<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">After multiple posts made recently by Kansas Republican officials, Governor Laura Kelly released the below statement: <a href="https://t.co/ROdrkBkh2x">pic.twitter.com/ROdrkBkh2x</a>&mdash; Governor Laura Kelly (@GovLauraKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly/status/1976767343289385227?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Laura Kelly refuses to turn over SNAP data to the feds because she doesn’t want the feds to know exactly how much money in food stamps Kansas is giving to illegal aliens. Time to turn it over, Laura. Kansans first. 👉 <a href="https://t.co/JtpUuzYH2a">https://t.co/JtpUuzYH2a</a> <a href="https://t.co/JgtL6KiNut">pic.twitter.com/JgtL6KiNut</a>&mdash; Kansas GOP (@KansasGOP) <a href="https://twitter.com/KansasGOP/status/1974315116125704499?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Kan. governor responds to 'childish attacks from public officials'

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>&nbsp;is the speaker of a House that is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/government-shutdown">no longer in session</a>.

The Republican leader sent lawmakers home&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-trump-funding-bill-republicans-shutdown-1fea0f79c85ec69b91d9789fbda00834">three weeks ago</a>&nbsp;after the House approved a bill to fund the federal government. They haven’t been back in working session since. And on Friday, his leadership team announced they won’t be returning next week either.

In the intervening time, the government has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-trump-congress-138fd09f4476dcf142be6e9bbc42a592">shut down</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;began a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-federal-worker-firings-0439e8d0979d9a32e021c5c851fea1cf">mass firing of federal workers</a>. And a Democrat,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-congress-grijalva-butierez-1d9fe8fd6f0604f8064f67f6d8cfdca7">Adelita Grijalva</a>, won a special election in Arizona but has not been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-files-adelita-grijalva-arizona-congress-d52af4b1471a3ed6cd9f0803f711ed64">sworn into office</a>&nbsp;to take her seat in Congress.

“People are upset. I’m upset. I’m a very patient man, but I am angry right now,” Johnson said during one of his almost daily press conferences on the empty side of the Capitol.

“I’m doing our job. We passed the bill,” he said Friday, as he left the building. “It’s on the Senate. They’re the ones playing games. All the questions need to be for them.”

The House’s absence is creating a risky political dilemma for Johnson. It’s testing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/speaker-johnson-trump-tax-bill-christian-prayer-f82ed140d9110d5cc7b4029b681ea9eb">his leadership</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-mike-johnson-majority-trump-election-65d7217e4541cd314849c9a0da2b0081">his grip on the gavel</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ufc-house-speaker-johnson-madison-square-garden-995a7ee3324e04ec6da680c826136655">the legacy he will leave</a>&nbsp;as speaker of a House that is essentially writing itself off the page at a crucial moment in the national debate.

There are few easy choices on the schedule ahead. If the speaker calls lawmakers back to Washington, he opens the doors to a potentially&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/senators-from-arizona-confront-speaker-johnson-about-not-swearing-in-democratic-colleague-c952e6858c52443fa0edd2fbd95cd16b">chaotic atmosphere</a>&nbsp;of anger, uncertainty and his own GOP defections and divisions as the shutdown drags on.

But by keeping the representatives away going on a fourth week, lawmakers risk being criticized for being absent during a crisis — “on vacation,” as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-trump-jeffries-sombrero-hats-cb8281193a071b812020ba5dd1c3db78">House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries</a>&nbsp;puts it — as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/military-pay-government-shutdown-congress-trump-e2eabd75a923a7a6feaeeb4af1854054">military goes without pay</a>&nbsp;and government services shut down.

Johnson’s initial strategy to avoid the government shutdown was a well-worn one — have the House pass its bill, leave town right before the deadline and force the Senate to accept it. Jamming the other chamber, as it’s often called. And it often works.

But this time, it’s a strategy that is failing.

As House skips town, blame falls to Senate

GOP senators have been unable to heave the House bill to passage,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-senate-schumer-thune-trump-health-care-b85fe6cdd5d8cdc3e3aa1f4ae889474f">blocked by most of the Democrats</a>, who are refusing to reopen the government as they demand health care funds for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-subsidies-congress-shutdown-democrats-republicans-bb3464820a347fd2c0399e78e335881e">insurance subsidies</a>&nbsp;that will expire at year’s end if Congress fails to act.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-thune-ap-interview-omb-memo-6b79cd64987b6173f1b3295dc3505994">Senate Majority Leader John Thune</a>, R-S.D., has been trying, repeatedly, to peel off more Democratic support.

But after having called a vote more than a half-dozen times to pass the House’s bill out of the Senate, not enough Democrats have signed on. Senate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/charles-schumer">Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer</a>&nbsp;is holding out for a deal on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-tax-credits-health-insurance-trump-poll-obamacare-dab7b10bf13dec33a884df5f9fe343f6">the health care issue</a>.

Stalemated, quiet talks are underway, as small groups of lawmakers are privately trying to negotiate off-ramps.

Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska has proposed keeping the health care subsidies in place for the next two years while instituting changes to the program. Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., has a similar proposal, and GOP Sen. Susan Collins of Maine has shared with leadership her own six-point plan.

“We’re making progress,” said Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., who is close to the Republican president. “I think we’re kind of starting to get to a place.”

Not since then-Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nancy-pelosi">Nancy Pelosi</a>, a Democrat, sent lawmakers home at the start of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-donald-trump-business-ap-top-news-steven-mnuchin-502a3b1afb9c5d1bc14e6af77d112207">the coronavirus pandemic</a>&nbsp;in 2020 has the House been without its lawmakers for such an extended period of time outside of an August recess — but even then, leaders quickly stood up a new system of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/history-in-the-making-as-house-casts-proxy-votes-in-pandemic-6f6fb7ab7ca80360117e0664d4b45682">proxy voting</a>&nbsp;as legislative business continued.

In the Capitol’s empty halls, a few lawmakers linger. They have been filming social media posts as they narrate the inaction. They have created viral moments, including GOP Rep. Mike Lawler’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-donald-trump-business-ap-top-news-steven-mnuchin-502a3b1afb9c5d1bc14e6af77d112207">confrontation with Jeffries</a>. Some are simply giving tours to visiting constituents.

GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia has been among the most outspoken critics of her party’s stance, saying Congress needs to address the health care subsidies.

And Grijalva is just&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/adelita-grijalva-swear-congress-epstein-files-25636fec1d99960a5fb11501ac86cc69">trying to go to work</a>.

The representative-elect won the special election to replace her father, veteran Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/raul-grijalva-death-obituary-9484cd0f4911430ef6ef01f9590402d5">Raul Grijalva</a>, who died earlier this year after his own career in Congress.

Her arrival would shrink Johnson’s already slim majority to paper thin, and she has said she would sign onto the legislation demanding the release of the files pertaining to the sex trafficking investigation into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein</a>, providing the last signature needed to force a vote. Democrats have clamored for the release of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-files-senate-trump-1793c4c1c2f74f89b0cab9ecfd0cfcc8">the Epstein files</a>, looking to force Republicans to either join their push for disclosure or publicly oppose a cause many in the Republican base support.

Johnson, whose majority is among the most narrow in modern times, has refused to swear Grijalva into office.

The speaker has given shifting reasons for why he won’t allow Grijalva to take her seat, saying he’d do it whenever she wanted but also saying the shutdown needs to end first.

He said it has nothing to do with the Epstein files.

As questions mounted over the House’s next steps, so did the speaker’s exasperation.

“The reason the House isn’t here in regular session is because they turned the lights off,” he said during Thursday’s press conference. “I’m trying to muster every ounce of Christian charity that I can, but this is outrageous.”

He declined to say if or when the House would be called back to session.

“We’ll keep you posted,” he said. “And let’s pray this ends soon.”

