WICHITA
– The Hays Larks raced out to an early lead then held off a late rally and
defeated the Seattle Blackfins 6-5 in their pool play opener at the 91st NBC World Series
Thursday afternoon at Eck Stadium.

The
Larks (29-4-1), who are the defending NBC World Series champions, made it look like it would be easy by racing out to a 6-1 lead. They scored a run in the first on a Wilbert Espinal RBI double then
added two in the second on Taber Stokes two-run homer to left, his fifth of the
season. 

After Seattle (17-16-2) scored a run in the third, the Larks struck for three in the
top of the fourth. Lane Sparks singled to open the
inning, stole second, advanced to third on a balk then stole home. Trent Baker
scored on an error then Lorenzo Rios singled, which drove in Jackson Babcock for a 6-1 lead.

The
Blackfins scored runs in the fifth and seventh on wild pitches to pull within 6-3. They scored two more in the eighth on a Brody
Blum home run to left. Nolan Wilson worked a perfect ninth for the Larks to
seal the win and picked up the save.

Lorenzo
Rios had three of the Larks 13 hits as the Larks extended their winning streak to 14 games and have won seven straight NBC World Series contests.&nbsp;Trent Baker had a double, two stolen bases, and two runs scored. The Larks showed off their speed with both Baker and Lane Sparks collecting two stolen bases, and two players hitting doubles. Taber Stokes also added a stolen base to go along with his homerun.

Brooks
Jones (2-0) allowed one run on one hit with five strikeouts and one walk over
three innings of relief and picked up the win. Starter Nick Gray allowed one
earned run on six hits with three strikeouts and two walks over four innings.
Adrian Najar gave up the two-run homer in the eighth. The four combined to
strike out 11 batters.

The
Dodge City A’s cruised to an 8-0 run-rule victory over the Seattle Cheney Studs
in seven innings in their opener earlier in the day.

The
Larks continue pool play Saturday at 6:00 p.m. against Oklahoma MVP. They wrap
up pool play Monday at 6:30 p.m. against Lonestar Kraken. You can watch the
Larks at the NBC World Series by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@nbcws/streams">clicking here</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1717183089670.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Hays Post SportsWICHITA
– The Hays Larks raced out to an early lead then held off a late rally and
defeated the Seattle Blackfins 6-5 in their pool play opener at the 91st NBC World Series
Thursday afternoon at Eck Stadium.The
Larks (29-4-1), who are the defending NBC World Series champions, made it look like it would be easy by racing out to a 6-1 lead. They scored a run in the first on a Wilbert Espinal RBI double then
added two in the second on Taber Stokes two-run homer to left, his fifth of the
season. After Seattle (17-16-2) scored a run in the third, the Larks struck for three in the
top of the fourth. Lane Sparks singled to open the
inning, stole second, advanced to third on a balk then stole home. Trent Baker
scored on an error then Lorenzo Rios singled, which drove in Jackson Babcock for a 6-1 lead.The
Blackfins scored runs in the fifth and seventh on wild pitches to pull within 6-3. They scored two more in the eighth on a Brody
Blum home run to left. Nolan Wilson worked a perfect ninth for the Larks to
seal the win and picked up the save.Lorenzo
Rios had three of the Larks 13 hits as the Larks extended their winning streak to 14 games and have won seven straight NBC World Series contests.&nbsp;Trent Baker had a double, two stolen bases, and two runs scored. The Larks showed off their speed with both Baker and Lane Sparks collecting two stolen bases, and two players hitting doubles. Taber Stokes also added a stolen base to go along with his homerun.Brooks
Jones (2-0) allowed one run on one hit with five strikeouts and one walk over
three innings of relief and picked up the win. Starter Nick Gray allowed one
earned run on six hits with three strikeouts and two walks over four innings.
Adrian Najar gave up the two-run homer in the eighth. The four combined to
strike out 11 batters.RMBL
GOES 2-0The
Dodge City A’s cruised to an 8-0 run-rule victory over the Seattle Cheney Studs
in seven innings in their opener earlier in the day.UP
NEXTThe
Larks continue pool play Saturday at 6:00 p.m. against Oklahoma MVP. They wrap
up pool play Monday at 6:30 p.m. against Lonestar Kraken. You can watch the
Larks at the NBC World Series by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@nbcws/streams">clicking here</a>.

⚾ Larks hold on to win NBC World Series opener

NEW YORK (AP) — Two-time Grammy Award-winning musician&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c617bed75b01421dac0bb68424756775">Chuck Mangione,</a>&nbsp;who achieved international success in 1977 with his jazz-flavored single “Feels So Good” and later became a voice actor on the animated TV comedy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-mike-judge-ap-top-news-tv-b110858783619ab165efe1373c584f0a">“King of the Hill,”</a>&nbsp;has died. He was 84.

Mangione died at his home in Rochester, New York, on Tuesday in his sleep, said his attorney, Peter S. Matorin of Beldock Levine &amp; Hoffman LLP. The musician had been retired since 2015.

Perhaps his biggest hit — “Feels So Good” — is a staple on most smooth-jazz radio stations and has been called one of the most recognized melodies since “Michelle” by the Beatles. It hit No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the top of the Billboard adult contemporary chart.

“It identified for a lot of people a song with an artist, even though I had a pretty strong base audience that kept us out there touring as often as we wanted to, that song just topped out there and took it to a whole other level,” Mangione told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in 2008.

He followed that hit with “Give It All You Got,” commissioned for the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, and he performed it at the closing ceremony.

Mangione, a flugelhorn and trumpet player and jazz composer, released more than 30 albums during a career in which he built a sizable following after recording several albums, doing all the writing.

He won his first Grammy Award in 1977 for his album “Bellavia,” which was named in honor of his mother. Another album, “Friends and Love,” was also Grammy-nominated, and he earned a best original score Golden Globe nomination and a second Grammy for the movie “The Children of Sanchez.”

Mangione introduced himself to a new audience when he appeared on the first several seasons of “King of the Hill,” appearing as a commercial spokesman for Mega Lo Mart, where “shopping feels so good.”

Mangione, brother of jazz pianist Gap Mangione, with whom he partnered in The Jazz Brothers, started his career as a bebop jazz musician heavily inspired by Dizzy Gillespie.

“He also was one of the first musicians I saw who had a rapport with the audience by just telling the audience what he was going to play and who was in his band,” Mangione told the Post-Gazette.

Mangione earned a bachelor's degree from the Eastman School of Music — where he would eventually return as director of the school’s jazz ensemble — and left home to play with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers.

He donated his signature brown felt hat and the score of his Grammy-winning single “Feels So Good,” as well as albums, songbooks and other ephemera from his long and illustrious career to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in 2009.

FILE - In this June 18, 2006 file photo, Chuck Mangione performs during the Playboy Jazz Festival in Los Angeles, Calif. (AP Photo/Lucas Jackson, file)

DateJul 24, 2025 12:34 PMHeadlineObit-Chuck MangioneSourceAPNotesFILE PHOTORestrictionsEds: UPDATES: Updates Media.Use informationUse of this content is for editorial purposes only. For inquiries regarding non-editorial uses, contact your licensing representative.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753397092755.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Two-time Grammy Award-winning musician&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c617bed75b01421dac0bb68424756775">Chuck Mangione,</a>&nbsp;who achieved international success in 1977 with his jazz-flavored single “Feels So Good” and later became a voice actor on the animated TV comedy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-mike-judge-ap-top-news-tv-b110858783619ab165efe1373c584f0a">“King of the Hill,”</a>&nbsp;has died. He was 84.Mangione died at his home in Rochester, New York, on Tuesday in his sleep, said his attorney, Peter S. Matorin of Beldock Levine &amp; Hoffman LLP. The musician had been retired since 2015.Perhaps his biggest hit — “Feels So Good” — is a staple on most smooth-jazz radio stations and has been called one of the most recognized melodies since “Michelle” by the Beatles. It hit No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the top of the Billboard adult contemporary chart.“It identified for a lot of people a song with an artist, even though I had a pretty strong base audience that kept us out there touring as often as we wanted to, that song just topped out there and took it to a whole other level,” Mangione told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in 2008.He followed that hit with “Give It All You Got,” commissioned for the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, and he performed it at the closing ceremony.Mangione, a flugelhorn and trumpet player and jazz composer, released more than 30 albums during a career in which he built a sizable following after recording several albums, doing all the writing.He won his first Grammy Award in 1977 for his album “Bellavia,” which was named in honor of his mother. Another album, “Friends and Love,” was also Grammy-nominated, and he earned a best original score Golden Globe nomination and a second Grammy for the movie “The Children of Sanchez.”Mangione introduced himself to a new audience when he appeared on the first several seasons of “King of the Hill,” appearing as a commercial spokesman for Mega Lo Mart, where “shopping feels so good.”Mangione, brother of jazz pianist Gap Mangione, with whom he partnered in The Jazz Brothers, started his career as a bebop jazz musician heavily inspired by Dizzy Gillespie.“He also was one of the first musicians I saw who had a rapport with the audience by just telling the audience what he was going to play and who was in his band,” Mangione told the Post-Gazette.Mangione earned a bachelor's degree from the Eastman School of Music — where he would eventually return as director of the school’s jazz ensemble — and left home to play with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers.He donated his signature brown felt hat and the score of his Grammy-winning single “Feels So Good,” as well as albums, songbooks and other ephemera from his long and illustrious career to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in 2009.Slide 1 of 3PreviousNextFILE - In this June 18, 2006 file photo, Chuck Mangione performs during the Playboy Jazz Festival in Los Angeles, Calif. (AP Photo/Lucas Jackson, file)<h2>Photo Details&nbsp;(1&nbsp;of&nbsp;3)</h2>DateJul 24, 2025 12:34 PMHeadlineObit-Chuck MangioneSourceAPNotesFILE PHOTORestrictionsEds: UPDATES: Updates Media.Use informationUse of this content is for editorial purposes only. For inquiries regarding non-editorial uses, contact your licensing representative.

