s past said the golf practice incident wasn’t the only example of inappropriate behavior by the superintendent, who for years personally controlled how the district responded to alleged sexual harassment.Kansas Reflector reporting shows the Comanche County school board president and vice president along with the high school principal collaborated to minimize disciplinary action against Theurer. It indicated the president sought to tamp down scrutiny of the superintendent as word of the student’s allegation made its way through the sparsely populated district.In a brief interview with Kansas Reflector, Theurer declined to respond to questions about the complaint.“I’m not going to answer any of those questions,” he said. “I am under investigation. I’m not allowed to speak about it.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1756845927495.png" alt="The board of education for the Comanche County School District in Coldwater has retained Superintendent Ty Theurer in the district’s top administrative job despite ongoing investigation of Theurer for sexual harassment and battery. The board members, from left: Hanna McCleary, Jody Leeper, Kelly Herd, Dean Yoder, Andy Uhl, Steve Prusa and Hayden Fletcher. (Comanche County School District)" />
 <figcaption>The board of education for the Comanche County School District in Coldwater has retained Superintendent Ty Theurer in the district’s top administrative job despite ongoing investigation of Theurer for sexual harassment and battery. The board members, from left: Hanna McCleary, Jody Leeper, Kelly Herd, Dean Yoder, Andy Uhl, Steve Prusa and Hayden Fletcher. (Comanche County School District)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘A little bold’</h2>The student who Theurer made the salacious comments to said she had been standing near him at a the Coldwater golf course during practice this spring, according to a Comanche County Sheriff’s Office report and an interview with Kansas Reflector. The student said Theurer approached her and said, “OK, now I’m going to be a little bold.”She said he moved closer to her and whispered details of how he expected her to hold golf clubs. She quoted him: “I want you to imagine you have a penis.”When the student responded with alarm to Theurer’s remark, she said, the superintendent cupped his hands around his groin, saying, “Just like this.”Her description for law enforcement and Kansas Reflector also said the superintendent “ran his hand against the back of my neck and slowly moved me forward to help me with my putting position.” The summary said Theurer grabbed the back of her thigh as he urged her to bend her knees.The student’s parents requested anonymity in this story to protect the privacy of their teenage daughter. Kansas Reflector and its parent organization, States Newsroom, do not identify survivors of sexual abuse.In May, the student’s father reported the behavior to Andy Uhl, the Comanche County school board’s vice president. Uhl apparently passed the dad’s complaint up the chain of command. That resulted in the father’s meeting with Theurer and South Central High School principal Bud Valerius.But instead of all seven members of the school board assuming a role in a personnel issue involving the person hired by the board to serve as superintendent, Valerius dealt with the student’s complaint as if it were a clash between coach and athlete, emails show. Valerius took that approach despite conflicts of interest, including his job as a direct subordinate of Theurer, his assignment as assistant golf coach and his friendship with Theurer.School board president Kelly Herd said in an email to other board members that in her opinion, “There was nothing in the complaint that would warrant administrative leave” for superintendent Theurer. Instead, she told board members, coach Theurer had been given a “warning” to not offend again.The school board replaced the superintendent as the district’s Title IX coordinator with oversight of sexual harassment or sex discrimination complaints because it would be improper for Theurer to investigate himself. Those duties were passed several months ago to the district’s elementary school principal, who would be expected initiate an investigation of the superintendent.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1756845882730.png" alt="Parents of a student in the Comanche County School District reported to law enforcement and district officials that superintendent Ty Theurer advised her during a high school golf team practice to hold a club in the same way she would grasp a penis. Theurer leads the 300-student district in southwest Kansas despite ongoing investigation of the incident. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Parents of a student in the Comanche County School District reported to law enforcement and district officials that superintendent Ty Theurer advised her during a high school golf team practice to hold a club in the same way she would grasp a penis. Theurer leads the 300-student district in southwest Kansas despite ongoing investigation of the incident. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Nothing has been handled right’</h2>Dean Yoder is another member of the Comanche County school board, which governs the education of the 300 students near the Oklahoma boarder. Besides Coldwater, the district draws students from communities including Protection, Wilmore and Buttermilk. The district extends into Kiowa and Clark counties.A majority of the school board was excluded at the outset from the process of dealing with the leadership crisis, Yoder said.The school board president ordered him to “stand down,” Yoder said, and she argued the controversy involving Theurer had to be resolved quietly.“Nothing has been handled right,” Yoder said.Bill Faflick, executive director of the Kansas State High School Activities Association, said he wasn’t aware of the controversy in Comanche County schools before being contacted by Kansas Reflector.He said the student who made the complaint should know she could have done nothing to warrant harassment by a school administrator. Assuming the complaint was proven, he said, the incident would make “every dad shudder.”“If true, certainly that’s inappropriate. It’s wrong as wrong can be. There’s no place for that in school sports,” said Faflick, who worked for 30 years in administrative roles in Wichita public schools.Herd, the school board president, appeared to shield information about the case from the full school board. In a video obtained by Kansas Reflector, Herd abruptly adjourned a June board meeting to circumvent discussion of Theurer’s conduct. She ordered her colleagues to stop speaking with community members about the controversy.Herd resisted pleas, including from the golf athlete’s parents, to convene a special meeting so the board could learn more about the allegations and investigatory process, and weigh potential disciplinary options.Since May, the board president sent a series of emails about the Theurer controversy to fellow board members. In that correspondence, Herd said she and the board’s vice president, in conjunction with the high school principal, dealt effectively with the sexual harassment complaint. Herd said “normal procedure” was followed.Herd, who didn’t respond to Kansas Reflector requests for comment, said in an email to the board that the complaint ought to be viewed as a teachable moment for a coach rather than a leadership disaster centered on a district superintendent.“As with any other HS coach, Bud (Valerius, high school principal) is the one to handle these issues. All coaches are given a warning and this will be considered (Theurer’s),” Herd’s email to board members said. “Bud called me and Andy (Uhl) to update us. We both agreed it has been addressed and handled. I assure you this was not taken lightly and it was not brushed aside.”In another email, the board president instructed her elected peers to cooperate with her goal of limiting public knowledge of Theurer’s plight.“This conversation regarding Ty has gotten far out of control in our community. We as board members must be careful to not continue to fuel the fire,” Herd wrote. “He has been written up and it is in his personnel file. He did not deny nor make excuses.”<h2>Ongoing investigations</h2>The student’s parents, frustrated school board leadership hadn’t moved to guarantee student safety, filed a report with local law enforcement. Comanche County authorities referred the case of alleged battery to the Ford County Sheriff’s Office.The school board’s president and the student’s parents said the sexual harassment complaint presented to the school district was forwarded to the Kansas Association of School Boards, which advises school boards on compliance with federal Title IX law. A representative of KASB has interviewed students and others associated within the school district regarding Theurer.School board members expect to be briefed in executive session on the report, the school board president said.Eventually, the school board association’s draft report must be shared with the superintendent and complainant. A “decision-maker,” potentially an independent hearing officer, would examine evidence and make a determination about whether harassment occurred. Both sides could appeal.In a recent email to board members, Herd recommended board members fend off any reporter asking questions about Theurer by explaining they were unable to comment.“I am not keeping secrets. Nor am I acting on my own,” the school board president said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1756845824979.png" alt="Ty Theurer, superintendent of Comanche County schools, resigned as golf coach after a student accused him of sexual harassment. Members of the USD 300 community plan to attend a school board meeting Wednesday to raise concerns about Theurer remaining in that job despite investigations of the case. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Ty Theurer, superintendent of Comanche County schools, resigned as golf coach after a student accused him of sexual harassment. Members of the USD 300 community plan to attend a school board meeting Wednesday to raise concerns about Theurer remaining in that job despite investigations of the case. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Creeps me out’</h2>South Central High School graduate Isabel Hackney said in an interview with Kansas Reflector that Theurer’s objectionable pronouncements to students extended beyond the golf course.Hackney said she accidentally collided with a male friend at the school in October 2024, and it was caught on security video. She and some other students decided to watch the footage in the high school’s administration office.While they were watching, she said, the superintendent emerged from his office. Theurer asked to repeatedly watch the clip, Hackney said.“Then he said, ‘Izzy, you just got teabagged,’ ” Hackney said, repeating slang for putting a scrotum near a face. “From then on, I felt honestly scared to be around Mr. Theurer.”Emily Hackney, Isabel’s mother, subsequently confronted Theurer outside the high school about his remark. She told the superintendent it was wrong to speak to her daughter that way.“He was trying to ignore me,” Emily Hackney said. “He tried to deny it.”Klete Hackney, Isabel’s father, said his daughter feared retaliation if the family complained to anyone involved with the school district. Instead, Isabel refused to shake the superintendent’s hand at graduation this spring.“She did it for herself and she did it for all the kids,” Klete Hackney said.<h2>Upcoming board meeting</h2>An attempt could be made during the school board’s meeting Wednesday evening at South Central High School to compel a vote by the seven-member board on a motion to place Theurer on administrative leave.“If you don’t know anything about it, it’s because that’s the plan — sweep it under the rug and nobody will ever know,” said Zach Ellis, who has two children at the high school.Ellis said he signed up to speak at the next school board meeting, but he’s not certain the board would allow him to say what he wanted to say. On social media, Ellis encouraged people with ties to the school district to join him at the meeting.He said the school board by now should have adopted new policies or procedures designed to deter sexual harassment. It was “absolutely ridiculous” the school board allowed a superintendent under investigation for sexual harassment and battery to run the district, he said.“I’ve got a daughter who is a junior. I’m all about making sure that her safety is protected,” Ellis said. “She avoids him. Her words not mine: ‘He creeps me out, so I avoid him.’ ”<h2>‘Admit his guilt’</h2>The father of the former golf team member said that during the May meeting with the principal and superintendent the principal read aloud a one-page document that summarized the daughter’s allegations against the superintendent. Theurer and Valerius agreed the signing confirmed they discussed the memo. The superintendent didn’t challenge the student’s recollections at the time, the father said.“I said, ‘I’m not leaving this office without some documentation that this conversation happened,'” the father said. “That’s when the principal said, ‘Hey, we can all sign it here. He can sign it to admit his guilt.’ ”In an interview, the student said that when she joined the high school’s golf team, other girls warned her to “be careful, Ty’s a little weird.”“My first day we were in a line,” she said. “He came up behind me and placed his hands on my hips. I wasn’t asked if that was OK. Whenever I asked the golf girls … ‘Hey, does he do this a lot?’ And they’re, like, ‘Yeah, you’ll get used to it.’ ”She quit the team after the superintendent made the penis remark.<h2>‘How could this not be a priority?’</h2>In June, the student’s parents attended a regularly scheduled Comanche County school board meeting with the goal of sharing information about what their daughter said she endured while coached by Theurer.Herd, the board president, called the mother before the meeting in an attempt to dissuade her from making public comments about the superintendent, the mother said.The mother decided to go to the board meeting. She attempted to read from a written statement. Herd cut her off by adjourning the meeting. A video obtained by Kansas Reflector showed Herd and other board members walking out of the room with the mother still reading from her prepared remarks.“How could this not be a priority? Not for my family alone, but for the school community?” the mother said in an interview. “The sudden adjournment and insistence that such an issue of import was literally worth walking out on is deeply troubling.”She said the school board president’s attempt to bury the complaint was “completely unacceptable” and risked the health and safety of students in the district’s three schools. Failure of the school board to address the superintendent’s misconduct ran “the risk of appearing complicit in continuing toxic and dangerous situations,” the mother said.“There is no result that can serve justice other than immediate termination,” she said.

