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

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

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.

“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.”

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>

🎥U.S. conducted 2nd strike on alleged drug cartel boat from Venezuela

MADRID (AP) — A framework deal has been reached between China and the U.S. for the ownership of popular&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-trump-supreme-court-36c3c3b42f743a35c69e1c74341f1f30">social video platform TikTok</a>, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/treasury-bessent-spain-china-trump-e70c554b5d34cd8f8de30093e9126d4f">weekend trade talks in Spain</a>.

Bessent said in a press conference after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-china-trade-stockholm-tariffs-bessent-lifeng-2cffb7de31169afc8de0c02bedb4683a">the latest round of trade talks</a>&nbsp;between the world's top two economies concluded in Madrid that U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese Premier Xi Jinping would speak Friday to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-china-trump-deal-deadline-ban-38af2dbe2a8307524a85665cf6f96c09">possibly finalize the deal</a>. He said the objective of the deal would be to switch to U.S. ownership.

“We are not going to talk about the commercial terms of the deal,” Bessent said. “It’s between two private parties. But the commercial terms have been agreed upon.”

Li Chenggang, China's international trade representative, said the two sides have reached “basic framework consensus” to properly solve&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-user-reactions-139955932b06753b29d1388f213e3717">TikTok-related issues</a>&nbsp;in a cooperative way, reduce investment barriers and promote related economic and trade cooperation, according to China's official news agency Xinhua.

Li said the two sides had “candid, in-depth" discussions over TikTok and matters of concern to China.

The meeting in Madrid is the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stockholm-trade-china-us-bessent-he-lifeng-5a0a9e723eb521dc72df00f2ae549a9e">fourth round of trade talks</a>&nbsp;between U.S. and Chinese officials since Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-us-tariffs-trump-dce0557297c1a367cac9353d270a3c2e">launched a tariff war</a>&nbsp;on Chinese goods in April. A fifth round of negotiations is likely to happen “in the coming weeks,” Bessent said, with both governments planning for a possible summit between Trump and Xi later this year or early next year to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-china-trade-tariffs-rare-earth-minerals-cbd2482bd2b3a7ce8d47030c4ff1c3d4">solidify a trade agreement</a>.

However, nothing has been confirmed, and analysts say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-us-semiconductors-trade-investigations-madrid-fae364b02c32da4e37b645046a3c17db">possible trade bumps</a>&nbsp;could delay the visit.

Chinese officials didn't immediately speak to the media following the Madrid talks, but Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, who led the Chinese delegation, was seen smiling when he left the venue.

During Joe Biden’s Democratic presidency, Congress and the White House used national security grounds to approve&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-timeline-ban-biden-india-d3219a32de913f8083612e71ecf1f428">a U.S. ban on TikTok</a>&nbsp;unless its parent company, ByteDance, sold its controlling stake.

Trump, a Republican, has repeatedly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-trump-delay-executive-order-3211a98113615be44cf92b32dca69a8e">extended the deadline</a>&nbsp;for shutting down TikTok, even though the law allows for just one 90-day reprieve, and only if there’s a deal on the table and a formal notification to Congress.

The current extension expires Wednesday, two days before Trump and Xi are scheduled to discuss the final details of the framework deal. Although Trump hasn't addressed the forthcoming deadline directly, he has claimed that he can&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tiktok-china-extension-deadline-4a66fbd0e485db5b3da83c176f22ad11">delay the ban indefinitely</a>.

TikTok is one of more than 100 apps developed in the past decade by ByteDance, a technology firm&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-timeline-ban-biden-india-d3219a32de913f8083612e71ecf1f428">founded in 2012</a>&nbsp;by Chinese entrepreneur Zhang Yiming and headquartered in Beijing’s northwestern Haidian district.

In 2016, ByteDance launched a short-form video platform called Douyin in China and followed up with an international version called TikTok. It then bought Musical.ly, a lip-syncing platform popular with teens in the U.S. and Europe, and combined it with TikTok while keeping the app separate from Douyin.

