Edna Florence Niermeier, 95, of Hoxie, Kansas, passed away
peacefully on Monday, January 27, 2025, at the Sheridan County Long Term Care.
She was born on March 13, 1929, in Rural Sheridan County, Kansas, to Ernest and
Sophie (Friedrichs) Wasserman.

Edna grew up on the family farm with her siblings, where
she developed a love for the simple joys of farm life, including riding her
horse, Molly. She attended Immanuel Lutheran Parochial School, graduating from
the eighth grade. At the age of thirteen, shortly after her mother’s passing,
Edna stayed home to help care for her older brother, Gilbert, and her father.
She later worked for Vic Newland at Vic’s Grocery Store and became an active
member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, where she met her future husband, Herman
Niermeier.

With the help of her sister, Lucille, and brother-in-law,
Oscar Hesterberg, Edna and Herman’s friendship blossomed into love, leading to
their marriage on October 29, 1950. Together, they built a life on the farm
Herman had owned, raising six children and working side by side in all aspects
of farm life. Edna was known for her tireless work ethic—whether driving the
tractor, tending to cattle and chickens, or caring for a bountiful garden. She
was also a talented cook and an avid crafter, always keeping her hands busy
with embroidery and other handiwork.

Above all, Edna was a devoted mother and grandmother,
putting others before herself. She was a “Bright Star” in the lives of her
children and grandchildren, who cherished her unwavering love and support. Her
spunky, determined spirit touched all who knew her.

Edna is survived by her six children, Fred Niermeier
(Nancy), Gary Niermeier, Dave Niermeier (Shirley) of Hoxie, Kansas; Stan
Niermeier of Colby, Kansas; Vi Wegele (Randy) of Wakeeney, Kansas; and Judy Ayala
of McKinney, Texas; along with her 11 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, 7
great-great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and many friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Herman Niermeier;
her parents, Ernest and Sophie Wasserman; her brother and sister-in-law,
Gilbert and Edith Wasserman; her sisters and brothers-in-law, Lucille and Oscar
Hesterberg, and Evelyn and Loyal Packer; son-in-law, Andrew Ayala; and her
great-great-grandson, Andrew Ayala V.

A funeral service to celebrate Edna’s life will be held at
10:30 AM on Monday, February 3, 2025, at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Hoxie,
Kansas, with interment immediately following in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery.
Visitation will be held at Mickey-Leopold Funeral Home in Hoxie on Sunday,
February 2, 2025, from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM, with the family present to greet
friends from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Sheridan
County Benefit Walk or the Sheridan County Long Term Care Activities Department
and may be sent to the family in care of Mickey-Leopold Funeral Home, PO Box
987, Hoxie, Kansas 67740.

Edna will be deeply missed by all who knew her, but her
legacy of love, hard work, and kindness will live on in the hearts of her
family and friends.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738248675142.jpeg" alt="Edna Florence Niermeier" />
 <figcaption>Edna Florence Niermeier</figcaption>
 </figure>Edna Florence Niermeier, 95, of Hoxie, Kansas, passed away
peacefully on Monday, January 27, 2025, at the Sheridan County Long Term Care.
She was born on March 13, 1929, in Rural Sheridan County, Kansas, to Ernest and
Sophie (Friedrichs) Wasserman.Edna grew up on the family farm with her siblings, where
she developed a love for the simple joys of farm life, including riding her
horse, Molly. She attended Immanuel Lutheran Parochial School, graduating from
the eighth grade. At the age of thirteen, shortly after her mother’s passing,
Edna stayed home to help care for her older brother, Gilbert, and her father.
She later worked for Vic Newland at Vic’s Grocery Store and became an active
member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, where she met her future husband, Herman
Niermeier.With the help of her sister, Lucille, and brother-in-law,
Oscar Hesterberg, Edna and Herman’s friendship blossomed into love, leading to
their marriage on October 29, 1950. Together, they built a life on the farm
Herman had owned, raising six children and working side by side in all aspects
of farm life. Edna was known for her tireless work ethic—whether driving the
tractor, tending to cattle and chickens, or caring for a bountiful garden. She
was also a talented cook and an avid crafter, always keeping her hands busy
with embroidery and other handiwork.Above all, Edna was a devoted mother and grandmother,
putting others before herself. She was a “Bright Star” in the lives of her
children and grandchildren, who cherished her unwavering love and support. Her
spunky, determined spirit touched all who knew her.Edna is survived by her six children, Fred Niermeier
(Nancy), Gary Niermeier, Dave Niermeier (Shirley) of Hoxie, Kansas; Stan
Niermeier of Colby, Kansas; Vi Wegele (Randy) of Wakeeney, Kansas; and Judy Ayala
of McKinney, Texas; along with her 11 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, 7
great-great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and many friends.She was preceded in death by her husband, Herman Niermeier;
her parents, Ernest and Sophie Wasserman; her brother and sister-in-law,
Gilbert and Edith Wasserman; her sisters and brothers-in-law, Lucille and Oscar
Hesterberg, and Evelyn and Loyal Packer; son-in-law, Andrew Ayala; and her
great-great-grandson, Andrew Ayala V.A funeral service to celebrate Edna’s life will be held at
10:30 AM on Monday, February 3, 2025, at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Hoxie,
Kansas, with interment immediately following in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery.
Visitation will be held at Mickey-Leopold Funeral Home in Hoxie on Sunday,
February 2, 2025, from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM, with the family present to greet
friends from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM.In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Sheridan
County Benefit Walk or the Sheridan County Long Term Care Activities Department
and may be sent to the family in care of Mickey-Leopold Funeral Home, PO Box
987, Hoxie, Kansas 67740.Edna will be deeply missed by all who knew her, but her
legacy of love, hard work, and kindness will live on in the hearts of her
family and friends.

Edna Florence Niermeier

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday signed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-laken-riley-act-trump-immigration-2667d626139ddf5a16d1533516eab18f">Laken Riley Act</a>&nbsp;into law, giving federal authorities broader power to deport immigrants in the U.S. illegally who have been accused of crimes. He also announced at the ceremony that his administration planned to send the “worst criminal aliens” to a detention center in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The bipartisan act, the first piece of legislation approved during Trump’s second term, was named for Riley, a 22-year-old Georgia nursing student who was slain last year by a Venezuelan man in the U.S. illegally.

“She was a light of warmth and kindness,” Trump said during a ceremony that included Riley’s parents and sister. “It’s a tremendous tribute to your daughter what’s taking place today, that’s all I can say. It’s so sad we have to be doing it.”

Trump has promised to drastically increase deportations, but he also said at the signing that some of the people being sent back to their home countries couldn't be counted on to stay there.

“Some of them are so bad that we don’t even trust the countries to hold them because we don’t want them coming back, so we’re gonna send ’em out to Guantanamo,” Trump said. He said that he'd direct federal officials to get facilities in Cuba ready to receive immigrant criminals.

“We have 30,000 beds in Guantanamo to detain the worst criminal aliens threatening the American people,” the president said.

The White House announced a short time later that Trump had signed a presidential memorandum on Guantanamo. Migrant rights groups quickly expressed dismay.

“Guantanamo Bay’s abusive history speaks for itself and in no uncertain terms will put people’s physical and mental health in jeopardy,” Stacy Suh, program director of Detention Watch Network, said in a statement.

Trump said the move would double U.S. detention lockup capacities, and Guantanamo is “a tough place to get out of.”

The Guantanamo facility could hold “dangerous criminals” and people who are “hard to deport,” said a Trump administration official speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the administration would seek funding via spending bills Congress will eventually consider. The administration’s border czar, Tom Homan, said U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement would run the facility in Cuba and that the “the worst of the worst" could go there.

The U.S. military base has been used to house detainees from the U.S. war on terrorism for years. But authorities have also detained migrants at sea at a facility known as the Migrant Operations Center on Guantanamo, a site the U.S. has long leased from the Cuban government. Many of those housed there have been migrants from Haiti and Cuba.

The U.S. has leased Guantanamo land from Cuba for more than a century. Cuba opposes the lease and typically rejects the nominal U.S. rent payments. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said Trump wanting to ship immigrants to the island is “an act of brutality.”

“The US government’s decision to imprison migrants at the Guantanamo Naval Base, in an enclave where it created torture and indefinite detention centers, shows contempt for the human condition and international law,” Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez wrote in a post on X.

The Supreme Court ruled in 2008 that enemy combatants in the war on terror held without charge at the military prison at Guantanamo had the right to challenge their detention in federal court. But the justices did not decide whether the president had the authority to detain people at all.

Before Trump took office, the Democratic administrations of Barack Obama and Joe Biden worked to reduce the number of terrorism suspects held at Guantanamo.

Laken Riley was out for a run in February 2024 when she was killed by Jose Antonio Ibarra, a Venezuelan national who was in the country illegally. Ibarra&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-nursing-student-laken-riley-immigrant-d8d75ccc6d81e7a88eb7890829d9fc9c">was found guilty in November</a>&nbsp;and sentenced to life without parole.

Ibarra had been arrested for illegal entry in September 2022 near El Paso, Texas, and released to pursue his case in immigration court. Federal officials say he was arrested by New York police in August 2023 for child endangerment and released. Police say he was also issued a citation for shoplifting in Georgia in October 2023.

The act quickly passed the newly Republican-controlled Congress with some Democratic support even though opponents said it possibly could lead to large roundups of people for offenses as minor as shoplifting.

