By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, 110th district., was in Hays Thursday to discuss his campaign for Kansas Secretary of State.

The Fort Hays State University College Republicans hosted Rahjes, who said he is on a statewide effort to speak directly with voters about the security of local elections.

Rahjes' current Kansas House district includes parts of Ellis County.

"I believe I'm most effective by looking you in the eye and having a conversation," Rahjes said.

Rahjes said he is running to strengthen election security further, and that the Secretary of State must work closely with county clerks to achieve that and maintain strict voter ID procedures.

Earlier this year, the Kansas Legislature voted to eliminate the three-day grace period for mail ballots. Beginning in 2026, all ballots must be returned by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Rahjes said he supports ending the grace period, arguing it is not voter suppression and that voters must take responsibility for returning ballots on time. He said early voting already provides plenty of time.

"You can give people the opportunity, but you cannot compel them to do anything," he said.

Rahjes said election education should start as early as grade school to help young people understand the importance of voting, especially in local races, and that the Secretary of State should personally visit schools to teach it.

Rahjes said supporting Kansas businesses is a top priority and described the Secretary of State’s office as the “front door” for anyone seeking to operate in the state.

"It wasn't that many years ago that the ideal place to do business was Kansas. I want to get back to that," he said. "We throw out that 'make America great again' and 'make Kansas great again' slogans, I guess mine would be let's make Kansas business-friendly again."

Rahjes said he wants to support entrepreneurs by simplifying the business startup process so they don’t have to navigate multiple agencies.&nbsp;He connects business growth to lowering property taxes.

"There's no greater solution than to grow our tax base. I firmly believe that if you grow the base, then you will lower the rate. We can do that," he said.

Rahjes also said he wants the office to conduct a more thorough review of final rules and regulations to ensure they accurately reflect lawmakers’ intent.

"I believe that's what I bring as a long-term legislator, getting [secretary of state] employees to make sure we're following legislative intent," Rahjes said. "If it's not right, it goes back to the Legislature to fix it."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763742621425.jpeg" alt="Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, 110th district Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, 110th district Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostRep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, 110th district., was in Hays Thursday to discuss his campaign for Kansas Secretary of State.The Fort Hays State University College Republicans hosted Rahjes, who said he is on a statewide effort to speak directly with voters about the security of local elections.Rahjes' current Kansas House district includes parts of Ellis County."I believe I'm most effective by looking you in the eye and having a conversation," Rahjes said.Rahjes said he is running to strengthen election security further, and that the Secretary of State must work closely with county clerks to achieve that and maintain strict voter ID procedures.Earlier this year, the Kansas Legislature voted to eliminate the three-day grace period for mail ballots. Beginning in 2026, all ballots must be returned by 7 p.m. on Election Day.Rahjes said he supports ending the grace period, arguing it is not voter suppression and that voters must take responsibility for returning ballots on time. He said early voting already provides plenty of time."You can give people the opportunity, but you cannot compel them to do anything," he said.Rahjes said election education should start as early as grade school to help young people understand the importance of voting, especially in local races, and that the Secretary of State should personally visit schools to teach it.Rahjes said supporting Kansas businesses is a top priority and described the Secretary of State’s office as the “front door” for anyone seeking to operate in the state."It wasn't that many years ago that the ideal place to do business was Kansas. I want to get back to that," he said. "We throw out that 'make America great again' and 'make Kansas great again' slogans, I guess mine would be let's make Kansas business-friendly again."Rahjes said he wants to support entrepreneurs by simplifying the business startup process so they don’t have to navigate multiple agencies.&nbsp;He connects business growth to lowering property taxes."There's no greater solution than to grow our tax base. I firmly believe that if you grow the base, then you will lower the rate. We can do that," he said.Rahjes also said he wants the office to conduct a more thorough review of final rules and regulations to ensure they accurately reflect lawmakers’ intent."I believe that's what I bring as a long-term legislator, getting [secretary of state] employees to make sure we're following legislative intent," Rahjes said. "If it's not right, it goes back to the Legislature to fix it."

Secretary of state candidate Rahjes calls for election security, business growth

Government surplus commodities will be distributed in Hays at&nbsp;Unite Free Shelves (inside The Gamers Guild), 200 E. 8th Street in Hays, on Tuesday, Nov. 25 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Commodities will be distributed on a first-come-first-serve basis until we run out.&nbsp;Doors will not open until 7:30 a.m.

To be eligible for commodities, your household's total monthly income must be below:

$2,413&nbsp; &nbsp;Household of one $3,261&nbsp; &nbsp;Household of two $4,109&nbsp; Household of three $4,957&nbsp;&nbsp;Household of four $5,805&nbsp;&nbsp;Household of five $6,653&nbsp; Household of six $7,501&nbsp; &nbsp;Household of seven $8,349&nbsp;&nbsp;Household of eight

*Add&nbsp;&nbsp;$848&nbsp;for each additional family member after eight

Commodities included in this distribution are anticipated to be applesauce, pinto beans, canned peas, canned pears, canned peaches, dehydrated potato flakes, canned chicken, ground beef, chicken drumsticks, refried beans, v-peas, hazelnuts, and blended cheese.&nbsp;

Future commodity distribution times will be posted at:&nbsp;(<a target="_blank" href="http://unitehays.com/index.php/hays-commodity-distribution/">https://unitehays.com/index.php/hays-commodity-distribution/</a>)https://www.emprisebank.com/&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592580255349.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedGovernment surplus commodities will be distributed in Hays at&nbsp;Unite Free Shelves (inside The Gamers Guild), 200 E. 8th Street in Hays, on Tuesday, Nov. 25 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.Commodities will be distributed on a first-come-first-serve basis until we run out.&nbsp;Doors will not open until 7:30 a.m.To be eligible for commodities, your household's total monthly income must be below:$2,413&nbsp; &nbsp;Household of one $3,261&nbsp; &nbsp;Household of two $4,109&nbsp; Household of three $4,957&nbsp;&nbsp;Household of four $5,805&nbsp;&nbsp;Household of five $6,653&nbsp; Household of six $7,501&nbsp; &nbsp;Household of seven $8,349&nbsp;&nbsp;Household of eight*Add&nbsp;&nbsp;$848&nbsp;for each additional family member after eightCommodities included in this distribution are anticipated to be applesauce, pinto beans, canned peas, canned pears, canned peaches, dehydrated potato flakes, canned chicken, ground beef, chicken drumsticks, refried beans, v-peas, hazelnuts, and blended cheese.&nbsp;Future commodity distribution times will be posted at:&nbsp;(<a target="_blank" href="http://unitehays.com/index.php/hays-commodity-distribution/">https://unitehays.com/index.php/hays-commodity-distribution/</a>)https://www.emprisebank.com/&nbsp;&nbsp;

Government surplus commodities to be distributed in Hays on Nov. 25

By GERARD WELLBROCK Hays Post Sports

HAYS, Kan. – Dan Makuna scored 22 points and Kyle Grill added a double double with 21 points and 11 rebounds to lead Fort Hays State to a 74-53 win over Bethel College Sunday afternoon at Gross Memorial Coliseum.&nbsp;

Fort Hays State (3-1) limited Bethel (7-1) to 34.5 percent shooting for the game, including just 16 percent beyond the 3-point line. The Tigers only managed to shoot 39.3 percent but connected on 26-of-30 from the free throw line.

The game was scoreless for over five minutes at the start. Following the under 15 media timeout, Blake Danitschek hit a shot at the 14:15 mark. The Threshers remained within six points of the Tigers until the 5:20 mark when the Tigers went on a 9-0 run to close the first half and led 34-20 at halftime.

FHSU pushed their past 20 at the 12:20 mark of the second half. It reached 25, the largest of the game, twice in the final three minutes.

Mukuna finished with over 20 points for the second-straight game. Grill went past 20 for the first time this season, while tying his career high in rebounds. Muhamed Kante posted a new scoring high as a Tiger with 13 points. Grill and Lucas Hammeke each had three assists to lead the Tigers.

