By BECKY KISER Hays Post

Friday's annual fall art walk is the 41st for the Hays Arts Council and will feature&nbsp;"To the Stars," a national exhibition of the Society of Layerists in Multi-Media, which can be seen in the arts center.

Among the art walks, the fall event traditionally draws the largest number of participants, with college students back in town, school starting and vacation season ending.

The layerists society's members include local and regional artists, including Kathleen Kuchar, Hays, who helped Meder organize the national exhibition with 82 pieces.

"It's a mixed bag. This group has a very holistic (approach) and the concept of layering ideas. A lot of the work is not objective. It's color, and it's form. It's richly textured. There are some more representational things," Brenda Meder, Hays Arts Council executive director, said, "but it's just an explosion of color. A lot of good moments and messages run through their work."

Hays will be host to a conference of the layerists society next month.

For the first time, the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 1805 Vine, will join in the art walk as it shares its recently painted interior of traditional Romanesque art and design within modern structural architecture.

"It's really exciting to see how this all comes together," Meder said.&nbsp;

The church will be open to the public from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Other exhibitions include live music, wood carvings, paintings and drawings, quilt and fiber art, prints, photography, stained glass, ceramics,&nbsp; original hat designs and book signings by the authors.

The Hays Symphony will kick off its season with a concert in the downtown pavilion at 7:30 p.m. featuring "Summer Pops: A Night at the Movies."

Most of the exhibitions are in downtown Hays businesses and at Fort Hays State University and are available from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

The K-State Research and Extension Master Gardeners will welcome visitors to open houses at their perennial/pollinator and vegetable trial gardens at the Agricultural Research Center, 1232 240th Ave., from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

"A really broad, fabulous array of what the arts are in our community. There are the visual arts, there are the performing arts and there are the literary arts," Meder said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Friday's annual fall art walk is the 35th for Meder. It will also be her last art walk as she eases into retirement.

A public retirement reception, hosted by the board of directors, will be in the Hays Arts Center, 112 E. 11th, where the walk's anchor attraction will also be featured.

"It'll be fun," Meder said, "but if people come just to see me, then I haven't done my job."

A complete list of all the stops, some of which will also be open Saturday, is available on the Hays Arts Council's <a href="https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/916bb38b-09bf-4c28-bf9f-4da5a0b67707/downloads/b7015556-b3d3-4f94-9fcf-09c48f41d231/Fall%20Walk%20online%20copy.pdf?ver=1755449801447">website</a>.

🎙 Hays Arts Council's Fall Art Walk to feature mixed media artists

Congratulations to James Rome from Ellis and Dustin Roths from Hays on becoming finalists in the Yuengling Flight Golf Cart Giveaway at National Radio Day at Eagle on Wednesday. The golf cart will be given away at this year’s OKTOBERFEST on Friday, September 26!&nbsp; 

Special thanks to A &amp; A Coors Yuengling for this great giveaway!

Eagle Radio finalists named for Yuengling Flight Golf Cart Giveaway

Congratulations to John Kaba and Darin Myers from Hays, our latest finalists in the Lite Beer from Miller UTV Giveaway.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Their names were selected as finalists at National Radio Day at Eagle on Wednesday, Aug 20. &nbsp; 

Special thanks to Briney Motorsports, Advantage Glass Plus, Commercial Sign Company, and A &amp; A Coors Miller of Hays!

Eagle Radio finalists named for Lite Beer from Miller UTV Giveaway

FHSU crime log: Aug. 15-21, 2025

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/category/obituaries">HERE</a>&nbsp;to view the most recent obituaries and service times from our funeral home partners.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/corrections-about-us">Click HERE for the Hays Post obituary policy.&nbsp;</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/45c326ac-a856-480a-b491-0312e5d43c5c">Find our obituary posting policy by clicking here.</a>

Recent obituaries and service times

Highlighting Fort Hays State University’s fall convocation on Wednesday was the presentation of faculty awards. Awards included the Faculty Member of the Year, John Heinrichs Outstanding Research Mentor, and the President’s Distinguished Scholar Award.

The Faculty Member of the Year award was presented to Dr. Terry Crull, Professor of Music and Theatre. Commerce Bank provided a $1,000 stipend for Crull in recognition of this honor.

