Dickinson County Economic Development Corporation

DICKINSON COUNTY - Dickinson County Economic Development Corporation (DKEDC) is launching The Morning Drive, a county-wide, drop-in networking event held on the first Tuesday of every month from 8:00–9:00 a.m.

The series is designed to spark community connection over coffee—bringing together business owners, entrepreneurs, community leaders, and anyone curious about what’s happening across Dickinson County.

DKEDC will bring the coffee and “yummy” breakfast pastries to a different host business each month, creating a casual space to share updates, swap ideas, and build relationships that move the county forward.

“The Morning Drive is simple on purpose—show up, grab a cup, make a connection,” said Natalie Muruato, CEO of DKEDC. “When people talk, collaborate, and encourage one another, good things follow for our businesses and our communities.”

· Tuesday, December 2, 2025 — Abilene &amp; Smoky Valley Railroad 200 SE 5th St, Abilene | 8:00–9:00 a.m.

· Tuesday, January 6, 2026 — Almost Home Realty 109 S Buckeye, Abilene | 8:00–9:00 a.m.

· Tuesday, February 3, 2026 — TCT Telecommunications 120 NE 14th Street, Abilene | 8:00–9:00 a.m.

Business owners and managers, non-profit leaders, entrepreneurs, remote workers, community champions, and anyone interested in learning more about local opportunities. No RSVP required—bring a colleague and a stack of business cards.

DKEDC is scheduling locations across Dickisnon County. Businesses interested in hosting can contact DKEDC to be added to the rotating lineup.

About Dickinson County Economic Development Corporation (DKEDC) 

DKEDC connects people, ideas, and resources to Drive Dickinson County Forward—supporting business retention and expansion, entrepreneurship, workforce solutions, and community vitality through county-wide collab

Dickinson Co. organization launching networking events for business owners, entrepreneurs and community leaders 

Following is recent booking activity for the Saline County Jail, as provided by law enforcement. Photos, if provided, are courtesy of Saline County Jail. All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Outside warrant/NCIC hit

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Probation Violation

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Viol protection order; Abuse order

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Driving under influence of alcohol or drugs; Misdemeanor; Interfere w/ LEO; unknown circ; misd; Unl interference w emerg medical serv; Obstruct

Saline County Jail Bookings, November 16

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Failure to appear

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Probation Violation

NAME:&nbsp;Klinkerman, Shealynn Jane

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Viol protection order; Abuse order; Viol protection order; Pre-trial order

NAME:&nbsp;Lawson,Eric Christopher

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Driving under influence of alcohol or drugs; Misdemeanor

NAME:&nbsp;Marfise, Morgan Elizabeth

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Driving While Suspended; Driving while habitual violator

Saline County jail bookings, November 15

CLOUD COUNTY - Farm Country Ford recently presented a $6,000 check to the Cloud County Community College Athletics Department for August’s Drive 4 UR Community event.

For every valid test during the event, Ford Motor Company donated $30 to the Athletics Department, up to a maximum of $6,000.

“We are grateful to Farm Country Ford and Ford Motor Company for choosing to support our athletics department through the Drive 4UR Community event,” said Matt Bechard, Cloud County Athletics Director. “Their partnership helps strengthen our programs and makes a meaningful impact on our student athletes.”

Since its launch in 2007, Ford’s Drive 4 UR Community program has helped schools across the nation raise more than $35 million for local education initiatives.

“We’re thrilled to be part of this program that directly benefits Cloud,” said Darell Gallegos, owner of Farm Country Ford. “It’s a fun, easy way for community members to make a real difference – just by getting behind the wheel of a new Ford.”

Farm Country Ford presents Drive 4UR community check at Cloud Co. Community College

Teaching literacy skills to children in their earliest years does far more than prepare them to read — it helps build the very foundation of their brain development, say two Kansas State University Extension agents.

“We’re really laying the foundation from ages zero to 3 with all of the opportunities for kids to learn,” said Monique Koerner, family and consumer wellness agent for K-State Extension’s Cottonwood District. “We know that brain development is huge in those early years, and literacy is a piece of that puzzle.”

According to the K-State Extension fact sheet,&nbsp;<a href="https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/download/early-literacy-building-the-foundation-for-lifelong-learning-fact-sheet_MF3691">Early Literacy: Building the Foundation for Lifelong Learning,</a>&nbsp;brain growth is rapid in a child’s first three years, and language and literacy activities help form lasting neural connections.

From birth to 12 months, babies are already busy wiring their brains for communication. Lisa Newman, family and consumer wellness agent in the Central Kansas District, said that even newborns recognize familiar voices.

“You can take a newborn, and they already recognize Mom and Dad’s voices, even siblings,” Newman said. “You can see evidence of that when they turn their heads toward those voices shortly after birth.”

Newman added that talking to infants throughout the day — whether during diaper changes, in the car, or at bedtime — helps strengthen those language pathways.

“Reading to your child every day, even from the get-go, is important because what’s really happening during that time is language development and making those brain connections even stronger,” she said.

It’s also well known that babies are much more able to process and learn various languages than adults are able to do.

