DODGE CITY - The Hays High girls tennis team competed at the Dodge City Invitational Tuesday. 

Delia Dixon led the Indians with an eighth-place finish in singles. Ani McClure finished ninth in singles. 

In doubles, Emersyn Sander and Mya Ploutz placed ninth while Savannah Clingan and Brynn Zwiefel finished 13th.

Hays Post SportsDODGE CITY - The Hays High girls tennis team competed at the Dodge City Invitational Tuesday. Delia Dixon led the Indians with an eighth-place finish in singles. Ani McClure finished ninth in singles. In doubles, Emersyn Sander and Mya Ploutz placed ninth while Savannah Clingan and Brynn Zwiefel finished 13th.

🎾 HHS girls compete in Dodge City

Fort Hays State Tiger football coach Chris Brown, offensive lineman Porter Dannevik and defensive lineman Kayson Dietz spoke to the media Tuesday before the Tigers&nbsp;travel to Pittsburg for a top-25 matchup with the Gorillas.&nbsp;

Hays Posts SportsFort Hays State Tiger football coach Chris Brown, offensive lineman Porter Dannevik and defensive lineman Kayson Dietz spoke to the media Tuesday before the Tigers&nbsp;travel to Pittsburg for a top-25 matchup with the Gorillas.&nbsp;<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kLCPSv1VIpE?si=bGipr1n5Pr3EhkAx" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

🏈📹 Chris Brown: "We need to go in there and handle business" | Tiger Press Conference 9-16-25

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Trump is warning Hamas not to use hostages as 'human shields'

This comes as Israel’s ground offensive targeting Gaza City begins.

“I hear Hamas is trying to use the old human shield deal,” U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters on Tuesday as he prepared to leave for the United Kingdom. “And if they do that, they’re going to be in big trouble.”

On Monday, Trump posted his Truth Social platform that he had read a news report indicating Hamas would use the captives as “human shields.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Trump is warning Hamas not to use hostages as 'human shields'<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Trump is asked about Israel launching a massive new ground offensive in Gaza City, and all he has to say is: &quot;I hear Hamas is trying to use the old Human Shield deal.&quot; In other words, he recycles one of the three or four Gaza-related talking points he&#39;s able to retain in his head <a href="https://t.co/Op0MpxvwGt">pic.twitter.com/Op0MpxvwGt</a>&mdash; Michael Tracey (@mtracey) <a href="https://twitter.com/mtracey/status/1968003246053790122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>This comes as Israel’s ground offensive targeting Gaza City begins.“I hear Hamas is trying to use the old human shield deal,” U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters on Tuesday as he prepared to leave for the United Kingdom. “And if they do that, they’re going to be in big trouble.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758057135347.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>On Monday, Trump posted his Truth Social platform that he had read a news report indicating Hamas would use the captives as “human shields.”

🎥Trump warns Hamas if hostages are used as human shields

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

About 100 volunteers from Hays and the surrounding area joined the thousands of people across the nation for the annual Out of Darkness Walk on Saturday at Frontier Park East in Hays.

The gathering supported the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s education, research and support for survivors of suicide loss.&nbsp;

Organizers said they doubled the amount raised from the previous year, and the Hays event raised more than Kansas communities much larger than Hays.

Women Who Lead was the advocate sponsor for this year's event, donating $2,500.

Walkers were encouraged to wear beads to symbolize how they have been affected by suicide, the death of a friend, the death of a loved one, a personal struggle with suicidal thoughts, etc.

Among the booths at the event was one that promoted the 988 crisis hotline. Like the 911 emergency line, you can dial 988 from any phone.

The 988 Suicide &amp; Crisis Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, across the United States and its territories, according to its website.

 The 988 Lifeline is comprised of a national network of more than 200 local crisis centers, combining local care and resources with national standards and best practices, its website said.

High Plains Mental Health, which also participated in the event, offers a local crisis hotline, 1-800-432-0333.

Healing After Loss of Suicide, also known as HALOS, is a long-running group that helps those who are grieving the loss of someone who has died by suicide.&nbsp;

For more information on the group, call Leigha Dobson at 785-432-0989.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758049652426.jpeg" alt="A team of walkers holds the American Foundation for Suicide Banner Saturday at the Out of Darkness Walk at Frontier Bark East in Hays. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A team of walkers holds the American Foundation for Suicide Banner Saturday at the Out of Darkness Walk at Frontier Bark East in Hays. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostAbout 100 volunteers from Hays and the surrounding area joined the thousands of people across the nation for the annual Out of Darkness Walk on Saturday at Frontier Park East in Hays.The gathering supported the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s education, research and support for survivors of suicide loss.&nbsp;Organizers said they doubled the amount raised from the previous year, and the Hays event raised more than Kansas communities much larger than Hays.Women Who Lead was the advocate sponsor for this year's event, donating $2,500.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758050535688.jpeg" alt="The Women Who Lead Team prepares to walk in the&nbsp;Out of Darkness Walk on Saturday in Hays.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The Women Who Lead Team prepares to walk in the&nbsp;Out of Darkness Walk on Saturday in Hays.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Walkers were encouraged to wear beads to symbolize how they have been affected by suicide, the death of a friend, the death of a loved one, a personal struggle with suicidal thoughts, etc.Among the booths at the event was one that promoted the 988 crisis hotline. Like the 911 emergency line, you can dial 988 from any phone.The 988 Suicide &amp; Crisis Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, across the United States and its territories, according to its website. The 988 Lifeline is comprised of a national network of more than 200 local crisis centers, combining local care and resources with national standards and best practices, its website said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758050621950.jpeg" alt="A group of middle school students who participated in the Out of Darkness Walk created their T-shirts with encouraging messages.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A group of middle school students who participated in the Out of Darkness Walk created their T-shirts with encouraging messages.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758050631949.jpeg" alt="A group of middle school students who participated in the Out of Darkness Walk created their T-shirts with encouraging messages.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A group of middle school students who participated in the Out of Darkness Walk created their T-shirts with encouraging messages.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>High Plains Mental Health, which also participated in the event, offers a local crisis hotline, 1-800-432-0333.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758050766550.jpeg" alt="Out of Darkness Walkers sign a banner to promote suicide prevention.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Out of Darkness Walkers sign a banner to promote suicide prevention.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Healing After Loss of Suicide, also known as HALOS, is a long-running group that helps those who are grieving the loss of someone who has died by suicide.&nbsp;For more information on the group, call Leigha Dobson at 785-432-0989.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758050947387.jpeg" alt="Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758050966788.jpeg" alt="Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758050986053.jpeg" alt="Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758051043016.jpeg" alt="Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>

Out of Darkness Suicide Prevention walk draws crowd Saturday

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

The Ellis County Commission approved a reinvestment housing incentive district for Big Creek Estates Third Addition during its Tuesday meeting.

A public hearing provided the community with an opportunity to provide input.&nbsp;The project includes road improvements on Reservation Road with no financial impact to the county.

Resident Larry Dinkel, who lives in the area, said he spoke with neighbors and submitted 25 protest petitions.

"A lot of the concerns in our area is water. We are all on private water wells. We're worried about what the water status is like in that aquifer and what contamination could happen to the wells," he said.

Commissioner Nathan Leiker said the county cannot promise a future water supply but emphasized it is in neither the county’s nor the city’s interest for homes to lose value.

"That's a bridge that has to be crossed if it ever comes up. It does us no good to make your home worth nothing, and a home without water is worth nothing," Leiker said.

Dinkel raised concerns about recent increases in sewer fees and the possibility of additional homes to drive the cost even higher. He also expressed concern about the poor condition of the roads.

Duane Kuhn, president of the Big Creek Improvement District, said the sewer system can handle current demand, but additional homes might require an additional pump. He said efforts to negotiate lower sewer rates with the city were unsuccessful. Commissioner Michael Berges said sewage rates have increased even without the addition of new homes.

Another resident raised concerns about stormwater runoff and potential flooding. Developer Adam Pray said a retention pond on the south end of the addition would address the issue.

Berges said homeowners will continue to pay their full property tax bill. Pray will cover project costs upfront and be reimbursed through the new property taxes generated by the district’s homes.

Commissioners approved a resolution to authorize Bill Jeter, county counselor, to initiate foreclosure proceedings on properties with delinquent real estate taxes.

A list provided by the county treasury includes 15 properties with a combined total of $44,394 in taxes, penalties and interest owed.&nbsp;Each property is at least three years delinquent.

The city of Gorham did not receive the commission's approval for the county public works department to assist with a road rehabilitation project.

The commission said performing work outside the county would be considered commercial and not appropriate.

"We've done work as a county for other cities, and it got to the point now that they're asking for help all the time. ... County lines is where I draw the line," Berges said.

Commissioners approved a new contract with County Counselor Jeter, effective Jan. 1. The agreement increases Jeter's monthly retainer from $5,500 to $6,000. The commission initiated the change and is already included in the 2026 budget.