Jazz legend Chuck Mangione, known for 'Feels So Good,' dies at 84

The Kansas Office of Veterans Services Office in partnership with the Garden City American Legion Post 9 invites all Veterans, military, and family members to attend the Garden City, Kansas Veterans Claims and Resource Fair at American Legion Post 9, 405 S. Main St., Garden City, Kansas on August 15-16, 2025. Benefits experts will offer on-site one-on-one assistance for claims, benefits, PACT Act issues and all Veteran benefits. No appointments are needed.

Accredited Veteran Service Representatives will be available to assist Veterans, active military members near their separation date, family members, and the public with all types of VA claims and benefits. KOVS Director Bill Turner said “These professionals are experts on State and Federal benefits available to Veterans and surviving spouses. We urge Veterans not to miss this opportunity to apply for benefits you have earned through your service to this country.”

“We also encourage community and business leaders to visit and learn about those benefits as well, in order to best support Veterans in your community,” Turner stated.

Some benefits include VA health care, service-connected claims, readjustment counseling information, Veteran Employment Services, and much more.

Attendees are strongly encouraged to bring discharge paperwork (DD-214) or claim file number, marriage certificate, and available medical records to help simplify the application for benefits. 


What: GARDEN CITY, KANSAS VETERAN CLAIMS AND RESOURCE FAIR When: 9:00am-6:00pm August 15, 2025 / 8:00am-Noon August 16, 2025 Where: American Legion Post 9, 405 S. Main St., Garden City, KS

NOTE: Final claim taken at 1700 August 15 / 1100 August 16. If Claim is already developed/ready to rate, must notify KOVS at 785.296.3977 by August 12

For questions or comments please contact Michelle Sweeney, Director of Public Affairs, at 785.940.1221 or michelle.sweeney@ks.gov

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753386163283.jpeg" alt="Kansas Office of Veterans Services" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Office of Veterans Services</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedThe Kansas Office of Veterans Services Office in partnership with the Garden City American Legion Post 9 invites all Veterans, military, and family members to attend the Garden City, Kansas Veterans Claims and Resource Fair at American Legion Post 9, 405 S. Main St., Garden City, Kansas on August 15-16, 2025. Benefits experts will offer on-site one-on-one assistance for claims, benefits, PACT Act issues and all Veteran benefits. No appointments are needed.Accredited Veteran Service Representatives will be available to assist Veterans, active military members near their separation date, family members, and the public with all types of VA claims and benefits. KOVS Director Bill Turner said “These professionals are experts on State and Federal benefits available to Veterans and surviving spouses. We urge Veterans not to miss this opportunity to apply for benefits you have earned through your service to this country.”“We also encourage community and business leaders to visit and learn about those benefits as well, in order to best support Veterans in your community,” Turner stated.Some benefits include VA health care, service-connected claims, readjustment counseling information, Veteran Employment Services, and much more.Attendees are strongly encouraged to bring discharge paperwork (DD-214) or claim file number, marriage certificate, and available medical records to help simplify the application for benefits. 
What: GARDEN CITY, KANSAS VETERAN CLAIMS AND RESOURCE FAIR When: 9:00am-6:00pm August 15, 2025 / 8:00am-Noon August 16, 2025 Where: American Legion Post 9, 405 S. Main St., Garden City, KSNOTE: Final claim taken at 1700 August 15 / 1100 August 16. If Claim is already developed/ready to rate, must notify KOVS at 785.296.3977 by August 12For questions or comments please contact Michelle Sweeney, Director of Public Affairs, at 785.940.1221 or michelle.sweeney@ks.gov

Garden City, Kansas veteran claims, resource fair

WICHITA -&nbsp;The National Baseball Congress defending champion Hays Larks
open play at the World Series Thursday afternoon in Wichita against the Seattle
Blackfins and Eck Stadium.

The game was initially scheduled for a 6 p.m. start, but due
to the chance for severe weather later in the day in Wichita, the game time has
been moved to 2 p.m.

You can watch every Larks game from the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@nbcws">NBC World Series</a> on
Hays Post thanks to our sponsors and the NBC.

Hays Larks baseball on Hays Post is brought to you by: Brungardt Hower First Care Clinic Gib’s Auto Supply Glassman Corporation Herrman Physical Therapy Midwest Energy Nex Tech Whitetail Properties Agents Adam Hann and Mitch Keeley Shelter Insurance Agents Dustin Schumacher and Todd Keller The ARC of Central Plains Thrift Store M &amp; D Excavating Incorporated Phaze 2

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753331542160.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA -&nbsp;The National Baseball Congress defending champion Hays Larks
open play at the World Series Thursday afternoon in Wichita against the Seattle
Blackfins and Eck Stadium.The game was initially scheduled for a 6 p.m. start, but due
to the chance for severe weather later in the day in Wichita, the game time has
been moved to 2 p.m.You can watch every Larks game from the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@nbcws">NBC World Series</a> on
Hays Post thanks to our sponsors and the NBC.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7hnIe-JXPNk?si=oA-aCQRxA7EjxSiO" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Hays Larks baseball on Hays Post is brought to you by: Brungardt Hower First Care Clinic Gib’s Auto Supply Glassman Corporation Herrman Physical Therapy Midwest Energy Nex Tech Whitetail Properties Agents Adam Hann and Mitch Keeley Shelter Insurance Agents Dustin Schumacher and Todd Keller The ARC of Central Plains Thrift Store M &amp; D Excavating Incorporated Phaze 2

⚾🎥 LIVE: Hays Larks take on Seattle Blackfins at NBC Word Series

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Hulk Hogan, the mustachioed, headscarf-wearing icon in the world of professional wrestling, has died at the age of 71, Florida police and WWE said Thursday.

In Clearwater, Florida, authorities responded to a call Thursday morning about a cardiac arrest. Hogan was pronounced dead at a hospital, police said in a statement on Facebook.

Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, was perhaps the biggest star in WWE’s long history. He was the main draw for the first WrestleMania in 1985 and was a fixture for years, facing everyone from Andre The Giant and Randy Savage to The Rock and even company chairman Vince McMahon.

He won at least six WWE championships and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005.

Hogan was also a celebrity outside the wrestling world, appearing in numerous movies and television shows, including a reality show about his life on VH1, “Hogan Knows Best.”

In 2016, a Florida jury awarded Hogan $115 million in his sex tape lawsuit against Gawker Media. Hogan sued after Gawker in 2012 posted a video of him having sex with his former best friend’s wife. Hogan contended the post violated his privacy.

WWE posted a note on X saying it was saddened to learn the WWE Hall of Famer had passed away.

“One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s. WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans," it said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753374239472.png" alt="Hulk Hogan spoke on the final night of the Republican National Convention last July-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Hulk Hogan spoke on the final night of the Republican National Convention last July-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Hulk Hogan, the mustachioed, headscarf-wearing icon in the world of professional wrestling, has died at the age of 71, Florida police and WWE said Thursday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away. One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s. WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans.&mdash; WWE (@WWE) <a href="https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1948414335153230023?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In Clearwater, Florida, authorities responded to a call Thursday morning about a cardiac arrest. Hogan was pronounced dead at a hospital, police said in a statement on Facebook.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FClearwaterPolice%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0272xskH6HPZZSAZefBwY23wP1UjQgC1dJjALZMEbkSHrLxhoG8dSZRnPG7YKFWhtml&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="469" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/HulkHogan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HulkHogan</a>: &quot;As an entertainer I try to stay out of politics, but after everything that&#39;s happened to our country over the past four years and after everything that happened last weekend I can no longer stay silent...Donald Trump is a real American hero!&quot; <a href="https://t.co/UxM0ZieYfM">pic.twitter.com/UxM0ZieYfM</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1814113807662567834?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">From 2024 RNC. Watch the full video here: <a href="https://t.co/10hAILirT9">https://t.co/10hAILirT9</a> <a href="https://t.co/lsr2lFymhn">https://t.co/lsr2lFymhn</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1948426827858354619?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, was perhaps the biggest star in WWE’s long history. He was the main draw for the first WrestleMania in 1985 and was a fixture for years, facing everyone from Andre The Giant and Randy Savage to The Rock and even company chairman Vince McMahon.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">An American Legend. <a href="https://t.co/DVQuR2YIxJ">pic.twitter.com/DVQuR2YIxJ</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1948419594827235760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>He won at least six WWE championships and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005.Hogan was also a celebrity outside the wrestling world, appearing in numerous movies and television shows, including a reality show about his life on VH1, “Hogan Knows Best.”In 2016, a Florida jury awarded Hogan $115 million in his sex tape lawsuit against Gawker Media. Hogan sued after Gawker in 2012 posted a video of him having sex with his former best friend’s wife. Hogan contended the post violated his privacy.WWE posted a note on X saying it was saddened to learn the WWE Hall of Famer had passed away.“One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s. WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans," it said.

