GLENDALE, ARIZONA&nbsp; —Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist&nbsp;and close ally of President Donald Trump who played an influential role in rallying young Republican voters, was shot and killed Wednesday at a Utah college event in what the governor called a political assassination carried out from a rooftop.

Turning Point USA, Kirk's conservative organization, will hold a memorial for him Sept. 21 at State Farm Stadium outside Phoenix, where the Arizona Cardinals play. <a href="https://www.fightforcharlie.com/">Click here for more details</a> on the service.

Kirk's casket arrived Thursday in his home state aboard Air Force Two, accompanied by Vice President JD Vance.

A vigil at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., was among numerous tributes to Kirk on Sunday. The line of mourners in Washington wrapped around the center.

Kirk also was memorialized at Dream City Church in Phoenix, where he hosted one of his “Freedom Night in America” gatherings. Attendees viewed clips of Kirk discussing his desire to be “remembered for courage for my faith.” Angel Barnett, a church pastor, called on the crowd to honor Kirk by carrying on his message.

Flowers, U.S. flags and handwritten messages were left at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shot-utah-valley-university-students-bc78cfd86a9911b44c9279e32be442bf">a makeshift memorial</a>&nbsp;at Utah Valley University’s main entrance. The school has said there will be increased security when classes resume Wednesday.

His widow, Erika Kirk, vowed to continue his campus tour and his radio and podcast shows.

“To everyone listening tonight across America, the movement my husband built will not die,” she said Friday in a livestreamed video. “It won’t. I refuse to let that happen.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757551583450.png" alt="Charlie Kirk photo White House" />
 <figcaption>Charlie Kirk photo White House</figcaption>
 </figure>GLENDALE, ARIZONA&nbsp; —Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist&nbsp;and close ally of President Donald Trump who played an influential role in rallying young Republican voters, was shot and killed Wednesday at a Utah college event in what the governor called a political assassination carried out from a rooftop.Turning Point USA, Kirk's conservative organization, will hold a memorial for him Sept. 21 at State Farm Stadium outside Phoenix, where the Arizona Cardinals play. <a href="https://www.fightforcharlie.com/">Click here for more details</a> on the service.Kirk's casket arrived Thursday in his home state aboard Air Force Two, accompanied by Vice President JD Vance.A vigil at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., was among numerous tributes to Kirk on Sunday. The line of mourners in Washington wrapped around the center.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WATCH: Complete remarks by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr at Charlie Kirk Memorial Service. <a href="https://t.co/RkJWmcguez">pic.twitter.com/RkJWmcguez</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1967397444494184684?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WATCH: Complete remarks by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard at Charlie Kirk Memorial Service. <a href="https://t.co/xEAD92D89E">pic.twitter.com/xEAD92D89E</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1967397150658056597?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Kirk also was memorialized at Dream City Church in Phoenix, where he hosted one of his “Freedom Night in America” gatherings. Attendees viewed clips of Kirk discussing his desire to be “remembered for courage for my faith.” Angel Barnett, a church pastor, called on the crowd to honor Kirk by carrying on his message.Flowers, U.S. flags and handwritten messages were left at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shot-utah-valley-university-students-bc78cfd86a9911b44c9279e32be442bf">a makeshift memorial</a>&nbsp;at Utah Valley University’s main entrance. The school has said there will be increased security when classes resume Wednesday.His widow, Erika Kirk, vowed to continue his campus tour and his radio and podcast shows.“To everyone listening tonight across America, the movement my husband built will not die,” she said Friday in a livestreamed video. “It won’t. I refuse to let that happen.”

🎥Vigils nationwide, funeral service details for Charlie Kirk

By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH and ANDREW DEMILLO&nbsp;

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Around 50 college campuses across the country have been deluged in recent weeks with hoax calls about armed gunmen and other violence, laying bare the challenges of detecting fake threats quickly to prevent mass panic.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/active-shooter-calls-hoaxes-arkansas-villanova-iowa-7fae16fae9025cf421acb6115c30c3d3">Students at some schools spent hours</a>&nbsp;hiding under desks, only to find out later it was someone’s idea of a entertainment. On Thursday, several&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/threat-hbcu-lockdown-charlie-kirk-university-school-threats-9bbb5a44eb3c1d9de1fd2b0e298ce452">historically Black colleges</a>&nbsp;locked down or canceled classes after receiving threats, at a time when the fatal shooting of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shot-utah-turning-point-e771e3967d5a6024f7cf84d5e0228fed">conservative activist Charlie Kirk</a>&nbsp;at a Utah college had campuses newly on edge.

In other cases, schools figured out early that something was amiss, but even then it took time and resources.

The FBI is investigating, but so far there have been no arrests.

Dispatch call centers often are the last lines of defense to swatters, a burden in an era of mass shootings, including one this week at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/colorado-high-school-shooting-evergreen-6ab8dd48ce8497c79174669f1c902e49">suburban Denver high school</a>&nbsp;and another two weeks ago at a Catholic church in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-shooting-vigil-children-killed-c3c31d801273c77f32676f6baf8ec4f4">Minneapolis</a>&nbsp;that killed two schoolchildren and injured 21 people.

“We have so many mass shootings in this country and so many young people die,” said Wendy Via, co-founder and CEO of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism. “And so you can’t just blow it off because there has been a bunch of hoaxes.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hoax-school-shootings-explainer-swatting-439046152b9c3db45bfbfd8c10321c28">The goal of swatting</a>&nbsp;is to get authorities, particularly a SWAT team, to respond to an address and has roots in fake bomb threats that have been around for decades.

Some of the earliest swats stemmed from online gaming disputes. But gradually they became connected to nihilistic groups, which often conduct the calls in mass batches, trading tips in online forums on how to avoid detection.

The FBI said swatting is on the rise. Since a center was created in 2023 to gather details on swatting incidents, hundreds of law enforcement agencies have voluntarily submitted thousands of incidents, the FBI said.

Swatting has become so prevalent that the U.S. Department of Education offered&nbsp;<a href="https://rems.ed.gov/docs/WA_Swatting.pdf">guidance</a>&nbsp;on how to spot hoax calls. Clues include if the caller can’t answer follow-up questions about their phone number or current location, or mispronounces names.

Purgatory, a group affiliated with The Com, which is a loose network of online threat actors, has been linked to some of the recent swats, according to reports from the&nbsp;<a href="https://globalextremism.org/post/gpahe-uncovers-group-claiming-to-be-behind-string-of-university-swatting-calls/">Global Project Against Hate and Extremism</a>, an Alabama-based nonprofit that tracks extremist groups online, and the nonprofit Center for Internet Security and Institute for Strategic Dialogue. The FBI declined to comment on the reports.

On more than two hours of livestreams captured by the nonprofits and provided to The Associated Press, the caller’s friends can be heard in the background laughing, belching and taking breaks to rap.

Keven Hendricks, a cyber crime expert who teaches law enforcement about investigating swatting, said the calls “shake your faith”

“We want there to be a reason they were doing it,” he said. “And they were doing it for the LOLs.”

One swatting attempt last month at Kansas State University serves as a case study of sorts on spotting a swat.

There were clues from the start that something was amiss. The first red flag was that it wasn't a 911 call, said Major Daryl Ascher, of the Riley County Police Department. Police declined to provide their own recording of the call, but Ascher confirmed many of the details.

Emergency calls are geolocated, meaning someone calling 911 outside the targeted area won’t get through because it will be directed to the dispatch center closest to their location. Swatters instead resort to calling non-emergency police numbers.

“That should be a dead giveaway,” said Don Beeler, chief executive officer of TDR Technology Solutions, which tracks swatting calls and offers technology to prevent them. “You're not going to look it up if you are in an emergency. That's just not how the human brain works.”

He said that if its system detects a suspicious call like that, it is transferred to an automated recording that tells the caller to hang up and dial 911.

On the technical side, halting calls made using voice over internet protocol technology, or VoIP, from being made from behind virtual private networks would stop most swats, said Hendricks, who has been swatted himself.

The next clue was that the swatter got the Manhattan, Kansas, school’s name slightly wrong, calling it Kansas City State University, referencing a city around 120 miles (193 kilometers) away.

“Obviously, if you were from Manhattan or attending a university, you would know the name of the university,” Ascher said.

As a giggling throng listened on messaging platform Telegram, the swatter then described a man armed with an AR-15 prowling the university’s library, a description that was nearly identical to the calls flooding other university towns. The gunfire that peppered the call also was a tip-off because it “sounded like it was from a TV," Ascher said.

On the livestream, the clearly skeptical dispatcher asked why the caller couldn't see the purported gunman when the shots sounded so close to him and why other 911 calls weren't flooding in.

“I’m not sure ma’am. I’m not sure if they have a phone or not,” the caller answered.

Officers still were dispatched to the library. Ascher provided no details on how many or their tactics, but said dispatchers kept them informed of the potential it was a hoax.

“I often wonder if people don’t have something better to do,” Ascher said, pausing. “It is just very taxing on law enforcement.”

