WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti won confirmation Wednesday from a divided Senate as the nation’s next ambassador to India, more than a year and a half after he was first nominated by President Joe Biden and after weathering doubts about his truthfulness in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-india-los-angeles-chuck-grassley-dfefd15c6e8a199fb9246df8a6ef5d0a">sexual harassment scandal</a>&nbsp;involving a City Hall adviser.

<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1181/vote_118_1_00055.htm">The 52-42 vote gave the</a> administration a long-sought victory with several Republicans breaking party discipline for the vote that they said was critical to fill one of the country’s highest-profile diplomatic posts.

<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1181/vote_118_1_00055.htm">Kansas Senator Roger Marshall</a> joined Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, Steve Daines of Montana, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee and Todd Young of Indiana and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1181/vote_118_1_00055.htm">voted</a>&nbsp;to confirm Garcetti.&nbsp; Kansas senior Senator Jerry Moran voted against the nomination.

“It’s a national security imperative to immediately have an ambassador in place in India. We can’t afford to wait any longer,” said Indiana Sen. Todd Young, one of the Republican crossover votes.

The day began with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/india-biden-garcetti-senate-ef19f4f436b38e3bd6f80d834b852fc8">uncertain prospects for Garcetti,</a>&nbsp;a two-term, progressive Democrat first nominated to the diplomatic post by Biden in July 2021.

With several Democrats defecting, Garcetti's fate rested with Republican senators in a chamber&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-business-eric-garcetti-congress-601c278321167879fcc81b53f904818e">often divided along partisan lines.</a>&nbsp;He secured seven GOP votes, more than enough to make up for the Democratic breakaways.

Marshall said having an ambassador in place in India was vital in advancing relations among members of the “quad” — the U.S. India, Australia and Japan, which he said puts pressure on China.

“We don’t agree on all the different policies he did as mayor, but I think he’s a good person at heart and he would be a good ambassador,” Marshall said. He said on the allegations: “He answered my questions adequately.”

At the White House, spokesperson Olivia Dalton said Biden “believes that we have a crucial and consequential partnership with India and that Mayor Garcetti will make a strong and effective ambassador.”

The vacancy in the ambassadorship had left a significant diplomatic gap for the administration at a time of rising global tensions, including China’s increasingly assertive presence in the Pacific region and Russia’s war with Ukraine.

India, the world’s most populous democracy, is continuing to buy oil from Russia, while Western governments move to limit fossil fuel earnings that support Moscow’s budget, its military and its invasion of Ukraine. Russia also provides the majority of India’s military hardware.

The nomination had been freighted with questions about what the former mayor knew, and when, about sexual harassment allegations against his friend and once-close adviser, Rick Jacobs. A lawsuit alleges that Jacobs frequently harassed one of the then-mayor’s police bodyguards while Garcetti ignored the abuse or laughed it off.

Garcetti, the son of former Los Angeles district attorney Gil Garcetti, has repeatedly denied the claims. Jacobs has called the allegations against him “pure fiction.” The case is scheduled to go to trial later this year.

At a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-health-los-angeles-india-3e3ed6a19cfba4fb441a041586dd5051">Senate committee hearing</a>&nbsp;in December 2021, Garcetti said, “I never witnessed, nor was it brought to my attention, the behavior that’s been alleged. … If it had been, I would have immediately taken action to stop that.”

Wednesday's vote tested Democratic loyalty to Biden, and also measured assessments of Garcetti’s judgment and trustworthiness, stemming from the City Hall allegations that shadowed him in the #MeToo era.

“I think we can find somebody that will do the job better,” said Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, one of the Democrats who opposed Garcetti.

Garcetti also failed to win over Democrat Mark Kelly of Arizona, who said he had “serious concerns.”

Rachel Rizzo, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, said she sensed frustration about the lack of an ambassador during a recent trip to India. She said it gave "an impression that the relationship isn’t important.”

“It really points to the internal dysfunction in the U.S. Congress at the moment, and it makes it very hard for us to send the messages that we’re trying to send when it looks to our diplomatic partners that we don’t have our house in order,” she said.

Last May, a top Senate Republican&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-india-los-angeles-chuck-grassley-dfefd15c6e8a199fb9246df8a6ef5d0a">released an investigation t</a>&nbsp;hat concluded Garcetti “likely knew or should have known” that Jacobs was alleged to be sexually harassing city employees, a finding that appeared to contradict the mayor’s assertion that he was unaware of any inappropriate behavior. The 23-page report released by Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa found it was “extremely unlikely” that the mayor would not have been aware.

The White House called that report a partisan smear.

In a final push to stop the nomination, Grassley released a statement Tuesday saying his office identified at least 19 people who said they either witnessed inappropriate behavior by Jacobs or were victims of it.

“On the one hand, the Biden administration says it supports victims," Grassley wrote. "Yet, on the other hand, the Biden administration supports a nominee who enables misconduct that creates more victims.”

The legal nonprofit Whistleblower Aid, which sought to defeat the nomination, said the vote “will have a chilling effect on future attempts to hold enablers and perpetrators to account and cause victims and witnesses to think twice about the risks they are taking in coming forward.”

The nomination, first announced in July 2021, cleared the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in January 2022 but was not considered by the full Senate.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-los-angeles-india-eric-garcetti-898945408a3033d088c0dff961bd5c4a">Biden renominated Garcetti early this year,</a>&nbsp;and the White House has defended him as a well-qualified candidate.

On a politically divided vote, the committee again advanced the nomination to the full Senate early this month, though Jim Risch of Idaho, the top Republican on the panel, said that “new evidence” had raised questions about Garcetti’s judgment and prompted him to oppose the nomination.

Garcetti’s confirmation follows a contentious tenure at Los Angeles City Hall framed by rising homelessness, the pandemic and high crime rates as well as sexual harassment and corruption scandals. The Los Angeles area, once known for boundless growth, has seen its population decline.

Garcetti took office in 2013 with a “back to basics” agenda that centered on fixing L.A.’s notoriously cratered streets and sidewalks. But those early ambitions faded as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-business-crime-los-angeles-homelessness-16e5653f2eaf40b1574fd0d512aa2240">out-of-control homeless encampments</a>&nbsp;transformed the city and then the government shuttered businesses, restaurants and schoolrooms — and shed hundreds of thousands of jobs — in the depths of the pandemic.

Still, the former mayor has been credited with continuing a transit buildup in a city choked with traffic and establishing tougher earthquake safety standards for thousands of buildings.

An Ivy Leaguer and Rhodes Scholar, he spent two decades in city government either as mayor or a city councilman and took a circuitous path toward the diplomatic corps. Ambassadorships are frequently a reward for political supporters.

