WASHINGTON (AP) —President Trump called Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator without elections," lashing out after the Ukrainian president said Trump was being influenced by Russian disinformation as he moves to end the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine on terms that Kyiv says are too favorable to Moscow.

On social media, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall wrote," There will be no more blank checks to Ukraine under President Trump. It’s time for the war to end, and we must put America first."

In a post on Truth Social, Trump called Zelenskyy “a modestly successful comedian” who talked the United States into spending billions of dollars “to go into a War that couldn’t be won, that never had to start.” He said Ukraine would be unable to end the war without Trump’s help.

Trump’s post comes a day after he suggested in a news conference that Ukraine should hold elections as part of a peace plan.

“A Dictator without Elections,” Trump wrote Wednesday.

Zelenskyy was elected president in 2019 after a career as an entertainer. He resisted pressure to leave the country when Russia invaded in 2022, mounting a defense that protected the capital, Kyiv.

Zelenskyy accused Trump earlier Wednesday of living in a Russian-made “disinformation space.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727448951618.png" alt="Trump and Zelenskyy during a September meeting in Washington-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Trump and Zelenskyy during a September meeting in Washington-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —President Trump called Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator without elections," lashing out after the Ukrainian president said Trump was being influenced by Russian disinformation as he moves to end the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine on terms that Kyiv says are too favorable to Moscow.On social media, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall wrote," There will be no more blank checks to Ukraine under President Trump. It’s time for the war to end, and we must put America first."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739996136179.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In a post on Truth Social, Trump called Zelenskyy “a modestly successful comedian” who talked the United States into spending billions of dollars “to go into a War that couldn’t be won, that never had to start.” He said Ukraine would be unable to end the war without Trump’s help.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Q: &quot;Would you call Ukrainian President Zelensky a dictator, as President Trump has?&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/LeaderJohnThune?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LeaderJohnThune</a>: &quot;The president speaks for himself. What I want to see is a peaceful result, a peaceful outcome.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/vV72SqclTf">pic.twitter.com/vV72SqclTf</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1892295546938794112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump’s post comes a day after he suggested in a news conference that Ukraine should hold elections as part of a peace plan.“A Dictator without Elections,” Trump wrote Wednesday.Zelenskyy was elected president in 2019 after a career as an entertainer. He resisted pressure to leave the country when Russia invaded in 2022, mounting a defense that protected the capital, Kyiv.Zelenskyy accused Trump earlier Wednesday of living in a Russian-made “disinformation space.”

Kan. U.S. Senator: No more blank checks to Ukraine under Trump

By BECKY KISER Hays Post&nbsp;

Recommendations of bid awards for the 2025 street maintenance program will be presented to Hays city commissioners during their work session on Thursday afternoon.&nbsp;

The projects include seal coat, polypatch, curb and brick repair, major rehab (street and concrete alley), asphalt mill and overlay, and pavement markings. The biggest project for this year is mill and overlay of East 17th Street&nbsp;

Bids were received from six contractors. Jesse Rohr, public works director, recommended the low bidders for all projects for a total of $893,835.

No bid for the pavement marking project was received. Rohr will advertise it again and bring it back for city commission approval at a later date.&nbsp;

The complete Feb. 20 agenda is available <a href="https://ks-hays.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02202025-1529">here</a>. The work session starts at 4 p.m. in Hays City Hall, 1507 Main. &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739990701016.png" alt="2025 street maintenance plan for Hays. City of Hays&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>2025 street maintenance plan for Hays. City of Hays&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays Post&nbsp;Recommendations of bid awards for the 2025 street maintenance program will be presented to Hays city commissioners during their work session on Thursday afternoon.&nbsp;The projects include seal coat, polypatch, curb and brick repair, major rehab (street and concrete alley), asphalt mill and overlay, and pavement markings. The biggest project for this year is mill and overlay of East 17th Street&nbsp;Bids were received from six contractors. Jesse Rohr, public works director, recommended the low bidders for all projects for a total of $893,835.No bid for the pavement marking project was received. Rohr will advertise it again and bring it back for city commission approval at a later date.&nbsp;The complete Feb. 20 agenda is available <a href="https://ks-hays.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02202025-1529">here</a>. The work session starts at 4 p.m. in Hays City Hall, 1507 Main. &nbsp;

Hays City Commission to review 2025 street maintenance bids

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

Another three inches of snow fell in Hays throughout the day Tuesday, according to the official report from the K-State Agricultural Research Center. &nbsp;

Combined with Monday's snowfall, the two-day total was five inches of snow, with 0.23 inches of moisture.&nbsp;

Hays has received 0.81 of moisture for the year and 19 inches of snow to date.&nbsp;

Monday's high was -1 degree with the overnight low dipping to -5 degrees, a new record low, according to the ag research center. A cold weather warning issued by the National Weather Service remains in effect through noon Thursday.&nbsp;

The forecast calls for warming temperatures with highs in the low 40s on Saturday and near 60 on Sunday.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739990367578.jpeg" alt="Photo by Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostAnother three inches of snow fell in Hays throughout the day Tuesday, according to the official report from the K-State Agricultural Research Center. &nbsp;Combined with Monday's snowfall, the two-day total was five inches of snow, with 0.23 inches of moisture.&nbsp;Hays has received 0.81 of moisture for the year and 19 inches of snow to date.&nbsp;Monday's high was -1 degree with the overnight low dipping to -5 degrees, a new record low, according to the ag research center. A cold weather warning issued by the National Weather Service remains in effect through noon Thursday.&nbsp;The forecast calls for warming temperatures with highs in the low 40s on Saturday and near 60 on Sunday.&nbsp;

Another 3" of snow falls in Hays; extreme cold weather warning continues

DICKINSON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 9a.m. Wednesday in Dickinson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Freightliner 206 driven by&nbsp; Marlon A.&nbsp;Castro Montes De Oca, 25, Portland, Oregon, was&nbsp;eastbound on Kansas 18 three and one half miles east of the K18/K15 East Junction.

The truck veered off the right shoulder and came to rest in a river embankment.&nbsp; EMS transported the driver to Salina Regional Medical Center. The KHP did not have seat belt usage details

DICKINSON COUNTY —While the snow has moved on, icy spots remain, and we’re still responding to crashes caused by slick conditions.

On Wednesday morning on&nbsp; Kansas Highway 18 near Paint Road in Dickinson County, KHP troopers and Dickinson County deputies responded to a single-vehicle injury crash, according to Trooper Ben Gardner.

A box truck left the highway, traveled into the south ditch, and ended up along a river embankment. The driver was transported to a Salina hospital with injuries, and troopers are following up to gather more details.

Even when the road looks clear, hidden icy patches can cause your vehicle to shift unexpectedly—before you know it, you’re just along for the ride.

Slow down. Stay alert. Adjust your driving well in advance for icy spots, drifting snow, debris, or slowed traffic.

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739990527316.png" alt="Photos KHP" />
 <figcaption>Photos KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>DICKINSON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 9a.m. Wednesday in Dickinson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Freightliner 206 driven by&nbsp; Marlon A.&nbsp;Castro Montes De Oca, 25, Portland, Oregon, was&nbsp;eastbound on Kansas 18 three and one half miles east of the K18/K15 East Junction.The truck veered off the right shoulder and came to rest in a river embankment.&nbsp; EMS transported the driver to Salina Regional Medical Center. The KHP did not have seat belt usage details--------------DICKINSON COUNTY —While the snow has moved on, icy spots remain, and we’re still responding to crashes caused by slick conditions.On Wednesday morning on&nbsp; Kansas Highway 18 near Paint Road in Dickinson County, KHP troopers and Dickinson County deputies responded to a single-vehicle injury crash, according to Trooper Ben Gardner.A box truck left the highway, traveled into the south ditch, and ended up along a river embankment. The driver was transported to a Salina hospital with injuries, and troopers are following up to gather more details.Even when the road looks clear, hidden icy patches can cause your vehicle to shift unexpectedly—before you know it, you’re just along for the ride.Slow down. Stay alert. Adjust your driving well in advance for icy spots, drifting snow, debris, or slowed traffic.Check the Post for additional details as they become available.&nbsp;

Driver injured after truck slides, lands in Kan. river embankment

On this episode of the Hays Post Podcast, news reporter Becky Kiser talks with Reese Barrick, director of the Sternberg Museum of Natural History about the new exhibition "Water's Extreme Journey," an interactive maze.

We also talk about upcoming Fort Hays State University alumni events with Kim Cebula, director of the FHSU Foundation and Alumni Office.&nbsp;

<div><iframe title="Post Podcast: 'Water's Extreme Journey' at Sternberg Museum" 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=8qtut-17fb7d0-pb&square=1&share=1&download=1&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&rtl=0&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=300" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the Hays Post Podcast, news reporter Becky Kiser talks with Reese Barrick, director of the Sternberg Museum of Natural History about the new exhibition "Water's Extreme Journey," an interactive maze.We also talk about upcoming Fort Hays State University alumni events with Kim Cebula, director of the FHSU Foundation and Alumni Office.&nbsp;

🎙 Post Podcast: 'Water's Extreme Journey' at Sternberg Museum

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-doge-white-house-layoffs-0fcdbb692717c63203ef971cb9807b35">Department of Government Efficiency</a>&nbsp;staffers were at the Pentagon on Tuesday and receiving lists of the military’s probationary employees, U.S. officials said.

However, it was not clear that all probationary personnel would be let go — instead, some might be exempted due to the critical nature of their work. The military services each had until end of business Tuesday to identify their probationary employees.

The affected personnel would include defense civilians who are still new to their jobs, not uniformed military personnel, who are exempt, according to the four officials who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

The potential cuts at the Pentagon, first reported by The Washington Post, follow reductions at other federal agencies, where probationary employees who were conducting critical functions and had high-level clearances, including staff at the National Nuclear Security Administration, were fired despite their role.

