Marcelyn Kay 'Marcy' Allenbaugh, 86, Hays, died Saturday,
September 20, 2025 at HaysMed.

She was born September 5, 1939 in Indianapolis, Indiana, the
daughter of Ned and Maxine (McCallian) Feaster.&nbsp; She graduated from
Excelsior High School in Norwalk, California with the class of 1958, and on
December 3, 1960 she was united in marriage to John “Dale” Allenbaugh in
Norwalk.&nbsp; They were married nearly 50 years before he preceded her in
death on October 6, 2010.&nbsp; Marcy was an administrator at A-1 Scaffold
Mfg., a homemaker, and her memberships included Celebration Community Church,
P.E.O., Red Hat Society, and a charter member of Norwalk Community
Church.&nbsp; 

Marcy enjoyed flowers, gardening, cardinals, and painting
porcelain art.&nbsp; She was a devout Christian, a woman of strength and
generosity, and the beautiful matriarch of her family.&nbsp; Her love extended
to each generation as she attended her grandchildren and great grandchildren’s
activities and sporting events, no matter the weather.&nbsp; Her delicious
cooking was enjoyed by all at the family holiday and birthday gatherings she
hosted. 

Survivors include her partner Jim Roberts of Hays, her three
daughters, Jenny Allenbaugh and wife Donna Scott, Cheryl Herman and husband
Mark, and Roberta Molstad, all of Hays, her daughter-in-law Dereama Allenbaugh
of Hays, two brothers, George Feaster and wife Becky of Mansfield, TX and Ned
Feaster, Jr. and wife Marilin of Cedar Hill, TN, 12 grandchildren, Lindsay
Urban (Brett), Ashley Bott (Jamey), Ashlee Haines (Jake), Chandra Allenbaugh
(Brian Dube), Devin Ermoian and Taylor Ermoian, Olivia Herman, Dixon Allenbaugh
(Sarah Hull), Andrew, Jenny, Isaac, and Angelina Molstad, 11 great
grandchildren, Payton Garrison (Lauren), Dawson and Brennon Garrison, Blythe
Urban, Delaney, Anderson, and McCallian Bott, Lewis, Mac, Levi, and Morgan
Haines, and five great-great grandchildren, Myles, Theo, Emrynn, Linkyn, and
Wesley Garrison.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Dale,
son Dwight Allenbaugh, grandson Wesley Allenbaugh, and an infant granddaughter
Cassandra Allenbaugh.&nbsp; 

Funeral services will be at 10:00 am on Monday, September
29, 2025 at Celebration Community Church with Pastor Brant Rice
officiating.&nbsp; Burial will follow in Mt. Allen Cemetery.&nbsp; Visitation
will be from 5:00 pm until 7:00 on Sunday at Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home
and from 9:00 am until service time on Monday at the church.&nbsp; Memorials
are suggested to Celebration Community Church or to the Cancer Council of Ellis
County.&nbsp; Condolences and memories of Marcy may be shared with her family
at www.haysmemorial.com

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758554829510.jpeg" alt="Marcelyn Kay 'Marcy' Allenbaugh" />
 <figcaption>Marcelyn Kay 'Marcy' Allenbaugh</figcaption>
 </figure>Marcelyn Kay 'Marcy' Allenbaugh, 86, Hays, died Saturday,
September 20, 2025 at HaysMed.She was born September 5, 1939 in Indianapolis, Indiana, the
daughter of Ned and Maxine (McCallian) Feaster.&nbsp; She graduated from
Excelsior High School in Norwalk, California with the class of 1958, and on
December 3, 1960 she was united in marriage to John “Dale” Allenbaugh in
Norwalk.&nbsp; They were married nearly 50 years before he preceded her in
death on October 6, 2010.&nbsp; Marcy was an administrator at A-1 Scaffold
Mfg., a homemaker, and her memberships included Celebration Community Church,
P.E.O., Red Hat Society, and a charter member of Norwalk Community
Church.&nbsp; Marcy enjoyed flowers, gardening, cardinals, and painting
porcelain art.&nbsp; She was a devout Christian, a woman of strength and
generosity, and the beautiful matriarch of her family.&nbsp; Her love extended
to each generation as she attended her grandchildren and great grandchildren’s
activities and sporting events, no matter the weather.&nbsp; Her delicious
cooking was enjoyed by all at the family holiday and birthday gatherings she
hosted. Survivors include her partner Jim Roberts of Hays, her three
daughters, Jenny Allenbaugh and wife Donna Scott, Cheryl Herman and husband
Mark, and Roberta Molstad, all of Hays, her daughter-in-law Dereama Allenbaugh
of Hays, two brothers, George Feaster and wife Becky of Mansfield, TX and Ned
Feaster, Jr. and wife Marilin of Cedar Hill, TN, 12 grandchildren, Lindsay
Urban (Brett), Ashley Bott (Jamey), Ashlee Haines (Jake), Chandra Allenbaugh
(Brian Dube), Devin Ermoian and Taylor Ermoian, Olivia Herman, Dixon Allenbaugh
(Sarah Hull), Andrew, Jenny, Isaac, and Angelina Molstad, 11 great
grandchildren, Payton Garrison (Lauren), Dawson and Brennon Garrison, Blythe
Urban, Delaney, Anderson, and McCallian Bott, Lewis, Mac, Levi, and Morgan
Haines, and five great-great grandchildren, Myles, Theo, Emrynn, Linkyn, and
Wesley Garrison.She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Dale,
son Dwight Allenbaugh, grandson Wesley Allenbaugh, and an infant granddaughter
Cassandra Allenbaugh.&nbsp; Funeral services will be at 10:00 am on Monday, September
29, 2025 at Celebration Community Church with Pastor Brant Rice
officiating.&nbsp; Burial will follow in Mt. Allen Cemetery.&nbsp; Visitation
will be from 5:00 pm until 7:00 on Sunday at Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home
and from 9:00 am until service time on Monday at the church.&nbsp; Memorials
are suggested to Celebration Community Church or to the Cancer Council of Ellis
County.&nbsp; Condolences and memories of Marcy may be shared with her family
at www.haysmemorial.com

Marcelyn Kay 'Marcy' Allenbaugh

BY: TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/09/18/kansas-board-of-regents-proposes-budget-cut-seeks-reading-and-energy-investment/">Kansas Reflector</a>

Public higher education board offers ‘fiscally responsible’ spending plan

TOPEKA — The Kansas Board of Regents answered political pressure to avoid aggressive 2026 budget requests for public universities and colleges by endorsing a plan calling for a $4.6 million cut from the current year’s state appropriation.

Blake Benson, chairman of the Kansas higher education board, praised the cooperative effort during the past three months to shrink the size of a preliminary version of the budget drafted in June. The final $1.1 billion budget outline recognized that massive, aspirational spending requests for higher education were unlikely to be warmly received by lawmakers during the legislative session starting in January, he said.

“The message was loud and clear that this budget needed to look much more like this,” Benson said. “The regents carefully evaluated our system’s needs and priorities and developed a request that meets those while remaining fiscally responsible.”

The state’s higher education system has continued to face financial pressure from rising operational costs and limited flexibility to respond to emerging needs.

John Dicus, a Topeka banker and member of the Board of Regents, said the budget plan was a collaboration among the Board of Regents, campus administrators, the governor’s budget director and Republican leaders in the House and Senate.

“This is something we tried to vet with them this year to make sure we got across the finish line,” Dicus said.

In a previous meeting on the budget, Dicus said overly ambitious spending proposals from college and university administrators could trigger further budget cuts. He said maintaining existing levels of state aid for higher education would be viewed as success in 2026.

The Board of Regents, with authority over 32 universities, community colleges and technical colleges, voted to ask the governor and legislators to invest $5.5 million in the Blueprint for Literacy next year. It’s a state-created program to overhaul K-12 reading instruction in Kansas to reverse student academic deficiencies.

The 2025 Legislature dropped funding for Blueprint for Literacy. Residual funding from an initial $10 million state appropriation for the program kept it from going dark.

“This is a nationwide problem and some states are putting in a lot more money than we do,” said Kathy Wolfe Moore, a former Democratic House member who was appointed to the Board of Regents in 2024. “We have to approve the Blueprint for Literacy and go after it with a vengeance in the state Legislature. This is foundational.”

The Board of Regents requested $15 million be invested in $5 million increments on energy research at the University of Kansas, Kansas State University and Wichita State University. KU would concentrate on energy production, while K-State would focus on nuclear power. WSU researchers would delve into alternative energy sources.

The proposed budget included $4 million each for the three smaller state institutions — Pittsburg State University, Fort Hays State University and Emporia State University.

Blake Flanders, president and CEO of the Board of Regents, said the budget included $16.3 million in ongoing support to recruit, retain and graduate students at technical colleges, community colleges and the universities.

The plan included $2 million to help with degree completion for Kansans with some college experience but no diploma. It contained $1.5 million for Washburn University to address workforce development.

He said the budget request recognized state tax dollars would need to be matched with $3 million or $4 million from the universities.

“We’re asking for a portion and a partnership,” Flanders said. “That’s a partnership that functions when both parties are participating.”

