RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating theft from two local businesses have made an arrest.

Just before 7p.m. April 21,&nbsp; officers filed a report for theft of property or services, theft by deception and making false information from Central Mechanical Construction Company and Howies Recycling Inc., according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

The report list a 43-year-old man as the suspect. On Friday, police arrested Adam Rundell, 43, of Manhattan for theft of property or service, theft by deception and making false information. Rundell is being held on a $5,000 bond.

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating theft from two local businesses have made an arrest.Just before 7p.m. April 21,&nbsp; officers filed a report for theft of property or services, theft by deception and making false information from Central Mechanical Construction Company and Howies Recycling Inc., according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.The report list a 43-year-old man as the suspect. On Friday, police arrested Adam Rundell, 43, of Manhattan for theft of property or service, theft by deception and making false information. Rundell is being held on a $5,000 bond.

Manhattan man accused of theft from 2 businesses 

MANHATTAN — Kansas State University will welcome more than 3,000 students into its ranks of alumni as degree candidates are recognized at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.k-state.edu/graduation/">commencement ceremonies</a>&nbsp;set for Saturday, May 10, at the Salina campus and Friday, May 16, and Saturday, May 17, at the Manhattan campus.

More details on the ceremonies — including parking, accommodations and live webcast information for the Manhattan campus ceremonies — are available on&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.k-state.edu/graduation/">the K-State graduation website.</a>The class of 2025, the 158th from K-State, includes approximately 2,300 bachelor's degrees, 522 master's degrees, 36 doctorates and seven Education Specialist degrees. Of those students, about 185 will be earning multiple degrees.The graduates-to-be also include 480 students who are earning their degrees through a K-State Online program.Saturday, May 10

MANHATTAN — Kansas State University will welcome more than 3,000 students into its ranks of alumni as degree candidates are recognized at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.k-state.edu/graduation/">commencement ceremonies</a>&nbsp;set for Saturday, May 10, at the Salina campus and Friday, May 16, and Saturday, May 17, at the Manhattan campus.More details on the ceremonies — including parking, accommodations and live webcast information for the Manhattan campus ceremonies — are available on&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.k-state.edu/graduation/">the K-State graduation website.</a>The class of 2025, the 158th from K-State, includes approximately 2,300 bachelor's degrees, 522 master's degrees, 36 doctorates and seven Education Specialist degrees. Of those students, about 185 will be earning multiple degrees.The graduates-to-be also include 480 students who are earning their degrees through a K-State Online program.Saturday, May 10

 K-State commencement ceremonies are set

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 — A water task force meant to ensure the “precious resource is available for generations to come” received its first members this week.

The 16-member panel of Republican and Democratic legislators, state officials and a handful of appointees from both parties will craft policy changes in an effort to evaluate Kansas’ current and future water supply, funding efforts for water projects and potential impacts on the state’s economy.

Republicans announced their appointments Wednesday, which included an official from utility company Evergy, an environmental consultant and the manager of a public groundwater management district in northwest Kansas.

Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican said these members are experts in the field with intricate understandings of water issues.

“Water is the essence of life, the foundation upon which Kansas thrives — sustaining our fields, fueling our communities, and nourishing our future — and truly runs through every decision we make, from agriculture to economic development,” Masterson said.

The task force was born out of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2172/" target="_blank">House Bill 2172</a>, which passed the Senate in March with unanimous bipartisan support and the House with eight Republicans voting against it. The bill had no opponents in committee hearings.

The task force’s water policy recommendations will begin with a preliminary report due by the end of January and end with a final report that must be submitted to the governor and the Legislature by the end of January 2027.

Within the next two months, the task force members must appoint people to a subgroup that would be responsible for modernizing the State Water Resources Planning Act.

The subgroup’s members must be attorneys, engineers, hydrologists, natural resource planners or others with experience with Kansas water issues, according to the legislation.

First passed in 1963 and revamped in the 1980s, the State Water Resources Planning Act and the State Water Plan guide Kansas water management, conservation and development efforts. With drought becoming increasingly apparent in western and central Kansas, including the depletion of the High Plains Aquifer, the task force will address the state’s current and future water needs.

A focus on agriculture and industry is especially important, said House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican.

“To say water is vital to Kansas agriculture, business, and communities would be an understatement, and the input from this Task Force will be key to ensuring this precious resource is available for generations to come,” he said in a Thursday news release.

Gov. Laura Kelly, in her own news release distributed upon signing the task force bill into law in April, said the task force enables lawmakers to evaluate risks to Kansas’ water quality and quantity through a funded, bipartisan group.

“Developing a comprehensive, long-term, and sustainable water program is long overdue and a significant step forward in ensuring Kansas’ water supply is preserved for generations to come,” she said.

Republican leadership’s appointees included three Republican legislators; Jared Morrison, director of Evergy’s water and waste programs; Kansas Chamber board chair Karma Mason; and Shannon Kenyon, the manager of Groundwater Management District No. 4 in northwest Kansas.

Democratic leadership on Tuesday appointed Josh Svaty, a former state legislator and former state agriculture secretary, and Heidi Mehl, the Kansas director of water and agriculture for the Nature Conservancy, an international environmental organization.

The task force also will include three nonvoting members from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the Kansas Water Office and the Kansas Department of Agriculture.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746442435069.png" alt=" A dog keeps watch over an irrigated field in southwest Kansas, where farmers are facing increased pressure from state lawmakers to preserve groundwater in the quickly depleting Ogallala Aquifer. (Kevin Hardy/Stateline)" />
 <figcaption> A dog keeps watch over an irrigated field in southwest Kansas, where farmers are facing increased pressure from state lawmakers to preserve groundwater in the quickly depleting Ogallala Aquifer. (Kevin Hardy/Stateline)</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 — A water task force meant to ensure the “precious resource is available for generations to come” received its first members this week.The 16-member panel of Republican and Democratic legislators, state officials and a handful of appointees from both parties will craft policy changes in an effort to evaluate Kansas’ current and future water supply, funding efforts for water projects and potential impacts on the state’s economy.Republicans announced their appointments Wednesday, which included an official from utility company Evergy, an environmental consultant and the manager of a public groundwater management district in northwest Kansas.Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican said these members are experts in the field with intricate understandings of water issues.“Water is the essence of life, the foundation upon which Kansas thrives — sustaining our fields, fueling our communities, and nourishing our future — and truly runs through every decision we make, from agriculture to economic development,” Masterson said.The task force was born out of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2172/" target="_blank">House Bill 2172</a>, which passed the Senate in March with unanimous bipartisan support and the House with eight Republicans voting against it. The bill had no opponents in committee hearings.The task force’s water policy recommendations will begin with a preliminary report due by the end of January and end with a final report that must be submitted to the governor and the Legislature by the end of January 2027.Within the next two months, the task force members must appoint people to a subgroup that would be responsible for modernizing the State Water Resources Planning Act.The subgroup’s members must be attorneys, engineers, hydrologists, natural resource planners or others with experience with Kansas water issues, according to the legislation.First passed in 1963 and revamped in the 1980s, the State Water Resources Planning Act and the State Water Plan guide Kansas water management, conservation and development efforts. With drought becoming increasingly apparent in western and central Kansas, including the depletion of the High Plains Aquifer, the task force will address the state’s current and future water needs.A focus on agriculture and industry is especially important, said House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican.“To say water is vital to Kansas agriculture, business, and communities would be an understatement, and the input from this Task Force will be key to ensuring this precious resource is available for generations to come,” he said in a Thursday news release.Gov. Laura Kelly, in her own news release distributed upon signing the task force bill into law in April, said the task force enables lawmakers to evaluate risks to Kansas’ water quality and quantity through a funded, bipartisan group.“Developing a comprehensive, long-term, and sustainable water program is long overdue and a significant step forward in ensuring Kansas’ water supply is preserved for generations to come,” she said.Republican leadership’s appointees included three Republican legislators; Jared Morrison, director of Evergy’s water and waste programs; Kansas Chamber board chair Karma Mason; and Shannon Kenyon, the manager of Groundwater Management District No. 4 in northwest Kansas.Democratic leadership on Tuesday appointed Josh Svaty, a former state legislator and former state agriculture secretary, and Heidi Mehl, the Kansas director of water and agriculture for the Nature Conservancy, an international environmental organization.The task force also will include three nonvoting members from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the Kansas Water Office and the Kansas Department of Agriculture.