Garcetti&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c71a4bec6c434383b37bc46c58a4ff74">considered a 2020 White House</a>&nbsp;run but later became part of Biden’s inner circle, emerging as a widely discussed possibility to join the Cabinet.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-race-and-ethnicity-cabinets-coronavirus-pandemic-f81b90eeab4f8ee51dbc6e43b8c93f76">He took himself out of the running</a>&nbsp;after many of the plum jobs had been filled, saying the coronavirus crisis at the time made it impossible for him to step away from City Hall.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678927862432.png" alt="Marshall said having an ambassador in place in India was vital in advancing relations among members of the “quad” — the U.S. India, Australia and Japan, which he said puts pressure on China.- photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Marshall said having an ambassador in place in India was vital in advancing relations among members of the “quad” — the U.S. India, Australia and Japan, which he said puts pressure on China.- photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti won confirmation Wednesday from a divided Senate as the nation’s next ambassador to India, more than a year and a half after he was first nominated by President Joe Biden and after weathering doubts about his truthfulness in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-india-los-angeles-chuck-grassley-dfefd15c6e8a199fb9246df8a6ef5d0a">sexual harassment scandal</a>&nbsp;involving a City Hall adviser.<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1181/vote_118_1_00055.htm">The 52-42 vote gave the</a> administration a long-sought victory with several Republicans breaking party discipline for the vote that they said was critical to fill one of the country’s highest-profile diplomatic posts.<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1181/vote_118_1_00055.htm">Kansas Senator Roger Marshall</a> joined Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, Steve Daines of Montana, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee and Todd Young of Indiana and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1181/vote_118_1_00055.htm">voted</a>&nbsp;to confirm Garcetti.&nbsp; Kansas senior Senator Jerry Moran voted against the nomination.“It’s a national security imperative to immediately have an ambassador in place in India. We can’t afford to wait any longer,” said Indiana Sen. Todd Young, one of the Republican crossover votes.The day began with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/india-biden-garcetti-senate-ef19f4f436b38e3bd6f80d834b852fc8">uncertain prospects for Garcetti,</a>&nbsp;a two-term, progressive Democrat first nominated to the diplomatic post by Biden in July 2021.With several Democrats defecting, Garcetti's fate rested with Republican senators in a chamber&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-business-eric-garcetti-congress-601c278321167879fcc81b53f904818e">often divided along partisan lines.</a>&nbsp;He secured seven GOP votes, more than enough to make up for the Democratic breakaways.Marshall said having an ambassador in place in India was vital in advancing relations among members of the “quad” — the U.S. India, Australia and Japan, which he said puts pressure on China.“We don’t agree on all the different policies he did as mayor, but I think he’s a good person at heart and he would be a good ambassador,” Marshall said. He said on the allegations: “He answered my questions adequately.”At the White House, spokesperson Olivia Dalton said Biden “believes that we have a crucial and consequential partnership with India and that Mayor Garcetti will make a strong and effective ambassador.”The vacancy in the ambassadorship had left a significant diplomatic gap for the administration at a time of rising global tensions, including China’s increasingly assertive presence in the Pacific region and Russia’s war with Ukraine.India, the world’s most populous democracy, is continuing to buy oil from Russia, while Western governments move to limit fossil fuel earnings that support Moscow’s budget, its military and its invasion of Ukraine. Russia also provides the majority of India’s military hardware.The nomination had been freighted with questions about what the former mayor knew, and when, about sexual harassment allegations against his friend and once-close adviser, Rick Jacobs. A lawsuit alleges that Jacobs frequently harassed one of the then-mayor’s police bodyguards while Garcetti ignored the abuse or laughed it off.Garcetti, the son of former Los Angeles district attorney Gil Garcetti, has repeatedly denied the claims. Jacobs has called the allegations against him “pure fiction.” The case is scheduled to go to trial later this year.At a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-health-los-angeles-india-3e3ed6a19cfba4fb441a041586dd5051">Senate committee hearing</a>&nbsp;in December 2021, Garcetti said, “I never witnessed, nor was it brought to my attention, the behavior that’s been alleged. … If it had been, I would have immediately taken action to stop that.”Wednesday's vote tested Democratic loyalty to Biden, and also measured assessments of Garcetti’s judgment and trustworthiness, stemming from the City Hall allegations that shadowed him in the #MeToo era.“I think we can find somebody that will do the job better,” said Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, one of the Democrats who opposed Garcetti.Garcetti also failed to win over Democrat Mark Kelly of Arizona, who said he had “serious concerns.”Rachel Rizzo, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, said she sensed frustration about the lack of an ambassador during a recent trip to India. She said it gave "an impression that the relationship isn’t important.”“It really points to the internal dysfunction in the U.S. Congress at the moment, and it makes it very hard for us to send the messages that we’re trying to send when it looks to our diplomatic partners that we don’t have our house in order,” she said.Last May, a top Senate Republican&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-india-los-angeles-chuck-grassley-dfefd15c6e8a199fb9246df8a6ef5d0a">released an investigation t</a>&nbsp;hat concluded Garcetti “likely knew or should have known” that Jacobs was alleged to be sexually harassing city employees, a finding that appeared to contradict the mayor’s assertion that he was unaware of any inappropriate behavior. The 23-page report released by Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa found it was “extremely unlikely” that the mayor would not have been aware.The White House called that report a partisan smear.In a final push to stop the nomination, Grassley released a statement Tuesday saying his office identified at least 19 people who said they either witnessed inappropriate behavior by Jacobs or were victims of it.“On the one hand, the Biden administration says it supports victims," Grassley wrote. "Yet, on the other hand, the Biden administration supports a nominee who enables misconduct that creates more victims.”The legal nonprofit Whistleblower Aid, which sought to defeat the nomination, said the vote “will have a chilling effect on future attempts to hold enablers and perpetrators to account and cause victims and witnesses to think twice about the risks they are taking in coming forward.”The nomination, first announced in July 2021, cleared the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in January 2022 but was not considered by the full Senate.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-los-angeles-india-eric-garcetti-898945408a3033d088c0dff961bd5c4a">Biden renominated Garcetti early this year,</a>&nbsp;and the White House has defended him as a well-qualified candidate.On a politically divided vote, the committee again advanced the nomination to the full Senate early this month, though Jim Risch of Idaho, the top Republican on the panel, said that “new evidence” had raised questions about Garcetti’s judgment and prompted him to oppose the nomination.Garcetti’s confirmation follows a contentious tenure at Los Angeles City Hall framed by rising homelessness, the pandemic and high crime rates as well as sexual harassment and corruption scandals. The Los Angeles area, once known for boundless growth, has seen its population decline.Garcetti took office in 2013 with a “back to basics” agenda that centered on fixing L.A.’s notoriously cratered streets and sidewalks. But those early ambitions faded as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-business-crime-los-angeles-homelessness-16e5653f2eaf40b1574fd0d512aa2240">out-of-control homeless encampments</a>&nbsp;transformed the city and then the government shuttered businesses, restaurants and schoolrooms — and shed hundreds of thousands of jobs — in the depths of the pandemic.Still, the former mayor has been credited with continuing a transit buildup in a city choked with traffic and establishing tougher earthquake safety standards for thousands of buildings.An Ivy Leaguer and Rhodes Scholar, he spent two decades in city government either as mayor or a city councilman and took a circuitous path toward the diplomatic corps. Ambassadorships are frequently a reward for political supporters.Garcetti&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c71a4bec6c434383b37bc46c58a4ff74">considered a 2020 White House</a>&nbsp;run but later became part of Biden’s inner circle, emerging as a widely discussed possibility to join the Cabinet.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-race-and-ethnicity-cabinets-coronavirus-pandemic-f81b90eeab4f8ee51dbc6e43b8c93f76">He took himself out of the running</a>&nbsp;after many of the plum jobs had been filled, saying the coronavirus crisis at the time made it impossible for him to step away from City Hall.___

Marshall voted with Dems to confirm controversial ambassador  

OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;cast himself Saturday as the only Republican candidate who can build on his White House legacy but shied away from directly critiquing his potential rivals, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Trump, giving the headlining address at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, told a cheering crowd that he was engaged in his “final battle” as he tries to return to the White House.

“We are going to finish what we started,” he said. “We’re going to complete the mission. We’re going to see this battle through to ultimate victory.”

Though DeSantis, seen as Trump's biggest potential rival, is frequently a subject of name-calling and other attacks in Trump's social media posts and in interviews, he wasn't mentioned directly in Trump's address before conservative activists, who earlier in the day applauded when an old video clip of the Florida governor was shown in a montage.

While CPAC was once a must-stop for candidates mulling Republican presidential runs, DeSantis and other major likely contenders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-bolsonaro-pence-cpac-desantis-youngkin-e237764ad60fbe07e0fe512f48c3c616">skipped this year's gathering</a>&nbsp;amid scandal and as the group has increasingly become aligned with Trump.

The former president's enduring popularity with this segment of voters was on display throughout the conference this week. Some attendees wore Trump-themed outfits, with “MAGA” hats and sequined jackets.

Members of his family and his presidential administration were swarmed like celebrities in the hallways and dominated the list of speakers. The handful of other potential and declared candidates not named Trump who spoke received only tepid applause.

And the annual CPAC straw poll, an unscientific survey of attendees, found Trump the top choice to be the party's nominee, with 62% support, trailed by DeSantis at 20% and businessman Perry Johnson,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/perry-johnson-2024-presidential-campaign-b734b469aa0b56a94e19ef0125cf5997">who announced his long shot bid at the conference</a>, with 5%.

Nearly all — 95% of respondents — said they approved of Trump's performance as president.

Ahead of his speech, Trump told reporters that he would continue his third presidential campaign even if indicted. He is under investigation by prosecutors probing his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-new-york-city-only-on-ap-donald-trump-georgia-266e28c4e47e54731b233e0f770f6729">in Georgia and by the U.S. Justice Department,</a>&nbsp;as well as his handling of classified documents, among other issues.

He condemned all the probes as politically motivated and vowed that criminal charges wouldn’t deter him.

“Oh, absolutely, I won’t even think about leaving,” he told reporters, adding that “probably, it’ll enhance my numbers, but it’s a very bad thing for America. It’s very bad for the country.”

“This is an audience that supports President Trump,” said Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., the No. 3 House Republican, who endorsed Trump days before he officially launched his 2024 campaign.

The only member of House leadership to attend the conference, Stefanik told The Associated Press that Trump continued to be the party’s leader.

“President Trump is in a very strong position and I think he will be the Republican nominee,” she said.

While Trump did not launch broadsides against his potential challengers for the White House, many of whom were pitching themselves to conservative donors near his Florida home this week, he did repeatedly criticize the old guard of the Republican Party, which is eager to move past him.

“We had a Republican Party that was ruled by freaks, neo-cons, globalists, open borders zealots and fools. But we are never going back to the party of Paul Ryan, Karl Rove and Jeb Bush,” he said.

He took only a veiled jab at DeSantis, calling out those who have proposed raising the age for Social Security or privatizing Medicare — positions DeSantis has expressed support for in the past, but has since abandoned. “We’re not going to mess with Social Security as Republicans,” DeSantis recently said.

