By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

Hays High School's Homecoming parade made its way through downtown Hays on Friday.

The parade included this year’s Homecoming Court, the cheer team and marching band, along with current students and alumni dating back to the class of 1965.

📷 2025 Hays High School Homecoming parade

&nbsp;FHSU University Communications

As they prepared to enter their senior year at Fort Hays State University (FHSU), Honors College students Hazel Frans and Eric Moon had the chance to “test the waters before diving in” through competitive summer research internships funded by the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program.

Frans, a biology major and graduate of FHSU’s Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science (KAMS), spent her summer at Cornell University, where she participated in a research project on cold tolerance in maize. The long-term goal of the research, she explained, is to make corn more resilient to cold temperatures, expand the growing season, and prevent crop loss due to early spring freezes.

“Ultimately, after we did our initial research, our goal was to take the mutations or knockouts of the genes that we were studying and put them in maize and see how they reacted,” Frans said. “So, we were testing the waters before we dove in.”

Alongside her rigorous research schedule, Frans took time to explore the culture and architecture of New York state, from waterfalls to art museums to historic landmarks.

Frans has been actively engaged in research throughout her undergraduate years. She presented at the Kansas Idea Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (K-INBRE), received a grant to continue her research as a K-INBRE Star Trainee, and earned an Award of Excellence at the 2025 K-INBRE Symposium for her poster titled&nbsp;Impact of CRISPR-induced Mutations on Arabidopsis thaliana Gene APETALA3 Sites AP3-3 and AP3-5.

Dr. Tara Phelps-Durr, chair of FHSU’s Department of Biological Sciences, has mentored Frans and suggested that she apply for the summer REU program.

“Dr. Phelps-Durr really paved the way for me to apply to these internships,” Frans said. “I didn’t know they existed until she suggested I apply.”

“Hazel is an outstanding student, and it’s been a pleasure working with her,” Dr. Phelps-Durr said. “At FHSU, we are fortunate that we can provide students with undergraduate research experiences that prepare them for success beyond our campus.”

Moon, a mathematics major, completed his REU at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where he used simulation software to model traffic through work zones. His project explored 45 different scenarios based on an active work zone in Nebraska City.

“I had never done anything like this before,” Moon said. “I don’t know if it’s enough to pull me away from pure theoretical applications, but it would be nice to do something like network analysis in the traffic engineering area on a more broad scale.”

Despite entering the program with minimal experience, Moon quickly learned Python programming to conduct his research. The experience, he said, broadened his perspective and provided valuable preparation for graduate-level study.

Moon has also pursued undergraduate research prior to his REU experience. He co-authored a paper on irreversible k-threshold processes in corona and double corona product graphs, posted on arXiv in 2025, and is now preparing it for journal submission.&nbsp;He presented this work at the Kansas Section of the Mathematical Association of America and FHSU’s Scholarly and Creative Activities Day (SACAD) and continues his research in graph theory under the mentorship of Dr. Soumya Bhoumik and Dr. Paul Flesher.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Both Frans and Moon credit FHSU’s Honors College for fostering an environment that encouraged them to pursue these opportunities.

“That’s the best part of being here - being part of that very successful network,” said Kevin Amidon, director of the Honors College. “Our colleagues at Fort Hays are very good at helping students tell the story of why they are going to be good contributors to a program. This is one of the great strengths here that other universities don’t offer because they are so much bigger.”

Frans also credited KAMS for giving her a head start in research early in her academic career. “KAMS has always been very encouraging about going to conferences and presenting at SACAD,” she said. “Without the help of KAMS, I don’t believe I would have had this opportunity to do this research.”

“Most students don’t have the opportunity to do research until they are earning their master’s,” added Suellyn Stenger, KAMS assistant director. “To be able to experience that as a junior in high school is a tremendous plus for our students.”

Despite early concerns about potential NSF funding cuts in summer 2025, both internships went smoothly. For Frans, challenges to future scientific funding only underscore the resilience of the research community.

“One thing about the sciences is that researchers are very persistent and very passionate,” she said. “We will overcome challenges and come out a lot stronger in the end.”

Both students will graduate from FHSU in May 2026, and just weeks later, they plan to get married. They are currently exploring graduate schools where they can continue their studies in the same city.

“There are a lot of opportunities we could take,” Frans said. “We will just have to see how it goes. It’s a unique situation.”

FHSU students gain hands-on experience through National Science Foundation internships

Rehearsals are now underway for the Hays High School fall play, “Peter Pan – Journey To Neverland.”

Scheduled to take place at 7 p.m. on Nov. 13-15 and at 2 p.m. on Nov. 16, it will be the first theatrical production in the new Performing Arts Center (PAC) at HHS. Ticket information will be announced at a later date.

