By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The Hays school board decided to delay moving forward on selling land adjacent to Hays Middle School until it can obtain an appraisal.

The board is considering selling&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/717a1a84-82e4-456a-90ae-88efeb538244">7.23 acres of district-owned property at 201 W. 29th St., north of the current Hays Middle School football field, through a sealed bid process.</a>

The board plans to accept sealed bids for the property with the right to refuse any bids it receives. The proceeds from the sale of the property would be allocated to the capital outlay fund.

The board was scheduled to vote on the sale on Monday, but Allen Park, board member, said he wanted to obtain an appraisal, which would cost about $1,350.

The district already has four comparable sales to review. 

Those comparable lots sold for between $1.72 and $2.41 per square foot. 

The property closest in size to the middle school property was at 1201 E. 33rd St. This property is zoned for residential multifamily use. It consists of 7.71 acres (335,412 square feet).&nbsp;This property sold on October 20, 2020, for $577,500, which calculates to $1.72 per square foot.

Board Vice President Ken Brooks said he did not believe the appraisal was necessary and considered it a waste of money.

The board ultimately voted to move forward with the appraisal on a vote of 5-1, with Brooks voting against. Board member Jayme Goetz was absent.

The board approved a $68,250 bid from Vitztum Commercial Flooring for flooring at Hays Middle School for the cafeteria serving area and the band and vocal rooms.

The board also approved a bid for $71,086 from Nex-Tech for interior door locks, including hardware, installation and configuration for Hays Middle School.

Superintendent Ron Wilson informed the board he had successfully applied for and received two grants to reimburse the district for upgrades to the high school's tennis courts.

The district received $140,000 from the United States Tennis Association and&nbsp;$14,000 from the Missouri Valley Tennis Association, totaling $154,000. The money will be deposited into the capital outlay fund.

Board member Ruth Ruder thanked Wilson for his efforts and said the district should consider hiring a grant writer next year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762804711884.jpeg" alt="The Hays USD 489 school district is seeking an appraisal for this 7.23-acre lot, north of the current Hays Middle School football field. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The Hays USD 489 school district is seeking an appraisal for this 7.23-acre lot, north of the current Hays Middle School football field. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Hays school board decided to delay moving forward on selling land adjacent to Hays Middle School until it can obtain an appraisal.The board is considering selling&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/717a1a84-82e4-456a-90ae-88efeb538244">7.23 acres of district-owned property at 201 W. 29th St., north of the current Hays Middle School football field, through a sealed bid process.</a>The board plans to accept sealed bids for the property with the right to refuse any bids it receives. The proceeds from the sale of the property would be allocated to the capital outlay fund.The board was scheduled to vote on the sale on Monday, but Allen Park, board member, said he wanted to obtain an appraisal, which would cost about $1,350.The district already has four comparable sales to review. Those comparable lots sold for between $1.72 and $2.41 per square foot. The property closest in size to the middle school property was at 1201 E. 33rd St. This property is zoned for residential multifamily use. It consists of 7.71 acres (335,412 square feet).&nbsp;This property sold on October 20, 2020, for $577,500, which calculates to $1.72 per square foot.Board Vice President Ken Brooks said he did not believe the appraisal was necessary and considered it a waste of money.The board ultimately voted to move forward with the appraisal on a vote of 5-1, with Brooks voting against. Board member Jayme Goetz was absent.Hays Middle School projectsThe board approved a $68,250 bid from Vitztum Commercial Flooring for flooring at Hays Middle School for the cafeteria serving area and the band and vocal rooms.The board also approved a bid for $71,086 from Nex-Tech for interior door locks, including hardware, installation and configuration for Hays Middle School.GrantsSuperintendent Ron Wilson informed the board he had successfully applied for and received two grants to reimburse the district for upgrades to the high school's tennis courts.The district received $140,000 from the United States Tennis Association and&nbsp;$14,000 from the Missouri Valley Tennis Association, totaling $154,000. The money will be deposited into the capital outlay fund.Board member Ruth Ruder thanked Wilson for his efforts and said the district should consider hiring a grant writer next year.

Hays USD 489 board delays sale of middle school land pending appraisal

WASHINGTON (AP) —The USS Gerald R. Ford has officially entered the U.S. Southern Command region, almost three weeks after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-hegseth-drugs-boat-strikes-6c3316b2852723e26c39dc701bba9d52">first announced he was ordering</a>&nbsp;the aircraft carrier to aid in the campaign against alleged drug smugglers,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fourthfleet.navy.mil/Press-Room/News/Article/4329586/gerald-r-ford-carrier-strike-group-enters-us-fourth-fleet/">according to a press release</a>.

However, since the region’s borders reach well into the Atlantic Ocean, coming within a few hundred miles of Africa, it’s not clear just how close the carrier or its accompanying destroyers are to Caribbean waters. Multiple military officials wouldn’t offer further location details when asked by The Associated Press.

The Navy’s press release said the Ford and three destroyers — the USS Bainbridge, USS Mahan, and USS Winston Churchill — will join seven other ships, including three that carry a Marine Expeditionary Unit made up of thousands of Marines, that have been in the Caribbean for months.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696803172229.png" alt="File photo The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea in mid October 2024-photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>File photo The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea in mid October 2024-photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The USS Gerald R. Ford has officially entered the U.S. Southern Command region, almost three weeks after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-hegseth-drugs-boat-strikes-6c3316b2852723e26c39dc701bba9d52">first announced he was ordering</a>&nbsp;the aircraft carrier to aid in the campaign against alleged drug smugglers,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fourthfleet.navy.mil/Press-Room/News/Article/4329586/gerald-r-ford-carrier-strike-group-enters-us-fourth-fleet/">according to a press release</a>.However, since the region’s borders reach well into the Atlantic Ocean, coming within a few hundred miles of Africa, it’s not clear just how close the carrier or its accompanying destroyers are to Caribbean waters. Multiple military officials wouldn’t offer further location details when asked by The Associated Press.The Navy’s press release said the Ford and three destroyers — the USS Bainbridge, USS Mahan, and USS Winston Churchill — will join seven other ships, including three that carry a Marine Expeditionary Unit made up of thousands of Marines, that have been in the Caribbean for months.

US Navy aircraft carrier group moves closer to Caribbean Sea

A partnership between Fort Hays State University, Garden City Community College (GCCC), and Garden City Arts brought together first responders, students, and community members for a unique blend of training and creative collaboration during the First Responder Art Collaboration Training (FACT) on Tuesday, October 28.

Hosted in the Endowment Room on GCCC’s campus, the three-hour event was led by FHSU’s Community Engaged Art class under the supervision of Dr. Amy Schmierbach, professor of art and certified Blue Bridge trainer. The initiative aimed to strengthen communication, empathy, and understanding between first responders and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

FACT began with Blue Bridge Training, a nationally recognized, evidence-based program developed by a retired police chief and father of an autistic son. The curriculum equips first responders with practical strategies for compassionate and effective interactions with individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities, communities that often face increased vulnerability during emergency situations.

Schmierbach, also the parent of an autistic child, shared her professional and personal insights during the session. “The goal of Blue Bridge is to build confidence, comfort, and mutual understanding,” she said. “Artmaking then provides the perfect space to put those lessons into practice.”

Following the training, participants joined a collaborative weaving workshop where first responders and students worked alongside community members with IDD, including participants from Mosaic and art students from both FHSU and GCCC. The hands-on activity encouraged conversation and cooperation while incorporating repetitive kinetic movement, an approach often used by individuals with autism for self-regulation and sensory comfort.

“The highlight for me was interacting with the young man at the weaving station,” said Robert Scrivner, associate professor of criminal justice and public safety at GCCC. “We had a great conversation about Captain America, and his smile afterward was infectious. Made my day. Plus, I had never woven before, so I really got a lot out of it.”

More than 25 participants attended, including students and professionals from EMS paramedic, criminal justice, and fire safety programs. The event reflected the shared commitment of all partners to foster inclusivity and strengthen community bonds through art and education.

GCCC expressed gratitude to Dr. Schmierbach for bringing the FACT initiative to Garden City, following successful collaborations in Hays, Atwood, and Wichita. The college also thanked Garden City Arts Executive Director Katy Guthrie for her organizational support and leadership in promoting accessible arts programming, as well as Michael Knutson and the GCCC Visual Arts Department for their contributions to making this educational opportunity possible.

“This collaboration demonstrates the power of art to connect people and deepen understanding,” Schmierbach said. “When we combine creativity with compassion, we can truly make a difference in how communities care for one another.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762529243440.jpeg" alt="Fort Hays State University and Garden City Community Collee partner on First Responder Art Collaboration Training. Photo by FHSU" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State University and Garden City Community Collee partner on First Responder Art Collaboration Training. Photo by FHSU</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University CommunicationsA partnership between Fort Hays State University, Garden City Community College (GCCC), and Garden City Arts brought together first responders, students, and community members for a unique blend of training and creative collaboration during the First Responder Art Collaboration Training (FACT) on Tuesday, October 28.Hosted in the Endowment Room on GCCC’s campus, the three-hour event was led by FHSU’s Community Engaged Art class under the supervision of Dr. Amy Schmierbach, professor of art and certified Blue Bridge trainer. The initiative aimed to strengthen communication, empathy, and understanding between first responders and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).FACT began with Blue Bridge Training, a nationally recognized, evidence-based program developed by a retired police chief and father of an autistic son. The curriculum equips first responders with practical strategies for compassionate and effective interactions with individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities, communities that often face increased vulnerability during emergency situations.Schmierbach, also the parent of an autistic child, shared her professional and personal insights during the session. “The goal of Blue Bridge is to build confidence, comfort, and mutual understanding,” she said. “Artmaking then provides the perfect space to put those lessons into practice.”Following the training, participants joined a collaborative weaving workshop where first responders and students worked alongside community members with IDD, including participants from Mosaic and art students from both FHSU and GCCC. The hands-on activity encouraged conversation and cooperation while incorporating repetitive kinetic movement, an approach often used by individuals with autism for self-regulation and sensory comfort.“The highlight for me was interacting with the young man at the weaving station,” said Robert Scrivner, associate professor of criminal justice and public safety at GCCC. “We had a great conversation about Captain America, and his smile afterward was infectious. Made my day. Plus, I had never woven before, so I really got a lot out of it.”More than 25 participants attended, including students and professionals from EMS paramedic, criminal justice, and fire safety programs. The event reflected the shared commitment of all partners to foster inclusivity and strengthen community bonds through art and education.GCCC expressed gratitude to Dr. Schmierbach for bringing the FACT initiative to Garden City, following successful collaborations in Hays, Atwood, and Wichita. The college also thanked Garden City Arts Executive Director Katy Guthrie for her organizational support and leadership in promoting accessible arts programming, as well as Michael Knutson and the GCCC Visual Arts Department for their contributions to making this educational opportunity possible.“This collaboration demonstrates the power of art to connect people and deepen understanding,” Schmierbach said. “When we combine creativity with compassion, we can truly make a difference in how communities care for one another.”

