By BECKY KISER Hays Post

A Hays developer plans to renovate the second floor of the building at 1012 Main St. into Airbnb-rentable units.

Tim Speno, One Twenty&nbsp;Seven Investments, is requesting the city of Hays to apply for $300,000 in grant money through the Kansas Department of Commerce's Community Development Block Grant Commercial Rehabilitation program to assist with the redevelopment project. 

Although the program funds projects owned and operated by private developers, cities and counties are still required to be the official applicants for the CDBG funds.

A matching fund of 25 percent from the developer is required as part of the project. No city funds would be disbursed.

The building, initially constructed in 1917 as the Hays Building and Loan Association, has housed various businesses over the years and is currently home to Eclectic Threads Quilt Studio.&nbsp;

The renovation will involve exterior masonry, interior plumbing, HVAC, and roof improvements to create three rentable units. The quilt studio will continue to operate on the ground floor.

City commissioners will consider Speno's request at their work session Thursday afternoon.

Also on the agenda is a rezoning request at 2707 Canal Blvd. from commercial general to a residential multi-family district.

The owner, AD3 LLC, Hays, plans to&nbsp;build a housing development with units designed for short- or long-term rentals that are fully furnished for traveling nurses or similar business professionals.

The Hays Area Planning Commission has already unanimously approved the rezoning request for the&nbsp;.607 acres of undeveloped land directly east of the little Dillons.

Commissioners will also review recommended changes to the city's Unified Development Code for small structures, such as gazebos or garden sheds, to permit a shorter setback. A second consideration is eliminating the maximum of two accessory structures on a lot.

Staff is also recommending removing the restriction in agriculture&nbsp; districts where non-agricultural accessory structures are limited to a maximum size of 50% of the footprint of the main dwelling.

The Hays Area Planning Commission has unanimously approved the three requested changes.

The commission will also be advised of a general nuisance abatement request for 206 E. 14th.

The complete June 19 agenda is available <a href="https://haysusa.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06192025-1554">here</a>. The work session begins at 4 p.m. in Hays City Hall, 1507 Main.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750263139389.png" alt="1012 Main Street, downtown Hays. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>1012 Main Street, downtown Hays. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostA Hays developer plans to renovate the second floor of the building at 1012 Main St. into Airbnb-rentable units.Tim Speno, One Twenty&nbsp;Seven Investments, is requesting the city of Hays to apply for $300,000 in grant money through the Kansas Department of Commerce's Community Development Block Grant Commercial Rehabilitation program to assist with the redevelopment project. Although the program funds projects owned and operated by private developers, cities and counties are still required to be the official applicants for the CDBG funds.A matching fund of 25 percent from the developer is required as part of the project. No city funds would be disbursed.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750263247761.png" alt="1012 Main St., downtown Hays. Courtesy photo&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>1012 Main St., downtown Hays. Courtesy photo&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>The building, initially constructed in 1917 as the Hays Building and Loan Association, has housed various businesses over the years and is currently home to Eclectic Threads Quilt Studio.&nbsp;The renovation will involve exterior masonry, interior plumbing, HVAC, and roof improvements to create three rentable units. The quilt studio will continue to operate on the ground floor.City commissioners will consider Speno's request at their work session Thursday afternoon.Also on the agenda is a rezoning request at 2707 Canal Blvd. from commercial general to a residential multi-family district.The owner, AD3 LLC, Hays, plans to&nbsp;build a housing development with units designed for short- or long-term rentals that are fully furnished for traveling nurses or similar business professionals.The Hays Area Planning Commission has already unanimously approved the rezoning request for the&nbsp;.607 acres of undeveloped land directly east of the little Dillons.Commissioners will also review recommended changes to the city's Unified Development Code for small structures, such as gazebos or garden sheds, to permit a shorter setback. A second consideration is eliminating the maximum of two accessory structures on a lot.Staff is also recommending removing the restriction in agriculture&nbsp; districts where non-agricultural accessory structures are limited to a maximum size of 50% of the footprint of the main dwelling.The Hays Area Planning Commission has unanimously approved the three requested changes.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750265211704.png" alt="206 E. 14th, Hays. City of Hays photo" />
 <figcaption>206 E. 14th, Hays. City of Hays photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The commission will also be advised of a general nuisance abatement request for 206 E. 14th.The complete June 19 agenda is available <a href="https://haysusa.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06192025-1554">here</a>. The work session begins at 4 p.m. in Hays City Hall, 1507 Main.

Hays developer plans rental units in portion of downtown building

Explosions were heard in Iran's capital as Israeli warplanes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iranians-tehran-israel-fear-evacuation-9f65e7cd976ad2feb94e5be2eb973be6">pounded Tehran</a>&nbsp;overnight and into Wednesday. Less than a week into the conflict, Israel says its aircraft have free rein over the city’s skies.

Iran launched a small barrage of missiles at Israel with no reports of casualties, and Israel has eased some restrictions for civilians. Meanwhile, fear has gripped the Iranian capital as the streets are empty, businesses closed and communications patchy at best. Thousands have fled.

Iran’s supreme leader on Wednesday rejected U.S. calls for surrender and warned that any military involvement by the Americans would cause “irreparable damage” to them.

U.S. President Donald Trump initially distanced himself from Israel’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mossad-iran-israel-weapons-missiles-a504ee31c70857c8d86a0d066997e344">surprise attack</a>&nbsp;on Friday that triggered the conflict, but in recent days&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iran-nuclear-israel-g7-132d92f3b5f4014cced1c5029d839ae9">has hinted at greater American involvement</a>, saying he wants something “much bigger” than a ceasefire. The U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-middle-east-iran-israel-a4287f29c84b6eee954011ecd8a670d3">has also sent more military aircraft</a>&nbsp;and warships to the region.

Several powerful explosions rock central Tehran

Witnesses say there have been more than 10 powerful explosions in central Tehran as Israel continues its campaign, with white smoke rising into the air. Iranian officials did not immediately acknowledge the strikes.

‘Nobody knows’: Trump won’t say whether he will move forward with US strikes on Iran

“I may do it, I may not do it,” Trump said in an exchange with reporters at the White House . “I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do.”

Iran’s supreme leader issued a fresh warning Wednesday that U.S. direct involvement in Israel’s military operations be greeted with stiff retaliation.

The “bunker-buster” bombs believed necessary to significantly damage Iran’s underground nuclear sites would have to be dropped from an American aircraft.

Russia urges the US not to strike Iran, official says

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Wednesday that Moscow has cautioned Washington against offering direct military assistance to Israel.

“We are warning Washington against even speculative, hypothetical considerations of the sort,” Ryabkov said, according to the Interfax news agency. “That would be a step drastically destabilizing the situation as a whole.”

Trump said earlier this week that Russian President Vladimir Putin offered to serve a mediator with. But the U.S. president said he told Putin to keep focused on finding an endgame to his own conflict with Ukraine.

Flights and cruise ships will evacuate Americans from Israel

The U.S. State Department is making plans to evacuate American citizens from Israel by flights and cruise ships, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said on Wednesday.

In a post on X, he said Americans interested in leaving Israel should enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) for updates. The link is: https://t.co/rXymPRTQJJ

Huckabee’s post comes just a day after the State Department said it had stood up a special task force to assist Americans wanting to leave Israel and other Mideast countries.

There are some 700,000 Americans, many of them dual U.S.-Israeli citizens, now in Israel and thousands more in other Mideast countries, including Iran.