The comprehensive budget proposal for the fiscal year starting July 1, 2026, must be submitted to the governor’s office by Oct. 1. The Republican-controlled House and Senate would review and modify budgets for higher education, and the Legislature’s bill would be subject to line-item vetoes by the Democratic governor.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758311120292.jpeg" alt="Blake Benson, chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents, says a modest $4.6 million cut in state aid to higher education may be palatable to the Kansas Legislature, which is likely to pursue greater budget austerity in the upcoming session. In this image, Benson tours the Wichita State University campus with other members of the Board of Regents in October 2024. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Blake Benson, chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents, says a modest $4.6 million cut in state aid to higher education may be palatable to the Kansas Legislature, which is likely to pursue greater budget austerity in the upcoming session. In this image, Benson tours the Wichita State University campus with other members of the Board of Regents in October 2024. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY: TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/09/18/kansas-board-of-regents-proposes-budget-cut-seeks-reading-and-energy-investment/">Kansas Reflector</a><h2>Public higher education board offers ‘fiscally responsible’ spending plan</h2>TOPEKA — The Kansas Board of Regents answered political pressure to avoid aggressive 2026 budget requests for public universities and colleges by endorsing a plan calling for a $4.6 million cut from the current year’s state appropriation.Blake Benson, chairman of the Kansas higher education board, praised the cooperative effort during the past three months to shrink the size of a preliminary version of the budget drafted in June. The final $1.1 billion budget outline recognized that massive, aspirational spending requests for higher education were unlikely to be warmly received by lawmakers during the legislative session starting in January, he said.“The message was loud and clear that this budget needed to look much more like this,” Benson said. “The regents carefully evaluated our system’s needs and priorities and developed a request that meets those while remaining fiscally responsible.”The state’s higher education system has continued to face financial pressure from rising operational costs and limited flexibility to respond to emerging needs.John Dicus, a Topeka banker and member of the Board of Regents, said the budget plan was a collaboration among the Board of Regents, campus administrators, the governor’s budget director and Republican leaders in the House and Senate.“This is something we tried to vet with them this year to make sure we got across the finish line,” Dicus said.In a previous meeting on the budget, Dicus said overly ambitious spending proposals from college and university administrators could trigger further budget cuts. He said maintaining existing levels of state aid for higher education would be viewed as success in 2026.The Board of Regents, with authority over 32 universities, community colleges and technical colleges, voted to ask the governor and legislators to invest $5.5 million in the Blueprint for Literacy next year. It’s a state-created program to overhaul K-12 reading instruction in Kansas to reverse student academic deficiencies.The 2025 Legislature dropped funding for Blueprint for Literacy. Residual funding from an initial $10 million state appropriation for the program kept it from going dark.“This is a nationwide problem and some states are putting in a lot more money than we do,” said Kathy Wolfe Moore, a former Democratic House member who was appointed to the Board of Regents in 2024. “We have to approve the Blueprint for Literacy and go after it with a vengeance in the state Legislature. This is foundational.”The Board of Regents requested $15 million be invested in $5 million increments on energy research at the University of Kansas, Kansas State University and Wichita State University. KU would concentrate on energy production, while K-State would focus on nuclear power. WSU researchers would delve into alternative energy sources.The proposed budget included $4 million each for the three smaller state institutions — Pittsburg State University, Fort Hays State University and Emporia State University.Blake Flanders, president and CEO of the Board of Regents, said the budget included $16.3 million in ongoing support to recruit, retain and graduate students at technical colleges, community colleges and the universities.The plan included $2 million to help with degree completion for Kansans with some college experience but no diploma. It contained $1.5 million for Washburn University to address workforce development.He said the budget request recognized state tax dollars would need to be matched with $3 million or $4 million from the universities.“We’re asking for a portion and a partnership,” Flanders said. “That’s a partnership that functions when both parties are participating.”The comprehensive budget proposal for the fiscal year starting July 1, 2026, must be submitted to the governor’s office by Oct. 1. The Republican-controlled House and Senate would review and modify budgets for higher education, and the Legislature’s bill would be subject to line-item vetoes by the Democratic governor.

Kansas Board of Regents proposes budget cut, seeks reading and energy investment

Kansas Department of Transportation

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) extends its appreciation for employees celebrating state service anniversaries in October. KDOT is proud to acknowledge them for the long-term dedication they have provided to the state of Kansas. 

Listed below are the employees and their hometowns.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739902891919.jpeg" alt="Kansas Department of Transportation" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Department of Transportation</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas Department of TransportationTOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) extends its appreciation for employees celebrating state service anniversaries in October. KDOT is proud to acknowledge them for the long-term dedication they have provided to the state of Kansas. Listed below are the employees and their hometowns.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758211034750.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758211102473.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758211197418.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>

Area KDOT employees celebrate service anniversaries

By BRYNLEE WALTER Buckeye Jr. Farmers 4-H Club Reporter

The 2024-2025 4-H year is coming to a close and the 44 members of the Buckeye Jr. Farmers 4-H Club have enjoyed a busy and rewarding year filled with community service, learning opportunities, and plenty of fun. Members of the club worked hard, celebrated together, and earned top honors for their efforts.

One highlight of the year was the club’s “Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat” service project.

 Members collected food donations to help families in need, showing their dedication to giving back to the community. The club also spread cheer by playing Bingo and visiting with nursing home residents, bringing smiles and conversation to local seniors.

The Buckeye Jr. Farmers celebrated the holiday season with a lively Christmas party filled with snacks, games, and laughter—a perfect way to enjoy friendship and teamwork outside of regular meetings.

Club members also showcased their talents through Club Days competitions. 

At Ellis County Club Days, the Buckeye Jr. Farmers earned purple ribbons on both their club skit and model meeting.

 Their success continued at Regional 4-H Days, where they brought home a purple ribbon on their skit and a blue ribbon on their model meeting, reflecting their strong communication skills and creative teamwork.

The year wouldn’t be complete without the excitement of the county fair, where members enjoyed showing projects, making memories, and earning lots of ribbons and valuable experience.

The Buckeye Jr. Farmers 4-H Club continues to live out the 4-H pledge— “Head, Heart, Hands, and Health”—through service, learning, and fun. Their hard work and dedication prove that 4-H is more than projects and ribbons; it’s about building friendships, strengthening communities, and growing future leaders.

The new 4-H year will start October 1 and the Buckeye Jr. Farmers would welcome any and all new members. 

For more information please contact the Ellis County Extension office at 785-628-9430.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758295357838.jpeg" alt="Buckeye Jr. Farmers 4-H achievement banquet. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Buckeye Jr. Farmers 4-H achievement banquet. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRYNLEE WALTER Buckeye Jr. Farmers 4-H Club Reporter The 2024-2025 4-H year is coming to a close and the 44 members of the Buckeye Jr. Farmers 4-H Club have enjoyed a busy and rewarding year filled with community service, learning opportunities, and plenty of fun. Members of the club worked hard, celebrated together, and earned top honors for their efforts.One highlight of the year was the club’s “Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat” service project. Members collected food donations to help families in need, showing their dedication to giving back to the community. The club also spread cheer by playing Bingo and visiting with nursing home residents, bringing smiles and conversation to local seniors.The Buckeye Jr. Farmers celebrated the holiday season with a lively Christmas party filled with snacks, games, and laughter—a perfect way to enjoy friendship and teamwork outside of regular meetings.Club members also showcased their talents through Club Days competitions. At Ellis County Club Days, the Buckeye Jr. Farmers earned purple ribbons on both their club skit and model meeting.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758295542946.jpeg" alt="Buckeye Jr. Farmers Regional 4-H Club Day. Courtesy photo&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Buckeye Jr. Farmers Regional 4-H Club Day. Courtesy photo&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure> Their success continued at Regional 4-H Days, where they brought home a purple ribbon on their skit and a blue ribbon on their model meeting, reflecting their strong communication skills and creative teamwork.The year wouldn’t be complete without the excitement of the county fair, where members enjoyed showing projects, making memories, and earning lots of ribbons and valuable experience.The Buckeye Jr. Farmers 4-H Club continues to live out the 4-H pledge— “Head, Heart, Hands, and Health”—through service, learning, and fun. Their hard work and dedication prove that 4-H is more than projects and ribbons; it’s about building friendships, strengthening communities, and growing future leaders.The new 4-H year will start October 1 and the Buckeye Jr. Farmers would welcome any and all new members. For more information please contact the Ellis County Extension office at 785-628-9430.Buckeye Jr. Farmers Club Reporter

Buckeye Jr. Farmers 4-H Club shines in year of service, fun, achievement

Thomas D. Potter, age 76, of WaKeeney, Kansas passed away on
Friday, September 19, 2025, at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, Kansas.&nbsp;
He was born October 23, 1948, in Lexington, Nebraska.&nbsp; Services are pending
at Cline’s-Keithley
Mortuary of Hays, 1919 East
22 nd Street, Hays, Kansas 67601.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756479835145.jpg" alt="Thomas D. Potter" />
 <figcaption>Thomas D. Potter</figcaption>
 </figure>Thomas D. Potter, age 76, of WaKeeney, Kansas passed away on
Friday, September 19, 2025, at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, Kansas.&nbsp;
He was born October 23, 1948, in Lexington, Nebraska.&nbsp; Services are pending
at Cline’s-Keithley
Mortuary of Hays, 1919 East
22 nd Street, Hays, Kansas 67601.

Thomas D. Potter

WASHINGTON (AP) — Looking to reshape the U.S. visa system for highly skilled foreign workers and investors, President Donald Trump on Friday signed a proclamation that will require a new annual $100,000 fee for H-1B visa applications and rolled out a $1 million “gold card” visa as a potential pathway to U.S. citizenship.