“Terry’s unwavering commitment to student success is evident in his dynamic, high-impact teaching across choral ensembles, conducting and methods courses, and general education,” said FHSU Provost Jill Arensdorf. “His leadership in regional and international performance opportunities – most recently the 2024 Jubilate, Mozart! Festival in Austria – provides students with immersive, transformative experiences that cultivate professional excellence and global citizenship.”

The faculty member of the year is selected from the past year’s recipients of faculty awards for teaching, research and scholarly activity, and service.

The 2024-25 award for scholarly activity went to Dr. Ran An, Assistant Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders, and Dr. Matthew Smalley, Associate Professor in the Department of English and Modern Languages. Outstanding service awards went to Will Stutterheim, Instructor of Psychology, and Dr. Jennifer Bechard, Assistant Professor of Health and Human Performance. Dr. Terry Crull, Professor of Music and Theatre, and Dr. Kenton Olliff, Associate Professor of Advanced Education Programs, were recognized for outstanding teaching.

John Heinrichs Outstanding Research Mentor

Dr. Anas Hourani, Associate Professor in Computer Science, was named the&nbsp;John Heinrichs Outstanding Research Mentor. The award is named after our esteemed former colleague, Dr. John Heinrichs, who was active in all research areas.

This award recognizes faculty members’ commitment, time, and energy in promoting undergraduate research. All current faculty and unclassified staff members at levels comparable to academic faculty are eligible. The awardee’s home department is provided with $500 of budget funding to benefit the recipient.

Hourani’s leadership in guiding student projects demonstrates his expertise and commitment to pushing the boundaries of AI applications. One of his students commented, “Without his help, I wouldn’t have imagined myself writing a research paper or even going on the path of artificial intelligence. In my honest opinion, nobody deserves this award more than Dr. Hourani.”

President’s Distinguished Scholar Award

Dr. Rose Helens-Hart, Associate Professor of Applied Business Studies, was announced as the 2025 President’s Distinguished Scholar. Helens-Hart exemplifies the spirit of this award through her sustained, innovative contributions to scholarship, teaching, and professional service. She has published 17 peer-reviewed articles, 12 as first author in respected journals, such as Business and Professional Communication Quarterly, advancing knowledge in business communication and talent development.

Helens-Hart will receive a $1,500 check at the President’s Distinguished Scholar program later in the academic year.

The President’s Distinguished Scholar Award was first conferred in 1989. The evaluation of each candidate for this honor is based on an analysis of their performance in research and creative activities, service, and instruction categories. Acceptable levels of performance must be demonstrated in service and instruction, with the primary focus of this award on research and creative activities.

Faculty awards highlight FHSU's fall convocation

Free Community Shred Day offered by Bank of Hays

Rats. Mid-August and I’ve only seen one hummer in the yard! 

Once again, the earth has tilted on its axis, turning days golden and foretelling southward hummingbird migrations. Where are these late summer travelers?

I remind myself, I don’t hang out in the yard all day every day, so, in theory, dozens could visit our bright blooms, and I haven’t a clue. But . . . I don’t think so. 

I’m outside several extended stretches throughout the day, and I regularly gander out the windows. So far I spied one iridescent traveler sipping nectar from an overloaded flower pot. Nearby neighbors report a few additional sightings, but not in numbers I expect this time of year.

Once days take on the golden shade that suggests autumn’s approach, those transcontinental travelers need to get their affairs in order. This homo sapien traveler suggests planned stops during their long journeys so they can rest and refuel. Throwing in a personal advertisement, I offer my yard, since I plant flowers to encourage those stopovers.

Based on birding posts, some folks do see frequent visitors at their feeders. That suggests an issue because we opted to forego artificial feeders filled with 4 to 1 water/sugar mixture in favor of more bright blooms throughout the yard. 

I did it because it’s difficult to keep glass and plastic that hangs outside well-sanitized this scorching time of year. I hoped to prevent my whirring-winged guests from getting more than a sugar buzz.

In the past, when temps exceeded 85 degrees, I dumped leftover syrup, washed feeders in hot soapy water, and followed with multiple rinses before refilling with fresh solution. That complicates matters for families who want to leave town for a few hours or days. Who wants to leave hungry hummers wondering where their feeder went?

Since we saw hummingbirds choose blooms over Gramma’s syrup every summer, we decided to experiment and offer additional flower selections. 