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>&nbsp;is the speaker of a House that is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/government-shutdown">no longer in session</a>.The Republican leader sent lawmakers home&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-trump-funding-bill-republicans-shutdown-1fea0f79c85ec69b91d9789fbda00834">three weeks ago</a>&nbsp;after the House approved a bill to fund the federal government. They haven’t been back in working session since. And on Friday, his leadership team announced they won’t be returning next week either.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpeakerJohnson</a>: “This is the last paycheck that 700,000 federal workers will see until Washington Democrats decide to do their job and open the government.” <a href="https://t.co/eYMnBqIVgh">pic.twitter.com/eYMnBqIVgh</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1976654308813820327?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In the intervening time, the government has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-trump-congress-138fd09f4476dcf142be6e9bbc42a592">shut down</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;began a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-federal-worker-firings-0439e8d0979d9a32e021c5c851fea1cf">mass firing of federal workers</a>. And a Democrat,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-congress-grijalva-butierez-1d9fe8fd6f0604f8064f67f6d8cfdca7">Adelita Grijalva</a>, won a special election in Arizona but has not been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-files-adelita-grijalva-arizona-congress-d52af4b1471a3ed6cd9f0803f711ed64">sworn into office</a>&nbsp;to take her seat in Congress.“People are upset. I’m upset. I’m a very patient man, but I am angry right now,” Johnson said during one of his almost daily press conferences on the empty side of the Capitol.“I’m doing our job. We passed the bill,” he said Friday, as he left the building. “It’s on the Senate. They’re the ones playing games. All the questions need to be for them.”<h2>To stay or go, no easy choices ahead</h2>The House’s absence is creating a risky political dilemma for Johnson. It’s testing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/speaker-johnson-trump-tax-bill-christian-prayer-f82ed140d9110d5cc7b4029b681ea9eb">his leadership</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-mike-johnson-majority-trump-election-65d7217e4541cd314849c9a0da2b0081">his grip on the gavel</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ufc-house-speaker-johnson-madison-square-garden-995a7ee3324e04ec6da680c826136655">the legacy he will leave</a>&nbsp;as speaker of a House that is essentially writing itself off the page at a crucial moment in the national debate.There are few easy choices on the schedule ahead. If the speaker calls lawmakers back to Washington, he opens the doors to a potentially&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/senators-from-arizona-confront-speaker-johnson-about-not-swearing-in-democratic-colleague-c952e6858c52443fa0edd2fbd95cd16b">chaotic atmosphere</a>&nbsp;of anger, uncertainty and his own GOP defections and divisions as the shutdown drags on.But by keeping the representatives away going on a fourth week, lawmakers risk being criticized for being absent during a crisis — “on vacation,” as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-trump-jeffries-sombrero-hats-cb8281193a071b812020ba5dd1c3db78">House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries</a>&nbsp;puts it — as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/military-pay-government-shutdown-congress-trump-e2eabd75a923a7a6feaeeb4af1854054">military goes without pay</a>&nbsp;and government services shut down.Johnson’s initial strategy to avoid the government shutdown was a well-worn one — have the House pass its bill, leave town right before the deadline and force the Senate to accept it. Jamming the other chamber, as it’s often called. And it often works.But this time, it’s a strategy that is failing.<h2>As House skips town, blame falls to Senate</h2>GOP senators have been unable to heave the House bill to passage,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-senate-schumer-thune-trump-health-care-b85fe6cdd5d8cdc3e3aa1f4ae889474f">blocked by most of the Democrats</a>, who are refusing to reopen the government as they demand health care funds for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-subsidies-congress-shutdown-democrats-republicans-bb3464820a347fd2c0399e78e335881e">insurance subsidies</a>&nbsp;that will expire at year’s end if Congress fails to act.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-thune-ap-interview-omb-memo-6b79cd64987b6173f1b3295dc3505994">Senate Majority Leader John Thune</a>, R-S.D., has been trying, repeatedly, to peel off more Democratic support.But after having called a vote more than a half-dozen times to pass the House’s bill out of the Senate, not enough Democrats have signed on. Senate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/charles-schumer">Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer</a>&nbsp;is holding out for a deal on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-tax-credits-health-insurance-trump-poll-obamacare-dab7b10bf13dec33a884df5f9fe343f6">the health care issue</a>.Stalemated, quiet talks are underway, as small groups of lawmakers are privately trying to negotiate off-ramps.Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska has proposed keeping the health care subsidies in place for the next two years while instituting changes to the program. Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., has a similar proposal, and GOP Sen. Susan Collins of Maine has shared with leadership her own six-point plan.“We’re making progress,” said Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., who is close to the Republican president. “I think we’re kind of starting to get to a place.”<h2>Empty halls and viral moments</h2>Not since then-Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nancy-pelosi">Nancy Pelosi</a>, a Democrat, sent lawmakers home at the start of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-donald-trump-business-ap-top-news-steven-mnuchin-502a3b1afb9c5d1bc14e6af77d112207">the coronavirus pandemic</a>&nbsp;in 2020 has the House been without its lawmakers for such an extended period of time outside of an August recess — but even then, leaders quickly stood up a new system of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/history-in-the-making-as-house-casts-proxy-votes-in-pandemic-6f6fb7ab7ca80360117e0664d4b45682">proxy voting</a>&nbsp;as legislative business continued.In the Capitol’s empty halls, a few lawmakers linger. They have been filming social media posts as they narrate the inaction. They have created viral moments, including GOP Rep. Mike Lawler’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-donald-trump-business-ap-top-news-steven-mnuchin-502a3b1afb9c5d1bc14e6af77d112207">confrontation with Jeffries</a>. Some are simply giving tours to visiting constituents.GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia has been among the most outspoken critics of her party’s stance, saying Congress needs to address the health care subsidies.And Grijalva is just&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/adelita-grijalva-swear-congress-epstein-files-25636fec1d99960a5fb11501ac86cc69">trying to go to work</a>.The representative-elect won the special election to replace her father, veteran Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/raul-grijalva-death-obituary-9484cd0f4911430ef6ef01f9590402d5">Raul Grijalva</a>, who died earlier this year after his own career in Congress.Her arrival would shrink Johnson’s already slim majority to paper thin, and she has said she would sign onto the legislation demanding the release of the files pertaining to the sex trafficking investigation into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein</a>, providing the last signature needed to force a vote. Democrats have clamored for the release of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-files-senate-trump-1793c4c1c2f74f89b0cab9ecfd0cfcc8">the Epstein files</a>, looking to force Republicans to either join their push for disclosure or publicly oppose a cause many in the Republican base support.Johnson, whose majority is among the most narrow in modern times, has refused to swear Grijalva into office.<h2>House’s newest member waits and waits</h2>The speaker has given shifting reasons for why he won’t allow Grijalva to take her seat, saying he’d do it whenever she wanted but also saying the shutdown needs to end first.He said it has nothing to do with the Epstein files.As questions mounted over the House’s next steps, so did the speaker’s exasperation.“The reason the House isn’t here in regular session is because they turned the lights off,” he said during Thursday’s press conference. “I’m trying to muster every ounce of Christian charity that I can, but this is outrageous.”He declined to say if or when the House would be called back to session.“We’ll keep you posted,” he said. “And let’s pray this ends soon.”___

Speaker keeping House lawmakers out again next week

#3-5A Hays High (4-1, 1-0 WAC) at Dodge City (2-3, 0-2) Friday, Oct. 10 - 7 p.m. Dodge City, Kan.

Radio:&nbsp;KFIX (96.9)&nbsp;<a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/KFIX">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a> <a href="https://mix103fm.com/"></a>Video:&nbsp;Hays High Sports Network - Unavailable due to streaming restrictions by Dodge City High School.&nbsp;

The Hays High Indians finish out the regular season with three consecutive Western Athletic Conference games. The first of those three is in Dodge City.

There will be no live video stream available due to streaming restrictions by Dodge City High School. The Hays Post sports crew will record the game post at the conclusion of the contest.

Kickoff is at 7
p.m. with the Hertz Rent-A-Car Pregame Show at 6:30 p.m. on 96.9 KFIX.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694699014932.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>#3-5A Hays High (4-1, 1-0 WAC) at Dodge City (2-3, 0-2) Friday, Oct. 10 - 7 p.m. Dodge City, Kan.Radio:&nbsp;KFIX (96.9)&nbsp;<a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/KFIX">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a> <a href="https://mix103fm.com/"></a>Video:&nbsp;Hays High Sports Network - Unavailable due to streaming restrictions by Dodge City High School.&nbsp;The Hays High Indians finish out the regular season with three consecutive Western Athletic Conference games. The first of those three is in Dodge City.There will be no live video stream available due to streaming restrictions by Dodge City High School. The Hays Post sports crew will record the game post at the conclusion of the contest.Kickoff is at 7
p.m. with the Hertz Rent-A-Car Pregame Show at 6:30 p.m. on 96.9 KFIX.