The moves face near-certain legal challenges and widespread criticism that Trump is going beyond presidential authority by sidestepping Congress. The actions, if they survive legal muster, will deliver staggering price increases for high-skilled and investor visas created by Congress in 1990.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the H-1B visa fee will be $100,000 per year and added that “all big companies” are on board.

H-1B visas are meant to bring the best and brightest foreigners for high-skilled jobs that tech companies find difficult to fill with qualified U.S. citizens and permanent residents. The program instead has turned into a pipeline for overseas workers who are often willing to work for as little as $60,000 annually. That is far less than $100,000-plus salaries typically paid to U.S. technology workers.

Trump on Friday insisted that the tech industry would not oppose the move. “I think they're going to be very happy,” he said.

Representatives for the biggest tech companies, including Amazon, Apple, Google and Meta, did not immediately respond to messages for comment on Friday. Microsoft declined to comment.

“So no longer will you put trainees on an H-1B visa,” Lutnick said on a call with reporters. “That it’s just not economic anymore. If you’re going to train people, you’re going to train Americans. ... If you have a very sophisticated engineer and you want to bring them in ... then you can pay $100,000 a year for your H-1B visa.”

Trump also announced he will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-gold-card-visa-million-investors-1aa4585dc053e21c7d887f1fdb9eec13">start selling a “gold card” visa</a>&nbsp;with a potential pathway to U.S. citizenship. The “Trump Gold Card” will be available for a processing fee and a $1 million contribution after vetting. For companies, it will cost $2 million. The “Trump Platinum Card,” meanwhile, will be available for a $5 million contribution and will allow foreigners to spend up to 270 days in the U.S. without being subject to U.S. taxes on non-U.S. income. Trump announced a $5 million gold card in February to replace an existing investor visa — this is now the platinum card. Applicants can sign up now for a waitlist for the platinum card, but it still needs to be approved by Congress.

First lady Melania Trump, the former Melania Knauss, was granted an H-1B work visa in October 1996 to work as a model. She was born in Slovenia.

The H-1B program was created in 1990 for people with a bachelor’s degree or higher in fields where jobs are deemed hard to fill, especially science, technology, engineering and math. Critics say they allow companies to pay lower wages with fewer labor protections.

Historically, these visas — 85,000 per year — have been doled out through a lottery system. This year, Amazon was by far the top recipient of H-1B visas with more than 10,000 awarded, followed by Tata Consultancy, Microsoft, Apple and Google. Geographically, California has the highest number of H-1B workers, according to UCIS.

Critics say H-1B spots often go to entry-level jobs, rather than senior positions with unique skill requirements. And while the program isn’t supposed to undercut U.S. wages or displace U.S. workers, critics say companies can pay less by classifying jobs at the lowest skill levels, even if the specific workers hired have more experience.

As a result, many U.S. companies find it cheaper simply to contract out help desks, programming and other basic tasks to consulting companies such as Wipro, Infosys, HCL Technologies and Tata in India and IBM and Cognizant in the U.S. These consulting companies hire foreign workers, often from India, and contract them out to U.S. employers looking to save money.

Doug Rand, who served as the director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services during the Biden administration, said this amounts to a “split personality disorder” for the program, with only about half of the visas each year going to traditional companies that offer long-term employment and can put immigrants on a track to citizenship. The other half go to staffing or consulting firms — and while many are established and well-known companies, others are just one-person operations that wouldn’t exist without the H-1B program.

“They’re basically entering the lottery so they can hire people that they then rent out to other larger companies doing actual work,” Rand said. “And so there’s a lot of misbehavior and chicanery in this part of the system.”

In 2024, lottery bids for the visas plunged nearly 40%, which authorities said was due to success against people who were “gaming the system” by submitting multiple, sometimes dubious, applications to unfairly increase chances of being selected.

Major technology companies that use H-1B visas sought changes after massive increases in bids left their employees and prospective hires with slimmer chances of winning the random lottery. Facing what it acknowledged was likely fraud and abuse, USCIS this year said each employee had only one shot at the lottery, whether the person had one job offer or 50.

Critics welcomed the change but said more needs to be done. The AFL-CIO wrote last year that while changes to the lottery “included some steps in the right direction,” it fell short of needed reforms. The labor group wants visas awarded to companies that pay the highest wages instead of by random lottery, a change that Trump sought during his first term in the White House.

After the announcements Friday, Rand, the former USCIS official, said this “is going to be a really lousy weekend for litigators who just had their Friday night dinners interrupted by a ludicrously lawless presidential proclamation, set to go into effect on Sunday morning at 12:01am.”

“This isn’t real policy -- it’s fan service for immigration restrictionists,” Rand said. “Trump gets his headlines, and inflicts a jolt of panic, and doesn’t care whether this survives first contact with the courts.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Looking to reshape the U.S. visa system for highly skilled foreign workers and investors, President Donald Trump on Friday signed a proclamation that will require a new annual $100,000 fee for H-1B visa applications and rolled out a $1 million “gold card” visa as a potential pathway to U.S. citizenship.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> signs a Proclamation to restrict the entry of certain H-1B aliens into the U.S. as nonimmigrant workers, requiring a $100,000 payment to accompany or supplement H-1B petitions for new applications. AMERICA FIRST! <a href="https://t.co/AzAUJzXawV">pic.twitter.com/AzAUJzXawV</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1969155493701571049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The moves face near-certain legal challenges and widespread criticism that Trump is going beyond presidential authority by sidestepping Congress. The actions, if they survive legal muster, will deliver staggering price increases for high-skilled and investor visas created by Congress in 1990.Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the H-1B visa fee will be $100,000 per year and added that “all big companies” are on board.H-1B visas are meant to bring the best and brightest foreigners for high-skilled jobs that tech companies find difficult to fill with qualified U.S. citizens and permanent residents. The program instead has turned into a pipeline for overseas workers who are often willing to work for as little as $60,000 annually. That is far less than $100,000-plus salaries typically paid to U.S. technology workers.Trump on Friday insisted that the tech industry would not oppose the move. “I think they're going to be very happy,” he said.Representatives for the biggest tech companies, including Amazon, Apple, Google and Meta, did not immediately respond to messages for comment on Friday. Microsoft declined to comment.“So no longer will you put trainees on an H-1B visa,” Lutnick said on a call with reporters. “That it’s just not economic anymore. If you’re going to train people, you’re going to train Americans. ... If you have a very sophisticated engineer and you want to bring them in ... then you can pay $100,000 a year for your H-1B visa.”Trump also announced he will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-gold-card-visa-million-investors-1aa4585dc053e21c7d887f1fdb9eec13">start selling a “gold card” visa</a>&nbsp;with a potential pathway to U.S. citizenship. The “Trump Gold Card” will be available for a processing fee and a $1 million contribution after vetting. For companies, it will cost $2 million. The “Trump Platinum Card,” meanwhile, will be available for a $5 million contribution and will allow foreigners to spend up to 270 days in the U.S. without being subject to U.S. taxes on non-U.S. income. Trump announced a $5 million gold card in February to replace an existing investor visa — this is now the platinum card. Applicants can sign up now for a waitlist for the platinum card, but it still needs to be approved by Congress.First lady Melania Trump, the former Melania Knauss, was granted an H-1B work visa in October 1996 to work as a model. She was born in Slovenia.The H-1B program was created in 1990 for people with a bachelor’s degree or higher in fields where jobs are deemed hard to fill, especially science, technology, engineering and math. Critics say they allow companies to pay lower wages with fewer labor protections.Historically, these visas — 85,000 per year — have been doled out through a lottery system. This year, Amazon was by far the top recipient of H-1B visas with more than 10,000 awarded, followed by Tata Consultancy, Microsoft, Apple and Google. Geographically, California has the highest number of H-1B workers, according to UCIS.Critics say H-1B spots often go to entry-level jobs, rather than senior positions with unique skill requirements. And while the program isn’t supposed to undercut U.S. wages or displace U.S. workers, critics say companies can pay less by classifying jobs at the lowest skill levels, even if the specific workers hired have more experience.As a result, many U.S. companies find it cheaper simply to contract out help desks, programming and other basic tasks to consulting companies such as Wipro, Infosys, HCL Technologies and Tata in India and IBM and Cognizant in the U.S. These consulting companies hire foreign workers, often from India, and contract them out to U.S. employers looking to save money.Doug Rand, who served as the director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services during the Biden administration, said this amounts to a “split personality disorder” for the program, with only about half of the visas each year going to traditional companies that offer long-term employment and can put immigrants on a track to citizenship. The other half go to staffing or consulting firms — and while many are established and well-known companies, others are just one-person operations that wouldn’t exist without the H-1B program.“They’re basically entering the lottery so they can hire people that they then rent out to other larger companies doing actual work,” Rand said. “And so there’s a lot of misbehavior and chicanery in this part of the system.”In 2024, lottery bids for the visas plunged nearly 40%, which authorities said was due to success against people who were “gaming the system” by submitting multiple, sometimes dubious, applications to unfairly increase chances of being selected.Major technology companies that use H-1B visas sought changes after massive increases in bids left their employees and prospective hires with slimmer chances of winning the random lottery. Facing what it acknowledged was likely fraud and abuse, USCIS this year said each employee had only one shot at the lottery, whether the person had one job offer or 50.Critics welcomed the change but said more needs to be done. The AFL-CIO wrote last year that while changes to the lottery “included some steps in the right direction,” it fell short of needed reforms. The labor group wants visas awarded to companies that pay the highest wages instead of by random lottery, a change that Trump sought during his first term in the White House.After the announcements Friday, Rand, the former USCIS official, said this “is going to be a really lousy weekend for litigators who just had their Friday night dinners interrupted by a ludicrously lawless presidential proclamation, set to go into effect on Sunday morning at 12:01am.”“This isn’t real policy -- it’s fan service for immigration restrictionists,” Rand said. “Trump gets his headlines, and inflicts a jolt of panic, and doesn’t care whether this survives first contact with the courts.”___

🎥Dramatic new changes Trump made on H-1B visa program

The remodel of Tryyaki Asian Cuisine is currently underway, and both the renovation team and the entire Tryyaki staff are working tirelessly to bring the restaurant back to life.