Though heat takes a toll, roses, salvia, helianthus, holly hocks, trumpet vine, Indian blanket, larkspur, black-eyed Susans, coneflower, petunias, geraniums, schwarzenberry, nasturtiums, moss rose, cosmos, sunflower, marigold, tomato, squash, and pepper keep blooming to attract famished hummers. During refueling stops, they can rest on shady branches and sip water from multiple bird baths. We’re all about accommodating these exotic guests.

Those who follow this column know I suffer this angst annually. Obviously, ditching the feeder and sugar water solution complicates matters. However, I’m convinced hummers used to sipping nectar in northern fields of flowers will thrill to find flavorful prairie and garden blossoms replacing those they left behind.

Hopefully, you’ll soon read that hordes of hummers like you’d see outside mountain condos are flying donuts choosing which flowers to sample. I’d love to exhaust my clicker finger taking photos to share. 

For those feeling sorry for travelers who have to work for natural food, hang a feeder or two of your own. Just follow the 4 to 1 water/sugar formula and sanitize it daily in hot weather.

Karen Madorin is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and sixth-generation Kansan.

MADORIN: Yellow days again

Great Plains/Land Pride BSB City of Lucas Maupin BBQ Bluestem Quarry &amp; Stoneworks Lynn's Glass Works Kansas Power Pool Leach &amp; Naegeie Rentschler Family Mortuaries Ellsworth County Medical Center Home Oil Service Russell Regional Hospital Brant's Market Garden of Eden Insurance Smart Lucas/Sylvan News Lucas Area Community Theater Wilson Communications Russell County CVB/ED United Ag Service Lucas Liquor Standing Dog Studio Down Home Web Solutions

3 Kansas juveniles injured after pickup, semi crash

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

A Hugoton man allegedly battered a woman while on the dance floor at Chuck's, 507 W. Seventh St.

Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler said 24-year-old David Cruz-Soto was arrested on alleged charges of aggravated sexual battery and interference with law enforcement after he resisted arrest.

Scheibler said officers were dispatched to the bar at about 12:51 a.m. on Aug. 16 after a woman reported being battered. The woman said a Hispanic man allegedly came up behind her, touched her inappropriately and then put his arm around her neck, choking her.

Scheibler said the woman was able to get away and officers found the suspect inside the establishment. He said the victim did not suffer injuries requiring hospital treatment.

Hugoton man allegedly batters woman in Hays bar

&nbsp;Submit events to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:admin@hayspost.com">admin@hayspost.com</a>. Cover photo courtesy Pixabay

Special thanks to <a href="https://www.visithays.com/183/Events">The Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau</a> and<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/"> Fort Hays State University</a> for their contributions to the community calendar.

Community Calendar

Hays High Sept. 4 soccer game cancelled

The Hays City Commission and the Russell City Council will have a joint meeting at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 27 at the Russell City Hall, 133 W. Eighth St., Russell.

The topic of discussion will be the joint development of the R9 water supply.

Hays, Russell city leaders to discuss R9 development Aug. 27 in Russell

Hungry for bierocks? Place your order with the Cancer Council of Ellis County for their BIEROCK FUNDRAISER until Monday, September 1, 2025. These delicious bierocks are made by Cervs on Main Street. 

To place your order call the Cancer Council at 785-625-6653 or mail your order to 701 Riley St., Hays KS 67601. 

Orders must be paid for at time of order. 

Pick up will be Thursday, September 18, 2025 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the south side of Main Street Cervs, 1601 Main Street.

Cost is $30 for ½ dozen or $50 for a dozen; with cheese $35 for ½ dozen or $60 for a dozen.

The Cancer Council of Ellis County is a local organization that has been helping Ellis County residents dealing with cancer for 39 years.

Bierocks fundraiser underway for Cancer Council of Ellis County

Kansas Department of Health and Environment

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has issued a boil water advisory for the Countryside Estates MHP, Hays KS public water supply system located in Ellis County.

This advisory does not affect customers who receive water from the City of Hays or the Ellis County Rural Water public water supplies.

Customers should observe the following precautions until further notice:

The advisory took effect on August 20, 2025 and will remain in effect until the conditions that placed the system at risk of bacterial contamination are resolved. 

KDHE officials issued the advisory because of a loss of pressure due to water main breaks. Failure to maintain adequate pressure may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination.&nbsp;

Regardless of whether the public water supplier or Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) announced a boil water advisory, only KDHE can issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.