FHSU, GCCC partner on First Responder Art Collaboration Training

WASHINGTON (AP) —The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended an order blocking full SNAP payments, amid signals that the government shutdown could soon end and food aid payments resume.

The order keeps in place at least for a few more days a chaotic situation. People who depend on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to feed their families in some states have received their full monthly allocations, while others have received nothing.

The order will expire just before midnight Thursday.

The Senate has approved a bill to end the shutdown and the House of Representatives could vote on it as early as Wednesday. Reopening the government would restart the program that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-congress-trump-641e7e2324f261da72395b604d9540e8">helps 42 million Americans</a>&nbsp;buy groceries, but it’s not clear how quickly full payments would resume.

The justices chose what is effectively the path of least resistance, anticipating the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-update-80ef7cada7b3c0559aca38886efd8f90">federal government shutdown</a>&nbsp;will end soon while avoiding any substantive legal ruling about whether lower court orders to keep full payments flowing during the shutdown are correct.

Beneficiaries in some states have received their full monthly allocations while in others they have received nothing. Some states have issued partial payments.

How quickly SNAP benefits could reach recipients if the government reopens would vary by state. But states and advocates say that it's easier to make full payments quickly than partial ones.

Carolyn Vega, a policy analyst at the advocacy group Share Our Strength, also said there could be some technical challenges for states that have issued partial benefits to send out the remaining amount.

In Pennsylvania, full November benefits went out to some people on Friday. But Jim Malliard, 41, of Franklin, said he had not received anything by Monday.

Malliard is a full-time caretaker for his wife, who is blind and has had several strokes this year, and his teenage daughter, who suffered severe medical complications from surgery last year.

That stress has only been compounded by the pause in the $350 monthly SNAP payment he previously received for himself, his wife and daughter. He said he is down to $10 in his account and is relying on what’s left in the pantry — mostly rice and ramen.

“It’s kind of been a lot of late nights, making sure I had everything down to the penny to make sure I was right,” Malliard said. “To say anxiety has been my issue for the past two weeks is putting it mildly.”

The political wrangling in Washington has shocked many Americans, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shutdown-snap-volunteer-efd96724c418e31f6cc96c974ba5d215">some have been moved to help</a>.

“I figure that I’ve spent money on dumber stuff than trying to feed other people during a manufactured famine,” said Ashley Oxenford, a teacher who set out a “little food pantry” in her front yard this week for vulnerable neighbors in Carthage, New York.

SNAP has been the center of an intense fight in court

The Trump administration chose to cut off SNAP funding after October due to the shutdown. That decision sparked lawsuits and a string of swift and contradictory judicial rulings that deal with government power — and impact food access for some 42 million Americans.

The administration went along with two rulings on Oct. 31 by judges who said the government must provide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-shutdown-lawsuits-deadline-4af8b0dec6cd31cddd023cc99c131b73">at least partial funding</a>&nbsp;for SNAP. It eventually said recipients would get up to 65% of their regular benefits. But it balked last week when one of the judges said it must&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-benefit-november-shutdown-086c15b0818e0cafae85090b34f44ba3">fund the program fully</a>&nbsp;for November, even if that means digging into funds the government said need to be maintained in case of emergencies elsewhere.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-food-government-shutdown-trump-a807e9f0c0a7213e203c074553dc1f9b">U.S. Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;agreed to pause that order.

An appeals court said Monday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-benefits-trump-administration-demands-undo-states-d433f20df4d461db506e0d327a58d3c1">full funding should resume</a>, and that requirement was set to kick in Tuesday night before the top court extended the order blocking full SNAP payments.

Congressional talks about reopening government

The U.S. Senate on Monday passed legislation to reopen the federal government with a plan that would include replenishing SNAP funds. Speaker Mike Johnson told members of the House to return to Washington to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-8-democrats-e83180c0b69642a00a234c244d9ea76e">consider the deal</a>&nbsp;a small group of Senate Democrats made with Republicans.

President Donald Trump has not said whether he would sign it if it reaches his desk, but told reporters at the White House on Sunday that it “looks like we're getting close to the shutdown ending.”

Still, the Trump administration said in a Supreme Court filing Monday that it shouldn’t be up to the courts.

“The answer to this crisis is not for federal courts to reallocate resources without lawful authority,” Solicitor General D. John Sauer said in the papers. “The only way to end this crisis — which the Executive is adamant to end — is for Congress to reopen the government.”

The coalition of cities and nonprofit groups who challenged the SNAP pause said in a court filing Tuesday that the Department of Agriculture, which administers SNAP, is to blame for the confusion.

“The chaos was sown by USDA’s delays and intransigence," they said, "not by the district court’s efforts to mitigate that chaos and the harm it has inflicted on families who need food.”

Associated Press reporter Cara Anna in Carthage, New York, contributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739672428485.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended an order blocking full SNAP payments, amid signals that the government shutdown could soon end and food aid payments resume.The order keeps in place at least for a few more days a chaotic situation. People who depend on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to feed their families in some states have received their full monthly allocations, while others have received nothing.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762903719839.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>The order will expire just before midnight Thursday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Our <a href="https://twitter.com/TheJusticeDept?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheJusticeDept</a> attorneys just secured a further administrative stay through Thursday at midnight at the Supreme Court to prevent further judicial upheaval for the SNAP and Child Nutrition programs. Thank you to the Court for allowing Congress to continue its swift progress…&mdash; Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/1988384652139053245?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Senate has approved a bill to end the shutdown and the House of Representatives could vote on it as early as Wednesday. Reopening the government would restart the program that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-congress-trump-641e7e2324f261da72395b604d9540e8">helps 42 million Americans</a>&nbsp;buy groceries, but it’s not clear how quickly full payments would resume.The justices chose what is effectively the path of least resistance, anticipating the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-update-80ef7cada7b3c0559aca38886efd8f90">federal government shutdown</a>&nbsp;will end soon while avoiding any substantive legal ruling about whether lower court orders to keep full payments flowing during the shutdown are correct.Beneficiaries in some states have received their full monthly allocations while in others they have received nothing. Some states have issued partial payments.How quickly SNAP benefits could reach recipients if the government reopens would vary by state. But states and advocates say that it's easier to make full payments quickly than partial ones.Carolyn Vega, a policy analyst at the advocacy group Share Our Strength, also said there could be some technical challenges for states that have issued partial benefits to send out the remaining amount.<h2>An urgent need for beneficiaries</h2>In Pennsylvania, full November benefits went out to some people on Friday. But Jim Malliard, 41, of Franklin, said he had not received anything by Monday.Malliard is a full-time caretaker for his wife, who is blind and has had several strokes this year, and his teenage daughter, who suffered severe medical complications from surgery last year.That stress has only been compounded by the pause in the $350 monthly SNAP payment he previously received for himself, his wife and daughter. He said he is down to $10 in his account and is relying on what’s left in the pantry — mostly rice and ramen.“It’s kind of been a lot of late nights, making sure I had everything down to the penny to make sure I was right,” Malliard said. “To say anxiety has been my issue for the past two weeks is putting it mildly.”The political wrangling in Washington has shocked many Americans, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shutdown-snap-volunteer-efd96724c418e31f6cc96c974ba5d215">some have been moved to help</a>.“I figure that I’ve spent money on dumber stuff than trying to feed other people during a manufactured famine,” said Ashley Oxenford, a teacher who set out a “little food pantry” in her front yard this week for vulnerable neighbors in Carthage, New York.<h2>SNAP has been the center of an intense fight in court</h2>The Trump administration chose to cut off SNAP funding after October due to the shutdown. That decision sparked lawsuits and a string of swift and contradictory judicial rulings that deal with government power — and impact food access for some 42 million Americans.The administration went along with two rulings on Oct. 31 by judges who said the government must provide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-shutdown-lawsuits-deadline-4af8b0dec6cd31cddd023cc99c131b73">at least partial funding</a>&nbsp;for SNAP. It eventually said recipients would get up to 65% of their regular benefits. But it balked last week when one of the judges said it must&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-benefit-november-shutdown-086c15b0818e0cafae85090b34f44ba3">fund the program fully</a>&nbsp;for November, even if that means digging into funds the government said need to be maintained in case of emergencies elsewhere.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-food-government-shutdown-trump-a807e9f0c0a7213e203c074553dc1f9b">U.S. Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;agreed to pause that order.An appeals court said Monday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-benefits-trump-administration-demands-undo-states-d433f20df4d461db506e0d327a58d3c1">full funding should resume</a>, and that requirement was set to kick in Tuesday night before the top court extended the order blocking full SNAP payments.<h2>Congressional talks about reopening government</h2>The U.S. Senate on Monday passed legislation to reopen the federal government with a plan that would include replenishing SNAP funds. Speaker Mike Johnson told members of the House to return to Washington to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-8-democrats-e83180c0b69642a00a234c244d9ea76e">consider the deal</a>&nbsp;a small group of Senate Democrats made with Republicans.President Donald Trump has not said whether he would sign it if it reaches his desk, but told reporters at the White House on Sunday that it “looks like we're getting close to the shutdown ending.”Still, the Trump administration said in a Supreme Court filing Monday that it shouldn’t be up to the courts.“The answer to this crisis is not for federal courts to reallocate resources without lawful authority,” Solicitor General D. John Sauer said in the papers. “The only way to end this crisis — which the Executive is adamant to end — is for Congress to reopen the government.”The coalition of cities and nonprofit groups who challenged the SNAP pause said in a court filing Tuesday that the Department of Agriculture, which administers SNAP, is to blame for the confusion.“The chaos was sown by USDA’s delays and intransigence," they said, "not by the district court’s efforts to mitigate that chaos and the harm it has inflicted on families who need food.”___Associated Press reporter Cara Anna in Carthage, New York, contributed.

Read the order: Supreme Court extends block on full SNAP payments

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Federico Heinrich of Fort Hays State was named GAC Defender of the Week on Tuesday. He helped Fort Hays State to a 3-2 win at Newman last week as FHSU finished the regular season unbeaten at 15-0-3 overall and 11-0-1 in the GAC.

After FHSU fell down 2-0 early in the second half, Heinrich was instrumental in FHSU making a thrilling three-goal comeback in the final 26 minutes of the match. He had the equalizing goal in the 69th minute on a header in the box, coming off a corner kick from Juan Linares. It was Heinrich's third goal of the season and he scored for the second-consecutive match.

Heinrich was one of the three weekly honorees from the conference office. Louis Bassett of Rogers State was named the Offensive Player of the Week and Dillon Staal of Ouachita Baptist was named the Goalkeeper of the Week.

