By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

Sen. Ethan Corson, D-Fairway, was in Hays Saturday campaigning for governor in 2026.

Corson stopped by the Eagle Media Center for an interview with Hays Post before <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/886b8285-39fd-4828-ac95-b3d6d19331b9">joining other candidates on stage at Democracy Fest</a>&nbsp;on Saturday.

"The first issue I'm going to tackle as governor is the affordability crisis in Kansas," Corson said.

Corson said Kansas has become too expensive for many residents, a concern that first motivated him to run for the state Senate. He said the state has drifted from being a place where people could once afford a middle-class lifestyle and retire comfortably.

Corson said he worked across party lines on the Senate Tax Committee to eliminate taxes on Social Security, lower property taxes and expand the senior property tax freeze program.

"We need to have a child tax credit for our working Kansas families to keep more money in their pockets so they can pay for things like child care," Corson said.

Corson said there is a need to double the 20-mill property tax exemption to $150,000 in assessed value, eliminate taxes on tips, and raise the minimum wage to $15 and index it to the cost of living.

"Hard work is a Kansas value, but I don't think anybody who works full time should be living in poverty," he said.

Corson said K-12 education is a core Kansas value and emphasized the next governor will need to reauthorize or create a new school funding formula before the current one expires at the end of 2026.

"I'm going to veto any bill that I don't think fully funds our schools and does it in an adequate and equitable way, including making sure rural schools are taken care of," he said.

Corson said the state faces a teacher shortage that is expected to worsen, attributing it to low pay and a lack of incentives for younger generations to enter the profession as many current educators near retirement.

Corson also said he supports fully funding special education. Hays school district officials have lobbied for more state funding.&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/1ddb7029-9e09-4f6a-8c1f-c0c5f03f27ed">Hays USD 489 saw a cost increase of almost $822,000 for special education for the 2025-26 school year.</a>

"I think that the approach that Gov. Laura Kelly has laid out is the right one to get us to that 92% which is what state law requires. We haven't met that since 2011," he said.

Corson said Kansas is decades behind on long-term water preservation but recognizes Gov. Kelly’s efforts to secure additional resources for water projects. He noted bipartisan progress on water issues in the Legislature and voiced support for establishing a dedicated task force.

"What I want to do as governor is figure out a dedicated funding stream for water so we can make progress on implementing those recommendations of the task force," Corson said.

Corson said he was not aware of the R9 Ranch project.

Corson said Kansas has 100 rural hospitals, with 67 at high risk of closing. He said he was disappointed over recent federal legislation that included cuts to Medicaid and rural health care.

"I want to do everything I can to keep our hospitals open," he said. "I want to have a task force that looks at rural health care to come up with specific recommendations of what we can do along those lines to make sure that we are trying to protect our hospitals."

Corson said he met with community health center leaders in southwest Kansas to discuss their challenges, noting that many stem, to some extent, from the state’s failure to expand Medicaid.

Corson said there is a shortage of mental health beds and pledged to increase funding to expand capacity. He said the state has fallen behind in addressing the issue and is now trying to catch up.

"We have moved the ball forward in that direction over the past several years, but we haven't gone far enough and fast enough. There's still a lot of work that needs to be done," Corson said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760993311446.jpeg" alt="Sen. Ethan Corson, D-Fairway. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Ethan Corson, D-Fairway. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostSen. Ethan Corson, D-Fairway, was in Hays Saturday campaigning for governor in 2026.Corson stopped by the Eagle Media Center for an interview with Hays Post before <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/886b8285-39fd-4828-ac95-b3d6d19331b9">joining other candidates on stage at Democracy Fest</a>&nbsp;on Saturday."The first issue I'm going to tackle as governor is the affordability crisis in Kansas," Corson said.Corson said Kansas has become too expensive for many residents, a concern that first motivated him to run for the state Senate. He said the state has drifted from being a place where people could once afford a middle-class lifestyle and retire comfortably.Corson said he worked across party lines on the Senate Tax Committee to eliminate taxes on Social Security, lower property taxes and expand the senior property tax freeze program."We need to have a child tax credit for our working Kansas families to keep more money in their pockets so they can pay for things like child care," Corson said.Corson said there is a need to double the 20-mill property tax exemption to $150,000 in assessed value, eliminate taxes on tips, and raise the minimum wage to $15 and index it to the cost of living."Hard work is a Kansas value, but I don't think anybody who works full time should be living in poverty," he said.EducationCorson said K-12 education is a core Kansas value and emphasized the next governor will need to reauthorize or create a new school funding formula before the current one expires at the end of 2026."I'm going to veto any bill that I don't think fully funds our schools and does it in an adequate and equitable way, including making sure rural schools are taken care of," he said.Corson said the state faces a teacher shortage that is expected to worsen, attributing it to low pay and a lack of incentives for younger generations to enter the profession as many current educators near retirement.Corson also said he supports fully funding special education. Hays school district officials have lobbied for more state funding.&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/1ddb7029-9e09-4f6a-8c1f-c0c5f03f27ed">Hays USD 489 saw a cost increase of almost $822,000 for special education for the 2025-26 school year.</a>"I think that the approach that Gov. Laura Kelly has laid out is the right one to get us to that 92% which is what state law requires. We haven't met that since 2011," he said.WaterCorson said Kansas is decades behind on long-term water preservation but recognizes Gov. Kelly’s efforts to secure additional resources for water projects. He noted bipartisan progress on water issues in the Legislature and voiced support for establishing a dedicated task force."What I want to do as governor is figure out a dedicated funding stream for water so we can make progress on implementing those recommendations of the task force," Corson said.Corson said he was not aware of the R9 Ranch project.Health care and mental healthCorson said Kansas has 100 rural hospitals, with 67 at high risk of closing. He said he was disappointed over recent federal legislation that included cuts to Medicaid and rural health care."I want to do everything I can to keep our hospitals open," he said. "I want to have a task force that looks at rural health care to come up with specific recommendations of what we can do along those lines to make sure that we are trying to protect our hospitals."Corson said he met with community health center leaders in southwest Kansas to discuss their challenges, noting that many stem, to some extent, from the state’s failure to expand Medicaid.Corson said there is a shortage of mental health beds and pledged to increase funding to expand capacity. He said the state has fallen behind in addressing the issue and is now trying to catch up."We have moved the ball forward in that direction over the past several years, but we haven't gone far enough and fast enough. There's still a lot of work that needs to be done," Corson said.

Gubernatorial candidate Corson seeks to double 20-mill property tax exemption 

The six candidates for Hays City Commission were interviewed by the Hays Post. Their responses are being presented in a question-and-answer format. The other candidates running include Samuel Allen, Reese Barrick, Sandy Jacobs, David Koshiol, Shaun Musil and David Vilaysing.

Allen did not respond to Hays Post's request for an interview.&nbsp;

Allen was&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/1e91cd79-cb0f-4efc-a6f1-2dc8ddbbe8d9">arrested on a charge of alleged blackmail</a>&nbsp;in July.

Also listed on the ballot but not pursuing office are Kelly Ancar and Justin Choitz.

Three seats are available on the board. The two candidates with the highest number of votes will each receive a four-year term. The third-highest candidate will serve a two-year term. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4.

Age: 41 Occupation: Remote&nbsp;worker for InvoiceCloud based in Boston as a project program manager for higher education and technology companies

Why are you running for Hays City Commission?

I grew up in Hays, graduated from K-State and moved to Boston where I met my husband. About a year ago, we decided to move back to Hays to be closer to family and enjoy the slower pace of living.

I wanted to re-engage myself with the community, and I think giving back is important. I fully understand I haven't been here in a long time, and I'm very focused on listening to the folks who live here and understanding their perspective, bringing those viewpoints into the role of a city commissioner.

As a new candidate, do you have any relevant/political experience?&nbsp;

I served as vice president of the Framingham Centre Nursery School board in Massachusetts, which further developed my abilities in community-focused decision-making and advocacy.

At Hays High, I was involved in FFA and was drum major for the band.&nbsp;

In my job, I spend a lot of time working with large groups and managing large budgets and projects.&nbsp;

What is the most pressing issue(s) the city of Hays faces?

One of them is our infrastructure and planning, especially around things like water. Making sure we have enough water is essential and key to everything we do.