The worry is that hoaxes will create complacency at campuses where active shooter alerts and drills have become a regular part of life.

“I hope we’re not desensitized enough to this enough to the point where we don’t take these alerts seriously anymore,” said Miceala Morano, a 21-year-old senior journalism major, who took cover after a recent threat at the University of Arkansas. “Unfortunately, it still is a very real possibility.”

DeMillo reported from Little Rock, Arkansas

By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH and ANDREW DEMILLO&nbsp;MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Around 50 college campuses across the country have been deluged in recent weeks with hoax calls about armed gunmen and other violence, laying bare the challenges of detecting fake threats quickly to prevent mass panic.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/active-shooter-calls-hoaxes-arkansas-villanova-iowa-7fae16fae9025cf421acb6115c30c3d3">Students at some schools spent hours</a>&nbsp;hiding under desks, only to find out later it was someone’s idea of a entertainment. On Thursday, several&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/threat-hbcu-lockdown-charlie-kirk-university-school-threats-9bbb5a44eb3c1d9de1fd2b0e298ce452">historically Black colleges</a>&nbsp;locked down or canceled classes after receiving threats, at a time when the fatal shooting of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shot-utah-turning-point-e771e3967d5a6024f7cf84d5e0228fed">conservative activist Charlie Kirk</a>&nbsp;at a Utah college had campuses newly on edge.In other cases, schools figured out early that something was amiss, but even then it took time and resources.The FBI is investigating, but so far there have been no arrests.Dispatch call centers often are the last lines of defense to swatters, a burden in an era of mass shootings, including one this week at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/colorado-high-school-shooting-evergreen-6ab8dd48ce8497c79174669f1c902e49">suburban Denver high school</a>&nbsp;and another two weeks ago at a Catholic church in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-shooting-vigil-children-killed-c3c31d801273c77f32676f6baf8ec4f4">Minneapolis</a>&nbsp;that killed two schoolchildren and injured 21 people.“We have so many mass shootings in this country and so many young people die,” said Wendy Via, co-founder and CEO of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism. “And so you can’t just blow it off because there has been a bunch of hoaxes.”<h2>Swatting calls are on the rise</h2><a href="https://apnews.com/article/hoax-school-shootings-explainer-swatting-439046152b9c3db45bfbfd8c10321c28">The goal of swatting</a>&nbsp;is to get authorities, particularly a SWAT team, to respond to an address and has roots in fake bomb threats that have been around for decades.Some of the earliest swats stemmed from online gaming disputes. But gradually they became connected to nihilistic groups, which often conduct the calls in mass batches, trading tips in online forums on how to avoid detection.The FBI said swatting is on the rise. Since a center was created in 2023 to gather details on swatting incidents, hundreds of law enforcement agencies have voluntarily submitted thousands of incidents, the FBI said.Swatting has become so prevalent that the U.S. Department of Education offered&nbsp;<a href="https://rems.ed.gov/docs/WA_Swatting.pdf">guidance</a>&nbsp;on how to spot hoax calls. Clues include if the caller can’t answer follow-up questions about their phone number or current location, or mispronounces names.<h2>Some swats linked to the group Purgatory</h2>Purgatory, a group affiliated with The Com, which is a loose network of online threat actors, has been linked to some of the recent swats, according to reports from the&nbsp;<a href="https://globalextremism.org/post/gpahe-uncovers-group-claiming-to-be-behind-string-of-university-swatting-calls/">Global Project Against Hate and Extremism</a>, an Alabama-based nonprofit that tracks extremist groups online, and the nonprofit Center for Internet Security and Institute for Strategic Dialogue. The FBI declined to comment on the reports.On more than two hours of livestreams captured by the nonprofits and provided to The Associated Press, the caller’s friends can be heard in the background laughing, belching and taking breaks to rap.Keven Hendricks, a cyber crime expert who teaches law enforcement about investigating swatting, said the calls “shake your faith”“We want there to be a reason they were doing it,” he said. “And they were doing it for the LOLs.”<h2>Spotting a swat</h2>One swatting attempt last month at Kansas State University serves as a case study of sorts on spotting a swat.There were clues from the start that something was amiss. The first red flag was that it wasn't a 911 call, said Major Daryl Ascher, of the Riley County Police Department. Police declined to provide their own recording of the call, but Ascher confirmed many of the details.Emergency calls are geolocated, meaning someone calling 911 outside the targeted area won’t get through because it will be directed to the dispatch center closest to their location. Swatters instead resort to calling non-emergency police numbers.“That should be a dead giveaway,” said Don Beeler, chief executive officer of TDR Technology Solutions, which tracks swatting calls and offers technology to prevent them. “You're not going to look it up if you are in an emergency. That's just not how the human brain works.”He said that if its system detects a suspicious call like that, it is transferred to an automated recording that tells the caller to hang up and dial 911.On the technical side, halting calls made using voice over internet protocol technology, or VoIP, from being made from behind virtual private networks would stop most swats, said Hendricks, who has been swatted himself.<h2>Dispatchers look for clues</h2>The next clue was that the swatter got the Manhattan, Kansas, school’s name slightly wrong, calling it Kansas City State University, referencing a city around 120 miles (193 kilometers) away.“Obviously, if you were from Manhattan or attending a university, you would know the name of the university,” Ascher said.As a giggling throng listened on messaging platform Telegram, the swatter then described a man armed with an AR-15 prowling the university’s library, a description that was nearly identical to the calls flooding other university towns. The gunfire that peppered the call also was a tip-off because it “sounded like it was from a TV," Ascher said.On the livestream, the clearly skeptical dispatcher asked why the caller couldn't see the purported gunman when the shots sounded so close to him and why other 911 calls weren't flooding in.“I’m not sure ma’am. I’m not sure if they have a phone or not,” the caller answered.Officers still were dispatched to the library. Ascher provided no details on how many or their tactics, but said dispatchers kept them informed of the potential it was a hoax.“I often wonder if people don’t have something better to do,” Ascher said, pausing. “It is just very taxing on law enforcement.”It's also been taxing on students.The worry is that hoaxes will create complacency at campuses where active shooter alerts and drills have become a regular part of life.“I hope we’re not desensitized enough to this enough to the point where we don’t take these alerts seriously anymore,” said Miceala Morano, a 21-year-old senior journalism major, who took cover after a recent threat at the University of Arkansas. “Unfortunately, it still is a very real possibility.”___DeMillo reported from Little Rock, Arkansas

Waves of fake threats to colleges put students on edge, test dispatchers

FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) — A suspect on trial for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shooting-gunshots-florida-f62f8378d3a8ce7b2e99d6a8fb40aba9">trying to assassinate</a>&nbsp;President Donald Trump while he played golf in South Florida last year forfeited his right to continue making an opening statement on Thursday when he veered off topic and talked about Adolf Hitler and the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-routh-assassination-attempt-ukraine-suspicions-florida-530098c668f283d8a38eb5dd5570f1b2">Ryan Routh</a>, who is representing himself, was warned by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon to stay on topic. The judge twice asked jurors to leave the courtroom so she could deal with the unconventional turn in Routh’s opening statement.

Both Routh and prosecutors had been given 40 minutes each to make opening statements, but Routh’s initial argument, read from a written statement, lasted less than 10 minutes before the judge said he had forfeited the right to continue because he was addressing unrelated matters.

“I gave you one more chance and you continued to read what has no relevance for this case,” Cannon said.

During the prosecution’s opening statement, Assistant U.S. Attorney John Shipley told jurors that Routh wanted to make sure that Trump wasn’t re-elected to the White House.

“This plot was carefully crafted and deadly serious,” Shipley said.

Routh has pleaded not guilty to charges of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fbi-assassination-attempt-indictment-b4c956e1a126e4acfb3c4eae0c06ddb1">attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate</a>, assaulting a federal officer and several firearm violations.

<a href="https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va7Tv2j59PwNEyqGCi1y" target="_blank">▶ Stay up to date with the latest U.S. news by signing up to our WhatsApp channel.</a>

Prosecutors have said Routh, 59, methodically plotted to kill Trump for weeks before aiming a rifle through the shrubbery as Trump played golf on Sept. 15, 2024, at his West Palm Beach country club. A Secret Service agent spotted Routh before Trump came into view. Officials said Routh aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire, causing Routh to drop his weapon and flee without firing a shot.

Just nine weeks earlier, Trump had survived&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-butler-assassination-attempt-anniversary-crooks-d18804b0e1382003bbb91449638c721c">another attempt</a>&nbsp;on his life while campaigning in Pennsylvania. That gunman had fired eight shots, with one bullet grazing Trump’s ear, before being shot by a Secret Service counter sniper.

Five witnesses testified Thursday, including two Secret Service agents, two FBI agents and a witness who followed Routh in his car after the shooting so he could write down his license plate.