A Kan. student reported her coach for harassment, touching. School leaders kept it quiet.

Patsy Jean Eikenberry, of Leoti, Kansas, passed
away at the Wichita County Hospital, surrounded by her family, on August 28,
2025, after a lengthy battle with Parkinson's Disease, at the age of 78.

She was born on
December 15, 1946, in Wellington, Kansas, to Marvin and Jean (Cheney)
Palmblade. The family moved to Leoti, where she attended school, graduating
from Wichita County High School in 1964. She then attended Brown Mackie College
in Salina, where she trained to become a legal secretary. Patsy worked in that
capacity for many years, taking brief periods away to stay home with her young
family, and working with her mother at the 'flower shop', until retirement.

She married Kenneth G. 'Jerry' Eikenberry on September 4, 1965. She passed one week prior to
their 60th Anniversary.

Patsy was an avid
reader, with a large stack of books kept next to her rocking chair, and regular
trips to the library to exchange for new material. She had a huge heart for
helping others. On her daily walks, she would check on elderly friends to make
sure they were well and to assist if they were in need. Those who knew Patsy
and her family may have recognized the inherited trait of being mildly
stubborn, although that condition did not normally affect the observer in a
negative manner. Patsy loved her many pets, most recently seen walking
regularly with their two black miniature poodles around the town multiple times
a day. Patsy was very generous, and she showed her love for her family by
(over) preparing many different dishes for family gatherings, whether it was a
holiday, a trip to the lake, or a random weekend. Her sometimes brutal honesty
and “one-liners” were appreciated by all, including her caregivers, when it was
her turn to receive assistance from others.

Patsy is survived by
her husband Jerry, Leoti, and sons Colton (Julie) Eikenberry, Hays, and Trenton
(Michelle) Eikenberry, Garden City; Six grandchildren: Lizzy (Jonathan) Cuccia,
Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Molly Eikenberry, Tampa, Florida; Hannah Eikenberry,
Hays; Devin Eikenberry, Garden City; Emily Eikenberry (fiancé Maverick
Skipper), Garden City; and Chance Eikenberry, Minden, Nebraska; three
great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Connie Palmblade; a brother-in-law, Don
(Trudy) Eikenberry; and six nieces and nephews.

Patsy is preceded in
death by her parents, an infant son, Kipp Eikenberry, and a brother, Fred
Palmblade.

A graveside memorial
service is scheduled for 10:30 a.m., October 4, 2025, at the Leoti Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers,
memorials are encouraged to the Wichita County Long Term Care
Center or the Wichita County Hospital in care of Price &amp;
Sons Funeral Home, PO Box 161, Leoti, KS 67861.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1756828909776.jpeg" alt="Patsy Jean Eikenberry" />
 <figcaption>Patsy Jean Eikenberry</figcaption>
 </figure>Patsy Jean Eikenberry, of Leoti, Kansas, passed
away at the Wichita County Hospital, surrounded by her family, on August 28,
2025, after a lengthy battle with Parkinson's Disease, at the age of 78.She was born on
December 15, 1946, in Wellington, Kansas, to Marvin and Jean (Cheney)
Palmblade. The family moved to Leoti, where she attended school, graduating
from Wichita County High School in 1964. She then attended Brown Mackie College
in Salina, where she trained to become a legal secretary. Patsy worked in that
capacity for many years, taking brief periods away to stay home with her young
family, and working with her mother at the 'flower shop', until retirement.She married Kenneth G. 'Jerry' Eikenberry on September 4, 1965. She passed one week prior to
their 60th Anniversary.Patsy was an avid
reader, with a large stack of books kept next to her rocking chair, and regular
trips to the library to exchange for new material. She had a huge heart for
helping others. On her daily walks, she would check on elderly friends to make
sure they were well and to assist if they were in need. Those who knew Patsy
and her family may have recognized the inherited trait of being mildly
stubborn, although that condition did not normally affect the observer in a
negative manner. Patsy loved her many pets, most recently seen walking
regularly with their two black miniature poodles around the town multiple times
a day. Patsy was very generous, and she showed her love for her family by
(over) preparing many different dishes for family gatherings, whether it was a
holiday, a trip to the lake, or a random weekend. Her sometimes brutal honesty
and “one-liners” were appreciated by all, including her caregivers, when it was
her turn to receive assistance from others.Patsy is survived by
her husband Jerry, Leoti, and sons Colton (Julie) Eikenberry, Hays, and Trenton
(Michelle) Eikenberry, Garden City; Six grandchildren: Lizzy (Jonathan) Cuccia,
Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Molly Eikenberry, Tampa, Florida; Hannah Eikenberry,
Hays; Devin Eikenberry, Garden City; Emily Eikenberry (fiancé Maverick
Skipper), Garden City; and Chance Eikenberry, Minden, Nebraska; three
great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Connie Palmblade; a brother-in-law, Don
(Trudy) Eikenberry; and six nieces and nephews.Patsy is preceded in
death by her parents, an infant son, Kipp Eikenberry, and a brother, Fred
Palmblade.A graveside memorial
service is scheduled for 10:30 a.m., October 4, 2025, at the Leoti Cemetery.In lieu of flowers,
memorials are encouraged to the Wichita County Long Term Care
Center or the Wichita County Hospital in care of Price &amp;
Sons Funeral Home, PO Box 161, Leoti, KS 67861.