Fort Hays State returns to action on Tuesday for a contest at home with Sterling College. Game time will be 12 p.m. at Gross Memorial Coliseum as FHSU welcomes many of the area elementary schools to the game.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763938590303.jpeg" alt="Fort Hays State guard Muhamed Kante (2) drives to the basket in an NCAA college basketball game against Bethel College on Sunday, November 23, 2025 in Hays, Kan. (FHSU Athletics photo/Nicole Heitmann)" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State guard Muhamed Kante (2) drives to the basket in an NCAA college basketball game against Bethel College on Sunday, November 23, 2025 in Hays, Kan. (FHSU Athletics photo/Nicole Heitmann)</figcaption>
 </figure>By GERARD WELLBROCK Hays Post SportsHAYS, Kan. – Dan Makuna scored 22 points and Kyle Grill added a double double with 21 points and 11 rebounds to lead Fort Hays State to a 74-53 win over Bethel College Sunday afternoon at Gross Memorial Coliseum.&nbsp;<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/soundcloud%253Atracks%253A2217777848&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/postgame-interview-fhsu-mens" title="Mark Johnson Postgame vs. Bethel College (Nov. 23, 2025)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Mark Johnson Postgame vs. Bethel College (Nov. 23, 2025)</a></div></div>Fort Hays State (3-1) limited Bethel (7-1) to 34.5 percent shooting for the game, including just 16 percent beyond the 3-point line. The Tigers only managed to shoot 39.3 percent but connected on 26-of-30 from the free throw line.The game was scoreless for over five minutes at the start. Following the under 15 media timeout, Blake Danitschek hit a shot at the 14:15 mark. The Threshers remained within six points of the Tigers until the 5:20 mark when the Tigers went on a 9-0 run to close the first half and led 34-20 at halftime.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/soundcloud%253Atracks%253A2217778412&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/11-23-25-player-postgame" title="Kyle Grill Postgame vs. Bethel College (Nov. 23, 2025)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Kyle Grill Postgame vs. Bethel College (Nov. 23, 2025)</a></div></div>FHSU pushed their past 20 at the 12:20 mark of the second half. It reached 25, the largest of the game, twice in the final three minutes.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/soundcloud%253Atracks%253A2217777662&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/11-23-25-fhsu-mens-bkb-vs" title="Fort Hays State MBB Highlights vs. Bethel College (Nov. 23, 2025)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Fort Hays State MBB Highlights vs. Bethel College (Nov. 23, 2025)</a></div></div>Mukuna finished with over 20 points for the second-straight game. Grill went past 20 for the first time this season, while tying his career high in rebounds. Muhamed Kante posted a new scoring high as a Tiger with 13 points. Grill and Lucas Hammeke each had three assists to lead the Tigers.<h2>Up next</h2>Fort Hays State returns to action on Tuesday for a contest at home with Sterling College. Game time will be 12 p.m. at Gross Memorial Coliseum as FHSU welcomes many of the area elementary schools to the game.

🏀 Tigers pick up home win over Bethel College

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/collin-binkley">COLLIN BINKLEY</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/makiya-seminera">MAKIYA SEMINERA</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — Foreign students enrolled at U.S. colleges in strong numbers this fall despite fears that a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/international-students-visas-trump-uk-dubai-6fd432398ce4c87f49a89c9c39421dec">Trump administration crackdown</a>&nbsp;would trigger a nosedive, yet there are signs of turbulence as fewer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/international-student-enrollment-visa-trump-ebece1b2ba81dd512aca161fd794a3b6">new, first-time students</a>&nbsp;arrived from other countries, according to a new report.

Overall, U.S. campuses saw a 1% decrease in international enrollment this fall compared with last year, according to a survey from the Institute of International Education. But that figure is propped up by large numbers of students who stayed in the U.S. for temporary work after graduating. The number of new students entering the United States for the first time fell by 17%, the sharpest decrease since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some universities are seeing backslides that have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/international-f1-student-visa-trump-college-3f10a430b4ee48342ecb62d47c53cfbc">punched big holes</a>&nbsp;in tuition revenue, but overall the falloff is less severe than some industry groups had forecast. Researchers credit colleges for helping students navigate visa issues through the summer.

“I think colleges and universities did absolutely everything in their power to advocate to get these students to the United States,” said Mirka Martel, head of research, evaluation and learning for the institute.

At DePaul University, a Catholic university in Chicago, the number of international graduate students fell by almost 62% this fall, a driving factor in recent spending cuts. The university president blamed student visa troubles and declining interest to study in the U.S., calling it a “massive” disruption.

Overall, nearly 60% of colleges reported a decrease in new foreign students this fall, the survey found, while 30% saw increases and others held even. More than 800 schools responded to the survey, which offers an early look at trends before full data is released next year.

Trump administration has pressed for reductions in foreign enrollment

The Trump administration has sought to reduce America’s reliance on foreign students. The White House is pushing colleges to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-trump-deal-00eef5dca9f003e593d2cb151f5cce17">cap enrollment of foreign students</a>&nbsp;and enroll more from the U.S. In June, the State Department began&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-visas-trump-social-media-6632a2c585245edcd6a63594345dd8c7">screening visa applications more closely</a>&nbsp;after temporarily halting all interviews.

Visa processing has continued to lag in some countries, including India, the largest source of America’s foreign students. Education firms have reported that future college students are now showing decreased interest in the U.S. and more in Europe and Asia. While international enrollment remained relatively steady, there are concerns about its sustainability.

“There are warning signs for future years, and I’m really concerned about what this portends for fall ’26 and ’27,” said Clay Harmon, the executive director of AIRC: The Association of International Enrollment Management, which represents colleges and recruitment agencies.

Foreign students make up about 6% of America’s college students but they play an outsize role in campus budgets. Most pay higher tuition rates and don’t get financial aid, effectively subsidizing U.S. students. Their numbers are far higher at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/international-students-harvard-columbia-ivy-league-cb330dbf66d4b035e66ea160e4ede856">elite campuses</a>, often making up a quarter or more of the student body.

International students at the graduate level saw the biggest backslide this fall, with a 12% drop. That was mostly offset by rising numbers of students participating in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/opt-international-student-visa-f1-h1b-77095c8abefe0e03a4d26673becbd85b">Optional Practical Training</a>, which allows students to stay in the U.S. for temporary work after graduating. Undergraduate numbers ticked up slightly.

Graduate students make up the biggest share of foreign students in the U.S., often coming for science, math and business programs. Numbers had already started leveling off last year after a post-pandemic surge, but the recent turmoil appears to have accelerated the downturn. In the survey, colleges that saw decreases cite factors including visa issues and other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/travel-ban-trump-college-international-students-2b23373c85cafbdcfc7a2498d66cb83d">travel restrictions</a>.

Drops lead to budget cuts at some colleges

Many smaller and regional colleges have reported downswings, especially among master’s and doctoral students.

In a recent campus address, the president of the University at Albany said a decrease in foreign graduate students was having a “disproportionate impact” on the school’s budget. At Kent State University in Ohio, falling international numbers required an additional $4 million in cuts to balance the budget, the president wrote in an October update.

Even the biggest public universities weren’t immune. The University of Illinois’ flagship campus saw its international numbers dip, fueled by a 6% drop in graduate students. At the University of Michigan, foreign graduate enrollment fell by a similar share. Arizona State University, which has more foreign students than any other public campus, saw its overall numbers fall by 3%.

Universities are offering wider flexibility to students who couldn’t make it to campus this fall, according to the survey. Almost three-quarters are allowing foreign students to defer their enrollment to the spring term, and more than half are allowing deferrals until fall 2026.

Colleges in other countries, meanwhile, have sought to capitalize on the disruption, said Joann Ng Hartmann, senior impact officer at NAFSA, an agency that promotes international education. In Germany, Canada and some other countries, colleges are ramping up efforts to recruit students who might be&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2025/trumps-reshaping-of-higher-education-tests-americas-appeal-for-international-students/" target="_blank">rethinking college in the U.S.</a>

“They have friendlier policies, and students realize that,” she said. “They have friendlier messaging for students that welcomes them.”