“We are deeply grateful for the support we’ve received from the community during this challenging time,” said Kaci (general manager at Tryyaki). “Everyone involved is committed to making sure Tryyaki reopens stronger than ever.”

The restaurant is targeting a reopening in October. However, the exact reopening date will be announced once it is firmly set. “We want to be certain before making the announcement,” Kaci added. “The last thing we want is to disappoint our many loyal customers and friends who have been waiting patiently for us to return.”

The team at Tryyaki Asian Cuisine looks forward to welcoming the community back soon and sharing an exciting new chapter after the fire.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758326483129.jpg" alt="Courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>Tryakki Asian CuisineThe remodel of Tryyaki Asian Cuisine is currently underway, and both the renovation team and the entire Tryyaki staff are working tirelessly to bring the restaurant back to life.“We are deeply grateful for the support we’ve received from the community during this challenging time,” said Kaci (general manager at Tryyaki). “Everyone involved is committed to making sure Tryyaki reopens stronger than ever.”The restaurant is targeting a reopening in October. However, the exact reopening date will be announced once it is firmly set. “We want to be certain before making the announcement,” Kaci added. “The last thing we want is to disappoint our many loyal customers and friends who have been waiting patiently for us to return.”The team at Tryyaki Asian Cuisine looks forward to welcoming the community back soon and sharing an exciting new chapter after the fire.

Tryyaki Asian Cuisine prepares for reopening after fire

WASHINGTON, D.C. –&nbsp;Today, Congressman Jimmy Patronis introduced a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives in conjunction with Senator Rick Scott, who filed a similar resolution in the U.S. Senate, to honor the life and legacy of Charlie Kirk.

 The resolution supports the designation of a “National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk” on Oct. 14 and recognizes Charlie Kirk for his contributions to civic education and public service.&nbsp;The House adopted H. Res. 719 by a vote of 310-58, with 38 voting present. Kansas Democrat Congresswoman Sharice Davids voted with the majority along with Kansas GOP Representatives.

Original Co-Sponsors include Representatives Greg Steube, Mark Alford, Anna Paulina Luna, Cory Mills, Gus Bilirakis, Barry Moore, Maria Salazar, Aaron Bean, Mike Collins, Carlos Gimenez, Austin Scott, and Derrick Van Orden.

Congressman Jimmy Patronis&nbsp;said, “Charlie Kirk was more than a conservative thought leader. He was a fearless warrior of free speech, faith, and the principles that make America the greatest country in the world. He empowered young people to find their voice, defend their values, and embrace their role in shaping the future of our nation. Charlie willingly braved the public square of colleges and universities to remind us all what makes free speech so important and how best we can come together as a nation: through the peaceful and respectful sharing of ideas. By honoring is life with a National Day of Remembrance, we ensure that Charlie’s legacy lives on, inspiring future generations to stand boldly for freedom and the Constitution.”

Senator Rick Scott&nbsp;said, “Charlie was a magnetic leader, a loving father and husband, and a friend and inspiration to so many. His loss is devastating, I’ll always cherish the friendship I had with him. Charlie loved our nation and its founding principles, and believed deeply in his faith, in his family, and in beauty of ideas and discussion. He lived with purpose and conviction, never shying away from hard truths and hard conversations, and always believing that the strength of our ideas and our faith could bring people together. Charlie worked to make our nation a better place in his 31 years before he was lost in an evil act of political violence, and will leave a lasting legacy on our nation. We know what Charlie would want us to do: he’d want us to stand strong by the ideas we believe in, have discussions, carry on with hope, strength and courage, and look to God for guidance. I am proud to lead a resolution honoring Charlie’s legacy as an American patriot by designating October 14th, what would have been his 32nd birthday, as National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk – a day to come together, pray, and celebrate Charlie’s impact on the nation.”

Expressing support of the House of Representatives that October 14, 2025, be designated as a “National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk.”&nbsp;

WHEREAS&nbsp;Charlie Kirk was a champion of free speech, civil dialogue, and faith;

WHEREAS&nbsp;Mr. Kirk consistently promoted the values of individual liberty, open debate, the importance of civic engagement, and the defense of constitutional principles;

WHEREAS&nbsp;Charlie Kirk was recognized as one of the leading voices among young leaders in the United States, creating opportunities for civic education, fostering youth leadership, and promoting principles of liberty and democracy across the United States;

WHEREAS&nbsp;Charlie Kirk was the founder and executive director of Turning Point USA, a nonprofit organization of thousands of chapters across the United States dedicated to educating students about the principles of freedom, free markets, and limited government;

WHEREAS&nbsp;Charlie Kirk authored multiple national bestselling books, that engage readers in critical conversations about civics, culture, and the future of the United States;&nbsp;

WHEREAS, through Mr. Kirk’s writing, public speaking, and media presence, Charlie Kirk reached millions of United States citizens, inspiring the next generation to become active participants in civic life;&nbsp;

WHEREAS&nbsp;Mr. Kirk’s life’s work has contributed to strengthening public discourse, defending constitutional principles, and fostering active citizenship; and

WHEREAS&nbsp;Mr. Kirk’s life’s work, especially his efforts to bring these American ideals to life on our college campuses, cost him his life by means of an assassin’s bullet on September 10, 2025: Now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives—&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757541376269.png" alt="Charlie Kirk photo courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Charlie Kirk photo courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON, D.C. –&nbsp;Today, Congressman Jimmy Patronis introduced a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives in conjunction with Senator Rick Scott, who filed a similar resolution in the U.S. Senate, to honor the life and legacy of Charlie Kirk. The resolution supports the designation of a “National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk” on Oct. 14 and recognizes Charlie Kirk for his contributions to civic education and public service.&nbsp;The House adopted H. Res. 719 by a vote of 310-58, with 38 voting present. Kansas Democrat Congresswoman Sharice Davids voted with the majority along with Kansas GOP Representatives.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">BREAKING: AOC just took to the House floor to defend her No vote on the Resolution honoring the life of Charlie Kirk. This is going to make your blood boil. AOC: &quot;We should be clear about who Charlie Kirk was... His rhetoric and beliefs were ignorant, uneducated, and sought to… <a href="https://t.co/MMjecCmyk5">pic.twitter.com/MMjecCmyk5</a>&mdash; Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) <a href="https://twitter.com/GuntherEagleman/status/1969061502624653528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/RepAOC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepAOC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AOC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AOC</a> on House-passed resolution honoring the life and legacy of Charlie Kirk: &quot;Instead of uniting Congress in this tragedy with one of the many bipartisan options to condemn political violence and Kirk&#39;s murder, as we did with the late Melissa Hortman, instead the… <a href="https://t.co/lkx3JGO1gN">pic.twitter.com/lkx3JGO1gN</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1969067634399629430?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;House Democrats voted against condemning the political assassination of Charlie Kirk. Who could vote against that? All they&#39;re saying is please condemn the assassination of a human being and they said, &#39;No, we&#39;re not going to do that.&#39;&quot; <a href="https://t.co/LqqwdqlkFA">pic.twitter.com/LqqwdqlkFA</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1969142783022632972?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Original Co-Sponsors include Representatives Greg Steube, Mark Alford, Anna Paulina Luna, Cory Mills, Gus Bilirakis, Barry Moore, Maria Salazar, Aaron Bean, Mike Collins, Carlos Gimenez, Austin Scott, and Derrick Van Orden.Congressman Jimmy Patronis&nbsp;said, “Charlie Kirk was more than a conservative thought leader. He was a fearless warrior of free speech, faith, and the principles that make America the greatest country in the world. He empowered young people to find their voice, defend their values, and embrace their role in shaping the future of our nation. Charlie willingly braved the public square of colleges and universities to remind us all what makes free speech so important and how best we can come together as a nation: through the peaceful and respectful sharing of ideas. By honoring is life with a National Day of Remembrance, we ensure that Charlie’s legacy lives on, inspiring future generations to stand boldly for freedom and the Constitution.”Senator Rick Scott&nbsp;said, “Charlie was a magnetic leader, a loving father and husband, and a friend and inspiration to so many. His loss is devastating, I’ll always cherish the friendship I had with him. Charlie loved our nation and its founding principles, and believed deeply in his faith, in his family, and in beauty of ideas and discussion. He lived with purpose and conviction, never shying away from hard truths and hard conversations, and always believing that the strength of our ideas and our faith could bring people together. Charlie worked to make our nation a better place in his 31 years before he was lost in an evil act of political violence, and will leave a lasting legacy on our nation. We know what Charlie would want us to do: he’d want us to stand strong by the ideas we believe in, have discussions, carry on with hope, strength and courage, and look to God for guidance. I am proud to lead a resolution honoring Charlie’s legacy as an American patriot by designating October 14th, what would have been his 32nd birthday, as National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk – a day to come together, pray, and celebrate Charlie’s impact on the nation.”RESOLUTIONExpressing support of the House of Representatives that October 14, 2025, be designated as a “National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk.”&nbsp;WHEREAS&nbsp;Charlie Kirk was a champion of free speech, civil dialogue, and faith;WHEREAS&nbsp;Mr. Kirk consistently promoted the values of individual liberty, open debate, the importance of civic engagement, and the defense of constitutional principles;WHEREAS&nbsp;Charlie Kirk was recognized as one of the leading voices among young leaders in the United States, creating opportunities for civic education, fostering youth leadership, and promoting principles of liberty and democracy across the United States;WHEREAS&nbsp;Charlie Kirk was the founder and executive director of Turning Point USA, a nonprofit organization of thousands of chapters across the United States dedicated to educating students about the principles of freedom, free markets, and limited government;WHEREAS&nbsp;Charlie Kirk authored multiple national bestselling books, that engage readers in critical conversations about civics, culture, and the future of the United States;&nbsp;WHEREAS, through Mr. Kirk’s writing, public speaking, and media presence, Charlie Kirk reached millions of United States citizens, inspiring the next generation to become active participants in civic life;&nbsp;WHEREAS&nbsp;Mr. Kirk’s life’s work has contributed to strengthening public discourse, defending constitutional principles, and fostering active citizenship; andWHEREAS&nbsp;Mr. Kirk’s life’s work, especially his efforts to bring these American ideals to life on our college campuses, cost him his life by means of an assassin’s bullet on September 10, 2025: Now, therefore, be itRESOLVED, That the House of Representatives—&nbsp;<ol>
 <li>supports the designation of a “National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk”;</li><li>recognizes Charlie Kirk for his contributions to civic education and public service; and</li><li>encourages educational institutions, civic organizations, and citizens across the United States to observe this day with appropriate programs, activities, prayers, and ceremonies that promote civic engagement and the principles of faith, liberty, and democracy that Charlie Kirk championed.</li>
 </ol>