County EMS received approval to accept bids from R Enterprise for the remounting of two ambulances. EMS also received approval to buy two stretchers and two loading systems for installation in the ambulances.

Commissioners appointed  Dylan Bryant as the new member to the Ellis County Library Board to fill a vacancy effective Oct. 1. The appointment will run until April 30.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684183971486.png" alt="Ellis County" />
 <figcaption>Ellis County</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostThe Ellis County Commission approved a reinvestment housing incentive district for Big Creek Estates Third Addition during its Tuesday meeting.A public hearing provided the community with an opportunity to provide input.&nbsp;The project includes road improvements on Reservation Road with no financial impact to the county.Resident Larry Dinkel, who lives in the area, said he spoke with neighbors and submitted 25 protest petitions.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758038167037.png" alt="Sanitary sewer study of Big Creek Estates that provides a layout of lots" />
 <figcaption>Sanitary sewer study of Big Creek Estates that provides a layout of lots</figcaption>
 </figure>"A lot of the concerns in our area is water. We are all on private water wells. We're worried about what the water status is like in that aquifer and what contamination could happen to the wells," he said.Commissioner Nathan Leiker said the county cannot promise a future water supply but emphasized it is in neither the county’s nor the city’s interest for homes to lose value."That's a bridge that has to be crossed if it ever comes up. It does us no good to make your home worth nothing, and a home without water is worth nothing," Leiker said.Dinkel raised concerns about recent increases in sewer fees and the possibility of additional homes to drive the cost even higher. He also expressed concern about the poor condition of the roads.Duane Kuhn, president of the Big Creek Improvement District, said the sewer system can handle current demand, but additional homes might require an additional pump. He said efforts to negotiate lower sewer rates with the city were unsuccessful. Commissioner Michael Berges said sewage rates have increased even without the addition of new homes.Another resident raised concerns about stormwater runoff and potential flooding. Developer Adam Pray said a retention pond on the south end of the addition would address the issue.Berges said homeowners will continue to pay their full property tax bill. Pray will cover project costs upfront and be reimbursed through the new property taxes generated by the district’s homes.<h2>Tax foreclosure sale</h2>Commissioners approved a resolution to authorize Bill Jeter, county counselor, to initiate foreclosure proceedings on properties with delinquent real estate taxes.A list provided by the county treasury includes 15 properties with a combined total of $44,394 in taxes, penalties and interest owed.&nbsp;Each property is at least three years delinquent.<h2>City of Gorham road repair request</h2>The city of Gorham did not receive the commission's approval for the county public works department to assist with a road rehabilitation project.The commission said performing work outside the county would be considered commercial and not appropriate."We've done work as a county for other cities, and it got to the point now that they're asking for help all the time. ... County lines is where I draw the line," Berges said.<h2>Other business</h2>Commissioners approved a new contract with County Counselor Jeter, effective Jan. 1. The agreement increases Jeter's monthly retainer from $5,500 to $6,000. The commission initiated the change and is already included in the 2026 budget.County EMS received approval to accept bids from R Enterprise for the remounting of two ambulances. EMS also received approval to buy two stretchers and two loading systems for installation in the ambulances.Commissioners appointed Dylan Bryant as the new member to the Ellis County Library Board to fill a vacancy effective Oct. 1. The appointment will run until April 30.&nbsp;

Ellis County Commission approves RHID for Big Creek Estates

Alfred Joseph 'Al' Schuster, 89, Hays, died Sunday,
September 14, 2025 at his home surrounded by his family.

Alfred was born November 5, 1935 in the family Trego County
farmhouse, the son of Joe and Theresia (Aschenbrenner) Schuster.&nbsp; He grew
up on the farm near Cedar Bluff Lake, attended St. Mary’s Catholic Church in
Ellis, and in 1953, graduated from Brownell High School.&nbsp; Alfred served in
the U.S. Army from 1954-1956, achieving the rank of Private First Class, and
then continued his education at Fort Hays State University where he earned a
Bachelor’s Degree in geology.&nbsp; On May 9, 1959, he was united in marriage
to Phyllis Brull in Hays, and together they raised three daughters, Sherri,
Gerri, and Barbara.&nbsp; In 1962, Alfred moved his young family to the house
he and his father-in-law, Ralph Brull, built on the northeast corner of Ralph’s
farm.&nbsp; Phyllis preceded Alfred in death on February 11, 2006 after nearly
47 years of marriage.&nbsp; Alfred worked for Schwaller Lumber Company in Hays
and then became a Wichita Local 441 Union plumber and pipe fitter for the
remainder of his career, retiring at the age of 62.&nbsp; After retirement, he
enjoyed working on the farm and raising cattle.

Alfred was a member of St. Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church
and the Hays American Legion Post #173.

Survivors include his daughters, Sherri (Rick) Underwood of
Gorham, Gerri (Brad) Kielhofner of Springfield, MO, and Barbara (Steve)
Tremblay of St. Charles, MO, his sister Carol (Joe) Eckhardt of Topeka, six
grandchildren, Jared (Catherine) Tremblay, Gail (Michael) Clark, Thomas
Kielhofner, Diane (Sandy) McGraw, Jane Kielhofner, and Stephen Kielhofner, four
great grandchildren, Opal Tremblay, William Clark, Mabel Clark, and Poppy
McGraw, two sisters-in-law, Geraldine Pfeifer of Hays and Susan (Mick) Billinger
of Hays, and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife Phyllis, his parents,
his sister Dorothy Walker, and his brother Ralph Schuster.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 am on Friday,
September 19, 2025 at St. Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church with Fr. Damian
Richards officiating.&nbsp; Burial with military honors by the Hays VFW Post
#9076 Honor Guard and the Hays American Legion Post #173 will follow in St.
Joseph Cemetery.&nbsp; Visitation will be from 6:00 pm until 8:00 on Thursday
and from 9:00 am until 9:45 on Friday, all at Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral
Home.&nbsp; A vigil service and rosary will be at 7:00 pm on Thursday at the
funeral home.&nbsp; Memorials are suggested to HaysMed Hospice and condolences
and memories of Alfred may be shared with his family at www.haysmemorial.com

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758038879557.jpeg" alt="Alfred Joseph 'Al' Schuster" />
 <figcaption>Alfred Joseph 'Al' Schuster</figcaption>
 </figure>Alfred Joseph 'Al' Schuster, 89, Hays, died Sunday,
September 14, 2025 at his home surrounded by his family.Alfred was born November 5, 1935 in the family Trego County
farmhouse, the son of Joe and Theresia (Aschenbrenner) Schuster.&nbsp; He grew
up on the farm near Cedar Bluff Lake, attended St. Mary’s Catholic Church in
Ellis, and in 1953, graduated from Brownell High School.&nbsp; Alfred served in
the U.S. Army from 1954-1956, achieving the rank of Private First Class, and
then continued his education at Fort Hays State University where he earned a
Bachelor’s Degree in geology.&nbsp; On May 9, 1959, he was united in marriage
to Phyllis Brull in Hays, and together they raised three daughters, Sherri,
Gerri, and Barbara.&nbsp; In 1962, Alfred moved his young family to the house
he and his father-in-law, Ralph Brull, built on the northeast corner of Ralph’s
farm.&nbsp; Phyllis preceded Alfred in death on February 11, 2006 after nearly
47 years of marriage.&nbsp; Alfred worked for Schwaller Lumber Company in Hays
and then became a Wichita Local 441 Union plumber and pipe fitter for the
remainder of his career, retiring at the age of 62.&nbsp; After retirement, he
enjoyed working on the farm and raising cattle.Alfred was a member of St. Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church
and the Hays American Legion Post #173.Survivors include his daughters, Sherri (Rick) Underwood of
Gorham, Gerri (Brad) Kielhofner of Springfield, MO, and Barbara (Steve)
Tremblay of St. Charles, MO, his sister Carol (Joe) Eckhardt of Topeka, six
grandchildren, Jared (Catherine) Tremblay, Gail (Michael) Clark, Thomas
Kielhofner, Diane (Sandy) McGraw, Jane Kielhofner, and Stephen Kielhofner, four
great grandchildren, Opal Tremblay, William Clark, Mabel Clark, and Poppy
McGraw, two sisters-in-law, Geraldine Pfeifer of Hays and Susan (Mick) Billinger
of Hays, and numerous nieces and nephews.He was preceded in death by his wife Phyllis, his parents,
his sister Dorothy Walker, and his brother Ralph Schuster.Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 am on Friday,
September 19, 2025 at St. Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church with Fr. Damian
Richards officiating.&nbsp; Burial with military honors by the Hays VFW Post
#9076 Honor Guard and the Hays American Legion Post #173 will follow in St.
Joseph Cemetery.&nbsp; Visitation will be from 6:00 pm until 8:00 on Thursday
and from 9:00 am until 9:45 on Friday, all at Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral
Home.&nbsp; A vigil service and rosary will be at 7:00 pm on Thursday at the
funeral home.&nbsp; Memorials are suggested to HaysMed Hospice and condolences
and memories of Alfred may be shared with his family at www.haysmemorial.com

Alfred Joseph 'Al' Schuster

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

State teenagers were arrested on Sept. 7 for allegedly breaking into a Fort Hays State University student dorm.