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/news-values-and-principles/" target="_blank">standards</a>&nbsp;for working with philanthropies, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/supporting-ap/" target="_blank">list</a>&nbsp;of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761050707809.png" alt="Post photo" />
 <figcaption>Post photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/collin-binkley">COLLIN BINKLEY</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/makiya-seminera">MAKIYA SEMINERA</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — Foreign students enrolled at U.S. colleges in strong numbers this fall despite fears that a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/international-students-visas-trump-uk-dubai-6fd432398ce4c87f49a89c9c39421dec">Trump administration crackdown</a>&nbsp;would trigger a nosedive, yet there are signs of turbulence as fewer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/international-student-enrollment-visa-trump-ebece1b2ba81dd512aca161fd794a3b6">new, first-time students</a>&nbsp;arrived from other countries, according to a new report.Overall, U.S. campuses saw a 1% decrease in international enrollment this fall compared with last year, according to a survey from the Institute of International Education. But that figure is propped up by large numbers of students who stayed in the U.S. for temporary work after graduating. The number of new students entering the United States for the first time fell by 17%, the sharpest decrease since the COVID-19 pandemic.Some universities are seeing backslides that have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/international-f1-student-visa-trump-college-3f10a430b4ee48342ecb62d47c53cfbc">punched big holes</a>&nbsp;in tuition revenue, but overall the falloff is less severe than some industry groups had forecast. Researchers credit colleges for helping students navigate visa issues through the summer.“I think colleges and universities did absolutely everything in their power to advocate to get these students to the United States,” said Mirka Martel, head of research, evaluation and learning for the institute.At DePaul University, a Catholic university in Chicago, the number of international graduate students fell by almost 62% this fall, a driving factor in recent spending cuts. The university president blamed student visa troubles and declining interest to study in the U.S., calling it a “massive” disruption.Overall, nearly 60% of colleges reported a decrease in new foreign students this fall, the survey found, while 30% saw increases and others held even. More than 800 schools responded to the survey, which offers an early look at trends before full data is released next year.<h2>Trump administration has pressed for reductions in foreign enrollment</h2>The Trump administration has sought to reduce America’s reliance on foreign students. The White House is pushing colleges to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-trump-deal-00eef5dca9f003e593d2cb151f5cce17">cap enrollment of foreign students</a>&nbsp;and enroll more from the U.S. In June, the State Department began&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-visas-trump-social-media-6632a2c585245edcd6a63594345dd8c7">screening visa applications more closely</a>&nbsp;after temporarily halting all interviews.Visa processing has continued to lag in some countries, including India, the largest source of America’s foreign students. Education firms have reported that future college students are now showing decreased interest in the U.S. and more in Europe and Asia. While international enrollment remained relatively steady, there are concerns about its sustainability.“There are warning signs for future years, and I’m really concerned about what this portends for fall ’26 and ’27,” said Clay Harmon, the executive director of AIRC: The Association of International Enrollment Management, which represents colleges and recruitment agencies.Foreign students make up about 6% of America’s college students but they play an outsize role in campus budgets. Most pay higher tuition rates and don’t get financial aid, effectively subsidizing U.S. students. Their numbers are far higher at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/international-students-harvard-columbia-ivy-league-cb330dbf66d4b035e66ea160e4ede856">elite campuses</a>, often making up a quarter or more of the student body.International students at the graduate level saw the biggest backslide this fall, with a 12% drop. That was mostly offset by rising numbers of students participating in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/opt-international-student-visa-f1-h1b-77095c8abefe0e03a4d26673becbd85b">Optional Practical Training</a>, which allows students to stay in the U.S. for temporary work after graduating. Undergraduate numbers ticked up slightly.Graduate students make up the biggest share of foreign students in the U.S., often coming for science, math and business programs. Numbers had already started leveling off last year after a post-pandemic surge, but the recent turmoil appears to have accelerated the downturn. In the survey, colleges that saw decreases cite factors including visa issues and other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/travel-ban-trump-college-international-students-2b23373c85cafbdcfc7a2498d66cb83d">travel restrictions</a>.<h2>Drops lead to budget cuts at some colleges</h2>Many smaller and regional colleges have reported downswings, especially among master’s and doctoral students.In a recent campus address, the president of the University at Albany said a decrease in foreign graduate students was having a “disproportionate impact” on the school’s budget. At Kent State University in Ohio, falling international numbers required an additional $4 million in cuts to balance the budget, the president wrote in an October update.Even the biggest public universities weren’t immune. The University of Illinois’ flagship campus saw its international numbers dip, fueled by a 6% drop in graduate students. At the University of Michigan, foreign graduate enrollment fell by a similar share. Arizona State University, which has more foreign students than any other public campus, saw its overall numbers fall by 3%.Universities are offering wider flexibility to students who couldn’t make it to campus this fall, according to the survey. Almost three-quarters are allowing foreign students to defer their enrollment to the spring term, and more than half are allowing deferrals until fall 2026.Colleges in other countries, meanwhile, have sought to capitalize on the disruption, said Joann Ng Hartmann, senior impact officer at NAFSA, an agency that promotes international education. In Germany, Canada and some other countries, colleges are ramping up efforts to recruit students who might be&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2025/trumps-reshaping-of-higher-education-tests-americas-appeal-for-international-students/" target="_blank">rethinking college in the U.S.</a>“They have friendlier policies, and students realize that,” she said. “They have friendlier messaging for students that welcomes them.”___The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/news-values-and-principles/" target="_blank">standards</a>&nbsp;for working with philanthropies, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/about/supporting-ap/" target="_blank">list</a>&nbsp;of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Foreign enrollment at US colleges holds steady despite Trump's visa crackdown

Please be advised that beginning Monday, November 24, 2025, the 100 block of West 6th Street in Hays will be closed from Fort Street to Main Street for approximately three days for sewer line repair. 

Traffic control devices will be set in areas of work being completed. 

The City of Hays regrets any inconvenience this may cause the public. If there are any questions, please call the Water Resources Department at 785-628-7380.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621458743066.jpeg" alt="File photo/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>File photo/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>City of HaysPlease be advised that beginning Monday, November 24, 2025, the 100 block of West 6th Street in Hays will be closed from Fort Street to Main Street for approximately three days for sewer line repair. Traffic control devices will be set in areas of work being completed. The City of Hays regrets any inconvenience this may cause the public. If there are any questions, please call the Water Resources Department at 785-628-7380.

Portion of W. 6th Street in Hays to close for sewer line repair

Reporter Cristina Janney speaks with Doug Williams of Grow Hays about the Agiliti expansion on this episode of the Hays Post Podcast.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650389030295.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="Post Podcast: Grow Hays" 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=ykfgd-19ccbe2-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%22 loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
Podbean Player
 </div>Reporter Cristina Janney speaks with Doug Williams of Grow Hays about the Agiliti expansion on this episode of the Hays Post Podcast.

🎙 Post Podcast: More from Doug Williams of Grow Hays on Agiliti expansion in Hays

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ call for a close reexamination of the 42 million people who receive federal food aid has befuddled advocates and lawmakers, coming mere days after recipients began to see benefits that had been stalled during the government shutdown.

Details remain scant a week after Rollins during an interview on the right-wing Newsmax network first publicly broached the startling idea that every beneficiary would have to reapply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, often called food stamps.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, asked for an explanation, referenced existing requirements and suggested more changes in SNAP rules could be in store.

“Secretary Rollins wants to ensure the fraud, waste, and incessant abuse of SNAP ends,” a USDA spokesperson wrote Wednesday. “Rates of fraud were only previously assumed, and President Trump is doing something about it. Using standard recertification processes for households is a part of that work. As well as ongoing analysis of state data, further regulatory work, and improved collaboration with states.”

The 2008 law governing SNAP leaves states responsible for administration. Part of that role includes periodically making sure that the low-income people in the program meet the qualifications for inclusion, but the law allows states to determine how often that occurs.

“It’s not clear what she would be proposing that is different from what is already happening,” said Katie Bergh, a senior policy analyst for food assistance at the left-leaning think tank Center for Budget and Policy Priorities.

One interpretation of Rollins’ comments is that she would remove all 42 million individuals from SNAP’s rolls and ask them to resubmit applications. Bergh said that would lead to people losing money they need for groceries. About 40% of those enrolled in SNAP are children.

“If she’s suggesting that they’re going to somehow redo that process for more than 40 million people who already demonstrated their eligibility and who already have to periodically recertify their eligibility, that would be pretty duplicative and would likely create pretty significant paperwork backlogs that would cause people who are eligible to lose the food assistance that they need,” Bergh said.

Administration critics have suggested that, while the comments are unlikely to lead to policy changes, they introduce even more confusion for a program that was used as a political token during the record government shutdown that ended this month.&nbsp;

Making people reapply would underscore the Trump administration’s opposition to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/key-statistics-and-research" target="_blank">nearly $100 billion program</a>, which accounts for 70% of federal nutrition assistance.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/research/snap/characteristics-fy23" target="_blank">USDA says</a>&nbsp;the average SNAP household in fiscal 2023 received a monthly benefit of $332, or $177 a person based on the average SNAP household size of 1.9 people.

“Secretary Rollins and the Trump administration have cut food assistance for 42 million Americans multiple times this year,” U.S. House Agriculture ranking member Angie Craig said in a Wednesday statement to States Newsroom. “Now, they’ve once again shown that they do not understand the program.”

In the Nov. 13 interview on Newsmax, Rollins said SNAP was beset by widespread fraud, citing data that 29 mostly Republican-run states submitted to the department. Acquiring data from the 21 other states would give the department a way to wholly remake the program, she said.

“Can you imagine when we get our hands on the blue state data, what we’re going to find?” she said. “It’s going to give us a platform and a trajectory to fundamentally rebuild this program, have everyone reapply for their benefit, make sure that everyone that’s taking a taxpayer-funded benefit through SNAP or food stamps that they literally are vulnerable, and they can’t survive without it. And that’s the next step here.”

In an interview Monday on Fox News, host Maria Bartiromo asked Rollins about the move to have recipients “reapply.”

“Business as usual is over,” Rollins answered in part. “The status quo is no more. We know that the SNAP program is rife with fraud.”

She added that guarding against fraud would help those the program is meant to serve.

The comments touched off widespread confusion about what specifically Rollins meant.&nbsp;

Asked about the initiative during a Thursday press conference, Craig, a Minnesota Democrat, said she was unclear about how it would work and predicted that Rollins would take credit in the future for the existing low rate of fraud.

“We’re hearing off the record that, you know, maybe people don’t know what the hell they’re talking about,” she said. “In fact, I think they’re trying to take credit for the already very strict standards and the actual low fraud rate in the SNAP program … So we can find no real plan there. Not even sure there’s concepts of a plan there.”

