Starting Wednesday, enforcement will begin on a hands-free law that was enacted in August 2023

Seargent Shane Hux with Troop H in St. Joseph says while the law isn't primary and you can't be pulled over just for violating it, if you are caught in violation, it's a steep price to pay

"The first conviction $150 fine, second conviction up to $250 fine, and the third and subsequent up to $500 fine, so the law does come with a pretty stiff penalty," Hux tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.

Hux says drivers could also face criminal charges if they get into an accident and it's discovered you were using a cell phone when the accident occurred.

To this point, Missouri State Highway Patrol officials have used traffic stops to educate drivers on the new law.

Hux with Troop H in St. Joseph says the law does not only apply to texting and driving, but any act that requires the phone to be in your hand while driving.

"An exception to that is if someone is driving down the roadway and they witness a motor vehicle crash, at that time they can still call 911 or *55 to report that crash," Hux explains.

Hux says the phone can also be used for GPS but needs to be either in the hands of a passenger or hooked into a holder on your dashboard, not in the driver's hand.

Hux says over 100 people are killed each year due to distracted driving, and the hope is the new law decreases that number

"We just ask people to be vigilant and obey the law, put the phone down it's just not worth it," Hux says.

A report from Cambridge Mobile Telematics says the law has seemingly already reduced distracted driving by 5.1% in its first year without citations, preventing over 1,000 crashes, 600 injuries, and 5 fatalities,

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735575463202.png" alt="Photo KCPD" />
                        <figcaption>Photo KCPD</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By MATT PIKE<br><i>St. Joseph Post</i></p><p>Starting Wednesday, enforcement will begin on a hands-free law that was enacted in August 2023</p><p>Seargent Shane Hux with Troop H in St. Joseph says while the law isn't primary and you can't be pulled over just for violating it, if you are caught in violation, it's a steep price to pay</p><p>"The first conviction $150 fine, second conviction up to $250 fine, and the third and subsequent up to $500 fine, so the law does come with a pretty stiff penalty," Hux tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.</p><p>Hux says drivers could also face criminal charges if they get into an accident and it's discovered you were using a cell phone when the accident occurred.</p><p>To this point, Missouri State Highway Patrol officials have used traffic stops to educate drivers on the new law.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735663070371.png" alt="" />
                        <figcaption></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Hux with Troop H in St. Joseph says the law does not only apply to texting and driving, but any act that requires the phone to be in your hand while driving.</p><p>"An exception to that is if someone is driving down the roadway and they witness a motor vehicle crash, at that time they can still call 911 or *55 to report that crash," Hux explains.</p><p>Hux says the phone can also be used for GPS but needs to be either in the hands of a passenger or hooked into a holder on your dashboard, not in the driver's hand.</p><p>Hux says over 100 people are killed each year due to distracted driving, and the hope is the new law decreases that number</p><p>"We just ask people to be vigilant and obey the law, put the phone down it's just not worth it," Hux says.</p><p>A report from Cambridge Mobile Telematics says the law has seemingly already reduced distracted driving by 5.1% in its first year without citations, preventing over 1,000 crashes, 600 injuries, and 5 fatalities,</p>

Hands free law will be enforced starting Wednesday in Missouri

A Verizon representative said, as of about noon Tuesday, Verizon cellular service was out in Hays.

The business is working to restore service, but the representative did not know when service would be back on line.

<p><i>Hays Post</i></p><p>A Verizon representative said, as of about noon Tuesday, Verizon cellular service was out in Hays.</p><p>The business is working to restore service, but the representative did not know when service would be back on line.</p>

Verizon cellular outage affecting Hays

KANSAS CITY (AP) —The FBI is warning sports leagues about crime organizations targeting professional athletes following a string of burglaries at the homes of prominent NFL and NBA players.

The athletes' homes are targeted due to the perception they may contain high-end goods like designer handbags, jewelry, watches and cash, the FBI said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/fbi-issues-warning-burglaries-pro-athletes-homes/story?id=117197676">Liaison Information Report obtained by ABC News.</a>

The NFL and NBA already have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-security-alert-burglaries-mahomes-kelce-960075221367266fbee98f711a74c094">issued security alerts</a>&nbsp;to their players after the break-ins, some of which have come when players were away with their teams for road games. The NFL’s alert says homes of professional athletes across multiple sports have become “increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups.”

Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks is the latest professional athlete whose home has been burglarized. Lara Beth Seager, the star guard’s business manager, told multiple media outlets Saturday there was a break-in at Doncic’s home. Seager said nobody was home at the time of the incident Friday night, and Doncic filed a police report.

Star NFL quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes of Kansas City and Joe Burrow of Cincinnati, along with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, have been victims, as have NBA players Bobby Portis of Milwaukee and Mike Conley Jr. of Minnesota.

Organized theft groups from South America use publicly available information and social media to identify athletes' habits and track their comings and goings, the FBI report said. The groups use technology allowing them to bypass alarm systems, block wireless internet connections and disable devices, cover security cameras and hide their identities.

Athletes are encouraged to report suspicious activity, keep records of valuables and where they are kept, employ extra security and use caution on social media. The FBI also suggested athletes avoid posting pictures of valuables, the interior of their homes and real-time posts when on vacation.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721167941490.jpeg" alt="File photo AP" />
                        <figcaption>File photo AP</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>KANSAS CITY (AP) —The FBI is warning sports leagues about crime organizations targeting professional athletes following a string of burglaries at the homes of prominent NFL and NBA players.</p><p>The athletes' homes are targeted due to the perception they may contain high-end goods like designer handbags, jewelry, watches and cash, the FBI said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/fbi-issues-warning-burglaries-pro-athletes-homes/story?id=117197676">Liaison Information Report obtained by ABC News.</a></p><p>The NFL and NBA already have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-security-alert-burglaries-mahomes-kelce-960075221367266fbee98f711a74c094">issued security alerts</a>&nbsp;to their players after the break-ins, some of which have come when players were away with their teams for road games. The NFL’s alert says homes of professional athletes across multiple sports have become “increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups.”</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732291591919.png" alt="" />
                        <figcaption></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks is the latest professional athlete whose home has been burglarized. Lara Beth Seager, the star guard’s business manager, told multiple media outlets Saturday there was a break-in at Doncic’s home. Seager said nobody was home at the time of the incident Friday night, and Doncic filed a police report.</p><p>Star NFL quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes of Kansas City and Joe Burrow of Cincinnati, along with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, have been victims, as have NBA players Bobby Portis of Milwaukee and Mike Conley Jr. of Minnesota.</p><p>Organized theft groups from South America use publicly available information and social media to identify athletes' habits and track their comings and goings, the FBI report said. The groups use technology allowing them to bypass alarm systems, block wireless internet connections and disable devices, cover security cameras and hide their identities.</p><p>Athletes are encouraged to report suspicious activity, keep records of valuables and where they are kept, employ extra security and use caution on social media. The FBI also suggested athletes avoid posting pictures of valuables, the interior of their homes and real-time posts when on vacation.</p>

FBI warning leagues about organized crime groups targeting pro athletes

As the new year approaches, it is a time of reflection.

As we close out the year and look ahead to 2025, here is a look back at the top 10 local Hays Post stories from 2024.

10. Hays man seriously injured in incident outside bar

A Hays resident was hospitalized with a serious head injury after an altercation outside of the Sip 'N' Spin, 209 W. 10th, Hays, early Jan.21.

Damien L. Wood, 19, of Bosque, New Mexico, was arrested on a charge of aggravated battery, said Deputy Hays Police Chief Brian Dawson.