FHSU has had 14 player of the week honors from the conference office this season. Payton Roehrich earned Goalkeeper of the Week three times this season. Dimitry Tchantcheu (defender), Oliver Wright (defender), and Juan Linares (offense) all earned weekly honors twice this season. Elias Ovelar Semeniuk (offense), Bastian Carlman (offense), Harrison Bensouda (defender), Jackson Elgas (defender), and Heinrich (defender) have all earned an honor once this year. The Tigers have claimed 13 of their 14 honors within the months of October and November.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762947673639.jpeg" alt="FHSU Athletics image" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics image</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsRUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Federico Heinrich of Fort Hays State was named GAC Defender of the Week on Tuesday. He helped Fort Hays State to a 3-2 win at Newman last week as FHSU finished the regular season unbeaten at 15-0-3 overall and 11-0-1 in the GAC.After FHSU fell down 2-0 early in the second half, Heinrich was instrumental in FHSU making a thrilling three-goal comeback in the final 26 minutes of the match. He had the equalizing goal in the 69th minute on a header in the box, coming off a corner kick from Juan Linares. It was Heinrich's third goal of the season and he scored for the second-consecutive match.Heinrich was one of the three weekly honorees from the conference office. Louis Bassett of Rogers State was named the Offensive Player of the Week and Dillon Staal of Ouachita Baptist was named the Goalkeeper of the Week.FHSU has had 14 player of the week honors from the conference office this season. Payton Roehrich earned Goalkeeper of the Week three times this season. Dimitry Tchantcheu (defender), Oliver Wright (defender), and Juan Linares (offense) all earned weekly honors twice this season. Elias Ovelar Semeniuk (offense), Bastian Carlman (offense), Harrison Bensouda (defender), Jackson Elgas (defender), and Heinrich (defender) have all earned an honor once this year. The Tigers have claimed 13 of their 14 honors within the months of October and November.

⚽ Heinrich named GAC Defender of the Week

NEW YORK (AP) — Most U.S. stocks rose on Tuesday and carried the market back to where it was before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-tech-ai-trump-e50166021211dde65703d637c2889f2b">last week’s swoon</a>.

The S&amp;P 500 added 0.2% after erasing a loss taken during the morning. It’s been bouncing around lately, coming off Monday’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-ai-earnings-trump-f2bee27796f9401e5cd8d88c06785f93">vigorous rebound</a>&nbsp;following its first losing week in four.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied 559 points, or 1.2%, to a record, surpassing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-trump-china-earnings-7507a6e0d264874721af27cc7533544a">its prior all-time high set two weeks ago</a>. The Nasdaq composite lagged the market, though, as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nvidia-artificial-intelligence-semiconductor-chips-2579fbc39a8e0107db3912bc7ba9a256">Nvidia</a>&nbsp;got back to falling amid continued concerns that stocks caught up in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence">artificial-intelligence</a>&nbsp;frenzy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-bubble-warnings-bank-of-england-imf-b15e54f6d06992371ee39b27f4e6da3a">may have become too expensive</a>. The Nasdaq dipped 0.3%

Helping to lead the market was Paramount Skydance, which jumped even though the entertainment giant reported revenue and profit for the latest quarter that fell short of Wall Street’s expectations.

It was the company’s first earnings report since Skydance closed its acquisition of Paramount in early August, and investors appeared to be encouraged that it raised its cost-cutting target to at least $3 billion from the previous $2 billion. Its stock leaped 9.8%.

Close behind was FedEx, which climbed 5.4% after it increased its forecast for profit in the current quarter. Instead of expecting growth from just the summer, the delivery company now also expects profit to rise in this year’s holiday-shopping season from last year's.

They helped pull the S&amp;P 500 back within 0.6% of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/investors-401k-what-to-do-bb0663da4643e8c3dbe08a4092482aa5">its all-time high</a>, which was set two weeks ago.

They also helped offset a 3% drop for Nvidia, which is Wall Street’s most influential stock because of its massive size.

A major investor in Nvidia, Japanese technology giant SoftBank, said it had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-softbank-son-nvidia-ai-chips-d8a10172850628c317a214280a4d94c9">sold its entire stake in the AI chip company</a>&nbsp;for $5.83 billion last month. SoftBank is not giving up on AI. It’s still focusing on OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT.

A big question on Wall Street has been whether investors will push the frenzy around AI stocks further. Their sensational growth has been one of the top reasons the U.S. market has hit records despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jobs-openings-unemployment-inflation-federal-reserve-60b8f481cdbc56f96829817a2992e508">a slowing job market</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-inflation-trump-prices-economy-wall-street-fed-consumers-280a2fd30de3bb44bd87cd0248082322">still-high inflation</a>. But their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/investors-401k-what-to-do-bb0663da4643e8c3dbe08a4092482aa5">prices have shot so high</a>&nbsp;that critics say they’re&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-bubble-warnings-bank-of-england-imf-b15e54f6d06992371ee39b27f4e6da3a">reminiscent of the 2000 dot-com bubble,</a>&nbsp;which ultimately burst and dragged the S&amp;P 500 down by nearly half.

CoreWeave, whose cloud platform helps customers running AI workloads, fell 16.3% even though it reported a smaller loss for the latest quarter than analysts expected.

Its revenue also topped expectations, and financial analysts praised its momentum. But investors seemed to focus instead on supply-chain issues that are delaying a data center and pushing some of CoreWeave’s revenue further into the future.

Back on the winning side of Wall Street, BigBear.ai rose 6.1% after reporting better results for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It also said it would buy AskSage, a generative AI platform built for national-security agencies and other highly regulated areas, for $250 million.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 added 14.18 points to 6,846.61. The Dow rallied 559.33 to 47,927.96, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 58.87 to 23,468.30.

In stock markets abroad, indexes rose in Europe following a mixed finish in Asia.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 slipped 0.1% even though SoftBank climbed 2%. Besides the sale of its Nvidia stake, the tech giant also reported a much bigger profit than analysts expected.

In the U.S. bond market, trading was closed for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/veterans-day-open-closed-government-business-stock-market-1a8be167daf4b11d889d60d2fe2303ca">Veterans Day</a>&nbsp;holiday.

Yields have been generally rising since Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-cut-inflation-jobs-e689e1397856aa24ffebdaaefa9762a2">warned last month that further cuts to interest rates are not a sure thing</a>. The Fed has already cut its main interest rate twice this year in hopes of shoring up the slowing job market. But it’s worried that inflation, which has stubbornly remained above the Fed’s 2% target, could reaccelerate.

What’s making the Fed’s job potentially more difficult is that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-impact-shutdown-snap-flights-trump-826406b1083b262cad78338bc99f103b">the U.S. government’s shutdown</a>&nbsp;has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-trump-government-shutdown-jobs-7606871d40d0b8b9e58ca42672e22112">delayed important updates</a>&nbsp;on jobs and other areas of the economy. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-update-80ef7cada7b3c0559aca38886efd8f90">Senate has made moves to end</a>&nbsp;what’s become the longest-ever shutdown, but it’s not assured.

That has left the Fed and investors looking at reports coming from sources outside of the government, which have offered a mixed picture.

A job tracker at Goldman Sachs suggests growth slowed in October from September. After including the effect of a deferred resignation program at the government, U.S. employers overall may have cut 50,000 jobs in October, according to economist David Mericle.

Such softening in the job market has traders betting on a roughly two-in-three chance that the Fed will cut interest rates at its next meeting in December, according to data from CME Group. Expectations for such cuts, which Wall Street loves because they can goose the economy and investment prices, are another reason stocks have hit records recently.

AP Business Writers Chan Ho-Him and Matt Ott contributed.

NEW YORK (AP) — Most U.S. stocks rose on Tuesday and carried the market back to where it was before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-tech-ai-trump-e50166021211dde65703d637c2889f2b">last week’s swoon</a>.The S&amp;P 500 added 0.2% after erasing a loss taken during the morning. It’s been bouncing around lately, coming off Monday’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-ai-earnings-trump-f2bee27796f9401e5cd8d88c06785f93">vigorous rebound</a>&nbsp;following its first losing week in four.The Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied 559 points, or 1.2%, to a record, surpassing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-trump-china-earnings-7507a6e0d264874721af27cc7533544a">its prior all-time high set two weeks ago</a>. The Nasdaq composite lagged the market, though, as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nvidia-artificial-intelligence-semiconductor-chips-2579fbc39a8e0107db3912bc7ba9a256">Nvidia</a>&nbsp;got back to falling amid continued concerns that stocks caught up in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence">artificial-intelligence</a>&nbsp;frenzy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-bubble-warnings-bank-of-england-imf-b15e54f6d06992371ee39b27f4e6da3a">may have become too expensive</a>. The Nasdaq dipped 0.3%Helping to lead the market was Paramount Skydance, which jumped even though the entertainment giant reported revenue and profit for the latest quarter that fell short of Wall Street’s expectations.It was the company’s first earnings report since Skydance closed its acquisition of Paramount in early August, and investors appeared to be encouraged that it raised its cost-cutting target to at least $3 billion from the previous $2 billion. Its stock leaped 9.8%.Close behind was FedEx, which climbed 5.4% after it increased its forecast for profit in the current quarter. Instead of expecting growth from just the summer, the delivery company now also expects profit to rise in this year’s holiday-shopping season from last year's.They helped pull the S&amp;P 500 back within 0.6% of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/investors-401k-what-to-do-bb0663da4643e8c3dbe08a4092482aa5">its all-time high</a>, which was set two weeks ago.They also helped offset a 3% drop for Nvidia, which is Wall Street’s most influential stock because of its massive size.A major investor in Nvidia, Japanese technology giant SoftBank, said it had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-softbank-son-nvidia-ai-chips-d8a10172850628c317a214280a4d94c9">sold its entire stake in the AI chip company</a>&nbsp;for $5.83 billion last month. SoftBank is not giving up on AI. It’s still focusing on OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT.A big question on Wall Street has been whether investors will push the frenzy around AI stocks further. Their sensational growth has been one of the top reasons the U.S. market has hit records despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jobs-openings-unemployment-inflation-federal-reserve-60b8f481cdbc56f96829817a2992e508">a slowing job market</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-inflation-trump-prices-economy-wall-street-fed-consumers-280a2fd30de3bb44bd87cd0248082322">still-high inflation</a>. But their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/investors-401k-what-to-do-bb0663da4643e8c3dbe08a4092482aa5">prices have shot so high</a>&nbsp;that critics say they’re&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-bubble-warnings-bank-of-england-imf-b15e54f6d06992371ee39b27f4e6da3a">reminiscent of the 2000 dot-com bubble,</a>&nbsp;which ultimately burst and dragged the S&amp;P 500 down by nearly half.CoreWeave, whose cloud platform helps customers running AI workloads, fell 16.3% even though it reported a smaller loss for the latest quarter than analysts expected.Its revenue also topped expectations, and financial analysts praised its momentum. But investors seemed to focus instead on supply-chain issues that are delaying a data center and pushing some of CoreWeave’s revenue further into the future.Back on the winning side of Wall Street, BigBear.ai rose 6.1% after reporting better results for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It also said it would buy AskSage, a generative AI platform built for national-security agencies and other highly regulated areas, for $250 million.All told, the S&amp;P 500 added 14.18 points to 6,846.61. The Dow rallied 559.33 to 47,927.96, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 58.87 to 23,468.30.In stock markets abroad, indexes rose in Europe following a mixed finish in Asia.Japan’s Nikkei 225 slipped 0.1% even though SoftBank climbed 2%. Besides the sale of its Nvidia stake, the tech giant also reported a much bigger profit than analysts expected.In the U.S. bond market, trading was closed for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/veterans-day-open-closed-government-business-stock-market-1a8be167daf4b11d889d60d2fe2303ca">Veterans Day</a>&nbsp;holiday.Yields have been generally rising since Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-cut-inflation-jobs-e689e1397856aa24ffebdaaefa9762a2">warned last month that further cuts to interest rates are not a sure thing</a>. The Fed has already cut its main interest rate twice this year in hopes of shoring up the slowing job market. But it’s worried that inflation, which has stubbornly remained above the Fed’s 2% target, could reaccelerate.What’s making the Fed’s job potentially more difficult is that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-impact-shutdown-snap-flights-trump-826406b1083b262cad78338bc99f103b">the U.S. government’s shutdown</a>&nbsp;has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-trump-government-shutdown-jobs-7606871d40d0b8b9e58ca42672e22112">delayed important updates</a>&nbsp;on jobs and other areas of the economy. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-update-80ef7cada7b3c0559aca38886efd8f90">Senate has made moves to end</a>&nbsp;what’s become the longest-ever shutdown, but it’s not assured.That has left the Fed and investors looking at reports coming from sources outside of the government, which have offered a mixed picture.A job tracker at Goldman Sachs suggests growth slowed in October from September. After including the effect of a deferred resignation program at the government, U.S. employers overall may have cut 50,000 jobs in October, according to economist David Mericle.Such softening in the job market has traders betting on a roughly two-in-three chance that the Fed will cut interest rates at its next meeting in December, according to data from CME Group. Expectations for such cuts, which Wall Street loves because they can goose the economy and investment prices, are another reason stocks have hit records recently.___AP Business Writers Chan Ho-Him and Matt Ott contributed.