Hulk Hogan, pro wrestling superstar dead at 71

Douglas H. 'Doug' Innes, 93, Hays, died Monday, June 23,
2025 at Cedarhurst of Lawrence.

He was born March 6, 1932 in Phillipsburg, the son of Guy
Allendale and Carolyn Violet (Unland) Innes.&nbsp;
Doug was the oldest of five children: Von, Ronald, Karen Sue, and Rodney,
and he attended school in Phillipsburg and graduated from Phillipsburg High
School in 1950.&nbsp; Doug attended McNeese
State College for one year and then transferred to the University of Nebraska
where he received a BSc degree in Geology in 1955.&nbsp; While at Nebraska, he was enrolled in the
ROTC program and received a commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S.
Army.&nbsp; He was called to active duty a
short time later and after inducted, he was assigned to duty in Schwetzington,
Germany.

On February 6, 1955 he was united in marriage to Elizabeth
“Betty” Thurman in Broken Bow, Nebraska, and they were blessed with three
children: Susan, Jill, and Thomas.&nbsp; After
his assignment in the Army was completed, he worked as a geologist in New
Mexico and Colorado.&nbsp; He returned to
Phillipsburg in 1961 to work in the family business as well as part time with
the U.S. Post Office.&nbsp; In 1964, he was
appointed to Postmaster at the Phillipsburg post office.&nbsp; In 1978, Doug received a promotion and he and
his family moved to Hays.&nbsp; Doug enjoyed
his work with the post office and in 1981 he was appointed Hays Postmaster, a
position he held until retirement in 1990.

Survivors include his wife Betty of Hays, his three
children, Susan Shanklin and husband Greg of Lawrence, Jill Innes of Madison
WI, and Thomas Innes and wife Lisa of Madison, WI, a foster daughter Tarea
Sanders Fischer of Hays, two brothers, Von Innes and wife Lois of Lincoln, NE, and
Rodney Innes and wife Mary of Olathe, eight grandchildren, two great
granddaughters, and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Ronald
Innes, and his sister Karen Sue Dulaney.

Inurnment with military honors by the Hays VFW Post #9076
Honor Guard will be at 9:30 am on Monday, July 28, 2025 in the Kansas Veterans’
Cemetery in WaKeeney followed by a memorial service at 11:00 am at Hays
Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.&nbsp; The family
will receive friends from 4:00 pm until 5:00 on Sunday, July 27, 2025 at the
funeral home.&nbsp; Memorials are suggested to
the Humane Society of the High Plains.&nbsp;
Condolences and memories of Doug may be shared with his family at
www.haysmemorial.com

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750950060718.jpeg" alt="Douglas H. 'Doug' Innes" />
 <figcaption>Douglas H. 'Doug' Innes</figcaption>
 </figure>Douglas H. 'Doug' Innes, 93, Hays, died Monday, June 23,
2025 at Cedarhurst of Lawrence.He was born March 6, 1932 in Phillipsburg, the son of Guy
Allendale and Carolyn Violet (Unland) Innes.&nbsp;
Doug was the oldest of five children: Von, Ronald, Karen Sue, and Rodney,
and he attended school in Phillipsburg and graduated from Phillipsburg High
School in 1950.&nbsp; Doug attended McNeese
State College for one year and then transferred to the University of Nebraska
where he received a BSc degree in Geology in 1955.&nbsp; While at Nebraska, he was enrolled in the
ROTC program and received a commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S.
Army.&nbsp; He was called to active duty a
short time later and after inducted, he was assigned to duty in Schwetzington,
Germany.On February 6, 1955 he was united in marriage to Elizabeth
“Betty” Thurman in Broken Bow, Nebraska, and they were blessed with three
children: Susan, Jill, and Thomas.&nbsp; After
his assignment in the Army was completed, he worked as a geologist in New
Mexico and Colorado.&nbsp; He returned to
Phillipsburg in 1961 to work in the family business as well as part time with
the U.S. Post Office.&nbsp; In 1964, he was
appointed to Postmaster at the Phillipsburg post office.&nbsp; In 1978, Doug received a promotion and he and
his family moved to Hays.&nbsp; Doug enjoyed
his work with the post office and in 1981 he was appointed Hays Postmaster, a
position he held until retirement in 1990.Survivors include his wife Betty of Hays, his three
children, Susan Shanklin and husband Greg of Lawrence, Jill Innes of Madison
WI, and Thomas Innes and wife Lisa of Madison, WI, a foster daughter Tarea
Sanders Fischer of Hays, two brothers, Von Innes and wife Lois of Lincoln, NE, and
Rodney Innes and wife Mary of Olathe, eight grandchildren, two great
granddaughters, and numerous nieces and nephews.He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Ronald
Innes, and his sister Karen Sue Dulaney.Inurnment with military honors by the Hays VFW Post #9076
Honor Guard will be at 9:30 am on Monday, July 28, 2025 in the Kansas Veterans’
Cemetery in WaKeeney followed by a memorial service at 11:00 am at Hays
Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.&nbsp; The family
will receive friends from 4:00 pm until 5:00 on Sunday, July 27, 2025 at the
funeral home.&nbsp; Memorials are suggested to
the Humane Society of the High Plains.&nbsp;
Condolences and memories of Doug may be shared with his family at
www.haysmemorial.com

Douglas H. 'Doug' Innes

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pam-bondi">Attorney General Pam Bondi</a>&nbsp;is facing Democratic calls to testify before Congress following a newspaper’s revelation that she told President Donald Trump that his name appeared in the files of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein sex-trafficking investigation.</a>

The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that Bondi told Trump his name was among many high-profile figures mentioned in the files,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-justice-department-pam-bondi-03fbcd024f631440f7ed62b3c6927db3">which the Justice Department this month said it would not be releasing</a>&nbsp;despite a clamor from online sleuths, conspiracy theorists and members of Trump’s base.

Trump’s personal ties to Epstein are well-established and his name is already known to have been included in records related to the wealthy financier, who killed himself in jail in 2019 as he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges.

Sen. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, responded to the report by calling on Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“We need to bring Bondi and Patel into the Judiciary Committee to testify about this now,” Schiff said in a video posted on X.

The Justice Department declined to comment on the report but issued a joint statement from Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche saying that investigators had reviewed the records and “nothing in the files warranted further investigation or prosecution.”

“As par of our routine briefing, we made the president aware of the findings,” the statement said.

The mere inclusion of a person’s name in Epstein’s files does not imply wrongdoing and he was known to have been associated with multiple prominent figures, including Trump.

Over the years, thousands of pages of records have been released through lawsuits, Epstein’s criminal dockets, public disclosures and Freedom of Information Act requests.

They include a 2016 deposition in which an accuser recounted she spent several hours with Epstein at Trump’s Atlantic City casino but didn’t say if she met Trump and did not accuse him of any wrongdoing.

Trump has also said he once thought Epstein was a “terrific guy” but they later had a falling-out.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752615564413.png" alt="File photo Attorney General Pam Bondi" />
 <figcaption>File photo Attorney General Pam Bondi</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pam-bondi">Attorney General Pam Bondi</a>&nbsp;is facing Democratic calls to testify before Congress following a newspaper’s revelation that she told President Donald Trump that his name appeared in the files of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein sex-trafficking investigation.</a>The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that Bondi told Trump his name was among many high-profile figures mentioned in the files,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-justice-department-pam-bondi-03fbcd024f631440f7ed62b3c6927db3">which the Justice Department this month said it would not be releasing</a>&nbsp;despite a clamor from online sleuths, conspiracy theorists and members of Trump’s base.Trump’s personal ties to Epstein are well-established and his name is already known to have been included in records related to the wealthy financier, who killed himself in jail in 2019 as he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges.Sen. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, responded to the report by calling on Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee.“We need to bring Bondi and Patel into the Judiciary Committee to testify about this now,” Schiff said in a video posted on X.The Justice Department declined to comment on the report but issued a joint statement from Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche saying that investigators had reviewed the records and “nothing in the files warranted further investigation or prosecution.”“As par of our routine briefing, we made the president aware of the findings,” the statement said.The mere inclusion of a person’s name in Epstein’s files does not imply wrongdoing and he was known to have been associated with multiple prominent figures, including Trump.Over the years, thousands of pages of records have been released through lawsuits, Epstein’s criminal dockets, public disclosures and Freedom of Information Act requests.They include a 2016 deposition in which an accuser recounted she spent several hours with Epstein at Trump’s Atlantic City casino but didn’t say if she met Trump and did not accuse him of any wrongdoing.Trump has also said he once thought Epstein was a “terrific guy” but they later had a falling-out.