A 35-year-old Hays man was taken to HaysMed with a head injury and then flown to KU Medical Center in Kansas City.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/1b6d928b-12a4-482b-a583-e5613a0dcc2e">SEE RELATED STORY: Hays man seriously injured outside bar</a>

9. LGBTQ+ inclusion Glitter+Ash event on FHSU campus sparks backlash

An event that combined ashes and glitter to celebrate Ash Wednesday sparked a backlash in the Hays community.

Fort Hays State University students or members of the public were able to be blessed with the traditional ashes or ashes mixed with glitter at the Memorial Union.

Organizers billed the event as a means to foster inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community.

More than 200 people commented on a Facebook posting on the event. Some comments were supportive, and&nbsp;other community members expressed outrage.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/ff4ed31a-2c69-4d33-9b90-9a0d46d1c675">SEE RELATED STORY:&nbsp;LGBTQ+ inclusion Glitter+Ash event on FHSU campus sparks backlash</a>

8. Man from Hays dies after pickup, semi crash

A man from Hays died in an accident just before 9 p.m. Dec. 17 in Ellis County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Toyota Tundra driven by&nbsp; &nbsp;Brandon L.&nbsp; Frick, 40, Hays, was southbound on U.S. 183 at Munjor Road.

The pickup crossed the center line and struck a northbound semi driven by Jesse W. Crum, 34, Colorado. After impact, both vehicles traveled into the west ditch and came to rest on their wheels.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2c7bee46-550f-486a-8134-1348b8fa9f4c">SEE RELATED STORY:&nbsp;Man from Hays dies after pickup semi crash</a>

7. 48 Hours to feature Hays death: 'Kristen Trickle: Autopsy of the Mind'

A woman who lived in Hays was found dying from a gunshot wound. Evidence at the scene did not add up. Prosecutors came up with a new way—they say—to find out what really happened.

On April 27 on KWCH, Erin Moriarty Reported in “48 Hours: Kristen Trickle: Autopsy of the Mind."&nbsp;

In the early morning hours of Halloween 2019 in Hays, Colby Trickle called 911 and said he woke up to his ears ringing and saw his wife, Kristen Trickle, bleeding next to him in the bed.

Since authorities were divided on the evidence they saw at the crime scene, they tried something new and ordered a very different type of autopsy, an autopsy of Kristen Trickle’s mind.

That investigation eventually led from what Colby Trickle said was suicide to&nbsp;Colby's conviction in his wife's death.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/4c33423c-1f63-4d7b-98ec-a4ded347e85e">SEE RELATED STORY:&nbsp;48 Hours to feature Hays Death’ Kristen Trickle: Autopsy of the Mind’</a>

6. Grow Hays announces new shopping center project north of I-70

Grow Hays has contracted to purchase 9.1 acres of land north of Home Depot in Hays. They hope to construct a new shopping center on the land.

The land is north of Interstate 70 on East 41st Street.

Doug Williams, director of Grow Hays, said&nbsp;multiple big-box retailers have expressed interest in Hays.

Williams estimated the new shopping center would generate $20 million in annual sales, which would generate $600,000 combined annually in additional sales tax for the city of Hays, Ellis County and the Hays USD 489 bond issue.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/68c83702-3486-4109-b74f-2a7ee851a4fe">SEE RELATED STORY:&nbsp;Grow Hays announces new shopping center</a>

Ellis County law enforcement authorities investigated the death of a 5-month-old boy who died on April 2 in Hays.

28-year-old Abraham Duran Leon of Hays was arrested on June 17 in connection with the death of his son, Fernando Leon.

An autopsy report revealed the child had methamphetamine in his system and died from complications related to methamphetamine intoxication.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b3e788cd-7e44-4409-a2e4-07584c0e793a">SEE RELATED STORY:&nbsp;Hays infant’s death still under investigation</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b82bb20e-49b1-41cf-bf36-fb0b29acf58a">SEE RELATED STORY: Arrest made in Hays infant death investigation</a><br>

4. Love's store location in Hays to be put up for sale

Love's Country Store, 2500 Vine, Hays, closed this week after being in operation in that location since the late 1970s.

"Love's made the business decision to close its country store in Hays, Kansas, effective May 7, 2024. This store was opened in the late 1970s, and customer demand for the country store model has decreased in recent years," said&nbsp;Tracey Budz, Love's director of corporate communications, in an email.

Love’s is planning to put the property on the market for sale, Budz said.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5fe47100-3d66-44bb-97b3-25aceb8379e3">SEE RELATED STORY: UPDATE: Love's store location in Hays to be put up for sale</a>

A 16-year-old was killed in a rollover accident southwest of Hays in the early morning hours of Oct. 5.

In a press release, Ellis County Sheriff Scott Braun said the accident was reported at about 12:30 a.m. near 230th Avenue and Spring Hill Road.

Braun said the teen was one of four teenagers in the car that left the roadway and rolled.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2eab323d-7e99-4dea-878c-9c3087e74868">SEE RELATED STORY: Teen killed in Ellis County accident</a>

2. Hays man arrested for battery after choking victim

A man was arrested in Hays on Sept. 21 for aggravated battery after reportedly choking another man until he lost consciousness.

Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler said that 19-year-old Aiden Amrein was arrested and booked into the Ellis County Jail following an altercation with another man.

Scheibler said Amrein got on the back of the alleged victim while they were on the ground and placed him in a chokehold until the victim lost consciousness.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/78986be0-0dfe-405f-b2a7-d971a3fe7459">SEE RELATED STORY:&nbsp;Hays man arrested for battery after choking victim</a>

1. HaysMed losses $5M; current, former staff express concerns about care, administration

The No. 1 Hays Post story of 2024 is not a single story but a series of stories and letters to the editor dating back to August. 

Doctors and staff at HaysMed began expressing concern about HaysMed administration and the loss of medical staff in August. Dr. Jerod Grove, HaysMed surgeon, announced he was leaving the hospital in November.

He was followed by Dr. Robert Rodriguez, an oncologist.

Both doctors filed lawsuits in federal court against the hospital, alleging the noncompete clauses in their contracts are too broad and will harm patients' access to medical care in western Kansas.&nbsp;

HaysMed administrators said noncompete clauses in medical staff members' contracts are standard practice. The hospital has countersued the doctors.

According to Grove's lawsuit, HaysMed has lost 12 physicians, two certified registered nurse anesthetists, and three midlevel providers. None of these have remained in the region and provide services to the residents of the state's western half.