Tommy McGee, the witness, testified that he was driving by the golf course when he heard the gunshot and saw a man running out of bushes into the street, almost hitting his car. McGee said the suspect looked at him straight in the eye. Once the suspect jumped in a car and fled, McGee said, he followed him out of a desire to help the police, not realizing that Trump was involved.

Routh asked only a few questions of the witnesses on cross-examination, and when he did he referred to himself in the third-person, leading to some awkward exchanges with Secret Service Agent Robert Fercano, who had spotted him in the bushes. Routh asked the agent if he had been harmed by what happened, and Fercano replied, “I wasn’t physically harmed, but I was mentally harmed from you pointing a gun at me.”

Fercano described being in a golf cart only five feet (1.5 meters) from Routh when he saw him pointing a gun from the bushes.

The trial began nearly a year after prosecutors say Fercano thwarted the attempt to shoot the Republican presidential nominee. It’s expected to run two or three weeks. The trial’s start comes as police&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/charlie-kirk-shooting-response-updates">search for the gunman</a>&nbsp;who killed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-conservative-activist-shot-546165a8151104e0938a5e085be1e8bd">conservative influencer Charlie Kirk</a>&nbsp;at a campus in Utah on Wednesday in what political leaders are calling an assassination.

Cannon is a Trump-appointed judge who drew scrutiny for her handling of a criminal case accusing Trump of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-indictment-classified-documents-miami-8315a5b23c18f27083ed64eef21efff3">illegally storing classified documents</a>&nbsp;at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach.

Routh was a North Carolina construction worker who in recent years had moved to Hawaii. A self-styled mercenary leader, Routh spoke out to anyone who would listen about his dangerous, sometimes violent plans to insert himself into conflicts around the world, witnesses have told The Associated Press.

In the early days of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ukraine">war in Ukraine</a>, Routh tried to recruit soldiers from Afghanistan, Moldova and Taiwan to fight the Russians. In his native Greensboro, North Carolina, he was arrested in 2002 for eluding a traffic stop and barricading himself from officers with a fully automatic machine gun and a “weapon of mass destruction,” which turned out to be an explosive with a 10-inch (25.4-cm) fuse.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726536262473.png" alt="Routh during his arrest -photo Martin County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Routh during his arrest -photo Martin County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) — A suspect on trial for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shooting-gunshots-florida-f62f8378d3a8ce7b2e99d6a8fb40aba9">trying to assassinate</a>&nbsp;President Donald Trump while he played golf in South Florida last year forfeited his right to continue making an opening statement on Thursday when he veered off topic and talked about Adolf Hitler and the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-routh-assassination-attempt-ukraine-suspicions-florida-530098c668f283d8a38eb5dd5570f1b2">Ryan Routh</a>, who is representing himself, was warned by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon to stay on topic. The judge twice asked jurors to leave the courtroom so she could deal with the unconventional turn in Routh’s opening statement.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741357051491.png" alt="Routh photo Palm Beach County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Routh photo Palm Beach County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>Both Routh and prosecutors had been given 40 minutes each to make opening statements, but Routh’s initial argument, read from a written statement, lasted less than 10 minutes before the judge said he had forfeited the right to continue because he was addressing unrelated matters.“I gave you one more chance and you continued to read what has no relevance for this case,” Cannon said.During the prosecution’s opening statement, Assistant U.S. Attorney John Shipley told jurors that Routh wanted to make sure that Trump wasn’t re-elected to the White House.“This plot was carefully crafted and deadly serious,” Shipley said.Routh has pleaded not guilty to charges of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fbi-assassination-attempt-indictment-b4c956e1a126e4acfb3c4eae0c06ddb1">attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate</a>, assaulting a federal officer and several firearm violations.<a href="https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va7Tv2j59PwNEyqGCi1y" target="_blank">▶ Stay up to date with the latest U.S. news by signing up to our WhatsApp channel.</a>Prosecutors have said Routh, 59, methodically plotted to kill Trump for weeks before aiming a rifle through the shrubbery as Trump played golf on Sept. 15, 2024, at his West Palm Beach country club. A Secret Service agent spotted Routh before Trump came into view. Officials said Routh aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire, causing Routh to drop his weapon and flee without firing a shot.Just nine weeks earlier, Trump had survived&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-butler-assassination-attempt-anniversary-crooks-d18804b0e1382003bbb91449638c721c">another attempt</a>&nbsp;on his life while campaigning in Pennsylvania. That gunman had fired eight shots, with one bullet grazing Trump’s ear, before being shot by a Secret Service counter sniper.Five witnesses testified Thursday, including two Secret Service agents, two FBI agents and a witness who followed Routh in his car after the shooting so he could write down his license plate.Tommy McGee, the witness, testified that he was driving by the golf course when he heard the gunshot and saw a man running out of bushes into the street, almost hitting his car. McGee said the suspect looked at him straight in the eye. Once the suspect jumped in a car and fled, McGee said, he followed him out of a desire to help the police, not realizing that Trump was involved.Routh asked only a few questions of the witnesses on cross-examination, and when he did he referred to himself in the third-person, leading to some awkward exchanges with Secret Service Agent Robert Fercano, who had spotted him in the bushes. Routh asked the agent if he had been harmed by what happened, and Fercano replied, “I wasn’t physically harmed, but I was mentally harmed from you pointing a gun at me.”Fercano described being in a golf cart only five feet (1.5 meters) from Routh when he saw him pointing a gun from the bushes.The trial began nearly a year after prosecutors say Fercano thwarted the attempt to shoot the Republican presidential nominee. It’s expected to run two or three weeks. The trial’s start comes as police&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/charlie-kirk-shooting-response-updates">search for the gunman</a>&nbsp;who killed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-conservative-activist-shot-546165a8151104e0938a5e085be1e8bd">conservative influencer Charlie Kirk</a>&nbsp;at a campus in Utah on Wednesday in what political leaders are calling an assassination.Cannon is a Trump-appointed judge who drew scrutiny for her handling of a criminal case accusing Trump of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-indictment-classified-documents-miami-8315a5b23c18f27083ed64eef21efff3">illegally storing classified documents</a>&nbsp;at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach.Routh was a North Carolina construction worker who in recent years had moved to Hawaii. A self-styled mercenary leader, Routh spoke out to anyone who would listen about his dangerous, sometimes violent plans to insert himself into conflicts around the world, witnesses have told The Associated Press.In the early days of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ukraine">war in Ukraine</a>, Routh tried to recruit soldiers from Afghanistan, Moldova and Taiwan to fight the Russians. In his native Greensboro, North Carolina, he was arrested in 2002 for eluding a traffic stop and barricading himself from officers with a fully automatic machine gun and a “weapon of mass destruction,” which turned out to be an explosive with a 10-inch (25.4-cm) fuse.

Wild opening statement in Trump assassination attempt trial

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

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

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757688394051.png" alt="Three day weather forecast Salina, September 12 - September 14. Courtesy of US National Weather Service" />
 <figcaption>Three day weather forecast Salina, September 12 - September 14. Courtesy of US National Weather Service</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Salina&amp;state=KS&amp;site=ICT&amp;lat=38.8158&amp;lon=-97.6178">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>Monitor local weather updates frequently in multiple ways by listening to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/nwr/">NOAA Weather Radio</a>, checking local news and emergency notifications. You can also stay informed by following Saline County and the National Weather Service on social media.For the latest forecast updates, visit the National Weather Service Wichita office at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/ict/">https://www.weather.gov/ict/</a>. To check forecasts frequently, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/">weather.gov</a>.

Three day weather forecast Salina, September 12 - September 14

ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR DAVE TOUB

Q: Can you talk about the field goal in the first half and how do you coach that?

TOUB:&nbsp;“There’s a lot of things that are involved in that. I mean, we have (Statistical Analysis Coordinator) Mike Frazier our analytics guy, he talks to us all the time about what happens if you get tackled and you get knocked back and the clock keeps running. He talks about the timing stuff all the time with the whole team. (Head Coach Andy Reid) Coach gives me a lot of time in training camp and OTAs to work on those little things and the situational stuff that can come up, and we practice fast-field-goal, we call it ‘Mayday’, we practice that a lot and it doesn’t happen very often. It’s a situation – I mean, there’s a lot of things that have to happen, for that to happen. When he (Noah Gray) got knocked back and didn’t get out of bounds going forward, we knew right away. Everybody was on the same page, everybody knew, including Noah, that we had to go – we had to go ‘Mayday’. And everybody did a great job with it, including the guys that had to report. And (with) Noah (Gray) running the ball out and putting it down and us not changing the ball, not getting the ball changed. We kicked a quarterback ball, we didn’t kick a kicking ball (and) that might have kept us from getting a shot at it. A whole lot of credit to everybody, the operation went smoothly and (Harrison) Butker nailed it. It was good to get three points right there.”&nbsp;

Q: What are the Philadelphia Eagles special teams like?