The swift passage, and Trump’s quickly signing it, adds to the potent symbolism for conservatives. To critics, the measure has taken advantage of a tragedy and could lead to chaos and cruelty while doing little to fight crime or overhaul the immigration system.

Riley’s mother thanked Trump while holding back tears.

“He said he would secure our borders and he would never forget about Laken and he hasn’t,” she said.

Several top Republican lawmakers and Noem attended the signing ceremony, as did Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, a cosponsor.

Under the new law, federal officials would have to detain any immigrant arrested or charged with crimes such as theft or assaulting a police officer, or offenses that injure or kill someone. State attorneys general could sue the U.S. government for harm caused by federal immigration decisions — potentially allowing the leaders of conservative states to help dictate immigration policy set by Washington.

Some Democrats have questioned whether it is constitutional. The ALCU says the law can allow people to be “mandatorily locked up — potentially for years — because at some point in their lives, perhaps decades ago, they were accused of nonviolent offenses.”

Hannah Flamm, interim senior director of policy at the International Refugee Assistance Project, said the measure violates immigrants’ basic rights by allowing for detaining people who have not been charged with wrongdoing, much less convicted.

“The latent fear from the election cycle of looking soft on crime snowballed into aiding and abetting Trump’s total conflation of immigration with crime,” Flamm said.

She also noted, “I think it is pivotal to understand: This bill, framed as connected to a tragic death, is pretext to fortify a mass deportation system."

Associated Press writer Rebecca Santana contributed to this rep

WASHINGTON (AP) — At the signing of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-laken-riley-act-trump-immigration-2667d626139ddf5a16d1533516eab18f">Laken Riley Act</a>, President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Wednesday that he is directing the opening of a detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to hold up to 30,000 migrants who are living illegally in the United States and cannot be deported to their home countries.

Trump made the announcement just before he signed the immigrant detention measure, the first law of his new administration.

“We’re going to send them out to Guantanamo," the president said in the White House East Room. He did not elaborate.

The U.S. military base has been used to house detainees from the U.S. war on terrorism.

The Laken Riley Act was described by Trump as a “landmark law” and “tremendous tribute” to the slain Georgia nursing student for whom it is named. The law mandates that people in the U.S. illegally who are accused of theft and violent crimes be detained and potentially deported, even before a conviction.

Laken Riley, 22, went out for a run in February 2024 and was killed by Jose Antonio Ibarra, a Venezuelan national who was in the country illegally. Ibarra&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-nursing-student-laken-riley-immigrant-d8d75ccc6d81e7a88eb7890829d9fc9c">was found guilty in November</a>&nbsp;and sentenced to life without parole.

“She was a light of warmth and kindness,” Trump said during a signing ceremony that included Riley's parents and sister. “It’s a tremendous tribute to your daughter what’s taking place today, that’s all I can say. It’s so sad we have to be doing it.”

He added, “It’s a landmark law that we’re doing today. It’s going to save countless lives”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738075679736.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday signed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-laken-riley-act-trump-immigration-2667d626139ddf5a16d1533516eab18f">Laken Riley Act</a>&nbsp;into law, giving federal authorities broader power to deport immigrants in the U.S. illegally who have been accused of crimes. He also announced at the ceremony that his administration planned to send the “worst criminal aliens” to a detention center in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today I&#39;m also signing an executive order to instruct the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security to begin preparing the 30,000 person migrant facility at Guantanamo Bay. Most people don&#39;t even know about it.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/su3eu24J1Z">pic.twitter.com/su3eu24J1Z</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1884690347474727404?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The bipartisan act, the first piece of legislation approved during Trump’s second term, was named for Riley, a 22-year-old Georgia nursing student who was slain last year by a Venezuelan man in the U.S. illegally.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump signs Laken Riley Act <a href="https://t.co/8DEIJdzZN5">pic.twitter.com/8DEIJdzZN5</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1884692201273163874?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“She was a light of warmth and kindness,” Trump said during a ceremony that included Riley’s parents and sister. “It’s a tremendous tribute to your daughter what’s taking place today, that’s all I can say. It’s so sad we have to be doing it.”Trump has promised to drastically increase deportations, but he also said at the signing that some of the people being sent back to their home countries couldn't be counted on to stay there.“Some of them are so bad that we don’t even trust the countries to hold them because we don’t want them coming back, so we’re gonna send ’em out to Guantanamo,” Trump said. He said that he'd direct federal officials to get facilities in Cuba ready to receive immigrant criminals.“We have 30,000 beds in Guantanamo to detain the worst criminal aliens threatening the American people,” the president said.The White House announced a short time later that Trump had signed a presidential memorandum on Guantanamo. Migrant rights groups quickly expressed dismay.“Guantanamo Bay’s abusive history speaks for itself and in no uncertain terms will put people’s physical and mental health in jeopardy,” Stacy Suh, program director of Detention Watch Network, said in a statement.Trump said the move would double U.S. detention lockup capacities, and Guantanamo is “a tough place to get out of.”The Guantanamo facility could hold “dangerous criminals” and people who are “hard to deport,” said a Trump administration official speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly on the matter.Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the administration would seek funding via spending bills Congress will eventually consider. The administration’s border czar, Tom Homan, said U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement would run the facility in Cuba and that the “the worst of the worst" could go there.The U.S. military base has been used to house detainees from the U.S. war on terrorism for years. But authorities have also detained migrants at sea at a facility known as the Migrant Operations Center on Guantanamo, a site the U.S. has long leased from the Cuban government. Many of those housed there have been migrants from Haiti and Cuba.The U.S. has leased Guantanamo land from Cuba for more than a century. Cuba opposes the lease and typically rejects the nominal U.S. rent payments. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said Trump wanting to ship immigrants to the island is “an act of brutality.”“The US government’s decision to imprison migrants at the Guantanamo Naval Base, in an enclave where it created torture and indefinite detention centers, shows contempt for the human condition and international law,” Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez wrote in a post on X.The Supreme Court ruled in 2008 that enemy combatants in the war on terror held without charge at the military prison at Guantanamo had the right to challenge their detention in federal court. But the justices did not decide whether the president had the authority to detain people at all.Before Trump took office, the Democratic administrations of Barack Obama and Joe Biden worked to reduce the number of terrorism suspects held at Guantanamo.Laken Riley was out for a run in February 2024 when she was killed by Jose Antonio Ibarra, a Venezuelan national who was in the country illegally. Ibarra&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-nursing-student-laken-riley-immigrant-d8d75ccc6d81e7a88eb7890829d9fc9c">was found guilty in November</a>&nbsp;and sentenced to life without parole.Ibarra had been arrested for illegal entry in September 2022 near El Paso, Texas, and released to pursue his case in immigration court. Federal officials say he was arrested by New York police in August 2023 for child endangerment and released. Police say he was also issued a citation for shoplifting in Georgia in October 2023.The act quickly passed the newly Republican-controlled Congress with some Democratic support even though opponents said it possibly could lead to large roundups of people for offenses as minor as shoplifting.The swift passage, and Trump’s quickly signing it, adds to the potent symbolism for conservatives. To critics, the measure has taken advantage of a tragedy and could lead to chaos and cruelty while doing little to fight crime or overhaul the immigration system.Riley’s mother thanked Trump while holding back tears.“He said he would secure our borders and he would never forget about Laken and he hasn’t,” she said.Several top Republican lawmakers and Noem attended the signing ceremony, as did Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, a cosponsor.Under the new law, federal officials would have to detain any immigrant arrested or charged with crimes such as theft or assaulting a police officer, or offenses that injure or kill someone. State attorneys general could sue the U.S. government for harm caused by federal immigration decisions — potentially allowing the leaders of conservative states to help dictate immigration policy set by Washington.Some Democrats have questioned whether it is constitutional. The ALCU says the law can allow people to be “mandatorily locked up — potentially for years — because at some point in their lives, perhaps decades ago, they were accused of nonviolent offenses.”Hannah Flamm, interim senior director of policy at the International Refugee Assistance Project, said the measure violates immigrants’ basic rights by allowing for detaining people who have not been charged with wrongdoing, much less convicted.“The latent fear from the election cycle of looking soft on crime snowballed into aiding and abetting Trump’s total conflation of immigration with crime,” Flamm said.She also noted, “I think it is pivotal to understand: This bill, framed as connected to a tragic death, is pretext to fortify a mass deportation system."___Associated Press writer Rebecca Santana contributed to this repWASHINGTON (AP) — At the signing of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-laken-riley-act-trump-immigration-2667d626139ddf5a16d1533516eab18f">Laken Riley Act</a>, President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Wednesday that he is directing the opening of a detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to hold up to 30,000 migrants who are living illegally in the United States and cannot be deported to their home countries.Trump made the announcement just before he signed the immigrant detention measure, the first law of his new administration.“We’re going to send them out to Guantanamo," the president said in the White House East Room. He did not elaborate.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sec_Noem</a> and Acting ICE Director Tom Homan speak to reporters at the White House about Migrant Facility at Guantanamo Bay. <a href="https://t.co/Z3Vjk9U06x">pic.twitter.com/Z3Vjk9U06x</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1884713500091539629?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The U.S. military base has been used to house detainees from the U.S. war on terrorism.The Laken Riley Act was described by Trump as a “landmark law” and “tremendous tribute” to the slain Georgia nursing student for whom it is named. The law mandates that people in the U.S. illegally who are accused of theft and violent crimes be detained and potentially deported, even before a conviction.Laken Riley, 22, went out for a run in February 2024 and was killed by Jose Antonio Ibarra, a Venezuelan national who was in the country illegally. Ibarra&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-nursing-student-laken-riley-immigrant-d8d75ccc6d81e7a88eb7890829d9fc9c">was found guilty in November</a>&nbsp;and sentenced to life without parole.“She was a light of warmth and kindness,” Trump said during a signing ceremony that included Riley's parents and sister. “It’s a tremendous tribute to your daughter what’s taking place today, that’s all I can say. It’s so sad we have to be doing it.”He added, “It’s a landmark law that we’re doing today. It’s going to save countless lives”

🎥While signing Laken Riley Act, Trump says he'll send 'criminal aliens' to Guantanamo

ENID, OK —A former Kansas police officer has been found guilty of child sex crimes.