Trump told the crowd, “If that’s their original thought, that’s what they always come back to.”

Trump threaded his speech with grievances related to his term in office and outlined his agenda for a second, including restrictions on gender-affirming care and transgender athletes, which drew some of the strongest applause from the room and was a recurrent theme in speeches at the four-day conference.

While many top Republicans steered clear of the conference, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a potential candidate, and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who declared her candidacy last month, both spoke Friday and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cpac-trump-pompeo-haley-2024-election-d12b8dba671169aebcb479c303cf3627">made shrouded critiques of Trump</a>. Their refusal to call him out by name underscored the risks faced by challengers looking to offer an alternative in a party in which Trump remains the dominant force.

“There is no one in that field I want as my president other than Donald J. Trump,” said Waverly Woods, a Republican activist and marketer from Virginia Beach, Virginia, who said she likes DeSantis but that Trump has first claim on the hearts of many at the conference.

That includes Woods’ sometimes partner in local GOP races, Kim Shourds, whose car bears a “TRUMP WON” license plate.

DeSantis? She likes him, she said, but not enough. She wants the governor to sit down “and let my man come in and run this country,” Shourds said.

E. Payne Kilbourn, a retired Navy submarine captain from Neavitt, Maryland, who now writes and advocates for carbon dioxide, said he was “very, very” happy with Trump’s presidency, but now thinks it’s time for the party to move on.

“I think Donald Trump’s just too toxic for most of the country,” said Kilbourn, 69, an independent who votes for Republicans in general elections and wishes Trump would “bow out and just be the guy behind the scenes.”

Strategically, he sees DeSantis as better positioned to eventually win the White House.

“I think he would have a better chance of getting elected,” he said.

OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;cast himself Saturday as the only Republican candidate who can build on his White House legacy but shied away from directly critiquing his potential rivals, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a>: &quot;They know that we can defeat them. They know that we will defeat them. But they&#39;re not coming after me. They&#39;re coming after you. And I&#39;m just standing in their way. <a href="https://t.co/2zGkokajh4">pic.twitter.com/2zGkokajh4</a>&mdash; CPAC (@CPAC) <a href="https://twitter.com/CPAC/status/1632155040000475139?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump, giving the headlining address at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, told a cheering crowd that he was engaged in his “final battle” as he tries to return to the White House.“We are going to finish what we started,” he said. “We’re going to complete the mission. We’re going to see this battle through to ultimate victory.”Though DeSantis, seen as Trump's biggest potential rival, is frequently a subject of name-calling and other attacks in Trump's social media posts and in interviews, he wasn't mentioned directly in Trump's address before conservative activists, who earlier in the day applauded when an old video clip of the Florida governor was shown in a montage.While CPAC was once a must-stop for candidates mulling Republican presidential runs, DeSantis and other major likely contenders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-bolsonaro-pence-cpac-desantis-youngkin-e237764ad60fbe07e0fe512f48c3c616">skipped this year's gathering</a>&nbsp;amid scandal and as the group has increasingly become aligned with Trump.The former president's enduring popularity with this segment of voters was on display throughout the conference this week. Some attendees wore Trump-themed outfits, with “MAGA” hats and sequined jackets.Members of his family and his presidential administration were swarmed like celebrities in the hallways and dominated the list of speakers. The handful of other potential and declared candidates not named Trump who spoke received only tepid applause.And the annual CPAC straw poll, an unscientific survey of attendees, found Trump the top choice to be the party's nominee, with 62% support, trailed by DeSantis at 20% and businessman Perry Johnson,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/perry-johnson-2024-presidential-campaign-b734b469aa0b56a94e19ef0125cf5997">who announced his long shot bid at the conference</a>, with 5%.Nearly all — 95% of respondents — said they approved of Trump's performance as president.Ahead of his speech, Trump told reporters that he would continue his third presidential campaign even if indicted. He is under investigation by prosecutors probing his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-new-york-city-only-on-ap-donald-trump-georgia-266e28c4e47e54731b233e0f770f6729">in Georgia and by the U.S. Justice Department,</a>&nbsp;as well as his handling of classified documents, among other issues.He condemned all the probes as politically motivated and vowed that criminal charges wouldn’t deter him.“Oh, absolutely, I won’t even think about leaving,” he told reporters, adding that “probably, it’ll enhance my numbers, but it’s a very bad thing for America. It’s very bad for the country.”“This is an audience that supports President Trump,” said Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., the No. 3 House Republican, who endorsed Trump days before he officially launched his 2024 campaign.The only member of House leadership to attend the conference, Stefanik told The Associated Press that Trump continued to be the party’s leader.“President Trump is in a very strong position and I think he will be the Republican nominee,” she said.While Trump did not launch broadsides against his potential challengers for the White House, many of whom were pitching themselves to conservative donors near his Florida home this week, he did repeatedly criticize the old guard of the Republican Party, which is eager to move past him.“We had a Republican Party that was ruled by freaks, neo-cons, globalists, open borders zealots and fools. But we are never going back to the party of Paul Ryan, Karl Rove and Jeb Bush,” he said.He took only a veiled jab at DeSantis, calling out those who have proposed raising the age for Social Security or privatizing Medicare — positions DeSantis has expressed support for in the past, but has since abandoned. “We’re not going to mess with Social Security as Republicans,” DeSantis recently said.Trump told the crowd, “If that’s their original thought, that’s what they always come back to.”Trump threaded his speech with grievances related to his term in office and outlined his agenda for a second, including restrictions on gender-affirming care and transgender athletes, which drew some of the strongest applause from the room and was a recurrent theme in speeches at the four-day conference.While many top Republicans steered clear of the conference, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a potential candidate, and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who declared her candidacy last month, both spoke Friday and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cpac-trump-pompeo-haley-2024-election-d12b8dba671169aebcb479c303cf3627">made shrouded critiques of Trump</a>. Their refusal to call him out by name underscored the risks faced by challengers looking to offer an alternative in a party in which Trump remains the dominant force.“There is no one in that field I want as my president other than Donald J. Trump,” said Waverly Woods, a Republican activist and marketer from Virginia Beach, Virginia, who said she likes DeSantis but that Trump has first claim on the hearts of many at the conference.That includes Woods’ sometimes partner in local GOP races, Kim Shourds, whose car bears a “TRUMP WON” license plate.DeSantis? She likes him, she said, but not enough. She wants the governor to sit down “and let my man come in and run this country,” Shourds said.But not everyone at CPAC was on board.E. Payne Kilbourn, a retired Navy submarine captain from Neavitt, Maryland, who now writes and advocates for carbon dioxide, said he was “very, very” happy with Trump’s presidency, but now thinks it’s time for the party to move on.“I think Donald Trump’s just too toxic for most of the country,” said Kilbourn, 69, an independent who votes for Republicans in general elections and wishes Trump would “bow out and just be the guy behind the scenes.”Strategically, he sees DeSantis as better positioned to eventually win the White House.“I think he would have a better chance of getting elected,” he said.

Trump pitches a sequel, but shies away from attacking rivals

An afternoon of fancy and fun is planned soon at the Hays Public Library.

From 2 to 4 p.m. Feb. 5, the Hays Public Library Foundation
will host a traditional afternoon tea in the Schmidt Gallery of the library at 1205
Main.

“We're
going to have an afternoon of different kinds of teas and some fantastic treats,”
said Hays Public Library Communications Coordinator Callie Kolacny. “We'll have
some bread from Cathy's Breads. We're going to have some cookies and just
different kinds of yummy things that go with the different kinds of teas.”

For
those unfamiliar with the etiquette of a proper afternoon tea party, she said in
line with the library’s mission, the event will be a learning experience and
all are welcome.

“One of
our foundation board members is really into these, and she goes to them all the
time,” Kolacny said. “She's the lead on this and knows what she's talking about
when you're talking about an afternoon tea party.”

She said
attendees would be taken through the different types of teas and things that
you can do with the teas.

“It's
just going to be a fun, fun way to experience something a little bit different
for this area,” Kolacny said.

While
formal dress is not required, Kolacny said it is encouraged.

“Some
ladies will wear dresses, they might wear big hats, pearls and gloves, things
like that,” she said. “The men will dress up a little bit nicer than they might
otherwise.”

The
event, while geared toward a more adult crowd, could also be a fun experience for
an older child, she said.

And while
the experience will be an enjoyable experience, it will also serve as a
fundraiser for the foundation.

“The Hays
Public Library Foundation is basically the fundraising arm of the library,”
Kolacny said. “And so when donations come in, then it goes through the
foundation.”

Along
with events like the Afternoon Tea Party, she said there are various ways to support
the organization throughout the year.

