By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

WILSON—After 37 years of being a quirky stop on Interstate 70 where you can find popcorn, wine, Kansas books, T-shirts or handpainted limestone, Kansas Originals is facing closure.

Kansas Originals owns its building, but not the land on which it sits. The land was owned by Service Oil Company, but has been purchased by a new owner. The new owner has decided to develop the location as a truck stop and is insisting that the Kansas Originals building be demolished or moved.

Although the store could be relocated, Marge Lawson, co-founder of the nonprofit that created Kansas Originals, said the store is doomed without easy access to I-70.

"Through tumultuous months, with serveral owners, and waiting for two years through a maze of what might be and assurances from local agencies that we are safe, we received legal notice that we must move out and move or tear our building down by Nov. 30 of this year," Kansas Originals said in a letter to the Hays Post.

The letter continued, "It is heartbreaking and unimaginable because we didn't just buy this place and business, we built it with years of total dedication—no 40-hour weeks but 50 and 60 hours, late nights and weekends. We served our artists, craftsmen, travelers and the general public by staying open 362 days a year."

Kansas Originals is not your average souvenir shop off the interstate. It's not kich.

The Post Rock Opportunities Foundation, which is the nonprofit that supports Kansas Originals, shared the history behind the trading post on the Plains.

Thirty-seven years ago, a dedicated group of people from five counties banded together and formed the Post Rock Opportunities Foundation.

"Led by a pastor who wouldn't give up, and movers and shakers from throughout the area working countless hours, Kansas Originals Market &amp; Gallery became a reality," the letter said. "Our mission is to provide marketplaces for the work of Kansas artists, craftsmen and food producers, especially those who are 62 or over, low-income, disabled, minorities or women in business."

The Presbyterian Church provided a $50,000 grant from its One Great House of Sharing to construct the building. Other donors and volunteers followed the church's lead.

Kansas Originals opened on July 27, 1991, during the Wilson Czech Festival.

By 1993, the building was full. The foundation used a grant from the Kansas Department of Commerce and a loan from the Northcentral Regional Planning Commission to double the size of the building.

According to the foundation, more than 1,000 corporations, businesses, and individuals have supported the nonprofit through grants, sponsorships and monetary donations.

"Our artists and craftsmen donate to the cause by giving artwork for fundraisers," the letter said.

The Smoky Hill Foundation, Merrill Foundation, Kansas Arts Commission and Dane G. Hansen Foundation are among the Kansas Originals' supporters.

"It was because of the selfless acts of so many who put us before their interests that we were able to succeed. Kansas Originals Market &amp; Gallery and the Post Rock Opportunties Foundation were never created to make any one person or group of people wealthy, it was created to sustain a group of people that would not have had the opportunity for success that Kansas Originals provided," the letter said.

Kansas Originals has been a point of curiosity for people from around the world. A map at the store is packed with push pins marking the homes of visitors from all 50 states and more than 50 countries.

Volunteers says visitors love to take photos with the "The Wizard of Oz" characters and Rusty Rojo, the Orginals' 7-foot chicken.

"The foundation has showcased the work of over 1,960 artists, craftsmen, food producers and authors. It has been our pride and our joy and our honor to serve the talented Kansans and to enable them to have their art, crafts and food products spread across the United States from our spot on the prairie," the letter said.

Some of the Hays area products that have been featured in the store include Popt Popcorn from Hays, Pat's Beef Jerky from Liebenthal, and Patsy's D's Barbecue Sauce from Russell.

One of the most dedicated artists and devoted representatives has been a part of the foundation since it was organized. She served on the board of directors and still brings in paintings and photo albums to sell. She will be 99 in August.

"A comment by the son of one of our many elderly craftspeople, who stopped by the other day to pick up her remaining items after she passed away, tugged at my heart when he told us, 'You gave her a purpose in life. She had a place to come, and she loved coming here,'" the letter said.

The foundation also wanted to honor the memory of Pastor Tom Henstock, who worked tirelessly to keep the dream of Kansas Originals alive and made a significant financial donation upon his passing.

"We were so excited that we were going to be able to make improvements to our building, but instead our future has become uncertain and bleak," the letter said.

The Kansas Originals volunteers fear the sale of the property on which their building sits means the end of the store.

"Without a miracle or intervention from people who care, our dedicated staff will lose their employment," the letter said. "The attractions and businesses in Wilson and Lucas and throughout the region that we so vigorously promote to our millions of travelers will no longer receive that support, and many of our Kansas artists, craftsmen and food producers will no longer have a place to sell their work.

"The Tourist Information Center and Kansas Wine Room will be gone. All the history, creating income for the elderly, low-income, disabled and women in business, is scheduled to come to a crashing end."

"We don't want our story to end. We welcome any suggestions, ideas or solutions anyone might have to keep the Post Rock Opportunites and Kansas Originals alive and thriving," the Kansas Originals volunteers and staff said in their letter.

For more information or to send suggestions, email info@kansasoriginals.com or call 785-658-2602.

You can also find more on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansasoriginals.com/">Kansas Originals website</a>&nbsp;and follow the store on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/kansasoriginals">Facebook</a>.

Kansas Originals is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays and is&nbsp;at 233 Highway 232, Wilson, KS, 67490.

Look for the big red and blue Kansas Originals sign.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748372872819.jpeg" alt="Courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostWILSON—After 37 years of being a quirky stop on Interstate 70 where you can find popcorn, wine, Kansas books, T-shirts or handpainted limestone, Kansas Originals is facing closure.Kansas Originals owns its building, but not the land on which it sits. The land was owned by Service Oil Company, but has been purchased by a new owner. The new owner has decided to develop the location as a truck stop and is insisting that the Kansas Originals building be demolished or moved.Although the store could be relocated, Marge Lawson, co-founder of the nonprofit that created Kansas Originals, said the store is doomed without easy access to I-70."Through tumultuous months, with serveral owners, and waiting for two years through a maze of what might be and assurances from local agencies that we are safe, we received legal notice that we must move out and move or tear our building down by Nov. 30 of this year," Kansas Originals said in a letter to the Hays Post.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748372916376.jpeg" alt="Handcrafted items for sale at Kansas Originals. Courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Handcrafted items for sale at Kansas Originals. Courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>The letter continued, "It is heartbreaking and unimaginable because we didn't just buy this place and business, we built it with years of total dedication—no 40-hour weeks but 50 and 60 hours, late nights and weekends. We served our artists, craftsmen, travelers and the general public by staying open 362 days a year."Kansas Originals is not your average souvenir shop off the interstate. It's not kich.The Post Rock Opportunities Foundation, which is the nonprofit that supports Kansas Originals, shared the history behind the trading post on the Plains.Thirty-seven years ago, a dedicated group of people from five counties banded together and formed the Post Rock Opportunities Foundation."Led by a pastor who wouldn't give up, and movers and shakers from throughout the area working countless hours, Kansas Originals Market &amp; Gallery became a reality," the letter said. "Our mission is to provide marketplaces for the work of Kansas artists, craftsmen and food producers, especially those who are 62 or over, low-income, disabled, minorities or women in business."The Presbyterian Church provided a $50,000 grant from its One Great House of Sharing to construct the building. Other donors and volunteers followed the church's lead.Kansas Originals opened on July 27, 1991, during the Wilson Czech Festival.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748372963942.jpeg" alt="Handcrafted items for sale at Kansas Originals. Courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Handcrafted items for sale at Kansas Originals. Courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>By 1993, the building was full. The foundation used a grant from the Kansas Department of Commerce and a loan from the Northcentral Regional Planning Commission to double the size of the building.According to the foundation, more than 1,000 corporations, businesses, and individuals have supported the nonprofit through grants, sponsorships and monetary donations."Our artists and craftsmen donate to the cause by giving artwork for fundraisers," the letter said.The Smoky Hill Foundation, Merrill Foundation, Kansas Arts Commission and Dane G. Hansen Foundation are among the Kansas Originals' supporters."It was because of the selfless acts of so many who put us before their interests that we were able to succeed. Kansas Originals Market &amp; Gallery and the Post Rock Opportunties Foundation were never created to make any one person or group of people wealthy, it was created to sustain a group of people that would not have had the opportunity for success that Kansas Originals provided," the letter said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748373004933.jpeg" alt="Dozens of titles on Kansas and the Great Plains or by Kansas authors at Kansas Originals. Courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Dozens of titles on Kansas and the Great Plains or by Kansas authors at Kansas Originals. Courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas Originals has been a point of curiosity for people from around the world. A map at the store is packed with push pins marking the homes of visitors from all 50 states and more than 50 countries.Volunteers says visitors love to take photos with the "The Wizard of Oz" characters and Rusty Rojo, the Orginals' 7-foot chicken."The foundation has showcased the work of over 1,960 artists, craftsmen, food producers and authors. It has been our pride and our joy and our honor to serve the talented Kansans and to enable them to have their art, crafts and food products spread across the United States from our spot on the prairie," the letter said.Some of the Hays area products that have been featured in the store include Popt Popcorn from Hays, Pat's Beef Jerky from Liebenthal, and Patsy's D's Barbecue Sauce from Russell.One of the most dedicated artists and devoted representatives has been a part of the foundation since it was organized. She served on the board of directors and still brings in paintings and photo albums to sell. She will be 99 in August.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748373079913.jpeg" alt="University of Kansas and Kansas State University merchandise at Kansas Originals. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>University of Kansas and Kansas State University merchandise at Kansas Originals. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>"A comment by the son of one of our many elderly craftspeople, who stopped by the other day to pick up her remaining items after she passed away, tugged at my heart when he told us, 'You gave her a purpose in life. She had a place to come, and she loved coming here,'" the letter said.The foundation also wanted to honor the memory of Pastor Tom Henstock, who worked tirelessly to keep the dream of Kansas Originals alive and made a significant financial donation upon his passing."We were so excited that we were going to be able to make improvements to our building, but instead our future has become uncertain and bleak," the letter said.The Kansas Originals volunteers fear the sale of the property on which their building sits means the end of the store."Without a miracle or intervention from people who care, our dedicated staff will lose their employment," the letter said. "The attractions and businesses in Wilson and Lucas and throughout the region that we so vigorously promote to our millions of travelers will no longer receive that support, and many of our Kansas artists, craftsmen and food producers will no longer have a place to sell their work."The Tourist Information Center and Kansas Wine Room will be gone. All the history, creating income for the elderly, low-income, disabled and women in business, is scheduled to come to a crashing end."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748372812386.png" alt="The Kansas Originals building and sign that faces Interstate 70. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>The Kansas Originals building and sign that faces Interstate 70. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>"We don't want our story to end. We welcome any suggestions, ideas or solutions anyone might have to keep the Post Rock Opportunites and Kansas Originals alive and thriving," the Kansas Originals volunteers and staff said in their letter.For more information or to send suggestions, email info@kansasoriginals.com or call 785-658-2602.You can also find more on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansasoriginals.com/">Kansas Originals website</a>&nbsp;and follow the store on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/kansasoriginals">Facebook</a>.Kansas Originals is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays and is&nbsp;at 233 Highway 232, Wilson, KS, 67490.Look for the big red and blue Kansas Originals sign.