The vast majority of the fired NNSA staff were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nuclear-doge-firings-trump-federal-916e6819104f04f44c345b7dde4904d5">later told they were being reinstated</a>.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has supported cuts to the department, posting on X last week that the Pentagon needs “to cut the fat (HQ) and grow the muscle (warfighters.)”

The Government Accountability Office found in 2023 that more than 700,000 full-time civilians were working for the Defense Department.

President Donald Trump has entrusted the workforce reductions to Elon Musk, who has billions of dollars in government contracts with the Pentagon.

In recent days, however, Trump has said Musk is not officially in charge of DOGE but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-doge-white-house-layoffs-0fcdbb692717c63203ef971cb9807b35">serving as his senior adviser</a>, which followed multiple lawsuits challenging Musk’s authority to carve through federal agencies.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739971978242.png" alt="Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth meeting with troops last week in Europe" />
 <figcaption>Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth meeting with troops last week in Europe</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-doge-white-house-layoffs-0fcdbb692717c63203ef971cb9807b35">Department of Government Efficiency</a>&nbsp;staffers were at the Pentagon on Tuesday and receiving lists of the military’s probationary employees, U.S. officials said.However, it was not clear that all probationary personnel would be let go — instead, some might be exempted due to the critical nature of their work. The military services each had until end of business Tuesday to identify their probationary employees.The affected personnel would include defense civilians who are still new to their jobs, not uniformed military personnel, who are exempt, according to the four officials who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.The potential cuts at the Pentagon, first reported by The Washington Post, follow reductions at other federal agencies, where probationary employees who were conducting critical functions and had high-level clearances, including staff at the National Nuclear Security Administration, were fired despite their role.The vast majority of the fired NNSA staff were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nuclear-doge-firings-trump-federal-916e6819104f04f44c345b7dde4904d5">later told they were being reinstated</a>.Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has supported cuts to the department, posting on X last week that the Pentagon needs “to cut the fat (HQ) and grow the muscle (warfighters.)”The Government Accountability Office found in 2023 that more than 700,000 full-time civilians were working for the Defense Department.President Donald Trump has entrusted the workforce reductions to Elon Musk, who has billions of dollars in government contracts with the Pentagon.In recent days, however, Trump has said Musk is not officially in charge of DOGE but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-doge-white-house-layoffs-0fcdbb692717c63203ef971cb9807b35">serving as his senior adviser</a>, which followed multiple lawsuits challenging Musk’s authority to carve through federal agencies.

DOGE getting lists of the military’s probationary workers from the Pentagon

By DIANE GASPER-O’BRIEN Special to the Hays Post

Rod Fairbank admits he is an emotional guy. So he isn’t even going to pretend that Friday’s games between Thomas More Prep-Marian and Norton will be an easy call.

After 30 years of announcing Monarch basketball games above the court in Al Billinger Fieldhouse in Hays, Fairbank has decided to hand the microphone to someone else.

Friday’s games will be his last stint as public address announcer for a girls’ and boys’ doubleheader at TMP-Marian.

“It could be a hard one,” he admitted Monday night after the Monarchs’ games with Oakley.&nbsp;

Fairbanks had been tossing around the idea for the past few years, thinking about when might be a good time to step aside.

Then when football season would roll around in the fall, he’d get the fever again, and off to Lewis Field he would go for every Friday home game. It’s something that comes a way of life after 25 to 30 years, he said.

Fairbank’s wife, Michelle, was working at TMP-Marian in the mid-1990s when longtime announcer Father Earl Befort told Athletic Director Gene Flax at the end of the 1994-95 basketball season that would be his last year calling Monarch basketball.

So Flax immediately contacted Fairbank, and he thought maybe his wife had volunteered him for the job. But Flax had already thought of who his next PA guy could be.

Flax and Fairbank had played high school sports together at Ransom in the early to mid-1970s. And Flax remembered that Rod’s dad, Elmer Fairbank, was the longtime clock operator for football and basketball games.

“I thought I’d give it a try and help them out for a season,” Fairbank said when Flax asked him to announce.&nbsp;

“That was 30 years ago,” he said, his eyes sparkling.

Five years later, Father Earl announced he would be walking away from football announcing as well. Flax knew immediately who he would ask to be Father Earl’s replacement.

Fairbank had decided to give up refereeing high school football about that time because his oldest child was just entering high school at TMP-Marian. So the timing was perfect to pick up the football announcing, too.

It’s easy to see – and hear – that Fairbank enjoys this gig. He shows up at least an hour before games, goes over names and numbers and researches pronunciations of players’ names. After all, not all names are like “Fairbank” and are pronounced like they are spelled.

“I really enjoy the people at the scorer’s table, too, visiting about the games,” he said. “Some coaches, you almost knew what play they were going to draw up in a timeout after watching them for that many years.”

This year weighed heavy on Fairbank as he began the basketball season. Longtime clock operator Greg Schmidt, a good friend of Fairbank’s, was losing his nine-year battle with brain cancer and died on Jan. 31. The night of Schmidt’s vigil service happened to be a scheduled Monarch game.

It was one of the few games Fairbank had missed since the turn of the millennium.

It made him realize it was the right time to step away. He has grandchildren who are reaching the age of participating in activities — the oldest two are 10-year-olds, one in Hays and the other in Valley Center — and he wants to concentrate on family time.

“With Greg’s passing, I thought it’s time to let someone younger step in,” Fairbank said. “It’s been 30 years. That’s a good number to go out on.”

Joe Koenigsman is a TMP-Marian parent of four daughters who have played basketball for the Monarchs. He began taking his daughters to games from little on and has always enjoyed Fairbank’s announcing.

“He has done such an awesome job all those years,” said Koenigsman, whose name is one that Fairbank had to inquire how to pronounce. “He’s so reliable, and the way he announces the players’ names, it gets them in the spirit. We sure are going to miss him.”

Fairbank said he gained more confidence over the years while developing his own style of announcing.&nbsp;

He developed his own style — period. Fairbank was on a school trip with his wife one year, and they ran across a headband with buffalo horns on it.&nbsp;

What a good way to represent the Monarchs, right? He’s worn the headband to games ever since.&nbsp;

The booming voice that asks, “Monarch fans, are you ready?” before announcing the starters at every game will be hard to match.

He has become a master at drawing out names.

It will be hard to replace the bearded guy wearing a headband with horns, who can make even the shortest of names ring out: “For the Monarchs, wearing number 3, a 5-10 junior is Will-ll-ll-ll Ehhhhhck!”&nbsp;

Fairbank laughs while remembering the first time he saw Eck’s name on the Monarch roster. That was one name he didn’t have to ask how to pronounce.

Fairbank knows the first football game next fall will be hard because … well, he loves announcing, and he loves the Monarchs.

He talked about the Monarchs’ three state championship basketball teams he got to announce at home games and follow all the way to state, about the standout football players who have played for the Monarchs, such as TJ Gottschalk, who went on to play NCAA Division I ball at Wyoming.

“Now, TJ has daughters playing basketball here,” Fairbank said. “Seeing that is pretty cool.”&nbsp;

Fairbank enjoyed getting the crowd excited when a player made a 3-point basket. He particularly liked announcing players who had reached the 1,000-point milestone in basketball. He sometimes even gave a player a moniker, such as “Downtown Tom Diehl,” a prolific 3-point shooter for the Monarch basketball team in the late 1990s.

He often added adjectives to describe plays or to enhance a call, such as “picking the pig” for an interception or “a whole congregation of Monarchs” for a group tackle.

Most of all, he thought it was important to recognize as many players as possible so their families could hear their names.

There is still a possibility for this year’s boys’ and girls’ teams to host a first-round game of sub-state next week, but they will be on different nights. And it’s not quite the same as calling a doubleheader.

“I’ll definitely miss all this, but they’re not going to get rid of me that easily,” he said. “I’ll still come to games and watch as a fan.”