Patsy Jean Eikenberry

On Friday, October 3, the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office will be closed. 

All other services for Ellis&nbsp;County will remain open as scheduled. Emergency response will continue as normal operations.

This closure is to provide Sheriff’s Office staff the opportunity to attend Hays Police Department’s Sgt.&nbsp;Scott Heimann funeral services.

The Sheriff’s Office will resume regular hours on Monday, October 6.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600444921352.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Ellis CountyOn Friday, October 3, the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office will be closed. All other services for Ellis&nbsp;County will remain open as scheduled. Emergency response will continue as normal operations.This closure is to provide Sheriff’s Office staff the opportunity to attend Hays Police Department’s Sgt.&nbsp;Scott Heimann funeral services.The Sheriff’s Office will resume regular hours on Monday, October 6.

Ellis County Sheriff's Office closed Friday; other county departments remain open

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has told House Speaker Mike Johnson that he won’t be spending $4.9 billion in congressionally approved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/foreign-aid">foreign aid</a>, effectively cutting the budget without going through the legislative branch.

Trump, who sent a letter to Johnson, R-La., on Thursday, is using what’s known as a pocket rescission — when a president submits a request to Congress to not spend approved funds toward the end of the fiscal year, so Congress cannot act on the request in a 45-day timeframe and the money goes unspent as a result. It’s the first time in nearly 50 years a president has used one. The fiscal year draws to a close at the end of September.

The letter was posted Friday morning on the X account of the White House Office of Management and Budget. It said the funding would be cut from the State Department and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2025/usaid-workers-clear-their-desks-in-trumps-final-push-to-dismantle-the-agency/" target="_blank">the U.S. Agency for International Development</a>, or USAID, an early target of Trump’s efforts to cut foreign aid.

If the White House standardizes this move, the president could effectively bypass Congress on key spending choices and potentially throw into disarray efforts in the House and the Senate to keep the government funded when the next fiscal year starts in October.

The use of a pocket rescission fits part a broader pattern by the Trump administration to exact greater control over the U.S. government, eroding the power of Congress and agencies such as the Federal Reserve and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among others. The administration has already&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-workers-layoffs-doge-406752da1614755b8fabe9c94e0c71a8">fired federal workers</a>&nbsp;and imposed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-into-effect-economy-warning-signs-eafe20de9abad312573b320fd4b5fb33">a historic increase in tariffs</a>&nbsp;without going through Congress, putting the burden on the judicial branch to determine the limits of presidential power.

A White House official, who insisted on anonymity on a call with reporters to discuss the move, declined to say how the administration might use pocket rescissions in the coming years or what the upper limits of it might be as a tool. The official expressed confidence the administration would prevail in any legal challenges and said a goal of the proposed spending cuts was to make the cleanest case possible for these types of clawbacks.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X that USAID is essentially being shuttered and congratulated White House budget director Russ Vought for managing the process.

“USAID is officially in close out mode,” Rubio said. “Russ is now at the helm to oversee the closeout of an agency that long ago went off the rails.”

The 1974 Impoundment Control Act gives the president the authority to propose canceling funds approved by Congress. Congress can within 45 days vote on pulling back the funds or sustaining them, but by proposing the rescission so close to Sept. 30 the White House argues that the money won’t be spent and the funding lapses.

What was essentially the last pocket rescission occurred in 1977 by Democratic then-President Jimmy Carter, and the Trump administration argues it’s a legally permissible tool despite some murkiness as Carter had initially proposed the clawback well ahead of the 45-day deadline.

The move by the Trump administration drew immediate backlash in parts of the Senate over its legality.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said in a statement that the Constitution “makes clear that Congress has the responsibility for the power of the purse” and any effort to claw back funds “without congressional approval is a clear violation of the law.”

“Instead of this attempt to undermine the law, the appropriate way is to identify ways to reduce excessive spending through the bipartisan, annual appropriations process,” Collins said. Congress approves rescissions regularly as part of this process.”

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York warned that Trump’s use of the pocket veto could undermine the normal funding process and risk “a painful and entirely unnecessary shutdown.” After all, any budget agreements reached in the Senate could lack authority if the Trump White House has the power to withhold spending as it sees fit.

Schumer said in a statement that Republican leaders have yet to meet with Democrats on a path to fund the government after the fiscal year ends on Sept. 30 just as Trump tries an “unlawful gambit to circumvent the Congress all together.”

“But if Republicans are insistent on going it alone, Democrats won’t be party to their destruction,” Schumer said.

Eloise Pasachoff, a Georgetown University law professor and expert on federal spending issues, has written that the Impoundment Control Act allows rescissions only if Congress acts within 45 days, meaning the the White House alone cannot decide to not spend the funds.

“This mandatory language admits no exceptions, indicating that Congress expects the funds to be used as intended before the end of the fiscal year if it does not approve the proposed rescission,” Pasachoff wrote in an academic paper last year.

The funds in the pocket rescission package include $3.2 billion in development assistance grants, $520 million for the United Nations, $838 million for international peacekeeping operations and $322 million to encourage democratic values in other countries.

Trump had previously sought to get congressional backing for rescissions and succeeded in doing so in July when the House and the Senate approved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-republicans-budget-cuts-pepfar-pbs-npr-486f0f5871068f14d97eb4c4d7f9bb88">$9 billion worth of cuts</a>. Those rescissions clawed back funding for public broadcasting and foreign aid.

The Trump administration has made deep reductions to foreign aid one of its hallmark policies, despite the relatively meager savings relative to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-budget-deficit-trump-tariffs-treasury-992949ccc115fddbf3838a6213cf2c94">the deficit</a>&nbsp;and possible damage to America’s reputation abroad as foreign populations lose access to food supplies and development programs.

In February, the administration said it would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-foreign-aid-cuts-6292f48f8d4025bed0bf5c3e9d623c16">eliminate almost all of USAID’s foreign aid contracts</a>&nbsp;and $60 billion in overall assistance abroad. USAID has since been dismantled, and its few remaining programs have been placed under State Department control.

The Trump administration appealed to the Supreme Court on Wednesday to stop lower court decisions that had preserved foreign aid, including for global health and HIV and AIDS programs, that Trump has tried to freeze. But on Friday, the administration withdrew its appeal to the Supreme Court, after a favorable appeals court ruling late Thursday.

The New York Post first reported the pocket rescission.