AG facing calls to testify following report she told Trump he was in Epstein files

GREENSBORO, N.C. - The Fort Hays State baseball team earned the 2024-25 ABCA Team Academic Excellence Award for its performance in the classroom, announced Wednesday by the coaches association.

The squad posted a team GPA of 3.10 over the most recent academic year. The Tigers had 22 student-athletes named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll, including a pair of MIAA Scholar-Athlete Award winners in Trey DeGarmo and Derek Woolwine. DeGarmo, Woolwine and Brandon Chavez were all chosen as CSC Academic All-District honorees.

Additional Tigers named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll included Mike Acierno, Luis Ayala, Trevor Baugh, Jeremy Bingesser, Sebastian Burgos, DJ Cavazos, Nolan Dreher, Tytin Goebel, Brock Griffin, Dylan Haselhorst, Brett Jacobs, Tyson Jimenez, Zane Knox, Brady Kreutzer, Spencer Maley, Tony Moore, Cesar Saavedra, Isaiah Ural and Carson Wasinger.

This is the second time the team has received this award, and the first since the 2021-22 season. FHSU was one of four MIAA programs to earn the honor this season.

The award, presented by Sports Attack, recognizes ABCA member teams from all levels of high school and collegiate baseball that achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale during the 2024-25 academic year. More than 440 college programs and 300 high school programs were recognized for their outstanding academic achievement this year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753369125592.png" alt="Image courtesy FHSU Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy FHSU Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsGREENSBORO, N.C. - The Fort Hays State baseball team earned the 2024-25 ABCA Team Academic Excellence Award for its performance in the classroom, announced Wednesday by the coaches association.The squad posted a team GPA of 3.10 over the most recent academic year. The Tigers had 22 student-athletes named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll, including a pair of MIAA Scholar-Athlete Award winners in Trey DeGarmo and Derek Woolwine. DeGarmo, Woolwine and Brandon Chavez were all chosen as CSC Academic All-District honorees.Additional Tigers named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll included Mike Acierno, Luis Ayala, Trevor Baugh, Jeremy Bingesser, Sebastian Burgos, DJ Cavazos, Nolan Dreher, Tytin Goebel, Brock Griffin, Dylan Haselhorst, Brett Jacobs, Tyson Jimenez, Zane Knox, Brady Kreutzer, Spencer Maley, Tony Moore, Cesar Saavedra, Isaiah Ural and Carson Wasinger.This is the second time the team has received this award, and the first since the 2021-22 season. FHSU was one of four MIAA programs to earn the honor this season.The award, presented by Sports Attack, recognizes ABCA member teams from all levels of high school and collegiate baseball that achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale during the 2024-25 academic year. More than 440 college programs and 300 high school programs were recognized for their outstanding academic achievement this year.

⚾ Tigers collect ABCA Team Academic Excellence Award

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post

The fate of an appeal of a sexual assault case against a former
Fort Hays State University student and a Congolese native rests in the hands of
an Ellis County District Court judge.

Last week, 37-year-old Reagan Booto was back in an Ellis County
courtroom for a second time, appealing his 2018 conviction on two counts of aggravated sexual
battery.

Booto, who was a Fort Hays State student and a soccer player, was accused of sex crimes against three women in late 2017 and
early 2018.

In all the incidents, he was accused of groping the victim. He
was convicted by a jury in January 2020 on two counts of aggravated sexual
battery and sentenced to 84 months in prison.

Booto appealed the ruling, citing issues with the judge's decision
to move forward with the first day of the trial while Booto was stuck in a snowstorm
and not able to attend. The appeals court ruled against Booto, finding that the
judge's errors were insufficient to overturn the verdict.

The Kansas Supreme Court refused to take up the case, ending
his state-level options for appeal.

Booto, a native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in
Central Africa, is in the United States on a green card. He is scheduled to be
released from prison in September, and if the convictions stand, he is expected
to be deported back to the Congo, according to Booto and his attorney Craig Uhrich.

Booto filed a civil 60-1057 suit against Ellis County
Attorney Aaron Cunningham in May 2023. 

Booto alleged that his criminal defense attorney, Alex
Herman, was ineffective, which resulted in a violation of his constitutional rights.


Following several delays and a change in counsel, Booto was
back in Ellis County in front of 23rd District Judge Curtis Brown on
July 15.

During the day-long hearing, Booto’s attorney called four
witnesses, including Herman and Booto.

Booto’s argument for ineffective counsel centered around the
claim that Herman told him that he was not allowed to testify.

During his time on the stand, Herman denied that claim. 

He testified that he told Booto that he had the right to
testify, but that he did not believe it was in Booto’s best interest.

While he was on the stand, being cross-examined by
Cunningham, Booto admitted Herman told him he could testify, but Herman did not believe it was in Booto’s best interest. 

According to Herman, he told Booto he might look
arrogant or entitled in front of a jury.

Cunningham then presented the transcript from the criminal trial,
in which Judge Glenn Braun reviewed the jury instructions with Booto and
informed him he had the right to testify. He went on to tell him that if Booto
elected not to testify, the judge would then inform the jury that they could
not draw any inferences from his decision. 

Booto then conceded during questioning that he had given up
his right to testify in the criminal trial.

Following Booto’s testimony, his attorney provided Judge
Braun with more than two dozen citations from the criminal case in support of
their most recent arguments.

Brown said because he had not thoroughly reviewed the criminal
trial documents, he would take the case under advisement, review the trial
documents, and issue a written opinion at a later date.

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays PostThe fate of an appeal of a sexual assault case against a former
Fort Hays State University student and a Congolese native rests in the hands of
an Ellis County District Court judge.Last week, 37-year-old Reagan Booto was back in an Ellis County
courtroom for a second time, appealing his 2018 conviction on two counts of aggravated sexual
battery.Booto, who was a Fort Hays State student and a soccer player, was accused of sex crimes against three women in late 2017 and
early 2018.In all the incidents, he was accused of groping the victim. He
was convicted by a jury in January 2020 on two counts of aggravated sexual
battery and sentenced to 84 months in prison.Booto appealed the ruling, citing issues with the judge's decision
to move forward with the first day of the trial while Booto was stuck in a snowstorm
and not able to attend. The appeals court ruled against Booto, finding that the
judge's errors were insufficient to overturn the verdict.The Kansas Supreme Court refused to take up the case, ending
his state-level options for appeal.Booto, a native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in
Central Africa, is in the United States on a green card. He is scheduled to be
released from prison in September, and if the convictions stand, he is expected
to be deported back to the Congo, according to Booto and his attorney Craig Uhrich.Booto filed a civil 60-1057 suit against Ellis County
Attorney Aaron Cunningham in May 2023. Booto alleged that his criminal defense attorney, Alex
Herman, was ineffective, which resulted in a violation of his constitutional rights.
Following several delays and a change in counsel, Booto was
back in Ellis County in front of 23rd District Judge Curtis Brown on
July 15.During the day-long hearing, Booto’s attorney called four
witnesses, including Herman and Booto.Booto’s argument for ineffective counsel centered around the
claim that Herman told him that he was not allowed to testify.During his time on the stand, Herman denied that claim. He testified that he told Booto that he had the right to
testify, but that he did not believe it was in Booto’s best interest.While he was on the stand, being cross-examined by
Cunningham, Booto admitted Herman told him he could testify, but Herman did not believe it was in Booto’s best interest. According to Herman, he told Booto he might look
arrogant or entitled in front of a jury.Cunningham then presented the transcript from the criminal trial,
in which Judge Glenn Braun reviewed the jury instructions with Booto and
informed him he had the right to testify. He went on to tell him that if Booto
elected not to testify, the judge would then inform the jury that they could
not draw any inferences from his decision. Booto then conceded during questioning that he had given up
his right to testify in the criminal trial.Following Booto’s testimony, his attorney provided Judge
Braun with more than two dozen citations from the criminal case in support of
their most recent arguments.Brown said because he had not thoroughly reviewed the criminal
trial documents, he would take the case under advisement, review the trial
documents, and issue a written opinion at a later date.

Hays judge reconsiders sentence of convicted sex offender

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

A little more rain fell in Hays overnight Wednesday as thunderstorms and lightning moved through the area from northwestern Kansas.

The official measurement at the K-State Agricultural Research Center south of town was 0.27 inches. The Eagle Media Center, 2300 Hall, also received just over a quarter-inch, at 0.26 inches.

Hays is closing in on the cumulative average of 3.33 inches of rainfall for July. As of 9 a.m. Thursday, Hays has received 2.66 inches of rain in July.