As of Dec. 12, the doctors announced they were trying to resolve their contract disputes with the hospital amicably.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/a32ac3e2-3d3b-4a77-94b3-9e455da465e1">HaysMed losses $5M, current, former staff express concerns about care, administration</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/a05ca048-415e-412f-bcea-55ff325a76b9">SEE RELATED STORY: Second doctor sues HaysMed over noncompete clause in contract</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b34af9aa-1485-42c1-a272-afe7c74a36fb">SEE RELATED STORY: Doctor files lawsuit against HaysMed, seeks to continue practicing in western Kansas</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/ff47d31e-0893-42cc-9d64-36235a52511f">SEE RELATED STORY: LETTER: Oncologist announces resignation from HaysMed</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/6dbff5d6-d29e-4959-b974-b6e39d502851">SEE RELATED STORY: Doctors share concerns on administration, future of HaysMed</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/a32ac3e2-3d3b-4a77-94b3-9e455da465e1"></a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2be22ca4-173c-464f-b507-918c1bbcc5a8">SEE RELATED STORY: HaysMed administrators respond to challenges facing hospital</a>

<p>As the new year approaches, it is a time of reflection.</p><p>As we close out the year and look ahead to 2025, here is a look back at the top 10 local Hays Post stories from 2024.</p><h2>10. Hays man seriously injured in incident outside bar</h2><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734971456233.png" alt="Wood-photo Ellis Co. Sheriff" />
                        <figcaption>Wood-photo Ellis Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>A Hays resident was hospitalized with a serious head injury after an altercation outside of the Sip 'N' Spin, 209 W. 10th, Hays, early Jan.21.</p><p>Damien L. Wood, 19, of Bosque, New Mexico, was arrested on a charge of aggravated battery, said Deputy Hays Police Chief Brian Dawson.</p><p>A 35-year-old Hays man was taken to HaysMed with a head injury and then flown to KU Medical Center in Kansas City.</p><p><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/1b6d928b-12a4-482b-a583-e5613a0dcc2e">SEE RELATED STORY: Hays man seriously injured outside bar</a></p><h2>9. LGBTQ+ inclusion Glitter+Ash event on FHSU campus sparks backlash</h2><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734971817147.jpeg" alt="Jaelyn Sutter, FHSU student and member of Us4U, receives ashes on Ash Wednesday from Pastor Ben Houchen of the St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Hays during a Glitter+Ash event at the FHSU Memorial Union. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
                        <figcaption>Jaelyn Sutter, FHSU student and member of Us4U, receives ashes on Ash Wednesday from Pastor Ben Houchen of the St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Hays during a Glitter+Ash event at the FHSU Memorial Union. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>An event that combined ashes and glitter to celebrate Ash Wednesday sparked a backlash in the Hays community.</p><p>Fort Hays State University students or members of the public were able to be blessed with the traditional ashes or ashes mixed with glitter at the Memorial Union.</p><p>Organizers billed the event as a means to foster inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community.</p><p>More than 200 people commented on a Facebook posting on the event. Some comments were supportive, and&nbsp;other community members expressed outrage.</p><p><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/ff4ed31a-2c69-4d33-9b90-9a0d46d1c675">SEE RELATED STORY:&nbsp;LGBTQ+ inclusion Glitter+Ash event on FHSU campus sparks backlash</a></p><h2>8. Man from Hays dies after pickup, semi crash</h2><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665405753233.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
                        <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>A man from Hays died in an accident just before 9 p.m. Dec. 17 in Ellis County.</p><p>The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Toyota Tundra driven by&nbsp; &nbsp;Brandon L.&nbsp; Frick, 40, Hays, was southbound on U.S. 183 at Munjor Road.</p><p>The pickup crossed the center line and struck a northbound semi driven by Jesse W. Crum, 34, Colorado. After impact, both vehicles traveled into the west ditch and came to rest on their wheels.</p><p><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2c7bee46-550f-486a-8134-1348b8fa9f4c">SEE RELATED STORY:&nbsp;Man from Hays dies after pickup semi crash</a></p><h2>7. 48 Hours to feature Hays death: 'Kristen Trickle: Autopsy of the Mind'</h2><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734972232571.png" alt="Kristen Trickle courtesy photo" />
                        <figcaption>Kristen Trickle courtesy photo</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>A woman who lived in Hays was found dying from a gunshot wound. Evidence at the scene did not add up. Prosecutors came up with a new way—they say—to find out what really happened.</p><p>On April 27 on KWCH, Erin Moriarty Reported in “48 Hours: Kristen Trickle: Autopsy of the Mind."&nbsp;</p><p>In the early morning hours of Halloween 2019 in Hays, Colby Trickle called 911 and said he woke up to his ears ringing and saw his wife, Kristen Trickle, bleeding next to him in the bed.</p><p>Since authorities were divided on the evidence they saw at the crime scene, they tried something new and ordered a very different type of autopsy, an autopsy of Kristen Trickle’s mind.</p><p>That investigation eventually led from what Colby Trickle said was suicide to&nbsp;Colby's conviction in his wife's death.</p><p><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/4c33423c-1f63-4d7b-98ec-a4ded347e85e">SEE RELATED STORY:&nbsp;48 Hours to feature Hays Death’ Kristen Trickle: Autopsy of the Mind’</a></p><h2>6. Grow Hays announces new shopping center project north of I-70</h2><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734972432784.jpeg" alt="Proposed location of a new shopping center in Hays. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
                        <figcaption>Proposed location of a new shopping center in Hays. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Grow Hays has contracted to purchase 9.1 acres of land north of Home Depot in Hays. They hope to construct a new shopping center on the land.</p><p>The land is north of Interstate 70 on East 41st Street.</p><p>Doug Williams, director of Grow Hays, said&nbsp;multiple big-box retailers have expressed interest in Hays.</p><p>Williams estimated the new shopping center would generate $20 million in annual sales, which would generate $600,000 combined annually in additional sales tax for the city of Hays, Ellis County and the Hays USD 489 bond issue.</p><p><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/68c83702-3486-4109-b74f-2a7ee851a4fe">SEE RELATED STORY:&nbsp;Grow Hays announces new shopping center</a></p><h2>5. Hays infant's death</h2><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734973706234.jpeg" alt="Fernando Leon" />
                        <figcaption>Fernando Leon</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Ellis County law enforcement authorities investigated the death of a 5-month-old boy who died on April 2 in Hays.</p><p>28-year-old Abraham Duran Leon of Hays was arrested on June 17 in connection with the death of his son, Fernando Leon.</p><p>An autopsy report revealed the child had methamphetamine in his system and died from complications related to methamphetamine intoxication.</p><p><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b3e788cd-7e44-4409-a2e4-07584c0e793a">SEE RELATED STORY:&nbsp;Hays infant’s death still under investigation</a></p><p><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b82bb20e-49b1-41cf-bf36-fb0b29acf58a">SEE RELATED STORY: Arrest made in Hays infant death investigation</a><br></p><h2>4. Love's store location in Hays to be put up for sale</h2><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734973901986.jpeg" alt="Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
                        <figcaption>Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Love's Country Store, 2500 Vine, Hays, closed this week after being in operation in that location since the late 1970s.</p><p>"Love's made the business decision to close its country store in Hays, Kansas, effective May 7, 2024. This store was opened in the late 1970s, and customer demand for the country store model has decreased in recent years," said&nbsp;Tracey Budz, Love's director of corporate communications, in an email.</p><p>Love’s is planning to put the property on the market for sale, Budz said.</p><p><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5fe47100-3d66-44bb-97b3-25aceb8379e3">SEE RELATED STORY: UPDATE: Love's store location in Hays to be put up for sale</a></p><h2>3. Teen killed in Ellis County accident</h2><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614390375120.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
                        <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>A 16-year-old was killed in a rollover accident southwest of Hays in the early morning hours of Oct. 5.</p><p>In a press release, Ellis County Sheriff Scott Braun said the accident was reported at about 12:30 a.m. near 230th Avenue and Spring Hill Road.</p><p>Braun said the teen was one of four teenagers in the car that left the roadway and rolled.</p><p><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2eab323d-7e99-4dea-878c-9c3087e74868">SEE RELATED STORY: Teen killed in Ellis County accident</a></p><h2>2. Hays man arrested for battery after choking victim</h2><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734974135428.png" alt="Amrein photo Ellis County Jail" />
                        <figcaption>Amrein photo Ellis County Jail</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>A man was arrested in Hays on Sept. 21 for aggravated battery after reportedly choking another man until he lost consciousness.</p><p>Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler said that 19-year-old Aiden Amrein was arrested and booked into the Ellis County Jail following an altercation with another man.</p><p>Scheibler said Amrein got on the back of the alleged victim while they were on the ground and placed him in a chokehold until the victim lost consciousness.</p><p><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/78986be0-0dfe-405f-b2a7-d971a3fe7459">SEE RELATED STORY:&nbsp;Hays man arrested for battery after choking victim</a></p><h2>1. HaysMed losses $5M; current, former staff express concerns about care, administration</h2><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592337955905.jpeg" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>The No. 1 Hays Post story of 2024 is not a single story but a series of stories and letters to the editor dating back to August. </p><p>Doctors and staff at HaysMed began expressing concern about HaysMed administration and the loss of medical staff in August. Dr. Jerod Grove, HaysMed surgeon, announced he was leaving the hospital in November.</p><p>He was followed by Dr. Robert Rodriguez, an oncologist.</p><p>Both doctors filed lawsuits in federal court against the hospital, alleging the noncompete clauses in their contracts are too broad and will harm patients' access to medical care in western Kansas.&nbsp;</p><p>HaysMed administrators said noncompete clauses in medical staff members' contracts are standard practice. The hospital has countersued the doctors.</p><p>According to Grove's lawsuit, HaysMed has lost 12 physicians, two certified registered nurse anesthetists, and three midlevel providers. None of these have remained in the region and provide services to the residents of the state's western half.</p><p>As of Dec. 12, the doctors announced they were trying to resolve their contract disputes with the hospital amicably.</p><p><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/a32ac3e2-3d3b-4a77-94b3-9e455da465e1">HaysMed losses $5M, current, former staff express concerns about care, administration</a></p><p><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/a05ca048-415e-412f-bcea-55ff325a76b9">SEE RELATED STORY: Second doctor sues HaysMed over noncompete clause in contract</a></p><p><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b34af9aa-1485-42c1-a272-afe7c74a36fb">SEE RELATED STORY: Doctor files lawsuit against HaysMed, seeks to continue practicing in western Kansas</a></p><p><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/ff47d31e-0893-42cc-9d64-36235a52511f">SEE RELATED STORY: LETTER: Oncologist announces resignation from HaysMed</a></p><p><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/6dbff5d6-d29e-4959-b974-b6e39d502851">SEE RELATED STORY: Doctors share concerns on administration, future of HaysMed</a></p><p><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/a32ac3e2-3d3b-4a77-94b3-9e455da465e1"></a><a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/2be22ca4-173c-464f-b507-918c1bbcc5a8">SEE RELATED STORY: HaysMed administrators respond to challenges facing hospital</a></p>

