SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.

Just after 2:30a.m. September 27,&nbsp; a K-9 Unit with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a gray 2009 Nissan Titan for speeding in the 3000 block of South Kansas Avenue, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

During the investigation, the driver, later identified as&nbsp;Raul I. J. Galvan-Romero, 40, of Topeka appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and illegal narcotics were located.

Deputies arrested Galvan-Romero and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections&nbsp; on the requested charges Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol, Speeding and Transporting an open container of liquor.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759439022550.png" alt="Galvan-Romero photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Galvan-Romero photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.Just after 2:30a.m. September 27,&nbsp; a K-9 Unit with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a gray 2009 Nissan Titan for speeding in the 3000 block of South Kansas Avenue, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.During the investigation, the driver, later identified as&nbsp;Raul I. J. Galvan-Romero, 40, of Topeka appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and illegal narcotics were located.Deputies arrested Galvan-Romero and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections&nbsp; on the requested charges Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol, Speeding and Transporting an open container of liquor.

Sheriff: Kansas driver was speeding and transporting illegal drugs

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has declared drug cartels to be unlawful combatants and says the United States is now in a “non-international armed conflict,” according to a Trump administration memo obtained by The Associated Press on Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/strike-drug-smuggling-vessel-275ab9837373a928aa3376e50d8d39b0">following recent U.S. strikes on boats</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean.

Congress was notified about the designation by Pentagon officials on Wednesday, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The memo, startling in scope, signals a potential new moment not just in the Trump administration’s willingness to reach beyond the norms of presidential authority to wage war but in Trump's stated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-imperialism-canada-panama-greenland-b4b53445dee97398b498b79eab54d49b">“America First” agenda</a>. It also raises stark questions about how far the White House intends to use its war powers and if Congress will exert its authority to approve — or ban — such military actions.

The move comes after the U.S. military last month carried out three&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-drug-cartels-05c5b0de282178419d46a3e93fbd2521">deadly strikes against alleged drug-smuggling boats</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean. At least two of those operations were carried out on vessels that originated from Venezuela.

Those strikes followed up a buildup of U.S. maritime forces in the Caribbean.

“Although friendly foreign nations have made significant efforts to combat these organizations, suffering significant losses of life, these groups are now transnational and conduct ongoing attacks throughout the Western Hemisphere as organized cartels,” according to the memo, which refers to cartel members as “unlawful combatants.” “Therefore, the President determined these cartels are non-state armed groups, designated them as terrorist organizations, and determined that their actions constitute an armed attack against the United States.”

Pentagon officials could not provide a list of the designated terrorist organizations at the center of the conflict, a matter that was a major source of frustration for some of the lawmakers who were briefed, according to the person.

Lawmakers have been pressing Trump to go to Congress and seek&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/war-powers-act-trump-congress-9e6832fb5f5f844acf8992008d3a8d63">war powers authority</a>&nbsp;for such operations.

The White House and the Pentagon did not respond to requests for comment. Multiple defense officials reached Thursday appeared to be caught off guard by the determination and would not immediately comment or explain what the president's action could mean for the Pentagon or military operations going forward.

What the Trump administration laid out at the closed-door classified briefing was perceived by several senators as pursuing a new legal framework that raised questions particularly regarding the role of Congress in authorizing any such action, the person familiar with the matter said.

As the Republican administration takes aim at vessels in the Caribbean, senators and lawmakers of both major political parties have raised stark objections. Some had previously called on Congress to exert its authority under the War Powers Act that would prohibit the administration’s strikes unless they were authorized by Congress.

The first military strike, carried out on Sept. 2 on what the Trump administration said was a drug-carrying speedboat, killed 11 people. Trump claimed the boat was operated by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/best-of-the-week/honorable-mention/2025/an-ap-team-goes-to-the-birthplace-of-tren-de-aragua-the-gang-put-at-the-center-of-trumps-anti-immigrant-narrative/">the Tren de Aragua gang</a>, which was listed by the U.S. as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rubio-ecuador-venezuela-military-strike-immigration-0bde0bbf862734facbd0df5f5361935b">a foreign terrorist organization</a>&nbsp;earlier this year.

The Trump administration had previously justified the military action as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States.

But several senators, Democrats and some Republicans, as well as human rights groups questioned the legality of Trump’s action. They called it potential overreach of executive authority in part because the military was used for law enforcement purposes.

By claiming his campaign against drug cartels is an active armed conflict, Trump appears to be claiming extraordinary wartime powers to justify his action.

Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committees, said the drug cartels are “despicable and must be dealt with by law enforcement.”

"The Trump Administration has offered no credible legal justification, evidence, or intelligence for these strikes,” said Reed, a former Army officer who served in the 82nd Airborne Division.

The Trump administration has yet to explain how the military assessed the boats' cargo and determined the passengers’ alleged gang affiliation before the strikes.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has declared drug cartels to be unlawful combatants and says the United States is now in a “non-international armed conflict,” according to a Trump administration memo obtained by The Associated Press on Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/strike-drug-smuggling-vessel-275ab9837373a928aa3376e50d8d39b0">following recent U.S. strikes on boats</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/gqH4MHjbg2">pic.twitter.com/gqH4MHjbg2</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1967680808128483764?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Congress was notified about the designation by Pentagon officials on Wednesday, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/HqmUByvzgD">pic.twitter.com/HqmUByvzgD</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1969184320288878719?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>🎥🎥</div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759438505732.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>The memo, startling in scope, signals a potential new moment not just in the Trump administration’s willingness to reach beyond the norms of presidential authority to wage war but in Trump's stated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-imperialism-canada-panama-greenland-b4b53445dee97398b498b79eab54d49b">“America First” agenda</a>. It also raises stark questions about how far the White House intends to use its war powers and if Congress will exert its authority to approve — or ban — such military actions.The move comes after the U.S. military last month carried out three&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-drug-cartels-05c5b0de282178419d46a3e93fbd2521">deadly strikes against alleged drug-smuggling boats</a>&nbsp;in the Caribbean. At least two of those operations were carried out on vessels that originated from Venezuela.Those strikes followed up a buildup of U.S. maritime forces in the Caribbean.“Although friendly foreign nations have made significant efforts to combat these organizations, suffering significant losses of life, these groups are now transnational and conduct ongoing attacks throughout the Western Hemisphere as organized cartels,” according to the memo, which refers to cartel members as “unlawful combatants.” “Therefore, the President determined these cartels are non-state armed groups, designated them as terrorist organizations, and determined that their actions constitute an armed attack against the United States.”Pentagon officials could not provide a list of the designated terrorist organizations at the center of the conflict, a matter that was a major source of frustration for some of the lawmakers who were briefed, according to the person.Lawmakers have been pressing Trump to go to Congress and seek&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/war-powers-act-trump-congress-9e6832fb5f5f844acf8992008d3a8d63">war powers authority</a>&nbsp;for such operations.The White House and the Pentagon did not respond to requests for comment. Multiple defense officials reached Thursday appeared to be caught off guard by the determination and would not immediately comment or explain what the president's action could mean for the Pentagon or military operations going forward.What the Trump administration laid out at the closed-door classified briefing was perceived by several senators as pursuing a new legal framework that raised questions particularly regarding the role of Congress in authorizing any such action, the person familiar with the matter said.As the Republican administration takes aim at vessels in the Caribbean, senators and lawmakers of both major political parties have raised stark objections. Some had previously called on Congress to exert its authority under the War Powers Act that would prohibit the administration’s strikes unless they were authorized by Congress.The first military strike, carried out on Sept. 2 on what the Trump administration said was a drug-carrying speedboat, killed 11 people. Trump claimed the boat was operated by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/best-of-the-week/honorable-mention/2025/an-ap-team-goes-to-the-birthplace-of-tren-de-aragua-the-gang-put-at-the-center-of-trumps-anti-immigrant-narrative/">the Tren de Aragua gang</a>, which was listed by the U.S. as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rubio-ecuador-venezuela-military-strike-immigration-0bde0bbf862734facbd0df5f5361935b">a foreign terrorist organization</a>&nbsp;earlier this year.The Trump administration had previously justified the military action as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States.But several senators, Democrats and some Republicans, as well as human rights groups questioned the legality of Trump’s action. They called it potential overreach of executive authority in part because the military was used for law enforcement purposes.By claiming his campaign against drug cartels is an active armed conflict, Trump appears to be claiming extraordinary wartime powers to justify his action.Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committees, said the drug cartels are “despicable and must be dealt with by law enforcement.”"The Trump Administration has offered no credible legal justification, evidence, or intelligence for these strikes,” said Reed, a former Army officer who served in the 82nd Airborne Division.The Trump administration has yet to explain how the military assessed the boats' cargo and determined the passengers’ alleged gang affiliation before the strikes.

