Eagle Media-Hays General Manager Todd Lynd has announced his retirement, effective April 3.

Eagle has named Katie Dorzweiler, Eagle Media-Hays digital marketing leader, as the new general manager. She will assume her role as of Lynd's departure on April 3.

Lynd has been the general manager for Eagle Media-Hays since 1999.

He has led the Hays team to Lead Eagle, the top market in Eagle Media's three-state coverage area, not once, but eight times in the past decade.

"I have seen Todd in action for the past 26 years, and nobody does it better. He is a true 100/0 employee-owner leader, always giving 100% with no excuses for not being successful,"&nbsp;Gary Shorman, Eagle Media chairman, said.

"Not only has he led our team in the Hays market, but he has been a part of our leadership team company-wide, joining our board of directors as an advisory member. We all wish Todd and his family the very best in this next adventure into retirement."

Dorzweiler said of Lynd, "The team here consists of veteran sellers, broadcasters, journalists and administrative staff because he empowered each of us to act as employee-owners."

"He’s been a quiet force behind the scenes, making Eagle Media of Hays what it is today."

Matt Althouse, regional vice president of the Kansas Media Group for Eagle Media, said, "Todd has been a genuine role model for me. I have always appreciated his leadership, his consistency, and I am going to miss his voice in our leadership conversations.&nbsp; 

"Todd is truly skilled at balancing the needs of Eagle and the needs of the amazing team that he has built in Hays. His people-first mindset benefits everyone who’s had the privilege of working with him, both employees and customers alike."

Lynd has served on the Hays Recreation Commission board of directors, supported and assisted the Relay for Life Golf Tournament, been a sponsor of Women Who Lead, and is serving on the Eagle board of advisers and Heart of America board.

A retirement reception is open to the community. From 4-5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1, guests are encouraged to stop by and wish Lynd well as he says goodbye to Eagle and starts chasing his grandkids.

Dorzweiler is a 2010 graduate of Fort Hays State University with a bachelor's degree in political science.

She was a property manager for DP Management. She oversaw Big Creek Crossing in Hays before being hired at Eagle Media in 2018, where she served as general manager of Eagle Marketing Solutions.

She assumed the role of&nbsp;digital marketing leader in January 2020.

Dorzweiler has also been heavily involved in the community. She just completed a year as president of The Chamber in Hays. She has also served as a Kiwanis member,&nbsp;Heartland Community Foundation board member,&nbsp;Fort Hays Tech North West-Business Management Advisory Board member, and as a member of Women Who Lead and&nbsp;Immaculate Heart of Mary parish.

"We are excited to have Katie step up to a leadership role in Hays," Shorman said. "She has a dynamic leadership style and is connected to the team and the community."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1774554235851.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Hays PostEagle Media-Hays General Manager Todd Lynd has announced his retirement, effective April 3.Eagle has named Katie Dorzweiler, Eagle Media-Hays digital marketing leader, as the new general manager. She will assume her role as of Lynd's departure on April 3.Lynd has been the general manager for Eagle Media-Hays since 1999.He has led the Hays team to Lead Eagle, the top market in Eagle Media's three-state coverage area, not once, but eight times in the past decade."I have seen Todd in action for the past 26 years, and nobody does it better. He is a true 100/0 employee-owner leader, always giving 100% with no excuses for not being successful,"&nbsp;Gary Shorman, Eagle Media chairman, said."Not only has he led our team in the Hays market, but he has been a part of our leadership team company-wide, joining our board of directors as an advisory member. We all wish Todd and his family the very best in this next adventure into retirement."Dorzweiler said of Lynd, "The team here consists of veteran sellers, broadcasters, journalists and administrative staff because he empowered each of us to act as employee-owners.""He’s been a quiet force behind the scenes, making Eagle Media of Hays what it is today."Matt Althouse, regional vice president of the Kansas Media Group for Eagle Media, said, "Todd has been a genuine role model for me. I have always appreciated his leadership, his consistency, and I am going to miss his voice in our leadership conversations.&nbsp; "Todd is truly skilled at balancing the needs of Eagle and the needs of the amazing team that he has built in Hays. His people-first mindset benefits everyone who’s had the privilege of working with him, both employees and customers alike."Lynd has served on the Hays Recreation Commission board of directors, supported and assisted the Relay for Life Golf Tournament, been a sponsor of Women Who Lead, and is serving on the Eagle board of advisers and Heart of America board.A retirement reception is open to the community. From 4-5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1, guests are encouraged to stop by and wish Lynd well as he says goodbye to Eagle and starts chasing his grandkids.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1774627674768.jpeg" alt="Katie&nbsp;Dorzweiler" />
 <figcaption>Katie&nbsp;Dorzweiler</figcaption>
 </figure>Dorzweiler is a 2010 graduate of Fort Hays State University with a bachelor's degree in political science.She was a property manager for DP Management. She oversaw Big Creek Crossing in Hays before being hired at Eagle Media in 2018, where she served as general manager of Eagle Marketing Solutions.She assumed the role of&nbsp;digital marketing leader in January 2020.Dorzweiler has also been heavily involved in the community. She just completed a year as president of The Chamber in Hays. She has also served as a Kiwanis member,&nbsp;Heartland Community Foundation board member,&nbsp;Fort Hays Tech North West-Business Management Advisory Board member, and as a member of Women Who Lead and&nbsp;Immaculate Heart of Mary parish."We are excited to have Katie step up to a leadership role in Hays," Shorman said. "She has a dynamic leadership style and is connected to the team and the community."

Eagle Media Hays general manager to retire

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/audrey-mcavoy">AUDREY McAVOY</a> Associated Press

The U.S. can continue to detain immigrants without bond, an appeals court ruled Wednesday, handing a victory to the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration.

The opinion from a panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis overturned a lower court ruling that required that a native of Mexico arrested for lacking legal documents be given a bond hearing before an immigration judge.

It’s the second appeals court to rule in favor of the administration on this issue. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fifth-circuit-immigrant-detainees-denied-bond-f5265ecf771d1f8e9f20d48bddfb1a25">ruled last month</a>&nbsp;that the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to deny bond hearings to immigrants arrested across the country was consistent with the Constitution and federal immigration law.

Both appeals court opinions counter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-judge-schiltz-immigration-dba9ee031a23602ba2f6404262496ea5">recent lower court decisions</a>&nbsp;across the country that argued the practice is illegal.

In&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-bond-hearings-detention-trump-b863c23d6f1740e2df0be59947a087c5">November, a district court decision in California</a>&nbsp;granted detained immigrants with no criminal history the opportunity to request a bond hearing and had implications for noncitizens held in detention nationwide.

Under past administrations,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-detention-ice-trump-e1c2322c3f88c1f7d7e83c8c42109cb6">most noncitizens</a>&nbsp;with no criminal record&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-court-judges-trump-ice-229830c0779857164a832793c2a8f3e4">who were arrested away</a>&nbsp;from the border had an opportunity to request a bond hearing while their cases wound through immigration court. Historically, bond was often granted to those without criminal convictions who were not flight risks, and mandatory detention was limited to recent border crossers.

In the case before the 8th Circuit, Joaquin Herrera Avila of Mexico was apprehended in Minneapolis in August 2025 for lacking legal documents authorizing his admission into the United States. The Department of Homeland Security detained Avila without bond and began deportation proceedings.

He filed a petition seeking immediate release for a bond hearing. A federal judge in Minnesota granted the petition, saying the law authorized detention without bond when a person seeking admission is not clearly and beyond a doubt entitled to being admitted. The judge found this was not the case for Avila because he had lived in the country for years without seeking naturalization, asylum or refugee status and thus wasn’t “seeking admission.”

Circuit Court Judge Bobby E. Shepherd wrote for the majority in a 2-1 opinion that the law was “clear that an ‘applicant for admission’ is also an alien who is ‘seeking admission,’” and so Avila couldn’t petition on these grounds.