Charlie Kirk Day: All 4 Kan. Reps vote to approve U.S. House resolution 

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A driver involved in a&nbsp;&nbsp;fatal crash that killed a Kansas Sheriff's Deputy was expected to learn his fate Friday.

The sentencing for Kelvin Burgett, 28, Prescott Valley, Arizona scheduled for Judge William Wooley's courtroom was continued until next week, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. 

In July Burgett pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter, according to the district attorneys office.

He was originally charged with involuntary manslaughter while under the influence of alcohol or drugs and&nbsp; driving while suspended, according to the Sedgwick County arrest report.

In October of 2022, a&nbsp;2016 Dodge Charger driven by Sedgwick County Sheriff's Deputy Sidnee Carter, 22, Bel Aire, was southbound on 135th Street at 29th Street north one mile west of Northwest Wichita and Maize responding to a disturbance, according to Sheriff Jeff Easter.

A westbound 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Burgett failed to stop at a stop sign and struck the drivers side of the Dodge Charger, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.

Deputy Carter was pronounced deceased at the scene. EMS transported Burgett to a local hospital.

Deputy Carter had only worked in the field alone for a week, according to Sheriff Easter. She began field training in the summer of 2022 and completed that training Oct. 1.&nbsp;

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/2023/3/1680091672733.png" alt="Burgett photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Burgett photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A driver involved in a&nbsp;&nbsp;fatal crash that killed a Kansas Sheriff's Deputy was expected to learn his fate Friday.The sentencing for Kelvin Burgett, 28, Prescott Valley, Arizona scheduled for Judge William Wooley's courtroom was continued until next week, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. In July Burgett pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter, according to the district attorneys office.He was originally charged with involuntary manslaughter while under the influence of alcohol or drugs and&nbsp; driving while suspended, according to the Sedgwick County arrest report.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665249753989.png" alt="Deputy Sidnee Carter" />
 <figcaption>Deputy Sidnee Carter</figcaption>
 </figure>In October of 2022, a&nbsp;2016 Dodge Charger driven by Sedgwick County Sheriff's Deputy Sidnee Carter, 22, Bel Aire, was southbound on 135th Street at 29th Street north one mile west of Northwest Wichita and Maize responding to a disturbance, according to Sheriff Jeff Easter.A westbound 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Burgett failed to stop at a stop sign and struck the drivers side of the Dodge Charger, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.Deputy Carter was pronounced deceased at the scene. EMS transported Burgett to a local hospital.Deputy Carter had only worked in the field alone for a week, according to Sheriff Easter. She began field training in the summer of 2022 and completed that training Oct. 1.&nbsp;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;

Sentencing delayed for driver in crash that killed Kan. deputy

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street tacked on some more gains Friday as it glided to the finish of its latest record-setting week.

The S&amp;P 500 rose 0.5% to close out its sixth winning week in the last seven. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 172 points, or 0.4%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.7%.

All three hit all-time highs for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fed-rate-cut-japan-korea-tech-d3500c7d6ada95757fa9872c77d4c34a">second straight day</a>. They’ve been rallying on expectations that the Federal Reserve will continue to cut interest rates in order to give the economy a boost after the central bank&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-inflation-trump-2d05401d7c9cb2393925f494aac71d89">lowered them for the first time this year</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday.

FedEx helped lift the market after delivering stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It rose 2.3%, thanks in part to strength for its domestic package business.

Newmont rallied 4.3% after the gold miner sold its investment in Canada’s Orla Mining for $439 million. It added to a stellar run, and Newmont’s stock has more than doubled so far this year as the price of gold has shot to records.

Gold has benefited from expectations for lower interest rates, along with worries about high inflation and the potential that mountains of debt for the U.S. and other governments could make their currencies worth less.

On the losing end of Wall Street was Lennar, which dropped 4.2% after the homebuilder reported weaker revenue for its latest quarter than analysts expected.

Executive Chairman Stuart Miller pointed to “the continued pressures of today’s housing market” and said Lennar had to offer additional incentives to entice customers to buy homes, which dragged down the average sales price.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 32.40 points to 6,664.36. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 172.85 to 46,315.27, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 160.75 to 22,631.48.

If the Fed does keep cutting interest rates, that could give the struggling housing market a boost, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-1397983d59e6d02a7b90b71245ec7251">mortgage rates have already come down</a>&nbsp;in expectation of a rate-cutting campaign.

Lower rates could likewise tamp down widespread criticism that the U.S. stock market has become too expensive after prices rose so quickly. But expectations have grown so strong for coming cuts to rates that the stock market may be set for a sharp drop if the Fed does not cut as much as traders expect.

Fed officials did indicate earlier this week that they’re likely to deliver more cuts to rates this year and next. They’re hoping to give support to the job market, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-economy-revisions-labor-department-f4a29a2b948f7bce0d6558824ffe0fd5">has slowed</a>&nbsp;and made it more difficult for U.S. workers to find new positions.

But Fed Chair Jerome Powell also warned Wednesday that the central bank is in a precarious position and may have to change course quickly. That’s because the economy is in an unusual situation where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-trump-federal-reserve-fabecefa501709184895bf73b3dc698a">inflation is remaining stubbornly high</a>&nbsp;at the same time that the job market is slowing. And President Donald Trump’s tariffs are threatening to push inflation higher, at least temporarily.

The Fed is in charge of fixing both high inflation and a weak job market, but it has only one tool to do so. And helping one by moving interest rates often hurts the other in the short term.

Scott Wren, senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute, warned that the stock market could become shakier following its recent glide to records as “the economy slows, tariff impacts arrive piecemeal and political uncertainties continue.”

In stock markets abroad, indexes mostly ticked lower in Europe and Asia.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.6% after the Bank of Japan said it will sell some of its massive trove of Japanese stock funds. It also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-economy-boj-tariffs-trump-rates-bf1e5052e11872f205f8b2ff866b17cc">held interest rates steady.</a>

Chinese indexes finished mixed ahead of a phone call between&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-xi-tiktok-china-united-states-e6b6334aef2946b5b8c809be4240cad1">Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping.</a>&nbsp;After the call ended, the U.S. president called it productive. The leaders of the world’s two largest economies agreed to meet at a regional summit taking place in South Korea at the end of October.

In the bond market, Treasury yields held relatively steady. The yield on the 10-year Treasury edged up to 4.12% from 4.11% late Thursday.