In response to a States Newsroom request this week for details about the initiative, USDA provided the statement that did not answer how the department would proceed or under what authority, but said Rollins was seeking to reduce fraud in the program.

Spokespeople did not respond to follow-up questions, or a request to respond to Craig’s remarks Thursday.

Program experts say fraud is not a widespread problem for SNAP.

An April&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF10860#_Ref509241731" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;from the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service found that retailers illegally trafficked about 1.6% of SNAP benefits from fiscal 2015 to 2017.

Fraud by households applying for SNAP, which appear to be the main target of Rollins’ proposal, is even lower.&nbsp;

According to a USDA&nbsp;<a href="https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/snap-sar-fy23.pdf" target="_blank">report</a>, about 26,000 applications were referred for an administrative review or prosecution on suspicion of fraud. That number accounts for about 0.1% of the 22.7 million households enrolled in the program, according to the Pew Research Center.

“Long-standing data sources indicate that intentional fraud by participants is rare,” Bergh said.

At Thursday’s press conference, Craig called Rollins’ comments “bullsh*t” and “propaganda.”

“Secretary Rollins goes on TV and talks about all the fraud,” she said. “This most effective anti-hunger program in our history has a fraud rate of 1.6%. It’s actually one of the most effective, well-run programs in the country … The bullsh*t this administration is peddling is egregious.”

Even experts who advocate for reforms to SNAP say eligibility fraud is not a major issue.

Romina Boccia, director of budget and entitlement policy at the libertarian Cato Institute, said high-net-worth individuals can receive SNAP benefits, but aren’t committing fraud by doing so.

“Some of the issues with SNAP … aren’t because of fraud or abuse, but they are because of bad program rules,” said Boccia.

Boccia also cited an “incentive misalignment” inherent in the state-federal program. States have little incentive to control payments because the federal government funds the program, she said.

Forcing all beneficiaries to reapply would likely reduce the cost of the program by reducing the number of its beneficiaries, including by forcing out higher earners who may not consider the benefits they don’t actually need to be worth the onerous reapplication process, Boccia said.&nbsp;

But it would also result in a percentage of low earners dropping off the program, as well as many who would be affected by the administrative backlog that would come with processing tens of millions of new applications, she said.&nbsp;

Shutdown, the big beautiful bill, and confusion

Bergh said Rollins’ comments “add insult to injury” because they come after congressional Republicans and President Donald Trump signed a major tax cuts and spending law that is expected to shrink federal SNAP spending by $187 billion over 10 years. The law added work requirements for many SNAP recipients and shifted some costs to states.

That was followed by the six-week shutdown that saw&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/shutdown-tug-war-over-snap-benefits-timeline" target="_blank">a dizzying back-and-forth</a>&nbsp;over whether November SNAP benefits would be paid.

“There has been huge amounts of chaos and confusion and disruption for both states and participants in recent weeks, largely due to the shutdown, but also because simultaneously, the administration has required states to implement many of the reconciliation bill’s SNAP cuts,” Bergh said.

Craig, in her statement, also said Rollins’ comments would hurt the people who need the program.

“I am astounded by the secretary’s careless disregard for the hungry seniors and children who can afford to eat because of this program,” she said.

Sara Naomi Bleich, a public health policy professor at Harvard University, said in a phone interview the confusion from Rollins’ comments compounded hardships produced by the Republican reconciliation law, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

“Big picture with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is that there’s basically this tidal wave coming to families that have low income,” Bleich, who worked at USDA during the Obama and Biden administrations, said. “They’re going to lose Medicaid. They’re going to lose SNAP. There could be collateral impacts on the school meals. This is going to be a really hard time for families to navigate.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761944916334.png" alt="Post photo" />
 <figcaption>Post photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ call for a close reexamination of the 42 million people who receive federal food aid has befuddled advocates and lawmakers, coming mere days after recipients began to see benefits that had been stalled during the government shutdown.Details remain scant a week after Rollins during an interview on the right-wing Newsmax network first publicly broached the startling idea that every beneficiary would have to reapply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, often called food stamps.The U.S. Department of Agriculture, asked for an explanation, referenced existing requirements and suggested more changes in SNAP rules could be in store.“Secretary Rollins wants to ensure the fraud, waste, and incessant abuse of SNAP ends,” a USDA spokesperson wrote Wednesday. “Rates of fraud were only previously assumed, and President Trump is doing something about it. Using standard recertification processes for households is a part of that work. As well as ongoing analysis of state data, further regulatory work, and improved collaboration with states.”The 2008 law governing SNAP leaves states responsible for administration. Part of that role includes periodically making sure that the low-income people in the program meet the qualifications for inclusion, but the law allows states to determine how often that occurs.“It’s not clear what she would be proposing that is different from what is already happening,” said Katie Bergh, a senior policy analyst for food assistance at the left-leaning think tank Center for Budget and Policy Priorities.One interpretation of Rollins’ comments is that she would remove all 42 million individuals from SNAP’s rolls and ask them to resubmit applications. Bergh said that would lead to people losing money they need for groceries. About 40% of those enrolled in SNAP are children.“If she’s suggesting that they’re going to somehow redo that process for more than 40 million people who already demonstrated their eligibility and who already have to periodically recertify their eligibility, that would be pretty duplicative and would likely create pretty significant paperwork backlogs that would cause people who are eligible to lose the food assistance that they need,” Bergh said.Administration critics have suggested that, while the comments are unlikely to lead to policy changes, they introduce even more confusion for a program that was used as a political token during the record government shutdown that ended this month.&nbsp;Making people reapply would underscore the Trump administration’s opposition to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/key-statistics-and-research" target="_blank">nearly $100 billion program</a>, which accounts for 70% of federal nutrition assistance.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/research/snap/characteristics-fy23" target="_blank">USDA says</a>&nbsp;the average SNAP household in fiscal 2023 received a monthly benefit of $332, or $177 a person based on the average SNAP household size of 1.9 people.“Secretary Rollins and the Trump administration have cut food assistance for 42 million Americans multiple times this year,” U.S. House Agriculture ranking member Angie Craig said in a Wednesday statement to States Newsroom. “Now, they’ve once again shown that they do not understand the program.”<h2>What did Rollins say?</h2>In the Nov. 13 interview on Newsmax, Rollins said SNAP was beset by widespread fraud, citing data that 29 mostly Republican-run states submitted to the department. Acquiring data from the 21 other states would give the department a way to wholly remake the program, she said.“Can you imagine when we get our hands on the blue state data, what we’re going to find?” she said. “It’s going to give us a platform and a trajectory to fundamentally rebuild this program, have everyone reapply for their benefit, make sure that everyone that’s taking a taxpayer-funded benefit through SNAP or food stamps that they literally are vulnerable, and they can’t survive without it. And that’s the next step here.”In an interview Monday on Fox News, host Maria Bartiromo asked Rollins about the move to have recipients “reapply.”“Business as usual is over,” Rollins answered in part. “The status quo is no more. We know that the SNAP program is rife with fraud.”She added that guarding against fraud would help those the program is meant to serve.The comments touched off widespread confusion about what specifically Rollins meant.&nbsp;Asked about the initiative during a Thursday press conference, Craig, a Minnesota Democrat, said she was unclear about how it would work and predicted that Rollins would take credit in the future for the existing low rate of fraud.“We’re hearing off the record that, you know, maybe people don’t know what the hell they’re talking about,” she said. “In fact, I think they’re trying to take credit for the already very strict standards and the actual low fraud rate in the SNAP program … So we can find no real plan there. Not even sure there’s concepts of a plan there.”In response to a States Newsroom request this week for details about the initiative, USDA provided the statement that did not answer how the department would proceed or under what authority, but said Rollins was seeking to reduce fraud in the program.Spokespeople did not respond to follow-up questions, or a request to respond to Craig’s remarks Thursday.<h2>Low fraud rate</h2>Program experts say fraud is not a widespread problem for SNAP.An April&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF10860#_Ref509241731" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;from the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service found that retailers illegally trafficked about 1.6% of SNAP benefits from fiscal 2015 to 2017.Fraud by households applying for SNAP, which appear to be the main target of Rollins’ proposal, is even lower.&nbsp;According to a USDA&nbsp;<a href="https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/snap-sar-fy23.pdf" target="_blank">report</a>, about 26,000 applications were referred for an administrative review or prosecution on suspicion of fraud. That number accounts for about 0.1% of the 22.7 million households enrolled in the program, according to the Pew Research Center.“Long-standing data sources indicate that intentional fraud by participants is rare,” Bergh said.At Thursday’s press conference, Craig called Rollins’ comments “bullsh*t” and “propaganda.”“Secretary Rollins goes on TV and talks about all the fraud,” she said. “This most effective anti-hunger program in our history has a fraud rate of 1.6%. It’s actually one of the most effective, well-run programs in the country … The bullsh*t this administration is peddling is egregious.”<h2>More targeted reforms</h2>Even experts who advocate for reforms to SNAP say eligibility fraud is not a major issue.Romina Boccia, director of budget and entitlement policy at the libertarian Cato Institute, said high-net-worth individuals can receive SNAP benefits, but aren’t committing fraud by doing so.“Some of the issues with SNAP … aren’t because of fraud or abuse, but they are because of bad program rules,” said Boccia.Boccia also cited an “incentive misalignment” inherent in the state-federal program. States have little incentive to control payments because the federal government funds the program, she said.Forcing all beneficiaries to reapply would likely reduce the cost of the program by reducing the number of its beneficiaries, including by forcing out higher earners who may not consider the benefits they don’t actually need to be worth the onerous reapplication process, Boccia said.&nbsp;But it would also result in a percentage of low earners dropping off the program, as well as many who would be affected by the administrative backlog that would come with processing tens of millions of new applications, she said.&nbsp;<h2>Shutdown, the big beautiful bill, and confusion</h2>Bergh said Rollins’ comments “add insult to injury” because they come after congressional Republicans and President Donald Trump signed a major tax cuts and spending law that is expected to shrink federal SNAP spending by $187 billion over 10 years. The law added work requirements for many SNAP recipients and shifted some costs to states.That was followed by the six-week shutdown that saw&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/shutdown-tug-war-over-snap-benefits-timeline" target="_blank">a dizzying back-and-forth</a>&nbsp;over whether November SNAP benefits would be paid.“There has been huge amounts of chaos and confusion and disruption for both states and participants in recent weeks, largely due to the shutdown, but also because simultaneously, the administration has required states to implement many of the reconciliation bill’s SNAP cuts,” Bergh said.Craig, in her statement, also said Rollins’ comments would hurt the people who need the program.“I am astounded by the secretary’s careless disregard for the hungry seniors and children who can afford to eat because of this program,” she said.Sara Naomi Bleich, a public health policy professor at Harvard University, said in a phone interview the confusion from Rollins’ comments compounded hardships produced by the Republican reconciliation law, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.“Big picture with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is that there’s basically this tidal wave coming to families that have low income,” Bleich, who worked at USDA during the Obama and Biden administrations, said. “They’re going to lose Medicaid. They’re going to lose SNAP. There could be collateral impacts on the school meals. This is going to be a really hard time for families to navigate.”