Hays remains about an inch behind normal for the year-to-date with 13.70 inches of moisture recorded. The 158-year cumulative average is 14.67 inches by the end of July.

Drought conditions in Ellis County have improved slightly, according to the U.S./Kansas Drought Monitor.

As of Tuesday morning at 8 a.m., the entire county was rated as abnormally dry.&nbsp;

&nbsp;The <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/338a43f4-51a3-4ee7-a351-e11c04aee773">three-day weather forecast</a> is calling for chances of rain Thursday and Friday with cooler temperatures, then a return to 100 degrees on Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715004827241.jpg" alt="Photo by Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostA little more rain fell in Hays overnight Wednesday as thunderstorms and lightning moved through the area from northwestern Kansas.The official measurement at the K-State Agricultural Research Center south of town was 0.27 inches. The Eagle Media Center, 2300 Hall, also received just over a quarter-inch, at 0.26 inches.Hays is closing in on the cumulative average of 3.33 inches of rainfall for July. As of 9 a.m. Thursday, Hays has received 2.66 inches of rain in July.Hays remains about an inch behind normal for the year-to-date with 13.70 inches of moisture recorded. The 158-year cumulative average is 14.67 inches by the end of July.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753369681612.png" alt="U.S. Drought Monitor" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Drought Monitor</figcaption>
 </figure>Drought conditions in Ellis County have improved slightly, according to the U.S./Kansas Drought Monitor.As of Tuesday morning at 8 a.m., the entire county was rated as abnormally dry.&nbsp;&nbsp;The <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/338a43f4-51a3-4ee7-a351-e11c04aee773">three-day weather forecast</a> is calling for chances of rain Thursday and Friday with cooler temperatures, then a return to 100 degrees on Saturday.

More rain falls in Hays overnight Wednesday; drought condition improves slightly for Ellis County 

DOUGLAS COUNTY—Law enforcement across Kansas continue to stop drivers traveling far above the legal speed limit.

On Sunday, KHP Trooper Lauren Braun was on patrol in Douglas County when she saw a white SUV driving at high speeds in her rearview mirror, according to a social media report from the KHP.

 She stopped the vehicle for 111mph in a posted 75 mph zone.  The driver was on their way to church and had a small child in the vehicle with them. 

"This is a good reminder to make sure that you are driving safe at all times, no matter where you are going.  The youngest travelers in Kansas are depending on drivers to make sure they arrive alive to all of their destinations."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753201622438.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY—Law enforcement across Kansas continue to stop drivers traveling far above the legal speed limit.On Sunday, KHP Trooper Lauren Braun was on patrol in Douglas County when she saw a white SUV driving at high speeds in her rearview mirror, according to a social media report from the KHP.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753201607239.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure> She stopped the vehicle for 111mph in a posted 75 mph zone. The driver was on their way to church and had a small child in the vehicle with them. "This is a good reminder to make sure that you are driving safe at all times, no matter where you are going. The youngest travelers in Kansas are depending on drivers to make sure they arrive alive to all of their destinations."

KHP: Driver on the way to church stopped for 111mph

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Several Hays USD 489 school board members expressed frustration at a special meeting on Monday after being presented with an almost $1 million change order for O'Loughlin Elementary School.

The $987,650 change order includes the replacement of sewer lines throughout the building.

The funds for the repairs would come from bond funds. It would increase the overall cost of the O'Loughlin renovation project to $16.8 million. The overall bond initiative remains within budget, but unallocated bond funds would be reduced to about $1 million, Wilson said.

The largest project in the bond initiative, Hays High School, is nearing completion and is set to open in August. The second-largest project is the Roosevelt Elementary School renovation and addition, which is complete.

Work has yet to be completed at the existing high school and middle schools, but those projects have much smaller scopes than Roosevelt, Hays High and O'Loughlin, with a total budget for both schools of about $10 million.

Dylan Weddle, Nabholz Construction project manager, said a camera survey of the pipes found sewage leaking underneath O'Loughlin Elementary School.

Weddle said during the camera scopes, in several places, workers observed that there were no longer bottoms to the pipes. In other locations, the existing cast iron pipes showed signs of erosion.

O'Loughlin Elementary School was built in the 1960s by the Catholic Diocese and used initially as a girls' high school. It was purchased by Hays USD 489 and converted into an elementary school in 1989.

Renovations to the school have been ongoing this summer, and some floors will have to be dug up to install the new sewage pipes next summer.

Weddle said the sewer issue was discovered in April, and Nabholz has been working with DLR, the district's architect, and Glassman, a local contractor, to develop a plan and estimate the cost of fixing the issue.

Board President Curt Vajnar asked why, if Nabholz had been aware of the sewer issue in April, it had not been brought to the board's attention until now.

"Surely we could have had a heads-up," he said.

He also cited a 2021 building report card, which was released before the bond issue was passed, showing that O'Loughlin had sewer issues.

Vajnar said someone had alerted him to the sewer issue in April. However, he said he had promised that person he would not release his or her name and would not disclose the information publicly or to the other board members.

Weddle said Nabholz had not attempted to hide the problem. The firm was asked to look into the potential issue and provide a price for resolving it.

Vajnar expressed concern that work to renovate rooms in O'Loughlin has been completed this summer, and the floors will have to be dug up next summer to repair the sewer lines.

Weddle said that will have to happen. He said he did not know the exact number of affected rooms. He said the district could explore temporary flooring in the affected rooms, as the floors in the renovated areas have not been finished yet this summer.

The project called for paint and new floor coverings to be added to half of the existing rooms this summer. The work on the rest of the school was set to be completed next summer.

Board member Allen Park called the change order a "large mistake."

"I wouldn't call it a mistake," Weddle said. "It wasn't part of the scope. The cost isn't any more than it would be if it had been added to the project before. I can only go from when we were asked to look at it, and we were asked to look at it in the spring."

Weddle said it would not be standard procedure for an architectural firm such as DLR to scope existing sanitary sewer piping as part of their design.

Board member Ruth Ruder asked Weddle if the school district would be in violation of any health regulations if it did not fix the sewer.

Weddle said he was not aware of the pipes backing up at this point, but the district maintenance department has been cleaning out pipes multiple times per year.

Board member Derek Yarmer also asked why the board was not informed sooner about the need for the sewer repairs.

Yarmer also wanted to know why the project was not bid.

Weddle said, "In a case like this, it is more efficient and extremely helpful to have a contractor on board who can work with you and the engineer rather than having all of those discussions in a vacuum without a contracot's help, especially when the contractor does all of the plumping and mechanical work in that building and has an intimate knowledge of all of the plumbing and fixtures in there."

"I think that got us there quicker, more efficiently and probably at a lower cost design-wise because they helped figure out what that design needed to be," he said.

A Glassman representative said they were able to utilize bulk pricing to order the fixtures for the sewer project because they had already ordered other fixtures in bulk for the project.

Yarmer said, "[The sewer project] should not be a shock to anyone. The fact that it is a shock to you is concerning."

He asked what would be done to prevent a significant change order from being brought to the board again as the district proceeds with renovations of the former high school and middle school.

"It is a mistake," Yarmer said, "and I think Allen [Park] was completely correct that you screwed up on this. You, being the whole group, you Nabholz, DLR, or whoever. This should have been known before passing bond money for it."

He added, "I don't think the discussion is that we're not going to do this because it has to be done. The question is why was it not found earlier, because it should have been found earlier. Two, we should have put more stock into the important things in the school and not the paint and carpet."

Weddle said Nabholz is not under contract for any plumbing work on the former high school. He said the current middle school plumbing could be scoped now, and DLR could include any necessary repairs in the design work.

Board vice president Ken Brooks said, "There was a problem somewhere along the way, obviously. I won't disagree with that. But it's got to be taken care of."

The school board also approved change orders for Hays High School for $163,126.