“You can
… write a check to the foundation, or you can bequeath something when you're
looking at your financial planning for the future, you can include the public
library in that, and that goes through the foundation,” Kolacny said. “We also
have an account with the Heartland Community Foundation, so you can make
donations in that way.”

Those foundation
funds go to support the library in various ways.

“They
kind of fund the needs that aren't already budgeted,” Kolacny said. “The
library, of course, has its budget, and we have our plans of what we're going to
do, but other things come up, and we need funding for them.”

She
noted a few recent examples that the foundation helped fund include the Bookmobile
and the large remodel of the facility.

“All of
the donations do support the library in some fashion,” Kolacny said.

Those
services and upgrades, in turn, allow the library to serve as more than just a repository
for books but also a gathering place for the community.

“With
all the digital resources, we still have a significant collection of physical
books, and people want those,” Kolacny said. “But we also have all of the
programs, and they're for all ages. We've got stuff for the littlest kids, the
teenagers, we try to keep them active, especially after school we have some programs
for them. And then, of course, adults, we have lots of programs for adults too. So, it's more of a community center. It's a meeting place, it's a
place to gain some knowledge, to socialize and to just enjoy yourself.”

Tickets cost $35 and can be
purchased at the event or online at <a href="https://hayslibrary.org/shop/afternoon-tea-party/">hayslibrary.org/event/.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672346419711.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostAn afternoon of fancy and fun is planned soon at the Hays Public Library.From 2 to 4 p.m. Feb. 5, the Hays Public Library Foundation
will host a traditional afternoon tea in the Schmidt Gallery of the library at 1205
Main.“We're
going to have an afternoon of different kinds of teas and some fantastic treats,”
said Hays Public Library Communications Coordinator Callie Kolacny. “We'll have
some bread from Cathy's Breads. We're going to have some cookies and just
different kinds of yummy things that go with the different kinds of teas.”<div><iframe title="Hays Public Library Foundation plans Afternoon Tea Party fundraiser" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=pacsh-1365035-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=3267a3&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>For
those unfamiliar with the etiquette of a proper afternoon tea party, she said in
line with the library’s mission, the event will be a learning experience and
all are welcome.“One of
our foundation board members is really into these, and she goes to them all the
time,” Kolacny said. “She's the lead on this and knows what she's talking about
when you're talking about an afternoon tea party.”She said
attendees would be taken through the different types of teas and things that
you can do with the teas.“It's
just going to be a fun, fun way to experience something a little bit different
for this area,” Kolacny said.While
formal dress is not required, Kolacny said it is encouraged.“Some
ladies will wear dresses, they might wear big hats, pearls and gloves, things
like that,” she said. “The men will dress up a little bit nicer than they might
otherwise.”The
event, while geared toward a more adult crowd, could also be a fun experience for
an older child, she said.And while
the experience will be an enjoyable experience, it will also serve as a
fundraiser for the foundation.“The Hays
Public Library Foundation is basically the fundraising arm of the library,”
Kolacny said. “And so when donations come in, then it goes through the
foundation.”Along
with events like the Afternoon Tea Party, she said there are various ways to support
the organization throughout the year.“You can
… write a check to the foundation, or you can bequeath something when you're
looking at your financial planning for the future, you can include the public
library in that, and that goes through the foundation,” Kolacny said. “We also
have an account with the Heartland Community Foundation, so you can make
donations in that way.”Those foundation
funds go to support the library in various ways.“They
kind of fund the needs that aren't already budgeted,” Kolacny said. “The
library, of course, has its budget, and we have our plans of what we're going to
do, but other things come up, and we need funding for them.”She
noted a few recent examples that the foundation helped fund include the Bookmobile
and the large remodel of the facility.“All of
the donations do support the library in some fashion,” Kolacny said.Those
services and upgrades, in turn, allow the library to serve as more than just a repository
for books but also a gathering place for the community.“With
all the digital resources, we still have a significant collection of physical
books, and people want those,” Kolacny said. “But we also have all of the
programs, and they're for all ages. We've got stuff for the littlest kids, the
teenagers, we try to keep them active, especially after school we have some programs
for them. And then, of course, adults, we have lots of programs for adults too. So, it's more of a community center. It's a meeting place, it's a
place to gain some knowledge, to socialize and to just enjoy yourself.”Tickets cost $35 and can be
purchased at the event or online at <a href="https://hayslibrary.org/shop/afternoon-tea-party/">hayslibrary.org/event/.</a>

🎙 Hays Public Library Foundation plans Afternoon Tea Party fundraiser

Final goodbye: The influential people we lost in 2022

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/ben-sasse-makes-it-official-will-resign-u-s-senate-seat-jan-8/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., made it official Monday 
afternoon, submitting a resignation letter that says he will leave 
office on Jan. 8.

That would be only three days after Gov.-elect Jim Pillen takes the oath of office.

Pillen, a Columbus pork producer and veterinarian, is widely expected to appoint current Gov. Pete Ricketts to the post.

Ricketts, a fellow Republican, endorsed Pillen and was a key 
financial backer in his tough Republican primary victory in May over 
Falls City businessman Charles Herbster and State Sen. Brett Lindstrom 
of Omaha.

Immediately after Sasse’s resignation letter became public, Pillen 
issued a press release, seeking applicants for the Senate vacancy.

“Governor-elect Pillen will begin receiving applications and 
evaluating candidates immediately,” the release said, adding that he 
wanted Nebraska’s congressional delegation to return “to full strength” 
as soon as possible.

A deadline of Dec. 23 was set for applications.

Ricketts did not immediately respond to messages Monday afternoon 
asking whether he planned to apply. Previously, he has said he would 
defer the decision to Pillen, and would not say if he would apply.

In a one-paragraph resignation letter, addressed to Ricketts and 
copied to Pillen, Sasse wrote that it was “an honor to serve the people 
of Nebraska for the past eight years.”

“I am confident that Governor-elect&nbsp; Pillen will appoint someone that will serve Nebraskans well in Washington,” Sasse wrote.

Last month, the <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/sen-ben-sasse-confirmed-as-next-president-of-the-university-of-florida/">University of Florida Board of Governors voted</a> to affirm Sasse’s appointment as the next president of the university in Gainesville, Florida.

Sasse, 50, had served as president of Midland University in Fremont 
before he was elected to the Senate in 2014. His first day at Florida 
will be Jan. 6.

He overcame some opposition from student organizations over his past opposition to same-sex marriage.

Some also questioned if he had the experience to run a much larger 
university. Florida’s enrollment is 50,000 students, compared to 1,400 
at Midland.

Even before the ink dried on Sasse’s resignation letter, one 
candidate threw his hat into the ring — retired Lt. Col. John Weaver of 
Omaha, an unsuccessful candidate for U.S. Congress this year, wrote to 
Pillen that he would represent conservative values if selected.

Applications are also being sought to fill the Nebraska Legislature 
seat being vacated by State Sen. Mike Hilgers of Lincoln. Hilgers, who 
represents District 21 on the north side of Lincoln, was elected 
Nebraska Attorney General.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667330936433.png" alt="Sen. Ben Sasse answers questions from the University of Florida’s Board of Trustees before they vote on him to serve as UF’s next president on Nov. 1, 2022. (Screenshot/University of Florida)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Ben Sasse answers questions from the University of Florida’s Board of Trustees before they vote on him to serve as UF’s next president on Nov. 1, 2022. (Screenshot/University of Florida)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/ben-sasse-makes-it-official-will-resign-u-s-senate-seat-jan-8/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., made it official Monday 
afternoon, submitting a resignation letter that says he will leave 
office on Jan. 8.That would be only three days after Gov.-elect Jim Pillen takes the oath of office.Pillen, a Columbus pork producer and veterinarian, is widely expected to appoint current Gov. Pete Ricketts to the post.<h2>Ricketts was key backer of Pillen</h2>Ricketts, a fellow Republican, endorsed Pillen and was a key 
financial backer in his tough Republican primary victory in May over 
Falls City businessman Charles Herbster and State Sen. Brett Lindstrom 
of Omaha.Immediately after Sasse’s resignation letter became public, Pillen 
issued a press release, seeking applicants for the Senate vacancy.“Governor-elect Pillen will begin receiving applications and 
evaluating candidates immediately,” the release said, adding that he 
wanted Nebraska’s congressional delegation to return “to full strength” 
as soon as possible.A deadline of Dec. 23 was set for applications.Ricketts did not immediately respond to messages Monday afternoon 
asking whether he planned to apply. Previously, he has said he would 
defer the decision to Pillen, and would not say if he would apply.<h2>‘An honor to serve’</h2>In a one-paragraph resignation letter, addressed to Ricketts and 
copied to Pillen, Sasse wrote that it was “an honor to serve the people 
of Nebraska for the past eight years.”“I am confident that Governor-elect&nbsp; Pillen will appoint someone that will serve Nebraskans well in Washington,” Sasse wrote.Last month, the <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/sen-ben-sasse-confirmed-as-next-president-of-the-university-of-florida/">University of Florida Board of Governors voted</a> to affirm Sasse’s appointment as the next president of the university in Gainesville, Florida.Sasse, 50, had served as president of Midland University in Fremont 
before he was elected to the Senate in 2014. His first day at Florida 
will be Jan. 6.<h2>Florida much larger university</h2>He overcame some opposition from student organizations over his past opposition to same-sex marriage.Some also questioned if he had the experience to run a much larger 
university. Florida’s enrollment is 50,000 students, compared to 1,400 
at Midland.Even before the ink dried on Sasse’s resignation letter, one 
candidate threw his hat into the ring — retired Lt. Col. John Weaver of 
Omaha, an unsuccessful candidate for U.S. Congress this year, wrote to 
Pillen that he would represent conservative values if selected.Applications are also being sought to fill the Nebraska Legislature 
seat being vacated by State Sen. Mike Hilgers of Lincoln. Hilgers, who 
represents District 21 on the north side of Lincoln, was elected 
Nebraska Attorney General.