Read the memo: Trump tells Congress U.S. in 'armed conflict' with drug cartels

MONTGOMERY COUNTY —The Kansas Highway Patrol Highway Patrol is seeking assistance from the public to identify witnesses to a vehicle pursuit that terminated in Montgomery County on September 26, 2025, according to a media release from the KHP.

The pursuit began in Owasso, Oklahoma, by officers from the Owasso Oklahoma Police Department with assistance from Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers. Two suspects, later identified as Tenisha D. Mayberry (the driver) and Cortez J. Wasson (a passenger), had fled the scene of a theft investigation and struck an Owasso officer with the suspect's driver's door.

When the pursuit entered Kansas, officers from the Coffeyville Police Department took control of the pursuit near the intersection of U.S. 169 and U.S. 166, traveling northbound from U.S. 169 onto Patterson Blvd. 

The suspect vehicle failed to stop at a red light. The pursuit continued northbound approaching the intersection of Patterson Blvd. and 8th Street where the suspect vehicle again failed to stop at a red light, striking a vehicle that was crossing the intersection. The suspect vehicle came to rest on its side, and the other vehicle overturned and came to rest on its roof.

Both suspects were taken into custody and received medical treatment on scene. The driver of the other vehicle, Maia E. O'Connell, was transported to a local hospital with moderate injuries. The passenger of the other vehicle, 15-year-old Serafina L. O'Connell, was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries and later transported to a hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for more intensive care. On September 30, Serafina succumbed to injuries sustained in the crash.

The Kansas Highway Patrol's Critical Highway Accident Response Team (CHART) responded to the scene, and this crash remains under investigation.

If anyone witnessed or has information, including video, regarding the crash, please contact Technical Trooper Gary Boles or Montgomery County Attorney Melissa Johnson.

Mayberry is being held on requested charges of felony interference with law enforcement, felony fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer, Aggravated battery; Reckless deadly weapon cause great body harm/disfig/death, Possession of marijuana, according to online jail records.

Wasson is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;felony interference with law enforcement, Aggravated battery; Reckless deadly weapon cause great body harm/disfig/death and possession of marijuana.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759094019310.png" alt="Mayberry" />
 <figcaption>Mayberry</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY —The Kansas Highway Patrol Highway Patrol is seeking assistance from the public to identify witnesses to a vehicle pursuit that terminated in Montgomery County on September 26, 2025, according to a media release from the KHP.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759094141027.png" alt="Wasson photo Montgomery County" />
 <figcaption>Wasson photo Montgomery County</figcaption>
 </figure>The pursuit began in Owasso, Oklahoma, by officers from the Owasso Oklahoma Police Department with assistance from Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers. Two suspects, later identified as Tenisha D. Mayberry (the driver) and Cortez J. Wasson (a passenger), had fled the scene of a theft investigation and struck an Owasso officer with the suspect's driver's door.When the pursuit entered Kansas, officers from the Coffeyville Police Department took control of the pursuit near the intersection of U.S. 169 and U.S. 166, traveling northbound from U.S. 169 onto Patterson Blvd. The suspect vehicle failed to stop at a red light. The pursuit continued northbound approaching the intersection of Patterson Blvd. and 8th Street where the suspect vehicle again failed to stop at a red light, striking a vehicle that was crossing the intersection. The suspect vehicle came to rest on its side, and the other vehicle overturned and came to rest on its roof.Both suspects were taken into custody and received medical treatment on scene. The driver of the other vehicle, Maia E. O'Connell, was transported to a local hospital with moderate injuries. The passenger of the other vehicle, 15-year-old Serafina L. O'Connell, was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries and later transported to a hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for more intensive care. On September 30, Serafina succumbed to injuries sustained in the crash.The Kansas Highway Patrol's Critical Highway Accident Response Team (CHART) responded to the scene, and this crash remains under investigation.If anyone witnessed or has information, including video, regarding the crash, please contact Technical Trooper Gary Boles or Montgomery County Attorney Melissa Johnson.Mayberry is being held on requested charges of felony interference with law enforcement, felony fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer, Aggravated battery; Reckless deadly weapon cause great body harm/disfig/death, Possession of marijuana, according to online jail records.Wasson is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;felony interference with law enforcement, Aggravated battery; Reckless deadly weapon cause great body harm/disfig/death and possession of marijuana.

KHP seeks witnesses to vehicle pursuit, crash that left Kan. teen dead

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks edged up to more records on Thursday as technology stocks kept rising and as Wall Street kept ignoring the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-congress-trump-health-care-54b2a584657a0b619bc8326708a05604">shutdown of the U.S. government</a>.

The S&amp;P 500 added 0.1% to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-rates-shutdown-trump-b4bddbf826a5eabee1113f62aeb5e25e">its all-time high</a>&nbsp;set the day before. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 79 points, or 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.4%. Both also hit records.

Thursdays on Wall Street typically have investors reacting to the latest weekly tally of U.S. workers applying for unemployment benefits. But D.C.’s shutdown meant this week’s report on jobless claims has been delayed. An even more consequential report, Friday’s monthly tally of jobs created and destroyed across the economy, will likely also not arrive on schedule.

That increases uncertainty when much on Wall Street is riding on investors’ expectation that the job market is slowing by enough to convince&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-jobs-inflation-powell-bccc5ad2114d0f9a19e0f6db4aeadf82">the Federal Reserve to keep cutting interest rates</a>, but not by so much that it leads to a recession.

“The Fed has been on record that they are very data dependent, and the lack of data from public sources is likely to be problematic,” said Brian Rehling, head of global fixed-income strategy at Wells Fargo Investment Institute.

So far, the U.S. stock market has looked past the delays of such data. Shutdowns of the U.S. government have tended not to hurt the economy or stock market much, and the thinking is that this one could be similar, even if President Donald Trump has threatened&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-congress-government-shutdown-99d4cafe53209f6dc6ae5562c2ac79d2">large-scale firings of federal workers</a>&nbsp;this time around.

That left corporate announcements as the main drivers of trading Thursday.

Stocks in the chip and artificial-intelligence industries climbed after OpenAI announced partnerships with South Korean companies for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/openai-stargate-oracle-data-center-0b3f4fa6e8d8141b4c143e3e7f41aba1">Stargate,</a>&nbsp;a $500 billion project aimed at building AI infrastructure.

Samsung Electronics rose 3.5% in Seoul, and SK Hynix jumped 9.9%.

The announcement also sent ripples around the world. On Wall Street, Advanced Micro Devices climbed 3.5%, and Broadcom gained 1.4%. Nvidia’s 0.9% rise was the strongest single force pushing the S&amp;P 500 upward.

Excitement around AI and the massive spending underway because of it has been a major reason the U.S. stock market has hit record after record, along with hopes for easier interest rates. But AI stocks have become so dominant, and so much money has poured into the industry that worries are rising about a potential bubble that could eventually lead to disappointment for investors.

Occidental Petroleum fell 7.3% after it agreed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-occidental-petroleum-deal-63c65c006f314f166eee9617cf1252f0">sell its chemical business, OxyChem, to Berkshire Hathaway</a>&nbsp;for $9.7 billion in cash. It could be the final big purchase for Berkshire Hathaway with famed investor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/warren-buffett">Warren Buffett</a>&nbsp;as its CEO.

Fair Isaac jumped 18% to its best day in nearly three years after announcing a program that will streamline access to its FICO credit scores, potentially cutting out such big credit bureaus as TransUnion, Equifax and Experian.

TransUnion’s stock tumbled 10.6%, while Equifax slid 8.5%.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 4.15 points to 6,715.35. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 78.62 to 46,519.72, and the Nasdaq composite gained 88.89 to 22,844.05.

The stock of a third credit bureau, the United Kingdom’s Experian, fell 4.2% in London. It helped drag London’s FTSE 100 down by 0.2%, but indexes were much stronger across Europe and Asia.

South Korea’s Kospi leaped 2.7% for one of the world’s largest gains following the big jumps for Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.

In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury eased to 4.08% from 4.12% late Wednesday.

AP Writers Teresa Cerojano and Matt Ott contributed.