TOUB:&nbsp;“We do have a game coming up (laughter). The (Philadelphia) Eagles are good, I mean obviously, they’re World Champions. They play really hard, (they’re) very well-coached. (Special Teams Coordinator) Coach (Michael) Clay does a great job with them. They (have) got a lot of guys back when you look at them. (Eagles RB Will) Shipley was a returner, (but) we don’t know about him. He was injured yesterday so we’re not sure (that) he’s going to play. They did sign (Eagles RB/KR) Tank (Bigsby), so he’s a returner, so we think we’re going to get him back there in kick return. The punter, (Eagles P Braden) Mann is excellent, (and) the kicker (Eagles K Jake) Elliot, he’s got good range. (They’re) just a well-coached group that we’ll have to get ready for.”

Q: What did you see from the kick returners in Week 1?

TOUB:&nbsp;“I really liked Tyquan’s (Thornton) return, and then obviously (Xavier) Worthy got hurt, so we had to take him out of that, (and) now he’s like the third or second wide receiver, so it’s going to be tough to use him back there now. So, we’re going to have to dig down into our depth a little bit this week and have some different guys back there. Brashard (Smith), he had a couple nice returns. He had a nice one (where) he probably should have stayed in the endzone, fake the ball up the 35 (yard-line) but he got it out to the 35 (yard-line), so that was nice.”

Q: How do you establish the run game?

NAGY:&nbsp;“Well, the simple (and) obvious answer is being able to be better when we run it whether it’s the scheme or the execution, you tie it together. It’s a credit to their (Los Angeles Chargers) defense, they did a good job in some of the stuff that they wanted to do. Really in football in general, the more balanced you are, and especially when you look at a team like Philadelphia, it’s always going to help. But if we’re throwing the ball well, we’ll stick with it (or) if we’re running it well. And then there’s that balance of mixing the two, but you’re right, we want to be able to be more balanced when we can, but we also want to continue to just trust each other and use what’s best in that game.”

Q: What makes Tyquan Thornton ready for his role?

NAGY:&nbsp;“What tells me he’s (Tyquan Thornton) ready is what he’s done in training camp. The whole entire time he’s been ready. For the guys that we have in that room right now, I said it in training camp, ‘the depth that we have from top to bottom is one of the best I’ve ever been around’, from top to bottom, one through six with all the guys when they’re there. It starts to get depleted a little bit with the injuries and other stuff that’s going on but that said, we have guys, they’re on our roster for a reason, and they’ve done a great job. And so now they get their opportunity to show who they are, and I think the biggest thing is the trust. We (have) got to keep working that trust and then when you get an opportunity, you make a play. Tyquan (Thornton) did that on that one corner route. You know he made a great play with the ball in the air, so we want to keep that going.”

Q: From an execution, discipline and mentality perspective, what do you need to see from this offense on Sunday?

NAGY:&nbsp;“All of that from the very first play. The energy (and) the execution is very, very simple. The energy is organic. It can’t be fake energy and it’s not going to need to be in this game. (Philadelphia Eagles Defensive Coordinator) Coach (Vic) Fangio, we all have a ton of respect for and what he does. He does what he does and he’s going to have some curveballs and changeups that he throws at you. But in the end, it’s about playing football fast and whoever does that better, and I think a fast start, playing fast (and) being able to be aggressive (while) mixing all that together, you’ll have good results. And so we’re really looking forward to the challenge.”

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR STEVE SPAGNUOLO

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“I just wanted to open today is September 11th, and (it is) a monumental day in this country. So, we haven’t forgotten about that, and (when) I get a chance (I’ll) mention it to the players this afternoon because none of them were born around then. I remember, I was in Philadelphia. It was a pretty traumatic day. With that, I’ll just kind of open it up. I mean, I’m only going to go back real quick in saying none of us defensively were real happy with the way we played last week and certainly hope to be much better this week and the whole focus of this week is to chase improvement, which is what we do, win, lose, or draw. But especially this week when you don’t perform real well in the previous week. With that, I’ll just open it up.”

Q: The defense had a hard time with pressure early on. Was it because you were looking for the running game?

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“You might have hit on something right there because quite frankly going into the game we all felt like they were going to establish the run first. To their credit, they kind of shifted gears right from the beginning. Maybe it threw us off a little bit but that’s football. We did talk a lot about in the first game of the season or in the first quarter of the season, it’s going to be about adjusting in game. Maybe we could’ve adjusted a little bit quicker. I thought we did a nice job coming out of the locker room in the second half where we needed a three and out and we got that. Actually, the second drive we kind of got a second, three and out. But there wasn’t enough good plays. When we talked after the game in the locker room and I think our guys are great. We all felt like everybody took a turn making a mistake, myself included. There was about four or five calls I would have liked to have had back. I think every player to a man said the same thing. So, if we can eliminate those, we’ll be better off.”

Q: On the challenge of playing the Eagles.

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Yeah, I wish the other part of it was a little bit better. I always look at the point total and I certainly didn’t like the point total. We did play them pretty good for three and a half quarters, here in (GEHA Field at) Arrowhead (Stadium) the last time we played, (there) were different people (and a) different offensive coordinator. I got a great deal of respect for this team, the organization, the quarterback, all the skill they have and the running back. There’s a lot of pieces there to defend and we didn’t have a good game last week, so it’s time for us to put us all together too.”

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Yeah, it seems like we play one of these quarterbacks every week. I mean, the guy (Chargers QB Justin Herbert) we just got done playing he’s a really good athlete. I give him a lot of credit for what he did with his legs. The guy (Eagles QB Jalen Hurts) we are getting ready to play this week is elite at that. We’ll talk till we’re blue in the face about pass rush lanes and containing and we’ll have some things that we hope will take that away. Part of the whole, you know in football, with the spy, however (or) whatever you want to call it. You got to get them in those situations, when you’re in first and second down you can’t be spying people because they’re going to run the ball right at you. So, we got to try to dictate it somehow by having some negative plays on first and second down and get things kind of steered in our direction.”

Q:&nbsp;What should the response be from the defense this week?

JONES:&nbsp;“Listen, I think the energy in the building is great. Everybody (is) excited to be back in (GEHA Field at) Arrowhead (Stadium) (and) to be back at home. The energy is good. The energy is good, everybody has a positive mind frame of (the) Philadelphia Eagles coming into town. We still have a bad taste in our mouth from the Super Bowl. So, everyone is in a good space.”

Q:&nbsp;What do you have to be mindful of when playing against Jalen Hurts?

JONES:&nbsp;“Just our lanes in rushing the passer. Got to be aggressive on rushing the passer, more aggressive than we were the first game of the season. We (are) going to put that behind us, and we got a lot of skillset guys in our room that we got to be aggressive in rushing the passer and making sure we take the quarterback down.”

Q:&nbsp;What is it like playing against the defending Super Bowl champions and how is your energy higher going into the game?