“Oh, yes! It will be hard sitting in the stands,” he said with a laugh. “I’ll have to sit somewhere besides behind the scorer’s table.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739913767955.jpeg" alt="The bearded man sporting a headband with buffalo horns was a common sight as the public address announcer at TMP-Marian basketball games for three decades. Photo by Drew Labertew, TMP-Marian" />
 <figcaption>The bearded man sporting a headband with buffalo horns was a common sight as the public address announcer at TMP-Marian basketball games for three decades. Photo by Drew Labertew, TMP-Marian</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739913940583.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By DIANE GASPER-O’BRIEN Special to the Hays PostRod Fairbank admits he is an emotional guy. So he isn’t even going to pretend that Friday’s games between Thomas More Prep-Marian and Norton will be an easy call.After 30 years of announcing Monarch basketball games above the court in Al Billinger Fieldhouse in Hays, Fairbank has decided to hand the microphone to someone else.Friday’s games will be his last stint as public address announcer for a girls’ and boys’ doubleheader at TMP-Marian.“It could be a hard one,” he admitted Monday night after the Monarchs’ games with Oakley.&nbsp;Fairbanks had been tossing around the idea for the past few years, thinking about when might be a good time to step aside.Then when football season would roll around in the fall, he’d get the fever again, and off to Lewis Field he would go for every Friday home game. It’s something that comes a way of life after 25 to 30 years, he said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739913789802.jpeg" alt="Rod Fairbank first got his start as TMP-Marian’s public address announcer while calling Monarch football in 1995. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Rod Fairbank first got his start as TMP-Marian’s public address announcer while calling Monarch football in 1995. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>How this all beganFairbank’s wife, Michelle, was working at TMP-Marian in the mid-1990s when longtime announcer Father Earl Befort told Athletic Director Gene Flax at the end of the 1994-95 basketball season that would be his last year calling Monarch basketball.So Flax immediately contacted Fairbank, and he thought maybe his wife had volunteered him for the job. But Flax had already thought of who his next PA guy could be.Flax and Fairbank had played high school sports together at Ransom in the early to mid-1970s. And Flax remembered that Rod’s dad, Elmer Fairbank, was the longtime clock operator for football and basketball games.“I thought I’d give it a try and help them out for a season,” Fairbank said when Flax asked him to announce.&nbsp;“That was 30 years ago,” he said, his eyes sparkling.Five years later, Father Earl announced he would be walking away from football announcing as well. Flax knew immediately who he would ask to be Father Earl’s replacement.Fairbank had decided to give up refereeing high school football about that time because his oldest child was just entering high school at TMP-Marian. So the timing was perfect to pick up the football announcing, too.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739913825521.jpeg" alt="Working at the scorer’s table has been a family event for Rod Fairbank as he and scoreboard/clock operator Greg Schmidt sometimes welcomed youngsters – such as Schmidt’s granddaughter, Sophie Schmidt – to the table in between basketball games at Al Billinger Fieldhouse. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Working at the scorer’s table has been a family event for Rod Fairbank as he and scoreboard/clock operator Greg Schmidt sometimes welcomed youngsters – such as Schmidt’s granddaughter, Sophie Schmidt – to the table in between basketball games at Al Billinger Fieldhouse. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>TMP supporter through and throughIt’s easy to see – and hear – that Fairbank enjoys this gig. He shows up at least an hour before games, goes over names and numbers and researches pronunciations of players’ names. After all, not all names are like “Fairbank” and are pronounced like they are spelled.“I really enjoy the people at the scorer’s table, too, visiting about the games,” he said. “Some coaches, you almost knew what play they were going to draw up in a timeout after watching them for that many years.”This year weighed heavy on Fairbank as he began the basketball season. Longtime clock operator Greg Schmidt, a good friend of Fairbank’s, was losing his nine-year battle with brain cancer and died on Jan. 31. The night of Schmidt’s vigil service happened to be a scheduled Monarch game.It was one of the few games Fairbank had missed since the turn of the millennium.It made him realize it was the right time to step away. He has grandchildren who are reaching the age of participating in activities — the oldest two are 10-year-olds, one in Hays and the other in Valley Center — and he wants to concentrate on family time.“With Greg’s passing, I thought it’s time to let someone younger step in,” Fairbank said. “It’s been 30 years. That’s a good number to go out on.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739913851042.jpeg" alt="Rod Fairbank has proudly worn shirts that support TMP-Marian for three decades. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Rod Fairbank has proudly worn shirts that support TMP-Marian for three decades. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Fans will miss himJoe Koenigsman is a TMP-Marian parent of four daughters who have played basketball for the Monarchs. He began taking his daughters to games from little on and has always enjoyed Fairbank’s announcing.“He has done such an awesome job all those years,” said Koenigsman, whose name is one that Fairbank had to inquire how to pronounce. “He’s so reliable, and the way he announces the players’ names, it gets them in the spirit. We sure are going to miss him.”Fairbank said he gained more confidence over the years while developing his own style of announcing.&nbsp;He developed his own style — period. Fairbank was on a school trip with his wife one year, and they ran across a headband with buffalo horns on it.&nbsp;What a good way to represent the Monarchs, right? He’s worn the headband to games ever since.&nbsp;The booming voice that asks, “Monarch fans, are you ready?” before announcing the starters at every game will be hard to match.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739913877595.jpeg" alt="TMP-Marian honored Rod Fairbank with a plaque for his 30 years as the Monarchs’ public address announcer for football and basketball games. Photo by Drew Labertew, TMP-Marian" />
 <figcaption>TMP-Marian honored Rod Fairbank with a plaque for his 30 years as the Monarchs’ public address announcer for football and basketball games. Photo by Drew Labertew, TMP-Marian</figcaption>
 </figure>He has become a master at drawing out names.It will be hard to replace the bearded guy wearing a headband with horns, who can make even the shortest of names ring out: “For the Monarchs, wearing number 3, a 5-10 junior is Will-ll-ll-ll Ehhhhhck!”&nbsp;Fairbank laughs while remembering the first time he saw Eck’s name on the Monarch roster. That was one name he didn’t have to ask how to pronounce.He will miss announcing, tooFairbank knows the first football game next fall will be hard because … well, he loves announcing, and he loves the Monarchs.But for now, he is enjoying reminiscing.He talked about the Monarchs’ three state championship basketball teams he got to announce at home games and follow all the way to state, about the standout football players who have played for the Monarchs, such as TJ Gottschalk, who went on to play NCAA Division I ball at Wyoming.“Now, TJ has daughters playing basketball here,” Fairbank said. “Seeing that is pretty cool.”&nbsp;Fairbank enjoyed getting the crowd excited when a player made a 3-point basket. He particularly liked announcing players who had reached the 1,000-point milestone in basketball. He sometimes even gave a player a moniker, such as “Downtown Tom Diehl,” a prolific 3-point shooter for the Monarch basketball team in the late 1990s.He often added adjectives to describe plays or to enhance a call, such as “picking the pig” for an interception or “a whole congregation of Monarchs” for a group tackle.Most of all, he thought it was important to recognize as many players as possible so their families could hear their names.There is still a possibility for this year’s boys’ and girls’ teams to host a first-round game of sub-state next week, but they will be on different nights. And it’s not quite the same as calling a doubleheader.“I’ll definitely miss all this, but they’re not going to get rid of me that easily,” he said. “I’ll still come to games and watch as a fan.”But will you miss calling the games?“Oh, yes! It will be hard sitting in the stands,” he said with a laugh. “I’ll have to sit somewhere besides behind the scorer’s table.”

NWester: Longtime Monarch PA announcer stepping aside

The Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association has released the
girls pre-state and boys pre-regional rankings. The Hays High girls are fourth in
the 5A team rankings and have six individuals ranked. 

Dalton Meyers and Johnny Rigler remain the only Hays boys
ranked.

The Oakley girls are No. 1 in 321A, Norton is second
followed by Plainville, Russell and Stockton. Trego is ranked ninth.

GIRLS
 Class 5A Team
 1. Kapaun Mt. Carmel
 2. Basehor Linwood
 3. Shawnee Heights
 4. Hays
 5. Newton
 6. Great Bend
 7. Emporia
 8. Pittsburg
 9. Kansas City Piper
 10. Bonner Springs

HHS Individual
 120: 3. Kenlee Vehige
 135: 5. Tionna Napue
 140: 6. Ava Ruiz
 145: 3. Timber Lovewell
 155: 2. Lexi Barnett
 190: 2. Eleanor Stoffel

321A Team
 1. Oakley
 2. Norton
 3. Plainville
 4. Russell
 5. Stockton
 6. Ellinwood
 7. West Franklin
 8. Douglass
 9. Trego
 10. Remington

321A Individual
 100: 1. Carolina Northrup, Stockton; 4. Kaeleigh Klein, Plainville
 105: 1. Keleigh Ochoa, Smith Center; 6. Kya Bell, Hill City
 110: 5. Kia Mader, Ellis
 115: 3. Kallan Rothchild, Trego
 130: 1. Ashlyn Hahn, Stockton; 5. Annika Dietz, Trego
 135: 6. Layla Magano, Trego
 140: 4. Ella Normandin, Plainville
 145: 3. Lillian Garcia, Plainville
 155: 2. Zoe Brown, Plainville
 190: 2. Caydence Carter, Plainville

BOYS
 HHS Individual
 175: 3. Dalton Meyers
 190: 4. Johnny Rigler

321A Team
 1. Hoxie
 2. Norton
 3. ACCHS
 4. Phillipsburg
 5. Russell
 6. Southeast of Saline
 7. Council Grove
 8. Hill City
 9. Jayhawk Linn
 10. Beloit

321A Individual
 113: 2. Tate Blackwill, Quinter
 132: 3. Kaden Sisson, Phillipsburg
 138: 6. Will Donley, Ellis
 144: 5. Seth Keaton, Phillipsburg
 150: 2. Cole Keeten, Phillipsburg; 4. Skylar Rohr, Hill City
 157: 2. Blake Buresh, Phillipsburg; 5. Jaxson Smith, Hill City; 6. Emerson
Lowry, Stockton
 175: 2. Dayton Stephen, Hill City; 6. Kayden Hudson, Philipsburg
 190: 5. Keegan Urbanek, Ellis

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604497727867.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Hays PostThe Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association has released the
girls pre-state and boys pre-regional rankings. The Hays High girls are fourth in
the 5A team rankings and have six individuals ranked. Dalton Meyers and Johnny Rigler remain the only Hays boys
ranked.The Oakley girls are No. 1 in 321A, Norton is second
followed by Plainville, Russell and Stockton. Trego is ranked ninth.GIRLS
 Class 5A Team
 1. Kapaun Mt. Carmel
 2. Basehor Linwood
 3. Shawnee Heights
 4. Hays
 5. Newton
 6. Great Bend
 7. Emporia
 8. Pittsburg
 9. Kansas City Piper
 10. Bonner SpringsHHS Individual
 120: 3. Kenlee Vehige
 135: 5. Tionna Napue
 140: 6. Ava Ruiz
 145: 3. Timber Lovewell
 155: 2. Lexi Barnett
 190: 2. Eleanor Stoffel321A Team
 1. Oakley
 2. Norton
 3. Plainville
 4. Russell
 5. Stockton
 6. Ellinwood
 7. West Franklin
 8. Douglass
 9. Trego
 10. Remington321A Individual
 100: 1. Carolina Northrup, Stockton; 4. Kaeleigh Klein, Plainville
 105: 1. Keleigh Ochoa, Smith Center; 6. Kya Bell, Hill City
 110: 5. Kia Mader, Ellis
 115: 3. Kallan Rothchild, Trego
 130: 1. Ashlyn Hahn, Stockton; 5. Annika Dietz, Trego
 135: 6. Layla Magano, Trego
 140: 4. Ella Normandin, Plainville
 145: 3. Lillian Garcia, Plainville
 155: 2. Zoe Brown, Plainville
 190: 2. Caydence Carter, PlainvilleBOYS
 HHS Individual
 175: 3. Dalton Meyers
 190: 4. Johnny Rigler321A Team
 1. Hoxie
 2. Norton
 3. ACCHS
 4. Phillipsburg
 5. Russell
 6. Southeast of Saline
 7. Council Grove
 8. Hill City
 9. Jayhawk Linn
 10. Beloit321A Individual
 113: 2. Tate Blackwill, Quinter
 132: 3. Kaden Sisson, Phillipsburg
 138: 6. Will Donley, Ellis
 144: 5. Seth Keaton, Phillipsburg
 150: 2. Cole Keeten, Phillipsburg; 4. Skylar Rohr, Hill City
 157: 2. Blake Buresh, Phillipsburg; 5. Jaxson Smith, Hill City; 6. Emerson
Lowry, Stockton
 175: 2. Dayton Stephen, Hill City; 6. Kayden Hudson, Philipsburg
 190: 5. Keegan Urbanek, Ellis