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks edged up to more records on Thursday as technology stocks kept rising and as Wall Street kept ignoring the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-congress-trump-health-care-54b2a584657a0b619bc8326708a05604">shutdown of the U.S. government</a>.The S&amp;P 500 added 0.1% to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-rates-shutdown-trump-b4bddbf826a5eabee1113f62aeb5e25e">its all-time high</a>&nbsp;set the day before. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 79 points, or 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.4%. Both also hit records.Thursdays on Wall Street typically have investors reacting to the latest weekly tally of U.S. workers applying for unemployment benefits. But D.C.’s shutdown meant this week’s report on jobless claims has been delayed. An even more consequential report, Friday’s monthly tally of jobs created and destroyed across the economy, will likely also not arrive on schedule.That increases uncertainty when much on Wall Street is riding on investors’ expectation that the job market is slowing by enough to convince&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-jobs-inflation-powell-bccc5ad2114d0f9a19e0f6db4aeadf82">the Federal Reserve to keep cutting interest rates</a>, but not by so much that it leads to a recession.“The Fed has been on record that they are very data dependent, and the lack of data from public sources is likely to be problematic,” said Brian Rehling, head of global fixed-income strategy at Wells Fargo Investment Institute.So far, the U.S. stock market has looked past the delays of such data. Shutdowns of the U.S. government have tended not to hurt the economy or stock market much, and the thinking is that this one could be similar, even if President Donald Trump has threatened&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-congress-government-shutdown-99d4cafe53209f6dc6ae5562c2ac79d2">large-scale firings of federal workers</a>&nbsp;this time around.That left corporate announcements as the main drivers of trading Thursday.Stocks in the chip and artificial-intelligence industries climbed after OpenAI announced partnerships with South Korean companies for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/openai-stargate-oracle-data-center-0b3f4fa6e8d8141b4c143e3e7f41aba1">Stargate,</a>&nbsp;a $500 billion project aimed at building AI infrastructure.Samsung Electronics rose 3.5% in Seoul, and SK Hynix jumped 9.9%.The announcement also sent ripples around the world. On Wall Street, Advanced Micro Devices climbed 3.5%, and Broadcom gained 1.4%. Nvidia’s 0.9% rise was the strongest single force pushing the S&amp;P 500 upward.Excitement around AI and the massive spending underway because of it has been a major reason the U.S. stock market has hit record after record, along with hopes for easier interest rates. But AI stocks have become so dominant, and so much money has poured into the industry that worries are rising about a potential bubble that could eventually lead to disappointment for investors.Occidental Petroleum fell 7.3% after it agreed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-occidental-petroleum-deal-63c65c006f314f166eee9617cf1252f0">sell its chemical business, OxyChem, to Berkshire Hathaway</a>&nbsp;for $9.7 billion in cash. It could be the final big purchase for Berkshire Hathaway with famed investor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/warren-buffett">Warren Buffett</a>&nbsp;as its CEO.Fair Isaac jumped 18% to its best day in nearly three years after announcing a program that will streamline access to its FICO credit scores, potentially cutting out such big credit bureaus as TransUnion, Equifax and Experian.TransUnion’s stock tumbled 10.6%, while Equifax slid 8.5%.All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 4.15 points to 6,715.35. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 78.62 to 46,519.72, and the Nasdaq composite gained 88.89 to 22,844.05.The stock of a third credit bureau, the United Kingdom’s Experian, fell 4.2% in London. It helped drag London’s FTSE 100 down by 0.2%, but indexes were much stronger across Europe and Asia.South Korea’s Kospi leaped 2.7% for one of the world’s largest gains following the big jumps for Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury eased to 4.08% from 4.12% late Wednesday.___AP Writers Teresa Cerojano and Matt Ott contributed.

Wall Street ticks to more records, led by technology stocks

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/cami-koons/">Cami Koons</a>

Nearly half of U.S. Department of Agriculture employees will be furloughed during the federal government shutdown, though key programs that support nutrition, forest preservation and wildfire prevention, the most pressing plant and animal diseases and agricultural commodity assessments will continue.

Many offices, including county USDA service centers, will be closed or operating with minimal staff until Congress agrees on a temporary spending package. Support, payment processing and other functions of these offices are also suspended during the shutdown.

Congress failed to pass a stopgap spending bill Tuesday which resulted in the start of a government shutdown at midnight and federal agencies had to implement the contingency plans required by the Office of Management and Budget.

According to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fy2026-usda-lapse-plan.pdf" target="_blank">contingency plan</a>&nbsp;filed&nbsp;by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, only a handful of agency operations will continue during the shutdown. The primary objective is that agencies cannot incur financial obligations if the funding source has lapsed and any planned or in-the-works activities that would incur new obligations, must cease.&nbsp;

Activities that may continue during the shutdown include those that are financed by something other than current year appropriations, expressly authorized to continue, either by law or by necessary implication, necessary to the presidential duties and powers or related to emergencies that endanger human life or the protection of property.

According to the plan, more than 42,000 USDA employees are expected to be furloughed during the shutdown. That’s about half of the more than 85,000 employees the agency said would be “on board” prior to the shutdown.&nbsp;

USDA programs that will continue despite the shutdown:&nbsp;

Under the contingency plan, USDA functions like ongoing research, reports, outreach and technical assistance are suspended. The agency will also stop processing payments and disaster assistance.&nbsp;

Trade negotiations, hazardous fuel treatments, special use permits, regulatory work, training and travel by USDA employees and agencies are also suspended.&nbsp;

According to the contingency plan, most functions are suspended for the Risk Management Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Foreign Agricultural Service, Food and Nutrition Service, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Economic Research Service, National Agricultural Statistical Service, Rural Development, and staff offices.

Website updates are also suspended under the shutdown. A banner atop the USDA website informs visitors that the website will not be updated “due to the Radical Left Democrat shutdown.”&nbsp;

“President Trump has made it clear he wants to keep the government open and support those who feed, fuel, and clothe the American people,” the banner reads.&nbsp;

According to the plan, “all activities will cease” for the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and her office during the shutdown.&nbsp;

Approximately 67% of Farm Service Agency, or FSA, employees will be furloughed. According to the plan, selected leadership at headquarters and USDA offices will stay on during the shut down. This means county service centers, and the majority of the services they offer, will not be available during the shutdown.&nbsp;

Nearly all, 1135 out of 1237 employees, at the Food and Nutrition Service offices were projected to be furloughed during the shutdown, though according to the plan, enough employees remain to facilitate SNAP, child nutrition programs and WIC. WIC must make unspent funds from past years available in order to continue operations through October.

Close to 20,000 of the 32,390 Forest Service employees will continue to work on certain approved areas of agency work, like wildfire prevention, protection of federal land and federal directives to expand timber production. Public access to recreation sites managed by the department will be reduced, according to the plan.&nbsp;

A significant portion of Agricultural Marketing Service operations are funded by previous farm bill appropriations or by user fees, so services like the Federal Grain Inspection Service and dairy grading will continue, as will market news information.

Operations like country of origin labeling, the packers and stockyards program, the national organic program, shell egg surveillance and the pesticide data program will be suspended.&nbsp;

The plan calls for a number of reconsiderations in the event the shutdown persists longer than 5 days. This could include, for example a farm loan employee or other staff member on call at USDA service centers, or the reinstatement of some furloughed employees to deal with wildfire management.&nbsp;

Glenn “GT” Thompson, chair of the House Committee on Agriculture, blamed Democrats, who&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/09/30/repub/protesters-at-us-capitol-back-democrats-in-shutdown-fight-over-health-care-costs/" target="_blank">demanded extentions to the Affordable Care Act</a>&nbsp;be added to the stopgap spending bill, for shutting down the government and putting “critical USDA services in jeopardy.”

“These political games harm rural America through disruptions to farm payments, disaster relief, food assistance, and other critical services,” the Republican from Pennsylvania said in a statement. “Performative photo ops at state fairs and lip service to the producers who feed, fuel, and clothe our country won’t hide the truth—Democrats forcing a government shutdown only inflicts more pain on our agricultural economy.”