Circuit Court Judge Ralph R. Erickson dissented, saying that Avila would have been entitled to a bond hearing during his deportation hearings if he had been arrested during the past 29 years. Now, he wrote, the Circuit Court has ruled that Avila and millions of others would be subject to mandatory detention under a novel interpretation of “alien seeking admission” that hasn’t been used by the courts or five previous presidential administrations.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which is representing Avila, didn’t immediately return an email message seeking comment.

Attorney General Pam Bondi hailed the ruling, writing in a social media post: “MASSIVE COURT VICTORY against activist judges and for President Trump’s law and order agenda!”

At question is the issue of whether the government is required to ask a neutral judge to determine whether it is legal to imprison someone.

It’s based on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/habeas-corpus-trump-migrants-deportations-constitution-28a598363d03bfc9448b5132c72f2b3d">habeas corpus</a>, which is a Latin legal term referring to the constitutional right for people to legally challenge their detention by the government.

Immigrants have filed more than 30,000 habeas corpus petitions in federal court alleging illegal detention since Trump took office, according to a tally by The Associated Press. Many have succeeded.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755655006412.png" alt="Photo Homeland Security" />
 <figcaption>Photo Homeland Security</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/audrey-mcavoy">AUDREY McAVOY</a> Associated PressThe U.S. can continue to detain immigrants without bond, an appeals court ruled Wednesday, handing a victory to the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration.The opinion from a panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis overturned a lower court ruling that required that a native of Mexico arrested for lacking legal documents be given a bond hearing before an immigration judge.It’s the second appeals court to rule in favor of the administration on this issue. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fifth-circuit-immigrant-detainees-denied-bond-f5265ecf771d1f8e9f20d48bddfb1a25">ruled last month</a>&nbsp;that the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to deny bond hearings to immigrants arrested across the country was consistent with the Constitution and federal immigration law.Both appeals court opinions counter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-judge-schiltz-immigration-dba9ee031a23602ba2f6404262496ea5">recent lower court decisions</a>&nbsp;across the country that argued the practice is illegal.In&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-bond-hearings-detention-trump-b863c23d6f1740e2df0be59947a087c5">November, a district court decision in California</a>&nbsp;granted detained immigrants with no criminal history the opportunity to request a bond hearing and had implications for noncitizens held in detention nationwide.Under past administrations,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-detention-ice-trump-e1c2322c3f88c1f7d7e83c8c42109cb6">most noncitizens</a>&nbsp;with no criminal record&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-court-judges-trump-ice-229830c0779857164a832793c2a8f3e4">who were arrested away</a>&nbsp;from the border had an opportunity to request a bond hearing while their cases wound through immigration court. Historically, bond was often granted to those without criminal convictions who were not flight risks, and mandatory detention was limited to recent border crossers.In the case before the 8th Circuit, Joaquin Herrera Avila of Mexico was apprehended in Minneapolis in August 2025 for lacking legal documents authorizing his admission into the United States. The Department of Homeland Security detained Avila without bond and began deportation proceedings.He filed a petition seeking immediate release for a bond hearing. A federal judge in Minnesota granted the petition, saying the law authorized detention without bond when a person seeking admission is not clearly and beyond a doubt entitled to being admitted. The judge found this was not the case for Avila because he had lived in the country for years without seeking naturalization, asylum or refugee status and thus wasn’t “seeking admission.”Circuit Court Judge Bobby E. Shepherd wrote for the majority in a 2-1 opinion that the law was “clear that an ‘applicant for admission’ is also an alien who is ‘seeking admission,’” and so Avila couldn’t petition on these grounds.Circuit Court Judge Ralph R. Erickson dissented, saying that Avila would have been entitled to a bond hearing during his deportation hearings if he had been arrested during the past 29 years. Now, he wrote, the Circuit Court has ruled that Avila and millions of others would be subject to mandatory detention under a novel interpretation of “alien seeking admission” that hasn’t been used by the courts or five previous presidential administrations.The American Civil Liberties Union, which is representing Avila, didn’t immediately return an email message seeking comment.Attorney General Pam Bondi hailed the ruling, writing in a social media post: “MASSIVE COURT VICTORY against activist judges and for President Trump’s law and order agenda!”At question is the issue of whether the government is required to ask a neutral judge to determine whether it is legal to imprison someone.It’s based on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/habeas-corpus-trump-migrants-deportations-constitution-28a598363d03bfc9448b5132c72f2b3d">habeas corpus</a>, which is a Latin legal term referring to the constitutional right for people to legally challenge their detention by the government.Immigrants have filed more than 30,000 habeas corpus petitions in federal court alleging illegal detention since Trump took office, according to a tally by The Associated Press. Many have succeeded.

Appeals court sides with Trump admin. on detaining immigrants without bond

HAYS - Fort Hays State junior Kyle Grill has entered the transfer portal. The Maize junior has been an honorable mention All-MIAA selection the last two seasons and was named to the MIAA All-Tournament team in 2025. Grill averaged 13.3 points and 5.5 rebounds this past season and led the Tigers with 130 made threes.

Verbal Commits, an online recruiting platform, lists Dan Makuna and redshirt freshman Tory Homan in the portal as well.

Makuna was a first team All-MIAA selection this past season and was also named to the MIAA All-Defensive team. The Dortmund, Germany native and Denver University transfer averaged 17.0 points and 7.6 rebounds and had 34 blocked shots, all team highs.

Homan played sparingly this season after redshirting the year before following a knee injury late during his senior season at Maize South HS.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1772865638099.jpeg" alt="Fort Hays State's Kyle Grill (1) gets ready to shoot against Rogers State's Andrew Mason (22) in the first half of an MIAA tournament game on Friday, March 7, 2026 in Kansas City, Mo. (FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett)" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State's Kyle Grill (1) gets ready to shoot against Rogers State's Andrew Mason (22) in the first half of an MIAA tournament game on Friday, March 7, 2026 in Kansas City, Mo. (FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett)</figcaption>
 </figure>Hays Post SportsHAYS - Fort Hays State junior Kyle Grill has entered the transfer portal. The Maize junior has been an honorable mention All-MIAA selection the last two seasons and was named to the MIAA All-Tournament team in 2025. Grill averaged 13.3 points and 5.5 rebounds this past season and led the Tigers with 130 made threes.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I am officially in the transfer portal with 1 year of eligibility remaining. 13.3 ppg 5.5 rpg Two time all league MIAA honors 2025 MIAA All Tournament Team <a href="https://t.co/4QfomjK8lq">pic.twitter.com/4QfomjK8lq</a>&mdash; Kyle Grill (@kylegrill_1) <a href="https://twitter.com/kylegrill_1/status/2037255925854024183?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Verbal Commits, an online recruiting platform, lists Dan Makuna and redshirt freshman Tory Homan in the portal as well.Makuna was a first team All-MIAA selection this past season and was also named to the MIAA All-Defensive team. The Dortmund, Germany native and Denver University transfer averaged 17.0 points and 7.6 rebounds and had 34 blocked shots, all team highs.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1772191168104.png" alt="Fort Hays State's Dan Makuna (0) brings the ball up the floor in the first half of an MIAA basketball game against Nebraska-Kearney on Thursday, February 26, 2026 in Hays, Kan. (FHSU Athletics photo/Gillian Lymch)" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State's Dan Makuna (0) brings the ball up the floor in the first half of an MIAA basketball game against Nebraska-Kearney on Thursday, February 26, 2026 in Hays, Kan. (FHSU Athletics photo/Gillian Lymch)</figcaption>
 </figure>Homan played sparingly this season after redshirting the year before following a knee injury late during his senior season at Maize South HS.