🤼‍♀️ KWCA releases latest state rankings

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday signed an executive order meant to expand access to and reduce costs of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ivf-vitro-fertilization-trump-executive-order-65972cc1b10151bf1a0d9390fe5754d9">in vitro fertilization</a>&nbsp;and issued a presidential memorandum calling for “radical transparency requirements” from the government, which he suggested could reduce wasteful spending.

On the campaign trail, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/elections/2024/trump-calls-for-universal-coverage-of-ivf-treatment-with-no-specifics-on-how-his-plan-would-work/">called for universal coverage of IVF treatment</a>&nbsp;after his Supreme Court nominees helped to overturn Roe v. Wade, leading to a wave of restrictions in Republican-led states, including some that have threatened access to IVF by trying to define life as beginning at conception.

Trump, who was at his Florida residence and club Mar-a-Lago, also signed another executive order as well as a presidential memorandum. The second executive order outlined the oversight functions of the Office of Management and Budget, while the memo requires the government to detail the “waste, fraud and abuse” that’s found as the Department of Government Efficiency, overseen by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-doge-white-house-layoffs-0fcdbb692717c63203ef971cb9807b35">Elon Musk</a>, looks to cut government spending.

DOGE has often fallen short of the administration’s promises of transparency. Musk has taken questions from journalists only once since becoming Trump’s most powerful adviser, and he’s claimed it’s illegal to name people who are working for him. Sometimes DOGE staff members have demanded access to sensitive government databases with little explanation.

Trump took more than 30 minutes of questions Tuesday on a range of topics and bashed the Biden administration throughout, highlighting issues such as its handling of the U.S.-Mexico border, Venezuela policy and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/world-news/russia-ukraine-war-timeline-territorial-shifts-0000018f7d2fdca2afaf7fbf9a2f0000">Russia’s war in Ukraine</a>.

Trump said he thought he had a “good chance” to end Russia’s war in Ukraine but bristled at suggestions that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-russia-rubio-lavrov-ukraine-saudi-arabia-94bc4de5ecc86922d6ea4376e38f1cfd">U.S. and Russia had begun negotiations</a>&nbsp;to end fighting without Ukraine playing a role. He even seemed to suggest that Ukraine was to blame for a war that began only after Russia invaded that country.

“Today I heard, ‘Well, we weren’t invited.’ Well, you’ve been there for three years,” Trump said of Ukraine’s leaders. “You should have never started it.”

In anticipation of questions about his administration’s efforts to slash federal spending, the president said he wrote down examples of government programs around the world which he then listed off at length. They included funding to promote voter turnout in India and social cohesion initiatives in Mali — all of which Trump suggested collectively amounted to fraud.

Asked about the White House’s arguing in a court filing that Musk wasn’t the head of Trump’s government efficiency efforts, Trump said: “You could call him an employee, you could call him a consultant, you could call him whatever you want. But he’s a patriot.”

Trump said he thinks “women and families, husbands, are very appreciative” of his executive order on IVF, which offers a possible solution when a woman has trouble getting pregnant. The procedure involves retrieving her eggs and combining them in a lab dish with a man’s sperm to create a fertilized embryo, which is then transferred into the woman’s uterus in an attempt to create a pregnancy. IVF is done in cycles, and more than one may be required.

Barbara Collura, president and CEO of RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, said that what the White House put out “looks extremely promising.”

“The biggest barriers for people to building their families are the out-of-pocket costs, the lack of insurance coverage for this care,” she said.

Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat, said: “Donald Trump’s executive order does nothing to expand access to IVF. In fact, he’s the reason IVF is at risk in the first place.”

Duckworth said if Trump is going to follow through on his campaign promise to provide free IVF, he can start by supporting her legislation that would require insurance plans to cover IVF.

Trump, who spent the morning at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, spoke to reporters hours before his first joint TV interview with Musk airs in prime time on Fox News.

Musk has drawn criticism from Democrats in Congress and others for the methods he and his team at DOGE are using to cut spending, including foreign aid, and eliminate jobs across the bureaucracy.

The Fox News interview also follows Musk’s appearance with Trump in the Oval Office last week, when both&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-downsizing-federal-workers-doge-00683abc4de44a151f26aaa6cb0d0f30">defended Musk’s approach</a>&nbsp;to federal cost-cutting.

Mar-a-Lago was the setting Tuesday night for an awards program by America’s Future, a conservative group led by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-pardon-michael-flynn-russia-aeef585b08ba6f2c763c8c37bfd678ed">Mike Flynn</a>, who briefly served as national security adviser in the Republican president’s first term. The program aims to preserve individual rights and promote American values and traditions, according to its website. The event, celebrating American exceptionalism, honored one member each from the Army, the Navy, the Marines, the Air Force and the Space Force.

The event included a poolside reception, musical performances and dinner in Mar-a-Lago’s Grand Ballroom. The lineup included such names as Russell Brand, Ted Nugent and Mike Tyson.

Trump made an appearance at the event, according to video posted on social media Tuesday night, addressing the crowd on the patio as he stood near Tyson, Flynn and Nugent and declaring, “This is very, very friendly territory.”

Trump praised the men, including Flynn, who was one of the leading proponents of Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. The president called him “the real deal” and indicated he wanted to bring Flynn into his administration, saying he offered him “about 10 jobs."

“Anytime you want to come in, you know that, Mike, OK?” Trump said.

Flynn&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/0795b34ac17f4681934e31c07b442696">resigned from the first Trump administration</a>&nbsp;less than a month after Trump’s inauguration. He was charged in 2017 with lying to the FBI about conservations he had with the Russians on Trump’s behalf. He twice pleaded guilty, but Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-pardon-michael-flynn-russia-aeef585b08ba6f2c763c8c37bfd678ed">pardoned him</a>&nbsp;in the final weeks of his presidency.