Kansas Originals faces demolition of its building, fears closure

Two spellers from Kansas who qualified to compete in the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee did not advance to the quarterfinals.

Sixty spellers were eliminated in preliminary spelling and vocabulary rounds. That left 183 who took the written spelling and vocabulary test. That test eliminated 84 more. The quarterfinals are Wednesday with 99 spellers left.

<a href="https://spellingbee.com/watch">Click here for details&nbsp;</a>on how to watch the competition

OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — The best young spellers in the English language are competing at the&nbsp;<a href="https://spellingbee.com/">Scripps National Spelling Bee</a>, which celebrates its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/scripps-national-spelling-bee-champions-b1f7f36a8872431da445caa094f9ca17">100th anniversary this year</a>.

The first bee was held in 1925, when the Louisville Courier-Journal invited other newspapers to host spelling bees and send their champions to Washington. The bee is now held just outside the nation's capital, at a convention center on the banks of the Potomac River. It started Tuesday and concludes Thursday night.

This is the 97th bee; it was canceled from 1943 to 1945 because of World War II and again in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year's champion will be the 110th, because the bee ended in a two-way tie several times and an eight-way tie in 2019.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spelling-bee-indian-americans-immigration-b14ba87533dfcd8af813de568ee5958f">Indian Americans have dominated the competition</a>&nbsp;for a quarter-century. Since 1999, 29 of 35 winners have been Indian American, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/31123142c2dd4349b7e11649270dc3e6">seven of the eight co-champs</a>&nbsp;in 2019.

How can I watch the Scripps National Spelling Bee?

The bee is broadcast and streamed on channels and platforms owned by Scripps, a Cincinnati-based media company.

— Wednesday, May 28: Quarterfinals streamed on Bounce XL, Grit Xtra, Laff More and spellingbee.com from 8 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Semifinals streamed on Bounce XL, Grit Xtra, Laff More and spellingbee.com from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. Semifinals broadcast on ION on tape-delay from 8-10 p.m.

— Thursday, May 29: Finals broadcast on ION from 8-10 p.m.

Who is competing at the Scripps National Spelling Bee?

The bee features 243 spellers, with at least one from each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia; as well as spellers from U.S. territories Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands; and from Canada, the Bahamas, Germany, Ghana, Kuwait and Nigeria.

Sixty spellers were eliminated in Tuesday's preliminary spelling and vocabulary rounds, leaving 183 to take a written spelling and vocabulary test ahead of Wednesday's quarterfinals. Another 84 were eliminated by the test, leaving 99 quarterfinalists on the stage Wednesday morning.

Faizan Zaki, last year's runner-up, is back after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/scripps-national-spelling-bee-finals-2024-1afe4e933ebfba6238d058635af429ac">losing to Bruhat Soma</a>&nbsp;in a lightning-round tiebreaker known as a “spell-off.” The 13-year-old seventh-grader from Allen, Texas, was the only speller to get a perfect score on the written test.

If Faizan falls short again, he would have one more year of eligibility. He has won several online bees that top spellers compete in as preparation, including the Words of Wisdom Spelling Bee and the South Asian Spelling Bee.

— Aishwarya Kallakuri, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Concord, North Carolina, and winner of the SpellPundit National Spelling Bee.

— Avinav Prem Anand, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Columbus, Ohio, who finished second to Faizan in the Words of Wisdom bee.

— Vedanth Raju, a 12-year-old seventh-grader from Aurora, Colorado, and the younger brother of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-san-antonio-education-cf165d27b93b784ab7fb7c0f9e7ecbf0">2022 runner-up Vikram Raju</a>.

— Harini Murali, a 13-year-old eighth-grader from Edison, New Jersey, a finalist last year and the younger sister of Navneeth Murali,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-health-education-coronavirus-pandemic-2019-2020-coronavirus-pandemic-be412dec7fc47846ef53a9b761097454">who would have been a top contender</a>&nbsp;in the 2020 bee had it not been canceled because of COVID-19.

— Tarini Nandakumar, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Round Rock, Texas, a previous finalist who is competing for the fifth time.

What are the rules of the Scripps National Spelling Bee?

Spellers qualify by advancing through regional bees hosted by sponsors around the country. In order to compete, spellers must not have advanced beyond the eighth grade or be older than 15.

Spellers must get through two preliminary rounds, quizzing them on words from a list provided in advance: one spelling round and one multiple-choice vocabulary round.

Those who make it through the preliminaries sit for a written spelling and vocabulary test, with the top 100 or so finishers advancing to the quarterfinals. The words for the test, and for all subsequent rounds, are taken from the Merriam-Webster Unabridged dictionary.

Throughout the quarterfinals and semifinals, spellers are eliminated at the microphone through oral spelling or vocabulary questions.

About a dozen spellers advance to the finals. When only two spellers remain, Scripps has the option to use a lightning-round tiebreaker known as a “spell-off” to determine the champion. However, Scripps has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/scripps-national-spelling-bee-rule-changes-tiebreaker-ff3fb9cd3451310871fa82812babd1b8">taken away the requirement</a>&nbsp;that the spell-off begin at a specific time, giving bee judges more discretion to let the competition play out.

What are the prizes for the Scripps National Spelling Bee champion?

The winner receives a custom trophy and more than $50,000 in cash and prizes. Here are the prize payouts:

— First place: $52,500 in cash, reference works from Encyclopedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster, and a $1,000 contribution to a school of the champion's choice.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748379179827.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748379118308.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Two spellers from Kansas who qualified to compete in the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee did not advance to the quarterfinals.Sixty spellers were eliminated in preliminary spelling and vocabulary rounds. That left 183 who took the written spelling and vocabulary test. That test eliminated 84 more. The quarterfinals are Wednesday with 99 spellers left.<a href="https://spellingbee.com/watch">Click here for details&nbsp;</a>on how to watch the competition------------OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — The best young spellers in the English language are competing at the&nbsp;<a href="https://spellingbee.com/">Scripps National Spelling Bee</a>, which celebrates its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/scripps-national-spelling-bee-champions-b1f7f36a8872431da445caa094f9ca17">100th anniversary this year</a>.The first bee was held in 1925, when the Louisville Courier-Journal invited other newspapers to host spelling bees and send their champions to Washington. The bee is now held just outside the nation's capital, at a convention center on the banks of the Potomac River. It started Tuesday and concludes Thursday night.This is the 97th bee; it was canceled from 1943 to 1945 because of World War II and again in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year's champion will be the 110th, because the bee ended in a two-way tie several times and an eight-way tie in 2019.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spelling-bee-indian-americans-immigration-b14ba87533dfcd8af813de568ee5958f">Indian Americans have dominated the competition</a>&nbsp;for a quarter-century. Since 1999, 29 of 35 winners have been Indian American, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/31123142c2dd4349b7e11649270dc3e6">seven of the eight co-champs</a>&nbsp;in 2019.<h2>How can I watch the Scripps National Spelling Bee?</h2>The bee is broadcast and streamed on channels and platforms owned by Scripps, a Cincinnati-based media company.— Wednesday, May 28: Quarterfinals streamed on Bounce XL, Grit Xtra, Laff More and spellingbee.com from 8 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Semifinals streamed on Bounce XL, Grit Xtra, Laff More and spellingbee.com from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. Semifinals broadcast on ION on tape-delay from 8-10 p.m.— Thursday, May 29: Finals broadcast on ION from 8-10 p.m.<h2>Who is competing at the Scripps National Spelling Bee?</h2>The bee features 243 spellers, with at least one from each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia; as well as spellers from U.S. territories Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands; and from Canada, the Bahamas, Germany, Ghana, Kuwait and Nigeria.Sixty spellers were eliminated in Tuesday's preliminary spelling and vocabulary rounds, leaving 183 to take a written spelling and vocabulary test ahead of Wednesday's quarterfinals. Another 84 were eliminated by the test, leaving 99 quarterfinalists on the stage Wednesday morning.Faizan Zaki, last year's runner-up, is back after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/scripps-national-spelling-bee-finals-2024-1afe4e933ebfba6238d058635af429ac">losing to Bruhat Soma</a>&nbsp;in a lightning-round tiebreaker known as a “spell-off.” The 13-year-old seventh-grader from Allen, Texas, was the only speller to get a perfect score on the written test.If Faizan falls short again, he would have one more year of eligibility. He has won several online bees that top spellers compete in as preparation, including the Words of Wisdom Spelling Bee and the South Asian Spelling Bee.Other possible contenders:— Aishwarya Kallakuri, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Concord, North Carolina, and winner of the SpellPundit National Spelling Bee.— Avinav Prem Anand, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Columbus, Ohio, who finished second to Faizan in the Words of Wisdom bee.— Vedanth Raju, a 12-year-old seventh-grader from Aurora, Colorado, and the younger brother of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-san-antonio-education-cf165d27b93b784ab7fb7c0f9e7ecbf0">2022 runner-up Vikram Raju</a>.— Harini Murali, a 13-year-old eighth-grader from Edison, New Jersey, a finalist last year and the younger sister of Navneeth Murali,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-health-education-coronavirus-pandemic-2019-2020-coronavirus-pandemic-be412dec7fc47846ef53a9b761097454">who would have been a top contender</a>&nbsp;in the 2020 bee had it not been canceled because of COVID-19.— Tarini Nandakumar, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Round Rock, Texas, a previous finalist who is competing for the fifth time.<h2>What are the rules of the Scripps National Spelling Bee?</h2>Spellers qualify by advancing through regional bees hosted by sponsors around the country. In order to compete, spellers must not have advanced beyond the eighth grade or be older than 15.Spellers must get through two preliminary rounds, quizzing them on words from a list provided in advance: one spelling round and one multiple-choice vocabulary round.Those who make it through the preliminaries sit for a written spelling and vocabulary test, with the top 100 or so finishers advancing to the quarterfinals. The words for the test, and for all subsequent rounds, are taken from the Merriam-Webster Unabridged dictionary.Throughout the quarterfinals and semifinals, spellers are eliminated at the microphone through oral spelling or vocabulary questions.About a dozen spellers advance to the finals. When only two spellers remain, Scripps has the option to use a lightning-round tiebreaker known as a “spell-off” to determine the champion. However, Scripps has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/scripps-national-spelling-bee-rule-changes-tiebreaker-ff3fb9cd3451310871fa82812babd1b8">taken away the requirement</a>&nbsp;that the spell-off begin at a specific time, giving bee judges more discretion to let the competition play out.<h2>What are the prizes for the Scripps National Spelling Bee champion?</h2>The winner receives a custom trophy and more than $50,000 in cash and prizes. Here are the prize payouts:— First place: $52,500 in cash, reference works from Encyclopedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster, and a $1,000 contribution to a school of the champion's choice.— Second place: $25,000.— Third place: $15,000.— Fourth place: $10,000.— Fifth place: $5,000.— Sixth place: $2,500.— All other finalists: $2,000.

2 students from Kansas eliminated at Scripps National Spelling Bee

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — President Donald Trump appointed former Kansas Republican Rep. Patrick Penn, who resigned from his House seat earlier this month, as the deputy undersecretary for the department’s food, nutrition and consumer services.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, appointed by Trump in February, announced Penn’s new position&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/05/27/secretary-rollins-announces-new-slate-presidential-appointments-usda-food-and-nutrition-service-farm" target="_blank">Tuesday</a>, along with a slate of other state-level leadership designations.

“President Trump is putting Farmers First, and so is the incredible team we are building at the Department of Agriculture,” Rollins said in a press release. “Our latest additions to the USDA family are personally invested in ensuring farmers and rural America prosper.”

Penn resigned from the Wichita-area House seat he held since 2021 on&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-republican-state-rep-patrick-penn-of-wichita-plans-to-quit-house/">May 14</a>, submitting letters to Republican party and state officials. A special precinct election to select a representative to fill the vacant 85th district seat is set for Wednesday. Penn’s term was set to expire January 2027.

Penn is a former Army signal officer who was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. He was first elected to the Kansas Legislature in 2020, where he was dedicated to pushing Second Amendment legislation, including repeated attempts to pass a firearm education program bill.

The USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service administers 16 food assistance programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as food stamps, and emergency food assistance.

Penn voted during the 2025 legislative session in favor of prohibiting SNAP beneficiaries from purchasing candy and soft drinks with their food assistance dollars. Also during the 2025 legislative session, Penn was involved in a handful of disruptive moments. In March, he&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/11/kansas-democrats-liken-bill-to-expand-inspector-generals-authority-to-ag-power-grab/">questioned a Democratic lawmaker’s motives</a>&nbsp;during debate on the House floor. In February, while on the House floor, he&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/13/kansas-republicans-allude-to-shooting-former-democratic-representative-in-exchange-on-house-floor/">alluded to a hypothetical act of violence</a>&nbsp;against a former Hutchinson Democratic representative.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748436728464.jpeg" alt=" Former Kansas Rep. Patrick Penn, seen here during a March 5, 2024, debate in the House, was appointed to a position at the U.S. Department of Agriculture shortly after vacating his House seat. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Former Kansas Rep. Patrick Penn, seen here during a March 5, 2024, debate in the House, was appointed to a position at the U.S. Department of Agriculture shortly after vacating his House seat. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — President Donald Trump appointed former Kansas Republican Rep. Patrick Penn, who resigned from his House seat earlier this month, as the deputy undersecretary for the department’s food, nutrition and consumer services.U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, appointed by Trump in February, announced Penn’s new position&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/05/27/secretary-rollins-announces-new-slate-presidential-appointments-usda-food-and-nutrition-service-farm" target="_blank">Tuesday</a>, along with a slate of other state-level leadership designations.“President Trump is putting Farmers First, and so is the incredible team we are building at the Department of Agriculture,” Rollins said in a press release. “Our latest additions to the USDA family are personally invested in ensuring farmers and rural America prosper.”Penn resigned from the Wichita-area House seat he held since 2021 on&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-republican-state-rep-patrick-penn-of-wichita-plans-to-quit-house/">May 14</a>, submitting letters to Republican party and state officials. A special precinct election to select a representative to fill the vacant 85th district seat is set for Wednesday. Penn’s term was set to expire January 2027.Penn is a former Army signal officer who was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. He was first elected to the Kansas Legislature in 2020, where he was dedicated to pushing Second Amendment legislation, including repeated attempts to pass a firearm education program bill.The USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service administers 16 food assistance programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as food stamps, and emergency food assistance.Penn voted during the 2025 legislative session in favor of prohibiting SNAP beneficiaries from purchasing candy and soft drinks with their food assistance dollars. Also during the 2025 legislative session, Penn was involved in a handful of disruptive moments. In March, he&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/11/kansas-democrats-liken-bill-to-expand-inspector-generals-authority-to-ag-power-grab/">questioned a Democratic lawmaker’s motives</a>&nbsp;during debate on the House floor. In February, while on the House floor, he&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/13/kansas-republicans-allude-to-shooting-former-democratic-representative-in-exchange-on-house-floor/">alluded to a hypothetical act of violence</a>&nbsp;against a former Hutchinson Democratic representative.

Trump appoints former Kansas legislator to USDA post

After back-to-back&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-starship-elon-musk-0c260a324f597a172300315c6486b9df">explosions</a>, SpaceX launched its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-starship-elon-musk-launch-accident-e69d04467e2def65d2bc6b0e9645d715">mega rocket Starship</a>&nbsp;again on Tuesday evening, but fell short of the main objectives when the spacecraft tumbled out of control and broke apart.

The 403-foot (123-meter) rocket blasted off on its ninth demo from Starbase, SpaceX’s launch site at the southern tip of Texas. Residents voted this month to organize as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-starbase-texas-city-7863bf3bac65e9718eef19b27978933b">an official city</a>.

CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a>&nbsp;'s SpaceX hoped to release a series of mock satellites following liftoff, but that got nixed because the door failed to open all the way. Then the spacecraft began spinning as it skimmed space toward an uncontrolled landing in the Indian Ocean.