🏀 Grill enters transfer portal, joins Makuna and Homan

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

After years of serving La Crosse from afar, Keithley Funeral Homes is bringing its newest chapel to Rush County this spring.

The funeral home is expected to open in late April or early May at 611 Peace St. Ron Keithley, owner and funeral director, said the expansion follows the loss of a local cremation partnership.

"We feel like it's an opportunity for us to explore," he said. "We're giving families another option."

While the funeral home has traditionally served families from its Hays location, it will soon offer the same services in the heart of Rush County.

The building will offer a convenient space for visitations and services, making it easier for friends and neighbors to gather and support one another. The chapel will also provide traditional funeral services, cremations and custom monument design.

La Crosse will now have two funeral homes,&nbsp;including the existing Janousek Funeral Home.

"We're pretty excited about the building we're putting in and remodeling down there," Keithley said.

The new location is being repurposed from a former medical clinic. The chapel will seat about 150 people and include a merchandise room for caskets, urns and monuments, Keithley said.

The interior is nearly complete, while exterior work, including the parking lot, is ongoing. Keithley said renovations will continue after the opening as part of the next phase of the project.

"It's a big enough building that our second phase will be adding an event center to give us the opportunity to have seating for about 100 guests. It can be used if families want to have a dinner there after a service or even community events if someone wants to reserve it," he said.

The event center is expected to be completed in late summer or early fall.

Keithley said La Crosse already has a funeral home that his business attempted to purchase when it went up for sale, but another organization acquired it instead. Before the sale, Keithley had provided cremation services for that funeral home for about 14 years until the ownership changed.

"We decided that we have a little bit of a leg in La Crosse already and Rush County with our business. We have a little name recognition down in that area," Keithley said.

Keithley said his funeral home also has its own monument company, which designs, produces and installs headstones and grave markers itself rather than using a third party.

"We're going to be involved in the community and offer professionalism and compassion to the families," Keithley said. "I'm looking forward to being part of the LaCrosse community in Rush County."

Keithley emphasizes that the goal of the new location is not to compete with Janousek Funeral Home, but to give families a second option.

Keithley Funeral Homes also has chapels in Ellis and Victoria.&nbsp;You can follow Keithley Funeral Homes on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/keithleyfuneralhomes">Facebook</a>&nbsp;and learn more about its services on its <a href="https://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com/">website</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1774453256840.png" alt="An early rendering of Keithley Funeral Homes' new location, which will be at 611 Peace St. in La Crosse. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>An early rendering of Keithley Funeral Homes' new location, which will be at 611 Peace St. in La Crosse. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostAfter years of serving La Crosse from afar, Keithley Funeral Homes is bringing its newest chapel to Rush County this spring.The funeral home is expected to open in late April or early May at 611 Peace St. Ron Keithley, owner and funeral director, said the expansion follows the loss of a local cremation partnership."We feel like it's an opportunity for us to explore," he said. "We're giving families another option."While the funeral home has traditionally served families from its Hays location, it will soon offer the same services in the heart of Rush County.The building will offer a convenient space for visitations and services, making it easier for friends and neighbors to gather and support one another. The chapel will also provide traditional funeral services, cremations and custom monument design.La Crosse will now have two funeral homes,&nbsp;including the existing Janousek Funeral Home."We're pretty excited about the building we're putting in and remodeling down there," Keithley said.The new location is being repurposed from a former medical clinic. The chapel will seat about 150 people and include a merchandise room for caskets, urns and monuments, Keithley said.The interior is nearly complete, while exterior work, including the parking lot, is ongoing. Keithley said renovations will continue after the opening as part of the next phase of the project.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1774453358595.png" alt="An early rendering of a Keithley Funeral Homes sign at its new location in La Crosse. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>An early rendering of a Keithley Funeral Homes sign at its new location in La Crosse. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>"It's a big enough building that our second phase will be adding an event center to give us the opportunity to have seating for about 100 guests. It can be used if families want to have a dinner there after a service or even community events if someone wants to reserve it," he said.The event center is expected to be completed in late summer or early fall.Keithley said La Crosse already has a funeral home that his business attempted to purchase when it went up for sale, but another organization acquired it instead. Before the sale, Keithley had provided cremation services for that funeral home for about 14 years until the ownership changed."We decided that we have a little bit of a leg in La Crosse already and Rush County with our business. We have a little name recognition down in that area," Keithley said.Keithley said his funeral home also has its own monument company, which designs, produces and installs headstones and grave markers itself rather than using a third party."We're going to be involved in the community and offer professionalism and compassion to the families," Keithley said. "I'm looking forward to being part of the LaCrosse community in Rush County."Keithley emphasizes that the goal of the new location is not to compete with Janousek Funeral Home, but to give families a second option.Keithley Funeral Homes also has chapels in Ellis and Victoria.&nbsp;You can follow Keithley Funeral Homes on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/keithleyfuneralhomes">Facebook</a>&nbsp;and learn more about its services on its <a href="https://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com/">website</a>.

Keithley Funeral Homes to open La Crosse chapel this spring

By MONIQUE KOERNER Cottonwood Extension District

The good news is that overall, the infant deathrate  in Kansas has declined significantly from 2002 to 2021.

 Furthermore, the 2022 Kansas State Child Death Review Board reported that 58% of all Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths (SUID) were found sleeping in an adult bed and 98% of the SIDS deaths had one or more factors contributing to an unsafe sleep environment.

Christy Schunn, executive director of Kansas Infant Death and SIDS (KIDS) Network says, "While we have made progress over the last ten years, the KIDS Network remains committed to working with partners across Kansas to continue intervention efforts to decrease infant mortality and protect the lives of our state’s youngest and most vulnerable population."

Together with Cottonwood Extension District and Infant Toddler Services- Kid Link, the KIDS Network will host a Safe Sleep Community Baby Shower, Saturday, April 18 from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn, 221 W. 43rd Hays.

 Community Baby Showers are an interactive and educational event for expectant parents or new parents (under six months) and their support people to learn the ABCs of Safe Sleep—all babies should sleep Alone, on their Backs, and in Clutter-free Crib. 

The pregnant women who attend the shower and receive the safe sleep training will receive a free portable crib and a wearable blanket, based on availability. Breastfeeding, tobacco awareness, and mental health resources will be available in addition to many other vendors who will have giveaways and door prizes. Refreshments will be served. 

Do you know someone who could benefit? Encourage them to attend the Safe Sleep Community Baby Shower in either Barton or Ellis County.

 Pre-and-post surveys will be required to receive crib and wearable blanket. 

To sign up for the Ellis County Community Baby Shower visit&nbsp;<a href="https://kstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bmh7m2JxEfWqgbY">https://kstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bmh7m2JxEfWqgbY</a>

Barton County Health Department and Kansas Children’s Services League Healthy Families will be co-hosting the Barton County Community Baby Shower on Thursday April 30 from 4 to 6:30 pm. at the Hoisington Activity Center.&nbsp;

Over 20 different organizations will be providing information for attendees. Door prize drawings will be held during the event. Safe sleep demonstrations will be presented throughout the event. 

Pregnant women or those with infants 6 months of age and under who complete the safe sleep pre- and post-test as well as the safe sleep demonstration will receive a portable crib and sleep sack until supplies run out.

Even if you don’t need a crib or sleep sack you are welcome to come check out the local resources for new families!

The KIDS Network is a nonprofit agency serving individuals who have been touched by the tragedy of infant death or SIDS in Kansas and those individuals or organizations who strive to reduce the risk of infant deaths by providing supportive services, community education, professional training and supporting associated research.

If you have questions about either event, please feel free to contact the Extension office.