I also think we have a lot of work to do around housing. Do we have enough and in the right mix for people?

Are we taking care of our health care landscape? Do we have accessible health care, including good mental health services? Fortunately, in Hays, we do have organizations that make sure things like that are supported, can grow and be accessed.

It's been suggested by a local developer that the city provide free land for construction of new homes costing $150,00 or less. What are your thoughts about housing in Hays?&nbsp;

There are a lot of things that go into housing for low-income or unhoused folks. Providing free land could certainly be a piece of that.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/ae1db76a-b42e-4a7e-8a6d-64505465e8a1">A recent quarterly luncheon by Grow Hays explained how RHIDs work and their economic impact on the city.&nbsp;</a>

I think it's a two-way street between the community sharing ideas like that and the city commission hearing them, understanding what's possible and sharing their ideas back with the community.&nbsp;

I want to create an environment where people feel like they can be a part of the solution.&nbsp;

The city narrowly avoided a 2-mill levy increase in the 2026 budget. How would you keep the mill levy at 25 mills? Should it instead be increased?&nbsp;

It's always a challenge. How much do we fund our community? How much do we pay as citizens in our taxes to fund the things that we use every day? No one likes to pay a huge amount of money in taxes, but I also think the things that we fund are incredibly important.

Whether it's the airport or something else we should be funding, I'm sure there are times when the mill levy will have to be raised a little bit. That's just the reality of how things go. I think it's something voters should have a say in, and we can decide as a community what is important, what is essential.

Budgets should be managed responsibly and carefully, appropriately and effectively as possible. I think our city employees do a good job of managing their budgets.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/7d615ae1-9b48-4ebd-9200-7c593c85db69">The governing body of Hays chose to remain revenue neutral for the budget year 2026.</a>

Are there areas in the city budget or departments that can be streamlined? What would you change in the city's current operations?

In general, I think our city employees have their best interests at heart for the city of Hays, want to serve their community and to do the right thing for the neighbors they live next to.

To save money, sometimes you spend a little money. Do employees need additional training for new roles? We have an explosion of AI technology. Are there ways we can optimize relationships with platforms and vendors? Are there additional tools or resources the employees need to make them more efficient or make our community better?

Should each city park become more "individualized," offering different/fewer amenities at each location to save maintenance costs?

It's certainly worth looking at. There's a lot of research that shows everyone needs outdoor time—fresh air, sunshine and exercise.

It's nice to have bathrooms in our parks. Each park is unique, but each has what we need, and I think that's important.

There are organizations in town that have stepped up to sponsor or take care of them.

Part of it is our community involvement. I've been places where we've done a lot more community clean-up days, helping paint parks, helping repair broken playground equipment, things like that. There are regulations around that, and you have to be careful, but it's one of the things we can look at.

I don't love the idea of some parks perhaps getting special treatment because I think every park in every neighborhood is special. I want to make sure we have a fair and equitable distribution of the joys that our parks bring.

Should the city get involved in the operation of the public transportation program ACCESS, which is struggling with its funding? Should the city offer greater financial support?

I spent a lot of time using public transportation in Boston, one of the first U.S. cities to have public transportation. I'm a big believer and big user of public transportation.&nbsp;&nbsp;

It's important that we make our city multi-functional. If you don't have a car, it can be difficult to get to where you need to go. 

Walkable cities and neighborhoods are important as well. Looking at ways to expand walkability, making sure our bike paths and lanes are accessible, and their use is encouraged, is part of public transportation.

I would hate to see the ACCESS vans go away. That service is key, even if it's a more set schedule that runs, which is not quite as flexible as anytime, anywhere.&nbsp;

Building up the opportunities for having more rideshares, or having neighbors build a community where they can give rides to each other, is also really key.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/dc146924-9a33-439f-bb6a-180129cff07a">ACCESS General Public Transportation in Hays is still facing a 2026 funding gap after the city of Hays and Ellis County made contributions.&nbsp;</a>

I'm really interested in learning what's happening in Hays. I'm not just asking for people's votes. I really want their partnership.

I want to help in understanding what's working, what's not working, where can we keep investing, where should we be dialing back, where should we be shifting. That really comes from the people living in the community.

This is where people choose to live and stay. If you're invested in it and have a stake in the game, that makes a huge difference.&nbsp;

Community is not something you get passively. You have to be involved if you want something to get better or something to stay good.

The six candidates for Hays City Commission were interviewed by the Hays Post. Their responses are being presented in a question-and-answer format. The other candidates running include Samuel Allen, Reese Barrick, Sandy Jacobs, David Koshiol, Shaun Musil and David Vilaysing.Allen did not respond to Hays Post's request for an interview.&nbsp;

Allen was&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/1e91cd79-cb0f-4efc-a6f1-2dc8ddbbe8d9">arrested on a charge of alleged blackmail</a>&nbsp;in July.Also listed on the ballot but not pursuing office are Kelly Ancar and Justin Choitz.Three seats are available on the board. The two candidates with the highest number of votes will each receive a four-year term. The third-highest candidate will serve a two-year term. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760626449657.png" alt="Candace (CJ) Hathaway. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Candace (CJ) Hathaway. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Age: 41 Occupation: Remote&nbsp;worker for InvoiceCloud based in Boston as a project program manager for higher education and technology companiesWhy are you running for Hays City Commission?I grew up in Hays, graduated from K-State and moved to Boston where I met my husband. About a year ago, we decided to move back to Hays to be closer to family and enjoy the slower pace of living.I wanted to re-engage myself with the community, and I think giving back is important. I fully understand I haven't been here in a long time, and I'm very focused on listening to the folks who live here and understanding their perspective, bringing those viewpoints into the role of a city commissioner.As a new candidate, do you have any relevant/political experience?&nbsp;I served as vice president of the Framingham Centre Nursery School board in Massachusetts, which further developed my abilities in community-focused decision-making and advocacy.At Hays High, I was involved in FFA and was drum major for the band.&nbsp;In my job, I spend a lot of time working with large groups and managing large budgets and projects.&nbsp;What is the most pressing issue(s) the city of Hays faces?One of them is our infrastructure and planning, especially around things like water. Making sure we have enough water is essential and key to everything we do.I also think we have a lot of work to do around housing. Do we have enough and in the right mix for people?Are we taking care of our health care landscape? Do we have accessible health care, including good mental health services? Fortunately, in Hays, we do have organizations that make sure things like that are supported, can grow and be accessed.It's been suggested by a local developer that the city provide free land for construction of new homes costing $150,00 or less. What are your thoughts about housing in Hays?&nbsp;There are a lot of things that go into housing for low-income or unhoused folks. Providing free land could certainly be a piece of that.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/ae1db76a-b42e-4a7e-8a6d-64505465e8a1">A recent quarterly luncheon by Grow Hays explained how RHIDs work and their economic impact on the city.&nbsp;</a>I think it's a two-way street between the community sharing ideas like that and the city commission hearing them, understanding what's possible and sharing their ideas back with the community.&nbsp;I want to create an environment where people feel like they can be a part of the solution.&nbsp;The city narrowly avoided a 2-mill levy increase in the 2026 budget. How would you keep the mill levy at 25 mills? Should it instead be increased?&nbsp;It's always a challenge. How much do we fund our community? How much do we pay as citizens in our taxes to fund the things that we use every day? No one likes to pay a huge amount of money in taxes, but I also think the things that we fund are incredibly important.Whether it's the airport or something else we should be funding, I'm sure there are times when the mill levy will have to be raised a little bit. That's just the reality of how things go. I think it's something voters should have a say in, and we can decide as a community what is important, what is essential.Budgets should be managed responsibly and carefully, appropriately and effectively as possible. I think our city employees do a good job of managing their budgets.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/7d615ae1-9b48-4ebd-9200-7c593c85db69">The governing body of Hays chose to remain revenue neutral for the budget year 2026.</a>Are there areas in the city budget or departments that can be streamlined? What would you change in the city's current operations?In general, I think our city employees have their best interests at heart for the city of Hays, want to serve their community and to do the right thing for the neighbors they live next to.To save money, sometimes you spend a little money. Do employees need additional training for new roles? We have an explosion of AI technology. Are there ways we can optimize relationships with platforms and vendors? Are there additional tools or resources the employees need to make them more efficient or make our community better?Should each city park become more "individualized," offering different/fewer amenities at each location to save maintenance costs?It's certainly worth looking at. There's a lot of research that shows everyone needs outdoor time—fresh air, sunshine and exercise.It's nice to have bathrooms in our parks. Each park is unique, but each has what we need, and I think that's important.There are organizations in town that have stepped up to sponsor or take care of them.Part of it is our community involvement. I've been places where we've done a lot more community clean-up days, helping paint parks, helping repair broken playground equipment, things like that. There are regulations around that, and you have to be careful, but it's one of the things we can look at.I don't love the idea of some parks perhaps getting special treatment because I think every park in every neighborhood is special. I want to make sure we have a fair and equitable distribution of the joys that our parks bring.Should the city get involved in the operation of the public transportation program ACCESS, which is struggling with its funding? Should the city offer greater financial support?I spent a lot of time using public transportation in Boston, one of the first U.S. cities to have public transportation. I'm a big believer and big user of public transportation.&nbsp;&nbsp;It's important that we make our city multi-functional. If you don't have a car, it can be difficult to get to where you need to go. Walkable cities and neighborhoods are important as well. Looking at ways to expand walkability, making sure our bike paths and lanes are accessible, and their use is encouraged, is part of public transportation.I would hate to see the ACCESS vans go away. That service is key, even if it's a more set schedule that runs, which is not quite as flexible as anytime, anywhere.&nbsp;Building up the opportunities for having more rideshares, or having neighbors build a community where they can give rides to each other, is also really key.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/dc146924-9a33-439f-bb6a-180129cff07a">ACCESS General Public Transportation in Hays is still facing a 2026 funding gap after the city of Hays and Ellis County made contributions.&nbsp;</a>Anything else you'd like to add?I'm really interested in learning what's happening in Hays. I'm not just asking for people's votes. I really want their partnership.I want to help in understanding what's working, what's not working, where can we keep investing, where should we be dialing back, where should we be shifting. That really comes from the people living in the community.This is where people choose to live and stay. If you're invested in it and have a stake in the game, that makes a huge difference.&nbsp;Community is not something you get passively. You have to be involved if you want something to get better or something to stay good.As told to Becky Kiser/Hays Post