Kansas water task force to gauge current and future supply, modernize policy

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sexual-assault-reports-us-military-academies-1db318acce38e6294c1f1f095ae3797f">sexual assaults reported across the U.S. military</a>&nbsp;dipped by nearly 4% last year, fueled by a significant drop in the Army, The Associated Press has learned. It was the second year in a row with a decrease, reversing a troubling trend that has plagued the Defense Department for more than a decade.

Senior U.S. defense officials said that while the decline is a good sign,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/military-sexual-assault-report-336323b194a1de1dea25e2885fdcc396">the number of reported assaults</a>&nbsp;is still too high and the military needs to do more to get victims to report the often undisclosed crime.

According to the officials, there were 8,195 reported sexual assaults in 2024 involving members of the military, compared with 8,515 in 2023. In 2022, there were 8,942 reported sexual assaults,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/military-sexual-assault-report-a5138e59f145c223284dded6677257e3">a spike</a>&nbsp;that triggered widespread alarm and led to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-staff-cuts-sex-assault-suicide-prevention-3d06410658a6cfe45128165e40fb7b1f">new programs</a>&nbsp;and an infusion of funding to try to combat the problem.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the report has not been publicly released.

According to data obtained by the AP, the overall decrease was due to a 13% drop in reported sexual assaults across the Army, which is the largest military service.

All the other services saw increases. The Navy had the largest jump of 4.3%, while the Air Force had a 2.2% increase and the Marine Corps rose by less than 1%.

Of the 8,195 total, there were 512 service members who reported an assault that happened before they entered the military. The Pentagon encourages reporting so that victims can get any support they need. In addition, 641 were civilians who said they were assaulted by a member of the military.

While reported assaults decreased, the number of sexual harassment complaints went from 2,980 in 2023 to 3,014 last year. Most were filed by female service members, and the vast majority of those accused were male.

The latest report also reflects the first full year since new prosecution procedures have been in place, putting independent lawyers in charge of those decisions and sidelining commanders after years of pressure from Congress.

The change, long resisted by Pentagon leaders, was finally forced by frustrated lawmakers who believed that too often commanders would fail to take victims’ complaints seriously or would try to protect alleged perpetrators in their units.

Officials said it is too soon to tell what effect those changes are having on the prosecution process.

The number of cases in which misconduct was substantiated increased a bit last year over the 2023 total. The number of discharges and administrative actions against alleged perpetrators continued to increase, and court-martial charges declined — both trends going back several years.

Officials noted that nearly three-quarters of the court-martial cases ended in convictions, a slight increase over the previous year.

Sexual assault reports in the military have gone up for much of the past decade, except for a tiny decrease in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown. Officials say they are optimistic about the recent decreases but say much more work needs to be done.

While it is difficult to point to any one reason for the two-year decline, the Defense Department has been making a series of changes over the past year that officials say may be contributing to the shift. The services are using an infusion of more than $1 billion to improve programs and hire up to 2,500 personnel as part of a new “prevention workforce” and place them at military installations around the world.

So far, about 1,400 have been hired for that work, but that process has stalled this year due to the Trump administration’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/trump-100-days-doge-00000196772ddab7a3bfff2f0ea20000">budget and personnel cuts</a>&nbsp;across the federal government. Defense officials said they are working to spread the existing workers around to lessen the gaps until more can be hired.

The Pentagon releases a report every year on the number of sexual assaults reported by or about troops. But because sexual assault is a highly underreported crime, the department also does a confidential survey every two years to get a clearer picture of the problem. That survey, which is conducted online, came out last year, so it was not done this year.

Last year’s survey said more than 29,000 active-duty service members said they had experienced unwanted sexual contact in the previous year, compared with nearly 36,000 in the 2021 survey, according to several defense officials. The decrease was the first in eight years.

But officials said the survey also indicates that a large number of service members never file a report.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sexual-assault-reports-us-military-academies-1db318acce38e6294c1f1f095ae3797f">sexual assaults reported across the U.S. military</a>&nbsp;dipped by nearly 4% last year, fueled by a significant drop in the Army, The Associated Press has learned. It was the second year in a row with a decrease, reversing a troubling trend that has plagued the Defense Department for more than a decade.Senior U.S. defense officials said that while the decline is a good sign,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/military-sexual-assault-report-336323b194a1de1dea25e2885fdcc396">the number of reported assaults</a>&nbsp;is still too high and the military needs to do more to get victims to report the often undisclosed crime.According to the officials, there were 8,195 reported sexual assaults in 2024 involving members of the military, compared with 8,515 in 2023. In 2022, there were 8,942 reported sexual assaults,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/military-sexual-assault-report-a5138e59f145c223284dded6677257e3">a spike</a>&nbsp;that triggered widespread alarm and led to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-staff-cuts-sex-assault-suicide-prevention-3d06410658a6cfe45128165e40fb7b1f">new programs</a>&nbsp;and an infusion of funding to try to combat the problem.The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the report has not been publicly released.According to data obtained by the AP, the overall decrease was due to a 13% drop in reported sexual assaults across the Army, which is the largest military service.All the other services saw increases. The Navy had the largest jump of 4.3%, while the Air Force had a 2.2% increase and the Marine Corps rose by less than 1%.Of the 8,195 total, there were 512 service members who reported an assault that happened before they entered the military. The Pentagon encourages reporting so that victims can get any support they need. In addition, 641 were civilians who said they were assaulted by a member of the military.While reported assaults decreased, the number of sexual harassment complaints went from 2,980 in 2023 to 3,014 last year. Most were filed by female service members, and the vast majority of those accused were male.The latest report also reflects the first full year since new prosecution procedures have been in place, putting independent lawyers in charge of those decisions and sidelining commanders after years of pressure from Congress.The change, long resisted by Pentagon leaders, was finally forced by frustrated lawmakers who believed that too often commanders would fail to take victims’ complaints seriously or would try to protect alleged perpetrators in their units.Officials said it is too soon to tell what effect those changes are having on the prosecution process.The number of cases in which misconduct was substantiated increased a bit last year over the 2023 total. The number of discharges and administrative actions against alleged perpetrators continued to increase, and court-martial charges declined — both trends going back several years.Officials noted that nearly three-quarters of the court-martial cases ended in convictions, a slight increase over the previous year.Sexual assault reports in the military have gone up for much of the past decade, except for a tiny decrease in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown. Officials say they are optimistic about the recent decreases but say much more work needs to be done.While it is difficult to point to any one reason for the two-year decline, the Defense Department has been making a series of changes over the past year that officials say may be contributing to the shift. The services are using an infusion of more than $1 billion to improve programs and hire up to 2,500 personnel as part of a new “prevention workforce” and place them at military installations around the world.So far, about 1,400 have been hired for that work, but that process has stalled this year due to the Trump administration’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/trump-100-days-doge-00000196772ddab7a3bfff2f0ea20000">budget and personnel cuts</a>&nbsp;across the federal government. Defense officials said they are working to spread the existing workers around to lessen the gaps until more can be hired.The Pentagon releases a report every year on the number of sexual assaults reported by or about troops. But because sexual assault is a highly underreported crime, the department also does a confidential survey every two years to get a clearer picture of the problem. That survey, which is conducted online, came out last year, so it was not done this year.Last year’s survey said more than 29,000 active-duty service members said they had experienced unwanted sexual contact in the previous year, compared with nearly 36,000 in the 2021 survey, according to several defense officials. The decrease was the first in eight years.But officials said the survey also indicates that a large number of service members never file a report.

Sex assault reports in the US military fell last year, fueled by a big drop in the Army

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/04/29/kansas-medicaid-advocates-share-dire-forecast-of-potential-congressional-funding-cuts/">Kansas Reflector</a>

<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/"></a>TOPEKA — Analysis of potential congressional cuts to Medicaid indicated Kansas’ loss of nearly $350 million in the first year and more than $3 billion over 10 years could shrink coverage for vulnerable populations, escalate family medical debt and raise the risk of hospital closures.

Reductions in federal financing of Medicaid could lead to downsizing by 5% to 15% the number of Medicaid enrollees in Kansas and trigger a decline of 22% in Medicaid funding to hospitals in the state. Kansas has two-dozen rural hospitals at risk of immediate closure. Shrinking federal funding to Medicaid could add to the burden of uncompensated patient care and threaten hospitals operating on narrow margins.

The findings were in a report released Tuesday by REACH Healthcare Foundation and United Methodist Health Ministry Fund, both health-related philanthropies serving Kansans. The report incorporated analysis from Manatt Health, which provides strategic, policy and legal advisory services in the health care industry.

Impetus for the projections was upcoming debate in Congress on a goal of cutting $880 billion in federal spending on Medicaid in the next decade.