Goodbye 2024: A look back at the biggest local stories of the year

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Monday endorsed House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-mike-johnson-majority-trump-election-65d7217e4541cd314849c9a0da2b0081">Mike Johnson</a>, providing crucial backing for the Louisiana Republican as he prepares for what is expected to be another contentious speakership race this week.

Trump said in a post on his social media platform that Johnson “is a good, hard working, religious man” and said he “will do the right thing, and we will continue to WIN.”

“Mike has my Complete &amp; Total Endorsement," he wrote.

Johnson thanked Trump for the endorsement and added, “The American people demand and deserve that we waste no time. Let’s get to work!”

The signal of support from Trump comes despite his frustration with a spending deal Johnson pushed through the House days before Christmas that failed to achieve his central goal of raising the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-ceiling-shutdown-explainer-22ff94a8f8b188c722ff8fab3f7093d0">debt limit</a>.

But other Republicans have been less forgiving. Far-right criticism over the spending ordeal has left Johnson’s continued leadership of the incoming GOP majority once again in jeopardy. Though a deal was reached, averting a holiday shutdown, Johnson had to rely on Democrats to keep the government running, highlighting the limits of his influence and exposing cracks in his party’s support.

The speaker’s first two funding plans collapsed as Trump, who does not take the oath of office until Jan. 20, interceded with calls to suspend or lift the government debt ceiling.

Johnson, who has worked hard to stay close to Trump over the last several months, convinced the president-elect that he would meet his demands to raise the debt limit in 2025.

Trump had remained quiet about Johnson's fate before a Jan. 3 leadership vote for over a week, even as some Republicans signaled that they may not support Johnson for the role.

Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-primary-election-victoria-spartz-ukraine-57fb403caa6a9bbe459639baacfdb7fa">Victoria Spartz</a>, one of the Republicans who opposed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kevin-mccarthy">Kevin McCarthy’s</a>&nbsp;initial bid for the speakership, said in a statement Monday that “our next speaker must show courageous leadership to get our country back on track.”

The Indiana lawmaker went on to make a series of demands for the next leader of the GOP majority, which included major spending reform. Rep. Andy Harris, who is the chair of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus, had also indicated that Johnson's future as speaker is not guaranteed before the holidays.

In a Dec. 20 post on X, Harris said that Republicans have not done enough to bring down “spending, deficits and inflation" since Trump's electoral victory in November.

Because of this, Harris wrote, “I am now undecided on what House leadership should look like in the 119th Congress.”

Associated Press writer Farnoush Amiri in Washington contributed to this report.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734277230811.png" alt="File photo House Speaker Mike Johnson and President-elect Trump at the Army Navy football game earlier this month." />
                        <figcaption>File photo House Speaker Mike Johnson and President-elect Trump at the Army Navy football game earlier this month.</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Monday endorsed House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-mike-johnson-majority-trump-election-65d7217e4541cd314849c9a0da2b0081">Mike Johnson</a>, providing crucial backing for the Louisiana Republican as he prepares for what is expected to be another contentious speakership race this week.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Thank you, President Trump! I’m honored and humbled by your support, as always. <br><br>Together, we will quickly deliver on your America First agenda and usher in the new golden age of America.<br><br>The American people demand and deserve that we waste no time. Let’s get to work! 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/ljGrB08dRh">pic.twitter.com/ljGrB08dRh</a></p>&mdash; Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1873758339324362916?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Trump said in a post on his social media platform that Johnson “is a good, hard working, religious man” and said he “will do the right thing, and we will continue to WIN.”</p><p>“Mike has my Complete &amp; Total Endorsement," he wrote.</p><p>Johnson thanked Trump for the endorsement and added, “The American people demand and deserve that we waste no time. Let’s get to work!”</p><p>The signal of support from Trump comes despite his frustration with a spending deal Johnson pushed through the House days before Christmas that failed to achieve his central goal of raising the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-ceiling-shutdown-explainer-22ff94a8f8b188c722ff8fab3f7093d0">debt limit</a>.</p><p>But other Republicans have been less forgiving. Far-right criticism over the spending ordeal has left Johnson’s continued leadership of the incoming GOP majority once again in jeopardy. Though a deal was reached, averting a holiday shutdown, Johnson had to rely on Democrats to keep the government running, highlighting the limits of his influence and exposing cracks in his party’s support.</p><p>The speaker’s first two funding plans collapsed as Trump, who does not take the oath of office until Jan. 20, interceded with calls to suspend or lift the government debt ceiling.</p><p>Johnson, who has worked hard to stay close to Trump over the last several months, convinced the president-elect that he would meet his demands to raise the debt limit in 2025.</p><p>Trump had remained quiet about Johnson's fate before a Jan. 3 leadership vote for over a week, even as some Republicans signaled that they may not support Johnson for the role.</p><p>Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-primary-election-victoria-spartz-ukraine-57fb403caa6a9bbe459639baacfdb7fa">Victoria Spartz</a>, one of the Republicans who opposed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kevin-mccarthy">Kevin McCarthy’s</a>&nbsp;initial bid for the speakership, said in a statement Monday that “our next speaker must show courageous leadership to get our country back on track.”</p><p>The Indiana lawmaker went on to make a series of demands for the next leader of the GOP majority, which included major spending reform. Rep. Andy Harris, who is the chair of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus, had also indicated that Johnson's future as speaker is not guaranteed before the holidays.</p><p>In a Dec. 20 post on X, Harris said that Republicans have not done enough to bring down “spending, deficits and inflation" since Trump's electoral victory in November.</p><p>Because of this, Harris wrote, “I am now undecided on what House leadership should look like in the 119th Congress.”</p><p>___</p><p>Associated Press writer Farnoush Amiri in Washington contributed to this report.</p>