Some of Trump’s most ardent supporters are skeptical about deepening US involvement in the Mideast

During his 2024 run for the White House, Trump promised voters he would quickly end the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and keep the U.S. out of costly conflicts.

Steve Bannon, who served as a senior adviser to Trump during his first administration, on Wednesday said the administration should tread carefully.

“This is not something you play around with,” Bannon told reporters. “You have to think this through. And the American people have to be on board. You can’t just dump it on them.”

Trump has pushed back at that notion, saying: “My supporters are more in love with me today, and I’m in love with them more than they were even at election time when we had a total landslide.”

Iran says its leaders would never ‘grovel at the gates of the White House’

Trump says Iranian officials continue to reach out. “They’ve suggested that they come to the White House — that’s, you know, courageous.”

Iran’s mission to the United Nations refuted Trump’s claim in a statement on social media: “No Iranian official has ever asked to grovel at the gates of the White House. The only thing more despicable than his lies is his cowardly threat to ‘take out’ Iran’s Supreme Leader.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750269288982.png" alt="President Donald Trump speaks as a flag pole is installed on the South Lawn of the White House, Wednesday-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Donald Trump speaks as a flag pole is installed on the South Lawn of the White House, Wednesday-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Explosions were heard in Iran's capital as Israeli warplanes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iranians-tehran-israel-fear-evacuation-9f65e7cd976ad2feb94e5be2eb973be6">pounded Tehran</a>&nbsp;overnight and into Wednesday. Less than a week into the conflict, Israel says its aircraft have free rein over the city’s skies.Iran launched a small barrage of missiles at Israel with no reports of casualties, and Israel has eased some restrictions for civilians. Meanwhile, fear has gripped the Iranian capital as the streets are empty, businesses closed and communications patchy at best. Thousands have fled.Iran’s supreme leader on Wednesday rejected U.S. calls for surrender and warned that any military involvement by the Americans would cause “irreparable damage” to them.U.S. President Donald Trump initially distanced himself from Israel’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mossad-iran-israel-weapons-missiles-a504ee31c70857c8d86a0d066997e344">surprise attack</a>&nbsp;on Friday that triggered the conflict, but in recent days&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iran-nuclear-israel-g7-132d92f3b5f4014cced1c5029d839ae9">has hinted at greater American involvement</a>, saying he wants something “much bigger” than a ceasefire. The U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-middle-east-iran-israel-a4287f29c84b6eee954011ecd8a670d3">has also sent more military aircraft</a>&nbsp;and warships to the region.Here’s the latest:<h2>Several powerful explosions rock central Tehran</h2>Witnesses say there have been more than 10 powerful explosions in central Tehran as Israel continues its campaign, with white smoke rising into the air. Iranian officials did not immediately acknowledge the strikes.<h2>‘Nobody knows’: Trump won’t say whether he will move forward with US strikes on Iran</h2><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump: &quot;Nobody knows what I&#39;m going to do. I can tell you this, that Iran&#39;s got a lot of trouble and they want to negotiate...&quot; <a href="https://t.co/5IxVLjd4HC">pic.twitter.com/5IxVLjd4HC</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1935342623708926350?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Q: &quot;Mr. President, what do you say to the Supreme Leader of Iran who says that they will not surrender?&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;I say, &#39;Good luck.&#39;&quot; <a href="https://t.co/iXy5xfKNup">pic.twitter.com/iXy5xfKNup</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1935341674055508457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;We&#39;re not looking for long-term war. I only want one thing — Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. That&#39;s it.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/8gl7Wp2NBy">pic.twitter.com/8gl7Wp2NBy</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1935347025954095376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on negotiations with Iran: &quot;Nothing is too late. The only thing too late is Powell.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/g7x5b9u8Gw">pic.twitter.com/g7x5b9u8Gw</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1935338837695189018?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“I may do it, I may not do it,” Trump said in an exchange with reporters at the White House . “I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do.”Iran’s supreme leader issued a fresh warning Wednesday that U.S. direct involvement in Israel’s military operations be greeted with stiff retaliation.The “bunker-buster” bombs believed necessary to significantly damage Iran’s underground nuclear sites would have to be dropped from an American aircraft.<h2>Russia urges the US not to strike Iran, official says</h2>Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Wednesday that Moscow has cautioned Washington against offering direct military assistance to Israel.“We are warning Washington against even speculative, hypothetical considerations of the sort,” Ryabkov said, according to the Interfax news agency. “That would be a step drastically destabilizing the situation as a whole.”Trump said earlier this week that Russian President Vladimir Putin offered to serve a mediator with. But the U.S. president said he told Putin to keep focused on finding an endgame to his own conflict with Ukraine.<h2>Flights and cruise ships will evacuate Americans from Israel</h2>The U.S. State Department is making plans to evacuate American citizens from Israel by flights and cruise ships, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said on Wednesday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Urgent notice! American citizens wanting to leave Israel- US Embassy in Israel <a href="https://twitter.com/usembassyjlm?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@usembassyjlm</a> is working on evacuation flights &amp; cruise ship departures. You must enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) (<a href="https://t.co/rXymPRTQJJ">https://t.co/rXymPRTQJJ</a>) You will be alerted w/ updates.&mdash; Ambassador Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovMikeHuckabee/status/1935354233819193433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In a post on X, he said Americans interested in leaving Israel should enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) for updates. The link is: https://t.co/rXymPRTQJJHuckabee’s post comes just a day after the State Department said it had stood up a special task force to assist Americans wanting to leave Israel and other Mideast countries.There are some 700,000 Americans, many of them dual U.S.-Israeli citizens, now in Israel and thousands more in other Mideast countries, including Iran.<h2>Some of Trump’s most ardent supporters are skeptical about deepening US involvement in the Mideast</h2>During his 2024 run for the White House, Trump promised voters he would quickly end the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and keep the U.S. out of costly conflicts.Steve Bannon, who served as a senior adviser to Trump during his first administration, on Wednesday said the administration should tread carefully.“This is not something you play around with,” Bannon told reporters. “You have to think this through. And the American people have to be on board. You can’t just dump it on them.”Trump has pushed back at that notion, saying: “My supporters are more in love with me today, and I’m in love with them more than they were even at election time when we had a total landslide.”<h2>Iran says its leaders would never ‘grovel at the gates of the White House’</h2>Trump says Iranian officials continue to reach out. “They’ve suggested that they come to the White House — that’s, you know, courageous.”Iran’s mission to the United Nations refuted Trump’s claim in a statement on social media: “No Iranian official has ever asked to grovel at the gates of the White House. The only thing more despicable than his lies is his cowardly threat to ‘take out’ Iran’s Supreme Leader.”

🎥Americans warned to evacuate Israel by air and sea as Iran crisis deepens

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Nabholz Construction is working on phase two of the O'Loughlin Elementary School renovation and addition.&nbsp;

Footings and foundations are being prepared for Phase 2, which is indicated in blue on the floor plan above. That includes three classrooms, a bathroom and a shared study area that will also serve as a storm shelter for the school, Brett Collins, Nabholz's project executive, said.

Underground utility work is also being completed in that area.

Grading is being done on phase one, which can be seen in orange on the left side of the floor plan above. Work on underground utilities will also begin in that area soon, Collins said.

That addition to the school will include the cafeteria, a new kitchen and art classroom.

Both phases one and two are scheduled to be completed by May.

Renovations on the existing portion of the school have also begun.

Improvements to the existing portions of the school will include paint, flooring and ceilings. That work has been divided into two phases. The portion in purple on the right side of the floor plan above will be done this summer.&nbsp;

Next summer, renovations will be completed on Phase 6, which is on the left side of the floor plan, marked in green.