Sasse makes it official, will resign U.S. Senate seat Jan. 8

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Big Creek Crossing mall will be a little bit busier this holiday season with five pop-up stores and the opening of a new permanent store.

New this year will be Kansas Christmas Wonderland owned by Lori Nuss of Russell. Nuss' family has operated the store in Russell since 2012 but decided to move the store to Hays this Christmas.

Christmas Wonderland, which will be in the former Hallmark location,&nbsp; will carry a wide selection of Christmas decor, including Christmas ornaments, signs, tabletop decor and snowmen.

Prices will range from a few dollars for an ornament to a $300 rocking horse. The store has about 20 to 25 trees with all types of ornaments and decorations.

The store has ornaments customers can customize and use as gift tags.

"Bells are really big this year. I have gold bells, black bells, navy bells cream bells," she said.

Cardinals and gnomes are also popular this year, she said.

Nuss, who said she has always loved Christmas, said the store has been a labor of love for her whole family. She said a daughter, who's a senior in high school, has been especially helpful in putting the store together this year.

Christmas Wonderland had a soft opening last week. It will be open mall hours Saturdays and Sundays until Christmas and evenings by appointment. Nuss can be contacted through the store's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KansasChristmasWonderland">Facebook page</a>.

Other pop-up stores at Big Creek Crossing this year include Western Sunset Creations, Haus of Vanity, GoCalendar,&nbsp; and Ponderosa Pines trees of Ogallah in the parking lot. 

Western Sunset Creations, which is run by the Dorzweiler family, is back again this year in the former Payless Shoes store. It will offer roasted nuts, homemade fudge, homemade sausage and bierocks.

Haus of Vanity of Colorado specializes in hair irons and hair accessories. That kiosk, which will be in the north hall, has been at Big Creek Crossing before and will be back this year for the holiday season.

Go Calendar has had a kiosk at Big Creek Crossing for years. It is back in the north hall of the mall, selling calendars, games and plush toys.

Pro Image, a new permanent resident on the north end of the mall, is set to open this holiday season.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/de9c9741-b18c-45c7-a7c3-1cf50084e7af"> The store, owned by Hays resident Robert Alvarez, will carry licensed sports merchandise, including hats, jerseys and collectibles.</a>

Toys for Tots will have a give-and-take store for needy families in the south hall next to Maurices. There also will be a box next to the mall office in the north hall in which customers can leave gifts of new toys. 

The Western Kansas Child Advocacy Center also has a giving tree in the north hall of the mall next o the mall office. Shoppers can take ornaments off the tree, which have the age, gender and preferred presents for children, buy a gift and place it in a box next to the tree.

The Western Kansas Child Advocacy Center provides therapy and forensics services for children who have been abused. Its service area includes Ellis County.

Photos with Santa will be offered again this year, including a couple of pet nights for dogs and cats. You can find a calendar with Santa's hours on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BigCreekCrossing">Big Creek Crossing Facebook page</a>.

"I am anticipating a pretty decent year, a pretty typical year from what I'm seeing," said Branson Hoffman, Big Creek Crossing marketing manager.

The mall will be open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day, noon to 6 p.m. the day after Christmas, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. New Year's Eve and noon to 6 p.m. New Year's Day.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669154492128.jpeg" alt="Kansas Christmas Wonderland will be open in Big Creek Crossing on Saturdays and Sundays through Christmas. Courtesy photo " />
 <figcaption>Kansas Christmas Wonderland will be open in Big Creek Crossing on Saturdays and Sundays through Christmas. Courtesy photo </figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostBig Creek Crossing mall will be a little bit busier this holiday season with five pop-up stores and the opening of a new permanent store.New this year will be Kansas Christmas Wonderland owned by Lori Nuss of Russell. Nuss' family has operated the store in Russell since 2012 but decided to move the store to Hays this Christmas.Christmas Wonderland, which will be in the former Hallmark location,&nbsp; will carry a wide selection of Christmas decor, including Christmas ornaments, signs, tabletop decor and snowmen.Prices will range from a few dollars for an ornament to a $300 rocking horse. The store has about 20 to 25 trees with all types of ornaments and decorations.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669154674412.jpeg" alt="A Christmas tree and decor for sale in Christmas Wonderland. Courtesy photo. " />
 <figcaption>A Christmas tree and decor for sale in Christmas Wonderland. Courtesy photo. </figcaption>
 </figure>The store has ornaments customers can customize and use as gift tags. "Bells are really big this year. I have gold bells, black bells, navy bells cream bells," she said.Cardinals and gnomes are also popular this year, she said.Nuss, who said she has always loved Christmas, said the store has been a labor of love for her whole family. She said a daughter, who's a senior in high school, has been especially helpful in putting the store together this year. Christmas Wonderland had a soft opening last week. It will be open mall hours Saturdays and Sundays until Christmas and evenings by appointment. Nuss can be contacted through the store's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KansasChristmasWonderland">Facebook page</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669154761832.jpeg" alt="Go Calendar has a kiosk at Big Creek Crossing again this year. The store sells calendars, games and plush toys. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>Go Calendar has a kiosk at Big Creek Crossing again this year. The store sells calendars, games and plush toys. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure>Other pop-up stores at Big Creek Crossing this year include Western Sunset Creations, Haus of Vanity, GoCalendar,&nbsp; and Ponderosa Pines trees of Ogallah in the parking lot. Western Sunset Creations, which is run by the Dorzweiler family, is back again this year in the former Payless Shoes store. It will offer roasted nuts, homemade fudge, homemade sausage and bierocks.Haus of Vanity of Colorado specializes in hair irons and hair accessories. That kiosk, which will be in the north hall, has been at Big Creek Crossing before and will be back this year for the holiday season. Go Calendar has had a kiosk at Big Creek Crossing for years. It is back in the north hall of the mall, selling calendars, games and plush toys.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669154946451.jpeg" alt="Santa will be available for photos at Big Creek Crossing this holiday season. See the mall's Facebook page for a schedule. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>Santa will be available for photos at Big Creek Crossing this holiday season. See the mall's Facebook page for a schedule. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure>Pro Image, a new permanent resident on the north end of the mall, is set to open this holiday season.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/de9c9741-b18c-45c7-a7c3-1cf50084e7af"> The store, owned by Hays resident Robert Alvarez, will carry licensed sports merchandise, including hats, jerseys and collectibles.</a> Toys for Tots will have a give-and-take store for needy families in the south hall next to Maurices. There also will be a box next to the mall office in the north hall in which customers can leave gifts of new toys. The Western Kansas Child Advocacy Center also has a giving tree in the north hall of the mall next o the mall office. Shoppers can take ornaments off the tree, which have the age, gender and preferred presents for children, buy a gift and place it in a box next to the tree.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669155157164.jpeg" alt="Toys for Tots and Western Kansas Child Advocacy Center have collection boxes at the north end of Big Creek Crossing next to the mall office. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>Toys for Tots and Western Kansas Child Advocacy Center have collection boxes at the north end of Big Creek Crossing next to the mall office. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure>The Western Kansas Child Advocacy Center provides therapy and forensics services for children who have been abused. Its service area includes Ellis County. Photos with Santa will be offered again this year, including a couple of pet nights for dogs and cats. You can find a calendar with Santa's hours on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BigCreekCrossing">Big Creek Crossing Facebook page</a>. "I am anticipating a pretty decent year, a pretty typical year from what I'm seeing," said Branson Hoffman, Big Creek Crossing marketing manager. The mall will be open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day, noon to 6 p.m. the day after Christmas, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. New Year's Eve and noon to 6 p.m. New Year's Day.

Christmas Wonderland among pop-up stores at Big Creek Crossing

By MARIAM FAM Associated Press

DOHA, Qatar — Aside from the competition for the World Cup 
title, one of the most hotly contested issues in the tournament in Qatar
 is over rainbow colors.