🏈 Hays High travels to Dodge City for WAC play

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The Hays USD 489 enrollment remains flat for the 2025-26 school year.&nbsp;

The enrollment numbers as of the Sept. 20 count date were a full-time equivalent of 3,150 students. Last school year, the audited enrollment was 3,159 students. Enrollment has fluctuated little in the last three years, with an enrollment of 3,144 students in fiscal year 2023.

The USD 489 school board will hear a report on the enrollment numbers and bond updates from Superintendent Ron Wilson at its meeting at 6:30 tonight at the Rockwell Administration Center.

The board will also consider three expenditures.

It will consider a furniture purchase for Hays Middle School from Circadia for $181,236.

The board will consider a bid to remove playground equipment from the now-closed Lincoln Elementary School from&nbsp;Aspire 2 Play for $32,832.

It will also consider the purchase of Dell desktop computers&nbsp;for $37,684.

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Hays USD 489 enrollment remains flat for the 2025-26 school year.&nbsp;The enrollment numbers as of the Sept. 20 count date were a full-time equivalent of 3,150 students. Last school year, the audited enrollment was 3,159 students. Enrollment has fluctuated little in the last three years, with an enrollment of 3,144 students in fiscal year 2023.The USD 489 school board will hear a report on the enrollment numbers and bond updates from Superintendent Ron Wilson at its meeting at 6:30 tonight at the Rockwell Administration Center.The board will also consider three expenditures.It will consider a furniture purchase for Hays Middle School from Circadia for $181,236.The board will consider a bid to remove playground equipment from the now-closed Lincoln Elementary School from&nbsp;Aspire 2 Play for $32,832.It will also consider the purchase of Dell desktop computers&nbsp;for $37,684.

Hays USD 489 school board to hear enrollment report

Reporter Cristina Janney speaks with Gene Stramel of Insurance Planning about Medicare Part D and C open enrollment on this episode of the Hays Post Podcast.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732569992262.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="Post Podcast: Insurance Planning" 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=jn64m-1989f6d-pb&square=1&share=1&d… loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>Reporter Cristina Janney speaks with Gene Stramel of Insurance Planning about Medicare Part D and C open enrollment on this episode of the Hays Post Podcast.

🎙 Post Podcast: Insurance Planning on Medicare Part D, C open enrollment

OSLO, Norway (AP) — Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, winning recognition as a woman “who keeps the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness.”

The former opposition presidential candidate was lauded for being a “key, unifying figure” in the once deeply divided opposition to President Nicolás Maduro’s government, said Jørgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel committee.

“In the past year, Ms. Machado has been forced to live in hiding,” Watne Frydnes said. Despite serious threats against her life, she has remained in the country, a choice that has inspired millions. When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognize courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist.”

He told the AP that the committee was able to reach Machado just before the announcement and “it came as a surprise.”

Machado’s ally, Edmundo González, who lives in exile in Spain, posted a short video of himself speaking by phone with Machado.

“I am in shock,” she said, adding, “I cannot believe it.”

González celebrated Machado’s Nobel win in a post on X, calling it a “very well-deserved recognition for the long fight of a woman and of a whole people for our freedom and democracy.”

Maduro’s government has routinely targeted its real or perceived opponents.

Machado, who turned 58 this week, was set to run against Maduro, but the government disqualified her. González, who had never run for office before, took her place. The lead-up to the election saw widespread repression, including disqualifications, arrests and human rights violations.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-election-maduro-opposition-human-rights-abuses-dd6d0b103adbf88f00fe60b0d781a873">crackdown on dissent only increased</a>&nbsp;after the country’s National Electoral Council, which is stacked with Maduro loyalists, declared him the winner despite credible evidence to the contrary.

The election results announced by the Electoral Council sparked protests across the country to which the government responded with force that ended with more than 20 people dead. They also prompted an end to diplomatic relations between Venezuela and various foreign countries, including Argentina.

Machado went into hiding and has not been seen in public since January. A Venezuelan court issued an arrest warrant for González over the publication of election results. He went into exile in Spain and was granted asylum.

Before dawn in Caracas, with few vehicles out yet on the Venezuelan capital’s usually crowded streets, some people heading to work expressed disbelief at the news of Machado’s win.

“I don’t know what can be done to improve the situation, but she deserves it,” said Sandra Martínez, 32, as she waited at a bus stop. “She’s a great woman.”

Support for Machado and the opposition in general has decreased since the July 2024 election — particularly since January, when Maduro was sworn in for a third six-year term and disappointment set in.

Last year, Machado and González were awarded the European Union’s top human rights honor, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eu-venezuela-opposition-human-rights-prize-sakharov-47257f5b05716e90c3eabdde3a1f17e6">Sakharov Prize</a>.

Machado becomes the 20th woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, of the 112 individuals who have been honored.

Speculation about Trump’s Nobel chances

There had been persistent speculation ahead of the announcement about the possibility of the prize going to U.S. President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-misses-out-on-nobel-peace-prize-729973788d8953da9af1cbc136232e96">Donald Trump</a>, fueled in part by the president himself and amplified by this week’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-hostages-trump-peace-plan-e3d0ce091be56cc29207e566ff1603af">approval of his plan</a>&nbsp;for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Asked about lobbying for and by Trump, Watne Frydnes said: “I think this committee has seen any type of campaign, media attention. We receive thousands and thousands of letters every year of people wanting to say what for them leads to peace.

“This committee sits in a room filled with the portraits of all laureates, and that room is filled with both courage and integrity. So we base only our decision on the work and the will of Alfred Nobel.”

White House spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a post on X Friday morning that “President Trump will continue making peace deals around the world, ending wars, and saving lives.” He added that “the Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace.”

Last year’s award went to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/norway-nobel-japan-peace-prize-nuclear-9f39bcd5d6035fb1e75ac2030cf5c009">Nihon Hidankyo</a>, a grassroots movement of Japanese atomic bombing survivors who have worked for decades to maintain a taboo around the use of nuclear weapons.

The peace prize is the only one of the annual&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nobel-prize-announcements-peace-literature-medicine-cd572ef1c31ce39e3fa304468d445443">Nobel prizes</a>&nbsp;to be awarded in Oslo, Norway.

Four of the other prizes have already been awarded in the Swedish capital, Stockholm this week — in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nobel-prize-medicine-a68cf8a3b930570630168a949d277cde">medicine</a>&nbsp;on Monday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nobel-prize-physics-e74ee2acf652259cf268cc1d48873e14">physics</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nobel-prize-chemistry-87dcb74eb01e3d5ba8efc32832e51ef6">chemistry</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nobel-prize-literature-25f9886d2c35dabfc6ab7936a8a159c0">literature</a>&nbsp;on Thursday. The winner of the prize in economics will be announced on Monday.

