Wendell Payton, the man accused in fatal fire that killed 32-year-old Kelsey Payton, and a juvenile made his first appearance in Reno County District Court Thursday and was formally charged with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of aggravated arson and one count of aggravated endangering a child, and two counts of interference with a law enforcement officer.&nbsp;

Court records show that Payton is alleged to have concealed, destroyed or altered evidence. &nbsp;Records also show that he gave false information when questioned by police. &nbsp;

&nbsp;Just before 3:30a.m.&nbsp; Saturday, crews were dispatched to a fire at a home in the 1000 block of East 3rd Street in Hutchinson with possible people trapped, according to a media release.

First responders&nbsp; located four individuals at the residence. Two of the individuals 32-year-old Kalsey M. Payton and one juvenile female were found deceased. The other two individuals 37-year-old Wendell Payton and one juvenile female, were transported to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, and later to Saint Francis in Wichita. The girl&nbsp; was later released from the hospital. Police arrested Payton.

He has a bond modification hearing scheduled for Friday and a waiver status hearing on March 5.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738764384897.png" alt="Payton -photo Reno Co." />
 <figcaption>Payton -photo Reno Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>MARC JACOBS Hutch PostWendell Payton, the man accused in fatal fire that killed 32-year-old Kelsey Payton, and a juvenile made his first appearance in Reno County District Court Thursday and was formally charged with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of aggravated arson and one count of aggravated endangering a child, and two counts of interference with a law enforcement officer.&nbsp;Court records show that Payton is alleged to have concealed, destroyed or altered evidence. &nbsp;Records also show that he gave false information when questioned by police. &nbsp;&nbsp;Just before 3:30a.m.&nbsp; Saturday, crews were dispatched to a fire at a home in the 1000 block of East 3rd Street in Hutchinson with possible people trapped, according to a media release.First responders&nbsp; located four individuals at the residence. Two of the individuals 32-year-old Kalsey M. Payton and one juvenile female were found deceased. The other two individuals 37-year-old Wendell Payton and one juvenile female, were transported to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, and later to Saint Francis in Wichita. The girl&nbsp; was later released from the hospital. Police arrested Payton.He has a bond modification hearing scheduled for Friday and a waiver status hearing on March 5.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kan. man accused in fire that killed woman, child makes court appearance

Thomas More Prep-Marian had an early release today and will be released early Friday at 12:30 p.m. due to illness.

Cafeteria workers are ill, and there are not enough workers available to prepare lunch for students.&nbsp;

The Holy Family Elementary School office also said the school has been dealing with widespread illness, and custodians have been working after school to disinfect classrooms.

Holy Family is not scheduled to have an early release on Friday.

The Center for Health Improvement posted a reminder for members to stay home if they are sick. They also asked members to wipe down equipment and use hand sanitizer.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/13d91040-a39b-4478-b187-38c5ff0ebbf3">HaysMed issued visitor restrictions last week due to increasing cases of influenza. Visitors who are feeling unwell or are younger than the age of 12 have been asked to refrain from visiting.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738871854895.jpg" alt="Photo courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>Hays PostThomas More Prep-Marian had an early release today and will be released early Friday at 12:30 p.m. due to illness.Cafeteria workers are ill, and there are not enough workers available to prepare lunch for students.&nbsp;The Holy Family Elementary School office also said the school has been dealing with widespread illness, and custodians have been working after school to disinfect classrooms.Holy Family is not scheduled to have an early release on Friday.The Center for Health Improvement posted a reminder for members to stay home if they are sick. They also asked members to wipe down equipment and use hand sanitizer.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/13d91040-a39b-4478-b187-38c5ff0ebbf3">HaysMed issued visitor restrictions last week due to increasing cases of influenza. Visitors who are feeling unwell or are younger than the age of 12 have been asked to refrain from visiting.</a>

TMP sets early release due to illness

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s plan to push out federal workers by offering them financial incentives, the latest twist in a chaotic and distressing saga playing out for millions of government employees.

The ruling came hours before the midnight deadline for them to apply for the deferred resignation program. U.S. District Judge George O’Toole Jr. in Boston directed the administration to extend that deadline until after a court hearing he scheduled for Monday afternoon. O'Toole did not express an opinion on the legality of the program, which is being challenged by several labor unions, and said he would weigh arguments next week.

At the White House, press secretary Karoline Levitt said more than 40,000 federal workers have applied to leave in return for being paid until Sept. 30.

“We encourage federal workers in this city to accept the very generous offer,” she said at about the same time as the judge's ruling came out. "They don’t want to come into the office. If they want to rip the American people off, then they’re welcome to take this buyout and we’ll find highly qualified people” to replace them.

The deferred resignation program was orchestrated by Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur who is serving as a top adviser to Trump. It is part of the Republican president's goal of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-executive-orders-power-border-tiktok-history-e77458bc0312c60f3f2b0eeb131d0056">remaking the federal government</a>, weakening what his allies describe as the “deep state” that undermined his first term. Administration officials said they can save taxpayer money by presenting employees with “a valuable, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Democrats and unions warn that workers could be stiffed

On Wednesday, the administration ramped up its pressure on employees to leave, sending a reminder that layoffs or furloughs could come next.

“The majority of federal agencies are likely to be downsized through restructurings, realignments, and reductions in force,” said the message from the Office of Personnel Management, which has been a nexus of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-doge-congress-4e0c025629e8a0c758d13dc916ab4f43">Musk's efforts to downsize the government</a>.

The email said anyone who remains will be expected to be “loyal” and “will be subject to enhanced standards of suitability and conduct as we move forward.” Some employees could be reclassified to limit civil service protections as well.

“Employees who engage in unlawful behavior or other misconduct will be prioritized for appropriate investigation and discipline, including termination,” the email said.

Democrats said workers shouldn't accept the deferred resignation program because it wasn't authorized by Congress, raising the risk they won't get paid.

“It’s a scam and not a buyout,” said Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees.

Kelley said he tells workers that “if it was me, I wouldn’t do it.”

An employee at the Department of Education, who also spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation, said the administration appeared desperate to get people to sign the agreement. However, she said there were too many red flags, such as a clause waiving the right to sue if the government failed to honor its side of the deal.

The deal is ‘exactly what it looks like,’ says Trump official

Trump put Musk, the world's richest man, in charge of the so-called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doge-government-trump-executive-order-1a2fb7235b9d6f178c764cf6c78d3317">Department of Government Efficiency</a>, which is a sweeping initiative to reduce the size and scope of the federal government. The original email offering the deferred resignation program was titled “Fork in the road,” echoing a similar message that Musk sent Twitter employees two years ago after he bought the social media platform.

Trump administration officials have organized question-and-answer sessions with employees as the deadline approaches.

Rachel Oglesby, the chief of staff at the Department of Education who previously worked at the America First Policy Institute, said Trump is trying to reduce the federal workforce.

“I know there’s been a lot of questions out there about whether it’s real and whether it’s a trick,” she said, according to a recording obtained by The Associated Press. “And it’s exactly what it looks like. It’s one of the many tools that he’s using to try to achieve the campaign promise to bring reform to the civil service and changes to D.C.”

The issue was also discussed during a meeting with Department of Agriculture employees, according to another recording obtained by the AP. Marlon Taubenheim, a human resources official, acknowledged that “these are very trying times” and “there’s a lot of stress.”

“Unfortunately, we don’t have all the answers,” he said.

Jacqueline Ponti-Lazaruk, another agency leader, said employees “probably didn’t have the runway of time that you might have liked to make a life-changing decision.”

For those who remain, she said, "we’ll just keep plugging along.”

Assurances from administration officials have not alleviated concerns across a range of agencies. Some federal workers said they did not trust the validity of the offers, doubting that Trump has the authority to disburse money. Others point to his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/10bbe40a86774bac9ad1fbd3a936c808">record of stiffing contractors</a>&nbsp;as a New York real estate mogul.

Musk's plans spark demonstrations in Washington

Scattered protests have sprung up outside federal buildings, including on Tuesday at the Office of Personnel Management.

“I’m taking a risk and being bold and trying to get more federal workers to take a risk to speak out," said Dante O’Hara, who said he works for the government. "Because if we don’t, then we’re all going to lose our jobs and they’re going to put all these loyalists or people that will be their shock troops.”

Government jobs have often been considered secure positions, but O’Hara said there’s fear in the workforce. The sense from his colleagues is “I don’t know if I’m going to be here tomorrow because, like, we don’t know what’s going to happen.’”

Dan Smith, a Maryland resident whose father was a research scientist at the Department of Agriculture, said federal workers are “so underappreciated and so taken for granted.”

“It’s one thing to downsize the government. It’s one thing to try to obliterate it," Smith said. "And that’s what’s going on. And that is what is so frightening and disgusting and requires pushback.”

