By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

The Ellis County Commission will hear the Ellis County Health Department's annual grant submission and update during its meeting at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.

The Health Department relies on annual grants to support its operations. Director Melissa Miller and Kerry McCue will discuss three key grants the department has traditionally received.

Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas is applying for Kansas Community Service tax credits to support various organizational improvements.

County Administrator Darin Myers will discuss with the commissioners the need for a letter of support to be included in DSNWK's application, which is due by April 28.

Residents have approached the commissioners regarding road maintenance concerns in their subdivisions.&nbsp;

Presented by Commission Chair Michael Berges, Hilltop Road homeowners and other subdivisions around Hays will attend the meeting to discuss additional road maintenance concerns.

Hilltop Road underwent a road maintenance project last year to improve deficiencies.

Ellis County Treasurer Vernon Ruder will speak to commissioners about removing a wall in the treasury back office to improve space utilization.

You can view the full agenda <a href="https://www.ellisco.net/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03112025-660">here</a>.

<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 will hear the Ellis County Health Department's annual grant submission and update during its meeting at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.The Health Department relies on annual grants to support its operations. Director Melissa Miller and Kerry McCue will discuss three key grants the department has traditionally received.<h2>DSNWK letter of support</h2>Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas is applying for Kansas Community Service tax credits to support various organizational improvements.County Administrator Darin Myers will discuss with the commissioners the need for a letter of support to be included in DSNWK's application, which is due by April 28.<h2>Sub development road</h2>Residents have approached the commissioners regarding road maintenance concerns in their subdivisions.&nbsp;Presented by Commission Chair Michael Berges, Hilltop Road homeowners and other subdivisions around Hays will attend the meeting to discuss additional road maintenance concerns.Hilltop Road underwent a road maintenance project last year to improve deficiencies.<h2>Other business</h2>Ellis County Treasurer Vernon Ruder will speak to commissioners about removing a wall in the treasury back office to improve space utilization.You can view the full agenda <a href="https://www.ellisco.net/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03112025-660">here</a>.

Ellis County Commission to hear health department grants

The Kansas Highway Patrol continues to see more drivers traveling well above the posted speed limit.&nbsp; Over the weekend, a trooper conducted a traffic stop on a teen driver traveling 110 mph. KHP Trooper Tod Heilman wrote, "When you’re 17 and trying to make it home before curfew and you’re running late, call your parents and explain, they would rather you make it home safe!&nbsp; The Patrol did not indicate where the traffic stop occurred.

The Kansas Highway Patrol stopped another driver on K-96 who was accused of traveling 109 mph - "44 mph over the speed limit." "Remember, no matter where you're headed, it's more important to get there safely than on time. Speeding doesn't just endanger you; it endangers everyone else on the road as well. Help us keep you and your loved ones safe by slowing down!"

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741522036400.png" alt="KHP Trooper Ney" />
 <figcaption>KHP Trooper Ney</figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas Highway Patrol continues to see more drivers traveling well above the posted speed limit.&nbsp; Over the weekend, a trooper conducted a traffic stop on a teen driver traveling 110 mph. KHP Trooper Tod Heilman wrote, "When you’re 17 and trying to make it home before curfew and you’re running late, call your parents and explain, they would rather you make it home safe!&nbsp; The Patrol did not indicate where the traffic stop occurred.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741602405667.png" alt="Photo KHP" />
 <figcaption>Photo KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas Highway Patrol stopped another driver on K-96 who was accused of traveling 109 mph - "44 mph over the speed limit." "Remember, no matter where you're headed, it's more important to get there safely than on time. Speeding doesn't just endanger you; it endangers everyone else on the road as well. Help us keep you and your loved ones safe by slowing down!"

Late for curfew: Teen caught traveling 110 mph on Kan. highway

Local Republican legislators discussed state spending habits, potential fraud and funding for special education at Saturday's legislative coffee in Hays.

Held at the Hays Public Library, Kansas Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, and Rep. Barb Wasinger, R-Hays, spoke to those in attendance.

Legislators said Kansas has been overspending and emphasized reducing expenditures to ensure financial stability.

"We have been overspending in the state and we need to stop. We're working very hard to cut things back," Wasinger said.

Billinger said the state spent nearly $1 billion more than it brought in last year due to tax relief programs and budget allocations.

He outlined several tax relief measures that have affected government revenue, including eliminating sales tax on food, social security income tax cuts and property tax relief.

"We're trying to get our trend lines closer together and we're working on that, but there's only so many dollars to go around," Billinger said. "We make tough choices, and we're not going to try to balance the budget on our most vulnerable citizens."

Billinger said legislators have worked to limit property tax increases and expand homeowner exemptions, including raising the home valuation exemption from $40,000 to $80,000 to reduce the taxable portion of home values.

"In the Senate, we did pass a bill that had a 3% cap on it, so the evaluations could not go up over 3% in one year," Billinger said.

The Astra Plan was created to incentivize counties and cities to keep property tax increases in line with inflation and valuation growth limits. Local governments that comply with these restrictions will receive additional state funding.

"We have to try something different," Wasinger said. "We're trying to encourage and reward those who are staying under CPI (Consumer Price Index)&nbsp; and valuation rate."

The state levies a 1.5-mill property tax for deferred maintenance and schools for blind and deaf students. Billinger said the Senate passed a bill to eliminate this tax, shifting the costs to the state’s general fund.

The Senate Committee on Government Efficiency and a newly formed House committee are examining ways to cut waste and eliminate unnecessary spending.

"We've been asking agencies to report programs that they have and they're not using," Wasinger said.

Wasinger said that the Inspector General for Medicaid uncovered substantial fraud but does not have the enforcement authority to address it.

She said numerous individuals are fraudulently receiving benefits, but state agencies are not taking action to remove them from the system.

"There are a lot of people who are getting benefits but don't deserve benefits," she said.

Wasinger said that records of fraud cases must be requested from the Inspector General. No specific details were given on the amount of money lost to fraud or its frequency.

Wasinger said that Kansas allocates over half of the state budget to schools and continues to provide them with millions more.

"When people come to the state and want more money, 'We need it for mental health, we need it for this, we need it for that,' we can't do it because our hands are tied right now," she said.

Wasinger said funding allocation reforms are needed to ensure the efficient use of resources, particularly in special education and general school budgets.

Billinger acknowledges that special education funding has not kept up with the growing number of students enrolling in the program.

"I've been on budget for nine years now. We've added money every year, maybe not as much as everyone would hope or I would hope, but we try putting additional money every year," he said.

Billinger said that a larger-than-usual amount was allocated to special education last year and that legislators will try to provide as much funding as possible this year.

Rahjes said that the federal government is expected to provide greater support for special education but has not met its obligations.

He also highlighted the need to fund water and infrastructure projects, positioning education as one of several competing priorities.

"We can spend nine hours talking about every issue in the world, but without water, we're not here,"&nbsp;Rahjes.

Legislators discussed agriculture's vital role in Kansas' economy and outlined ongoing legislative efforts to support farmers.

"Agriculture and aviation are two of the keys to keeping our economy going," Rahjes said.

Rahjes said that Kansas leads the nation in sorghum production. A $1 million annual investment made to the Center for Sorghum Improvement at Kansas State University is a long-term strategy to develop new products and enhance production.

A new Water Task Force bill was introduced to support long-term water planning and sustainability. At the same time, agritourism legislation is being reviewed to enhance economic opportunities for farms and rural communities.

Billinger said that legislators advocated for higher ethanol blends (E15) to benefit Kansas farmers and ethanol producers, but Gov. Laura Kelly removed Kansas from a multi-state initiative to expand ethanol sales.