For consumer questions, please contact the water system at 308-629-7874, or KDHE at 785-296-5514. For consumer information please visit KDHE’s PWS Consumer Information webpage:

<a target="_blank" href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.kdhe.ks.gov%2F468%2FDisruption-in-Water-Service%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/01000198c7cf103e-b5dd857c-0c66-491f-97af-6acfb416de7f-000000/K-ttGxp_qLoiwLVNNGSosH35J2YOwLctNbOZJYIYxBE=419">https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/468/Disruption-in-Water-Service</a>

Restaurants and other food establishments that have questions about the impact of the boil water advisory on their business can contact the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s food safety &amp; lodging program at&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="mailto:kda.fsl@ks.gov">kda.fsl@ks.gov</a>&nbsp;or call 785-564-6767.

Boil Water Advisory issued for Countryside Mobile Home Estates in Hays

Kansas Department of Health and Environment&nbsp;

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has rescinded a boil water advisory for the City of Smith Center public water supply system located in Smith County. 

The advisory was issued because of a loss of pressure. Failure to maintain adequate pressure may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination.

Laboratory testing of drinking water samples collected from the City of Smith Center indicate no evidence of bacteriological contamination and all other conditions that placed the system at risk of contamination are deemed by KDHE officials to be resolved. &nbsp;

Public water suppliers in Kansas take all measures necessary to notify customers quickly after a system failure or shutdown. Regardless of whether it’s the supplier or KDHE that announces a boil water advisory, KDHE will issue the rescind notice following testing at a certified laboratory.

For consumer questions, please contact the water system at: 785-282-3812 or you may call KDHE at 785-296-5514. For consumer information please visit our webpage:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.kdhe.ks.gov%2F468%2FDisruption-in-Water-Service%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/01000198c7d5cfe1-90876970-fc05-4764-9a29-d719ffec7777-000000/4h5BJoIFe_zZg571dAAEBXrYQlO7Ky8M127R5fpYU-0=419">https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/468/Disruption-in-Water-Service</a>.

Boil Water Advisory for Smith Center rescinded

LOGAN — The 47th annual Logan Labor Day Celebration will take place Sunday, August 31, 2025, at the Logan Golf Course, located 1.25 miles east of Logan on Highway 9. 

Sponsored by the Hansen Museum with funds from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation, this family-friendly tradition is free and open to all.

Festivities kick off at 10:00 a.m. with the Dane G. Bales Jr. Memorial Car Show, a community favorite since 1998. This year’s featured vehicle is Michael Ghumm’s stunning 1955 Pontiac Chieftain. Arrive before 4:00 p.m. to admire everything from sleek classic coupes and muscle cars to antique pickups and eye-catching hot rods.

Sand Volleyball Tournament – Gather your friends for some friendly competition! Teams must include three men and three women, all 16 years or older. First-place winners receive 50% of the purse plus t-shirts; second place earns meal tickets and t-shirts; third place takes home t-shirts. Register online at hansenmuseum.org/labor-day-celebration or on-site by 10:30 a.m. the day of the event. The tournament begins at 11:00 a.m.

Family Fun All Day – From 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., kids can bounce, climb, and race on the inflatable obstacle course, take a turn on the 9-hole mini golf course, or enjoy the bouncy house. At 2:00 p.m., the Siruta Pedal Pullers State-Sanctioned Kid’s Tractor Pull begins—winners advance to compete at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson.

Food &amp; Refreshments – Satisfy your appetite with tasty offerings from the Logan Junior Class Food Booth, The Corn Kettle, and Buck’s Snow Shack—serving lunch, supper, and snacks in between.

Museum Exhibit: ASTRONAUT – The Hansen Museum will be open from 1:00 to 5:30 p.m., offering the perfect afternoon break from the Labor Day Celebration. Festivities at the golf course slow down between 4:00 and 5:30 p.m., making it a great time to stop by and experience ASTRONAUT—an interactive, hands-on exhibit where you can train for space travel, “launch” into orbit, and explore life aboard the International Space Station. Free and fully accessible, this exhibition is a must-see for all ages.