“If you take a baby that’s born in Kansas, and take them somewhere to a foreign land, those connections can be strengthened by hearing the language that’s around them,” Newman said. “That’s why it’s easier to learn an additional language when you’re young — those brain connections are there and can be strengthened.”

Koerner added that “the plasticity of the brain is greater when we’re younger,” making early exposure to multiple languages especially beneficial.

Between 12 and 24 months, children begin to use expressive language. “By 18 months or so, children pretty much understand everything that’s being said to them,” Koerner said, “but they may not be able to speak it yet.”

Words like ‘Mama,’ ‘Dada,’ and ‘ball’ often appear first, followed by simple two-word phrases around age 2.

“Oftentimes you’ll see that language explosion around 18 months,” Newman said. “That expressive piece really starts to blossom during that time.”

From ages 2 to 3, children’s vocabularies expand rapidly, fueled by everyday conversations and shared reading. “Books can expose children to new topics and new words that might not be part of their everyday experiences,” Koerner said.

Koerner encourages parents to use “parallel talk” — describing what a child is doing — and “self-talk,” or narrating their own actions throughout the day. “Just really enriching their vocabulary by talking about what they’re doing,” she said.

Repetition also helps build connections. “There may be a treasured book they want to read over and over again, and that’s perfectly normal,” Newman said. “Repetition is part of their literacy and language skill.”

Exploring new places and experiences adds another layer of learning. “It’s so important for parents to get children out and explore new things,” Koerner said. “That will expose them to new opportunities, new vocabulary, and new experiences that help the brain develop.”

Both agents emphasized that parents are their children’s first teachers. Trusted programs such as Parents as Teachers, Early Head Start, and Infant-Toddler Services can guide families who have questions about developmental milestones.

Simple routines also matter. The American Academy of Pediatrics promotes the “Brush, Book, Bed” approach — brushing teeth, reading, and then going to bed. “It sets parents up for a good bedtime routine and supports brain health,” Koerner said.

Newman noted that any reading time counts. “You see a lot of initiatives suggesting 15 minutes a day, but I believe any reading — whenever it fits into your day — is wonderful,” she said.

Koerner added, “Every family is different, and every child is different. Do what works best for your family.”

For more information, download&nbsp;Early Literacy: Building the Foundation for Lifelong Learning&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/download/early-literacy-building-the-foundation-for-lifelong-learning-fact-sheet_MF3691">https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/download/early-literacy-building-the-foundation-for-lifelong-learning-fact-sheet_MF3691</a>.

More information also is available at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/about/statewide-locations.html">local extension offices in Kansas</a>.

KSU provides tips for Parents: Teaching literacy early builds strong brains

High School Sports LIVE STREAMS

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post

South and Central have shared Salina since 1863, but the city has never felt big enough for the two of them.

For over 150 years, fierce battles between the Mustangs and the Cougars have delighted Salina on the gridiron, the court, and the diamond, and tonight, the next chapter in this storied rivalry will be written.

In week one of the high school football season, Central defeated South 31-21 to claim the Mayor’s Cup for a fifth-straight year.

When the Cougars finished the regular season 1-7, few around the 5A world could have fathomed that the two would meet in the state quarterfinals, but despite the odds, that’s exactly where we stand.

Central’s path to this moment has been one of triumph.&nbsp;

On the heels of a disappointing 4-5 campaign, the Mustangs rallied behind junior quarterback Griffin Hall and bruising tailback Cooper Reves to right the ship and post a 7-1 record in the regular season against an identical schedule.

The Mustangs picked up right where they left off in the first two rounds of the playoffs, dominating Topeka West 68-22 and doing the same to Goddard 62-32 to reach the sectional round.

For South, this run has been rightfully defined as one of destiny.

The Cougars had won just four games in the five seasons leading up to this one, and won just one contest, a lopsided affair against a hapless Campus team, to finish the 2025 regular season at 1-7.

Then, the pieces that had spent the entire season floating around their intended targets began to snap into place.

South needed to play their best football to survive against an Andover team that just three weeks prior rolled over the Mustangs 48-21.

They did just that, holding the Trojans well under their averages in a stunning 24-20 upset.

The Cougars would have to play another nearly-perfect game of football on the road at Liberal the following week, and yet they found a way, handing the Redskins their third loss of the season in a thrilling 22-16 victory.

Those four wins for two schools have led us here, to the first postseason meeting between South and Central football since 2005.

Anyone who has lived in Salina for long knows the story, but there was an era where the road to a 5A state title ran through Salina.

From 1999-2005 the Mustangs and Cougars met in six-straight playoffs with the winner appearing in the state championship game every year, and a champion from Salina being crowned in five of those six seasons.

Now, for the first time in 20 years, that road will be re-paved in Salina’s quest for a return to immortality.

Central’s stars will be on full display today, led by quarterback Griffin Hall and tailback Cooper Reves, who combined have accounted for over 4,300 yards of total offense, 53 touchdowns, and just three turnovers.