Hays City Commission Candidate Q&A: Candace (CJ) Hathaway

LONDON (AP) — Amazon says a massive outage of its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-to-know-about-the-amazon-web-services-outage-0000019a02c5dea7a7ba2fcda5bc0000">cloud computing service</a>&nbsp;has been resolved as of Monday evening, after a problem disrupted internet use around the world, taking down a broad range of online services, including social media, gaming, food delivery, streaming and financial platforms.

The all-day disruption and the ensuing exasperation it caused served as the latest reminder that 21st century society is increasingly dependent on just a handful of companies for much of its internet technology, which seems to work reliably until it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-outage-crowdstrike-windows-big-tech-dependence-f314f7919e5ac2d0d40682f13df00778">suddenly breaks down</a>.

About three hours after the outage began early Monday morning, Amazon Web Services said it was&nbsp;<a href="https://health.aws.amazon.com/health/status">starting to recover</a>, but it wasn't until 6 p.m. Eastern that “services returned to normal operations,” Amazon said on its&nbsp;<a href="https://health.aws.amazon.com/health/status">AWS health</a>&nbsp;website, where it tracks outages.

AWS provides behind-the-scenes cloud computing infrastructure to some of the world’s biggest organizations. Its customers include government departments, universities and businesses, including The Associated Press.

Cybersecurity expert Mike Chapple said “a slow and bumpy recovery process” is “entirely normal.”

As engineers roll out fixes across the cloud computing infrastructure, the process could trigger smaller disruptions, he said.

“It’s similar to what happens after a large-scale power outage: While a city’s power is coming back online, neighborhoods may see intermittent glitches as crews finish the repairs,” said Chapple, an information technology professor at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business.

Amazon pinned the outage on issues related to its domain name system that converts web addresses into IP addresses, which are numeric designations that identify locations on the internet. Those addresses allow websites and apps to load on internet-connected devices.

DownDetector, a website that tracks online outages, said in a Facebook post that it received over 11 million user reports of problems at more than 2,500 companies. Users reported trouble with the social media site Snapchat, the Roblox and Fortnite video games, the online broker Robinhood and the McDonald’s app, as well as Netflix, Disney+ and many other services.

The cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase and the Signal chat app both said on X that they were experiencing trouble related to the outage.

Amazon's own services were also affected. Users of the company's Ring doorbell cameras and Alexa-powered smart speakers reported that they were not working, while others said they were unable to access the Amazon website or download books to their Kindle.

Many college and K-12 students were unable to submit or access their homework or course materials Monday because the AWS outage knocked out Canvas, a widely used educational platform.

“I currently can’t grade any online assignments, and my students can’t access their online materials” because of the outage’s effect on learning-management systems, said Damien P. Williams, a professor of philosophy and data science at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

The exact number of schools impacted was not immediately known, but Canvas says on its website it is used by 50% of college and university students in North America, including all Ivy League schools in the U.S.

Ohio State University informed its 70,000 students at all six campuses by email Monday morning that online course materials might be inaccessible due to the outage and that “students should connect with their instructors for any alternative plans.” By late afternoon, the system was still down, said spokesman Benjamin Johnson.

This is not the first time issues with Amazon cloud services have caused widespread disruptions.

Many popular internet services were affected by a brief&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amazon-outage-aws-cloud-services-be93bc744e4e69d04055683830a409c3">outage in 2023</a>. AWS’s longest outage in recent history occurred in late 2021, when a wide range of companies — from airlines and auto dealerships to payment apps and video streaming services — were affected for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-amazoncom-inc-web-services-3ba6c35f2c86245231c03a2dc7f0c995">more than five hours</a>. Outages also happened in 2020 and&nbsp;<a href="http://apnews.com/article/32dc4dceb18a4214b23b2930ebd1e05f">2017</a>.

The first signs of trouble emerged at around 3:11 a.m. Eastern time, when AWS reported on its “health dashboard” that it was “investigating increased error rates and latencies for multiple AWS services in the US-EAST-1 Region.” Later, the company reported that there were “significant error rates” and that engineers were “actively working” on the problem.

Around 6 a.m. Eastern time, the company reported seeing recovery across most of the affected services and said it was seeking a “full resolution." As of midday, AWS was still working to resolve the trouble.

Sixty-four internal AWS services were affected, the company said.

Just a few companies provide most internet infrastructure

Because much of the world now relies on three or four companies to provide the underlying infrastructure of the internet, “when there’s an issue like this, it can be really impactful” across many online services, said Patrick Burgess, a cybersecurity expert at U.K.-based BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT.

“The world now runs on the cloud,” Burgess said.

And because so much of the online world’s plumbing is underpinned by so few companies, when something goes wrong, “it’s very difficult for users to pinpoint what is happening because we don’t see Amazon, we just see Snapchat or Roblox,” Burgess said.

“The good news is that this kind of issue is usually relatively fast" to resolve, and there’s no indication that it was caused by a cyberattack, Burgess said.

“This looks like a good old-fashioned technology issue. Something’s gone wrong, and it will be fixed by Amazon,” he said.

There are “well-established processes” to deal with outages at AWS, as well as rivals Google and Microsoft, Burgess said, adding that such outages are usually over in “hours rather than days.”