On October 7, 2022, the Garfield County Sheriff's Office requested the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct by a former Kansas and Oklahoma police officer, according to a statement from the OSBI.

During the investigation, OSBI special agents identified the suspect as 34-year-old Brock England, who was an officer for both the Wichita, Kansas and Enid Police Departments from 2014 to 2022.

During their comprehensive investigation, special agents determined that England committed multiple child sex crimes in Kansas and Oklahoma, some of which were during his time as an officer.

 In March of 2023, England was arrested and booked into the Garfield County Jail on child sex abuse charges. Last week, England was found guilty by the Garfield County District Court of Child Sex Abuse with a Child Under the age of 12 and two counts of Lewd Molestation.

The Wichita Police Department&nbsp;assisted with this investigation.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738088542862.png" alt="England photo OSBI" />
 <figcaption>England photo OSBI</figcaption>
 </figure>ENID, OK —A former Kansas police officer has been found guilty of child sex crimes.On October 7, 2022, the Garfield County Sheriff's Office requested the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct by a former Kansas and Oklahoma police officer, according to a statement from the OSBI.During the investigation, OSBI special agents identified the suspect as 34-year-old Brock England, who was an officer for both the Wichita, Kansas and Enid Police Departments from 2014 to 2022.During their comprehensive investigation, special agents determined that England committed multiple child sex crimes in Kansas and Oklahoma, some of which were during his time as an officer. In March of 2023, England was arrested and booked into the Garfield County Jail on child sex abuse charges. Last week, England was found guilty by the Garfield County District Court of Child Sex Abuse with a Child Under the age of 12 and two counts of Lewd Molestation.The Wichita Police Department&nbsp;assisted with this investigation.&nbsp;

Former Kan. police officer found guilty of child sex crimes

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas couple was sentenced to prison for illegally taking proceeds from a relative’s Social Security and retirement benefits for years after his death.

According to court documents, Lynn Ritter, 62, and Kirk Ritter, 62, of Overland Park pleaded guilty to wire fraud and theft of government funds. A federal judge sentenced Lynn Ritter to 12 months and one day in prison. Kirk Ritter was sentenced to seven months in prison, according to the United State's Attorney.

The couple lived with Lynn’s father in a single-family house in Overland Park with Lynn acting as his caretaker. On October 23, 2022, Kirk Ritter contacted the Overland Park Police Department. He advised that his father-in-law was deceased, and his body was in the residence. Officers found the body lying in a bed, in a mummified state. It was later determined the man died on or about July 1, 2016. 

The father had been receiving monthly Social Security and retirement pension payments as direct deposits to his bank account. After July 2016, $68,637 in pension payments and $147,429 in Social Security payments were deposited into the bank account. Lynn and Kirk Ritter did not report the death, and instead without authority, wrote checks on the deceased’s account and transferred funds into their bank accounts to use for their own personal benefit. The Ritters paid the funds back during their prosecution.

Mark Underwood, Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration’s Kansas City Regional Office said, “These sentencings show the Labor Department is committed to ensuring that justice is served for those who steal from retirement plans.”

The Overland Park Police Department, Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Labor investigated the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738082956322.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas couple was sentenced to prison for illegally taking proceeds from a relative’s Social Security and retirement benefits for years after his death.According to court documents, Lynn Ritter, 62, and Kirk Ritter, 62, of Overland Park pleaded guilty to wire fraud and theft of government funds. A federal judge sentenced Lynn Ritter to 12 months and one day in prison. Kirk Ritter was sentenced to seven months in prison, according to the United State's Attorney.The couple lived with Lynn’s father in a single-family house in Overland Park with Lynn acting as his caretaker. On October 23, 2022, Kirk Ritter contacted the Overland Park Police Department. He advised that his father-in-law was deceased, and his body was in the residence. Officers found the body lying in a bed, in a mummified state. It was later determined the man died on or about July 1, 2016. The father had been receiving monthly Social Security and retirement pension payments as direct deposits to his bank account. After July 2016, $68,637 in pension payments and $147,429 in Social Security payments were deposited into the bank account. Lynn and Kirk Ritter did not report the death, and instead without authority, wrote checks on the deceased’s account and transferred funds into their bank accounts to use for their own personal benefit. The Ritters paid the funds back during their prosecution.Mark Underwood, Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration’s Kansas City Regional Office said, “These sentencings show the Labor Department is committed to ensuring that justice is served for those who steal from retirement plans.”The Overland Park Police Department, Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Labor investigated the case.

Prison for Kan. couple who lived with body of dead parent, collected benefits

Norman
Joseph Robben, age 70, of Walker, Kansas, passed away surrounded by loved ones
at his home in Walker on Saturday, January 25, 2025.



Norman was born on June 8, 1954, in Hays, Kansas, to Wilfred and Viola
(Hammerschmidt) Robben. A proud graduate of Victoria High School in 1972, he
pursued his passion for mechanics at Goodland Vo-Tech, earning a degree in Auto
Body Mechanics in 1974. On October 9, 1976, he married the love of his life,
Linda Staab, in Hays, beginning a beautiful journey together that would span
nearly five decades.



Throughout his life, Norman wore many hats, but his heart belonged to farming
and ranching. He dedicated his hands to various roles in the workforce,
including stints at Herb Lungren Chevrolet, Chapman Auto Glass, Don Pratt
Farms, Raines and Williams, Edsco Drilling, King of the Road manufacturing, and
Enersys. However, it was on the farm that he found his true fulfillment.



A devoted member of St. Ann’s Church in Walker and a 3rd degree member of the
Victoria Council Knights of Columbus, Norman served his communities with love
and dedication. His contributions as a board member for St. Ann’s Parish, the
Victoria School Board, the Walker Water District and Water District #5 boards
reflected his commitment to those around him.

Norman was a man of many interests; he delighted in sports, cherished the
companionship of his beloved dogs, and found joy in fishing and, of course,
farming. But above all, he reveled in the company of his grandchildren, who
brought him immeasurable pride. Known for his larger-than-life personality and
his penchant for humor, Norman touched the hearts of all he met, embodying a
spirit of kindness and hard work.



Norman's legacy lives on in his beloved wife, Linda; his son, Jason Robben of
Victoria, Kansas; daughter Christina Sramek and husband Ryan of Hays; and
grandchildren, including Haley Gagnon and husband Connor of Walker, along with
their children Whitten, Wilkes, and Banks, as well as Talyn Robben of Victoria.
He is also survived by his brothers, Leroy Robben and wife Karen, and Melvin
Robben and wife Patty, all of Salina.



He was preceded in death by his parents; his in-laws, Virgil and Wilma Staab;
brother, James Robben and wife Jane; grandson, Landry Robben;
great-granddaughter, Blakely Gagnon; and nephew, Kevin Staab.



Funeral services will be 10:00 AM Friday, January 31, 2025 at St. Ann's
Catholic Church in Walker with Fr. Jim Moster officiating. Inurnment will
follow in the church cemetery.



Memorial visitation will be Thursday 4:30 PM - 7:00 PM and Friday 9:00 AM until
service time all at the church.



A combined parish vigil service followed by a Victoria council 3rd degree
Knights of Columbus rosary will be at 7:00 PM on Thursday at the church.



In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials in Norman's name be made
to St. Ann's Church, HaysMed Hospice, or Breakthrough Type 1 Diabetes (T1D).


The family invites all to share memories and words of comfort on Norman's
Tribute Page at <a href="http://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com">www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com</a>


Arrangements under the care of Keithley Funeral Homes and Crematory-Brock’s
Chapel, 2509 Vine, Hays, KS 67601.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738090634989.jpeg" alt="Norman Joseph Robben" />
 <figcaption>Norman Joseph Robben</figcaption>
 </figure>Norman
Joseph Robben, age 70, of Walker, Kansas, passed away surrounded by loved ones
at his home in Walker on Saturday, January 25, 2025.

Norman was born on June 8, 1954, in Hays, Kansas, to Wilfred and Viola
(Hammerschmidt) Robben. A proud graduate of Victoria High School in 1972, he
pursued his passion for mechanics at Goodland Vo-Tech, earning a degree in Auto
Body Mechanics in 1974. On October 9, 1976, he married the love of his life,
Linda Staab, in Hays, beginning a beautiful journey together that would span
nearly five decades.

Throughout his life, Norman wore many hats, but his heart belonged to farming
and ranching. He dedicated his hands to various roles in the workforce,
including stints at Herb Lungren Chevrolet, Chapman Auto Glass, Don Pratt
Farms, Raines and Williams, Edsco Drilling, King of the Road manufacturing, and
Enersys. However, it was on the farm that he found his true fulfillment.