“The data is clear and deeply concerning,” said David Jordan, president and CEO of United Methodist Health Ministry Fund. “We will all pay the price — higher costs, increases in local taxes and less access to care — to offset these cuts. It’s critical that lawmakers, health care providers, advocates and the people of Kansas recognize the consequences before it’s too late.”

United Methodist Health Ministry Fund is a statewide foundation that has worked since 1986 to improve the health of Kansans.

Medicaid is a joint federal and state program offering health coverage to lower-income Kansas children, seniors, people with disabilities and pregnant women. Medicaid enrolls 366,000 Kansans, including 31% of the state’s children. Medicaid supports four of seven nursing home residents in Kansas as well as one in four working-age adults in the state who have a disability, the report said.

There is interest among congressional Republicans in adopting a national work requirement for recipients of Medicaid. The Kansas Medicaid program, known as KanCare, doesn’t extend coverage to working-age adults regardless of income unless the recipient was a parent, caregiver or a person with a disability.

“Medicaid is the largest source of federal funds in Kansas and any cuts to the program will have severe economic and health impacts felt in every corner of the state,” said Brenda Sharpe, president and CEO of REACH Healthcare Foundation.

REACH is a charitable organization striving to improve access to quality, affordable care for uninsured and medically underserved residents of Johnson, Wyandotte and Allen counties in Kansas and Jackson, Cass and Lafayette counties in Missouri.

Manatt Health relied on computer modeling to produce one-year and 10-year projections for Medicaid based on the idea of reducing federal expenditures by $880 billion within a decade. The work by Manatt Health was released before Congress completed work on spending adjustments, but the assessment aligned with policy parameters, options and effective dates outlined by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1746020801947.jpeg" alt="REACH Healthcare Foundation and United Methodist Health Ministry Fund, health-related philanthropies serving Kansans, said potential cuts in federal spending on Medicaid could slash health coverage of low-income Kansans and threaten financially struggling hospitals.&nbsp; Photo by Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector" />
 <figcaption>REACH Healthcare Foundation and United Methodist Health Ministry Fund, health-related philanthropies serving Kansans, said potential cuts in federal spending on Medicaid could slash health coverage of low-income Kansans and threaten financially struggling hospitals.&nbsp; Photo by Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/04/29/kansas-medicaid-advocates-share-dire-forecast-of-potential-congressional-funding-cuts/">Kansas Reflector</a><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/"></a>TOPEKA — Analysis of potential congressional cuts to Medicaid indicated Kansas’ loss of nearly $350 million in the first year and more than $3 billion over 10 years could shrink coverage for vulnerable populations, escalate family medical debt and raise the risk of hospital closures.Reductions in federal financing of Medicaid could lead to downsizing by 5% to 15% the number of Medicaid enrollees in Kansas and trigger a decline of 22% in Medicaid funding to hospitals in the state. Kansas has two-dozen rural hospitals at risk of immediate closure. Shrinking federal funding to Medicaid could add to the burden of uncompensated patient care and threaten hospitals operating on narrow margins.The findings were in a report released Tuesday by REACH Healthcare Foundation and United Methodist Health Ministry Fund, both health-related philanthropies serving Kansans. The report incorporated analysis from Manatt Health, which provides strategic, policy and legal advisory services in the health care industry.Impetus for the projections was upcoming debate in Congress on a goal of cutting $880 billion in federal spending on Medicaid in the next decade.“The data is clear and deeply concerning,” said David Jordan, president and CEO of United Methodist Health Ministry Fund. “We will all pay the price — higher costs, increases in local taxes and less access to care — to offset these cuts. It’s critical that lawmakers, health care providers, advocates and the people of Kansas recognize the consequences before it’s too late.”United Methodist Health Ministry Fund is a statewide foundation that has worked since 1986 to improve the health of Kansans.Medicaid is a joint federal and state program offering health coverage to lower-income Kansas children, seniors, people with disabilities and pregnant women. Medicaid enrolls 366,000 Kansans, including 31% of the state’s children. Medicaid supports four of seven nursing home residents in Kansas as well as one in four working-age adults in the state who have a disability, the report said.There is interest among congressional Republicans in adopting a national work requirement for recipients of Medicaid. The Kansas Medicaid program, known as KanCare, doesn’t extend coverage to working-age adults regardless of income unless the recipient was a parent, caregiver or a person with a disability.“Medicaid is the largest source of federal funds in Kansas and any cuts to the program will have severe economic and health impacts felt in every corner of the state,” said Brenda Sharpe, president and CEO of REACH Healthcare Foundation.REACH is a charitable organization striving to improve access to quality, affordable care for uninsured and medically underserved residents of Johnson, Wyandotte and Allen counties in Kansas and Jackson, Cass and Lafayette counties in Missouri.Manatt Health relied on computer modeling to produce one-year and 10-year projections for Medicaid based on the idea of reducing federal expenditures by $880 billion within a decade. The work by Manatt Health was released before Congress completed work on spending adjustments, but the assessment aligned with policy parameters, options and effective dates outlined by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

Kansas Medicaid advocates share dire forecast of potential congressional funding cuts

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas House Democrats are hitting the road this summer for their inaugural Fight Back Tour, a statewide initiative aimed at engaging directly with residents, addressing community concerns and sharing their legislative vision for the future.

The tour is set to kick off Thursday, May 29, in Topeka and will feature Democratic lawmakers traveling across Kansas to meet with constituents, highlight policy priorities and advocate for the rights and opportunities of working families.

“This tour is about showing up and fighting back against the extremism we’re seeing at all levels of government, but especially in Topeka,” said House Democratic Leader Brandon Woodard. “The Kansas House Democrats are committed to listening to Kansans who are not feeling heard right now and taking action.”

Throughout the summer, House Democrats will collaborate with local county parties, stakeholders and advocacy groups in each stop to facilitate conversations and build coalitions. The initiative aims to elevate voices from all corners of the state and ensure that lawmakers remain connected to the concerns of their communities.

Fight Back Tour Dates and Locations: May 29 – Topeka, KS June 5 – Wichita, KS June 6 – Newton, KS June 20 – Hutchinson, KS June 21 – Abilene, KS July 18 – Garden City, KS July 19 – Dodge City, KS July 24 – Pittsburg, KS August 15 – Hays, KS August 21 – Kansas City, KS August 28 – Leavenworth, KS

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746330093886.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas House Democrats are hitting the road this summer for their inaugural Fight Back Tour, a statewide initiative aimed at engaging directly with residents, addressing community concerns and sharing their legislative vision for the future.The tour is set to kick off Thursday, May 29, in Topeka and will feature Democratic lawmakers traveling across Kansas to meet with constituents, highlight policy priorities and advocate for the rights and opportunities of working families.“This tour is about showing up and fighting back against the extremism we’re seeing at all levels of government, but especially in Topeka,” said House Democratic Leader Brandon Woodard. “The Kansas House Democrats are committed to listening to Kansans who are not feeling heard right now and taking action.”Throughout the summer, House Democrats will collaborate with local county parties, stakeholders and advocacy groups in each stop to facilitate conversations and build coalitions. The initiative aims to elevate voices from all corners of the state and ensure that lawmakers remain connected to the concerns of their communities. Fight Back Tour Dates and Locations: May 29 – Topeka, KS June 5 – Wichita, KS June 6 – Newton, KS June 20 – Hutchinson, KS June 21 – Abilene, KS July 18 – Garden City, KS July 19 – Dodge City, KS July 24 – Pittsburg, KS August 15 – Hays, KS August 21 – Kansas City, KS August 28 – Leavenworth, KS

Kansas House Democrats to hold inaugural Fight Back Tour

Heisman Trophy winner and former pro football running back Billy Sims stopped in Junction City on Saturday and signed autographs at the restaurant that bears his name, Billy Sims Barbecue, on West 6th Street.

Sims won the Heisman Trophy in 1978 while playing for the Oklahoma Sooners and received All America recognition two times. He spent five seasons from 1980 to 1984 playing for the Detroit Lions before his career was ended by a knee injury in 1984. Sims earned three Pro Bowl selections.

Sims founded the chain of Billy Sims Barbecue restaurants along with his business partner Jeff Jackson. The restaurant chain is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma and there has been an outlet in Junction City for several years.

Sims said he remains in contact with former Sooner teammates. "We stay in touch. We're getting older now. I'm 69 now and I've got some friends that blocked for me and helped me win the Heisman that are still around so we try to have a good time when we get together."&nbsp;

During his Junction City visit he told the public that he appreciated their business. "It's all about the customer. Hopefully they enjoy the food."