According to director Bill Gasper, the play is an original non-musical adaptation of the 1911 novel by J.M. Barrie, which is an expanded version of his 1904 play. Gasper said both the novel and play are in the public domain, which has led to numerous non-musical and musical adaptations.

“Many people mistakenly believe that Peter Pan is a musical, but that’s not the case,” Gasper said. “The first musical adaptation was the 1950 Broadway production with music and lyrics by Leonard Bernstein. In fact, it wasn’t even a full-scale musical. A later 1954 musical adaptation became the version most people recognize. Disney also released an animated musical version in 1953.”

Gasper said the HHS version maintains the charm of the original, which follows the adventure of Peter Pan and his friends, including Wendy Darling, her brothers, the Lost Boys, and the pirate Captain Hook, in the magical land of Neverland. The story explores themes of childhood, imagination, and the transition from childhood to adulthood.

“Although we’re not equipped to actually ‘fly’ actors, our version features plenty of action with humorous moments throughout,” Gasper said. “It truly is a fun performance for the entire family.”

Auditions for the play took place on Sept. 9 and 10, with rehearsals getting underway on Sept. 16. It features a cast of 24 with additional students serving as members of the crew.

“The first week of rehearsals went very well,” Gasper said. “I’m very pleased with the overall talent of the cast and crew, and the new Performing Arts Center is simply a great facility. The transition to working in a new space comes with certain challenges, but I’m excited to be part of its first theatrical production.”

From the public domain works of J.M. Barrie

Hays High School to present ‘Peter Pan–Journey To Neverland’ in new Performing Arts Center in November

By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension District

Modern-day precision agriculture relies heavily on sensor technology, and among these, remote sensing is the most widely used tool. The term remote sensing consists of two words, “remote”, which means from a distance, and “sensing”, which means the collection of information or data. Therefore, remote sensing refers to studying or collecting information about objects such as crops, soil, water, or the surrounding environment from a distance, without direct contact.

Common examples of remote sensing are drone and satellite imagery, as well as handheld devices or sensors mounted on any of our farm equipment, such as tractors. These technologies use sensors to measure sunlight reflected by the crops and soil to create a map that can be used to understand the crop health, soil condition, and water stress, which our eyes usually cannot see.

Application of Remote Sensing in Agriculture

Understanding field variability: Each field is unique and consists of different soil types, soil nutrients, moisture levels, disease, and pest pressure. Due to these reasons, crop growth is not uniform throughout the same field. Therefore, remote sensing can help farmers to understand such variability of crop growth by creating maps of the fields (Figure 2).

For example, a drone was flown to collect field variability information at the Flickner Innovation farm in McPherson County. In such collected drone imagery, green areas represent higher canopy cover, healthier crops, and better growth. Yellow areas indicate moderate crop vigor, while red areas show little to no canopy cover, corresponding to reduced growth, bare soil, and equipment tracks, particularly caused by pivot irrigation. Such maps provide valuable insights for monitoring and managing field variability using drone-based remote sensing.

Crop stress detection: Remote sensing can help farmers by detecting the early signs of crop stresses such as nutrient deficiency, moisture issues, disease, and pests that may not be seen early enough with the naked eye. Such information can be used as a guide for site-specific nitrogen, irrigation, or pesticide applications by applying inputs only in the areas where it is needed.

Weed identification: High-resolution remote sensing images, especially using drones, can help identify the weeds in the fields. As the weeds have different colors, leaf structure, shape, or growth patterns compared to the crops, using remote sensing, we can identify them to create a weed map of the field. These weed maps can be used for site-specific herbicide application using spray drones or any other farm applicators.

Different types of remote sensing tools

Satellite: Satellite images are now used for various on-farm decisions, including variable-rate technology. Satellites provide large-scale imagery that can cover an entire farm, county, state, or even the whole earth. Many satellite datasets, such as Sentinel-2 and Landsat, are freely available at no cost, which can be used by growers for various on-farm decisions. However, weather conditions, especially cloud cover, can affect the availability and quality of these images. Drones: Drones provide high-resolution images and can capture crop and soil information at the centimeter level. They can also be flown as needed, offering greater flexibility. Drone imagery is commonly used for early-

season scouting, detecting crop stress, and identifying weeds.

Handheld sensors: Some sensors can be handheld or mounted on farm equipment to collect information about soil and crops. Common handheld sensors used in agriculture include CropScan, GreenSeeker, fluorometers, and chlorophyll meters.

Conclusion - Remote sensing has become very popular and is accessible to farmers to make more informed and smarter decisions. This technology can help farmers to “see” crops and soil conditions that are not visible to the naked eye, thus allowing for more timely and precise decisions on their farms.