SpaceX later confirmed that the spacecraft experienced “a rapid unscheduled disassembly,” or burst apart. “Teams will continue to review data and work toward our next flight test,” the company said in an online statement.

Musk noted in a post on X it was a “big improvement” from the two previous demos, which ended in flaming debris over the Atlantic. Despite the latest setback, he promised a faster launch pace moving forward, with a Starship soaring every three to four weeks for the next three flights.

It was the first time one of Musk's Starships —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-moon-astronauts-artemis-01ac3c0ec59bfc8b2612c987a72d91f3">intended for moon</a>&nbsp;and Mars travel — flew with a recycled booster. There were no plans to catch the booster with giant chopsticks back at the launch pad, with the company instead pushing it to its limits. Contact with the booster was lost at one point, and it slammed into the Gulf of Mexico in pieces as the spacecraft continued toward the Indian Ocean.

Then the spacecraft went out of control, apparently due to fuel leaks.

“Not looking great with a lot of our on-orbit objectives for today,” said SpaceX flight commentator Dan Huot. The company had been looking to test the spacecraft’s heat shield during a controlled reentry.

Communication ceased before the spacecraft came down, and SpaceX ended its webcast soon afterward.

The previous two Starships never made it past the Caribbean. The demos earlier this year ended just minutes after liftoff, raining wreckage into the ocean. No injuries or serious damage were reported, although airline travel was disrupted. The Federal Aviation Administration last week cleared Starship for another flight, expanding the hazard area and pushing the liftoff outside peak air travel times.

Besides taking corrective action and making upgrades, SpaceX modified the latest spacecraft’s thermal tiles and installed special catch fittings. This one was meant to sink in the Indian Ocean, but the company wanted to test the add-ons for capturing future versions back at the pad, just like the boosters.

NASA needs SpaceX to make major strides over the next year with Starship — the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built — in order to land astronauts back on the moon. Next year’s moonshot with four astronauts will fly around the moon, but will not land. That will happen in 2027 at the earliest and require a Starship to get two astronauts from lunar orbit to the surface and back off again.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

After back-to-back&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-starship-elon-musk-0c260a324f597a172300315c6486b9df">explosions</a>, SpaceX launched its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-starship-elon-musk-launch-accident-e69d04467e2def65d2bc6b0e9645d715">mega rocket Starship</a>&nbsp;again on Tuesday evening, but fell short of the main objectives when the spacecraft tumbled out of control and broke apart.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Liftoff of Starship! <a href="https://t.co/aXAwLkRbuK">pic.twitter.com/aXAwLkRbuK</a>&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1927509601001341037?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The 403-foot (123-meter) rocket blasted off on its ninth demo from Starbase, SpaceX’s launch site at the southern tip of Texas. Residents voted this month to organize as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-starbase-texas-city-7863bf3bac65e9718eef19b27978933b">an official city</a>.CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a>&nbsp;'s SpaceX hoped to release a series of mock satellites following liftoff, but that got nixed because the door failed to open all the way. Then the spacecraft began spinning as it skimmed space toward an uncontrolled landing in the Indian Ocean.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">As if the flight test was not exciting enough, Starship experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly. Teams will continue to review data and work toward our next flight test. With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and today’s test will help us improve Starship’s…&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1927523399552631088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>SpaceX later confirmed that the spacecraft experienced “a rapid unscheduled disassembly,” or burst apart. “Teams will continue to review data and work toward our next flight test,” the company said in an online statement.Musk noted in a post on X it was a “big improvement” from the two previous demos, which ended in flaming debris over the Atlantic. Despite the latest setback, he promised a faster launch pace moving forward, with a Starship soaring every three to four weeks for the next three flights.It was the first time one of Musk's Starships —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-moon-astronauts-artemis-01ac3c0ec59bfc8b2612c987a72d91f3">intended for moon</a>&nbsp;and Mars travel — flew with a recycled booster. There were no plans to catch the booster with giant chopsticks back at the launch pad, with the company instead pushing it to its limits. Contact with the booster was lost at one point, and it slammed into the Gulf of Mexico in pieces as the spacecraft continued toward the Indian Ocean.Then the spacecraft went out of control, apparently due to fuel leaks.“Not looking great with a lot of our on-orbit objectives for today,” said SpaceX flight commentator Dan Huot. The company had been looking to test the spacecraft’s heat shield during a controlled reentry.Communication ceased before the spacecraft came down, and SpaceX ended its webcast soon afterward.The previous two Starships never made it past the Caribbean. The demos earlier this year ended just minutes after liftoff, raining wreckage into the ocean. No injuries or serious damage were reported, although airline travel was disrupted. The Federal Aviation Administration last week cleared Starship for another flight, expanding the hazard area and pushing the liftoff outside peak air travel times.Besides taking corrective action and making upgrades, SpaceX modified the latest spacecraft’s thermal tiles and installed special catch fittings. This one was meant to sink in the Indian Ocean, but the company wanted to test the add-ons for capturing future versions back at the pad, just like the boosters.NASA needs SpaceX to make major strides over the next year with Starship — the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built — in order to land astronauts back on the moon. Next year’s moonshot with four astronauts will fly around the moon, but will not land. That will happen in 2027 at the earliest and require a Starship to get two astronauts from lunar orbit to the surface and back off again.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

🎥SpaceX Starship rocket breaks up again after last 2 attempts ended in explosions

WABAUNSEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating two teen suspect in connection with an alleged burglary.

On Monday night, a Sergeant with the Wabaunsee County Sheriff's Office investigated a suspicious gray 2018 Hyundia Tucson in Eskridge, according to a media release.

The vehicle had reportedly circled a structure on the 200 block of South Cedar without headlights on before parking. Two individuals dressed in black exited the vehicle and entered an abandoned property with bags and later loaded items from the building into the vehicle.\

The Sheriff's Sergeant initiated a traffic stop as the vehicle attempted to depart the area and made contact with the driver, identified as 18-year-old Zane Arthur Burnett, and the passenger, identified as 19-year-old Eli Joseph Hoskins, both from Johnson County Kansas.

 A probable cause search of the vehicle revealed stolen items from the building including Masonic books, antique photos, and other objects in wet, dirt-covered bags. 

Both suspects were taken into custody without incident and transported to Wabaunsee County Jail and are being held on requested charges of burglary.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748362813544.png" alt="Hoskins photo Wabaunsee Co." />
 <figcaption>Hoskins photo Wabaunsee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WABAUNSEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating two teen suspect in connection with an alleged burglary.On Monday night, a Sergeant with the Wabaunsee County Sheriff's Office investigated a suspicious gray 2018 Hyundia Tucson in Eskridge, according to a media release.The vehicle had reportedly circled a structure on the 200 block of South Cedar without headlights on before parking. Two individuals dressed in black exited the vehicle and entered an abandoned property with bags and later loaded items from the building into the vehicle.\<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748362752431.png" alt="Burnett photo Wabaunsee Co." />
 <figcaption>Burnett photo Wabaunsee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Sheriff's Sergeant initiated a traffic stop as the vehicle attempted to depart the area and made contact with the driver, identified as 18-year-old Zane Arthur Burnett, and the passenger, identified as 19-year-old Eli Joseph Hoskins, both from Johnson County Kansas. A probable cause search of the vehicle revealed stolen items from the building including Masonic books, antique photos, and other objects in wet, dirt-covered bags. Both suspects were taken into custody without incident and transported to Wabaunsee County Jail and are being held on requested charges of burglary.

Teens accused in rural Kansas burglary

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22MARGERY%20A.%20BECK%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By MARGERY A. BECK Associated Press</a>

Sarah Milgrim, one of two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-embassy-jewish-museum-shooting-9e77d16a88d634b0dde5b2455c96dddf">Israeli Embassy staffers fatally shot</a>&nbsp;last week in an apparently politically motivated ambush in Washington, D.C., was remembered Tuesday during a private funeral in the Kansas community where she grew up.

Milgrim, a 26-year-old from the Kansas City suburb of Prairie Village, Kansas, was leaving a reception for young diplomats at the Capital Jewish Museum alongside 30-year-old Yaron Lischinsky on May 21 when they were shot to death. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-embassy-jewish-museum-shooting-10307b3b1a2a337e76730736b12ebbcb">suspect</a>, 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez, was arrested and shouted “Free Palestine” as he was led away. Charging documents said he later told police, "I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza.”

Lischinsky had bought an engagement ring before the shooting and was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israeli-embassy-victims-washington-shooting-couple-engagement-efbe6ba65306a314a782d388ce3fba65">planning to propose</a>&nbsp;to Milgrim in the coming days, those who knew the couple have said.

Instead of an upcoming wedding, those close to Milgrim eulogized her at a private service Tuesday at Congregation Beth Torah in Overland Park, Kansas, the temple she attended as a child with her family.

Rabbi Doug Alpert of Congregation Kol Ami in Kansas City, Missouri, gave an impassioned eulogy as scores of attendees sniffled and softly sobbed.