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street tacked on some more gains Friday as it glided to the finish of its latest record-setting week.The S&amp;P 500 rose 0.5% to close out its sixth winning week in the last seven. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 172 points, or 0.4%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.7%.All three hit all-time highs for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fed-rate-cut-japan-korea-tech-d3500c7d6ada95757fa9872c77d4c34a">second straight day</a>. They’ve been rallying on expectations that the Federal Reserve will continue to cut interest rates in order to give the economy a boost after the central bank&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-inflation-trump-2d05401d7c9cb2393925f494aac71d89">lowered them for the first time this year</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday.FedEx helped lift the market after delivering stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It rose 2.3%, thanks in part to strength for its domestic package business.Newmont rallied 4.3% after the gold miner sold its investment in Canada’s Orla Mining for $439 million. It added to a stellar run, and Newmont’s stock has more than doubled so far this year as the price of gold has shot to records.Gold has benefited from expectations for lower interest rates, along with worries about high inflation and the potential that mountains of debt for the U.S. and other governments could make their currencies worth less.On the losing end of Wall Street was Lennar, which dropped 4.2% after the homebuilder reported weaker revenue for its latest quarter than analysts expected.Executive Chairman Stuart Miller pointed to “the continued pressures of today’s housing market” and said Lennar had to offer additional incentives to entice customers to buy homes, which dragged down the average sales price.All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 32.40 points to 6,664.36. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 172.85 to 46,315.27, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 160.75 to 22,631.48.If the Fed does keep cutting interest rates, that could give the struggling housing market a boost, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-1397983d59e6d02a7b90b71245ec7251">mortgage rates have already come down</a>&nbsp;in expectation of a rate-cutting campaign.Lower rates could likewise tamp down widespread criticism that the U.S. stock market has become too expensive after prices rose so quickly. But expectations have grown so strong for coming cuts to rates that the stock market may be set for a sharp drop if the Fed does not cut as much as traders expect.Fed officials did indicate earlier this week that they’re likely to deliver more cuts to rates this year and next. They’re hoping to give support to the job market, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-economy-revisions-labor-department-f4a29a2b948f7bce0d6558824ffe0fd5">has slowed</a>&nbsp;and made it more difficult for U.S. workers to find new positions.But Fed Chair Jerome Powell also warned Wednesday that the central bank is in a precarious position and may have to change course quickly. That’s because the economy is in an unusual situation where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-trump-federal-reserve-fabecefa501709184895bf73b3dc698a">inflation is remaining stubbornly high</a>&nbsp;at the same time that the job market is slowing. And President Donald Trump’s tariffs are threatening to push inflation higher, at least temporarily.The Fed is in charge of fixing both high inflation and a weak job market, but it has only one tool to do so. And helping one by moving interest rates often hurts the other in the short term.Scott Wren, senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute, warned that the stock market could become shakier following its recent glide to records as “the economy slows, tariff impacts arrive piecemeal and political uncertainties continue.”In stock markets abroad, indexes mostly ticked lower in Europe and Asia.Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.6% after the Bank of Japan said it will sell some of its massive trove of Japanese stock funds. It also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-economy-boj-tariffs-trump-rates-bf1e5052e11872f205f8b2ff866b17cc">held interest rates steady.</a>Chinese indexes finished mixed ahead of a phone call between&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-xi-tiktok-china-united-states-e6b6334aef2946b5b8c809be4240cad1">Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping.</a>&nbsp;After the call ended, the U.S. president called it productive. The leaders of the world’s two largest economies agreed to meet at a regional summit taking place in South Korea at the end of October.In the bond market, Treasury yields held relatively steady. The yield on the 10-year Treasury edged up to 4.12% from 4.11% late Thursday.___

Wall Street makes more gains to end record-setting week

WASHINGTON, D.C.&nbsp;– Today, Florida U.S. Senator Rick Scott on the Senate floor called for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rickscott.senate.gov/services/files/55A19212-1EC1-4868-A72B-8E271E2D81B2">passage of&nbsp;his resolution</a>&nbsp;honoring the legacy of Charlie Kirk by designating October 14, 2025 as a&nbsp;National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk.

By voice vote Senators agreed to S. Res. 403 to express support for the resolution.

The resolution is cosponsored by Senators Tommy Tuberville, Jim Risch, Bill Cassidy, Mike Crapo, Dan Sullivan, Cindy Hyde-Smith, Bernie Moreno, Pete Ricketts, Rand Paul, Josh Hawley, Lindsey Graham, Mike Lee, John Kennedy, Marsha Blackburn, Tim Sheehy, Ted Cruz, James Lankford, Steve Daines, Ashley Moody, Markwayne Mullin, and Deb Fischer. 

Congressman Jimmy Patronis is leading the companion resolution in the House of Representatives.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757551583450.png" alt="Charlie Kirk photo White House" />
 <figcaption>Charlie Kirk photo White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON, D.C.&nbsp;– Today, Florida U.S. Senator Rick Scott on the Senate floor called for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rickscott.senate.gov/services/files/55A19212-1EC1-4868-A72B-8E271E2D81B2">passage of&nbsp;his resolution</a>&nbsp;honoring the legacy of Charlie Kirk by designating October 14, 2025 as a&nbsp;National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk.By voice vote Senators agreed to S. Res. 403 to express support for the resolution.The resolution is cosponsored by Senators Tommy Tuberville, Jim Risch, Bill Cassidy, Mike Crapo, Dan Sullivan, Cindy Hyde-Smith, Bernie Moreno, Pete Ricketts, Rand Paul, Josh Hawley, Lindsey Graham, Mike Lee, John Kennedy, Marsha Blackburn, Tim Sheehy, Ted Cruz, James Lankford, Steve Daines, Ashley Moody, Markwayne Mullin, and Deb Fischer. Congressman Jimmy Patronis is leading the companion resolution in the House of Representatives.

Charlie Kirk Day: U.S. Senate passes resolution for "National Day of Remembrance" 

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The Kansas Supreme Court swore in a new justice Wednesday, marking Gov. Laura Kelly’s fourth appointee to the bench.

After an informal ceremony Wednesday morning at the Kansas Judicial Center in Topeka, Larkin Walsh succeeded Evelyn Wilson, another Kelly appointee who resigned from the court in July.&nbsp;

“The informal swearing-in allows Walsh to begin her official duties ahead of a formal swearing-in ceremony,” said court spokesperson Lisa Taylor in a press release.

The formal ceremony is scheduled for 3 p.m. Nov. 21.

Walsh was a private practice attorney from Leawood before her appointment to the state Supreme Court. She specialized in appellate, civil rights, consumer protection, and labor and employment law, and she has argued and briefed cases on multiple levels, from Kansas appellate courts to the U.S. Supreme Court. She is one of three Kelly appointees on the bench. Wilson officially resigned on July 4, citing ALS as her reason. She served for roughly five years

Walsh’s first oral arguments as a state Supreme Court justice are scheduled for late October, according to the court’s docket.

<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/08/07/gov-laura-kelly-selects-leawood-attorney-to-fill-vacancy-on-kansas-supreme-court/">Kelly, a Democrat, appointed Walsh</a>&nbsp;in August through a merit-based review process that involves a panel of attorneys and gubernatorial appointees, which selects three nominees for the governor to choose from. Walsh will be on voters’ ballots after a year of service for a retention vote, as is constitutionally required. Republican legislators are attempting to change the judicial selection process by way of an August 2026 ballot measure proposing popular vote elections for state Supreme Court justices.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758192760006.png" alt=" Larkin Walsh, front left, is the Kansas Supreme Court’s newest justice after an informal swearing in ceremony on Sept. 17, 2025, in Topeka. (Lisa Taylor/Office of Judicial Administration)" />
 <figcaption> Larkin Walsh, front left, is the Kansas Supreme Court’s newest justice after an informal swearing in ceremony on Sept. 17, 2025, in Topeka. (Lisa Taylor/Office of Judicial Administration)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Kansas Supreme Court swore in a new justice Wednesday, marking Gov. Laura Kelly’s fourth appointee to the bench.After an informal ceremony Wednesday morning at the Kansas Judicial Center in Topeka, Larkin Walsh succeeded Evelyn Wilson, another Kelly appointee who resigned from the court in July.&nbsp;“The informal swearing-in allows Walsh to begin her official duties ahead of a formal swearing-in ceremony,” said court spokesperson Lisa Taylor in a press release.The formal ceremony is scheduled for 3 p.m. Nov. 21.Walsh was a private practice attorney from Leawood before her appointment to the state Supreme Court. She specialized in appellate, civil rights, consumer protection, and labor and employment law, and she has argued and briefed cases on multiple levels, from Kansas appellate courts to the U.S. Supreme Court. She is one of three Kelly appointees on the bench. Wilson officially resigned on July 4, citing ALS as her reason. She served for roughly five yearsWalsh’s first oral arguments as a state Supreme Court justice are scheduled for late October, according to the court’s docket.<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/08/07/gov-laura-kelly-selects-leawood-attorney-to-fill-vacancy-on-kansas-supreme-court/">Kelly, a Democrat, appointed Walsh</a>&nbsp;in August through a merit-based review process that involves a panel of attorneys and gubernatorial appointees, which selects three nominees for the governor to choose from. Walsh will be on voters’ ballots after a year of service for a retention vote, as is constitutionally required. Republican legislators are attempting to change the judicial selection process by way of an August 2026 ballot measure proposing popular vote elections for state Supreme Court justices.

New Kansas Supreme Court justice takes the bench

NEW ORLEANS - The Fort Hays State women's cross country team moved to 27th in the country in the latest USTFCCCA NCAA Division II National Coaches Poll, announced Wednesday. The Tigers slid one spot in the poll after opening the year ranked 26th.

Adams State tops the national poll once again after receiving all eight first-place votes, while three MIAA schools are also listed in No. 10 Pittsburg State, No. 16 Rogers State and No. 18 Nebraska-Kearney.

Fort Hays State has had a strong start to the season, placing second as a team at each of its first two races. The Tigers defeated Division I Wichita State in the opening week of the season, with Emily Diercks placing first overall with a 5K time of 18:11.1. FHSU then sent a limited number of competitors to Bethel last weekend, finishing just 10 points behind the leaders with primarily freshmen running for the Tigers.