That tandem will need to outpace a South passing attack anchored by sophomore standout Izzy Telles, who has over 2,000 yards passing and 22 touchdowns, thanks in large part to a combination of star wideouts Jaxon Myers and Jae Curtis.

This game has everything, from a made-for-Hollywood script with primetime-level stars to a title-starved community eager to show out and support their teams at the top of their game.

Tonight’s game will be streamed live on Salina Post and on the Salina Post YouTube page 100% free to the public. This game will also be available to watch back on-demand any time.

You can tune in tonight in the window below.

🏈 South and Central square off in quarterfinal clash for the first time in 20 years 

NAME:&nbsp;Briscoe, Haiden Geraldine

NAME:&nbsp;Desmornes, Medjine Amanie

REQUESTED CHARGES: Agg assault; w/ deadly weapon; Agg battery; Knowingly cause angry phys contact; Criminal threat; Cause terror, evacuation or disruption; Interf w/LEO; obstr/resist/oppose misd warrant

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Outside warrant/NCIC hit

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Outside warrant/NCIC hit

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Return for court testimony

NAME:&nbsp;Shinn, Jonathan Steven

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Probation Violation; Interf w/LEO; obstr/resist/oppose felony warrant; Aggravated burglary; Vehicle; to commit felony, theft, domestic violence or sexually motivated crime; Crim damage to prop;w/o consent &lt;$1K; Theft of prop/services:Value less than $1,500

NAME:&nbsp;Williams,Katie Angel Lee

Saline County Jail Bookings, November 14

OCCK Inc. Transportation invites the public to upcoming Public Forums to discuss the approaching 81 Connection route changes, officially launching on December 1st, 2025.

Salina Public Forum&nbsp;- November 20, 11:00 am, OCCK Inc. Transportation Building, 340 N. Santa Fe, Salina

Concordia Public Forum -&nbsp;November 21, 11:00 am, OCCK Inc. Building, 1502 Lincoln St., Concordia

During these sessions, OCCK Transportation staff will outline the upcoming route changes, answer questions, and provide resources including travel training information and updated ride guides.

“These forums are an important opportunity for riders and community members to learn what’s changing and share feedback before the new route goes into effect,” said Trell Grinter, OCCK Transportation Director.&nbsp; “Everyone is welcome – bring your questions.”

For more information about OCCK, Inc., visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.occk.com/">www.occk.com</a>.&nbsp;

For more information about CityGo and OCCK Transportation, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.salinacitygo.com/">www.salinacitygo.com</a>&nbsp;Or contact the OCCK Transportation Center at 785-826-1583.

OCCK inviting community to public forums discussing 81 Connection route changes

The&nbsp;Salina Fire Department (SFD) has announced they be hosting their Holiday Open House and Honor Guard Fundraiser.

On Saturday&nbsp;November 22, from 2:00 – 4:00 pm at Fire Station 1 (222 W Elm St.), SFD will be holding their open house and fundraiser.

The open house and fundraiser is meant for the community to view their&nbsp;new fire apparatus, a chance to meet the fire crews and accepting donations for new uniforms and equipment.

Coffee, hot chocolate and snacks will be provided as well.

Salina FD to host community holiday open house and fundraiser

The Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of Salina (BGCS) has announced they are officially hiring Vision Leaders and accepting AmeriCorps applicants for their brand new site at Oakdale Elementary in Salina.

According to BGCS Vision Leaders will work approximately 15 hours per week, helping guide and mentor youth through engaging, meaningful programs focused on Academic Success, Character &amp; Leadership, Health &amp; Well-Being, and Life &amp; Workforce Readiness.

AmeriCorps members will serve approximately 25 hours per week supporting programs in the priority areas of education and youth development and mentoring.

“This is an incredible opportunity for anyone passionate about working with youth,” shared Site Director Heather Neuhofel-Tracy. “It’s a great way to begin a journey in youth development or education—and a fun, rewarding second job for those already in the field.”

Both positions offer a rewarding opportunity to help shape the future of young people in Salina while gaining valuable professional experience.

To learn more or apply, visit <a href="http://bgchutch.com/s/careers">bgchutch.com/s/careers</a>.

Newly Boys & Girls Club of Salina seeking for Vision Leaders  

<a href="https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Salina&amp;state=KS&amp;site=ICT&amp;lat=38.8158&amp;lon=-97.6178">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

Monitor local weather updates frequently in multiple ways by listening to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/nwr/">NOAA Weather Radio</a>, checking local news and emergency notifications. You can also stay informed by following Saline County and the National Weather Service on social media.

For the latest forecast updates, visit the National Weather Service Wichita office at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/ict/">https://www.weather.gov/ict/</a>. To check forecasts frequently, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/">weather.gov</a>.

Four day weather forecast Salina, November 14 - November 17

Four day weather forecast Salina, November 12 - November 14

Four day weather forecast Salina, November 10 - November 12

Four day weather forecast Salina, November 7 - November 10

Three day weather forecast Salina, November 5 - November 7

Three day weather forecast Salina, November 3 - November 5

Three day weather forecast Salina, October 31 - November 2

Three day weather forecast Salina, October 29 - October 31

Three day weather forecast Salina, October 27 - October 29

Four day weather forecast Salina, October 24 - October 27

KINGMAN COUNTY —One person died in an accident Sunday in Kingman County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Chevy Camaro driven by Taylor R.&nbsp;Goldsmith, 32, Cheney, was eastbound on Southeast 20 Street three and one half miles west of Cheney.