Read Trump's endorsement of Johnson to stay on as House Speaker

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Ellis County Jail bookings: Dec.23-30, 2024

WASHINGTON (AP)—Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-carter-dies-18c198c20352c835bca3eec276020dd7">Jimmy Carter has died</a>&nbsp;at the age of 100. The 39th president of the United States was a Georgia peanut farmer who sought to restore trust in government when he assumed the presidency in 1977 and then built a reputation for tireless work as a humanitarian. He earned a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

Carter died Sunday, coming up on two years after entering hospice care, at his home in Plains, Georgia.

At age 52, Carter was sworn in as president on Jan. 20, 1977, after defeating President Gerald R. Ford in the 1976 general election. Carter left office on Jan. 20, 1981, following his 1980 general election loss to Ronald Reagan.&nbsp;

President Joe Biden has scheduled a state funeral in Washington for former President Jimmy Carter on Jan. 9.

Biden also declared Jan. 9 as a National Day of Mourning across the U.S. Carter, the longest-lived former president, died Sunday at his home in Plains, Georgia. He was 100.

Guterres' remembrance focuses on Carter's contributions to peace

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Sunday praised Carter for his significant contributions to international peace through the Camp David Accords, the SALT II Treaty and the Panama Canal treaties.

“President Carter’s commitment to international peace and human rights also found full expression after he left the presidency,” Guterres said in a statement. "He played a key role in conflict mediation, election monitoring, the promotion of democracy, and disease prevention and eradication. These and other efforts earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 and helped advance the work of the United Nations.

“President Carter will be remembered for his solidarity with the vulnerable, his abiding grace, and his unrelenting faith in the common good and our common humanity,” Guterres said.

King Charles III joined leaders from around the world in issuing their condolences and sharing their reflections on the former president.

“It was with great sadness that I learned of the death of former President Carter," the king said in a public statement. “He was a committed public servant, and devoted his life to promoting peace and human rights. His dedication and humility served as an inspiration to many, and I remember with great fondness his visit to the United Kingdom in 1977."

President Joe Biden broke from his family vacation in the U.S. Virgin Islands to remember Carter, recalling his predecessor as a role model and friend.

America and the world lost a “remarkable leader” with Carter’s death, Biden said, adding that he had spoken to several of the former president's children and was working with them to formalize memorial arrangements in Washington. Speaking for roughly 10 minutes, Biden remembered Carter as a humanitarian and statesman, someone he couldn't imagine walking past a person in need without trying to help them. He represented “the most fundamental human values we can never let slip away,” Biden said.

The president repeatedly praised Carter's “simple decency” and his values, saying some will see him as a man of honesty and humility from a bygone era.

“I don’t believe it’s a bygone era. I see a man not only of our time, but for all times,” Biden said. “To know his core, you need to know he never stopped being a Sunday school teacher at that Baptist church in Plains, Georgia.”

Egyptian president notes historic Camp David Accords

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi said on X that Carter's significant role in achieving the peace agreement between Egypt and Israel "will remain etched in the annals of history.”

He went on to say Carter's “humanitarian work exemplifies a lofty standard of love, peace, and brotherhood.” Carter will be remembered as “one of the world’s most prominent leaders in service to humanity,” el-Sissi said.

Carter’s relationship with his wife Rosalynn spanned a near-lifetime

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter had one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rosalynn-carter-dead-69fadff26354d26bdda94c5d52558a7f">great love stories</a>&nbsp;and political partnerships in U.S. presidential history.

The former president sometimes called his wife, who died Nov. 19. 2023, “Rosie,” which is a good way to remember how her name actually is pronounced. It is “ROSE-uh-lyn,” not, repeat NOT, “RAHZ-uh-lyn.”

They were married more than 77 years but their relationship went back even further. Jimmy’s mother, “Miss Lillian,” delivered Eleanor Rosalynn Smith at the Smith home in Plains on Aug. 18, 1927. The nurse brought her eldest child back a few days later to visit, meaning the longest-married presidential couple met as preschooler and newborn.

She became his trusted campaign aide and White House adviser, surprising Washington by sitting in on Cabinet meetings. Then they traveled the world together as co-founders of The Carter Center.

Most of the nation saw the former president for the last time at Rosalynn Carter’s funeral.

Grandson Jason Carter says Plains kept his grandparents humble

Jason Carter is now the chairman of The Carter Center’s board of governors. He said his grandparents “never changed who they were” even after reaching the White House and becoming global humanitarians.

He says their four years in Washington were just one period of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-carter-life-career-timeline-38b962a71cb8c05e1f7dba3b0873ebc7">putting their values into action</a>&nbsp;and that the center his grandparents founded in Atlanta is a lasting “extension of their belief in human rights as a fundamental global force.”

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter traveled the world advocating for democracy and fighting disease, but Jason Carter said they weren’t motivated by pity, or arrogance that a former American president had all the answers — they ventured to remote places because they could “recognize these people.” They too were from “a 600-person village” and understood that even the poorest people “have the power ... the ability ... the knowledge and the expertise to change their own community.”

As reaction poured in from around the world, President Joe Biden mourned Carter’s death, saying the world lost an “extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian” and he lost a dear friend. Biden cited Carter’s compassion and moral clarity, his work to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless and advocacy for the disadvantaged as an example for others.

Biden said he is ordering a state funeral for Carter in Washington.

Pelosi says Carter’s life ‘was saintly’ in devotion to peace

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is remembering Carter as a man steeped “in devotion to public service and peace.”

The California Democrat said in a statement Sunday that Carter was committed to “honoring the spark of divinity within every person,” something she said manifested in “teaching Sunday school in his beloved Marantha Baptist Church, brokering the landmark Camp David Accords to pave the way to peace or building homes with Habitat for Humanity.”

Pelosi also said Carter led “perhaps the most impactful post-presidency in history.”

Historical praise from the United Kingdom

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer noted in a post on X the special contribution Carter made by brokering the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt and through his work with the Carter Center.

“Motivated by his strong faith and values, President Carter redefined the post-presidency with a remarkable commitment to social justice and human rights at home and abroad,” Starmer said.

To commemorate Carter’s death, officials with the Empire State Building said in a post on social media that the iconic New York City landmark would be lit in red, white and blue on Sunday night, “to honor the life and legacy” of the late former president.

The Obamas recall Carter's Sunday services

In a statement issued Sunday, former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama said Carter’s beloved Maranatha Baptist Church “will be a little quieter on Sunday,s” but added that the late former president “will never be far away -- buried alongside Rosalynn next to a willow tree down the road, his memory calling all of us to heed our better angels.”