Alpert first drew laughs as he relayed early childhood memories from her parents, Bob and Nancy Milgrim, including her love of hiding as a young child that earned her the label of “sneaky.” They also recalled her as creative, funny and preternaturally empathetic to animals. She was a vegetarian for most of her childhood and once saved an abandoned baby bunny using her mother's oven mitts, which she promptly then returned to their kitchen drawer unwashed.

But laughter soon turned to tears as Alpert noted the backlash Milgrim faced from strangers and even some acquaintances when she joined the Israeli Embassy staff and expressed her desire for a peaceful solution to end the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.

“We would like nothing more right now than to ask Sarah, to talk to Sarah, to learn from such a beacon of light amidst a world of darkness," Alpert said. "We’ve been cheated out of that opportunity. And for the Milgrim family, cheated out of so much more.”

Milgrim's boss at the embassy, Sawsan Hasson, recounted how Milgrim championed women's and LGBTQ rights and always stuck to her mission of peace and bringing people together — especially those opposed to one another on religion, politics and ideology.

“This morning, you and Yaron were meant to be in Israel, celebrating with his family,” Hasson said. “Instead, through an unthinkable tragedy, you have brought Israel here to Kansas to meet your own loving family in your hometown. Somehow, even in your passing, you have created connection and unity.”

Milgrim earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from the University of Kansas in 2021. She was remembered as a warm, uplifting presence at Shabbat dinners and holiday gatherings at the Chabad Center for Jewish Life on campus.

After graduating, Milgrim worked at at a Tel Aviv-based organization centered on technology training and conflict dialogue for young Palestinians and Israelis, according to her LinkedIn profile. She had been trained in religious engagement and peacebuilding by the United States Institute of Peace, an organization that promotes conflict resolution and was created by the U.S. Congress.

After earning a master’s degree in international affairs from American University in 2023, she went to work at the Israeli Embassy, where her job involved organizing events and missions to Israel.

Milgrim would have been teenager when her Kansas community was rocked by another deadly antisemitic attack in 2014. Frazier Glenn Miller Jr., an avowed anti-Semite and white supremacist,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-cab94ee0c9c84db0ae5c4e69f02a7a3c">fatally shot</a>&nbsp;three people at two Jewish sites in Overland Park in April of that year. At his trial, Miller openly stated that he targeted Jews for death — though none of his victims were Jewish. Miller was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/049dd23899154d8ba71e596143520fa8">convicted</a>&nbsp;in August 2015 and later sentenced to death.

Sheila Katz, CEO of the National Council of Jewish Women, last week lauded Milgrim for her work with women’s groups, LGBTQ communities and multi-faith groups and said Milgrim was studying whether friendships between Arabs and Israelis could promote peace.

“We knew something like this could happen,” she said. “I just don’t think we thought it would happen to her.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747923211105.png" alt="Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky-courtesy phot" />
 <figcaption>Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky-courtesy phot</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22MARGERY%20A.%20BECK%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By MARGERY A. BECK Associated Press</a>Sarah Milgrim, one of two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-embassy-jewish-museum-shooting-9e77d16a88d634b0dde5b2455c96dddf">Israeli Embassy staffers fatally shot</a>&nbsp;last week in an apparently politically motivated ambush in Washington, D.C., was remembered Tuesday during a private funeral in the Kansas community where she grew up.Milgrim, a 26-year-old from the Kansas City suburb of Prairie Village, Kansas, was leaving a reception for young diplomats at the Capital Jewish Museum alongside 30-year-old Yaron Lischinsky on May 21 when they were shot to death. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-embassy-jewish-museum-shooting-10307b3b1a2a337e76730736b12ebbcb">suspect</a>, 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez, was arrested and shouted “Free Palestine” as he was led away. Charging documents said he later told police, "I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza.”Lischinsky had bought an engagement ring before the shooting and was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israeli-embassy-victims-washington-shooting-couple-engagement-efbe6ba65306a314a782d388ce3fba65">planning to propose</a>&nbsp;to Milgrim in the coming days, those who knew the couple have said.Instead of an upcoming wedding, those close to Milgrim eulogized her at a private service Tuesday at Congregation Beth Torah in Overland Park, Kansas, the temple she attended as a child with her family.Rabbi Doug Alpert of Congregation Kol Ami in Kansas City, Missouri, gave an impassioned eulogy as scores of attendees sniffled and softly sobbed.Alpert first drew laughs as he relayed early childhood memories from her parents, Bob and Nancy Milgrim, including her love of hiding as a young child that earned her the label of “sneaky.” They also recalled her as creative, funny and preternaturally empathetic to animals. She was a vegetarian for most of her childhood and once saved an abandoned baby bunny using her mother's oven mitts, which she promptly then returned to their kitchen drawer unwashed.But laughter soon turned to tears as Alpert noted the backlash Milgrim faced from strangers and even some acquaintances when she joined the Israeli Embassy staff and expressed her desire for a peaceful solution to end the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.“We would like nothing more right now than to ask Sarah, to talk to Sarah, to learn from such a beacon of light amidst a world of darkness," Alpert said. "We’ve been cheated out of that opportunity. And for the Milgrim family, cheated out of so much more.”Milgrim's boss at the embassy, Sawsan Hasson, recounted how Milgrim championed women's and LGBTQ rights and always stuck to her mission of peace and bringing people together — especially those opposed to one another on religion, politics and ideology.“This morning, you and Yaron were meant to be in Israel, celebrating with his family,” Hasson said. “Instead, through an unthinkable tragedy, you have brought Israel here to Kansas to meet your own loving family in your hometown. Somehow, even in your passing, you have created connection and unity.”Milgrim earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from the University of Kansas in 2021. She was remembered as a warm, uplifting presence at Shabbat dinners and holiday gatherings at the Chabad Center for Jewish Life on campus.After graduating, Milgrim worked at at a Tel Aviv-based organization centered on technology training and conflict dialogue for young Palestinians and Israelis, according to her LinkedIn profile. She had been trained in religious engagement and peacebuilding by the United States Institute of Peace, an organization that promotes conflict resolution and was created by the U.S. Congress.After earning a master’s degree in international affairs from American University in 2023, she went to work at the Israeli Embassy, where her job involved organizing events and missions to Israel.Milgrim would have been teenager when her Kansas community was rocked by another deadly antisemitic attack in 2014. Frazier Glenn Miller Jr., an avowed anti-Semite and white supremacist,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-cab94ee0c9c84db0ae5c4e69f02a7a3c">fatally shot</a>&nbsp;three people at two Jewish sites in Overland Park in April of that year. At his trial, Miller openly stated that he targeted Jews for death — though none of his victims were Jewish. Miller was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/049dd23899154d8ba71e596143520fa8">convicted</a>&nbsp;in August 2015 and later sentenced to death.Sheila Katz, CEO of the National Council of Jewish Women, last week lauded Milgrim for her work with women’s groups, LGBTQ communities and multi-faith groups and said Milgrim was studying whether friendships between Arabs and Israelis could promote peace.“We knew something like this could happen,” she said. “I just don’t think we thought it would happen to her.”

Sarah Milgrim, Kansas native killed in Washington D.C. shooting, laid to rest

CALICO ROCK, Ark. (AP) —As law officers search Arkansas' rugged Ozark Mountains for a former police chief and convicted killer who escaped prison this weekend by impersonating a guard and walking out through a gate a guard opened for him, the sister of one of his victims is on edge.

Grant Hardin, the former police chief in the small town of Gateway near the Arkansas-Missouri border,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/police-chief-arkansas-prison-escape-grant-hardin-280127e9737bc8e8e0d6388d7f268bd1">was serving lengthy sentences for murder and rape</a>&nbsp;and became known as the “Devil in the Ozarks.”

Hardin escaped Sunday from the North Central Unit — a medium-security prison also known as the Calico Rock prison — by impersonating a corrections officer “in dress and manner,” according to a court document. A prison officer opened a secure gate, allowing him to leave the facility.

Rand Champion, a spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Corrections, described the clothes as not a standard inmate or correctional uniform.

“There's nothing inside the prison that looks like that, so that’s one of the challenges we're going through to find out what that was and how he was able to get that or manufacture it," he said.

Champion said that the decision to house Hardin in a medium-security facility weighed the “needs of the different facilities and inmates” and “assessments” of his crimes.

Hardin's escape happened days after 10 men fled a New Orleans jail by going&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-orleans-inmates-escape-0f96f173a3ded57b4b23f9a07b6cffac">through a hole behind a toilet</a>. Eight of those fugitives&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jail-louisiana-escape-new-orleans-vanburen-52a37e88b4a599c8dd4131ad791dc21e">have since been captured</a>.

Cheryl Tillman, whose brother James Appleton was killed by Hardin in 2017, said she and other relatives are alarmed by Hardin's escape since they were witnesses in his court proceedings.

“We were there at his trial when all that went down, and he seen us there, he knows,” she told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Authorities are using canines, drones and helicopters to search the rugged northern Arkansas terrain, Champion said.

The search area has expanded as the hours have gone on, though Champion didn't discuss exact details of the search area.

"Where this facility is located, the topography does provide challenges," he said. “At the same time, it kind of limits where he is able to get.”