USDA wants everyone to reapply for food stamps. What does that mean?

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

A plan by a Hays resident to develop new housing in west Hays was met by concerns of nearby residents about stormwater runoff and possible flooding during Thursday's Hays City Commission work session.

Several people who live along Columbine and 30th streets questioned whether there would be increased rainfall runoff from the north where existing agriculture fields would eventually become streets, lots and a connecting multi-use path.

"The way our stormwater management regulations are written is that the post-development cannot shed any more water than the pre-development," said Toby Dougherty, city manager. "That happens through the retention area."

The development is designed to have two points of access from Columbine and to include green space for the drainage way running north to south across the property. Street access to future 33rd Street improvements at the north end of the development will also be provided. 

A multi-use path will be incorporated from 33rd Street south along Columbine to 27th Street,&nbsp; utilizing he stormwater drainage area/green space.

Proceeding with the annexation will also require vacating DK Ranch Addition and a portion of Country Club Estates Sixth Addition.

Jess Rohr, public works director, said the Hays Area Planning Commission unanimously approved the final plat for Smoky Hill Plains Addition on Sept. 15. He encouraged the homeowners to examine all the stormwater management documents in his office if they had more specific questions.

Developer Don Tillman, Sing&nbsp;Along Ranch LLC and BJKT LLC, was in the audience but did not speak.

Infrastructure at Interstate 70, Exit 161

Tom Howie, project manager, presented a proposed low bid award for infrastructure at Interstate 70, Exit 161, on 90 acres of city-owned property purchased in 2019.&nbsp;The initial new infrastructure would serve about 11 buildable lots, ranging in size from 2 to 8 acres, for commercial and residential development.

The low bid was from&nbsp;Smoky Hill, LLC, Salina, for $3,908,341. 

Because the bid was about $1 million below budget, staff is also requesting an upgrade of the 27th Street roadway from the intersection of 27th and Commerce to the new intersection of the internal street for an additional $160,000.&nbsp;An additional $203,417 contingency will also be added.

A portion of the project will be funded with a $2 million state grant. Funding for construction services will be paid from general obligation bonds. The city recently paid off general obligation bonds for other projects. New bonds will be issued for this project. The city will not have to raise taxes to pay for the bond,&nbsp;Dougherty said.

Rohr presented recommendations for next year's street maintenance projects. The city spends about $1 million annually on the work.

"More spent on maintenance offsets the higher costs of reconstruction," Dougherty said.&nbsp;

The street maintenance program is funded primarily with special highway funds, which in 2026 include $563,310 paid to the city.

All agenda items were moved on to the Tuesday, Nov. 25, city commission meeting for votes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763754334462.png" alt="City of Hays image" />
 <figcaption>City of Hays image</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostA plan by a Hays resident to develop new housing in west Hays was met by concerns of nearby residents about stormwater runoff and possible flooding during Thursday's Hays City Commission work session.Several people who live along Columbine and 30th streets questioned whether there would be increased rainfall runoff from the north where existing agriculture fields would eventually become streets, lots and a connecting multi-use path."The way our stormwater management regulations are written is that the post-development cannot shed any more water than the pre-development," said Toby Dougherty, city manager. "That happens through the retention area."The development is designed to have two points of access from Columbine and to include green space for the drainage way running north to south across the property. Street access to future 33rd Street improvements at the north end of the development will also be provided. A multi-use path will be incorporated from 33rd Street south along Columbine to 27th Street,&nbsp; utilizing he stormwater drainage area/green space.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763752394942.png" alt="City of Hays image" />
 <figcaption>City of Hays image</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763752300174.png" alt="Courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>Proceeding with the annexation will also require vacating DK Ranch Addition and a portion of Country Club Estates Sixth Addition.Jess Rohr, public works director, said the Hays Area Planning Commission unanimously approved the final plat for Smoky Hill Plains Addition on Sept. 15. He encouraged the homeowners to examine all the stormwater management documents in his office if they had more specific questions.Developer Don Tillman, Sing&nbsp;Along Ranch LLC and BJKT LLC, was in the audience but did not speak.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763756641194.png" alt="Location of infrastructure to be developed on Hays-owned property northeast of&nbsp; Interstate 70 Exit 161. City of Hays image" />
 <figcaption>Location of infrastructure to be developed on Hays-owned property northeast of&nbsp; Interstate 70 Exit 161. City of Hays image</figcaption>
 </figure>Infrastructure at Interstate 70, Exit 161Tom Howie, project manager, presented a proposed low bid award for infrastructure at Interstate 70, Exit 161, on 90 acres of city-owned property purchased in 2019.&nbsp;The initial new infrastructure would serve about 11 buildable lots, ranging in size from 2 to 8 acres, for commercial and residential development.The low bid was from&nbsp;Smoky Hill, LLC, Salina, for $3,908,341. Because the bid was about $1 million below budget, staff is also requesting an upgrade of the 27th Street roadway from the intersection of 27th and Commerce to the new intersection of the internal street for an additional $160,000.&nbsp;An additional $203,417 contingency will also be added.A portion of the project will be funded with a $2 million state grant. Funding for construction services will be paid from general obligation bonds. The city recently paid off general obligation bonds for other projects. New bonds will be issued for this project. The city will not have to raise taxes to pay for the bond,&nbsp;Dougherty said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763756293818.png" alt="City of Hays map" />
 <figcaption>City of Hays map</figcaption>
 </figure>2026 Street Maintenance ProgramRohr presented recommendations for next year's street maintenance projects. The city spends about $1 million annually on the work."More spent on maintenance offsets the higher costs of reconstruction," Dougherty said.&nbsp;The street maintenance program is funded primarily with special highway funds, which in 2026 include $563,310 paid to the city.All agenda items were moved on to the Tuesday, Nov. 25, city commission meeting for votes.

Residents concerned about possible flooding from west Hays housing development

KENOSHA, Wisc. - Fort Hays State distance runner Emily McCullough earned All-American status after placing 12th at the 2025 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships Saturday morning at the Wayne E. Dannehl National XC Course.

The Hoxie, Kan. native completed the six-kilometer course in 20:38.0, more than 70 seconds faster than her time at last year's national championships. McCullough beat 251 runners in the 263-competitor field and was the top finisher out of the 26 individual competitors in the field.

The Central Region champion worked her way to the front of the pack from the start, crossing the one kilometer post in seventh place before hovering between 12th and 13th place for the remainder of the race.

McCullough is the third individual to earn cross country All-American status under head coach Dr. Jason McCullough, and the first since Regan Hodsden in 2022. Her 12th-place finish is the best result by an individual at the national championships in McCullough's 21 years as head coach, one better than Cory Keehn's 13th place result in 2013.