Stacy Campbell is a Crop Production Extension agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact him by e-mail at scampbel@ksu.edu or by calling 785-628-9430.

CAMPBELL: Basics of remote sensing in precision agriculture

<a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

Three-day weather outlook

Hays Bobcat is looking for a mechanic. Must have a clean MVR and tools will be required. We are willing to train the right person. Come in for an application. 

Give us a call at 785-621-4841 or stop by our location at 600 East 8th Street in Hays!

KHP: Don't use our state as a trash dumpster

Congratulations to Bernita Augustine for being named the winner of the&nbsp;Yuengling Flight Golf Cart giveaway from A&amp;A Coors Yuengling.

Augustine was drawn as a finalist on July 19 at American Shooters.

Thanks to all who registered this summer.

See below for a complete list of finalists.

1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Lance Armbruster – Wild West Festival – 7-2-2025 2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Curtis Wellbrock – Wild West Festival – 7-2-2025 3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ryan Cellmer – Mr. K’s Foodtown – 7-5-2025 4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Barry Gilliland – Mr. K’s Foodtown – 7-5-2025 5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Debbie Windholz – Malay’s Market – 7-12-2025 6.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Darren Dunn – Malay’s Market – 7-12-2025 7.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Bernita Augustine – American Shooters – 7-19-2025 8.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Doug Kutina – American Shooters – 7-19-2025 9.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Connie Steinle – Stop2Shop/Wilson Wine &amp; Spirits – 7-25-2025 10.&nbsp;Halie Eck - Stop2Shop/Wilson Wine &amp; Spirits – 7-25-2025 11.&nbsp;&nbsp;Kevin Prester - Stop2Shop/Wilson Wine &amp; Spirits – 7-25-2025 12.&nbsp;&nbsp;Tom Quenzer - Stop2Shop/Wilson Wine &amp; Spirits – 7-25-2025 13.&nbsp;Taylor Lunsford – A &amp; A Coors Yuengling Pub Crawl – 7-26-2025 14.&nbsp;Craig Karlin - A &amp; A Coors Yuengling Pub Crawl – 7-26-2025 15.&nbsp;Garrett Dreiling – Lewis Automotive – 8-16-2025 16.&nbsp;Ruthmary Muir – Lewis Automotive – 8-16-2025 17.&nbsp;Dustin Roths – National Radio Day at Eagle – 8-20-2025 18.&nbsp;James Rome – National Radio Day at Eagle – 8-20-2025 19.&nbsp;Melissa Pinkney – LoKal Country Bar – 8-22-2025 20.&nbsp;Bryan Schoepf – LoKal Country Bar – 8-22-2025 21.&nbsp;Ann Gottschalk – Brogden GMC – 8-23-2025 22.&nbsp;Kirk Pfannenstiel – Brogden GMC – 8-23-2025 23.&nbsp;Chuck Staab – Doghouse Liquor – 8-28-2025 24.&nbsp;Chad Stoecklein – Doghouse Liquor – 8-28-2025 25.&nbsp;Aaron Stewart – Kaiser Liquor – 9-19-2025 26.&nbsp;Justin Groff – Kaiser Liquor – 9-19-2025 27.&nbsp;Neva Hendrix – Pit Road Liquor – 9-20-2025 28.&nbsp;Shelli Jones – Pit Road Liquor – 9-20-2025 29.&nbsp;Matt Mayo – Toby Jugs – 9-21-2025 30.&nbsp;Chris Timken – Toby Jugs – 9-21-2025 31.&nbsp;Rick Summers — Elite Detail and Sales —&nbsp;9-25-2025 32. Jared Wickham — Elite Detail and Sales — 9-25-2025

Winner of Yuengling Flight Golf Cart giveaway named at Oktoberfest

The items are arriving fast and furious for the Eagle On-Line Auction at Hays Post.

Because of this, the auction has started early, and is going on right NOW!&nbsp; If you would like to get in on the action of this year’s online auction, click on the link below.&nbsp;

Dive into a digital treasure trove of savings with the Eagle Radio Online Auction!

<a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/eagle-radio-auction-descriptions-of-items">Click here&nbsp;to get registered, view items and bid.</a>

Bid now on an expansive collection ranging from home essentials to tantalizing restaurant gift cards, and valuable services from esteemed local companies and save.

 Whether you're seeking something specific or just browsing for unexpected finds, our vast selection promises both variety and value. 

The Eagle Radio online auction — where saving money is just a click away!

Eagle Radio Auction live now!

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

Be on the lookout for "Bison on the Loose" in Hays next spring.