AP writers Mark Sherman, Lindsay Whitehurst and Stephen Groves contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has told House Speaker Mike Johnson that he won’t be spending $4.9 billion in congressionally approved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/foreign-aid">foreign aid</a>, effectively cutting the budget without going through the legislative branch.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨 Last night, President Trump CANCELLED $4.9 billion in America Last foreign aid using a pocket rescission.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> will always put AMERICA FIRST! <a href="https://t.co/1DvXYGdy3B">pic.twitter.com/1DvXYGdy3B</a>&mdash; Office of Management and Budget (@WHOMB) <a href="https://twitter.com/WHOMB/status/1961410044907458780?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump, who sent a letter to Johnson, R-La., on Thursday, is using what’s known as a pocket rescission — when a president submits a request to Congress to not spend approved funds toward the end of the fiscal year, so Congress cannot act on the request in a 45-day timeframe and the money goes unspent as a result. It’s the first time in nearly 50 years a president has used one. The fiscal year draws to a close at the end of September.The letter was posted Friday morning on the X account of the White House Office of Management and Budget. It said the funding would be cut from the State Department and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2025/usaid-workers-clear-their-desks-in-trumps-final-push-to-dismantle-the-agency/" target="_blank">the U.S. Agency for International Development</a>, or USAID, an early target of Trump’s efforts to cut foreign aid.If the White House standardizes this move, the president could effectively bypass Congress on key spending choices and potentially throw into disarray efforts in the House and the Senate to keep the government funded when the next fiscal year starts in October.The use of a pocket rescission fits part a broader pattern by the Trump administration to exact greater control over the U.S. government, eroding the power of Congress and agencies such as the Federal Reserve and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among others. The administration has already&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-workers-layoffs-doge-406752da1614755b8fabe9c94e0c71a8">fired federal workers</a>&nbsp;and imposed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-into-effect-economy-warning-signs-eafe20de9abad312573b320fd4b5fb33">a historic increase in tariffs</a>&nbsp;without going through Congress, putting the burden on the judicial branch to determine the limits of presidential power.A White House official, who insisted on anonymity on a call with reporters to discuss the move, declined to say how the administration might use pocket rescissions in the coming years or what the upper limits of it might be as a tool. The official expressed confidence the administration would prevail in any legal challenges and said a goal of the proposed spending cuts was to make the cleanest case possible for these types of clawbacks.<h2>Winding down USAID</h2>Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X that USAID is essentially being shuttered and congratulated White House budget director Russ Vought for managing the process.“USAID is officially in close out mode,” Rubio said. “Russ is now at the helm to oversee the closeout of an agency that long ago went off the rails.”The 1974 Impoundment Control Act gives the president the authority to propose canceling funds approved by Congress. Congress can within 45 days vote on pulling back the funds or sustaining them, but by proposing the rescission so close to Sept. 30 the White House argues that the money won’t be spent and the funding lapses.What was essentially the last pocket rescission occurred in 1977 by Democratic then-President Jimmy Carter, and the Trump administration argues it’s a legally permissible tool despite some murkiness as Carter had initially proposed the clawback well ahead of the 45-day deadline.<h2>Pushback against pocket rescissions</h2>The move by the Trump administration drew immediate backlash in parts of the Senate over its legality.Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said in a statement that the Constitution “makes clear that Congress has the responsibility for the power of the purse” and any effort to claw back funds “without congressional approval is a clear violation of the law.”“Instead of this attempt to undermine the law, the appropriate way is to identify ways to reduce excessive spending through the bipartisan, annual appropriations process,” Collins said. Congress approves rescissions regularly as part of this process.”Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York warned that Trump’s use of the pocket veto could undermine the normal funding process and risk “a painful and entirely unnecessary shutdown.” After all, any budget agreements reached in the Senate could lack authority if the Trump White House has the power to withhold spending as it sees fit.Schumer said in a statement that Republican leaders have yet to meet with Democrats on a path to fund the government after the fiscal year ends on Sept. 30 just as Trump tries an “unlawful gambit to circumvent the Congress all together.”“But if Republicans are insistent on going it alone, Democrats won’t be party to their destruction,” Schumer said.<h2>‘No exceptions’</h2>Eloise Pasachoff, a Georgetown University law professor and expert on federal spending issues, has written that the Impoundment Control Act allows rescissions only if Congress acts within 45 days, meaning the the White House alone cannot decide to not spend the funds.“This mandatory language admits no exceptions, indicating that Congress expects the funds to be used as intended before the end of the fiscal year if it does not approve the proposed rescission,” Pasachoff wrote in an academic paper last year.<h2>What’s in the funding?</h2>The funds in the pocket rescission package include $3.2 billion in development assistance grants, $520 million for the United Nations, $838 million for international peacekeeping operations and $322 million to encourage democratic values in other countries.Trump had previously sought to get congressional backing for rescissions and succeeded in doing so in July when the House and the Senate approved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-republicans-budget-cuts-pepfar-pbs-npr-486f0f5871068f14d97eb4c4d7f9bb88">$9 billion worth of cuts</a>. Those rescissions clawed back funding for public broadcasting and foreign aid.The Trump administration has made deep reductions to foreign aid one of its hallmark policies, despite the relatively meager savings relative to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-budget-deficit-trump-tariffs-treasury-992949ccc115fddbf3838a6213cf2c94">the deficit</a>&nbsp;and possible damage to America’s reputation abroad as foreign populations lose access to food supplies and development programs.In February, the administration said it would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-foreign-aid-cuts-6292f48f8d4025bed0bf5c3e9d623c16">eliminate almost all of USAID’s foreign aid contracts</a>&nbsp;and $60 billion in overall assistance abroad. USAID has since been dismantled, and its few remaining programs have been placed under State Department control.The Trump administration appealed to the Supreme Court on Wednesday to stop lower court decisions that had preserved foreign aid, including for global health and HIV and AIDS programs, that Trump has tried to freeze. But on Friday, the administration withdrew its appeal to the Supreme Court, after a favorable appeals court ruling late Thursday.The New York Post first reported the pocket rescission.___AP writers Mark Sherman, Lindsay Whitehurst and Stephen Groves contributed to this report.

What's in the $4.9B in foreign aid Trump bypassed Congress to cancel

RUSSELL — The City of Russell and Russell County are working closely with Housing Opportunities, Inc. (HOI), to provide 24 two-bedroom, one-bathroom duplex units for residents aged 55 and older. This project has income restrictions in order to qualify. Flintwood will also include a community room, offering a shared space for social activities and events that will be available to tenants.

Housing Opportunities, Inc. is a nonprofit organization committed to providing safe, affordable, quality housing to families and individuals across Kansas. With a focus on addressing housing shortages in rural communities, the organization specializes in creating homes that support long-term stability and well-being for residents.

Flintwood is funded through Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and HOME Funds provided by the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC). HOI will serve as both the owner and property manager of the development.

Construction at Flintwood is moving right along! Siding, windows, and roofing are nearly complete, and crews have started interior work. The street and cul de sac groundwork will start in the coming weeks.

If you’re interested in making Flintwood your future home, <a href="https://www.housingopportunities.net/">Housing Opportunities, Inc.</a>, Great Bend, is now building a waiting list for applications. We’ll begin processing applications in October.

To join the wait list or to learn more, please contact Housing Opportunities, Inc. at 620-792-3299.

We’re excited to see this project coming together and look forward to welcoming residents 55+ into their new homes soon!

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756391645521.jpeg" alt="Flintwood housing development in Russell. Photo courtesy Housing Opportunities, Inc.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Flintwood housing development in Russell. Photo courtesy Housing Opportunities, Inc.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Housing Opportunities, Inc.RUSSELL — The City of Russell and Russell County are working closely with Housing Opportunities, Inc. (HOI), to provide 24 two-bedroom, one-bathroom duplex units for residents aged 55 and older. This project has income restrictions in order to qualify. Flintwood will also include a community room, offering a shared space for social activities and events that will be available to tenants.Housing Opportunities, Inc. is a nonprofit organization committed to providing safe, affordable, quality housing to families and individuals across Kansas. With a focus on addressing housing shortages in rural communities, the organization specializes in creating homes that support long-term stability and well-being for residents.Flintwood is funded through Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and HOME Funds provided by the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC). HOI will serve as both the owner and property manager of the development.Construction at Flintwood is moving right along! Siding, windows, and roofing are nearly complete, and crews have started interior work. The street and cul de sac groundwork will start in the coming weeks.If you’re interested in making Flintwood your future home, <a href="https://www.housingopportunities.net/">Housing Opportunities, Inc.</a>, Great Bend, is now building a waiting list for applications. We’ll begin processing applications in October.To join the wait list or to learn more, please contact Housing Opportunities, Inc. at 620-792-3299.We’re excited to see this project coming together and look forward to welcoming residents 55+ into their new homes soon!

New affordable housing development underway in Russell

SEDGWICK COUNTY— A Kansas woman who called 911 to report shooting her son in October of 2024 was scheduled to attend a plea hearing on Thursday in Judge Eric Williams courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

&nbsp;Last week, Tesha Florence, 46, pleaded no contest to charges of second degree murder,&nbsp; aggravated assault and aggravated burglary, according to the District Attorney's office.