Garcia Cano reported from Mexico City and Moulson from Berlin. Jorge Rueda contributed from Caracas, Venezuela and Mike Corder from The Hague, Netherlands.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760094995508.jpg" alt="Image courtesy Pixaby" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Pixaby</figcaption>
 </figure>OSLO, Norway (AP) — Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, winning recognition as a woman “who keeps the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness.”The former opposition presidential candidate was lauded for being a “key, unifying figure” in the once deeply divided opposition to President Nicolás Maduro’s government, said Jørgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel committee.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives. He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will. The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace. <a href="https://t.co/dwCEWjE0GE">https://t.co/dwCEWjE0GE</a>&mdash; Steven Cheung (@StevenCheung47) <a href="https://twitter.com/StevenCheung47/status/1976601157041856756?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on the Nobel Peace Prize: &quot;I&#39;ve stopped eight wars, so that&#39;s never happened before — but they&#39;ll have to do what they do. Whatever they do is fine. I know this: I didn&#39;t do it for that, I did it because I saved a lot of lives.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/TsfLdgmQXD">pic.twitter.com/TsfLdgmQXD</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1976370711750221828?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“In the past year, Ms. Machado has been forced to live in hiding,” Watne Frydnes said. Despite serious threats against her life, she has remained in the country, a choice that has inspired millions. When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognize courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist.”He told the AP that the committee was able to reach Machado just before the announcement and “it came as a surprise.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">“Oh my god… I have no words.” Listen to the emotional moment this year’s laureate Maria Corina Machado finds out she has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Kristian Berg Harpviken, Director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute, shared the news with her directly before it was… <a href="https://t.co/OCUpNz752k">pic.twitter.com/OCUpNz752k</a>&mdash; The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) <a href="https://twitter.com/NobelPrize/status/1976596971084247228?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2>Exiled opposition candidate celebrates</h2>Machado’s ally, Edmundo González, who lives in exile in Spain, posted a short video of himself speaking by phone with Machado.“I am in shock,” she said, adding, “I cannot believe it.”González celebrated Machado’s Nobel win in a post on X, calling it a “very well-deserved recognition for the long fight of a woman and of a whole people for our freedom and democracy.”Maduro’s government has routinely targeted its real or perceived opponents.Machado, who turned 58 this week, was set to run against Maduro, but the government disqualified her. González, who had never run for office before, took her place. The lead-up to the election saw widespread repression, including disqualifications, arrests and human rights violations.<h2>Crackdown on dissent</h2>The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-election-maduro-opposition-human-rights-abuses-dd6d0b103adbf88f00fe60b0d781a873">crackdown on dissent only increased</a>&nbsp;after the country’s National Electoral Council, which is stacked with Maduro loyalists, declared him the winner despite credible evidence to the contrary.The election results announced by the Electoral Council sparked protests across the country to which the government responded with force that ended with more than 20 people dead. They also prompted an end to diplomatic relations between Venezuela and various foreign countries, including Argentina.Machado went into hiding and has not been seen in public since January. A Venezuelan court issued an arrest warrant for González over the publication of election results. He went into exile in Spain and was granted asylum.Before dawn in Caracas, with few vehicles out yet on the Venezuelan capital’s usually crowded streets, some people heading to work expressed disbelief at the news of Machado’s win.“I don’t know what can be done to improve the situation, but she deserves it,” said Sandra Martínez, 32, as she waited at a bus stop. “She’s a great woman.”Support for Machado and the opposition in general has decreased since the July 2024 election — particularly since January, when Maduro was sworn in for a third six-year term and disappointment set in.Last year, Machado and González were awarded the European Union’s top human rights honor, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eu-venezuela-opposition-human-rights-prize-sakharov-47257f5b05716e90c3eabdde3a1f17e6">Sakharov Prize</a>.Machado becomes the 20th woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, of the 112 individuals who have been honored.<h2>Speculation about Trump’s Nobel chances</h2>There had been persistent speculation ahead of the announcement about the possibility of the prize going to U.S. President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-misses-out-on-nobel-peace-prize-729973788d8953da9af1cbc136232e96">Donald Trump</a>, fueled in part by the president himself and amplified by this week’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-hostages-trump-peace-plan-e3d0ce091be56cc29207e566ff1603af">approval of his plan</a>&nbsp;for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.Asked about lobbying for and by Trump, Watne Frydnes said: “I think this committee has seen any type of campaign, media attention. We receive thousands and thousands of letters every year of people wanting to say what for them leads to peace.“This committee sits in a room filled with the portraits of all laureates, and that room is filled with both courage and integrity. So we base only our decision on the work and the will of Alfred Nobel.”White House spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a post on X Friday morning that “President Trump will continue making peace deals around the world, ending wars, and saving lives.” He added that “the Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace.”Last year’s award went to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/norway-nobel-japan-peace-prize-nuclear-9f39bcd5d6035fb1e75ac2030cf5c009">Nihon Hidankyo</a>, a grassroots movement of Japanese atomic bombing survivors who have worked for decades to maintain a taboo around the use of nuclear weapons.The peace prize is the only one of the annual&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nobel-prize-announcements-peace-literature-medicine-cd572ef1c31ce39e3fa304468d445443">Nobel prizes</a>&nbsp;to be awarded in Oslo, Norway.Four of the other prizes have already been awarded in the Swedish capital, Stockholm this week — in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nobel-prize-medicine-a68cf8a3b930570630168a949d277cde">medicine</a>&nbsp;on Monday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nobel-prize-physics-e74ee2acf652259cf268cc1d48873e14">physics</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nobel-prize-chemistry-87dcb74eb01e3d5ba8efc32832e51ef6">chemistry</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nobel-prize-literature-25f9886d2c35dabfc6ab7936a8a159c0">literature</a>&nbsp;on Thursday. The winner of the prize in economics will be announced on Monday.___Garcia Cano reported from Mexico City and Moulson from Berlin. Jorge Rueda contributed from Caracas, Venezuela and Mike Corder from The Hague, Netherlands.

Who won? White House responds to Nobel Peace Prize announcement

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement continue to investigate after a concerning social media post involving a weapon at Billy Mills Middle School, 2734 Louisiana Street in Lawrence, according to Lawrence Police.

On Thursday morning, Lawrence police, Douglas County Sheriff deputies and the Kansas Highway Patrol responded and in conjunction with USD 497 officials locked down the school, evacuated students to the football field and worked to ensure no students were hiding in the building. Some students did hide when the school was placed on lockdown, according to police.

All students were required to leave personal items for clearance. Police&nbsp; called in a firearm detection dog to search and did not find a firearm.

Police have identified the circumstances that promoted the response and will complete a thorough investigation.

The original post came from Snapchat, and Detectives were working to contact Snapchat to get information on the post, but the person that allegedly posted it had not been identified. The person who reported the post did not know who made the post.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760062315021.png" alt="Billy Mills Middle School Google image" />
 <figcaption>Billy Mills Middle School Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement continue to investigate after a concerning social media post involving a weapon at Billy Mills Middle School, 2734 Louisiana Street in Lawrence, according to Lawrence Police.On Thursday morning, Lawrence police, Douglas County Sheriff deputies and the Kansas Highway Patrol responded and in conjunction with USD 497 officials locked down the school, evacuated students to the football field and worked to ensure no students were hiding in the building. Some students did hide when the school was placed on lockdown, according to police.All students were required to leave personal items for clearance. Police&nbsp; called in a firearm detection dog to search and did not find a firearm.Police have identified the circumstances that promoted the response and will complete a thorough investigation.The original post came from Snapchat, and Detectives were working to contact Snapchat to get information on the post, but the person that allegedly posted it had not been identified. The person who reported the post did not know who made the post.

Kansas middle school evacuated as police investigate social media threat 

Sen. President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, was in Hays Thursday on the campaign trail for governor in 2026.

Masterson stopped at a couple of locations to meet with constituents to discuss rural revitalization and also visited the Eagle Media Center to speak with the Hays Post.

Masterson began with property taxes. The state removed a state assessment for institutional buildings. That cut about $90 million in taxes.

"Now it is about how the system is put together," he said. "It's going to take a constitutional amendment to change the way we assess to be able to cap the increases to make sure people can sustain it."

"We've seen double-digit increases multiple years in a row," he said.

He said he is also a proponent of elected appraisers because property taxes tend to be lower in communities with appraisers who have more accountability.

Hays school district officials have lobbied for more state funding for special education. <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>

The state is not paying the percentage required by state statute, which means the balances for those services must come from schools' general funds.

Masterson noted the federal government is also not paying its share toward special education.

The state added $10 million more for special education for the coming year, but that has not bridged the funding gap.

Masterson mentioned the Gannon and other lawsuits regarding state education funding.

"We have been dumping more and more funding into the system," he said, "and in 2024, the courts came out that we met adequate funding."

"I don't think the issue is the volume of money. It's how it's being allocated that's the biggest issue," he said. "It's the formula that drives what gets allocated to each district."