Price reported from New York. Associated Press writers Will Weissert and Chris Megerian in Washington and Laura Ungar in Louisville, Kentucky, contributed to this report. Follow the AP's coverage of President Donald Trump at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump</a>.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday signed an executive order meant to expand access to and reduce costs of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ivf-vitro-fertilization-trump-executive-order-65972cc1b10151bf1a0d9390fe5754d9">in vitro fertilization</a>&nbsp;and issued a presidential memorandum calling for “radical transparency requirements” from the government, which he suggested could reduce wasteful spending.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🇺🇸MAKE FAMILIES GREAT AGAIN: President Trump has taken bold action to expand access to IVF! His Executive Order directs policy recommendations to safeguard IVF treatments and lower costs—making fertility care more affordable for American families! <a href="https://t.co/65ofNMcGfT">pic.twitter.com/65ofNMcGfT</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1891962340796448980?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On the campaign trail, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/elections/2024/trump-calls-for-universal-coverage-of-ivf-treatment-with-no-specifics-on-how-his-plan-would-work/">called for universal coverage of IVF treatment</a>&nbsp;after his Supreme Court nominees helped to overturn Roe v. Wade, leading to a wave of restrictions in Republican-led states, including some that have threatened access to IVF by trying to define life as beginning at conception.Trump, who was at his Florida residence and club Mar-a-Lago, also signed another executive order as well as a presidential memorandum. The second executive order outlined the oversight functions of the Office of Management and Budget, while the memo requires the government to detail the “waste, fraud and abuse” that’s found as the Department of Government Efficiency, overseen by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-doge-white-house-layoffs-0fcdbb692717c63203ef971cb9807b35">Elon Musk</a>, looks to cut government spending.DOGE has often fallen short of the administration’s promises of transparency. Musk has taken questions from journalists only once since becoming Trump’s most powerful adviser, and he’s claimed it’s illegal to name people who are working for him. Sometimes DOGE staff members have demanded access to sensitive government databases with little explanation.Trump took more than 30 minutes of questions Tuesday on a range of topics and bashed the Biden administration throughout, highlighting issues such as its handling of the U.S.-Mexico border, Venezuela policy and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/world-news/russia-ukraine-war-timeline-territorial-shifts-0000018f7d2fdca2afaf7fbf9a2f0000">Russia’s war in Ukraine</a>.Trump said he thought he had a “good chance” to end Russia’s war in Ukraine but bristled at suggestions that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-russia-rubio-lavrov-ukraine-saudi-arabia-94bc4de5ecc86922d6ea4376e38f1cfd">U.S. and Russia had begun negotiations</a>&nbsp;to end fighting without Ukraine playing a role. He even seemed to suggest that Ukraine was to blame for a war that began only after Russia invaded that country.“Today I heard, ‘Well, we weren’t invited.’ Well, you’ve been there for three years,” Trump said of Ukraine’s leaders. “You should have never started it.”In anticipation of questions about his administration’s efforts to slash federal spending, the president said he wrote down examples of government programs around the world which he then listed off at length. They included funding to promote voter turnout in India and social cohesion initiatives in Mali — all of which Trump suggested collectively amounted to fraud.Asked about the White House’s arguing in a court filing that Musk wasn’t the head of Trump’s government efficiency efforts, Trump said: “You could call him an employee, you could call him a consultant, you could call him whatever you want. But he’s a patriot.”Trump said he thinks “women and families, husbands, are very appreciative” of his executive order on IVF, which offers a possible solution when a woman has trouble getting pregnant. The procedure involves retrieving her eggs and combining them in a lab dish with a man’s sperm to create a fertilized embryo, which is then transferred into the woman’s uterus in an attempt to create a pregnancy. IVF is done in cycles, and more than one may be required.Barbara Collura, president and CEO of RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, said that what the White House put out “looks extremely promising.”“The biggest barriers for people to building their families are the out-of-pocket costs, the lack of insurance coverage for this care,” she said.Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat, said: “Donald Trump’s executive order does nothing to expand access to IVF. In fact, he’s the reason IVF is at risk in the first place.”Duckworth said if Trump is going to follow through on his campaign promise to provide free IVF, he can start by supporting her legislation that would require insurance plans to cover IVF.Trump, who spent the morning at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, spoke to reporters hours before his first joint TV interview with Musk airs in prime time on Fox News.Musk has drawn criticism from Democrats in Congress and others for the methods he and his team at DOGE are using to cut spending, including foreign aid, and eliminate jobs across the bureaucracy.The Fox News interview also follows Musk’s appearance with Trump in the Oval Office last week, when both&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-downsizing-federal-workers-doge-00683abc4de44a151f26aaa6cb0d0f30">defended Musk’s approach</a>&nbsp;to federal cost-cutting.Mar-a-Lago was the setting Tuesday night for an awards program by America’s Future, a conservative group led by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-pardon-michael-flynn-russia-aeef585b08ba6f2c763c8c37bfd678ed">Mike Flynn</a>, who briefly served as national security adviser in the Republican president’s first term. The program aims to preserve individual rights and promote American values and traditions, according to its website. The event, celebrating American exceptionalism, honored one member each from the Army, the Navy, the Marines, the Air Force and the Space Force.The event included a poolside reception, musical performances and dinner in Mar-a-Lago’s Grand Ballroom. The lineup included such names as Russell Brand, Ted Nugent and Mike Tyson.Trump made an appearance at the event, according to video posted on social media Tuesday night, addressing the crowd on the patio as he stood near Tyson, Flynn and Nugent and declaring, “This is very, very friendly territory.”Trump praised the men, including Flynn, who was one of the leading proponents of Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. The president called him “the real deal” and indicated he wanted to bring Flynn into his administration, saying he offered him “about 10 jobs."“Anytime you want to come in, you know that, Mike, OK?” Trump said.Flynn&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/0795b34ac17f4681934e31c07b442696">resigned from the first Trump administration</a>&nbsp;less than a month after Trump’s inauguration. He was charged in 2017 with lying to the FBI about conservations he had with the Russians on Trump’s behalf. He twice pleaded guilty, but Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-pardon-michael-flynn-russia-aeef585b08ba6f2c763c8c37bfd678ed">pardoned him</a>&nbsp;in the final weeks of his presidency.___Price reported from New York. Associated Press writers Will Weissert and Chris Megerian in Washington and Laura Ungar in Louisville, Kentucky, contributed to this report. Follow the AP's coverage of President Donald Trump at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump</a>.

Trump signs order to study how to expand IVF 

SUMTERVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Native American activist Leonard Peltier was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/leonard-peltier-biden-pardons-eba525b713f2ec739b84aa4426366775">released from a Florida prison</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday, weeks after then-President Joe Biden angered law enforcement officials by commuting his life sentence in the 1975 killings of two FBI agents.

For nearly half a century, Peltier’s imprisonment has symbolized&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/leonard-peltier">systemic injustice</a>&nbsp;for Native Americans across the country who believe in his innocence. The decision to release the 80-year-old to home confinement was celebrated by supporters.

“He represents every person who’s been roughed up by a cop, profiled, had their children harassed at school,” said Nick Estes, a professor of American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota and a member of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe who advocated for Peltier’s release.

But the move just before Biden left office also prompted criticism from those who say Peltier is guilty, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chris-wray-fbi-farewell-trump-patel-partisanship-afe159a6e112e68dd5319ceac905d517">former FBI Director Christopher Wray</a>, who called him “a remorseless killer” in a private letter to Biden obtained by The Associated Press.

“Granting Peltier any relief from his conviction or sentence is wholly unjustified and would be an affront to the rule of law,” Wray wrote.

The commutation was not a pardon for crimes committed, something Peltier’s advocates have hoped for since he has always maintained his innocence.

Peltier left the prison Tuesday morning in an SUV, according to a prison official. He didn't stop to speak with reporters or his supporters outside the gates.

One of his attorneys, Jenipher Jones, said Peltier was looking forward to going home.

“We’re so excited for this moment,” Jones said. “He is in good spirits. He has the soul of a warrior.”

After being released from USP Coleman, a high-security prison, Peltier planned to return to North Dakota, where he is expected to celebrate with friends and family on Wednesday.

Biden commuted Peltier’s sentence Jan. 20, noting he had spent most of his life in prison and was now in poor health.

“We never thought he would get out,” Ray St. Clair, a member of the White Earth Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, said shortly before Peltier's release. “It shows you should never give up hope. We can take this repairing the damage that was done. This is a start.”

Peltier, an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians in North Dakota, was active in the American Indian Movement, which beginning in the 1960s fought for Native American treaty rights and tribal self-determination.

The group&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/protests-and-demonstrations-united-states-government-south-dakota-religion-b3b62b1e89e713160ee0051c8b760459">grabbed headlines</a>&nbsp;in 1969 when activists occupied the former prison island of Alcatraz in the San Francisco Bay, and again in 1972, when they presented presidential candidates with a list of demands including the restoration of tribal land. After they were ignored, they seized the headquarters of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

From then on, the group was subject to FBI surveillance and harassment under a covert program that sought to disrupt activism and was exposed in 1975.

Peltier's conviction stemmed from a confrontation that year on the Oglala Sioux Indian Reservation in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, in which FBI agents Jack Coler and Ronald Williams were killed. According to the FBI, the agents were there to serve arrest warrants for robbery and assault with a dangerous weapon.

Prosecutors maintained at trial that Peltier shot both agents in the head at point-blank range. Peltier acknowledged being present and firing a gun at a distance, but he said he fired in self-defense. A woman who claimed to have seen Peltier shoot the agents later recanted her testimony, saying it had been coerced.

He was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and given two consecutive life sentences.

Two other movement members, co-defendants Robert Robideau and Dino Butler, were acquitted on the grounds of self-defense.

Peltier was denied parole&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/leonard-peltier-parole-hearing-2d0df4e4997d988ec229b05de9dba648">as recently as July</a>&nbsp;and was not eligible to be considered for it again until 2026.

“Leonard Peltier’s release is the right thing to do given the serious and ongoing human rights concerns about the fairness of his trial, his nearly 50 years behind bars, his health and his age," Paul O’Brien, executive director with Amnesty International USA, said in a statement before Peltier's release. "While we welcome his release from prison, he should not be restricted to home confinement.”

Prominent Native American groups like the National Congress of the American Indian have called for Peltier's release for decades, and Amnesty International considered him a political prisoner. Prominent supporters over the years included South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, civil rights icon Coretta Scott King, actor and director Robert Redford and musicians Pete Seeger, Harry Belafonte and Jackson Browne.

Generations of Indigenous activists and leaders lobbied multiple presidents to pardon Peltier. Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, a member of the Pueblo of Laguna and the first Native American to hold the secretary's position, praised Biden's decision.

“I am grateful that Leonard can now go home to his family,” she said Jan. 20 in a post on X. “I applaud President Biden for this action and understanding what this means to Indian Country.”

As a young child, Peltier was taken from his family and sent to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-indian-country-harris-arizona-election-0ac697174d60f8481924a09cbc0c6d51">boarding school</a>. Thousands of Indigenous children over decades faced the same fate, and were in many cases subjected to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/indian-boarding-schools-biden-apology-3e5376d10406e21c25eee35fc6be7510">systemic physical, psychological and sexual abuse</a>.