Noting the “hundreds of tourists from around the world crammed into the pews” to see the former president teach Sunday school, as he did “for most of his adult life,” the Obamas listed Carter’s accomplishments as president. But they made special note of the Sunday school lessons, saying they were catalysts for people making a pilgrimage to the church. “Many people in that church on Sunday morning were there, at least in part, because of something more fundamental: President Carter’s decency.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-united-states-government-4e0f31e58fbc4ae2a98b3351a736ef22">longest-lived American president</a>&nbsp;died Sunday, more than a year after entering&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-carter-roslaynn-hospice-year-anniversary-c93498575e806f1a1d83714cf8e5c0b6">hospice care</a>, at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/rosalynn-carter">Rosalynn,</a>&nbsp;who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rosalynn-carter-dead-e4291133392444bc9ad9d1da461d95c1">died at 96 in November 2023</a>, spent most of their lives.

“Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” The Carter Center said in posting about his death on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family.

In his 1975 book “Why Not The Best,” Carter said of himself: “I am a Southerner and an American, I am a farmer, an engineer, a father and husband, a Christian, a politician and former governor, a planner, a businessman, a nuclear physicist, a naval officer, a canoeist, and among other things a lover of Bob Dylan’s songs and Dylan Thomas’s poetry.”

A moderate Democrat,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-georgia-state-barack-obama-794d225a2a4de24e4545bbca60095bc1">Carter entered the 1976 presidential race</a>&nbsp;as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer.

After he left office and returned home to his tiny hometown of Plains in southwest Georgia, Carter regularly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ne-state-wire-us-news-ap-top-news-ms-state-wire-baptist-e0fb39dc916d48c1a8fa5bf72f5deb32">taught Sunday School lessons</a>&nbsp;at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world.

Former Vice President Gore remembers Carter for life "of purpose”

Former Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-supreme-court-lawsuits-trump-harris-1507df4e695ca13c5da00c22ef8e14e5">Al Gore</a>&nbsp;praised Jimmy Carter for living “a life full of purpose, commitment and kindness” and for being a “lifelong role model for the entire environmental movement.”

Carter, who left the White House in 1981 after a landslide defeat to Ronald Reagan. concentrated on conflict resolution, defending democracy and fighting disease in the developing world. Gore, who lost the 2000 presidential election to George W. Bush, remains a leading advocate for action to fight climate change. Both won Nobel Peace Prizes.

Gore said that “it is a testament to his unyielding determination to help build a more just and peaceful world” that Carter is often “remembered equally for the work he did as President as he is for his leadership over the 42 years after he left office.”

During Gore’s time in the White House, President Bill Clinton had an uneasy relationship with Carter. But Gore said he is “grateful” for “many years of friendship and collaboration” with Carter.

The Clintons react to Jimmy Carter's death

Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bill-hillary-clinton-library-little-rock-trump-b9fd56cc6927e08910ac76100d0d105d">Bill Clinton and his wife,</a>&nbsp;former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, remember Carter as a man who lived to serve others.

“Hillary and I mourn the passing of President Jimmy Carter and give thanks for his long, good life. Guided by his faith, President Carter lived to serve others — until the very end."

The statement recalled Carter's many achievements and priorities, including efforts “to protect our natural resources in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, make energy conservation a national priority, return the Panama Canal to Panama, and secure peace between Egypt and Israel at Camp David."