Per-pupil funding has hurt rural districts as they have lost population, Masterson said. Block funding was proposed, but was not passed.

He expressed concerns about how at-risk funding is being allocated, citing issues discovered after state audits.

&nbsp;"I don't think it's about overall dollars, because overall Kansas spends more per pupil than the surrounding states, and we are not getting an outcome that matches that investment," Masterson said.

"There's conservation and property rights. There's a balance between the two. I do think those ultimate solutions need to have a local focus. I have heard Hays has done an incredible job on conservation."

Masterson said he was not aware of the R9 Ranch project, but asked Rep. Barb Wasinger, R-Hays, questions about the project.

He said money should be allocated to water projects based on need and not population.

Masterson cited the Mexican border and drugs as sources of violence in the state.

He expressed concerns about the increase in no cash bail.

"People commit a violent crime and just get out on their signature," Masterson said.

Masterson cited a cash bail case out of Johnson County in which a man out on bail after discharging a firearm in a hospital stabbed a manager of a barbecue restaurant.

"We've got to make sure we keep violent people incarcerated," he said.

He said funding should also be prioritized for law enforcement, so communities can have a sufficient number of officers and state highway patrol troopers.

Although judicial selection is not directly an issue in the governor's race, it will come up as a ballot question in 2026.

"We have the least democratic, most secretive way of appointing our Supreme Court justices. It is controlled by five lawyers," Masterson said.

He said it was not a merit-based system and did not reflect the population of Kansas. He said the Kansas Supreme Court justices should be elected.

Masterson discussed the issues with staffing the state mental hospital in Larned due to the rural community where the facility is located.

The state's costs to pay traveling medical staff for the facility have significantly increased.

"We used to spend $10 million on contract nursing. It was $40 million [last year]. That's not sustainable," he said. "There's going to be some hard decisions to be made. We have to move that responsibility to somewhere we have more people to work."

Masterson said he was concerned about the error rate on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which is also known as SNAP or formally known as food stamps.

"It's not just that we are giving the benefit to people who aren't eligible for it, but also processing. There are people who aren't getting processed that are eligible for it and not getting the benefit."

He added, "It's important how a law is implemented and enforced."

In the last budget cycle, Masterson said the Legislature made some increases in Medicaid reimbursements.

He said he did not foresee any expansion of Medicaid.

"Expansion has proven to displace people who are disabled, frail and elderly, low-income mothers and children because you put all these able-bodied people into the system. You have a fixed number of Medicaid providers. It's not saving rural hospitals.

"You don't have to guess the results of Medicaid expansion. You can see it in the states that have expanded, and I think Kansas has proven it made the right decision by not having expanded Medicaid."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753064640882.png" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostSen. President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, was in Hays Thursday on the campaign trail for governor in 2026.Masterson stopped at a couple of locations to meet with constituents to discuss rural revitalization and also visited the Eagle Media Center to speak with the Hays Post.Masterson began with property taxes. The state removed a state assessment for institutional buildings. That cut about $90 million in taxes."Now it is about how the system is put together," he said. "It's going to take a constitutional amendment to change the way we assess to be able to cap the increases to make sure people can sustain it.""We've seen double-digit increases multiple years in a row," he said.He said he is also a proponent of elected appraisers because property taxes tend to be lower in communities with appraisers who have more accountability.Education fundingHays school district officials have lobbied for more state funding for special education. <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>The state is not paying the percentage required by state statute, which means the balances for those services must come from schools' general funds.Masterson noted the federal government is also not paying its share toward special education.The state added $10 million more for special education for the coming year, but that has not bridged the funding gap.Masterson mentioned the Gannon and other lawsuits regarding state education funding."We have been dumping more and more funding into the system," he said, "and in 2024, the courts came out that we met adequate funding.""I don't think the issue is the volume of money. It's how it's being allocated that's the biggest issue," he said. "It's the formula that drives what gets allocated to each district."Per-pupil funding has hurt rural districts as they have lost population, Masterson said. Block funding was proposed, but was not passed.He expressed concerns about how at-risk funding is being allocated, citing issues discovered after state audits.&nbsp;"I don't think it's about overall dollars, because overall Kansas spends more per pupil than the surrounding states, and we are not getting an outcome that matches that investment," Masterson said.Water"There's conservation and property rights. There's a balance between the two. I do think those ultimate solutions need to have a local focus. I have heard Hays has done an incredible job on conservation."Masterson said he was not aware of the R9 Ranch project, but asked Rep. Barb Wasinger, R-Hays, questions about the project.He said money should be allocated to water projects based on need and not population.Public safetyMasterson cited the Mexican border and drugs as sources of violence in the state.He expressed concerns about the increase in no cash bail."People commit a violent crime and just get out on their signature," Masterson said.Masterson cited a cash bail case out of Johnson County in which a man out on bail after discharging a firearm in a hospital stabbed a manager of a barbecue restaurant."We've got to make sure we keep violent people incarcerated," he said.He said funding should also be prioritized for law enforcement, so communities can have a sufficient number of officers and state highway patrol troopers.Judicial selectionAlthough judicial selection is not directly an issue in the governor's race, it will come up as a ballot question in 2026."We have the least democratic, most secretive way of appointing our Supreme Court justices. It is controlled by five lawyers," Masterson said.He said it was not a merit-based system and did not reflect the population of Kansas. He said the Kansas Supreme Court justices should be elected.Mental healthMasterson discussed the issues with staffing the state mental hospital in Larned due to the rural community where the facility is located.The state's costs to pay traveling medical staff for the facility have significantly increased."We used to spend $10 million on contract nursing. It was $40 million [last year]. That's not sustainable," he said. "There's going to be some hard decisions to be made. We have to move that responsibility to somewhere we have more people to work."SNAP and MedicaidMasterson said he was concerned about the error rate on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which is also known as SNAP or formally known as food stamps."It's not just that we are giving the benefit to people who aren't eligible for it, but also processing. There are people who aren't getting processed that are eligible for it and not getting the benefit."He added, "It's important how a law is implemented and enforced."In the last budget cycle, Masterson said the Legislature made some increases in Medicaid reimbursements.He said he did not foresee any expansion of Medicaid."Expansion has proven to displace people who are disabled, frail and elderly, low-income mothers and children because you put all these able-bodied people into the system. You have a fixed number of Medicaid providers. It's not saving rural hospitals."You don't have to guess the results of Medicaid expansion. You can see it in the states that have expanded, and I think Kansas has proven it made the right decision by not having expanded Medicaid."

Gubernatorial candidate Masterson seeks to cap property taxes

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

With the ongoing federal government shutdown, the subsidy funding for the national Essential Air Service (EAS) program was due to expire at midnight on Sunday.

Hays Regional Airport Director Jamie Salter said Thursday she received the notice&nbsp;from the U.S. Department of Transportation on Monday.

Two days later, Salter received an updated memo from the department funding has been found for the subsidies to run through Nov. 2.

Hays Regional Airport is one of five Kansas airports that receive Essential Air Service funding.

The service provides subsidies to air carriers to operate out of rural airports for routes that are not profitable. The service connects small- and medium-sized communities with larger airports.

SkyWest, the regional air carrier serving Hays with daily United flights to Denver, receives an annual $6.5 million subsidy for commercial flight service for Hays.&nbsp;

Dodge City, Garden City, Liberal and Salina airports also utilize the Essential Air Service program.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Salter said SkyWest is assessing the situation.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748008414872.jpeg" alt="City of Hays photo" />
 <figcaption>City of Hays photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostWith the ongoing federal government shutdown, the subsidy funding for the national Essential Air Service (EAS) program was due to expire at midnight on Sunday.Hays Regional Airport Director Jamie Salter said Thursday she received the notice&nbsp;from the U.S. Department of Transportation on Monday.Two days later, Salter received an updated memo from the department funding has been found for the subsidies to run through Nov. 2.Hays Regional Airport is one of five Kansas airports that receive Essential Air Service funding.The service provides subsidies to air carriers to operate out of rural airports for routes that are not profitable. The service connects small- and medium-sized communities with larger airports.SkyWest, the regional air carrier serving Hays with daily United flights to Denver, receives an annual $6.5 million subsidy for commercial flight service for Hays.&nbsp;Dodge City, Garden City, Liberal and Salina airports also utilize the Essential Air Service program.&nbsp;&nbsp;Salter said SkyWest is assessing the situation.&nbsp;

Federal funding for subsidies at Hays Regional Airport in place until Nov. 2

You're probably already aware, but there's some recent controversy regarding the Hays Public Library's book choices: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CoLQpr9XB/">https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CoLQpr9XB/</a>

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CoLQpr9XB/"></a>The above picture is an excerpt from a book being pushed to children and on display in the Hays Public Library.