FHSU Chief of Police Terrance Pierce said at about 6:47 a.m., campus police were dispatched to McMindes Hall to respond to a report of a potential trespassing incident.

Residence life staff in McMindes Hall informed the officer that they had previously escorted 19-year-old Brett Patrick Schmidt of Lawrence and 18-year-old Luke Elias Arredondo of Haysville  from the building because they had violated the university’s visitor policy.

The two were told not to re-enter the building, Pierce said.

Schmidt and Arredeondo later allegedly re-entered the building, broke into a student's dorm while still occupied and stole food products. Pierce said Ellis County Dispatch was made aware of the alleged crimes along with the description of the two suspects.

Hays Police located the two individuals in the 400 Block of West Sixth Street in Hays. Hays Police and University Police arrested the two suspects and transported them to the Ellis County Jail.

Schmidt was arrested on requested charges of aggravated burglary, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, minor in possession of alcohol, underage possession of tobacco, felony interference with law enforcement and display fictitious identification.

Arredondo was arrested on requested charges of aggravated burglary, criminal trespass, minor in possession of alcohol and underage possession of tobacco.

Pierce said Schmidt and Arredondo are not enrolled at the university and had no connection to anyone in the dorm room they allegedly entered. No injuries were reported.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757957526393.png" alt="Schmidt photo Ellis Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Schmidt photo Ellis Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostState teenagers were arrested on Sept. 7 for allegedly breaking into a Fort Hays State University student dorm.FHSU Chief of Police Terrance Pierce said at about 6:47 a.m., campus police were dispatched to McMindes Hall to respond to a report of a potential trespassing incident.Residence life staff in McMindes Hall informed the officer that they had previously escorted 19-year-old Brett Patrick Schmidt of Lawrence and 18-year-old Luke Elias Arredondo of Haysville from the building because they had violated the university’s visitor policy.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757957585925.png" alt="Arredeondo photo Ellis Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Arredeondo photo Ellis Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>The two were told not to re-enter the building, Pierce said.Schmidt and Arredeondo later allegedly re-entered the building, broke into a student's dorm while still occupied and stole food products. Pierce said Ellis County Dispatch was made aware of the alleged crimes along with the description of the two suspects.Hays Police located the two individuals in the 400 Block of West Sixth Street in Hays. Hays Police and University Police arrested the two suspects and transported them to the Ellis County Jail.Schmidt was arrested on requested charges of aggravated burglary, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, minor in possession of alcohol, underage possession of tobacco, felony interference with law enforcement and display fictitious identification.Arredondo was arrested on requested charges of aggravated burglary, criminal trespass, minor in possession of alcohol and underage possession of tobacco.Pierce said Schmidt and Arredondo are not enrolled at the university and had no connection to anyone in the dorm room they allegedly entered. No injuries were reported.

Two arrested after alleged burglary at FHSU student housing

VICTORIA - The Hays High girls' tennis team won Monday's Victoria Invitational. Both doubles teams finished first while both singles players placed second.

#1 Singles- Delia Dixon: 2nd #2 Singles- Mya Ploutz: 2nd #1 Doubles- Savannah Clingan / Emersyn Sander: 1st #2 Doubles- Melissa Boland / Ani McClure: 1st&nbsp;&nbsp;

Hays Post SportsVICTORIA - The Hays High girls' tennis team won Monday's Victoria Invitational. Both doubles teams finished first while both singles players placed second.#1 Singles- Delia Dixon: 2nd #2 Singles- Mya Ploutz: 2nd #1 Doubles- Savannah Clingan / Emersyn Sander: 1st #2 Doubles- Melissa Boland / Ani McClure: 1st&nbsp;&nbsp;

🎾 HHS girls win Victoria Invitational

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-redford">Robert Redford,</a>&nbsp;the Hollywood golden boy who became an Oscar-winning director, liberal activist and godfather for independent cinema under the name of one of his best-loved characters, died Tuesday at 89.

Redford died “at his home at Sundance in the mountains of Utah — the place he loved, surrounded by those he loved,” publicist Cindi Berger said in a statement. No cause of death was provided.

After rising to stardom in the 1960s, Redford was one of the biggest stars of the ’70s with such films as “The Candidate,” “All the President’s Men” and “The Way We Were,” capping that decade with the best director Oscar for 1980's “Ordinary People,” which also won best picture in 1980. His wavy blond hair and boyish grin made him the most desired of leading men, but he worked hard to transcend his looks — whether through his political advocacy, his willingness to take on unglamorous roles or his dedication to providing a platform for low-budget movies.

His roles ranged from Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward to a mountain man in “Jeremiah Johnson” to a double agent in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and his co-stars included Jane Fonda, Meryl Streep and Tom Cruise. But his most famous screen partner was his old friend and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/4df55845e1c7469e99fb92d5808dfd22">fellow activist and practical joker Paul Newman,</a>&nbsp;their films a variation of their warm, teasing relationship off screen. Redford played the wily outlaw opposite Newman in 1969’s “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” a box-office smash from which Redford's Sundance Institute and festival got its name. He also teamed with Newman on 1973’s best picture Oscar winner, “The Sting,” which earned Redford a best-actor nomination as a young con artist in 1930s Chicago.

Film roles after the ’70s became more sporadic as Redford concentrated on directing and producing, and his new role as patriarch of the independent-film movement in the 1980s and ’90s through his Sundance Institute. But he starred in 1985’s best picture champion “Out of Africa” and in 2013 received some of the best reviews of his career as a shipwrecked sailor in “All is Lost,” in which he was the film’s only performer. In 2018, he was praised again in what he called his farewell movie, “The Old Man and the Gun.”

“I just figure that I’ve had a long career that I’m very pleased with. It’s been so long, ever since I was 21,” he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/6ad1d531fd11493794306e96b0dd51e4">told The Associated Press shortly before the film came out.</a>&nbsp;“I figure now as I’m getting into my 80s, it’s maybe time to move toward retirement and spend more time with my wife and family.”

Redford had watched Hollywood grow more cautious and controlling during the 1970s and wanted to recapture the creative spirit of the early part of the decade. Sundance was created to nurture new talent away from the pressures of Hollywood, the institute providing a training ground and the festival, based in Park City, Utah, where Redford had purchased land with the initial hope of opening a ski resort. Instead, Park City became a place of discovery for such previously unknown filmmakers as Quentin Tarantino, Steven Soderbergh, Paul Thomas Anderson and Darren Aronofsky.

“For me, the word to be underscored is ‘independence,’” Redford told the AP in 2018. “I’ve always believed in that word. That’s what led to me eventually wanting to create a category that supported independent artists who weren’t given a chance to be heard.

“The industry was pretty well controlled by the mainstream, which I was a part of. But I saw other stories out there that weren’t having a chance to be told and I thought, ‘Well, maybe I can commit my energies to giving those people a chance.’ As I look back on it, I feel very good about that.”

Sundance was even criticized as buyers swarmed in looking for potential hits and celebrities overran the town each winter.

“We have never, ever changed our policies for how we program our festival. It’s always been built on diversity,” Redford told the AP in 2004. “The fact is that the diversity has become commercial. Because independent films have achieved their own success, Hollywood, being just a business, is going to grab them. So when Hollywood grabs your films, they go, ‘Oh, it’s gone Hollywood.’”

By 2025, the festival had become so prominent that organizers decided they had outgrown Park City and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sundance-film-festival-boulder-move-562a7b1b8081f0ca7a616b64c357d0ae">approved relocating to Boulder, Colorado,</a>&nbsp;starting in 2027. Redford, who had attended the University of Colorado in Boulder, issued a statement saying that “change is inevitable, we must always evolve and grow, which has been at the core of our survival.”

Redford was married twice, most recently to Sibylle Szaggars. He had four children, two of whom have died — Scott Anthony, who died in infancy, in 1959; and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/james-redford-liver-disease-death-7e3bebe274c92a9a5a0a73487f79fee4">James Redford,</a>&nbsp;an activist and filmmaker who died in 2020.

Robert Redford was born Charles Robert Redford Jr. on Aug. 18, 1937, in Santa Monica, a California boy whose blond good looks eased his way over an apprenticeship in television and live theater that eventually led to the big screen.