The senior is now a two-time All-American at FHSU after earning second team honors in track and field with a ninth-place finish in last year's 10,000m outdoor national championship.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763840208639.jpeg" alt="FHSU Athletics image" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics image</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsKENOSHA, Wisc. - Fort Hays State distance runner Emily McCullough earned All-American status after placing 12th at the 2025 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships Saturday morning at the Wayne E. Dannehl National XC Course.The Hoxie, Kan. native completed the six-kilometer course in 20:38.0, more than 70 seconds faster than her time at last year's national championships. McCullough beat 251 runners in the 263-competitor field and was the top finisher out of the 26 individual competitors in the field.The Central Region champion worked her way to the front of the pack from the start, crossing the one kilometer post in seventh place before hovering between 12th and 13th place for the remainder of the race.McCullough is the third individual to earn cross country All-American status under head coach Dr. Jason McCullough, and the first since Regan Hodsden in 2022. Her 12th-place finish is the best result by an individual at the national championships in McCullough's 21 years as head coach, one better than Cory Keehn's 13th place result in 2013.The senior is now a two-time All-American at FHSU after earning second team honors in track and field with a ninth-place finish in last year's 10,000m outdoor national championship.

👟 McCullough claims All-America honors at NCAA II nationals

Robert Dean Yunker, 83, passed away at the Medical Lodges in Goddard, KS.  Robert was born on Wednesday, October 28, 1942 in Salina, Kansas to Lydia (Staab) and Martin Yunker. 

Bob began his education at Sacred Heart Grade School in Salina, continuing at Jefferson when the family moved back to Hays in the early 1950’s.  He graduated from Hays High School in 1960 where his activities included band and football. Known for his work ethic, Bob became the first of the largest group of brothers (six) to deliver the Hays Daily News.  Employed at the Hays Creamery during his last two years of high school and his first year of college, Bob spent a year in Denver installing carpet before joining the US Navy. 

His military service included graduating from the Navy’s Electronic Technician (Radar) school at Treasure Island, CA followed by assignments onboard the USS Gunston Hall (LSD 5) and USS Thomaston (LSD 28).  It is believed Bob contracted Parkinson’s disease through exposure to Agent Orange while serving onboard the Thomaston during numerous Marine Corps landings and&nbsp;&nbsp;operations in Vietnam and its inland waterways.

  His military awards included the Combat Action Ribbon, Meritorious Unit Commendation, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation Gallantry Cross with Palm, and the Vietnam Campaign Medal. 

  After his Honorable Discharge, Bob returned to Fort Hays State University earning a Masters in Business and Bachelor’s Degree in Economics. Throughout college he worked at his uncle’s tavern, the Blue Moon, followed by a number of years at Travenol, prior to accepting the position as Business Manager and later as Superintendent of the Kansas Soldiers Home at Fort Dodge. After returning to Hays, he was employed by the US Postal Service until he retired.

 Bob married Kathy L. Smith of Agra, KS in 1969.  They later divorced remaining friends until her passing in 2019.  His interests included managing his investments and real estate properties, all Fort Hays State University and Kansas City sports, antique and special interest vehicles, and raised pigeons for years.  He was a Life Member of American Legion Post 173 in Hays, and served as the Commander and Adjutant of Post 107 at Ft. Dodge.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Martin Jr., David, and Thomas, nephew Matthew Yunker, former wife Kathy Yunker, and brother-in-law David Weed. 

Bob is survived by sons Rob (Aaron) of Wichita, James (Kelli) and Jason of Hays, 10 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. Brothers Charles of Tecumseh, KS, James (Shirley) of Hays, KS, Daniel (Joan) of Andover, KS; sisters Mary Alice Weed of Salina, KS, Janice Koshiol of Hays, KS; sisters-in-law Karen Yunker Fountain, CO and Lois Yunker of Munjor, KS, along with numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. 

A celebration of life will be planned for the spring of 2026.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763829357837.jpeg" alt="Robert Dean Yunker" />
 <figcaption>Robert Dean Yunker</figcaption>
 </figure>Robert Dean Yunker, 83, passed away at the Medical Lodges in Goddard, KS. Robert was born on Wednesday, October 28, 1942 in Salina, Kansas to Lydia (Staab) and Martin Yunker. Bob began his education at Sacred Heart Grade School in Salina, continuing at Jefferson when the family moved back to Hays in the early 1950’s. He graduated from Hays High School in 1960 where his activities included band and football. Known for his work ethic, Bob became the first of the largest group of brothers (six) to deliver the Hays Daily News. Employed at the Hays Creamery during his last two years of high school and his first year of college, Bob spent a year in Denver installing carpet before joining the US Navy. His military service included graduating from the Navy’s Electronic Technician (Radar) school at Treasure Island, CA followed by assignments onboard the USS Gunston Hall (LSD 5) and USS Thomaston (LSD 28). It is believed Bob contracted Parkinson’s disease through exposure to Agent Orange while serving onboard the Thomaston during numerous Marine Corps landings and&nbsp;&nbsp;operations in Vietnam and its inland waterways. His military awards included the Combat Action Ribbon, Meritorious Unit Commendation, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation Gallantry Cross with Palm, and the Vietnam Campaign Medal. After his Honorable Discharge, Bob returned to Fort Hays State University earning a Masters in Business and Bachelor’s Degree in Economics. Throughout college he worked at his uncle’s tavern, the Blue Moon, followed by a number of years at Travenol, prior to accepting the position as Business Manager and later as Superintendent of the Kansas Soldiers Home at Fort Dodge. After returning to Hays, he was employed by the US Postal Service until he retired. Bob married Kathy L. Smith of Agra, KS in 1969. They later divorced remaining friends until her passing in 2019. His interests included managing his investments and real estate properties, all Fort Hays State University and Kansas City sports, antique and special interest vehicles, and raised pigeons for years. He was a Life Member of American Legion Post 173 in Hays, and served as the Commander and Adjutant of Post 107 at Ft. Dodge.He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Martin Jr., David, and Thomas, nephew Matthew Yunker, former wife Kathy Yunker, and brother-in-law David Weed. Bob is survived by sons Rob (Aaron) of Wichita, James (Kelli) and Jason of Hays, 10 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. Brothers Charles of Tecumseh, KS, James (Shirley) of Hays, KS, Daniel (Joan) of Andover, KS; sisters Mary Alice Weed of Salina, KS, Janice Koshiol of Hays, KS; sisters-in-law Karen Yunker Fountain, CO and Lois Yunker of Munjor, KS, along with numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. A celebration of life will be planned for the spring of 2026.

Robert Dean Yunker

The Rush County Historical Society and Kansas Barbed Wire Museum will&nbsp; once again be hosting the annual Old-Fashioned Christmas on Friday, Nov. 28, from 5:00-8:00 p.m. at the museum complex in La Crosse. 

Visitors can browse the five unique museums beautifully decorated for the holidays: the Historical Museum in the 19th Century Timken Depot; the Post Rock Museum, one of the seven wonders of Kansas Customs; the Nekoma Bank Museum, a restored 1916 rural bank; the Pleasant Point School Museum; and nationally recognized Kansas Barbed Wire Museum. 

Visitors can enjoy hot cider, homemade cookies, roast marshmallows over an open fire, and enjoy Kansas-grown popcorn. There will also be a special project for the kids in the one-room school, and other special displays throughout the complex.

Santa Claus will arrive at 5:30 on the firetruck and have a special gift for the kids. The Rush County Sheriff’s Office will help out Santa by handing out the candy sacks to the kids in front of the bank museum. For kids of all ages, La Crosse Fire District #4 will be serving hot dogs, hot chocolate, or water. Rush County EMS will be helping with the kids crafts.

Events begin at 5:00 p.m., Friday, November 28 at the museum campus on the south edge of La Crosse on West First Street. 

To ease congestion, visitors are asked to park north of the creek on Third Street across the bridge. Visitors can access the complex by the footbridge in the park. Persons with mobility issues are welcome to park in the museum parking lot.

All events are free and open to the public. 