Mary-Jean Burke, a physical therapist for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Indianapolis, said she's worried that too many people will leave, jeopardizing health care services.

Burke, who also serves as a union official, said doubts have also been growing over whether to take the offer.

“Originally, I think people were like, ‘I’m out of here,'" she said. But then they saw a social media post from DOGE, which said employees can "take the vacation you always wanted, or just watch movies and chill, while receiving your full government pay and benefits.”

The message backfired because "that kind of thing sounded a little bit too good to be true and people were hesitant,” Burke said.

Either way, she said, Trump has achieved his apparent goal of shaking up the federal workforce.

“Every day, it’s something,” Burke said. “If he signed up to be a disrupter, he’s doing it.”

Associated Press writers Nancy Benac, Nathan Ellgren, Gary Fields, Joshua Goodman, Will Weissert and Brian Witte contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s plan to push out federal workers by offering them financial incentives, the latest twist in a chaotic and distressing saga playing out for millions of government employees.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738115904337.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The ruling came hours before the midnight deadline for them to apply for the deferred resignation program. U.S. District Judge George O’Toole Jr. in Boston directed the administration to extend that deadline until after a court hearing he scheduled for Monday afternoon. O'Toole did not express an opinion on the legality of the program, which is being challenged by several labor unions, and said he would weigh arguments next week.At the White House, press secretary Karoline Levitt said more than 40,000 federal workers have applied to leave in return for being paid until Sept. 30.“We encourage federal workers in this city to accept the very generous offer,” she said at about the same time as the judge's ruling came out. "They don’t want to come into the office. If they want to rip the American people off, then they’re welcome to take this buyout and we’ll find highly qualified people” to replace them.The deferred resignation program was orchestrated by Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur who is serving as a top adviser to Trump. It is part of the Republican president's goal of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-executive-orders-power-border-tiktok-history-e77458bc0312c60f3f2b0eeb131d0056">remaking the federal government</a>, weakening what his allies describe as the “deep state” that undermined his first term. Administration officials said they can save taxpayer money by presenting employees with “a valuable, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."<h2>Democrats and unions warn that workers could be stiffed</h2>On Wednesday, the administration ramped up its pressure on employees to leave, sending a reminder that layoffs or furloughs could come next.“The majority of federal agencies are likely to be downsized through restructurings, realignments, and reductions in force,” said the message from the Office of Personnel Management, which has been a nexus of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-doge-congress-4e0c025629e8a0c758d13dc916ab4f43">Musk's efforts to downsize the government</a>.The email said anyone who remains will be expected to be “loyal” and “will be subject to enhanced standards of suitability and conduct as we move forward.” Some employees could be reclassified to limit civil service protections as well.“Employees who engage in unlawful behavior or other misconduct will be prioritized for appropriate investigation and discipline, including termination,” the email said.Democrats said workers shouldn't accept the deferred resignation program because it wasn't authorized by Congress, raising the risk they won't get paid.“It’s a scam and not a buyout,” said Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees.Kelley said he tells workers that “if it was me, I wouldn’t do it.”An employee at the Department of Education, who also spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation, said the administration appeared desperate to get people to sign the agreement. However, she said there were too many red flags, such as a clause waiving the right to sue if the government failed to honor its side of the deal.<h2>The deal is ‘exactly what it looks like,’ says Trump official</h2>Trump put Musk, the world's richest man, in charge of the so-called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doge-government-trump-executive-order-1a2fb7235b9d6f178c764cf6c78d3317">Department of Government Efficiency</a>, which is a sweeping initiative to reduce the size and scope of the federal government. The original email offering the deferred resignation program was titled “Fork in the road,” echoing a similar message that Musk sent Twitter employees two years ago after he bought the social media platform.Trump administration officials have organized question-and-answer sessions with employees as the deadline approaches.Rachel Oglesby, the chief of staff at the Department of Education who previously worked at the America First Policy Institute, said Trump is trying to reduce the federal workforce.“I know there’s been a lot of questions out there about whether it’s real and whether it’s a trick,” she said, according to a recording obtained by The Associated Press. “And it’s exactly what it looks like. It’s one of the many tools that he’s using to try to achieve the campaign promise to bring reform to the civil service and changes to D.C.”The issue was also discussed during a meeting with Department of Agriculture employees, according to another recording obtained by the AP. Marlon Taubenheim, a human resources official, acknowledged that “these are very trying times” and “there’s a lot of stress.”“Unfortunately, we don’t have all the answers,” he said.Jacqueline Ponti-Lazaruk, another agency leader, said employees “probably didn’t have the runway of time that you might have liked to make a life-changing decision.”For those who remain, she said, "we’ll just keep plugging along.”Assurances from administration officials have not alleviated concerns across a range of agencies. Some federal workers said they did not trust the validity of the offers, doubting that Trump has the authority to disburse money. Others point to his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/10bbe40a86774bac9ad1fbd3a936c808">record of stiffing contractors</a>&nbsp;as a New York real estate mogul.<h2>Musk's plans spark demonstrations in Washington</h2>Scattered protests have sprung up outside federal buildings, including on Tuesday at the Office of Personnel Management.“I’m taking a risk and being bold and trying to get more federal workers to take a risk to speak out," said Dante O’Hara, who said he works for the government. "Because if we don’t, then we’re all going to lose our jobs and they’re going to put all these loyalists or people that will be their shock troops.”Government jobs have often been considered secure positions, but O’Hara said there’s fear in the workforce. The sense from his colleagues is “I don’t know if I’m going to be here tomorrow because, like, we don’t know what’s going to happen.’”Dan Smith, a Maryland resident whose father was a research scientist at the Department of Agriculture, said federal workers are “so underappreciated and so taken for granted.”“It’s one thing to downsize the government. It’s one thing to try to obliterate it," Smith said. "And that’s what’s going on. And that is what is so frightening and disgusting and requires pushback.”Mary-Jean Burke, a physical therapist for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Indianapolis, said she's worried that too many people will leave, jeopardizing health care services.Burke, who also serves as a union official, said doubts have also been growing over whether to take the offer.“Originally, I think people were like, ‘I’m out of here,'" she said. But then they saw a social media post from DOGE, which said employees can "take the vacation you always wanted, or just watch movies and chill, while receiving your full government pay and benefits.”The message backfired because "that kind of thing sounded a little bit too good to be true and people were hesitant,” Burke said.Either way, she said, Trump has achieved his apparent goal of shaking up the federal workforce.“Every day, it’s something,” Burke said. “If he signed up to be a disrupter, he’s doing it.”___Associated Press writers Nancy Benac, Nathan Ellgren, Gary Fields, Joshua Goodman, Will Weissert and Brian Witte contributed to this report.

Judge temporarily blocks Trump incentive plan for federal workers to resign

WASHINGTON (AP) — Thousands of miles from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">Elon Musk’s</a>&nbsp;office in the White House complex, a federal worker based in the Pacific Northwest is wondering whether to quit.

Musk, one of President Donald Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-donald-trump-doge-21153a742fbad86284369bb173ec343c">most powerful advisers</a>, has orchestrated an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-buyouts-to-all-federal-employees-f67f5751a0fd5ad8471806a5a1067b5e">unprecedented financial incentive</a>&nbsp;for people to leave their government jobs, promising several months of pay in return for their resignation. The worker, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, wants to take the money and move overseas.

But she’s worried. What if the offer is too good to be true? What if this is really a covert effort to make a list of disloyal government employees?

Her situation is a microcosm of the uncertainty sweeping through the federal government, which is the country’s single largest employer. More than 2 million workers — analysts, nurses, scientists, accountants, food inspectors and loan processors — face a deadline of 11:59 p.m. EST Thursday to decide if they should leave.

<a href="https://www.opm.gov/fork/faq">Click here to read&nbsp;</a>the frequently asked questions on the buyout

Trump administration is urging workers to take the deal

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-buyout-offer-federal-workers-doge-bdb6cd89e383ff1120eeb262904b4060">deferred resignation program</a>&nbsp;is part of Trump’s plan to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-executive-orders-power-border-tiktok-history-e77458bc0312c60f3f2b0eeb131d0056">remake the federal government</a>, weakening what allies describe as the “deep state” that undermined the Republican president during his first term. Administration officials said they can save taxpayer money by presenting employees with “a valuable, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" to stop working while still collecting a paycheck until Sept. 30.

Democrats said workers shouldn't accept the deferred resignation program because it wasn't authorized by Congress, raising the risk they won't get paid. Unions have sued to stop Trump's plans, and a judge will consider whether to block the buyout offer at a hearing Thursday afternoon in Boston.

Rachel Oglesby, the chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Education who previously worked at the America First Policy Institute, said Trump is trying to reduce the federal workforce.

Dan Smith, a Maryland resident whose father was a research scientist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said federal workers are “so underappreciated and so taken for granted.”