The renovation work is being split, so construction will not interrupt classes during the school year.

Work is also ongoing on the new drive, which will create additional stacking space for pickup and drop-off on the southwest side of the school. District officials hope the new drive will help alleviate some of the congestion on Hall Street before and after school.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750258789355.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostNabholz Construction is working on phase two of the O'Loughlin Elementary School renovation and addition.&nbsp;Footings and foundations are being prepared for Phase 2, which is indicated in blue on the floor plan above. That includes three classrooms, a bathroom and a shared study area that will also serve as a storm shelter for the school, Brett Collins, Nabholz's project executive, said.Underground utility work is also being completed in that area.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750261632134.png" alt="Construction of a classroom addition that will also serve as a storm shelter is underway on the north side of O'Loughlin Elementary School. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Construction of a classroom addition that will also serve as a storm shelter is underway on the north side of O'Loughlin Elementary School. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Grading is being done on phase one, which can be seen in orange on the left side of the floor plan above. Work on underground utilities will also begin in that area soon, Collins said.That addition to the school will include the cafeteria, a new kitchen and art classroom.Both phases one and two are scheduled to be completed by May.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750261806998.png" alt="Interior renovations are also underway at O'Loughlin Elementary School. Half of the existing building will be painted, as well as have new ceilings and floor coverings installed this summer. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Interior renovations are also underway at O'Loughlin Elementary School. Half of the existing building will be painted, as well as have new ceilings and floor coverings installed this summer. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Renovations on the existing portion of the school have also begun.Improvements to the existing portions of the school will include paint, flooring and ceilings. That work has been divided into two phases. The portion in purple on the right side of the floor plan above will be done this summer.&nbsp;Next summer, renovations will be completed on Phase 6, which is on the left side of the floor plan, marked in green.The renovation work is being split, so construction will not interrupt classes during the school year.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750261218345.png" alt="The new drive for pick up and drop off for O'Loughlin Elementary School, southwest of the school, is under construction. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>The new drive for pick up and drop off for O'Loughlin Elementary School, southwest of the school, is under construction. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Work is also ongoing on the new drive, which will create additional stacking space for pickup and drop-off on the southwest side of the school. District officials hope the new drive will help alleviate some of the congestion on Hall Street before and after school.

Construction underway on O'Loughlin Elementary School addition, renovation

NEW YORK (AP) — TV chef Anne Burrell, who coached culinary fumblers through hundreds of episodes of “Worst Cooks in America,” died Tuesday at her New York home. She was 55.

The Food Network, where Burrell began her two-decade television career on “Iron Chef America” and went on to other shows, confirmed her death. The cause was not immediately clear, and medical examiners were set to conduct an autopsy.

Police were called to her address before 8 a.m. Tuesday and found an unresponsive woman who was soon pronounced dead. The police department did not release the woman’s name, but records show it was Burell’s address.

Burrell was on TV screens as recently as April, making chicken Milanese cutlets topped with escarole salad in one of her many appearances on NBC’s “Today” show. She faced off against other top chefs on the Food Network’s “House of Knives” earlier in the spring.

“Anne was a remarkable person and culinary talent — teaching, competing and always sharing the importance of food in her life and the joy that a delicious meal can bring,” the network said in a statement.

Known for her bold and flavorful but not overly fancy dishes, and for her spiky platinum-blonde hairdo, Burrell and various co-hosts on “Worst Cooks in America” led teams of kitchen-challenged people through a crash course in savory self-improvement.

On the first show in 2010, contestants presented such unlikely personal specialties as cayenne pepper and peanut butter on cod, and penne pasta with sauce, cheese, olives and pineapple. The accomplished chefs had to taste the dishes to evaluate them, and it was torturous, Burrell confessed in an interview with The Tampa Tribune at the time.

Still, Burrell persisted through 27 seasons, making her last appearance in 2024.

“If people want to learn, I absolutely love to teach them,” she said on ABC’s “Good Morning America” in 2020. “It’s just them breaking bad habits and getting out of their own way.”

Burrell was born Sept. 21, 1969, in the central New York town of Cazenovia, where her parents ran a flower store. She earned an English and communications degree from Canisius University and went on to a job as a headhunter but hated it, she said in a 2008 interview with The Post-Standard of Syracuse.

Having always loved cooking, she soon enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America, for which she later taught. She graduated in 1996, spent a year at an Italian culinary school and then worked in upscale New York City restaurants for a time.

“Anytime Anne Burrell gets near hot oil, I want to be around,” Frank Bruni, then-food critic at the New York Times, enthused in a 2007 review.

By the next year, Burrell was hosting her own Food Network show, “Secrets of a Restaurant Chef,” and her TV work became a focus. Over the years she also wrote two cookbooks, “Cook Like a Rock Star” and “Own Your Kitchen: Recipes to Inspire and Empower,” and was involved with food pantries, juvenile diabetes awareness campaigns and other charities.

Burrell’s own tastes, she said, ran simple. She told The Post-Standard her favorite food was bacon and her favorite meal was her mother’s tuna fish sandwich.

“Cooking is fun,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be scary. It’s creating something nurturing.”

Survivors include her husband, Stuart Claxton, whom she married in 2021, and his son, her mother and her two siblings.

“Anne’s light radiated far beyond those she knew, touching millions across the world,” the family said in a statement released by the Food Network.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750263405273.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — TV chef Anne Burrell, who coached culinary fumblers through hundreds of episodes of “Worst Cooks in America,” died Tuesday at her New York home. She was 55.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FFoodNetwork%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0xqt16cvvXK3hFMqWr7S17hfWXesgjBv1DEkfS7cHYdcqgxRxMrv3TwD7NLXPqqprl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="666" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>The Food Network, where Burrell began her two-decade television career on “Iron Chef America” and went on to other shows, confirmed her death. The cause was not immediately clear, and medical examiners were set to conduct an autopsy.Police were called to her address before 8 a.m. Tuesday and found an unresponsive woman who was soon pronounced dead. The police department did not release the woman’s name, but records show it was Burell’s address.Burrell was on TV screens as recently as April, making chicken Milanese cutlets topped with escarole salad in one of her many appearances on NBC’s “Today” show. She faced off against other top chefs on the Food Network’s “House of Knives” earlier in the spring.“Anne was a remarkable person and culinary talent — teaching, competing and always sharing the importance of food in her life and the joy that a delicious meal can bring,” the network said in a statement.Known for her bold and flavorful but not overly fancy dishes, and for her spiky platinum-blonde hairdo, Burrell and various co-hosts on “Worst Cooks in America” led teams of kitchen-challenged people through a crash course in savory self-improvement.On the first show in 2010, contestants presented such unlikely personal specialties as cayenne pepper and peanut butter on cod, and penne pasta with sauce, cheese, olives and pineapple. The accomplished chefs had to taste the dishes to evaluate them, and it was torturous, Burrell confessed in an interview with The Tampa Tribune at the time.Still, Burrell persisted through 27 seasons, making her last appearance in 2024.“If people want to learn, I absolutely love to teach them,” she said on ABC’s “Good Morning America” in 2020. “It’s just them breaking bad habits and getting out of their own way.”Burrell was born Sept. 21, 1969, in the central New York town of Cazenovia, where her parents ran a flower store. She earned an English and communications degree from Canisius University and went on to a job as a headhunter but hated it, she said in a 2008 interview with The Post-Standard of Syracuse.Having always loved cooking, she soon enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America, for which she later taught. She graduated in 1996, spent a year at an Italian culinary school and then worked in upscale New York City restaurants for a time.“Anytime Anne Burrell gets near hot oil, I want to be around,” Frank Bruni, then-food critic at the New York Times, enthused in a 2007 review.By the next year, Burrell was hosting her own Food Network show, “Secrets of a Restaurant Chef,” and her TV work became a focus. Over the years she also wrote two cookbooks, “Cook Like a Rock Star” and “Own Your Kitchen: Recipes to Inspire and Empower,” and was involved with food pantries, juvenile diabetes awareness campaigns and other charities.Burrell’s own tastes, she said, ran simple. She told The Post-Standard her favorite food was bacon and her favorite meal was her mother’s tuna fish sandwich.“Cooking is fun,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be scary. It’s creating something nurturing.”Survivors include her husband, Stuart Claxton, whom she married in 2021, and his son, her mother and her two siblings.“Anne’s light radiated far beyond those she knew, touching millions across the world,” the family said in a statement released by the Food Network.