Monique Koerner is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at 785-628-9430 or MONIQUEK@KSU.EDU.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1774454491704.png" alt="Photo by Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By MONIQUE KOERNER Cottonwood Extension DistrictThe good news is that overall, the infant deathrate in Kansas has declined significantly from 2002 to 2021. Furthermore, the 2022 Kansas State Child Death Review Board reported that 58% of all Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths (SUID) were found sleeping in an adult bed and 98% of the SIDS deaths had one or more factors contributing to an unsafe sleep environment.Christy Schunn, executive director of Kansas Infant Death and SIDS (KIDS) Network says, "While we have made progress over the last ten years, the KIDS Network remains committed to working with partners across Kansas to continue intervention efforts to decrease infant mortality and protect the lives of our state’s youngest and most vulnerable population."Together with Cottonwood Extension District and Infant Toddler Services- Kid Link, the KIDS Network will host a Safe Sleep Community Baby Shower, Saturday, April 18 from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn, 221 W. 43rd Hays. Community Baby Showers are an interactive and educational event for expectant parents or new parents (under six months) and their support people to learn the ABCs of Safe Sleep—all babies should sleep Alone, on their Backs, and in Clutter-free Crib. The pregnant women who attend the shower and receive the safe sleep training will receive a free portable crib and a wearable blanket, based on availability. Breastfeeding, tobacco awareness, and mental health resources will be available in addition to many other vendors who will have giveaways and door prizes. Refreshments will be served. Do you know someone who could benefit? Encourage them to attend the Safe Sleep Community Baby Shower in either Barton or Ellis County. Pre-and-post surveys will be required to receive crib and wearable blanket. To sign up for the Ellis County Community Baby Shower visit&nbsp;<a href="https://kstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bmh7m2JxEfWqgbY">https://kstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bmh7m2JxEfWqgbY</a>Or scan the QR code below<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1774453830284.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Barton County Health Department and Kansas Children’s Services League Healthy Families will be co-hosting the Barton County Community Baby Shower on Thursday April 30 from 4 to 6:30 pm. at the Hoisington Activity Center.&nbsp;Over 20 different organizations will be providing information for attendees. Door prize drawings will be held during the event. Safe sleep demonstrations will be presented throughout the event. Pregnant women or those with infants 6 months of age and under who complete the safe sleep pre- and post-test as well as the safe sleep demonstration will receive a portable crib and sleep sack until supplies run out.Even if you don’t need a crib or sleep sack you are welcome to come check out the local resources for new families!The KIDS Network is a nonprofit agency serving individuals who have been touched by the tragedy of infant death or SIDS in Kansas and those individuals or organizations who strive to reduce the risk of infant deaths by providing supportive services, community education, professional training and supporting associated research.If you have questions about either event, please feel free to contact the Extension office.Monique Koerner is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at 785-628-9430 or MONIQUEK@KSU.EDU.

KOERNER: Safe Sleep Community Baby Showers in Hays, Great Bend during April

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/093f9c0a-3c6e-4816-9e52-543003442149">Check out 8th Street Liquor on Hays Places CLICK HERE.</a>

The Hays Post has launched an exciting new product to help you find businesses in your community.

The Hays Place tab, which can be found as a dropdown menu on the Hays Post, is a new video directory of places to shop, play and find services in Hays and the surrounding area.

See videos on featured businesses, find links to websites and Facebook pages for your favorite Hays haunts, and find hours and other key information to connect with businesses.

<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9dtXdWzifOU?si=PF025bLSSiz6g9IO" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763496212118.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/093f9c0a-3c6e-4816-9e52-543003442149">Check out 8th Street Liquor on Hays Places CLICK HERE.</a>The Hays Post has launched an exciting new product to help you find businesses in your community.The Hays Place tab, which can be found as a dropdown menu on the Hays Post, is a new video directory of places to shop, play and find services in Hays and the surrounding area.See videos on featured businesses, find links to websites and Facebook pages for your favorite Hays haunts, and find hours and other key information to connect with businesses.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763496034128.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>

🥎 TMP-Marian opens season with sweep of Sylvan-Lucas

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Thursday he would sign an order instructing the Homeland Security secretary to immediately pay Transportation Security Administration agents as Congress struggled to reach a deal to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/tsa-government-shutdown-ice-trump-03-26-2026">end a budget impasse</a>&nbsp;that has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-houston-airport-travel-impact-c46f4d6f49383bc9a457f3ebe001fbc1">jammed airports</a>&nbsp;and left workers without paychecks.

Trump announced his decision in a social media post saying he wanted to quickly stop the “Chaos at the Airports.”

“It is not an easy thing to do, but I am going to do it!” the president posted.

With pressure mounting, the White House had floated the extraordinary move of invoking a national emergency to pay TSA agents, while senators were reviewing a “last and final” offer from Republicans to Democrats to end the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/tsa-government-shutdown-ice-trump-03-26-2026">funding impasse</a>&nbsp;at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-department-of-homeland-security">Department of Homeland Security</a>.

Details of the president’s plan were not immediately available, but a national emergency declaration would be politically fraught and almost certain to face legal challenges. Instead, the president may simply be shifting money from other sources.

Democrats have been refusing to fund the Homeland Security as they demand changes to rein in Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/immigration">immigration enforcement operations</a>. The Senate came to a standstill and senators, ready to leave town for their own spring break, had prepared to stay all night to reach a deal.

“The president is doing absolutely the right thing," said Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., the GOP whip. “The TSA agents are going to be paid."

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, the chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, has said there was funding elsewhere that can be legally used to pay TSA as well as the Coast Guard, without declaring a national emergency.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-department-of-homeland-security">funding shutdown,</a>&nbsp;now in its 41st day, has resulted in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-houston-airport-travel-impact-c46f4d6f49383bc9a457f3ebe001fbc1">travel delays,</a>&nbsp;missed paychecks and even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/airport-wait-times-shutdown-dhs-congress-tsa-391cbd731bed2e8433ab7f1a96ca9663">warnings of airport closures</a>. TSA workers are coming up on their second missed payday Friday, with thousands refusing to show up for work.

Multiple airports are experiencing greater than 40% callout rates of TSA workers and nearly 500 of its nearly 50,000 transportation security officers have now quit during the shutdown. Nationwide on Wednesday, more than 11% of the TSA employees on the schedule missed work, according to DHS. That is more than 3,120 callouts.

Trump, who has largely left the issue to Congress to resolve, had warned he was ready to take action, even threatening to send the National Guard to airports, in addition to his deployment of ICE agents who are now checking travelers' IDs — a development drawing concerns. The White House has been considering a menu of options.

“They need to end this shutdown immediately or we'll have to take drastic measures,” Trump said during a morning Cabinet meeting at the White House.

At&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-houston-airport-travel-impact-c46f4d6f49383bc9a457f3ebe001fbc1">George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston,</a>&nbsp;Melissa Gates said she would not make her flight to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after waiting more than 2½ hours and still not reaching the security checkpoint. She said no other flights were available until Friday.

“I should have just driven, right?” Gates said. “Five hours would have been hilarious next to this.”

A ‘last and final’ offer on the table

Earlier Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/john-thune">Senate Majority Leader John Thune</a>, R-S.D., announced he had given the final offer to the Democrats.

Thune did not disclose details of the new framework, but he said that it picked up on what had been the Republican offer over the weekend, before talks with the White House and Democrats had broken off.

But as senators retreated to privately discuss the new plan, the action stalled out.

Democrats argue the GOP proposals have not gone far enough at putting guardrails on officers from ICE, Customs and Border Protection and other federal agencies who are engaged in the immigration sweeps, particularly after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-minneapolis-sue-alex-pretti-renee-good-5a0b98ac7173ce0e9ecc3bf9a39e3919">deaths of two Americans</a>&nbsp;protesting the actions in Minneapolis.

They want federal agents to wear identification, remove their face masks and refrain from conducting raids around schools, churches or other sensitive places. Democrats have also pushed for an end of administrative warrants, insisting that judges sign off before agents search people's homes or private spaces.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said they needed to see real changes. “We’ve been talking about ICE reforms from day one,” he said.