For more information, visit the Rush County Historical Society on Facebook, on the web at <a href="https://www.rushcounty.org/RCHS/">www.rushcounty.org/RCHS</a> or call 785-222-2808.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763485395407.jpeg" alt="The annual Old-Fashioned Christmas will be held on Friday, Nov. 28, at the museum complex in La Crosse. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>The annual Old-Fashioned Christmas will be held on Friday, Nov. 28, at the museum complex in La Crosse. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>La CrosseThe Rush County Historical Society and Kansas Barbed Wire Museum will&nbsp; once again be hosting the annual Old-Fashioned Christmas on Friday, Nov. 28, from 5:00-8:00 p.m. at the museum complex in La Crosse. Visitors can browse the five unique museums beautifully decorated for the holidays: the Historical Museum in the 19th Century Timken Depot; the Post Rock Museum, one of the seven wonders of Kansas Customs; the Nekoma Bank Museum, a restored 1916 rural bank; the Pleasant Point School Museum; and nationally recognized Kansas Barbed Wire Museum. Visitors can enjoy hot cider, homemade cookies, roast marshmallows over an open fire, and enjoy Kansas-grown popcorn. There will also be a special project for the kids in the one-room school, and other special displays throughout the complex.Santa Claus will arrive at 5:30 on the firetruck and have a special gift for the kids. The Rush County Sheriff’s Office will help out Santa by handing out the candy sacks to the kids in front of the bank museum. For kids of all ages, La Crosse Fire District #4 will be serving hot dogs, hot chocolate, or water. Rush County EMS will be helping with the kids crafts.Events begin at 5:00 p.m., Friday, November 28 at the museum campus on the south edge of La Crosse on West First Street. To ease congestion, visitors are asked to park north of the creek on Third Street across the bridge. Visitors can access the complex by the footbridge in the park. Persons with mobility issues are welcome to park in the museum parking lot.All events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit the Rush County Historical Society on Facebook, on the web at <a href="https://www.rushcounty.org/RCHS/">www.rushcounty.org/RCHS</a> or call 785-222-2808.

La Crosse hosts annual Old-Fashioned Christmas Nov. 28 at museum complex

The Kansas Supreme Court has set the oral argument date for one of the legal challenges in the R9 water case, which seeks to transfer Hays- and Russell-owned water from their ranch in Edwards County.

The case goes back to the original conversion of the cities' water rights from agricultural use to municipal use, said Toby Dougherty, Hays city manager.

"A group of irrigators challenged that in district court. The district court took their time to rule on it, but eventually ruled it, and resoundingly upheld the master order, which governs the conversion of those water rights.

Challenges and appeals continued on both sides.

"That group of irrigators appealed. We counter-appealed to the state Supreme Court, trying to skip appellate court," Dougherty said. "The Supreme Court kind of took their time in a procedural way, getting it briefed and onboarded."&nbsp;

The argument has been set for Dec. 15 at 9 a.m. A livestream link is available <a href="https://kscourts.gov/About-the-Courts/Supreme-Court/Oral-Argument-Livestream">here</a>.

"We are hoping for a quick ruling on the matter. We see no reason why the Supreme Court would overturn what a <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/8d8e87f6-e3c9-4950-bcea-9cac40e269bd">judge has already resoundingly upheld</a>," Dougherty said.

Once the Supreme Court rules in the cities' and the state's favor, and the master order, that specific portion of the long legal process will have come to an end.&nbsp;

"There's no further court they can seek appeal at," Dougherty said.&nbsp;

The Water Transfer Hearing Panel (chief engineers of the Kansas Department of Agriculture, Division of Water Resources, the director of the Kansas Water Office, and the director of the Department of Health and Environment, Division of Environment) will then be allowed to convene and hold a final hearing, which is required by state statute.&nbsp;

The Kansas Water Transfer Act, K.S.A. 82a-1501, et seq., requires the panel's approval of projects that propose to transport 2,000 acre-feet of water or more per year for beneficial use more than 35 miles from the source.

This project is the first time such a long-distance transfer will have happened in Kansas.

Change of use applications, however, are regular and routine, Dougherty said.&nbsp;

"We're arguing at the Supreme Court that it happens all the time.&nbsp;

"In fact, there was a dairy built last year in Edwards County about 10 miles up the road from our property that converted water rights from irrigation to stock watering, which is the exact same process we went through.

"There was no local opposition, and the process took six months from start to finish."

Legal wrangling between WaterPACK (Water Protection Association of Central Kansas), the Edwards County Commission and the Edwards County Planning Commission, which <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/72cef8d3-79bf-4085-b070-bccbdc589f9d">oppose the pipeline</a>,&nbsp; and Hays and Russell has been underway for almost 11 years.

Dougherty, who just surpassed his 20th year of employment with the city, recently attended major water industry conferences in Tucson, Arizona, and Topeka, where he discussed Hays' water policies and the R9 project.

"We have people contacting us all the time," Mayor Sandy Jacobs said, "and talking to Holly Dickman (Hays' water conservation specialist) about how we conserve and how we put these practices in place. ... We've been doing this since 1996, when Hays was named an "All America City."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600183945609.png" alt="Image courtesy of Hays" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Hays</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostThe Kansas Supreme Court has set the oral argument date for one of the legal challenges in the R9 water case, which seeks to transfer Hays- and Russell-owned water from their ranch in Edwards County.The case goes back to the original conversion of the cities' water rights from agricultural use to municipal use, said Toby Dougherty, Hays city manager."A group of irrigators challenged that in district court. The district court took their time to rule on it, but eventually ruled it, and resoundingly upheld the master order, which governs the conversion of those water rights.Challenges and appeals continued on both sides."That group of irrigators appealed. We counter-appealed to the state Supreme Court, trying to skip appellate court," Dougherty said. "The Supreme Court kind of took their time in a procedural way, getting it briefed and onboarded."&nbsp;The argument has been set for Dec. 15 at 9 a.m. A livestream link is available <a href="https://kscourts.gov/About-the-Courts/Supreme-Court/Oral-Argument-Livestream">here</a>."We are hoping for a quick ruling on the matter. We see no reason why the Supreme Court would overturn what a <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/8d8e87f6-e3c9-4950-bcea-9cac40e269bd">judge has already resoundingly upheld</a>," Dougherty said.Once the Supreme Court rules in the cities' and the state's favor, and the master order, that specific portion of the long legal process will have come to an end.&nbsp;"There's no further court they can seek appeal at," Dougherty said.&nbsp;The Water Transfer Hearing Panel (chief engineers of the Kansas Department of Agriculture, Division of Water Resources, the director of the Kansas Water Office, and the director of the Department of Health and Environment, Division of Environment) will then be allowed to convene and hold a final hearing, which is required by state statute.&nbsp;The Kansas Water Transfer Act, K.S.A. 82a-1501, et seq., requires the panel's approval of projects that propose to transport 2,000 acre-feet of water or more per year for beneficial use more than 35 miles from the source.This project is the first time such a long-distance transfer will have happened in Kansas.Change of use applications, however, are regular and routine, Dougherty said.&nbsp;"We're arguing at the Supreme Court that it happens all the time.&nbsp;"In fact, there was a dairy built last year in Edwards County about 10 miles up the road from our property that converted water rights from irrigation to stock watering, which is the exact same process we went through."There was no local opposition, and the process took six months from start to finish."Legal wrangling between WaterPACK (Water Protection Association of Central Kansas), the Edwards County Commission and the Edwards County Planning Commission, which <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/72cef8d3-79bf-4085-b070-bccbdc589f9d">oppose the pipeline</a>,&nbsp; and Hays and Russell has been underway for almost 11 years.Dougherty, who just surpassed his 20th year of employment with the city, recently attended major water industry conferences in Tucson, Arizona, and Topeka, where he discussed Hays' water policies and the R9 project."We have people contacting us all the time," Mayor Sandy Jacobs said, "and talking to Holly Dickman (Hays' water conservation specialist) about how we conserve and how we put these practices in place. ... We've been doing this since 1996, when Hays was named an "All America City."

KS Supreme Court sets date for R9 water transfer latest challenge

By LINN ANN HUNTINGTON Special to Hays Post

Families needing a little help in purchasing Christmas gifts for their children this year can find that help at the Salvation Army office in Ellis County. There are no income requirements, said Laura Allen, Service Extension Ellis County coordinator.

The Salvation Army is accepting Angel Tree gift applications from families through Monday, Nov. 24. Applications may be picked up and returned to the Salvation Army office in the Hadley Center, 204 E. Seventh St., Suite A.

Allen said, “Please slide completed applications under the door from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.”

The Salvation Army accepts gift requests for children ages infant to 18 years of age. Last year the agency served 112 children, Allen said.

Once she has received an application, Allen places a gift tag request for that child on the Angel Tree, which is located at Fuzzy’s Tacos, 4310 Vine St. The gift tag requests started going on the tree on Wednesday, Nov. 19.

People are asked to take the gift tag for a specific child, purchase the gift(s) and return the tag and the gift(s) unwrapped either to Fuzzy’s or to the Salvation Army office.

Gifts need to be returned by Monday, Dec. 15. That way, Allen said, volunteers have time to purchase additional gifts as needed. Sometimes not all gift tags are taken, she added.

Families will pick up the gifts Thursday and Friday, Dec. 18 and 19, in the Hadley Center Conference Room.

Her office is also accepting donations of wrapping paper in a box outside her office. That wrapping paper then goes to families who need it, she said.

This Christmas gift project is one of the things she loves most about her job, Allen said.

“There is no reason for parents to worry about not being able to buy gifts, and all kids deserve gifts on Christmas. Knowing that the volunteers who help and the people who donate gifts have worked together to make gifts possible is one of my favorite things.”