Anne Burrell, TV chef who coached the 'Worst Cooks in America,' dies at 55

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has given 36 countries, most of them in Africa, a Wednesday deadline to commit to improve vetting of travelers or face a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-travel-ban-exceptions-immigrants-visa-4d5a4d07a4430dd1e1cf24511370bc0e">ban on their citizens visiting the United States</a>.

A weekend diplomatic cable sent by the State Department instructs embassies and consulates in the 36 countries to gauge their host countries’ willingness by Wednesday to improve their citizens’ travel documentation and take steps to address the status of their nationals who are in the United States illegally.

The cable, which was described to The Associated Press, asks the countries to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-travel-ban-immigration-enforcement-visas-b1eb79c7b5717c96daf51e978db83d1b">take action to address the U.S. concerns</a>&nbsp;within 60 days or risk being added to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-travel-ban-immigration-enforcement-visas-b1eb79c7b5717c96daf51e978db83d1b">the current travel ban</a>, which now includes 12 nations. Of the 36 new countries targeted, 25 are in Africa.

It is the latest step by the Trump administration to crack down on those who overstay their visas and tying U.S. entries from certain countries to potential national security risks. Trump has said some countries have “deficient” screening and vetting or have historically refused to take back their own citizens.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-travel-ban-d4d74e856e06f1a2626cc1ddbdfaa9f7">Some countries condemned the travel restrictions</a>&nbsp;and vowed reciprocal actions, while some resettlement groups say the ban sows division.

State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce declined to comment on the specifics in the cable, which was first reported by The Washington Post. She confirmed that the administration wanted nations to improve their own vetting processes for passport holders,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/migration-rubio-panama-colombia-venezuela-237f06b7d4bdd9ff1396baf9c45a2c0b">accept their nationals deported from the U.S.</a>&nbsp;and take other steps to ensure their citizens are not a threat to the U.S.

“We’re looking at providing a period of time, (where if countries) don’t get to that point where we can trust them and they’ve got to change the system, update it, do whatever they need to do to convince us that we can trust the process and the information they have,” she said.

It was not immediately clear if the ban would be imposed on countries that commit to making improvements and are making progress in addressing them but fail to meet the benchmarks within 60 days.

The list includes some countries that have been traditional U.S. partners, including Egypt and Djibouti, both of which have military relationships with United States, and others that long been friendly with the U.S., including Liberia, Nigeria and Ethiopia. Syria, which was left off the initial travel ban, as was Congo, are both on the new list.

South Sudan is already subject to a separate travel ban imposed by the State Department, which has revoked the visas of most South Sudanese already in the U.S.

President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iran-nuclear-israel-g7-132d92f3b5f4014cced1c5029d839ae9">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;this month enacted a travel ban on 12 countries and imposed restrictions on seven others, although no previously issued visas have been revoked. His proclamation instead banned issuing new visas to citizens of the 12 countries.

That ban included Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Heightened visa restrictions will apply to citizens of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.

The 36 countries identified in the new cable are: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, South Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749083187696.png" alt="President Trump announced his travel ban on June 4- White House image" />
 <figcaption>President Trump announced his travel ban on June 4- White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has given 36 countries, most of them in Africa, a Wednesday deadline to commit to improve vetting of travelers or face a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-travel-ban-exceptions-immigrants-visa-4d5a4d07a4430dd1e1cf24511370bc0e">ban on their citizens visiting the United States</a>.A weekend diplomatic cable sent by the State Department instructs embassies and consulates in the 36 countries to gauge their host countries’ willingness by Wednesday to improve their citizens’ travel documentation and take steps to address the status of their nationals who are in the United States illegally.The cable, which was described to The Associated Press, asks the countries to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-travel-ban-immigration-enforcement-visas-b1eb79c7b5717c96daf51e978db83d1b">take action to address the U.S. concerns</a>&nbsp;within 60 days or risk being added to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-travel-ban-immigration-enforcement-visas-b1eb79c7b5717c96daf51e978db83d1b">the current travel ban</a>, which now includes 12 nations. Of the 36 new countries targeted, 25 are in Africa.It is the latest step by the Trump administration to crack down on those who overstay their visas and tying U.S. entries from certain countries to potential national security risks. Trump has said some countries have “deficient” screening and vetting or have historically refused to take back their own citizens.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-travel-ban-d4d74e856e06f1a2626cc1ddbdfaa9f7">Some countries condemned the travel restrictions</a>&nbsp;and vowed reciprocal actions, while some resettlement groups say the ban sows division.State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce declined to comment on the specifics in the cable, which was first reported by The Washington Post. She confirmed that the administration wanted nations to improve their own vetting processes for passport holders,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/migration-rubio-panama-colombia-venezuela-237f06b7d4bdd9ff1396baf9c45a2c0b">accept their nationals deported from the U.S.</a>&nbsp;and take other steps to ensure their citizens are not a threat to the U.S.“We’re looking at providing a period of time, (where if countries) don’t get to that point where we can trust them and they’ve got to change the system, update it, do whatever they need to do to convince us that we can trust the process and the information they have,” she said.It was not immediately clear if the ban would be imposed on countries that commit to making improvements and are making progress in addressing them but fail to meet the benchmarks within 60 days.The list includes some countries that have been traditional U.S. partners, including Egypt and Djibouti, both of which have military relationships with United States, and others that long been friendly with the U.S., including Liberia, Nigeria and Ethiopia. Syria, which was left off the initial travel ban, as was Congo, are both on the new list.South Sudan is already subject to a separate travel ban imposed by the State Department, which has revoked the visas of most South Sudanese already in the U.S.President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iran-nuclear-israel-g7-132d92f3b5f4014cced1c5029d839ae9">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;this month enacted a travel ban on 12 countries and imposed restrictions on seven others, although no previously issued visas have been revoked. His proclamation instead banned issuing new visas to citizens of the 12 countries.That ban included Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Heightened visa restrictions will apply to citizens of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.The 36 countries identified in the new cable are: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, South Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Deadline day: Trump demands action from countries to avoid travel ban

SALINE COUNTY —The Missouri State Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred Tuesday night near 115th Road and Belmont Avenue in Sweet Springs.

Just before 6:30p.m. Tuesday, MSHP Troopers were notified that the Concordia Police Department was in pursuit of motorcycle driven by a suspect wanted for an out-of-state homicide, according to a media release from the Patrol.

Police lost sight of the motorcycle near 120th Road south of Interstate 70 in rural Saline County. Additional officers moved into the area to search for the suspect. Just before 8p.m. Troopers in the area saw a motorcycle and rider matching the description of the suspect traveling westbound on 115th Road toward Belmont Avenue.