LONDON (AP) — Amazon says a massive outage of its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-to-know-about-the-amazon-web-services-outage-0000019a02c5dea7a7ba2fcda5bc0000">cloud computing service</a>&nbsp;has been resolved as of Monday evening, after a problem disrupted internet use around the world, taking down a broad range of online services, including social media, gaming, food delivery, streaming and financial platforms.The all-day disruption and the ensuing exasperation it caused served as the latest reminder that 21st century society is increasingly dependent on just a handful of companies for much of its internet technology, which seems to work reliably until it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-outage-crowdstrike-windows-big-tech-dependence-f314f7919e5ac2d0d40682f13df00778">suddenly breaks down</a>.About three hours after the outage began early Monday morning, Amazon Web Services said it was&nbsp;<a href="https://health.aws.amazon.com/health/status">starting to recover</a>, but it wasn't until 6 p.m. Eastern that “services returned to normal operations,” Amazon said on its&nbsp;<a href="https://health.aws.amazon.com/health/status">AWS health</a>&nbsp;website, where it tracks outages.AWS provides behind-the-scenes cloud computing infrastructure to some of the world’s biggest organizations. Its customers include government departments, universities and businesses, including The Associated Press.Cybersecurity expert Mike Chapple said “a slow and bumpy recovery process” is “entirely normal.”As engineers roll out fixes across the cloud computing infrastructure, the process could trigger smaller disruptions, he said.“It’s similar to what happens after a large-scale power outage: While a city’s power is coming back online, neighborhoods may see intermittent glitches as crews finish the repairs,” said Chapple, an information technology professor at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business.<h2>Amazon blames domain name system</h2>Amazon pinned the outage on issues related to its domain name system that converts web addresses into IP addresses, which are numeric designations that identify locations on the internet. Those addresses allow websites and apps to load on internet-connected devices.DownDetector, a website that tracks online outages, said in a Facebook post that it received over 11 million user reports of problems at more than 2,500 companies. Users reported trouble with the social media site Snapchat, the Roblox and Fortnite video games, the online broker Robinhood and the McDonald’s app, as well as Netflix, Disney+ and many other services.The cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase and the Signal chat app both said on X that they were experiencing trouble related to the outage.Amazon's own services were also affected. Users of the company's Ring doorbell cameras and Alexa-powered smart speakers reported that they were not working, while others said they were unable to access the Amazon website or download books to their Kindle.Many college and K-12 students were unable to submit or access their homework or course materials Monday because the AWS outage knocked out Canvas, a widely used educational platform.“I currently can’t grade any online assignments, and my students can’t access their online materials” because of the outage’s effect on learning-management systems, said Damien P. Williams, a professor of philosophy and data science at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.The exact number of schools impacted was not immediately known, but Canvas says on its website it is used by 50% of college and university students in North America, including all Ivy League schools in the U.S.Ohio State University informed its 70,000 students at all six campuses by email Monday morning that online course materials might be inaccessible due to the outage and that “students should connect with their instructors for any alternative plans.” By late afternoon, the system was still down, said spokesman Benjamin Johnson.<h2>Record of past outages</h2>This is not the first time issues with Amazon cloud services have caused widespread disruptions.Many popular internet services were affected by a brief&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amazon-outage-aws-cloud-services-be93bc744e4e69d04055683830a409c3">outage in 2023</a>. AWS’s longest outage in recent history occurred in late 2021, when a wide range of companies — from airlines and auto dealerships to payment apps and video streaming services — were affected for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-amazoncom-inc-web-services-3ba6c35f2c86245231c03a2dc7f0c995">more than five hours</a>. Outages also happened in 2020 and&nbsp;<a href="http://apnews.com/article/32dc4dceb18a4214b23b2930ebd1e05f">2017</a>.The first signs of trouble emerged at around 3:11 a.m. Eastern time, when AWS reported on its “health dashboard” that it was “investigating increased error rates and latencies for multiple AWS services in the US-EAST-1 Region.” Later, the company reported that there were “significant error rates” and that engineers were “actively working” on the problem.Around 6 a.m. Eastern time, the company reported seeing recovery across most of the affected services and said it was seeking a “full resolution." As of midday, AWS was still working to resolve the trouble.Sixty-four internal AWS services were affected, the company said.<h2>Just a few companies provide most internet infrastructure</h2>Because much of the world now relies on three or four companies to provide the underlying infrastructure of the internet, “when there’s an issue like this, it can be really impactful” across many online services, said Patrick Burgess, a cybersecurity expert at U.K.-based BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT.“The world now runs on the cloud,” Burgess said.And because so much of the online world’s plumbing is underpinned by so few companies, when something goes wrong, “it’s very difficult for users to pinpoint what is happening because we don’t see Amazon, we just see Snapchat or Roblox,” Burgess said.“The good news is that this kind of issue is usually relatively fast" to resolve, and there’s no indication that it was caused by a cyberattack, Burgess said.“This looks like a good old-fashioned technology issue. Something’s gone wrong, and it will be fixed by Amazon,” he said.There are “well-established processes” to deal with outages at AWS, as well as rivals Google and Microsoft, Burgess said, adding that such outages are usually over in “hours rather than days.”

Amazon Web Services recovering from outage that caused disruptions worldwide

HAYS - The TMP-Marian volleyball team&nbsp; went 3-0 at their own 2A regional played at the new Hays High School Monday and advanced to Saturday's 2A Sub-State Tournament.&nbsp;

The Monarchs defeated Plainville (25-22, 25-13), Ell-Saline (25-19, 25-16) and Syracuse (25-12, 25-17) and are now 26-13 on the season.

Plainville finished 2-1 to also advance to Sub-State. The Cardinals defeated Syracuse (13-25, 25.22, 25-14,) and Ell-Saline (25-19, 25-22). The Cardinals are now 15-18 on the season.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761049058083.jpeg" alt="TMP-Marian volleyball after winning their own 2A regional tournament at Hays High School (Courtesy photo)" />
 <figcaption>TMP-Marian volleyball after winning their own 2A regional tournament at Hays High School (Courtesy photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>Hays Post SportsHAYS - The TMP-Marian volleyball team&nbsp; went 3-0 at their own 2A regional played at the new Hays High School Monday and advanced to Saturday's 2A Sub-State Tournament.&nbsp;The Monarchs defeated Plainville (25-22, 25-13), Ell-Saline (25-19, 25-16) and Syracuse (25-12, 25-17) and are now 26-13 on the season.Plainville finished 2-1 to also advance to Sub-State. The Cardinals defeated Syracuse (13-25, 25.22, 25-14,) and Ell-Saline (25-19, 25-22). The Cardinals are now 15-18 on the season.

🏐 TMP-Marian, Plainville advance to sub-state

Neither the Hays High or TMP-Marian girls' golf teams advanced out of day one competition at their respective state golf tournaments, however both have individuals moving on to Tuesday's final round.

The top six teams plus the next 18 individual golfers not on one of those teams, plus ties, qualify for day two.&nbsp;

Hays High's Ava Erbert and Kinley Pfannenstiel both advance at 5A in Emporia. Erbert shot a 23-over par, 94 and was tied for 28th place. Kinley Pfannenstiel shot a 98 and was tied for 38th.

TMP-Marian has three individuals who advanced at 3-2-1A in Salina. The Monarchs are led by Brynn Schoepf who was in fifth place after an 11-over par, 81 and sits eight back of&nbsp; Goodland's Allison Cure who was the clubhouse leader after day one with a 73. The Monarchs Paige Koeningsman shot a 94 and was part of a five-way tie for 30th. Emma Wasinger fired a 96 and was part of a six-way tie for 39th.

The Monarchs were tied for seventh in the team standings after day one and missed qualifying as a team by five strokes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761044760602.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Hays Post SportsNeither the Hays High or TMP-Marian girls' golf teams advanced out of day one competition at their respective state golf tournaments, however both have individuals moving on to Tuesday's final round.The top six teams plus the next 18 individual golfers not on one of those teams, plus ties, qualify for day two.&nbsp;Hays High's Ava Erbert and Kinley Pfannenstiel both advance at 5A in Emporia. Erbert shot a 23-over par, 94 and was tied for 28th place. Kinley Pfannenstiel shot a 98 and was tied for 38th.TMP-Marian has three individuals who advanced at 3-2-1A in Salina. The Monarchs are led by Brynn Schoepf who was in fifth place after an 11-over par, 81 and sits eight back of&nbsp; Goodland's Allison Cure who was the clubhouse leader after day one with a 73. The Monarchs Paige Koeningsman shot a 94 and was part of a five-way tie for 30th. Emma Wasinger fired a 96 and was part of a six-way tie for 39th.The Monarchs were tied for seventh in the team standings after day one and missed qualifying as a team by five strokes.

⛳ Indians, Monarchs individuals advance to day 2 at state

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House on Monday started tearing down part of the East Wing, the traditional base of operations for the first lady, to build President Donald&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-trump-ballroom-ea5c645a45e8f8846ebc98d5b2976678">Trump's $250 million ballroom</a>&nbsp;despite lacking approval for construction from the federal agency that oversees such projects.