The Tigers will return to competition at the end of the month (Sept. 26) when they travel to Stillwater, Okla. for the Cowboy Jamboree. The women's 5K is slated to begin at 8:15 a.m. FHSU will then wrap up the regular season at home with the Tiger Open on Saturday, October 11.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758190108689.png" alt="FHSU Athletics image" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics image</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsNEW ORLEANS - The Fort Hays State women's cross country team moved to 27th in the country in the latest USTFCCCA NCAA Division II National Coaches Poll, announced Wednesday. The Tigers slid one spot in the poll after opening the year ranked 26th.Adams State tops the national poll once again after receiving all eight first-place votes, while three MIAA schools are also listed in No. 10 Pittsburg State, No. 16 Rogers State and No. 18 Nebraska-Kearney.Fort Hays State has had a strong start to the season, placing second as a team at each of its first two races. The Tigers defeated Division I Wichita State in the opening week of the season, with Emily Diercks placing first overall with a 5K time of 18:11.1. FHSU then sent a limited number of competitors to Bethel last weekend, finishing just 10 points behind the leaders with primarily freshmen running for the Tigers.The Tigers will return to competition at the end of the month (Sept. 26) when they travel to Stillwater, Okla. for the Cowboy Jamboree. The women's 5K is slated to begin at 8:15 a.m. FHSU will then wrap up the regular season at home with the Tiger Open on Saturday, October 11.

👟 FHSU women's cross country moves to No. 27 in DII

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

As of July 29, Ellis County was removed entirely from the Kansas Drought Monitor map.

This was the first time Ellis County has been completely drought-free since July 6, 2021, according to Matt Sittel, assistant state climatologist.

Hays received another .29 inches of rain as of 8 this morning according to the K-State Ag Research Farm.

Stacy Campbell, crop production extension agent, said that might be good news for fall crops, which will be harvested in late September or early October, and winter wheat, which will be planted this month.

Campbell said the moisture will help the wheat achieve adequate growth before it goes dormant for the winter.

The fall harvest might be almost too good, Campbell said.

The wheat harvest this summer was bountiful, but prices have been low. Demand has been lower, possibly due to tariffs, he said.

This means there is still a significant amount of wheat in storage at local co-ops.

"I was talking to one of the co-op guys in Great Bend a little over a week ago. He said, 'Boy, we have good crops. We're trying to figure out how we're going to get it all put into the bins,'"&nbsp;Campbell said.

"Grains aren't moving that much, so there's a concern of where all of this grain is going to go," Campbell said.

The corn harvest is expected to start at the end of the month. Soybean harvest will likely occur in October, Campbell said. Sorghum is usually harvested after the killing freeze, on average, around October 9, with an additional week of dry time following the freeze.

Campbell said it is much too early to forecast the outcome for winter wheat. The area will need to have precipitation later in the growing season to secure a good crop.

Although farmers elsewhere in Kansas irrigate crops, Ellis County row crop farmers rely on dryland farming due to a lack of water resources.

"The one limiting factor that affects yields the most in dryland farming is moisture," he said.

Holly Dickman, Hays water conservation specialist, said she initially questioned the removal of Ellis County from drought/dry status.

She said Hays had received more rain than areas in the southern Ellis County. However, since that interview, the county has received more rain.

Even though the county is no longer in drought, she said those conditions can change rapidly.

She urged residents to continue to conserve water.

As of this morning, Hays has received .8 inches of rain in September and 17.51 inches of rain year-to-date, according to the K-State Ag Research Farm.

In an average year, it receives 2.24 inches of precipitation in September and 19.84 inches of precipitation through the end of September.

The National Weather Service calls for a slight chance of showers or thunderstorms in Hays overnight, Thursday and Thursday night, then sunny skies through the weekend.

The forecast calls for another slight chance of rain on Sunday night then more sunny weather to start next week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758055906103.png" alt="Kansas Drought Monitor map as of Thursday" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Drought Monitor map as of Thursday</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostAs of July 29, Ellis County was removed entirely from the Kansas Drought Monitor map.This was the first time Ellis County has been completely drought-free since July 6, 2021, according to Matt Sittel, assistant state climatologist.Hays received another .29 inches of rain as of 8 this morning according to the K-State Ag Research Farm.Stacy Campbell, crop production extension agent, said that might be good news for fall crops, which will be harvested in late September or early October, and winter wheat, which will be planted this month.Campbell said the moisture will help the wheat achieve adequate growth before it goes dormant for the winter.The fall harvest might be almost too good, Campbell said.The wheat harvest this summer was bountiful, but prices have been low. Demand has been lower, possibly due to tariffs, he said.This means there is still a significant amount of wheat in storage at local co-ops."I was talking to one of the co-op guys in Great Bend a little over a week ago. He said, 'Boy, we have good crops. We're trying to figure out how we're going to get it all put into the bins,'"&nbsp;Campbell said."Grains aren't moving that much, so there's a concern of where all of this grain is going to go," Campbell said.The corn harvest is expected to start at the end of the month. Soybean harvest will likely occur in October, Campbell said. Sorghum is usually harvested after the killing freeze, on average, around October 9, with an additional week of dry time following the freeze.Campbell said it is much too early to forecast the outcome for winter wheat. The area will need to have precipitation later in the growing season to secure a good crop.Although farmers elsewhere in Kansas irrigate crops, Ellis County row crop farmers rely on dryland farming due to a lack of water resources."The one limiting factor that affects yields the most in dryland farming is moisture," he said.Holly Dickman, Hays water conservation specialist, said she initially questioned the removal of Ellis County from drought/dry status.She said Hays had received more rain than areas in the southern Ellis County. However, since that interview, the county has received more rain.Even though the county is no longer in drought, she said those conditions can change rapidly.She urged residents to continue to conserve water.As of this morning, Hays has received .8 inches of rain in September and 17.51 inches of rain year-to-date, according to the K-State Ag Research Farm.In an average year, it receives 2.24 inches of precipitation in September and 19.84 inches of precipitation through the end of September.The National Weather Service calls for a slight chance of showers or thunderstorms in Hays overnight, Thursday and Thursday night, then sunny skies through the weekend.The forecast calls for another slight chance of rain on Sunday night then more sunny weather to start next week.

Rain pulls Ellis County out of drought for 1st time in 4 years; overnight rain update

By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/cindygonzalez/">Cindy Gonzalez</a> <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/03/17/lincoln-senators-clash-over-nebraska-school-retirement-bill-as-school-leaders-weigh-in/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

Nebraska Corrections officials update McCook leaders on plans

McCOOK, Neb. — Business has slumped at the Carniceria CB mini market and Mexican restaurant, its owners said, since Gov. Jim Pillen’s announcement last month that Nebraska is bringing a federal immigration detention facility to town.

Miguel and Mayra Camacho said they’ve heard other area&nbsp;merchants describe similar commercial declines. Some Latinos they know have uprooted from southwest Nebraska, spurred by what the couple believes is fear and uneasiness over an increased ICE presence.

“And it’s not even open yet,” said Miguel Camacho, of the facility branded the “Cornhusker Clink” by federal officials. “Of all the 50 states, why here?”

Comments the Camachos made this week from their Carniceria — a few miles from where a state prison that holds up to 200 beds is being converted into a 300-bed ICE jail — reflected the sentiment of dozens who spoke against the project during a Friday hearing at the Capitol so full it required an overflow area.

The meeting was hosted by the Legislature’s Urban Affairs Committee. Chairman Terrell McKinney of Omaha offered the space after the chair of the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee declined to hold a public hearing, calling the request premature.

McKinney, a member of both committees, said that while he had been offered a private briefing by the Pillen administration, he opted for a broader discussion open to the public.

He and other committee members said they were concerned about scant information shared about the state-federal plan to repurpose the McCook-based Work Ethic Camp into an ICE detention center for migrants. The state is still trying to relocate the camp’s remaining 155 inmates to different state prisons. Officials said they expect to start housing federal detainees in October.

“Our people want to know, and they’re asking,” said State Sen. Victor Rountree of Bellevue, who also sits on both committees.&nbsp;

“What happens is that when there’s no information provided, negativity and misinformation run rampant,” said State Sen. Stan Clouse of Kearney, the lone Republican committee member who attended the hearing.

On Friday afternoon, the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services issued a statement saying that Corrections Director Rob Jeffreys had spoken Thursday with McCook Mayor Linda Taylor and City Manager Nate Schneider about public safety and community impact.

Among the answers Corrections said it provided:

A formal contract between Nebraska and the federal government is still being hammered out, Correctional Services officials said.&nbsp;

At the four-hour Urban Affairs hearing, about 40 people testified, none in support of the prison conversion that many worry could exacerbate state prison crowding elsewhere to accommodate the feds’ deportation push.&nbsp;

Many said they were embarrassed. Some choked back tears. Others said they were angry to learn in news reports that the state had invited the Trump administration to consider Nebraska for such a facility.

Not present were members of the Pillen administration, which told the committee in a Thursday letter it would not participate, arguing that the the Judiciary Committee and not the Urban Affairs Committee had the legal jurisdiction and oversight authority to examine the issues at hand.&nbsp;Pillen’s staff did not respond to a request for comment Friday.

McKinney said he plans to ask the Judiciary Committee chair once again to hold a public hearing that he hopes Pillen’s staff would attend.&nbsp;

Kenny Zoeller, Pillen’s policy research director, wrote in the Thursday’s letter that McKinney had wrongly suggested that the future migrant population at the center would trigger an overcrowding of the correctional system. Zoeller wrote that an emergency declaration is required when the prison population systemwide is over 140% of operational capacity. He said the average now is about 115%.