"There's not a lot we can do," he said. "One thing you can all do is call the governor and encourage her to support E15."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741452208407.jpeg" alt="Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, and Rep. Barb Wasinger, R-Hays. Photo By Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, and Rep. Barb Wasinger, R-Hays. Photo By Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostLocal Republican legislators discussed state spending habits, potential fraud and funding for special education at Saturday's legislative coffee in Hays.Held at the Hays Public Library, Kansas Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, and Rep. Barb Wasinger, R-Hays, spoke to those in attendance.<h2>Government spending</h2>Legislators said Kansas has been overspending and emphasized reducing expenditures to ensure financial stability."We have been overspending in the state and we need to stop. We're working very hard to cut things back," Wasinger said.Billinger said the state spent nearly $1 billion more than it brought in last year due to tax relief programs and budget allocations.He outlined several tax relief measures that have affected government revenue, including eliminating sales tax on food, social security income tax cuts and property tax relief."We're trying to get our trend lines closer together and we're working on that, but there's only so many dollars to go around," Billinger said. "We make tough choices, and we're not going to try to balance the budget on our most vulnerable citizens."<h2>Property tax relief</h2>Billinger said legislators have worked to limit property tax increases and expand homeowner exemptions, including raising the home valuation exemption from $40,000 to $80,000 to reduce the taxable portion of home values."In the Senate, we did pass a bill that had a 3% cap on it, so the evaluations could not go up over 3% in one year," Billinger said.The Astra Plan was created to incentivize counties and cities to keep property tax increases in line with inflation and valuation growth limits. Local governments that comply with these restrictions will receive additional state funding."We have to try something different," Wasinger said. "We're trying to encourage and reward those who are staying under CPI (Consumer Price Index)&nbsp; and valuation rate."The state levies a 1.5-mill property tax for deferred maintenance and schools for blind and deaf students. Billinger said the Senate passed a bill to eliminate this tax, shifting the costs to the state’s general fund.<h2>Medicaid fraud</h2>The Senate Committee on Government Efficiency and a newly formed House committee are examining ways to cut waste and eliminate unnecessary spending."We've been asking agencies to report programs that they have and they're not using," Wasinger said.Wasinger said that the Inspector General for Medicaid uncovered substantial fraud but does not have the enforcement authority to address it.She said numerous individuals are fraudulently receiving benefits, but state agencies are not taking action to remove them from the system."There are a lot of people who are getting benefits but don't deserve benefits," she said.Wasinger said that records of fraud cases must be requested from the Inspector General. No specific details were given on the amount of money lost to fraud or its frequency.<h2>Special education</h2>Wasinger said that Kansas allocates over half of the state budget to schools and continues to provide them with millions more."When people come to the state and want more money, 'We need it for mental health, we need it for this, we need it for that,' we can't do it because our hands are tied right now," she said.Wasinger said funding allocation reforms are needed to ensure the efficient use of resources, particularly in special education and general school budgets.Billinger acknowledges that special education funding has not kept up with the growing number of students enrolling in the program."I've been on budget for nine years now. We've added money every year, maybe not as much as everyone would hope or I would hope, but we try putting additional money every year," he said.Billinger said that a larger-than-usual amount was allocated to special education last year and that legislators will try to provide as much funding as possible this year.Rahjes said that the federal government is expected to provide greater support for special education but has not met its obligations.He also highlighted the need to fund water and infrastructure projects, positioning education as one of several competing priorities."We can spend nine hours talking about every issue in the world, but without water, we're not here,"&nbsp;Rahjes.<h2>Rural and agriculture issues</h2>Legislators discussed agriculture's vital role in Kansas' economy and outlined ongoing legislative efforts to support farmers."Agriculture and aviation are two of the keys to keeping our economy going," Rahjes said.Rahjes said that Kansas leads the nation in sorghum production. A $1 million annual investment made to the Center for Sorghum Improvement at Kansas State University is a long-term strategy to develop new products and enhance production.A new Water Task Force bill was introduced to support long-term water planning and sustainability. At the same time, agritourism legislation is being reviewed to enhance economic opportunities for farms and rural communities.Billinger said that legislators advocated for higher ethanol blends (E15) to benefit Kansas farmers and ethanol producers, but Gov. Laura Kelly removed Kansas from a multi-state initiative to expand ethanol sales."There's not a lot we can do," he said. "One thing you can all do is call the governor and encourage her to support E15."

Local legislators discuss state spending habits, special education

INDIANAPOLIS - The Fort Hays State women's basketball team earned an at-large bid into the 2025 NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship, announced on Selection Sunday. The Tigers will play as the No. 3 seed in the Central Regional for a second season in a row, with FHSU drawing No. 6 seed Southern Nazarene in the quarterfinal round.

The Tigers and the Crimson Storm will open the tournament on Friday (March 14) beginning at noon inside Lance Arena on the campus of Pittsburg State University. The Gorillas earned hosting duties after picking up the top overall seed in the region.

Fort Hays State enters the tournament 27-4 on the year, the fifth-most wins in a single season in team history. The Tigers posted their 14th-straight 20-win season, the longest active streak in Division II.

This is Fort Hays State's 10th selection to play in the NCAA Tournament, including nine trips to the dance in the last 11 years. The Tigers are 8-8 all-time in the tournament, 1-1 against teams from the GAC, 1-1 as the No. 3 seed and 1-0 against the No. 6 seed.

The Tigers have played in the regional in Pittsburg once before, earning the No. 5 seed in 2016 before falling to No. 4 Winona State in the quarterfinal round, 60-55.

Fort Hays State reached the regional semifinal last year as the No. 3 seed, beating Northwest Missouri in the quarterfinal round before falling to eventual national champion Minnesota State-Mankato in the semis.

There is a quick turnaround after Friday's quarterfinal round, with winning teams playing in the semifinals on Saturday (March 15) before advancing to the regional title game next Monday (March 17).

The Central Region champion will join seven other regional champions in Pittsburgh, Pa. at the NCAA Division II Women's Elite Eight March 24-28.

Fort Hays State is 2-0 all-time against Southern Nazarene, including a 45-43 win in the most recent meeting in 2022.

Tickets will go on sale Monday morning at the PSU Ticket Office or by calling (620) 235-4796. All tickets are general admission. Cost is $10 for an adult single-session ticket and $3 for a student single-session ticket.&nbsp;More information on the regional will be released as it becomes available.

2025 NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship Central Region Tournament Quarterfinal Matchups Noon - No. 3 Fort Hays State (27-4) vs. No. 7 Southern Nazarene (23-7) 2:30 p.m. - No. 2 Concordia-St. Paul (29-2) vs. No. 6 Southwest Minnesota State (26-4) 5 p.m. - No. 1 Pittsburg State (29-3) vs. No. 8 Harding (25-6) 7:30 p.m. - No. 4 Missouri Western (20-9) vs. No. 5 Minnesota State Mankato (24-7)&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741579772609.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsINDIANAPOLIS - The Fort Hays State women's basketball team earned an at-large bid into the 2025 NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship, announced on Selection Sunday. The Tigers will play as the No. 3 seed in the Central Regional for a second season in a row, with FHSU drawing No. 6 seed Southern Nazarene in the quarterfinal round.The Tigers and the Crimson Storm will open the tournament on Friday (March 14) beginning at noon inside Lance Arena on the campus of Pittsburg State University. The Gorillas earned hosting duties after picking up the top overall seed in the region.Fort Hays State enters the tournament 27-4 on the year, the fifth-most wins in a single season in team history. The Tigers posted their 14th-straight 20-win season, the longest active streak in Division II.This is Fort Hays State's 10th selection to play in the NCAA Tournament, including nine trips to the dance in the last 11 years. The Tigers are 8-8 all-time in the tournament, 1-1 against teams from the GAC, 1-1 as the No. 3 seed and 1-0 against the No. 6 seed.The Tigers have played in the regional in Pittsburg once before, earning the No. 5 seed in 2016 before falling to No. 4 Winona State in the quarterfinal round, 60-55.Fort Hays State reached the regional semifinal last year as the No. 3 seed, beating Northwest Missouri in the quarterfinal round before falling to eventual national champion Minnesota State-Mankato in the semis.There is a quick turnaround after Friday's quarterfinal round, with winning teams playing in the semifinals on Saturday (March 15) before advancing to the regional title game next Monday (March 17).The Central Region champion will join seven other regional champions in Pittsburgh, Pa. at the NCAA Division II Women's Elite Eight March 24-28.Fort Hays State is 2-0 all-time against Southern Nazarene, including a 45-43 win in the most recent meeting in 2022.Tickets will go on sale Monday morning at the PSU Ticket Office or by calling (620) 235-4796. All tickets are general admission. Cost is $10 for an adult single-session ticket and $3 for a student single-session ticket.&nbsp;More information on the regional will be released as it becomes available.2025 NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship Central Region Tournament Quarterfinal Matchups Noon - No. 3 Fort Hays State (27-4) vs. No. 7 Southern Nazarene (23-7) 2:30 p.m. - No. 2 Concordia-St. Paul (29-2) vs. No. 6 Southwest Minnesota State (26-4) 5 p.m. - No. 1 Pittsburg State (29-3) vs. No. 8 Harding (25-6) 7:30 p.m. - No. 4 Missouri Western (20-9) vs. No. 5 Minnesota State Mankato (24-7)&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 Tiger women draw the No. 3 seed in NCAA II Central Regional

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/thenderson/">TIM HENDERSON</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>

As the Trump administration seeks more partners to help round up immigrants living in the United States illegally, some states and cities are eager to step up, despite risks of racial profiling.