Redford attended college on a baseball scholarship and would later star as a middle-aged slugger in 1984’s “The Natural,” the adaptation of Bernard Malamud’s baseball novel. He had an early interest in drawing and painting, then went on to study at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, debuting on Broadway in the late 1950s and moving into television on such shows as “The Twilight Zone,” “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” and “The Untouchables.”

After scoring a Broadway lead in “Sunday in New York,” Redford was cast by director Mike Nichols in a production of Neil Simon’s “Barefoot in the Park,” later starring with Fonda in the film version. Redford did miss out on one of Nichols’ greatest successes, “The Graduate,” released in 1967. Nichols had considered casting Redford in the part eventually played by Dustin Hoffman, but Redford seemed unable to relate to the socially awkward young man who ends up having an affair with one of his parents’ friends.

“I said, ‘You can’t play it. You can never play a loser,’” Nichols said during a 2003 screening of the film in New York. “And Redford said, ‘What do you mean? Of course I can play a loser.’ And I said, ‘OK, have you ever struck out with a girl?’ and he said, ‘What do you mean?’ And he wasn’t joking.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1758025933073.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By BOB THOMAS Associated Press<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-redford">Robert Redford,</a>&nbsp;the Hollywood golden boy who became an Oscar-winning director, liberal activist and godfather for independent cinema under the name of one of his best-loved characters, died Tuesday at 89.Redford died “at his home at Sundance in the mountains of Utah — the place he loved, surrounded by those he loved,” publicist Cindi Berger said in a statement. No cause of death was provided.After rising to stardom in the 1960s, Redford was one of the biggest stars of the ’70s with such films as “The Candidate,” “All the President’s Men” and “The Way We Were,” capping that decade with the best director Oscar for 1980's “Ordinary People,” which also won best picture in 1980. His wavy blond hair and boyish grin made him the most desired of leading men, but he worked hard to transcend his looks — whether through his political advocacy, his willingness to take on unglamorous roles or his dedication to providing a platform for low-budget movies.His roles ranged from Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward to a mountain man in “Jeremiah Johnson” to a double agent in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and his co-stars included Jane Fonda, Meryl Streep and Tom Cruise. But his most famous screen partner was his old friend and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/4df55845e1c7469e99fb92d5808dfd22">fellow activist and practical joker Paul Newman,</a>&nbsp;their films a variation of their warm, teasing relationship off screen. Redford played the wily outlaw opposite Newman in 1969’s “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” a box-office smash from which Redford's Sundance Institute and festival got its name. He also teamed with Newman on 1973’s best picture Oscar winner, “The Sting,” which earned Redford a best-actor nomination as a young con artist in 1930s Chicago.Film roles after the ’70s became more sporadic as Redford concentrated on directing and producing, and his new role as patriarch of the independent-film movement in the 1980s and ’90s through his Sundance Institute. But he starred in 1985’s best picture champion “Out of Africa” and in 2013 received some of the best reviews of his career as a shipwrecked sailor in “All is Lost,” in which he was the film’s only performer. In 2018, he was praised again in what he called his farewell movie, “The Old Man and the Gun.”“I just figure that I’ve had a long career that I’m very pleased with. It’s been so long, ever since I was 21,” he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/6ad1d531fd11493794306e96b0dd51e4">told The Associated Press shortly before the film came out.</a>&nbsp;“I figure now as I’m getting into my 80s, it’s maybe time to move toward retirement and spend more time with my wife and family.”<h2>Sundance is born</h2>Redford had watched Hollywood grow more cautious and controlling during the 1970s and wanted to recapture the creative spirit of the early part of the decade. Sundance was created to nurture new talent away from the pressures of Hollywood, the institute providing a training ground and the festival, based in Park City, Utah, where Redford had purchased land with the initial hope of opening a ski resort. Instead, Park City became a place of discovery for such previously unknown filmmakers as Quentin Tarantino, Steven Soderbergh, Paul Thomas Anderson and Darren Aronofsky.“For me, the word to be underscored is ‘independence,’” Redford told the AP in 2018. “I’ve always believed in that word. That’s what led to me eventually wanting to create a category that supported independent artists who weren’t given a chance to be heard.“The industry was pretty well controlled by the mainstream, which I was a part of. But I saw other stories out there that weren’t having a chance to be told and I thought, ‘Well, maybe I can commit my energies to giving those people a chance.’ As I look back on it, I feel very good about that.”Sundance was even criticized as buyers swarmed in looking for potential hits and celebrities overran the town each winter.“We have never, ever changed our policies for how we program our festival. It’s always been built on diversity,” Redford told the AP in 2004. “The fact is that the diversity has become commercial. Because independent films have achieved their own success, Hollywood, being just a business, is going to grab them. So when Hollywood grabs your films, they go, ‘Oh, it’s gone Hollywood.’”By 2025, the festival had become so prominent that organizers decided they had outgrown Park City and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sundance-film-festival-boulder-move-562a7b1b8081f0ca7a616b64c357d0ae">approved relocating to Boulder, Colorado,</a>&nbsp;starting in 2027. Redford, who had attended the University of Colorado in Boulder, issued a statement saying that “change is inevitable, we must always evolve and grow, which has been at the core of our survival.”Redford was married twice, most recently to Sibylle Szaggars. He had four children, two of whom have died — Scott Anthony, who died in infancy, in 1959; and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/james-redford-liver-disease-death-7e3bebe274c92a9a5a0a73487f79fee4">James Redford,</a>&nbsp;an activist and filmmaker who died in 2020.<h2>Redford's early life</h2>Robert Redford was born Charles Robert Redford Jr. on Aug. 18, 1937, in Santa Monica, a California boy whose blond good looks eased his way over an apprenticeship in television and live theater that eventually led to the big screen.Redford attended college on a baseball scholarship and would later star as a middle-aged slugger in 1984’s “The Natural,” the adaptation of Bernard Malamud’s baseball novel. He had an early interest in drawing and painting, then went on to study at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, debuting on Broadway in the late 1950s and moving into television on such shows as “The Twilight Zone,” “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” and “The Untouchables.”After scoring a Broadway lead in “Sunday in New York,” Redford was cast by director Mike Nichols in a production of Neil Simon’s “Barefoot in the Park,” later starring with Fonda in the film version. Redford did miss out on one of Nichols’ greatest successes, “The Graduate,” released in 1967. Nichols had considered casting Redford in the part eventually played by Dustin Hoffman, but Redford seemed unable to relate to the socially awkward young man who ends up having an affair with one of his parents’ friends.“I said, ‘You can’t play it. You can never play a loser,’” Nichols said during a 2003 screening of the film in New York. “And Redford said, ‘What do you mean? Of course I can play a loser.’ And I said, ‘OK, have you ever struck out with a girl?’ and he said, ‘What do you mean?’ And he wasn’t joking.”___

Robert Redford, Oscar-winning actor and director, dies at 89

WASHINGTON (AP) —Vice President JD Vance on Monday jumped onto the conservative movement&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kirk-trump-cancel-culture-assassination-4d69649e382ea46d8dcf794150a1d3c9">demanding consequences</a>&nbsp;for those who have cheered Charlie Kirk's killing, calling on the public to turn in anyone who says distasteful things about the assassination of his friend and political ally.

“When you see someone celebrating Charlie’s murder, call them out,” Vance urged listeners on the slain activist’s podcast Monday. “And hell, call their employer.”

Vance's call also included a vow to target some of the biggest funders of liberal causes as conservatives stepped up their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-workplace-speech-firing-29717a8612ccedebabc7cba29e7ef627">targeting of private individuals</a>&nbsp;for their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dowd-msnbc-kirk-comments-e08f349022c9d69171cd575664141075">comments about the killing</a>. It marked an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dowd-msnbc-kirk-comments-e08f349022c9d69171cd575664141075">escalation in a campaign</a>&nbsp;that some warned invoked some of the darkest chapters of American history.

“The government involvement in this does inch this closer to looking like McCarthyism,” said Adam Goldstein of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, referring to the 1950s campaign to root out communists that led to false allegations and ruined careers. “It was not a shining moment for free expression.”

Campaign broadens to those who quote Kirk critically

Republican-controlled states such as Florida, Oklahoma and Texas have launched investigations of teachers accused of inappropriate statements after last week’s assassination. The U.S. military has invited members of the public to report those who “celebrate or mock” the killing and said some troops have already been removed for their comments.

At the same time, the Trump administration has vowed to target what it contends is a “vast” liberal network that inspired the shooter, even as authorities maintain it appears he acted alone and the investigation is ongoing.

The campaign has broadened to include even those whose statements were critical of Kirk without celebrating his assassination.

The Washington Post fired Karen Attiah, an opinion columnist, for posts on the day of the shooting that lamented how “white America” was not ready to solve gun violence and that quoted Kirk denigrating the intelligence of prominent Black women such as Michelle Obama.

PEN America, a press freedom group, warned in a statement that firings like Attiah's “risk creating a chilling effect.”