 The motorcycle crashed into a Trooper's patrol vehicle and the suspect ran from the crash. The Trooper ran after him. The suspect, armed with a handgun, fired at the Trooper striking him bullet resistant vest. The Trooper returned fire striking the suspect. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. The Trooper was transported to a local hospital&nbsp; for treatment of minor injuries.

SALINE COUNTY, Mo. —Law enforcement are investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred Tuesday night near 115th Road and Belmont Avenue in Sweet Springs, Missouri.

The suspect is dead, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol

The trooper was shot in his bullet-resistant vest and was transported to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

Authorities have released no additional details. Check the Post for more information as it becomes available. Sweet Springs is located approximately 60 miles east of Kansas City, Missouri.

SALINE COUNTY —The Missouri State Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred Tuesday night near 115th Road and Belmont Avenue in Sweet Springs.Just before 6:30p.m. Tuesday, MSHP Troopers were notified that the Concordia Police Department was in pursuit of motorcycle driven by a suspect wanted for an out-of-state homicide, according to a media release from the Patrol.Police lost sight of the motorcycle near 120th Road south of Interstate 70 in rural Saline County. Additional officers moved into the area to search for the suspect. Just before 8p.m. Troopers in the area saw a motorcycle and rider matching the description of the suspect traveling westbound on 115th Road toward Belmont Avenue. The motorcycle crashed into a Trooper's patrol vehicle and the suspect ran from the crash. The Trooper ran after him. The suspect, armed with a handgun, fired at the Trooper striking him bullet resistant vest. The Trooper returned fire striking the suspect. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. The Trooper was transported to a local hospital&nbsp; for treatment of minor injuries.------------------SALINE COUNTY, Mo. —Law enforcement are investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred Tuesday night near 115th Road and Belmont Avenue in Sweet Springs, Missouri.The suspect is dead, according to the Missouri State Highway PatrolThe trooper was shot in his bullet-resistant vest and was transported to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries.Authorities have released no additional details. Check the Post for more information as it becomes available. Sweet Springs is located approximately 60 miles east of Kansas City, Missouri.

Patrol: Suspect in fatal officer shooting was wanted for homicide

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran's supreme leader on Wednesday rejected U.S. calls for surrender in the face of blistering Israeli strikes and warned that any military involvement by the Americans would cause “irreparable damage” to them, in recorded video aired by state TV.

It was the second public appearance by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei since the strikes began, and came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump demanded “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER” in a social media post and warned Khamenei that the U.S. knows where he is but has no plans to kill him, “at least not for now.”

Trump initially distanced himself from Israel’s surprise attack on Friday that triggered the conflict, but in recent days&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iran-nuclear-israel-g7-132d92f3b5f4014cced1c5029d839ae9">has hinted at greater American involvement</a>, saying he wants something “much bigger” than a ceasefire. The U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-middle-east-iran-israel-a4287f29c84b6eee954011ecd8a670d3">has also sent more military aircraft</a>&nbsp;and warships to the region.

Iran’s supreme leader warns US that joining Israeli strikes will ‘result in irreparable damage for them’

Iran’s supreme leader has warned the United States that joining the Israeli strikes targeting the Islamic Republic will “result in irreparable damage for them.”

The comments by 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei came in a statement read out by a state television anchor against a still image of the leader. It wasn’t clear why Khamenei did not appear himself on screen, as he has done earlier since the Israeli attacks began on Friday.

“Any military involvement by the U.S. in this field will undoubtedly result in irreparable damage for them,” the statement said.

Iran’s supreme leader says God will make his nation ‘victorious’

In the message, Khamenei also urged officials to “continue their work with strength and trust in God.”

“God will certainly and surely make the Iranian nation ... victorious,” he said.

State television said that a video of Khamenei giving the same address would be aired later.

Khamenei’s last message to the nation, which was released late Friday after the start of the Israeli campaign, was also first read out on television before he appeared himself reading it a while later. It may be a security measure to protect Khamenei, whose exact location isn’t public knowledge.

‘The Iranian nation is not one to surrender’

Khamenei dismissed the “threatening and absurd statements” by Trump.

“Wise individuals who know Iran, its people, and its history never speak to this nation with the language of threats, because the Iranian nation is not one to surrender,” he said. “Americans should know that any military involvement by the U.S. will undoubtedly result in irreparable damage to them.”

A state TV anchor had read Khamenei's statement earlier, before the video was aired. Iran followed a similar sequence in releasing an earlier statement from the supreme leader, perhaps as a security measure. His location is not known.

His voice echoed as he sat in a room with beige curtains. An Iranian flag and a portrait of Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who Khamenei succeeded in 1989, hung behind him.

An Iranian official had earlier Wednesday warned that U.S. intervention would risk “all-out war.”

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei did not elaborate, but thousands of American troops are based in nearby countries within range of Iran's weapons. The U.S. has threatened a massive response to any attack.

Another Iranian official said the country would keep enriching uranium for peaceful purposes, apparently ruling out Trump's demands that Iran give up its disputed nuclear program.

The latest Israeli strikes hit a facility used to make uranium centrifuges and another that made missile components, the Israeli military said. It said it had intercepted 10 missiles overnight as Iran’s retaliatory barrages diminish. The U.N. nuclear watchdog said Israel had struck two centrifuge production facilities in and near Tehran.

The Israeli military said it also carried out strikes in western Iran, hitting missile storage sites and a loaded missile launcher.

Israeli strikes have hit several nuclear and military sites,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-explosions-israel-tehran-00234a06e5128a8aceb406b140297299">killing top generals</a>&nbsp;and nuclear scientists. A Washington-based Iranian human rights group said at least 585 people, including 239 civilians, have been killed and more than 1,300 wounded.

Iran has fired some 400 missiles and hundreds of drones in retaliatory strikes that have killed at least 24 people in Israel and wounded hundreds. Some have hit apartment buildings in central Israel, causing heavy damage, and air raid sirens have repeatedly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-missiles-attack-tel-aviv-0d75e7309887a0ef0fd55554e3ba9415">forced Israelis to run for shelter</a>.

Iran has fired fewer missiles as the conflict has worn on. It has not explained the decline, but Israel has targeted launchers and other infrastructure related to the missiles.

The Washington-based group Human Rights Activists said it had identified 239 of those killed in Israeli strikes as civilians and 126 as security personnel.

The group, which also provided detailed casualty figures during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-hijab-protests-mahsa-amini-anniversary-59641e9254eea45c069b54d590c7e818">2022 protests over the death of Mahsa Amini</a>, crosschecks local reports against a network of sources it has developed in Iran.

Iran has not been publishing regular death tolls during the conflict and has minimized casualties in the past. Its last update, issued Monday, put the toll at 224 people killed and 1,277 others wounded.

Shops have been closed across Tehran, including in its famed Grand Bazaar, as people wait in gas lines and pack roads leading out of the city to escape the onslaught.

A major explosion could be heard around 5 a.m. in Tehran Wednesday morning, following other explosions earlier in the predawn darkness. Authorities in Iran offered no acknowledgement of the attacks, which has become increasingly common as the Israeli airstrikes have intensified.

At least one strike appeared to target Tehran’s eastern neighborhood of Hakimiyeh, where the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard has an academy.

Israel says it launched the strikes to prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon, after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-program-us-negotiations-explained-085748abe53152378e017e25b956359f">talks between the United States and Iran</a>&nbsp;over a diplomatic resolution had made little visible progress over two months but were still ongoing. Trump has said Israel’s campaign came after a 60-day window he set for the talks.