Soon after, the app boomed in popularity in the U.S. and many other countries, becoming the first Chinese platform to make serious inroads in the West. Unlike other social media platforms that focused on cultivating connections among users, TikTok tailored content to people’s interests.

The often silly videos and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-universal-music-taylor-swift-drake-adele-aecaebd833f19bb9c0a26537187c7216">music clips</a>&nbsp;content creators posted gave TikTok an image as a sunny corner of the internet where users could find fun and a sense of authenticity. Finding an audience on the platform helped launch the careers of music artists like Lil Nas X.

TikTok gained more traction during the shutdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic, when short dances that went viral became a mainstay of the app. To better compete,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-alternatives-youtube-instagram-snapchat-discord-c6474615c1d838f89c7b4273ab6e6a80">Instagram and YouTube</a>&nbsp;eventually came out with their own tools for making short-form videos, respectively known as Reels and Shorts. By that point, TikTok was a bona fide hit.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-tiktok-viral-video-childrens-deaths-c2e9a4d6f7387c72d0c53b881c54786d">Challenges came</a>&nbsp;in tandem with TikTok’s success. U.S. officials expressed concerns about the company’s roots and ownership, pointing to laws in China that require Chinese companies to hand over data requested by the government. Another concern became the proprietary algorithm that populates what users see on the app.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755885123824.png" alt="Image of President Trump from the White House TikTok account" />
 <figcaption>Image of President Trump from the White House TikTok account</figcaption>
 </figure>MADRID (AP) — A framework deal has been reached between China and the U.S. for the ownership of popular&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-trump-supreme-court-36c3c3b42f743a35c69e1c74341f1f30">social video platform TikTok</a>, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/treasury-bessent-spain-china-trump-e70c554b5d34cd8f8de30093e9126d4f">weekend trade talks in Spain</a>.Bessent said in a press conference after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-china-trade-stockholm-tariffs-bessent-lifeng-2cffb7de31169afc8de0c02bedb4683a">the latest round of trade talks</a>&nbsp;between the world's top two economies concluded in Madrid that U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese Premier Xi Jinping would speak Friday to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-china-trump-deal-deadline-ban-38af2dbe2a8307524a85665cf6f96c09">possibly finalize the deal</a>. He said the objective of the deal would be to switch to U.S. ownership.“We are not going to talk about the commercial terms of the deal,” Bessent said. “It’s between two private parties. But the commercial terms have been agreed upon.”Li Chenggang, China's international trade representative, said the two sides have reached “basic framework consensus” to properly solve&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-user-reactions-139955932b06753b29d1388f213e3717">TikTok-related issues</a>&nbsp;in a cooperative way, reduce investment barriers and promote related economic and trade cooperation, according to China's official news agency Xinhua.Li said the two sides had “candid, in-depth" discussions over TikTok and matters of concern to China.The meeting in Madrid is the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stockholm-trade-china-us-bessent-he-lifeng-5a0a9e723eb521dc72df00f2ae549a9e">fourth round of trade talks</a>&nbsp;between U.S. and Chinese officials since Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-us-tariffs-trump-dce0557297c1a367cac9353d270a3c2e">launched a tariff war</a>&nbsp;on Chinese goods in April. A fifth round of negotiations is likely to happen “in the coming weeks,” Bessent said, with