On October 9, 2025, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received a 911 call from Florence reporting that she shot her son, according to Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses.

First responders located a 16-year-old identified as Robert Florence inside an apartment in the 9100 Block of East Harry. He had a single gunshot wound. EMS transported him to an area hospital where he was in extremely critical condition. He died two days later, according to Moses.

At the scene, officers detained&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=168822">&nbsp;Florence,</a>&nbsp;the boy's mother.&nbsp;&nbsp;

During the investigation into this case, detectives learned of a previously unreported incident from March 2024 where Florence threatened an ex-husband and his current girlfriend with a gun.

Florence will be sentenced October 17, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728510375843.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY— A Kansas woman who called 911 to report shooting her son in October of 2024 was scheduled to attend a plea hearing on Thursday in Judge Eric Williams courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728555306481.png" alt="Florence photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Florence photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Last week, Tesha Florence, 46, pleaded no contest to charges of second degree murder,&nbsp; aggravated assault and aggravated burglary, according to the District Attorney's office.On October 9, 2025, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received a 911 call from Florence reporting that she shot her son, according to Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses.First responders located a 16-year-old identified as Robert Florence inside an apartment in the 9100 Block of East Harry. He had a single gunshot wound. EMS transported him to an area hospital where he was in extremely critical condition. He died two days later, according to Moses.At the scene, officers detained&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=168822">&nbsp;Florence,</a>&nbsp;the boy's mother.&nbsp;&nbsp;During the investigation into this case, detectives learned of a previously unreported incident from March 2024 where Florence threatened an ex-husband and his current girlfriend with a gun.Florence will be sentenced October 17, according to the district attorney's office.

Mother enters plea in shooting death of her 16-year-old son

The Heartland Community Foundation granted a record $691,954.80 to local nonprofits and community organizations during its fiscal year from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025. This is the largest annual distribution in the foundation’s history — nearly $265,000 more than last year’s $426,339.10.&nbsp;

In total, the Heartland Community Foundation awarded 207 grants to 115 organizations, with dollars reaching communities across Ellis County ($320,872.43), Rooks County ($230,204.04), Trego County ($102,752.69), and other counties ($38,125.61). Since 2014, HCF has granted nearly $5.3 million throughout the area.

At the core of Heartland’s mission is the belief that strong nonprofits create strong communities. The community foundation serves as a bridge — connecting local generosity with local needs — and ensures charitable dollars raised are granted back into the region to strengthen nonprofit organizations and build long-term capacity. 

“Seeing nearly $700,000 granted back into our communities this year fills me with both pride and gratitude,” said Sarah Meitner, executive director of Heartland Community Foundation. “These dollars aren’t just numbers on a page — they represent stronger nonprofits, expanded services, and the caring spirit of our donors.”

Grants from Heartland come in many forms: competitive grant cycles, special initiatives like the community giving day — Give Fest, or distributions made directly by organizations from their endowed funds. In every case, the outcome is the same — stronger nonprofits and greater community impact. Granting is also part of Heartland’s larger role as the local expert on charitable giving. By pooling resources and investing gifts for long-term growth, the community foundation amplifies individual&nbsp;giving through the power of collective generosity. 

Donors who give through Heartland gain more than a tax deduction — they receive personal service, confidence that their gifts are stewarded wisely, and assurance that their dollars will have the greatest impact possible. This model means that a single gift becomes part of a larger, permanent endowment that continues giving year after year. As those funds grow, so does the foundation’s ability to support local nonprofits — creating a cycle of generosity that benefits the entire region. 

Recent grants have supported efforts such as expanding food pantries, enhancing library spaces, improving access to healthcare, and strengthening community resources including the senior center, mental health services, economic development initiatives, school needs, playground improvements, and more. These investments not only meet today’s needs but also help build capacity for the future. &nbsp;

Much of this year’s record growth is attributed to Give Fest 2024, a community-wide giving event that mobilized donors across the region.&nbsp;HCF granted more than $160,000 in match dollars during that initiative to local agencies.

&nbsp;Heartland is already preparing for Give Fest 2025, which will be held all day on October 10, with in-person giving events in Hays, Stockton, and WaKeeney. Local nonprofits and community organizations are invited to participate in Give Fest 2025 and showcase their programs to donors across the region and earn some match dollars. Organizations must have a fund at Heartland in order to participate; the deadline to register is September 6, 2025. 

“This milestone shows what’s possible when generosity is pooled and focused on the common good,” Meitner added. “Our goal is not just to meet immediate needs, but to create a foundation of support that will serve these communities for generations.” 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756218864066.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Heartland Community FoundationThe Heartland Community Foundation granted a record $691,954.80 to local nonprofits and community organizations during its fiscal year from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025. This is the largest annual distribution in the foundation’s history — nearly $265,000 more than last year’s $426,339.10.&nbsp;In total, the Heartland Community Foundation awarded 207 grants to 115 organizations, with dollars reaching communities across Ellis County ($320,872.43), Rooks County ($230,204.04), Trego County ($102,752.69), and other counties ($38,125.61). Since 2014, HCF has granted nearly $5.3 million throughout the area.At the core of Heartland’s mission is the belief that strong nonprofits create strong communities. The community foundation serves as a bridge — connecting local generosity with local needs — and ensures charitable dollars raised are granted back into the region to strengthen nonprofit organizations and build long-term capacity. “Seeing nearly $700,000 granted back into our communities this year fills me with both pride and gratitude,” said Sarah Meitner, executive director of Heartland Community Foundation. “These dollars aren’t just numbers on a page — they represent stronger nonprofits, expanded services, and the caring spirit of our donors.”Grants from Heartland come in many forms: competitive grant cycles, special initiatives like the community giving day — Give Fest, or distributions made directly by organizations from their endowed funds. In every case, the outcome is the same — stronger nonprofits and greater community impact. Granting is also part of Heartland’s larger role as the local expert on charitable giving. By pooling resources and investing gifts for long-term growth, the community foundation amplifies individual&nbsp;giving through the power of collective generosity. Donors who give through Heartland gain more than a tax deduction — they receive personal service, confidence that their gifts are stewarded wisely, and assurance that their dollars will have the greatest impact possible. This model means that a single gift becomes part of a larger, permanent endowment that continues giving year after year. As those funds grow, so does the foundation’s ability to support local nonprofits — creating a cycle of generosity that benefits the entire region. Recent grants have supported efforts such as expanding food pantries, enhancing library spaces, improving access to healthcare, and strengthening community resources including the senior center, mental health services, economic development initiatives, school needs, playground improvements, and more. These investments not only meet today’s needs but also help build capacity for the future. &nbsp;Much of this year’s record growth is attributed to Give Fest 2024, a community-wide giving event that mobilized donors across the region.&nbsp;HCF granted more than $160,000 in match dollars during that initiative to local agencies.&nbsp;Heartland is already preparing for Give Fest 2025, which will be held all day on October 10, with in-person giving events in Hays, Stockton, and WaKeeney. Local nonprofits and community organizations are invited to participate in Give Fest 2025 and showcase their programs to donors across the region and earn some match dollars. Organizations must have a fund at Heartland in order to participate; the deadline to register is September 6, 2025. “This milestone shows what’s possible when generosity is pooled and focused on the common good,” Meitner added. “Our goal is not just to meet immediate needs, but to create a foundation of support that will serve these communities for generations.”

Heartland Community Foundation grants $692K to communities; record-setting year

TOPEKA – Adam Jay Hrabik, 45&nbsp;of Lyons, was ordered to serve life in prison for the 2020 attempted murder of Lyons Police Officer Cory Ryan and aggravated assault of Lyons High School teacher Brian Friess, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach announced on Monday.

Senior Judge Merlin Wheeler sentenced Hrabik on Aug. 21 in Rice County District Court. In June, a Lyon County jury found Hrabik guilty of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. In addition, Hrabik was ordered to pay over $525,000 in restitution.&nbsp;

Assistant Attorneys General Nicole Southall and JD Hatcher prosecuted the case on behalf of the Kansas Attorney General’s Office. Hrabik was charged with attempted capital murder nearly five years ago in connection with the October 2020 shootings of Lyons Police Officer Cory Ryan. 