Iran long has insisted its nuclear program was peaceful, though it is the only non-nuclear-armed state to enrich uranium up to 60%, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. U.S. intelligence agencies have said they did not believe Iran was actively pursuing the bomb.

Israel is the only country in the Middle East with nuclear weapons but has never publicly acknowledged them.

Iran's ambassador to Geneva, Ali Bahreini, told reporters that Iran "will continue to produce the enriched uranium as far as we need for peaceful purposes.”

He rejected any talk of a setback to Iran’s nuclear research and development from the Israeli strikes, saying, “Our scientists will continue their work.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730601000960.png" alt="File photo released by an official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waves to the crowd during a meeting with school and university students, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)" />
 <figcaption>File photo released by an official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waves to the crowd during a meeting with school and university students, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran's supreme leader on Wednesday rejected U.S. calls for surrender in the face of blistering Israeli strikes and warned that any military involvement by the Americans would cause “irreparable damage” to them, in recorded video aired by state TV.It was the second public appearance by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei since the strikes began, and came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump demanded “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER” in a social media post and warned Khamenei that the U.S. knows where he is but has no plans to kill him, “at least not for now.”Trump initially distanced himself from Israel’s surprise attack on Friday that triggered the conflict, but in recent days&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iran-nuclear-israel-g7-132d92f3b5f4014cced1c5029d839ae9">has hinted at greater American involvement</a>, saying he wants something “much bigger” than a ceasefire. The U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-middle-east-iran-israel-a4287f29c84b6eee954011ecd8a670d3">has also sent more military aircraft</a>&nbsp;and warships to the region.<h2>Iran’s supreme leader warns US that joining Israeli strikes will ‘result in irreparable damage for them’</h2>Iran’s supreme leader has warned the United States that joining the Israeli strikes targeting the Islamic Republic will “result in irreparable damage for them.”The comments by 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei came in a statement read out by a state television anchor against a still image of the leader. It wasn’t clear why Khamenei did not appear himself on screen, as he has done earlier since the Israeli attacks began on Friday.“Any military involvement by the U.S. in this field will undoubtedly result in irreparable damage for them,” the statement said.<h2>Iran’s supreme leader says God will make his nation ‘victorious’</h2>In the message, Khamenei also urged officials to “continue their work with strength and trust in God.”“God will certainly and surely make the Iranian nation ... victorious,” he said.State television said that a video of Khamenei giving the same address would be aired later.Khamenei’s last message to the nation, which was released late Friday after the start of the Israeli campaign, was also first read out on television before he appeared himself reading it a while later. It may be a security measure to protect Khamenei, whose exact location isn’t public knowledge.<h2>‘The Iranian nation is not one to surrender’</h2>Khamenei dismissed the “threatening and absurd statements” by Trump.“Wise individuals who know Iran, its people, and its history never speak to this nation with the language of threats, because the Iranian nation is not one to surrender,” he said. “Americans should know that any military involvement by the U.S. will undoubtedly result in irreparable damage to them.”A state TV anchor had read Khamenei's statement earlier, before the video was aired. Iran followed a similar sequence in releasing an earlier statement from the supreme leader, perhaps as a security measure. His location is not known.His voice echoed as he sat in a room with beige curtains. An Iranian flag and a portrait of Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who Khamenei succeeded in 1989, hung behind him.An Iranian official had earlier Wednesday warned that U.S. intervention would risk “all-out war.”Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei did not elaborate, but thousands of American troops are based in nearby countries within range of Iran's weapons. The U.S. has threatened a massive response to any attack.Another Iranian official said the country would keep enriching uranium for peaceful purposes, apparently ruling out Trump's demands that Iran give up its disputed nuclear program.<h2>Strikes in and around Tehran</h2>The latest Israeli strikes hit a facility used to make uranium centrifuges and another that made missile components, the Israeli military said. It said it had intercepted 10 missiles overnight as Iran’s retaliatory barrages diminish. The U.N. nuclear watchdog said Israel had struck two centrifuge production facilities in and near Tehran.The Israeli military said it also carried out strikes in western Iran, hitting missile storage sites and a loaded missile launcher.Israeli strikes have hit several nuclear and military sites,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-explosions-israel-tehran-00234a06e5128a8aceb406b140297299">killing top generals</a>&nbsp;and nuclear scientists. A Washington-based Iranian human rights group said at least 585 people, including 239 civilians, have been killed and more than 1,300 wounded.Iran has fired some 400 missiles and hundreds of drones in retaliatory strikes that have killed at least 24 people in Israel and wounded hundreds. Some have hit apartment buildings in central Israel, causing heavy damage, and air raid sirens have repeatedly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-missiles-attack-tel-aviv-0d75e7309887a0ef0fd55554e3ba9415">forced Israelis to run for shelter</a>.Iran has fired fewer missiles as the conflict has worn on. It has not explained the decline, but Israel has targeted launchers and other infrastructure related to the missiles.<h2>Casualties mount in Iran</h2>The Washington-based group Human Rights Activists said it had identified 239 of those killed in Israeli strikes as civilians and 126 as security personnel.The group, which also provided detailed casualty figures during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-hijab-protests-mahsa-amini-anniversary-59641e9254eea45c069b54d590c7e818">2022 protests over the death of Mahsa Amini</a>, crosschecks local reports against a network of sources it has developed in Iran.Iran has not been publishing regular death tolls during the conflict and has minimized casualties in the past. Its last update, issued Monday, put the toll at 224 people killed and 1,277 others wounded.Shops have been closed across Tehran, including in its famed Grand Bazaar, as people wait in gas lines and pack roads leading out of the city to escape the onslaught.A major explosion could be heard around 5 a.m. in Tehran Wednesday morning, following other explosions earlier in the predawn darkness. Authorities in Iran offered no acknowledgement of the attacks, which has become increasingly common as the Israeli airstrikes have intensified.At least one strike appeared to target Tehran’s eastern neighborhood of Hakimiyeh, where the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard has an academy.<h2>Iran says it will keep enriching uranium</h2>Israel says it launched the strikes to prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon, after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-program-us-negotiations-explained-085748abe53152378e017e25b956359f">talks between the United States and Iran</a>&nbsp;over a diplomatic resolution had made little visible progress over two months but were still ongoing. Trump has said Israel’s campaign came after a 60-day window he set for the talks.Iran long has insisted its nuclear program was peaceful, though it is the only non-nuclear-armed state to enrich uranium up to 60%, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. U.S. intelligence agencies have said they did not believe Iran was actively pursuing the bomb.Israel is the only country in the Middle East with nuclear weapons but has never publicly acknowledged them.Iran's ambassador to Geneva, Ali Bahreini, told reporters that Iran "will continue to produce the enriched uranium as far as we need for peaceful purposes.”He rejected any talk of a setback to Iran’s nuclear research and development from the Israeli strikes, saying, “Our scientists will continue their work.”

Iran issues new, stark warning to the United States 

The construction of the new Hays High School is on budget and on schedule to open in August at the start of the school year.

Nabholz Construction provided an update on the construction project and presented information about a proposed change order for the high school.

Turf has been laid on the athletic fields. Flooring is almost complete in the two gyms, and work on the bleachers is ongoing.

Workers are completing the punch list on areas A and B of the high school. This includes the science labs.

The west wing, which includes parts A and B, the center atrium (area C) and the east wing (areas D and E), is set to be substantially complete by July 7.

The rest of the project is scheduled to be substantially complete by Aug. 13.