Associated Press writers Nancy Benac, Nathan Ellgren, Gary Fields, Joshua Goodman and Brian Witte contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738846495320.png" alt="White House file photo" />
 <figcaption>White House file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Thousands of miles from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">Elon Musk’s</a>&nbsp;office in the White House complex, a federal worker based in the Pacific Northwest is wondering whether to quit.Musk, one of President Donald Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-donald-trump-doge-21153a742fbad86284369bb173ec343c">most powerful advisers</a>, has orchestrated an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-buyouts-to-all-federal-employees-f67f5751a0fd5ad8471806a5a1067b5e">unprecedented financial incentive</a>&nbsp;for people to leave their government jobs, promising several months of pay in return for their resignation. The worker, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, wants to take the money and move overseas.But she’s worried. What if the offer is too good to be true? What if this is really a covert effort to make a list of disloyal government employees?Her situation is a microcosm of the uncertainty sweeping through the federal government, which is the country’s single largest employer. More than 2 million workers — analysts, nurses, scientists, accountants, food inspectors and loan processors — face a deadline of 11:59 p.m. EST Thursday to decide if they should leave.<a href="https://www.opm.gov/fork/faq">Click here to read&nbsp;</a>the frequently asked questions on the buyout<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738115904337.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Trump administration is urging workers to take the deal</h2>The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-buyout-offer-federal-workers-doge-bdb6cd89e383ff1120eeb262904b4060">deferred resignation program</a>&nbsp;is part of Trump’s plan to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-executive-orders-power-border-tiktok-history-e77458bc0312c60f3f2b0eeb131d0056">remake the federal government</a>, weakening what allies describe as the “deep state” that undermined the Republican president during his first term. Administration officials said they can save taxpayer money by presenting employees with “a valuable, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" to stop working while still collecting a paycheck until Sept. 30.On Wednesday, the administration ramped up its pressure on employees to leave, sending a reminder that layoffs or furloughs could come next.“The majority of federal agencies are likely to be downsized through restructurings, realignments, and reductions in force,” said the message from the Office of Personnel Management, which has been a nexus of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-doge-congress-4e0c025629e8a0c758d13dc916ab4f43">Musk's efforts to downsize the government</a>.The email said anyone who remains will be expected to be “loyal” and “will be subject to enhanced standards of suitability and conduct as we move forward.” Some employees could be reclassified to limit civil service protections as well.“Employees who engage in unlawful behavior or other misconduct will be prioritized for appropriate investigation and discipline, including termination,” the email said.<h2>Democrats and unions warn that workers could be stiffed</h2>Democrats said workers shouldn't accept the deferred resignation program because it wasn't authorized by Congress, raising the risk they won't get paid. Unions have sued to stop Trump's plans, and a judge will consider whether to block the buyout offer at a hearing Thursday afternoon in Boston.“It’s a scam and not a buyout,” said Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees.Kelley said he tells workers that “if it was me, I wouldn’t do it.”An employee at the Department of Education, who also spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation, said the administration appeared desperate to get people to sign the agreement. However, she said there were too many red flags, such as a clause waiving the right to sue if the government failed to honor its side of the deal.<h2>The deal is ‘exactly what it looks like,’ says Trump official</h2>Trump put Musk, the world's richest man, in charge of the so-called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doge-government-trump-executive-order-1a2fb7235b9d6f178c764cf6c78d3317">Department of Government Efficiency</a>, which is a sweeping initiative to reduce the size and scope of the federal government. The original email offering the deferred resignation program was titled “Fork in the road,” echoing a similar message that Musk sent Twitter employees two years ago after he bought the social media platform.Trump administration officials have organized question-and-answer sessions with employees as the deadline approaches.Rachel Oglesby, the chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Education who previously worked at the America First Policy Institute, said Trump is trying to reduce the federal workforce.“I know there’s been a lot of questions out there about whether it’s real and whether it’s a trick,” she said, according to a recording obtained by The Associated Press. “And it’s exactly what it looks like. It’s one of the many tools that he’s using to try to achieve the campaign promise to bring reform to the civil service and changes to D.C.”The issue was also discussed during a meeting with Department of Agriculture employees, according to another recording obtained by the AP. Marlon Taubenheim, a human resources official, acknowledged that “these are very trying times” and “there’s a lot of stress.”“Unfortunately, we don’t have all the answers,” he said.Jacqueline Ponti-Lazaruk, another agency leader, said employees “probably didn’t have the runway of time that you might have liked to make a life-changing decision.”For those who remain, she said, "we’ll just keep plugging along.”Assurances from administration officials have not alleviated concerns across a range of agencies. Some federal workers said they did not trust the validity of the offers, doubting that Trump has the authority to disburse money. Others point to his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/10bbe40a86774bac9ad1fbd3a936c808">record of stiffing contractors</a>&nbsp;as a New York real estate mogul.<h2>Musk's plans spark demonstrations in Washington</h2>Scattered protests have sprung up outside federal buildings, including on Tuesday at the Office of Personnel Management.“I’m taking a risk and being bold and trying to get more federal workers to take a risk to speak out," said Dante O’Hara, who said he works for the government. "Because if we don’t, then we’re all going to lose our jobs and they’re going to put all these loyalists or people that will be their shock troops.”Government jobs have often been considered secure positions, but O’Hara said there’s fear in the workforce. The sense from his colleagues is “I don’t know if I’m going to be here tomorrow because, like, we don’t know what’s going to happen.’”Dan Smith, a Maryland resident whose father was a research scientist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said federal workers are “so underappreciated and so taken for granted.”“It’s one thing to downsize the government. It’s one thing to try to obliterate it," Smith said. "And that’s what’s going on. And that is what is so frightening and disgusting and requires pushback.”Mary-Jean Burke, a physical therapist for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Indianapolis, said she's worried that too many people will leave, jeopardizing health care services.Burke, who also serves as a union official, said doubts have also been growing over whether to take the offer.“Originally, I think people were like, ‘I’m out of here,'" she said. But then they saw a social media post from DOGE, which said employees can "take the vacation you always wanted, or just watch movies and chill, while receiving your full government pay and benefits.”The message backfired because "that kind of thing sounded a little bit too good to be true and people were hesitant,” Burke said.Either way, she said, Trump has achieved his apparent goal of shaking up the federal workforce.“Every day, it’s something,” Burke said. “If he signed up to be a disrupter, he’s doing it.”___Associated Press writers Nancy Benac, Nathan Ellgren, Gary Fields, Joshua Goodman and Brian Witte contributed to this report.

Real or a trick? Federal workers debate legitimacy of buyout offer as deadline nears

TOPEKA – Representative Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, 109th District, has introduced House Bill 2148 on the floor of the Kansas House of Representatives. 

House Bill 2148 would prevent the future abuse of Kansan property rights through eminent domain and other powers granted under the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act (IIJA) for national interest electric transmission corridors (NIETCs), defined under the Federal Power Act. 

The proposed legislation prohibits future public electric utilities from using eminent domain powers and acquiring line siting permits for use on land designated within new NIETCs in Kansas.

“During the past few months, I have heard growing concerns from many constituents over the detrimental impact of eminent domain and line siting processes under federal law. Current federal law not only usurps Kansas’s rights within these matters, it also violates the 10th amendment of the U.S. constitution and the state’s obligations to its citizens. It is my intent to resolve these concerns with House Bill 2148 and restore protections for Kansan’s property rights,” stated Waymaster.

House Bill 2148 has been referred to the House Energy, Utilities, and Telecommunications Committee. A hearing has yet to be scheduled.

The 109th Kansas House District consists of the entire counties of Ellsworth, Lincoln, Osborne, Russell, and Smith.

 Representative Waymaster has served the 109th District in the Kansas House of Representatives since 2013.&nbsp;Please contact Representative Waymaster at troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1581438801245.jpeg" alt="Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, 109th Dist. File photo/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, 109th Dist. File photo/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Office of Rep. WaymasterTOPEKA – Representative Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, 109th District, has introduced House Bill 2148 on the floor of the Kansas House of Representatives. House Bill 2148 would prevent the future abuse of Kansan property rights through eminent domain and other powers granted under the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act (IIJA) for national interest electric transmission corridors (NIETCs), defined under the Federal Power Act. The proposed legislation prohibits future public electric utilities from using eminent domain powers and acquiring line siting permits for use on land designated within new NIETCs in Kansas.“During the past few months, I have heard growing concerns from many constituents over the detrimental impact of eminent domain and line siting processes under federal law. Current federal law not only usurps Kansas’s rights within these matters, it also violates the 10th amendment of the U.S. constitution and the state’s obligations to its citizens. It is my intent to resolve these concerns with House Bill 2148 and restore protections for Kansan’s property rights,” stated Waymaster.House Bill 2148 has been referred to the House Energy, Utilities, and Telecommunications Committee. A hearing has yet to be scheduled.The 109th Kansas House District consists of the entire counties of Ellsworth, Lincoln, Osborne, Russell, and Smith. Representative Waymaster has served the 109th District in the Kansas House of Representatives since 2013.&nbsp;Please contact Representative Waymaster at troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov.