“It's called Calico Rock for a reason, because it's very rocky,” he added.

Video surveillance shows Hardin escaped at approximately 2:55 p.m. on Sunday, Champion said. Officials announced his escape at approximately 5 p.m. that evening.

Complicating the search effort is the heavy rain that's fallen in recent days in the area, he said.

Hardin’s escape into a rural part of the state isn’t necessarily an advantage, according to Craig Caine, a retired inspector with the U.S. Marshals who has handled many cases involving escaped prisoners throughout his nearly 30-year career with federal law enforcement.

“At some point in time, he’s going to run out of provisions,” said Caine.

“In more rural areas, most people know one another,” Caine said, making it more likely that someone will identify Hardin and turn him in. “In that aspect, it could be detrimental to him.”

Izard County Sheriff Charley Melton and other local sheriffs urged residents to lock their homes and vehicles and call 911 if they notice anything suspicious.

Bryan Sexton, who prosecuted Hardin for both murder and rape, said that his office has reached out to officers who investigated Hardin and families affected by Hardin’s crimes, which were the focus of a 2023 documentary, “Devil in the Ozarks.”

“Making those contacts again with folks who have moved on with their lives for the better part of a decade now and to have to be the one who picks up the phone and reminds them of what has happened to them is something that weighs heavily on me,” Sexton said.

Gateway, the town of about 450 people where Hardin briefly was the police chief in 2016, is in the same large county as the headquarters of retail giant Walmart in Bentonville. But Gateway and the northeast part of the county is far more rural and remote than Bentonville. The landscape only gets more rugged to the east, into the heart of the Ozarks and the Buffalo National River, toward Izard County where the escape happened.

Darla Nix, a local cafe owner in nearby Pea Ridge, Arkansas, said her sons grew up around Hardin and knew him as a mostly quiet person before he was convicted.

“He was always just one of the kids, a member of the community,” Nix said.

Describing Hardin as a “very, very smart man,” Nix said she anticipates that the search for Hardin will be challenging for law enforcement.

“He knows where the caves are. He’s just a survivor. He knows how to make it. They’re going to have their hands full trying to catch him,” Nix said.

Tillman said she wasn't surprised when she heard that Hardin had escaped. But the news suddenly added fresh pain for her and other family members after dealing with the grief from the killing.

“He's just an evil man,” she said. “He is no good for society.”

Hardin pleaded guilty in October 2017 to first-degree murder for fatally shooting Appleton, 59. Appleton worked for the Gateway water department when he was shot in the head on Feb. 23, 2017, near Garfield. Police found Appleton’s body inside a car.

Investigators at the time did not release a motive for the killing and Hardin was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He is also serving 50 years in prison for the 1997 rape of an elementary school teacher in Rogers, north of Fayetteville.

Hardin had been held in the Calico Rock prison since 2017. The facility has a capacity of about 800 inmates, according to the Arkansas Department of Corrections.

Riddle reported from Montgomery, Alabama.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748309291610.png" alt="Photo ADC" />
 <figcaption>Photo ADC</figcaption>
 </figure>CALICO ROCK, Ark. (AP) —As law officers search Arkansas' rugged Ozark Mountains for a former police chief and convicted killer who escaped prison this weekend by impersonating a guard and walking out through a gate a guard opened for him, the sister of one of his victims is on edge.Grant Hardin, the former police chief in the small town of Gateway near the Arkansas-Missouri border,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/police-chief-arkansas-prison-escape-grant-hardin-280127e9737bc8e8e0d6388d7f268bd1">was serving lengthy sentences for murder and rape</a>&nbsp;and became known as the “Devil in the Ozarks.”Hardin escaped Sunday from the North Central Unit — a medium-security prison also known as the Calico Rock prison — by impersonating a corrections officer “in dress and manner,” according to a court document. A prison officer opened a secure gate, allowing him to leave the facility.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748354598066.png" alt="Photo ADC" />
 <figcaption>Photo ADC</figcaption>
 </figure>Rand Champion, a spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Corrections, described the clothes as not a standard inmate or correctional uniform.“There's nothing inside the prison that looks like that, so that’s one of the challenges we're going through to find out what that was and how he was able to get that or manufacture it," he said.Champion said that the decision to house Hardin in a medium-security facility weighed the “needs of the different facilities and inmates” and “assessments” of his crimes.Hardin's escape happened days after 10 men fled a New Orleans jail by going&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-orleans-inmates-escape-0f96f173a3ded57b4b23f9a07b6cffac">through a hole behind a toilet</a>. Eight of those fugitives&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jail-louisiana-escape-new-orleans-vanburen-52a37e88b4a599c8dd4131ad791dc21e">have since been captured</a>.<h2>Escape into rough terrain</h2>Cheryl Tillman, whose brother James Appleton was killed by Hardin in 2017, said she and other relatives are alarmed by Hardin's escape since they were witnesses in his court proceedings.“We were there at his trial when all that went down, and he seen us there, he knows,” she told The Associated Press on Tuesday.Authorities are using canines, drones and helicopters to search the rugged northern Arkansas terrain, Champion said.The search area has expanded as the hours have gone on, though Champion didn't discuss exact details of the search area."Where this facility is located, the topography does provide challenges," he said. “At the same time, it kind of limits where he is able to get.”“It's called Calico Rock for a reason, because it's very rocky,” he added.Video surveillance shows Hardin escaped at approximately 2:55 p.m. on Sunday, Champion said. Officials announced his escape at approximately 5 p.m. that evening.Complicating the search effort is the heavy rain that's fallen in recent days in the area, he said.Hardin’s escape into a rural part of the state isn’t necessarily an advantage, according to Craig Caine, a retired inspector with the U.S. Marshals who has handled many cases involving escaped prisoners throughout his nearly 30-year career with federal law enforcement.“At some point in time, he’s going to run out of provisions,” said Caine.“In more rural areas, most people know one another,” Caine said, making it more likely that someone will identify Hardin and turn him in. “In that aspect, it could be detrimental to him.”<h2>A rattled community</h2>Izard County Sheriff Charley Melton and other local sheriffs urged residents to lock their homes and vehicles and call 911 if they notice anything suspicious.Bryan Sexton, who prosecuted Hardin for both murder and rape, said that his office has reached out to officers who investigated Hardin and families affected by Hardin’s crimes, which were the focus of a 2023 documentary, “Devil in the Ozarks.”“Making those contacts again with folks who have moved on with their lives for the better part of a decade now and to have to be the one who picks up the phone and reminds them of what has happened to them is something that weighs heavily on me,” Sexton said.Gateway, the town of about 450 people where Hardin briefly was the police chief in 2016, is in the same large county as the headquarters of retail giant Walmart in Bentonville. But Gateway and the northeast part of the county is far more rural and remote than Bentonville. The landscape only gets more rugged to the east, into the heart of the Ozarks and the Buffalo National River, toward Izard County where the escape happened.Darla Nix, a local cafe owner in nearby Pea Ridge, Arkansas, said her sons grew up around Hardin and knew him as a mostly quiet person before he was convicted.“He was always just one of the kids, a member of the community,” Nix said.Describing Hardin as a “very, very smart man,” Nix said she anticipates that the search for Hardin will be challenging for law enforcement.“He knows where the caves are. He’s just a survivor. He knows how to make it. They’re going to have their hands full trying to catch him,” Nix said.Tillman said she wasn't surprised when she heard that Hardin had escaped. But the news suddenly added fresh pain for her and other family members after dealing with the grief from the killing.“He's just an evil man,” she said. “He is no good for society.”Hardin pleaded guilty in October 2017 to first-degree murder for fatally shooting Appleton, 59. Appleton worked for the Gateway water department when he was shot in the head on Feb. 23, 2017, near Garfield. Police found Appleton’s body inside a car.Investigators at the time did not release a motive for the killing and Hardin was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He is also serving 50 years in prison for the 1997 rape of an elementary school teacher in Rogers, north of Fayetteville.Hardin had been held in the Calico Rock prison since 2017. The facility has a capacity of about 800 inmates, according to the Arkansas Department of Corrections.___Riddle reported from Montgomery, Alabama.

Manhunt continues: Cop serving time for murder was allowed to walk out of prison

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Planned Parenthood halted abortions in Missouri on Tuesday after the state’s top court ordered new rulings in the tumultuous legal saga over a ban that voters struck down last November.

The state’s top court ruled that a district judge applied the wrong standard in rulings in December and February that allowed abortions to resume in the state. Nearly all abortions were halted under a ban that took effect after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.

In Tuesday’s two-page ruling, the court ordered Judge Jerri Zhang to vacate her earlier orders and reevaluate the case using the standards the court laid out. Zhang ruled that she was allowing abortions to resume largely because advocates were likely to prevail in the case eventually. The Supreme Court said it should first consider whether there would be harms from allowing abortions to resume.

The state emphasized in their petition filed to the state Supreme Court in March that Planned Parenthood didn’t sufficiently prove women were harmed without the temporary blocks on the broad swath of laws and regulations on abortion services and providers. On the contrary, the state said Zhang’s decisions left abortion facilities “functionally unregulated” and women with “no guarantee of health and safety.”