This story was originally produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/10/01/what-the-government-shutdown-means-for-usda-agencies/" target="_blank">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Missouri Independent, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716664034438.png" alt="Post photo" />
 <figcaption>Post photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/cami-koons/">Cami Koons</a>Nearly half of U.S. Department of Agriculture employees will be furloughed during the federal government shutdown, though key programs that support nutrition, forest preservation and wildfire prevention, the most pressing plant and animal diseases and agricultural commodity assessments will continue.Many offices, including county USDA service centers, will be closed or operating with minimal staff until Congress agrees on a temporary spending package. Support, payment processing and other functions of these offices are also suspended during the shutdown.Congress failed to pass a stopgap spending bill Tuesday which resulted in the start of a government shutdown at midnight and federal agencies had to implement the contingency plans required by the Office of Management and Budget.According to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fy2026-usda-lapse-plan.pdf" target="_blank">contingency plan</a>&nbsp;filed&nbsp;by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, only a handful of agency operations will continue during the shutdown. The primary objective is that agencies cannot incur financial obligations if the funding source has lapsed and any planned or in-the-works activities that would incur new obligations, must cease.&nbsp;Activities that may continue during the shutdown include those that are financed by something other than current year appropriations, expressly authorized to continue, either by law or by necessary implication, necessary to the presidential duties and powers or related to emergencies that endanger human life or the protection of property.According to the plan, more than 42,000 USDA employees are expected to be furloughed during the shutdown. That’s about half of the more than 85,000 employees the agency said would be “on board” prior to the shutdown.&nbsp;USDA programs that will continue despite the shutdown:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Farm loan processing.</li><li>Certain natural resources and conservation programs that are mandatory under the farm bill or to protect human life and private property, like the Emergency Watershed Protection Program, dam safety and rehab work, the National Water and Climate Center which tracks flooding and weather risks and the National Soil Survey Center.&nbsp;</li><li>“Core” nutrition safety net programs. This includes SNAP and child nutrition programs which have funding appropriations through October. The Women Infants and Children, or WIC, program is set to continue through the shutdown “subject to the availability of funding.” According to the plan, WIC can “recover and reallocate” unused grant funding from previous years to cover gap in coverage.&nbsp;</li><li>Food safety operations, like inspections and laboratory testing.</li><li>Wildfire preparation and response.&nbsp;</li><li>Activities like grading, assessment, inspection, import and export for farm commodities. These activities are supported by user fees and therefore not impacted by the shutdown.</li><li>Emergency programs under USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service that address new world screwworm, highly pathogenic avian influenza, African swine fever, rabies and exotic fruit flies. Surveying for other plant and livestock diseases will cease during the shutdown.&nbsp;</li><li>Prior obligations in the Section 521 rental housing agreement program. This is the program element of USDA Rural Development offices that will persist.</li><li>Operational requirements like human resource policies, cybersecurity and critical IT infrastructure.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>Under the contingency plan, USDA functions like ongoing research, reports, outreach and technical assistance are suspended. The agency will also stop processing payments and disaster assistance.&nbsp;Trade negotiations, hazardous fuel treatments, special use permits, regulatory work, training and travel by USDA employees and agencies are also suspended.&nbsp;According to the contingency plan, most functions are suspended for the Risk Management Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Foreign Agricultural Service, Food and Nutrition Service, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Economic Research Service, National Agricultural Statistical Service, Rural Development, and staff offices.Website updates are also suspended under the shutdown. A banner atop the USDA website informs visitors that the website will not be updated “due to the Radical Left Democrat shutdown.”&nbsp;“President Trump has made it clear he wants to keep the government open and support those who feed, fuel, and clothe the American people,” the banner reads.&nbsp;According to the plan, “all activities will cease” for the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and her office during the shutdown.&nbsp;Approximately 67% of Farm Service Agency, or FSA, employees will be furloughed. According to the plan, selected leadership at headquarters and USDA offices will stay on during the shut down. This means county service centers, and the majority of the services they offer, will not be available during the shutdown.&nbsp;Nearly all, 1135 out of 1237 employees, at the Food and Nutrition Service offices were projected to be furloughed during the shutdown, though according to the plan, enough employees remain to facilitate SNAP, child nutrition programs and WIC. WIC must make unspent funds from past years available in order to continue operations through October.Close to 20,000 of the 32,390 Forest Service employees will continue to work on certain approved areas of agency work, like wildfire prevention, protection of federal land and federal directives to expand timber production. Public access to recreation sites managed by the department will be reduced, according to the plan.&nbsp;A significant portion of Agricultural Marketing Service operations are funded by previous farm bill appropriations or by user fees, so services like the Federal Grain Inspection Service and dairy grading will continue, as will market news information.Operations like country of origin labeling, the packers and stockyards program, the national organic program, shell egg surveillance and the pesticide data program will be suspended.&nbsp;The plan calls for a number of reconsiderations in the event the shutdown persists longer than 5 days. This could include, for example a farm loan employee or other staff member on call at USDA service centers, or the reinstatement of some furloughed employees to deal with wildfire management.&nbsp;Glenn “GT” Thompson, chair of the House Committee on Agriculture, blamed Democrats, who&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/09/30/repub/protesters-at-us-capitol-back-democrats-in-shutdown-fight-over-health-care-costs/" target="_blank">demanded extentions to the Affordable Care Act</a>&nbsp;be added to the stopgap spending bill, for shutting down the government and putting “critical USDA services in jeopardy.”“These political games harm rural America through disruptions to farm payments, disaster relief, food assistance, and other critical services,” the Republican from Pennsylvania said in a statement. “Performative photo ops at state fairs and lip service to the producers who feed, fuel, and clothe our country won’t hide the truth—Democrats forcing a government shutdown only inflicts more pain on our agricultural economy.”This story was originally produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/10/01/what-the-government-shutdown-means-for-usda-agencies/" target="_blank">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Missouri Independent, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

What the government shutdown means for USDA agencies

BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — University officials across Kansas celebrated a third year of growing enrollments on Wednesday, even though&nbsp; the future will present more challenges.&nbsp;

“We’re obviously extremely pleased,” said Blake Benson, chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents. “It’s a third consecutive year of growth, and we’re really glad to see that it’s spread out — the public universities, community colleges and technical colleges are all up, so very, very positive news.”

In general, Board of Regents public universities saw enrollment growth or stayed level. The only drop was at Fort Hays State University, which essentially stabilized with a decrease of 0.2%. Washburn University increased enrollment by 2.3%.&nbsp;

Twelve of 19 Kansas community colleges also posted enrollment growth, although Fort Scott Community College seeing a decreased enrollment of 17.2%,&nbsp;<a href="https://submission.kansasregents.gov/ibi_apps/portal/BIP_Public2/KHEStats" target="_blank">Kansas Board of Regent data showed</a>. All six technical colleges Increased or stayed stable in their enrollment.&nbsp;

Emporia State University saw the biggest enrollment jump this year of 5.8%, a strong recovery after posting losses since 2020. The school increased enrollment by 263 students, for a total of 4,820.

In a letter to students, ESU president Ken Hush attributed the growth to no tuition or fee increase for two years, increasing student scholarships awarded by 141%, investment in student activities and more funding from the ESU Foundation, among other factors.

The university&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/former-interim-emporia-state-president-condemns-mass-firing-of-tenured-faculty/">fired tenured faculty</a>&nbsp;as part of restructuring efforts.&nbsp;

“When we began our transformation, we predicted changes in our enrollment as we took on the challenges facing our university, with the prediction for fall 2025 holding stable after some initial decreases,” Hush wrote, adding he was pleased to instead post a 6% increase.

Kansas State and Wichita State increased enrollment at about the same rate, 4.6% and 4.3%, respectively.&nbsp; The University of Kansas posted a 1.2% increase, while the University of Kansas Medical Center enrollment increased 1.9%.

“We’ve been working diligently on a strategic enrollment plan, and we’re really seeing the fruits of the labor across campus and have had some of the largest enrollment gains that we’ve seen,” said Karen Goos, K-State’s vice provost for enrollment management.

Freshmen enrollment numbers were up 7.5% this year, she said. Growth is occurring with both new students and retention of current students, Goos added.&nbsp;

Scott Cason, Fort Hays State University spokesman, said the school’s on-campus enrollment increased by 2% this year and the number of new undergraduate students attending the school grew by 9%.&nbsp;

“Our residence halls are in full capacity right now,” he said. “We haven’t seen that in a long time. It shows you that the on-campus experience is still a draw, even in times where there have been increasing questions about the perception of the value of the college degree.”

The school did see a small decrease in international students and in general in online enrollment, Cason said. Once dominating among Kansas schools in online enrollment, FHSU has more competition in that arena and experienced a drop after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Other schools are reporting decreasing numbers of international students, but that data won’t be collected by the Board of Regents until later in the school year, Benson said.&nbsp;

Cason said Fort Hays State lost only three international students. He attributed that to their diversity of enrollment sources internationally.&nbsp;

“We’re actually up in our early college program that includes our international students. We have partner campuses,” he said, adding that although they have strong partnerships in China, they also draw from Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia and Senegal.

“We haven’t seen the disruption that other schools have seen that count more heavily on traditional international student models,” he said.

Challenges are expected for post-secondary institutions in coming years as the number of students graduating from Kansas high schools will begin decreasing next year. The change is often referred to as an enrollment cliff. In addition, schools are already experiencing decreases in graduating high school students who enroll in higher education, she said.

“What we’re seeing is the percent of students who are having any post-secondary credentials after high school has declined pretty significantly,” Goos said. “We actually have seen an increase of high school graduates. This will be the last year. After this, we will start to decline.”

Benson said the decrease in number of graduating high school students in 2026 is one of the primary challenges facing higher education.&nbsp;

“That’s probably not going to be just a two- or three-year challenge,” he said. “That’s going to be that way for the foreseeable future. That just means the pool of traditional college-age students will continue shrinking, even as the demand for college-educated workers keeps growing.”