Goldstein worried there were many cases of people targeted for simply quoting Kirk or failing to mourn his passing adequately. “That’s one of the key symptoms of cancel culture,” he said. “Trying to paint everyone with the same brush.”

Conservatives coined the term cancel culture for what they claimed was persecution of those on the right for their views, especially related to the COVID-19 pandemic and Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, leading to campaigns to get regular people fired.

It was a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-free-speech-first-amendment-columbia-student-3d4c835a673a24b793b2b045405231e6">significant cause for President Donald Trum</a>&nbsp;p, who pledged to end it during his campaign last year. But after the Kirk killing, he and his administration have instead&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-free-speech-first-amendment-columbia-student-3d4c835a673a24b793b2b045405231e6">leaned into it from the right</a>.

A hero to conservatives, a provocateur to many Democrats

A father of two and a Christian conservative, Kirk was a hero to many Trump Republicans for his fiery warnings about the dangers of Democrats and ability to organize young voters. But Kirk also was a provocateur and supporter of Trump’s attempt to overturn his 2020 election loss who left a long record of partisan quips that enraged many on the left.

“According to Kirk, empathy is a made-up new-age term, so keep the jokes coming. It’s what he would have wanted,” read one post on X that Melvin Villaver Jr., a Clemson University music professor, re-posted the day of the killing, according to a screenshot circulated by college Republicans demanding his firing. Clemson eventually fired one staffer and suspended Villaver and another professor after intense pressure from elected South Carolina Republican officials.

Other targeted posters, such as Army Lt. Col. Christopher Ladnier, simply quoted Kirk on the day of his assassination. This included Kirk calling the Civil Rights Act a “beast” that “has now turned into an anti-white weapon," his criticism of Martin Luther King Jr. and his statement that some gun deaths are the cost of a robust Second Amendment.

Ladnier, who has been targeted by conservative activists online, said in a Facebook message to The Associated Press that he would respond “when/if” his chain of command takes action.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott approvingly posted a video of a Texas Tech University student who was arrested Friday after a confrontation at a campus vigil for Kirk, writing: “This is what happened to the person who was mocking Charlie Kirk’s assassination at Texas Tech."

Some people targeted have been victims of mistaken identity.

A school district in rural Elkhorn, Wisconsin, reported receiving more than 800 messages after one conservative influencer mistakenly identified an associate principal at an elementary school as celebrating Kirk's death.

Top Republicans vow to go after ‘domestic terrorist network’

Authorities say Kirk was shot by 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who grew up in a conservative household in southern Utah but was enmeshed in “leftist ideology,” according to the state's Republican governor, Spencer Cox.

Cox said investigators may reveal more about what motivated the attack after Robinson's initial court appearance, scheduled for Tuesday. The governor said the suspect, who allegedly carved memes onto his bullet casings, appeared radicalized by the “dark corners of the internet.”

On Monday, Vance was joined on Kirk’s podcast by Stephen Miller, Trump’s deputy chief of staff, who vowed to crack down on what he called the “vast domestic terrorist network” he blamed for Kirk’s death.

Alluding to free speech concerns, Vance said: “You have the crazies on the far left that say, ’Oh, Stephen Miller and JD Vance, they’re going to go after constitutionally protected speech.'”

But he added: “No no no! We’re going to go after the NGO network that foments, facilitates and engages in violence,” — a reference to non-governmental organizations.

The White House did not immediately return a request seeking clarity on the remarks, including which groups might be targeted.

The idea of a retribution campaign against individuals or groups for expressing a particular viewpoint has alarmed many.

“Just having that ideology, just believing differently than some other American is not illegal,” Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma said on CNN on Sunday.

Instead, he said any groups that have been involved in illegal or violent acts should be targeted.

Killing as a pretext to go after political rivals

On Kirk’s show, Vance talked about the need for unity after the assassination, but then dismissed it as impossible given what he described as the left’s embrace of political violence. Naming two foundations that fund a wide range of liberal causes, Vance said: "There is no unity with the people who fund these articles, who pay the salaries of these terrorist sympathizers.”

Democratic officials have roundly condemned Kirk’s murder. Democrats also have been victims of political violence recently, including the June assassination of a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband, and the 2022 beating of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband in their San Francisco home.

Caitlin Legacki of Stop Government Censorship, formed to fight the Trump administration’s use of government against its political rivals, said it was one thing for people making abhorrent statements to face consequences.

“When we get concerned is when there appears to be a concerted effort in the government to use this tragedy to punish political opponents,” she said.

Associated Press writers Collin Binkley and Chris Megerian in Washington; Meg Kinnard in Chapin, South Carolina; Juan Lozano in Houston, and Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757541376269.png" alt="Charley Kirk photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Charley Kirk photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Vice President JD Vance on Monday jumped onto the conservative movement&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kirk-trump-cancel-culture-assassination-4d69649e382ea46d8dcf794150a1d3c9">demanding consequences</a>&nbsp;for those who have cheered Charlie Kirk's killing, calling on the public to turn in anyone who says distasteful things about the assassination of his friend and political ally.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">MUST WATCH: <a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a> powerfully delivers some hard truths on political violence in America. &quot;While our side of the aisle certainly has its crazies, it is a statistical FACT that most of the lunatics in American politics today are proud members of the Far Left.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/mYnkCZhuXU">pic.twitter.com/mYnkCZhuXU</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1967652535679721576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“When you see someone celebrating Charlie’s murder, call them out,” Vance urged listeners on the slain activist’s podcast Monday. “And hell, call their employer.”Vance's call also included a vow to target some of the biggest funders of liberal causes as conservatives stepped up their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-workplace-speech-firing-29717a8612ccedebabc7cba29e7ef627">targeting of private individuals</a>&nbsp;for their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dowd-msnbc-kirk-comments-e08f349022c9d69171cd575664141075">comments about the killing</a>. It marked an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dowd-msnbc-kirk-comments-e08f349022c9d69171cd575664141075">escalation in a campaign</a>&nbsp;that some warned invoked some of the darkest chapters of American history.“The government involvement in this does inch this closer to looking like McCarthyism,” said Adam Goldstein of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, referring to the 1950s campaign to root out communists that led to false allegations and ruined careers. “It was not a shining moment for free expression.”<h2>Campaign broadens to those who quote Kirk critically</h2>Republican-controlled states such as Florida, Oklahoma and Texas have launched investigations of teachers accused of inappropriate statements after last week’s assassination. The U.S. military has invited members of the public to report those who “celebrate or mock” the killing and said some troops have already been removed for their comments.At the same time, the Trump administration has vowed to target what it contends is a “vast” liberal network that inspired the shooter, even as authorities maintain it appears he acted alone and the investigation is ongoing.The campaign has broadened to include even those whose statements were critical of Kirk without celebrating his assassination.The Washington Post fired Karen Attiah, an opinion columnist, for posts on the day of the shooting that lamented how “white America” was not ready to solve gun violence and that quoted Kirk denigrating the intelligence of prominent Black women such as Michelle Obama.PEN America, a press freedom group, warned in a statement that firings like Attiah's “risk creating a chilling effect.”Goldstein worried there were many cases of people targeted for simply quoting Kirk or failing to mourn his passing adequately. “That’s one of the key symptoms of cancel culture,” he said. “Trying to paint everyone with the same brush.”Conservatives coined the term cancel culture for what they claimed was persecution of those on the right for their views, especially related to the COVID-19 pandemic and Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, leading to campaigns to get regular people fired.It was a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-free-speech-first-amendment-columbia-student-3d4c835a673a24b793b2b045405231e6">significant cause for President Donald Trum</a>&nbsp;p, who pledged to end it during his campaign last year. But after the Kirk killing, he and his administration have instead&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-free-speech-first-amendment-columbia-student-3d4c835a673a24b793b2b045405231e6">leaned into it from the right</a>.<h2>A hero to conservatives, a provocateur to many Democrats</h2>A father of two and a Christian conservative, Kirk was a hero to many Trump Republicans for his fiery warnings about the dangers of Democrats and ability to organize young voters. But Kirk also was a provocateur and supporter of Trump’s attempt to overturn his 2020 election loss who left a long record of partisan quips that enraged many on the left.“According to Kirk, empathy is a made-up new-age term, so keep the jokes coming. It’s what he would have wanted,” read one post on X that Melvin Villaver Jr., a Clemson University music professor, re-posted the day of the killing, according to a screenshot circulated by college Republicans demanding his firing. Clemson eventually fired one staffer and suspended Villaver and another professor after intense pressure from elected South Carolina Republican officials.Other targeted posters, such as Army Lt. Col. Christopher Ladnier, simply quoted Kirk on the day of his assassination. This included Kirk calling the Civil Rights Act a “beast” that “has now turned into an anti-white weapon," his criticism of Martin Luther King Jr. and his statement that some gun deaths are the cost of a robust Second Amendment.Ladnier, who has been targeted by conservative activists online, said in a Facebook message to The Associated Press that he would respond “when/if” his chain of command takes action.Texas Gov. Greg Abbott approvingly posted a video of a Texas Tech University student who was arrested Friday after a confrontation at a campus vigil for Kirk, writing: “This is what happened to the person who was mocking Charlie Kirk’s assassination at Texas Tech."Some people targeted have been victims of mistaken identity.A school district in rural Elkhorn, Wisconsin, reported receiving more than 800 messages after one conservative influencer mistakenly identified an associate principal at an elementary school as celebrating Kirk's death.<h2>Top Republicans vow to go after ‘domestic terrorist network’</h2>Authorities say Kirk was shot by 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who grew up in a conservative household in southern Utah but was enmeshed in “leftist ideology,” according to the state's Republican governor, Spencer Cox.Cox said investigators may reveal more about what motivated the attack after Robinson's initial court appearance, scheduled for Tuesday. The governor said the suspect, who allegedly carved memes onto his bullet casings, appeared radicalized by the “dark corners of the internet.”On Monday, Vance was joined on Kirk’s podcast by Stephen Miller, Trump’s deputy chief of staff, who vowed to crack down on what he called the “vast domestic terrorist network” he blamed for Kirk’s death.Alluding to free speech concerns, Vance said: “You have the crazies on the far left that say, ’Oh, Stephen Miller and JD Vance, they’re going to go after constitutionally protected speech.'”But he added: “No no no! We’re going to go after the NGO network that foments, facilitates and engages in violence,” — a reference to non-governmental organizations.The White House did not immediately return a request seeking clarity on the remarks, including which groups might be targeted.The idea of a retribution campaign against individuals or groups for expressing a particular viewpoint has alarmed many.“Just having that ideology, just believing differently than some other American is not illegal,” Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma said on CNN on Sunday.Instead, he said any groups that have been involved in illegal or violent acts should be targeted.<h2>Killing as a pretext to go after political rivals</h2>On Kirk’s show, Vance talked about the need for unity after the assassination, but then dismissed it as impossible given what he described as the left’s embrace of political violence. Naming two foundations that fund a wide range of liberal causes, Vance said: "There is no unity with the people who fund these articles, who pay the salaries of these terrorist sympathizers.”Democratic officials have roundly condemned Kirk’s murder. Democrats also have been victims of political violence recently, including the June assassination of a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband, and the 2022 beating of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband in their San Francisco home.Caitlin Legacki of Stop Government Censorship, formed to fight the Trump administration’s use of government against its political rivals, said it was one thing for people making abhorrent statements to face consequences.“When we get concerned is when there appears to be a concerted effort in the government to use this tragedy to punish political opponents,” she said.___Associated Press writers Collin Binkley and Chris Megerian in Washington; Meg Kinnard in Chapin, South Carolina; Juan Lozano in Houston, and Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City contributed to this report.