By Dewey Terrill&nbsp; JC PostHeisman Trophy winner and former pro football running back Billy Sims stopped in Junction City on Saturday and signed autographs at the restaurant that bears his name, Billy Sims Barbecue, on West 6th Street.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746317332633.jpeg" alt="( Billy Sims )" />
 <figcaption>( Billy Sims )</figcaption>
 </figure>Sims won the Heisman Trophy in 1978 while playing for the Oklahoma Sooners and received All America recognition two times. He spent five seasons from 1980 to 1984 playing for the Detroit Lions before his career was ended by a knee injury in 1984. Sims earned three Pro Bowl selections.Sims founded the chain of Billy Sims Barbecue restaurants along with his business partner Jeff Jackson. The restaurant chain is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma and there has been an outlet in Junction City for several years.Sims said he remains in contact with former Sooner teammates. "We stay in touch. We're getting older now. I'm 69 now and I've got some friends that blocked for me and helped me win the Heisman that are still around so we try to have a good time when we get together."&nbsp;During his Junction City visit he told the public that he appreciated their business. "It's all about the customer. Hopefully they enjoy the food."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746318911514.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;

Heisman Trophy winning running back Billy Sims visits Junction City

By&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/skyler-rossi">SKYLER ROSSI</a> <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2025-04-28/backyard-chicken-rental-eggs">Harvest Public Media</a>

People are flocking to backyard chickens this year, in part due to the sky-high cost of eggs at the grocery store. Some first-timers have turned to chicken rentals to try out ownership for a few months.

Four chickens snack on a treat of dried mealworms, which Katie Hitt shakes into the run of their coop from a red plastic cup.

These chickens have lived in Hitt’s backyard in St. Louis since early April. She and her family have enjoyed the pale blue eggs the hens lay. And her three young kids are having fun with the birds.

“I mean, that's the first thing they're thinking of when they wake up in the morning, is like, how are the chickens and what are they doing?” Hitt said.

This is Hitt’s first time having chickens. She said she’s wanted them for a while, but she was nervous about doing something wrong. She doesn’t know anyone with a backyard flock, and there’s an overwhelming amount of advice online.

But then Hitt heard about chicken rentals.

Four Feathered Hens, a chicken rental business in St. Louis, would deliver hens and a coop right to her home. Its owners Emilie and Tom Schnitzer would provide expert advice. And, she would only need to commit to the chickens for a year.

“It was just like, boom, there we go,” Hitt said. “We didn't have chickens one day, and then we had a whole set up the next.”

Demand for backyard chickens is high this year. That’s in part because of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2025-01-21/eggs-expensive-bird-flu" target="_blank">expensive egg prices</a>&nbsp;and shortages at the grocery store brought on by bird flu, which led to fewer laying hens across the country. The price for a dozen large eggs&nbsp;<a href="https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/APU0000708111" target="_blank">climbed to a record $6.23</a>&nbsp;in March.

Buying or renting chickens is hardly a cost-saving measure, but those in the business say people are interested in a close-to-home egg supply.

“Our renters … they don't have to worry if the store is restricting how many eggs you can buy,” said Jenn Tompkins, the co-founder of national chicken rental business Rent The Chicken. “They don't have to worry even if the store has any eggs or not, because they just walk right outside and collect their fresh eggs.”

Rent The Chicken, which opened over a decade ago and is based in Pennsylvania, partners with farmers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rentthechicken.com/p/buy.html" target="_blank">in cities across the country</a>&nbsp;to rent backyard chickens. More people are interested in renting this year, Tompkins said.

“We've been so busy, we haven't even been able to compare numbers now versus last year,” Tompkins said. “When we looked in February, we were already about 20% ahead on this year versus last year this time.”

Hatcheries across the Midwest that supply backyard chickens also say they’re flooded with orders.

Murray McMurray Hatchery in Webster City, Iowa, sells about 3 million chicks a year to people across the U.S. Typically, the hatchery sells out about two or three weeks in advance, said President Tom Watkins. But this year, it’s sold out through October.

“That's 40 weeks of chickens that are pre-sold,” Watkins said. “We have literally sold them, you know, counted them before they hatched.”

It’s the same deal for Heartland Hatchery, which sells chicks at feed stores in Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and Oklahoma. The hatchery had to buy a landline phone for the first time ever to keep up with the orders.

“Demand this year has been the highest I've ever seen since I've been in business for 29 years,” co-owner Alan Nieder said.

U.S. Postal Service shipping delays that have caused&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2024-09-03/usps-postal-service-slowdowns-baby-birds-dying-transit" target="_blank">chicks to die in transit</a>&nbsp;are also contributing to the high demand, Nieder said.

But even with the record-high prices for eggs, people should still expect to shell out more to keep chickens.

All the needed supplies — such as the coop, the feed and the fencing to protect the birds from predators — cost at least a few hundred dollars, said Katie Bell, an agriculture educator with the University of Illinois Extension.

“You could easily spend $500 before you even get the birds,” Bell said.

Packages from Rent The Chicken vary by location. But in several of its Midwestern cities, including Omaha, Detroit and Milwaukee, a six-month rental of two hens starts at about $500.

Four Feathered Hens in St. Louis, which opened at the beginning of this year, offers six or 12-month rentals. Its packages start at $95 per month for a yearlong commitment.

The most expensive package, at $190 a month, includes full care of the birds, co-founder Emilie Schnitzer said.

“We'll come out, we'll feed the chickens, we'll change out the bedding in the coop, make sure everything is going smoothly, just so it's pretty much the family only has to collect the eggs,” she said.

Hitt and her family are caring for the chickens themselves. She says her kids are picky eaters, but they get excited about the eggs from their chickens.

“They're already deciding whose chicken is whose,” Hitt said. “‘My chicken laid this one, I'm going to eat that one.’ It's really cute.”