Chiefs Coordinator QuotesSeptember 11, 2025ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR DAVE TOUBQ: Can you talk about the field goal in the first half and how do you coach that?TOUB:&nbsp;“There’s a lot of things that are involved in that. I mean, we have (Statistical Analysis Coordinator) Mike Frazier our analytics guy, he talks to us all the time about what happens if you get tackled and you get knocked back and the clock keeps running. He talks about the timing stuff all the time with the whole team. (Head Coach Andy Reid) Coach gives me a lot of time in training camp and OTAs to work on those little things and the situational stuff that can come up, and we practice fast-field-goal, we call it ‘Mayday’, we practice that a lot and it doesn’t happen very often. It’s a situation – I mean, there’s a lot of things that have to happen, for that to happen. When he (Noah Gray) got knocked back and didn’t get out of bounds going forward, we knew right away. Everybody was on the same page, everybody knew, including Noah, that we had to go – we had to go ‘Mayday’. And everybody did a great job with it, including the guys that had to report. And (with) Noah (Gray) running the ball out and putting it down and us not changing the ball, not getting the ball changed. We kicked a quarterback ball, we didn’t kick a kicking ball (and) that might have kept us from getting a shot at it. A whole lot of credit to everybody, the operation went smoothly and (Harrison) Butker nailed it. It was good to get three points right there.”&nbsp;Q: What are the Philadelphia Eagles special teams like?TOUB:&nbsp;“We do have a game coming up (laughter). The (Philadelphia) Eagles are good, I mean obviously, they’re World Champions. They play really hard, (they’re) very well-coached. (Special Teams Coordinator) Coach (Michael) Clay does a great job with them. They (have) got a lot of guys back when you look at them. (Eagles RB Will) Shipley was a returner, (but) we don’t know about him. He was injured yesterday so we’re not sure (that) he’s going to play. They did sign (Eagles RB/KR) Tank (Bigsby), so he’s a returner, so we think we’re going to get him back there in kick return. The punter, (Eagles P Braden) Mann is excellent, (and) the kicker (Eagles K Jake) Elliot, he’s got good range. (They’re) just a well-coached group that we’ll have to get ready for.”Q: What did you see from the kick returners in Week 1?TOUB:&nbsp;“I really liked Tyquan’s (Thornton) return, and then obviously (Xavier) Worthy got hurt, so we had to take him out of that, (and) now he’s like the third or second wide receiver, so it’s going to be tough to use him back there now. So, we’re going to have to dig down into our depth a little bit this week and have some different guys back there. Brashard (Smith), he had a couple nice returns. He had a nice one (where) he probably should have stayed in the endzone, fake the ball up the 35 (yard-line) but he got it out to the 35 (yard-line), so that was nice.”OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR MATT NAGYQ: How do you establish the run game?NAGY:&nbsp;“Well, the simple (and) obvious answer is being able to be better when we run it whether it’s the scheme or the execution, you tie it together. It’s a credit to their (Los Angeles Chargers) defense, they did a good job in some of the stuff that they wanted to do. Really in football in general, the more balanced you are, and especially when you look at a team like Philadelphia, it’s always going to help. But if we’re throwing the ball well, we’ll stick with it (or) if we’re running it well. And then there’s that balance of mixing the two, but you’re right, we want to be able to be more balanced when we can, but we also want to continue to just trust each other and use what’s best in that game.”Q: What makes Tyquan Thornton ready for his role?NAGY:&nbsp;“What tells me he’s (Tyquan Thornton) ready is what he’s done in training camp. The whole entire time he’s been ready. For the guys that we have in that room right now, I said it in training camp, ‘the depth that we have from top to bottom is one of the best I’ve ever been around’, from top to bottom, one through six with all the guys when they’re there. It starts to get depleted a little bit with the injuries and other stuff that’s going on but that said, we have guys, they’re on our roster for a reason, and they’ve done a great job. And so now they get their opportunity to show who they are, and I think the biggest thing is the trust. We (have) got to keep working that trust and then when you get an opportunity, you make a play. Tyquan (Thornton) did that on that one corner route. You know he made a great play with the ball in the air, so we want to keep that going.”Q: From an execution, discipline and mentality perspective, what do you need to see from this offense on Sunday?NAGY:&nbsp;“All of that from the very first play. The energy (and) the execution is very, very simple. The energy is organic. It can’t be fake energy and it’s not going to need to be in this game. (Philadelphia Eagles Defensive Coordinator) Coach (Vic) Fangio, we all have a ton of respect for and what he does. He does what he does and he’s going to have some curveballs and changeups that he throws at you. But in the end, it’s about playing football fast and whoever does that better, and I think a fast start, playing fast (and) being able to be aggressive (while) mixing all that together, you’ll have good results. And so we’re really looking forward to the challenge.”DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR STEVE SPAGNUOLOOPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“I just wanted to open today is September 11th, and (it is) a monumental day in this country. So, we haven’t forgotten about that, and (when) I get a chance (I’ll) mention it to the players this afternoon because none of them were born around then. I remember, I was in Philadelphia. It was a pretty traumatic day. With that, I’ll just kind of open it up. I mean, I’m only going to go back real quick in saying none of us defensively were real happy with the way we played last week and certainly hope to be much better this week and the whole focus of this week is to chase improvement, which is what we do, win, lose, or draw. But especially this week when you don’t perform real well in the previous week. With that, I’ll just open it up.”Q: The defense had a hard time with pressure early on. Was it because you were looking for the running game?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“You might have hit on something right there because quite frankly going into the game we all felt like they were going to establish the run first. To their credit, they kind of shifted gears right from the beginning. Maybe it threw us off a little bit but that’s football. We did talk a lot about in the first game of the season or in the first quarter of the season, it’s going to be about adjusting in game. Maybe we could’ve adjusted a little bit quicker. I thought we did a nice job coming out of the locker room in the second half where we needed a three and out and we got that. Actually, the second drive we kind of got a second, three and out. But there wasn’t enough good plays. When we talked after the game in the locker room and I think our guys are great. We all felt like everybody took a turn making a mistake, myself included. There was about four or five calls I would have liked to have had back. I think every player to a man said the same thing. So, if we can eliminate those, we’ll be better off.”Q: On the challenge of playing the Eagles.SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Yeah, I wish the other part of it was a little bit better. I always look at the point total and I certainly didn’t like the point total. We did play them pretty good for three and a half quarters, here in (GEHA Field at) Arrowhead (Stadium) the last time we played, (there) were different people (and a) different offensive coordinator. I got a great deal of respect for this team, the organization, the quarterback, all the skill they have and the running back. There’s a lot of pieces there to defend and we didn’t have a good game last week, so it’s time for us to put us all together too.”Q: On defending Jalen Hurts.SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“Yeah, it seems like we play one of these quarterbacks every week. I mean, the guy (Chargers QB Justin Herbert) we just got done playing he’s a really good athlete. I give him a lot of credit for what he did with his legs. The guy (Eagles QB Jalen Hurts) we are getting ready to play this week is elite at that. We’ll talk till we’re blue in the face about pass rush lanes and containing and we’ll have some things that we hope will take that away. Part of the whole, you know in football, with the spy, however (or) whatever you want to call it. You got to get them in those situations, when you’re in first and second down you can’t be spying people because they’re going to run the ball right at you. So, we got to try to dictate it somehow by having some negative plays on first and second down and get things kind of steered in our direction.”Chiefs Player QuotesSeptember 11, 2025DT CHRIS JONESQ:&nbsp;What should the response be from the defense this week?JONES:&nbsp;“Listen, I think the energy in the building is great. Everybody (is) excited to be back in (GEHA Field at) Arrowhead (Stadium) (and) to be back at home. The energy is good. The energy is good, everybody has a positive mind frame of (the) Philadelphia Eagles coming into town. We still have a bad taste in our mouth from the Super Bowl. So, everyone is in a good space.”Q:&nbsp;What do you have to be mindful of when playing against Jalen Hurts?JONES:&nbsp;“Just our lanes in rushing the passer. Got to be aggressive on rushing the passer, more aggressive than we were the first game of the season. We (are) going to put that behind us, and we got a lot of skillset guys in our room that we got to be aggressive in rushing the passer and making sure we take the quarterback down.”Q:&nbsp;What is it like playing against the defending Super Bowl champions and how is your energy higher going into the game?

Chiefs Quotes: 9-11-25

Leslie Louise Christopher—better known to all as Lisa—was born March 31st, 1954, to George H. Clark and Ruth (Ellis) Clark in Pasadena, California.

From the very beginning, Lisa’s name carried a story. Her brother Chris, at 2 ½, couldn’t say his “L’s”. Their parents took pity on him and began calling her Lisa (“Yisa” for Chris) before they had even left the hospital.&nbsp;

Lisa was raised in a tight-knit, loving Christian family filled with warmth, joy, and deep faith. She credited her father’s listening ear and thoughtful insights as instrumental in shaping her spiritual life.

Some of her fondest childhood memories included family camping trips—exploring, fishing, canoeing, hiking, singing in the car, and making her dad laugh so hard he had to be put to bed. She especially cherished evenings around the campfire, listening to her father’s “Well, Sir” stories, each beginning with his signature phrase: “Well, sir…”

As a child, Lisa fell in love with Shirley Temple movies, sparking a lifelong desire to learn tap dancing—a dream that would take many years to fulfill.

In high school, Lisa focused on creative writing and art. Her senior year marked her first foray into drama, landing a role that gave a boost of confidence and ignited her passion for performance.

Around this time, she met Jim Christopher, a smiley, handsome Air Force lieutenant from Kansas, at church, and was swept off her feet, leading to a combined high school graduation and engagement party.&nbsp;

They married on May 5th, 1973, and lived in California through the remainder of Jim’s military service. Their first child, April Marie Christopher, was born in 1974. When Jim went on inactive reserve in 1976, they moved to Kansas to begin taking over the family farm.

At that point, Lisa’s only associations with Kansas were the dismal black and white landscapes depicted in The Wizard of Oz. When asked how Jim convinced her to leave California, she replied, “I had so many hearts in my eyes I would have followed him anywhere.”&nbsp;

That same year, they had their second child, Aaron James Christopher. And four years after that, they had “one more just for fun”, Adam Ross Christopher.&nbsp;

Lisa inspired self-expression, imagination, and wonder in her children. She played with them daily and lamented the arrival of the school bus—her “big yellow monster”—that took her playmates away.&nbsp; She was instrumental in instilling in them a deep appreciation for silliness through her own offbeat sense of humor, as well as classics such as Stan Freberg’s "United States of America" and the parody music of Spike Jones.&nbsp;

Amidst raising three young children, Lisa became involved in Lindsborg’s community theater program, Broadway RFD. It was there, in rural Kansas of all places, that she finally fulfilled her lifelong dream to learn how to tap dance. She performed in numerous productions, taking on both leading and supporting roles. She also became an avid Shirley Temple impersonator and was known as Miss Enthusiasm at annual Covenant Women’s retreats, serving as a comedic icebreaker for speakers.