Trump admin. joins GOP campaign to police speech in reaction to Kirk's murder

The construction of the Tallgrass Addition, using housing incentives, has had an economic impact of $24.4 million on the Hays area.

Doug Williams, Grow Hays executive director, gave a presentation during the agency's quarterly luncheon on Tuesday, explaining how Reinvestment Housing Incentive Districts work and how they have been utilized in Hays to promote development.

The nonprofit development group Heart of America purchased land for the second addition of the Tallgrass Addition in 2019.

The first 3 phases of the Tallgrass Addition have added 66 lots for development, with 101 more lots to be in the fourth addition, which will stretch north to Interstate 70.

Williams said the Tallgrass addition would not have happened had it not been for the incentive district.

The cost of developing infrastructure, such as streets and sewers, would have been too expensive, he said. Heart of America has invested more than $3 million in developing infrastructure for the first three phases.

In a larger community such as Kansas City, the developer could pass the cost of development on to consumers in the form of higher lot prices. He gave the example of lots selling for $100,000.

Without the incentive district, the lot prices would have averaged $47,738. With the incentive district, the lots averaged about $14,000.

Using special assessments would also push the cost of housing beyond the reach of most buyers, he said.

Had the cost of infrastructure been recouped through special assessments, homeowners would be paying an additional $340 per month to cover the infrastructure costs.

"If you look at the cost of home ownership, that is a significant reduction," Williams said.

The community benefited from the development because Heart of America chose to reconstruct Wheatland Avenue instead of doing an overlay. This created a better street not only for the development but for those entering Fort Hays State University Tech North Central.

"Had that been a private developer, no one would do that," Williams said.

Developers in larger urban areas can build on a larger scale. They built many homes at once. However, local developers might be able to build only one or two houses per year.

The Tallgrass Addition has several basements poured that need to be framed, but Hays only has one framer.

The Tallgrass home buyers were distributed between people who were new to Hays, first-time home buyers, people who were upsizing or downsizing and investors.

"I hear all the time about people coming to our community to accept a job, look for housing, and find out they can't find an acceptable house. [They] end up not coming," he said. "It's happened numerous times."

When you look at the upsizers and downsizers that added another 15 homes to the Hays housing inventory. People are buying the homes that Tallgrass buyers vacate, Williams said.

"The more supply we have, the more likely we are to be able to maintain stable prices," Williams said.

Many of the houses that were vacated by Tallgrass buyers sold for less than the Tallgrass homes. Those vacated homes filled a niche in the housing market, Williams said.

The total revenue from Tallgrass construction was estimated at more than $19 million. This is estimated to have a multiplier effect in the community of 1.26, resulting in a total economic impact of $24.4 million.

The sales tax impact alone was almost $900,000.

Homeowners still pay property taxes. Only the local incremental increase in property tax is allocated toward repayment of the developer's infrastructure costs.

The 20-mill state levy for schools is still in place. The new homes will raise an additional $969,000 for schools over the life of the incentive district.

"There are really no levied tax dollars that have been put into this project, but there have been a whole bunch of dollars that have come back the other way," Williams added later in his presentation.

"In my view, without a doubt, our taxes are lower than they would be because of this development."

The construction has also created jobs in the community, Williams said.

An estimated 116 direct construction jobs and 40 indirect jobs were created. Direct jobs could be carpenters or roofers, people working to build the homes. Indirect jobs could be landscapers.

Another 104 jobs have been created in industries such as retail or restaurants when the construction workers eat out or shop.

Williams said homeownership benefits the community at large.

It increases and stabilizes the workforce. Homeowners are more likely to stay in the community. Their children attended local schools, and they stimulate the economy by shopping, eating at restaurants and using services, such as medical care.

The city agreed to bond the initial $3.1 million&nbsp;Heart of America investment, allowing it to develop the fourth Tallgrass Addition.

Engineering on the latest addition is almost complete. Bids will likely go out in the next 30 days and construction on the infrastructure will likely start this fall, Williams said.

Within eight to nine months, work on building houses is expected to begin, he said.

"There still remains to be strong demand for these [homes]," Williams said.

Williams said the land on which the Tallgrass Addition now sits was producing $127 in property taxes.&nbsp;

"That's the trade for an RHID," he said. "I think it is a pretty good trade because of all that has happened because of the RHID and because the city, county, school district and Heart of America, all of those people were willing to step up to the plate and make something happen."

Mayor Sandy Jacobs lauded the collaboration that went into creating the Tallgrass Addition.

"No one entity could go out and do this on their own," she said. "I think we should be really proud of the collaboration, starting with Heart of America, because that was your first stop, looking for the money. They were able to see that future. I think it is amazing what this community can do when they all put their heads together."