Waymaster introduces eminent domain legislation

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Ellis County has many assets, but it's not always the best at telling its own story.

About 30 community members met Tuesday in Hays for a Solutions Summit sponsored by the <a href="https://heartlandcommunityfoundation.org/">Heartland Community Foundation</a>.

This was a follow-up to past Strategic Doing community planning sessions that yielded projects such as the Downtown Pavilion, <a href="https://hayschamber.com/child-care-task-force-of-ellis-county">Child Care Task Force of Ellis County</a>, <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f3b4fdce-d0ec-44f1-b80b-3b92ade8f230">ARC Park</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/feedinghays">Feeding Hays</a> and the <a href="https://www.liveunited.us/community-resource-directory">United Way Community Resource Directory</a>.

Betty Johnson served as the facilitator for the meeting, which looked at Ellis County's strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities.

From those discussions, the group identified four action items.

The chief among those was developing a marketing plan for Ellis County.

Sandy Jacobs, Hays mayor, said the city is not good at telling its story. To establish a more complete and consistent message about the city's positive aspects, the city recently hired James Bell as its new public relations manager.

"If we don't tell our story, ... no one else is going to," she said.

Amanda Rupp, Ellis County Historical Society executive director, said other communities have one thing they are known for, but if you asked 10 people what Hays is known for, you'd get 10 answers.

Sarah Meitner, Heartland Community Foundation executive director, said, "People say there is nothing to do here, but if you look at the events calendar, there is always something."

Other goals included the retention of people and wealth in Ellis County; further development of outdoor recreation, including pickleball, disc golf and mountain biking; and expanding family entertainment options.

The group discussed various programs to keep youth engaged in Ellis County.

Craig Poe, executive director of High Plains Mental Health, said town-to-gown programs have been effective in Manhattan and Lawrence and could be strengthened in Hays.

The group also discussed the importance of internship opportunities for students with local businesses and certification opportunities for high school students seeking to enter trades.

Andy Stanton of Farm Bureau Financial Services said concurrent credit offerings for high school students have been a strength in Hays.

Johnson suggested reverse scholarships to get students back to Ellis County to work after college. Programs exist elsewhere in the state for doctors, vets and lawyers.

However, because of its population size, Ellis County doesn't qualify for state reimbursement for some programs.

Mason Ruder, city commissioner, said Hays and Ellis County participate in rural opportunity zones, which can offer funds to forgive student loan debt or income tax credits. People who qualify must have lived outside of the state&nbsp;for five or more years immediately prior to moving back to Kansas.

Sarah Wasinger, president and CEO of the Chamber in Hays, said she thinks local residents have a lack of knowledge of the resources that are available in the community.

"Maybe we need to step back and take time to have a little bit of reflection and critique ourselves a little bit," she said.

Melissa Dixon, director of the Hays Convention and Vistors Bureau, said she thinks Hays has more opportunities to offer activities for youth involvement.

She said the Sunflower Summer program, which allowed Kansas students and their families to visit Kansas attractions for free, was a great way to teach young people about Kansas assets.

"They're building these little Kansas ambassadors who are learning all of this cool stuff and strengthening that will to stay," Dixon said.

She added she supported a focused community pride campaign.

Gove County created a passport program, Johnson said. Local residents visited local attractions to be entered in a prize drawing. Johnson said this program was successful for that county to educate the local population about their own attractions.

A Kansas mountain bike group volunteer said he is interested in starting a mountain bike team in Hays. Sixth- to 12th-grade students would be eligible to compete in five to six events per year.

Keeping money in Ellis County is just as important as keeping young people here, Meitner said.

As the population ages, the three counties covered by the Heartland Foundation will see a tremendous transfer of wealth—$2.7 billion by 2040.

"If they could give 5% of that to their county and 95% to their children, think of what a game-changer that would be," Johnson said. "Kids aren't going to miss 5% or 10% of whatever your estate is, but your community would feel that impact forever."

Rupp said she thought Ellis County was fortunate that most of the items the group wanted to improve were luxuries.

However, Erica Berges, executive director of the United Way, said there is still a significant income gap in Ellis County, with more than 40% of residents living paycheck to paycheck.

Participant Brandy Ridgway said she is organizing a "100 Who Care" campaign in Ellis County. The idea is for 100 people or more to donate $100 to a local cause.&nbsp;

The idea has been used to raise funds in other Kansas communities for various charitable causes.

Ridgway said she is working with a Fort Hays State University Leadership 310 class to organize an information meeting in April.

Imagine Ellis County will form committees to explore further the four opportunities identified at Tuesday's meeting.

Existing Imagine Ellis County committees include transportation, disc golf, <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/e52e719e-f015-4782-9370-d8720a6755bf">an outdoor stage in a Municipal Park</a>, and committees focused on development in Ellis and Victoria.

If you are interested in learning more about any of the committees or getting involved, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://imagineelliscounty.org/" target="_blank">https://imagineelliscounty.org/</a>.

At the bottom of the page, you can give your name, phone number and an idea or leave a note, "Hey, I'm interested in learning more about this group!" said Katie Dorzweiler, Heartland Community Foundation board member.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738791293663.jpeg" alt="Solutions Summit facilitator Betty Johnson, left, and Sarah Meitner, executive director of the Heartland Community Foundation, right, lead a group in discussing opportunities for development in Ellis County at a meeting Tuesday night. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Solutions Summit facilitator Betty Johnson, left, and Sarah Meitner, executive director of the Heartland Community Foundation, right, lead a group in discussing opportunities for development in Ellis County at a meeting Tuesday night. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostEllis County has many assets, but it's not always the best at telling its own story.About 30 community members met Tuesday in Hays for a Solutions Summit sponsored by the <a href="https://heartlandcommunityfoundation.org/">Heartland Community Foundation</a>.This was a follow-up to past Strategic Doing community planning sessions that yielded projects such as the Downtown Pavilion, <a href="https://hayschamber.com/child-care-task-force-of-ellis-county">Child Care Task Force of Ellis County</a>, <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f3b4fdce-d0ec-44f1-b80b-3b92ade8f230">ARC Park</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/feedinghays">Feeding Hays</a> and the <a href="https://www.liveunited.us/community-resource-directory">United Way Community Resource Directory</a>.Betty Johnson served as the facilitator for the meeting, which looked at Ellis County's strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities.From those discussions, the group identified four action items.The chief among those was developing a marketing plan for Ellis County.Sandy Jacobs, Hays mayor, said the city is not good at telling its story. To establish a more complete and consistent message about the city's positive aspects, the city recently hired James Bell as its new public relations manager."If we don't tell our story, ... no one else is going to," she said.Amanda Rupp, Ellis County Historical Society executive director, said other communities have one thing they are known for, but if you asked 10 people what Hays is known for, you'd get 10 answers.Sarah Meitner, Heartland Community Foundation executive director, said, "People say there is nothing to do here, but if you look at the events calendar, there is always something."Other goals included the retention of people and wealth in Ellis County; further development of outdoor recreation, including pickleball, disc golf and mountain biking; and expanding family entertainment options.The group discussed various programs to keep youth engaged in Ellis County.Craig Poe, executive director of High Plains Mental Health, said town-to-gown programs have been effective in Manhattan and Lawrence and could be strengthened in Hays.The group also discussed the importance of internship opportunities for students with local businesses and certification opportunities for high school students seeking to enter trades.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738791334019.jpeg" alt="A group of about 30 people gathered for a Solutions Summit meeting Tuesday night at the Rose Garden Banquet Hall. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A group of about 30 people gathered for a Solutions Summit meeting Tuesday night at the Rose Garden Banquet Hall. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Andy Stanton of Farm Bureau Financial Services said concurrent credit offerings for high school students have been a strength in Hays.Johnson suggested reverse scholarships to get students back to Ellis County to work after college. Programs exist elsewhere in the state for doctors, vets and lawyers.However, because of its population size, Ellis County doesn't qualify for state reimbursement for some programs.Mason Ruder, city commissioner, said Hays and Ellis County participate in rural opportunity zones, which can offer funds to forgive student loan debt or income tax credits. People who qualify must have lived outside of the state&nbsp;for five or more years immediately prior to moving back to Kansas.Sarah Wasinger, president and CEO of the Chamber in Hays, said she thinks local residents have a lack of knowledge of the resources that are available in the community."Maybe we need to step back and take time to have a little bit of reflection and critique ourselves a little bit," she said.Melissa Dixon, director of the Hays Convention and Vistors Bureau, said she thinks Hays has more opportunities to offer activities for youth involvement.She said the Sunflower Summer program, which allowed Kansas students and their families to visit Kansas attractions for free, was a great way to teach young people about Kansas assets."They're building these little Kansas ambassadors who are learning all of this cool stuff and strengthening that will to stay," Dixon said.She added she supported a focused community pride campaign.Gove County created a passport program, Johnson said. Local residents visited local attractions to be entered in a prize drawing. Johnson said this program was successful for that county to educate the local population about their own attractions.A Kansas mountain bike group volunteer said he is interested in starting a mountain bike team in Hays. Sixth- to 12th-grade students would be eligible to compete in five to six events per year.Keeping money in Ellis County is just as important as keeping young people here, Meitner said.As the population ages, the three counties covered by the Heartland Foundation will see a tremendous transfer of wealth—$2.7 billion by 2040."If they could give 5% of that to their county and 95% to their children, think of what a game-changer that would be," Johnson said. "Kids aren't going to miss 5% or 10% of whatever your estate is, but your community would feel that impact forever."Rupp said she thought Ellis County was fortunate that most of the items the group wanted to improve were luxuries.However, Erica Berges, executive director of the United Way, said there is still a significant income gap in Ellis County, with more than 40% of residents living paycheck to paycheck.Participant Brandy Ridgway said she is organizing a "100 Who Care" campaign in Ellis County. The idea is for 100 people or more to donate $100 to a local cause.&nbsp;The idea has been used to raise funds in other Kansas communities for various charitable causes.Ridgway said she is working with a Fort Hays State University Leadership 310 class to organize an information meeting in April.Imagine Ellis County will form committees to explore further the four opportunities identified at Tuesday's meeting.Existing Imagine Ellis County committees include transportation, disc golf, <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/e52e719e-f015-4782-9370-d8720a6755bf">an outdoor stage in a Municipal Park</a>, and committees focused on development in Ellis and Victoria.If you are interested in learning more about any of the committees or getting involved, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://imagineelliscounty.org/" target="_blank">https://imagineelliscounty.org/</a>.At the bottom of the page, you can give your name, phone number and an idea or leave a note, "Hey, I'm interested in learning more about this group!" said Katie Dorzweiler, Heartland Community Foundation board member.