“He hasn’t really had a home since he was taken away to boarding school,” said Nick Tilsen, who has been advocating for Peltier's release since he was a teen and is CEO of NDN Collective, an Indigenous-led advocacy group based in South Dakota. “So he is excited to be at home and paint and have grandkids running around.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739893159547.png" alt="FILE - American Indian activist Leonard Peltier speaks during an interview at the U.S. Penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kan., April 29, 1999. (Joe Ledford/The Kansas City Star via AP, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - American Indian activist Leonard Peltier speaks during an interview at the U.S. Penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kan., April 29, 1999. (Joe Ledford/The Kansas City Star via AP, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>SUMTERVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Native American activist Leonard Peltier was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/leonard-peltier-biden-pardons-eba525b713f2ec739b84aa4426366775">released from a Florida prison</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday, weeks after then-President Joe Biden angered law enforcement officials by commuting his life sentence in the 1975 killings of two FBI agents.For nearly half a century, Peltier’s imprisonment has symbolized&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/leonard-peltier">systemic injustice</a>&nbsp;for Native Americans across the country who believe in his innocence. The decision to release the 80-year-old to home confinement was celebrated by supporters.“He represents every person who’s been roughed up by a cop, profiled, had their children harassed at school,” said Nick Estes, a professor of American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota and a member of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe who advocated for Peltier’s release.But the move just before Biden left office also prompted criticism from those who say Peltier is guilty, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chris-wray-fbi-farewell-trump-patel-partisanship-afe159a6e112e68dd5319ceac905d517">former FBI Director Christopher Wray</a>, who called him “a remorseless killer” in a private letter to Biden obtained by The Associated Press.“Granting Peltier any relief from his conviction or sentence is wholly unjustified and would be an affront to the rule of law,” Wray wrote.The commutation was not a pardon for crimes committed, something Peltier’s advocates have hoped for since he has always maintained his innocence.Peltier left the prison Tuesday morning in an SUV, according to a prison official. He didn't stop to speak with reporters or his supporters outside the gates.One of his attorneys, Jenipher Jones, said Peltier was looking forward to going home.“We’re so excited for this moment,” Jones said. “He is in good spirits. He has the soul of a warrior.”After being released from USP Coleman, a high-security prison, Peltier planned to return to North Dakota, where he is expected to celebrate with friends and family on Wednesday.Biden commuted Peltier’s sentence Jan. 20, noting he had spent most of his life in prison and was now in poor health.“We never thought he would get out,” Ray St. Clair, a member of the White Earth Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, said shortly before Peltier's release. “It shows you should never give up hope. We can take this repairing the damage that was done. This is a start.”Peltier, an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians in North Dakota, was active in the American Indian Movement, which beginning in the 1960s fought for Native American treaty rights and tribal self-determination.The group&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/protests-and-demonstrations-united-states-government-south-dakota-religion-b3b62b1e89e713160ee0051c8b760459">grabbed headlines</a>&nbsp;in 1969 when activists occupied the former prison island of Alcatraz in the San Francisco Bay, and again in 1972, when they presented presidential candidates with a list of demands including the restoration of tribal land. After they were ignored, they seized the headquarters of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.From then on, the group was subject to FBI surveillance and harassment under a covert program that sought to disrupt activism and was exposed in 1975.Peltier's conviction stemmed from a confrontation that year on the Oglala Sioux Indian Reservation in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, in which FBI agents Jack Coler and Ronald Williams were killed. According to the FBI, the agents were there to serve arrest warrants for robbery and assault with a dangerous weapon.Prosecutors maintained at trial that Peltier shot both agents in the head at point-blank range. Peltier acknowledged being present and firing a gun at a distance, but he said he fired in self-defense. A woman who claimed to have seen Peltier shoot the agents later recanted her testimony, saying it had been coerced.He was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and given two consecutive life sentences.Two other movement members, co-defendants Robert Robideau and Dino Butler, were acquitted on the grounds of self-defense.Peltier was denied parole&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/leonard-peltier-parole-hearing-2d0df4e4997d988ec229b05de9dba648">as recently as July</a>&nbsp;and was not eligible to be considered for it again until 2026.“Leonard Peltier’s release is the right thing to do given the serious and ongoing human rights concerns about the fairness of his trial, his nearly 50 years behind bars, his health and his age," Paul O’Brien, executive director with Amnesty International USA, said in a statement before Peltier's release. "While we welcome his release from prison, he should not be restricted to home confinement.”Prominent Native American groups like the National Congress of the American Indian have called for Peltier's release for decades, and Amnesty International considered him a political prisoner. Prominent supporters over the years included South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, civil rights icon Coretta Scott King, actor and director Robert Redford and musicians Pete Seeger, Harry Belafonte and Jackson Browne.Generations of Indigenous activists and leaders lobbied multiple presidents to pardon Peltier. Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, a member of the Pueblo of Laguna and the first Native American to hold the secretary's position, praised Biden's decision.“I am grateful that Leonard can now go home to his family,” she said Jan. 20 in a post on X. “I applaud President Biden for this action and understanding what this means to Indian Country.”As a young child, Peltier was taken from his family and sent to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-indian-country-harris-arizona-election-0ac697174d60f8481924a09cbc0c6d51">boarding school</a>. Thousands of Indigenous children over decades faced the same fate, and were in many cases subjected to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/indian-boarding-schools-biden-apology-3e5376d10406e21c25eee35fc6be7510">systemic physical, psychological and sexual abuse</a>.“He hasn’t really had a home since he was taken away to boarding school,” said Nick Tilsen, who has been advocating for Peltier's release since he was a teen and is CEO of NDN Collective, an Indigenous-led advocacy group based in South Dakota. “So he is excited to be at home and paint and have grandkids running around.”___Brewer reported from Norman, Oklahoma.

Man who killed 2 FBI agents is free after Biden commuted his sentence

The undefeated Hays High girls’ basketball team remains
fourth in the final Kansas Basketball Coaches Association Class 5A rankings released
Tuesday afternoon. The top six spots remain unchanged with undefeated Topeka
Seaman atop the 5A poll.

The Hoxie girls remain at No. 5 in Class 2A with
Phillipsburg in at No. 10. The Quinter girls remain seventh in 1A Division 1.
Wheatland-Grinnell holds at No. 8 in 1A Division 2.

Great Bend remains fourth in 5A, Goodland stays atop the 4A
poll, Logan-Palco moves up a spot to No. 2 in 1A Division 2 while Victoria
remains ranked 10th.

6A Girls
 1. Blue Valley North
 2. Derby
 3. Olathe South
 4. Wichita Heights
 5. Washburn Rural
 6. Olathe North
 7. Blue Valley Northwest
 8. Olathe West
 9. Wichita East
 10. Shawnee Mission South

5A Girls
 1. Topeka Seaman
 2. St. James Academy
 3. Andover
 4. Hays
 5. Kansas City Piper
 6. Maize South
 7. Arkansas City
 8. Spring Hill
 9. De Soto
 10. Kapaun Mt. Carmel

4A Girls
 1. Wellington
 2. Topeka Hayden
 3. Eudora
 4. Bishop Miege
 5. Fort Scott
 6. Labette County
 7. Clay Center
 8. Rock Creek
 9. Buhler
 10. Clearwater

3A Girls
 1. Hesston
 2. Halstead
 3. Osage City
 4. Colby
 5. Riley County
 6. Silver Lake
 7. Girard
 8. Neodesha
 9. Holcomb
 10. Haven

2A Girls
 1. Pittsburg-Colgan
 2. Moundridge
 3. Wichita County
 4. Inman
 5. Hoxie
 6. Ellinwood
 7. Bennington
 8. Doniphan West
 9. Chase County
 10. Phillipsburg

1A Division 1
 1. Little River
 2. Centralia
 3. South Gray
 4. Clifton Clyde
 5. Central Plains
 6. Troy
 7. Quinter
 8. St. John
 9. Rock Hills
 10. Rawlins County

1A Division 2
 1. Lebo
 2. Hanover
 3. South Haven
 4. Bucklin
 5. Wallace County
 6. Attica
 7. Hodgeman County
 8. Wheatland-Grinnell
 9. Hartford
 10. Cheylin

6A Boys
 1. Shawnee Mission Northwest
 2. Shawnee Mission South
 3. Derby 4. Wichita Heights
 5. Mill Valley
 6. Blue Valley
 7. Wichita Northwest
 8. Olathe North
 9. Blue Valley North
 10. Olathe Northwest

5A Boys
 1. Highland Park
 2. Kansas City Piper
 3. Kapaun Mt. Carmel
 4. Great Bend
 5. Andover
 6. Shawnee Heights
 7. Bonner Springs
 8. Topeka Seaman
 9. Emporia
 10. St. Thomas Aquinas

4A Boys
 1. Ottawa
 2. McPherson
 3. Rock Creek
 4. Baldwin
 5. Chanute
 6. Andale
 7. Topeka Hayden
 8. Pratt
 9. Coffeyville-Field Kinley
 10. Clay Center

3A Boys
 1. Goodland
 2. Haven
 3. Lakin
 4. Cheney
 5. Wichita Collegiate
 T6. Hesston
 T6. Galena
 8. Nemaha Central
 9. Scott City
 10. Holcomb

2A Boys
 1. Moundridge
 2. Sterling
 3. Salina-Sacred Heart
 4. Ell-Saline
 5. Maur Hill Mount Academy
 6. Rossville
 7. Berean Academy
 8. Bennington
 9. Hillsboro
 10. Valley Falls

1A Division 1 Boys
 1. South Central
 2. Olpe
 3. Lawrence-Seabury Academy
 4. South Gray
 5. Burden-Central
 6. Burlington
 7. Oxford
 8. Central Plains
 9. Macksville
 10. Kowa County

&nbsp;1A&nbsp; Division 2 Boys 1. Cunningham 2. Logan-Palco 3. Axtell 4. Elyria Christian 5. Dighton 6. Hanover 7. Weskan 8. Hodgeman County 9. St. John-Tipton 10. Victoria