That makes it imperative for Kansas to increase the number of students going to college to meet workforce needs, Benson said.&nbsp;

“I think we’ve also got to work to enroll adult learners, including those who may already have some college credit but no degree,” Benson said. “I don’t think that there’s going to be a silver bullet answer to it, but I’m really proud of the steps that the system in our institutions have taken to get ready for those challenges, and I think that we’ll be able to meet them.”

K-State is planning for all those challenges, Goos said.&nbsp;

“We’re just launching a new strategic enrollment plan with the idea of thinking about, how do we move forward with the enrollment cliff?” she said. “How do we position ourselves?”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759428178918.png" alt=" Blake Benson, left, chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents, was pleased to see increased enrollment in Kansas post-secondary schools. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Blake Benson, left, chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents, was pleased to see increased enrollment in Kansas post-secondary schools. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — University officials across Kansas celebrated a third year of growing enrollments on Wednesday, even though&nbsp; the future will present more challenges.&nbsp;“We’re obviously extremely pleased,” said Blake Benson, chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents. “It’s a third consecutive year of growth, and we’re really glad to see that it’s spread out — the public universities, community colleges and technical colleges are all up, so very, very positive news.”In general, Board of Regents public universities saw enrollment growth or stayed level. The only drop was at Fort Hays State University, which essentially stabilized with a decrease of 0.2%. Washburn University increased enrollment by 2.3%.&nbsp;Twelve of 19 Kansas community colleges also posted enrollment growth, although Fort Scott Community College seeing a decreased enrollment of 17.2%,&nbsp;<a href="https://submission.kansasregents.gov/ibi_apps/portal/BIP_Public2/KHEStats" target="_blank">Kansas Board of Regent data showed</a>. All six technical colleges Increased or stayed stable in their enrollment.&nbsp;Emporia State University saw the biggest enrollment jump this year of 5.8%, a strong recovery after posting losses since 2020. The school increased enrollment by 263 students, for a total of 4,820.In a letter to students, ESU president Ken Hush attributed the growth to no tuition or fee increase for two years, increasing student scholarships awarded by 141%, investment in student activities and more funding from the ESU Foundation, among other factors.The university&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/former-interim-emporia-state-president-condemns-mass-firing-of-tenured-faculty/">fired tenured faculty</a>&nbsp;as part of restructuring efforts.&nbsp;“When we began our transformation, we predicted changes in our enrollment as we took on the challenges facing our university, with the prediction for fall 2025 holding stable after some initial decreases,” Hush wrote, adding he was pleased to instead post a 6% increase.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759428093235.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas State and Wichita State increased enrollment at about the same rate, 4.6% and 4.3%, respectively.&nbsp; The University of Kansas posted a 1.2% increase, while the University of Kansas Medical Center enrollment increased 1.9%.“We’ve been working diligently on a strategic enrollment plan, and we’re really seeing the fruits of the labor across campus and have had some of the largest enrollment gains that we’ve seen,” said Karen Goos, K-State’s vice provost for enrollment management.Freshmen enrollment numbers were up 7.5% this year, she said. Growth is occurring with both new students and retention of current students, Goos added.&nbsp;Scott Cason, Fort Hays State University spokesman, said the school’s on-campus enrollment increased by 2% this year and the number of new undergraduate students attending the school grew by 9%.&nbsp;“Our residence halls are in full capacity right now,” he said. “We haven’t seen that in a long time. It shows you that the on-campus experience is still a draw, even in times where there have been increasing questions about the perception of the value of the college degree.”The school did see a small decrease in international students and in general in online enrollment, Cason said. Once dominating among Kansas schools in online enrollment, FHSU has more competition in that arena and experienced a drop after the COVID-19 pandemic.Other schools are reporting decreasing numbers of international students, but that data won’t be collected by the Board of Regents until later in the school year, Benson said.&nbsp;Cason said Fort Hays State lost only three international students. He attributed that to their diversity of enrollment sources internationally.&nbsp;“We’re actually up in our early college program that includes our international students. We have partner campuses,” he said, adding that although they have strong partnerships in China, they also draw from Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia and Senegal.“We haven’t seen the disruption that other schools have seen that count more heavily on traditional international student models,” he said.Challenges are expected for post-secondary institutions in coming years as the number of students graduating from Kansas high schools will begin decreasing next year. The change is often referred to as an enrollment cliff. In addition, schools are already experiencing decreases in graduating high school students who enroll in higher education, she said.“What we’re seeing is the percent of students who are having any post-secondary credentials after high school has declined pretty significantly,” Goos said. “We actually have seen an increase of high school graduates. This will be the last year. After this, we will start to decline.”Benson said the decrease in number of graduating high school students in 2026 is one of the primary challenges facing higher education.&nbsp;“That’s probably not going to be just a two- or three-year challenge,” he said. “That’s going to be that way for the foreseeable future. That just means the pool of traditional college-age students will continue shrinking, even as the demand for college-educated workers keeps growing.”That makes it imperative for Kansas to increase the number of students going to college to meet workforce needs, Benson said.&nbsp;“I think we’ve also got to work to enroll adult learners, including those who may already have some college credit but no degree,” Benson said. “I don’t think that there’s going to be a silver bullet answer to it, but I’m really proud of the steps that the system in our institutions have taken to get ready for those challenges, and I think that we’ll be able to meet them.”K-State is planning for all those challenges, Goos said.&nbsp;“We’re just launching a new strategic enrollment plan with the idea of thinking about, how do we move forward with the enrollment cliff?” she said. “How do we position ourselves?”

Kansas post-secondary schools see increased enrollment, plan for challenges ahead

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas woman accused of sex crimes was due back in court Thursday afternoon.&nbsp;

A hearing for 31-year-old Savana King in Judge William Wooley's courtroom was delayed,&nbsp; according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; There were set to determine if there was enough evidence to send the case to trial. A new date for the hearing has not been scheduled.

On January 29, an 18-year-old woman reported that she had been sexually assaulted by her former softball coach Savanah King over several years, between 2021 and 2024, before she reached the age of consent, according to Wichita Police Officer Juan Rebolledo.

Police arrested King on requested charges of aggravated indecent liberties with a child; fondling, criminal sodomy with a child under the age of 14 and unlawful sexual relations, according to Sedgwick County arrest records. After spending a weekend in jail, King met the requirement of a $250,00 bond and was released from jail.

<a href="https://friendsathletics.com/sports/softball/roster/savana-king/2824">King played softball for</a>&nbsp;Friends University, according to the school's website.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739222315038.png" alt="King photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>King photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas woman accused of sex crimes was due back in court Thursday afternoon.&nbsp;A hearing for 31-year-old Savana King in Judge William Wooley's courtroom was delayed,&nbsp; according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; There were set to determine if there was enough evidence to send the case to trial. A new date for the hearing has not been scheduled.On January 29, an 18-year-old woman reported that she had been sexually assaulted by her former softball coach Savanah King over several years, between 2021 and 2024, before she reached the age of consent, according to Wichita Police Officer Juan Rebolledo.Police arrested King on requested charges of aggravated indecent liberties with a child; fondling, criminal sodomy with a child under the age of 14 and unlawful sexual relations, according to Sedgwick County arrest records. After spending a weekend in jail, King met the requirement of a $250,00 bond and was released from jail.<a href="https://friendsathletics.com/sports/softball/roster/savana-king/2824">King played softball for</a>&nbsp;Friends University, according to the school's website.

Hearing delayed: Former coach in Kan. accused of sex assault of player

ROME (AP) — Pope Leo XIV has intervened for the first time in an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-catholic-durbin-chicago-archdiocese-immigration-af966da9a8483f116d65f494799eba5f">abortion dispute</a>&nbsp;roiling the U.S. Catholic Church by raising the seeming contradiction over what it really means to be “pro-life.”

Leo, a Chicago native, was asked late Tuesday about plans by Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich to give a lifetime achievement award to Illinois Senator Dick Durbin for his work helping immigrants. The plans drew objection from some conservative U.S. bishops given the powerful Democratic senator’s support for abortion rights.

Leo called first of all for respect for both sides, but he also pointed out the seeming contradiction in such debates.

“Someone who says ‘I’m against abortion but says I am in favor of the death penalty’ is not really pro-life,” Leo said. “Someone who says that ‘I’m against abortion, but I’m in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States,’ I don’t know if that’s pro-life.”

Leo, whose words echoed a common Catholic argument often made in discussions about abortion, spoke hours before Cupich announced that Durbin had declined the award.

Church teaching forbids abortion but it also opposes capital punishment as “inadmissible” under all circumstances. U.S. bishops and the Vatican have strongly called for humane treatment of migrants, citing the Biblical command to “welcome the stranger.”