Solutions Summit: Ellis County needs to tell its story better

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JONEL%20ALECCIA%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JONEL ALECCIA AP Health Writer</a>

Dairy cattle in Nevada have been infected with a new type of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-h5n1-spread-people-e5edab844b409b8ba21feaecb10156d0">bird flu</a>&nbsp;that's different from the version that has spread in U.S. herds since last year, Agriculture Department officials said Wednesday.

The detection indicates that distinct forms of the virus known as Type A H5N1 have spilled over from wild birds into cattle at least twice. Experts said it raises new questions about wider spread and the difficulty of controlling infections in animals and the people who work closely with them.

“I always thought one bird-to-cow transmission was a very rare event. Seems that may not be the case,” said Richard Webby, an influenza expert at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

A version of the H5N1 bird flu virus known as B3.13 was confirmed in March after being introduced to cattle in late 2023, scientists said. It has infected more than 950 herds in 16 states. The new version, known as D1.1, was confirmed in Nevada cattle on Friday, according to USDA. It was detected in milk collected as part of a surveillance program launched in December.

“Now we know why it's really important to test and continue testing,” said Angela Rasmussen, a virus expert at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada, who helped identify the first spillover.

The D1.1 version of the virus was the type linked to the first U.S. death tied to bird flu and a severe illness in Canada. A person in Louisiana&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-death-louisiana-82e4d00876e62cb2b13bb621826c84f9">died in January</a>&nbsp;after developing severe respiratory symptoms following contact with wild and backyard birds.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-canada-teen-hospitalized-45d7c944883fb17aeb37e96e679cc53e">In British Columbia,</a>&nbsp;a teen girl was hospitalized for months with a virus traced to poultry.

At least 67 people in the U.S. have been infected with bird flu, mostly those who work closely with dairy or cattle, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

USDA officials said they would post genetic sequences and other information about the new form of the virus to a public repository later this week. Scientists said that would be key to understanding whether the spillover was a recent event or whether the virus has been circulating, perhaps widely, for longer.

“If this turns out to have been something that crossed into cattle a couple months ago, a couple months is a long time not to detect it,” said Michael Worobey, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Arizona who has studied the H5N1 virus in cattle.

He added that it's important for federal officials to share promptly information about a virus that has the potential to trigger a pandemic that could “make COVID seem like a walk in the park.”

“It's a vital part of national security, global security, the well-being of people, of animals and of businesses in the U.S.,” Worobey added.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716902758487.jpeg" alt="Dairy cattle&nbsp; (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd, File)" />
 <figcaption>Dairy cattle&nbsp; (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd, File)</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JONEL%20ALECCIA%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JONEL ALECCIA AP Health Writer</a>Dairy cattle in Nevada have been infected with a new type of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-h5n1-spread-people-e5edab844b409b8ba21feaecb10156d0">bird flu</a>&nbsp;that's different from the version that has spread in U.S. herds since last year, Agriculture Department officials said Wednesday.The detection indicates that distinct forms of the virus known as Type A H5N1 have spilled over from wild birds into cattle at least twice. Experts said it raises new questions about wider spread and the difficulty of controlling infections in animals and the people who work closely with them.“I always thought one bird-to-cow transmission was a very rare event. Seems that may not be the case,” said Richard Webby, an influenza expert at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.A version of the H5N1 bird flu virus known as B3.13 was confirmed in March after being introduced to cattle in late 2023, scientists said. It has infected more than 950 herds in 16 states. The new version, known as D1.1, was confirmed in Nevada cattle on Friday, according to USDA. It was detected in milk collected as part of a surveillance program launched in December.“Now we know why it's really important to test and continue testing,” said Angela Rasmussen, a virus expert at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada, who helped identify the first spillover.The D1.1 version of the virus was the type linked to the first U.S. death tied to bird flu and a severe illness in Canada. A person in Louisiana&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-death-louisiana-82e4d00876e62cb2b13bb621826c84f9">died in January</a>&nbsp;after developing severe respiratory symptoms following contact with wild and backyard birds.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-canada-teen-hospitalized-45d7c944883fb17aeb37e96e679cc53e">In British Columbia,</a>&nbsp;a teen girl was hospitalized for months with a virus traced to poultry.At least 67 people in the U.S. have been infected with bird flu, mostly those who work closely with dairy or cattle, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.USDA officials said they would post genetic sequences and other information about the new form of the virus to a public repository later this week. Scientists said that would be key to understanding whether the spillover was a recent event or whether the virus has been circulating, perhaps widely, for longer.“If this turns out to have been something that crossed into cattle a couple months ago, a couple months is a long time not to detect it,” said Michael Worobey, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Arizona who has studied the H5N1 virus in cattle.He added that it's important for federal officials to share promptly information about a virus that has the potential to trigger a pandemic that could “make COVID seem like a walk in the park.”“It's a vital part of national security, global security, the well-being of people, of animals and of businesses in the U.S.,” Worobey added.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Second type of bird flu detected in US dairy cows

Sergeant Phillip Gage and Officer Caleb Koehn received a Clinical Save Award, which included a certificate and a coin acknowledging their efforts in assisting a person having a medical crisis, according to a recent post on Facebook from the Hays Police Department.

 Their efforts along with other first responders helped save the individual's life.

"Thank you to our local Ellis County EMS who submitted their names &amp; our department for the award.  Great job Sgt. Gage &amp; Ofc. Koehn keep up the good work," the post said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738705224616.jpeg" alt="Hays Police Department" />
 <figcaption>Hays Police Department</figcaption>
 </figure>Sergeant Phillip Gage and Officer Caleb Koehn received a Clinical Save Award, which included a certificate and a coin acknowledging their efforts in assisting a person having a medical crisis, according to a recent post on Facebook from the Hays Police Department. Their efforts along with other first responders helped save the individual's life."Thank you to our local Ellis County EMS who submitted their names &amp; our department for the award. Great job Sgt. Gage &amp; Ofc. Koehn keep up the good work," the post said.

2 Hays officers honored for saving life

TOPEKA — The state celebrated its 164th birthday at the Capitol on Wednesday, which was full of festivities to honor such a momentous event. 

In addition to such celebrations, 71 new bills were introduced on the floor of the Kansas House of Representatives, in this third week of session. Topics of said legislation ranged from tax credits to fair regulations. Below I have detailed seven bills from that long list of legislation.

First is House Concurrent Resolution 5007, introduced on Monday.&nbsp;This legislation, which is separate from regular house bills, would amend the Kansas Constitution to lower the age to possess firearms from 18 years to 16.