Officer Ryan was shot multiple times when responding to a 911 call from Friess, who reported being threatened with a gun. Friess suffered serious injuries during the incident. Ryan spent almost two weeks in a Wichita hospital but survived.&nbsp;

“The survival of Sgt. Ryan and Mr. Friess is a testament to the bravery of everyday citizens, the swift response of law enforcement, and the skill of medical professionals,” said Nicole Southall, “We extend our sincere gratitude to our law enforcement partners for their thorough and tireless investigation, and to the victims and their families for their steadfast support throughout this process. 

Nearly five years later, justice has been served.”The case was investigated by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of Lyon Police Department, Rice County Sheriff’s Office, Sterling Police Department, Reno County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kansas Highway Patrol.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756152592127.png" alt="Law enforcement on the scene in Lyons in Oct. of 2020 -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Law enforcement on the scene in Lyons in Oct. of 2020 -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA – Adam Jay Hrabik, 45&nbsp;of Lyons, was ordered to serve life in prison for the 2020 attempted murder of Lyons Police Officer Cory Ryan and aggravated assault of Lyons High School teacher Brian Friess, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach announced on Monday.Senior Judge Merlin Wheeler sentenced Hrabik on Aug. 21 in Rice County District Court. In June, a Lyon County jury found Hrabik guilty of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. In addition, Hrabik was ordered to pay over $525,000 in restitution.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1751056811541.png" alt="Hrabik was being held in Lyons County" />
 <figcaption>Hrabik was being held in Lyons County</figcaption>
 </figure>Assistant Attorneys General Nicole Southall and JD Hatcher prosecuted the case on behalf of the Kansas Attorney General’s Office. Hrabik was charged with attempted capital murder nearly five years ago in connection with the October 2020 shootings of Lyons Police Officer Cory Ryan. Officer Ryan was shot multiple times when responding to a 911 call from Friess, who reported being threatened with a gun. Friess suffered serious injuries during the incident. Ryan spent almost two weeks in a Wichita hospital but survived.&nbsp;“The survival of Sgt. Ryan and Mr. Friess is a testament to the bravery of everyday citizens, the swift response of law enforcement, and the skill of medical professionals,” said Nicole Southall, “We extend our sincere gratitude to our law enforcement partners for their thorough and tireless investigation, and to the victims and their families for their steadfast support throughout this process. Nearly five years later, justice has been served.”The case was investigated by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of Lyon Police Department, Rice County Sheriff’s Office, Sterling Police Department, Reno County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kansas Highway Patrol.

Man sentenced for attempt to kill Kansas officer in 2020 

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Following a season-opening 31-7 victory over Fresno State on Saturday, Kansas' Jalon Daniels and the Jayhawks' offensive line earned Big 12 Player of the Week honors, the Big 12 Conference announced on Monday.

The win over Fresno State was the first in the new David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, where Kansas was led by redshirt senior quarterback Jalon Daniels in the win, who completed a career-high completion percentage of 90% (18-of-20) for 176 yards and 3 touchdowns to go along with 8 rushes for 47 yards.

Daniels' three touchdown passes gave him 48 career passing touchdowns for his career and marked the most for a Kansas quarterback in a season-opener since 2017. Daniels completed receptions to 10 different receivers in the season opener, including 6 completions to redshirt junior Cam Pickett, who scored twice.

Against Fresno State, Daniels became the fourth Big 12 player all-time to have a single game with at least three passing touchdowns, 45 rushing yards and a 90.0 completion percentage. The other three are Jalen Hurts (October 19, 2019), Robert Griffin III (September 17, 2011) and Seneca Wallace (September 29, 2001).

Kansas' offensive line was named the Big 12's first offensive line of the week after paving the way for 207 yards on the ground, while allowing just one sack.

Under Leipold and offensive line coach Daryl Agpalsa, Kansas' offense allowed just .83 sacks per game (10 total) in 2024, which were the fewest allowed in the Big 12 and fourth fewest nationally. Kansas' 10 sacks allowed were the fewest by a Jayhawk team since at least 1996.

Since the start of the 2022 season, Kansas has allowed just 39 sacks, which are the fewest among Big 12 programs and are the third fewest nationally, behind only Oregon (23) and Army (32). Prior to Leipold's arrival, Kansas allowed the most sacks in the country in 2020 with 47.

Kansas will return to David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium on Friday, Aug. 29 as the Jayhawks host Wagner at 6:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Mark Neely and Todd Doxson on the call. Tickets and more information are available here.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756141681680.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas AthleticsLAWRENCE, Kan. -- Following a season-opening 31-7 victory over Fresno State on Saturday, Kansas' Jalon Daniels and the Jayhawks' offensive line earned Big 12 Player of the Week honors, the Big 12 Conference announced on Monday.The win over Fresno State was the first in the new David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, where Kansas was led by redshirt senior quarterback Jalon Daniels in the win, who completed a career-high completion percentage of 90% (18-of-20) for 176 yards and 3 touchdowns to go along with 8 rushes for 47 yards.Daniels' three touchdown passes gave him 48 career passing touchdowns for his career and marked the most for a Kansas quarterback in a season-opener since 2017. Daniels completed receptions to 10 different receivers in the season opener, including 6 completions to redshirt junior Cam Pickett, who scored twice.Against Fresno State, Daniels became the fourth Big 12 player all-time to have a single game with at least three passing touchdowns, 45 rushing yards and a 90.0 completion percentage. The other three are Jalen Hurts (October 19, 2019), Robert Griffin III (September 17, 2011) and Seneca Wallace (September 29, 2001).Kansas' offensive line was named the Big 12's first offensive line of the week after paving the way for 207 yards on the ground, while allowing just one sack.Under Leipold and offensive line coach Daryl Agpalsa, Kansas' offense allowed just .83 sacks per game (10 total) in 2024, which were the fewest allowed in the Big 12 and fourth fewest nationally. Kansas' 10 sacks allowed were the fewest by a Jayhawk team since at least 1996.Since the start of the 2022 season, Kansas has allowed just 39 sacks, which are the fewest among Big 12 programs and are the third fewest nationally, behind only Oregon (23) and Army (32). Prior to Leipold's arrival, Kansas allowed the most sacks in the country in 2020 with 47.Kansas will return to David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium on Friday, Aug. 29 as the Jayhawks host Wagner at 6:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Mark Neely and Todd Doxson on the call. Tickets and more information are available here.

🏈 KU's Jalon Daniels, offensive line earn Big 12 POW honors

NEW YORK (AP) —Beatles fans will be feeling some “real love” for this: New content from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/the-beatles">the iconic band</a>&nbsp;is coming this fall on screen, in music and in print.

“The Beatles Anthology” will be returning “in its ultimate form,” according to a release issued Thursday.

The famed 1995 “Anthology” music documentary, recounting the band’s journey beginning with its Liverpool roots through to its explosive stardom, has been restored and remastered, and will feature a new, ninth episode. It will stream on Disney+ beginning November 26.

The ninth episode features behind-the-scenes footage of Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr coming together in 1994-1995 to work on the series and “reflecting on their shared life as the Beatles.” Giles Martin, son of the late Beatles producer George Martin who died in 2016, has created new audio mixes for the majority of the featured music.

New “Anthology” music will be released on Nov. 21. A fourth album, to be released alongside remastered versions of the first three, includes 13 previously unreleased demos, session recordings and other rare recordings.

“Anthology 4” also includes, according to the release, new mixes of the Beatles’ “Anthology”-related hit singles: “Free As A Bird” and “Real Love.” The original “Free As A Bird” music video has also been restored.

The two new mixes come alongside&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/last-new-beatles-song-e7b3a349b0e1e58b8668e98ba2d9cd0b">2023’s “Now And Then,” the last Beatles song.</a>&nbsp;(All three singles were created from home demos that John Lennon, who was killed in 1980 outside the Dakota apartment building, recorded not long before, with vocal and instrumental parts later recorded by Paul, George and Ringo.)

A 25th anniversary edition of the Beatles Anthology Book will arrive October 14. In the book, all four Beatles recall the band’s journey. They’re joined by colleagues including Neil Aspinall, George Martin, Derek Taylor and others.