Any deal will almost certainly need to involve a compromise as lawmakers on the left and right flanks revolt. Conservative Republicans have panned their own GOP proposals, demanding full funding for immigration operations and skeptical of the promise from leaders that they would address Trump’s proof-of-citizenship&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-trump-midterms-citizenship-republican-senate-d4acd3468c410a8842a0fe3e3b9cda57">voting bill</a>&nbsp;in a subsequent legislative package.

Republicans said after a private lunch meeting that there were other options to shift money than invoking the national emergency.

The GOP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-immigration-ice-deportation-budget-be983b14f60a5cdfc17af7cf0307f1c9">big tax cuts bill</a>&nbsp;that Trump signed into law last year funneled billions to DHS, including $75 billion for ICE operations, ensuring the money is flowing for his immigration and deportation agenda even with the funding shutdown. ICE and other immigration officers are still being paid.

Republicans say the Trump administration has already made strides to meet Democrats’ demands, particularly after swearing in former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/markwayne-mullin">Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin</a>&nbsp;as the new homeland security secretary to replace Kristi Noem. He has given a nod to the need for the judicial warrants for searches.

Airport lines grow as TSA workers endure hardships

“This is a dire situation,” the acting TSA administrator, Ha Nguyen McNeill, testified at a House hearing Wednesday.

She described the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tsa-lines-airport-wait-times-shutdown-5b1abfe9f0ec32475fe2bdad88dd9174">multiple hardships</a>&nbsp;facing unpaid TSA workers — piling up bills and eviction notices, even plasma donations to make ends meet — and warned of potential airport closures if more employees refuse to come to work.

“At this point, we have to look at all options on the table,” she said.

McNeil also said TSA officers working at the nation’s airports have experienced a more than 500% increase in the frequency of assaults since the shutdown began.

“This is unacceptable,” McNeill said.

Associated Press writers Joey Cappelletti, Kevin Freking, Rebecca Santana and Ben Finley in Washington, Lekan Oyekanmi in Houston, Wyatte Grantham-Philips in New York, Rio Yamat in Las Vegas, Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, and Gabriela Aoun Angueira in San Diego contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1774454217235.png" alt="Photo TSA" />
 <figcaption>Photo TSA</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Thursday he would sign an order instructing the Homeland Security secretary to immediately pay Transportation Security Administration agents as Congress struggled to reach a deal to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/tsa-government-shutdown-ice-trump-03-26-2026">end a budget impasse</a>&nbsp;that has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-houston-airport-travel-impact-c46f4d6f49383bc9a457f3ebe001fbc1">jammed airports</a>&nbsp;and left workers without paychecks.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨 While Democrats continue to stand on the side of criminal illegal aliens, President Trump is signing an order instructing <a href="https://twitter.com/SecMullinDHS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecMullinDHS</a> to immediately pay our TSA Agents and to quickly stop the Democrat Chaos at the Airports. <a href="https://t.co/pHDnUTf6oR">https://t.co/pHDnUTf6oR</a> <a href="https://t.co/MHg2wEUI8d">pic.twitter.com/MHg2wEUI8d</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/2037320997968163162?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump announced his decision in a social media post saying he wanted to quickly stop the “Chaos at the Airports.”“It is not an easy thing to do, but I am going to do it!” the president posted.With pressure mounting, the White House had floated the extraordinary move of invoking a national emergency to pay TSA agents, while senators were reviewing a “last and final” offer from Republicans to Democrats to end the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/tsa-government-shutdown-ice-trump-03-26-2026">funding impasse</a>&nbsp;at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-department-of-homeland-security">Department of Homeland Security</a>.Details of the president’s plan were not immediately available, but a national emergency declaration would be politically fraught and almost certain to face legal challenges. Instead, the president may simply be shifting money from other sources.Democrats have been refusing to fund the Homeland Security as they demand changes to rein in Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/immigration">immigration enforcement operations</a>. The Senate came to a standstill and senators, ready to leave town for their own spring break, had prepared to stay all night to reach a deal.“The president is doing absolutely the right thing," said Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., the GOP whip. “The TSA agents are going to be paid."Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, the chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, has said there was funding elsewhere that can be legally used to pay TSA as well as the Coast Guard, without declaring a national emergency.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-department-of-homeland-security">funding shutdown,</a>&nbsp;now in its 41st day, has resulted in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-houston-airport-travel-impact-c46f4d6f49383bc9a457f3ebe001fbc1">travel delays,</a>&nbsp;missed paychecks and even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/airport-wait-times-shutdown-dhs-congress-tsa-391cbd731bed2e8433ab7f1a96ca9663">warnings of airport closures</a>. TSA workers are coming up on their second missed payday Friday, with thousands refusing to show up for work.Multiple airports are experiencing greater than 40% callout rates of TSA workers and nearly 500 of its nearly 50,000 transportation security officers have now quit during the shutdown. Nationwide on Wednesday, more than 11% of the TSA employees on the schedule missed work, according to DHS. That is more than 3,120 callouts.Trump, who has largely left the issue to Congress to resolve, had warned he was ready to take action, even threatening to send the National Guard to airports, in addition to his deployment of ICE agents who are now checking travelers' IDs — a development drawing concerns. The White House has been considering a menu of options.“They need to end this shutdown immediately or we'll have to take drastic measures,” Trump said during a morning Cabinet meeting at the White House.At&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-houston-airport-travel-impact-c46f4d6f49383bc9a457f3ebe001fbc1">George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston,</a>&nbsp;Melissa Gates said she would not make her flight to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after waiting more than 2½ hours and still not reaching the security checkpoint. She said no other flights were available until Friday.“I should have just driven, right?” Gates said. “Five hours would have been hilarious next to this.”<h2>A ‘last and final’ offer on the table</h2>Earlier Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/john-thune">Senate Majority Leader John Thune</a>, R-S.D., announced he had given the final offer to the Democrats.Thune did not disclose details of the new framework, but he said that it picked up on what had been the Republican offer over the weekend, before talks with the White House and Democrats had broken off.“Enough is enough,” he said.But as senators retreated to privately discuss the new plan, the action stalled out.Democrats argue the GOP proposals have not gone far enough at putting guardrails on officers from ICE, Customs and Border Protection and other federal agencies who are engaged in the immigration sweeps, particularly after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-minneapolis-sue-alex-pretti-renee-good-5a0b98ac7173ce0e9ecc3bf9a39e3919">deaths of two Americans</a>&nbsp;protesting the actions in Minneapolis.They want federal agents to wear identification, remove their face masks and refrain from conducting raids around schools, churches or other sensitive places. Democrats have also pushed for an end of administrative warrants, insisting that judges sign off before agents search people's homes or private spaces.Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said they needed to see real changes. “We’ve been talking about ICE reforms from day one,” he said.Any deal will almost certainly need to involve a compromise as lawmakers on the left and right flanks revolt. Conservative Republicans have panned their own GOP proposals, demanding full funding for immigration operations and skeptical of the promise from leaders that they would address Trump’s proof-of-citizenship&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-trump-midterms-citizenship-republican-senate-d4acd3468c410a8842a0fe3e3b9cda57">voting bill</a>&nbsp;in a subsequent legislative package.Republicans said after a private lunch meeting that there were other options to shift money than invoking the national emergency.The GOP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-immigration-ice-deportation-budget-be983b14f60a5cdfc17af7cf0307f1c9">big tax cuts bill</a>&nbsp;that Trump signed into law last year funneled billions to DHS, including $75 billion for ICE operations, ensuring the money is flowing for his immigration and deportation agenda even with the funding shutdown. ICE and other immigration officers are still being paid.Republicans say the Trump administration has already made strides to meet Democrats’ demands, particularly after swearing in former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/markwayne-mullin">Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin</a>&nbsp;as the new homeland security secretary to replace Kristi Noem. He has given a nod to the need for the judicial warrants for searches.<h2>Airport lines grow as TSA workers endure hardships</h2>“This is a dire situation,” the acting TSA administrator, Ha Nguyen McNeill, testified at a House hearing Wednesday.She described the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tsa-lines-airport-wait-times-shutdown-5b1abfe9f0ec32475fe2bdad88dd9174">multiple hardships</a>&nbsp;facing unpaid TSA workers — piling up bills and eviction notices, even plasma donations to make ends meet — and warned of potential airport closures if more employees refuse to come to work.“At this point, we have to look at all options on the table,” she said.McNeil also said TSA officers working at the nation’s airports have experienced a more than 500% increase in the frequency of assaults since the shutdown began.“This is unacceptable,” McNeill said.___Associated Press writers Joey Cappelletti, Kevin Freking, Rebecca Santana and Ben Finley in Washington, Lekan Oyekanmi in Houston, Wyatte Grantham-Philips in New York, Rio Yamat in Las Vegas, Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, and Gabriela Aoun Angueira in San Diego contributed to this report.