Florida, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia and even Arizona’s Democratic governor are pursuing statewide plans to help find immigrants for possible deportation.

And the number of state and local agencies planning “task force” agreements with the feds to do street-level immigration enforcement has reached 121 departments in 12 states: Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas.

The sudden ramping up of the local task force agreements — which led to racial profiling lawsuits 20 years ago when they were common in Republican and Democratic states — is a sign that the Trump administration wants more deportations, said Tom Wong, an associate professor and director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Center at the University of California, San Diego.

“These agreements are intended to be the force multiplier they need in order to enact mass deportations. The Trump administration is using all the tools at its disposal to try to ramp up the identification and detention of undocumented immigrants,” Wong said.

President Donald Trump wants to move quickly: He recently&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/trump-administration-reassigning-acting-ice-director-rcna193225" target="_blank">reassigned</a>&nbsp;Caleb Vitello, the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, to a different post because immigration arrests and deportations weren’t as robust as Trump wanted. The United States would&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/trump-angry-deportation-numbers-are-not-higher-rcna191273" target="_blank">need</a>&nbsp;to deport more than 2,700 people a day to meet his goal of 1 million a year.

Doris Meissner, who held top positions in the former Immigration and Naturalization Service in the Reagan and Clinton administrations, said the task force agreements had “basically disappeared in recent years” because of their reputation for leading to “racial profiling and over-policing in immigrant communities.” The agreements were discontinued in 2012 during the Obama administration.

“That has changed dramatically and quickly with the new Trump administration,” Meissner said in an interview. “[The agreements] are now on a list of ramping-up actions we’re seeing in pursuit of mass deportations.”

The administration is increasingly pressuring state and local authorities to help with immigration arrests traditionally reserved for federal agents, according to a February&nbsp;<a href="https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/trump-mass-deportation-priority?eType=EmailBlastContent&amp;eId=2043f21f-2eea-411a-a070-66d7ac706b02" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;by the Migration Policy Institute, a Washington, D.C., think tank where Meissner is now director of the U.S. immigration policy program.

Along with state and local law enforcement agencies, the Trump administration has enlisted federal agencies that have never before played a role in immigration enforcement: the Internal Revenue Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Migration Policy Institute report found.

One result of local involvement, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://usipc.ucsd.edu/publications/usipc-working-paper-1.pdf" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;Wong authored in 2019, is that once residents know that local police could question and arrest them on immigration charges, they are less likely to report crimes when they are victims or witnesses.

The new task force agreements allow local law enforcement, after training, to investigate immigration violations during day-to-day patrol duties. Sheriff Larry Kendrick in Owyhee County, Idaho, said he opted for it because voters in the county want it.

“My constituents support President Trump,” Kendrick said. “And of course me. I support the president’s mission 100%. I will do anything in my power to assist him.”

Kendrick said he doesn’t expect non-criminal immigrants, such as those staffing local dairy farms, to get any trouble from his deputies.

“We haven’t had any crime, really, out of that,” Kendrick said. “The main thing that bothers me is fentanyl.”

Wong said it’s typical for counties such as Owyhee County, which&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owyhee_County,_Idaho" target="_blank">voted</a>&nbsp;almost 83% for Trump last year, to be eager to join forces on immigration. But non-criminal immigrants are still likely to pay a price, he said.

“It is naïve for local officials to think they will only focus on things like fentanyl, when most of the immigration enforcement functions are going to identify undocumented immigrants, likely with no criminal history,” Wong said.

Most officials do stress the importance of removing criminals when calling for more task force agreements.

In announcing the revived task force program, border czar Tom Homan said he planned to “prioritize” criminals but also expected to deport people living here illegally even if they had no criminal record.

“We promised a mass deportation and that’s exactly what we’re going to do,” Homan told sheriffs at a February conference.

New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte, a Republican, said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.governor.nh.gov/news/governor-ayotte-statement-new-hampshire-law-enforcement-cooperating-ice" target="_blank">statement</a>&nbsp;she supports state and local law enforcement agencies applying for the new task force cooperation agreements. “Criminals who are in our country illegally and pose a danger should be apprehended and removed,” she wrote.

Some areas that made use of the agreements decades ago are not interested in trying it again. In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.migrationpolicy.org/sites/default/files/publications/287g-divergence.pdf" target="_blank">2010</a>&nbsp;there were 40 such agreements in 19 states, including nine in Virginia and seven in Arizona.

To date there are no agreements in Virginia or Arizona, though Arizona’s Democratic governor, Katie Hobbs, signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://azgovernor.gov/office-arizona-governor/news/2025/02/governor-katie-hobbs-signs-executive-order-secure-border" target="_blank">executive order</a>&nbsp;Feb. 25 calling for an unspecified partnership with federal authorities in the state’s four border counties. The goal is stopping more fentanyl and human trafficking and not to “indiscriminately round people up,” according to Hobbs’ statement.

Arizona sheriffs have not heard anything specific about the governor’s plan, said David Rhodes, the Republican sheriff of Yavapai County and president of the Arizona Sheriffs’ Association. Yavapai County voted&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yavapai_County,_Arizona" target="_blank">heavily for Trump</a>. And much of the nation’s fentanyl supply is smuggled over Arizona’s highways, Rhodes said, so he’s happy to cooperate with federal authorities on immigration.

But he’s not sure he wants the task force model if it means he and his deputies will have to single people out based on appearance to ask about immigration status.

“I don’t know how you could even tell from looking at somebody that they’re here illegally or not. So we don’t do that. That’s very risky, very close to racial profiling there,” Rhodes said.

ICE guidelines issued in February say “racial profiling is simply not something that will be tolerated” under the new task force agreements.

In Virginia, which had the most task force agreements of any state in 2010, no sheriff has yet shown interest, said John Jones, executive director of the Virginia Sheriffs’ Association. However Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed an executive order Feb. 27 requiring state police to sign a task force agreement and local jails to cooperate with the state task force.

In North Carolina, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/S153" target="_blank">bill</a>&nbsp;progressing in the state Senate would mandate state agencies cooperate with federal immigration authorities, but does not include specifics.

In Hudson County, New Jersey, one of the few urban, immigrant-friendly Democratic areas that had a task force agreement in 2010, leaders have no interest in trying it again, said county spokesperson Mark Cygan. Since 2018, the state has had an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.njoag.gov/trust/" target="_blank">“immigrant trust directive”</a>&nbsp;directing local authorities not to cooperate with federal immigration authorities or ask about immigration status during routine police work.