Many of these terminologies will likely never make it into a Hays Post article for general public consumption, so I'm not sure the logic on pushing this on kids that 'should' be in a very curated learning environment in the public library that is allocated quite a sum of money from taxpayers every year.

Additionally, I assume their board meeting at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15 will be well attended by the public.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760026079060.jpeg" alt="Submitted photo" />
 <figcaption>Submitted photo</figcaption>
 </figure> You're probably already aware, but there's some recent controversy regarding the Hays Public Library's book choices: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CoLQpr9XB/">https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CoLQpr9XB/</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CoLQpr9XB/"></a>The above picture is an excerpt from a book being pushed to children and on display in the Hays Public Library. Many of these terminologies will likely never make it into a Hays Post article for general public consumption, so I'm not sure the logic on pushing this on kids that 'should' be in a very curated learning environment in the public library that is allocated quite a sum of money from taxpayers every year.Additionally, I assume their board meeting at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15 will be well attended by the public.&nbsp;&nbsp;Joseph Boeckner, Hays

LETTER: Controversy in Hays Public Library's book choices

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/jonel-aleccia">JONEL ALECCIA</a> Associated Press

A California company has recalled nearly 245000 pounds (111130.04 kilograms) of pre-cooked pasta linked to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/listeria-chicken-fettucine-alfredo-kroger-walmart-1c3544d1802d7594ca47a7219ffbb111">deadly listeria outbreak</a>&nbsp;and potential contamination of dozens of products sold at grocery stores nationwide.

Nate’s Fine Foods of Roseville, California, recalled thousands of cases of linguine, fettucine, penne and other pastas sold to large producers of heat-and-eat meals and pasta salads on Sept. 25, according to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration notice&nbsp;<a href="https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/ires/?Event=97697" target="_blank">posted Thursday.</a>

The move came after tests showed that pasta made by Nate’s Fine Foods contained the same strain of listeria found in chicken fettucine Alfredo and meatball linguine products linked to an outbreak that has killed four people and sickened 20 since August 2024. The most recent illness reported&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/chicken-fettuccine-alfredo-06-25/index.html" target="_blank">occurred on Sept. 11.</a>

FreshRealm, the San Clemente, California, company that produced those meals, used genetic sequencing to confirm the link to the outbreak.

Several grocery stores have recalled products made with pasta from Nate’s Fine Foods. The FDA and the U.S. Agriculture Department have warned consumers not to eat the foods and to discard them or return them to stores for refund.

1.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/sprouts-farmers-market-recalling-smoked-mozzarella-pasta-salad-because-possible-health-risk" target="_blank">Sprouts Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad</a>&nbsp;sold from the deli service counter or Grab &amp; Go section with best-by dates from Oct. 10 to Oct. 29.

2.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/giant-eagle-recalls-smoked-mozzarella-pasta-salad-due-potential-listeria-monocytogenes-contamination" target="_blank">Giant Eagle</a>&nbsp;smoked mozzarella pasta salad — expiration dates Sept. 30 through Oct. 7.

3.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/kroger-voluntarily-recalls-two-varieties-deli-pasta-salads-because-possible-health-risk" target="_blank">Kroger stores</a>&nbsp;recalled deli bowtie and penne pasta salads — sold Aug. 29 through Oct. 2.

4.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/demers-food-group-voluntarily-recalls-select-scott-jons-shrimp-scampi-linguini-bowls-due-ingredient" target="_blank">Scott &amp; Jon’s Shrimp Scampi with Linguini Bowls</a>&nbsp;9.6-oz — best if used by dates of March 12 and 13 and March 17 and 21 2027.

5.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/fsis-issues-public-health-alert-ready-eat-meals-containing-pasta-may-be-contaminated" target="_blank">Trader Joe’s Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Breast Fettucine Alfredo</a>&nbsp;16-oz plastic tray packages with “best if used by” dates Sept. 20, Sept. 24, Sept. 27, Sept. 28, Oct. 1, Oct. 3, Oct. 5, Oct. 8 and Oct. 10.

6.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/update-albertsons-companies-voluntarily-recalls-select-store-made-deli-items-containing-bowtie-pasta" target="_blank">Albertsons stores</a>&nbsp;recalled store-made deli pasta salads — sell thru dates from Sept. 8 to Oct. 4.

7.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/fsis-issues-public-health-alert-ready-eat-meals-containing-pasta-may-be-contaminated" target="_blank">Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs &amp; Marinara Sauce</a>&nbsp;12-oz. — best-by dates of Sept. 22, Sept. 24, and 25 and Sept. 29 to Oct. 1.

8.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/freshrealm-recalls-chicken-fettuccine-alfredo-products-due-possible-listeria" target="_blank">Marketside Grilled Chicken Alfredo with Fettuccine</a>&nbsp;12.3-oz – best-by date of June 26, 2025, or prior; and 32.8-oz — best-by date of June 27, 2025, or prior.

9.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/freshrealm-recalls-chicken-fettuccine-alfredo-products-due-possible-listeria" target="_blank">Home Chef Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo 12.5-oz</a>&nbsp;— best-by date of June 19 or prior.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760060042421.png" alt="Image FDA" />
 <figcaption>Image FDA</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/jonel-aleccia">JONEL ALECCIA</a> Associated PressA California company has recalled nearly 245000 pounds (111130.04 kilograms) of pre-cooked pasta linked to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/listeria-chicken-fettucine-alfredo-kroger-walmart-1c3544d1802d7594ca47a7219ffbb111">deadly listeria outbreak</a>&nbsp;and potential contamination of dozens of products sold at grocery stores nationwide.Nate’s Fine Foods of Roseville, California, recalled thousands of cases of linguine, fettucine, penne and other pastas sold to large producers of heat-and-eat meals and pasta salads on Sept. 25, according to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration notice&nbsp;<a href="https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/ires/?Event=97697" target="_blank">posted Thursday.</a>The move came after tests showed that pasta made by Nate’s Fine Foods contained the same strain of listeria found in chicken fettucine Alfredo and meatball linguine products linked to an outbreak that has killed four people and sickened 20 since August 2024. The most recent illness reported&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/chicken-fettuccine-alfredo-06-25/index.html" target="_blank">occurred on Sept. 11.</a>FreshRealm, the San Clemente, California, company that produced those meals, used genetic sequencing to confirm the link to the outbreak.Several grocery stores have recalled products made with pasta from Nate’s Fine Foods. The FDA and the U.S. Agriculture Department have warned consumers not to eat the foods and to discard them or return them to stores for refund.Here are the recalls to date:1.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/sprouts-farmers-market-recalling-smoked-mozzarella-pasta-salad-because-possible-health-risk" target="_blank">Sprouts Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad</a>&nbsp;sold from the deli service counter or Grab &amp; Go section with best-by dates from Oct. 10 to Oct. 29.2.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/giant-eagle-recalls-smoked-mozzarella-pasta-salad-due-potential-listeria-monocytogenes-contamination" target="_blank">Giant Eagle</a>&nbsp;smoked mozzarella pasta salad — expiration dates Sept. 30 through Oct. 7.3.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/kroger-voluntarily-recalls-two-varieties-deli-pasta-salads-because-possible-health-risk" target="_blank">Kroger stores</a>&nbsp;recalled deli bowtie and penne pasta salads — sold Aug. 29 through Oct. 2.4.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/demers-food-group-voluntarily-recalls-select-scott-jons-shrimp-scampi-linguini-bowls-due-ingredient" target="_blank">Scott &amp; Jon’s Shrimp Scampi with Linguini Bowls</a>&nbsp;9.6-oz — best if used by dates of March 12 and 13 and March 17 and 21 2027.5.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/fsis-issues-public-health-alert-ready-eat-meals-containing-pasta-may-be-contaminated" target="_blank">Trader Joe’s Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Breast Fettucine Alfredo</a>&nbsp;16-oz plastic tray packages with “best if used by” dates Sept. 20, Sept. 24, Sept. 27, Sept. 28, Oct. 1, Oct. 3, Oct. 5, Oct. 8 and Oct. 10.6.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/update-albertsons-companies-voluntarily-recalls-select-store-made-deli-items-containing-bowtie-pasta" target="_blank">Albertsons stores</a>&nbsp;recalled store-made deli pasta salads — sell thru dates from Sept. 8 to Oct. 4.7.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/fsis-issues-public-health-alert-ready-eat-meals-containing-pasta-may-be-contaminated" target="_blank">Marketside Linguine with Beef Meatballs &amp; Marinara Sauce</a>&nbsp;12-oz. — best-by dates of Sept. 22, Sept. 24, and 25 and Sept. 29 to Oct. 1.8.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/freshrealm-recalls-chicken-fettuccine-alfredo-products-due-possible-listeria" target="_blank">Marketside Grilled Chicken Alfredo with Fettuccine</a>&nbsp;12.3-oz – best-by date of June 26, 2025, or prior; and 32.8-oz — best-by date of June 27, 2025, or prior.9.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/freshrealm-recalls-chicken-fettuccine-alfredo-products-due-possible-listeria" target="_blank">Home Chef Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo 12.5-oz</a>&nbsp;— best-by date of June 19 or prior.