The Dow rallies over 550 points to a new record

KANSAS CITY —A second person injured in a crash that occurred October 29, in Kansas City, Missouri has died.

Just before 12:30p.m. on that Wednesday, a silver Dodge Journey was southbound on Broadway in Kansas City, Missouri, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. The driver of the Dodge suffered a possible medical emergency and accelerated through the intersection of Linwood and Broadway. 

The vehicle traveled off the roadway to the right, struck an unoccupied parked Lexus and traveled up onto the sidewalk. The Dodge then struck a steel light pole, the Vietnam Memorial and continued traveling southbound through the grass and struck the side of the VFW building.

EMS transported both the driver and front seat passenger of the of the Dodge to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. Both were reported in very critical condition.

The passenger of the Dodge Journey, an adult female,  was pronounced deceased on the night of October 29, according to Becchina.&nbsp;&nbsp;

On Monday, the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office reported the involved driver had succumbed to the injuries sustained in the crash and the driver was pronounced deceased by St. Lukes Hospital staff.

 Police released no additional details including the name of the victim. This is fatality #57 compared to #80 last year in Kansas City, Missouri.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761833620367.png" alt="Photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A second person injured in a crash that occurred October 29, in Kansas City, Missouri has died.Just before 12:30p.m. on that Wednesday, a silver Dodge Journey was southbound on Broadway in Kansas City, Missouri, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. The driver of the Dodge suffered a possible medical emergency and accelerated through the intersection of Linwood and Broadway. The vehicle traveled off the roadway to the right, struck an unoccupied parked Lexus and traveled up onto the sidewalk. The Dodge then struck a steel light pole, the Vietnam Memorial and continued traveling southbound through the grass and struck the side of the VFW building.EMS transported both the driver and front seat passenger of the of the Dodge to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. Both were reported in very critical condition.The passenger of the Dodge Journey, an adult female, was pronounced deceased on the night of October 29, according to Becchina.&nbsp;&nbsp;On Monday, the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office reported the involved driver had succumbed to the injuries sustained in the crash and the driver was pronounced deceased by St. Lukes Hospital staff. Police released no additional details including the name of the victim. This is fatality #57 compared to #80 last year in Kansas City, Missouri.

KCPD: Driver dies days after crash that killed passenger 

By JOHN P. TRETBAR Eagle Media

U.S. crude production rose slightly in August to yet another record, the third in as many months. 

The Energy Information Administration reports average output nationwide rose 86,000 barrels per day from the previous record set in July. Texas, North Dakota and Colorado were each down marginally. New Mexico, Oklahoma and Alaska were higher.&nbsp; Kansas output falls more than one percent to 70,000 barrels a day.

The government reports weekly production topped last week's all-time record high by seven thousand daily barrels to reach an average of 13,651,000 barrels per day. Output has exceeded 13.6 million barrels per day in each of the last five weekly government reports. The four-week average is another record high at 13.64 million barrels per day. Cumulative production is nearly 13-and-a-half million barrels a day.

The largest agricultural cooperative in the United States, and operator of the largest refinery in Kansas, announces a big drop in income.&nbsp; CHS reports income just under $600 million dollars for fiscal 2025, down from $1.1 billion the year before. The Minnesota-based agribusiness giant reported its revenues dipped about four billion dollars, due largely to lower commodity prices. The company also reported tighter refining margins and planned maintenance at its refinery in McPherson, Kansas.

September was a big month for one of the state's biggest drillers. Murfin Drilling notches two new wildcat strikes, both now recognized and named by the Kansas Geological Society. One of them is in Logan County, and the other in Cheyenne County, continuing the company's long string of successes there. The Society identified five new fields last week, or 21 so far this year.

The Rotary Rig Count from Baker Hughes is up three gas rigs for a total of 548. The&nbsp;oil&nbsp;count is unchanged. Reports for Texas and Wyoming are each down one; Louisiana is up two rigs for the week.

The Kansas Rig Count from Independent&nbsp;Oil&nbsp;and Gas Service is unchanged in eastern Kansas, but up five west of Wichita at 13 rigs. Operators were rigging up rotary tools to spud a new well in Ellis County, and drilling was underway on Friday on leases in Russell and Gove counties. Operators completed 16 wells in Kansas this week including one in Ellis County. That's 968 new well completions so far this year, compared to 1,137 a year ago.

The KCC okayed 24 new drilling locations, or 557 so far this year, compared to 961 a year ago. There's one new permit in Finney County this week.

The top five drilling contractors in western Kansas for the first three quarters of the year are Duke Drilling, Murfin Drilling, Discovery Drilling, Southwind Drilling and Pickrell Drilling. Independent&nbsp;Oil&nbsp;and Gas Service bases the ranking on total footage drilled to total depth. 

The next five are Sterling Drilling, Fossil Drilling, L.D. Drilling, Lighthouse Drilling and STP Drilling. In eastern Kansas the leaders are RJ Energy, Colt Energy, C&amp;G Drilling, McGown Drilling, and TDR Construction, along with Thornton Air Rotary, Utah&nbsp;Oil&nbsp;and Steven A. Leis.

U.S. crude&nbsp;oil&nbsp;imports averaged 5.9 million barrels per day last week, an increase of 873,000 barrels per day from the previous week. Over the past four weeks, crude&nbsp;oil&nbsp;imports averaged about 5.6 million barrels per day, 7.3% less than the same four-week period last year. Imports from Canada held steady in October at about 3.4 million barrels a day.

Crude exports topped four million barrels a day for a third week in a row. The four-week average is up 13% from a year ago. Crude imports topped exports by 1.5 million daily barrels, refined product exports topped imports by 5.3 million.

The Energy Information Administration reports a five-million barrel rise in commercial crude-oil&nbsp;inventories to just over 421 million barrels as of October 31. Stockpiles are about four percent below the five-year average, dipping more than six million barrels from a year ago.

The government reports another half-million-barrel addition to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which is now just under 410 million. Refills in the last year total 22.4 million barrels, purchased at roughly $60 a barrel to replace barrels sold three years ago for roughly $95.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670507085360.jpeg" alt="Photo by Unsplash" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Unsplash</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN P. TRETBAR Eagle MediaU.S. crude production rose slightly in August to yet another record, the third in as many months. The Energy Information Administration reports average output nationwide rose 86,000 barrels per day from the previous record set in July. Texas, North Dakota and Colorado were each down marginally. New Mexico, Oklahoma and Alaska were higher.&nbsp; Kansas output falls more than one percent to 70,000 barrels a day.The government reports weekly production topped last week's all-time record high by seven thousand daily barrels to reach an average of 13,651,000 barrels per day. Output has exceeded 13.6 million barrels per day in each of the last five weekly government reports. The four-week average is another record high at 13.64 million barrels per day. Cumulative production is nearly 13-and-a-half million barrels a day.The largest agricultural cooperative in the United States, and operator of the largest refinery in Kansas, announces a big drop in income.&nbsp; CHS reports income just under $600 million dollars for fiscal 2025, down from $1.1 billion the year before. The Minnesota-based agribusiness giant reported its revenues dipped about four billion dollars, due largely to lower commodity prices. The company also reported tighter refining margins and planned maintenance at its refinery in McPherson, Kansas.September was a big month for one of the state's biggest drillers. Murfin Drilling notches two new wildcat strikes, both now recognized and named by the Kansas Geological Society. One of them is in Logan County, and the other in Cheyenne County, continuing the company's long string of successes there. The Society identified five new fields last week, or 21 so far this year.The Rotary Rig Count from Baker Hughes is up three gas rigs for a total of 548. The&nbsp;oil&nbsp;count is unchanged. Reports for Texas and Wyoming are each down one; Louisiana is up two rigs for the week.The Kansas Rig Count from Independent&nbsp;Oil&nbsp;and Gas Service is unchanged in eastern Kansas, but up five west of Wichita at 13 rigs. Operators were rigging up rotary tools to spud a new well in Ellis County, and drilling was underway on Friday on leases in Russell and Gove counties. Operators completed 16 wells in Kansas this week including one in Ellis County. That's 968 new well completions so far this year, compared to 1,137 a year ago.The KCC okayed 24 new drilling locations, or 557 so far this year, compared to 961 a year ago. There's one new permit in Finney County this week.The top five drilling contractors in western Kansas for the first three quarters of the year are Duke Drilling, Murfin Drilling, Discovery Drilling, Southwind Drilling and Pickrell Drilling. Independent&nbsp;Oil&nbsp;and Gas Service bases the ranking on total footage drilled to total depth. The next five are Sterling Drilling, Fossil Drilling, L.D. Drilling, Lighthouse Drilling and STP Drilling. In eastern Kansas the leaders are RJ Energy, Colt Energy, C&amp;G Drilling, McGown Drilling, and TDR Construction, along with Thornton Air Rotary, Utah&nbsp;Oil&nbsp;and Steven A. Leis.U.S. crude&nbsp;oil&nbsp;imports averaged 5.9 million barrels per day last week, an increase of 873,000 barrels per day from the previous week. Over the past four weeks, crude&nbsp;oil&nbsp;imports averaged about 5.6 million barrels per day, 7.3% less than the same four-week period last year. Imports from Canada held steady in October at about 3.4 million barrels a day.Crude exports topped four million barrels a day for a third week in a row. The four-week average is up 13% from a year ago. Crude imports topped exports by 1.5 million daily barrels, refined product exports topped imports by 5.3 million.The Energy Information Administration reports a five-million barrel rise in commercial crude-oil&nbsp;inventories to just over 421 million barrels as of October 31. Stockpiles are about four percent below the five-year average, dipping more than six million barrels from a year ago.The government reports another half-million-barrel addition to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which is now just under 410 million. Refills in the last year total 22.4 million barrels, purchased at roughly $60 a barrel to replace barrels sold three years ago for roughly $95.&nbsp;&nbsp;

News from the Oil Patch: Crude-production records stacking up

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a robbery that occurred on Halloween are asking for help to identify the suspect.