“With the sort of abuses there have been, and listening to our constituents and advocates that work on immigrant right here in Hudson County, we realized this policy just wasn’t going to work out for our county anymore. So we dropped out of the agreement,” Cygan said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740147958319.png" alt="U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrest a man from Venezuela in Miami in February after a wire fraud conviction. As the Trump administration attacks local sanctuary policies, some states and local governments continue to do what little they can to protect some immigrants from deportation. (Courtesy of Miami ICE Enforcement &amp; Removal Operations office)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrest a man from Venezuela in Miami in February after a wire fraud conviction. As the Trump administration attacks local sanctuary policies, some states and local governments continue to do what little they can to protect some immigrants from deportation. (Courtesy of Miami ICE Enforcement &amp; Removal Operations office)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/thenderson/">TIM HENDERSON</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>As the Trump administration seeks more partners to help round up immigrants living in the United States illegally, some states and cities are eager to step up, despite risks of racial profiling.Florida, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia and even Arizona’s Democratic governor are pursuing statewide plans to help find immigrants for possible deportation.And the number of state and local agencies planning “task force” agreements with the feds to do street-level immigration enforcement has reached 121 departments in 12 states: Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas.The sudden ramping up of the local task force agreements — which led to racial profiling lawsuits 20 years ago when they were common in Republican and Democratic states — is a sign that the Trump administration wants more deportations, said Tom Wong, an associate professor and director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Center at the University of California, San Diego.“These agreements are intended to be the force multiplier they need in order to enact mass deportations. The Trump administration is using all the tools at its disposal to try to ramp up the identification and detention of undocumented immigrants,” Wong said.President Donald Trump wants to move quickly: He recently&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/trump-administration-reassigning-acting-ice-director-rcna193225" target="_blank">reassigned</a>&nbsp;Caleb Vitello, the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, to a different post because immigration arrests and deportations weren’t as robust as Trump wanted. The United States would&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/trump-angry-deportation-numbers-are-not-higher-rcna191273" target="_blank">need</a>&nbsp;to deport more than 2,700 people a day to meet his goal of 1 million a year.Doris Meissner, who held top positions in the former Immigration and Naturalization Service in the Reagan and Clinton administrations, said the task force agreements had “basically disappeared in recent years” because of their reputation for leading to “racial profiling and over-policing in immigrant communities.” The agreements were discontinued in 2012 during the Obama administration.“That has changed dramatically and quickly with the new Trump administration,” Meissner said in an interview. “[The agreements] are now on a list of ramping-up actions we’re seeing in pursuit of mass deportations.”The administration is increasingly pressuring state and local authorities to help with immigration arrests traditionally reserved for federal agents, according to a February&nbsp;<a href="https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/trump-mass-deportation-priority?eType=EmailBlastContent&amp;eId=2043f21f-2eea-411a-a070-66d7ac706b02" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;by the Migration Policy Institute, a Washington, D.C., think tank where Meissner is now director of the U.S. immigration policy program.<h2>Focus on crime</h2>Along with state and local law enforcement agencies, the Trump administration has enlisted federal agencies that have never before played a role in immigration enforcement: the Internal Revenue Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Migration Policy Institute report found.One result of local involvement, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://usipc.ucsd.edu/publications/usipc-working-paper-1.pdf" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;Wong authored in 2019, is that once residents know that local police could question and arrest them on immigration charges, they are less likely to report crimes when they are victims or witnesses.The new task force agreements allow local law enforcement, after training, to investigate immigration violations during day-to-day patrol duties. Sheriff Larry Kendrick in Owyhee County, Idaho, said he opted for it because voters in the county want it.“My constituents support President Trump,” Kendrick said. “And of course me. I support the president’s mission 100%. I will do anything in my power to assist him.”Kendrick said he doesn’t expect non-criminal immigrants, such as those staffing local dairy farms, to get any trouble from his deputies.“We haven’t had any crime, really, out of that,” Kendrick said. “The main thing that bothers me is fentanyl.”Wong said it’s typical for counties such as Owyhee County, which&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owyhee_County,_Idaho" target="_blank">voted</a>&nbsp;almost 83% for Trump last year, to be eager to join forces on immigration. But non-criminal immigrants are still likely to pay a price, he said.“It is naïve for local officials to think they will only focus on things like fentanyl, when most of the immigration enforcement functions are going to identify undocumented immigrants, likely with no criminal history,” Wong said.Most officials do stress the importance of removing criminals when calling for more task force agreements.In announcing the revived task force program, border czar Tom Homan said he planned to “prioritize” criminals but also expected to deport people living here illegally even if they had no criminal record.“We promised a mass deportation and that’s exactly what we’re going to do,” Homan told sheriffs at a February conference.New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte, a Republican, said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.governor.nh.gov/news/governor-ayotte-statement-new-hampshire-law-enforcement-cooperating-ice" target="_blank">statement</a>&nbsp;she supports state and local law enforcement agencies applying for the new task force cooperation agreements. “Criminals who are in our country illegally and pose a danger should be apprehended and removed,” she wrote.<h2>No renewed interest</h2>Some areas that made use of the agreements decades ago are not interested in trying it again. In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.migrationpolicy.org/sites/default/files/publications/287g-divergence.pdf" target="_blank">2010</a>&nbsp;there were 40 such agreements in 19 states, including nine in Virginia and seven in Arizona.To date there are no agreements in Virginia or Arizona, though Arizona’s Democratic governor, Katie Hobbs, signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://azgovernor.gov/office-arizona-governor/news/2025/02/governor-katie-hobbs-signs-executive-order-secure-border" target="_blank">executive order</a>&nbsp;Feb. 25 calling for an unspecified partnership with federal authorities in the state’s four border counties. The goal is stopping more fentanyl and human trafficking and not to “indiscriminately round people up,” according to Hobbs’ statement.Arizona sheriffs have not heard anything specific about the governor’s plan, said David Rhodes, the Republican sheriff of Yavapai County and president of the Arizona Sheriffs’ Association. Yavapai County voted&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yavapai_County,_Arizona" target="_blank">heavily for Trump</a>. And much of the nation’s fentanyl supply is smuggled over Arizona’s highways, Rhodes said, so he’s happy to cooperate with federal authorities on immigration.But he’s not sure he wants the task force model if it means he and his deputies will have to single people out based on appearance to ask about immigration status.“I don’t know how you could even tell from looking at somebody that they’re here illegally or not. So we don’t do that. That’s very risky, very close to racial profiling there,” Rhodes said.ICE guidelines issued in February say “racial profiling is simply not something that will be tolerated” under the new task force agreements.In Virginia, which had the most task force agreements of any state in 2010, no sheriff has yet shown interest, said John Jones, executive director of the Virginia Sheriffs’ Association. However Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed an executive order Feb. 27 requiring state police to sign a task force agreement and local jails to cooperate with the state task force.In North Carolina, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/S153" target="_blank">bill</a>&nbsp;progressing in the state Senate would mandate state agencies cooperate with federal immigration authorities, but does not include specifics.In Hudson County, New Jersey, one of the few urban, immigrant-friendly Democratic areas that had a task force agreement in 2010, leaders have no interest in trying it again, said county spokesperson Mark Cygan. Since 2018, the state has had an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.njoag.gov/trust/" target="_blank">“immigrant trust directive”</a>&nbsp;directing local authorities not to cooperate with federal immigration authorities or ask about immigration status during routine police work.“With the sort of abuses there have been, and listening to our constituents and advocates that work on immigrant right here in Hudson County, we realized this policy just wasn’t going to work out for our county anymore. So we dropped out of the agreement,” Cygan said.

Despite profiling concerns, more law agencies are joining street-level immigration enforcement

The Kansas House on Friday passed two bills that could provide property tax relief to Kansans.

The first bill, HR 2396 limits the property tax revenue increases.&nbsp; It limits the increase for jurisdictions based upon previous year inflation, new construction and some bond payments. It also creates a fund to provide payments to cities and counties that comply with the set funding limit.

The created ASTRA fund, if used to its full extent, could result in approximately $70-75-millon of property tax relief yearly according to House Tax Chair Adam Smith.&nbsp; This is $130 million more of total property tax yearly each year. When paired with HCR 5011 which levels out the predictability of valuation spikes.

The bill also allows the revenue-neutral rate increase provisions and allows voters to protest the budget exceeding the limit.&nbsp; If successful, the budge would be limited to the previous years level.&nbsp;

HCR 5011 if passes would make it so property values would be based on the lesser of the fair market value or the average fair market value.&nbsp; Conditions of the bill state that the legislature needs to determine the number of years to determine the average fair market value.