More information is available from Allen at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:laura.allen@usc.salvationarmy.org">laura.allen@usc.salvationarmy.org</a>&nbsp;or (785) 621-2794.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763636013732.jpeg" alt="Photo by Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By LINN ANN HUNTINGTON Special to Hays PostFamilies needing a little help in purchasing Christmas gifts for their children this year can find that help at the Salvation Army office in Ellis County. There are no income requirements, said Laura Allen, Service Extension Ellis County coordinator.The Salvation Army is accepting Angel Tree gift applications from families through Monday, Nov. 24. Applications may be picked up and returned to the Salvation Army office in the Hadley Center, 204 E. Seventh St., Suite A.Allen said, “Please slide completed applications under the door from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.”The Salvation Army accepts gift requests for children ages infant to 18 years of age. Last year the agency served 112 children, Allen said.Once she has received an application, Allen places a gift tag request for that child on the Angel Tree, which is located at Fuzzy’s Tacos, 4310 Vine St. The gift tag requests started going on the tree on Wednesday, Nov. 19.People are asked to take the gift tag for a specific child, purchase the gift(s) and return the tag and the gift(s) unwrapped either to Fuzzy’s or to the Salvation Army office.Gifts need to be returned by Monday, Dec. 15. That way, Allen said, volunteers have time to purchase additional gifts as needed. Sometimes not all gift tags are taken, she added.Families will pick up the gifts Thursday and Friday, Dec. 18 and 19, in the Hadley Center Conference Room.Her office is also accepting donations of wrapping paper in a box outside her office. That wrapping paper then goes to families who need it, she said.This Christmas gift project is one of the things she loves most about her job, Allen said.“There is no reason for parents to worry about not being able to buy gifts, and all kids deserve gifts on Christmas. Knowing that the volunteers who help and the people who donate gifts have worked together to make gifts possible is one of my favorite things.”More information is available from Allen at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:laura.allen@usc.salvationarmy.org">laura.allen@usc.salvationarmy.org</a>&nbsp;or (785) 621-2794.&nbsp;

Ellis County Salvation Army offers Christmas help to families with children 

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-marjorie-taylor-greene-republicans-maga-feud-f4b0dffe06440dfed16d336d08a05422">Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene</a>&nbsp;of Georgia, a loyal supporter-turned-critic of President Donald Trump who faced his political retribution if she sought reelection, said Friday she is resigning from Congress in January.

Greene, in a more than 10-minute video posted online, explained her decision and said she didn’t want her congressional district “to have to endure a hurtful and hateful primary against me by the president we all fought for,” she said.

Greene’s resignation followed a public fallout with Trump in recent months, as the congresswoman criticized him for his stance on files related to Jeffrey Epstein, along with foreign policy and health care.

Trump branded her a “traitor” and “wacky” and said he would endorse a challenger against her when she ran for reelection next year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714577209426.png" alt="File image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-marjorie-taylor-greene-republicans-maga-feud-f4b0dffe06440dfed16d336d08a05422">Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene</a>&nbsp;of Georgia, a loyal supporter-turned-critic of President Donald Trump who faced his political retribution if she sought reelection, said Friday she is resigning from Congress in January.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My official statement. <a href="https://t.co/x48zEugmPV">pic.twitter.com/x48zEugmPV</a>&mdash; Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) <a href="https://twitter.com/mtgreenee/status/1992037226415554642?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Greene, in a more than 10-minute video posted online, explained her decision and said she didn’t want her congressional district “to have to endure a hurtful and hateful primary against me by the president we all fought for,” she said.Greene’s resignation followed a public fallout with Trump in recent months, as the congresswoman criticized him for his stance on files related to Jeffrey Epstein, along with foreign policy and health care.Trump branded her a “traitor” and “wacky” and said he would endorse a challenger against her when she ran for reelection next year.She said her last day would be Jan. 5, 2026.The White House did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment Friday night.Greene was one of the most vocal and visible supporters of Trump’s Make America Great Again politics, and she embraced some of his unapologetic political style.Her break with him was a notable fissure in his grip over conservatives, particularly his most ardent base. But her decision to step down in the face of his opposition put her on the same track as many of the more moderate establishment Republicans before her who went crosswise with Trump.The congresswoman, who recorded the video announcing her resignation while sitting in her living room wearing a cross necklace and with a Christmas tree and a peace lily plant behind her, said, “My life is filled with happiness, and my true convictions remain unchanged, because my self-worth is not defined by a man, but instead by God.”<h2>A crack in the MAGA movement</h2>Greene had been closely tied to the Republican president since she launched her political career five years ago.In her video Friday, she underscored her longtime loyalty to Trump except on a few issues, and said it was “unfair and wrong” that he attacked her for disagreeing.“Loyalty should be a two-way street and we should be able to vote our conscience and represent our district’s interest, because our job title is literally ‘representative,’” she said.Greene swept to office at the forefront of Trump’s MAGA movement and swiftly became&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-marjorie-taylor-greene-congress-ed7fb114dbe45d0cd703d8800c21bfa3">a lightning rod on Capitol Hill</a>&nbsp;for her often beyond-mainstream views. In her video Friday, Greene said she had “always been despised in Washington, D.C., and just never fit in.”As she embraced the QAnon conspiracy theory and appeared with white supremacists, Greene was initially opposed by party leaders but welcomed by Trump. He called her “a real WINNER!”Yet over time she proved a deft legislator, having aligned herself with then-GOP leader Kevin McCarthy, who would go on to become House speaker. She was a trusted voice on the right flank, until McCarthy was ousted in 2023.While there has been an onslaught of lawmakers from both parties heading for the exits ahead of next fall’s midterm elections, as the House struggles through an often chaotic session, Greene’s announced retirement will ripple throughout the ranks — and raise questions about her next moves.Greene was first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marjorie-taylor-greene-wins-georgia-seat-8e162ba61e53631512dde33238f596f4">elected to the House in 2020</a>. She initially planned to run in a competitive district in northern Atlanta’s suburbs, but relocated to the much more conservative 14th District in Georgia’s northwest corner.The opening in her district means Republican Gov. Brian Kemp will have to set a special election date within 10 days of Greene’s resignation. Such a special election would include party primaries and a general election to fill out the remainder of Greene’s term through January 2027. Those elections could take place before the party primaries in May for the next two-year term.Even before her election, Greene showed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-technology-las-vegas-mass-shooting-media-social-media-700f28747d856a9bad22a59674a9afe6">a penchant for harsh rhetoric</a>&nbsp;and conspiracy theories, suggesting a 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas was a coordinated attack to spur support for new gun restrictions. In 2018, she endorsed the idea that the U.S. government perpetrated the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, and mused that a “so-called” plane had hit the Pentagon.Greene argued in 2019 that Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., both Muslim women, weren’t “official” members of Congress because they used Qurans rather than Bibles in their swearing-in ceremonies.She was once&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-georgia-politics-elections-ga-state-wire-d78785cf8183d11c7e52d7aad5949279">a sympathizer with QAnon</a>, an online network that believes a global cabal of Satan-worshipping cannibals, including U.S. government leaders, operates a child sex trafficking ring. She eventually distanced herself, saying she got “sucked into some of the things I had seen on the internet.”<h2>Once a Trump surrogate</h2>When Trump was out of power between his first and second terms, Greene was often a surrogate for his views and brash style in Washington.While then-President Joe Biden delivered his State of the Union address in 2022, Greene stood up and began chanting “Build the wall,” referring to the U.S.-Mexico border wall that Trump began in his first term.Last year, when Biden gave his last State of the Union address, Greene again drew attention as she confronted him over border security and the killing of a nursing student from Georgia, Laken Riley, by an immigrant in the country illegally.Greene, wearing a red MAGA hat and a T-shirt about Riley, handed the president a button that said “Say Her Name.” The congresswoman then shouted that at the president midway through his speech.But this year, her first serving with Trump in the White House, cracks began to appear slowly in her steadfast support — before it broke wide open.Greene’s discontent dates back at least to May, when she announced she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mtg-greene-ossoff-georgia-senate-6df53b2ef8bf9d49272a4b4359abad21">wouldn’t run for the Senate</a>&nbsp;against Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff, while attacking GOP donors and consultants who feared she couldn’t win.Greene’s restlessness only intensified in July, when she announced she wouldn’t run for Georgia governor, either.She was also frustrated with the Republican leadership on Capitol Hill, which worked in lockstep with the president.Greene said in her video that “the legislature has been mostly sidelined” since Republicans took unified control of Washington in January and her bills “just sit collecting dust.”“That’s how it is for most members of Congress’ bills,” she said. “The speaker never brings them to the floor for a vote.”Republicans will likely lose the midterms elections next year, Greene said, and then she’d “be expected to defend the president against impeachment after he hatefully dumped tens of millions of dollars against me and tried to destroy me.”“It’s all so absurd and completely unserious,” she said. “I refuse to be a battered wife hoping it all goes away and gets better.”___Amy reported from Atlanta. Associated Press writer Jonathan J. Cooper in Phoenix contributed to this report.