Among the regulations that had been placed on hold were ones setting cleanliness standards for abortion facilities and requiring physicians who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at certain types of hospitals located within 30 miles (48 kilometers) or 15 minutes of where an abortion is provided.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey said in a statement that “today’s decision from the Missouri Supreme Court is a win for women and children and sends a clear message — abortion providers must comply with state law regarding basic safety and sanitation requirements.”

Planned Parenthood maintains that those restrictions were specifically targeted to make it harder to access abortion.

Still, the organization — which has the state's only abortion clinics — immediately started calling patients to cancel abortion appointments at Missouri clinics in Columbia and Kansas City, according to Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains.

Wales said it’s a familiar but disappointing position for the organization.

“We have had to call patients in Missouri previously and say you were scheduled for care, your appointment is now canceled because of political interference, new restrictions, licensure overreach by the state,” she said. “To be in that position again, after the people of Missouri voted to ensure abortion access, is frustrating.”

Wales said Planned Parenthood hopes to be back in court soon.

Sam Lee, director of Campaign Life Missouri, said he was “extremely excited” by the Supreme Court order.

“This means that our pro-life laws, which include many health and safety protections for women, will remain in place,” Lee said. “How long they will remain we will have to see."

Missouri is the only state where voters have used a ballot measure to overturn a ban on abortion at all stages of pregnancy. The Republican-controlled state government pushed back in court against allowing abortions to resume — something that didn't happen until&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-rights-missouri-b7590919a9eedccc044c519646e996d5">more than three months</a>&nbsp;after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ballot-measures-harris-trump-florida-missouri-49c9073cbb6056b66a8a7d0d099795d1">amendment was adopted</a>.

Since then, lawmakers have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-rights-ban-missouri-sick-leave-c4f7beb07e7b3de64f3e2460bcb539c0">approved another ballot measure</a>&nbsp;for an amendment that would reimpose a ban — but with exceptions for pregnancies caused by rape or incest. It could be on the ballot in 2026 or sooner.

Before Tuesday's ruling, 12 states were enforcing bans on abortion at all stages of pregnancy and four more had bans that kicked in at around six weeks — before women often know they're pregnant.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746190042115.png" alt="File photo An abortion procedure room pictured at Planned Parenthood in Columbia, Missouri (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>File photo An abortion procedure room pictured at Planned Parenthood in Columbia, Missouri (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Planned Parenthood halted abortions in Missouri on Tuesday after the state’s top court ordered new rulings in the tumultuous legal saga over a ban that voters struck down last November.The state’s top court ruled that a district judge applied the wrong standard in rulings in December and February that allowed abortions to resume in the state. Nearly all abortions were halted under a ban that took effect after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.In Tuesday’s two-page ruling, the court ordered Judge Jerri Zhang to vacate her earlier orders and reevaluate the case using the standards the court laid out. Zhang ruled that she was allowing abortions to resume largely because advocates were likely to prevail in the case eventually. The Supreme Court said it should first consider whether there would be harms from allowing abortions to resume.The state emphasized in their petition filed to the state Supreme Court in March that Planned Parenthood didn’t sufficiently prove women were harmed without the temporary blocks on the broad swath of laws and regulations on abortion services and providers. On the contrary, the state said Zhang’s decisions left abortion facilities “functionally unregulated” and women with “no guarantee of health and safety.”Among the regulations that had been placed on hold were ones setting cleanliness standards for abortion facilities and requiring physicians who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at certain types of hospitals located within 30 miles (48 kilometers) or 15 minutes of where an abortion is provided.Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey said in a statement that “today’s decision from the Missouri Supreme Court is a win for women and children and sends a clear message — abortion providers must comply with state law regarding basic safety and sanitation requirements.”Planned Parenthood maintains that those restrictions were specifically targeted to make it harder to access abortion.Still, the organization — which has the state's only abortion clinics — immediately started calling patients to cancel abortion appointments at Missouri clinics in Columbia and Kansas City, according to Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains.Wales said it’s a familiar but disappointing position for the organization.“We have had to call patients in Missouri previously and say you were scheduled for care, your appointment is now canceled because of political interference, new restrictions, licensure overreach by the state,” she said. “To be in that position again, after the people of Missouri voted to ensure abortion access, is frustrating.”Wales said Planned Parenthood hopes to be back in court soon.Sam Lee, director of Campaign Life Missouri, said he was “extremely excited” by the Supreme Court order.“This means that our pro-life laws, which include many health and safety protections for women, will remain in place,” Lee said. “How long they will remain we will have to see."Missouri is the only state where voters have used a ballot measure to overturn a ban on abortion at all stages of pregnancy. The Republican-controlled state government pushed back in court against allowing abortions to resume — something that didn't happen until&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-rights-missouri-b7590919a9eedccc044c519646e996d5">more than three months</a>&nbsp;after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ballot-measures-harris-trump-florida-missouri-49c9073cbb6056b66a8a7d0d099795d1">amendment was adopted</a>.Since then, lawmakers have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-rights-ban-missouri-sick-leave-c4f7beb07e7b3de64f3e2460bcb539c0">approved another ballot measure</a>&nbsp;for an amendment that would reimpose a ban — but with exceptions for pregnancies caused by rape or incest. It could be on the ballot in 2026 or sooner.Before Tuesday's ruling, 12 states were enforcing bans on abortion at all stages of pregnancy and four more had bans that kicked in at around six weeks — before women often know they're pregnant.___

Abortions stopped again in Missouri after ruling from state Supreme Court

LYON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating eight suspects on multiple allegations after weeks of investigation in southeast Kansas.

On April 26, police attempted to locate a person with an outstanding warrant at an eastern Emporia residence which led to a narcotics investigation, according to a media release from Emporia Police.

Officers executed a search warrant and discovered narcotics along with apparent fraudulent documents leading to additional investigations. Officers uncovered a ring of individuals involved in the production, supplying and use of false documents including but not limited to, social security cards, identification cards, driver’s licenses, and permanent resident cards. 

One individual under investigation for supplying false documents is alleged to be involved with unlicensed dental offices, uncovered in 2 homes in eastern and western Emporia.

The weeks long investigation by Emporia Patrol Officers yielded 8 arrests, more than 10 search warrants, 2 seized vehicles and approximately $6,000 in seized US currency. The Department of Homeland Security assisted in the investigation.

The following individuals are in custody on requested charges in connection with the investigation.

Francisco German Pichardo-Machardo; Making False Information, Possession of Marijuana, Possession Drug Paraphernalia

Martin Pichardo-Machado; Making False Information, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Identity Fraud

Hugo Antonio Cardona-Argueta; Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Interference with Law Enforcement, Making False Information, Identity Theft

Martha Kenia Lopez-Alvarado; Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Interference with Law Enforcement, Making False Information, Identity Theft

Iris Tatiana Sandoval-Flores; Human Smuggling, Identity Theft, Dealing in False Identification Documents, Unlicensed Practice of Dentistry or Dental Hygiene

Ana Raquel Figueroa; Unlicensed Practice of Dentistry or Dental Hygiene, Unlawful Obtaining a Prescription-Only Drug

Rigoberto J Sandoval Sandoval; Unlicensed Practice of Dentistry or Dental Hygiene, Unlawful Obtaining a Prescription-Only Drug

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748093842979.png" alt="Hugo Antonio Cardona-Argueta-photo Lyon County" />
 <figcaption>Hugo Antonio Cardona-Argueta-photo Lyon County</figcaption>
 </figure>LYON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating eight suspects on multiple allegations after weeks of investigation in southeast Kansas.On April 26, police attempted to locate a person with an outstanding warrant at an eastern Emporia residence which led to a narcotics investigation, according to a media release from Emporia Police.Officers executed a search warrant and discovered narcotics along with apparent fraudulent documents leading to additional investigations. Officers uncovered a ring of individuals involved in the production, supplying and use of false documents including but not limited to, social security cards, identification cards, driver’s licenses, and permanent resident cards. One individual under investigation for supplying false documents is alleged to be involved with unlicensed dental offices, uncovered in 2 homes in eastern and western Emporia.The weeks long investigation by Emporia Patrol Officers yielded 8 arrests, more than 10 search warrants, 2 seized vehicles and approximately $6,000 in seized US currency. The Department of Homeland Security assisted in the investigation.The following individuals are in custody on requested charges in connection with the investigation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748094671764.png" alt="Francisco German Pichardo-Machardo photo Lyon Co." />
 <figcaption>Francisco German Pichardo-Machardo photo Lyon Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Francisco German Pichardo-Machardo; Making False Information, Possession of Marijuana, Possession Drug Paraphernalia<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748094721550.png" alt="Martin Pichardo-Machado photo Lyon Co." />
 <figcaption>Martin Pichardo-Machado photo Lyon Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Martin Pichardo-Machado; Making False Information, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Identity FraudHugo Antonio Cardona-Argueta; Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Interference with Law Enforcement, Making False Information, Identity Theft<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748093547797.png" alt="Alvarado photo Lyon County" />
 <figcaption>Alvarado photo Lyon County</figcaption>
 </figure>Martha Kenia Lopez-Alvarado; Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Interference with Law Enforcement, Making False Information, Identity Theft<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748094451698.png" alt="Iris Tatiana Sandoval-Flores photo Lyon Co." />
 <figcaption>Iris Tatiana Sandoval-Flores photo Lyon Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Iris Tatiana Sandoval-Flores; Human Smuggling, Identity Theft, Dealing in False Identification Documents, Unlicensed Practice of Dentistry or Dental Hygiene<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748094558350.png" alt="Ana Raquel Figueroa" />
 <figcaption>Ana Raquel Figueroa</figcaption>
 </figure>Ana Raquel Figueroa; Unlicensed Practice of Dentistry or Dental Hygiene, Unlawful Obtaining a Prescription-Only DrugRigoberto J Sandoval Sandoval; Unlicensed Practice of Dentistry or Dental Hygiene, Unlawful Obtaining a Prescription-Only Drug

Police: Kan. suspects provided unlicensed dental care, made fake ID cards 

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

The Hays Police Department executed a search warrant Thursday at a child care home in Hays after reports of&nbsp;alleged child endangerment and potential drug use, according to Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler. The search was part of an ongoing investigation.