Evening Entertainment &amp; Fireworks – At 5:30 p.m., the stage comes alive with the high-energy sounds of The Innocence from Kearney, Nebraska. Their diverse playlist ranges from Van Morrison’s Brown Eyed Girl to Bruno Mars’ Uptown Funk, offering something for every musical taste and keeping the crowd entertained right up until sunset. The evening wraps up with a spectacular fireworks display by Rainbow Fireworks of Inman, Kansas—lighting up the night sky for miles.

Join us for a day full of cars, competition, family fun, great food, live music, and fireworks at the 47th Annual Logan Labor Day Celebration. 

For more information, call the Hansen Museum at 785-689-4846 or visit www.hansenmuseum.org. 

Admission is always free thanks to the generous support of the Dane G. Hansen Foundation.

Logan hosts 47th-annual Labor Day celebration August 31

By LINN ANN HUNTINGTON Special to Hays Post

A new interdenominational organization for moms will hold its first meeting from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, at North Oak Community Church, 3000 Oak St.

“The MomCo. is a faith-based community of moms with children of any age who meet together to be an encouragement and support to one another in our walk through motherhood and our relationship with Jesus,” said Alicia Kumer, one of the group’s leaders.

She said the organization was once known as MOPS (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers) and was geared to moms of younger children. But the new organization invites moms of all ages, Kumer said. Moms with grown children and grandmothers are welcome to attend and sometimes even become “mentor moms” to some of the younger members, she said.

Free childcare will be provided. Kumer said it will be helpful if moms could call the church at 785-628-8887 to let organizers know how many children will be accompanying them.

She said the group will meet the second Saturday of the month from September through May. More information is available by calling the above number.

New faith organization for moms to hold first meeting

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has rescinded a boil water advisory for the City of Bunker Hill public water supply system located in Russell County. 

The advisory was issued because the city could not maintain the minimum required chlorine residual. Failure to maintain required chlorine residual levels may put the system at risk for bacterial contamination.&nbsp;

Laboratory testing of drinking water samples collected from Bunker Hill indicate no evidence of bacteriological contamination and all other conditions that placed the system at risk of contamination are deemed by KDHE officials to be resolved. &nbsp;

For consumer questions, please contact the water system at: 785-324-0187 or you may call KDHE at 785-296-5514. For consumer information please visit our webpage:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.kdhe.ks.gov%2F468%2FDisruption-in-Water-Service%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/01000198c2eb1475-e44be482-7acb-4a59-9654-aac15d8075e0-000000/crrMNb5Fe6KxUw_3j5x8BG3gtor4MSL8HURsnWw8hzo=418">https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/468/Disruption-in-Water-Service</a>.

Boil Water Advisory rescinded for Bunker Hill

NEW YORK (AP) — An appeals court has thrown out the massive civil fraud penalty against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>, ruling Thursday in New York state’s lawsuit accusing him of exaggerating his wealth.

The decision came seven months after the Republican returned to the White House. A panel of five judges in New York’s mid-level Appellate Division said the verdict, which stood to cost Trump more than $515 million and rock his real estate empire, was “excessive.”

After finding that Trump engaged in fraud by flagrantly padding financial statements that went to lenders and insurers, Judge Arthur Engoron&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-civil-fraud-verdict-engoron-244024861f0df886543c157c9fc5b3e4">ordered him</a>&nbsp;last year to pay $355 million in penalties. With interest, the sum has topped $515 million.

The total — combined with penalties levied on some other Trump Organization executives, including Trump’s sons Eric and Donald Jr. — now exceeds $527 million, with interest.

“While the injunctive relief ordered by the court is well crafted to curb defendants’ business culture, the court’s disgorgement order, which directs that defendants pay nearly half a billion dollars to the State of New York, is an excessive fine that violates the Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution,” Judges Dianne T. Renwick and Peter H. Moulton wrote in one of several opinions shaping the appeals court’s ruling.

Engoron also imposed other punishments, such as banning Trump and his two eldest sons&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-letitia-james-new-york-engoron-38bc3a7f2ccb22555c026e9bf70fd5bb">from serving in corporate leadership</a>&nbsp;for a few years. Those provisions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-civil-fraud-case-verdict-penalty-appeal-8447c48d0436083737204b13401438d2">have been on pause</a>&nbsp;during Trump’s appeal, and he was able to hold off collection of the money by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-civil-fraud-trial-feb0593a5bbd3837edc0db195554eda1">posting a $175 million bond</a>.