The car traveled off the the roadway to the right, returned to the the road, traveled off the road to the left into the north ditch and rolled.

Goldsmith was p ronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Wulf-Ast Mortuary. He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP. The time the accident occurred is unknown and still under investigation.

Kansas man dies in car rollover accident

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says his $300 million White House ballroom will be paid for “100% by me and some friends of mine.”

The White House released a list of 37 donors, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/cryptocurrency">crypto</a>&nbsp;billionaires, charitable organizations, sports team owners, powerful financiers, tech and tobacco giants, media companies, longtime supporters of Republican causes and several of the president’s neighbors in Palm Beach, Florida.

It’s incomplete. Among others, the list doesn’t include Carrier Group, which offered to donate an HVAC system for the ballroom, and artificial intelligence chipmaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nvidia-corp">Nvidia</a>, whose CEO,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nvidia-trillion-ai-apple-huang-trump-xi-c9bbf5cfa017dadaf248a4d197763cb9">Jensen Huang</a>, publicly discussed its donation.

The White House hasn’t said how much each donor is giving, and almost none was willing to divulge that. Very few commented on their contributions when contacted by The Associated Press.

A senior White House official said the list has grown since it was first released in October, but some companies don’t want to be publicly named until required to do so by financial disclosure regulations. No foreign individuals or entities were among the donors, according to the official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details that haven’t been made public.

Amazon Background: Trump was once highly critical of company founder&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeff-bezos">Jeff Bezos</a>, who also owns The Washington Post, but has been much less so lately.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/amazoncom-inc">Amazon</a>&nbsp;donated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-meta-zuckerberg-inauguration-donation-c540bf7c638def11b8428e633965c718">$1 million to Trump’s inauguration</a>, an event attended by Bezos. Its video streaming service paid $40 million to license a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/melania-trump-documentary-amazon-ratner-bezos-fc36fc99e3eff0a18ef8b72335af88f6">documentary about first lady Melania Trump</a>. Its cloud-based computing operation, Amazon Web Services, is a major government contractor.

Apple Background: After an up-and-down relationship during Trump’s first term, CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tim-cook">Tim Cook</a>&nbsp;has sought to improve his standing with the president this time. Before returning to the White House, Trump hosted Cook at his Palm Beach estate, Mar-a-Lago, and said he had spoken with Cook about the company’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-european-union-tech-b1575db8c8c03e5ac8dcd32f94f7984f">long-running tax battles with the European Union.</a>&nbsp;Cook also donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund. In the spring, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariff-apple-iphone-tax-170021e8fad22878d0183b5d48971087">threatened the computing giant</a>&nbsp;with tariffs after Apple announced plans to build manufacturing facilities in India. In August, Cook presented the president with a customized glass plaque with a gold base as the CEO announced plans to bring Apple’s total investment commitment in U.S. manufacturing over four years to $600 billion.

Google Background: During his first term, Trump’s administration sued Google for antitrust violations. While a candidate last year, Trump suggested he might seek to break up the search engine behemoth. Once Trump won the election, Google donated $1 million to his inauguration, and its CEO,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/sundar-pichai">Sundar Pichai</a>, joined other major tech executives in attending the ceremony. Google’s subsidiary, YouTube, agreed in September to pay $24.5 million&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-youtube-google-settlement-january-6-01275f67afed84402fcff0118ce698a5">to settle a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;with Trump after it suspended his account following the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol</a>. According to court filings, $22 million of that went to the Trust for the National Mall, which can help pay for ballroom construction.

HP Background: An original Silicon Valley stalwart, the company donated to Trump’s inaugural fund.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hp-inc">HP</a>&nbsp;‘s CEO, Enrique Lores, participated in a White House roundtable event in September. Lores also previously met with President Joe Biden at the White House on multiple occasions as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-congress-tom-linebarger-c80b2d5a060270e54561900bfd58880b">top CEOs endorsed</a>&nbsp;that administration’s economic plans.

Meta Background: Founder and CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mark-zuckerberg">Mark Zuckerberg</a>&nbsp;had been critical of Trump going back to 2016, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/facebook">Facebook</a>&nbsp;suspended Trump for years after the Jan. 6 insurrection. This time around, Meta contributed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-meta-zuckerberg-inauguration-donation-c540bf7c638def11b8428e633965c718">$1 million to Trump’s inauguration</a>, and Zuckerberg attended.

Micron Technology Background: The producer of advanced memory computer chips&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/micron-biden-trump-schumer-chips-computer-ab9eeef7636262177e7b1aabbd6d1245">announced</a>&nbsp;an April 2024 agreement with the Biden administration to provide $6.1 billion in government support for Micron to make chips domestically. Then, in June, Micron pledged $200 billion for U.S. memory chip manufacturing expansion under Trump. But at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-investment-trillions-economy-jobs-eb4ca4b9ed632bd12c559c1ec5fd5764">least $120 billion of that involved holdovers first announced during Biden’s administration</a>.