In his comments about the Illinois dispute, Leo made no mention of U.S. President Donald Trump, whose administration has carried out&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-deportation-ice-chicago-arrests-a09921fedd10489f08a4073abe31345e">a surge of immigration enforcement in the Chicago area</a>.

Still, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt weighed in and disputed concerns raised by Pope Leo about the treatment of immigrants, saying that she “would reject there is inhumane treatment of illegal immigrants in the United States under this administration.”

The administration, Leavitt said, “is trying to enforce our nation’s laws in the most humane way possible.”

Leo said he wasn’t familiar with the details of the dispute over the Durbin award, but said it was nevertheless important to look at the senator’s overall record and noted Durbin’s four-decade tenure. Responding to a question in English from the U.S. Catholic broadcaster EWTN News, he said there were many ethical issues that constitute the teaching of the Catholic Church.

“I don’t know if anyone has all the truth on them but I would ask first and foremost that there be greater respect for one another and that we search together both as human beings, in that case as American citizens or citizens of the state of Illinois, as well as Catholics to say we need to you know really look closely at all of these ethical issues and to find the way forward in this church. Church teaching on each one of those issues is very clear,” he said.

Cupich was a close adviser to Pope Francis, who strongly upheld church teaching opposing abortion but also criticized the politicizing of the abortion debate by U.S. bishops. Some bishops had called for denying Communion to Catholic politicians who supported abortion rights, including former President Joe Biden.

Biden met on several occasions with Francis and told reporters in 2021 that Francis had told him to continue receiving Communion. During a visit to Rome that year he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-joe-biden-g-20-summit-europe-rome-b88497127cc09a79d018cd262b1c41a1">received the sacrament</a>&nbsp;during Mass at a church in Francis’ diocese.

Durbin was barred from receiving Communion in his home diocese of Springfield in 2004. Springfield Bishop Thomas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2001350b11b6466282caf73b671fd861">Paprocki has continued the prohibition</a>&nbsp;and was one of the U.S. bishops who strongly objected to Cupich's decision to honor the senator. Cupich claims Durbin as a member of the Chicago Archdiocese, where Durbin also has a home.

In his statement announcing that Durbin would decline the award, Cupich lamented that the polarization in the U.S. has created a situation where U.S. Catholics “find themselves politically homeless” since neither the Republican nor the Democratic party fully encapsulates the breadth of Catholic teaching.

He defended honoring Durbin for his pro-immigration stance, and said the planned Nov. 3 award ceremony could have been an occasion to engage him and other political leaders with the hope of pressing the church’s view on other issues, including abortion.

“It could be an invitation to Catholics who tirelessly promote the dignity of the unborn, the elderly, and the sick to extend the circle of protection to immigrants facing in this present moment an existential threat to their lives and the lives of their families,” Cupich wrote.

Paprocki, for his part, thanked Durbin for declining the award. “I ask that all Catholics continue to pray for our church, our country, and for the human dignity of all people to be respected in all stages of life including the unborn and immigrants,” Paprocki said in a Facebook post.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747390720796.png" alt="FIle photo Pope Leo XIV courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>FIle photo Pope Leo XIV courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>ROME (AP) — Pope Leo XIV has intervened for the first time in an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-catholic-durbin-chicago-archdiocese-immigration-af966da9a8483f116d65f494799eba5f">abortion dispute</a>&nbsp;roiling the U.S. Catholic Church by raising the seeming contradiction over what it really means to be “pro-life.”Leo, a Chicago native, was asked late Tuesday about plans by Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich to give a lifetime achievement award to Illinois Senator Dick Durbin for his work helping immigrants. The plans drew objection from some conservative U.S. bishops given the powerful Democratic senator’s support for abortion rights.Leo called first of all for respect for both sides, but he also pointed out the seeming contradiction in such debates.“Someone who says ‘I’m against abortion but says I am in favor of the death penalty’ is not really pro-life,” Leo said. “Someone who says that ‘I’m against abortion, but I’m in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States,’ I don’t know if that’s pro-life.”<h2>The White House weighs in</h2>Leo, whose words echoed a common Catholic argument often made in discussions about abortion, spoke hours before Cupich announced that Durbin had declined the award.Church teaching forbids abortion but it also opposes capital punishment as “inadmissible” under all circumstances. U.S. bishops and the Vatican have strongly called for humane treatment of migrants, citing the Biblical command to “welcome the stranger.”In his comments about the Illinois dispute, Leo made no mention of U.S. President Donald Trump, whose administration has carried out&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-deportation-ice-chicago-arrests-a09921fedd10489f08a4073abe31345e">a surge of immigration enforcement in the Chicago area</a>.Still, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt weighed in and disputed concerns raised by Pope Leo about the treatment of immigrants, saying that she “would reject there is inhumane treatment of illegal immigrants in the United States under this administration.”The administration, Leavitt said, “is trying to enforce our nation’s laws in the most humane way possible.”<h2>Pope Leo says mutual respect is needed</h2>Leo said he wasn’t familiar with the details of the dispute over the Durbin award, but said it was nevertheless important to look at the senator’s overall record and noted Durbin’s four-decade tenure. Responding to a question in English from the U.S. Catholic broadcaster EWTN News, he said there were many ethical issues that constitute the teaching of the Catholic Church.“I don’t know if anyone has all the truth on them but I would ask first and foremost that there be greater respect for one another and that we search together both as human beings, in that case as American citizens or citizens of the state of Illinois, as well as Catholics to say we need to you know really look closely at all of these ethical issues and to find the way forward in this church. Church teaching on each one of those issues is very clear,” he said.Cupich was a close adviser to Pope Francis, who strongly upheld church teaching opposing abortion but also criticized the politicizing of the abortion debate by U.S. bishops. Some bishops had called for denying Communion to Catholic politicians who supported abortion rights, including former President Joe Biden.Biden met on several occasions with Francis and told reporters in 2021 that Francis had told him to continue receiving Communion. During a visit to Rome that year he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-joe-biden-g-20-summit-europe-rome-b88497127cc09a79d018cd262b1c41a1">received the sacrament</a>&nbsp;during Mass at a church in Francis’ diocese.Durbin was barred from receiving Communion in his home diocese of Springfield in 2004. Springfield Bishop Thomas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2001350b11b6466282caf73b671fd861">Paprocki has continued the prohibition</a>&nbsp;and was one of the U.S. bishops who strongly objected to Cupich's decision to honor the senator. Cupich claims Durbin as a member of the Chicago Archdiocese, where Durbin also has a home.<h2>Senator Durbin declines his award</h2>In his statement announcing that Durbin would decline the award, Cupich lamented that the polarization in the U.S. has created a situation where U.S. Catholics “find themselves politically homeless” since neither the Republican nor the Democratic party fully encapsulates the breadth of Catholic teaching.He defended honoring Durbin for his pro-immigration stance, and said the planned Nov. 3 award ceremony could have been an occasion to engage him and other political leaders with the hope of pressing the church’s view on other issues, including abortion.“It could be an invitation to Catholics who tirelessly promote the dignity of the unborn, the elderly, and the sick to extend the circle of protection to immigrants facing in this present moment an existential threat to their lives and the lives of their families,” Cupich wrote.Paprocki, for his part, thanked Durbin for declining the award. “I ask that all Catholics continue to pray for our church, our country, and for the human dignity of all people to be respected in all stages of life including the unborn and immigrants,” Paprocki said in a Facebook post.___Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Pope intervenes in US abortion debate roiling the Catholic Church

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a weekend homicide in Kansas City have identified the victims as 25-year-old Lashon L. Campbell, according to Police Sgt. Phil DiMartino.

Just after 11:15p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to the 5200 block of Winner Road in Kansas City, Missouri on a reported sound of shots, according to&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

While canvassing the area, officers located security personnel who advised a shooting had occurred and directed officers to a crime scene. While officers were on scene, dispatch advised a private vehicle had transported an adult male shooting victim, later identified as Campbell, to an area hospital. He was later pronounced&nbsp;deceased. 

An additional adult male shooting victim arrived at a separate hospital in stable condition. 

Preliminary investigations indicates an interaction between a group of individuals took place and escalated to gunfire.&nbsp; Police have not released suspect information or reported an arrest.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a weekend homicide in Kansas City have identified the victims as 25-year-old Lashon L. Campbell, according to Police Sgt. Phil DiMartino.Just after 11:15p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to the 5200 block of Winner Road in Kansas City, Missouri on a reported sound of shots, according to&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.While canvassing the area, officers located security personnel who advised a shooting had occurred and directed officers to a crime scene. While officers were on scene, dispatch advised a private vehicle had transported an adult male shooting victim, later identified as Campbell, to an area hospital. He was later pronounced&nbsp;deceased. An additional adult male shooting victim arrived at a separate hospital in stable condition. Preliminary investigations indicates an interaction between a group of individuals took place and escalated to gunfire.&nbsp; Police have not released suspect information or reported an arrest.