The court, which was split on the merits of the lawsuit and the lower court’s fraud finding, dismissed the penalty Engoron imposed in its entirety while also leaving a pathway for further appeals to the state’s highest court, the Court of Appeals.

The appeals court, the Appellate Division of the state’s trial court, took an unusually long time to rule, weighing Trump’s appeal for nearly 11 months after oral arguments last fall. Normally, appeals are decided in a matter of weeks or a few months.

New York Attorney General Letitia James, who brought the suit on the state’s behalf, has said the businessman-turned-politician engaged in “lying, cheating, and staggering fraud.” Her office had no immediate comment after Thursday's decision.

Trump and his co-defendants denied wrongdoing. In&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-lawsuit-new-york-closing-arguments-b36abe2fd695d0172e71f8ef9c5ee7f3">a six-minute summation of sorts</a>&nbsp;after a monthslong trial, Trump proclaimed in January 2024 that he was “an innocent man” and the case was a “fraud on me.” He has repeatedly maintained that the case and verdict were political moves by James and Engoron, who are both Democrats.

Trump’s Justice Department has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-james-attorney-general-justice-department-subpoena-9dec45248df0e06b1d99ff9944e6d327">subpoenaed James for records</a>&nbsp;related to the lawsuit, among other documents, as part of an investigation into whether she violated the president’s civil rights. James’ personal attorney, Abbe D. Lowell, has said that investigating the fraud case is “the most blatant and desperate example of this administration carrying out the president’s political retribution campaign.”

Trump and his lawyers said his financial statements weren’t deceptive, since they came with disclaimers noting they weren’t audited. The defense also noted that bankers and insurers independently evaluated the numbers, and the loans were repaid.

Despite such discrepancies as tripling the size of his Trump Tower penthouse, he said the financial statements were, if anything, lowball estimates of his fortune.

During an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-civil-fraud-appeal-letitia-james-8bc9e5ea0affc635c731e96448f69642">appellate court hearing</a>&nbsp;in September, Trump’s lawyers argued that many of the case’s allegations were too old, an assertion they made unsuccessfully before trial. The defense also contends that James misused a consumer-protection law to sue Trump and improperly policed private business transactions that were satisfactory to those involved.

State attorneys said the law in question applies to fraudulent or illegal business conduct, whether it targets everyday consumers or big corporations. Though Trump insists no one was harmed by the financial statements, the state contends that the numbers led lenders to make riskier loans than they knew, and that honest borrowers lose out when others game their net-worth numbers.

The state has argued that the verdict rests on ample evidence and that the scale of the penalty comports with Trump’s gains, including his profits on properties financed with the loans and the interest he saved by getting favorable terms offered to wealthy borrowers.

The civil fraud case was just one of several legal obstacles for Trump as he campaigned, won and segued to a second term as president.

On Jan. 10, he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-sentencing-stormy-daniels-33e070bd3c1acb609bba13f23d784a3a">sentenced in his criminal hush money case</a>&nbsp;to what’s known as an unconditional discharge, leaving his conviction on the books but sparing him jail, probation, a fine or other punishment. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-appeal-stormy-daniels-249a77a70cab97137595f000fbd49307">is appealing the conviction</a>.

And in December, a federal appeals court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-carroll-lawsuit-defamation-trial-78e4196024539653a6de492312770ff2">upheld a jury’s finding</a>&nbsp;that Trump sexually abused writer E. Jean Carroll in the mid-1990s and later defamed her, affirming a $5 million judgment against him. The appeals court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-e-jean-carroll-sexual-abuse-appeal-8e2db7bdb881ff0b9353b6fb17750f48">declined in June to reconsider</a>; he still can try to get the Supreme Court to hear his appeal.

He’s also appealing a subsequent verdict that requires him to pay Carroll $83.3 million for additional defamation claims.

Court throws out Trump's $500 million fine in civil fraud case

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating alleged elder abuse after a Kansas woman admitted she left a 94-year-old woman in her vehicle, in extreme heat, to shop in Salina.

Just after 5:30p.m. Wednesday, police received a report of an unresponsive elderly woman sitting in the passenger seat of a vehicle at the Kohl's parking lot, 2580 S 9th Street,&nbsp; in Salina, according to Salina Police Captain James Feldman.