In the first week of the tournament, 
seven European teams lost the battle to wear multi-colored “One Love” 
armbands during World Cup matches and some fans complained they weren't 
allowed to bring items with rainbow colors, a symbol of LGBTQ rights, 
into the stadiums of the conservative Islamic emirate.

Qatar, 
where gay sex is illegal, faced intense international scrutiny and 
criticism in the run-up to the tournament over rights issues, including 
questions on whether LGBTQ visitors would feel safe and welcome. The 
Gulf nation has said all are welcome, including LGBTQ fans, and that it 
would ensure safety for everyone, regardless of background, but that 
visitors should respect the nation’s culture.

Piara Powar, 
executive director of Fare, the anti-discrimination group that is 
reporting incidents in and around stadiums to world soccer body FIFA, 
said he believes the Qatari hosts felt that the debate about LGBTQ 
rights has been given too much space and that they need to clamp down 
internally.

“We have talked to them about rainbow flags and the 
symbolism that it has across the world, not just in western Europe. 
There are Latin Americans who recognize that, there are Asians who 
recognize the Pride flag," Powar said.

Just before the tournament 
started, FIFA stopped plans by seven European teams including England 
and Germany to have their captains play with “One Love” 
anti-discrimination armbands, saying they would receive yellow cards if 
they did. The decision sparked outrage by some in the countries 
involved.

One of the teams, Belgium, tweeted a team photo Friday 
showing captain Eden Hazard wearing the “One Love” armband. The 
country's foreign minister, Hadja Lahbib, wore it as she watched 
Belgium's World Cup opener against Canada on Wednesday.

Former 
Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt turned up at Denmark's 
match against Tunisia wearing an outfit with rainbow-colored sleeves. In
 an Instagram post a day later, she appeared conflicted about the choice
 of clothing.

“I’ve been reflecting on whether showing up in 
rainbow colors is actually helping gay and queer folks in Qatar,” 
Thorning-Schmidt wrote in the post. She wondered whether it could “make 
things worse by hardening the Qatar government against them? I don’t 
know the answer but doesn’t it show us that nothing is binary, only good
 or only bad?”

Some fans have said that they were asked to remove 
and discard their rainbow hats at a World Cup stadium earlier this week 
despite assurances by FIFA before the tournament that such items would 
be allowed in stadiums.

Justin Martin, a U.S. citizen living in 
Qatar, said he was holding a small rainbow flag on the metro on his way 
to the U.S. opener against Wales when two people wearing shirts that 
identified them as volunteers asked him to put the flag away. He didn’t 
want to.

“One of them became agitated and ... referred to me as 
‘disgusting,’” said Martin, an associate professor of journalism at the 
Doha Institute for Graduate Studies.

At the stadium, however, a 
woman in Qatari police uniform who was searching his bag found the 
rainbow flag, looked at it and put it back, he said. “I actually wasn’t 
prohibited from bringing that into the stadium.”

Martin said he had previously worn a pride T-shirt in Qatar to the grocery store or to exercise without any issues.

Some
 Wales fans said they were prevented from taking rainbow bucket hats to 
the game against the U.S., prompting the Wales soccer federation to 
raise the issue with FIFA, which assured them that rainbow symbols would
 be allowed for Friday's game against Iran.

Laura McAllister, a 
former Wales captain who acts as ambassador to the World Cup, said she 
and other fans wore rainbow hats to Friday's game without problems. She 
said she was among those asked to remove their hats before the earlier 
game with the U.S.

The Qatari World Cup organizing committee did 
not provide answers to questions by The Associated Press on the 
instructions to stadium security and volunteers about rainbow symbols.

In April, a Qatari official <a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-soccer-sports-lifestyle-middle-east-f03cd08c36dee73b419b2b0e2978fd3f">suggested</a> that fans carrying rainbow flags could have them removed to protect them from possible attacks.

The
 issue has been debated frequently in Qatar and the wider Middle East, 
where many believe it’s only fair for visitors to respect the country’s 
laws, customs and religious beliefs, just like people from the region 
are expected to honor other nations' rules when they travel. Others 
counter that rights’ issues are universal and that sports must be 
inclusive.

Ahead of the tournament, some LGBTQ rights activists sought to raise <a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-soccer-sports-religion-679b18a9480573b7fb72633ace63cc7b">concerns</a>
 about how LGBTQ people in Qatar may be treated after the World Cup 
ends. Some of them have also argued that international attention was 
disproportionately focused on the visitors and not enough on LGBTQ 
people in the country.

Associated Press writers Karl Ritter and Graham Dunbar contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669404941964.jpeg" alt="Germany supporter wearing a rainbow jersey waits for the World Cup group F soccer match between Belgium and Canada, at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)" />
 <figcaption>Germany supporter wearing a rainbow jersey waits for the World Cup group F soccer match between Belgium and Canada, at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MARIAM FAM Associated PressDOHA, Qatar — Aside from the competition for the World Cup 
title, one of the most hotly contested issues in the tournament in Qatar
 is over rainbow colors.In the first week of the tournament, 
seven European teams lost the battle to wear multi-colored “One Love” 
armbands during World Cup matches and some fans complained they weren't 
allowed to bring items with rainbow colors, a symbol of LGBTQ rights, 
into the stadiums of the conservative Islamic emirate.Qatar, 
where gay sex is illegal, faced intense international scrutiny and 
criticism in the run-up to the tournament over rights issues, including 
questions on whether LGBTQ visitors would feel safe and welcome. The 
Gulf nation has said all are welcome, including LGBTQ fans, and that it 
would ensure safety for everyone, regardless of background, but that 
visitors should respect the nation’s culture.Piara Powar, 
executive director of Fare, the anti-discrimination group that is 
reporting incidents in and around stadiums to world soccer body FIFA, 
said he believes the Qatari hosts felt that the debate about LGBTQ 
rights has been given too much space and that they need to clamp down 
internally.“We have talked to them about rainbow flags and the 
symbolism that it has across the world, not just in western Europe. 
There are Latin Americans who recognize that, there are Asians who 
recognize the Pride flag," Powar said.Just before the tournament 
started, FIFA stopped plans by seven European teams including England 
and Germany to have their captains play with “One Love” 
anti-discrimination armbands, saying they would receive yellow cards if 
they did. The decision sparked outrage by some in the countries 
involved.One of the teams, Belgium, tweeted a team photo Friday 
showing captain Eden Hazard wearing the “One Love” armband. The 
country's foreign minister, Hadja Lahbib, wore it as she watched 
Belgium's World Cup opener against Canada on Wednesday.Former 
Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt turned up at Denmark's 
match against Tunisia wearing an outfit with rainbow-colored sleeves. In
 an Instagram post a day later, she appeared conflicted about the choice
 of clothing.“I’ve been reflecting on whether showing up in 
rainbow colors is actually helping gay and queer folks in Qatar,” 
Thorning-Schmidt wrote in the post. She wondered whether it could “make 
things worse by hardening the Qatar government against them? I don’t 
know the answer but doesn’t it show us that nothing is binary, only good
 or only bad?”Some fans have said that they were asked to remove 
and discard their rainbow hats at a World Cup stadium earlier this week 
despite assurances by FIFA before the tournament that such items would 
be allowed in stadiums.Justin Martin, a U.S. citizen living in 
Qatar, said he was holding a small rainbow flag on the metro on his way 
to the U.S. opener against Wales when two people wearing shirts that 
identified them as volunteers asked him to put the flag away. He didn’t 
want to.“One of them became agitated and ... referred to me as 
‘disgusting,’” said Martin, an associate professor of journalism at the 
Doha Institute for Graduate Studies.At the stadium, however, a 
woman in Qatari police uniform who was searching his bag found the 
rainbow flag, looked at it and put it back, he said. “I actually wasn’t 
prohibited from bringing that into the stadium.”Martin said he had previously worn a pride T-shirt in Qatar to the grocery store or to exercise without any issues.Some
 Wales fans said they were prevented from taking rainbow bucket hats to 
the game against the U.S., prompting the Wales soccer federation to 
raise the issue with FIFA, which assured them that rainbow symbols would
 be allowed for Friday's game against Iran.Laura McAllister, a 
former Wales captain who acts as ambassador to the World Cup, said she 
and other fans wore rainbow hats to Friday's game without problems. She 
said she was among those asked to remove their hats before the earlier 
game with the U.S.The Qatari World Cup organizing committee did 
not provide answers to questions by The Associated Press on the 
instructions to stadium security and volunteers about rainbow symbols.In April, a Qatari official <a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-soccer-sports-lifestyle-middle-east-f03cd08c36dee73b419b2b0e2978fd3f">suggested</a> that fans carrying rainbow flags could have them removed to protect them from possible attacks.The
 issue has been debated frequently in Qatar and the wider Middle East, 
where many believe it’s only fair for visitors to respect the country’s 
laws, customs and religious beliefs, just like people from the region 
are expected to honor other nations' rules when they travel. Others 
counter that rights’ issues are universal and that sports must be 
inclusive.Ahead of the tournament, some LGBTQ rights activists sought to raise <a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-soccer-sports-religion-679b18a9480573b7fb72633ace63cc7b">concerns</a>
 about how LGBTQ people in Qatar may be treated after the World Cup 
ends. Some of them have also argued that international attention was 
disproportionately focused on the visitors and not enough on LGBTQ 
people in the country.Associated Press writers Karl Ritter and Graham Dunbar contributed to this report.