A devoted member of St. Ann’s Church in Walker and a 3rd degree member of the
Victoria Council Knights of Columbus, Norman served his communities with love
and dedication. His contributions as a board member for St. Ann’s Parish, the
Victoria School Board, the Walker Water District and Water District #5 boards
reflected his commitment to those around him.

Norman was a man of many interests; he delighted in sports, cherished the
companionship of his beloved dogs, and found joy in fishing and, of course,
farming. But above all, he reveled in the company of his grandchildren, who
brought him immeasurable pride. Known for his larger-than-life personality and
his penchant for humor, Norman touched the hearts of all he met, embodying a
spirit of kindness and hard work.

Norman's legacy lives on in his beloved wife, Linda; his son, Jason Robben of
Victoria, Kansas; daughter Christina Sramek and husband Ryan of Hays; and
grandchildren, including Haley Gagnon and husband Connor of Walker, along with
their children Whitten, Wilkes, and Banks, as well as Talyn Robben of Victoria.
He is also survived by his brothers, Leroy Robben and wife Karen, and Melvin
Robben and wife Patty, all of Salina.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his in-laws, Virgil and Wilma Staab;
brother, James Robben and wife Jane; grandson, Landry Robben;
great-granddaughter, Blakely Gagnon; and nephew, Kevin Staab.

Funeral services will be 10:00 AM Friday, January 31, 2025 at St. Ann's
Catholic Church in Walker with Fr. Jim Moster officiating. Inurnment will
follow in the church cemetery.

Memorial visitation will be Thursday 4:30 PM - 7:00 PM and Friday 9:00 AM until
service time all at the church.

A combined parish vigil service followed by a Victoria council 3rd degree
Knights of Columbus rosary will be at 7:00 PM on Thursday at the church.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials in Norman's name be made
to St. Ann's Church, HaysMed Hospice, or Breakthrough Type 1 Diabetes (T1D).

The family invites all to share memories and words of comfort on Norman's
Tribute Page at <a href="http://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com">www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com</a>

Arrangements under the care of Keithley Funeral Homes and Crematory-Brock’s
Chapel, 2509 Vine, Hays, KS 67601.

Norman Joseph Robben

WASHINGTON (AP) — Those binders full of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-has-trump-done-trump-executive-orders-f061fbe7f08c08d81509a6af20ef8fc0">executive orders</a>&nbsp;that President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has been signing with a flourish and a wide-tipped Sharpie during his first week in office don’t just magically appear before him.

White House staff secretary Will Scharf has been a prominent part of the tableau, standing at Trump’s side and teeing up the leather-bound folders, one by one, for the president. With the cameras rolling, Scharf provides running narration on what Trump is signing, at times leaning into a nearby microphone at the president’s direction.

He was by Trump’s side Thursday as the president signed orders and memoranda at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office. And in the first hours of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-inauguration-scene-rotunda-republicans-second-term-618e452b9e8fe294095937b27816d21a">Trump’s return to power</a>, he was there with Trump at the Capitol, at a nearby rally and the White House as the president scrawled his name on stacks of orders implementing his agenda.

Scharf doesn’t just act the straight man as Trump talks up his orders, cracks jokes and fields questions from reporters. He also plays a key role in the White House, overseeing the flow of information and business coming to and from the president.

The staff secretary’s job has traditionally involved managing the papers that cross the president’s desk. It serves almost as air traffic control for the West Wing — tracking the drafting and approval of memos and statements as they work their way to the president’s desk and then out to the world.

The “StaffSec” coordinates the work of the White House policy, communications and legal teams as information flows around the building, and traditionally is a neutral arbiter in policy debates.

The staff secretary has nearly unparalleled visibility to the goings-on of the West Wing and leads one of the least-known but most impactful teams in a well-functioning White House.

Scharf was a member of Trump’s legal team before joining the new administration. He previously worked as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bailey-scharf-missouri-attorney-general-donors-raga-3d37564d77ded4169c9c523119bde97c">a policy director</a>&nbsp;for former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens and on the campaign of 2016 Republican gubernatorial candidate Catherine Hanaway.

He graduated from Princeton and Harvard Law School before moving to Missouri in 2011 to clerk for Judge Raymond Gruender on the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. He also worked as an assistant U.S. attorney.

Trump tapped Scharf to be his staff secretary in November, citing his experience as a lawyer on the future president’s criminal cases and Scharf’s work during the first Trump presidency getting judges and justices confirmed. They included U.S. Supreme Court Justices&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/brett-kavanaugh">Brett Kavanaugh</a>&nbsp;— who himself served as White House staff secretary for President George W. Bush — and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/amy-coney-barrett">Amy Coney Barrett</a>.

Scharf joined Trump’s legal team in October 2023 and was one of the president’s lawyers in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-special-counsel-report-election-interference-4ef4ba2508baf3bb269abd4bcdc8e102">election interference case</a>&nbsp;brought by special counsel Jack Smith. The case went before the Supreme Court, which ruled that presidents enjoy sweeping immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts.

Scharf is among several of Trump’s lawyers who have been rewarded with spots in his new administration. Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, who defended Trump at his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-sentencing-stormy-daniels-33e070bd3c1acb609bba13f23d784a3a">hush money criminal trial</a>&nbsp;in New York, both got high-ranking Justice Department posts.

“Will Scharf is a brilliant legal mind who has extensive experience defending President Trump from the witch-hunts against him,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. “Will is perfectly suited to help execute President Trump’s agenda in this important role.”

It’s not Scharf’s first time in the public eye

Scharf’s spot by Trump’s side as he rolled out his Day One executive actions was not his first time in public view. He has appeared on cable news and has written opinion columns discussing Trump’s legal cases.

In 2023, Scharf and Newsweek senior editor Josh Hammer co-founded a group called Jews Against Soros, launching a campaign arguing that criticism of George Soros, the billionaire Democratic donor and philanthropist, is not antisemitic.

Scharf ran unsuccessfully for Missouri attorney general in 2024, losing to incumbent Andrew Bailey. His campaign included&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/willscharf/status/1810661099764690975" target="_blank">a memorable ad</a>&nbsp;in which the mild-mannered lawyer appears to use a grenade launcher to fire on a pile of boxes that were labeled to look like they contained legal documents related to Trump’s criminal cases.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737729381217.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Those binders full of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-has-trump-done-trump-executive-orders-f061fbe7f08c08d81509a6af20ef8fc0">executive orders</a>&nbsp;that President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has been signing with a flourish and a wide-tipped Sharpie during his first week in office don’t just magically appear before him.White House staff secretary Will Scharf has been a prominent part of the tableau, standing at Trump’s side and teeing up the leather-bound folders, one by one, for the president. With the cameras rolling, Scharf provides running narration on what Trump is signing, at times leaning into a nearby microphone at the president’s direction.He was by Trump’s side Thursday as the president signed orders and memoranda at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office. And in the first hours of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-inauguration-scene-rotunda-republicans-second-term-618e452b9e8fe294095937b27816d21a">Trump’s return to power</a>, he was there with Trump at the Capitol, at a nearby rally and the White House as the president scrawled his name on stacks of orders implementing his agenda.Scharf doesn’t just act the straight man as Trump talks up his orders, cracks jokes and fields questions from reporters. He also plays a key role in the White House, overseeing the flow of information and business coming to and from the president.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737729569047.png" alt="Photo by Taylor Budowich, Assistant to the President" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Taylor Budowich, Assistant to the President</figcaption>
 </figure>A look at Scharf and his new job:<h2>The presidential in-box</h2>The staff secretary’s job has traditionally involved managing the papers that cross the president’s desk. It serves almost as air traffic control for the West Wing — tracking the drafting and approval of memos and statements as they work their way to the president’s desk and then out to the world.The “StaffSec” coordinates the work of the White House policy, communications and legal teams as information flows around the building, and traditionally is a neutral arbiter in policy debates.The staff secretary has nearly unparalleled visibility to the goings-on of the West Wing and leads one of the least-known but most impactful teams in a well-functioning White House.<h2>Who is Will Scharf?</h2>Scharf was a member of Trump’s legal team before joining the new administration. He previously worked as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bailey-scharf-missouri-attorney-general-donors-raga-3d37564d77ded4169c9c523119bde97c">a policy director</a>&nbsp;for former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens and on the campaign of 2016 Republican gubernatorial candidate Catherine Hanaway.He graduated from Princeton and Harvard Law School before moving to Missouri in 2011 to clerk for Judge Raymond Gruender on the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. He also worked as an assistant U.S. attorney.Trump tapped Scharf to be his staff secretary in November, citing his experience as a lawyer on the future president’s criminal cases and Scharf’s work during the first Trump presidency getting judges and justices confirmed. They included U.S. Supreme Court Justices&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/brett-kavanaugh">Brett Kavanaugh</a>&nbsp;— who himself served as White House staff secretary for President George W. Bush — and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/amy-coney-barrett">Amy Coney Barrett</a>.<h2>He helped Trump fight his legal battles</h2>Scharf joined Trump’s legal team in October 2023 and was one of the president’s lawyers in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-special-counsel-report-election-interference-4ef4ba2508baf3bb269abd4bcdc8e102">election interference case</a>&nbsp;brought by special counsel Jack Smith. The case went before the Supreme Court, which ruled that presidents enjoy sweeping immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts.Scharf is among several of Trump’s lawyers who have been rewarded with spots in his new administration. Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, who defended Trump at his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-sentencing-stormy-daniels-33e070bd3c1acb609bba13f23d784a3a">hush money criminal trial</a>&nbsp;in New York, both got high-ranking Justice Department posts.“Will Scharf is a brilliant legal mind who has extensive experience defending President Trump from the witch-hunts against him,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. “Will is perfectly suited to help execute President Trump’s agenda in this important role.”<h2>It’s not Scharf’s first time in the public eye</h2>Scharf’s spot by Trump’s side as he rolled out his Day One executive actions was not his first time in public view. He has appeared on cable news and has written opinion columns discussing Trump’s legal cases.In 2023, Scharf and Newsweek senior editor Josh Hammer co-founded a group called Jews Against Soros, launching a campaign arguing that criticism of George Soros, the billionaire Democratic donor and philanthropist, is not antisemitic.Scharf ran unsuccessfully for Missouri attorney general in 2024, losing to incumbent Andrew Bailey. His campaign included&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/willscharf/status/1810661099764690975" target="_blank">a memorable ad</a>&nbsp;in which the mild-mannered lawyer appears to use a grenade launcher to fire on a pile of boxes that were labeled to look like they contained legal documents related to Trump’s criminal cases.