Dylan Weddle, Nabholz project manager, presented the board with $111,062 in change orders for the Hays High project at the school board meeting Monday night.

The change orders are still well within the $1 million contingency fund established for the project. With the latest change orders that have been approved, more than $300,000 remains in the high school project's contingency fund, with the project nearing completion.

The change order included modifications to the track and field layout. Superintendent Ron Wilson said after a meeting with coaches, it was decided there wasn't enough room between the pole vault and high jump areas, so the designers moved the pole vault area.

There were similar concerns about the two discus rings being too close together. The change order also included some changes to the sidewalks in the softball and baseball areas.

The board did not approve the $38,000 change order for murals inside the high school.

Weddle said one of these murals in the auxiliary gym is complete. He said Nabholz moved forward with the painting to keep the project on schedule.

He said the murals were not included in the original budget because the designers and the district were undecided about their placement until the project was under construction.

Because the school board did not approve that change order, Nabholz will be responsible for the work that has already been done.

Board member Derek Yarmer said he saw the murals as an unneeded expense.

Yarmer said he thought the district should dedicate the $38,000 to other buildings in the district.

Board President Curt Vainar and Vice President Jayme Goetz said the district could revisit the murals once all of the other bond projects are complete.

Board member Ruth Ruder said, "We are going to have this big, beautiful high school and we're not going to see these murals for a year or two or five years."

Board member Ken Brooks noted the murals will cost more if they are delayed.

He added, "We're cheating them out of money."

He said that is not the way to treat a company that provides good work for the district.

Goetz said, "That's the risk that's involved."

Ruder noted Roosevelt had murals and logos in its new addition. She emphasized that branding is important.

Yarmer argued spending the $38,000 on the murals was going to prevent bathrooms from being repaired in other buildings.

Brooks said no, it was not. The funds for the murals were well within the contingency fund for the high school.

Yarmer said, "We can't the way we are spending money."

The motion to approve the change orders without the murals passed on a vote of 4-3, with Brooks, Ruder and Meagan Zampieri-Lillpopp voting against.

Brooks asked again after the vote what the district was going to do to compensate Nabholz for the mural that had already been completed.

Weddle said Nabholz would not charge the district for the completed mural.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750190815339.png" alt="The turf has been laid for the new Hays High School football field. The school is scheduled to open in August, in time for the start of the 2025-26 school year. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>The turf has been laid for the new Hays High School football field. The school is scheduled to open in August, in time for the start of the 2025-26 school year. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="Post Podcast: USD 489 Hays High on schedule, budget, but without murals" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:300px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?from=embed&i=8s8a3-18dd50f-pb&square=1&share=1&download=1&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&rtl=0&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=300" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
Podbean Player
</div>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe construction of the new Hays High School is on budget and on schedule to open in August at the start of the school year.Nabholz Construction provided an update on the construction project and presented information about a proposed change order for the high school.Turf has been laid on the athletic fields. Flooring is almost complete in the two gyms, and work on the bleachers is ongoing.Workers are completing the punch list on areas A and B of the high school. This includes the science labs.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750191181442.png" alt="Newly turfed Hays High soccer field.&nbsp;Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Newly turfed Hays High soccer field.&nbsp;Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750191243670.png" alt="Hays High football field. The home bleachers and atheltic wing can be seen on the right. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Hays High football field. The home bleachers and atheltic wing can be seen on the right. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The west wing, which includes parts A and B, the center atrium (area C) and the east wing (areas D and E), is set to be substantially complete by July 7.The rest of the project is scheduled to be substantially complete by Aug. 13.<h2>High school change order</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750191348983.png" alt="Complete bond projects budget. The school board did not approved $38,000 for murals at Hays High School in the latest change order for the project. More than $300,000 remains in the Hays High School contingency fund." />
 <figcaption>Complete bond projects budget. The school board did not approved $38,000 for murals at Hays High School in the latest change order for the project. More than $300,000 remains in the Hays High School contingency fund.</figcaption>
 </figure>Dylan Weddle, Nabholz project manager, presented the board with $111,062 in change orders for the Hays High project at the school board meeting Monday night.The change orders are still well within the $1 million contingency fund established for the project. With the latest change orders that have been approved, more than $300,000 remains in the high school project's contingency fund, with the project nearing completion.The change order included modifications to the track and field layout. Superintendent Ron Wilson said after a meeting with coaches, it was decided there wasn't enough room between the pole vault and high jump areas, so the designers moved the pole vault area.There were similar concerns about the two discus rings being too close together. The change order also included some changes to the sidewalks in the softball and baseball areas.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750191639731.png" alt="Main gym. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Main gym. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750191658330.png" alt="The school board voted&nbsp; Monday to not pay for a change order for murals for the new Hays High School. This mural in the auxillary gym was already completed, and Nabholz Construction will have to eat the cost of the painting. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>The school board voted&nbsp; Monday to not pay for a change order for murals for the new Hays High School. This mural in the auxillary gym was already completed, and Nabholz Construction will have to eat the cost of the painting. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The board did not approve the $38,000 change order for murals inside the high school.Weddle said one of these murals in the auxiliary gym is complete. He said Nabholz moved forward with the painting to keep the project on schedule.He said the murals were not included in the original budget because the designers and the district were undecided about their placement until the project was under construction.Because the school board did not approve that change order, Nabholz will be responsible for the work that has already been done.Board member Derek Yarmer said he saw the murals as an unneeded expense.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750191851678.png" alt="The entrances for the new high school have been completed. Courtesy photos" />
 <figcaption>The entrances for the new high school have been completed. Courtesy photos</figcaption>
 </figure>Yarmer said he thought the district should dedicate the $38,000 to other buildings in the district.Board President Curt Vainar and Vice President Jayme Goetz said the district could revisit the murals once all of the other bond projects are complete.Board member Ruth Ruder said, "We are going to have this big, beautiful high school and we're not going to see these murals for a year or two or five years."Board member Ken Brooks noted the murals will cost more if they are delayed.He added, "We're cheating them out of money."He said that is not the way to treat a company that provides good work for the district.Goetz said, "That's the risk that's involved."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750191921975.png" alt="Academic areas in the new high school are nearing completion. On the left is a special education classroom. On the right is a science classroom. Courtesy photos" />
 <figcaption>Academic areas in the new high school are nearing completion. On the left is a special education classroom. On the right is a science classroom. Courtesy photos</figcaption>
 </figure>Ruder noted Roosevelt had murals and logos in its new addition. She emphasized that branding is important.Yarmer argued spending the $38,000 on the murals was going to prevent bathrooms from being repaired in other buildings.Brooks said no, it was not. The funds for the murals were well within the contingency fund for the high school."We can have both," Brooks said.Yarmer said, "We can't the way we are spending money."The motion to approve the change orders without the murals passed on a vote of 4-3, with Brooks, Ruder and Meagan Zampieri-Lillpopp voting against.Brooks asked again after the vote what the district was going to do to compensate Nabholz for the mural that had already been completed.Yarmer said, "It's free."Weddle said Nabholz would not charge the district for the completed mural.

Hays High proceeds on schedule, budget but without murals

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/lolita-c-baldor">LOLITA C. BALDOR</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. is shifting military aircraft and warships into and around the Middle East to protect Israel from Iranian attacks as President Donald Trump warns Tehran to step back from the conflict.

Trump’s social media posts saying his patience with Iran was “wearing thin” have raised the possibility of deepening U.S. involvement, perhaps by using its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bunker-buster-bomb-israel-iran-fordo-fordow-b2-nuclear-8a612cbf16aa0f99bd9992334ffc93d7">bunker-busting bomb</a>&nbsp;to strike a key Iranian nuclear site built deep underground in the mountains.