both governments planning for a possible summit between Trump and Xi later this year or early next year to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-china-trade-tariffs-rare-earth-minerals-cbd2482bd2b3a7ce8d47030c4ff1c3d4">solidify a trade agreement</a>.However, nothing has been confirmed, and analysts say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-us-semiconductors-trade-investigations-madrid-fae364b02c32da4e37b645046a3c17db">possible trade bumps</a>&nbsp;could delay the visit.Chinese officials didn't immediately speak to the media following the Madrid talks, but Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, who led the Chinese delegation, was seen smiling when he left the venue.During Joe Biden’s Democratic presidency, Congress and the White House used national security grounds to approve&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-timeline-ban-biden-india-d3219a32de913f8083612e71ecf1f428">a U.S. ban on TikTok</a>&nbsp;unless its parent company, ByteDance, sold its controlling stake.Trump, a Republican, has repeatedly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-trump-delay-executive-order-3211a98113615be44cf92b32dca69a8e">extended the deadline</a>&nbsp;for shutting down TikTok, even though the law allows for just one 90-day reprieve, and only if there’s a deal on the table and a formal notification to Congress.The current extension expires Wednesday, two days before Trump and Xi are scheduled to discuss the final details of the framework deal. Although Trump hasn't addressed the forthcoming deadline directly, he has claimed that he can&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tiktok-china-extension-deadline-4a66fbd0e485db5b3da83c176f22ad11">delay the ban indefinitely</a>.TikTok is one of more than 100 apps developed in the past decade by ByteDance, a technology firm&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-timeline-ban-biden-india-d3219a32de913f8083612e71ecf1f428">founded in 2012</a>&nbsp;by Chinese entrepreneur Zhang Yiming and headquartered in Beijing’s northwestern Haidian district.In 2016, ByteDance launched a short-form video platform called Douyin in China and followed up with an international version called TikTok. It then bought Musical.ly, a lip-syncing platform popular with teens in the U.S. and Europe, and combined it with TikTok while keeping the app separate from Douyin.Soon after, the app boomed in popularity in the U.S. and many other countries, becoming the first Chinese platform to make serious inroads in the West. Unlike other social media platforms that focused on cultivating connections among users, TikTok tailored content to people’s interests.The often silly videos and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-universal-music-taylor-swift-drake-adele-aecaebd833f19bb9c0a26537187c7216">music clips</a>&nbsp;content creators posted gave TikTok an image as a sunny corner of the internet where users could find fun and a sense of authenticity. Finding an audience on the platform helped launch the careers of music artists like Lil Nas X.TikTok gained more traction during the shutdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic, when short dances that went viral became a mainstay of the app. To better compete,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-alternatives-youtube-instagram-snapchat-discord-c6474615c1d838f89c7b4273ab6e6a80">Instagram and YouTube</a>&nbsp;eventually came out with their own tools for making short-form videos, respectively known as Reels and Shorts. By that point, TikTok was a bona fide hit.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-tiktok-viral-video-childrens-deaths-c2e9a4d6f7387c72d0c53b881c54786d">Challenges came</a>&nbsp;in tandem with TikTok’s success. U.S. officials expressed concerns about the company’s roots and ownership, pointing to laws in China that require Chinese companies to hand over data requested by the government. Another concern became the proprietary algorithm that populates what users see on the app.___