HB 2396 passed 115-6 and HCR 5011 passed 117-4.&nbsp; Both bills now head to the Kansas Senate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587570641350.png" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>MARC JACOBS Hutch PostThe Kansas House on Friday passed two bills that could provide property tax relief to Kansans.The first bill, HR 2396 limits the property tax revenue increases.&nbsp; It limits the increase for jurisdictions based upon previous year inflation, new construction and some bond payments. It also creates a fund to provide payments to cities and counties that comply with the set funding limit.The created ASTRA fund, if used to its full extent, could result in approximately $70-75-millon of property tax relief yearly according to House Tax Chair Adam Smith.&nbsp; This is $130 million more of total property tax yearly each year. When paired with HCR 5011 which levels out the predictability of valuation spikes.The bill also allows the revenue-neutral rate increase provisions and allows voters to protest the budget exceeding the limit.&nbsp; If successful, the budge would be limited to the previous years level.&nbsp;HCR 5011 if passes would make it so property values would be based on the lesser of the fair market value or the average fair market value.&nbsp; Conditions of the bill state that the legislature needs to determine the number of years to determine the average fair market value.HB 2396 passed 115-6 and HCR 5011 passed 117-4.&nbsp; Both bills now head to the Kansas Senate.

Kansas House sends property tax relief bills to Kansas Senate

By RANDY GONZALES Special to Hays Post

Another Kansas state high school wrestling season is in the books, and postseason basketball is in full swing.

This is the time of year that Dick Boyd lived for.

“Absolutely, he looked forward to covering these events,” said Lisa Pasilas, a former writer for Norton’s newspaper. “It didn’t matter how far away a game or tournament was being held, he was there.”

In a few months, it will be five years since Boyd’s passing. He is gone, but not forgotten.

Boyd, who owned the Norton Daily Telegram for 32 years and covered Norton and area sports for 50 years, died June 25, 2020 at the age of 83.

“Athletics,” as Boyd liked to call all sports, will never be the same after his passing, said co-workers, coaches and athletes who knew him.

Pasilas worked with Boyd for 10 years before leaving the paper a year ago.

As a child, she was a paper carrier and later helped out with the printing press as a teenager. Her family had newspaper ink in its blood. Her father was the press man until he retired, and her mother is still working at the paper after almost 54 years.

“There’s never going to be another Dick Boyd,” Pasilas said. “There’s never going to be anyone who is going to be like he was to this community for so many years.”

Boyd graduated from Mankato High School in 1955 and earned a football scholarship to Kansas State University. He was a two-year letterman for the Wildcats and was voted the team’s most inspirational player his senior year.

After serving in the U.S. Army and then working at the paper in Phillipsburg for eight years, Boyd and his wife, Mary Beth, bought the Telegram.

Boyd spent the next five decades covering not only sports, but also community activities in Norton and surrounding towns. He seemed to show up everywhere, with notebook in hand and an old camera hanging at his waist.

Boyd was old school, scribbling notes and writing his stories on a manual Underwood typewriter while taking photos with his old camera, looking head down at the view

On the return trip home from away games, Boyd would sometimes have his wife drive while he pecked away on the typewriter.

Coach Lucas Melvin said after the Bluejay football team’s game on a Friday night, Boyd would make his way over to the coach’s house the next morning. They could talk for hours, going over the game.

“He would come to my house every Saturday – unless there was a K-State game he was going to, then it was Sunday – just go over the stats and make sure he had everything right and ask me things about the game,” Melvin said.

As Boyd’s health began to decline, he still managed to make the trip to Melvin’s home.

“There were times he wasn’t feeling very well, and we prayed together,” Melvin said. “Dick said nobody ever did that for him.”

“Dick always did stuff for other people,” he added. “He didn’t (want) people (to take time) doing things for him.”

Boyd and his wife did take the time to instill his core beliefs in their children, Larry and Becky. The word “can’t”

was so antithetical to Boyd that he had it crossed out of the dictionary at home.

“I think the legacy he would want to leave behind is one of encouraging others to always strive to reach their goals, to never give up,” Pasilas said. “Dick didn’t believe in the word, ‘can’t.’ That kind of was a rule for his children growing up.”

Larry Boyd said he was around 10 years old when his dad gathered him and his sister around the family dictionary and crossed out the word.

“He sat us down and said the word ‘can’t’ is not to be used in our household,” Larry Boyd said. “That was part of his positive thinking.”

That can-do spirit led to Boyd starting a pigskin pick-em contest at the paper. After his death, the contest was renamed the Dick Boyd Memorial Pigskin Pick-em Contest in his honor.

“We felt that was what Dick would have wanted,” Pasilas said. “To me, looking back, it wouldn’t have felt right to do it any other way.”

The pick-em contest was part of Boyd’s enthusiasm for the Friday Night Lights. Sometimes, too much enthusiasm.

Boyd wanted to be close to the action, whether that be on the sideline at a football game or near the mat at a wrestling meet, or any other sport.

That enthusiasm led to an accident on the sideline during the 2019 state championship football game for the Bluejays. A jumble of players crashed into Boyd, and the injuries he sustained then along with his already failing health was too much to overcome.

“After that, he kind of went downhill with his health,” Melvin said. “That was the last Bluejay football game he was at.”

Former Norton wrestling coach Bill Johnson said Boyd could be “boisterous” in his coverage of Bluejay sports.

Johnson remembered one time at the state wrestling tournament that Boyd approached the referee after a Bluejay wrestler lost a close match, and one of the tournament officials took Boyd’s press pass away for the rest of the day. He managed to get it back the next day.

At the team banquet at the end of the season, Johnson teased Boyd by presenting him with a get-out-of-jail card.

It was all in good fun, coming from the respect Boyd enjoyed with Norton coaches, players and fans. Like he did with Melvin, Boyd would get together with Johnson following a tournament to gather information and show the coach photos for him to identify.

“It was a good bonding time and I really do miss those

times,” Johnson said, adding that Boyd treated all sports the same.

“He tried to treat them equally,” Johnson said. “Dick tried to treat all athletes in Norton the same.”

Pasilas remembers firsthand that equal treatment. She competed as a baton twirler as a youth, and Boyd covered her as if she were the starting quarterback on the football team.

“He wanted to be there to capture those moments,” Pasilas said. “I’m thankful for that.”

“Everything is becoming online, social media,” she added. “We’re falling away from getting a newspaper, searching for your child’s picture, cutting it out, putting it in a scrapbook. I’m thankful I had that in my childhood.”

Scott Sansom had what could have been the thankless task of taking over reporting sports for the newspaper after Boyd’s death. Wanting to be a photographer, he also ended up writing as well as taking pictures at the paper a few months before Boyd died.

“I had very limited journalism experience,” Sansom said. “Luckily, I got great advice from the other employees at the Telegram and from Dick.”

Still, Sansom admitted to a case of nerves taking over for Boyd.

“I was a little scared stepping into that position after him,” Sansom said. “I can’t say enough about the community and the support I received.”

Boyd not only covered Norton sports, he was a big booster of everything Bluejay.

“He was a diehard Bluejay supporter,” said Jeff Boyle, a 1997 Norton High graduate who played football, wrestled and was on the track and field team. “He was good to everybody he was around.”

“I think if it was somebody different than Dick, it would have been a totally different vibe, different attitude,” he added. “He always wanted to be there, be a part of it, see it with his own eyes. That was pretty cool.”

Boyd would do whatever it took to get a photo.

“He was fearless at times the way he took pictures,” said Neal Philpot, a 2000 Norton graduate and another three-sport athlete. “He got right in the middle of the action.”

“He’s sitting right there in the hot spot in the discus ring,” he added. “He got great action shots.”

After the sideline accident at the football game in 2019, Boyd died seven months later.

At the height of COVID-19 in the summer of 2020, there was an outdoor memorial service a few weeks later at the football field. Among those speaking at the three-hour service were coaches and former Bluejay players.