Microsoft Background: The company donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration, twice what it spent for Biden’s or for Trump’s first inauguration. CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/satya-nadella">Satya Nadella</a>&nbsp;has also met with Trump numerous times, as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/microsoft-corp">Microsoft</a>&nbsp;has supported the administration’s relaxation of regulations on artificial intelligence. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-modi-state-visit-tim-cook-sundar-pichai-6bbdc208ed532d0344cfc09347f9c401">met</a>&nbsp;previously with Biden, too. Trump has called for Microsoft’s president of global affairs, Lisa Monaco, to be fired because she was a deputy attorney general under Biden when the Justice Department led several investigations against Trump.

Palantir Technologies Background: Co-founded by billionaire libertarian&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/peter-thiel">Peter Thiel</a>, the firm concentrates on artificial intelligence and machine learning. It has seen profits soar thanks to lucrative defense and other federal contracts.

Coinbase Background: The major&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crypto-treasury-strategy-bitcoin-tron-trump-f288fa3040cb48486f2f8a0c1886f7d0">cryptocurrency</a>&nbsp;exchange was founded by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crypto-top-names-3b88647472efd8a5fe7b6e98c9a1442f">Brian Armstrong</a>, a top donor to a political action committee that helped&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crypto-campaign-spending-sherrod-brown-ohio-senate-cea29489a717c9babc234f7f6b7d46f1">Trump and other pro-crypto candidates in 2024</a>. Armstrong attended the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crypto-summit-bitcoin-sacks-c87505c8cf0aaef3398bf0bb1139b420">first crypto summit at the White House</a>&nbsp;in March. Coinbase also hired Trump’s co-campaign manager, Chris LaCivita, to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crypto-coinbase-democrats-plouffe-a450a4a8dc8fac1fd94856f952c6263f">its Global Advisory Council</a>.

Ripple Background: In March, the Securities and Exchange Commission dropped a lawsuit filed during Trump’s first term, which accused the company of violating securities laws by selling XRP crypto coins without a securities registration. In his second term, Trump has eased regulations on digital assets, repealing an SEC accounting rule and a previous presidential executive order mandating more federal study and proposed changes to crypto regulations.

Tether Background: A cryptocurrency company and major&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crypto-stablecoin-regulations-trump-a1266b6a9b30edf59d73f835251fa23f">stablecoin</a>&nbsp;issuer,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/circle-ipo-stablecoin-usdc-tether-nyse-b39736690f28824bdd06cfd2ad98dcf3">Tether</a>&nbsp;paid fines for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-commodity-futures-trading-commission-82e9e2375eac8ba0495f1c7838080b35">misleading investors</a>. CEO Paolo Ardoino has been to Trump’s White House, and, in April, the company hired former Trump administration crypto policy official Bo Hines to lead its domestic expansion efforts.

Cameron Winklevoss and Tyler Winklevoss Background: Each Winklevoss twin is listed as a separate donor. Best known as Zuckerberg’s chief antagonists in “The Social Network,” the brothers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crypto-top-names-3b88647472efd8a5fe7b6e98c9a1442f">founded</a>&nbsp;the Gemini cryptocurrency exchange. Biden’s SEC sued Gemini for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cryptocurrency-southeastern-conference-united-states-government-business-lawsuits-55f5beeff6a66a7301ab4d02f66cd6ae">selling unregistered securities</a>, but the case has been paused under Trump.

Caterpillar Background: The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/caterpillar-tariff-trump-7b682153761b68d98e4b9b1486ff912f">equipment maker</a>&nbsp;‘s PAC has donated to candidates from both parties, but given more to Republicans. It has also said publicly that Trump’s tariffs, some of which the administration has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/markets-stocks-rates-trump-china-0a5c13b5a515a7af0d108c7375995511">now eased</a>, could&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/caterpillar-tariff-trump-7b682153761b68d98e4b9b1486ff912f">increase its costs</a>&nbsp;and hurt earnings.

NextEra Energy Background: NextEra is the world’s largest electric utility holding company. Trump says he’ll work to ensure tech giants can secure their own sources of electricity to power data centers, especially as they expand energy-hogging artificial intelligence operations. Google recently entered into&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.nexteraenergy.com/NextEra-Energy-and-Google-Announce-New-Collaboration-to-Accelerate-Nuclear-Energy-Deployment-in-the-U-S?l=12" target="_blank">an agreement</a>&nbsp;to buy power from a shuttered nuclear power plant in Iowa owned by NextEra, which the company plans to bring back online in 2029.

Paolo Tiramani Background: An American industrial designer who has donated to Trump’s political campaigns. Tiramani, with his son, runs BOXABL, a firm specializing in modular, prefabricated homes.