Trump declares national emergency, will sign order to pay TSA agents

NEW YORK (AP) — Singer-songwriter Darrell “Dash” Crofts, who teamed with childhood friend Jim Seals for such 1970s soft-rock hits as “Summer Breeze,” “Diamond Girl” and “Get Closer,” has died. He was 87.

Crofts died Wednesday of heart failure at the Heart Hospital of Austin in Austin, Texas, said his daughter, Lua Crofts Faragher. She said her father had been suffering heart issues for several years and had been hospitalized for about a month.

Seals and Crofts were native Texans who had known each other since high school and played together in various groups before becoming a duo, Seals &amp; Crofts, in the late 1960s. Blending pop, country, folk and jazz, they were part of a wave of million-selling soft-rock (or “easy listening”) bands that included America, Bread and Loggins and Messina.

“Summer Breeze,” “Diamond Girl” and “Get Closer” all reached the Top 10, while their other popular singles included “I’ll Play for You,” “Hummingbird” and “We May Never Pass This Way (Again).” The wide-eyed sentiments of the latter made it a favorite for high school yearbooks:

“Life / So they say / Is but a game and they’d let it slip away / Love / Like the autumn sun / Should be dyin’ / But it’s only just begun.”

Like many bands of the era, Seals &amp; Crofts sang of love, peace, music and the natural world. But the inspirations were rooted less in the counterculture than in the Baha’i faith, a monotheistic religion advocating global unity that they both embraced in the 1960s.

“It became a driving force in their careers and the way they lived their lives,” Faragher said.

They worked Baha’i themes into their music — “Hummingbird” is a metaphor for the Baha’i prophet Bahaullah — distributed literature after their shows, and sometimes preached from the stage, including during a performance on “Tonight” with Johnny Carson.

“You start out writing songs like ‘the leaves are green and the sky is blue and I love you and you love me’ — very simple lyrics — but you grow into a much, much broader awareness of life, of love, and of unity,” Crofts told Stereo Review in 1971. “It’s really great to be able to say something real in your music.”

One Baha’i tenet, that the soul begins with the formation of the embryo, led to controversy. In 1974, the year after the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision established the right to abortion, Seals &amp; Crofts released the ballad “Unborn Child,” the title song of their new album.

It was inspired by the wife of their recording engineer, who had seen a television documentary about abortion and wrote a poem with such lines as “Oh tiny bud, that grows in the womb, only to be crushed before you can bloom.” Numerous radio stations refused to play “Unborn Child” and protesters picketed Seals &amp; Crofts, although the album was certified gold for selling 500,000 copies.

“I think we got more good results out of it than bad,” Crofts later told the St. Petersburg Press, “because a lot of people called us and said, ‘We’re naming our children after you, because you helped us decide to save their lives with that song.’ That was very fulfilling to us.”

By the early 1980s, soft-rock bands were out of fashion and Seals &amp; Crofts had been dropped by its label, Warner Bros. They broke up for a time but continued to appear together at Baha’i gatherings, while also recording on their own. Crofts released a solo album, “Today,” in 1998, and six years later reunited with Seals for “Traces.” More recently, their music was revived by Faragher and Seals’ cousin Brady, who toured together as Seals &amp; Crofts 2. (Jim Seals died in 2022).

“There’s not a time that we performed that we didn’t have hundreds of people coming up and expressing their love and often saying the music changed their life,” Faragher said.

“There were so many people who loved them,” she added. “They were a constant service to mankind.” She said that her father’s death, a few years after that of Seals, marked the end of an era.

“That’s what makes it so painful — that it’s the end,” she said. “But the music will always, always live on.”

Darrell George “Dash” Crofts was born in Cisco, Texas, in 1938 and was singing and playing music from an early age, eventually learning piano, guitar, drums and mandolin.

He met and befriended Seals when both were teenagers and in a local rockabilly band, the Crew Cats. By the end of the 1950s, they had moved to Los Angeles and joined The Champs, best known for the early rock hit “Tequila.” Seals and Crofts would later briefly play in a band led by Glen Campbell, and join another California group, the Dawnbreakers, whose members included Crofts’ future wife, Billie Lee Day.

Although they performed on the same bill as Eric Clapton and Deep Purple among others, they were turned off by the volume and the lifestyle of hard-rock performers and honed a gentle sound. Seals &amp; Crofts released their eponymous debut album in 1969, and soon followed with “Down Home” and “Year of Sunday.”

Their commercial breakthrough came in 1972 with “Summer Breeze,” which featured a chorus that ranked with a contemporary hit, the Eagles’ “Take it Easy,” as a definition of post-1960s escapism: “Summer breeze makes me feel fine/blowing through the jasmine of my mind.”

“That was the beginning of bigger concerts, bigger crowds and we kept getting hits in the Top 40,” Crofts told the podcast “Inside MusiCast” in 2021. “That cemented us in the music business.”