Who’s the guy handing Trump those binders of executive orders? Meet Will Scharf

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The latest evidence that homeownership is becoming increasingly less accessible to many Americans: Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell last year to a nearly 30-year low for the second time in as many years.

<a href="https://letmegooglethat.com/?q=I+will+never+understand+going+to+reddit+and+asking+a+sub+to+answer+the+most+basic+internet+searches" target="_blank">Elevated mortgage rates</a>, a yearslong shortage of homes on the market and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fannie-freddie-conforming-loans-mortgage-financing-6ac6d57887e4cfc48dcbba823f0602b7">record-high home prices</a>&nbsp;continued to stymie prospective home shoppers, especially first-time buyers.

That led existing home sales to fall 0.7% last year to 4.06 million — the weakest showing for home sales since 1995 and edging out the terrible year for sales in 2023, the National Association of Realtors said Friday.

Even in the midst of a sales slump, a dearth of homes on the market and rising mortgage rates gave sellers an edge over buyers, helping drive up the national median home price for all of last year to an all-time high $407,500, an increase of 4.7% from a year earlier.

“How is it possible that home sales can be this low, considering that the U.S. population has increased by more than 70 million over this time period from 1995 to today?” asked Lawrence Yun, the NAR’s chief economist. “One can partly answer that question because of the affordability issue. Record-high home prices, mortgage rates having risen, but also lack of inventory.”

The U.S. housing market has been in a sales slump dating back to 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. The average rate on a 30-year mortgage surged to a 23-year high of nearly 8% in October 2023 and briefly fell to a 2-year low last September, but has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-loan-c0761e8cbd4dba18f682541a18ae0fb2">mostly hovering around 7%,</a>&nbsp;according to mortgage buyer Freddie Mac.

The buying power of Americans now facing higher costs to borrow money for homes that have soared in value has been significantly stunted. With so few homes up for sale, millions of would-be homebuyers have found themselves on the sidelines.

At the end of December, there were just 1.15 million homes on the market, NAR said. While that was up 16.2% from a year earlier, the inventory remained well below the annual historical average of about 1.98 million, according to data going back to 1999.

The available inventory at the end of last month amounts to a 3.3-month supply, going by the current sales pace. In a more balanced market between buyers and sellers, there is a 4- to 6-month supply.

“This means that the problems in the U.S. housing market continue to worsen in terms of availability of homes for sale and the upward pressure on home prices,” Eugenio Aleman, chief economist at Raymond James, wrote in a research note.

Many factors have contributed to the housing shortage, including more than a decade of below-average new home construction and homeowners hanging on to their properties longer. And while President Donald Trump made increasing the housing supply one of his election campaign platforms, there are no quick fixes.

“Over the past decade, the U.S. has averaged about 5.2 million home sales annually,” said Lisa Sturtevant, chief economist at Bright MLS. “It is going to take years before we are back at that level, maybe not even until the 2030s. The lack of inventory is the key constraint.”

A sharp drop in the mortgage rate boosted the purchasing power of Americans in 2020 and 2021. While many economists predict that the average rate on a 30-year mortgage will ease this year, they generally don’t expect it to fall below 6%, about twice what it was five years ago.

When mortgage rates ease, they can encourage home shoppers. A pullback in rates last fall helped home sales increase on a monthly basis in the last three months of the year.

Home sales in December rose 2.2% from the previous month on a seasonally adjusted basis to a 4.24 million annual pace, NAR said. That topped the 4.2 million pace forecast by analysts polled by FactSet. Sales rose 9.3% in December versus the same month last year.

The median home sales price rose for the 18th consecutive month in December to $404,000, up 6% from a year earlier.

Limited inventory, especially in the more affordable price range of a given market, helps drive prices higher. That’s one reason many first-time homebuyers, who don’t have any home equity to put toward their down payment, continue to struggle.

They accounted for 31% of all homes sold last month, up from 30% in November and 29% in December 2023. However, the annual share of first-time buyers was 24%. It’s been 40% historically.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1659001075252.jpeg" alt="Photo AP" />
 <figcaption>Photo AP</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;ALEX VEIGAUKANSAS CITY (AP) — The latest evidence that homeownership is becoming increasingly less accessible to many Americans: Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell last year to a nearly 30-year low for the second time in as many years.<a href="https://letmegooglethat.com/?q=I+will+never+understand+going+to+reddit+and+asking+a+sub+to+answer+the+most+basic+internet+searches" target="_blank">Elevated mortgage rates</a>, a yearslong shortage of homes on the market and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fannie-freddie-conforming-loans-mortgage-financing-6ac6d57887e4cfc48dcbba823f0602b7">record-high home prices</a>&nbsp;continued to stymie prospective home shoppers, especially first-time buyers.That led existing home sales to fall 0.7% last year to 4.06 million — the weakest showing for home sales since 1995 and edging out the terrible year for sales in 2023, the National Association of Realtors said Friday.Even in the midst of a sales slump, a dearth of homes on the market and rising mortgage rates gave sellers an edge over buyers, helping drive up the national median home price for all of last year to an all-time high $407,500, an increase of 4.7% from a year earlier.“How is it possible that home sales can be this low, considering that the U.S. population has increased by more than 70 million over this time period from 1995 to today?” asked Lawrence Yun, the NAR’s chief economist. “One can partly answer that question because of the affordability issue. Record-high home prices, mortgage rates having risen, but also lack of inventory.”The U.S. housing market has been in a sales slump dating back to 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. The average rate on a 30-year mortgage surged to a 23-year high of nearly 8% in October 2023 and briefly fell to a 2-year low last September, but has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-loan-c0761e8cbd4dba18f682541a18ae0fb2">mostly hovering around 7%,</a>&nbsp;according to mortgage buyer Freddie Mac.The buying power of Americans now facing higher costs to borrow money for homes that have soared in value has been significantly stunted. With so few homes up for sale, millions of would-be homebuyers have found themselves on the sidelines.At the end of December, there were just 1.15 million homes on the market, NAR said. While that was up 16.2% from a year earlier, the inventory remained well below the annual historical average of about 1.98 million, according to data going back to 1999.The available inventory at the end of last month amounts to a 3.3-month supply, going by the current sales pace. In a more balanced market between buyers and sellers, there is a 4- to 6-month supply.“This means that the problems in the U.S. housing market continue to worsen in terms of availability of homes for sale and the upward pressure on home prices,” Eugenio Aleman, chief economist at Raymond James, wrote in a research note.Many factors have contributed to the housing shortage, including more than a decade of below-average new home construction and homeowners hanging on to their properties longer. And while President Donald Trump made increasing the housing supply one of his election campaign platforms, there are no quick fixes.“Over the past decade, the U.S. has averaged about 5.2 million home sales annually,” said Lisa Sturtevant, chief economist at Bright MLS. “It is going to take years before we are back at that level, maybe not even until the 2030s. The lack of inventory is the key constraint.”A sharp drop in the mortgage rate boosted the purchasing power of Americans in 2020 and 2021. While many economists predict that the average rate on a 30-year mortgage will ease this year, they generally don’t expect it to fall below 6%, about twice what it was five years ago.When mortgage rates ease, they can encourage home shoppers. A pullback in rates last fall helped home sales increase on a monthly basis in the last three months of the year.Home sales in December rose 2.2% from the previous month on a seasonally adjusted basis to a 4.24 million annual pace, NAR said. That topped the 4.2 million pace forecast by analysts polled by FactSet. Sales rose 9.3% in December versus the same month last year.The median home sales price rose for the 18th consecutive month in December to $404,000, up 6% from a year earlier.Limited inventory, especially in the more affordable price range of a given market, helps drive prices higher. That’s one reason many first-time homebuyers, who don’t have any home equity to put toward their down payment, continue to struggle.They accounted for 31% of all homes sold last month, up from 30% in November and 29% in December 2023. However, the annual share of first-time buyers was 24%. It’s been 40% historically.

US home sales fall to lowest level in nearly 30 years 

By DIANE GASPER-O’BRIEN Special to Hays Post

Members of the Hays High School boys’ swim team were introduced to their third head coach in as many years last October.