Union Pacific Background: Trump has endorsed the company’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/union-pacific-norfolk-southern-transcontinental-railroad-merger-b15664ec5cc55b985a0a32a1bf990d41">proposed $85 billion acquisition</a>&nbsp;of Norfolk Southern, which would be the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/smarttd-union-pacific-norfolk-southern-railroad-merger-39d0c6237856f96a78446c1f4cb80bd4">largest-ever rail merger</a>. It also will be up to the president to appoint two more Republican members of the Surface Transportation Board, who will ultimately decide whether to approve the merger. In August, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/primus-stb-trump-surface-transportation-board-up-809f0e78d0e428cf9fd04c919b4ef950">fired</a>&nbsp;one of the two Democratic members of the board.

Adelson Family Foundation Background: Founded to strengthen the state of Israel and the Jewish people, the foundation was created by Miriam Adelson, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/miriam-adelson-mark-cuban-dallas-mavericks-las-vegas-6cc268d924dc4083161322753efe5ceb">majority owner</a>&nbsp;of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, close Trump ally and longtime GOP megadonor. She’s also the widow of Sheldon Adelson, the billionaire founder and owner of Las Vegas Sands.

Betty Wold Johnson Foundation Background: Based in Palm Beach, the foundation supports health, arts and culture initiatives, as well as environmental and educational programs. It’s named in honor of the mother of New York Jets owner&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/woody-johnson">Woody Johnson</a>, who served as Trump’s ambassador to the United Kingdom during his first term.

Laura &amp; Isaac Perlmutter Foundation Background: The nonprofit based in Lake Worth Beach, near Palm Beach, focuses on promoting health care, social justice, the arts and community initiatives. Isaac is an Israeli American businessman and financier and former chair of Marvel Entertainment. He and his wife have donated to Trump’s presidential campaigns and affiliated PACs.

Benjamin Leon Jr. Background: The Cuban American founder of Miami-based Leon Medical Centers is Trump’s nominee for U.S. ambassador to Spain.

Kelly Loeffler and Jeffrey Sprecher Background: A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kelly-loeffler-sba-trump-cabinet-41c2a57e7098d75653eeb28a959f4d16">former Republican senator from Georgia</a>, Loeffler heads Trump’s Small Business Administration. Her husband is CEO of the energy market Intercontinental Exchange Inc. and chairs the New York Stock Exchange. The couple&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/sen-loeffler-to-sell-stock-holdings-after-trading-scrutiny-546bae3a28f1710613d931d73d30f23c">faced scrutiny</a>&nbsp;in 2020 for dumping substantial portions of their portfolio and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/georgia-sen-loeffler-gets-renewed-scrutiny-over-stock-moves-aec6dbbe22ef74db94e5833b4f31a7ed">purchasing new stocks</a>, including in firms making protective equipment, after Congress received briefings on the severity of the coming&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">coronavirus pandemic</a>.

Lutnick Family Background:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/howard-lutnick-trump-crypto-economy-elon-musk-a03d95e323f7d2d4b722184d83e7b388">Howard Lutnick</a>&nbsp;is Trump’s commerce secretary. A crypto enthusiast, he once headed the brokerage and investment bank&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-lutnick-weather-service-privatization-conflicts-9892de853c283468e6fb970cfd898d96">Cantor Fitzgerald</a>.

Comcast Background: The mass media and telecom conglomerate has often been criticized by Trump, including in April, when the president posted that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/comcast-corp">Comcast</a>&nbsp;was a “disgrace to the integrity of broadcasting.” The company owns NBC and is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/msnbc-nbc-tv-news-media-dc47bd203e163ea79553d16976b1efa3">spinning off</a>&nbsp;MSNBC. It could be interested in acquiring&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warner-bros-discovery-paramount-addec120019b49a63f3200a0c236e80e">Warner Bros. Discover,</a>&nbsp;and that would leave Comcast looking for government approval.

Hard Rock International Background: A Florida-based gaming and tourism concern owned by the Seminole Tribe, the company operates a number of casinos, including the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/atlantic-city-business-gambling-d31dabecec5f1d708e6832bd8bfd8a8c">former Trump Taj Mahal casino</a>&nbsp;in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Trump has for decades criticized federal exemptions allowing tribes to operate casinos.

T-Mobile Background: The wireless carrier is indirectly linked to Trump Mobile, which the president’s family&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-mobile-phone-white-house-business-361455bb3c65593bade7d4edfe4da7e9">controls</a>&nbsp;and offers gold phones and cell service in a licensing deal. Trump Mobile uses Liberty Mobile Wireless, a small, Florida-based network that T-Mobile says runs its operations on T-Mobile’s network. T-Mobile says that is unrelated to its decision to donate to Trump’s ballroom, which it says is meant to “restore and enrich the historic landmarks that define our nation’s capital.”

Altria Group Background: The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/juul-altria-vaping-cigarette-njoy-b376515ea25e08ddc4372ace214c86a3">tobacco giant</a>&nbsp;controls Philip Morris USA, maker of Marlboro. It has pressed for federal crackdowns on counterfeit and illegal vaping products. The company donated $50,000 to Trump’s inauguration.