Rainbow struggle plays out on sidelines of World Cup

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Both major parties say the Kansas governor's race is a tossup in its last days as abortion politics, lingering ill will toward former Republican Gov. Sam Brownback and an independent conservative candidate make for a tighter-than-expected contest in the Republican-leaning state.

Democratic incumbent Gov. Laura Kelly should be on the defensive as the only Democratic governor in the U.S. running for reelection in a state carried by former President Donald Trump in 2020. But a decisive statewide vote in August&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">affirming abortion rights</a>&nbsp;energized Democrats and moderates and boosted Kelly's chance of holding the votes crucial to her victory four years ago.

GOP challenger Derek Schmidt hopes to tap voter frustration with inflation and crime. Kelly has largely stayed on a message that Kansas is financially healthy again after past budget woes tied to Brownback, with Schmidt a key political ally.

“I am more confident than I have been,” said Joan Wagnon, a former Kansas Democratic Party chair and ex-Topeka mayor.

Schmidt, the state’s three-term attorney general, is ending his campaign on the attack with “Kansas Can Do Better” rallies around the state. Kelly allies closed with a “Back on Track, Can’t Go Back” tour.

“It’s not that I ignore national issues. You know, I understand that inflation is an issue,” Kelly told reporters after a recent event in Topeka. “But I think people in the state of Kansas want me to focus on the things that I actually have some control over.”

Many Republicans' early expectations of a comfortable victory for Schmidt faded months ago. Yet for all the unexpected sweating, Republicans still think Schmidt can bank&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-business-congress-689603a0b0446c3568fe96270c7b3c7b">on national GOP midterm momentum.</a>

“Folks are working hard, making things happen in their community, and frustrated with the Biden-Kelly Democrat philosophy that values big government over freedom,” Schmidt posted on Facebook after one small-town event this week.

Kelly has spent more than $7 million on her reelection, roughly twice as much as Schmidt through late October. Outside groups have boosted the spending on television ads past $40 million.

Schmidt's hopes rest in part on energy from the August abortion vote fading, something some abortion rights advocates said they've felt. Schmidt supported the measure on the ballot, a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution to allow the GOP-controlled Legislature to greatly restrict or ban abortion. Kelly opposed it, but she hasn't focused on abortion access as an issue.

Turnout so far among people voting in advance is higher than for the August election, which set a record for a Kansas primary. Yet it's also lower than in November 2018, when Democrats tapped suburban discontent with Trump and the Republican nominee for governor was Kris Kobach, known nationally as an immigration and election fraud provocateur.

Schmidt joined Republicans nationwide in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-health-police-covid-campaigns-13d5f83a6604df1bc6a33779fa159e93">pivoting to crime</a>&nbsp;last month, though the state recently reported a small decrease in violent crime in 2021 compared with 2020. He pointed to Kelly's appointment of a racial justice commission and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-police-campaigns-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-6ce47fee06c05f2e4309f2b581543f45">her comments that systemic racism is a problem</a>&nbsp;in law enforcement to suggest that she's anti-police.

Republicans pounded Kelly with ads over her two vetoes of two&nbsp;<a>proposals to ban transgender athletes</a>&nbsp;from girls’ and women’s school, club and college sports. Schmidt also attacked Kelly over state-administered grants to arts venues that later hosted drag shows, which have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-a26e7eee15df0bbc2bb98071b683b1f4">a bugaboo for the right</a>&nbsp;across the U.S. for months.

Kansas registration benefits Republicans, who represent 44.7% of those registered statewide. Unaffiliated voters, at 27.8%, beat out Democrats at 26.5%.

“A lot people are just pretty fed up with government in general, especially the Trump folks,” said Tim Shallenburger, a former state treasurer and Kansas Republican Party chair. “Biden has got them motivated, not Laura Kelly, or not Derek Schmidt.”

Yet for all of the playing to issues that rile Republicans, Shallenburger said, “I don't see a landslide brewing.”

Independent state Sen. Dennis Pyle is one reason. He is a former Republican and one of the state's most conservative legislators and is attacking Schmidt from the right. Pyle raised only $90,000 in cash as of late October, but an outside Democratic group aired radio ads, sent mailers and texted messages in the campaign's final weeks portraying Pyle as the true conservative and Schmidt as a poser.

Republicans were outraged. The Democratic group jumped in to help Pyle after Kelly built much of her message on an argument that Schmidt represented a return to a recent conservative past.

Kelly and her allies attacked Schmidt for standing politically with Brownback and not protesting a failed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/55bdc6299b9a4a69b83b7dc060c17b72">2012-13 experiment in cutting taxes</a>&nbsp;under Brownback that was followed by persistent budget shortfalls.

Legislators repealed most of the tax-cutting experiment in 2017, and Kelly is making much of the state's improved finances on her watch. The state treasury is flush, with tax collections exceeding expectations every month for more than two years.

Kelly's office also publicizes projects like plans for a new biotechnology lab in the Kansas City area and the planned expansion of a pizza manufacturing plant in Salina, some 100 miles (160 kilometers) west of Topeka.

Kelly joined other dignitaries this week in donning hard hats and digging up the first few shovelfuls of earth for a multibillion-dollar Panasonic Corp. plant in the Kansas City area for making batteries for electric vehicles.

Pat McFerron, an Oklahoma based-pollster and consultant working in Kansas for U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, said he's seeing Republicans “kind of come back home" in recent weeks.

But he added, "There is the power of incumbency,” McFerron said. “That’s unequivocal.”

By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Both major parties say the Kansas governor's race is a tossup in its last days as abortion politics, lingering ill will toward former Republican Gov. Sam Brownback and an independent conservative candidate make for a tighter-than-expected contest in the Republican-leaning state.Democratic incumbent Gov. Laura Kelly should be on the defensive as the only Democratic governor in the U.S. running for reelection in a state carried by former President Donald Trump in 2020. But a decisive statewide vote in August&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">affirming abortion rights</a>&nbsp;energized Democrats and moderates and boosted Kelly's chance of holding the votes crucial to her victory four years ago.GOP challenger Derek Schmidt hopes to tap voter frustration with inflation and crime. Kelly has largely stayed on a message that Kansas is financially healthy again after past budget woes tied to Brownback, with Schmidt a key political ally.“I am more confident than I have been,” said Joan Wagnon, a former Kansas Democratic Party chair and ex-Topeka mayor.Schmidt, the state’s three-term attorney general, is ending his campaign on the attack with “Kansas Can Do Better” rallies around the state. Kelly allies closed with a “Back on Track, Can’t Go Back” tour.“It’s not that I ignore national issues. You know, I understand that inflation is an issue,” Kelly told reporters after a recent event in Topeka. “But I think people in the state of Kansas want me to focus on the things that I actually have some control over.”Many Republicans' early expectations of a comfortable victory for Schmidt faded months ago. Yet for all the unexpected sweating, Republicans still think Schmidt can bank&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-business-congress-689603a0b0446c3568fe96270c7b3c7b">on national GOP midterm momentum.</a>“Folks are working hard, making things happen in their community, and frustrated with the Biden-Kelly Democrat philosophy that values big government over freedom,” Schmidt posted on Facebook after one small-town event this week.Kelly has spent more than $7 million on her reelection, roughly twice as much as Schmidt through late October. Outside groups have boosted the spending on television ads past $40 million.Schmidt's hopes rest in part on energy from the August abortion vote fading, something some abortion rights advocates said they've felt. Schmidt supported the measure on the ballot, a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution to allow the GOP-controlled Legislature to greatly restrict or ban abortion. Kelly opposed it, but she hasn't focused on abortion access as an issue.Turnout so far among people voting in advance is higher than for the August election, which set a record for a Kansas primary. Yet it's also lower than in November 2018, when Democrats tapped suburban discontent with Trump and the Republican nominee for governor was Kris Kobach, known nationally as an immigration and election fraud provocateur.Schmidt joined Republicans nationwide in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-health-police-covid-campaigns-13d5f83a6604df1bc6a33779fa159e93">pivoting to crime</a>&nbsp;last month, though the state recently reported a small decrease in violent crime in 2021 compared with 2020. He pointed to Kelly's appointment of a racial justice commission and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-police-campaigns-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-6ce47fee06c05f2e4309f2b581543f45">her comments that systemic racism is a problem</a>&nbsp;in law enforcement to suggest that she's anti-police.Republicans pounded Kelly with ads over her two vetoes of two&nbsp;<a>proposals to ban transgender athletes</a>&nbsp;from girls’ and women’s school, club and college sports. Schmidt also attacked Kelly over state-administered grants to arts venues that later hosted drag shows, which have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-a26e7eee15df0bbc2bb98071b683b1f4">a bugaboo for the right</a>&nbsp;across the U.S. for months.Kansas registration benefits Republicans, who represent 44.7% of those registered statewide. Unaffiliated voters, at 27.8%, beat out Democrats at 26.5%.“A lot people are just pretty fed up with government in general, especially the Trump folks,” said Tim Shallenburger, a former state treasurer and Kansas Republican Party chair. “Biden has got them motivated, not Laura Kelly, or not Derek Schmidt.”Yet for all of the playing to issues that rile Republicans, Shallenburger said, “I don't see a landslide brewing.”Independent state Sen. Dennis Pyle is one reason. He is a former Republican and one of the state's most conservative legislators and is attacking Schmidt from the right. Pyle raised only $90,000 in cash as of late October, but an outside Democratic group aired radio ads, sent mailers and texted messages in the campaign's final weeks portraying Pyle as the true conservative and Schmidt as a poser.Republicans were outraged. The Democratic group jumped in to help Pyle after Kelly built much of her message on an argument that Schmidt represented a return to a recent conservative past.Kelly and her allies attacked Schmidt for standing politically with Brownback and not protesting a failed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/55bdc6299b9a4a69b83b7dc060c17b72">2012-13 experiment in cutting taxes</a>&nbsp;under Brownback that was followed by persistent budget shortfalls.Legislators repealed most of the tax-cutting experiment in 2017, and Kelly is making much of the state's improved finances on her watch. The state treasury is flush, with tax collections exceeding expectations every month for more than two years.Kelly's office also publicizes projects like plans for a new biotechnology lab in the Kansas City area and the planned expansion of a pizza manufacturing plant in Salina, some 100 miles (160 kilometers) west of Topeka.Kelly joined other dignitaries this week in donning hard hats and digging up the first few shovelfuls of earth for a multibillion-dollar Panasonic Corp. plant in the Kansas City area for making batteries for electric vehicles.Pat McFerron, an Oklahoma based-pollster and consultant working in Kansas for U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, said he's seeing Republicans “kind of come back home" in recent weeks.But he added, "There is the power of incumbency,” McFerron said. “That’s unequivocal.”