“Ultimately fitting,” Melvin said of having the service at Travis Field. “Dick loved football.”

Johnson remembers speaking at the service.

“It was a great honor to speak about Dick, how he impacted me as a young coach,” Johnson said. “He treated me like a Super Bowl champion coach the first year I got here.”

Notebooks were handed out at the memorial service with a photo of Boyd in his ever-present shirt and tie on the front cover along with three rules he lived by: always carry a notepad; remove the word “can’t” from the dictionary; and report on the positives.

“I can’t imagine how many notepads he went through in his lifetime,” Pasilas said.

Two years after his death, the booster club was instrumental in making Dick Boyd Stadium become a reality at Travis Field. Before a football game in 2022, a sign in Boyd’s honor was unveiled on the wall of the press box.

“It’s a great tribute to him,” Johnson said. “We were very fortunate and blessed to have him for all those years.”

“Dick Boyd was one of a kind,” he added. “I don’t know if we’ll see anyone with the passion and work ethic again.”

Boyd was known for showing up late, perhaps from having too many irons in the fire.

“Usually he was speeding to get there,” Pasilas said. “He was notoriously late for things.”

But once he was at a game, Boyd was there to chronicle it for the Telegram’s readers for five decades.

“Dick touched more lives,” Pasilas said, “than we could possibly know.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741371845118.jpeg" alt="Longtime newspaper man Dick Boyd pictured during this younger days on the left and with his constant companion (his camera) on the right. The center pic shows a notebook friends and family made for his memorial service that was imprinted with the three rules he lived by. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Longtime newspaper man Dick Boyd pictured during this younger days on the left and with his constant companion (his camera) on the right. The center pic shows a notebook friends and family made for his memorial service that was imprinted with the three rules he lived by. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741372362876.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By RANDY GONZALES Special to Hays PostAnother Kansas state high school wrestling season is in the books, and postseason basketball is in full swing.This is the time of year that Dick Boyd lived for.“Absolutely, he looked forward to covering these events,” said Lisa Pasilas, a former writer for Norton’s newspaper. “It didn’t matter how far away a game or tournament was being held, he was there.”In a few months, it will be five years since Boyd’s passing. He is gone, but not forgotten.Boyd, who owned the Norton Daily Telegram for 32 years and covered Norton and area sports for 50 years, died June 25, 2020 at the age of 83.“Athletics,” as Boyd liked to call all sports, will never be the same after his passing, said co-workers, coaches and athletes who knew him.Pasilas worked with Boyd for 10 years before leaving the paper a year ago.As a child, she was a paper carrier and later helped out with the printing press as a teenager. Her family had newspaper ink in its blood. Her father was the press man until he retired, and her mother is still working at the paper after almost 54 years.Pasilas said Boyd was one of a kind.“There’s never going to be another Dick Boyd,” Pasilas said. “There’s never going to be anyone who is going to be like he was to this community for so many years.”Boyd graduated from Mankato High School in 1955 and earned a football scholarship to Kansas State University. He was a two-year letterman for the Wildcats and was voted the team’s most inspirational player his senior year.<h2>The old-school way</h2>After serving in the U.S. Army and then working at the paper in Phillipsburg for eight years, Boyd and his wife, Mary Beth, bought the Telegram.Boyd spent the next five decades covering not only sports, but also community activities in Norton and surrounding towns. He seemed to show up everywhere, with notebook in hand and an old camera hanging at his waist.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741371988323.jpeg" alt="Dick Boyd used these two old-time cameras for much of his newspaper career at the Norton Daily Telegram, the Yashicka, left, and the Rolleiflex. Courtesy photo/Larry Boyd" />
 <figcaption>Dick Boyd used these two old-time cameras for much of his newspaper career at the Norton Daily Telegram, the Yashicka, left, and the Rolleiflex. Courtesy photo/Larry Boyd</figcaption>
 </figure>Boyd was old school, scribbling notes and writing his stories on a manual Underwood typewriter while taking photos with his old camera, looking head down at the viewfinder before snapping a pictureOn the return trip home from away games, Boyd would sometimes have his wife drive while he pecked away on the typewriter.Coach Lucas Melvin said after the Bluejay football team’s game on a Friday night, Boyd would make his way over to the coach’s house the next morning. They could talk for hours, going over the game.“He would come to my house every Saturday – unless there was a K-State game he was going to, then it was Sunday – just go over the stats and make sure he had everything right and ask me things about the game,” Melvin said.As Boyd’s health began to decline, he still managed to make the trip to Melvin’s home.“There were times he wasn’t feeling very well, and we prayed together,” Melvin said. “Dick said nobody ever did that for him.”“Dick always did stuff for other people,” he added. “He didn’t (want) people (to take time) doing things for him.”<h2>No such thing as “can’t”</h2>Boyd and his wife did take the time to instill his core beliefs in their children, Larry and Becky. The word “can’t”was so antithetical to Boyd that he had it crossed out of the dictionary at home.“I think the legacy he would want to leave behind is one of encouraging others to always strive to reach their goals, to never give up,” Pasilas said. “Dick didn’t believe in the word, ‘can’t.’ That kind of was a rule for his children growing up.”Larry Boyd said he was around 10 years old when his dad gathered him and his sister around the family dictionary and crossed out the word.“He sat us down and said the word ‘can’t’ is not to be used in our household,” Larry Boyd said. “That was part of his positive thinking.”That can-do spirit led to Boyd starting a pigskin pick-em contest at the paper. After his death, the contest was renamed the Dick Boyd Memorial Pigskin Pick-em Contest in his honor.“We felt that was what Dick would have wanted,” Pasilas said. “To me, looking back, it wouldn’t have felt right to do it any other way.”The pick-em contest was part of Boyd’s enthusiasm for the Friday Night Lights. Sometimes, too much enthusiasm.<h2>Getting close to the action</h2>Boyd wanted to be close to the action, whether that be on the sideline at a football game or near the mat at a wrestling meet, or any other sport.That enthusiasm led to an accident on the sideline during the 2019 state championship football game for the Bluejays. A jumble of players crashed into Boyd, and the injuries he sustained then along with his already failing health was too much to overcome.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741372090059.jpeg" alt="Dick Boyd played football for Kansas State University, where he was a two-year letter winner and was voted the team’s most inspirational player his senior year. Courtesy photo/Norton Telegram" />
 <figcaption>Dick Boyd played football for Kansas State University, where he was a two-year letter winner and was voted the team’s most inspirational player his senior year. Courtesy photo/Norton Telegram</figcaption>
 </figure>“After that, he kind of went downhill with his health,” Melvin said. “That was the last Bluejay football game he was at.”Former Norton wrestling coach Bill Johnson said Boyd could be “boisterous” in his coverage of Bluejay sports.Johnson remembered one time at the state wrestling tournament that Boyd approached the referee after a Bluejay wrestler lost a close match, and one of the tournament officials took Boyd’s press pass away for the rest of the day. He managed to get it back the next day.At the team banquet at the end of the season, Johnson teased Boyd by presenting him with a get-out-of-jail card.It was all in good fun, coming from the respect Boyd enjoyed with Norton coaches, players and fans. Like he did with Melvin, Boyd would get together with Johnson following a tournament to gather information and show the coach photos for him to identify.“It was a good bonding time and I really do miss thosetimes,” Johnson said, adding that Boyd treated all sports the same.“He tried to treat them equally,” Johnson said. “Dick tried to treat all athletes in Norton the same.”Pasilas remembers firsthand that equal treatment. She competed as a baton twirler as a youth, and Boyd covered her as if she were the starting quarterback on the football team.“He wanted to be there to capture those moments,” Pasilas said. “I’m thankful for that.”“Everything is becoming online, social media,” she added. “We’re falling away from getting a newspaper, searching for your child’s picture, cutting it out, putting it in a scrapbook. I’m thankful I had that in my childhood.”<h2>‘Athletics’ coverage after Boyd</h2>Scott Sansom had what could have been the thankless task of taking over reporting sports for the newspaper after Boyd’s death. Wanting to be a photographer, he also ended up writing as well as taking pictures at the paper a few months before Boyd died.“I had very limited journalism experience,” Sansom said. “Luckily, I got great advice from the other employees at the Telegram and from Dick.”Still, Sansom admitted to a case of nerves taking over for Boyd.“I was a little scared stepping into that position after him,” Sansom said. “I can’t say enough about the community and the support I received.”Boyd not only covered Norton sports, he was a big booster of everything Bluejay.“He was a diehard Bluejay supporter,” said Jeff Boyle, a 1997 Norton High graduate who played football, wrestled and was on the track and field team. “He was good to everybody he was around.”“I think if it was somebody different than Dick, it would have been a totally different vibe, different attitude,” he added. “He always wanted to be there, be a part of it, see it with his own eyes. That was pretty cool.”Boyd would do whatever it took to get a photo.“He was fearless at times the way he took pictures,” said Neal Philpot, a 2000 Norton graduate and another three-sport athlete. “He got right in the middle of the action.”“He’s sitting right there in the hot spot in the discus ring,” he added. “He got great action shots.”After the sideline accident at the football game in 2019, Boyd died seven months later.At the height of COVID-19 in the summer of 2020, there was an outdoor memorial service a few weeks later at the football field. Among those speaking at the three-hour service were coaches and former Bluejay players.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741372191401.jpeg" alt="The Norton Telegram had a front page story on the memorial service for Dick Boyd, the paper’s former owner who covered Norton sporting events for 50 years. Courtesy photo/Norton Telegram" />
 <figcaption>The Norton Telegram had a front page story on the memorial service for Dick Boyd, the paper’s former owner who covered Norton sporting events for 50 years. Courtesy photo/Norton Telegram</figcaption>
 </figure>“Ultimately fitting,” Melvin said of having the service at Travis Field. “Dick loved football.”Johnson remembers speaking at the service.“It was a great honor to speak about Dick, how he impacted me as a young coach,” Johnson said. “He treated me like a Super Bowl champion coach the first year I got here.”Notebooks were handed out at the memorial service with a photo of Boyd in his ever-present shirt and tie on the front cover along with three rules he lived by: always carry a notepad; remove the word “can’t” from the dictionary; and report on the positives.“I can’t imagine how many notepads he went through in his lifetime,” Pasilas said.<h2>Football stadium named after Boyd</h2>Two years after his death, the booster club was instrumental in making Dick Boyd Stadium become a reality at Travis Field. Before a football game in 2022, a sign in Boyd’s honor was unveiled on the wall of the press box.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741372263376.jpeg" alt="In 2022, Dick Boyd was honored with the naming of Dick Boyd Stadium, home of Travis Field in Norton. A banner in his honor hung from the wall of the press box. Courtesy photo/Norton Telegram" />
 <figcaption>In 2022, Dick Boyd was honored with the naming of Dick Boyd Stadium, home of Travis Field in Norton. A banner in his honor hung from the wall of the press box. Courtesy photo/Norton Telegram</figcaption>
 </figure>“It’s a great tribute to him,” Johnson said. “We were very fortunate and blessed to have him for all those years.”“Dick Boyd was one of a kind,” he added. “I don’t know if we’ll see anyone with the passion and work ethic again.”Boyd was known for showing up late, perhaps from having too many irons in the fire.“Usually he was speeding to get there,” Pasilas said. “He was notoriously late for things.”But once he was at a game, Boyd was there to chronicle it for the Telegram’s readers for five decades.“Dick touched more lives,” Pasilas said, “than we could possibly know.”