Someone noticed the woman in the vehicle and walked over to see if she was okay. The window of the vehicle was down and tried to speak with the woman, who did not respond. The individual then called 9-1-1 and officers, along with EMS immediately arrived to the scene.

Police identified the woman inside the vehicle, as a 94-year old Miltonvale resident. The woman was 'not fully coherent' when EMS was speaking with her. Feldman said the woman had been inside the vehicle for 50 minutes, before authorities arrived.&nbsp;

Officers identified the registered owner of the vehicle as 67-year-old Ava Aarlene Brown of Miltonvale. They found her shopping inside Kohl's during the investigation.

Brown admitted leaving the 94-year old woman inside the vehicle. It was also determined that Brown and the 94-year-old woman are known associates. Police did not confirm if they were family.

Police arrested Brown was arrested on requested charges of Mistreatment of a Dependent Adult. EMS transported the 94-year-old&nbsp;&nbsp;to Salina Regional Health Center for medical treatment.

The heat index was 93 degrees at the time officers and EMS arrived to the scene, according to Feldman.

Police: Kan. woman left 94-year-old in hot car while she went shopping

By MIKE CATALINI and HOLLY MEYER Associated Press

Dr.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/94982d52cefc48babc242fb0e3853a43">James Dobson</a>, a politically influential child psychologist who started a radio show counseling Christians on how to be good parents, founded the conservative ministry Focus on the Family and was long a campaigner against abortion and LGBTQ+ rights, died on Thursday. He was 89.

His death was confirmed by the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute.

Born in 1936 in Shreveport, Louisiana, Dobson started a radio show counseling Christians on how to be good parents and in 1977 founded Focus on the Family. At its peak, the organization had more than 1,000 employees and gave Dobson a platform to weigh in on legislation and serve as an adviser to five presidents.

He became a force in the 1980s for pushing conservative Christian ideals in American politics alongside fundamentalist giants like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson. He campaigned for bringing religious conservatives into the political mainstream, and in 1989, Falwell called Dobson a rising star. Decades later, he served on a board of evangelical leaders that advised President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;in 2016. He supported Trump in all three of his presidential campaigns.

He celebrated the 2022 overturning of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;— including Trump’s conservative appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court credited with the landmark decision that allowed states to ban abortion.

“Whether you like Donald Trump or not, whether you supported or voted for him or not, if you are supportive of this Dobbs decision that struck down Roe v. Wade, you have to mention in the same breath the man who made it possible,” he said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.drjamesdobson.org/broadcasts/a-historic-victory-for-life-dr-dobson-reacts-to-the-reversal-of-roe-v-wade-part-1/">ministry broadcast</a>.

Dobson left Focus on the Family in 2010 and founded the institute that bears his name. He continued with the Family Talk radio show, which is nationally syndicated and is carried by 1,500 radio outlets with more than half a million listeners weekly, according to the institute.

“Dr. Dobson’s impact endures through the many lives he touched, the families he strengthened, and the unshakable faith he proclaimed,” his family said in a statement announcing his death.

Gary Bauer, a senior vice president at Dobson’s institute, called him a “pioneer” who helped families in a world of shifting values. Dobson interviewed President Ronald Reagan in the Oval Office in 1985, thanking him for concentrating on issues important to families.

Dobson's radio program promoted guests who said they abandoned their homosexuality and instead embraced Christianity.

Dobson was not just an influential voice that helped lead the rise of the Christian, conservative movement to today, where such a large portion of Republican voters consider themselves evangelical conservatives. He was also mentor to today’s leading Christian conservative voices.

Dobson, as a board member on Family Research Council, approached Tony Perkins, then a Louisiana state legislator, to become president of the organization. That was after Perkins grew up in his family church, watching Dobson’s films and following his lead with his own work in the Louisiana Legislature.

In Perkins’ first week as president, he and Dobson stood on the steps of the Alabama Supreme Court to support the installation of a monument to the Ten Commandments in the building. The action led to a court case and the monument’s removal.

Dobson belongs on the “Mount Rushmore” of the Christian conservatives, Perkins said, notably for leading an evangelical church-driven counter-movement to a family and parenting ethos of the 1960s embodied in the progressive teachings of Dr. Benjamin Spock.

“Very few people have had such a positive impact in the shaping of the American family, from what we would describe as a biblical standpoint,” said Perkins, who remains the group’s president. “While his passing is sad and it leaves a vacancy, he has a legacy that will live on.”