She also said she thought the Tallgrass Addition stimulated development in the community because it highlighted the demand for housing in Hays.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757541073909.png" alt="Tallgrass Addition. Photo courtesy of Grow Hays" />
 <figcaption>Tallgrass Addition. Photo courtesy of Grow Hays</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="Post Podcast: Grow Hays" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:300px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?from=embed&i=bjgvm-195c056-pb&square=1&share=1&d… loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe construction of the Tallgrass Addition, using housing incentives, has had an economic impact of $24.4 million on the Hays area.Doug Williams, Grow Hays executive director, gave a presentation during the agency's quarterly luncheon on Tuesday, explaining how Reinvestment Housing Incentive Districts work and how they have been utilized in Hays to promote development.The nonprofit development group Heart of America purchased land for the second addition of the Tallgrass Addition in 2019.The first 3 phases of the Tallgrass Addition have added 66 lots for development, with 101 more lots to be in the fourth addition, which will stretch north to Interstate 70.Williams said the Tallgrass addition would not have happened had it not been for the incentive district.The cost of developing infrastructure, such as streets and sewers, would have been too expensive, he said. Heart of America has invested more than $3 million in developing infrastructure for the first three phases.In a larger community such as Kansas City, the developer could pass the cost of development on to consumers in the form of higher lot prices. He gave the example of lots selling for $100,000.Without the incentive district, the lot prices would have averaged $47,738. With the incentive district, the lots averaged about $14,000.Using special assessments would also push the cost of housing beyond the reach of most buyers, he said.Had the cost of infrastructure been recouped through special assessments, homeowners would be paying an additional $340 per month to cover the infrastructure costs."If you look at the cost of home ownership, that is a significant reduction," Williams said.The community benefited from the development because Heart of America chose to reconstruct Wheatland Avenue instead of doing an overlay. This created a better street not only for the development but for those entering Fort Hays State University Tech North Central."Had that been a private developer, no one would do that," Williams said.Developers in larger urban areas can build on a larger scale. They built many homes at once. However, local developers might be able to build only one or two houses per year.The Tallgrass Addition has several basements poured that need to be framed, but Hays only has one framer.The Tallgrass home buyers were distributed between people who were new to Hays, first-time home buyers, people who were upsizing or downsizing and investors.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757602569412.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"I hear all the time about people coming to our community to accept a job, look for housing, and find out they can't find an acceptable house. [They] end up not coming," he said. "It's happened numerous times."When you look at the upsizers and downsizers that added another 15 homes to the Hays housing inventory. People are buying the homes that Tallgrass buyers vacate, Williams said."The more supply we have, the more likely we are to be able to maintain stable prices," Williams said.Many of the houses that were vacated by Tallgrass buyers sold for less than the Tallgrass homes. Those vacated homes filled a niche in the housing market, Williams said.Economic impactThe total revenue from Tallgrass construction was estimated at more than $19 million. This is estimated to have a multiplier effect in the community of 1.26, resulting in a total economic impact of $24.4 million.The sales tax impact alone was almost $900,000.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757603327550.png" alt="About 50% of the cost of a new home is materials. The USD 489 sales tax goes toward repayment of its bond." />
 <figcaption>About 50% of the cost of a new home is materials. The USD 489 sales tax goes toward repayment of its bond.</figcaption>
 </figure>Homeowners still pay property taxes. Only the local incremental increase in property tax is allocated toward repayment of the developer's infrastructure costs.The 20-mill state levy for schools is still in place. The new homes will raise an additional $969,000 for schools over the life of the incentive district."There are really no levied tax dollars that have been put into this project, but there have been a whole bunch of dollars that have come back the other way," Williams added later in his presentation."In my view, without a doubt, our taxes are lower than they would be because of this development."The construction has also created jobs in the community, Williams said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757604349432.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>An estimated 116 direct construction jobs and 40 indirect jobs were created. Direct jobs could be carpenters or roofers, people working to build the homes. Indirect jobs could be landscapers.Another 104 jobs have been created in industries such as retail or restaurants when the construction workers eat out or shop.Williams said homeownership benefits the community at large.It increases and stabilizes the workforce. Homeowners are more likely to stay in the community. Their children attended local schools, and they stimulate the economy by shopping, eating at restaurants and using services, such as medical care.The city agreed to bond the initial $3.1 million&nbsp;Heart of America investment, allowing it to develop the fourth Tallgrass Addition.Engineering on the latest addition is almost complete. Bids will likely go out in the next 30 days and construction on the infrastructure will likely start this fall, Williams said.Within eight to nine months, work on building houses is expected to begin, he said."There still remains to be strong demand for these [homes]," Williams said.Williams said the land on which the Tallgrass Addition now sits was producing $127 in property taxes.&nbsp;"That's the trade for an RHID," he said. "I think it is a pretty good trade because of all that has happened because of the RHID and because the city, county, school district and Heart of America, all of those people were willing to step up to the plate and make something happen."Mayor Sandy Jacobs lauded the collaboration that went into creating the Tallgrass Addition."No one entity could go out and do this on their own," she said. "I think we should be really proud of the collaboration, starting with Heart of America, because that was your first stop, looking for the money. They were able to see that future. I think it is amazing what this community can do when they all put their heads together."She also said she thought the Tallgrass Addition stimulated development in the community because it highlighted the demand for housing in Hays."Success breeds success," she said.

🎙 Housing incentive district reaps millions in economic benefits for community

A well known Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper used social media to announce his retirement Monday evening.

KHP Trooper Ben Gardner wrote he was deeply fatigued after 26-years with the Patrol.&nbsp; The news comes after the Patrol earlier this month was forced to issue a statement involving&nbsp;confusion over a personal social media post by Gardner. The KHP wrote, "The KHP is aware of a social media post by an employee who appears to be either soliciting or accepting donations in furtherance of personal travel."

On his private social media page September 1, <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/55d07e51-697f-4176-9206-a43710f4937a">Gardner wrote that he was</a> driving his Jeep back and forth to Michigan and using a lot of gas. He wrote, "folks had already reached out, so he shared ways that others could help."

Not everyone believed the post was actually from beloved Trooper Ben.

The Kansas Highway Patrol responded, "Because the employee's private posts are often difficult to distinguish from their professional posts, the messages can be confusing and are neither approved by nor associated with KHP business."

On Monday night, Gardner wrote about his retirement.

"Of all the posts I’ve ever made, this one may be the most important. A significant shift from what life has been…"

"This evening, I sat at my laptop and typed the words that made it real. I sent the email. My official notice of retirement.For years, I’ve struggled with this decision. Do I hold on longer, or do I take the step forward?

"So many of us wait.Wait until 5 PM.Wait for Friday.Wait for summer.Wait for adulthood. Wait for happiness.Always waiting for the right moment. But in the waiting, we miss living in the now."

"After over 26 years of service, I am fatigued. Deeply fatigued…That fatigue does not come from the people of Kansas or the countless lives I’ve had the honor of serving."

"Being a servant has been one of the greatest joys of my life.The strain has come from within. From the inner spaces I’ve devoted myself to. Spaces I have deeply loved, but also where I have faced some of my greatest challenges.Through my entire career, I’ve always tried to make decisions that were about purpose, not paycheck. I never sought promotion. I rarely looked for overtime."

"The choices I made were always about moments where I could make a meaningful impact with the people around me. To break the mold a little.To blaze a trail.To show what I believe the service of this position was always meant to be.￼To leave the space I held better than when I received it.I have full faith that I have done just that.It seems that so many individuals in this profession exit long before they ever make it to retirement."

And standing here now, I can understand why. It has been such an honor to serve as I have over these last 26 years. Pride, laughter, fear, embarrassment, and deep sadness have all been part of my journey."

"After traveling to Michigan for my dad’s graveside ceremony, I found some clarity."

"Being there reminded me that the time we have is so, so valuable.This will work out. It might be bumpy for a little bit, but eventually we grow past the tightness, the worry, and the fatigue of trying to fit in."

"It’s my belief, two weeks is what I have left of this career. It’s hard. It’s emotional. But it’s time." 

"The past will always be part of me, but the future is calling. And I’m choosing to live it now.When the time is right, I want to be more transparent. To share more openly about what I have experienced throughout my career, and especially over these last five years leading up to retirement.  In that moment, you will see my heart more clearly than ever before."

"What I haven’t shared over the last five years… I will.To those who have openly supported me, cheered for me, and defended me when I wasn’t around, thank you. You have carried me further than you know."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757986303750.png" alt="Image from Gardner's social media page Monday night" />
 <figcaption>Image from Gardner's social media page Monday night</figcaption>
 </figure>A well known Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper used social media to announce his retirement Monday evening.KHP Trooper Ben Gardner wrote he was deeply fatigued after 26-years with the Patrol.&nbsp; The news comes after the Patrol earlier this month was forced to issue a statement involving&nbsp;confusion over a personal social media post by Gardner. The KHP wrote, "The KHP is aware of a social media post by an employee who appears to be either soliciting or accepting donations in furtherance of personal travel."On his private social media page September 1, <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/55d07e51-697f-4176-9206-a43710f4937a">Gardner wrote that he was</a> driving his Jeep back and forth to Michigan and using a lot of gas. He wrote, "folks had already reached out, so he shared ways that others could help."Not everyone believed the post was actually from beloved Trooper Ben.The Kansas Highway Patrol responded, "Because the employee's private posts are often difficult to distinguish from their professional posts, the messages can be confusing and are neither approved by nor associated with KHP business."On Monday night, Gardner wrote about his retirement."Of all the posts I’ve ever made, this one may be the most important. A significant shift from what life has been…""This evening, I sat at my laptop and typed the words that made it real. I sent the email. My official notice of retirement.For years, I’ve struggled with this decision. Do I hold on longer, or do I take the step forward?"So many of us wait.Wait until 5 PM.Wait for Friday.Wait for summer.Wait for adulthood. Wait for happiness.Always waiting for the right moment. But in the waiting, we miss living in the now.""After over 26 years of service, I am fatigued. Deeply fatigued…That fatigue does not come from the people of Kansas or the countless lives I’ve had the honor of serving.""Being a servant has been one of the greatest joys of my life.The strain has come from within. From the inner spaces I’ve devoted myself to. Spaces I have deeply loved, but also where I have faced some of my greatest challenges.Through my entire career, I’ve always tried to make decisions that were about purpose, not paycheck. I never sought promotion. I rarely looked for overtime.""The choices I made were always about moments where I could make a meaningful impact with the people around me. To break the mold a little.To blaze a trail.To show what I believe the service of this position was always meant to be.￼To leave the space I held better than when I received it.I have full faith that I have done just that.It seems that so many individuals in this profession exit long before they ever make it to retirement."And standing here now, I can understand why. It has been such an honor to serve as I have over these last 26 years. Pride, laughter, fear, embarrassment, and deep sadness have all been part of my journey.""After traveling to Michigan for my dad’s graveside ceremony, I found some clarity.""Being there reminded me that the time we have is so, so valuable.This will work out. It might be bumpy for a little bit, but eventually we grow past the tightness, the worry, and the fatigue of trying to fit in.""It’s my belief, two weeks is what I have left of this career. It’s hard. It’s emotional. But it’s time." "The past will always be part of me, but the future is calling. And I’m choosing to live it now.When the time is right, I want to be more transparent. To share more openly about what I have experienced throughout my career, and especially over these last five years leading up to retirement. In that moment, you will see my heart more clearly than ever before.""What I haven’t shared over the last five years… I will.To those who have openly supported me, cheered for me, and defended me when I wasn’t around, thank you. You have carried me further than you know."