Second was House Bill 2095. This bill would create a licensing structure for water pump installers in the state, establish new requirements for well testing with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment for water well contractors, and enable both water pump installers and water well contractors to obtain their licenses online.

Third is House Bill 2102. This bill enables students of military families to enroll in school districts before they physically reside there, a boon for military families moving into the state.

Fourth is House Bill 2105, this bill would designate a portion of US highway 77 and bridge 82-14-6.88 in Clay County as the Prisoner of War and Missing in Action Memorial Highway and Bridge.

Fifth is House Bill 2108. This legislation would create a new code of conduct and agriculture mitigation protocols for the development , construction, operation, and decommission of large energy facilities in Kansas, ranging from transmission lines to solar farms.

The bill would also establish rules regarding civil penalties for violation of the forementioned protocols, one example being potential daily fines—not in excess of $10,000.

Sixth is House Bill 2111, which alters regulations for the conservation reserve enhancement program (CREP). The bill increases the acreage cap to 60,000 acres, removes limitations on eligible acres based on expired federal contract, allows CREP contracts for dryland farming or limited irrigation for water quantity goals, and more.

Seventh, and last, is House Bill 2147. This bill would create discount rates for state residents over the age of 65 for combination hunting and fishing passes with the Department of Wildlife and Parks, remove expiration dates for Kansas kids’ lifetime combination hunting and fishing licenses, and require the cost of said passes and licenses to not exceed the cost of any federal counterpart.

Building from the momentum of the past two weeks I introduced House Bill 2148 onto the House floor on the birthday of our great state, Wednesday, January 29. 

This legislation prevents the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) from authorizing line siting permits to any electric public utility for land within a newly designated National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor (NIETC) under the Federal Power Act in Kansas. The bill also prohibits public electric utilities from using eminent domain for land in said zones as well. 

It is my intent with this legislation to secure the property and peace of mind for not only my constituents but all Kansas in our wonderful state.

House Appropriations (HAPP) mostly heard and worked budgets this week, with one exception on Friday.

On Monday HAPP heard and worked on the budgets of the Abstracter’s Board of Examiners, Board of Indigents’ Defense Services, Board of Technical Professions, Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission, Kansas Lottery, and the Kansas Board of Nursing.

Tuesday saw the committee hear and work budgets for the Citizen’s Utility Ratepayer Board, Healthcare Stabilization Fund, Kansas Corporation Commission, Legislative Research Department, State Hospitals for Larned and Osawatomie, Legislative Coordinating Council, Legislative Division of Post Audit, the Legislature itself, and the Revisors of Statute.

For Wednesday House Appropriations heard and worked the budgets of the Board of Regents, the Department of Credit Unions, Kansas’s Schools for the Blind and the Deaf, Office of the State Bank Commissioner, and the State Library. On Thursday HAPP heard and worked the budgets of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Kansas Department of Labor, Kansas Insurance Department, Kansas Public Employees Retirement System, Kansas University, and the Kansas University Medical Center.

For Friday the committee held an informational hearing regarding a proposal for a BioNexus from the KC BioHub. We also continued the discussions with budgets such as the State Fire Marshal and the Office of the Secretary of State.

Anytime that you would like to participate and listen to the developments of committee hearings or discussion on the House floor, you can tune in by video or audio at <a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>.

As always, if you have any concerns, feel free to contact me 785-296-7672, follow on twitter at @waymaster4house, or email me at troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov.

It is a distinct honor to serve as your representative for the 109th Kansas House District and the state of Kansas. Please contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and questions. I always appreciate hearing from the residents of the 109th House District and others from the state of Kansas, as well.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633970422056.jpeg" alt="Rep. Troy Waymaster , R-Bunker Hill, 109th Dist. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Troy Waymaster , R-Bunker Hill, 109th Dist. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>January 31, 2025 Kansas’ 164th BirthdayTOPEKA — The state celebrated its 164th birthday at the Capitol on Wednesday, which was full of festivities to honor such a momentous event. In addition to such celebrations, 71 new bills were introduced on the floor of the Kansas House of Representatives, in this third week of session. Topics of said legislation ranged from tax credits to fair regulations. Below I have detailed seven bills from that long list of legislation.First is House Concurrent Resolution 5007, introduced on Monday.&nbsp;This legislation, which is separate from regular house bills, would amend the Kansas Constitution to lower the age to possess firearms from 18 years to 16.Second was House Bill 2095. This bill would create a licensing structure for water pump installers in the state, establish new requirements for well testing with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment for water well contractors, and enable both water pump installers and water well contractors to obtain their licenses online.Third is House Bill 2102. This bill enables students of military families to enroll in school districts before they physically reside there, a boon for military families moving into the state. Fourth is House Bill 2105, this bill would designate a portion of US highway 77 and bridge 82-14-6.88 in Clay County as the Prisoner of War and Missing in Action Memorial Highway and Bridge.Fifth is House Bill 2108. This legislation would create a new code of conduct and agriculture mitigation protocols for the development , construction, operation, and decommission of large energy facilities in Kansas, ranging from transmission lines to solar farms. The bill would also establish rules regarding civil penalties for violation of the forementioned protocols, one example being potential daily fines—not in excess of $10,000.Sixth is House Bill 2111, which alters regulations for the conservation reserve enhancement program (CREP). The bill increases the acreage cap to 60,000 acres, removes limitations on eligible acres based on expired federal contract, allows CREP contracts for dryland farming or limited irrigation for water quantity goals, and more. Seventh, and last, is House Bill 2147. This bill would create discount rates for state residents over the age of 65 for combination hunting and fishing passes with the Department of Wildlife and Parks, remove expiration dates for Kansas kids’ lifetime combination hunting and fishing licenses, and require the cost of said passes and licenses to not exceed the cost of any federal counterpart.House Bill 2148Building from the momentum of the past two weeks I introduced House Bill 2148 onto the House floor on the birthday of our great state, Wednesday, January 29. This legislation prevents the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) from authorizing line siting permits to any electric public utility for land within a newly designated National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor (NIETC) under the Federal Power Act in Kansas. The bill also prohibits public electric utilities from using eminent domain for land in said zones as well. It is my intent with this legislation to secure the property and peace of mind for not only my constituents but all Kansas in our wonderful state.Committee HappeningsHouse Appropriations (HAPP) mostly heard and worked budgets this week, with one exception on Friday.On Monday HAPP heard and worked on the budgets of the Abstracter’s Board of Examiners, Board of Indigents’ Defense Services, Board of Technical Professions, Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission, Kansas Lottery, and the Kansas Board of Nursing.Tuesday saw the committee hear and work budgets for the Citizen’s Utility Ratepayer Board, Healthcare Stabilization Fund, Kansas Corporation Commission, Legislative Research Department, State Hospitals for Larned and Osawatomie, Legislative Coordinating Council, Legislative Division of Post Audit, the Legislature itself, and the Revisors of Statute.For Wednesday House Appropriations heard and worked the budgets of the Board of Regents, the Department of Credit Unions, Kansas’s Schools for the Blind and the Deaf, Office of the State Bank Commissioner, and the State Library. On Thursday HAPP heard and worked the budgets of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Kansas Department of Labor, Kansas Insurance Department, Kansas Public Employees Retirement System, Kansas University, and the Kansas University Medical Center.For Friday the committee held an informational hearing regarding a proposal for a BioNexus from the KC BioHub. We also continued the discussions with budgets such as the State Fire Marshal and the Office of the Secretary of State.Contact InformationAnytime that you would like to participate and listen to the developments of committee hearings or discussion on the House floor, you can tune in by video or audio at <a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>.As always, if you have any concerns, feel free to contact me 785-296-7672, follow on twitter at @waymaster4house, or email me at troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov.It is a distinct honor to serve as your representative for the 109th Kansas House District and the state of Kansas. Please contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and questions. I always appreciate hearing from the residents of the 109th House District and others from the state of Kansas, as well.

WAYMASTER: From the Dome to Home, Jan. 31

On Wednesday, TMP-Marian senior Austin Gilbert signed an institutional letter of commitment to play baseball at Thomas College in Waterville, Maine. 

Gilbert always dreamed of playing baseball at the collegiate level, but it wasn’t until his sophomore year that it became a reality.

“I always wanted to and always told myself I was going
dedicate myself to getting there, but until about sophomore (or) junior year,
It had never really been real.”

He considered other opportunities but said Thomas
College “just clicked.”

“I will get my master's degree in the four years of
schooling instead of six years,” Gilbert said, “So I won't have to go back for
two extra years after college baseball if I decide to attempt to pursue further
in my athletic career.”

You can hear the entire interview with Gilbert below.