The change orders included several safety items, including equipment for the elevators, blinds and shades, and a radio frequency booster. DLR had also only included two basketball goals for the auxiliary gym. Four additional goals accounted for $52,799 of the total.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753306060770.jpeg" alt="Work is progressing on an addition and renovation for O'Loughlin Elementary School. The Hays USD 489 school board approved an almost $1 million change order to the project on Monday to replace all the sewer pipes for the building. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Work is progressing on an addition and renovation for O'Loughlin Elementary School. The Hays USD 489 school board approved an almost $1 million change order to the project on Monday to replace all the sewer pipes for the building. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostSeveral Hays USD 489 school board members expressed frustration at a special meeting on Monday after being presented with an almost $1 million change order for O'Loughlin Elementary School.The $987,650 change order includes the replacement of sewer lines throughout the building.The funds for the repairs would come from bond funds. It would increase the overall cost of the O'Loughlin renovation project to $16.8 million. The overall bond initiative remains within budget, but unallocated bond funds would be reduced to about $1 million, Wilson said.The largest project in the bond initiative, Hays High School, is nearing completion and is set to open in August. The second-largest project is the Roosevelt Elementary School renovation and addition, which is complete.Work has yet to be completed at the existing high school and middle schools, but those projects have much smaller scopes than Roosevelt, Hays High and O'Loughlin, with a total budget for both schools of about $10 million.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753290326473.png" alt="Bond project budget including latest change orders" />
 <figcaption>Bond project budget including latest change orders</figcaption>
 </figure>Dylan Weddle, Nabholz Construction project manager, said a camera survey of the pipes found sewage leaking underneath O'Loughlin Elementary School.Weddle said during the camera scopes, in several places, workers observed that there were no longer bottoms to the pipes. In other locations, the existing cast iron pipes showed signs of erosion.O'Loughlin Elementary School was built in the 1960s by the Catholic Diocese and used initially as a girls' high school. It was purchased by Hays USD 489 and converted into an elementary school in 1989.Renovations to the school have been ongoing this summer, and some floors will have to be dug up to install the new sewage pipes next summer.Weddle said the sewer issue was discovered in April, and Nabholz has been working with DLR, the district's architect, and Glassman, a local contractor, to develop a plan and estimate the cost of fixing the issue.Board President Curt Vajnar asked why, if Nabholz had been aware of the sewer issue in April, it had not been brought to the board's attention until now."Surely we could have had a heads-up," he said.He also cited a 2021 building report card, which was released before the bond issue was passed, showing that O'Loughlin had sewer issues.Vajnar said someone had alerted him to the sewer issue in April. However, he said he had promised that person he would not release his or her name and would not disclose the information publicly or to the other board members.Weddle said Nabholz had not attempted to hide the problem. The firm was asked to look into the potential issue and provide a price for resolving it.Vajnar expressed concern that work to renovate rooms in O'Loughlin has been completed this summer, and the floors will have to be dug up next summer to repair the sewer lines.Weddle said that will have to happen. He said he did not know the exact number of affected rooms. He said the district could explore temporary flooring in the affected rooms, as the floors in the renovated areas have not been finished yet this summer.The project called for paint and new floor coverings to be added to half of the existing rooms this summer. The work on the rest of the school was set to be completed next summer.Board member Allen Park called the change order a "large mistake.""I wouldn't call it a mistake," Weddle said. "It wasn't part of the scope. The cost isn't any more than it would be if it had been added to the project before. I can only go from when we were asked to look at it, and we were asked to look at it in the spring."Weddle said it would not be standard procedure for an architectural firm such as DLR to scope existing sanitary sewer piping as part of their design.Board member Ruth Ruder asked Weddle if the school district would be in violation of any health regulations if it did not fix the sewer.Weddle said he was not aware of the pipes backing up at this point, but the district maintenance department has been cleaning out pipes multiple times per year.Board member Derek Yarmer also asked why the board was not informed sooner about the need for the sewer repairs.Yarmer also wanted to know why the project was not bid.Weddle said, "In a case like this, it is more efficient and extremely helpful to have a contractor on board who can work with you and the engineer rather than having all of those discussions in a vacuum without a contracot's help, especially when the contractor does all of the plumping and mechanical work in that building and has an intimate knowledge of all of the plumbing and fixtures in there.""I think that got us there quicker, more efficiently and probably at a lower cost design-wise because they helped figure out what that design needed to be," he said.A Glassman representative said they were able to utilize bulk pricing to order the fixtures for the sewer project because they had already ordered other fixtures in bulk for the project.Yarmer said, "[The sewer project] should not be a shock to anyone. The fact that it is a shock to you is concerning."He asked what would be done to prevent a significant change order from being brought to the board again as the district proceeds with renovations of the former high school and middle school."It is a mistake," Yarmer said, "and I think Allen [Park] was completely correct that you screwed up on this. You, being the whole group, you Nabholz, DLR, or whoever. This should have been known before passing bond money for it."He added, "I don't think the discussion is that we're not going to do this because it has to be done. The question is why was it not found earlier, because it should have been found earlier. Two, we should have put more stock into the important things in the school and not the paint and carpet."Weddle said Nabholz is not under contract for any plumbing work on the former high school. He said the current middle school plumbing could be scoped now, and DLR could include any necessary repairs in the design work.Board vice president Ken Brooks said, "There was a problem somewhere along the way, obviously. I won't disagree with that. But it's got to be taken care of."The school board also approved change orders for Hays High School for $163,126. The change orders included several safety items, including equipment for the elevators, blinds and shades, and a radio frequency booster. DLR had also only included two basketball goals for the auxiliary gym. Four additional goals accounted for $52,799 of the total.

Replacement of O'Loughlin Elementary sewer to add $1M to project

Government surplus commodities will be distributed in Hays at&nbsp;Unite Free Shelves (inside The Gamers Guild), 200 E. 8th Street in Hays, on Tuesday, July 29 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Commodities will be distributed on a first-come-first-serve basis until we run out.&nbsp;Doors will not open until 7:30 a.m.

To be eligible for commodities, your household's total monthly income must be below: $2,413&nbsp;Household of one $3,261&nbsp;&nbsp;Household of two $4,109&nbsp;Household of three $4,957&nbsp;&nbsp;Household of four $5,805&nbsp;&nbsp;Household of five $6,653&nbsp;Household of six $7,501&nbsp;Household of seven $8,349&nbsp;&nbsp;Household of eight

*Add&nbsp; $848&nbsp;for each additional family member after eight

Commodities included in this distribution are anticipated to be  kidney beans, dehydrated potatoes, instant milk, chicken breast, apple juice, crackers, chicken leg quarters, peanut butter, and cut beans.&nbsp;

Contact Brandon Nimz, Unite Ministry Leader with any questions at 785-259-2539.&nbsp;

****Future Anticipated Commodities Dates for 2025****

Future commodity distribution times will be posted at:&nbsp;(<a target="_blank" href="http://unitehays.com/index.php/hays-commodity-distribution/">https://unitehays.com/index.php/hays-commodity-distribution/</a>)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592580255349.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedGovernment surplus commodities will be distributed in Hays at&nbsp;Unite Free Shelves (inside The Gamers Guild), 200 E. 8th Street in Hays, on Tuesday, July 29 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.Commodities will be distributed on a first-come-first-serve basis until we run out.&nbsp;Doors will not open until 7:30 a.m.To be eligible for commodities, your household's total monthly income must be below: $2,413&nbsp;Household of one $3,261&nbsp;&nbsp;Household of two $4,109&nbsp;Household of three $4,957&nbsp;&nbsp;Household of four $5,805&nbsp;&nbsp;Household of five $6,653&nbsp;Household of six $7,501&nbsp;Household of seven $8,349&nbsp;&nbsp;Household of eight*Add&nbsp; $848&nbsp;for each additional family member after eightCommodities included in this distribution are anticipated to be kidney beans, dehydrated potatoes, instant milk, chicken breast, apple juice, crackers, chicken leg quarters, peanut butter, and cut beans.&nbsp;Contact Brandon Nimz, Unite Ministry Leader with any questions at 785-259-2539.&nbsp;****Future Anticipated Commodities Dates for 2025****September 23November 25Future commodity distribution times will be posted at:&nbsp;(<a target="_blank" href="http://unitehays.com/index.php/hays-commodity-distribution/">https://unitehays.com/index.php/hays-commodity-distribution/</a>)

Government surplus commodities to be distributed Tuesday in Hays

NEW YORK (AP) — Columbia University announced Wednesday it has reached a deal with the Trump administration to pay more than $220 million to the federal government to restore&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-layoffs-campus-protests-trump-funding-antisemitism-ec6d152048d921bd1764ec11a287bbdd">federal research money</a>&nbsp;that was canceled in the name of combating antisemitism on campus.

Under the agreement, the Ivy League school will pay a $200 million settlement over three years, the university said. It will also pay $21 million to resolve alleged civil rights violations against Jewish employees that occurred following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, the White House said.

“This agreement marks an important step forward after a period of sustained federal scrutiny and institutional uncertainty," acting University President Claire Shipman said.

The school had been threatened with the potential loss of billions of dollars in government support, including more than $400 million in grants canceled earlier this year. The administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-protests-antisemitism-palestine-israel-9c209ce040e4b60d2702b40b9c2fb321">pulled the funding</a>&nbsp;because of what it described as the university’s failure to squelch antisemitism on campus during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>.

Columbia has since agreed to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-funding-trump-fa70143c715df8fd4ef337c0e1ccf872">series of demands</a>&nbsp;laid out by the Republican administration, including overhauling the university’s student disciplinary process and applying a contentious, federally endorsed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/antisemitism-definition-states-law-zionism-indiana-georgia-871571f3b392455b1479827bdf1f5ea7">definition of antisemitism</a>&nbsp;not only to teaching but to a disciplinary committee that has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-campus-protests-trump-congress-ba0eddec4679d70287202831c52ebed6">investigating students critical of Israel</a>.

Wednesday’s agreement — which does not include an admission of wrongdoing — codifies those reforms while preserving the university’s autonomy, Shipman said.