KCPD: Group fight led to shooting death of 25-year-old

TOPEKA&nbsp;– The State of Kansas ends September 2025 with total tax collections at $1.00 billion. That is $3.4 million, or 0.3%, below the estimate. Total tax collections were down 1.9% from September 2024, according to a media release from the governor's office.

“I have been consistent in expressing concern that the reckless budgets passed by the state legislature risk veering us off the course of fiscal responsibility,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“While one month of revenues missing the estimate is not cause for panic, it is a reminder that fiscal restraint is sound policy.”

Even though individual income tax collections were above estimates, they are offset by a significant 15% loss in corporate income. Individual income tax collections were $481.4 million. That is $26.4 million, or 5.8% above the estimate. Individual income tax collections were up 2.8% from September 2024. Corporate income tax collections were $199.6 million. That is $35.4 million, or 15.0% below the estimate, and down 12.5% from September 2024.&nbsp;

Combined retail sales and compensating use tax receipts were $293.3 million, which is $5.3 million, or 1.8% above the estimate, and down 1.1% from September 2024. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Click&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fcontent.govdelivery.com%2Fattachments%2FKSOG%2F2025%2F10%2F01%2Ffile_attachments%2F3407069%2F03_September_Revenue_FY2026_10-01-2025_Final.pdf/1/01010199a0a598f3-551d951b-91b8-438e-9730-78c1256c0a75-000000/Hwk_G_BZJAkkSSbB5GSY5A9_8Y58XE4io3ni7gcM95A=425">here</a>&nbsp;to view the September 2025 revenue numbers.

TOPEKA&nbsp;– The State of Kansas ends September 2025 with total tax collections at $1.00 billion. That is $3.4 million, or 0.3%, below the estimate. Total tax collections were down 1.9% from September 2024, according to a media release from the governor's office.“I have been consistent in expressing concern that the reckless budgets passed by the state legislature risk veering us off the course of fiscal responsibility,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“While one month of revenues missing the estimate is not cause for panic, it is a reminder that fiscal restraint is sound policy.”Even though individual income tax collections were above estimates, they are offset by a significant 15% loss in corporate income. Individual income tax collections were $481.4 million. That is $26.4 million, or 5.8% above the estimate. Individual income tax collections were up 2.8% from September 2024. Corporate income tax collections were $199.6 million. That is $35.4 million, or 15.0% below the estimate, and down 12.5% from September 2024.&nbsp;Combined retail sales and compensating use tax receipts were $293.3 million, which is $5.3 million, or 1.8% above the estimate, and down 1.1% from September 2024. &nbsp;&nbsp;Click&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fcontent.govdelivery.com%2Fattachments%2FKSOG%2F2025%2F10%2F01%2Ffile_attachments%2F3407069%2F03_September_Revenue_FY2026_10-01-2025_Final.pdf/1/01010199a0a598f3-551d951b-91b8-438e-9730-78c1256c0a75-000000/Hwk_G_BZJAkkSSbB5GSY5A9_8Y58XE4io3ni7gcM95A=425">here</a>&nbsp;to view the September 2025 revenue numbers.

Gov. critical of Kan. legislature after Sept. tax collections below estimate

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler at a Wednesday night vigil for Sgt. Scott Heimann said that his deep faith had been shaken in the wake of the&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/259a0a4e-7e84-4de0-abd6-7a961ab84091">Sunday killing in the line of duty of one of his officers</a>.

He added he continued to find comfort in the word of God.

Heimann served on the Hays Police Department since 2016, all of those years under the direction of Scheibler. He was serving as a patrol sergeant when he was killed, having recently been promoted.

Mourners gathered Wednesday night at the Thomas More Prep-Marian grotto for a candlelight vigil for Heimann. Many of them were his peers dressed in uniform. The Kansas Highway Patrol offered a special escort for the family.

"Scott was an amazing and talented man," Scheibler said. "He was kind and compassionate and caring in all that he did. Scott was so smart, so strong. He had an amazing sense of humor.&nbsp;

"If Scott were here, he would tell you he was handsome too," Scheibler said, which brought giggles from the crowd.

He said Heimann could have done anything in the world and been successful. He wanted to be a Hays Police officer.

"He wanted to stand on the wall and protect this community," Scheibler said. "I think it's important that you know that he wanted to protect you."

He said this made him successful throughout his career. Scheibler said he was a strong leader and a mentor for the Hays Police Department.

Scheibler said Heimann joked with him that he was keeping the seat warm for him, as Scott hoped to one day be the chief of the Hays Police Department.

"Scott impacted our community in so many ways," he said, "By reading books to children in the library, giving knuckle bumps as kids walked to school, wrestling drunks in the bar, to responding to the most dangerous threats in our community."

Scheibler's voice began to waver, "During the last few days, as my thoughts dwell on Scott, I'm reminded of the Bible verse Isiah 6:8.

"And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom should I send? Who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here I am.'"

"When evil came to our community that night, like so many other times for the members of the Special Situation Response Team, he left his family, he left the comfort and safety of his home and raised his hand and said, 'Here I am.'"

He called Heimann his friend, his brother in blue and his hero.

"... not because of how he fell, but how he lived to serve," Scheibler said. "I find assurance in Matthew 5:9. 'Blessed are the peacemakers because they will be called the children of God.'"

He called Heimann the ultimate peacemaker.

"God bless Scott, and may the example of his life bring peace to us all," Scheibler said.

Heimann, 32, was a 2012 graduate of TMP, the Catholic middle and high school in Hays. He was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Hays and was noted by many as a devout Catholic.

Fr. Fred Gatsche spoke to the mourners, "This evening we are going to acknowledge the hurt, the sense of loss, the grief, the anger, the frustration with the whole situation. As we go through the vigil tomorrow and the funeral, we will interject more hope and consolation."

Gatsche read Psalm 22, which was the Psalm that Jesus cited when he was on the cross.

The Psalm begins, "My God! My God! Why have you abandoned me? Why so far from my call for help, my cries of anguish?"

As the Psalm continues, it says, "but you, oh Lord, do not stay far off. My strength comes quickly to help me, deliver my soul from the sword."

He concluded by quoting St. Theresa of Avila, "Let nothing upset you. Let nothing startle you. All things pass. God does not change. Patience wins all that it seeks. Whoever has God lacks nothing. God alone is enough."

Mayor Sandy Jacobs called Heimann a brave soul who made the ultimate sacrifice.&nbsp;

"On behalf of the city, my fellow commissioners and city staff, we extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends and colleagues of the fallen officer, Sgt. Scott Heimann. His service and sacrifice serving our community will never be forgotten," she said.

"We stand united with our police department and the entire community as we navigate this really difficult time," she said.&nbsp;

She asked the community to keep all those affected in their thoughts and prayers.

"Scott Heimann was more than just a uniform. He was a protector, a neighbor, a friend, a husband and a father. He was someone who stood tall every day, not knowing what the shift might bring, but always showing up with courage and commitment."

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/259a0a4e-7e84-4de0-abd6-7a961ab84091">Heimann is survived by his wife,&nbsp;Beth, and a young son and daughter.</a>&nbsp;His parents and mother-in-law and father-in-law are also Hays residents.

Jacobs continued, "Tonight we hold these candles, not only to mourn and honor, to shine light in the darkness of loss and to say to family and the department and each other, 'You are not alone.'"

"To Scott's family, your pain is unimaginable, and no words can make it easier, but please know, Scott did not serve in vain.&nbsp;

"This city is safer, stronger and better because of his sacrifice. We are forever in his debt," she said.

"To all that are gathered here," Jacobs said, "May this night remind us of the power of unity, the strength of community and the enduring light of service and love."

The vigil was concluded with a song sung by TMP students, followed by a prayer led by Fr. Gatsche.

A visitation for Heimann will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. on Friday at Gross Memorial Coliseum.