Company recalls nearly 245,000 pounds of pasta tied to listeria outbreak

The TMP-Marian volleyball team won both of their matches at the Ellis triangular Thursday. The Monarchs swept Victoria, who's ranked fifth in 1A Division I, handing the Knights just their third loss of the season. The Monarchs then swept Ellis. 

Victoria won their match over Ellis to finish 1-1 on the night and move to 24-3 on the season.

TMP def. Victoria&nbsp;25-16, 25-18 TMP def. Ellis 27-25, 25-21 Victoria def. Ellis 25-10, 25-16

The Monarchs improved to 19-12 on the season. They will host the Mid-Continent League Tournament Saturday.

Hays Post SportsThe TMP-Marian volleyball team won both of their matches at the Ellis triangular Thursday. The Monarchs swept Victoria, who's ranked fifth in 1A Division I, handing the Knights just their third loss of the season. The Monarchs then swept Ellis. Victoria won their match over Ellis to finish 1-1 on the night and move to 24-3 on the season.TMP def. Victoria&nbsp;25-16, 25-18 TMP def. Ellis 27-25, 25-21 Victoria def. Ellis 25-10, 25-16The Monarchs improved to 19-12 on the season. They will host the Mid-Continent League Tournament Saturday.

🏐 Monarchs win twice in Ellis

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating an alleged romance scam involving a man in the Kansas City metro area.

Last week, deputies took a report of a man who has lost an estimated $120,000 since March in a romance scam, according to a statement from the Clay County, Missouri Sheriff.

A woman who said her name was Lisa sent him a message on TikTok, and they began conversing. She eventually asked him to move the conversation to the Telegram messaging app. (Scammers commonly ask you to move to an encrypted app for messaging, where it's harder for law enforcement to get access to the conversations and track down the perpetrators.)

After she'd built a relationship, "Lisa" kept having "emergencies," such as needing car repairs and gas money. The victim sent her money via CashApp and then at Bitcoin machines in Kearney and Excelsior Springs. 

Finally, "Lisa" said she needed help paying back taxes on her mother's house so she could sell it. She said she would pay the victim back when it sold. When the victim told a family member about what was happening, she recognized it was a scam.

Victims of these scams are typically very secretive because they are emotionally invested in the relationship and don't want to lose that connection. Loved ones should keep an eye out for strange and excessive expenditures. "Never send money to someone you haven't met in person, even if it feels like you know them. With crypto-currency, it's almost impossible to get that money back."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670097767255.png" alt="Post photo" />
 <figcaption>Post photo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating an alleged romance scam involving a man in the Kansas City metro area.Last week, deputies took a report of a man who has lost an estimated $120,000 since March in a romance scam, according to a statement from the Clay County, Missouri Sheriff.A woman who said her name was Lisa sent him a message on TikTok, and they began conversing. She eventually asked him to move the conversation to the Telegram messaging app. (Scammers commonly ask you to move to an encrypted app for messaging, where it's harder for law enforcement to get access to the conversations and track down the perpetrators.)After she'd built a relationship, "Lisa" kept having "emergencies," such as needing car repairs and gas money. The victim sent her money via CashApp and then at Bitcoin machines in Kearney and Excelsior Springs. Finally, "Lisa" said she needed help paying back taxes on her mother's house so she could sell it. She said she would pay the victim back when it sold. When the victim told a family member about what was happening, she recognized it was a scam.Victims of these scams are typically very secretive because they are emotionally invested in the relationship and don't want to lose that connection. Loved ones should keep an eye out for strange and excessive expenditures. "Never send money to someone you haven't met in person, even if it feels like you know them. With crypto-currency, it's almost impossible to get that money back."

Sheriff: Man lost $120,000 in romance scam

GARDEN CITY - The Hays High girls golf team closed out their regular season with a second-place finish at Thursday's Garden City Invitational at the&nbsp;Buffalo Dunes Golf Course. 

The Indians shot a 410, 57 strokes behind first place Garden City who won the WAC title. HHS finished second in the team standings which are determined by cumulative results throughout the season.

The Indians had two medalists.&nbsp;Kinley Pfannenstiel finished fourth with a 91 and&nbsp; Eva Erbert fifth with a 96.

WAC Player of the Year Brooke Savolt of Garden City won the individual title with a 5-over par 77. Pfannenstiel and Erbert were named first team All-WAC, Brooklyn Koerner and Lily Butler were named second team.

The Indians will be at the Salina South Sub-Statel Monday.

Team Results 1. Garden City 353 2. Hays High 410 3. Dodge City 456 4. Great Bend 479

Top 10 Medalists Place: Name: School: Score: 1. Brooke Savolt Garden City 77 2. Ailynn Anderson Garden City 82 3. Breckyn Lucas Garden City 90 4. Kinley Pfannenstiel Hays 91 5. Ava Erbert Hays 96 6. Addison Schilde Atwood 103 7. Megan Burr Garden City 104 8. Breckyn Putnam Dodge City 106 9. Kylee Mieddler Great Bend 107 10. Lakyn Warren Garden City 109

Hays Post SportsGARDEN CITY - The Hays High girls golf team closed out their regular season with a second-place finish at Thursday's Garden City Invitational at the&nbsp;Buffalo Dunes Golf Course. The Indians shot a 410, 57 strokes behind first place Garden City who won the WAC title. HHS finished second in the team standings which are determined by cumulative results throughout the season.The Indians had two medalists.&nbsp;Kinley Pfannenstiel finished fourth with a 91 and&nbsp; Eva Erbert fifth with a 96.WAC Player of the Year Brooke Savolt of Garden City won the individual title with a 5-over par 77. Pfannenstiel and Erbert were named first team All-WAC, Brooklyn Koerner and Lily Butler were named second team.The Indians will be at the Salina South Sub-Statel Monday.Team Results 1. Garden City 353 2. Hays High 410 3. Dodge City 456 4. Great Bend 479Top 10 Medalists Place: Name: School: Score: 1. Brooke Savolt Garden City 77 2. Ailynn Anderson Garden City 82 3. Breckyn Lucas Garden City 90 4. Kinley Pfannenstiel Hays 91 5. Ava Erbert Hays 96 6. Addison Schilde Atwood 103 7. Megan Burr Garden City 104 8. Breckyn Putnam Dodge City 106 9. Kylee Mieddler Great Bend 107 10. Lakyn Warren Garden City 109

⛳ HHS second at Garden City, finish second in the WAC standings

WASHINGTON (AP) — New York Attorney General&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/letitia-james">Letitia James</a>&nbsp;was charged Thursday as part of a mortgage fraud investigation aggressively pushed by the Trump administration, becoming the latest foe of the president to be prosecuted by his Justice Department.