After developing a following of millions, Dobson considered running for president in the 2000 election, following in the footsteps of former television minister Pat Robertson’s surprise success in 1988.

“He had a big audience. He was not afraid to speak out. He became a very important voice and there was even talk that he might run for president,” said Ralph Reed, a Christian conservative political organizer and lobbyist who founded the Faith and Freedom Coalition. “If Jim had decided to run, he would have been a major force.”

Reed’s organization presented Dobson with a lifetime achievement award in 2017.

Despite their close association later in life, Reed’s enduring memory was as a younger political organizer traveling through rural America with Dobson’s voice as his sole companion.

“I’d be out there somewhere, and I could go to the AM dial and there was never a time, day or night when I couldn’t find that guy,” Reed said. “There will probably never be another one like him.”

An anti-pornography crusader, Dobson recorded a video interview with serial killer Ted Bundy the day before his January 24, 1989, execution in Florida. Bundy told Dobson that exposure to pornography helped fuel his sexual urges to a point that he looked for satisfaction by mutilating, killing and raping women.

At the time, Dobson’s Focus on the Family program was broadcast daily on 1,200 radio stations.

Months after the execution, Bundy’s attorney James Coleman downplayed the Dobson exchange in an interview with The Associated Press.

“I think that was a little bit of Ted telling the minister what he wanted to hear and Ted offering an explanation that would exonerate him personally,” Coleman told The Associated Press in 1989. “I had heard that before and I told Ted I never accepted it.”

Dobson is survived by his wife of 64 years, Shirley, as well as their children, Danae and Ryan, daughter-in-law Laura, and two grandchildren, his family's statement said.

Catalini reported from Trenton, New Jersey, and Meyer from Nashville, Tennessee. Associated Press writer Tom Beaumont in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed.

Legendary evangelical leader Dr. James Dobson dead at 89

SEDGWICK COUNTY— Firefighters are urging caution with air fryers after&nbsp; three kitchen fires linked to the appliances in Derby year, according to a social media report from Derby Fire and Rescue.

Fire crews responded to the 800 block of Westview Drive in the city of Derby for a reported appliance fire. Crews found an an air fryer burning on a glass cooktop. Prior to fire crews arrival, the resident had acted quickly with a kitchen fire extinguisher before evacuating with their child, limiting damage until firefighters arrived to ensure the fire was fully out. There were no injuries reported.

This is the third air fryer fire in Derby this year resulting in moderate kitchen/appliance damage. A common factor in all three: the air fryer was on top of the stove, either in use or being stored there.

Derby Fire provided these air fryers safety tips.

Place and ventilate: Set it on a stable countertop with clearance, never on a stovetop or directly under cabinets. 

  Power and supervise: Plug directly into a wall outlet (no power strips/extension cords) and stay nearby while it’s running. 

  Grease and emergencies: Clean crumbs/grease trays regularly. If it smokes or flames, unplug and keep the basket closed to smother, never use water.A big thank-you to the resident for their prompt, safe response. Having a fire extinguisher and knowing how to use it makes a difference.

Three  air fryer kitchen fires in Kansas community this year

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/jeff-amy">JEFF AMY</a> Associated Press

Jamel Bishop is seeing a big change in his classrooms as he begins his senior year at Doss High School in Louisville, Kentucky, where cellphones are now banned during instructional time.

In previous years, students often weren’t paying attention and wasted class time by repeating questions, the teenager said. Now, teachers can provide “more one-on-one time for the students who actually need it.”

Kentucky is one of 17 states and the District of Columbia starting this school year with new restrictions, bringing the total to 35 states with laws or rules limiting phones and other electronic devices in school. This change has come remarkably quickly:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-schools-cell-phone-ban-social-media-89b0c8bdad325fb9a776f4384602a1a1">Florida became the first state</a>&nbsp;to pass such a law in 2023.

Both&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-school-cellphone-phone-ban-tennessee-utah-f633d3001a9d634269aa68db258184ee">Democrats and Republicans</a>&nbsp;have taken up the cause, reflecting a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/school-cell-phone-ban-extracurricular-afterschool-4d89f5b7fd7c8f1d5903f8c04f26da54">growing consensus</a>&nbsp;that phones are bad for kids’ mental health and take their focus away from learning, even as some researchers say the issue is less clear-cut.

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