Crofts is survived by his second wife, Louise Crofts; his children Lua, Faizi and Amelia; and eight grandchildren, Faragher said. His first marriage ended in divorce.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1774546550877.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Singer-songwriter Darrell “Dash” Crofts, who teamed with childhood friend Jim Seals for such 1970s soft-rock hits as “Summer Breeze,” “Diamond Girl” and “Get Closer,” has died. He was 87.Crofts died Wednesday of heart failure at the Heart Hospital of Austin in Austin, Texas, said his daughter, Lua Crofts Faragher. She said her father had been suffering heart issues for several years and had been hospitalized for about a month.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">God Speed Dash Crofts. Seals and Crofts was the sound of a generation with so many soft rock bangers. <a href="https://t.co/t57WftzBnY">pic.twitter.com/t57WftzBnY</a>&mdash; Danny Deraney (@DannyDeraney) <a href="https://twitter.com/DannyDeraney/status/2037236381060375002?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Seals and Crofts were native Texans who had known each other since high school and played together in various groups before becoming a duo, Seals &amp; Crofts, in the late 1960s. Blending pop, country, folk and jazz, they were part of a wave of million-selling soft-rock (or “easy listening”) bands that included America, Bread and Loggins and Messina.“Summer Breeze,” “Diamond Girl” and “Get Closer” all reached the Top 10, while their other popular singles included “I’ll Play for You,” “Hummingbird” and “We May Never Pass This Way (Again).” The wide-eyed sentiments of the latter made it a favorite for high school yearbooks:“Life / So they say / Is but a game and they’d let it slip away / Love / Like the autumn sun / Should be dyin’ / But it’s only just begun.”<h2>Not always easy listening</h2>Like many bands of the era, Seals &amp; Crofts sang of love, peace, music and the natural world. But the inspirations were rooted less in the counterculture than in the Baha’i faith, a monotheistic religion advocating global unity that they both embraced in the 1960s.“It became a driving force in their careers and the way they lived their lives,” Faragher said.They worked Baha’i themes into their music — “Hummingbird” is a metaphor for the Baha’i prophet Bahaullah — distributed literature after their shows, and sometimes preached from the stage, including during a performance on “Tonight” with Johnny Carson.“You start out writing songs like ‘the leaves are green and the sky is blue and I love you and you love me’ — very simple lyrics — but you grow into a much, much broader awareness of life, of love, and of unity,” Crofts told Stereo Review in 1971. “It’s really great to be able to say something real in your music.”One Baha’i tenet, that the soul begins with the formation of the embryo, led to controversy. In 1974, the year after the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision established the right to abortion, Seals &amp; Crofts released the ballad “Unborn Child,” the title song of their new album.It was inspired by the wife of their recording engineer, who had seen a television documentary about abortion and wrote a poem with such lines as “Oh tiny bud, that grows in the womb, only to be crushed before you can bloom.” Numerous radio stations refused to play “Unborn Child” and protesters picketed Seals &amp; Crofts, although the album was certified gold for selling 500,000 copies.“I think we got more good results out of it than bad,” Crofts later told the St. Petersburg Press, “because a lot of people called us and said, ‘We’re naming our children after you, because you helped us decide to save their lives with that song.’ That was very fulfilling to us.”By the early 1980s, soft-rock bands were out of fashion and Seals &amp; Crofts had been dropped by its label, Warner Bros. They broke up for a time but continued to appear together at Baha’i gatherings, while also recording on their own. Crofts released a solo album, “Today,” in 1998, and six years later reunited with Seals for “Traces.” More recently, their music was revived by Faragher and Seals’ cousin Brady, who toured together as Seals &amp; Crofts 2. (Jim Seals died in 2022).“There’s not a time that we performed that we didn’t have hundreds of people coming up and expressing their love and often saying the music changed their life,” Faragher said.“There were so many people who loved them,” she added. “They were a constant service to mankind.” She said that her father’s death, a few years after that of Seals, marked the end of an era.“That’s what makes it so painful — that it’s the end,” she said. “But the music will always, always live on.”<h2>Long-awaited breakthrough</h2>Darrell George “Dash” Crofts was born in Cisco, Texas, in 1938 and was singing and playing music from an early age, eventually learning piano, guitar, drums and mandolin.He met and befriended Seals when both were teenagers and in a local rockabilly band, the Crew Cats. By the end of the 1950s, they had moved to Los Angeles and joined The Champs, best known for the early rock hit “Tequila.” Seals and Crofts would later briefly play in a band led by Glen Campbell, and join another California group, the Dawnbreakers, whose members included Crofts’ future wife, Billie Lee Day.Although they performed on the same bill as Eric Clapton and Deep Purple among others, they were turned off by the volume and the lifestyle of hard-rock performers and honed a gentle sound. Seals &amp; Crofts released their eponymous debut album in 1969, and soon followed with “Down Home” and “Year of Sunday.”Their commercial breakthrough came in 1972 with “Summer Breeze,” which featured a chorus that ranked with a contemporary hit, the Eagles’ “Take it Easy,” as a definition of post-1960s escapism: “Summer breeze makes me feel fine/blowing through the jasmine of my mind.”“That was the beginning of bigger concerts, bigger crowds and we kept getting hits in the Top 40,” Crofts told the podcast “Inside MusiCast” in 2021. “That cemented us in the music business.”Crofts is survived by his second wife, Louise Crofts; his children Lua, Faizi and Amelia; and eight grandchildren, Faragher said. His first marriage ended in divorce.—-Noveck contributed from London.

Dash Crofts of '70s soft-rockers Seals and Crofts has died 

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post

A 43-year-old Ellis man was sentenced to 24 months in prison
Monday for threatening a law enforcement officer and an Ellis County couple in November
2024.

In a two-day February trial, it took an Ellis County jury
less than an hour to find Nathan Harwick guilty on two felony charges,
aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and criminal threat.

Monday, Ellis County Chief District Judge Curtis Brown
sentenced Harwick to 18 months for aggravated assault on a law enforcement
officer and six months for criminal threat, with the sentences to run
consecutively for a total of 24 months in prison with the Kansas Department of
Corrections.

According to court testimony, on the morning of Nov. 27,
2024, Harwick made several social media posts threatening two members of the
Ellis community. 

Then Harwick, armed with the barrel of a shotgun, showed up
at the residence of Chris and Rebecca Rorabaugh and walked up the couple’s
driveway with the barrel in hand.

Ellis Chief of Police Avery Smith was present at the
Rorabaugh residence when Harwick arrived on scene and took him into custody. 

Following the jury’s verdict and again at Monday’s hearing,
Harwick’s attorney, Mackenzie McCoy, put forward a motion for judgment of acquittal notwithstanding the verdict.

A judgment of acquittal&nbsp;notwithstanding the verdict is a court order that allows the judge to set aside a
guilty verdict and enter a judgment of acquittal. 

In the motion, McCoy argued there was not enough
evidence to convict Harwick of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer
based on the facts of the case and the testimony of Chief Smith.

At trial, Smith testified he and Harwick were not close
enough to each other for there to be the threat of bodily harm. 

According to court documents, Smith physically measured the
distance at about 43 feet.

Smith also testified there was not enough evidence to
show a deadly weapon was used. He testified Harwick never brandished, held
the barrel in a “threatening” manner or even pointed the barrel in Smith’s
direction. 

The defense argued there was not enough evidence to
find that a deadly weapon was used and, because the barrel was not operable,
there was no reason to believe the barrel could be used in a deadly manner at
such a distance. 

Judge Brown denied the motion for acquittal following the
jury trial and again at the beginning of Monday’s sentencing.

If a person is convicted of aggravated assault on a law
enforcement officer, Kansas law attaches a special sentencing rule, meaning a person convicted of the crime is likely to go to jail. Still, the judge
can reduce the sentence to probation.

Harwick’s attorney made a motion Monday requesting he
be sentenced to probation.

In the court filing, McCoy argued there were two reasons
Harwick should receive probation. 

The first was that “ordering the defendant to serve a prison
sentence in this matter would not better serve community safety interests nor
would it promote offender reformation.”

She said, “The defendant provides that this case stems from
a set of unique circumstances that are not likely to occur in the future.”

McCoy said in her motion for probation that a day before the incident in November 2024, an alleged victim told Harwick that Rorabaugh had allegedly had sex with them and that he had allegedly sexually
assaulted minor females during his teaching career.

Harwick claimed he believed that his sister, who was about the
same age as the other alleged victims, could have also been victimized. 

McCoy said that was the reason for the social media posts
Harwick made and his actions on Nov. 27, 2024.

Two days after the incident, on Nov. 29, 2024, Harwick,
while in custody, met with Chief Smith. During that interaction, Smith,
according to court documents and his testimony during a preliminary hearing and
at sentencing, let Harwick read narratives to police reports filed by alleged victims
of Rorabaugh.

Smith testified the reports corroborated Harwick’s
report. 

Smith told Hays Post that those reports were from an Ellis
County Sheriff’s Office investigation into Rorabaugh, but when asked about the
existence of the reports and whether an investigation was conducted into Rorabaugh,
Ellis County Sheriff Scott Braun said he was “unaware of any” investigation.

County Attorney Aaron Cunningham argued the court should not
take any of Harwick’s claims into consideration because the defense is
attempting to argue for “nullification.”

Cunningham also argued that Harwick should not be allowed to justify his actions based on the allegations against&nbsp;Rorabaugh.

He said allowing Harwick to serve probation would
“signal to society that they can take matters into their own hands and do not
need to use the established systems in place, which investigate and provide the
accused with their day in court.”