Lisa later served as the assistant director and then director of theater at Smoky Valley High School for 25 years, building lasting bonds with many of the students. Additionally, she directed several Broadway RFD productions, inspiring and deepening a love of theater in countless others.&nbsp;

Together, Lisa and Jim served as church youth leaders for various age groups, with a special fondness for high schoolers. They continued sponsoring their church’s high school youth group long after their own children had graduated. A highlight of this ministry was the annual ski trips to Colorado—adventures brimming with laughter and lifelong memories.

In 1991, in addition to being a member of the Lindsborg Swedish Folkdanslag with Jim, Lisa became the dance director of the Lindsborg Swedish Folk Dancers, a role she would continue for twenty years. She traveled with the group on their annual cross-country trips and to Sweden every four years, trips she treasured deeply for the opportunity to see places she might never have otherwise visited.

In her later years, Lisa developed a passion for genealogy, meticulously mapping her and Jim’s family ancestry. She became an avid scrapbooker and hosted scrapbooking parties with dear friends several times a year. She also gifted her time to TACOL thrift store, where she quickly built strong friendships with the other volunteers.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Throughout her life, right up to the very end, Lisa exuded a joy and exuberance to all around her, including family, friends, acquaintances, and total strangers, fueled by her unwavering faith in the love of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

In her final days, Lisa expressed deep gratitude for the overwhelming outpouring of love, care, support, and mountains of food from so many across her community.&nbsp; She reflected:&nbsp; “You just don’t realize the impact your life has had on others' lives.&nbsp; You don’t realize how many friends you’ve made in your life until they are all coming at once, wanting to see you, wanting to do whatever they can. It is a profound blessing.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Lisa is preceded in death by her mother, Ruth, and father, George.&nbsp; She is survived by her brother, Chris; her husband, Jim; her children, April, Aaron, and Adam; and her grandchildren, Ariel, Anders, Annika, and Yma.&nbsp;

The family will receive friends from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM, Friday, September 19, 2025, at the Lindsborg Covenant Church.&nbsp; The memorial service will be held at 10:30 AM, Saturday, September 20, at the Lindsborg Covenant Church with Rev. Jeff Waugh officiating.&nbsp; A private graveside service will be at Elmwood Cemetery, Lindsborg.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be given to Lindsborg Covenant Church in care of Stockham Family Funeral Home, 205 North Chestnut, McPherson, KS 67460.

Personal condolences may be sent to the family at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.stockhamfamily.com/">www.stockhamfamily.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757447639513.jpeg" alt="Leslie Louise Christopher" />
 <figcaption>Leslie Louise Christopher</figcaption>
 </figure>Leslie Louise Christopher—better known to all as Lisa—was born March 31st, 1954, to George H. Clark and Ruth (Ellis) Clark in Pasadena, California.From the very beginning, Lisa’s name carried a story. Her brother Chris, at 2 ½, couldn’t say his “L’s”. Their parents took pity on him and began calling her Lisa (“Yisa” for Chris) before they had even left the hospital.&nbsp;Lisa was raised in a tight-knit, loving Christian family filled with warmth, joy, and deep faith. She credited her father’s listening ear and thoughtful insights as instrumental in shaping her spiritual life.Some of her fondest childhood memories included family camping trips—exploring, fishing, canoeing, hiking, singing in the car, and making her dad laugh so hard he had to be put to bed. She especially cherished evenings around the campfire, listening to her father’s “Well, Sir” stories, each beginning with his signature phrase: “Well, sir…”As a child, Lisa fell in love with Shirley Temple movies, sparking a lifelong desire to learn tap dancing—a dream that would take many years to fulfill.In high school, Lisa focused on creative writing and art. Her senior year marked her first foray into drama, landing a role that gave a boost of confidence and ignited her passion for performance.Around this time, she met Jim Christopher, a smiley, handsome Air Force lieutenant from Kansas, at church, and was swept off her feet, leading to a combined high school graduation and engagement party.&nbsp;They married on May 5th, 1973, and lived in California through the remainder of Jim’s military service. Their first child, April Marie Christopher, was born in 1974. When Jim went on inactive reserve in 1976, they moved to Kansas to begin taking over the family farm.At that point, Lisa’s only associations with Kansas were the dismal black and white landscapes depicted in The Wizard of Oz. When asked how Jim convinced her to leave California, she replied, “I had so many hearts in my eyes I would have followed him anywhere.”&nbsp;That same year, they had their second child, Aaron James Christopher. And four years after that, they had “one more just for fun”, Adam Ross Christopher.&nbsp;Lisa inspired self-expression, imagination, and wonder in her children. She played with them daily and lamented the arrival of the school bus—her “big yellow monster”—that took her playmates away.&nbsp; She was instrumental in instilling in them a deep appreciation for silliness through her own offbeat sense of humor, as well as classics such as Stan Freberg’s "United States of America" and the parody music of Spike Jones.&nbsp;Amidst raising three young children, Lisa became involved in Lindsborg’s community theater program, Broadway RFD. It was there, in rural Kansas of all places, that she finally fulfilled her lifelong dream to learn how to tap dance. She performed in numerous productions, taking on both leading and supporting roles. She also became an avid Shirley Temple impersonator and was known as Miss Enthusiasm at annual Covenant Women’s retreats, serving as a comedic icebreaker for speakers.Lisa later served as the assistant director and then director of theater at Smoky Valley High School for 25 years, building lasting bonds with many of the students. Additionally, she directed several Broadway RFD productions, inspiring and deepening a love of theater in countless others.&nbsp;Together, Lisa and Jim served as church youth leaders for various age groups, with a special fondness for high schoolers. They continued sponsoring their church’s high school youth group long after their own children had graduated. A highlight of this ministry was the annual ski trips to Colorado—adventures brimming with laughter and lifelong memories.In 1991, in addition to being a member of the Lindsborg Swedish Folkdanslag with Jim, Lisa became the dance director of the Lindsborg Swedish Folk Dancers, a role she would continue for twenty years. She traveled with the group on their annual cross-country trips and to Sweden every four years, trips she treasured deeply for the opportunity to see places she might never have otherwise visited.In her later years, Lisa developed a passion for genealogy, meticulously mapping her and Jim’s family ancestry. She became an avid scrapbooker and hosted scrapbooking parties with dear friends several times a year. She also gifted her time to TACOL thrift store, where she quickly built strong friendships with the other volunteers.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Throughout her life, right up to the very end, Lisa exuded a joy and exuberance to all around her, including family, friends, acquaintances, and total strangers, fueled by her unwavering faith in the love of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.In her final days, Lisa expressed deep gratitude for the overwhelming outpouring of love, care, support, and mountains of food from so many across her community.&nbsp; She reflected:&nbsp; “You just don’t realize the impact your life has had on others' lives.&nbsp; You don’t realize how many friends you’ve made in your life until they are all coming at once, wanting to see you, wanting to do whatever they can. It is a profound blessing.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Lisa is preceded in death by her mother, Ruth, and father, George.&nbsp; She is survived by her brother, Chris; her husband, Jim; her children, April, Aaron, and Adam; and her grandchildren, Ariel, Anders, Annika, and Yma.&nbsp;The family will receive friends from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM, Friday, September 19, 2025, at the Lindsborg Covenant Church.&nbsp; The memorial service will be held at 10:30 AM, Saturday, September 20, at the Lindsborg Covenant Church with Rev. Jeff Waugh officiating.&nbsp; A private graveside service will be at Elmwood Cemetery, Lindsborg.In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be given to Lindsborg Covenant Church in care of Stockham Family Funeral Home, 205 North Chestnut, McPherson, KS 67460.Personal condolences may be sent to the family at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.stockhamfamily.com/">www.stockhamfamily.com</a>.

Leslie Louise Christopher

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid Quotes

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, as far as injuries go, we got Jalen (Royals) (and) Xavier Worthy. Those two won’t practice today. Both are doing better, they’re (Jalen Royals and Xavier Worthy) working on it and making progress but not ready to go today for sure. Look forward to the challenge of playing the Eagles. Good football team, obviously, and they know us, we know them and it should be a heck of a game. With that, time’s yours.”

Q: Is surgery under consideration for Xavier Worthy?

REID:&nbsp;“No, not right now.”

Q: What about short-term injured reserve for Xavier Worthy?

REID:&nbsp;“He’s (Xavier Worthy) just rehabbing here.”

Q: Is there still some optimism that Jalen Royals might be available this week?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, probably not. It’d be a stretch.”

Q: How do you think the receiver group responded to Xavier Worthy’s injury, specifically Tyquan Thornton stepping into a bigger role?

REID:&nbsp;“Listen, I thought all the guys did a good job. They kept us in the game there. I thought they did well catching the ball a few yards after the catch and JuJu (Smith-Schuster) included in that bunch. Hollywood (Brown) had a big day, it was good to get him back in the swing.”

Q: Does Super Bowl LIX hold any strategic benefit at all in terms of what you study?

REID:&nbsp;“I think we know them (Philadelphia Eagles), and they know us. There are going to be wrinkles in there (for) both teams, but (we’re) pretty familiar with each other. They have a lot of guys coming back and we have a lot of guys coming back so you have that part of it.”