Dramatic photos of the demolition work showed construction equipment tearing into the East Wing façade and windows and other building parts in tatters on the ground. Some reporters watched from a park near the Treasury Department, which is next to the East Wing.

Trump announced the start of construction in a social media post and referenced the work while hosting 2025 college baseball champs Louisiana State University and LSU-Shreveport in the East Room. He noted the work was happening “right behind us.”

“We have a lot of construction going on, which you might hear periodically,” he said, adding, “It just started today.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ballroom-national-planning-commission-approval-f537fa373705d560a9842b6250aee9ef">White House has moved ahead with the massive construction project</a>&nbsp;despite not yet having sign-off from the National Capital Planning Commission, which approves construction work and major renovations to government buildings in the Washington area.

Its chairman, Will Scharf, who is also the White House staff secretary and one of Trump's top aides, said at the commission's September meeting that agency does not have jurisdiction over demolition or site preparation work for buildings on federal property.

“What we deal with is essentially construction, vertical build,” Scharf said last month.

It was unclear whether the White House had submitted the ballroom plans for the agency's review and approval. The White House did not respond to a request for comment and the commission's offices are closed because of the government shutdown.

The Republican president had said in July when the project was announced that the ballroom would not interfere with the mansion itself.

“It’ll be near it but not touching it and pays total respect to the existing building, which I’m the biggest fan of,” he said of the White House.

The East Wing houses several offices, including those of the first lady. It was built in 1902 and and has been renovated over the years, with a second story added in 1942, according to the White House.

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said those East Wing offices will be temporarily relocated during construction and that wing of the building will be modernized and renovated.

“Nothing will be torn down,” Leavitt said when she announced the project in July.

Trump insists that presidents have desired such a ballroom for 150 years and that he's adding the massive 90,000-square-foot, glass-walled space because the East Room, which is the largest room in the White House with an approximately 200-person capacity, is too small. He also has said he does not like the idea of hosting kings, queens, presidents and prime ministers in pavilions on the South Lawn.

Trump said in the social media announcement that the project would be completed “with zero cost to the American Taxpayer! The White House Ballroom is being privately funded by many generous Patriots, Great American Companies, and, yours truly.”

The ballroom will be the biggest structural change to the Executive Mansion since the addition in 1948 of the Truman Balcony overlooking the South Lawn, even dwarfing the residence itself.

At a dinner he hosted last week for some of the wealthy business executives who are donating money toward the $250 million construction cost, Trump said the project had grown in size and now will accommodate 999 people. The capacity was 650 seated people at the July announcement.

The White House has said it will disclose information on who has contributed money to build the ballroom, but has yet to do so.

The clearing of trees on the south grounds and other site preparation work started in September. Plans call for the ballroom to be ready before Trump's term ends in January 2029.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House on Monday started tearing down part of the East Wing, the traditional base of operations for the first lady, to build President Donald&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-trump-ballroom-ea5c645a45e8f8846ebc98d5b2976678">Trump's $250 million ballroom</a>&nbsp;despite lacking approval for construction from the federal agency that oversees such projects.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;I am pleased to announce that ground has been broken on the White House grounds to build the new, big, beautiful White House Ballroom... The White House Ballroom is being privately funded by many generous Patriots, Great American Companies, and, yours truly.&quot; - President Trump <a href="https://t.co/GibeLevvFP">pic.twitter.com/GibeLevvFP</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1980385123037270023?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A lot of FAKE OUTRAGE over construction of the big, beautiful (and privately funded) White House Ballroom. FACT: Presidents have been renovating and expanding the White House for more than 100 years. In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt built the West Wing . In 1909,… <a href="https://t.co/p7opxjsNAm">pic.twitter.com/p7opxjsNAm</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1980411112307700146?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Dramatic photos of the demolition work showed construction equipment tearing into the East Wing façade and windows and other building parts in tatters on the ground. Some reporters watched from a park near the Treasury Department, which is next to the East Wing.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Construction has always been a part of the evolution of the White House. Losers who are quick to criticize need to stop their pearl clutching and understand the building needs to be modernized. Otherwise you’re just living in the past. <a href="https://t.co/OpINUW2ofA">pic.twitter.com/OpINUW2ofA</a>&mdash; Steven Cheung (@StevenCheung47) <a href="https://twitter.com/StevenCheung47/status/1980406883690389560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump announced the start of construction in a social media post and referenced the work while hosting 2025 college baseball champs Louisiana State University and LSU-Shreveport in the East Room. He noted the work was happening “right behind us.”“We have a lot of construction going on, which you might hear periodically,” he said, adding, “It just started today.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ballroom-national-planning-commission-approval-f537fa373705d560a9842b6250aee9ef">White House has moved ahead with the massive construction project</a>&nbsp;despite not yet having sign-off from the National Capital Planning Commission, which approves construction work and major renovations to government buildings in the Washington area.Its chairman, Will Scharf, who is also the White House staff secretary and one of Trump's top aides, said at the commission's September meeting that agency does not have jurisdiction over demolition or site preparation work for buildings on federal property.“What we deal with is essentially construction, vertical build,” Scharf said last month.It was unclear whether the White House had submitted the ballroom plans for the agency's review and approval. The White House did not respond to a request for comment and the commission's offices are closed because of the government shutdown.The Republican president had said in July when the project was announced that the ballroom would not interfere with the mansion itself.“It’ll be near it but not touching it and pays total respect to the existing building, which I’m the biggest fan of,” he said of the White House.The East Wing houses several offices, including those of the first lady. It was built in 1902 and and has been renovated over the years, with a second story added in 1942, according to the White House.Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said those East Wing offices will be temporarily relocated during construction and that wing of the building will be modernized and renovated.“Nothing will be torn down,” Leavitt said when she announced the project in July.Trump insists that presidents have desired such a ballroom for 150 years and that he's adding the massive 90,000-square-foot, glass-walled space because the East Room, which is the largest room in the White House with an approximately 200-person capacity, is too small. He also has said he does not like the idea of hosting kings, queens, presidents and prime ministers in pavilions on the South Lawn.Trump said in the social media announcement that the project would be completed “with zero cost to the American Taxpayer! The White House Ballroom is being privately funded by many generous Patriots, Great American Companies, and, yours truly.”The ballroom will be the biggest structural change to the Executive Mansion since the addition in 1948 of the Truman Balcony overlooking the South Lawn, even dwarfing the residence itself.At a dinner he hosted last week for some of the wealthy business executives who are donating money toward the $250 million construction cost, Trump said the project had grown in size and now will accommodate 999 people. The capacity was 650 seated people at the July announcement.The White House has said it will disclose information on who has contributed money to build the ballroom, but has yet to do so.The clearing of trees on the south grounds and other site preparation work started in September. Plans call for the ballroom to be ready before Trump's term ends in January 2029.

Part of White House demolished for Trump ballroom construction

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/claire-rush">CLAIRE RUSH</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/gene-johnson">GENE JOHNSON</a>

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An appeals court on Monday put on hold&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-guard-oregon-california-trump-newsom-3b8e12f8d2d39f195dda73dda31f1681">a lower court ruling</a>&nbsp;that kept President Donald Trump from taking command of 200 Oregon National Guard troops. However, Trump is still barred from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-guard-hegseth-deploy-portland-chicago-trump-c618d8e59e1136cc0c2c3286d9c41d79">actually deploying</a>&nbsp;those troops, at least for now.

U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut issued two temporary restraining orders early this month — one that prohibited Trump from calling up the troops so he could send them to Portland, and another that prohibited him from sending any National Guard members to Oregon at all, after the president tried to evade the first order by deploying California troops instead.

The Justice Department appealed the first order, and in a 2-1 ruling Monday, a panel from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the administration. The majority said the president was likely to succeed on his claim that he had the authority to federalize the troops based on a determination he was unable to enforce the laws without them.

However, Immergut’s second order remains in effect, so no troops may immediately be deployed.

The administration has said that because the legal reasoning underpinning both temporary restraining orders was the same, it will now ask Immergut to dissolve her second order and allow Trump to deploy troops to Portland. The Justice Department argued that it is not the role of the courts to second-guess the president’s determination about when to deploy troops.

Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, a Democrat, said he would ask for a broader panel of the appeals to reconsider the decision.