Reynolds American Background: With brands including Lucky Strike and Camel,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-tennessee-memphis-winston-salem-clarksville-91151635f0d563f6fbfc1ad101c3490b">the company</a>&nbsp;has been active in lobbying to steer the Trump administration away from a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/menthol-cigarettes-fda-ban-white-house-bb9395ecb0921affd589e6a9cfcd8fb1">Biden-proposed ban on menthol cigarettes</a>.

Booz Allen Hamilton Background: A major defense and national security technology firm with extensive government contracts, it paid fines to settle lawsuits with the Justice Department under Biden. Booz Allen Hamilton&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/booz-allen-agrees-pay-37745-million-settle-false-claims-act-allegations#:~:text=Booz%20Allen%20Agrees%20to%20Pay%20$377.45%20Million%20to%20Settle%20False%20Claims%20Act%20Allegations,-Friday%2C%20July%2021&amp;text=Booz%20Allen%20Hamilton%20Holding%20Corporation,costs%20to%20its%20government%20contracts." target="_blank">agreed</a>&nbsp;to pay more than $377 million in 2023 to settle allegations that it improperly billing costs to its government contracts. In January, it paid&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gsaig.gov/news/booz-allen-agrees-pay-15875m-settle-false-claims-act-allegations#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20GSA%20Office%20of%20Inspector,been%20no%20determination%20of%20liability." target="_blank">nearly $16 million</a>&nbsp;to settle allegations that it submitted fraudulent claims in connection with government contracts.

Lockheed Martin Corporation Background: The massive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/lockheed-martin-corp">defense contractor</a>&nbsp;has huge government contracts. It said in a statement that it “is grateful for the opportunity to help bring the President’s vision to reality and make this addition to the People’s House.”

Stefan E. Brodie Background: A biotech entrepreneur and co-founder of the chemical manufacturing company Purolite, Brodie and his family donated to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and affiliated committees. Brodie and his brother, Donald, were&nbsp;<a href="https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F3/403/123/561333/" target="_blank">convicted</a>&nbsp;in 2002 of circumventing U.S. sanctions on Cuba.

Charles and Marissa Cascarilla Background: Charles Cascarilla is co‑founder of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cryptocurrency-technology-business-blockchain-lifestyle-e0b51430d7b3c4853cd4618984b7d484">blockchain</a>&nbsp;firm Paxos. He and his wife are philanthropists who have advocated for financial technology sector deregulation.

J. Pepe and Emilia Fanjul Background: Longtime Republican donors and Palm Beach residents, the couple controls U.S. sugar refining interests that includes the Domino brand.

Edward and Shari Glazer Background: Members of the family that owns the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers and has a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/man-united-joel-glazer-jim-ratcliffe-ten-hag-40ac2bfec5cb820b1b105569c0e832c9">controlling stake</a>&nbsp;in the Manchester United football club, the couple donated to Trump’s campaign. Edward is the founder and CEO of US Property Trust, which operates shopping centers, and the car dealership company US Auto Trust.

Harold Hamm Background: The billionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-north-dakota-sd-state-wire-harold-hamm-e74d548496715888921c8454f8935e31">oil tycoon</a>&nbsp;and pioneer of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hydraulic-fracturing">hydraulic fracturing</a>&nbsp;heads the oil producer Continental Resources. He’s praised the Trump administration for aggressively moving to purchase oil to replenish the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-opec-business-government-and-politics-climate-environment-59aa11307b222550d48fb42ff0c3bd59">Strategic Petroleum Reserve</a>&nbsp;stockpile.

Stephen A. Schwarzman Background: A Palm Beach resident and chair and CEO of the Blackstone Group, a global private equity firm he helped establish in 1985. Schwarzman has donated to Trump and his PACs previously and&nbsp;<a href="http://blackstone.com/news/press/president-elect-trump-establishes-the-president-s-strategic-and-policy-forum/" target="_blank">led</a>&nbsp;his first-term President’s Strategic and Policy Forum.

Konstantin Sokolov Background: Born in Russia, he immigrated to the U.S. and now heads the Chicago-based private equity firm IJS Investments. Sokolov has donated to many educational and charitable causes in the past, and to Trump’s political campaigns.

These are the donors helping pay for Trump’s $300 million White House ballroom

GOP lawmaker honors Eisenhower, Dole in Kansas Oral History Project interview

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Former U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts fondly recalls personal relationships with U.S. Rep. Kika de la Garza and U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow that moved beyond party labels to shape bipartisan agriculture and food legislation.

Roberts said during an October interview at the U.S. Capitol that the get-the-work-done approach he admired, which brought a stalwart Republican like himself together with dedicated Democrats such as De La Garza and Stabenow, should serve as a salve for partisan wounds inflicted by political champions of division.

Raw partisanship placing Republicans and Democrats in uncompromising conflict has been a feature of the latest government shutdown.

“Somehow we’ve got to get control of this ideology,” Roberts said during an interview for the Kansas Oral History Project. “If you’re talking to somebody who’s an ideologist, they’re going to be right, and you’re wrong, regardless. You just can’t really talk to them, and we have far too much of that. We’re getting to the point of almost a meltdown in what the Senate used to be and the House used to be. That’s a real concern to me. That’s very sad.”