Gilbert and the Monarchs are coming off a fourth-place finish at state a year ago.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738803534304.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Hays Post SportsOn Wednesday, TMP-Marian senior Austin Gilbert signed an institutional letter of commitment to play baseball at Thomas College in Waterville, Maine. Gilbert always dreamed of playing baseball at the collegiate level, but it wasn’t until his sophomore year that it became a reality.“I always wanted to and always told myself I was going
dedicate myself to getting there, but until about sophomore (or) junior year,
It had never really been real.”He considered other opportunities but said Thomas
College “just clicked.”“I will get my master's degree in the four years of
schooling instead of six years,” Gilbert said, “So I won't have to go back for
two extra years after college baseball if I decide to attempt to pursue further
in my athletic career.”You can hear the entire interview with Gilbert below.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2027001756&color=%23294b71&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/2-5-25-tmps-austin-gilbert" title="2-5-25 TMP&#x27;s Austin Gilbert" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">2-5-25 TMP&#x27;s Austin Gilbert</a></div></div>Gilbert and the Monarchs are coming off a fourth-place finish at state a year ago.

⚾🎧 TMP’s Austin Gilbert signs with Thomas College

HAYS, Kan. - Fort Hays State football coach Chris Brown announced the signing of 30 high school seniors&nbsp; institutional letters of commitment on Wednesday. Brown spoke with the media about the Tigers 2025 signing class which can be heard by clicking on the link below.

The group includes six players from the state of Kansas, five each from Arizona and Florida, three from Texas and Colorado, two from Oklahoma and Missouri and one from Illinois.

The breakdown by position includes one quarterback, two running backs, one fullback, four wide receivers, eight offensive lineman, six defensive lineman, four linebackers, three defensive backs and one kicker.

Noah Beavers, DL, 6-5, 220, Hillsboro, Kan. / Hillsboro HS Hillsboro HS: All-state first team selection in Kansas Class 2A…All-league selection as a defensive end...Recorded 42 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks during senior season.

Antoine Bogus, OL, 6-4, 230, Mustang, Okla. / Mustang HS Mustang HS: All-district second team selection.

Samuel Bryant, LB, 6-1, 215, West Palm Beach, Fla. / Atlantic Community HS Atlantic Community HS: Recorded 88 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, five sacks, two forced fumbles, and one interception during senior year.

Braylon Coleman, DB, 5-9, 170, Plano, Texas / Plano East HS Plano East HS: All-district selection as a defensive back in Texas 6-6A…Academic all-district performer…Recorded 45 tackles, 12 pass breakups, five tackles for loss, and one interception during senior year.

Justus Derickson, DL, 6-5, 245, Colorado Springs, Colo. / Rampart HS Rampart HS: Two-time all-state and two-time all-conference selection…Conference Player of the Year in baseball…Two-time all-conference first team selection in baseball.

Logan Dodson, FB, 6-0, 220, North Platte, Neb. / Saint Patrick HS Saint Patrick HS: Two-time all-state selection…Three-time all-district selection…Shrine Bowl selection…Selected to Sertoma 8-man all-star game.

Walter Flounory, WR, 5-10, 165, St. Petersburg, Fla. / Boca Ciega HS Boca Ciega HS: Player of the Year in Class 3A…All-PCAC and FACA First Team…Named team's MVP…PCAC All-Star Game selection.

AG Floyd, RB, 6-2, 205, Pensacola, Fla. / Pensacola HS Pensacola HS: Class 3A Panhandle Player of the Year…Rushed for 1,300 yards as a senior, averaging 7.6 yards per carry.

Trey Foster, WR, 6-1, 175, Gilbert, Ariz. / Williams Field HS Williams Field HS: All-region first team selection at wide receiver…Averaged 17.3 yards per catch with 40 receptions for 690 yards and 5 touchdowns in his senior season.

Kody Guy, QB, 6-2, 205, Gilbert, Ariz. / Williams Field HS Williams Field HS: All-region honorable mention selection…Threw for 2,695 yards and 22 touchdowns over his final two seasons…Served as a team captain for two years.

Zyon Harris, OL, 6-0, 280, Belle Glade, Fla. / Treasure Coast HS Treasure Coast HS: Named to TC Palm's Super 11 list of top senior recruits across the Treasure Coast…Spent freshman year at St. Lucie West Centennial High School and then sophomore and junior years at Inlet Grove High School.

Vincent Johnston, OL, 6-3, 285, Palisade, Colo. / Palisade HS Palisade HS: Two-time all-state selection in Colorado…Two-time all-league first team selection…Two-time Lineman MVP in his league…Three-time all-state academic recognition.

Wyatt Kirkpatrick, LB, 6-2, 220, Hays, Kan. / Hays HS Hays HS: Two-time all-state first team selection at linebacker…Two-time all-conference first team selection…Hays High School Defensive Player of the Year in 2023…Defensive Player of the Year in Class 5A as a senior…Had 235 tackles for his prep career, along with 22 tackles for loss, four sacks, three forced fumbles, and two interceptions.

Cooper Koster, DL, 6-3, 265, Conway Springs, Kan. / Conway Springs HS Conway Springs HS: Recorded 55 tackles, 24 tackles for loss, and 2 forced fumbles in his senior season…Helped team to back-to-back state titles as a junior and senior. with back 2 back State Titles his Junior and Senior Season.

Clayton Layden, DL, 6-4, 215, Lone Jack, Mo. / Lone Jack HS Lone Jack HS: Three-time all-district and three-time all-conference selection.

Chris Love, WR, 6-3, 180, Jefferson, Texas / Jefferson HS Jefferson HS: Three-time all-district first team selection…All-state second team selection as a senior…Set school record for receiving touchdowns with 15 as a senior…Two-time all-district selection in basketball.

Samuel Meisner, RB, 5-11, 180, Wray, Colo. / Wray HS Wray HS: Three-time all-state first team selection…Wray High School Athlete of the Year honors…Three-time all-conference selection…Earned Player of the Game honors in the 1A state championship…Finished career with 4,191 rushing yards, 361 receiving yards, 82 touchdowns, 380 tackles, and 43 tackles for loss…State champion and all-state performer in wrestling…Earned academic all-state honors.

Will Morgan, OL, 5-11, 250, Overland Park, Kan. / Blue Valley Southwest HS Blue Valley Southwest HS: All-state first team selection by Sports in Kansas and the KFBCA…Also received all-state honors from Wichita Eagle and KSHSAA…Three-time all-league selection…Selected for the Kansas Shrine Bowl…Served as a team captain…Named team's Most Outstanding Player.

Blake Novotny, OL, 6-4, 280, Owasso, Okla. / Owasso HS Owasso HS: All-district selection and team captain…All-Tulsa World selection.

Will Rodgers, DB, 5-10, 180, Goodyear Ariz. / Desert Edge HS Desert Edge HS: All-region first team selection as a defensive back…All-conference first team selection.

Kole Rogers, K, 5-10, 170, Goodyear, Ariz. / Desert Edge HS Desert Edge HS: Two-time all-region first team selection and earned Specialist of the Year honors.

Nicholas Royal, DL, 6-3, 315, Inlet Grove, Fla. / Inlet Grove HS Inlet Grove HS: Among the Top 63 ranked by ESPN…Led team in sacks…Played in area all-star game…All-district performer in shot put in track and field.

Ethan Shaw, LB, 6-2, 210, Fairfield, Neb. / Sandy Creek HS

Charles Smith, S, 6-1, 200, Chicago, Ill. / Simeon Academy Simeon Academy: All-city second team selection and all-conference selection…Recorded 85 tackles to go along with three sacks, four forced fumbles and five pass breakups as a senior.

Landon Sobota, OL, 6-3, 295, Greenwood, Neb. / Ashland-Greenwood HS Ashland-Greenwood HS: Four-time all-state selection by the Lincoln Journal Star and Omaha World Herald…Four-time all-district and all-area selection…Nebraska Shrine Bowl selection.

Andrew Watts, WR, 5-8, 180, Shawnee, Kan. / Mill Valley HS Mill Valley HS: All-state honorable mention selection by Sports in Kansas, Wichita Eagle, and KSHSAA…Team's Offensive Player of the Year in 2024…Helped team to three-straight state titles in 2021, 2022, and 2023…Two-time all-league selection…Had over 500 receiving yards his senior year.

Brody Weir, DL, 6-4, 250, Wellington, Kan. / Wellington HS Wellington HS: Two-time all-league selection as a defensive end and tight end…All-state first team selection by the KFBCA, Sports in Kansas, Wichita Eagle, and KSHSAA in Class 4A…Defensive Player of the Year Finalist in Class 4A…Sports in Kansas Top 100 Seniors…As a senior, recorded 65 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, and 10.5 sacks.

Hayden Williams, OL, 6-4, 305, Surprise, Ariz. / Youngker HS Youngker HS: Offensive Player of the Year in the Skyline region…Roughrider Offensive Lineman Award.