Well known State Trooper makes emotional announcement

HAYS – TMP-Marian junior Ty Schmeidler announced Monday on X
that he has committed to play baseball at the University of Kentucky.

This past season, Schmeidler helped lead the Monarchs back
to the state tournament and capped off the season with a second straight dominant
performance at the state tournament.

Just like in his freshman campaign, Schmeidler carried a no-hitter
deep into the postseason contest, only to see the Monarchs' opponent rally for
the victory.

This past season, Schmeidler took a no-hitter into the
seventh inning of a first-round matchup with the eventual state champions, Colgan
Panthers. He struck out 14 through six innings before the Panthers scored two
runs in the seventh to secure the win.

Schmeidler finished the season 5-2 with a 1.86 ERA. In his
41.1 innings pitched, Schmeidler struck out 78, walked 22, and allowed 18 total
runs, all on 21 hits allowed. 

Hays Post SportsHAYS – TMP-Marian junior Ty Schmeidler announced Monday on X
that he has committed to play baseball at the University of Kentucky.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Blessed to announce my commitment to the University of Kentucky! Thank you to everyone who has been by my side throughout this journey, especially my family! Go Cats! <a href="https://twitter.com/UKBaseball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UKBaseball</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PrepBaseballKS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PrepBaseballKS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TMPMarian?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TMPMarian</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/sportsinkansas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sportsinkansas</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MarianTmp?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MarianTmp</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PbrUrban?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PbrUrban</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Prime27_17?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Prime27_17</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RomesS_C?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RomesS_C</a> <a href="https://t.co/KdjW3dcPwE">pic.twitter.com/KdjW3dcPwE</a>&mdash; Ty Schmeidler (@TySchmeidler) <a href="https://twitter.com/TySchmeidler/status/1967740430159843837?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>This past season, Schmeidler helped lead the Monarchs back
to the state tournament and capped off the season with a second straight dominant
performance at the state tournament.Just like in his freshman campaign, Schmeidler carried a no-hitter
deep into the postseason contest, only to see the Monarchs' opponent rally for
the victory.This past season, Schmeidler took a no-hitter into the
seventh inning of a first-round matchup with the eventual state champions, Colgan
Panthers. He struck out 14 through six innings before the Panthers scored two
runs in the seventh to secure the win.Schmeidler finished the season 5-2 with a 1.86 ERA. In his
41.1 innings pitched, Schmeidler struck out 78, walked 22, and allowed 18 total
runs, all on 21 hits allowed.

⚾ TMP’s Schmeidler commits to Kentucky

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said the U.S. military again targeted a boat allegedly carrying drugs from Venezuela, killing three aboard the vessel.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said the U.S. military again targeted a boat allegedly carrying drugs from Venezuela, killing three aboard the vessel.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/gqH4MHjbg2">pic.twitter.com/gqH4MHjbg2</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1967680808128483764?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“The Strike occurred while these confirmed narcoterrorists from Venezuela were in International Waters transporting illegal narcotics (A DEADLY WEAPON POISONING AMERICANS!) headed to the U.S.,” Trump said in a Truth Social post announcing the strike. “These extremely violent drug trafficking cartels POSE A THREAT to U.S. National Security, Foreign Policy, and vital U.S. Interests.”Trump said the strike was carried out Monday, nearly two weeks after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-drug-cartels-05c5b0de282178419d46a3e93fbd2521">another military strike</a>&nbsp;on what the Trump administration says was a drug-carrying speedboat from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-destroyers-maduro-drug-cartels-9649e8282c061d9dad41a5dfb54431d4">Venezuela</a>&nbsp;that killed 11.The Trump administration justified the earlier strike as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States.But several senators, Democrats and some Republicans, have indicated their dissatisfaction with the administration’s rationale and questioned the legality of the action. They view it as a potential overreach of executive authority in part because the military was used for law enforcement purposes.The Trump administration has claimed self-defense as a legal justification for the first strike, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio arguing the drug cartels&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rubio-venezuela-maduro-drug-cartels-b33769bb581454eb8cf5cdf365d5f0c8">“pose an immediate threat”</a>&nbsp;to the nation.U.S. officials said the strike early this month targeted Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang designated by the U.S. as a terrorist organization. And they indicated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-military-strike-drug-cartels-maduro-eae4f38deb40cb8ce70521c22282e469">more military strikes on drug targets</a>&nbsp;would be coming as the U.S. looks to “wage war” on cartels.Trump did not specify whether Tren de Aragua was also the target of Monday's strike.The Venezuelan government did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the reported strike.The Trump administration has railed specifically against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro for the scourge of illegal drugs in U.S. communities.Maduro during a press conference earlier on Monday lashed out at the U.S. government, accusing the Trump administration of using drug trafficking accusations as an excuse for a military operation whose intentions are “to intimidate and seek regime change” in the South American country.Maduro also repudiated what he described as a weekend operation in which 18 Marines raided a Venezuelan fishing boat in the Caribbean.“What were they looking for? Tuna? What were they looking for? A kilo of snapper? Who gave the order in Washington for a missile destroyer to send 18 armed Marines to raid a tuna fishing vessel?” he said. “They were looking for a military incident. If the tuna fishing boys had any kind of weapons and used weapons while in Venezuelan jurisdiction, it would have been the military incident that the warmongers, extremists who want a war in the Caribbean, are seeking.”Speaking to Fox News earlier Monday, Rubio reiterated that the U.S. doesn’t see Maduro as the rightful leader of Venezuela but as head of a drug cartel. Rubio has consistently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rubio-venezuela-maduro-drug-cartels-b33769bb581454eb8cf5cdf365d5f0c8">depicted Venezuela as a vestige</a>&nbsp;of communist ideology in the Western Hemisphere.“We’re not going to have a cartel, operating or masquerading as a government, operating in our own hemisphere,” Rubio said.Following the first military strike on a boat allegedly carrying drugs from Venezuela, America's chief diplomat said Trump was "going to use the U.S. military and all the elements of American power to target cartels who are targeting America.”AP and others have reported that the boat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-military-drugs-boat-venezuela-5d28da68e3ea1b5b1b14829af8aadd7b">had turned around</a>&nbsp;and was heading back to shore when it was struck. But Rubio on Monday said he didn’t know if that’s accurate.“What needs to start happening is some of these boats need to get blown up,” Rubio said. “We can’t live in a world where all of a sudden they do a U-turn and so we can’t touch them anymore.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><a href="https://t.co/o5xOQ6HRFg">https://t.co/o5xOQ6HRFg</a> <a href="https://t.co/s9ktAlDQUi">pic.twitter.com/s9ktAlDQUi</a>&mdash; Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) <a href="https://twitter.com/marcorubio/status/1962992360822104110?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">🚨 <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: We just, over the last few minutes, shot out a drug-carrying boat... and there&#39;s more where that came from... These came out of Venezuela. <a href="https://t.co/JlurCZWBpG">pic.twitter.com/JlurCZWBpG</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1962955342523879613?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the U.S. has carried out a strike in the southern Caribbean against a drug-carrying vessel that departed from Venezuela. <a href="https://t.co/g82nOBEftt">pic.twitter.com/g82nOBEftt</a>&mdash; The Associated Press (@AP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AP/status/1962972437865283848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>