“The first thing you’ve got to learn in politics is to listen, and the second thing is there’s no ‘I’ in politics. It’s a ‘we’ thing,” he said.

Roberts said quality people were exiting Congress because they tired of clashes that inhibited the functioning of government. Some replacements didn’t have benefit of guidance from old-guard lawmakers who understood the value of collaboration, he said.

“I would hope that we could get back to a more bipartisan situation where you got things done,” Roberts said.

<a href="https://ksoralhistory.org/interview/interview-of-senator-pat-roberts-by-jackie-cottrell-and-mike-seyfert-october-14-2025/" target="_blank">He was interviewed for the Kansas Oral History Project</a>&nbsp;by Jackie Cottrell, who was chief of staff to Roberts for 18 years while he was in the Senate, and Mike Seyfert, who was Roberts’ staff director on the Senate Agriculture Committee.

Roberts, the first person to chair both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate agriculture committees, represented the 1st District of Kansas for eight terms in the U.S. House, from 1981 to 1997. When GOP U.S. Sen. Nancy Kassebaum declined to seek reelection in 1996, Roberts was elected to her seat. He served in the U.S. Senate from 1997 to 2021.

The interviewers asked Roberts about his dedication to regular listening tours that involved visits to every county in the Big First of western Kansas while he was a U.S. representative and subsequently each of the state’s 105 counties while serving as a U.S. senator.

In response, Roberts remembered advice given to him by Frank Carlson, who was elected to the Kansas House, became Kansas governor and then served in U.S. House and U.S. Senate.

“First thing you learn, Sen. Carlson told me, ‘You never get hurt by what you don’t say.’ He said, ‘You always want to listen.’ And, that’s what we did,” Roberts said.

Roberts said he was routine for him to stop in the county seat and run into acquaintances. He encountered critics who “would always show up and give me a hard time,” but that came with the job. It helped to hold onto a sense of humor at the public gatherings, he said, even when his views were at odds with recommendations from Kansas.

Roberts was born in Topeka, grew up in Holton, graduated from Kansas State University and served in the U.S. Marine Corps. He worked as a journalist but eventually followed a political career path, first as a congressional staffer and then as an elected official.

His father, Wesley Roberts, was deeply involved with Kansas GOP politics and served as chairman of the Republican National Committee.

While still a teenager, due to his father’s role in the Republican Party, Roberts met Dwight Eisenhower, the war hero who was elected president in 1952.

“Obviously, I was very familiar with politics. Perhaps that gave me the impetus to keep going with it,” Roberts said.

In the interview, Roberts looked back on the difficult process of completing the Eisenhower Memorial on Independence Avenue in Washington, D.C. He was chair of the memorial commission for the final six years. There was a protracted family dispute over the design. The monument features an open-air plaza with statues of Eisenhower as president, general and a child. The backdrop is a steel tapestry depicting the Normandy cliffs in France.

“I am sad that it took so long because we lost a lot of World War II veterans, and they couldn’t come up after looking at the World War II Memorial, which Bob Dole did, and then come up and salute their commander. That was my hope,” he said.

Roberts said he remembered speaking with Dole, the GOP’s unsuccessful nominee for president in 1996 and a retired US. Senator, twice a week when Dole was in his 90s. Dole was a disabled veteran from World War II and died in 2021 at age 98. Roberts recalled an especially poignant conversation with Dole.

“It’s fair for elderly men to say this, but all of a sudden he said, ‘Pat, there’s one thing I want you to understand.’ I said, ‘What’s that, Bob?’ He said, ‘I love you.’ And I said, ‘I love you, too, Bob.’ I teared up the whole day. He was a great man.”

Roberts said that in his first campaign for the U.S. House in 1980 he told Kansas voters he would not support a federal tax increase. President Ronald Reagan, however, reached an agreement with Democrats to cut $3 in federal spending for every $1 of federal taxes increased. The Reagan administration pressed Roberts to vote for the agreement.

In a White House meeting, Roberts told Reagan of his campaign promise. He also said some elderly people, including his mother, were concerned about a banking provision in the legislation. He recalled that other Republicans in the meeting looked at Roberts as if he was a leper.

“The president says, ‘Well, Pat, you’re following your convictions and I understand that, but I hope we can change your mind,'” Roberts said. “I arrived back to the office and the staff says, ‘Congressman, you’re invited to go to the White House with your mother at 10:00 in the morning.’ So, I had to call my mom. She (Ruth) says, ‘What kind of trouble have you got me into?'”

Reagan put on a charm offensive despite Ruth Roberts’ confession that she wasn’t an early supporter of Reagan. She had favored George H.W. Bush in the presidential primary. Roberts left the White House that day after affirming to the president he wouldn’t vote for the tax increase.

The White House had former U.S. Rep. Keith Sebelius, who was Roberts’ predecessor, call from a hospital bed to urge Roberts to back Reagan on the bill. In the end, Roberts relented.

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