US says it agreed with China on framework for TikTok deal

MORRISTOWN, N.J. (AP) — Even before the killing of Charlie Kirk,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/josh-shapiro">Gov. Josh Shapiro</a>&nbsp;of Pennsylvania was struggling with the emotional toll of political violence.

In the middle of the night just five months ago, someone broke into his home and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arson-pennsylvania-governor-political-violence-388da01e84661fb12ac79c626b0004eb">set it on fire</a>. Shapiro, who is also a likely 2028 Democratic presidential contender, was asleep with his wife and children.

And in the weeks since his family fled the blaze, Shapiro has been forced to confront the vexing questions now consuming elected officials in both parties as they face the impact of Kirk's assassination on their own public lives.

“The emotional challenge for me that’s been the hardest to work through is that, as a father, the career I chose, that I find great purpose and meaning in, ended up putting my children’s lives at risk,” Shapiro, a father of four, told The Associated Press. “Make no mistake, the emotional burden of being a father through this has been something that continues to be a challenge for me to this day.”

Across the nation, it is much the same for Republican and Democratic officials after another stunning act of political violence. Politicians in both parties and at virtually every level of public service are suddenly being forced to deal with acute security concerns — and feelings of grief, anger and fear — as they move deeper into a fraught election season.

Some political leaders are canceling public appearances. Others are relying on a large police presence to keep them safe. And still others insist that the fallout from Kirk’s death won’t have any impact on their duties.

Indeed, even as Shapiro offered prayers for Kirk's widow and children, the Democratic governor said he is undeterred in his duties as a leading figure in his national party and his state.

On that, he and President Donald Trump appear to agree.

The Republican president was asked during a Friday appearance on Fox News if he would cancel any public appearances of his own.

Bellicose rhetoric and even death threats have surged in the days since Kirk was killed.

"The left is the party of murder," Elon Musk, the tech titan and CEO of the social media platform X, wrote. “If they won't leave us in peace, then our choice is to fight or die."

To that, Fox News host Jesse Waters said during a broadcast, “They are at war with us. Whether we want to accept it or not, they are at war with us. What are we going to do about it?”

On Friday, a right-wing activist posted online a video outside Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker's home, calling on followers to “take action.”

The charged environment prompted a number of public officials, largely Democrats, to postpone public appearances.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ruben-gallego">Sen. Ruben Gallego</a>, D-Ariz., canceled a Saturday town hall in Las Vegas “out of an abundance of caution for town hall participants, attendees, and members of the media.” Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/alexandria-ocasio-cortez">Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez</a>, D-N.Y., also postponed a weekend event in North Carolina due to security concerns.

Former Republican Wisconsin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/scott-walker">Gov. Scott Walker</a>, president of Young America’s Foundation, which works to attract young people to the GOP, said his group canceled a Thursday night event in California featuring conservative commentator Ben Shapiro out of respect for Kirk and his family.

And while officials in both parties acknowledged that new security precautions would be in place — for the short term, at least — cancelations have been rare.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/wes-moore">Maryland Gov. Wes Moore</a>, another potential Democratic presidential prospect who recently announced his 2026 reelection campaign, said he would not change his public schedule because of the increased threat even as political violence will be on his mind.

“It’s never something that completely leaves you, but I don’t think it can be something that debilitates you," Moore told The Associated Press.

When asked if he expects a retaliatory attack against Democrats, the former Army captain insisted, "We are not at war with one another.”

“As someone who has seen war, as someone who knows what war looks like, as someone who will live with the realities of war for the rest of my life, I refuse to ever believe that we in the country are at war with one another," he said. "And I refuse to believe that that we as a country are devolving into some just kind of type of retaliatory tit for tat.”

“Resorting to violence is a remarkable sign of weakness," Moore added. “It means you can’t win a political argument.”

And yet&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shot-political-violence-history-5ce36193ede90a59a883662df16c6d6c">political violence is becoming more frequent</a>&nbsp;in the United States.

Former Democratic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/gabrielle-giffords">Rep. Gabby Giffords</a>&nbsp;was shot in the head as she met with constituents in 2011. Republican Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3e84732a7d594eedba6fae5dd10808b7">Steve Scalise was shot</a>&nbsp;at a congressional team baseball practice in 2017. Trump was grazed by a bullet last summer on the stump in Pennsylvania. And barely three months ago, the top Democrat in the Minnesota state house and her husband were gunned down at home.

Several uniformed police officers stood side by side along the entrance of a public park where the Democratic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-jersey-governor-primary-election-trump-f257499bda21810eff087446f6105c91">candidate for New Jersey governor, Mikie Sherrill</a>, met voters Friday to discuss measures designed to bring transparency to the state budget process.

The significant security presence was a sharp shift from Sherrill's recent events.

In Illinois, Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, Aaron Del Mar, said he and other GOP candidates are discussing new security precautions, such as bringing events indoors, enhanced use of metal detectors and background checks on those who attend their events.

“There’s a lot of concern right now,” he said.

Back in New Jersey, 35-year-old Democrat Maira Barbosa attended Sherrill's event with her 16-month-old son. She said she's never been more resolved to show up to a political event in person, even as she admitted she had second thoughts.