NWester: Dick Boyd’s ‘write stuff’ covered five decades

HOLY FAMILY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NOTES WEEK OF March 10 – 14, 2025

THE SUCCESSES OF TOMORROW BEGIN TODAY, CATHOLIC EDUCATION IS A LIFETIME ADVANTAGE!

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS…. SCHOOLS YOU CAN BELIEVE IN!

--March 10 •&nbsp;2nd Grade has Silly Sock Day today for a feed the pig prize.

•&nbsp;Hourly staff timesheets are due this morning to Ms. Karla in the office. •&nbsp;FHSU Foundations of Ed students will be observing classrooms 12:30-1:20. •&nbsp;Our last Home &amp; School Mtg of the year will be at 7:00 p.m. in L.T. •&nbsp;Happy Birthday to Jade Drohman, PK3.

•&nbsp;Happy Birthday to Keely Ford, 3A, and Lana Schmeidler, 3B.

•&nbsp;Spirit Day. •&nbsp;4th Grade Team Day for a feed the pig prize. •&nbsp;It’s our HFE Jalisco Fundraising Day all day! We hope you can enjoy Jalisco for dinner and support the school! All orders all day, dine-in or carry-out, will give a % back to HFE! •&nbsp;Early Release Day, and students will dismiss at 1:15 p.m.&nbsp; •&nbsp;Dominic Savio Club will meet again after school today. •&nbsp;The Faculty will meet in the Library after dismissal for a presentation from Noalee. •&nbsp;Creative Writing Contest entries are due to the office at 4:00 p.m. for the H.A.C. •&nbsp;Happy Birthday to Jacob Whitmer, 1B, &amp; Kennedi Crathorne, 4B.&nbsp;&nbsp;

•&nbsp;March Birthday Mass &amp; Lunch. •&nbsp;TMP Students will visit 4B this morning. •&nbsp;Sr. Rose Marie will visit 5th grade this afternoon.

•&nbsp;Kindergarten Sweats &amp; Team Shirt Day for a feed the pig prize. •&nbsp;5th Grade Mix-it and Match-it Day today for a feed the pig prize. •&nbsp;Stations of the Cross at 2:35 p.m. at IHM. •&nbsp;Next week is SPRING BREAK so we will not have school! We hope you all have a safe, wonderful break full of rest and fun! •&nbsp;Greetings to all celebrating a birthday over Spring Break: Lyla Fox, 1B, Finley Patterson, 2B, Miden Pfannenstiel, 3B, Twynn Tetuan, 5A, Lydia Schmeidler, PK4, Victoria Heimann, 2B, Ryker Staab, 3B, Kenton Randa, 5B, Lahna Denton, 2B, and Mrs. Devann Fischer, School Psychologist

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613660020276.png" alt="Holy Family Elementary School, Hays. File photo/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Holy Family Elementary School, Hays. File photo/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>HFEHOLY FAMILY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NOTES WEEK OF March 10 – 14, 2025THE SUCCESSES OF TOMORROW BEGIN TODAY, CATHOLIC EDUCATION IS A LIFETIME ADVANTAGE!CATHOLIC SCHOOLS…. SCHOOLS YOU CAN BELIEVE IN!MONDAY--March 10 •&nbsp;2nd Grade has Silly Sock Day today for a feed the pig prize.•&nbsp;Hourly staff timesheets are due this morning to Ms. Karla in the office. •&nbsp;FHSU Foundations of Ed students will be observing classrooms 12:30-1:20. •&nbsp;Our last Home &amp; School Mtg of the year will be at 7:00 p.m. in L.T. •&nbsp;Happy Birthday to Jade Drohman, PK3.TUESDAY--March 11•&nbsp;Happy Birthday to Keely Ford, 3A, and Lana Schmeidler, 3B.WEDNESDAY--March 12 •&nbsp;Spirit Day. •&nbsp;4th Grade Team Day for a feed the pig prize. •&nbsp;It’s our HFE Jalisco Fundraising Day all day! We hope you can enjoy Jalisco for dinner and support the school! All orders all day, dine-in or carry-out, will give a % back to HFE! •&nbsp;Early Release Day, and students will dismiss at 1:15 p.m.&nbsp; •&nbsp;Dominic Savio Club will meet again after school today. •&nbsp;The Faculty will meet in the Library after dismissal for a presentation from Noalee. •&nbsp;Creative Writing Contest entries are due to the office at 4:00 p.m. for the H.A.C. •&nbsp;Happy Birthday to Jacob Whitmer, 1B, &amp; Kennedi Crathorne, 4B.&nbsp;&nbsp; THURSDAY--March 13•&nbsp;March Birthday Mass &amp; Lunch. •&nbsp;TMP Students will visit 4B this morning. •&nbsp;Sr. Rose Marie will visit 5th grade this afternoon.FRIDAY--March 14•&nbsp;Kindergarten Sweats &amp; Team Shirt Day for a feed the pig prize. •&nbsp;5th Grade Mix-it and Match-it Day today for a feed the pig prize. •&nbsp;Stations of the Cross at 2:35 p.m. at IHM. •&nbsp;Next week is SPRING BREAK so we will not have school! We hope you all have a safe, wonderful break full of rest and fun! •&nbsp;Greetings to all celebrating a birthday over Spring Break: Lyla Fox, 1B, Finley Patterson, 2B, Miden Pfannenstiel, 3B, Twynn Tetuan, 5A, Lydia Schmeidler, PK4, Victoria Heimann, 2B, Ryker Staab, 3B, Kenton Randa, 5B, Lahna Denton, 2B, and Mrs. Devann Fischer, School Psychologist