This story was produced in partnership with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/harvestpublicmedia" target="_blank">Harvest Public Media,</a>&nbsp;a collaboration of public media newsrooms in the Midwest. It reports on food systems, agriculture and rural issues.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1746020162379.png" alt="Katie Hitt and her family are renting these chickens for the next year from Four Feathered Hens in St. Louis. Her three young kids have named the birds Hei Hei, Feathers, Sweethearts and Lego Man. "Sometimes they change the names, but those are the names this week," Hitt said. Photo by Skyler Rossi/Harvest Public Media" />
 <figcaption>Katie Hitt and her family are renting these chickens for the next year from Four Feathered Hens in St. Louis. Her three young kids have named the birds Hei Hei, Feathers, Sweethearts and Lego Man. "Sometimes they change the names, but those are the names this week," Hitt said. Photo by Skyler Rossi/Harvest Public Media</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/skyler-rossi">SKYLER ROSSI</a> <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2025-04-28/backyard-chicken-rental-eggs">Harvest Public Media</a><h2>People are flocking to backyard chickens this year, in part due to the sky-high cost of eggs at the grocery store. Some first-timers have turned to chicken rentals to try out ownership for a few months.</h2>Four chickens snack on a treat of dried mealworms, which Katie Hitt shakes into the run of their coop from a red plastic cup.These chickens have lived in Hitt’s backyard in St. Louis since early April. She and her family have enjoyed the pale blue eggs the hens lay. And her three young kids are having fun with the birds.“I mean, that's the first thing they're thinking of when they wake up in the morning, is like, how are the chickens and what are they doing?” Hitt said.This is Hitt’s first time having chickens. She said she’s wanted them for a while, but she was nervous about doing something wrong. She doesn’t know anyone with a backyard flock, and there’s an overwhelming amount of advice online.But then Hitt heard about chicken rentals.Four Feathered Hens, a chicken rental business in St. Louis, would deliver hens and a coop right to her home. Its owners Emilie and Tom Schnitzer would provide expert advice. And, she would only need to commit to the chickens for a year.So, the chickens moved in.“It was just like, boom, there we go,” Hitt said. “We didn't have chickens one day, and then we had a whole set up the next.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1746020327256.png" alt="Katie Hitt enjoys the eggs her rental chickens lay, but she and her family also like the experience of having the birds. "It's just relaxing to come out and just watch these little guys just peck around," she said. Photo by Skyler Rossi/Harvest Public Media" />
 <figcaption>Katie Hitt enjoys the eggs her rental chickens lay, but she and her family also like the experience of having the birds. "It's just relaxing to come out and just watch these little guys just peck around," she said. Photo by Skyler Rossi/Harvest Public Media</figcaption>
 </figure>Demand for backyard chickens is high this year. That’s in part because of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2025-01-21/eggs-expensive-bird-flu" target="_blank">expensive egg prices</a>&nbsp;and shortages at the grocery store brought on by bird flu, which led to fewer laying hens across the country. The price for a dozen large eggs&nbsp;<a href="https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/APU0000708111" target="_blank">climbed to a record $6.23</a>&nbsp;in March.Buying or renting chickens is hardly a cost-saving measure, but those in the business say people are interested in a close-to-home egg supply.“Our renters … they don't have to worry if the store is restricting how many eggs you can buy,” said Jenn Tompkins, the co-founder of national chicken rental business Rent The Chicken. “They don't have to worry even if the store has any eggs or not, because they just walk right outside and collect their fresh eggs.”Rent The Chicken, which opened over a decade ago and is based in Pennsylvania, partners with farmers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rentthechicken.com/p/buy.html" target="_blank">in cities across the country</a>&nbsp;to rent backyard chickens. More people are interested in renting this year, Tompkins said.“We've been so busy, we haven't even been able to compare numbers now versus last year,” Tompkins said. “When we looked in February, we were already about 20% ahead on this year versus last year this time.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1746020423728.png" alt="Katie Hitt collected these pale blue eggs from her chickens. She said they've laid more than a dozen in the first week she's had them. Photo by Skyler Rossi/Harvest Public Media" />
 <figcaption>Katie Hitt collected these pale blue eggs from her chickens. She said they've laid more than a dozen in the first week she's had them. Photo by Skyler Rossi/Harvest Public Media</figcaption>
 </figure>Hatcheries across the Midwest that supply backyard chickens also say they’re flooded with orders.Murray McMurray Hatchery in Webster City, Iowa, sells about 3 million chicks a year to people across the U.S. Typically, the hatchery sells out about two or three weeks in advance, said President Tom Watkins. But this year, it’s sold out through October.“That's 40 weeks of chickens that are pre-sold,” Watkins said. “We have literally sold them, you know, counted them before they hatched.”It’s the same deal for Heartland Hatchery, which sells chicks at feed stores in Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and Oklahoma. The hatchery had to buy a landline phone for the first time ever to keep up with the orders.“Demand this year has been the highest I've ever seen since I've been in business for 29 years,” co-owner Alan Nieder said.U.S. Postal Service shipping delays that have caused&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2024-09-03/usps-postal-service-slowdowns-baby-birds-dying-transit" target="_blank">chicks to die in transit</a>&nbsp;are also contributing to the high demand, Nieder said.<h2>Chickens aren’t cheap</h2>But even with the record-high prices for eggs, people should still expect to shell out more to keep chickens.All the needed supplies — such as the coop, the feed and the fencing to protect the birds from predators — cost at least a few hundred dollars, said Katie Bell, an agriculture educator with the University of Illinois Extension.“You could easily spend $500 before you even get the birds,” Bell said.And that goes for renting chickens, too.Packages from Rent The Chicken vary by location. But in several of its Midwestern cities, including Omaha, Detroit and Milwaukee, a six-month rental of two hens starts at about $500.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1746020537310.png" alt="Emilie Schnitzer feeds dried mealworms to the chickens Katie Hitt is renting from her. She wants to help people get started with backyard hens through her chicken rental business. Photo by Skyler Rossi/Harvest Public Media" />
 <figcaption>Emilie Schnitzer feeds dried mealworms to the chickens Katie Hitt is renting from her. She wants to help people get started with backyard hens through her chicken rental business. Photo by Skyler Rossi/Harvest Public Media</figcaption>
 </figure>Four Feathered Hens in St. Louis, which opened at the beginning of this year, offers six or 12-month rentals. Its packages start at $95 per month for a yearlong commitment.The most expensive package, at $190 a month, includes full care of the birds, co-founder Emilie Schnitzer said.“We'll come out, we'll feed the chickens, we'll change out the bedding in the coop, make sure everything is going smoothly, just so it's pretty much the family only has to collect the eggs,” she said.Hitt and her family are caring for the chickens themselves. She says her kids are picky eaters, but they get excited about the eggs from their chickens.“They're already deciding whose chicken is whose,” Hitt said. “‘My chicken laid this one, I'm going to eat that one.’ It's really cute.”This story was produced in partnership with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/harvestpublicmedia" target="_blank">Harvest Public Media,</a>&nbsp;a collaboration of public media newsrooms in the Midwest. It reports on food systems, agriculture and rural issues.

Rent a chicken? More people take a crack at creating their own egg supply

BELOIT— The North Central Regional Planning Commission (NCRPC) Board of Directors announced that Debra Carlson Ohlde has been appointed as its new Executive Director, effective May 1.“

We are thrilled to have Deb in this top management position at NCRPC,” said Tom Claussen, Chair of the NCRPC Board. “She is extremely qualified and dedicated to North Central Kansas through her involvement in local community activities and her professional career. Deb truly loves this area of the state and will do what is best for the region and the organization.

”Deb is a long-time resident of Clyde, Kansas, with many years of experience at NCRPC. She initially joined the North Central Regional Planning Commission, which is based in Beloit, in 1994 and served in various roles, culminating in the position of Assistant Director, through 2016. 

After that, Deb stayed connected to community development while operating her consulting company, NEW Heartland Freelance. She also served as the Director of Grower Services for Kansas Corn before rejoining the NCRPC in 2022.

"After being with the organization for 22 years, I benefited from the years I spent taking on new types of work and challenges. The skills and experiences from my time away broadened my perspective and expanded my network. However, my heart lies in the community development field and North Central Kansas,” said Ohlde. 

“Helping communities solve problems and realize dreams has been a rewarding career path. I look forward to supporting our capable staff in this new role as we continue to serve the region.”Deb holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Kansas State University. She has expertise in strategic planning, small group facilitation, and proposal writing/project management within the public and non-profit sectors.

“We look forward to Deb’s leadership and vision as we continue to advance the organization,” said Claussen.For more information about the North Central Regional Planning Commission, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncrpc.org/">www.ncrpc.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746198627049.png" alt="Debra Carlson Ohlde courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Debra Carlson Ohlde courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedBELOIT— The North Central Regional Planning Commission (NCRPC) Board of Directors announced that Debra Carlson Ohlde has been appointed as its new Executive Director, effective May 1.“We are thrilled to have Deb in this top management position at NCRPC,” said Tom Claussen, Chair of the NCRPC Board. “She is extremely qualified and dedicated to North Central Kansas through her involvement in local community activities and her professional career. Deb truly loves this area of the state and will do what is best for the region and the organization.”Deb is a long-time resident of Clyde, Kansas, with many years of experience at NCRPC. She initially joined the North Central Regional Planning Commission, which is based in Beloit, in 1994 and served in various roles, culminating in the position of Assistant Director, through 2016. After that, Deb stayed connected to community development while operating her consulting company, NEW Heartland Freelance. She also served as the Director of Grower Services for Kansas Corn before rejoining the NCRPC in 2022."After being with the organization for 22 years, I benefited from the years I spent taking on new types of work and challenges. The skills and experiences from my time away broadened my perspective and expanded my network. However, my heart lies in the community development field and North Central Kansas,” said Ohlde. “Helping communities solve problems and realize dreams has been a rewarding career path. I look forward to supporting our capable staff in this new role as we continue to serve the region.”Deb holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Kansas State University. She has expertise in strategic planning, small group facilitation, and proposal writing/project management within the public and non-profit sectors.“We look forward to Deb’s leadership and vision as we continue to advance the organization,” said Claussen.For more information about the North Central Regional Planning Commission, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncrpc.org/">www.ncrpc.org</a>.

North Central Regional Planning Commission appoints Executive Director

There will be improvements to 12th Sreet in Manhattan starting May 19. The City said that this will include new water, sewer, and stormwater lines, plus upgraded streetscapes to match the rest of the district.

Upcoming projects in the Aggieville area will include starting May 19, Moro Street closing for about 30 days while crews work at the 12th &amp; Moro intersection. This ensures safety for pedestrians, drivers, and workers—and helps crews work more efficiently.

The City will offer free parking in the garage beginning May 19. It will remain free until Moro Street reopens and work at the intersection is complete. The City Commission will take action on this soon.

Construction will move south on 12th St in phases through fall 2026, ending at Fremont Street.

Construction on the new Hampton Inn and parking garage is scheduled to begin this summer and wrap up by fall 2026.