“We have flexibility within our current corrections facilities to accommodate this new mission,” Zoeller wrote.

Spike Eickholt, representing ACLU Nebraska, said Nebraska leaders for a decade have debated what to do about state prison crowding. Currently, Nebraska is building a new $310 million-plus prison in Lincoln.

“Why are we committing to an investment of a new prison while giving up a current one?” he asked.

Other speakers lamented the loss of the Work Ethic Camp’s rehabilitative focus and programming aimed at transitioning criminal offenders for successful re-entry into society.

But most of Friday’s testimony centered on Nebraska’s role in Trump’s push for mass deportations. Pillen has said he is proud to be part of the president’s effort to “make sure we keep our community safe.”

“This stuff hits close to home and hits every corner of this state and country,” the governor has said.

Holly Burns said her grandparents, Jose Flores Arsiaga and Margarita Martinez Arsiaga, farmed in Mitchell, Neb., and raised an extended family that’s part of the state’s rich history and multicultural landscape.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757876399224.png" alt=" Miguel and Mayra Camacho, owners of Carniceria mini market and restaurant in McCook, Nebraska, say business has declined sharply in the past month since Gov. Jim Pillen announced that the Work Ethic Camp in town will be converted to an ICE facility under a contract with the Department of Homeland Security. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> Miguel and Mayra Camacho, owners of Carniceria mini market and restaurant in McCook, Nebraska, say business has declined sharply in the past month since Gov. Jim Pillen announced that the Work Ethic Camp in town will be converted to an ICE facility under a contract with the Department of Homeland Security. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/cindygonzalez/">Cindy Gonzalez</a> <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/03/17/lincoln-senators-clash-over-nebraska-school-retirement-bill-as-school-leaders-weigh-in/">Nebraska Examiner</a><h2>Nebraska Corrections officials update McCook leaders on plans</h2>McCOOK, Neb. — Business has slumped at the Carniceria CB mini market and Mexican restaurant, its owners said, since Gov. Jim Pillen’s announcement last month that Nebraska is bringing a federal immigration detention facility to town.Miguel and Mayra Camacho said they’ve heard other area&nbsp;merchants describe similar commercial declines. Some Latinos they know have uprooted from southwest Nebraska, spurred by what the couple believes is fear and uneasiness over an increased ICE presence.“And it’s not even open yet,” said Miguel Camacho, of the facility branded the “Cornhusker Clink” by federal officials. “Of all the 50 states, why here?”<h2>‘People want to know’</h2>Comments the Camachos made this week from their Carniceria — a few miles from where a state prison that holds up to 200 beds is being converted into a 300-bed ICE jail — reflected the sentiment of dozens who spoke against the project during a Friday hearing at the Capitol so full it required an overflow area.The meeting was hosted by the Legislature’s Urban Affairs Committee. Chairman Terrell McKinney of Omaha offered the space after the chair of the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee declined to hold a public hearing, calling the request premature.McKinney, a member of both committees, said that while he had been offered a private briefing by the Pillen administration, he opted for a broader discussion open to the public.He and other committee members said they were concerned about scant information shared about the state-federal plan to repurpose the McCook-based Work Ethic Camp into an ICE detention center for migrants. The state is still trying to relocate the camp’s remaining 155 inmates to different state prisons. Officials said they expect to start housing federal detainees in October.“Our people want to know, and they’re asking,” said State Sen. Victor Rountree of Bellevue, who also sits on both committees.&nbsp;“What happens is that when there’s no information provided, negativity and misinformation run rampant,” said State Sen. Stan Clouse of Kearney, the lone Republican committee member who attended the hearing.On Friday afternoon, the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services issued a statement saying that Corrections Director Rob Jeffreys had spoken Thursday with McCook Mayor Linda Taylor and City Manager Nate Schneider about public safety and community impact.Among the answers Corrections said it provided:<ul>
 <li>The converted ICE detention center will house an adult population with minor criminal records and nonviolent felonies.&nbsp;</li><li>Up to 65 staff positions will be added, all state positions, including additional medical personnel.</li><li>The state is exploring options for electronic translation services to assist non-English speaking detainees.</li><li>A perimeter fence and intruder petition system will be added, as well as armed patrols around the perimeter.</li>
 </ul>A formal contract between Nebraska and the federal government is still being hammered out, Correctional Services officials said.&nbsp;<h2>Four hours of testimony</h2>At the four-hour Urban Affairs hearing, about 40 people testified, none in support of the prison conversion that many worry could exacerbate state prison crowding elsewhere to accommodate the feds’ deportation push.&nbsp;Many said they were embarrassed. Some choked back tears. Others said they were angry to learn in news reports that the state had invited the Trump administration to consider Nebraska for such a facility.Not present were members of the Pillen administration, which told the committee in a Thursday letter it would not participate, arguing that the the Judiciary Committee and not the Urban Affairs Committee had the legal jurisdiction and oversight authority to examine the issues at hand.&nbsp;Pillen’s staff did not respond to a request for comment Friday.McKinney said he plans to ask the Judiciary Committee chair once again to hold a public hearing that he hopes Pillen’s staff would attend.&nbsp;Kenny Zoeller, Pillen’s policy research director, wrote in the Thursday’s letter that McKinney had wrongly suggested that the future migrant population at the center would trigger an overcrowding of the correctional system. Zoeller wrote that an emergency declaration is required when the prison population systemwide is over 140% of operational capacity. He said the average now is about 115%.“We have flexibility within our current corrections facilities to accommodate this new mission,” Zoeller wrote.Spike Eickholt, representing ACLU Nebraska, said Nebraska leaders for a decade have debated what to do about state prison crowding. Currently, Nebraska is building a new $310 million-plus prison in Lincoln.“Why are we committing to an investment of a new prison while giving up a current one?” he asked.Other speakers lamented the loss of the Work Ethic Camp’s rehabilitative focus and programming aimed at transitioning criminal offenders for successful re-entry into society.<h2>Nebraska’s role in deportation</h2>But most of Friday’s testimony centered on Nebraska’s role in Trump’s push for mass deportations. Pillen has said he is proud to be part of the president’s effort to “make sure we keep our community safe.”“This stuff hits close to home and hits every corner of this state and country,” the governor has said.Holly Burns said her grandparents, Jose Flores Arsiaga and Margarita Martinez Arsiaga, farmed in Mitchell, Neb., and raised an extended family that’s part of the state’s rich history and multicultural landscape.“Are we willing to risk that and be made a joke nationally as the ‘Cornhusker Clink’ — for money that we may or may not get — and that breaks all values of Nebraska?” she asked.Guillermo Enrique Peña Valladares of Grand Island said he comes from a family of immigrants and that federal enforcement tactics have created anxiety and intimidation even among those legally in the country for generations.“Should I fear saying my name?” he asked, voice cracking. He said his family works in meatpacking plants and his mom speaks broken English. “Every day we have to ask ourselves, ‘Are we going to be alright?’”As his family’s first college graduate, Peña said, he felt a responsibility to speak out.“You are trying to imprison the agricultural hands of Nebraska. They are already battered and bruised,” he said.Anne Wurth, associate legal director of the Center for Immigrant and Refugee Advancement, said a worry is the “lack of planning” and demeaning behavior by ICE toward migrants.She said her nonprofit saw it first hand, representing several of the 78 workers detained in the June 10 immigration raid at Omaha’s Glenn Valley Foods. Wurth described, for example, the early 48 hours when some families did not know where relatives were being held and said some wounds went untreated.“Their goal is to terrorize immigrants,” she said of the federal government. “They continue to demean and dehumanize a population that is integral to the state of Nebraska … We must not do this for them.”<h2>‘Pissed off grandmas’</h2>Don Hooper, a retired educator, was among several who decried the politics. He said he does not want “Cornhusker Clink” to join Nebraska’s “good life” and “home of Arbor Day” signs on the highway.If the facility comes, he said: “It should be named … ‘Pillen’s prison’ in honor of the individual who wants this in Nebraska.”McKinney said he appreciated a petition opposing the immigration detention center coordinated by Nebraska Appleseed, as it reflected statewide opinions. Appleseed’s Ruby Mendez said the effort collected more than 18,000 signatures from people in nearly 400 Nebraska communities.Faith Colburn said she drove in from North Platte with concerns about legal and other services that migrants would have available in McCook.&nbsp;“I’m here representing 50 people,” she said. “Many of them are furious, pissed off grandmas.”About 650 people also submitted written testimony to the Urban Affairs committee. Because it was for an interim hearing, McKinney said, the correspondence had not been categorized into opponents, proponents or neutral.<h2>Carniceria survival plan&nbsp;</h2>In McCook, Miguel and Mayra Camacho said they would not close shop, and hope that business picks up.The family’s move six years ago from Kansas to the Nebraska community of about 7,200 people was calculated, they said. The area has a Walmart and other key stores that draw residents of surrounding towns.Their two kids attend local schools, and have felt a sting from the proposed ICE facility. A classmate asked their daughter if she had seen her “new house,” said Camacho.The small business owners said they are trying to form a group to provide information and support to Latinos in the community. They said they’ve enjoyed the McCook area and their patrons.&nbsp;The couple rode out the COVID-19 slump, opening the Carniceria’s doors every day. Gesturing toward the empty store and restaurant, Camacho said the plan now is to do the same: “Stay here, protect it, survive.”He added, ‘If the community tells me I’m not welcome, we’ll move.”