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712064660369.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Hays PostThe undefeated Hays High girls’ basketball team remains
fourth in the final Kansas Basketball Coaches Association Class 5A rankings released
Tuesday afternoon. The top six spots remain unchanged with undefeated Topeka
Seaman atop the 5A poll.The Hoxie girls remain at No. 5 in Class 2A with
Phillipsburg in at No. 10. The Quinter girls remain seventh in 1A Division 1.
Wheatland-Grinnell holds at No. 8 in 1A Division 2.Great Bend remains fourth in 5A, Goodland stays atop the 4A
poll, Logan-Palco moves up a spot to No. 2 in 1A Division 2 while Victoria
remains ranked 10th.6A Girls
 1. Blue Valley North
 2. Derby
 3. Olathe South
 4. Wichita Heights
 5. Washburn Rural
 6. Olathe North
 7. Blue Valley Northwest
 8. Olathe West
 9. Wichita East
 10. Shawnee Mission South5A Girls
 1. Topeka Seaman
 2. St. James Academy
 3. Andover
 4. Hays
 5. Kansas City Piper
 6. Maize South
 7. Arkansas City
 8. Spring Hill
 9. De Soto
 10. Kapaun Mt. Carmel4A Girls
 1. Wellington
 2. Topeka Hayden
 3. Eudora
 4. Bishop Miege
 5. Fort Scott
 6. Labette County
 7. Clay Center
 8. Rock Creek
 9. Buhler
 10. Clearwater3A Girls
 1. Hesston
 2. Halstead
 3. Osage City
 4. Colby
 5. Riley County
 6. Silver Lake
 7. Girard
 8. Neodesha
 9. Holcomb
 10. Haven2A Girls
 1. Pittsburg-Colgan
 2. Moundridge
 3. Wichita County
 4. Inman
 5. Hoxie
 6. Ellinwood
 7. Bennington
 8. Doniphan West
 9. Chase County
 10. Phillipsburg1A Division 1
 1. Little River
 2. Centralia
 3. South Gray
 4. Clifton Clyde
 5. Central Plains
 6. Troy
 7. Quinter
 8. St. John
 9. Rock Hills
 10. Rawlins County1A Division 2
 1. Lebo
 2. Hanover
 3. South Haven
 4. Bucklin
 5. Wallace County
 6. Attica
 7. Hodgeman County
 8. Wheatland-Grinnell
 9. Hartford
 10. Cheylin6A Boys
 1. Shawnee Mission Northwest
 2. Shawnee Mission South
 3. Derby 4. Wichita Heights
 5. Mill Valley
 6. Blue Valley
 7. Wichita Northwest
 8. Olathe North
 9. Blue Valley North
 10. Olathe Northwest5A Boys
 1. Highland Park
 2. Kansas City Piper
 3. Kapaun Mt. Carmel
 4. Great Bend
 5. Andover
 6. Shawnee Heights
 7. Bonner Springs
 8. Topeka Seaman
 9. Emporia
 10. St. Thomas Aquinas4A Boys
 1. Ottawa
 2. McPherson
 3. Rock Creek
 4. Baldwin
 5. Chanute
 6. Andale
 7. Topeka Hayden
 8. Pratt
 9. Coffeyville-Field Kinley
 10. Clay Center3A Boys
 1. Goodland
 2. Haven
 3. Lakin
 4. Cheney
 5. Wichita Collegiate
 T6. Hesston
 T6. Galena
 8. Nemaha Central
 9. Scott City
 10. Holcomb2A Boys
 1. Moundridge
 2. Sterling
 3. Salina-Sacred Heart
 4. Ell-Saline
 5. Maur Hill Mount Academy
 6. Rossville
 7. Berean Academy
 8. Bennington
 9. Hillsboro
 10. Valley Falls1A Division 1 Boys
 1. South Central
 2. Olpe
 3. Lawrence-Seabury Academy
 4. South Gray
 5. Burden-Central
 6. Burlington
 7. Oxford
 8. Central Plains
 9. Macksville
 10. Kowa County&nbsp;1A&nbsp; Division 2 Boys 1. Cunningham 2. Logan-Palco 3. Axtell 4. Elyria Christian 5. Dighton 6. Hanover 7. Weskan 8. Hodgeman County 9. St. John-Tipton 10. Victoria

🏀 Hays girls remain 4th, Victoria boys 10th in final KBCA poll

For the month&nbsp;of January&nbsp;2025, the Ellis Police Department responded to&nbsp;156&nbsp;calls for service, conducted&nbsp;31&nbsp;traffic stops and issued&nbsp;four traffic citations. One out of the&nbsp;four citations were due to speeding.&nbsp;The alleged speed was 11 miles per over the limit. The other citations were issued due to either suspended driving privileges or expired registrations.

The Ellis Police Department also conducted several felony and misdemeanor investigations, resulting in one adult arrest.

The following adult was arrested in&nbsp;January&nbsp;by the Ellis Police Department:

On&nbsp;01/26/2025, Andrew Dinkel was arrested on suspicion of Criminal Trespass and Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs (1st&nbsp;Offense). He was cited and released after testing.

All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty.

It’s SCAM season! Officers with the Ellis Police Department are receiving scam texts, so I’m sure you are too! Please don’t click suspicious links that are sent to your phones! It’s best to DELETE the messages and IGNORE them.&nbsp;Other common examples include scammers posing as Amazon, Norton Antivirus, or the USPS, telling you that there is an issue with a package you ordered or a service that you supposedly purchased. Be vigilant! If you are unsure, have another person look at the message! If you don’t have an account with that company, you are being lied to!&nbsp;Scammers play off your emotions to try to gain an advantage over you, tricking you into providing your credit card details or personal information that should be kept confidential.

I would also like to give a shout-out to our wonderful Public Works Department! They have done an excellent job this Winter removing snow from our roadways, making&nbsp;Ellis&nbsp;streets safer when we are hit with Winter storms. Your hard work does not go unnoticed!&nbsp;

2025 is off to a great start! I’m sure you are all looking forward to putting the chill of Winter behind you and moving into warmer weather. Spring sports are also right around the corner and the Ellis Police Department cannot wait to&nbsp;continue&nbsp;supporting&nbsp;our local athletes as they compete.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739911372039.jpeg" alt="File photo/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>File photo/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>For the month&nbsp;of January&nbsp;2025, the Ellis Police Department responded to&nbsp;156&nbsp;calls for service, conducted&nbsp;31&nbsp;traffic stops and issued&nbsp;four traffic citations. One out of the&nbsp;four citations were due to speeding.&nbsp;The alleged speed was 11 miles per over the limit. The other citations were issued due to either suspended driving privileges or expired registrations.The Ellis Police Department also conducted several felony and misdemeanor investigations, resulting in one adult arrest.The following adult was arrested in&nbsp;January&nbsp;by the Ellis Police Department:On&nbsp;01/26/2025, Andrew Dinkel was arrested on suspicion of Criminal Trespass and Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs (1st&nbsp;Offense). He was cited and released after testing.All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty.It’s SCAM season! Officers with the Ellis Police Department are receiving scam texts, so I’m sure you are too! Please don’t click suspicious links that are sent to your phones! It’s best to DELETE the messages and IGNORE them.&nbsp;Other common examples include scammers posing as Amazon, Norton Antivirus, or the USPS, telling you that there is an issue with a package you ordered or a service that you supposedly purchased. Be vigilant! If you are unsure, have another person look at the message! If you don’t have an account with that company, you are being lied to!&nbsp;Scammers play off your emotions to try to gain an advantage over you, tricking you into providing your credit card details or personal information that should be kept confidential.I would also like to give a shout-out to our wonderful Public Works Department! They have done an excellent job this Winter removing snow from our roadways, making&nbsp;Ellis&nbsp;streets safer when we are hit with Winter storms. Your hard work does not go unnoticed!&nbsp;2025 is off to a great start! I’m sure you are all looking forward to putting the chill of Winter behind you and moving into warmer weather. Spring sports are also right around the corner and the Ellis Police Department cannot wait to&nbsp;continue&nbsp;supporting&nbsp;our local athletes as they compete.Thank you all for your support!-Chief Smith

Ellis Police Department January 2025 Activity Report

WASHINGTON (AP) — His group spent nearly $1 million on ads opposing Robert F. Kennedy Jr.,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;pick to lead the nation's health agencies. He's delivering speeches urging the president to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-us-marc-fogel-prisoner-swap-98418693957b1fa0189ee8ac4e8b4f2d">stand with longstanding foreign allies</a>&nbsp;and lobbying members of Congress while aides write letters and opinion columns.

This weekend,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Mike_Pence/status/1890887398461948057">he posted an article he penned more than a decade ago</a>&nbsp;on the limits of presidential power after&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114009179225169296">Trump claimed</a>&nbsp;that, “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-pence">Mike Pence</a>&nbsp;is emerging as one of the last Republicans in Washington willing to publicly criticize the new administration.

It's an especially jarring role for the former vice president, whose refusal to break with Trump defined their time together in office until the two had a falling out over Trump’s refusal to accept the results of the 2020 election and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-virus-outbreak-elections-voting-fraud-and-irregularities-2d39186996f69de245e59c966d4d140f">his efforts to remain in power</a>.

Pence and those who work with him at Advancing American Freedom, his political advocacy group, stress they are not looking to take on the “Never Trump" mantle. They intend to praise the administration when they agree with it, while raising concerns when they don't, advocating for longtime conservative principles that have fallen out of favor as Trump's “Make America Great Again” brand of populism has taken hold.

“We’re calling balls and strikes here,” Pence told The Associated Press.

Pence opposed Kennedy — who has since been confirmed as secretary of health and human services — due to Kennedy’s past comments voicing support for abortion rights. His group is now lobbying against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cabinet-labor-secretary-lori-chavez-deremer-decd9cff41794205bd06223f939f9e7b">Lori Chavez-DeRemer</a>, Trump's pick for labor secretary,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/AmericanFreedom/status/1889826692493091262">accusing her of being pro-union</a>, and plans to spend the coming months pushing to increase military spending, shrink the deficit, and make permanent 2017 tax cuts, as well as trying to convince Trump to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-reciprocal-imports-tax-trade-economy-54c0a26687dc96157d96229068894720">stop slapping tariffs</a>&nbsp;on allies.

The AP recently sat down with Pence to discuss his efforts and his relationship with Trump — including a closely watched handshake at the funeral of President Jimmy Carter and his wife's lack of reaction as the 45th and 47th president took his seat.

Here is a transcript of that conversation, which has been lightly edited for space and clarity:

Q: What do you see as your role and the role of AAF over the next four years?

Pence: “To be an anchor to windward ... I came across that line I think in a Herman Melville book a long time ago.”

“The wind blows in the direction of more government. And I think it’s a role of conservatives to anchor the party so that when the wind blows, you put the anchor to windward so you stay grounded and hopefully do some small part to hold, you know, hold the ship of state on the principles that really minted my career in this movement.”