All businesses will remain easily accessible with clearly marked sidewalks.&nbsp;

There will be improvements to 12th Sreet in Manhattan starting May 19. The City said that this will include new water, sewer, and stormwater lines, plus upgraded streetscapes to match the rest of the district.Upcoming projects in the Aggieville area will include starting May 19, Moro Street closing for about 30 days while crews work at the 12th &amp; Moro intersection. This ensures safety for pedestrians, drivers, and workers—and helps crews work more efficiently.The City will offer free parking in the garage beginning May 19. It will remain free until Moro Street reopens and work at the intersection is complete. The City Commission will take action on this soon.Construction will move south on 12th St in phases through fall 2026, ending at Fremont Street.Construction on the new Hampton Inn and parking garage is scheduled to begin this summer and wrap up by fall 2026.All businesses will remain easily accessible with clearly marked sidewalks.&nbsp;

Improvements are planned in the Aggieville area

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a woman on drug allegations.

Just before 7:30p.m. Thursday, police arrested 51-year-old&nbsp;Theresa Jones of Junction City. near the intersection of Fort Riley Blvd. and E. Riley Avenue, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

 Jones was arrested on a Riley County District Court warrant for 5 counts of conspiracy to possess methamphetamine and 5 counts of unlawful use of a telecommunication device for felony drug transactions. Jones is being held on a $10,000 bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744899405736.jpeg" alt="Theresa Jones -from an April arrest in Gear Co." />
 <figcaption>Theresa Jones -from an April arrest in Gear Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a woman on drug allegations.Just before 7:30p.m. Thursday, police arrested 51-year-old&nbsp;Theresa Jones of Junction City. near the intersection of Fort Riley Blvd. and E. Riley Avenue, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report. Jones was arrested on a Riley County District Court warrant for 5 counts of conspiracy to possess methamphetamine and 5 counts of unlawful use of a telecommunication device for felony drug transactions. Jones is being held on a $10,000 bond.

Junction City woman accused of selling meth

The Fort Riley Garrison Safety Office and Irwin Army Community Hospital will host the annual 102 Days of Summer Safety Fair.

There will be displays, information, a chance to talk to subject matter experts on disaster preparedness, personal security, personal firearms registration and requirements, Corvias Housing, motorcycle and ATV safety, hazardous plants and animals.

The Army announced that the Kansas Highway Patrol will have their Seat Belt Convincer on site for those who want to give it a try.

The Commanding General's Mounted Color Guard will be there with Samson, IACH's adopted horse.&nbsp;

630th Ordnance Company will be present for UXO awareness with their robot and bomb suit.

Medical staff will be available from mutliple departments that include Public Health, SHARP, Optometry, Respiratory Thereapy, EMS, OB/WHC, Nutrition and MORE!

&nbsp;Food will be available for purchase.



The Fort Riley Garrison Safety Office and Irwin Army Community Hospital will host the annual 102 Days of Summer Safety Fair.There will be displays, information, a chance to talk to subject matter experts on disaster preparedness, personal security, personal firearms registration and requirements, Corvias Housing, motorcycle and ATV safety, hazardous plants and animals.The Army announced that the Kansas Highway Patrol will have their Seat Belt Convincer on site for those who want to give it a try.The Commanding General's Mounted Color Guard will be there with Samson, IACH's adopted horse.&nbsp;630th Ordnance Company will be present for UXO awareness with their robot and bomb suit.Medical staff will be available from mutliple departments that include Public Health, SHARP, Optometry, Respiratory Thereapy, EMS, OB/WHC, Nutrition and MORE!&nbsp;Food will be available for purchase.

Summer Safety Fair will be held at Fort Riley May 22

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating an alleged sex assault in Manhattan.

Just after 3a.m. Thursday, officers filed a report of rape in Manhattan. A 19-year-old woman was listed as a victim and a 46-year-old man known to her was listed as the suspect, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

Just after 9:30 a.m. Thursday, police arrested 46-year-old Michael Nash of Manhattan, in the 3200 block of Kimball on a requested charge of rape. Nash met the requirement of a $25,000 bond and is no longer in custody.

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating an alleged sex assault in Manhattan.Just after 3a.m. Thursday, officers filed a report of rape in Manhattan. A 19-year-old woman was listed as a victim and a 46-year-old man known to her was listed as the suspect, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.Just after 9:30 a.m. Thursday, police arrested 46-year-old Michael Nash of Manhattan, in the 3200 block of Kimball on a requested charge of rape. Nash met the requirement of a $25,000 bond and is no longer in custody.

Manhattan man accused of rape

DICKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement and school district officials provided an update to their investigation of a reported school threat at Chapman Middle School.

Just before 8p.m. Wednesday, a concerned parent of a Chapman Middle School student contacted police about a gun that was going to be brought to school, according to a media release from police. The parent told the on-duty Chapman officer that student told them that another student from the school was going to bring a gun to the school on May 2, and "start shooting everyone."

The officer immediately contacted USD 473 officials, others with the police department and the Dickinson County Sheriff's office to coordinate a quick response to the allegation.

A team of officers and deputies responded to the USD 473 District Office and met with school staff. At the same time,&nbsp; officers and deputies began several interviews of students and parents from the school district. After several hours of interviews, the investigation was suspended for the evening with no findings of a credible threat to the students or staff.

On Thursday, officers, deputies and USD 473 officials continued interviews with more students at the school. After several hours of interviews, it was concluded there is no credible threat to students or staff at Chapman Middle School.

DICKINSON COUNTY —Law enforcement and USD 473 staff are investigating an alleged threat at the middle school in Chapman.

On Wednesday, an officer with Chapman Police was notified of a potential harmful event that may occur at a later date at the Chapman Middle School, 624 Marshall Ave, Chapman, according to a social media report from the Chapman Police Department.

Chapman police immediately made contact with USD 473 staff and contacted the Dickinson Co. Sheriff’s Office and an investigation began immediately.

After the investigation, the officials feel that there is no credible threat. The investigation isn’t complete.  An official statement will be released on Friday.  Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

DICKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement and school district officials provided an update to their investigation of a reported school threat at Chapman Middle School.Just before 8p.m. Wednesday, a concerned parent of a Chapman Middle School student contacted police about a gun that was going to be brought to school, according to a media release from police. The parent told the on-duty Chapman officer that student told them that another student from the school was going to bring a gun to the school on May 2, and "start shooting everyone."The officer immediately contacted USD 473 officials, others with the police department and the Dickinson County Sheriff's office to coordinate a quick response to the allegation.A team of officers and deputies responded to the USD 473 District Office and met with school staff. At the same time,&nbsp; officers and deputies began several interviews of students and parents from the school district. After several hours of interviews, the investigation was suspended for the evening with no findings of a credible threat to the students or staff.On Thursday, officers, deputies and USD 473 officials continued interviews with more students at the school. After several hours of interviews, it was concluded there is no credible threat to students or staff at Chapman Middle School.-----------DICKINSON COUNTY —Law enforcement and USD 473 staff are investigating an alleged threat at the middle school in Chapman.On Wednesday, an officer with Chapman Police was notified of a potential harmful event that may occur at a later date at the Chapman Middle School, 624 Marshall Ave, Chapman, according to a social media report from the Chapman Police Department.Chapman police immediately made contact with USD 473 staff and contacted the Dickinson Co. Sheriff’s Office and an investigation began immediately.After the investigation, the officials feel that there is no credible threat. The investigation isn’t complete. An official statement will be released on Friday. Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

Police update investigation of reported school threat in Chapman

See a need, fill a need. That was the vision of the Kansas wheat farmer who first proposed donating surplus Kansas grain to people in need around the world. Today, U.S. food aid programs continue to serve this goal, using about one million metric tons (36.74 million bushels) of U.S. wheat annually.&nbsp;Kansas Wheat CEO Justin Gilpin joined a recent learning journey, organized by U.S. Wheat Associates (USW), to get an up-close look at food aid programs at work in East Africa and how this goodwill lays the foundation for future trade relationships.

“Food for Peace and Food for Progress are key programs and policies that were originally started by U.S. farmers and still supported by U.S. farmers,” Gilpin said. “We are in an increasingly important environment right now with dynamic changes in policy, seeing the critical work that food aid provides for those who are in need.”

“We are also introducing our product into a market. Africa creates a unique opportunity where we can provide humanitarian assistance to those who are in need through food aid with wheat, specifically being a high priority food, but then ultimately building goodwill and developing a commercial partner.”