Holy Family Elementary School notes, March 10-14, 2025

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Xavier Worthy was released Saturday after a district attorney in Texas declined to pursue charges against the Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver following an arrest in which he had been accused of felony domestic violence.

Williamson County District Attorney Shawn Dick told the Austin American-Statesman his office had spoken with witnesses and was not accepting the case at this time. He also said Worthy and his lawyers were fully cooperating with the investigation.

Records showed that Worthy had been arrested Friday by deputies and held in the county jail on a charge of assault on a family or household member in which their breath was impeded, or choking in common terms. The online court listing for the case was updated to “dismissed/declined” later Saturday.

Williamson County includes parts of Austin, where Worthy played college football at the University of Texas.

In a statement, Worthy's attorneys, Chip Lewis and Sam Bassett, said their client was innocent of the charge against him. They said the allegation was made by a female who had been living in Worthy's home, and that she had been asked to leave the home multiple times over the last two weeks “upon discovery of her infidelity.”

“She has refused to vacate the residence and made a number of extortive efforts prior to resorting to this baseless allegation against Mr. Worthy,” the lawyers' statement said. “The complainant further destroyed a room in the residence, scratched Mr. Worthy's face and ripped out parts of his hair, which there is photographic evidence of. Worthy told law enforcement at the time of the incident he did not want to press charges against the complainant.”

The Chiefs told The Associated Press on Saturday that they were aware of the situation and still gathering information.

Under Texas law, impeding breathing means “intentionally, knowingly or recklessly impeding the normal breathing or circulation of the blood of the person by applying pressure to the person’s throat or neck or by blocking the person’s nose or mouth.”

Worthy was chosen by the Chiefs with the 28th overall pick in last year's draft after setting the record for the fastest 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. He got off to a quick start by scoring a pair of touchdowns in his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-kansas-city-ravens-nfl-opener-0ea1b2027f61a147d5365bad6a7f6cbb">NFL debut</a>, and after a midseason lull, he became the Chiefs' go-to wide receiver as they chased an unprecedented third consecutive Super Bowl title.

Worthy finished with 59 catches for 638 yards and six TDs while running 20 times for 104 yards and three more scores.

He was one of the few bright spots for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2025-eagles-chiefs-score-e2ff209c074a00a6faff39750ff048f8">Chiefs in a 40-22 loss to Philadelphia in the Super Bowl</a>, too. Worthy caught all eight of his targets for 157 yards and a pair of touchdowns at the Superdome in New Orleans.

The Chiefs came to rely on Worthy in part because of a season-ending injury to wide receiver Rashee Rice, who was coming off a brilliant rookie season of his own. Rice caught 24 passes for 288 yards and two TDs in four games before getting hurt.

Rice and another driver, Theodore Knox, were involved in a high-speed car crash in March 2024 that triggered a chain reaction on a highway in Dallas, close to where he had played college football at SMU. Rice is currently facing at least two civil lawsuits along with numerous criminal charges for his role in the wreck.

Rice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rashee-rice-dallas-crash-kansas-city-chiefs-b9c772b81b1b64ad111e249b38c8c4b5">turned himself in following the crash</a>, and his attorney, Texas Sen. Royce West, said that the wide receiver admitted that he was driving the Lamborghini involved. Rice also posted on social media that he took responsibility for his role in the crash.

Skretta reported from Kansas City, Missouri. Associated Press writer Juan A. Lozano contributed to this report from Houston.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721240895604.jpeg" alt="File photo Xavier Worthy" />
 <figcaption>File photo Xavier Worthy</figcaption>
 </figure>AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Xavier Worthy was released Saturday after a district attorney in Texas declined to pursue charges against the Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver following an arrest in which he had been accused of felony domestic violence.Williamson County District Attorney Shawn Dick told the Austin American-Statesman his office had spoken with witnesses and was not accepting the case at this time. He also said Worthy and his lawyers were fully cooperating with the investigation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741483775149.png" alt="Court listing for Xavier Worthy has been updated to “dismissed/declined”" />
 <figcaption>Court listing for Xavier Worthy has been updated to “dismissed/declined”</figcaption>
 </figure>Records showed that Worthy had been arrested Friday by deputies and held in the county jail on a charge of assault on a family or household member in which their breath was impeded, or choking in common terms. The online court listing for the case was updated to “dismissed/declined” later Saturday.Williamson County includes parts of Austin, where Worthy played college football at the University of Texas.In a statement, Worthy's attorneys, Chip Lewis and Sam Bassett, said their client was innocent of the charge against him. They said the allegation was made by a female who had been living in Worthy's home, and that she had been asked to leave the home multiple times over the last two weeks “upon discovery of her infidelity.”“She has refused to vacate the residence and made a number of extortive efforts prior to resorting to this baseless allegation against Mr. Worthy,” the lawyers' statement said. “The complainant further destroyed a room in the residence, scratched Mr. Worthy's face and ripped out parts of his hair, which there is photographic evidence of. Worthy told law enforcement at the time of the incident he did not want to press charges against the complainant.”The Chiefs told The Associated Press on Saturday that they were aware of the situation and still gathering information.Under Texas law, impeding breathing means “intentionally, knowingly or recklessly impeding the normal breathing or circulation of the blood of the person by applying pressure to the person’s throat or neck or by blocking the person’s nose or mouth.”Worthy was chosen by the Chiefs with the 28th overall pick in last year's draft after setting the record for the fastest 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. He got off to a quick start by scoring a pair of touchdowns in his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-kansas-city-ravens-nfl-opener-0ea1b2027f61a147d5365bad6a7f6cbb">NFL debut</a>, and after a midseason lull, he became the Chiefs' go-to wide receiver as they chased an unprecedented third consecutive Super Bowl title.Worthy finished with 59 catches for 638 yards and six TDs while running 20 times for 104 yards and three more scores.He was one of the few bright spots for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2025-eagles-chiefs-score-e2ff209c074a00a6faff39750ff048f8">Chiefs in a 40-22 loss to Philadelphia in the Super Bowl</a>, too. Worthy caught all eight of his targets for 157 yards and a pair of touchdowns at the Superdome in New Orleans.The Chiefs came to rely on Worthy in part because of a season-ending injury to wide receiver Rashee Rice, who was coming off a brilliant rookie season of his own. Rice caught 24 passes for 288 yards and two TDs in four games before getting hurt.Rice and another driver, Theodore Knox, were involved in a high-speed car crash in March 2024 that triggered a chain reaction on a highway in Dallas, close to where he had played college football at SMU. Rice is currently facing at least two civil lawsuits along with numerous criminal charges for his role in the wreck.Rice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rashee-rice-dallas-crash-kansas-city-chiefs-b9c772b81b1b64ad111e249b38c8c4b5">turned himself in following the crash</a>, and his attorney, Texas Sen. Royce West, said that the wide receiver admitted that he was driving the Lamborghini involved. Rice also posted on social media that he took responsibility for his role in the crash.___Skretta reported from Kansas City, Missouri. Associated Press writer Juan A. Lozano contributed to this report from Houston.