"'The Anthology' was always about their past, but this new edition confirms its enduring place in the present and future,’” the release noted.

The “Anthology” updates come as Beatles fans ready for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/beatles-biopic-sam-mendes-3f3f74076d78f16ac420820638e05de3">not one, not two, but four feature films</a>&nbsp;about the band. All directed by Sam Mendes, the films each focus on one Beatle. The lead actors will be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/paul-mescal">Paul Mescal</a>&nbsp;as McCartney,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/summer-movies-2024-breakout-performances-6d78b9006e2738ccffde490d17b91baf">Joseph Quinn</a>&nbsp;as Harrison,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hasty-pudding-barry-keoghan-man-of-year-b1334bb493311e77f4ea275b7198bff1">Barry Keoghan</a>&nbsp;as Starr and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-dickinson-babygirl-1e85ec4a4aed8b15e696c42720471845">Harris Dickinson</a>&nbsp;as Lennon.

NEW YORK (AP) —Beatles fans will be feeling some “real love” for this: New content from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/the-beatles">the iconic band</a>&nbsp;is coming this fall on screen, in music and in print.“The Beatles Anthology” will be returning “in its ultimate form,” according to a release issued Thursday.The famed 1995 “Anthology” music documentary, recounting the band’s journey beginning with its Liverpool roots through to its explosive stardom, has been restored and remastered, and will feature a new, ninth episode. It will stream on Disney+ beginning November 26.The ninth episode features behind-the-scenes footage of Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr coming together in 1994-1995 to work on the series and “reflecting on their shared life as the Beatles.” Giles Martin, son of the late Beatles producer George Martin who died in 2016, has created new audio mixes for the majority of the featured music.New “Anthology” music will be released on Nov. 21. A fourth album, to be released alongside remastered versions of the first three, includes 13 previously unreleased demos, session recordings and other rare recordings.“Anthology 4” also includes, according to the release, new mixes of the Beatles’ “Anthology”-related hit singles: “Free As A Bird” and “Real Love.” The original “Free As A Bird” music video has also been restored.The two new mixes come alongside&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/last-new-beatles-song-e7b3a349b0e1e58b8668e98ba2d9cd0b">2023’s “Now And Then,” the last Beatles song.</a>&nbsp;(All three singles were created from home demos that John Lennon, who was killed in 1980 outside the Dakota apartment building, recorded not long before, with vocal and instrumental parts later recorded by Paul, George and Ringo.)A 25th anniversary edition of the Beatles Anthology Book will arrive October 14. In the book, all four Beatles recall the band’s journey. They’re joined by colleagues including Neil Aspinall, George Martin, Derek Taylor and others."'The Anthology' was always about their past, but this new edition confirms its enduring place in the present and future,’” the release noted.The “Anthology” updates come as Beatles fans ready for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/beatles-biopic-sam-mendes-3f3f74076d78f16ac420820638e05de3">not one, not two, but four feature films</a>&nbsp;about the band. All directed by Sam Mendes, the films each focus on one Beatle. The lead actors will be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/paul-mescal">Paul Mescal</a>&nbsp;as McCartney,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/summer-movies-2024-breakout-performances-6d78b9006e2738ccffde490d17b91baf">Joseph Quinn</a>&nbsp;as Harrison,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hasty-pudding-barry-keoghan-man-of-year-b1334bb493311e77f4ea275b7198bff1">Barry Keoghan</a>&nbsp;as Starr and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-dickinson-babygirl-1e85ec4a4aed8b15e696c42720471845">Harris Dickinson</a>&nbsp;as Lennon.

New Beatles ‘Anthology’ projects will be released this fall

MANHATTAN — More than 220 high school students from across the State of Kansas participated in the 2025 session of the American Legion Boys State of Kansas (ALBSK), held June 1-7 at Kansas State University in Manhattan. This was the program’s 33rd consecutive session at KSU and 87th overall. 

The objective of the ALBSK is to inculcate a sense of individual obligation to community, state and nation. 

Kansas Boys State provides a relevant, interactive, problem-solving experience in leadership and teamwork that develops self-identity, promotes mutual respect and instills civic responsibility. Boys State is a “learning by doing” political exercise that simulates elections, political parties and government at the state, county and local levels, providing opportunities to lead under pressure, showcasing character and working effectively within a team. It’s also an opportunity to gain pride and respect for government and the price paid by members of the military to preserve democracy.&nbsp;

Kansas Boys State has announced the following awards and honors from the week (all cities and high&nbsp;schools in Kansas unless noted):

• Advisor of the Year — James Snyder, Ozawkie, served as a KBS medical advisor and is the&nbsp;chair of the American Legion Department of Kansas Boys State Committee.

• Experienced Counselor of the Year (three or more years on staff) — Jordin Myers, Hays, served&nbsp;as head counselor of information technology. Myers was a 2021 and 2022 KBS delegate, and a&nbsp;2023 graduate of Hays High School.

• New Counselor of the Year (one or two years on staff) — Declan Wilson, Olathe, served as a&nbsp;city counselor. Wilson was a 2024 KBS delegate and a 2025 graduate of Olathe North High&nbsp;School.

&nbsp;Jared Tucker, Fall River, and a senior at West Elk High School in Howard, was named the American Legion Department of Kansas winner of the Samsung American Legion Scholarship. As the State of Kansas winner, Tucker receives a $1,250 scholarship, and his application moves on to the national level where he could receive a $5,000 award as a national runner-up or a $10,000 award as a national scholar. The national awards are expected to be announced in October.&nbsp;

Conner Harris, Arkansas City, and a senior at Arkansas City High School, was named winner of the $1,000 American Legion Boys State of Kansas Executive Director Scholarship. The winner of the scholarship, as selected by the KBS executive director, is presented to a Kansas Boys State delegate who demonstrated exceptional understanding of the KBS principles. The scholarship is designed to recognize individuals who are committed to applying the knowledge and leadership skills gained from Boys State in their schools and communities.&nbsp;

Gabriel Kumar, Lawrence, a senior at Veritas Christian School in Lawrence, received the William “Bill” F. Stahl Outstanding Justice Award, given to the outstanding member of the Boys State of Kansas Supreme Court as voted on by his Supreme Court peers. The award is presented in recognition of outstanding commitment to justice under the law and dedicated service to Boys State of Kansas. Stahl, of Junction City, passed away in September 2015 and was a longtime supporter of the ALBSK.&nbsp;

Winston Mays, Topeka, a senior at Washburn Rural High School, was named the Outstanding Senator, while Tristan Jenkins, Olathe, a senior at Olathe South High School, was named the Outstanding State Representative (Jenkins was also elected to represent Kansas Boys State at Boys Nation this summer).