“We’re seeing so much hate speech and we’re seeing people advocate for violence, so of course it makes me concerned, especially to the point of bringing my son,” she said. “If we don’t participate, if we don’t get involved, who is going to represent us?"

In interviews, governors Shapiro and Moore largely avoided casting blame for the current era of political violence, although they were critical of Trump's immediate response to Kirk's shooting.

The Republican president highlighted only attacks against Republicans during his Oval Office address on Thursday and blamed “the radical left” for Kirk's shooting, even before the suspect was arrested.

Shapiro said Trump “misused the power of an Oval Office address."

“To be clear, the political violence has impacted Democrats and Republicans, and the rhetoric of vengeance and the language that has created division has come from both sides of the political divide,” Shapiro said. “No one party has clean hands, and no one party is immune from the threat of political violence.”

Moore called for everyone to tone down the rhetoric.

“I just think it’s important for the president and anyone else to understand that your words matter, and leadership is how you lift us up in darkness, not how you use it as a moment for opportunism and to introduce more darkness and finger pointing into into an already horrific situation,” he said.

“I’m praying for our country," Moore continued. "I’m praying that the legacy of this moment is we got better — not that we got worse.”

Associated Press writers Sejal Govindarao in Phoenix; Laura Bargfeld in Chicago; Chris Megerian in Washington; and Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin, contributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744635576081.jpeg" alt="Image from the fire damage in April from video courtesy Commonwealth Media Services" />
 <figcaption>Image from the fire damage in April from video courtesy Commonwealth Media Services</figcaption>
 </figure>MORRISTOWN, N.J. (AP) — Even before the killing of Charlie Kirk,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/josh-shapiro">Gov. Josh Shapiro</a>&nbsp;of Pennsylvania was struggling with the emotional toll of political violence.In the middle of the night just five months ago, someone broke into his home and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arson-pennsylvania-governor-political-violence-388da01e84661fb12ac79c626b0004eb">set it on fire</a>. Shapiro, who is also a likely 2028 Democratic presidential contender, was asleep with his wife and children.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744635153169.png" alt="Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro during a media briefing in April on the arson attack-image courtesy Commonwealth Media Services" />
 <figcaption>Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro during a media briefing in April on the arson attack-image courtesy Commonwealth Media Services</figcaption>
 </figure>And in the weeks since his family fled the blaze, Shapiro has been forced to confront the vexing questions now consuming elected officials in both parties as they face the impact of Kirk's assassination on their own public lives.“The emotional challenge for me that’s been the hardest to work through is that, as a father, the career I chose, that I find great purpose and meaning in, ended up putting my children’s lives at risk,” Shapiro, a father of four, told The Associated Press. “Make no mistake, the emotional burden of being a father through this has been something that continues to be a challenge for me to this day.”Across the nation, it is much the same for Republican and Democratic officials after another stunning act of political violence. Politicians in both parties and at virtually every level of public service are suddenly being forced to deal with acute security concerns — and feelings of grief, anger and fear — as they move deeper into a fraught election season.Some political leaders are canceling public appearances. Others are relying on a large police presence to keep them safe. And still others insist that the fallout from Kirk’s death won’t have any impact on their duties.Indeed, even as Shapiro offered prayers for Kirk's widow and children, the Democratic governor said he is undeterred in his duties as a leading figure in his national party and his state.“I’m not slowing down," he said.On that, he and President Donald Trump appear to agree.The Republican president was asked during a Friday appearance on Fox News if he would cancel any public appearances of his own.“You have to go forward,” he said.<h2>Violent rhetoric surges</h2>Bellicose rhetoric and even death threats have surged in the days since Kirk was killed."The left is the party of murder," Elon Musk, the tech titan and CEO of the social media platform X, wrote. “If they won't leave us in peace, then our choice is to fight or die."To that, Fox News host Jesse Waters said during a broadcast, “They are at war with us. Whether we want to accept it or not, they are at war with us. What are we going to do about it?”On Friday, a right-wing activist posted online a video outside Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker's home, calling on followers to “take action.”The charged environment prompted a number of public officials, largely Democrats, to postpone public appearances.