On October 31, the suspect, shown in a security camera image released on Monday, robbed a business in the 300 block of S. Hwy 291 while armed with a handgun, according to Liberty Police.

The suspect was wearing the white shoes. If you recognize this individual or have any information about this robbery, please contact detectives at 816-439-4730 or call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).You may remain anonymous and could receive a cash reward for information leading to an arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762809150189.png" alt="Photo LIberty Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo LIberty Police</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a robbery that occurred on Halloween are asking for help to identify the suspect.On October 31, the suspect, shown in a security camera image released on Monday, robbed a business in the 300 block of S. Hwy 291 while armed with a handgun, according to Liberty Police.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762809123628.png" alt="Photo Liberty Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Liberty Police</figcaption>
 </figure>The suspect was wearing the white shoes. If you recognize this individual or have any information about this robbery, please contact detectives at 816-439-4730 or call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).You may remain anonymous and could receive a cash reward for information leading to an arrest.

Police working to ID KC area Halloween robbery suspect

WASHINGTON (AP) —It’s up to the U.S. Supreme Court and Congress to decide when full payments will resume under the SNAP food aid program that helps 1 in 8 Americans buy groceries as the financial pressures mount on families in some states.

The Supreme Court is expected to rule Tuesday on a request from President Donald Trump’s administration to keep blocking states from providing full benefits, arguing the money might be needed elsewhere.

The seesawing rulings so far have created a situation where beneficiaries in some states, including Hawaii and New Jersey, have received their full monthly allocations and those in others, such as Nebraska and West Virginia, have seen nothing.

The legal wrangling could be made moot if the U.S. House adopts and Trump signs legislation to end the federal government shutdown quickly.

The Trump administration chose to cut off funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program after October due to the shutdown. That decision sparked lawsuits and a string of swift and contradictory judicial rulings that deal with government power — and impact the food access for 42 million Americans.

The administration went along with a pair of rulings from Oct. 31 from judges who said the government must provide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-shutdown-lawsuits-deadline-4af8b0dec6cd31cddd023cc99c131b73">at least partial funding</a>&nbsp;for SNAP. It eventually said that recipients would get up to 65% of their regular benefits. But it balked last week when one of the judges said that it must&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-benefit-november-shutdown-086c15b0818e0cafae85090b34f44ba3">fund the program fully</a>&nbsp;for November, even if itt means digging into funds the government said need to be maintained in case of emergencies elsewhere.

An appeals court said Monday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-benefits-trump-administration-demands-undo-states-d433f20df4d461db506e0d327a58d3c1">full funding should resume</a>&nbsp;— and that requirement is set to kick in Tuesday night unless the top court takes action again.

It’s also a point in Congressional talks about reopening government

The U.S. Senate on Monday passed legislation to reopen the federal government with a plan that would include replenishing SNAP funds.

Speaker Mike Johnson told members of the House to return to Washington to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-8-democrats-e83180c0b69642a00a234c244d9ea76e">consider the deal</a>&nbsp;a small group of Senate Democrats made with Republicans.

Trump has not said whether he would sign it if it reaches his desk, but told reporters at the White House on Sunday that it “looks like we’re getting close to the shutdown ending.”

If the deal is finalized, it’s not clear how quickly SNAP benefits might start flowing.

Still, the Trump administration said in a filing Monday with the Supreme Court that it shouldn’t be up to the courts. “The answer to this crisis is not for federal courts to reallocate resources without lawful authority,” Solicitor General D. John Sauer said in the papers. “The only way to end this crisis — which the Executive is adamant to end — is for Congress to reopen the government.”

The cascading legal rulings — plus the varying responses of each state to the shutoff — means people who rely on SNAP are in vastly different situations.

Some have all their benefits, some have none. In states including North Carolina and Texas, beneficiaries have received partial amounts.

In Pennsylvania, full benefits went out to some people on Friday. But Jim Malliard, 41, of Franklin, said he had not received anything by Monday.

Malliard is a full-time caretaker for his wife, who is blind and had a series of strokes earlier this year, and his teenage daughter, who suffered severe medical complications from surgery last year.

That stress has only been compounded by the pause in the $350 a month he receives in SNAP for himself, his wife and daughter. He has yet to receive any SNAP payment for November, and he’s down to $10 in his account and is relying on what’s left in the pantry — mostly rice and ramen.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739672428485.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —It’s up to the U.S. Supreme Court and Congress to decide when full payments will resume under the SNAP food aid program that helps 1 in 8 Americans buy groceries as the financial pressures mount on families in some states.The Supreme Court is expected to rule Tuesday on a request from President Donald Trump’s administration to keep blocking states from providing full benefits, arguing the money might be needed elsewhere.The seesawing rulings so far have created a situation where beneficiaries in some states, including Hawaii and New Jersey, have received their full monthly allocations and those in others, such as Nebraska and West Virginia, have seen nothing.The legal wrangling could be made moot if the U.S. House adopts and Trump signs legislation to end the federal government shutdown quickly.<h2>SNAP has been the center of an intense fight in court</h2>The Trump administration chose to cut off funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program after October due to the shutdown. That decision sparked lawsuits and a string of swift and contradictory judicial rulings that deal with government power — and impact the food access for 42 million Americans.The administration went along with a pair of rulings from Oct. 31 from judges who said the government must provide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-shutdown-lawsuits-deadline-4af8b0dec6cd31cddd023cc99c131b73">at least partial funding</a>&nbsp;for SNAP. It eventually said that recipients would get up to 65% of their regular benefits. But it balked last week when one of the judges said that it must&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-benefit-november-shutdown-086c15b0818e0cafae85090b34f44ba3">fund the program fully</a>&nbsp;for November, even if itt means digging into funds the government said need to be maintained in case of emergencies elsewhere.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762569874331.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762569857484.png" alt="Page 2 of the Supreme Court ruling issued on Friday" />
 <figcaption>Page 2 of the Supreme Court ruling issued on Friday</figcaption>
 </figure>The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-food-government-shutdown-trump-a807e9f0c0a7213e203c074553dc1f9b">U.S. Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;agreed to pause that order.An appeals court said Monday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snap-benefits-trump-administration-demands-undo-states-d433f20df4d461db506e0d327a58d3c1">full funding should resume</a>&nbsp;— and that requirement is set to kick in Tuesday night unless the top court takes action again.<h2>It’s also a point in Congressional talks about reopening government</h2>The U.S. Senate on Monday passed legislation to reopen the federal government with a plan that would include replenishing SNAP funds.Speaker Mike Johnson told members of the House to return to Washington to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-8-democrats-e83180c0b69642a00a234c244d9ea76e">consider the deal</a>&nbsp;a small group of Senate Democrats made with Republicans.Trump has not said whether he would sign it if it reaches his desk, but told reporters at the White House on Sunday that it “looks like we’re getting close to the shutdown ending.”If the deal is finalized, it’s not clear how quickly SNAP benefits might start flowing.Still, the Trump administration said in a filing Monday with the Supreme Court that it shouldn’t be up to the courts. “The answer to this crisis is not for federal courts to reallocate resources without lawful authority,” Solicitor General D. John Sauer said in the papers. “The only way to end this crisis — which the Executive is adamant to end — is for Congress to reopen the government.”<h2>The impact is urgent for beneficiaries</h2>The cascading legal rulings — plus the varying responses of each state to the shutoff — means people who rely on SNAP are in vastly different situations.Some have all their benefits, some have none. In states including North Carolina and Texas, beneficiaries have received partial amounts.In Pennsylvania, full benefits went out to some people on Friday. But Jim Malliard, 41, of Franklin, said he had not received anything by Monday.Malliard is a full-time caretaker for his wife, who is blind and had a series of strokes earlier this year, and his teenage daughter, who suffered severe medical complications from surgery last year.That stress has only been compounded by the pause in the $350 a month he receives in SNAP for himself, his wife and daughter. He has yet to receive any SNAP payment for November, and he’s down to $10 in his account and is relying on what’s left in the pantry — mostly rice and ramen.“It’s kind of been a lot of late nights, making sure I had everything down to the penny to make sure I was right,” Malliard said. “To say anxiety has been my issue for the past two weeks is putting it mildly.”

Supreme Court expected to say whether full SNAP food payments can resume

Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas hosted its annual awards luncheon in Hays on October 21st. Awards were given throughout the afternoon to staff, persons served, and community members. The first awards of the afternoon were given to employees of DSNWK for their years of service. Those staff recognized and listed by location, were:

Atwood - Amber Barnett, Martina Urban Hays - Robert Begler, Janet Bolander, Derek Crabtree, Tammy Dreiling, Terri Farrington, Timothy Gohl, Jeremy Goodale, Michael Greene, Kathrine Hampton, Hazen Hance, Timothy Herman, Magdalen Housman, Madeline Hutchins, LeAnne Kroeger, Vanessa Moore, Cheryl Morgan, Jared Normandin, Alicia Preston, Leah Schlyer, Terry Schmeidler, Lance Sprick Hill City - Cynthia Bauer, Kelly Granger, Dawn Powell Norton - Deirdre Nelson Russell - Tamara Lynch, Sandra Nietzke

Recognition was made to six people who retired from DSNWK over the past year. They were; Connie Fross, Dale Haag, Deanna Leiker, Denise Stritt, Audrey Ummel and Paul Wildeman.

Special recognition was also paid to three staff members for their outstanding work with persons with disabilities. April LeJuene of Atwood, Dilene Reinhardt of Hays, and Dawn Rose, of Russell were each presented with the Employee of the Year Award.