<a href="https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va7Tv2j59PwNEyqGCi1y" target="_blank">▶ Stay up to date with the latest U.S. news by signing up to our WhatsApp channel.</a>

“Today’s ruling, if allowed to stand, would give the president unilateral power to put Oregon soldiers on our streets with almost no justification,” Rayfield said. “We are on a dangerous path in America.”

The Justice Department did not immediately return an email seeking comment.

Trump’s efforts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-national-guard-legal-clash-presidential-power-1ed22e89bcdebc8d3e5bd9238373dc45">deploy National Guard troops</a>&nbsp;in Democratic-led cities have been mired in legal challenges. A judge in California ruled that his deployment of thousands of National Guard troops in Los Angeles violated the Posse Comitatus Act, a longstanding law that generally prohibits the use of the military for civilian policing, and the administration on Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-national-guard-trump-913ecce44b6bcc5d0cba1b252dfd34ce">asked the U.S. Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;to allow the deployment of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-guard-troops-memphis-chicago-trump-96d489ab1b325c90da6f75a23efcf479">National Guard</a>&nbsp;troops in the Chicago area,

Mostly small nightly protests, limited to a single block, have been occurring since June outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland. Larger crowds, including counter-protesters and live-streamers, have shown up at times, and federal agents have used tear gas to disperse the demonstrators.

The administration has said the troops are needed to protect federal property from protesters, and that having to send extra Department of Homeland Security agents to help guard the property meant they were not enforcing immigration laws elsewhere.

Immergut previously rejected the administration’s arguments, saying the president’s claims about Portland being war-torn are “simply untethered to the facts.” But the appeals court majority — Ryan Nelson and Bridget Bade, both Trump appointees — said the president’s decision was owed more deference.

Bade wrote that the facts appeared to support Trump’s decision “even if the President may exaggerate the extent of the problem on social media.”

Judge Susan Graber, an appointee of former President Bill Clinton appointee, dissented. She urged her colleagues on the 9th Circuit to “to vacate the majority’s order before the illegal deployment of troops under false pretenses can occur.”

“In the two weeks leading up to the President’s September 27 social media post, there had not been a single incident of protesters’ disrupting the execution of the laws,” Graber wrote. “It is hard to understand how a tiny protest causing no disruptions could possibly satisfy the standard that the President is unable to execute the laws.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750413132016.jpeg" alt="File photo California National Guard stand in formation guarding the federal building in downtown Los Angeles on June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)" />
 <figcaption>File photo California National Guard stand in formation guarding the federal building in downtown Los Angeles on June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/claire-rush">CLAIRE RUSH</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/gene-johnson">GENE JOHNSON</a>PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An appeals court on Monday put on hold&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-guard-oregon-california-trump-newsom-3b8e12f8d2d39f195dda73dda31f1681">a lower court ruling</a>&nbsp;that kept President Donald Trump from taking command of 200 Oregon National Guard troops. However, Trump is still barred from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-guard-hegseth-deploy-portland-chicago-trump-c618d8e59e1136cc0c2c3286d9c41d79">actually deploying</a>&nbsp;those troops, at least for now.U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut issued two temporary restraining orders early this month — one that prohibited Trump from calling up the troops so he could send them to Portland, and another that prohibited him from sending any National Guard members to Oregon at all, after the president tried to evade the first order by deploying California troops instead.The Justice Department appealed the first order, and in a 2-1 ruling Monday, a panel from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the administration. The majority said the president was likely to succeed on his claim that he had the authority to federalize the troops based on a determination he was unable to enforce the laws without them.However, Immergut’s second order remains in effect, so no troops may immediately be deployed.The administration has said that because the legal reasoning underpinning both temporary restraining orders was the same, it will now ask Immergut to dissolve her second order and allow Trump to deploy troops to Portland. The Justice Department argued that it is not the role of the courts to second-guess the president’s determination about when to deploy troops.Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, a Democrat, said he would ask for a broader panel of the appeals to reconsider the decision.<a href="https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va7Tv2j59PwNEyqGCi1y" target="_blank">▶ Stay up to date with the latest U.S. news by signing up to our WhatsApp channel.</a>“Today’s ruling, if allowed to stand, would give the president unilateral power to put Oregon soldiers on our streets with almost no justification,” Rayfield said. “We are on a dangerous path in America.”The Justice Department did not immediately return an email seeking comment.Trump’s efforts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-national-guard-legal-clash-presidential-power-1ed22e89bcdebc8d3e5bd9238373dc45">deploy National Guard troops</a>&nbsp;in Democratic-led cities have been mired in legal challenges. A judge in California ruled that his deployment of thousands of National Guard troops in Los Angeles violated the Posse Comitatus Act, a longstanding law that generally prohibits the use of the military for civilian policing, and the administration on Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-national-guard-trump-913ecce44b6bcc5d0cba1b252dfd34ce">asked the U.S. Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;to allow the deployment of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-guard-troops-memphis-chicago-trump-96d489ab1b325c90da6f75a23efcf479">National Guard</a>&nbsp;troops in the Chicago area,Mostly small nightly protests, limited to a single block, have been occurring since June outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland. Larger crowds, including counter-protesters and live-streamers, have shown up at times, and federal agents have used tear gas to disperse the demonstrators.The administration has said the troops are needed to protect federal property from protesters, and that having to send extra Department of Homeland Security agents to help guard the property meant they were not enforcing immigration laws elsewhere.Immergut previously rejected the administration’s arguments, saying the president’s claims about Portland being war-torn are “simply untethered to the facts.” But the appeals court majority — Ryan Nelson and Bridget Bade, both Trump appointees — said the president’s decision was owed more deference.Bade wrote that the facts appeared to support Trump’s decision “even if the President may exaggerate the extent of the problem on social media.”Judge Susan Graber, an appointee of former President Bill Clinton appointee, dissented. She urged her colleagues on the 9th Circuit to “to vacate the majority’s order before the illegal deployment of troops under false pretenses can occur.”“In the two weeks leading up to the President’s September 27 social media post, there had not been a single incident of protesters’ disrupting the execution of the laws,” Graber wrote. “It is hard to understand how a tiny protest causing no disruptions could possibly satisfy the standard that the President is unable to execute the laws.”___

Court gives Trump a win on National Guard deployment in Portland

The Fort Hays State University assistant professor says FHSU's review into her is still ongoing as she is discussing options with a legal team in case her First Amendment rights have been violated.

Nuchelle Chance of the psychology department has raised more than $1,600 through her <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/fighting-black-against-academic-censorship-retaliation?attribution_id=sl:01768fb0-d256-45cd-a8e4-5803dbcdd611&amp;lang=en_US&amp;ts=1760971046&amp;utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&amp;utm_content=amp17_te&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=facebook">GoFundMe</a>. She said her main concern is the double standard she believes exists at the university.

"How can some of my other FHSU colleagues say some of the most truly egregious and bigoted things on social media or even on campus and face little to no repercussion," she said.

"I can't help but think [correlationally] that if I was white, no one would have targeted me. The irony of being the only Black American woman on the faculty doing applied social justice work in rural Kansas isn't lost on me."

Hays Post reached out to&nbsp;Scott Cason, FHSU’s chief communications officer, and said he is not aware of other faculty making these comments.

Chance is seeking to raise $50,000, according to the fundraiser’s description, to cover legal fees and help with living expenses while she is without a paycheck.

Cason said FHSU is handling the situation as a confidential personnel matter but is aware of Chance’s social media posts about her employment status and her stated intentions as she moves through the process.

On Sept. 10, the day Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk was shot and killed during a debate at Utah Valley University, Chance posted the following:

Since then, Chance said she has been doxxed and received threats severe enough that she felt compelled to move her children out of Hays for their safety.

"I'm overwhelmed and disgusted. My health has been suffering, but as a millennial, I find that the moments of humor are keeping me grounded," Chance said.

Chance said she has also received an outpouring of support from colleagues, friends, students and community members.

In a recent social media post, Chance said she has been receiving support from the <a href="https://www.aaup.org/">American Association of University Professors</a>, an organization that helps uphold academic freedom standards in higher education.