‘Columbia’s reforms are a roadmap,' Trump administration says

Education Secretary Linda McMahon called the deal “a seismic shift in our nation’s fight to hold institutions that accept American taxpayer dollars accountable for antisemitic discrimination and harassment.”

“Columbia’s reforms are a roadmap for elite universities that wish to regain the confidence of the American public by renewing their commitment to truth-seeking, merit, and civil debate,” McMahon said in a statement.

As part of the agreement, Columbia agreed to a series of changes previously announced in March, including reviewing its Middle East curriculum to make sure it was “comprehensive and balanced” and appointing new faculty to its Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies. It also promised to end programs “that promote unlawful efforts to achieve race-based outcomes, quotes, diversity targets or similar efforts.”

The university will also have to issue a report to a monitor assuring that its programs “do not promote unlawful DEI goals.”

In a post Wednesday night on his Truth Social platform, President Donald Trump said Columbia had “committed to ending their ridiculous DEI policies, admitting students based ONLY on MERIT, and protecting the Civil Liberties of their students on campus.”

He also warned, without being specific, “Numerous other Higher Education Institutions that have hurt so many, and been so unfair and unjust, and have wrongly spent federal money, much of it from our government, are upcoming.”

The pact comes after months of uncertainty and fraught negotiations at the more than 270-year-old university. It was among the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-antisemitism-investigation-contracts-e0680c1d3de85930a3ee9deaa7f42c62">first targets</a>&nbsp;of Trump’s crackdown on pro-Palestinian campus protests and on colleges that he asserts have allowed Jewish students be threatened and harassed.

Columbia’s own antisemitism&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/campus-protests-israel-palestine-columbia-f2984f21aa38a4f637982af7b98fed5e">task force found last summer</a>&nbsp;that Jewish students had faced verbal abuse, ostracism and classroom humiliation during the spring 2024 demonstrations.

Other Jewish students took part in the protests, however, and protest leaders maintain they aren’t targeting Jews but rather criticizing the Israeli government and its war in Gaza.

Columbia’s leadership — a revolving door of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-president-resigns-katrina-armstrong-f9479f6294a6fb536651def3f88309a6">three interim presidents</a>&nbsp;in the last year — has declared that the campus climate needs to change.

Columbia agrees to question international students

Also in the settlement is an agreement to ask prospective international students “questions designed to elicit their reasons for wishing to study in the United States,” and establishes processes to make sure all students are committed to “civil discourse.”

In a move that would potentially make it easier for the Trump administration to deport students who participate in protests, Columbia promised to provide the government with information, upon request, of disciplinary actions involving student-visa holders resulting in expulsions or suspensions.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/campus-protests-columbia-discipline-trump-administration-f009b90113fe0ba7847c54ffc9197bd1">Columbia on Tuesday</a>&nbsp;announced it would suspend, expel or revoke degrees from more than 70 students who participated in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-pro-palestine-protest-d6963720d50e92f271346d9febb95f18">pro-Palestinian demonstration</a>&nbsp;inside the main library in May and an encampment during alumni weekend last year.

The pressure on Columbia began with a series of funding cuts. Then&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-protester-mahmoud-khalil-immigration-arrest-5ae6eeb3ac95f190a505abebc4ee0944">Mahmoud Khalil</a>, a former graduate student who had been a visible figure in the protests,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-mahmoud-khalil-ice-15014bcbb921f21a9f704d5acdcae7a8">became the first</a>&nbsp;person detained in the Trump administration’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-detainees-students-ozturk-khalil-78f544fb2c8b593c88a0c1f0e0ad9c5f">push to deport pro-Palestinian activists</a>&nbsp;who aren’t U.S. citizens.

Next came searches of some university residences amid a federal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-mahmoud-khalil-ice-arrests-3a8db6e646b786a721089a6f0bc8d9fc">Justice Department investigation</a>&nbsp;into whether Columbia concealed “illegal aliens” on campus. The interim president at the time responded that the university was committed to upholding the law.

Columbia was an early test case for the Trump administration as it sought closer oversight of universities that the Republican president views as bastions of liberalism. Yet it soon was overshadowed by Harvard University, which became the first higher education institution to defy Trump’s demands and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harvard-trump-lawsuit-grants-f098f55c6986b37e1227e7bcf8967a46">fight back in court</a>.

The Trump administration has used&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harvard-trump-federal-cuts-universities-protests-8fa92331b2780394ea171b0b32d5d243">federal research funding</a>&nbsp;as its primary lever in its campaign to reshape higher education. More than $2 billion in total has also been frozen at Cornell, Northwestern, Brown and Princeton universities.

Administration officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/penn-transgender-swimmer-trump-federal-funding-2416de5d0abee40163a25294e8a72442">pulled $175 million from the University of Pennsylvania</a>&nbsp;in March over a dispute around women’s sports. They restored it when school officials agreed to update records set by transgender swimmer Lia Thomas and change their policies.

The administration also is looking beyond private universities. University of Virginia President James Ryan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/university-of-virginia-dei-james-ryan-6f8cfc43738944ca8164ab20814c5695">agreed to resign</a>&nbsp;in June under pressure from a U.S. Justice Department investigation into diversity, equity and inclusion practices. A similar investigation was opened this month at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dei-george-mason-university-trump-2157c7a294ab7b79811df6654394bacc">George Mason University</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753350506660.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Columbia University announced Wednesday it has reached a deal with the Trump administration to pay more than $220 million to the federal government to restore&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-layoffs-campus-protests-trump-funding-antisemitism-ec6d152048d921bd1764ec11a287bbdd">federal research money</a>&nbsp;that was canceled in the name of combating antisemitism on campus.Under the agreement, the Ivy League school will pay a $200 million settlement over three years, the university said. It will also pay $21 million to resolve alleged civil rights violations against Jewish employees that occurred following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, the White House said.“This agreement marks an important step forward after a period of sustained federal scrutiny and institutional uncertainty," acting University President Claire Shipman said.The school had been threatened with the potential loss of billions of dollars in government support, including more than $400 million in grants canceled earlier this year. The administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-protests-antisemitism-palestine-israel-9c209ce040e4b60d2702b40b9c2fb321">pulled the funding</a>&nbsp;because of what it described as the university’s failure to squelch antisemitism on campus during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>.Columbia has since agreed to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-funding-trump-fa70143c715df8fd4ef337c0e1ccf872">series of demands</a>&nbsp;laid out by the Republican administration, including overhauling the university’s student disciplinary process and applying a contentious, federally endorsed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/antisemitism-definition-states-law-zionism-indiana-georgia-871571f3b392455b1479827bdf1f5ea7">definition of antisemitism</a>&nbsp;not only to teaching but to a disciplinary committee that has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-campus-protests-trump-congress-ba0eddec4679d70287202831c52ebed6">investigating students critical of Israel</a>.Wednesday’s agreement — which does not include an admission of wrongdoing — codifies those reforms while preserving the university’s autonomy, Shipman said.<h2>‘Columbia’s reforms are a roadmap,' Trump administration says</h2>Education Secretary Linda McMahon called the deal “a seismic shift in our nation’s fight to hold institutions that accept American taxpayer dollars accountable for antisemitic discrimination and harassment.”“Columbia’s reforms are a roadmap for elite universities that wish to regain the confidence of the American public by renewing their commitment to truth-seeking, merit, and civil debate,” McMahon said in a statement.As part of the agreement, Columbia agreed to a series of changes previously announced in March, including reviewing its Middle East curriculum to make sure it was “comprehensive and balanced” and appointing new faculty to its Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies. It also promised to end programs “that promote unlawful efforts to achieve race-based outcomes, quotes, diversity targets or similar efforts.”The university will also have to issue a report to a monitor assuring that its programs “do not promote unlawful DEI goals.”In a post Wednesday night on his Truth Social platform, President Donald Trump said Columbia had “committed to ending their ridiculous DEI policies, admitting students based ONLY on MERIT, and protecting the Civil Liberties of their students on campus.”He also warned, without being specific, “Numerous other Higher Education Institutions that have hurt so many, and been so unfair and unjust, and have wrongly spent federal money, much of it from our government, are upcoming.”<h2>Crackdown follows Columbia protests</h2>The pact comes after months of uncertainty and fraught negotiations at the more than 270-year-old university. It was among the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-antisemitism-investigation-contracts-e0680c1d3de85930a3ee9deaa7f42c62">first targets</a>&nbsp;of Trump’s crackdown on pro-Palestinian campus protests and on colleges that he asserts have allowed Jewish students be threatened and harassed.Columbia’s own antisemitism&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/campus-protests-israel-palestine-columbia-f2984f21aa38a4f637982af7b98fed5e">task force found last summer</a>&nbsp;that Jewish students had faced verbal abuse, ostracism and classroom humiliation during the spring 2024 demonstrations.Other Jewish students took part in the protests, however, and protest leaders maintain they aren’t targeting Jews but rather criticizing the Israeli government and its war in Gaza.Columbia’s leadership — a revolving door of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-president-resigns-katrina-armstrong-f9479f6294a6fb536651def3f88309a6">three interim presidents</a>&nbsp;in the last year — has declared that the campus climate needs to change.<h2>Columbia agrees to question international students</h2>Also in the settlement is an agreement to ask prospective international students “questions designed to elicit their reasons for wishing to study in the United States,” and establishes processes to make sure all students are committed to “civil discourse.”In a move that would potentially make it easier for the Trump administration to deport students who participate in protests, Columbia promised to provide the government with information, upon request, of disciplinary actions involving student-visa holders resulting in expulsions or suspensions.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/campus-protests-columbia-discipline-trump-administration-f009b90113fe0ba7847c54ffc9197bd1">Columbia on Tuesday</a>&nbsp;announced it would suspend, expel or revoke degrees from more than 70 students who participated in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-pro-palestine-protest-d6963720d50e92f271346d9febb95f18">pro-Palestinian demonstration</a>&nbsp;inside the main library in May and an encampment during alumni weekend last year.The pressure on Columbia began with a series of funding cuts. Then&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-protester-mahmoud-khalil-immigration-arrest-5ae6eeb3ac95f190a505abebc4ee0944">Mahmoud Khalil</a>, a former graduate student who had been a visible figure in the protests,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-mahmoud-khalil-ice-15014bcbb921f21a9f704d5acdcae7a8">became the first</a>&nbsp;person detained in the Trump administration’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-detainees-students-ozturk-khalil-78f544fb2c8b593c88a0c1f0e0ad9c5f">push to deport pro-Palestinian activists</a>&nbsp;who aren’t U.S. citizens.Next came searches of some university residences amid a federal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-mahmoud-khalil-ice-arrests-3a8db6e646b786a721089a6f0bc8d9fc">Justice Department investigation</a>&nbsp;into whether Columbia concealed “illegal aliens” on campus. The interim president at the time responded that the university was committed to upholding the law.<h2>University oversight expands</h2>Columbia was an early test case for the Trump administration as it sought closer oversight of universities that the Republican president views as bastions of liberalism. Yet it soon was overshadowed by Harvard University, which became the first higher education institution to defy Trump’s demands and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harvard-trump-lawsuit-grants-f098f55c6986b37e1227e7bcf8967a46">fight back in court</a>.The Trump administration has used&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harvard-trump-federal-cuts-universities-protests-8fa92331b2780394ea171b0b32d5d243">federal research funding</a>&nbsp;as its primary lever in its campaign to reshape higher education. More than $2 billion in total has also been frozen at Cornell, Northwestern, Brown and Princeton universities.Administration officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/penn-transgender-swimmer-trump-federal-funding-2416de5d0abee40163a25294e8a72442">pulled $175 million from the University of Pennsylvania</a>&nbsp;in March over a dispute around women’s sports. They restored it when school officials agreed to update records set by transgender swimmer Lia Thomas and change their policies.The administration also is looking beyond private universities. University of Virginia President James Ryan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/university-of-virginia-dei-james-ryan-6f8cfc43738944ca8164ab20814c5695">agreed to resign</a>&nbsp;in June under pressure from a U.S. Justice Department investigation into diversity, equity and inclusion practices. A similar investigation was opened this month at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dei-george-mason-university-trump-2157c7a294ab7b79811df6654394bacc">George Mason University</a>.