After he left office, the Clinton statement said, Carter continued efforts in "supporting honest elections, advancing peace, combating disease, and promoting democracy; to his and Rosalynn’s devotion and hard work at Habitat for Humanity — he worked tirelessly for a better, fairer world,” the statement said.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735523868696.png" alt="Former President Jimmy Carter during an interview in 2010 -image courtesy CSPAN" />
                        <figcaption>Former President Jimmy Carter during an interview in 2010 -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>WASHINGTON (AP)—Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-carter-dies-18c198c20352c835bca3eec276020dd7">Jimmy Carter has died</a>&nbsp;at the age of 100. The 39th president of the United States was a Georgia peanut farmer who sought to restore trust in government when he assumed the presidency in 1977 and then built a reputation for tireless work as a humanitarian. He earned a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">WATCH: President Biden complete remarks on death of former President Jimmy Carter. <a href="https://t.co/Sea2QtgMPW">pic.twitter.com/Sea2QtgMPW</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1873534289557545352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Statement from President-elect Trump. <a href="https://t.co/q0ctSXm0Rs">pic.twitter.com/q0ctSXm0Rs</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1873493252319670612?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Carter died Sunday, coming up on two years after entering hospice care, at his home in Plains, Georgia.</p><p>At age 52, Carter was sworn in as president on Jan. 20, 1977, after defeating President Gerald R. Ford in the 1976 general election. Carter left office on Jan. 20, 1981, following his 1980 general election loss to Ronald Reagan.&nbsp;</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tonight we will shine in Red White and Blue to honor the life and legacy of President Jimmy Carter<br><br>📷: captiv_8/IG <a href="https://t.co/xIksQuUp68">pic.twitter.com/xIksQuUp68</a></p>&mdash; Empire State Building (@EmpireStateBldg) <a href="https://twitter.com/EmpireStateBldg/status/1873483205611061568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2>Carter's state funeral will be Jan. 9</h2><p>President Joe Biden has scheduled a state funeral in Washington for former President Jimmy Carter on Jan. 9.</p><p>Biden also declared Jan. 9 as a National Day of Mourning across the U.S. Carter, the longest-lived former president, died Sunday at his home in Plains, Georgia. He was 100.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Statement by President George W. Bush. <a href="https://t.co/nlooc1eg68">pic.twitter.com/nlooc1eg68</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1873494280125505716?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2>Guterres' remembrance focuses on Carter's contributions to peace</h2><p>United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Sunday praised Carter for his significant contributions to international peace through the Camp David Accords, the SALT II Treaty and the Panama Canal treaties.</p><p>“President Carter’s commitment to international peace and human rights also found full expression after he left the presidency,” Guterres said in a statement. "He played a key role in conflict mediation, election monitoring, the promotion of democracy, and disease prevention and eradication. These and other efforts earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 and helped advance the work of the United Nations.</p><p>“President Carter will be remembered for his solidarity with the vulnerable, his abiding grace, and his unrelenting faith in the common good and our common humanity,” Guterres said.</p><h2>Reflections from King Charles III</h2><p>King Charles III joined leaders from around the world in issuing their condolences and sharing their reflections on the former president.</p><p>“It was with great sadness that I learned of the death of former President Carter," the king said in a public statement. “He was a committed public servant, and devoted his life to promoting peace and human rights. His dedication and humility served as an inspiration to many, and I remember with great fondness his visit to the United Kingdom in 1977."</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Today, America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian. <a href="https://t.co/Ki7Rhbent0">pic.twitter.com/Ki7Rhbent0</a></p>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1873503977792225522?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2>Biden remembers Carter for his decency</h2><p>President Joe Biden broke from his family vacation in the U.S. Virgin Islands to remember Carter, recalling his predecessor as a role model and friend.</p><p>America and the world lost a “remarkable leader” with Carter’s death, Biden said, adding that he had spoken to several of the former president's children and was working with them to formalize memorial arrangements in Washington. Speaking for roughly 10 minutes, Biden remembered Carter as a humanitarian and statesman, someone he couldn't imagine walking past a person in need without trying to help them. He represented “the most fundamental human values we can never let slip away,” Biden said.</p><p>The president repeatedly praised Carter's “simple decency” and his values, saying some will see him as a man of honesty and humility from a bygone era.</p><p>“I don’t believe it’s a bygone era. I see a man not only of our time, but for all times,” Biden said. “To know his core, you need to know he never stopped being a Sunday school teacher at that Baptist church in Plains, Georgia.”</p><h2>Egyptian president notes historic Camp David Accords</h2><p>Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi said on X that Carter's significant role in achieving the peace agreement between Egypt and Israel "will remain etched in the annals of history.”</p><p>He went on to say Carter's “humanitarian work exemplifies a lofty standard of love, peace, and brotherhood.” Carter will be remembered as “one of the world’s most prominent leaders in service to humanity,” el-Sissi said.</p><h2>Carter’s relationship with his wife Rosalynn spanned a near-lifetime</h2><p>Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter had one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rosalynn-carter-dead-69fadff26354d26bdda94c5d52558a7f">great love stories</a>&nbsp;and political partnerships in U.S. presidential history.</p><p>The former president sometimes called his wife, who died Nov. 19. 2023, “Rosie,” which is a good way to remember how her name actually is pronounced. It is “ROSE-uh-lyn,” not, repeat NOT, “RAHZ-uh-lyn.”</p><p>They were married more than 77 years but their relationship went back even further. Jimmy’s mother, “Miss Lillian,” delivered Eleanor Rosalynn Smith at the Smith home in Plains on Aug. 18, 1927. The nurse brought her eldest child back a few days later to visit, meaning the longest-married presidential couple met as preschooler and newborn.</p><p>She became his trusted campaign aide and White House adviser, surprising Washington by sitting in on Cabinet meetings. Then they traveled the world together as co-founders of The Carter Center.</p><p>Most of the nation saw the former president for the last time at Rosalynn Carter’s funeral.</p><h2>Grandson Jason Carter says Plains kept his grandparents humble</h2><p>Jason Carter is now the chairman of The Carter Center’s board of governors. He said his grandparents “never changed who they were” even after reaching the White House and becoming global humanitarians.</p><p>He says their four years in Washington were just one period of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-carter-life-career-timeline-38b962a71cb8c05e1f7dba3b0873ebc7">putting their values into action</a>&nbsp;and that the center his grandparents founded in Atlanta is a lasting “extension of their belief in human rights as a fundamental global force.”</p><p>Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter traveled the world advocating for democracy and fighting disease, but Jason Carter said they weren’t motivated by pity, or arrogance that a former American president had all the answers — they ventured to remote places because they could “recognize these people.” They too were from “a 600-person village” and understood that even the poorest people “have the power ... the ability ... the knowledge and the expertise to change their own community.”</p><h2>President Biden mourns his predecessor</h2><p>As reaction poured in from around the world, President Joe Biden mourned Carter’s death, saying the world lost an “extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian” and he lost a dear friend. Biden cited Carter’s compassion and moral clarity, his work to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless and advocacy for the disadvantaged as an example for others.</p><p>Biden said he is ordering a state funeral for Carter in Washington.</p><h2>Pelosi says Carter’s life ‘was saintly’ in devotion to peace</h2><p>Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is remembering Carter as a man steeped “in devotion to public service and peace.”</p><p>The California Democrat said in a statement Sunday that Carter was committed to “honoring the spark of divinity within every person,” something she said manifested in “teaching Sunday school in his beloved Marantha Baptist Church, brokering the landmark Camp David Accords to pave the way to peace or building homes with Habitat for Humanity.”</p><p>Pelosi also said Carter led “perhaps the most impactful post-presidency in history.”</p><h2>Historical praise from the United Kingdom</h2><p>British Prime Minister Keir Starmer noted in a post on X the special contribution Carter made by brokering the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt and through his work with the Carter Center.</p><p>“Motivated by his strong faith and values, President Carter redefined the post-presidency with a remarkable commitment to social justice and human rights at home and abroad,” Starmer said.</p><h2>Commemoration in New York City</h2><p>To commemorate Carter’s death, officials with the Empire State Building said in a post on social media that the iconic New York City landmark would be lit in red, white and blue on Sunday night, “to honor the life and legacy” of the late former president.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Carter taught all of us what it means to live a life of grace, dignity, justice, and service. Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to the Carter family, and everyone who loved and learned from this remarkable man. <a href="https://t.co/dZHL0Nu0Tj">https://t.co/dZHL0Nu0Tj</a></p>&mdash; Barack Obama (@BarackObama) <a href="https://twitter.com/BarackObama/status/1873499254309998688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2>The Obamas recall Carter's Sunday services</h2><p>In a statement issued Sunday, former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama said Carter’s beloved Maranatha Baptist Church “will be a little quieter on Sunday,s” but added that the late former president “will never be far away -- buried alongside Rosalynn next to a willow tree down the road, his memory calling all of us to heed our better angels.”</p><p>Noting the “hundreds of tourists from around the world crammed into the pews” to see the former president teach Sunday school, as he did “for most of his adult life,” the Obamas listed Carter’s accomplishments as president. But they made special note of the Sunday school lessons, saying they were catalysts for people making a pilgrimage to the church. “Many people in that church on Sunday morning were there, at least in part, because of something more fundamental: President Carter’s decency.”</p><h2>A somber announcement</h2><p>The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-united-states-government-4e0f31e58fbc4ae2a98b3351a736ef22">longest-lived American president</a>&nbsp;died Sunday, more than a year after entering&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-carter-roslaynn-hospice-year-anniversary-c93498575e806f1a1d83714cf8e5c0b6">hospice care</a>, at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/rosalynn-carter">Rosalynn,</a>&nbsp;who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rosalynn-carter-dead-e4291133392444bc9ad9d1da461d95c1">died at 96 in November 2023</a>, spent most of their lives.</p><p>“Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” The Carter Center said in posting about his death on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family.</p><h2>A Southerner and a man of faith</h2><p>In his 1975 book “Why Not The Best,” Carter said of himself: “I am a Southerner and an American, I am a farmer, an engineer, a father and husband, a Christian, a politician and former governor, a planner, a businessman, a nuclear physicist, a naval officer, a canoeist, and among other things a lover of Bob Dylan’s songs and Dylan Thomas’s poetry.”</p><p>A moderate Democrat,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-georgia-state-barack-obama-794d225a2a4de24e4545bbca60095bc1">Carter entered the 1976 presidential race</a>&nbsp;as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer.</p><p>After he left office and returned home to his tiny hometown of Plains in southwest Georgia, Carter regularly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ne-state-wire-us-news-ap-top-news-ms-state-wire-baptist-e0fb39dc916d48c1a8fa5bf72f5deb32">taught Sunday School lessons</a>&nbsp;at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world.</p><h2>Former Vice President Gore remembers Carter for life "of purpose”</h2><p>Former Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-supreme-court-lawsuits-trump-harris-1507df4e695ca13c5da00c22ef8e14e5">Al Gore</a>&nbsp;praised Jimmy Carter for living “a life full of purpose, commitment and kindness” and for being a “lifelong role model for the entire environmental movement.”</p><p>Carter, who left the White House in 1981 after a landslide defeat to Ronald Reagan. concentrated on conflict resolution, defending democracy and fighting disease in the developing world. Gore, who lost the 2000 presidential election to George W. Bush, remains a leading advocate for action to fight climate change. Both won Nobel Peace Prizes.</p><p>Gore said that “it is a testament to his unyielding determination to help build a more just and peaceful world” that Carter is often “remembered equally for the work he did as President as he is for his leadership over the 42 years after he left office.”</p><p>During Gore’s time in the White House, President Bill Clinton had an uneasy relationship with Carter. But Gore said he is “grateful” for “many years of friendship and collaboration” with Carter.</p><h2>The Clintons react to Jimmy Carter's death</h2><p>Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bill-hillary-clinton-library-little-rock-trump-b9fd56cc6927e08910ac76100d0d105d">Bill Clinton and his wife,</a>&nbsp;former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, remember Carter as a man who lived to serve others.</p><p>“Hillary and I mourn the passing of President Jimmy Carter and give thanks for his long, good life. Guided by his faith, President Carter lived to serve others — until the very end."</p><p>The statement recalled Carter's many achievements and priorities, including efforts “to protect our natural resources in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, make energy conservation a national priority, return the Panama Canal to Panama, and secure peace between Egypt and Israel at Camp David."</p><p>After he left office, the Clinton statement said, Carter continued efforts in "supporting honest elections, advancing peace, combating disease, and promoting democracy; to his and Rosalynn’s devotion and hard work at Habitat for Humanity — he worked tirelessly for a better, fairer world,” the statement said.</p>