A $100 scholarship award was presented to Alyssa Cole who is attending Fort Hays State University. This award was given from the Jerelyn Becker Memorial Scholarship Fund for employees studying in higher education in a field related to serving people with developmental disabilities.

Several awards were given to individuals served by DSNWK for achievement through employment. Those receiving awards and listed by location were:

Atwood - Kelly Fisher, Judy Leiker Hays - Jimmy Brungardt, Matthew Green, Jacob Houghton, Olivia Hueneke, Anthony Morgan, Derrick Morton, Dallas Rupp, Asia Schonthaler, Tyrone Schumacher, Trenton Uhl Hill City - Alyssa Logue, Val Stradel Plainville - Haley Ciarallo

DSNWK’s newest awards recognized contractors through its Shared Living program. Those receiving awards for one year were: Kiera Goodwin, Kimberly Griffith, Gloria Johnson, Tabitha Madden, Casey Whitley and Landon Williams of Goodland.

DSNWK presented two Individual Achievement Awards to individuals served by DSNWK. AeraAna Austin Oder of Lucas and Jared Barnes of Hill City were presented these awards which go each year to one youth and one adult who have shown tremendous individual progress throughout the year.

Awards were presented to community individuals and businesses. Master Cleaners in Hays received DSNWK's Employer of the Year Award for their outstanding support of people with disabilities in the workforce. The Community Support Award was presented to U-Save Pharmacy of Hays for their support of DSNWK’s Employment Connections. Recognition was made to Martin Jimenez of Hays with DSNWK’s Good Neighbor Award for his outstanding volunteerism.

Finally, DSNWK recognized two long-time advocates of DSNWK for their support with its Vision of Hope Awards. The Scheopner Family of Goodland and Connie Weber and the late Allan Weber of Oakley were honored. DSNWK paid tribute to them for their outstanding support over the years for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

DSNWK is a 501c3 nonprofit serving 18 counties in northwest Kansas with a mission to advocate for persons with disabilities and those who care about them by planning and supporting a life of dignity, interdependence, and personal satisfaction in the community

For more information contact: Steve Keil 785-625-5678

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762545377172.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedDevelopmental Services of Northwest Kansas hosted its annual awards luncheon in Hays on October 21st. Awards were given throughout the afternoon to staff, persons served, and community members. The first awards of the afternoon were given to employees of DSNWK for their years of service. Those staff recognized and listed by location, were:Atwood - Amber Barnett, Martina Urban Hays - Robert Begler, Janet Bolander, Derek Crabtree, Tammy Dreiling, Terri Farrington, Timothy Gohl, Jeremy Goodale, Michael Greene, Kathrine Hampton, Hazen Hance, Timothy Herman, Magdalen Housman, Madeline Hutchins, LeAnne Kroeger, Vanessa Moore, Cheryl Morgan, Jared Normandin, Alicia Preston, Leah Schlyer, Terry Schmeidler, Lance Sprick Hill City - Cynthia Bauer, Kelly Granger, Dawn Powell Norton - Deirdre Nelson Russell - Tamara Lynch, Sandra NietzkeRecognition was made to six people who retired from DSNWK over the past year. They were; Connie Fross, Dale Haag, Deanna Leiker, Denise Stritt, Audrey Ummel and Paul Wildeman.Special recognition was also paid to three staff members for their outstanding work with persons with disabilities. April LeJuene of Atwood, Dilene Reinhardt of Hays, and Dawn Rose, of Russell were each presented with the Employee of the Year Award.A $100 scholarship award was presented to Alyssa Cole who is attending Fort Hays State University. This award was given from the Jerelyn Becker Memorial Scholarship Fund for employees studying in higher education in a field related to serving people with developmental disabilities.Several awards were given to individuals served by DSNWK for achievement through employment. Those receiving awards and listed by location were:Atwood - Kelly Fisher, Judy Leiker Hays - Jimmy Brungardt, Matthew Green, Jacob Houghton, Olivia Hueneke, Anthony Morgan, Derrick Morton, Dallas Rupp, Asia Schonthaler, Tyrone Schumacher, Trenton Uhl Hill City - Alyssa Logue, Val Stradel Plainville - Haley CiaralloDSNWK’s newest awards recognized contractors through its Shared Living program. Those receiving awards for one year were: Kiera Goodwin, Kimberly Griffith, Gloria Johnson, Tabitha Madden, Casey Whitley and Landon Williams of Goodland.DSNWK presented two Individual Achievement Awards to individuals served by DSNWK. AeraAna Austin Oder of Lucas and Jared Barnes of Hill City were presented these awards which go each year to one youth and one adult who have shown tremendous individual progress throughout the year.Awards were presented to community individuals and businesses. Master Cleaners in Hays received DSNWK's Employer of the Year Award for their outstanding support of people with disabilities in the workforce. The Community Support Award was presented to U-Save Pharmacy of Hays for their support of DSNWK’s Employment Connections. Recognition was made to Martin Jimenez of Hays with DSNWK’s Good Neighbor Award for his outstanding volunteerism.Finally, DSNWK recognized two long-time advocates of DSNWK for their support with its Vision of Hope Awards. The Scheopner Family of Goodland and Connie Weber and the late Allan Weber of Oakley were honored. DSNWK paid tribute to them for their outstanding support over the years for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.DSNWK is a 501c3 nonprofit serving 18 counties in northwest Kansas with a mission to advocate for persons with disabilities and those who care about them by planning and supporting a life of dignity, interdependence, and personal satisfaction in the communityFor more information contact: Steve Keil 785-625-5678

DSNWK celebrates successes at awards luncheon

GÜIRIA, Venezuela (AP) — One was a fisherman struggling to eke out a living on $100 a month. Another was a career criminal. A third was a former military cadet. And a fourth was a down-on-his-luck bus driver.

The men had little in common beyond their Venezuelan seaside hometowns and the fact all four were among the more than 60 people killed since early September when the U.S. military&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-strike-rubio-trump-0f901b2a30ee20e314bcab1385ffb0c0">began attacking boats</a>&nbsp;that the Trump administration alleges were smuggling drugs. President Donald Trump and top U.S. officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">have alleged the craft</a>&nbsp;were being operated by&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115373751811822463" target="_blank">narco-terrorists</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">cartel members</a>&nbsp;bound with deadly drugs for American communities.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-boat-strikes-drugs-cocaine-trafficking-e4fcf945e48e36bf2c510f9f111e031c">The Associated Press learned</a>&nbsp;the identities of four of the men – and pieced together details about at least five others – who were slain, providing the first comprehensive account of those who died in the strikes.

In dozens of interviews&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-strike-caribbean-drug-trafficking-trump-1061debe2f983ef7bc9666d3f002b3a0">in villages on Venezuela’s breathtaking northeastern coast</a>, from which some of the boats departed, residents and relatives said the dead men had indeed been running drugs but were not narco-terrorists or leaders of a cartel or gang.

Most of the nine men were crewing such craft for the first or second time, making at least $500 per trip, residents and relatives said. They were laborers, a fisherman, a motorcycle taxi driver. Two were low-level career criminals. One was a well-known local crime boss who contracted out his smuggling services to traffickers.

The men lived on the Paria Peninsula, in mostly unpainted cinderblock homes that can go weeks without water service and regularly lose power for several hours a day. They awoke to panoramic views of a national park’s tropical forests, the Gulf of Paria’s shallows and the Caribbean’s sparkling sapphire waters. When the time came for their drug runs, they boarded open-hulled fishing skiffs that relied on powerful outboard motors to haul their drugs to nearby Trinidad and other islands.

The residents and relatives interviewed by the AP&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-election-maduro-opposition-human-rights-abuses-dd6d0b103adbf88f00fe60b0d781a873">requested anonymity out of fear of reprisals</a>&nbsp;from drug smugglers, the Venezuelan government or the Trump administration. They said they were incensed that the men were killed without due process. In the past, their boats would have been interdicted by the U.S. authorities and the crewmen charged with federal crimes, affording them a day in court.

The U.S. government “should have stopped them,” a man’s relative said.

It has been difficult for relatives to learn much about their dead loved ones because criminal gangs and the Venezuelan government have long repressed the flow of information in the region.

Venezuelan officials have blasted the U.S. government over the strikes, and the nation’s ambassador to the U.N. called the attacks “extrajudicial executions.” They have also steadfastly denied that drug traffickers operate in the country and have yet to acknowledge that any of its citizens have been killed in boat strikes. Spokespeople for Venezuela’s government did not respond to a request for comment.

The Trump administration has justified the strikes by declaring drug cartels to be “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">unlawful combatants</a>&nbsp;” and said the U.S. is now in an “armed conflict” with them. Trump has said each sunken boat has saved 25,000 American lives, presumably from overdoses. The boats, however, appear to have been transporting cocaine, not the far more deadly synthetic opioids that kill tens of thousands of Americans each year.

Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman, said in a statement to the AP that the Defense Department has “consistently said that our intelligence did indeed confirm that the individuals involved in these drug operations were narco-terrorists, and we stand by that assessment.”

So far, the U.S. military has blown up 17 vessels, killing more than 60 people. Nine of the craft were targeted in the Caribbean, and at least three of those had departed from Venezuela, according to the Trump administration. The military is striking the boats at the same time the administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-boat-strikes-warships-6ffd9e6f4eb738048c816c6d8257a6ef">is applying increasing pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro</a>. The Justice Department doubled a reward for his arrest to $50 million, and the U.S. military has built up an unusually large&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">force in the Caribbean Sea</a>&nbsp;and the waters off Venezuela and has flown pairs of supersonic, heavy bombers along the country’s coast.

Relatives and acquaintances said they have confirmed the deaths through word-of-mouth and inexplicit social media posts that sought to convey information about the dead men&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-election-arrests-repression-prison-opposition-c07ddb20770f02139e4f4a05d7bc4f60">without drawing the attention of Venezuelan authorities</a>. They have also made what they described as reasonable deductions: The men have not returned phone calls or texts in weeks, or reached out to say they were okay; Venezuelan authorities, residents said, have also searched some of the homes of the dead men.

“I want an answer, but who can I ask?” said a relative of one of the men. “I can’t say anything.”

A native of Güiria, a village on the southeast side of the peninsula, Robert Sánchez dropped out of school as a teenager and like many others in the region became a fisherman like his father, according to friends and relatives. The 42-year-old was considered among the peninsula’s best pilots, they said, having spent the better part of three decades mastering the area’s currents and winds, so much so he could navigate the waters at night without instruments.

As part of hired crews, the father of four spent his days fishing for snapper, kingfish and dogfish. The fisherman wanted to save enough money to buy a 75-horsepower boat engine so he could operate his own boat and not work for others. It was a dream Sánchez knew he was likely to never realize, relatives said: Most of his income — about $100 a month — went to feed his children.