Q:&nbsp;What were the things that had to go right for the field goal fire drill at the end of the first half to succeed?

REID:&nbsp;“Normally you say it’s about 20 seconds that you need. At camp, we normally work it right in that area, and we work on it. The thing that gets under looked like I mentioned after the game, was Noah (Gray) exploding back with the football, so that was saving seconds there which were important in that situation and that part won’t be talked about. Obviously, the kick and the hold and the snap and all that, and getting guys off the field and guys on the field. But Noah getting that ball back kind of made the whole thing work. And then (Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator) Dave (Toub) was on top of it on the sideline, and he and (Assistant Special Teams Coach) Porter (Ellett) were working the sideline and getting ready for it.”

Q:&nbsp;On the team being flat to start the game.

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, there are no excuses for any of us on what took place. We’ve got to do better. Energy is one of the things, for sure.”

Q:&nbsp;Did you feel like you had momentum after executing that field goal at the end of the first half and then lost it due to halftime?

REID:&nbsp;“No, I didn’t think we lost that part of it. It was emotional, that’s an exciting thing to do in this game, to be able to pull one of those off, especially when it’s less than what you think you can get done with or at least in that danger zone there of not getting it off. No, halftime ended. We just need to play better.”

Q:&nbsp;Is it tough to evaluate your running game at this point? Is there something that you saw that you want to expand on for this upcoming week?

REID:&nbsp;“Not right here, no (laughter). We need to do better in that starting off.”

Q:&nbsp;What did you and General Manager Brett Veach like in Tyquan Thornton last year that influenced you to get him here?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, so (General Manager) Brett (Veach) liked him (Tyquan Thornton), and then I mentioned before that Bill Belichick called me and talked to me about him, (he) thought that he was a good football player. Brett was bringing him (Tyquan Thornton) in and Bill (Belichick) kind of said, ‘hey, this guy’s really got great potential.’”

Q:&nbsp;What has led to Tyquan Thornton’s chemistry with Patrick Mahomes?

REID:&nbsp;“Well he’s (Tyquan Thornton) fast. He’s a big target, so he runs good routes.”

Q:&nbsp;As you watched tape on the left side of the offensive line, what did you like/not like about what you saw?

REID:&nbsp;“I liked the effort they (Josh Simmons and Kinglsey Suamataia) put in and there were more good plays than there were bad plays. (There’s) some great things to learn from. There were some things that they did, I thought, very well. It was progress, and they’ll keep growing as we go on here.”

Q:&nbsp;On the emotion on the sidelines.

REID:&nbsp;“It’s an emotional game. That’s all part of it. Guys they pull for each other (and) they get after each other, I mean that’s all part of it. When guys do good, they jump around and tell them how good they did. It’s all part of it. Time and a place for everything.”

Q:&nbsp;Does one side of the ball have an advantage in the opening game?

REID:&nbsp;“It seems like it’s normally the defensive side, but as you look at this past weekend with all the teams it looked like it was more of the offensive side throughout the league. Normally it’s the other way around.”

Q:&nbsp;How many adjustments happen when a player like Xavier Worthy goes down with an injury?

REID:&nbsp;“It’s just making sure guys are in the right positions. We’re lucky that we (have) got a pretty smart group that stepped in there. (General Manager) Brett (Veach) has done a good job at bringing guys in that we feel comfortable playing with, most of all that the quarterback feels comfortable with. So, it’s been a plus and then they work all the situations and the substitutions all the time. They do it during training camp. Everybody gets a chance to play during training camp that’s in that first group, per se. I thought they handled that well. We have a lot of different formations we run.”

Q:&nbsp;Were the amount of quick throws against the Chargers in the game plan, or was that just how things played out?

REID:&nbsp;“Some of both, probably. I’ll tell you I thought that we had an opportunity there, at the same time we had a couple of shots in there too. But the way it played out, there were some opportunities there, yeah.”

Q: On moving on from the last game and getting prepared for the Philadelphia Eagles.

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah for sure. I mean I think that's with every single game that you play. But this is a really good football team. I mean, there's no way around it. They're good at every aspect on defense and obviously on offense as well. And this will take our best football. And so, you learn from the mistakes that you make. That's a part of playing the game is you learn from your failures. It’s like you learn from the positive things that you do, and you try to come back and play better football this week. And it’s going to take our best football to go out there and get a win.”

Q: Do you feel like Xavier Worthy going down early impacted what you guys wanted to do on offense?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think it's more just getting guys into the right spots. I mean, obviously you try to rep and give guys opportunities at every single receiver position, but there's only limited reps. And so, when you have an injury, you have guys going in different spots that they haven't got those reps in before. But I thought the guys did well as the game went on of adjusting to that, stepping up and making plays, and I thought they did really good in the second half of giving us a chance to go out there and try to get a win.”

Q: How much on your own did you watch the Super Bowl in the weeks afterwards, if at all?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, I mean, I’ll watch every game after, so you have to learn from it. I mean it sucks that you lose the game, but in order to progress and to be better next time, you have to watch and learn from it. And so, I don't know the exact amount of times, but you watch it, and then you watch it in the offseason with the team and with the coaches, and then you watch it obviously this week as well. And so, they had a great game plan. They (Philadelphia Eagles) played hard and did a great job of disrupting my timing, and so I have to learn from that (and) find ways to get the ball out of my hand. And then when the opportunities are there, I think that's something I did miss early in the game, is there was opportunities to make plays, and you got to make those plays because if you don't, they're not going to allow those opportunities again.”

Q: When you’re watching it, is it informational or is it emotional?

MAHOMES: “I think it's just more informational. I mean, the emotion kind of happens for about a week after the game, but I mean, at the end of the day, you're going to have failures in this league. It’s about how you respond from those failures. And that's something that's important to anyone's career. But for me, I got to continue to push to be even better so that I don't make those same mistakes whenever I get the opportunity to again.”

Q: Is one of your biggest takeaways being bolder earlier in games?

MAHOMES: “I think just, you got to pick and choose the right spots. I mean, I think you can't be too much one way or another. And so, finding that right balance of attacking downfield but still keeping the chains moving and not putting the ball in harmful situations is something that's important to every quarterback. And so, I think at the end of last year, at certain points, I wasn't taking those chances that I could have. And so, I try to do better of that going into this season and try to do better at that, this last game. And obviously I'll keep working with that throughout my career, but it'll be important this week as much as any, because they (Philadelphia Eagles) have good players everywhere on that defense. And so, it's about accepting that challenge and going out there and executing at a high level.”

Q: How do you assess that deep ball in the first game?

MAHOMES: “I thought I did a good job for the most part. Obviously, they did good in the first half and missed a couple shots. But once I hit that one to Tyquan (Thornton) down the sideline towards halftime, I thought from then on I did a good job of kind of recognizing when to take shots, when to hit the stuff underneath and just getting the ball out to guys and letting them make plays. And so just trying to do that faster so that we're not in that deficit. It will be important this week, especially with how they play football and how they can run the ball and throw the ball as well on their side of the football. So being better from the beginning and not just kind of as the game goes on.”

Q: How did your offensive line play as you look back at the tape from last week’s game?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“So they did a good job. You know, it's always tough when you're behind because the defensive line gets the pass rush and do their games and stunts and stuff like that. But I thought throughout the game they did a really good job against a really good defensive line, and that does a lot of good things. And so, they'll continue to get better and better. They're young. They got a lot of experience to kind of gain from that first game. But now they'll have another challenge with a really good defensive line in their face this week.”

Q:&nbsp;The team came out flat, much emotion comes from having successful plays on both sides of the ball?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, I mean, that's part of it, but I think in order to be great, you have to be able to bring that emotion when things aren't going well. I mean, anyone can be hyped whenever a big play happens, that’s part of life in general. But whenever things (are) not going your way, how are you going to respond? And I think that's important for championship teams is being able to bring that energy whenever things aren’t going your way, because it's not always going to be great, it's not always going to be winning by big scores it’s about responding to that moment and what that moment needs.”

Q:&nbsp;What's the attitude of the team like right now with a big game ahead of you?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, I think (the) guys are ready to go. You know, it's football. It's passionate. We love the game. I’d rather have guys that are passionate about it and want to win than the other way around. And we hold each other accountable. And I think at the end of the day, we know that we love each other. And then when you have that, you can hold each other accountable and then push forward to be even better the next time you step on the football field. And so, there's no ill will anywhere. It's just a bunch of guys that want to win and want to do whatever they can to win. And so, whenever that happens, sometimes passionate moments, outbursts and stuff happen. But at the end of the day, we love each other, and we're going to push each other to be even better.”