Columbia to pay more than $220M in deal with Trump to restore federal funding

By&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/eric-tucker">ERIC TUCKER</a> Associated Press

Tulsi Gabbard, the Trump administration’s director of national intelligence, is touting from the White House podium the release of a House report that she claims helps undercut the reality of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Gabbard made a surprise appearance just hours after she made public a declassified report from House Republicans that was produced during the first presidential administration.

The report does not dispute the intelligence community’s assessment that Russia interfered in the election, but alleges tradecraft failings in how intelligence officials reached the conclusion that Russian President Vladimir Putin intended to have Trump win.

By&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/eric-tucker">ERIC TUCKER</a> Associated PressTulsi Gabbard, the Trump administration’s director of national intelligence, is touting from the White House podium the release of a House report that she claims helps undercut the reality of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">This is sending SHOCKWAVES through DC and the Democrats KNOW IT! This is perhaps one of the most crucial video segments of 2025. <a href="https://t.co/PMpxlbZwz6">pic.twitter.com/PMpxlbZwz6</a>&mdash; Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) <a href="https://twitter.com/GuntherEagleman/status/1948083367909405136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Gabbard made a surprise appearance just hours after she made public a declassified report from House Republicans that was produced during the first presidential administration.The report does not dispute the intelligence community’s assessment that Russia interfered in the election, but alleges tradecraft failings in how intelligence officials reached the conclusion that Russian President Vladimir Putin intended to have Trump win.The release of the report, as Trump is facing backlash from elements of his base over the handling of records from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, is part of an ongoing effort by the Trump administration to rewrite the history of Russian election interference.Gabbard lashed out during lengthy remarks at specific members of the Obama administration.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/DNIGabbard?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DNIGabbard</a>: If Russia was trying to influence the election like Democrats said in order to boost Donald Trump, they&#39;d have released the most damning information on Hillary prior to the election. They specifically withheld it because they thought she&#39;d win. <a href="https://t.co/XQQgXzmUNE">https://t.co/XQQgXzmUNE</a> <a href="https://t.co/8oSTEf8EVb">pic.twitter.com/8oSTEf8EVb</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1948090161100718176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a>: &quot;Tulsi Gabbard unveiled shocking new evidence that former President Barack Obama and top aides in the Obama administration conspired to subvert President Trump&#39;s 2016 election victory and undermined the democratic will of the American people.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/pLo9jiutaH">pic.twitter.com/pLo9jiutaH</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1948083824442638462?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🧵 New evidence has emerged of the most egregious weaponization and politicization of intelligence in American history. Per President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a>&#39;s directive, I have declassified a <a href="https://twitter.com/HouseIntel?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HouseIntel</a> oversight majority staff report that exposes how the Obama Administration… <a href="https://t.co/0sS4Df8yoI">pic.twitter.com/0sS4Df8yoI</a>&mdash; DNI Tulsi Gabbard (@DNIGabbard) <a href="https://twitter.com/DNIGabbard/status/1948007534960198036?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">LIE: Putin and the Russian Government helped Trump win the 2016 election TRUTH: President Obama, former Director of the CIA John Brennan, and others fabricated the Russia Hoax, suppressed intelligence showing Putin was preparing for a Clinton victory, manufactured findings from… <a href="https://t.co/nkaLDMrUSv">pic.twitter.com/nkaLDMrUSv</a>&mdash; DNI Tulsi Gabbard (@DNIGabbard) <a href="https://twitter.com/DNIGabbard/status/1948007538902904833?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/DNIGabbard?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DNIGabbard</a> on new Obama report: &quot;There is irrefutable evidence that detail how President Obama and his national security team directed the creation of an intelligence community assessment that they knew was false.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/sCOivLlCDL">pic.twitter.com/sCOivLlCDL</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1948104168587010258?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2>Gabbard calls Obama’s response a ‘disservice’</h2>By<a href="https://apnews.com/author/collin-binkley">COLLIN BINKLEY</a>Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said former President Barack Obama did a “disservice to the American people” when his office attacked the government’s rehashed grievances over the Russia investigation that overshadowed President Donald Trump’s first term.Obama’s post-presidential office issued a rare statement on Tuesday, condemning the Trump administration’s allegations as a “ridiculous and “a weak attempt at distraction.”Asked about it at a Wednesday press briefing, Gabbard said Obama and others from his administration are “trying to deflect away from their culpability in what is a historic scandal.”<h2>Calls for retribution in Russia investigation run into reality of Supreme Court immunity ruling</h2>By<a href="https://apnews.com/author/eric-tucker">ERIC TUCKER</a>As President Donald Trump urges scrutiny of fellow commander-in-chief Barack Obama, it’s worth remembering a simple fact: Former presidents are immune from prosecution for official acts they take in office.That’s thanks to a Supreme Court opinion issued last year that shielded Trump in a case charging him with conspiring to overturn the 2020 presidential election.The topic has resurfaced thanks to efforts by the Trump administration to rewrite the history of the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.Trump has suggested that investigators should look into Obama and other senior officials, though none of them have been accused of any wrongdoing and the Supreme Court ruling in any event would foreclose the possibility of a prosecution of Obama.<h2>White House doesn’t make it clear what kind of ‘accountability’ Trump wants of Obama</h2>By<a href="https://apnews.com/author/michelle-l-price">MICHELLE L. PRICE</a>Trump has repeated baseless claims that Obama engaged in treason and Leavitt said the president wants his predecessor to be held accountable. But she had no details, when pressed, about how Trump wants to see Obama held accountable when the Supreme Court ruled last year in a case involving Trump that former presidents have absolute immunity from prosecution for official acts that fall within their constitutional authority.Leavitt said that the White House would let the Justice Department decide what to do.“It’s in the Department of Justice’s hands and we trust them to move the ball forward,” she said.