The peninsula is part of Sucre state,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-economic-crisis-maduro-food-families-hungry-3e980da7bca693cc3877df0d7647a837">one of Venezuela’s poorest</a>. Sucre was once home to several fish processing plants, an auto assembly plant and a large public university, all of which offered well-paying jobs. Most have shuttered. The peninsula is dotted by the unfulfilled promises of 26 years of a self-described socialist government, including an abandoned shipyard and the rusted infrastructure meant for a natural gas complex.

With its proximity to the Caribbean Sea, the area is a popular transit hub for cocaine making its way from Colombia to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trinidad-us-military-venezuela-strikes-fishing-fcd24c441f58162b811a24b247334fc5">Trinidad and other Caribbean islands</a>&nbsp;before heading to Europe. Colombian cocaine destined for the U.S. is generally smuggled out of Colombia through the Pacific coast.

The larger economic pressures — and Sánchez’s goal of owning a boat engine — are what pushed the fisherman to accept an offer to help traffickers navigate the tricky waters he knew so well, friends and relatives said.

Sánchez had just finished offloading a day’s catch last month when he told his mother he would be taking a short trip and would see her in a couple of days. They had no idea where he was going.

After seeing clips on social media that mentioned his death, relatives broke the news to his mother, but not until after ensuring she had taken her blood pressure medication. Sánchez’s youngest son, a third grader, could not accept for days that his father was gone. He kept asking adults if his father could have survived the explosion, noting he might still be at sea.

No, the adults told the boy. His father was gone.

Luis “Che” Martínez was killed in the first strike. A burly 60-year-old, Martínez was a longtime local crime boss, and he made most of his living smuggling drugs and people across borders, according to several people who knew him.

He had been jailed by Venezuelan authorities on human-trafficking charges after a boat he had operated capsized in December 2020,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-international-news-f8e553486c15efd8fec3415898fe1cc5">killing about two dozen people</a>, law enforcement officials said at the time. Among those who died in the accident were two of his sons and a granddaughter, relatives told the AP. The AP was not able to determine the disposition of his criminal case, but Martínez was eventually released from custody and returned to smuggling people and drugs, according to acquaintances.

Though they detested what he did for a living — and the control Martínez and similar criminals exerted over their villages — several residents said they appreciated how Martínez contributed annually to the town’s festival of the Virgin of the Valley, the patroness of fishermen, and he spent lavishly in local shops and restaurants. He also bet heavily on cockfights, a popular pastime, a bird breeder said.

Martínez was killed, a relative and several acquaintances said, in the first known U.S. strike, which took place Sept. 2. Trump quickly took to social media to claim the vessel had departed from Venezuela and had been carrying drugs. The 11-man crew, the president said, had been members of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-tren-aragua-trump-deportations-guantanamo-el-salvador-0e283ba28a6566426da45b21e4fdf9ee">Tren de Aragua gang</a>. He said all men were killed and also posted a short video clip of a small vessel appearing to explode in flames.

Martínez’s relatives said they did not believe the underworld figure was a member of that gang.

They said they have been provided no information from the Venezuelan government about his fate. They figured it out when they came across a photo of a body that had washed ashore in Trinidad. The photo had been shared on social media and messaging apps and depicted a badly mutilated body. The people familiar with Martínez said they knew instantly the stout corpse was Martínez because, on his left wrist, was strapped one of his most treasured belongings: an ostentatious watch.

Dushak Milovcic, 24, was drawn to crime by the adrenaline rush and money, so much that he dropped out of the country’s National Guard Academy, according to those who knew him. He started as a lookout for smugglers, they said. Though he had no experience at sea, he eventually won a promotion to the more lucrative and coveted jobs on drug-running boats.

It’s not clear how many trips he had undertaken before he was killed last month.

Juan Carlos “El Guaramero” Fuentes had operated a transit bus for several years but was facing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-economy-crisis-maduro-inflation-sanctions-dollar-5250770ae0e79fc69122b820ab8ac13e">dire financial circumstances</a>&nbsp;when it had broken down. The government had been unable — or unwilling — to fix it. That meant he was losing money because bus drivers in Venezuela typically pocket a portion of the fares, making it nearly impossible for him to feed and clothe his family.

Villagers said they were not surprised that Fuentes, who had no nautical experience, turned to smuggling to make ends meet. The higher-level traffickers who typically crewed such boats had been staying ashore to avoid being targeted by U.S. missiles. In their place, villagers said, they had been increasingly hiring novices like Fuentes.

Fuentes told friends he had been nervous about his first smuggling run, knowing it would be filled with risks from weather, rival gangs, even the U.S. military. The September trip had gone surprisingly smoothly, he told friends, and he readily agreed to join another crew. Fuentes was killed in a missile strike last month, friends said, the precise one unknown.

Konstantin Toropin contributed from Washington.

This story was supported by funding from the Walton Family Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

By REGINA GARCIA CANOGÜIRIA, Venezuela (AP) — One was a fisherman struggling to eke out a living on $100 a month. Another was a career criminal. A third was a former military cadet. And a fourth was a down-on-his-luck bus driver.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Yesterday, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out three lethal kinetic strikes on four vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations (DTO) trafficking narcotics in the Eastern Pacific. The four vessels were known by our intelligence… <a href="https://t.co/UhoFlZ3jPG">pic.twitter.com/UhoFlZ3jPG</a>&mdash; Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1983164355999883548?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The men had little in common beyond their Venezuelan seaside hometowns and the fact all four were among the more than 60 people killed since early September when the U.S. military&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-strike-rubio-trump-0f901b2a30ee20e314bcab1385ffb0c0">began attacking boats</a>&nbsp;that the Trump administration alleges were smuggling drugs. President Donald Trump and top U.S. officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">have alleged the craft</a>&nbsp;were being operated by&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115373751811822463" target="_blank">narco-terrorists</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">cartel members</a>&nbsp;bound with deadly drugs for American communities.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-boat-strikes-drugs-cocaine-trafficking-e4fcf945e48e36bf2c510f9f111e031c">The Associated Press learned</a>&nbsp;the identities of four of the men – and pieced together details about at least five others – who were slain, providing the first comprehensive account of those who died in the strikes.In dozens of interviews&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-strike-caribbean-drug-trafficking-trump-1061debe2f983ef7bc9666d3f002b3a0">in villages on Venezuela’s breathtaking northeastern coast</a>, from which some of the boats departed, residents and relatives said the dead men had indeed been running drugs but were not narco-terrorists or leaders of a cartel or gang.Most of the nine men were crewing such craft for the first or second time, making at least $500 per trip, residents and relatives said. They were laborers, a fisherman, a motorcycle taxi driver. Two were low-level career criminals. One was a well-known local crime boss who contracted out his smuggling services to traffickers.The men lived on the Paria Peninsula, in mostly unpainted cinderblock homes that can go weeks without water service and regularly lose power for several hours a day. They awoke to panoramic views of a national park’s tropical forests, the Gulf of Paria’s shallows and the Caribbean’s sparkling sapphire waters. When the time came for their drug runs, they boarded open-hulled fishing skiffs that relied on powerful outboard motors to haul their drugs to nearby Trinidad and other islands.The residents and relatives interviewed by the AP&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-election-maduro-opposition-human-rights-abuses-dd6d0b103adbf88f00fe60b0d781a873">requested anonymity out of fear of reprisals</a>&nbsp;from drug smugglers, the Venezuelan government or the Trump administration. They said they were incensed that the men were killed without due process. In the past, their boats would have been interdicted by the U.S. authorities and the crewmen charged with federal crimes, affording them a day in court.The U.S. government “should have stopped them,” a man’s relative said.It has been difficult for relatives to learn much about their dead loved ones because criminal gangs and the Venezuelan government have long repressed the flow of information in the region.Venezuelan officials have blasted the U.S. government over the strikes, and the nation’s ambassador to the U.N. called the attacks “extrajudicial executions.” They have also steadfastly denied that drug traffickers operate in the country and have yet to acknowledge that any of its citizens have been killed in boat strikes. Spokespeople for Venezuela’s government did not respond to a request for comment.The Trump administration has justified the strikes by declaring drug cartels to be “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cartels-armed-conflict-cb57804807e55a00ace60ad5f4d4f24d">unlawful combatants</a>&nbsp;” and said the U.S. is now in an “armed conflict” with them. Trump has said each sunken boat has saved 25,000 American lives, presumably from overdoses. The boats, however, appear to have been transporting cocaine, not the far more deadly synthetic opioids that kill tens of thousands of Americans each year.Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman, said in a statement to the AP that the Defense Department has “consistently said that our intelligence did indeed confirm that the individuals involved in these drug operations were narco-terrorists, and we stand by that assessment.”So far, the U.S. military has blown up 17 vessels, killing more than 60 people. Nine of the craft were targeted in the Caribbean, and at least three of those had departed from Venezuela, according to the Trump administration. The military is striking the boats at the same time the administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-boat-strikes-warships-6ffd9e6f4eb738048c816c6d8257a6ef">is applying increasing pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro</a>. The Justice Department doubled a reward for his arrest to $50 million, and the U.S. military has built up an unusually large&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-caribbean-military-venezuela-timeline-2dd9d16f4f74d9dfa4aca76d3123678d">force in the Caribbean Sea</a>&nbsp;and the waters off Venezuela and has flown pairs of supersonic, heavy bombers along the country’s coast.Relatives and acquaintances said they have confirmed the deaths through word-of-mouth and inexplicit social media posts that sought to convey information about the dead men&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-maduro-election-arrests-repression-prison-opposition-c07ddb20770f02139e4f4a05d7bc4f60">without drawing the attention of Venezuelan authorities</a>. They have also made what they described as reasonable deductions: The men have not returned phone calls or texts in weeks, or reached out to say they were okay; Venezuelan authorities, residents said, have also searched some of the homes of the dead men.“I want an answer, but who can I ask?” said a relative of one of the men. “I can’t say anything.”<h2>The fisherman</h2>A native of Güiria, a village on the southeast side of the peninsula, Robert Sánchez dropped out of school as a teenager and like many others in the region became a fisherman like his father, according to friends and relatives. The 42-year-old was considered among the peninsula’s best pilots, they said, having spent the better part of three decades mastering the area’s currents and winds, so much so he could navigate the waters at night without instruments.As part of hired crews, the father of four spent his days fishing for snapper, kingfish and dogfish. The fisherman wanted to save enough money to buy a 75-horsepower boat engine so he could operate his own boat and not work for others. It was a dream Sánchez knew he was likely to never realize, relatives said: Most of his income — about $100 a month — went to feed his children.He was not alone in that situation.The peninsula is part of Sucre state,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-economic-crisis-maduro-food-families-hungry-3e980da7bca693cc3877df0d7647a837">one of Venezuela’s poorest</a>. Sucre was once home to several fish processing plants, an auto assembly plant and a large public university, all of which offered well-paying jobs. Most have shuttered. The peninsula is dotted by the unfulfilled promises of 26 years of a self-described socialist government, including an abandoned shipyard and the rusted infrastructure meant for a natural gas complex.With its proximity to the Caribbean Sea, the area is a popular transit hub for cocaine making its way from Colombia to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trinidad-us-military-venezuela-strikes-fishing-fcd24c441f58162b811a24b247334fc5">Trinidad and other Caribbean islands</a>&nbsp;before heading to Europe. Colombian cocaine destined for the U.S. is generally smuggled out of Colombia through the Pacific coast.The larger economic pressures — and Sánchez’s goal of owning a boat engine — are what pushed the fisherman to accept an offer to help traffickers navigate the tricky waters he knew so well, friends and relatives said.Sánchez had just finished offloading a day’s catch last month when he told his mother he would be taking a short trip and would see her in a couple of days. They had no idea where he was going.After seeing clips on social media that mentioned his death, relatives broke the news to his mother, but not until after ensuring she had taken her blood pressure medication. Sánchez’s youngest son, a third grader, could not accept for days that his father was gone. He kept asking adults if his father could have survived the explosion, noting he might still be at sea.No, the adults told the boy. His father was gone.<h2>One of the first to die</h2>Luis “Che” Martínez was killed in the first strike. A burly 60-year-old, Martínez was a longtime local crime boss, and he made most of his living smuggling drugs and people across borders, according to several people who knew him.He had been jailed by Venezuelan authorities on human-trafficking charges after a boat he had operated capsized in December 2020,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-international-news-f8e553486c15efd8fec3415898fe1cc5">killing about two dozen people</a>, law enforcement officials said at the time. Among those who died in the accident were two of his sons and a granddaughter, relatives told the AP. The AP was not able to determine the disposition of his criminal case, but Martínez was eventually released from custody and returned to smuggling people and drugs, according to acquaintances.Though they detested what he did for a living — and the control Martínez and similar criminals exerted over their villages — several residents said they appreciated how Martínez contributed annually to the town’s festival of the Virgin of the Valley, the patroness of fishermen, and he spent lavishly in local shops and restaurants. He also bet heavily on cockfights, a popular pastime, a bird breeder said.Martínez was killed, a relative and several acquaintances said, in the first known U.S. strike, which took place Sept. 2. Trump quickly took to social media to claim the vessel had departed from Venezuela and had been carrying drugs. The 11-man crew, the president said, had been members of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-tren-aragua-trump-deportations-guantanamo-el-salvador-0e283ba28a6566426da45b21e4fdf9ee">Tren de Aragua gang</a>. He said all men were killed and also posted a short video clip of a small vessel appearing to explode in flames.Martínez’s relatives said they did not believe the underworld figure was a member of that gang.They said they have been provided no information from the Venezuelan government about his fate. They figured it out when they came across a photo of a body that had washed ashore in Trinidad. The photo had been shared on social media and messaging apps and depicted a badly mutilated body. The people familiar with Martínez said they knew instantly the stout corpse was Martínez because, on his left wrist, was strapped one of his most treasured belongings: an ostentatious watch.<h2>The former cadet and bus driver</h2>Dushak Milovcic, 24, was drawn to crime by the adrenaline rush and money, so much that he dropped out of the country’s National Guard Academy, according to those who knew him. He started as a lookout for smugglers, they said. Though he had no experience at sea, he eventually won a promotion to the more lucrative and coveted jobs on drug-running boats.It’s not clear how many trips he had undertaken before he was killed last month.Juan Carlos “El Guaramero” Fuentes had operated a transit bus for several years but was facing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-economy-crisis-maduro-inflation-sanctions-dollar-5250770ae0e79fc69122b820ab8ac13e">dire financial circumstances</a>&nbsp;when it had broken down. The government had been unable — or unwilling — to fix it. That meant he was losing money because bus drivers in Venezuela typically pocket a portion of the fares, making it nearly impossible for him to feed and clothe his family.Villagers said they were not surprised that Fuentes, who had no nautical experience, turned to smuggling to make ends meet. The higher-level traffickers who typically crewed such boats had been staying ashore to avoid being targeted by U.S. missiles. In their place, villagers said, they had been increasingly hiring novices like Fuentes.Fuentes told friends he had been nervous about his first smuggling run, knowing it would be filled with risks from weather, rival gangs, even the U.S. military. The September trip had gone surprisingly smoothly, he told friends, and he readily agreed to join another crew. Fuentes was killed in a missile strike last month, friends said, the precise one unknown.—-Konstantin Toropin contributed from Washington.—This story was supported by funding from the Walton Family Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Report reveals details on those killed in U.S. military strikes on drug boats 