Tyler Stein, a Fort Hays State University student now with the title of Coach, has the Indians believing in themselves and their talent—so much so that the small squad of 11 hopes to make history next month.

The Indians will battle other Western Athletic Conference teams with much larger squads on Feb. 13 in Garden City for the league title.

Stein, a former all-state swimmer from Great Bend, was hired late in the game—only a few weeks before the start of the 2024-25 season—but he dove in without a splash.

“Coaching was not something I thought I’d be doing,” said Stein, a finance major at FHSU. “But I love the sport, so once I had this opportunity, I jumped on it.”

He immediately laid out his philosophy of what it takes to be successful in the pool: hard work, discipline, routine, conditioning and correct diet—to name a few. And he was right there to help them better their techniques.

“I made it very clear from the first day that I wasn’t there to be their friend. I told them, ‘I’m here to be your coach,’” he said. “My job is to push them and to make them better than the day before.”&nbsp;

It took only a couple of meets for the swimmers to realize their coach knew what he was talking about.

From the get-go, the Indians started bettering their times at each successive meet.

Hays High gave its fans an exhilarating treat at its home meet on Jan. 21. The Indians won eight of the 11 events while bettering their previous-best times in all those championship performances.

“It’s normal to have a couple of PRs throughout the season,” Stein said. “But to consistently drop times like they have been is amazing. It makes me so proud of them as a coach.”

Due to a lack of numbers, small teams often struggle to place as high as larger schools in high school swim team competitions.

Therefore, the Indians didn’t win the team title at their home meet, but Stein thinks that’s a possibility at a larger meet, where points are spread out more.&nbsp;

He is working to put his swimmers in the correct events to make that happen at WAC.

“In a way, it’s like a puzzle,” he said. “I have to make the correct lineup, put them in the events they can excel at while making sure they have enough rest in between events.”

Senior Marshall Sook has goals of breaking Stein’s 50-yard freestyle WAC record of 22.81 seconds. Sook’s career-best in that event is 23.46.

“I’m pushing him to get him there,” Stein said. “As cool as it was to set that record as a swimmer, it would be even more enjoyable as a coach to see one of my swimmers break it.”

Sook has automatically qualified for state in the 50-yard freestyle while also leading the 200-yard freestyle relay to a state-qualifying time. Joining him at state on that relay team will be juniors Chase Zadina and Karsen Flaska and sophomore Cedric Durr.

Sook, who started swimming competitively in seventh grade with the local swim club, said Stein is easy to “trust because he’s put this philosophy to practice before as a swimmer.”

“He’s got everyone wanting to do better and wanting to work hard,” Sook added, “and we’re seeing the results of that hard work.”

Whatever the outcome at the WAC meet, the Indians’ ultimate goal is to qualify as many swimmers as possible for state competition.

With three meets remaining on the schedule, Sook has already hit state-qualifying times in two individual events while also helping the 200-yard freestyle relay team qualify for the Class 5-1A state championships Feb. 20-22 in Lenexa.

HHS has reached state-consideration times in several additional events, and Stein thinks he will be taking a van load of competitors to the season finale.

It’s something he plans to get used to. He is on board to coach the HHS girls’ team this spring—and then come back for another year in 2025-26.&nbsp;

“It’s been a great learning experience,” Stein said. “I know a lot about the sport, but I had to learn about getting the team transportation and setting things up.”

“I’m learning as I go,” he added. “The parents help out a lot, and so do the swimmers.”

And it’s been an enjoyable ride for all involved.

Other seniors with whom Stein has relied on for leadership this year are Christian Miller, Justin Reeves and Bryton Unsworth. Juniors Zadina and Flaska are joined by classmates Levi Crisenberry, Noah Schaeffer and Jude Hileman. Rounding out the roster are a pair of sophomores—Durr and Alex Leiker.

Sook also has hit state-consideration standards in the 100-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly, as have Zadina (50-yard freestyle) and Flaska (100-yard backstroke), as well as both the other Indian relay teams (200-yard medley and 400-yard freestyle).

The Kansas State High School Activities Association sets automatic qualifying times and adds the fastest consideration times to fill out each event.

Flaska, whose main sport is baseball in the spring, didn’t start swimming competitively until his freshman year at HHS.

He said he thinks swimming helps with conditioning for baseball. But right now, the spring season can wait. The Indians have plenty to accomplish yet this winter.

“It’s been a pretty exciting year,” Flaska said. “And I think our success is a 100% coaching. He definitely pushes us, and it’s fun to see how far it takes us.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737857685338.jpeg" alt="Coach Tyler Stein, center with black shirt, has the Hays High School boys’ swim team believing in accomplishing goals the Indians never thought possible. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Coach Tyler Stein, center with black shirt, has the Hays High School boys’ swim team believing in accomplishing goals the Indians never thought possible. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731093059976.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By DIANE GASPER-O’BRIEN Special to Hays PostMembers of the Hays High School boys’ swim team were introduced to their third head coach in as many years last October.And an amazing thing happened.Tyler Stein, a Fort Hays State University student now with the title of Coach, has the Indians believing in themselves and their talent—so much so that the small squad of 11 hopes to make history next month.The Indians will battle other Western Athletic Conference teams with much larger squads on Feb. 13 in Garden City for the league title.Stein, a former all-state swimmer from Great Bend, was hired late in the game—only a few weeks before the start of the 2024-25 season—but he dove in without a splash.“Coaching was not something I thought I’d be doing,” said Stein, a finance major at FHSU. “But I love the sport, so once I had this opportunity, I jumped on it.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737857793736.jpeg" alt="Members of the 400-yard freestyle relay team celebrate their victory at their home meet. From left are Marshall Sook, Cedric Durr, Karsen Flaska and Chase Zadina. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Members of the 400-yard freestyle relay team celebrate their victory at their home meet. From left are Marshall Sook, Cedric Durr, Karsen Flaska and Chase Zadina. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>He immediately laid out his philosophy of what it takes to be successful in the pool: hard work, discipline, routine, conditioning and correct diet—to name a few. And he was right there to help them better their techniques.“I made it very clear from the first day that I wasn’t there to be their friend. I told them, ‘I’m here to be your coach,’” he said. “My job is to push them and to make them better than the day before.”&nbsp;It took only a couple of meets for the swimmers to realize their coach knew what he was talking about.From the get-go, the Indians started bettering their times at each successive meet.Hays High gave its fans an exhilarating treat at its home meet on Jan. 21. The Indians won eight of the 11 events while bettering their previous-best times in all those championship performances.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737857858173.jpeg" alt="Swimmers wear the Hays High parkas with pride this year. Photo by Diane Gasper-O’Brien/Special to Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Swimmers wear the Hays High parkas with pride this year. Photo by Diane Gasper-O’Brien/Special to Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>“It’s normal to have a couple of PRs throughout the season,” Stein said. “But to consistently drop times like they have been is amazing. It makes me so proud of them as a coach.”Due to a lack of numbers, small teams often struggle to place as high as larger schools in high school swim team competitions.Therefore, the Indians didn’t win the team title at their home meet, but Stein thinks that’s a possibility at a larger meet, where points are spread out more.&nbsp;He is working to put his swimmers in the correct events to make that happen at WAC.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737857992919.jpeg" alt="Coach Tyler Stein shouts encouragement to junior Chase Zadina in the 200-yard freestyle race at the Indians’ home meet. Zadina won the race, bettering his previous-best time by almost 13 seconds. Photo by Diane Gasper-O’Brien/ Special to Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Coach Tyler Stein shouts encouragement to junior Chase Zadina in the 200-yard freestyle race at the Indians’ home meet. Zadina won the race, bettering his previous-best time by almost 13 seconds. Photo by Diane Gasper-O’Brien/ Special to Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>“In a way, it’s like a puzzle,” he said. “I have to make the correct lineup, put them in the events they can excel at while making sure they have enough rest in between events.”Senior Marshall Sook has goals of breaking Stein’s 50-yard freestyle WAC record of 22.81 seconds. Sook’s career-best in that event is 23.46.“I’m pushing him to get him there,” Stein said. “As cool as it was to set that record as a swimmer, it would be even more enjoyable as a coach to see one of my swimmers break it.”Sook has automatically qualified for state in the 50-yard freestyle while also leading the 200-yard freestyle relay to a state-qualifying time. Joining him at state on that relay team will be juniors Chase Zadina and Karsen Flaska and sophomore Cedric Durr.Sook, who started swimming competitively in seventh grade with the local swim club, said Stein is easy to “trust because he’s put this philosophy to practice before as a swimmer.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737858045151.jpeg" alt="Knowing what a vital role families play in the success of his swimmers, Coach Tyler Stein congratulates seniors on the team while also thanking their parents at the Indians’ home meet. Photo by Diane Gasper-O’Brien/Special to Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Knowing what a vital role families play in the success of his swimmers, Coach Tyler Stein congratulates seniors on the team while also thanking their parents at the Indians’ home meet. Photo by Diane Gasper-O’Brien/Special to Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>“He’s got everyone wanting to do better and wanting to work hard,” Sook added, “and we’re seeing the results of that hard work.”Whatever the outcome at the WAC meet, the Indians’ ultimate goal is to qualify as many swimmers as possible for state competition.With three meets remaining on the schedule, Sook has already hit state-qualifying times in two individual events while also helping the 200-yard freestyle relay team qualify for the Class 5-1A state championships Feb. 20-22 in Lenexa.HHS has reached state-consideration times in several additional events, and Stein thinks he will be taking a van load of competitors to the season finale.It’s something he plans to get used to. He is on board to coach the HHS girls’ team this spring—and then come back for another year in 2025-26.&nbsp;“It’s been a great learning experience,” Stein said. “I know a lot about the sport, but I had to learn about getting the team transportation and setting things up.”“I’m learning as I go,” he added. “The parents help out a lot, and so do the swimmers.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737858619088.jpeg" alt="Team unity is a huge element of Coach Tyler Stein’s philosophy. As he talks with Cedric Durr after a race, teammates Karsen Flaska, Chase Zadina and Noah Schaeffer congratulate their teammate. Photo by Diane Gasper-O’Brien/Special to Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Team unity is a huge element of Coach Tyler Stein’s philosophy. As he talks with Cedric Durr after a race, teammates Karsen Flaska, Chase Zadina and Noah Schaeffer congratulate their teammate. Photo by Diane Gasper-O’Brien/Special to Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>And it’s been an enjoyable ride for all involved.Other seniors with whom Stein has relied on for leadership this year are Christian Miller, Justin Reeves and Bryton Unsworth. Juniors Zadina and Flaska are joined by classmates Levi Crisenberry, Noah Schaeffer and Jude Hileman. Rounding out the roster are a pair of sophomores—Durr and Alex Leiker.Sook also has hit state-consideration standards in the 100-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly, as have Zadina (50-yard freestyle) and Flaska (100-yard backstroke), as well as both the other Indian relay teams (200-yard medley and 400-yard freestyle).The Kansas State High School Activities Association sets automatic qualifying times and adds the fastest consideration times to fill out each event.Flaska, whose main sport is baseball in the spring, didn’t start swimming competitively until his freshman year at HHS.He said he thinks swimming helps with conditioning for baseball. But right now, the spring season can wait. The Indians have plenty to accomplish yet this winter.“It’s been a pretty exciting year,” Flaska said. “And I think our success is a 100% coaching. He definitely pushes us, and it’s fun to see how far it takes us.”