Hays Post will offer a live stream of the funeral in cooperation with Tiger Media Network through YouTube.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759373790773.jpeg" alt="Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler exits the vigil for Hays Police Sgt. Scott Heimann followed by members of the family. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler exits the vigil for Hays Police Sgt. Scott Heimann followed by members of the family. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostHays Police Chief Don Scheibler at a Wednesday night vigil for Sgt. Scott Heimann said that his deep faith had been shaken in the wake of the&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/259a0a4e-7e84-4de0-abd6-7a961ab84091">Sunday killing in the line of duty of one of his officers</a>.He added he continued to find comfort in the word of God.Heimann served on the Hays Police Department since 2016, all of those years under the direction of Scheibler. He was serving as a patrol sergeant when he was killed, having recently been promoted.Mourners gathered Wednesday night at the Thomas More Prep-Marian grotto for a candlelight vigil for Heimann. Many of them were his peers dressed in uniform. The Kansas Highway Patrol offered a special escort for the family.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759373963756.jpeg" alt="Members of law enforcement are given hugs after the vigil for Sgt. Scott Heimanm, who was killed in the line of duty on Sunday. Photo by Cristina Janney Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Members of law enforcement are given hugs after the vigil for Sgt. Scott Heimanm, who was killed in the line of duty on Sunday. Photo by Cristina Janney Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759375077046.jpeg" alt="Officers console each other at a vigil for Hays Police Sgt. Scott Heimann, who was killed in the line of duty on Sunday. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Officers console each other at a vigil for Hays Police Sgt. Scott Heimann, who was killed in the line of duty on Sunday. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>"Scott was an amazing and talented man," Scheibler said. "He was kind and compassionate and caring in all that he did. Scott was so smart, so strong. He had an amazing sense of humor.&nbsp;"If Scott were here, he would tell you he was handsome too," Scheibler said, which brought giggles from the crowd.He said Heimann could have done anything in the world and been successful. He wanted to be a Hays Police officer."He wanted to stand on the wall and protect this community," Scheibler said. "I think it's important that you know that he wanted to protect you."He said this made him successful throughout his career. Scheibler said he was a strong leader and a mentor for the Hays Police Department.Scheibler said Heimann joked with him that he was keeping the seat warm for him, as Scott hoped to one day be the chief of the Hays Police Department."Scott impacted our community in so many ways," he said, "By reading books to children in the library, giving knuckle bumps as kids walked to school, wrestling drunks in the bar, to responding to the most dangerous threats in our community."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759374210478.jpeg" alt="Law enforcement officers leaving the vigil for Sgt. Scott Heimann, who was killed in the line of duty. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Law enforcement officers leaving the vigil for Sgt. Scott Heimann, who was killed in the line of duty. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Scheibler's voice began to waver, "During the last few days, as my thoughts dwell on Scott, I'm reminded of the Bible verse Isiah 6:8."And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom should I send? Who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here I am.'""When evil came to our community that night, like so many other times for the members of the Special Situation Response Team, he left his family, he left the comfort and safety of his home and raised his hand and said, 'Here I am.'"He called Heimann his friend, his brother in blue and his hero."... not because of how he fell, but how he lived to serve," Scheibler said. "I find assurance in Matthew 5:9. 'Blessed are the peacemakers because they will be called the children of God.'"He called Heimann the ultimate peacemaker."God bless Scott, and may the example of his life bring peace to us all," Scheibler said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759374433450.jpeg" alt="Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler receives a hug after the vigil for Sgt. Scott Heimann, who was killed in the line of duty on Sunday. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler receives a hug after the vigil for Sgt. Scott Heimann, who was killed in the line of duty on Sunday. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759374749420.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Heimann, 32, was a 2012 graduate of TMP, the Catholic middle and high school in Hays. He was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Hays and was noted by many as a devout Catholic.Fr. Fred Gatsche spoke to the mourners, "This evening we are going to acknowledge the hurt, the sense of loss, the grief, the anger, the frustration with the whole situation. As we go through the vigil tomorrow and the funeral, we will interject more hope and consolation."Gatsche read Psalm 22, which was the Psalm that Jesus cited when he was on the cross.The Psalm begins, "My God! My God! Why have you abandoned me? Why so far from my call for help, my cries of anguish?"As the Psalm continues, it says, "but you, oh Lord, do not stay far off. My strength comes quickly to help me, deliver my soul from the sword."He concluded by quoting St. Theresa of Avila, "Let nothing upset you. Let nothing startle you. All things pass. God does not change. Patience wins all that it seeks. Whoever has God lacks nothing. God alone is enough."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759375201715.jpeg" alt="Kansas Highway Patrol officers stand at attention at the vigil for Hays Police Sgt. Scott Heimann, who was killed in the line of duty on Sunday. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Highway Patrol officers stand at attention at the vigil for Hays Police Sgt. Scott Heimann, who was killed in the line of duty on Sunday. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759375360653.jpeg" alt="Mayor Sandy Jacobs extends condolences to Sgt. Scott Heimann's family and friends at a vigil for the fallen officer on Wednesday. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Mayor Sandy Jacobs extends condolences to Sgt. Scott Heimann's family and friends at a vigil for the fallen officer on Wednesday. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Mayor Sandy Jacobs called Heimann a brave soul who made the ultimate sacrifice.&nbsp;"On behalf of the city, my fellow commissioners and city staff, we extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends and colleagues of the fallen officer, Sgt. Scott Heimann. His service and sacrifice serving our community will never be forgotten," she said."We stand united with our police department and the entire community as we navigate this really difficult time," she said.&nbsp;She asked the community to keep all those affected in their thoughts and prayers."Scott Heimann was more than just a uniform. He was a protector, a neighbor, a friend, a husband and a father. He was someone who stood tall every day, not knowing what the shift might bring, but always showing up with courage and commitment."<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/259a0a4e-7e84-4de0-abd6-7a961ab84091">Heimann is survived by his wife,&nbsp;Beth, and a young son and daughter.</a>&nbsp;His parents and mother-in-law and father-in-law are also Hays residents.Jacobs continued, "Tonight we hold these candles, not only to mourn and honor, to shine light in the darkness of loss and to say to family and the department and each other, 'You are not alone.'""To Scott's family, your pain is unimaginable, and no words can make it easier, but please know, Scott did not serve in vain.&nbsp;"This city is safer, stronger and better because of his sacrifice. We are forever in his debt," she said."To all that are gathered here," Jacobs said, "May this night remind us of the power of unity, the strength of community and the enduring light of service and love."The vigil was concluded with a song sung by TMP students, followed by a prayer led by Fr. Gatsche.A visitation for Heimann will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. on Friday at Gross Memorial Coliseum.Hays Post will offer a live stream of the funeral in cooperation with Tiger Media Network through YouTube.

Vigil: Community shaken by officer's death, but blessed by 'ultimate peacemaker'

MONTGMERY COUNTY— A driver injured in a crash during a police chase in Montgomery County is now facing a possible murder charge.

Three people were injured in the accident that occurred just after 4p.m. on September 26 and one later died.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2024 Jeep driven by Tenisha D.&nbsp;Mayberry, 38, Blue Springs, Mo., was northbound on Patterson Boulevard fleeing law enforcement. The driver failed to yield at a stop light at 8th Street in Coffeyville and struck the passenger side of eastbound Chevy Tahoe driven by Maia E, O'Connell, 17, Coffeyville.

After impact the Jeep traveled off the road and overturned. The Tahoe left the road and rolled onto its roof.

EMS transported Mayberry, a passenger in the Jeep Cortez J. Wasson, Jr. 19,&nbsp; Blue Springs, Missouri and O'Connell to Coffeyville Regional Hospital. EMS transported a passenger in the Tahoe Serafina L&nbsp; O'Connell, 15, Coffeyville, to&nbsp;St Francis Hospital in Tulsa where she later died. Wasson was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759094141027.png" alt="Wasson photo Montgomery Co." />
 <figcaption>Wasson photo Montgomery Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGMERY COUNTY— A driver injured in a crash during a police chase in Montgomery County is now facing a possible murder charge.Three people were injured in the accident that occurred just after 4p.m. on September 26 and one later died.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2024 Jeep driven by Tenisha D.&nbsp;Mayberry, 38, Blue Springs, Mo., was northbound on Patterson Boulevard fleeing law enforcement. The driver failed to yield at a stop light at 8th Street in Coffeyville and struck the passenger side of eastbound Chevy Tahoe driven by Maia E, O'Connell, 17, Coffeyville.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759094019310.png" alt="Mayberry photo Montgomery Co." />
 <figcaption>Mayberry photo Montgomery Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>After impact the Jeep traveled off the road and overturned. The Tahoe left the road and rolled onto its roof.EMS transported Mayberry, a passenger in the Jeep Cortez J. Wasson, Jr. 19,&nbsp; Blue Springs, Missouri and O'Connell to Coffeyville Regional Hospital. EMS transported a passenger in the Tahoe Serafina L&nbsp; O'Connell, 15, Coffeyville, to&nbsp;St Francis Hospital in Tulsa where she later died. Wasson was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.&nbsp;&nbsp;Mayberry is being held on requested charges of felony interference with law enforcement, felony fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer, Aggravated battery; Reckless deadly weapon cause great body harm/disfig/death, Possession of marijuana, according to online jail records.Wasson is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;felony interference with law enforcement, Aggravated battery; Reckless deadly weapon cause great body harm/disfig/death and possession of marijuana.