Gilbert Joseph Augustine, age 91, of Ellis, Kansas passed away Sunday, November 2, 2025, at HaysMed. He was born July 2, 1934, on the family farm in rural Ellis, Kansas to Rudolph and Regina (Reitmeyer) Augustine. He graduated from Ellis High School in 1954. On October 12,1954 he married Janet Lucille Ptaschek at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Ellis. She preceded him in death on August 30, 2021.

Gilbert was a lifelong farmer and a custodian for USD 388 for 33 years. He served in the National Guard. In his spare time, he enjoyed morning coffee breaks with his friends, playing cards especially pinochle, casino trips and vacationing with Janet and family. He was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and the Ellis 3rd and 4th Degree Knights of Columbus. Gilbert was a man who loved his family and had a strong work ethic and Catholic faith.

He is survived by three sons, Gregory Augustine and wife Pamela of Ellis, Gordon Augustine and wife Geri of Ellis and Wayne Augustine and wife Lori of Glen Elder, Kansas; four daughters, Elaine Weber of WaKeeney, Kansas, Deborah LaBarge and husband Martin of Ellis, Sandy Waldschmidt and husband Pete of Ellis, and Brenda Hutchison and husband Terry of Hays; his brothers, Vergil (Ann) Augustine of Ellis, Richard (Dorothy) Augustine of Hays, Arnold (Marilyn) Augustine of Hays and Darrell Augustine of Olathe; a sister, Irene Normandin of Olathe; 32 grandchildren, Adam Augustine (Gianna), Staci Hauschild, Wendy Waterson (David); Bill Weber Jr. (Tiffany), Mike Weber (Christine), Jason Weber, Kim Schmidtberger (Corey), Marty LaBarge (Rhonda), Matthew LaBarge (Alaina), Chris LaBarge (Jana), Jenny Schartz (Jake), Justin LaBarge (Rachel), Mindy Hazen, P.J. Waldschmidt, Valerie Andrews (Geoff), Cassie Jo Waldschmidt, Tyson Hutchison (Liz), Becky Doehling (Ryan), Dustin Hutchison, Brady Hutchison, Bethany Thompson (Jason), Josh Augustine, Nathan Augustine, Mike Browning, Ryan Augustine (Marleah), Bradley Augustine (Amanda), Allen Augustine, Kadon Augustine, Andrew Clark (Kelsey), Lesli Thomas (Cole), Austin Clark (Cheyanne), and Alex Clark (Brooke) as well as 54 great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Janet; son-in-law, Bill Weber Sr.; brothers, Alvin and Rudolph Jr.; sisters, Infant Dorothy, Betty J. (Robert) Weber, Shirley (Don) Leikam; and a brother-in-law, Louis Normandin; grandson, Jeffrey Browning; great grandchildren, Peyton Weber, Jonah Schmidtberger, and Bramdon Augustine; and great-great grandson, Noah Browning.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1762641856184.jpeg" alt="Gilbert Joseph Augustine" />
 <figcaption>Gilbert Joseph Augustine</figcaption>
 </figure>Gilbert Joseph Augustine, age 91, of Ellis, Kansas passed away Sunday, November 2, 2025, at HaysMed. He was born July 2, 1934, on the family farm in rural Ellis, Kansas to Rudolph and Regina (Reitmeyer) Augustine. He graduated from Ellis High School in 1954. On October 12,1954 he married Janet Lucille Ptaschek at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Ellis. She preceded him in death on August 30, 2021.Gilbert was a lifelong farmer and a custodian for USD 388 for 33 years. He served in the National Guard. In his spare time, he enjoyed morning coffee breaks with his friends, playing cards especially pinochle, casino trips and vacationing with Janet and family. He was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and the Ellis 3rd and 4th Degree Knights of Columbus. Gilbert was a man who loved his family and had a strong work ethic and Catholic faith.He is survived by three sons, Gregory Augustine and wife Pamela of Ellis, Gordon Augustine and wife Geri of Ellis and Wayne Augustine and wife Lori of Glen Elder, Kansas; four daughters, Elaine Weber of WaKeeney, Kansas, Deborah LaBarge and husband Martin of Ellis, Sandy Waldschmidt and husband Pete of Ellis, and Brenda Hutchison and husband Terry of Hays; his brothers, Vergil (Ann) Augustine of Ellis, Richard (Dorothy) Augustine of Hays, Arnold (Marilyn) Augustine of Hays and Darrell Augustine of Olathe; a sister, Irene Normandin of Olathe; 32 grandchildren, Adam Augustine (Gianna), Staci Hauschild, Wendy Waterson (David); Bill Weber Jr. (Tiffany), Mike Weber (Christine), Jason Weber, Kim Schmidtberger (Corey), Marty LaBarge (Rhonda), Matthew LaBarge (Alaina), Chris LaBarge (Jana), Jenny Schartz (Jake), Justin LaBarge (Rachel), Mindy Hazen, P.J. Waldschmidt, Valerie Andrews (Geoff), Cassie Jo Waldschmidt, Tyson Hutchison (Liz), Becky Doehling (Ryan), Dustin Hutchison, Brady Hutchison, Bethany Thompson (Jason), Josh Augustine, Nathan Augustine, Mike Browning, Ryan Augustine (Marleah), Bradley Augustine (Amanda), Allen Augustine, Kadon Augustine, Andrew Clark (Kelsey), Lesli Thomas (Cole), Austin Clark (Cheyanne), and Alex Clark (Brooke) as well as 54 great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Janet; son-in-law, Bill Weber Sr.; brothers, Alvin and Rudolph Jr.; sisters, Infant Dorothy, Betty J. (Robert) Weber, Shirley (Don) Leikam; and a brother-in-law, Louis Normandin; grandson, Jeffrey Browning; great grandchildren, Peyton Weber, Jonah Schmidtberger, and Bramdon Augustine; and great-great grandson, Noah Browning.Funeral services will be held Friday, November 14, 2025 at 10:00 AM at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Ellis. Burial will follow in the church cemetery with Fr. Dana Clark officiating.Visitation will be Thursday, November 13, 2025 from 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM and on Friday from 9:00 AM until service time all at the church.A combined parish vigil and Knights of Columbus rosary service will be on Thursday at 7:00 PM with the Ellis 4th Degree Knights of Columbus Honor Guard.Memorial contributions are suggested to the Ellis Knights of Columbus #2133, St. Mary's Church or for masses.Please share memories on Gilbert's tribute page at www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com