Kansas governor's race is close after abortion upheaval

A new women's boutique, Sunflower and Silos, 115 W. Eighth, is set to have its grand opening next weekend in downtown Hays.

Owner Kate Schippers of Hays said the store will carry women's apparel from sizes small to 3X as well as purses, accessories, shoes, hats, lotions and candles. 

Schippers is opening with a limited selection of girls clothes sizes 0-3 months to 5T. If those sell well, she will be expanding those offerings to include boys clothes in the same sizes.

Schippers husband, Pierce, is from Hays, and the couple relocated back to Hays with their son and daughter four years ago.

Opening a boutique has always been her dream, Schippers said.

"Downtown Hays is so beautiful," she said. "So many people come here. This a perfect place to do it. That was our whole strategy. We wanted the big city feel in the small town."

Schipper's brother-in-law renovated the storefront on Eighth Street, which had been an Escape Room. This includes the custom-made table and wine-cork bar in the Silo. The business is renting the building.

"This whole process has been family driven every step of the way, including design meetings every Tuesday evening," Schippers said.  

"This business has a lot of blood, sweat and tears involved and has done nothing but bring us back to living in the same state again.  My sister is going to help me run it, and my mom will be down there helping me run it when I can't be there."

The style of the clothing at the store will range from contemporary to southwest. Schippers is working on bringing in several brand names to the store, including Wrangler, Kimes Ranch and Ariat.

"You could pick something if you were going to go to the rodeo or concert or to a Christmas party or to work," Schipper said. "There will be casual, some dressy and everything in between."

Purse brands will include Myra and American Darling. The soaps and lotions will be Barr-Co. The candles are 1803 brand.

Prices will be mid-range, Schippers said, with items in the $20 to $50 range. The American Darling purses are leather and will run about $175 to $250.

The back of the store, "The Silo," will be a hat and accessories bar.

The store will have charms and feathers customers will be able to add to their hats. They will also have branding irons that can be use to burn brands into the hats. The store will also have kids' sizes in the hats.

Schippers said she is also considering having denim-jacket-decorating or make-your-own-bolo events.

Kate and her husband are working on a liquor license, so bridal showers, girls weekends, birthdays or other events in the Silo can have alcohol.

The Silo, which can accommodate about 15 people, is also available for rent for other events. Kate said she has a child's birthday party booked for the space soon after store's opening. 

Schippers is also working on a back patio that will be an extension of the the Silo.

An art student at Fort Hays State University painted a mural on one wall of the shop, which Schippers said will be a fun backdrop for photos during events.

"It's going to be more than a boutique, it's going to be an experience," she said.

The store will be open 10 a.m to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. You can follow the business on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SunflowersandSilos">Facebook</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667330845001.jpeg" alt="Kate Schippers of Hays is the owner of the new boutique in downtown Hays, Sunflowers and Silos, 115 W. Eighth, Hays. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>Kate Schippers of Hays is the owner of the new boutique in downtown Hays, Sunflowers and Silos, 115 W. Eighth, Hays. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostA new women's boutique, Sunflower and Silos, 115 W. Eighth, is set to have its grand opening next weekend in downtown Hays.Owner Kate Schippers of Hays said the store will carry women's apparel from sizes small to 3X as well as purses, accessories, shoes, hats, lotions and candles. Schippers is opening with a limited selection of girls clothes sizes 0-3 months to 5T. If those sell well, she will be expanding those offerings to include boys clothes in the same sizes.Schippers husband, Pierce, is from Hays, and the couple relocated back to Hays with their son and daughter four years ago.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667330797362.jpeg" alt="Kate Schippers poses next to a rack of purses at Sunflowers and Silos. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>Kate Schippers poses next to a rack of purses at Sunflowers and Silos. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure>Opening a boutique has always been her dream, Schippers said."Downtown Hays is so beautiful," she said. "So many people come here. This a perfect place to do it. That was our whole strategy. We wanted the big city feel in the small town."The store will be family-run. Schipper's brother-in-law renovated the storefront on Eighth Street, which had been an Escape Room. This includes the custom-made table and wine-cork bar in the Silo. The business is renting the building."This whole process has been family driven every step of the way, including design meetings every Tuesday evening," Schippers said. "This business has a lot of blood, sweat and tears involved and has done nothing but bring us back to living in the same state again. My sister is going to help me run it, and my mom will be down there helping me run it when I can't be there."The style of the clothing at the store will range from contemporary to southwest. Schippers is working on bringing in several brand names to the store, including Wrangler, Kimes Ranch and Ariat."You could pick something if you were going to go to the rodeo or concert or to a Christmas party or to work," Schipper said. "There will be casual, some dressy and everything in between."Purse brands will include Myra and American Darling. The soaps and lotions will be Barr-Co. The candles are 1803 brand.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667330828738.jpeg" alt="Sunflowers and Silos will carry girls' clothing sizes 0-3 months to 5T. The store also will carry women's clothing sizes small through 3X. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>Sunflowers and Silos will carry girls' clothing sizes 0-3 months to 5T. The store also will carry women's clothing sizes small through 3X. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure>Prices will be mid-range, Schippers said, with items in the $20 to $50 range. The American Darling purses are leather and will run about $175 to $250. The back of the store, "The Silo," will be a hat and accessories bar. The store will have charms and feathers customers will be able to add to their hats. They will also have branding irons that can be use to burn brands into the hats. The store will also have kids' sizes in the hats.Schippers said she is also considering having denim-jacket-decorating or make-your-own-bolo events.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667331130993.jpeg" alt="The Silo will be a hat and accessories bar in the rear of Sunflowers and Silos. The space will be available to rent for events or used for custom designing hats and accessories. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post " />
 <figcaption>The Silo will be a hat and accessories bar in the rear of Sunflowers and Silos. The space will be available to rent for events or used for custom designing hats and accessories. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post </figcaption>
 </figure>Kate and her husband are working on a liquor license, so bridal showers, girls weekends, birthdays or other events in the Silo can have alcohol.The Silo, which can accommodate about 15 people, is also available for rent for other events. Kate said she has a child's birthday party booked for the space soon after store's opening. Schippers is also working on a back patio that will be an extension of the the Silo.An art student at Fort Hays State University painted a mural on one wall of the shop, which Schippers said will be a fun backdrop for photos during events. "It's going to be more than a boutique, it's going to be an experience," she said.The store will be open 10 a.m to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. You can follow the business on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SunflowersandSilos">Facebook</a>.