On Sept. 29, Cason said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/news/2025/09/fort-hays-state-university-statement-regarding-recent-social-media-post-about-race-and-violence#gsc.tab=0">press release</a>&nbsp;that the university is aware of content on the X account Libs of TikTok, a right-wing social media account on X with 4.4 million followers, linking a faculty member to social media posts about Charlie Kirk.&nbsp;

"Individuals who post commentaries to their personal social media accounts do not speak for the University, nor does their commentary reflect the views or values of this university," Cason said in a past statement from the university.

Cason said FHSU is reviewing the situation as a confidential personnel matter and asks for patience as they address it.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/67bf5501-02df-472c-a43a-a4ff11ff5305">SEE RELATED STORY: FHSU assistant professor under review for posts about Charlie Kirk</a>

"I make no apologies as nothing I stated was inaccurate, libelous, slanderous, immoral, etc.," Chance said in response to Hays Post. "I speak truth. Is it controversial and even sometimes inflammatory? It can be, but if it offends then my message is to do better."

Chance initially defended her Facebook posts about the assassination of Kirk in a TikTok video.

"In my post, I just stated that there's karma," Chance said in the TikTok video. "There's irony associated with that, and that's by no means to celebrate someone's death."

Chance also made the following post that resulted in Libs of TikTok to further draw attention to her and bring them to FHSU’s awareness:

The university also shared its press release on its X page, where Libs of TikTok responded with criticism.

"Sorry, but I don't have 'patience' for professors who call white Americans 'dangerous animals' and mock the murder of a young father. This statement says absolutely nothing," the X post said.

On Oct. 14, a <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/14/private-chat-among-young-gop-club-members-00592146?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR4rh1vKo0TPjSl8iLS0zXiVJTMfHMaGjXdVYALFYQT5TAgjYkVhpcOm3vtb4w_aem_Xu_8IK_zmXb9J8eshdaMGA">Politico article</a> revealed&nbsp;Kansas Young Republicans chairman Alex Dwyer and vice chair William Hendrix took part in a Telegram group chat, which included references to white supremacy and suppression of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

Chance made a social media post saying, "This scandal exposes real racism, real violence and real threats coming from individuals with political power and proximity to our institutions."

"If we can swiftly condemn encrypted hate speech from political operatives, we must also protect educators who face retaliation for public scholarship rooted in data, ethics and lived experience."

The FHSU College Republicans issued a statement condemning Kansas Young Republicans for sending texts with violent, racist and antisemtic rhetroic.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/55386b06-0277-48fb-bcb9-7428394a419c">FHSU College Republicans react to Kansas Young Republicans racist chats</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760979457005.png" alt="Nuchelle Chance" />
 <figcaption>Nuchelle Chance</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostThe Fort Hays State University assistant professor says FHSU's review into her is still ongoing as she is discussing options with a legal team in case her First Amendment rights have been violated.Nuchelle Chance of the psychology department has raised more than $1,600 through her <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/fighting-black-against-academic-censorship-retaliation?attribution_id=sl:01768fb0-d256-45cd-a8e4-5803dbcdd611&amp;lang=en_US&amp;ts=1760971046&amp;utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&amp;utm_content=amp17_te&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=facebook">GoFundMe</a>. She said her main concern is the double standard she believes exists at the university."How can some of my other FHSU colleagues say some of the most truly egregious and bigoted things on social media or even on campus and face little to no repercussion," she said."I can't help but think [correlationally] that if I was white, no one would have targeted me. The irony of being the only Black American woman on the faculty doing applied social justice work in rural Kansas isn't lost on me."Hays Post reached out to&nbsp;Scott Cason, FHSU’s chief communications officer, and said he is not aware of other faculty making these comments.Chance is seeking to raise $50,000, according to the fundraiser’s description, to cover legal fees and help with living expenses while she is without a paycheck.Cason said FHSU is handling the situation as a confidential personnel matter but is aware of Chance’s social media posts about her employment status and her stated intentions as she moves through the process.On Sept. 10, the day Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk was shot and killed during a debate at Utah Valley University, Chance posted the following:<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760978010128.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Since then, Chance said she has been doxxed and received threats severe enough that she felt compelled to move her children out of Hays for their safety."I'm overwhelmed and disgusted. My health has been suffering, but as a millennial, I find that the moments of humor are keeping me grounded," Chance said.Chance said she has also received an outpouring of support from colleagues, friends, students and community members.In a recent social media post, Chance said she has been receiving support from the <a href="https://www.aaup.org/">American Association of University Professors</a>, an organization that helps uphold academic freedom standards in higher education.On Sept. 29, Cason said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/news/2025/09/fort-hays-state-university-statement-regarding-recent-social-media-post-about-race-and-violence#gsc.tab=0">press release</a>&nbsp;that the university is aware of content on the X account Libs of TikTok, a right-wing social media account on X with 4.4 million followers, linking a faculty member to social media posts about Charlie Kirk.&nbsp;"Individuals who post commentaries to their personal social media accounts do not speak for the University, nor does their commentary reflect the views or values of this university," Cason said in a past statement from the university.Cason said FHSU is reviewing the situation as a confidential personnel matter and asks for patience as they address it.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/67bf5501-02df-472c-a43a-a4ff11ff5305">SEE RELATED STORY: FHSU assistant professor under review for posts about Charlie Kirk</a>"I make no apologies as nothing I stated was inaccurate, libelous, slanderous, immoral, etc.," Chance said in response to Hays Post. "I speak truth. Is it controversial and even sometimes inflammatory? It can be, but if it offends then my message is to do better."Chance initially defended her Facebook posts about the assassination of Kirk in a TikTok video.<div><blockquote class="tiktok-embed" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@drchancespeaks/video/7555678574372490527" data-video-id="7555678574372490527" style="max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px;" > <section> <a target="_blank" title="@drchancespeaks" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@drchancespeaks?refer=embed">@drchancespeaks</a> When <a title="maga" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/maga?refer=embed">#MAGA</a> attacks.... your <a title="academicfreedom" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/academicfreedom?refer=embed">#academicfreedom</a> and <a title="firstamendment" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/firstamendment?refer=embed">#firstamendment</a> rights are discarded. <a title="charliekirk" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/charliekirk?refer=embed">#CharlieKirk</a> sympathizers think they can break me..... but my resolve is different. Thanks @xx_shotgunmary_xx <a target="_blank" title="♬ original sound - dr.chance_speaks" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7555678616902798111?refer=embed">♬ original sound - dr.chance_speaks</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script></div>"In my post, I just stated that there's karma," Chance said in the TikTok video. "There's irony associated with that, and that's by no means to celebrate someone's death."Chance also made the following post that resulted in Libs of TikTok to further draw attention to her and bring them to FHSU’s awareness:<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760978307835.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760978328611.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>The university also shared its press release on its X page, where Libs of TikTok responded with criticism."Sorry, but I don't have 'patience' for professors who call white Americans 'dangerous animals' and mock the murder of a young father. This statement says absolutely nothing," the X post said.On Oct. 14, a <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/14/private-chat-among-young-gop-club-members-00592146?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR4rh1vKo0TPjSl8iLS0zXiVJTMfHMaGjXdVYALFYQT5TAgjYkVhpcOm3vtb4w_aem_Xu_8IK_zmXb9J8eshdaMGA">Politico article</a> revealed&nbsp;Kansas Young Republicans chairman Alex Dwyer and vice chair William Hendrix took part in a Telegram group chat, which included references to white supremacy and suppression of the Jeffrey Epstein files.Chance made a social media post saying, "This scandal exposes real racism, real violence and real threats coming from individuals with political power and proximity to our institutions.""If we can swiftly condemn encrypted hate speech from political operatives, we must also protect educators who face retaliation for public scholarship rooted in data, ethics and lived experience."The FHSU College Republicans issued a statement condemning Kansas Young Republicans for sending texts with violent, racist and antisemtic rhetroic.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/55386b06-0277-48fb-bcb9-7428394a419c">FHSU College Republicans react to Kansas Young Republicans racist chats</a>

FHSU assistant professor receives threats for Charlie Kirk posts; online fundraiser

Kansas Democrats campaigning across the state made their last stop in Hays Saturday for Democracy Fest.

The event included candidates for U.S. Senate, Kansas Governor and Secretary of State. Kansas Democratic Party Chairwoman Jeanna Repass said Democrats are in a “dog fight” to keep their momentum going.