The food aid learning journey took U.S. wheat industry leaders to Kenya and Lesotho to examine the transportation, distribution and impact of the two main U.S. food assistance programs — Food for Peace and Food for Progress.&nbsp;

Food for Peace Feeds Hungry People

The Food for Peace program supplies in-kind donations of food products, of which wheat makes up the largest proportion of emergency food assistance. The program started as a proposal by Kansas farmer Peter O’Brien in September 1953. In 1954, U.S. Senator Andy Schoeppel, a Kansas Senator, sponsored the precursor to today’s food aid programs as legislation, which was later signed by another Kansan, President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

The team saw the impact of Food for Peace donations firsthand at the Kakuma Refugee Camp, which hosts about 300,000 refugees from a variety of countries across East and Central Africa. The camp is managed by the World Food Programme (WFP), which aims to provide refugees with the standard 2,100 calories each person needs daily. Reaching that goal is not always possible.&nbsp;

Peter Laudeman, USW director of trade policy, explained that due to other global conflicts and distribution issues, the camp was only able to provide 65 percent of the caloric need in the provided ration. At the time of the learning journey, that ration was down to 40 percent with the expectation that it could move as low as 20 percent, making it imperative to get resources — like available U.S. HRW wheat — moving into these programs.&nbsp;

“This is not a well-rounded meal of fresh fruits and vegetables; it’s truly just the basic calories of what you need for the month to live,” Laudeman said. “When you think visually about it, you’re basically getting a two-cup scoop and that’s what you get for the month. What we saw more than anything is that there is a substantial need for more food in that camp. We know we have wheat available in the United States."

The Food for Peace program is administered by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which is set to be absorbed by the U.S. Department of State. The U.S. wheat industry is actively advocating for the Food for Peace program to be administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which already administers the sourcing and procurement of commodities like wheat for the Food for Peace program.&nbsp;

“Moving Food for Peace into USDA is going to be more efficient and more effective,” Laudeman said. “Not just for farmers in the United States to have more predictability, but also for groups like the WFP to have consistency, so we are working really hard to make sure that’s a possibility.”&nbsp;

Food for Progress Builds Economies&nbsp;

The second major food aid program in the United States is the Food for Progress program. Under this program, donations of wheat are monetized, which refers to the sale of in-kind donations of U.S. food commodities in recipient countries for local currency. Through monetization, the United States, through USDA and USAID, provides food commodities, like wheat, to a cooperating sponsor, a recipient government or a non-governmental organization. The recipient then can sell that commodity to local processors or traders and the proceeds can be used for developmental projects.&nbsp;

On the learning journey, Gilpin traveled with Laudeman to Maseru, Lesotho, to get a look at the STEPS Food for Progress project run by Venture 37. The project was funded by wheat monetization in Tanzania that is building capacity for the poultry sector within Lesotho.&nbsp;

“The project in Lesotho is actively working across the entire poultry value chain to enhance productivity, target strategic long-term investments and build economic opportunity in partnership with the United States,” Laudeman said. “As an added benefit, many elements of the STEPS project connect to commercial export opportunities for U.S. farmers.”

This project is an example of the vision of the Food for Progress program — how government-facilitated commercial scales can build up economies and establish relationships with future trading partners. The wheat industry actively advocates for this program, including recent support to ensure a spring food aid shipment of 286,000 metric tons (10.5 million bushels) of HRW wheat proceeded as planned.&nbsp;

That shipment came through the port of Mombasa in Kenya, which the team visited earlier in the learning journey, along with the mill that worked to bring in the shipment of wheat and move it through Kenya to the end destination of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. While no subsequent shipments are currently scheduled, this shipment represented the work needed to ensure food aid programs provide the right resources in the right places without market distortions.&nbsp;

“We worked to make sure that shipment went out to commercial partners in different markets that were planning on receiving that wheat,” Laudeman said. “We’re hopeful that once we have a better vision of how food aid will be structured in the long-term there will be more opportunities to share how shipments of wheat like this one work well in these programs, whether it is in Kenya or anywhere else.”&nbsp;

Overall, the USW learning journey underscored the enduring legacy and critical role of U.S. wheat in food aid programs. For Kansas wheat farmers, this work serves as a strong reminder of the power of feeding the world — both those in need today and those who will buy tomorrow.&nbsp;

“This USW learning journey gave us a great opportunity to learn about these important food aid programs that were originally started by farmers and still supported by farmers,” Gilpin said. “We were able to see tremendous growth through East Africa, including the role wheat plays in that market as humanitarian assistance and the market potential for future commercial activity.”

Learn more about the USW learning journey&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001-YFFLUtXHVhXWy9B_djoMSzDAvECfOXQF-UWFTThNrM6KDfqGE7vbGLN-Mzt-EB0LQhL1HXyeCrtVRoOH4csKG-byEvmss89AuqHkH_zc0lHtQhhGCLEHGJH9ZzSNl0rkl1lsZb7DMh2zYqaE53eHNvzw0Q_Cl1PrS_08Ydp-zezRz9kqn56sFjAQ27tfetE0AXB1IGTNm5wP3ZJtFqfgYTjZSBbdZMkz2WQYnuWrZwiDJ1ZBt1OCZw0Ea3LL8ETBnFTH2C1gSQO5lkofPIaOA==&amp;c=-D3Lhsc_Onm7CTzRy82X_-_JUn6aAu2l0CgQ-DPPP3NpYXmNHZ704A==&amp;ch=moq893EM9Z8QrEemTeq6g8pCPRBq_mvNYUP5JArAR4ipF7ceOR5ZGg==">here</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684379707210.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS WHEAT COMMISSIONSee a need, fill a need. That was the vision of the Kansas wheat farmer who first proposed donating surplus Kansas grain to people in need around the world. Today, U.S. food aid programs continue to serve this goal, using about one million metric tons (36.74 million bushels) of U.S. wheat annually.&nbsp;Kansas Wheat CEO Justin Gilpin joined a recent learning journey, organized by U.S. Wheat Associates (USW), to get an up-close look at food aid programs at work in East Africa and how this goodwill lays the foundation for future trade relationships.“Food for Peace and Food for Progress are key programs and policies that were originally started by U.S. farmers and still supported by U.S. farmers,” Gilpin said. “We are in an increasingly important environment right now with dynamic changes in policy, seeing the critical work that food aid provides for those who are in need.”“We are also introducing our product into a market. Africa creates a unique opportunity where we can provide humanitarian assistance to those who are in need through food aid with wheat, specifically being a high priority food, but then ultimately building goodwill and developing a commercial partner.”The food aid learning journey took U.S. wheat industry leaders to Kenya and Lesotho to examine the transportation, distribution and impact of the two main U.S. food assistance programs — Food for Peace and Food for Progress.&nbsp;Food for Peace Feeds Hungry PeopleThe Food for Peace program supplies in-kind donations of food products, of which wheat makes up the largest proportion of emergency food assistance. The program started as a proposal by Kansas farmer Peter O’Brien in September 1953. In 1954, U.S. Senator Andy Schoeppel, a Kansas Senator, sponsored the precursor to today’s food aid programs as legislation, which was later signed by another Kansan, President Dwight D. Eisenhower.The team saw the impact of Food for Peace donations firsthand at the Kakuma Refugee Camp, which hosts about 300,000 refugees from a variety of countries across East and Central Africa. The camp is managed by the World Food Programme (WFP), which aims to provide refugees with the standard 2,100 calories each person needs daily. Reaching that goal is not always possible.&nbsp;Peter Laudeman, USW director of trade policy, explained that due to other global conflicts and distribution issues, the camp was only able to provide 65 percent of the caloric need in the provided ration. At the time of the learning journey, that ration was down to 40 percent with the expectation that it could move as low as 20 percent, making it imperative to get resources — like available U.S. HRW wheat — moving into these programs.&nbsp;“This is not a well-rounded meal of fresh fruits and vegetables; it’s truly just the basic calories of what you need for the month to live,” Laudeman said. “When you think visually about it, you’re basically getting a two-cup scoop and that’s what you get for the month. What we saw more than anything is that there is a substantial need for more food in that camp. We know we have wheat available in the United States."The Food for Peace program is administered by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which is set to be absorbed by the U.S. Department of State. The U.S. wheat industry is actively advocating for the Food for Peace program to be administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which already administers the sourcing and procurement of commodities like wheat for the Food for Peace program.&nbsp;“Moving Food for Peace into USDA is going to be more efficient and more effective,” Laudeman said. “Not just for farmers in the United States to have more predictability, but also for groups like the WFP to have consistency, so we are working really hard to make sure that’s a possibility.”&nbsp;Food for Progress Builds Economies&nbsp;The second major food aid program in the United States is the Food for Progress program. Under this program, donations of wheat are monetized, which refers to the sale of in-kind donations of U.S. food commodities in recipient countries for local currency. Through monetization, the United States, through USDA and USAID, provides food commodities, like wheat, to a cooperating sponsor, a recipient government or a non-governmental organization. The recipient then can sell that commodity to local processors or traders and the proceeds can be used for developmental projects.&nbsp;On the learning journey, Gilpin traveled with Laudeman to Maseru, Lesotho, to get a look at the STEPS Food for Progress project run by Venture 37. The project was funded by wheat monetization in Tanzania that is building capacity for the poultry sector within Lesotho.&nbsp;“The project in Lesotho is actively working across the entire poultry value chain to enhance productivity, target strategic long-term investments and build economic opportunity in partnership with the United States,” Laudeman said. “As an added benefit, many elements of the STEPS project connect to commercial export opportunities for U.S. farmers.”This project is an example of the vision of the Food for Progress program — how government-facilitated commercial scales can build up economies and establish relationships with future trading partners. The wheat industry actively advocates for this program, including recent support to ensure a spring food aid shipment of 286,000 metric tons (10.5 million bushels) of HRW wheat proceeded as planned.&nbsp;That shipment came through the port of Mombasa in Kenya, which the team visited earlier in the learning journey, along with the mill that worked to bring in the shipment of wheat and move it through Kenya to the end destination of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. While no subsequent shipments are currently scheduled, this shipment represented the work needed to ensure food aid programs provide the right resources in the right places without market distortions.&nbsp;“We worked to make sure that shipment went out to commercial partners in different markets that were planning on receiving that wheat,” Laudeman said. “We’re hopeful that once we have a better vision of how food aid will be structured in the long-term there will be more opportunities to share how shipments of wheat like this one work well in these programs, whether it is in Kenya or anywhere else.”&nbsp;Food Aid Makes Good CentsOverall, the USW learning journey underscored the enduring legacy and critical role of U.S. wheat in food aid programs. For Kansas wheat farmers, this work serves as a strong reminder of the power of feeding the world — both those in need today and those who will buy tomorrow.&nbsp;“This USW learning journey gave us a great opportunity to learn about these important food aid programs that were originally started by farmers and still supported by farmers,” Gilpin said. “We were able to see tremendous growth through East Africa, including the role wheat plays in that market as humanitarian assistance and the market potential for future commercial activity.”Learn more about the USW learning journey&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001-YFFLUtXHVhXWy9B_djoMSzDAvECfOXQF-UWFTThNrM6KDfqGE7vbGLN-Mzt-EB0LQhL1HXyeCrtVRoOH4csKG-byEvmss89AuqHkH_zc0lHtQhhGCLEHGJH9ZzSNl0rkl1lsZb7DMh2zYqaE53eHNvzw0Q_Cl1PrS_08Ydp-zezRz9kqn56sFjAQ27tfetE0AXB1IGTNm5wP3ZJtFqfgYTjZSBbdZMkz2WQYnuWrZwiDJ1ZBt1OCZw0Ea3LL8ETBnFTH2C1gSQO5lkofPIaOA==&amp;c=-D3Lhsc_Onm7CTzRy82X_-_JUn6aAu2l0CgQ-DPPP3NpYXmNHZ704A==&amp;ch=moq893EM9Z8QrEemTeq6g8pCPRBq_mvNYUP5JArAR4ipF7ceOR5ZGg==">here</a>.&nbsp;<figure>
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Wheat Scoop: Building tomorrow’s markets- Wheat’s role in food aid programs in East Africa