The 88th session of the American Legion Boys State of Kansas is scheduled to be held the week of Sunday, May 31, through Saturday, June 6, 2026, again at Kansas State University. For information on becoming a delegate (applications are now open for high school sophomores and juniors during the 2025-26 academic year), nominating a delegate or sponsoring a delegate, visit <a href="https://ksbstate.org/">https://ksbstate.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755706370912.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Boys State of KansasMANHATTAN — More than 220 high school students from across the State of Kansas participated in the 2025 session of the American Legion Boys State of Kansas (ALBSK), held June 1-7 at Kansas State University in Manhattan. This was the program’s 33rd consecutive session at KSU and 87th overall. The objective of the ALBSK is to inculcate a sense of individual obligation to community, state and nation. Kansas Boys State provides a relevant, interactive, problem-solving experience in leadership and teamwork that develops self-identity, promotes mutual respect and instills civic responsibility. Boys State is a “learning by doing” political exercise that simulates elections, political parties and government at the state, county and local levels, providing opportunities to lead under pressure, showcasing character and working effectively within a team. It’s also an opportunity to gain pride and respect for government and the price paid by members of the military to preserve democracy.&nbsp;Kansas Boys State has announced the following awards and honors from the week (all cities and high&nbsp;schools in Kansas unless noted):• Advisor of the Year — James Snyder, Ozawkie, served as a KBS medical advisor and is the&nbsp;chair of the American Legion Department of Kansas Boys State Committee.• Experienced Counselor of the Year (three or more years on staff) — Jordin Myers, Hays, served&nbsp;as head counselor of information technology. Myers was a 2021 and 2022 KBS delegate, and a&nbsp;2023 graduate of Hays High School.• New Counselor of the Year (one or two years on staff) — Declan Wilson, Olathe, served as a&nbsp;city counselor. Wilson was a 2024 KBS delegate and a 2025 graduate of Olathe North High&nbsp;School.&nbsp;Jared Tucker, Fall River, and a senior at West Elk High School in Howard, was named the American Legion Department of Kansas winner of the Samsung American Legion Scholarship. As the State of Kansas winner, Tucker receives a $1,250 scholarship, and his application moves on to the national level where he could receive a $5,000 award as a national runner-up or a $10,000 award as a national scholar. The national awards are expected to be announced in October.&nbsp;Conner Harris, Arkansas City, and a senior at Arkansas City High School, was named winner of the $1,000 American Legion Boys State of Kansas Executive Director Scholarship. The winner of the scholarship, as selected by the KBS executive director, is presented to a Kansas Boys State delegate who demonstrated exceptional understanding of the KBS principles. The scholarship is designed to recognize individuals who are committed to applying the knowledge and leadership skills gained from Boys State in their schools and communities.&nbsp;Gabriel Kumar, Lawrence, a senior at Veritas Christian School in Lawrence, received the William “Bill” F. Stahl Outstanding Justice Award, given to the outstanding member of the Boys State of Kansas Supreme Court as voted on by his Supreme Court peers. The award is presented in recognition of outstanding commitment to justice under the law and dedicated service to Boys State of Kansas. Stahl, of Junction City, passed away in September 2015 and was a longtime supporter of the ALBSK.&nbsp;Winston Mays, Topeka, a senior at Washburn Rural High School, was named the Outstanding Senator, while Tristan Jenkins, Olathe, a senior at Olathe South High School, was named the Outstanding State Representative (Jenkins was also elected to represent Kansas Boys State at Boys Nation this summer).<figure>
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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755706122531.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>The 88th session of the American Legion Boys State of Kansas is scheduled to be held the week of Sunday, May 31, through Saturday, June 6, 2026, again at Kansas State University. For information on becoming a delegate (applications are now open for high school sophomores and juniors during the 2025-26 academic year), nominating a delegate or sponsoring a delegate, visit <a href="https://ksbstate.org/">https://ksbstate.org</a>.

Hays, Otis attendees earn awards at Boys State of Kansas 2025 session

SEDGWICK COUNTY —The family of fallen Sedgwick&nbsp; County Deputy Sidnee Carter and the Deputy Sidnee Carter Memorial honored her legacy by dedicating the newest horse to the Wichita Police Department Mounted Unit on Thursday.

Chief Joe Sullivan, Mounted Unit commanders, and members of the Sheriff’s Office joined in this special dedication ceremony.

"We are deeply grateful to the Carter family and the Deputy Sidnee Carter Memorial for their generosity. Our new police horse, Syd, will serve as a lasting tribute to Deputy Carter’s memory and commitment to public service."

In October of 2022, Deputy Sidnee Carter died when her patrol vehicle was struck&nbsp; near 135th Street at 29th Street north one mile west of Northwest Wichita and Maize as she was responding to a disturbance.

Deputy Carter had only worked in the field alone for a week, according to Sheriff Jeff Easter and had just completed her training.

Deputy Carter had served the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office for one and a half years in the Sedgwick County Detention Facility before transferring to the Law Enforcement Bureau in February 2022. She graduated the Law Enforcement Academy on July 21, 2022.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755878797458.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —The family of fallen Sedgwick&nbsp; County Deputy Sidnee Carter and the Deputy Sidnee Carter Memorial honored her legacy by dedicating the newest horse to the Wichita Police Department Mounted Unit on Thursday.Chief Joe Sullivan, Mounted Unit commanders, and members of the Sheriff’s Office joined in this special dedication ceremony."We are deeply grateful to the Carter family and the Deputy Sidnee Carter Memorial for their generosity. Our new police horse, Syd, will serve as a lasting tribute to Deputy Carter’s memory and commitment to public service."In October of 2022, Deputy Sidnee Carter died when her patrol vehicle was struck&nbsp; near 135th Street at 29th Street north one mile west of Northwest Wichita and Maize as she was responding to a disturbance.Deputy Carter had only worked in the field alone for a week, according to Sheriff Jeff Easter and had just completed her training.Deputy Carter had served the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office for one and a half years in the Sedgwick County Detention Facility before transferring to the Law Enforcement Bureau in February 2022. She graduated the Law Enforcement Academy on July 21, 2022.&nbsp;

Horse donated to police in honor of fallen Kansas deputy

By:&nbsp;NICOLAS FIERRO Salina Post

The preliminary hearing scheduled on Friday for 32-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/3e716804-4732-43e4-a3cf-086e2bdc9859">Kayla Errebo</a>&nbsp;who is charged with 2nd-degree murder in connection with a fatal crash in Saline. County was delayed.

According to Noah Morgan from the Saline County Attorney's office, the preliminary hearing was rescheduled as Errebo's attorney, who needed more time to prepare evidence.

The rescheduled preliminary hearing date is set for&nbsp;Tuesday, October 21st&nbsp;at&nbsp;9:00 am&nbsp;inside the&nbsp;City of Salina-Saline County building (300 W Ash St), Room 301.

According to Saline County Sheriff's Captain Jim Hughes, just before 5:30a.m. August 8, a Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Errebo of Lorraine was westbound on Kansas 140 at South Reese Road in rural Saline County. The Jeep entered the eastbound lanes and struck a&nbsp;Chevrolet truck driven by&nbsp;61-year-old Mark Sommerfeld of Brookville head-on.

A passenger in the Chevy identified as 55-year-old Deanna Sommerfeld from Brookville was pronounced deceased on scene.

EMS transported&nbsp; Mark Sommerfield to Salina Regional Health Center for treatment.

Errebo was not at the scene of the crash. Deputies located her just before 8:30a.m. at an address in Ellsworth.&nbsp; She had minor&nbsp;injuries that did not require medical treatment. Errebo was taken into custody and booked into the Saline County Jail on requested charges of Murder in&nbsp; the second degree, Failure to report an injury accident, Circumvention of ignition interlock device and Probation violation. She remains jailed on a $1 million bond.

The preliminary hearing is open to the public.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754697774905.png" alt="Errebo photo Saline Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Errebo photo Saline Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;NICOLAS FIERRO Salina PostThe preliminary hearing scheduled on Friday for 32-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/3e716804-4732-43e4-a3cf-086e2bdc9859">Kayla Errebo</a>&nbsp;who is charged with 2nd-degree murder in connection with a fatal crash in Saline. County was delayed.According to Noah Morgan from the Saline County Attorney's office, the preliminary hearing was rescheduled as Errebo's attorney, who needed more time to prepare evidence.The rescheduled preliminary hearing date is set for&nbsp;Tuesday, October 21st&nbsp;at&nbsp;9:00 am&nbsp;inside the&nbsp;City of Salina-Saline County building (300 W Ash St), Room 301.According to Saline County Sheriff's Captain Jim Hughes, just before 5:30a.m. August 8, a Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Errebo of Lorraine was westbound on Kansas 140 at South Reese Road in rural Saline County. The Jeep entered the eastbound lanes and struck a&nbsp;Chevrolet truck driven by&nbsp;61-year-old Mark Sommerfeld of Brookville head-on.A passenger in the Chevy identified as 55-year-old Deanna Sommerfeld from Brookville was pronounced deceased on scene.EMS transported&nbsp; Mark Sommerfield to Salina Regional Health Center for treatment.Errebo was not at the scene of the crash. Deputies located her just before 8:30a.m. at an address in Ellsworth.&nbsp; She had minor&nbsp;injuries that did not require medical treatment. Errebo was taken into custody and booked into the Saline County Jail on requested charges of Murder in&nbsp; the second degree, Failure to report an injury accident, Circumvention of ignition interlock device and Probation violation. She remains jailed on a $1 million bond.The preliminary hearing is open to the public.