"In our state's history, we've never followed two back-to-back [governor] Democrats with another Democrat," Repass said.&nbsp;

Candidates also visited Colby and Dodge City to speak with Kansans and attended the “No Kings” rally in Hays after Democracy Fest.

Sen. Cindy Holscher spoke about her rural background and what drove her to address school underfunding during former Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration.

Holscher said she has been one of the most successful Democrats at getting legislation passed.

"I've led initiatives to make lives more affordable for Kansans, including restoration of childhood tax credits, eliminating sales tax on food, eliminating taxes on Social Security, and I fought for single moms to make sure they get the child care payments they're owed," she said.

Sen. Ethan Corson tied his campaign to his western Kansas roots, vowing to make the state a place where future generations can thrive.

Corson said he will support rural health care, technical education and fair redistricting, noting he has previously challenged Ty Masterson over gerrymandered maps.

"We need to make Kansas more affordable. We need to bring in more jobs and businesses to keep young people in our state so they can have the careers that they want," he said. "We need to support our public schools, which are the backbone of our rural communities."

Christy Cauble Davis highlighted her work across rural Kansas, including projects in downtown Hays, and said Kansans deserve representatives who show up and listen to their constituents.

"Kansas is different than any other state in the nation. We have a unique culture and history that changes the way we need to address things," she said.

Sandy Spidel Neumann, who recently announced her campaign, drew on her 40-year career in financial services, saying it taught her both fiscal responsibility and how to stand her ground.

"You would not get investments into your programs and reach your goals to protect people's jobs unless you could fight," she said.

Audience members asked Davis and Neumann how they approach faith and religion, noting that Republicans are often “very good at painting Democrats as faithless, godless and scary people.”

Neumann said she was raised Catholic but attended public school as a child, adding faith doesn’t always require going to a specific place of worship.

"[Republicans] have done a really good job of managing language, like when they say they're pro-life, but they're really pro-birth because if they were pro-life, they would take care of the mother and the child," Neumann said. "They wouldn't cut Medicaid that closes rural hospitals."

Davis said she attended church three times a week growing up and believes having a moral compass is essential. She described herself as a Christian, but not a Christian nationalist.

"I saw that shift in my own church, in a rural community. I heard a sermon one day that I considered hate speech, and I got up and walked out," Davis said. "I believe to my very core that God is love, and the No. 1 thing we need to do is love our neighbors."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760914535730.jpeg" alt="Kansas Democratic Party Chair Jeanna Repass at Democracy Fest in Hays with candidates for governor, U.S. Senate, attorney general, secretary of state, the 1st Congressional District and Kansas House District 110. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Democratic Party Chair Jeanna Repass at Democracy Fest in Hays with candidates for governor, U.S. Senate, attorney general, secretary of state, the 1st Congressional District and Kansas House District 110. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostKansas Democrats campaigning across the state made their last stop in Hays Saturday for Democracy Fest.The event included candidates for U.S. Senate, Kansas Governor and Secretary of State. Kansas Democratic Party Chairwoman Jeanna Repass said Democrats are in a “dog fight” to keep their momentum going."In our state's history, we've never followed two back-to-back [governor] Democrats with another Democrat," Repass said.&nbsp;Candidates also visited Colby and Dodge City to speak with Kansans and attended the “No Kings” rally in Hays after Democracy Fest.<h2>Gubernatorial candidates</h2>Sen. Cindy Holscher spoke about her rural background and what drove her to address school underfunding during former Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration.Holscher said she has been one of the most successful Democrats at getting legislation passed."I've led initiatives to make lives more affordable for Kansans, including restoration of childhood tax credits, eliminating sales tax on food, eliminating taxes on Social Security, and I fought for single moms to make sure they get the child care payments they're owed," she said.Sen. Ethan Corson tied his campaign to his western Kansas roots, vowing to make the state a place where future generations can thrive.Corson said he will support rural health care, technical education and fair redistricting, noting he has previously challenged Ty Masterson over gerrymandered maps."We need to make Kansas more affordable. We need to bring in more jobs and businesses to keep young people in our state so they can have the careers that they want," he said. "We need to support our public schools, which are the backbone of our rural communities."<h2>U.S. Senate candidates&nbsp;</h2>Christy Cauble Davis highlighted her work across rural Kansas, including projects in downtown Hays, and said Kansans deserve representatives who show up and listen to their constituents."Kansas is different than any other state in the nation. We have a unique culture and history that changes the way we need to address things," she said.Sandy Spidel Neumann, who recently announced her campaign, drew on her 40-year career in financial services, saying it taught her both fiscal responsibility and how to stand her ground."You would not get investments into your programs and reach your goals to protect people's jobs unless you could fight," she said.Audience members asked Davis and Neumann how they approach faith and religion, noting that Republicans are often “very good at painting Democrats as faithless, godless and scary people.”Neumann said she was raised Catholic but attended public school as a child, adding faith doesn’t always require going to a specific place of worship."[Republicans] have done a really good job of managing language, like when they say they're pro-life, but they're really pro-birth because if they were pro-life, they would take care of the mother and the child," Neumann said. "They wouldn't cut Medicaid that closes rural hospitals."Davis said she attended church three times a week growing up and believes having a moral compass is essential. She described herself as a Christian, but not a Christian nationalist."I saw that shift in my own church, in a rural community. I heard a sermon one day that I considered hate speech, and I got up and walked out," Davis said. "I believe to my very core that God is love, and the No. 1 thing we need to do is love our neighbors."<h2>Attorney general candidates</h2>Chris Mann said he’s running to restore integrity, public service and strong leadership to the Kansas Attorney General’s Office.Mann said the Democratic Attorneys General Association identified the Kansas race as the nation’s top pickup opportunity following his close loss in 2022."I've been a police officer and a prosecutor. I fought for Kansas on the streets and in the courtroom," he said. "Kris Kobach has never worn a badge to protect Kansans."An attendee asked how this campaign differs from his last. Mann said he previously lacked the resources to reach every community but is now traveling to every corner of the state."We're going to have these face-to-face conversations, making sure everyone knows who I am, what I stand for. I think we've got a great chance," he said.<h2>Secretary of State candidates</h2>Former representative Jennifer Day said polling access, mail voting and voter education should be expanded to modernize elections and boost voter turnout.An attendee voiced concern about the shrinking number of polling places and limited voting access in rural areas, asking how Day plans to address the issue.Day said the main challenges are funding and the limited availability of election workers on Election Day. She encouraged voters to take advantage of early voting options."We need to empower our county clerks and make sure that they've got that funding to be able to do the right thing by the voters," she said.Sam Lane, who is also running for secretary of state, attended the event but did not address the crowd. He spoke individually with attendees after the main speaking portion.<h2>First congressional district candidates</h2>Colin McRoberts, a professor at the University of Kansas, said he’s running not as a politician, but as a businessman and negotiator.McRoberts said President Donald Trump is engaging in executive overreach, citing what he described as illegal actions, including tariffs, federalized troop deployments, ICE arrests of U.S. citizens, arrests over speech and firing federal employees during a shutdown."The first district is red in a red state. This is not going to be an easy race, it's not going to be a cheap race, it's not going to be a short race, but it's possible to win in a way it hasn't been before," McRoberts said.Lauren Reinhold, who has practiced law for 28 years and is a former federal union officer who worked in human resources advocating for employees, said she has not officially announced her candidacy yet but plans to file in the coming weeks.Reinhold said she decided to run after witnessing firsthand how Trump, Congress and the Department of Government Efficiency have, in her view, undermined the federal government."They have gone in there and slashed programs that Kansans are dependent on and weakened our institutions like Social Security," she said. "We're not going to see the full impact for months, maybe even years, but the cracks are there."<h2>Kansas House 110 candidate</h2>Mark Schaukowitch, a former teacher, announced his campaign for House District 110, saying he is dissatisfied with the current legislative representation under Ken Rahjes."I'm running for this seat because, uniquely in this area, there is no one who wants to get the work done," he said. "We have an opportunity here that I never thought that we would have, and that's to build power."Schaukowitch acknowledged that winning could be difficult in a Republican-leaning district. His priorities include creating a rural permanent fund using oil revenues to stabilize county services and advancing Medicaid expansion to support hospitals, nursing homes and rural workforce retention.