Ben Winters, OL, 6-2, 285, Kingsville, Mo. / Summit Christian Academy Summit Christian Academy: Three-time all-conference first team selection as an offensive lineman and defensive lineman…Three-time all-district selection, twice as an offensive lineman and once as a defensive lineman…Voted team's offensive and defensive MVP…State qualifier and all-district performer in wrestling.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738788502672.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Hays PostHAYS, Kan. - Fort Hays State football coach Chris Brown announced the signing of 30 high school seniors&nbsp; institutional letters of commitment on Wednesday. Brown spoke with the media about the Tigers 2025 signing class which can be heard by clicking on the link below.The group includes six players from the state of Kansas, five each from Arizona and Florida, three from Texas and Colorado, two from Oklahoma and Missouri and one from Illinois.The breakdown by position includes one quarterback, two running backs, one fullback, four wide receivers, eight offensive lineman, six defensive lineman, four linebackers, three defensive backs and one kicker.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2026932948&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/chris-brown-signing-day-press-conference-1" title="Chris Brown - Signing Day Press Conference" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Chris Brown - Signing Day Press Conference</a></div></div>Noah Beavers, DL, 6-5, 220, Hillsboro, Kan. / Hillsboro HS Hillsboro HS: All-state first team selection in Kansas Class 2A…All-league selection as a defensive end...Recorded 42 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks during senior season.Antoine Bogus, OL, 6-4, 230, Mustang, Okla. / Mustang HS Mustang HS: All-district second team selection.Samuel Bryant, LB, 6-1, 215, West Palm Beach, Fla. / Atlantic Community HS Atlantic Community HS: Recorded 88 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, five sacks, two forced fumbles, and one interception during senior year.Braylon Coleman, DB, 5-9, 170, Plano, Texas / Plano East HS Plano East HS: All-district selection as a defensive back in Texas 6-6A…Academic all-district performer…Recorded 45 tackles, 12 pass breakups, five tackles for loss, and one interception during senior year.Justus Derickson, DL, 6-5, 245, Colorado Springs, Colo. / Rampart HS Rampart HS: Two-time all-state and two-time all-conference selection…Conference Player of the Year in baseball…Two-time all-conference first team selection in baseball.Logan Dodson, FB, 6-0, 220, North Platte, Neb. / Saint Patrick HS Saint Patrick HS: Two-time all-state selection…Three-time all-district selection…Shrine Bowl selection…Selected to Sertoma 8-man all-star game.Walter Flounory, WR, 5-10, 165, St. Petersburg, Fla. / Boca Ciega HS Boca Ciega HS: Player of the Year in Class 3A…All-PCAC and FACA First Team…Named team's MVP…PCAC All-Star Game selection.AG Floyd, RB, 6-2, 205, Pensacola, Fla. / Pensacola HS Pensacola HS: Class 3A Panhandle Player of the Year…Rushed for 1,300 yards as a senior, averaging 7.6 yards per carry.Trey Foster, WR, 6-1, 175, Gilbert, Ariz. / Williams Field HS Williams Field HS: All-region first team selection at wide receiver…Averaged 17.3 yards per catch with 40 receptions for 690 yards and 5 touchdowns in his senior season.Kody Guy, QB, 6-2, 205, Gilbert, Ariz. / Williams Field HS Williams Field HS: All-region honorable mention selection…Threw for 2,695 yards and 22 touchdowns over his final two seasons…Served as a team captain for two years.Zyon Harris, OL, 6-0, 280, Belle Glade, Fla. / Treasure Coast HS Treasure Coast HS: Named to TC Palm's Super 11 list of top senior recruits across the Treasure Coast…Spent freshman year at St. Lucie West Centennial High School and then sophomore and junior years at Inlet Grove High School.Vincent Johnston, OL, 6-3, 285, Palisade, Colo. / Palisade HS Palisade HS: Two-time all-state selection in Colorado…Two-time all-league first team selection…Two-time Lineman MVP in his league…Three-time all-state academic recognition.Wyatt Kirkpatrick, LB, 6-2, 220, Hays, Kan. / Hays HS Hays HS: Two-time all-state first team selection at linebacker…Two-time all-conference first team selection…Hays High School Defensive Player of the Year in 2023…Defensive Player of the Year in Class 5A as a senior…Had 235 tackles for his prep career, along with 22 tackles for loss, four sacks, three forced fumbles, and two interceptions.Cooper Koster, DL, 6-3, 265, Conway Springs, Kan. / Conway Springs HS Conway Springs HS: Recorded 55 tackles, 24 tackles for loss, and 2 forced fumbles in his senior season…Helped team to back-to-back state titles as a junior and senior. with back 2 back State Titles his Junior and Senior Season.Clayton Layden, DL, 6-4, 215, Lone Jack, Mo. / Lone Jack HS Lone Jack HS: Three-time all-district and three-time all-conference selection.Chris Love, WR, 6-3, 180, Jefferson, Texas / Jefferson HS Jefferson HS: Three-time all-district first team selection…All-state second team selection as a senior…Set school record for receiving touchdowns with 15 as a senior…Two-time all-district selection in basketball.Samuel Meisner, RB, 5-11, 180, Wray, Colo. / Wray HS Wray HS: Three-time all-state first team selection…Wray High School Athlete of the Year honors…Three-time all-conference selection…Earned Player of the Game honors in the 1A state championship…Finished career with 4,191 rushing yards, 361 receiving yards, 82 touchdowns, 380 tackles, and 43 tackles for loss…State champion and all-state performer in wrestling…Earned academic all-state honors.Will Morgan, OL, 5-11, 250, Overland Park, Kan. / Blue Valley Southwest HS Blue Valley Southwest HS: All-state first team selection by Sports in Kansas and the KFBCA…Also received all-state honors from Wichita Eagle and KSHSAA…Three-time all-league selection…Selected for the Kansas Shrine Bowl…Served as a team captain…Named team's Most Outstanding Player.Blake Novotny, OL, 6-4, 280, Owasso, Okla. / Owasso HS Owasso HS: All-district selection and team captain…All-Tulsa World selection.Will Rodgers, DB, 5-10, 180, Goodyear Ariz. / Desert Edge HS Desert Edge HS: All-region first team selection as a defensive back…All-conference first team selection.Kole Rogers, K, 5-10, 170, Goodyear, Ariz. / Desert Edge HS Desert Edge HS: Two-time all-region first team selection and earned Specialist of the Year honors.Nicholas Royal, DL, 6-3, 315, Inlet Grove, Fla. / Inlet Grove HS Inlet Grove HS: Among the Top 63 ranked by ESPN…Led team in sacks…Played in area all-star game…All-district performer in shot put in track and field.Ethan Shaw, LB, 6-2, 210, Fairfield, Neb. / Sandy Creek HSCharles Smith, S, 6-1, 200, Chicago, Ill. / Simeon Academy Simeon Academy: All-city second team selection and all-conference selection…Recorded 85 tackles to go along with three sacks, four forced fumbles and five pass breakups as a senior.Landon Sobota, OL, 6-3, 295, Greenwood, Neb. / Ashland-Greenwood HS Ashland-Greenwood HS: Four-time all-state selection by the Lincoln Journal Star and Omaha World Herald…Four-time all-district and all-area selection…Nebraska Shrine Bowl selection.Andrew Watts, WR, 5-8, 180, Shawnee, Kan. / Mill Valley HS Mill Valley HS: All-state honorable mention selection by Sports in Kansas, Wichita Eagle, and KSHSAA…Team's Offensive Player of the Year in 2024…Helped team to three-straight state titles in 2021, 2022, and 2023…Two-time all-league selection…Had over 500 receiving yards his senior year.Brody Weir, DL, 6-4, 250, Wellington, Kan. / Wellington HS Wellington HS: Two-time all-league selection as a defensive end and tight end…All-state first team selection by the KFBCA, Sports in Kansas, Wichita Eagle, and KSHSAA in Class 4A…Defensive Player of the Year Finalist in Class 4A…Sports in Kansas Top 100 Seniors…As a senior, recorded 65 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, and 10.5 sacks.Hayden Williams, OL, 6-4, 305, Surprise, Ariz. / Youngker HS Youngker HS: Offensive Player of the Year in the Skyline region…Roughrider Offensive Lineman Award.Ben Winters, OL, 6-2, 285, Kingsville, Mo. / Summit Christian Academy Summit Christian Academy: Three-time all-conference first team selection as an offensive lineman and defensive lineman…Three-time all-district selection, twice as an offensive lineman and once as a defensive lineman…Voted team's offensive and defensive MVP…State qualifier and all-district performer in wrestling.Layne Yudizky, LB, 6-0, 210, Heath, Texas / Rockwall Heath HS Rockwall-Heath HS: Two-time all-district selection, including first-team honors as a senior and second-team honors as a junior…Served as a team captain during senior year…Recorded 110 tackles, five sacks, and one interception in his prep career.&nbsp;&nbsp;