Israel doesn’t have the massive munition it would take to destroy the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/8758704e349e4a899554d732799c1b31">Fordo nuclear fuel enrichment plant</a>, or the aircraft needed to deliver it. Only the U.S. does.

As America’s national security leaders discuss the next steps, the Pentagon has moved to ensure that its troops and bases in the region are protected.

Here’s a look at the U.S. military presence in the Middle East:

In a social media post, Trump warned that “we now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran.”

U.S. officials insisted as of Tuesday that the American military has not taken any offensive actions against Iran, only defensive strikes to take out incoming Iranian missiles to protect Israel.

Additional U.S. fighter jets and refueling tankers have been deployed to the region, but officials have declined to provide specific numbers. Fighter jets have joined in launching strikes to defend Israel, but officials said Tuesday that no American aircraft were over Iran.

Aurora Intel, a group that reviews open source information in real time in the Middle East, said the U.S. Air Force had put additional refueling aircraft and fighter jets in strategic locations across Europe, including England, Spain, Germany and Greece. The information was obtained from public aviation tracking websites.

U.S. fighter jets have been patrolling the skies around the Middle East to protect personnel and installations, and bases in the region are on heightened alert and are taking additional security precautions, the officials said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has not provided any details, but said on Fox News Channel late Monday that the military movements were to “ensure that our people are safe.”

Warships taking out Iranian missiles and ready to protect US bases

American warships also are shooting down Iranian ballistic missiles targeting Israel, with the USS The Sullivans and the USS Arleigh Burke launching strikes over the weekend.

The Sullivans has been joined in the Eastern Mediterranean by the USS Thomas Hudner this week to continue those defense strikes, while the Arleigh Burke has moved away from the area, according to a U.S. official.

The USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier is in the Arabian Sea with the four warships in its strike group. They are not participating in the defense of Israel. But they are positioned to provide security for U.S. troops and bases along the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf.

The USS Nimitz has been long scheduled to take over for the Carl Vinson and is heading west from the Indo-Pacific region toward the Middle East. The official said it is slated to arrive in the region by the end of the month, and the two carriers would likely overlap at least for a short time before the Vinson heads home to San Diego.

There also are destroyers in the Red Sea, and others are based in the Western Mediterranean and participating in exercises in the Baltic Sea.

US troops are on heightened alert and families are allowed to leave

The forces in the region have been taking precautionary measures for days, including having&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/state-department-embassy-baghdad-f892ebd6a50850ef5650f31819541bff">military dependents voluntarily leave</a>&nbsp;bases, in anticipation of potential strikes and to protect personnel in case of a large-scale response from Tehran.

Officials said they were not aware of many families actually leaving.

Typically around 30,000 troops are based in the Middle East, and about 40,000 troops are in the region now, according to a U.S. official.

That number surged as high as 43,000 last October in response to heightened tensions between Israel and Iran as well as continuous attacks on commercial and military ships in the Red Sea by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen.

The Air Force’s B-2 Spirit stealth bomber is the only aircraft that can carry the 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, known as the bunker buster.

The powerful bomb uses its weight and sheer kinetic force to reach deeply buried targets — and then explode.

There are currently no B-2 bombers in the Middle East region, although there are B-52 bombers based at Diego Garcia, and they can deliver smaller munitions.

If tapped for use, the B-2 bombers would have to make the 30-hour round trip from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, refueling multiple times.

AP writer Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696803172229.png" alt="Photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/lolita-c-baldor">LOLITA C. BALDOR</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. is shifting military aircraft and warships into and around the Middle East to protect Israel from Iranian attacks as President Donald Trump warns Tehran to step back from the conflict.Trump’s social media posts saying his patience with Iran was “wearing thin” have raised the possibility of deepening U.S. involvement, perhaps by using its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bunker-buster-bomb-israel-iran-fordo-fordow-b2-nuclear-8a612cbf16aa0f99bd9992334ffc93d7">bunker-busting bomb</a>&nbsp;to strike a key Iranian nuclear site built deep underground in the mountains.Israel doesn’t have the massive munition it would take to destroy the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/8758704e349e4a899554d732799c1b31">Fordo nuclear fuel enrichment plant</a>, or the aircraft needed to deliver it. Only the U.S. does.As America’s national security leaders discuss the next steps, the Pentagon has moved to ensure that its troops and bases in the region are protected.Here’s a look at the U.S. military presence in the Middle East:<h2>US aircraft moving to the Middle East</h2>In a social media post, Trump warned that “we now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran.”U.S. officials insisted as of Tuesday that the American military has not taken any offensive actions against Iran, only defensive strikes to take out incoming Iranian missiles to protect Israel.Additional U.S. fighter jets and refueling tankers have been deployed to the region, but officials have declined to provide specific numbers. Fighter jets have joined in launching strikes to defend Israel, but officials said Tuesday that no American aircraft were over Iran.Aurora Intel, a group that reviews open source information in real time in the Middle East, said the U.S. Air Force had put additional refueling aircraft and fighter jets in strategic locations across Europe, including England, Spain, Germany and Greece. The information was obtained from public aviation tracking websites.U.S. fighter jets have been patrolling the skies around the Middle East to protect personnel and installations, and bases in the region are on heightened alert and are taking additional security precautions, the officials said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has not provided any details, but said on Fox News Channel late Monday that the military movements were to “ensure that our people are safe.”<h2>Warships taking out Iranian missiles and ready to protect US bases</h2>American warships also are shooting down Iranian ballistic missiles targeting Israel, with the USS The Sullivans and the USS Arleigh Burke launching strikes over the weekend.The Sullivans has been joined in the Eastern Mediterranean by the USS Thomas Hudner this week to continue those defense strikes, while the Arleigh Burke has moved away from the area, according to a U.S. official.The USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier is in the Arabian Sea with the four warships in its strike group. They are not participating in the defense of Israel. But they are positioned to provide security for U.S. troops and bases along the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf.The USS Nimitz has been long scheduled to take over for the Carl Vinson and is heading west from the Indo-Pacific region toward the Middle East. The official said it is slated to arrive in the region by the end of the month, and the two carriers would likely overlap at least for a short time before the Vinson heads home to San Diego.There also are destroyers in the Red Sea, and others are based in the Western Mediterranean and participating in exercises in the Baltic Sea.<h2>US troops are on heightened alert and families are allowed to leave</h2>The forces in the region have been taking precautionary measures for days, including having&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/state-department-embassy-baghdad-f892ebd6a50850ef5650f31819541bff">military dependents voluntarily leave</a>&nbsp;bases, in anticipation of potential strikes and to protect personnel in case of a large-scale response from Tehran.Officials said they were not aware of many families actually leaving.Typically around 30,000 troops are based in the Middle East, and about 40,000 troops are in the region now, according to a U.S. official.That number surged as high as 43,000 last October in response to heightened tensions between Israel and Iran as well as continuous attacks on commercial and military ships in the Red Sea by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen.<h2>The B-2 and the bunker buster</h2>The Air Force’s B-2 Spirit stealth bomber is the only aircraft that can carry the 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, known as the bunker buster.The powerful bomb uses its weight and sheer kinetic force to reach deeply buried targets — and then explode.There are currently no B-2 bombers in the Middle East region, although there are B-52 bombers based at Diego Garcia, and they can deliver smaller munitions.If tapped for use, the B-2 bombers would have to make the 30-hour round trip from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, refueling multiple times.___AP writer Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed to this report.