Cunningham even went on to say at sentencing that Harwick’s
actions that day led to Rorabaugh’s death.

Five days after Harwick confronted Rorabaugh, Chris Rorabaugh
committed suicide.

Cunningham said, “A man is dead because of the defendant’s
actions. A town lost a citizen, a wife lost her husband, and children lost
their father. All because of a rumor the defendant heard, and jumping to
several conclusions. 

"Even if the allegations were true, the maxim 'two wrongs
don't make a right' holds true. An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind,"
Cunningham said.

During his allocution, Harwick apologized to the Rorabaugh family and
said, “They are the real victims.” He said he had not reached out to the family
because of a no-contact order.

He said he did what he did that day to make a police report.

He also apologized to his mother for embarrassing her,
adding he is “on a good path,” and he is no longer on medication, is
gainfully employed and asked the court for a “second chance to be a productive
member of society.”

Judge Brown ruled against sentencing Harwick to probation.

He said, “The jury rejected the idea that you wanted to make
a police report (when he showed up at the Rorabaugh’s) and the court rejects
that argument today.”

Brown echoed the words of Becky Rorabaugh in her victim
statement and Cunningham in his motion against probation, that Harwick had not,
in their eyes, shown any remorse for his actions that day.

Brown said, “You took justice into your own hands.” 

He
added, “I have not seen anything today that shows me you will be reformed.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732833299050.png" alt="Harwick" />
 <figcaption>Harwick</figcaption>
 </figure>By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays PostA 43-year-old Ellis man was sentenced to 24 months in prison
Monday for threatening a law enforcement officer and an Ellis County couple in November
2024.In a two-day February trial, it took an Ellis County jury
less than an hour to find Nathan Harwick guilty on two felony charges,
aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and criminal threat.Monday, Ellis County Chief District Judge Curtis Brown
sentenced Harwick to 18 months for aggravated assault on a law enforcement
officer and six months for criminal threat, with the sentences to run
consecutively for a total of 24 months in prison with the Kansas Department of
Corrections.According to court testimony, on the morning of Nov. 27,
2024, Harwick made several social media posts threatening two members of the
Ellis community. Then Harwick, armed with the barrel of a shotgun, showed up
at the residence of Chris and Rebecca Rorabaugh and walked up the couple’s
driveway with the barrel in hand.Ellis Chief of Police Avery Smith was present at the
Rorabaugh residence when Harwick arrived on scene and took him into custody. Following the jury’s verdict and again at Monday’s hearing,
Harwick’s attorney, Mackenzie McCoy, put forward a motion for judgment of acquittal notwithstanding the verdict.A judgment of acquittal&nbsp;notwithstanding the verdict is a court order that allows the judge to set aside a
guilty verdict and enter a judgment of acquittal. In the motion, McCoy argued there was not enough
evidence to convict Harwick of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer
based on the facts of the case and the testimony of Chief Smith.At trial, Smith testified he and Harwick were not close
enough to each other for there to be the threat of bodily harm. According to court documents, Smith physically measured the
distance at about 43 feet.Smith also testified there was not enough evidence to
show a deadly weapon was used. He testified Harwick never brandished, held
the barrel in a “threatening” manner or even pointed the barrel in Smith’s
direction. The defense argued there was not enough evidence to
find that a deadly weapon was used and, because the barrel was not operable,
there was no reason to believe the barrel could be used in a deadly manner at
such a distance. Judge Brown denied the motion for acquittal following the
jury trial and again at the beginning of Monday’s sentencing.If a person is convicted of aggravated assault on a law
enforcement officer, Kansas law attaches a special sentencing rule, meaning a person convicted of the crime is likely to go to jail. Still, the judge
can reduce the sentence to probation.Harwick’s attorney made a motion Monday requesting he
be sentenced to probation.In the court filing, McCoy argued there were two reasons
Harwick should receive probation. The first was that “ordering the defendant to serve a prison
sentence in this matter would not better serve community safety interests nor
would it promote offender reformation.”She said, “The defendant provides that this case stems from
a set of unique circumstances that are not likely to occur in the future.”McCoy said in her motion for probation that a day before the incident in November 2024, an alleged victim told Harwick that Rorabaugh had allegedly had sex with them and that he had allegedly sexually
assaulted minor females during his teaching career.Harwick claimed he believed that his sister, who was about the
same age as the other alleged victims, could have also been victimized. McCoy said that was the reason for the social media posts
Harwick made and his actions on Nov. 27, 2024.Two days after the incident, on Nov. 29, 2024, Harwick,
while in custody, met with Chief Smith. During that interaction, Smith,
according to court documents and his testimony during a preliminary hearing and
at sentencing, let Harwick read narratives to police reports filed by alleged victims
of Rorabaugh.Smith testified the reports corroborated Harwick’s
report. Smith told Hays Post that those reports were from an Ellis
County Sheriff’s Office investigation into Rorabaugh, but when asked about the
existence of the reports and whether an investigation was conducted into Rorabaugh,
Ellis County Sheriff Scott Braun said he was “unaware of any” investigation.County Attorney Aaron Cunningham argued the court should not
take any of Harwick’s claims into consideration because the defense is
attempting to argue for “nullification.”Cunningham also argued that Harwick should not be allowed to justify his actions based on the allegations against&nbsp;Rorabaugh.He said allowing Harwick to serve probation would
“signal to society that they can take matters into their own hands and do not
need to use the established systems in place, which investigate and provide the
accused with their day in court.”Cunningham even went on to say at sentencing that Harwick’s
actions that day led to Rorabaugh’s death.Five days after Harwick confronted Rorabaugh, Chris Rorabaugh
committed suicide.Cunningham said, “A man is dead because of the defendant’s
actions. A town lost a citizen, a wife lost her husband, and children lost
their father. All because of a rumor the defendant heard, and jumping to
several conclusions. "Even if the allegations were true, the maxim 'two wrongs
don't make a right' holds true. An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind,"
Cunningham said.During his allocution, Harwick apologized to the Rorabaugh family and
said, “They are the real victims.” He said he had not reached out to the family
because of a no-contact order.He said he did what he did that day to make a police report.He also apologized to his mother for embarrassing her,
adding he is “on a good path,” and he is no longer on medication, is
gainfully employed and asked the court for a “second chance to be a productive
member of society.”Judge Brown ruled against sentencing Harwick to probation.He said, “The jury rejected the idea that you wanted to make
a police report (when he showed up at the Rorabaugh’s) and the court rejects
that argument today.”Brown echoed the words of Becky Rorabaugh in her victim
statement and Cunningham in his motion against probation, that Harwick had not,
in their eyes, shown any remorse for his actions that day.Brown said, “You took justice into your own hands.” He
added, “I have not seen anything today that shows me you will be reformed.”He then sentenced Harwick to 18 months in prison for
aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and six months for criminal
threat. They will run consecutively for 24 months with the Department of
Corrections.He receives jail credit for 189 days served at the Ellis
County Jail while awaiting trial and will be eligible for good-time credit.Harwick’s defense was not allowed to introduce any
information connected to the allegations of child sexual assault against Chris Rorabaugh
during the trial.In a motion in limine before the jury trial began, defense
counsel McCoy moved to introduce the fact Harwick was told of the
allegations, which is why he went to Rorabaugh’s home to confront him.The defense in its motions sought “solely to explain defendant’s state of mind, motive and reason for going
to the alleged victim’s residence on the date of the incident.”McCoy added, the “defense believes that without the context
of what the defendant had been told about the alleged victim’s conduct towards
minors, the jury will be left with a materially misleading and incomplete narrative.”According to court documents, the judge ruled against the
defense’s motion, saying that the information was not relevant and such
information would “risk inflaming the prejudices of the jury and possibly
encouraging jury nullification.”According to court documents, Harwick's defense counsel filed a notice to appeal with the appellate court on Tuesday, March 24.