🎥Biden and Trump pay tribute to former President Jimmy Carter

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22BILL%20BARROW%20and%20ALEX%20SANZ%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By BILL BARROW and ALEX SANZ&nbsp;</a>

ATLANTA (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jimmy-carter">Jimmy Carter,</a>&nbsp;the peanut farmer who tried to restore virtue to the White House after the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, then rebounded from a landslide defeat to become a global advocate of human rights and democracy, has died.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-carter-100th-birthday-1e540c277dea07bd84242d290b4ebcdc">He was 100 years old</a>.

The Carter Center said the 39th president died Sunday afternoon,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-carter-roslaynn-hospice-year-anniversary-c93498575e806f1a1d83714cf8e5c0b6">more than a year after entering hospice care</a>, at his home in Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/rosalynn-carter">Rosalynn,</a>&nbsp;who died in November 2023, lived most of their lives. The center said he died peacefully, surrounded by his family.

“To all of the young people in this nation and for anyone in search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning – the good life – study Jimmy Carter, a man of principle, faith, and humility,” Biden said in a statement. “He showed that we are a great nation because we are a good people – decent and honorable, courageous and compassionate, humble and strong.”

A moderate Democrat,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-georgia-state-barack-obama-794d225a2a4de24e4545bbca60095bc1">Carter ran for president in 1976</a>&nbsp;as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad grin, effusive Baptist faith and technocratic plans for efficient government. His promise to never deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia.

“If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter said.

Carter’s victory over Republican Gerald Ford, whose fortunes fell after pardoning Nixon, came amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over race, women’s rights and America’s role in the world. His achievements included brokering Mideast peace by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at Camp David for 13 days in 1978.

But his coalition splintered under double-digit inflation and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His negotiations ultimately brought all the hostages home alive, but in a final insult, Iran didn’t release them until the inauguration of Ronald Reagan, who had trounced him in the 1980 election.

Humbled and back home in Georgia, Carter said his faith demanded that he keep doing whatever he could, for as long as he could, to try to make a difference. He and Rosalynn co-founded&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ga-state-wire-jimmy-carter-rosalynn-carter-us-news-d72c1e75aa626d41565117c88952a5fb">The Carter Center</a>&nbsp;in 1982 and spent the next 40 years traveling the world as peacemakers, human rights advocates and champions of democracy and public health.

Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, Carter helped ease nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/6a4d9b86ab5bdbc3d4ffdeb736006967">negotiate cease-fires in Bosnia</a>&nbsp;and Sudan. By 2022, the center had monitored at least 113 elections around the world. Carter was determined to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-skin-conditions-atlanta-south-sudan-central-african-republic-e7f12b17a6661907874ea05e77f83094">eradicate guinea worm infections</a>&nbsp;as one of many health initiatives.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/9ef214c0b3c748b6b32fa40a70ff6624">Swinging hammers into their 90s,</a>&nbsp;the Carters built homes with Habitat for Humanity.

The common observation that he was better as an ex-president rankled Carter. His allies were pleased that he lived long enough to see biographers and historians&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-middle-east-jimmy-carter-18eab7024282910f6aab29026a1e04e2">revisit his presidency</a>&nbsp;and declare it more impactful than many understood at the time.

Propelled in 1976 by voters in Iowa and then across the South, Carter ran a no-frills campaign. Americans were captivated by the earnest engineer, and while an election-year Playboy interview drew snickers when he said he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times,” voters tired of political cynicism found it endearing.

The first family set an informal tone in the White House, carrying their own luggage, trying to silence the Marine Band’s traditional “Hail to the Chief" and enrolling daughter, Amy, in public schools. Carter was lampooned for wearing a cardigan and urging Americans to turn down their thermostats.

But Carter set the stage for an economic revival and sharply reduced America's dependence on foreign oil by deregulating the energy industry along with airlines, trains and trucking. He established the departments of Energy and Education, appointed record numbers of women and nonwhites to federal posts, preserved millions of acres of Alaskan wilderness and pardoned most Vietnam draft evaders.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-carter-human-rights-1a7853176b43bc0c73e48266fcc882da">Emphasizing human rights</a>, he ended most support for military dictators and took on bribery by multinational corporations by signing the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. He persuaded the Senate to ratify the Panama Canal treaties and normalized relations with China, an outgrowth of Nixon’s outreach to Beijing.

But crippling turns in foreign affairs took their toll.

When OPEC hiked crude prices, making drivers line up for gasoline as inflation spiked to 11%, Carter tried to encourage Americans to overcome “a crisis of confidence.” Many voters lost confidence in Carter instead after the infamous address that media dubbed his “malaise" speech, even though he never used that word.

After Carter reluctantly agreed to admit the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979. Negotiations to quickly free the hostages broke down, and then eight Americans died when a top-secret military rescue attempt failed.

Carter also had to reverse course on the SALT II nuclear arms treaty after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979. Though historians would later credit Carter's diplomatic efforts for hastening the end of the Cold war, Republicans labeled his soft power weak. Reagan’s “make America great again” appeals resonated, and he beat Carter in all but six states.

Born Oct. 1, 1924, James Earl Carter Jr.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-politics-government-and-politics-georgia-jimmy-carter-55f6bac7ab089707a18a5cd23194b2b9">married fellow Plains native Rosalynn Smith</a>&nbsp;in 1946, the year he graduated from the Naval Academy. He brought his young family back to Plains after his father died, abandoning his Navy career, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rosalynn-carter-death-jimmy-relationship-0b3b3b6c4dcb462265253c8e98f70228">they soon turned their ambitions to politics</a>. Carter reached the state Senate in 1962. After rural white and Black voters elected him governor in 1970, he drew national attention by declaring that “the time for racial discrimination is over.”

Carter published more than 30 books and remained influential as his center turned its democracy advocacy onto U.S. politics, monitoring an audit of Georgia’s 2020 presidential election results.

After&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/1150203131f842d28ebb65475cf86a49">a 2015 cancer diagnosis,</a>&nbsp;Carter said he felt “perfectly at ease with whatever comes.”

“I’ve had a wonderful life,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fd1ca946921a402d9da6bdc8d4c212da">he said.</a>&nbsp;“I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.”

Sanz is a former Associated Press reporter.

ATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old.

The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care, at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023, spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said.

"Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia," the center simply said in posting about Carter's death on the social media platform X.

Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation's highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s.

"My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference," Carter once said.

A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon's disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia.

"If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don't vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president," Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon.

Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women's rights and America's global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy.

Yet Carter's electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan.