WASHINGTON (AP)— The fate of TikTok’s U.S. operations are still somewhat uncertain after Trump’s call with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

The U.S. president wants an American buyer of the social media site’s U.S. operations for national security reasons and his post on social media about his call with Xi acted like a deal was ready.

Trump posted on Truth Social: “appreciate the TikTok approval.”

But it’s unclear just what Xi approved regarding the sale of the assets by the Chinese company ByteDance.

The Chinese government statement said the Chinese government “would be happy to see productive commercial negotiations in keeping with market rules lead to a solution that complies with China’s laws and regulations and takes into account the interests of both sides. The U.S. side needs to provide an open, fair and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese investors.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755885123824.png" alt="Image of President Trump from the White House TikTok account" />
 <figcaption>Image of President Trump from the White House TikTok account</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP)— The fate of TikTok’s U.S. operations are still somewhat uncertain after Trump’s call with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.The U.S. president wants an American buyer of the social media site’s U.S. operations for national security reasons and his post on social media about his call with Xi acted like a deal was ready.Trump posted on Truth Social: “appreciate the TikTok approval.”But it’s unclear just what Xi approved regarding the sale of the assets by the Chinese company ByteDance.The Chinese government statement said the Chinese government “would be happy to see productive commercial negotiations in keeping with market rules lead to a solution that complies with China’s laws and regulations and takes into account the interests of both sides. The U.S. side needs to provide an open, fair and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese investors.”

Fate of TikTok in the U.S. still uncertain

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

A Graham County Commissioner is in the process of resigning his seat after he entered plea agreements on a bribery and a drug charge.

Jarrod Knoll said in a phone interview Friday that the charges against him were an attempt to get him out of office, and he intends to run for Graham County Commission again.

"This is all about Delta 8 and getting me out of office," he said. "This happened two and a half years ago."

Knoll signed plea agreements on two criminal cases as of Sept. 9.

On the bribery charge, a class A misdemeanor, he pled guilty through an Alfrod plea. An Alford plea allows a defendant to maintain their innocence while acknowledging that the prosecution has sufficient evidence to likely convict them at trial.

He was sentenced to 12 months of unsupervised probation.

The bribery charge stemmed from an alleged $4,000 promise made to the Graham County Community Development Director for the Travel and Tourism Committee, contingent upon the committee not requesting a transient guest tax.&nbsp;

On May 21, Knoll entered into a diversion agreement on a charge from 2023 of distribution of a substance containing THC in his store, 2 Lane Liquor in Hill City. The charge is a level 4 drug felony.

Another charge of drug distribution of THC and a charge of possession of THC with intent to distribute were dismissed.

Knoll agreed to serve one year of unsupervised probation.

Knoll said his charges stemmed from the sale of products containing what is commonly referred to as Delta 8.

A 2021 Kansas Attorney General opinion stated that Delta 8 is illegal in Kansas except under strict conditions, including that the final product must contain no more than 0.3% total THC.

Law enforcement raids on retailers selling Delta 8 started in 2022, but some sellers argue the Attorney General's opinion is not the same as a law enacted by the Kansas Legislature. Enforcement has varied by jurisdiction.

Ellis County Attorney Aaron Cunningham served as a special prosecutor on the Knoll cases, but Cunningham declined to comment on the cases on Thursday.

On Nov. 3, 2023, the then Graham County Attorney, Jill Elliott, filed a petition to remove Knoll from office.

• Knoll was also serving on the Morland City Council. Serving as an elected official for more than one local government is against state statute. • Knoll had moved out of his commission district and was now primarily residing at his motel in Hill City, which is Graham County's District 2. • Knoll had committed bribery •&nbsp;Knoll had sold THC-containing products in his liquor store, 2 Lane Liquor, in Hill City.&nbsp;

At the time of the filing, Knoll was also serving as a school board member for&nbsp;USD 281, having been elected in 2019.

Elliott, serving as the Graham County Attorney and Knoll participated in mediation on April 17, 2024.

Knoll in that settlement agreed to resign from the Morland City Council immediately and to resign from the Graham County Commission if he was convicted or diverted on any crime he was charged with at that time.

Knoll was listed as a county commissioner as of the Sept. 9 official minutes of the Graham County Commission, which are available on the county's website.

The minutes from the Sept. 16 meeting have not been approved and have not been released, although the Hays Post requested them on Thursday. Knoll said he did not serve as a commissioner in an official capacity at the Sept. 16 meeting.

Knoll is still listed as a commissioner on the Graham County website, and the Graham County Deputy Clerk said by phone that Knoll was still a commissioner as of Thursday. 

However, Knoll said on Friday he was working through paperwork with his attorney to officially resign and planned to release a statement on the resignation early next week.

The current Graham County Attorney, Mike Abbott, said on Thursday he had been made aware of the Knoll's charges and the settlement earlier this week. He said he was still looking into the case.

Knoll said in a phone call on Friday with the Hays Post there will be more information to come out about his case shortly.

"It's a crazy deal. It was all about getting me out of office," he said. "I'll definitely run for office again. I have 80% plus approval right here, in my opinion. We will definitely be running for office after this is all cleared up.&nbsp;

"It'll be county commission," he said of his future hopes for office. "Our county is in a crisis right now. In my opinion, we really need my leadership and business knowledge. We own several businesses in the community. My only goal is to do what's best for the county. That's it. Honest to God."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758299395315.jpeg" alt="Graham County Commissioners: L to R: Jarrod Knoll, District 1, Jason Nelson, District 2, Dan Irby, District 3" />
 <figcaption>Graham County Commissioners: L to R: Jarrod Knoll, District 1, Jason Nelson, District 2, Dan Irby, District 3</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostA Graham County Commissioner is in the process of resigning his seat after he entered plea agreements on a bribery and a drug charge.Jarrod Knoll said in a phone interview Friday that the charges against him were an attempt to get him out of office, and he intends to run for Graham County Commission again."This is all about Delta 8 and getting me out of office," he said. "This happened two and a half years ago."Knoll signed plea agreements on two criminal cases as of Sept. 9.On the bribery charge, a class A misdemeanor, he pled guilty through an Alfrod plea. An Alford plea allows a defendant to maintain their innocence while acknowledging that the prosecution has sufficient evidence to likely convict them at trial.He was sentenced to 12 months of unsupervised probation.The bribery charge stemmed from an alleged $4,000 promise made to the Graham County Community Development Director for the Travel and Tourism Committee, contingent upon the committee not requesting a transient guest tax.&nbsp;Knoll owns a motel in Hill City.On May 21, Knoll entered into a diversion agreement on a charge from 2023 of distribution of a substance containing THC in his store, 2 Lane Liquor in Hill City. The charge is a level 4 drug felony.Another charge of drug distribution of THC and a charge of possession of THC with intent to distribute were dismissed.Knoll agreed to serve one year of unsupervised probation.Knoll said his charges stemmed from the sale of products containing what is commonly referred to as Delta 8.A 2021 Kansas Attorney General opinion stated that Delta 8 is illegal in Kansas except under strict conditions, including that the final product must contain no more than 0.3% total THC.Law enforcement raids on retailers selling Delta 8 started in 2022, but some sellers argue the Attorney General's opinion is not the same as a law enacted by the Kansas Legislature. Enforcement has varied by jurisdiction.Ellis County Attorney Aaron Cunningham served as a special prosecutor on the Knoll cases, but Cunningham declined to comment on the cases on Thursday.On Nov. 3, 2023, the then Graham County Attorney, Jill Elliott, filed a petition to remove Knoll from office.In that petition, she cited,&nbsp;• Knoll was also serving on the Morland City Council. Serving as an elected official for more than one local government is against state statute. • Knoll had moved out of his commission district and was now primarily residing at his motel in Hill City, which is Graham County's District 2. • Knoll had committed bribery •&nbsp;Knoll had sold THC-containing products in his liquor store, 2 Lane Liquor, in Hill City.&nbsp;At the time of the filing, Knoll was also serving as a school board member for&nbsp;USD 281, having been elected in 2019.Elliott, serving as the Graham County Attorney and Knoll participated in mediation on April 17, 2024.Knoll in that settlement agreed to resign from the Morland City Council immediately and to resign from the Graham County Commission if he was convicted or diverted on any crime he was charged with at that time.Knoll was listed as a county commissioner as of the Sept. 9 official minutes of the Graham County Commission, which are available on the county's website.The minutes from the Sept. 16 meeting have not been approved and have not been released, although the Hays Post requested them on Thursday. Knoll said he did not serve as a commissioner in an official capacity at the Sept. 16 meeting.Knoll is still listed as a commissioner on the Graham County website, and the Graham County Deputy Clerk said by phone that Knoll was still a commissioner as of Thursday. However, Knoll said on Friday he was working through paperwork with his attorney to officially resign and planned to release a statement on the resignation early next week.The current Graham County Attorney, Mike Abbott, said on Thursday he had been made aware of the Knoll's charges and the settlement earlier this week. He said he was still looking into the case.Knoll said in a phone call on Friday with the Hays Post there will be more information to come out about his case shortly."It's a crazy deal. It was all about getting me out of office," he said. "I'll definitely run for office again. I have 80% plus approval right here, in my opinion. We will definitely be running for office after this is all cleared up.&nbsp;"It'll be county commission," he said of his future hopes for office. "Our county is in a crisis right now. In my opinion, we really need my leadership and business knowledge. We own several businesses in the community. My only goal is to do what's best for the county. That's it. Honest to God."

Graham County official says he's resigning but plans to run for office again

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has confirmed 48 of President Donald Trump’s nominees at once, voting for the first time under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-nominations-thune-trump-rules-change-99ffa2b29d1413911a620b2ff18e8407">new rules</a>&nbsp;to begin clearing a backlog of executive branch positions that had been delayed by Democrats.

Frustrated by the stalling tactics, Senate Republicans moved last week to make it easier to confirm large groups of lower-level, non-judicial nominations. Democrats had forced multiple votes on almost every one of Trump’s picks, infuriating the president and tying up the Senate floor.

The new rules allow Senate Republicans to move multiple nominees with a simple majority vote — a process that would have previously been blocked with just one objection. The rules don’t apply to judicial nominations or high-level Cabinet posts.

“Republicans have fixed a broken process,” Thune said ahead of the vote.

The Senate voted 51-47 to confirm the four dozen nominees. Kansas U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted with the majority.

 Thune said that those confirmed on Thursday had all received bipartisan votes in committee, including deputy secretaries for the Departments of Defense, Interior, Energy and others.

Among the confirmed are Jonathan Morrison, the new administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and Kimberly Guilfoyle as U.S. ambassador to Greece. Guilfoyle is a former California prosecutor and television news personality who led the fundraising for Trump’s 2020 campaign and was once engaged to Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-big-bill-thune-senate-leader-daf1aee85669ac9a242908e2a13f9346">Thune’s</a>&nbsp;move is the latest salvo after a dozen years of gradual changes by both parties to weaken the filibuster and make the nominations process more partisan. Both parties have obstructed each other’s nominees for years, and senators in both parties have advocated for speeding up the process when they are in the majority.

Republicans first proposed changing the rules in early August, when the Senate left for a monthlong recess after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-confirmations-nominations-trump-schumer-thune-905a63d0046319eeb7c266d5e24e70b6">breakdown in bipartisan negotiations over the confirmation process</a>&nbsp;and Trump told Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer to “GO TO HELL!” on social media.

Democrats have blocked more nominees than ever before as they have struggled to find ways to oppose Trump and the GOP-dominated Congress, and as their voters have pushed them to fight Republicans at every turn. It’s the first time in recent history that the minority party hasn’t allowed at least some quick confirmations.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer has said Democrats are delaying the nominations because Trump’s nominees are “historically bad.” And he told Republicans that they will “come to regret” their action — echoing a similar warning from GOP Leader Mitch McConnell to then-Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., in 2013, when Democrats&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-business-nevada-elections-house-elections-4c2f8f09db7e2d9236730d7723ed01f5">changed Senate rules</a>&nbsp;for executive branch and lower court judicial nominees to remove the 60-vote threshold for confirmations. At the time, Republicans were blocking President Barack Obama’s picks.

Republicans took the Senate majority a year later, and McConnell eventually&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f5a557876d5546cca4ebd53b4860e2ed">did the same for Supreme Court nominees</a>&nbsp;in 2017 as Democrats tried to block Trump’s nomination of Justice Neil Gorsuch.

“What Republicans have done is chip away at the Senate even more, to give Donald Trump more power and to rubber stamp whomever he wants, whenever he wants them, no questions asked,” Schumer said last week.

Republicans will move to confirm a second tranche of nominees in the coming weeks, gradually clearing the list of more than 100 nominations that have been pending for months.

“There will be more to come,” Thune said Thursday. “And we’ll ensure that President Trump’s administration is filled at a pace that looks more like those of his predecessors.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has confirmed 48 of President Donald Trump’s nominees at once, voting for the first time under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-nominations-thune-trump-rules-change-99ffa2b29d1413911a620b2ff18e8407">new rules</a>&nbsp;to begin clearing a backlog of executive branch positions that had been delayed by Democrats.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Last week <a href="https://twitter.com/SenateGOP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenateGOP</a> took steps to overcome Democrats’ historic obstruction and restored the Senate’s longstanding practice of confirming nominees in batches. Later today the Senate will confirm a slate of 48 nominees to get <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>&#39; team in place to enact his agenda. <a href="https://t.co/IcRmQLTz3K">pic.twitter.com/IcRmQLTz3K</a>&mdash; Leader John Thune (@LeaderJohnThune) <a href="https://twitter.com/LeaderJohnThune/status/1968728464418041934?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Frustrated by the stalling tactics, Senate Republicans moved last week to make it easier to confirm large groups of lower-level, non-judicial nominations. Democrats had forced multiple votes on almost every one of Trump’s picks, infuriating the president and tying up the Senate floor.The new rules allow Senate Republicans to move multiple nominees with a simple majority vote — a process that would have previously been blocked with just one objection. The rules don’t apply to judicial nominations or high-level Cabinet posts.“Republicans have fixed a broken process,” Thune said ahead of the vote.The Senate voted 51-47 to confirm the four dozen nominees. Kansas U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted with the majority. Thune said that those confirmed on Thursday had all received bipartisan votes in committee, including deputy secretaries for the Departments of Defense, Interior, Energy and others.Among the confirmed are Jonathan Morrison, the new administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and Kimberly Guilfoyle as U.S. ambassador to Greece. Guilfoyle is a former California prosecutor and television news personality who led the fundraising for Trump’s 2020 campaign and was once engaged to Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-big-bill-thune-senate-leader-daf1aee85669ac9a242908e2a13f9346">Thune’s</a>&nbsp;move is the latest salvo after a dozen years of gradual changes by both parties to weaken the filibuster and make the nominations process more partisan. Both parties have obstructed each other’s nominees for years, and senators in both parties have advocated for speeding up the process when they are in the majority.Republicans first proposed changing the rules in early August, when the Senate left for a monthlong recess after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-confirmations-nominations-trump-schumer-thune-905a63d0046319eeb7c266d5e24e70b6">breakdown in bipartisan negotiations over the confirmation process</a>&nbsp;and Trump told Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer to “GO TO HELL!” on social media.Democrats have blocked more nominees than ever before as they have struggled to find ways to oppose Trump and the GOP-dominated Congress, and as their voters have pushed them to fight Republicans at every turn. It’s the first time in recent history that the minority party hasn’t allowed at least some quick confirmations.Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer has said Democrats are delaying the nominations because Trump’s nominees are “historically bad.” And he told Republicans that they will “come to regret” their action — echoing a similar warning from GOP Leader Mitch McConnell to then-Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., in 2013, when Democrats&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-business-nevada-elections-house-elections-4c2f8f09db7e2d9236730d7723ed01f5">changed Senate rules</a>&nbsp;for executive branch and lower court judicial nominees to remove the 60-vote threshold for confirmations. At the time, Republicans were blocking President Barack Obama’s picks.Republicans took the Senate majority a year later, and McConnell eventually&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f5a557876d5546cca4ebd53b4860e2ed">did the same for Supreme Court nominees</a>&nbsp;in 2017 as Democrats tried to block Trump’s nomination of Justice Neil Gorsuch.“What Republicans have done is chip away at the Senate even more, to give Donald Trump more power and to rubber stamp whomever he wants, whenever he wants them, no questions asked,” Schumer said last week.Republicans will move to confirm a second tranche of nominees in the coming weeks, gradually clearing the list of more than 100 nominations that have been pending for months.“There will be more to come,” Thune said Thursday. “And we’ll ensure that President Trump’s administration is filled at a pace that looks more like those of his predecessors.”

Moran, Marshall help Senate confirms dozens of Trump nominees in test of new rules

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

Bison may be on the loose in Hays starting next spring.

These would not be escapees from the bison pen in Frontier Park but 25 life-size fiberglass statues painted to depict the history and culture of Ellis County.

"Bison on the Loose" is a public art project of the Heartland Community Foundation's Youth Action Council Ellis County representatives from each of the four high schools.

Three Hays High seniors explained the project to Hays city commissioners Thursday along with Sarah Meitner, Heartland Community Foundation executive director, and asked for permission to place the pieces on a number of city properties.&nbsp;

The bison are intended for high-visibility locations that draw attention and encourage visitors and locals to explore nearby businesses and attractions.&nbsp;Maps, walking tours, and interactive social media campaigns would generate foot traffic and economic activity.&nbsp;

Although the students first thought about tigers and Fort Hays State University, they ultimately decided on the bison.

"In 2026, we will celebrate 110 years since James “Scotty” Philips brought Hays’ first bison herd in 1916," said Oaklye Wichers. "This honors the city's&nbsp; historic herd and the frontier heritage."

The Youth Action Council is made up of students from Hays, TMP-Marian, Ellis and Victoria high schools.&nbsp;

"We thought about this for a long time just trying to devise a project that benefits all of Ellis County," said Mariella Dreiling.&nbsp;

The bison cost $5,000 each and the council has already raised $120,000 of its $125,000 goal.

"The money has come from Hays businesses, community members and individuals," said&nbsp;Savannah Clingan.

Production cost of each bison includes manufacturing, shipping, concrete base, mounting and moving, paint supplies, artists' time for planning and painting, automotive-grade topcoat, and $400 set back for a second topcoat in 7-10 years.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Painting would be done by local and Fort Hays State University student artists after the theme is vetted by the council. No business logos will be allowed on the statues.&nbsp;

Professional installation would be done in a partnership with Hess Services of Hays.&nbsp;

Expected lifespan of the statues is 15-20 years.&nbsp;

Ellis city leaders have already said yes to allowing three bison on public property. The plan is to place two statues in Victoria, and the remaining 20 in Hays.

The requested Hays public locations include Municipal Park Frontier Park by the multi-use path Sunrise Park Hays Regional Airport Downtown Pavilion Hays Public Library Hays Welcome Center ARC Park Frontier Park near the bison herd Hays City Hall Hays Aquatic Park Bickle-Schmidt Sports Complex Veterans Park Howard G. Reynolds Nature Trail near Sternberg Museum of Natural &nbsp; &nbsp; History Aubel-Bickle Park

City commissioners were supportive of the idea and will move the request on to next week's meeting.

"I was so impressed with this," said Shaun Musil, commissioner, "and that youth has done it all."

Commissioner Reese Barrick, executive director of the Sternberg Museum, joked that his support was swayed in favor when the students correctly identified the statues as bison and not buffalo. "I'm now all in," he laughed.&nbsp;

The other agenda item for yesterday's work session was a request from Arc of Central Plains to proceed with Phase 3 of the ARC Park, 3300 Hillcrest. It was presented by Meitner, who&nbsp;is also president of the board for Arc of Central Plains.&nbsp;

The improvements would include two new shelter houses, a second gazebo-type picnic pavilion and nearby flower garden, along with two permanent cornhole courts with 10 total lanes and shaded dugouts.

Cornhole, a favorite sport of many people of all ages, is a new Special Olympics Kansas sport with regional and state play.

"[This is] a scaled back version of what we've previously come to you with," said Meitner, "but doable. We have the funds and are ready to move.. ... We can do this for less than half a million dollars."

Everything is designed to need minimal maintenance, she said.&nbsp;

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f3812872-c399-41c4-b960-d62ebe0e7f21">In 2023, the Phase 3 plan </a>included a $500,000 piece of play equipment. The total cost was about $1.67 million. The city commission at the time worried about long-term maintenance costs to the city.&nbsp;

&nbsp;If the commission approves moving forward with Phase 3, Parks Director Jeff Boyle would monitor the construction phase which will be bid out.

During commissioner comments at the end of the meeting, Musil asked for an upcoming work session to include discussion of the future design and maintenance of city parks. That discussion is also scheduled for the commissioners' retreat next spring.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758129999809.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostBison may be on the loose in Hays starting next spring.These would not be escapees from the bison pen in Frontier Park but 25 life-size fiberglass statues painted to depict the history and culture of Ellis County."Bison on the Loose" is a public art project of the Heartland Community Foundation's Youth Action Council Ellis County representatives from each of the four high schools.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758240523513.jpeg" alt="Heartland Community Foundation Youth Action Council members Savannah Clingan, Oaklye Wichers and Mariella Dreiling, all seniors at Hays High School, along with&nbsp; Sarah Meitner, executive director, present the "Bison on the Loose" project to Hays city commission on Sept. 18. Photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Heartland Community Foundation Youth Action Council members Savannah Clingan, Oaklye Wichers and Mariella Dreiling, all seniors at Hays High School, along with&nbsp; Sarah Meitner, executive director, present the "Bison on the Loose" project to Hays city commission on Sept. 18. Photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Three Hays High seniors explained the project to Hays city commissioners Thursday along with Sarah Meitner, Heartland Community Foundation executive director, and asked for permission to place the pieces on a number of city properties.&nbsp;The bison are intended for high-visibility locations that draw attention and encourage visitors and locals to explore nearby businesses and attractions.&nbsp;Maps, walking tours, and interactive social media campaigns would generate foot traffic and economic activity.&nbsp;Although the students first thought about tigers and Fort Hays State University, they ultimately decided on the bison."In 2026, we will celebrate 110 years since James “Scotty” Philips brought Hays’ first bison herd in 1916," said Oaklye Wichers. "This honors the city's&nbsp; historic herd and the frontier heritage."The Youth Action Council is made up of students from Hays, TMP-Marian, Ellis and Victoria high schools.&nbsp;"We thought about this for a long time just trying to devise a project that benefits all of Ellis County," said Mariella Dreiling.&nbsp;The bison cost $5,000 each and the council has already raised $120,000 of its $125,000 goal."The money has come from Hays businesses, community members and individuals," said&nbsp;Savannah Clingan.Production cost of each bison includes manufacturing, shipping, concrete base, mounting and moving, paint supplies, artists' time for planning and painting, automotive-grade topcoat, and $400 set back for a second topcoat in 7-10 years.&nbsp;&nbsp;Painting would be done by local and Fort Hays State University student artists after the theme is vetted by the council. No business logos will be allowed on the statues.&nbsp;Professional installation would be done in a partnership with Hess Services of Hays.&nbsp;Expected lifespan of the statues is 15-20 years.&nbsp;Ellis city leaders have already said yes to allowing three bison on public property. The plan is to place two statues in Victoria, and the remaining 20 in Hays.The requested Hays public locations include Municipal Park Frontier Park by the multi-use path Sunrise Park Hays Regional Airport Downtown Pavilion Hays Public Library Hays Welcome Center ARC Park Frontier Park near the bison herd Hays City Hall Hays Aquatic Park Bickle-Schmidt Sports Complex Veterans Park Howard G. Reynolds Nature Trail near Sternberg Museum of Natural &nbsp; &nbsp; History Aubel-Bickle ParkCity commissioners were supportive of the idea and will move the request on to next week's meeting."I was so impressed with this," said Shaun Musil, commissioner, "and that youth has done it all."Commissioner Reese Barrick, executive director of the Sternberg Museum, joked that his support was swayed in favor when the students correctly identified the statues as bison and not buffalo. "I'm now all in," he laughed.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758128549500.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>ARC Park Phase 3The other agenda item for yesterday's work session was a request from Arc of Central Plains to proceed with Phase 3 of the ARC Park, 3300 Hillcrest. It was presented by Meitner, who&nbsp;is also president of the board for Arc of Central Plains.&nbsp;The improvements would include two new shelter houses, a second gazebo-type picnic pavilion and nearby flower garden, along with two permanent cornhole courts with 10 total lanes and shaded dugouts.Cornhole, a favorite sport of many people of all ages, is a new Special Olympics Kansas sport with regional and state play."[This is] a scaled back version of what we've previously come to you with," said Meitner, "but doable. We have the funds and are ready to move.. ... We can do this for less than half a million dollars."Everything is designed to need minimal maintenance, she said.&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f3812872-c399-41c4-b960-d62ebe0e7f21">In 2023, the Phase 3 plan </a>included a $500,000 piece of play equipment. The total cost was about $1.67 million. The city commission at the time worried about long-term maintenance costs to the city.&nbsp;&nbsp;If the commission approves moving forward with Phase 3, Parks Director Jeff Boyle would monitor the construction phase which will be bid out.During commissioner comments at the end of the meeting, Musil asked for an upcoming work session to include discussion of the future design and maintenance of city parks. That discussion is also scheduled for the commissioners' retreat next spring.&nbsp;

Youth Action Council hopes you'll find 'Bison on the Loose' in Ellis County next year

ATLANTA (AP) — U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s hand-picked vaccine advisory committee on Thursday recommended the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention adopt new restrictions on a combination shot that protects against chickenpox as well as measles, mumps and rubella.

The panel advised that the vaccine known as MMRV not be given before age 4 and that children in this age group instead get separate vaccines — one against MMR and another for varicella, or chickenpox. The vote was 8-3, with one member abstaining.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices put off an expected vote on hepatitis B shots given to infants on the day they are born. On Friday, it’s expected to decide whether to recommend that some babies can wait a month for those shots, and to also take up COVID-19 shots.

The committee makes recommendations to the CDC director on how already-approved vaccines should be used. CDC directors have almost always accepted those recommendations, which are widely heeded by doctors and guide vaccination programs. Committee Chairman Martin Kulldorff said committee members aim to reassure the public and remove unnecessary risks and harms.

But many doctors and public health experts say the committee is creating fear and mistrust around vaccines at a time when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccination-rates-cdc-kindergarten-0d261546a130dc256735d7b1ff8c6a5f">U.S. vaccination rates are already falling</a>. Kennedy, a leading antivaccine activist before becoming the nation’s top health official, has made or proposed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccines-rfk-kennedy-trump-covid-fda-novavax-b50f4d6fbcca378eb89b059bc8a91477">numerous changes</a>&nbsp;to the nation’s vaccine system, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kennedy-cdc-acip-vaccines-3790c89f45b6314c5c7b686db0e3a8f9">firing the entire 17-member panel</a>&nbsp;earlier this year and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-acip-vaccine-committee-9f58e1f004075b081718ff078de88d76">replacing it</a>&nbsp;with a group that includes several anti-vaccine voices.

Thursday's meeting “promoted false claims and misguided information about vaccines as part of an unprecedented effort to limit access to routine childhood immunizations and sow fear and mistrust in vaccines,” Dr. Susan Kressly, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said in a statement. “Instead of emerging with clear guidance about vaccines that we know protect against serious illnesses, families are left with confusion, chaos and false information.”

Experts are also concerned the panel's actions could narrow access to the vaccines. The group voted 8-1, with three abstentions, to keep MMRV covered for kids as young as 12 months under the Vaccines for Children program, which pays for about half the shots given to kids in the U.S.

Several committee members expressed confusion during that follow-up vote on whether to align payments under the program with the more restrictive vaccine guidance they had just passed. Another federal official noted that there are other government insurance programs, including Medicaid, that will need to stop paying for that early combo dose because they have to follow CDC recommendations.

Discussions on the MMRV vaccine focused largely on rare instances of feverish seizures associated with the first dose, given to kids between ages 1 and 2.

Committee member Dr. Cody Meissner said such seizures may be “a very frightening experience” for families, but medical experts agree they're not linked to brain function or school problems.

The panel last dealt with the issue in 2009, when it said either the combination shot or separate MMR and chickenpox shots&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5903a1.htm">were acceptable for the first dose</a>, but that separate doses were generally preferred. Today, 85% of kids receive separate doses for the first round, according to information presented at the meeting.

Some doctors and public health experts say they are not aware of any new safety data that would explain the revisiting of those vaccination recommendations — and, in fact, many of the studies discussed Thursday were more than a decade old.

Dr. Richard Haupt, a vice president at Merck, which makes the MMRV vaccine ProQuad, said it’s been evaluated through clinical trials and post-approval studies, and the slight increase in feverish seizures after the first dose led to current CDC recommendations. Combination vaccines improve completion and on-time vaccination at a time when the nation is seeing a troubling decline in vaccination coverage, he said.

Mike Osterholm, a University of Minnesota expert on infectious diseases, said he doesn't see the need for a new recommendation.

“It’s solution looking for a problem,” he said in an interview. “We have managed the MMRV vaccine situation for a number of years without any issues in terms of safety. It is a situation where it also allows a parent to have that discussion with their healthcare provider."

The vaccine panel also discussed the hepatitis B shot

As many as 2.4 million people in U.S. are estimated to have hepatitis B, which can cause serious liver infections, and half are unaware of infection, a CDC presenter told the panel.

In adults, the virus is spread through sex or through sharing needles during injection-drug use. But it can also be passed to a baby from an infected mother, and as many as 90% of infected infants go on to have chronic infections. The virus can also live on surfaces for more then seven days at room temperature, and unvaccinated children living with anyone with a chronic infection are at risk.

A hepatitis B vaccine was first licensed in the U.S. in 1981. In 2005, the ACIP recommended a dose within 24 hours of birth for all medically stable infants who weigh at least 4.4 pounds (2 kilograms). The infant shots are 85% to 95% effective in preventing chronic hepatitis B infections, studies have shown.

Following the 2005 recommendation, hepatitis B cases among infants fell from 5,494 cases per year in 2005 to 2,214 cases in 2023.

During Thursday’s discussion, some committee members questioned whether babies born to moms who test positive for hepatitis B are the only ones who truly need a vaccine in the first day of life.

By giving virtually all babies the hepatitis B right after birth, “Are we asking our babies to solve an adult problem?” asked committee member Dr. Evelyn Griffin.

But Meissner expressed bewilderment at some of this discussion.

“This an absolutely safe vaccine,” he said. “I’m not sure what we’re gaining by avoiding that first dose within 12 to 24 hours after birth.”

Several outside medical experts asked why the committee was debating the issue at all.

“The signal that is prompting this is not one of safety," committee member Dr. Robert Malone responded. "It’s one of trust. And it’s one of parents uncomfortable with this medical procedure being performed at birth in a rather unilateral fashion without significant informed consent.”

Osterholm said there will be consequences.

“As more doubt is sown in the safety of vaccines by this committee and political leaders in our health department, we’re going to see fewer people getting vaccinated and the return of the diseases we largely conquered," he said. "It will make us less safe and less healthy as a nation.”

Ungar reported from Louisville, Kentucky. AP Medical Writer Lauran Neergaard contributed to this story.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671049425198.jpg" alt="Image courtesy Pixaby" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Pixaby</figcaption>
 </figure>ATLANTA (AP) — U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s hand-picked vaccine advisory committee on Thursday recommended the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention adopt new restrictions on a combination shot that protects against chickenpox as well as measles, mumps and rubella.The panel advised that the vaccine known as MMRV not be given before age 4 and that children in this age group instead get separate vaccines — one against MMR and another for varicella, or chickenpox. The vote was 8-3, with one member abstaining.The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices put off an expected vote on hepatitis B shots given to infants on the day they are born. On Friday, it’s expected to decide whether to recommend that some babies can wait a month for those shots, and to also take up COVID-19 shots.The committee makes recommendations to the CDC director on how already-approved vaccines should be used. CDC directors have almost always accepted those recommendations, which are widely heeded by doctors and guide vaccination programs. Committee Chairman Martin Kulldorff said committee members aim to reassure the public and remove unnecessary risks and harms.But many doctors and public health experts say the committee is creating fear and mistrust around vaccines at a time when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccination-rates-cdc-kindergarten-0d261546a130dc256735d7b1ff8c6a5f">U.S. vaccination rates are already falling</a>. Kennedy, a leading antivaccine activist before becoming the nation’s top health official, has made or proposed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccines-rfk-kennedy-trump-covid-fda-novavax-b50f4d6fbcca378eb89b059bc8a91477">numerous changes</a>&nbsp;to the nation’s vaccine system, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kennedy-cdc-acip-vaccines-3790c89f45b6314c5c7b686db0e3a8f9">firing the entire 17-member panel</a>&nbsp;earlier this year and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-acip-vaccine-committee-9f58e1f004075b081718ff078de88d76">replacing it</a>&nbsp;with a group that includes several anti-vaccine voices.Thursday's meeting “promoted false claims and misguided information about vaccines as part of an unprecedented effort to limit access to routine childhood immunizations and sow fear and mistrust in vaccines,” Dr. Susan Kressly, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said in a statement. “Instead of emerging with clear guidance about vaccines that we know protect against serious illnesses, families are left with confusion, chaos and false information.”Experts are also concerned the panel's actions could narrow access to the vaccines. The group voted 8-1, with three abstentions, to keep MMRV covered for kids as young as 12 months under the Vaccines for Children program, which pays for about half the shots given to kids in the U.S.Several committee members expressed confusion during that follow-up vote on whether to align payments under the program with the more restrictive vaccine guidance they had just passed. Another federal official noted that there are other government insurance programs, including Medicaid, that will need to stop paying for that early combo dose because they have to follow CDC recommendations.<h2>Panelists focus on rare seizures</h2>Discussions on the MMRV vaccine focused largely on rare instances of feverish seizures associated with the first dose, given to kids between ages 1 and 2.Committee member Dr. Cody Meissner said such seizures may be “a very frightening experience” for families, but medical experts agree they're not linked to brain function or school problems.The panel last dealt with the issue in 2009, when it said either the combination shot or separate MMR and chickenpox shots&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5903a1.htm">were acceptable for the first dose</a>, but that separate doses were generally preferred. Today, 85% of kids receive separate doses for the first round, according to information presented at the meeting.Some doctors and public health experts say they are not aware of any new safety data that would explain the revisiting of those vaccination recommendations — and, in fact, many of the studies discussed Thursday were more than a decade old.Dr. Richard Haupt, a vice president at Merck, which makes the MMRV vaccine ProQuad, said it’s been evaluated through clinical trials and post-approval studies, and the slight increase in feverish seizures after the first dose led to current CDC recommendations. Combination vaccines improve completion and on-time vaccination at a time when the nation is seeing a troubling decline in vaccination coverage, he said.Mike Osterholm, a University of Minnesota expert on infectious diseases, said he doesn't see the need for a new recommendation.“It’s solution looking for a problem,” he said in an interview. “We have managed the MMRV vaccine situation for a number of years without any issues in terms of safety. It is a situation where it also allows a parent to have that discussion with their healthcare provider."<h2>The vaccine panel also discussed the hepatitis B shot</h2>As many as 2.4 million people in U.S. are estimated to have hepatitis B, which can cause serious liver infections, and half are unaware of infection, a CDC presenter told the panel.In adults, the virus is spread through sex or through sharing needles during injection-drug use. But it can also be passed to a baby from an infected mother, and as many as 90% of infected infants go on to have chronic infections. The virus can also live on surfaces for more then seven days at room temperature, and unvaccinated children living with anyone with a chronic infection are at risk.A hepatitis B vaccine was first licensed in the U.S. in 1981. In 2005, the ACIP recommended a dose within 24 hours of birth for all medically stable infants who weigh at least 4.4 pounds (2 kilograms). The infant shots are 85% to 95% effective in preventing chronic hepatitis B infections, studies have shown.Following the 2005 recommendation, hepatitis B cases among infants fell from 5,494 cases per year in 2005 to 2,214 cases in 2023.During Thursday’s discussion, some committee members questioned whether babies born to moms who test positive for hepatitis B are the only ones who truly need a vaccine in the first day of life.By giving virtually all babies the hepatitis B right after birth, “Are we asking our babies to solve an adult problem?” asked committee member Dr. Evelyn Griffin.But Meissner expressed bewilderment at some of this discussion.“This an absolutely safe vaccine,” he said. “I’m not sure what we’re gaining by avoiding that first dose within 12 to 24 hours after birth.”Several outside medical experts asked why the committee was debating the issue at all.“The signal that is prompting this is not one of safety," committee member Dr. Robert Malone responded. "It’s one of trust. And it’s one of parents uncomfortable with this medical procedure being performed at birth in a rather unilateral fashion without significant informed consent.”Osterholm said there will be consequences.“As more doubt is sown in the safety of vaccines by this committee and political leaders in our health department, we’re going to see fewer people getting vaccinated and the return of the diseases we largely conquered," he said. "It will make us less safe and less healthy as a nation.”___Ungar reported from Louisville, Kentucky. AP Medical Writer Lauran Neergaard contributed to this story.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Advisory panel recommends new restrictions on MMRV vaccines

HAYS - After having their six-match win streak snapped Tuesday with a pair of losses at their own triangular, the Hays High volleyball team got back on track with a pair of wins at a quad they hosted Thursday at the new Hays High gym.

The Indians swept Ulysses then defeated Garden City in three before losing to to Pratt in two.

Hays def. Ulysses (25-21, 25-15) Hays def. Garden City (25-21, 21-25, 25-11) Pratt def. Hays (22-25, 23-25)

The Indians are 10-5 on the season. They will host another triangular on Tuesday, September 25.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758280199019.jpeg" alt="The Hays High School volleyball team celebrates after scoring a point at a quadrangular on Thursday, September 18, 2025 in Hays, Kan. (Courtesy photo)" />
 <figcaption>The Hays High School volleyball team celebrates after scoring a point at a quadrangular on Thursday, September 18, 2025 in Hays, Kan. (Courtesy photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>Hays Post SportsHAYS - After having their six-match win streak snapped Tuesday with a pair of losses at their own triangular, the Hays High volleyball team got back on track with a pair of wins at a quad they hosted Thursday at the new Hays High gym.The Indians swept Ulysses then defeated Garden City in three before losing to to Pratt in two.Hays def. Ulysses (25-21, 25-15) Hays def. Garden City (25-21, 21-25, 25-11) Pratt def. Hays (22-25, 23-25)The Indians are 10-5 on the season. They will host another triangular on Tuesday, September 25.

🏐 HHS goes 2-1 at own quad

LARNED -The TMP-Marian girls’ had four golfers place in the top-10 on their way to claiming that team title at Thursday's Larned Invitational at the at the Edwards Park Golf Course.

Brynn Schoepf and Jenna Brull both tied for third with rounds of 93. Emma Wasinger tied for eighth (106) and Ava Schumacher was 10th (113).

The Monarchs edged Hesston by three shots 405 to 408.

Hays Post SportsLARNED -The TMP-Marian girls’ had four golfers place in the top-10 on their way to claiming that team title at Thursday's Larned Invitational at the at the Edwards Park Golf Course.Brynn Schoepf and Jenna Brull both tied for third with rounds of 93. Emma Wasinger tied for eighth (106) and Ava Schumacher was 10th (113).The Monarchs edged Hesston by three shots 405 to 408.

⛳ Monarch girls win Larned tournament

WAKEENEY - Ellis' Avery Boydston finished first and Taryn Boydston second in the 5000 meter race at the Trego Cross Country Invitational Thursday. Avery had a time of&nbsp;19:00.47 and Taryn&nbsp;19:09.59.

Plainville's Brilynn Trumpp finished third with a time of&nbsp;20:32.06.

Grace Schmeidler was the top TMP-Marian runner finishing in 30th place (25:32.55).

Ness City's Broxton Gall won the boys race (16:39.47). Quinter had the next three finishers.&nbsp;Carter Pennington was second (17:10.98),&nbsp;Elliot Churchwell third (17:19.67) and Kendrik Selensky fourth (17:21.53)

Mattias Marintzer led the TMP-Marian boys with a time of 18:35.53 and placed 16th.

Hoxie won the girls race, edging Ness City by one point.

Quinter won the boys race with 31 points, 11 better than Ness City.

Hays Post SportsWAKEENEY - Ellis' Avery Boydston finished first and Taryn Boydston second in the 5000 meter race at the Trego Cross Country Invitational Thursday. Avery had a time of&nbsp;19:00.47 and Taryn&nbsp;19:09.59.Plainville's Brilynn Trumpp finished third with a time of&nbsp;20:32.06.Grace Schmeidler was the top TMP-Marian runner finishing in 30th place (25:32.55).Ness City's Broxton Gall won the boys race (16:39.47). Quinter had the next three finishers.&nbsp;Carter Pennington was second (17:10.98),&nbsp;Elliot Churchwell third (17:19.67) and Kendrik Selensky fourth (17:21.53)Mattias Marintzer led the TMP-Marian boys with a time of 18:35.53 and placed 16th.Hoxie won the girls race, edging Ness City by one point.Quinter won the boys race with 31 points, 11 better than Ness City.

👟 Ellis' Boydston's lead the way at Trego Inviatational

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — Four service members were aboard a U.S. Army MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter that crashed near Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state, the Army said in a release Thursday. The Army did not release their conditions.

The helicopter was on a routine training mission when it crashed at about 9 p.m. Wednesday, an Army official said in a statement. The soldiers were part of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Airborne, officials said. The cause of the crash was under investigation, the Army said.

“This remains an active, ongoing situation,” the release said.

The crash sparked a small wildfire that had grown to 1 acre (0.4 hectares) by Thursday morning, the Washington Department of Natural Resources said.

This is “currently a search mission” involving the “most professional and skilled addressing the situation,” Army spokesperson Ruth Castro told The Associated Press in an email. They were fully cooperating with law enforcement, she said. No details were released about the helicopter.

The base is about 10 miles (16 kilometers) south of Tacoma under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Joint Base Headquarters.

The Thurston County sheriff’s office, based in Olympia, posted online late Wednesday that deputies were dispatched to reports of a possible helicopter crash in the Summit Lake area, west of Olympia.

<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>

“We have been advised that the military lost contact with a helicopter in the area,” the department said. It said it was working with the base and that no further details were available.

Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders said on Facebook that deputies located the crash site, “but have been unable to continue rescue efforts as the scene is on fire.”

The King County Guardian 1 helicopter and special operation rescue units responded to the crash site, the sheriff said.

Staff with the state natural resources were working with multiple agencies, including the military and the local fire protection district, to battle the fire started by the crash, said Thomas Kyle-Milward, DNR wildfire communications manager.

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — Four service members were aboard a U.S. Army MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter that crashed near Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state, the Army said in a release Thursday. The Army did not release their conditions.The helicopter was on a routine training mission when it crashed at about 9 p.m. Wednesday, an Army official said in a statement. The soldiers were part of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Airborne, officials said. The cause of the crash was under investigation, the Army said.“This remains an active, ongoing situation,” the release said.The crash sparked a small wildfire that had grown to 1 acre (0.4 hectares) by Thursday morning, the Washington Department of Natural Resources said.This is “currently a search mission” involving the “most professional and skilled addressing the situation,” Army spokesperson Ruth Castro told The Associated Press in an email. They were fully cooperating with law enforcement, she said. No details were released about the helicopter.The base is about 10 miles (16 kilometers) south of Tacoma under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Joint Base Headquarters.The Thurston County sheriff’s office, based in Olympia, posted online late Wednesday that deputies were dispatched to reports of a possible helicopter crash in the Summit Lake area, west of Olympia.<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>“We have been advised that the military lost contact with a helicopter in the area,” the department said. It said it was working with the base and that no further details were available.Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders said on Facebook that deputies located the crash site, “but have been unable to continue rescue efforts as the scene is on fire.”The King County Guardian 1 helicopter and special operation rescue units responded to the crash site, the sheriff said.Staff with the state natural resources were working with multiple agencies, including the military and the local fire protection district, to battle the fire started by the crash, said Thomas Kyle-Milward, DNR wildfire communications manager.

4 service members were aboard Army helicopter that crashed in Washington state

HAYS - The Hays High boys and girls cross country teams both had two medalists at their own Hays High Invitational Thursday morning.

Avrie Branaman led the girls with a fifth place finish after a career best time of 21:10.&nbsp;Alexa Cooley also ran a career best 21:55 and placed ninth. 

The Indian girls also had season best performances from&nbsp;Aralen Maupin (22:46),&nbsp;Ava Biggs (22:55), Kiana Sun (22:32),&nbsp;Madelyn Wilkins (23:25),&nbsp;Kynli Koenigsman (24:39.0),&nbsp;Karlee Crispin (25:16.0) and&nbsp;Serena Wilson (23:37.0).

The boys were paced by&nbsp;Malachi Chance who finished 12th with a career best time of 18:07. Bladyn Werth posted a season-best time of 18:15 and placed 14th.

Jackson Huwa had a career best time of 18:39.&nbsp;Logan Leiker a season-best 19:00.&nbsp;Emmitt Dreiling ran a career best 19:14,&nbsp;Aiden Hardman a season best 19:40 and&nbsp;Brayden Staley ran a season best 21:24.

Garden City won the boys race with 21 points, easily outdistancing second place Dodge City. 

Dodge City was the girls champ with 43 points, three ahead of Norton.

Hays Post SportsHAYS - The Hays High boys and girls cross country teams both had two medalists at their own Hays High Invitational Thursday morning.Avrie Branaman led the girls with a fifth place finish after a career best time of 21:10.&nbsp;Alexa Cooley also ran a career best 21:55 and placed ninth. The Indian girls also had season best performances from&nbsp;Aralen Maupin (22:46),&nbsp;Ava Biggs (22:55), Kiana Sun (22:32),&nbsp;Madelyn Wilkins (23:25),&nbsp;Kynli Koenigsman (24:39.0),&nbsp;Karlee Crispin (25:16.0) and&nbsp;Serena Wilson (23:37.0).The boys were paced by&nbsp;Malachi Chance who finished 12th with a career best time of 18:07. Bladyn Werth posted a season-best time of 18:15 and placed 14th.Jackson Huwa had a career best time of 18:39.&nbsp;Logan Leiker a season-best 19:00.&nbsp;Emmitt Dreiling ran a career best 19:14,&nbsp;Aiden Hardman a season best 19:40 and&nbsp;Brayden Staley ran a season best 21:24.Garden City won the boys race with 21 points, easily outdistancing second place Dodge City. Dodge City was the girls champ with 43 points, three ahead of Norton.

👟 Good day for HHS at own cross country meet

Reporter Cristina Janney speaks with Nancy Jeter of Women Who Lead about the Out of Darkness suicide prevention walk and other projects on this episode of the Hays Post Podcast.

<div><iframe title="Post Podcast - Women Who Lead" 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=gx5f6-1968f53-pb&square=1&share=1&d… loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697043311841.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Reporter Cristina Janney speaks with Nancy Jeter of Women Who Lead about the Out of Darkness suicide prevention walk and other projects on this episode of the Hays Post Podcast.

🎙 Post Podcast: Women Who Lead, Out of Darkness walk

The legal group says low-income people are disproportionately affected by the cost of bail and calls for using no-cash bail for nonviolent crimes. But President Donald Trump argues it's leading to a rise in crime.

By DYLAN LYSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2025-09-16/kansas-aclu-says-cash-bail-is-hurting-low-income-residents-but-trump-wants-to-require-it">KCUR</a>

In a recent study, the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas asks people to imagine a Wichita-area husband and wife raising a daughter who are living paycheck to paycheck.

In this scenario, the family has a household income of $5,600 a month. Rent is $1,000 a month, which is the average cost in that area. The family also needs to pay fluctuating costs for utilities, groceries, phone bills and other expenses.

But the father of this family is arrested for felony possession of marijuana. He is held in the Sedgwick County Jail and given a $2,500 bond for release.

The ACLU of Kansas argues that the family can’t afford the cost of that bail. So the father could remain in jail on suspicion of a nonviolent crime for months, which also takes away nearly half of the family's household income. With now only $3,000 of income a month, it is virtually impossible for the family to pay for the father’s release.

Meanwhile, a wealthy person accused of the same crime may be able to afford that bail price and be released from jail the same day they are arrested.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aclukansas.org/publications/price-freedom-bail-sedgwick-county/" target="_blank">ACLU of Kansas study</a>&nbsp;found that low-income residents in Sedgwick County are disproportionately affected by cash bail. Micah Kubic, executive director for the group, said that creates an unfair justice system that brings additional punishment for low-income offenders.

“There's something really unfair about a two-tiered system of justice,” Kubic said, “where folks get treated differently, have different outcomes based on whether they have money or whether they don't.”

Standard bail requires a person in custody to pay the entire cost up front as collateral for their release from jail. The money is refunded when their case is resolved and they appear at all their required court dates.

They may also use a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.attorneytmorton.com/frequently-asked-criminal-defense-questions/how-do-jail-bail-bonds-work-for-kansas-crimes" target="_blank">standard bond</a>, which is a private agreement with a bondsman to cover the up front cost. A bondsman will often charge a non-refundable 10% fee to pay for the bail with an agreement that the person in custody will pay the full amount if they fail to appear at their court dates.

ACLU of Kansas is calling for expanding the use of no-cash bail. That’s when a suspected offender is released from jail without paying a bail amount, but promises a judge overseeing their case that they will show up for their court dates, or else face a fine and additional charges.

Enacting bail reform to make cashless bail standard for nonviolent crimes in Kansas will likely be an uphill battle because the conversation among conservative political leaders is trending the other direction.

President Donald Trump is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-signs-orders-aimed-ending-cashless-bail-policies-2025-08-25/" target="_blank">calling for the elimination of cashless bail nationwide</a>. He argues that cashless bail lets criminals back out onto the streets and that’s leading to more crime.

But criminal justice reform advocates dispute those claims and suggest cashless bail actually decreases crime without unfairly punishing low-income people.

The ACLU of Kansas study, which looked at arrest and crime data of Sedgwick County in 2023 and 2024, showed the vast majority of arrests in the county were for nonviolent crimes.

The study also found that the most common bail cost is $1,000 and the average is $1,500. The average monthly income of Sedgwick County residents is roughly $3,000. So an arrest for a single drug offense would come with an upfront cost that is one-third of their monthly income.

Kubic said inmates forced to post bail are being punished before they are ever convicted of a crime. They either must pay such a relatively high bail cost or remain in jail until their case is resolved. That could also be a form of punishment because staying in jail means they may lose jobs, be evicted for failing to pay rent or leave their children without supervision.

“That harms all of us,” Kubic said. “It doesn’t improve outcomes and it makes communities weaker.”

An ACLU of Kansas study found that low-income people are disproportionately affected by cash bail because they can't afford the upfront cost and can end up in jail for months.

The study specifically recommends the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office enact a policy to request own-recognizance bonds for non-person misdemeanor and felony cases, which are nonviolent crimes.

But Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett said it’s not as simple as the study makes it seem.

He told the Kansas News Service in an email that bail is set by a judge, not the District Attorney’s office. He said a prosecutor can provide information to the judge about the defendant and request certain bail terms, but a judge ultimately decides.

Sedgwick County also has a bail schedule that lists a standard cost for certain low-level crimes, like disorderly conduct. Bennett said a majority of the crimes in that list uses cashless bail, so the accused offender is released without paying anything.

Bennett also noted that bail is determined by many factors, such as whether the suspect has a criminal history. He said someone with prior convictions would be facing a higher sentence if they are convicted again. He said nearly 70% of people charged with a new crime have a prior felony conviction.

“These prior convictions constitute the person’s criminal history and will obviously impact the amount of bond the Judge requires,” he said.

While the ACLU of Kansas study specifically looked at Sedgwick County, Kubic said these income-disparity issues are likely happening across the state. He said district attorneys across Kansas could request a judge to use cashless bail for nonviolent crimes more often to help address income disparity in justice.

Representatives for the Kansas County and District Attorneys Association declined to comment on the study and the ACLU of Kansas recommendation for cashless bail.

Meanwhile, the days of cashless bail in other parts of the country may be numbered.

As part of the federal take over of law enforcement in Washington, D.C., Trump signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/08/taking-steps-to-end-cashless-bail-to-protect-americans/" target="_blank">executive order</a>&nbsp;ending cashless bail there. He also wants Congress to pass legislation banning it throughout the country.

However, it’s unclear if Congress can enact a nationwide ban on cashless bail. R Street Institute, a conservative think tank focused on limited government,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rstreet.org/commentary/why-federal-repeal-of-no-cash-bail-laws-would-be-unconstitutional-and-bad-policy/" target="_blank">suggests that such a ban is unconstitutional</a>.

Kubic argues bail policy is better left to states.

“It is disrespectful to state and local officials — regardless of party, regardless of ideology — and their ability to do what is best for their constituents,” Kubic said.

Still, Trump argues cashless bail lets criminals out of jail without consequences and leads to increased crime rates. He also claimed, without citing specific instances, jurisdictions with cashless bail like Chicago are letting accused murderers out of jail.

“Somebody murders somebody and they are out on no-cash bail before the day is out,” Trump said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/vcS3wkDf4MU?si=X0z1fy0V8YvqV3C7&amp;t=705" target="_blank">during an August press conference</a>. "We’re going to end that.”

The Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, Trump’s alma mater, called that claim misleading. In a post on its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.factcheck.org/2025/08/trumps-distortions-on-cashless-bail/" target="_blank">fact checking website</a>, the center noted that some states that have enacted cashless bail have exceptions for violent felonies and murder. It also said it’s “exceedingly rare” that a judge has let a murder suspect out of jail before trial without cash bail.

The Bail Project, a criminal justice reform group that supports cashless bail nationwide, directly disputes Trump’s assertion that bail reform leads to rising crime. The group notes&nbsp;<a href="https://bailproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/How-Real-Bail-Reform-Creates-a-Safer-America.pdf" target="_blank">crime rates</a>&nbsp;fell in New Jersey and Illinois after both states enacted cashless bail systems.

The group also points to a 2024 study by the Brennan Center for Justices showing crime is not increasing because of cashless bail.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758138622530.png" alt="Standard bail requires a person in custody to pay the entire cost up front as collateral for their release from jail, like the Douglas County Jail seen here. ACLU of Kansas is calling for expanding the use of no-cash bail for nonviolent crimes. Dylan Lysen / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Standard bail requires a person in custody to pay the entire cost up front as collateral for their release from jail, like the Douglas County Jail seen here. ACLU of Kansas is calling for expanding the use of no-cash bail for nonviolent crimes. Dylan Lysen / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The legal group says low-income people are disproportionately affected by the cost of bail and calls for using no-cash bail for nonviolent crimes. But President Donald Trump argues it's leading to a rise in crime.</h2>By DYLAN LYSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2025-09-16/kansas-aclu-says-cash-bail-is-hurting-low-income-residents-but-trump-wants-to-require-it">KCUR</a>In a recent study, the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas asks people to imagine a Wichita-area husband and wife raising a daughter who are living paycheck to paycheck.In this scenario, the family has a household income of $5,600 a month. Rent is $1,000 a month, which is the average cost in that area. The family also needs to pay fluctuating costs for utilities, groceries, phone bills and other expenses.But the father of this family is arrested for felony possession of marijuana. He is held in the Sedgwick County Jail and given a $2,500 bond for release.The ACLU of Kansas argues that the family can’t afford the cost of that bail. So the father could remain in jail on suspicion of a nonviolent crime for months, which also takes away nearly half of the family's household income. With now only $3,000 of income a month, it is virtually impossible for the family to pay for the father’s release.Meanwhile, a wealthy person accused of the same crime may be able to afford that bail price and be released from jail the same day they are arrested.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aclukansas.org/publications/price-freedom-bail-sedgwick-county/" target="_blank">ACLU of Kansas study</a>&nbsp;found that low-income residents in Sedgwick County are disproportionately affected by cash bail. Micah Kubic, executive director for the group, said that creates an unfair justice system that brings additional punishment for low-income offenders.“There's something really unfair about a two-tiered system of justice,” Kubic said, “where folks get treated differently, have different outcomes based on whether they have money or whether they don't.”Standard bail requires a person in custody to pay the entire cost up front as collateral for their release from jail. The money is refunded when their case is resolved and they appear at all their required court dates.They may also use a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.attorneytmorton.com/frequently-asked-criminal-defense-questions/how-do-jail-bail-bonds-work-for-kansas-crimes" target="_blank">standard bond</a>, which is a private agreement with a bondsman to cover the up front cost. A bondsman will often charge a non-refundable 10% fee to pay for the bail with an agreement that the person in custody will pay the full amount if they fail to appear at their court dates.ACLU of Kansas is calling for expanding the use of no-cash bail. That’s when a suspected offender is released from jail without paying a bail amount, but promises a judge overseeing their case that they will show up for their court dates, or else face a fine and additional charges.Enacting bail reform to make cashless bail standard for nonviolent crimes in Kansas will likely be an uphill battle because the conversation among conservative political leaders is trending the other direction.President Donald Trump is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-signs-orders-aimed-ending-cashless-bail-policies-2025-08-25/" target="_blank">calling for the elimination of cashless bail nationwide</a>. He argues that cashless bail lets criminals back out onto the streets and that’s leading to more crime.But criminal justice reform advocates dispute those claims and suggest cashless bail actually decreases crime without unfairly punishing low-income people.<h2>Effect on Kansas</h2>The ACLU of Kansas study, which looked at arrest and crime data of Sedgwick County in 2023 and 2024, showed the vast majority of arrests in the county were for nonviolent crimes.The study also found that the most common bail cost is $1,000 and the average is $1,500. The average monthly income of Sedgwick County residents is roughly $3,000. So an arrest for a single drug offense would come with an upfront cost that is one-third of their monthly income.Kubic said inmates forced to post bail are being punished before they are ever convicted of a crime. They either must pay such a relatively high bail cost or remain in jail until their case is resolved. That could also be a form of punishment because staying in jail means they may lose jobs, be evicted for failing to pay rent or leave their children without supervision.“That harms all of us,” Kubic said. “It doesn’t improve outcomes and it makes communities weaker.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758138774422.png" alt="Kylie Cameron / KMUW" />
 <figcaption>Kylie Cameron / KMUW</figcaption>
 </figure>An ACLU of Kansas study found that low-income people are disproportionately affected by cash bail because they can't afford the upfront cost and can end up in jail for months.The study specifically recommends the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office enact a policy to request own-recognizance bonds for non-person misdemeanor and felony cases, which are nonviolent crimes.But Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett said it’s not as simple as the study makes it seem.He told the Kansas News Service in an email that bail is set by a judge, not the District Attorney’s office. He said a prosecutor can provide information to the judge about the defendant and request certain bail terms, but a judge ultimately decides.Sedgwick County also has a bail schedule that lists a standard cost for certain low-level crimes, like disorderly conduct. Bennett said a majority of the crimes in that list uses cashless bail, so the accused offender is released without paying anything.Bennett also noted that bail is determined by many factors, such as whether the suspect has a criminal history. He said someone with prior convictions would be facing a higher sentence if they are convicted again. He said nearly 70% of people charged with a new crime have a prior felony conviction.“These prior convictions constitute the person’s criminal history and will obviously impact the amount of bond the Judge requires,” he said.While the ACLU of Kansas study specifically looked at Sedgwick County, Kubic said these income-disparity issues are likely happening across the state. He said district attorneys across Kansas could request a judge to use cashless bail for nonviolent crimes more often to help address income disparity in justice.Representatives for the Kansas County and District Attorneys Association declined to comment on the study and the ACLU of Kansas recommendation for cashless bail.<h2>National ban</h2>Meanwhile, the days of cashless bail in other parts of the country may be numbered.As part of the federal take over of law enforcement in Washington, D.C., Trump signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/08/taking-steps-to-end-cashless-bail-to-protect-americans/" target="_blank">executive order</a>&nbsp;ending cashless bail there. He also wants Congress to pass legislation banning it throughout the country.However, it’s unclear if Congress can enact a nationwide ban on cashless bail. R Street Institute, a conservative think tank focused on limited government,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rstreet.org/commentary/why-federal-repeal-of-no-cash-bail-laws-would-be-unconstitutional-and-bad-policy/" target="_blank">suggests that such a ban is unconstitutional</a>.Kubic argues bail policy is better left to states.“It is disrespectful to state and local officials — regardless of party, regardless of ideology — and their ability to do what is best for their constituents,” Kubic said.Still, Trump argues cashless bail lets criminals out of jail without consequences and leads to increased crime rates. He also claimed, without citing specific instances, jurisdictions with cashless bail like Chicago are letting accused murderers out of jail.“Somebody murders somebody and they are out on no-cash bail before the day is out,” Trump said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/vcS3wkDf4MU?si=X0z1fy0V8YvqV3C7&amp;t=705" target="_blank">during an August press conference</a>. "We’re going to end that.”The Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, Trump’s alma mater, called that claim misleading. In a post on its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.factcheck.org/2025/08/trumps-distortions-on-cashless-bail/" target="_blank">fact checking website</a>, the center noted that some states that have enacted cashless bail have exceptions for violent felonies and murder. It also said it’s “exceedingly rare” that a judge has let a murder suspect out of jail before trial without cash bail.<h2>Crime rates</h2>The Bail Project, a criminal justice reform group that supports cashless bail nationwide, directly disputes Trump’s assertion that bail reform leads to rising crime. The group notes&nbsp;<a href="https://bailproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/How-Real-Bail-Reform-Creates-a-Safer-America.pdf" target="_blank">crime rates</a>&nbsp;fell in New Jersey and Illinois after both states enacted cashless bail systems.The group also points to a 2024 study by the Brennan Center for Justices showing crime is not increasing because of cashless bail.That study looked at crime rates from 33 jurisdictions across the country that have enacted bail reform. The study concluded that there is no evidence connecting increased or decreased crime rates to cashless bail.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758138914202.png" alt="Nomin Ujiyediin /&nbsp;Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Nomin Ujiyediin /&nbsp;Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>A Brennan Center for Justice study found jurisdictions that enacted bail reform, like cashless bail, did not see a rise in crime.Ames Grawert, who co-authored the study, told the Kansas News Services that crime rates rise and fall for many different reasons, but cashless bail is not statistically proven to be related.“It would be surprising,” Grawert said, “if there was a single policy lever that elected officials or judges could pull to change crime rates at the drop of a hat.”Additionally, crime rates continue to fall nationally after spiking during the COVID-19 pandemic.FBI data shows violent crime rates continued to fall this year after rising by 30% during the pandemic,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-crime-statistics-report-e785a5a970597f2ebf78ea093baeaa28" target="_blank">according to the Associated Press</a>. The crime rates also fell to near pre-pandemic levels in 2022.Grawert said communities that want to lower crime rates should consider boosting social support programs, like increased access to mental health services.However, he said cash bail still poses the issue of unequal justice.“A lot of people agree, even across party lines,” Grawert said, “that wealth shouldn't be what decides whether someone walks free or spends the time that they have before trial in detention.”Dylan Lysen reports on social services and criminal justice for the Kansas News Service. You can email him at dlysen@kcur.org.The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their connection to public policy.