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ruben-gallego">Sen. Ruben Gallego</a>, D-Ariz., canceled a Saturday town hall in Las Vegas “out of an abundance of caution for town hall participants, attendees, and members of the media.” Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/alexandria-ocasio-cortez">Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez</a>, D-N.Y., also postponed a weekend event in North Carolina due to security concerns.Former Republican Wisconsin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/scott-walker">Gov. Scott Walker</a>, president of Young America’s Foundation, which works to attract young people to the GOP, said his group canceled a Thursday night event in California featuring conservative commentator Ben Shapiro out of respect for Kirk and his family.And while officials in both parties acknowledged that new security precautions would be in place — for the short term, at least — cancelations have been rare.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/wes-moore">Maryland Gov. Wes Moore</a>, another potential Democratic presidential prospect who recently announced his 2026 reelection campaign, said he would not change his public schedule because of the increased threat even as political violence will be on his mind.“It’s never something that completely leaves you, but I don’t think it can be something that debilitates you," Moore told The Associated Press.When asked if he expects a retaliatory attack against Democrats, the former Army captain insisted, "We are not at war with one another.”“As someone who has seen war, as someone who knows what war looks like, as someone who will live with the realities of war for the rest of my life, I refuse to ever believe that we in the country are at war with one another," he said. "And I refuse to believe that that we as a country are devolving into some just kind of type of retaliatory tit for tat.”“Resorting to violence is a remarkable sign of weakness," Moore added. “It means you can’t win a political argument.”And yet&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shot-political-violence-history-5ce36193ede90a59a883662df16c6d6c">political violence is becoming more frequent</a>&nbsp;in the United States.Former Democratic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/gabrielle-giffords">Rep. Gabby Giffords</a>&nbsp;was shot in the head as she met with constituents in 2011. Republican Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3e84732a7d594eedba6fae5dd10808b7">Steve Scalise was shot</a>&nbsp;at a congressional team baseball practice in 2017. Trump was grazed by a bullet last summer on the stump in Pennsylvania. And barely three months ago, the top Democrat in the Minnesota state house and her husband were gunned down at home.<h2>What it looks like on the campaign trail</h2>Several uniformed police officers stood side by side along the entrance of a public park where the Democratic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-jersey-governor-primary-election-trump-f257499bda21810eff087446f6105c91">candidate for New Jersey governor, Mikie Sherrill</a>, met voters Friday to discuss measures designed to bring transparency to the state budget process.The significant security presence was a sharp shift from Sherrill's recent events.In Illinois, Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, Aaron Del Mar, said he and other GOP candidates are discussing new security precautions, such as bringing events indoors, enhanced use of metal detectors and background checks on those who attend their events.“There’s a lot of concern right now,” he said.Back in New Jersey, 35-year-old Democrat Maira Barbosa attended Sherrill's event with her 16-month-old son. She said she's never been more resolved to show up to a political event in person, even as she admitted she had second thoughts.“We’re seeing so much hate speech and we’re seeing people advocate for violence, so of course it makes me concerned, especially to the point of bringing my son,” she said. “If we don’t participate, if we don’t get involved, who is going to represent us?"<h2>Top Democratic governors speak out</h2>In interviews, governors Shapiro and Moore largely avoided casting blame for the current era of political violence, although they were critical of Trump's immediate response to Kirk's shooting.The Republican president highlighted only attacks against Republicans during his Oval Office address on Thursday and blamed “the radical left” for Kirk's shooting, even before the suspect was arrested.Shapiro said Trump “misused the power of an Oval Office address."“To be clear, the political violence has impacted Democrats and Republicans, and the rhetoric of vengeance and the language that has created division has come from both sides of the political divide,” Shapiro said. “No one party has clean hands, and no one party is immune from the threat of political violence.”Moore called for everyone to tone down the rhetoric.“I just think it’s important for the president and anyone else to understand that your words matter, and leadership is how you lift us up in darkness, not how you use it as a moment for opportunism and to introduce more darkness and finger pointing into into an already horrific situation,” he said.“I’m praying for our country," Moore continued. "I’m praying that the legacy of this moment is we got better — not that we got worse.”___Associated Press writers Sejal Govindarao in Phoenix; Laura Bargfeld in Chicago; Chris Megerian in Washington; and Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin, contributed.