James, who infuriated President Donald Trump by suing him and his company for fraud in a case that played out as he was running for office, was indicted on charges of bank fraud and false statements to a financial institution following a presentation to a grand jury in Virginia by a prosecutor who was hastily appointed last month amid Trump administration pressure to deliver criminal cases against his adversaries.

The indictment, two weeks after a separate criminal case charging&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/james-comey-charged-lying-congress-a2c72e1a5bb73d588f3af7fdb56caa82">former FBI Director James Comey</a>&nbsp;with lying to Congress, is the latest indication of the Trump administration’s norm-busting determination to use the law enforcement powers of the Justice Department to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-comey-justice-department-james-schiff-309c573c2d9d16839afabb3af56ef2f8">pursue the president’s political foes</a>&nbsp;and public figures who once investigated him.

Both the Comey and James cases followed a strikingly unconventional paths toward indictment, with the Trump administration last month pushing out Erik Siebert, the veteran prosecutor who had overseen both investigations for months and had resisted pressure to file charges and replaced him with Lindsey Halligan, a White House aide who was once Trump’s personal lawyer but who had never previously worked as a federal prosecutor.

Halligan presented the case to the grand jury herself, as she did in the case against Comey, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.

In a lengthy statement, James decried the indictment as “nothing more than a continuation of the president’s desperate weaponization of our justice system.”

“These charges are baseless, and the president’s own public statements make clear that his only goal is political retribution at any cost. The president’s actions are a grave violation of our Constitutional order and have drawn sharp criticism from members of both parties,” she added.

She called the decision to fire Siebert and replace him with a prosecutor who is “blindly loyal” to the president as “antithetical to the bedrock principles of our country,” and she said she stood by her investigation of Trump and his company as having been “based on the facts and evidence — not politics.”

“No one is above the law. The charges as alleged in this case represent intentional, criminal acts and tremendous breaches of the public’s trust,” Halligan said in a statement. “The facts and the law in this case are clear, and we will continue following them to ensure that justice is served.”

Trump has been advocating charging James for months, posting on social media without citing any evidence that she’s “guilty as hell” and telling reporters at the White House, “It looks to me like she’s really guilty of something, but I really don’t know.”

Her lawyer has accused the Justice Department of concocting a bogus criminal case to settle Trump’s personal vendetta against James, who last year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-civil-fraud-trial-feb0593a5bbd3837edc0db195554eda1">won a staggering judgment</a>&nbsp;against Trump and his companies in a lawsuit alleging he lied to banks and others about the value of his assets.

The Justice Department has also been investigating mortgage-related allegations against Federal Reserve board member Lisa Cook, using the probe to demand her ouster, and Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., whose lawyer called the allegations against him “transparently false, stale, and long debunked.”

But James is a particularly personal target. As attorney general, she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-new-york-letitia-james-lawsuit-a3a2c2569440c24bd5c5262103cb8390">sued the Republican president and his administration</a>&nbsp;dozens of times and oversaw a lawsuit accusing him of defrauding banks by dramatically overstating the value of his real estate holdings on financial statements.

An appeals court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-civil-fraud-appeal-letitia-james-8bc9e5ea0affc635c731e96448f69642">overturned the fine</a>, which had ballooned to more than $500 million with interest, but upheld a lower court’s finding that Trump had committed fraud.

The Justice Department probe began after Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte sent a letter in April to Attorney General Pam Bondi, asking her to investigate James over her role in the 2023 purchase of a house in Norfolk, Virginia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760044412233.png" alt="File photo New York Attorney General Letitia James- courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo New York Attorney General Letitia James- courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — New York Attorney General&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/letitia-james">Letitia James</a>&nbsp;was charged Thursday as part of a mortgage fraud investigation aggressively pushed by the Trump administration, becoming the latest foe of the president to be prosecuted by his Justice Department.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708120507527.png" alt="Donald Trump's social media account referenced&nbsp;Letitia James in February 2024. In August of 2025, an appeals court threw out the massive civil fraud penalty" />
 <figcaption>Donald Trump's social media account referenced&nbsp;Letitia James in February 2024. In August of 2025, an appeals court threw out the massive civil fraud penalty</figcaption>
 </figure>James, who infuriated President Donald Trump by suing him and his company for fraud in a case that played out as he was running for office, was indicted on charges of bank fraud and false statements to a financial institution following a presentation to a grand jury in Virginia by a prosecutor who was hastily appointed last month amid Trump administration pressure to deliver criminal cases against his adversaries.The indictment, two weeks after a separate criminal case charging&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/james-comey-charged-lying-congress-a2c72e1a5bb73d588f3af7fdb56caa82">former FBI Director James Comey</a>&nbsp;with lying to Congress, is the latest indication of the Trump administration’s norm-busting determination to use the law enforcement powers of the Justice Department to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-comey-justice-department-james-schiff-309c573c2d9d16839afabb3af56ef2f8">pursue the president’s political foes</a>&nbsp;and public figures who once investigated him.Both the Comey and James cases followed a strikingly unconventional paths toward indictment, with the Trump administration last month pushing out Erik Siebert, the veteran prosecutor who had overseen both investigations for months and had resisted pressure to file charges and replaced him with Lindsey Halligan, a White House aide who was once Trump’s personal lawyer but who had never previously worked as a federal prosecutor.Halligan presented the case to the grand jury herself, as she did in the case against Comey, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.In a lengthy statement, James decried the indictment as “nothing more than a continuation of the president’s desperate weaponization of our justice system.”“These charges are baseless, and the president’s own public statements make clear that his only goal is political retribution at any cost. The president’s actions are a grave violation of our Constitutional order and have drawn sharp criticism from members of both parties,” she added.She called the decision to fire Siebert and replace him with a prosecutor who is “blindly loyal” to the president as “antithetical to the bedrock principles of our country,” and she said she stood by her investigation of Trump and his company as having been “based on the facts and evidence — not politics.”“No one is above the law. The charges as alleged in this case represent intentional, criminal acts and tremendous breaches of the public’s trust,” Halligan said in a statement. “The facts and the law in this case are clear, and we will continue following them to ensure that justice is served.”Trump has been advocating charging James for months, posting on social media without citing any evidence that she’s “guilty as hell” and telling reporters at the White House, “It looks to me like she’s really guilty of something, but I really don’t know.”Her lawyer has accused the Justice Department of concocting a bogus criminal case to settle Trump’s personal vendetta against James, who last year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-civil-fraud-trial-feb0593a5bbd3837edc0db195554eda1">won a staggering judgment</a>&nbsp;against Trump and his companies in a lawsuit alleging he lied to banks and others about the value of his assets.The Justice Department has also been investigating mortgage-related allegations against Federal Reserve board member Lisa Cook, using the probe to demand her ouster, and Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., whose lawyer called the allegations against him “transparently false, stale, and long debunked.”But James is a particularly personal target. As attorney general, she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-new-york-letitia-james-lawsuit-a3a2c2569440c24bd5c5262103cb8390">sued the Republican president and his administration</a>&nbsp;dozens of times and oversaw a lawsuit accusing him of defrauding banks by dramatically overstating the value of his real estate holdings on financial statements.An appeals court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-civil-fraud-appeal-letitia-james-8bc9e5ea0affc635c731e96448f69642">overturned the fine</a>, which had ballooned to more than $500 million with interest, but upheld a lower court’s finding that Trump had committed fraud.The Justice Department probe began after Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte sent a letter in April to Attorney General Pam Bondi, asking her to investigate James over her role in the 2023 purchase of a house in Norfolk, Virginia.In seeking the investigation, Pulte cited a two-page power-of-attorney form that James signed on Aug. 17, 2023, which states, “I intend to occupy this property as my principal residence.” He speculated that claiming the house as her primary residence might have allowed James to avoid higher interest rates that often apply to second homes.James’ lawyer, Abbe Lowell, said the Democrat never misled anyone. James has said that she made an error while filling out a form related to the home purchase, but quickly rectified it and didn’t deceive the lender.