NWester: Hays High swimmers reaping benefit of new coach’s philosophy

BANGKOK (AP) — Ford Motor Co. is recalling 272,827 Broncos and Mavericks due to a power problem that can cause vehicles to stop unexpectedly or fail to start.

Information from the National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration says the problem is related to a 12 volt battery made by Camel Battery of China that has “internal manufacturing defects,” including weld failures that can cause open circuits.

It said there were no reports of accidents, fires or injuries caused by the problem.

The vehicles were made between February 2021 and October 2023, when Ford stopped using those specific batteries. The defects are thought to affect only 1% of the vehicles equipped with the batteries.

<a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/2024-11/ford-consent-order-web.pdf">Ford pledged</a>&nbsp;in November to review and improve its recall decision-making process and to submit to monitoring by an independent third party that will oversee its recall performance for three years after the U.S. government fine it for moving too slowly on an earlier recall.

The NHTSA said that after a previous recall of 2021-23 Ford Bronco Sport SUVs and 2022-2023 Ford Maverick pickups, some vehicles lost power including the ability to turn on hazard lights, without warning. The remedy involves software updates to improve detection of battery problems and provide warnings to drivers, it said.

BANGKOK (AP) — Ford Motor Co. is recalling 272,827 Broncos and Mavericks due to a power problem that can cause vehicles to stop unexpectedly or fail to start.Information from the National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration says the problem is related to a 12 volt battery made by Camel Battery of China that has “internal manufacturing defects,” including weld failures that can cause open circuits.It said there were no reports of accidents, fires or injuries caused by the problem.The vehicles were made between February 2021 and October 2023, when Ford stopped using those specific batteries. The defects are thought to affect only 1% of the vehicles equipped with the batteries.<a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/2024-11/ford-consent-order-web.pdf">Ford pledged</a>&nbsp;in November to review and improve its recall decision-making process and to submit to monitoring by an independent third party that will oversee its recall performance for three years after the U.S. government fine it for moving too slowly on an earlier recall.The NHTSA said that after a previous recall of 2021-23 Ford Bronco Sport SUVs and 2022-2023 Ford Maverick pickups, some vehicles lost power including the ability to turn on hazard lights, without warning. The remedy involves software updates to improve detection of battery problems and provide warnings to drivers, it said.

Ford recalls more than 270,000 vehicles  due to loss of power problem

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A shooting in a Nashville high school cafeteria Wednesday left a female student dead and another student wounded, nearly two years after another deadly school shooting in the city that ignited an emotional debate about gun control in Tennessee.

The 17-year-old shooter, who was also a student at Antioch High School, later shot and killed himself with a handgun, Metro Nashville Police spokesperson Don Aaron said during a news conference. Police identified him as Solomon Henderson.

Police Chief John Drake said the shooter “confronted” student Josselin Corea Escalante, 16, in the cafeteria and opened fire, killing her.

The wounded student was grazed by a bullet. He was treated and released from the hospital, Drake said. Another student was taken to a hospital for treatment of a facial injury that happened during a fall, Aaron said.

Metro Nashville Police, federal and state agencies are examining “very concerning online writings and social media posts connected to 17-year-old Solomon Henderson” as they work to establish a motive, police said in a statement Wednesday evening.

Investigators at this point have not established a connection between Henderson and the victims, and police said the gunfire may have been random, according to the statement.

Two school resource officers were in the building when the shooting happened around 11 a.m., Aaron said. They were not in the immediate vicinity of the cafeteria and by the time they got down there the shooting was over and the gunman had killed himself, Aaron said.

The school has about 2,000 students and is in Antioch, a neighborhood about 10 miles (16 kilometers) southeast of downtown Nashville.

The children were bussed from the school to a medical center where officials helped shocked parents reunite with their children.

Dajuan Bernard was waiting at a Mapco service station to reunite with his son, a 10th grader, who was being held in the auditorium with other students Wednesday afternoon. He first heard of the shooting from his son, who “was a little startled,” Bernard said. His son was upstairs from the cafeteria but said he heard the gunfire.

“He was OK and let me know that everything was OK,” Bernard said.

“This world is so crazy, it could happen anywhere," he said. "We’ve just got to protect the kids, and raise the kids right to prevent them from even doing this. That’s the hardest part.”

Fonda Abner said her granddaughter had called her a couple of times but that she only heard commotion and thought it was a pocket dial. They spoke briefly before being cut off.

“It’s nerve-racking waiting out here,” Abner said.

United Family Fellowship, a church in Antioch, was hosting a vigil Wednesday night “for anyone in the community who needs a space to pray, process, and find comfort,” the church said on Facebook.

Adrienne Battle, superintendent of Nashville schools, said earlier Wednesday that public schools have implemented a “range of safety measures," including partnerships with police for school resource officers, security cameras with weapon-detection software, shatter-resistant film for glass, and security vestibules that are a barrier between outside visitors and the main entrance.

“Unfortunately, these measures were not enough to stop this tragedy,” Battle said.

She said there are questions about whether stationary metal detectors should be considered.

“While past research has shown they have had limitations and unintended consequences, we will continue to explore emerging technologies and strategies to strengthen school safety,” Battle said.

In October, a 16-year-old Antioch High School student was arrested after school resource officers and school officials discovered through social media that he had taken a gun to school the day prior. When he was stopped the following morning, officials found a loaded gun in his pants, police said.

Wednesday’s school shooting comes nearly two years after a shooter opened fire at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nashville-school-shooting-covenant-school-03aa394109a5e682877403c0c3e52aa7">separate Nashville private elementary school</a>&nbsp;and killed six people, including three children.

The tragedy prompted a monthslong effort among hundreds of community organizers, families, protesters and others pleading with lawmakers to consider passing gun control measures.

GOP lawmakers in the Republican-dominant state refused to do so. With the Republican supermajority intact after November’s election, it’s unlikely attitudes have changed enough to consider any meaningful bills that would address gun control.

Instead, lawmakers have been more open to adding more security to schools — including passing a bill last year that would allow some teachers and staff to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-arming-teachers-guns-2d7d80fa1f54f8f9585a6d2e98fec9fd">carry concealed handguns</a>&nbsp;on public school grounds, and bar parents and other teachers from knowing who was armed.

Antioch, a growing and diverse area of Nashville, has endured other prominent shootings in recent years. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f56b445a4e54468caff28c1844c55aa4">2017 fatal shooting</a>&nbsp;at Burnette Chapel Church of Christ killed one woman and wounded seven people. And in 2018, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/b0da52acd5374c28a2495291b0819387">shooter killed four people at a Waffle House</a>.

State Rep. Shaundelle Brooks ran for office in large part due to her son’s death in the Waffle House shooting and was elected last year after the Covenant shooting. She said the Antioch High shooting reinforces the need for gun control reforms. “We must do better,” she said.

“Ever since I lost my son, Akilah, in a mass shooting in 2018, I have been fighting to ensure this never happens again,” the Nashville Democrat said in a statement. “Here we are almost 7 years later, and our communities are still being impacted by gun violence.”

Samantha Dickerson had taken her 14-year-old son’s phone away as a punishment, so when she got a message from his school about the shooting, she had no way to reach him.

“I was nervous,” she said. “I really was about to break down.”

After about three hours of waiting, she finally got a call from his English teacher and spoke with her son.

“When I heard his voice, I just broke down and started crying,” she said.