Manhattan, Kan. — May. 1, 2025 — Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan has earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from the Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit focused on patient safety. Leapfrog assigns an "A," "B," "C," "D" or "F" grade to general hospitals across the country based on more than 22 performance measures reflecting accidents, errors, injuries and infections, as well as the systems and protocols hospitals have in place to prevent them.

“This recognition by Leapfrog is an acknowledgment of our dedicated caregivers and their steadfast commitment to live out our mission of delivering safe, high quality and compassionate care for all,” said Robert Copple, President of Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan. “We are proud of our team and the exceptional care they provide for our patients, every single day.”

Leapfrog’s Hospital Safety Grade program is a national rating focused exclusively on hospital safety, preventable medical errors, infections and patient injuries.&nbsp;

Manhattan, Kan. — May. 1, 2025 — Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan has earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from the Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit focused on patient safety. Leapfrog assigns an "A," "B," "C," "D" or "F" grade to general hospitals across the country based on more than 22 performance measures reflecting accidents, errors, injuries and infections, as well as the systems and protocols hospitals have in place to prevent them.“This recognition by Leapfrog is an acknowledgment of our dedicated caregivers and their steadfast commitment to live out our mission of delivering safe, high quality and compassionate care for all,” said Robert Copple, President of Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan. “We are proud of our team and the exceptional care they provide for our patients, every single day.”Leapfrog’s Hospital Safety Grade program is a national rating focused exclusively on hospital safety, preventable medical errors, infections and patient injuries.&nbsp;

Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan Earns An ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group

The City of Manhattan has announced the citywide Spring Cleanup Week numbers.

The City of Manhattan has announced the citywide Spring Cleanup Week numbers.They included:--514 loads collected--324 tons of waste removed--1,726 hours worked

Big numbers reported from spring cleanup

KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

Governor Laura Kelly issued a state of disaster emergency proclamation Wednesday, April 30, to allow a waiver for hours of service for motor carriers in Kansas. Areas within Kansas and surrounding states are experiencing a fuel shortage causing long lines at fuel terminals thereby causing a disruption in supply delivery and a need for drivers to increase the number of hours of service to deliver product. &nbsp;Diesel has been the earliest affected, but gasoline could be affected as well.

“I am issuing this declaration to help alleviate the delay in getting the fuel to the end user,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “This is not just a Kansas issue; our neighboring states are experiencing the same delays.”

“In support of Governor Kelly’s Disaster Emergency Proclamation, the Kansas Corporation Commission has issued an order granting a temporary 14-day waiver of federal regulations limiting hours of service for all intrastate and interstate motor carriers or drivers operating commercial motor vehicles who are providing direct assistance,” said Andrew French, Chairman of the Kansas Corporation Commission. “This action will assist in efforts to prevent a disruption in supply delivery related to the current fuel shortage by allowing drivers to increase their hours to deliver products.”

“The Kansas Highway Patrol acknowledges the Governor’s proclamation and will ensure enforcement efforts concerning commercial motor vehicles are consistent with these developments,” said Colonel Erik Smith, Superintendent of the Kansas Highway Patrol.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684348530032.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENTGovernor Laura Kelly issued a state of disaster emergency proclamation Wednesday, April 30, to allow a waiver for hours of service for motor carriers in Kansas. Areas within Kansas and surrounding states are experiencing a fuel shortage causing long lines at fuel terminals thereby causing a disruption in supply delivery and a need for drivers to increase the number of hours of service to deliver product. &nbsp;Diesel has been the earliest affected, but gasoline could be affected as well.“I am issuing this declaration to help alleviate the delay in getting the fuel to the end user,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “This is not just a Kansas issue; our neighboring states are experiencing the same delays.”“In support of Governor Kelly’s Disaster Emergency Proclamation, the Kansas Corporation Commission has issued an order granting a temporary 14-day waiver of federal regulations limiting hours of service for all intrastate and interstate motor carriers or drivers operating commercial motor vehicles who are providing direct assistance,” said Andrew French, Chairman of the Kansas Corporation Commission. “This action will assist in efforts to prevent a disruption in supply delivery related to the current fuel shortage by allowing drivers to increase their hours to deliver products.”“The Kansas Highway Patrol acknowledges the Governor’s proclamation and will ensure enforcement efforts concerning commercial motor vehicles are consistent with these developments,” said Colonel Erik Smith, Superintendent of the Kansas Highway Patrol.

Gov. Kelly issues state of disaster emergency to allow for motor carrier waiver 

On Wednesday, an officer with Chapman Police was notified of a potential harmful event that may occur at a later date at the Chapman Middle School,  624 Marshall Ave, Chapman, according to a social media report from the Chapman Police Department.

Chapman police immediately made contact with USD 473 staff and contacted the Dickinson Co. Sheriff’s Office and an investigation began immediately. 

After the investigation, the officials feel that there is no credible threat. The investigation isn’t complete.&nbsp; An official statement will be released on Friday.&nbsp; Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

DICKINSON COUNTY —Law enforcement and USD 473 staff are investigating an alleged threat at the middle school in Chapman.On Wednesday, an officer with Chapman Police was notified of a potential harmful event that may occur at a later date at the Chapman Middle School, 624 Marshall Ave, Chapman, according to a social media report from the Chapman Police Department.Chapman police immediately made contact with USD 473 staff and contacted the Dickinson Co. Sheriff’s Office and an investigation began immediately. After the investigation, the officials feel that there is no credible threat. The investigation isn’t complete.&nbsp; An official statement will be released on Friday.&nbsp; Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

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