“A strong defense, to American leadership of the free world, limited government, fiscal responsibility, growth, the right to life, traditional values — those were the values that drew me to the Republican Party. And I still think that they are the timeless ideals of the party of Lincoln. And so I want to do my part, even as a former elected official, to use whatever remains of my bully pulpit to be a champion for those principles.”

Pence: “Well, for me, it’s always principles first. It’s not personal. I went to the inauguration last month and I was very moved in the outpouring of kind words and expressions of appreciation from former colleagues, including many members of the new administration who I encountered in hallways. And I saw Secretary of State (Marco) Rubio. I gave him a hug, told him how proud I was of him. We had praised him from here when he was selected. I must have seen about or interacted with about half the incoming Cabinet."

“We went to the Carter funeral. And the president and I had a very cordial exchange. You know, he was coming down the row in front of us at the National Cathedral and he said, ‘Hi, Mike.’ And I was standing up, extended my hand, and I said, ‘Congratulations, Mr. President.’ And I could see his countenance softened. And he said, ‘Thanks.’ And Melania reached out and I said, ‘Congratulations, Melania.’ And it was, you know, the people that know me know it’s not personal. I’ve long since forgiven the president for any differences that we had at the end of our administration. We still have those differences as the president still holds the view that, to my knowledge, that I had some authority that I did not have under the Constitution or laws of the country. But from my heart, I've prayed often for the president."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736435328583.png" alt="As Trump went to his seat before the Jimmy Carter memorial service began, he shook hands with Mike Pence in a rare interaction with his former vice president. The two men had a falling out over Pence’s refusal to help Trump overturn his election defeat to Biden four years ago. -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>As Trump went to his seat before the Jimmy Carter memorial service began, he shook hands with Mike Pence in a rare interaction with his former vice president. The two men had a falling out over Pence’s refusal to help Trump overturn his election defeat to Biden four years ago. -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — His group spent nearly $1 million on ads opposing Robert F. Kennedy Jr.,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;pick to lead the nation's health agencies. He's delivering speeches urging the president to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-us-marc-fogel-prisoner-swap-98418693957b1fa0189ee8ac4e8b4f2d">stand with longstanding foreign allies</a>&nbsp;and lobbying members of Congress while aides write letters and opinion columns.This weekend,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Mike_Pence/status/1890887398461948057">he posted an article he penned more than a decade ago</a>&nbsp;on the limits of presidential power after&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114009179225169296">Trump claimed</a>&nbsp;that, “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law.”<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-pence">Mike Pence</a>&nbsp;is emerging as one of the last Republicans in Washington willing to publicly criticize the new administration.It's an especially jarring role for the former vice president, whose refusal to break with Trump defined their time together in office until the two had a falling out over Trump’s refusal to accept the results of the 2020 election and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-virus-outbreak-elections-voting-fraud-and-irregularities-2d39186996f69de245e59c966d4d140f">his efforts to remain in power</a>.Pence and those who work with him at Advancing American Freedom, his political advocacy group, stress they are not looking to take on the “Never Trump" mantle. They intend to praise the administration when they agree with it, while raising concerns when they don't, advocating for longtime conservative principles that have fallen out of favor as Trump's “Make America Great Again” brand of populism has taken hold.“We’re calling balls and strikes here,” Pence told The Associated Press.Pence opposed Kennedy — who has since been confirmed as secretary of health and human services — due to Kennedy’s past comments voicing support for abortion rights. His group is now lobbying against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cabinet-labor-secretary-lori-chavez-deremer-decd9cff41794205bd06223f939f9e7b">Lori Chavez-DeRemer</a>, Trump's pick for labor secretary,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/AmericanFreedom/status/1889826692493091262">accusing her of being pro-union</a>, and plans to spend the coming months pushing to increase military spending, shrink the deficit, and make permanent 2017 tax cuts, as well as trying to convince Trump to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-reciprocal-imports-tax-trade-economy-54c0a26687dc96157d96229068894720">stop slapping tariffs</a>&nbsp;on allies.The AP recently sat down with Pence to discuss his efforts and his relationship with Trump — including a closely watched handshake at the funeral of President Jimmy Carter and his wife's lack of reaction as the 45th and 47th president took his seat.Here is a transcript of that conversation, which has been lightly edited for space and clarity:<h2>Q: What do you see as your role and the role of AAF over the next four years?</h2>Pence: “To be an anchor to windward ... I came across that line I think in a Herman Melville book a long time ago.”“The wind blows in the direction of more government. And I think it’s a role of conservatives to anchor the party so that when the wind blows, you put the anchor to windward so you stay grounded and hopefully do some small part to hold, you know, hold the ship of state on the principles that really minted my career in this movement.”“A strong defense, to American leadership of the free world, limited government, fiscal responsibility, growth, the right to life, traditional values — those were the values that drew me to the Republican Party. And I still think that they are the timeless ideals of the party of Lincoln. And so I want to do my part, even as a former elected official, to use whatever remains of my bully pulpit to be a champion for those principles.”<h2>Q: How are you picking your battles?</h2>Pence: “Well, for me, it’s always principles first. It’s not personal. I went to the inauguration last month and I was very moved in the outpouring of kind words and expressions of appreciation from former colleagues, including many members of the new administration who I encountered in hallways. And I saw Secretary of State (Marco) Rubio. I gave him a hug, told him how proud I was of him. We had praised him from here when he was selected. I must have seen about or interacted with about half the incoming Cabinet."“We went to the Carter funeral. And the president and I had a very cordial exchange. You know, he was coming down the row in front of us at the National Cathedral and he said, ‘Hi, Mike.’ And I was standing up, extended my hand, and I said, ‘Congratulations, Mr. President.’ And I could see his countenance softened. And he said, ‘Thanks.’ And Melania reached out and I said, ‘Congratulations, Melania.’ And it was, you know, the people that know me know it’s not personal. I’ve long since forgiven the president for any differences that we had at the end of our administration. We still have those differences as the president still holds the view that, to my knowledge, that I had some authority that I did not have under the Constitution or laws of the country. But from my heart, I've prayed often for the president."“And so, to answer your question, I think that the way we want to approach this is with integrity to principle. And I’m very encouraged. I think the Trump administration is off to a great start ... I’m very pleased about the president undoing Biden’s border policies and putting back into place the policies that we had negotiated and established that secured the border. But you know, with regard to the nomination of RFK ... for me, it would begin and end with the right to life ... I saw the nomination of an abortion rights supporter to be secretary of HHS to be a dramatic departure from 50 years of strong pro-life leadership at HHS under Republican administrations. So we thought it was important to speak out. And we got a lot of quiet encouragement about that."<h2>Q: Quiet encouragement?</h2>“Well, we got a lot of quiet encouragement from people that, for whatever reason, didn't feel compelled to join us in that chorus. But I thought it was an important point for us to make. And, you know, we'll continue to be a champion."<h2>Q: Why are Republicans so reluctant to speak out publicly?</h2>Pence: “I never speculate on motives. You know, I’m not new to town. I’ve waged lonely battles before.”“But you know, you have to be willing to step out and lead. And my hope is that even in the wake of this fight that, you know, the Senate has worked its will, the president will get his choice at HHS. My hope is that when the next issue of life comes up, that people will have been encouraged, emboldened to know that they’re not alone.”<h2>Q: Is there support in the party for moving back in the direction that you'd like to see versus the populist, MAGA wing of the party that's ascendant?</h2>Pence: “Well now you hit it. Now you're on it. I don’t think — look, I think some of the prominent voices in the party have embraced a more populist thinking. I don’t believe the overwhelming majority of people that ever vote Republican think any differently than they thought during our administration when we hewed to a conservative agenda or the years before or since.""Let me give you one anecdote. So I'm at a town hall meeting when I’m running for president. And at the end of the town hall meeting — it was well-attended, it was in Iowa — a farmer walked up to me and he said, ‘It was a great town hall meeting. I agree with everything you say.’ You know, and I argued for — this was literally in the wake of the Oct. 7 attack. And I argued for strong American support for Israel, strong American leadership in the world, continued support for Ukraine in their fight and limited government and bringing about reforms to put our fiscal house in order and right to life.And this farmer says to me, he said, ‘I agree with absolutely everything you said.’ So I said, ‘Well, can I count on your vote?’ And he said, ‘No, I got to be for Trump this time.’ And he goes, ‘But I’ll see you in four years. You’re going to be a great president someday.’ I said, ‘Would you mind telling me, you know, why?’ And he said words I never forgot, which was in effect: He lamented Biden’s failed record. And I saw that he was drawn to the need for a rematch. And then he said, ‘Plus, if they can do that to a former president, they can do that to me.’ And the ‘lawfare’ stuff went into higher relief.“So I didn’t see in this last election a Republican Party that was embracing big government or a vision to pull back from America’s commitments on the world stage or marginalizing the right to life. I didn’t see that traveling all over the country and I still don’t see it. I think there were other factors that gave the former president a decided advantage in the election. He’d earned it. He’d won it. And then he won it in the fall. But I don’t think the party’s changed."<h2>Q: You mentioned the Carter funeral earlier. Tell me about your wife's reaction to the Trumps that day.</h2>(At the funeral, former second lady Karen Pence refused to acknowledge the then-president elect or shake Melania Trump’s hands — footage that ended up going viral online.)Pence: “My wife loves her husband. And I love my wife and I have great respect for her. And so — but I’ve been really moved at how many people around the country have thanked us both for that day."But again, you know, I want to emphasize, we’re eyes forward here. You know, I’d always thought the president was going to come around on the position he took on Jan. 6. If you read the end of my book, which I’d be flattered if you did, you’ll read we actually parted on very amicable terms, very good terms. But in the spring, when he returned to the rhetoric about how I could have done something that neither the Constitution nor the law would ever permit any vice president to do, then I just decided it was important to go our separate ways. But hope springs eternal. And we want to be a constructive force for the conservative agenda. I think that’s good for the administration. It’s good for the Congress. More importantly, it’s good for America.”