Police officers and officials from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment executed the warrant in the 2500 block of Donald Drive following reports made earlier in the week.

Scheibler said an officer sustained minor injuries from a dog bite during the search. No arrests have been made.

On Friday, the police department requested KDHE issue an emergency suspension to close the facility during the ongoing investigation,&nbsp;Scheibler said.

No names of potential suspects have been released.

By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostThe Hays Police Department executed a search warrant Thursday at a child care home in Hays after reports of&nbsp;alleged child endangerment and potential drug use, according to Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler. The search was part of an ongoing investigation.Police officers and officials from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment executed the warrant in the 2500 block of Donald Drive following reports made earlier in the week.Scheibler said an officer sustained minor injuries from a dog bite during the search. No arrests have been made.On Friday, the police department requested KDHE issue an emergency suspension to close the facility during the ongoing investigation,&nbsp;Scheibler said.No names of potential suspects have been released.

Dog bit police officer during search of Kan. home day care

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;announced Tuesday that he’s planning to pardon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/julie-todd-chrisley-fraud-tax-evasion-sentence-ea5d65c638f06cce3bd82fcfc2c5647c">TV stars</a>&nbsp;Todd and Julie Chrisley, famous for “Chrisley Knows Best,” a reality show that followed their tight-knit family and extravagant lifestyle that prosecutors said was boosted by bank fraud and hiding earnings from tax authorities.

The Chrisleys were convicted in 2022 of conspiring to defraud banks in the Atlanta area out of more than $30 million in loans by submitting false documents. They were also found guilty of tax evasion, obscuring their earnings while showcasing a luxurious way of living that authorities said included high-priced cars, designer clothes, real estate and travel.

Prosecutors said the couple walked away from their responsibility for repayment when Todd Chrisley declared bankruptcy and left $20-plus million in unpaid loans. Julie Chrisley was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, and Todd Chrisley got 12 years behind bars. The couple was also ordered to pay $17.8 million in restitution.

“Your parents are going to be free and clean and I hope that we can do it by tomorrow,” Trump said in a call with their daughter, Savannah Chrisley, according to a video posted online by a White House aide. In a social media post, the aide declared, “Trump Knows Best!”

“They’ve been given a pretty harsh treatment based on what I’m hearing,” the president added a few moments later of the couple.

A White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss decisions that hadn't yet been made public, said the pardons would be forthcoming.

The move continues a pattern of Trump pardoning high-profile friends, supporters, donors and former staffers. On Monday, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sheriff-bribery-conviction-trump-pardon-3a35152ebb86d4ab4a2d3d018c0bda8e">pardoned</a>&nbsp;Scott Jenkins, a former Virginia sheriff who was sentenced to 10 years in prison after being convicted on fraud and bribery charges. The president posted online that Jenkins and his family “have been dragged through HELL by a Corrupt and Weaponized Biden DOJ.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669079805529.png" alt="Todd Chrisley, left, and his wife, Julie Chrisley, pose for photos at the 52nd annual Academy of Country Music Awards on April 2, 2017, in Las Vegas.. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)" />
 <figcaption>Todd Chrisley, left, and his wife, Julie Chrisley, pose for photos at the 52nd annual Academy of Country Music Awards on April 2, 2017, in Las Vegas.. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;announced Tuesday that he’s planning to pardon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/julie-todd-chrisley-fraud-tax-evasion-sentence-ea5d65c638f06cce3bd82fcfc2c5647c">TV stars</a>&nbsp;Todd and Julie Chrisley, famous for “Chrisley Knows Best,” a reality show that followed their tight-knit family and extravagant lifestyle that prosecutors said was boosted by bank fraud and hiding earnings from tax authorities.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">BREAKING! President Trump calls <a href="https://twitter.com/_ItsSavannah_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@_ItsSavannah_</a> to inform her that he will be granting full pardons to her parents, Todd and Julie Chrisley! Trump Knows Best! <a href="https://t.co/j5WPMOOQ7L">pic.twitter.com/j5WPMOOQ7L</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1927470034688839944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Chrisleys were convicted in 2022 of conspiring to defraud banks in the Atlanta area out of more than $30 million in loans by submitting false documents. They were also found guilty of tax evasion, obscuring their earnings while showcasing a luxurious way of living that authorities said included high-priced cars, designer clothes, real estate and travel.Prosecutors said the couple walked away from their responsibility for repayment when Todd Chrisley declared bankruptcy and left $20-plus million in unpaid loans. Julie Chrisley was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, and Todd Chrisley got 12 years behind bars. The couple was also ordered to pay $17.8 million in restitution.“Your parents are going to be free and clean and I hope that we can do it by tomorrow,” Trump said in a call with their daughter, Savannah Chrisley, according to a video posted online by a White House aide. In a social media post, the aide declared, “Trump Knows Best!”“They’ve been given a pretty harsh treatment based on what I’m hearing,” the president added a few moments later of the couple.A White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss decisions that hadn't yet been made public, said the pardons would be forthcoming.The move continues a pattern of Trump pardoning high-profile friends, supporters, donors and former staffers. On Monday, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sheriff-bribery-conviction-trump-pardon-3a35152ebb86d4ab4a2d3d018c0bda8e">pardoned</a>&nbsp;Scott Jenkins, a former Virginia sheriff who was sentenced to 10 years in prison after being convicted on fraud and bribery charges. The president posted online that Jenkins and his family “have been dragged through HELL by a Corrupt and Weaponized Biden DOJ.”The president has also moved to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/pardon/clemency-grants-president-donald-j-trump-2025-present">pardon Paul Walczak</a>, a Florida health care executive imprisoned on tax charges, whose mother helped expose the contents of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-diary-aimee-harris-fa1081c11b34a18f7d216f9cac8bf4e6">diary kept by Ashley Biden</a>, daughter of former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>. And, in April, he pardoned Nevada Republican&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-las-vegas-nevada-73278936d0baa571db1174aaf275d4c2">Michele Fiore</a>, who was awaiting sentencing on federal charges that she used money meant for a statue honoring a slain police officer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-indictment-fiore-council-judge-assembly-nevada-e7a7066c545cd0196cae734629713f4b">for personal costs</a>, including plastic surgery.The Chrisleys’ attorney, Alex Little, said the pardon “corrects a deep injustice and restores two devoted parents to their family and community.”“President Trump recognized what we’ve argued from the beginning: Todd and Julie were targeted because of their conservative values and high profile. Their prosecution was tainted by multiple constitutional violations and political bias,” Little said in a statement.Little's statement added, “Todd and Julie’s case is exactly why the pardon power exists. Thanks to President Trump, the Chrisley family can now begin healing and rebuilding their lives.”Before the Chrisleys became reality television stars, they, and a former business partner, submitted false documents to banks in the Atlanta area to obtain fraudulent loans, prosecutors said during their trial. They accused the couple of spending lavishly, then using new fraudulent loans to pay off old ones.A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last summer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/julie-todd-chrisley-fraud-tax-evasion-appeal-983ca240f0a631e075ef5dd911ebfe26">upheld the Chrisleys’ convictions</a>&nbsp;but found a legal error in how the trial judge had calculated Julie Chrisley’s sentence by holding her accountable for the entire bank fraud scheme. The appellate panel sent her case back to the lower court for resentencing.Savannah Chrisley spoke at the 2024 Republican National Convention, where she talked about her parents’ imprisonment. She said then that they were “persecuted by rogue prosecutors” — echoing Trump’s rhetoric about the criminal justice system as he faced investigations and criminal cases of his own.She said Trump had been targeted for his politics, and said her parents likewise were targeted because of their conservative beliefs and high profile.“I’ll never forget what the prosecutors said in the most heavily Democratic county in the state, before an Obama-appointed judge. He called us the ‘Trumps of the South,’” Savannah Chrisley said in her remarks at the convention, adding, “He meant it as an insult but, let me tell you, boy, do I wear it as a badge of honor.”___Associated Press writer Michelle L. Price contributed.