Political leaders confront security concerns and fear after Kirk's assassination

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

The Ellis County Commission will have a public hearing before deciding on a proposed reinvestment housing incentive district for Big Creek Estates 3rd Addition during its 8:30 a.m. meeting on Tuesday.

The hearing will allow community input before the commission decides whether to approve the resolution and the development agreement.

The project includes road improvements on Reservation Road and has received 25 protest petitions. There is no financial impact to the county in approving the housing incentive district.

Commissioners will be asked to approve a resolution that would authorize the 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 $44,394.56 in taxes, penalties and interest owed.

The City of Gorham will request approval for the county public works department to assist with a road rehabilitation project. The project would not create significant direct costs to the county beyond staff time and machinery.

Jeff Ridgway, county communication director, will recognize Dispatcher Rachel Barnes with the Stork award for her exceptional response to a 911 call on April 5 before emergency responders arrived.

Barnes calmly guided the caller through the birth process and afterward during a 16-minute call. This is the second time she has received the award.

Commissioners will be asked to approve a new contract with County Counselor Bill Jeter, effective Jan. 1. The agreement increases Jeter's monthly retainer&nbsp;by $500, from $5,500 to $6,000. The change was initiated by the commission, not by Jeter, and is already included in the 2026 budget.&nbsp;

County EMS will request approval to accept bids from R Enterprise for remounting two ambulances scheduled for replacement in 2025 and 2026, which would be a cost-saving alternative to purchasing new units. An EMS Fund would cover the total cost.

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

You can view the full agenda <a href="https://www.ellisco.net/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09162025-698">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 have a public hearing before deciding on a proposed reinvestment housing incentive district for Big Creek Estates 3rd Addition during its 8:30 a.m. meeting on Tuesday.The hearing will allow community input before the commission decides whether to approve the resolution and the development agreement.The project includes road improvements on Reservation Road and has received 25 protest petitions. There is no financial impact to the county in approving the housing incentive district.<h2>Tax foreclosure sale</h2>Commissioners will be asked to approve a resolution that would authorize the 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 $44,394.56 in taxes, penalties and interest owed.<h2>City of Gorham road repair request</h2>The City of Gorham will request approval for the county public works department to assist with a road rehabilitation project. The project would not create significant direct costs to the county beyond staff time and machinery.<h2>Stork award recognition</h2>Jeff Ridgway, county communication director, will recognize Dispatcher Rachel Barnes with the Stork award for her exceptional response to a 911 call on April 5 before emergency responders arrived.Barnes calmly guided the caller through the birth process and afterward during a 16-minute call. This is the second time she has received the award.<h2>Other business</h2>Commissioners will be asked to approve a new contract with County Counselor Bill Jeter, effective Jan. 1. The agreement increases Jeter's monthly retainer&nbsp;by $500, from $5,500 to $6,000. The change was initiated by the commission, not by Jeter, and is already included in the 2026 budget.&nbsp;County EMS will request approval to accept bids from R Enterprise for remounting two ambulances scheduled for replacement in 2025 and 2026, which would be a cost-saving alternative to purchasing new units. An EMS Fund would cover the total cost.Commissioners will appoint a new member to the Ellis County Library Board to fill a vacancy effective Oct.1. The appointment will run until April 30.&nbsp;You can view the full agenda <a href="https://www.ellisco.net/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09162025-698">here</a>.