Associated Press writers Kimberlee Kruesi in Nashville and Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tennessee, contributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737571189477.png" alt="Photo Metro Nashville Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Metro Nashville Police</figcaption>
 </figure>NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A shooting in a Nashville high school cafeteria Wednesday left a female student dead and another student wounded, nearly two years after another deadly school shooting in the city that ignited an emotional debate about gun control in Tennessee.The 17-year-old shooter, who was also a student at Antioch High School, later shot and killed himself with a handgun, Metro Nashville Police spokesperson Don Aaron said during a news conference. Police identified him as Solomon Henderson.Police Chief John Drake said the shooter “confronted” student Josselin Corea Escalante, 16, in the cafeteria and opened fire, killing her.The wounded student was grazed by a bullet. He was treated and released from the hospital, Drake said. Another student was taken to a hospital for treatment of a facial injury that happened during a fall, Aaron said.Metro Nashville Police, federal and state agencies are examining “very concerning online writings and social media posts connected to 17-year-old Solomon Henderson” as they work to establish a motive, police said in a statement Wednesday evening.Investigators at this point have not established a connection between Henderson and the victims, and police said the gunfire may have been random, according to the statement.Two school resource officers were in the building when the shooting happened around 11 a.m., Aaron said. They were not in the immediate vicinity of the cafeteria and by the time they got down there the shooting was over and the gunman had killed himself, Aaron said.The school has about 2,000 students and is in Antioch, a neighborhood about 10 miles (16 kilometers) southeast of downtown Nashville.The children were bussed from the school to a medical center where officials helped shocked parents reunite with their children.Dajuan Bernard was waiting at a Mapco service station to reunite with his son, a 10th grader, who was being held in the auditorium with other students Wednesday afternoon. He first heard of the shooting from his son, who “was a little startled,” Bernard said. His son was upstairs from the cafeteria but said he heard the gunfire.“He was OK and let me know that everything was OK,” Bernard said.“This world is so crazy, it could happen anywhere," he said. "We’ve just got to protect the kids, and raise the kids right to prevent them from even doing this. That’s the hardest part.”Fonda Abner said her granddaughter had called her a couple of times but that she only heard commotion and thought it was a pocket dial. They spoke briefly before being cut off.“It’s nerve-racking waiting out here,” Abner said.United Family Fellowship, a church in Antioch, was hosting a vigil Wednesday night “for anyone in the community who needs a space to pray, process, and find comfort,” the church said on Facebook.Adrienne Battle, superintendent of Nashville schools, said earlier Wednesday that public schools have implemented a “range of safety measures," including partnerships with police for school resource officers, security cameras with weapon-detection software, shatter-resistant film for glass, and security vestibules that are a barrier between outside visitors and the main entrance.“Unfortunately, these measures were not enough to stop this tragedy,” Battle said.She said there are questions about whether stationary metal detectors should be considered.“While past research has shown they have had limitations and unintended consequences, we will continue to explore emerging technologies and strategies to strengthen school safety,” Battle said.In October, a 16-year-old Antioch High School student was arrested after school resource officers and school officials discovered through social media that he had taken a gun to school the day prior. When he was stopped the following morning, officials found a loaded gun in his pants, police said.Wednesday’s school shooting comes nearly two years after a shooter opened fire at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nashville-school-shooting-covenant-school-03aa394109a5e682877403c0c3e52aa7">separate Nashville private elementary school</a>&nbsp;and killed six people, including three children.The tragedy prompted a monthslong effort among hundreds of community organizers, families, protesters and others pleading with lawmakers to consider passing gun control measures.GOP lawmakers in the Republican-dominant state refused to do so. With the Republican supermajority intact after November’s election, it’s unlikely attitudes have changed enough to consider any meaningful bills that would address gun control.Instead, lawmakers have been more open to adding more security to schools — including passing a bill last year that would allow some teachers and staff to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-arming-teachers-guns-2d7d80fa1f54f8f9585a6d2e98fec9fd">carry concealed handguns</a>&nbsp;on public school grounds, and bar parents and other teachers from knowing who was armed.Antioch, a growing and diverse area of Nashville, has endured other prominent shootings in recent years. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f56b445a4e54468caff28c1844c55aa4">2017 fatal shooting</a>&nbsp;at Burnette Chapel Church of Christ killed one woman and wounded seven people. And in 2018, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/b0da52acd5374c28a2495291b0819387">shooter killed four people at a Waffle House</a>.State Rep. Shaundelle Brooks ran for office in large part due to her son’s death in the Waffle House shooting and was elected last year after the Covenant shooting. She said the Antioch High shooting reinforces the need for gun control reforms. “We must do better,” she said.“Ever since I lost my son, Akilah, in a mass shooting in 2018, I have been fighting to ensure this never happens again,” the Nashville Democrat said in a statement. “Here we are almost 7 years later, and our communities are still being impacted by gun violence.”Samantha Dickerson had taken her 14-year-old son’s phone away as a punishment, so when she got a message from his school about the shooting, she had no way to reach him.“I was nervous,” she said. “I really was about to break down.”After about three hours of waiting, she finally got a call from his English teacher and spoke with her son.“When I heard his voice, I just broke down and started crying,” she said.___Associated Press writers Kimberlee Kruesi in Nashville and Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tennessee, contributed.

Police ID 16-year-old killed in shooting at Tennessee high school

On Wednesday, President Trump signed an Executive Order re-designating Ansar Allah, also known as the Houthis, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. The Houthis’ activities threaten the security of American civilians and personnel in the Middle East.

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101&nbsp;et seq.) (INA), it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1.&nbsp; Purpose. &nbsp;This order sets in motion a process by which Ansar Allah, also known as the Houthis, shall be considered for designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, consistent with section 219 of the INA (8 U.S.C. 1189).

Supported by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force (IRGC-QF), which arms and trains terrorist organizations worldwide, the Houthis have fired at U.S. Navy warships dozens of times since 2023, endangering American men and women in uniform. &nbsp;Since seizing most Yemeni population centers by force from the legitimate Yemeni government in 2014-2015، the Houthis have launched numerous attacks on civilian infrastructure, including multiple attacks on civilian airports in Saudi Arabia, the deadly January 2022 attacks on the United Arab Emirates, and more than 300 projectiles fired at Israel since October 2023.&nbsp; The Houthis have also attacked commercial vessels transiting Bab al-Mandeb more than 100 times, killing at least four civilian sailors and forcing some Red Sea maritime commercial traffic to reroute, which has contributed to global inflation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/6/1561036312700.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>On Wednesday, President Trump signed an Executive Order re-designating Ansar Allah, also known as the Houthis, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. The Houthis’ activities threaten the security of American civilians and personnel in the Middle East.The executive order is printed below.By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101&nbsp;et seq.) (INA), it is hereby ordered as follows:Section 1.&nbsp; Purpose. &nbsp;This order sets in motion a process by which Ansar Allah, also known as the Houthis, shall be considered for designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, consistent with section 219 of the INA (8 U.S.C. 1189).Supported by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force (IRGC-QF), which arms and trains terrorist organizations worldwide, the Houthis have fired at U.S. Navy warships dozens of times since 2023, endangering American men and women in uniform. &nbsp;Since seizing most Yemeni population centers by force from the legitimate Yemeni government in 2014-2015، the Houthis have launched numerous attacks on civilian infrastructure, including multiple attacks on civilian airports in Saudi Arabia, the deadly January 2022 attacks on the United Arab Emirates, and more than 300 projectiles fired at Israel since October 2023.&nbsp; The Houthis have also attacked commercial vessels transiting Bab al-Mandeb more than 100 times, killing at least four civilian sailors and forcing some Red Sea maritime commercial traffic to reroute, which has contributed to global inflation.The Houthis’ activities threaten the security of American civilians and personnel in the Middle East, the safety of our closest regional partners, and the stability of global maritime trade.Sec. 2. &nbsp;Policy. &nbsp;It is the policy of the United States to cooperate with its regional partners to eliminate Ansar Allah’s capabilities and operations, deprive it of resources, and thereby end its attacks on U.S. personnel and civilians, U.S. partners, and maritime shipping in the Red Sea.Sec. 3. &nbsp;Implementation. &nbsp;(a) &nbsp;Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State shall, after consultation with the Director of National Intelligence and the Secretary of the Treasury, submit a report to the President, through the National Security Council, concerning the designation of Ansar Allah as a foreign terrorist organization consistent with 8 U.S.C. 1189.(b) &nbsp;Within 15 days after submitting the report required under subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary of State shall take all appropriate action, consistent with 8 U.S.C. 1189, with regards to a designation of Ansar Allah as a terrorist organization.(d) &nbsp;Following any designation of Ansar Allah as a foreign terrorist organization under 8 U.S.C. 1189, the Secretary of State and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) shall jointly conduct a review of the United Nations partners, nongovernmental organizations, and contractors through which USAID works in Yemen, and identify any entities with a relationship with USAID that has:(i)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; made payments to members of, or governmental entities controlled by, Ansar Allah; or(ii)&nbsp;&nbsp; has criticized international efforts to counter Ansar Allah while failing to document Ansar Allah’s abuses sufficiently.(e) &nbsp;The Administrator of USAID shall take all appropriate action to terminate the projects, grants, or contracts identified under subsection (e) of this section as appropriate.Sec. 4. &nbsp;General Provisions.&nbsp; (a)&nbsp; Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:(i)&nbsp;&nbsp; the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof; or(ii)&nbsp; the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.(b)&nbsp; This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.(c)&nbsp; This order is not intended to and does not create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, o