Q:&nbsp;Does anything add up to why guys were getting chippy? Do you feel the need to speak to it this week to the guys?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“No, I think guys understand.&nbsp; I don't know if you can pinpoint one reason or another. At the end of the day, that's in the past now, it's how can you just learn from it and be better the next time. And so, we will have that mindset going into practice this week (and) try to prepare ourselves to play a good football team. And I mean, what better challenge in playing the reigning Super Bowl champions to see where we're at. And so, I think guys will be ready to go. And knowing that we all got to play our best if we want to find a way to win.”

Q:&nbsp;You’ve played a few of these Super Bowl rematches now. How are they different than a regular game?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think you just, we know the opponent, you know, even with the Super Bowl and the Super Bowl before and the games we’ve played in the regular seasons, we know that this is a really good football team, and we know that they have a lot of great football players. And so, when you play the best of the best, you have to take your game to another level. And so, it's not different in the sense of it's a Super Bowl rematch or anything like that, I think it’s different in the sense is you're playing the best of the best. And so how are you going to respond? How are you going to be even better and take your game to another level? And so, I always think it's fun, you know, playing the best and getting to see where you're at.”

Q:&nbsp;Is there a little extra juice in a game like this?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think if you're playing your first game at (GEHA at) Arrowhead (Stadium) against the reigning Super Bowl champions, there’s got to be some extra juice. I mean, it's our first home game, I’m sure there will be a cool flyover, you know, you get everything you need. So, there's no reason you should come out flat this game.”

Q:&nbsp;At the end of the game against the Chargers you were locked in. Where does that mindset come from?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think you just know you have to score whenever you're playing good football teams and you're down, you have to make the play now and you take a little bit more risk. You do a little bit different things that you might not do early in the game. And so, it's about finding that earlier, you know, finding that earlier so that we don't get in that deficit. And so, I just like winning. So, whenever you're not winning it’s like you sometimes focus in even more because you want to try to find a way to do whatever you can to win.”

Q:&nbsp;How do you feel like your guy’s temperament is going into this game?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, I think guys are definitely locked in. I mean, I thought they were locked in last week. So, I mean, we have we have a lot of leaders on this team, guys that don't like losing. And it's about finding a way now of bringing that energy, bringing that right mindset so that we can play our best football. And I thought we did good things in the second half on the offensive side of the ball this last week. But how can we be even better to start the game and carry that throughout the entire game?”

Q:&nbsp;How was getting reps with Hollywood Brown in game one?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, I think you saw in the game that Hollywood (Brown) just kind of got more and more comfortable as the game went on, and we asked him to do a lot of things. He kind of had to run his routes (and) Xavier's (Worthy) routes and kind of all the in between. And so, I thought he did a good job of recognizing what he needed to do, recognizing coverages and making plays happen. And so, he'll be big these next couple of weeks as we try to get Xavier back and get Rashee (Rice) back and everything like that. But it's something I think he's ready for.”

Q:&nbsp;Did you train your physicality and aggressiveness for this season? Did you know you have to be more aggressive because teams know how you operate near the sideline?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, I always brace for impact. I mean, I think you have to protect yourself, but I think in this last game, I think we just needed the yards. We needed ways to score the football, especially at that time of the game. That's why I think people highlighted the one I got hit on the side. I really wasn't running out of bounds really the whole second half. And so, it's a long season. So, I try to get back to running out of bounds as much as possible. But that's stuff that I usually do in the playoffs. I'm just gonna try to manage that throughout the season so I can be there for the playoffs.”

Q: How do you prepare for the un-scouted looks of any NFL team?

BOLTON:&nbsp;“Yeah, especially in the first couple of weeks of the season man, like, everybody has their own, new identity. (They) spent the whole offseason kind of changing stuff, scouting, (and) doing those things. So, I think one of the biggest things (for) us going forward is second-half adjustments. It’s going to be big for us. First half, they might change up completely what they did, based off a year prior. And just making adjustments and making a whole unit, like, be on time and on target. I think that’s going to be big for us these next couple weeks.”

Q: How hard is it to have positive emotion when your team’s not having success?

BOLTON:&nbsp;“Yeah, I think for us it’s even bigger than just that part. So, when your teammates make a good play, I was celebrating with them. I think there was a couple of plays, we like, (had) negative plays on defense and I didn’t think our energy and our excitement was where it needed to be. So, I think it’s more of that type of stuff more so than the other thing, kind of just us kind of having fun with our teammates, celebrating, and doing things that we’ve always done. And (Head Coach Andy) Reid’s big on showing your personalities and letting them show. It’s kind of just that message. We make good plays, make splash plays, make the crowd (excited and) make adjustments, like, everybody gets involved. Love on your teammates, man, (and there’s) eleven guys celebrating for you.”

Q: Is it challenging for you to get excited for a regular season knowing how many big playoff games you’ve played in?

BOLTON:&nbsp;“Honestly, I don’t think it should be much of a challenge for anybody in this profession. We’ve got an opportunity of a lifetime to play a kids’ game (and) making good money for it and (you have) got your family and fans in the stands. So honestly, (it’s) just another opportunity to go out there and showcase what you’re made of, what your team’s made of, what’s your identity, and what you’ve been spending the last five, six months (on) that I’m talking about. So, I just think energy just was flat a little bit, and I just want the coaches (and) captains as well just kind of making sure that we change that this week.”

Q: When you see Patrick Mahomes make a big play, what does that do for you?

BROWN:&nbsp;“I mean, for us, we see it every day in practice. We always know what type of quarterback we (have) got. We always know the play is never over. He (Patrick Mahomes) brings that fire and we just try to go out there and make plays for him (and) play hard.”

Q: Are you focusing more on how the Eagles played you in Super Bowl LIX or how they played in Week 1?

BROWN:&nbsp;“Oh, a little bit of both. I mean, you (have) got a game plan. You don’t know. When you get out there you could be preparing for something and get out there (and) it’ll be totally different. But, just game plan, take it as this week and go from there.”

Q: You’re tied for the league lead in receptions after your performance against the Chargers last week. What does that do for your confidence?

Chiefs Quotes: 9-10-25

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757514555199.png" alt="Three day weather forecast Salina, September 10 - September 12. Courtesy of US National Weather Service" />
 <figcaption>Three day weather forecast Salina, September 10 - September 12. Courtesy of US National Weather Service</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Salina&amp;state=KS&amp;site=ICT&amp;lat=38.8158&amp;lon=-97.6178">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>Monitor local weather updates frequently in multiple ways by listening to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/nwr/">NOAA Weather Radio</a>, checking local news and emergency notifications. You can also stay informed by following Saline County and the National Weather Service on social media.For the latest forecast updates, visit the National Weather Service Wichita office at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/ict/">https://www.weather.gov/ict/</a>. To check forecasts frequently, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/">weather.gov</a>.

Three day weather forecast Salina, September 10 - September 12

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (September 9, 2025)—Sam Armstrong, Logan Whitaker, and Mike Paredes combined to give up just two hits in a combined 4-0 shutout victory for the Wichita Wind Surge over the Corpus Christi Hooks at Whataburger Field. 

The Wind Surge move up a half game on the Tulsa Drillers and are 1.5 games back from a playoff spot.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (September 9, 2025)—Sam Armstrong, Logan Whitaker, and Mike Paredes combined to give up just two hits in a combined 4-0 shutout victory for the Wichita Wind Surge over the Corpus Christi Hooks at Whataburger Field. The Wind Surge move up a half game on the Tulsa Drillers and are 1.5 games back from a playoff spot.Ricardo Olivar slapped an RBI single to right field to get Wichita on the board in the top of the third. Harry Genth later scampered home after an infield popup dropped to the right of the pitcher’s mound to make it 2-0 Wind Surge in the top of the fifth.&nbsp;Ben Ross and Maddux Houghton slugged a pair of solo shots to left field in the top of the sixth inning to double the Wind Surge lead to 4-0.&nbsp;Armstrong earned the win to improve to 3-1 with Wichita after five frames of two-hit baseball with two walks and three strikeouts. Whitaker and Paredes had matching final lines out of the bullpen: two innings with a walk and two strikeouts each.POSTGAME NOTES<ul>
 <li>The Wind Surge are a game and a half back of the Tulsa Drillers for the playoff spot.&nbsp;</li><li>Kala’i Rosario steals two bases, now has 28 on the year.</li><li>Wichita pitchers stranded Corpus Christi on the bases for six straight innings between the home halves of the third and eighth.</li><li>Sam Armstrong is now 2-0 with a 2.16 ERA in three road starts with the Wind Surge.</li><li>Wichita records their 13th shutout win of the season, second in Texas League.</li>
 </ul>The Wind Surge continue their final regular season series against the Corpus Christi Hooks on September 10 at 6:35 PM. You can listen to Wind Surge games on ESPN Wichita 92.3 FM and&nbsp;<a href="http://windsurge.com/" target="_blank">windsurge.com</a>&nbsp;or watch online at&nbsp;<a href="http://milb.tv/" target="_blank">MiLB.TV</a>&nbsp;and Bally Sports Live. For ticket information, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://windsurge.com/tickets" target="_blank">windsurge.com/tickets</a>.