It's a public art project of the Heartland Community Foundation Youth Action Council to highlight the history and heritage of Ellis County.&nbsp;

At least 25 <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/07bdd861-fa34-4686-8c39-2587327f3009">life-size fiberglass bison sculptures </a>will be placed on city and private properties in Hays, Ellis and Victoria.

"They'll be painted by local and student artists in colorful ways," said Savannah Clingan.&nbsp;"Our goal is to attract tourists and residents to places of interest."

Clingan,&nbsp;Mariella Dreiling and Oaklye Wichers, Hays High School seniors, appeared before the Hays City Commission on Thursday seeking permission to install the statues in some public spaces. The city of Ellis has already given its approval.

First-priority locations requested by project donors include Municipal Park, Frontier Park, Sunrise Park, Hays Regional Airport, Downtown Pavilion and the Hays Public Library.&nbsp;

Each statue will cost $5,000, which will include its placement. The students have raised $120,000 towards their goal of $125,000 from private donations and grants.

"It generates family-friendly experiences," Wichers said. 

The students are working on an interactive app that would encourage users to visit and take pictures with each bison as a kind of scavenger hunt.

Wichers said bison were chosen by the students because in 2026 "we will celebrate 110 years since James “Scotty” Philips brought Hays’ first bison herd in 1916. This honors the city's&nbsp;historic herd and the frontier heritage."

Other themes expected to be represented include Volga Germans, the railroad, Wild West frontier, Big Creek, Fort Hays State University, native tribes, Oktoberfest, historic Fort Hays, oil and agriculture industries, fossils, sunflowers, HaysMed, veterans, downtown Hays, roundabouts, water, and bike trails.&nbsp;

All designs will go through a submission and jury&nbsp;process before approval.&nbsp;No offensive imagery,&nbsp;words or business logos will be allowed.

The painting process, under the direction of Amy&nbsp;Schmierbach, FHSU art professor, will be done at the Microfactory.

"The project really encourages collaboration between teens, local artists, Hays, TMP-Marian, Ellis and Victoria high schools, and businesses so we can all celebrate our shared heritage and culture," Dreiling said, "making it a more fun and inviting place to be in."

Expected lifespan of the statues is 15 to 20 years.&nbsp;

The commission also granted permission to the Arc of Central Plains to proceed with construction of Phase 3 of the ARC Park, 3300 Hillcrest.

Sarah Meitner, board president of Arc of Central Plains, presented the plan, which includes two shelter houses, a gazebo-type picnic pavilion and a nearby flower garden, along with two permanent cornhole courts with 10 total lanes and shaded dugouts.

The Arc of Central Plains has raised $500,000 for the construction, which will be put out to bid to local contractors. Parks Director Jeff Boyle will oversee the project.

"We want to go with the most maintenance-free we can," Boyle said.

More bison coming to Hays next spring; sculptures to celebrate history, heritage

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

Oktoberfest in Hays opened today with a ceremony and continues through tomorrow.

The free event, located downtown at Municipal Park, features several adult-only competitions, music entertainment and family-friendly activities on Saturday.

The first day of Oktoberfest included the Stein Holding Contest, which was won by Sophie Humphrey for the women's division, clocking in at 5 minutes and 58 seconds, and Clint Newell at 12 minutes and 29 seconds.

You can learn more about the 2025 Oktoberfest schedule, including its new 'Battle of the Bierock' competition <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/f35cb958-9fbc-4412-b70b-c106eb89dc96">here</a>.

📷 Nwester: 2025 Oktoberfest Hays kicks off today

&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

Jana’s Campaign, an organization dedicated to preventing relationship-based violence, will have its annual fundraising gala, “Empty Place at the Table,” at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, at the Rose Garden Banquet Hall, 2350 E. Eighth St., Hays.&nbsp;

Tickets are $50 per person and may be purchased at <a href="https://www.janascampaign.org/">janascampaign.org</a>.

“This cherished community event brings together friends and supporters to honor the life and legacy of Jana Mackey while celebrating 16 years of prevention education and impact,” Kaiti Blackburn, Jana’s Campaign executive director, said in a news release.

“The evening will reflect on the organization’s achievements in building safe, healthy communities and reaffirm their mission to prevent domestic violence, dating violence, sexual violence, and stalking through evidence-based education.”

Jana’s Campaign was founded in memory of Hays native Jana Mackey, a 25-year-old law student at the University of Kansas who lost her life to violence perpetrated by an ex-boyfriend in 2008.

The organization has presented educational programs to more than 102,000 middle school and high school students from 677 schools across 10 states, Blackburn said, all with the goal of informing young people about domestic and dating violence, sexual violence, and stalking.

“Our prevention approach creates ripple effects that extend far beyond individual students. When we teach one young person about healthy relationships, they carry that knowledge to their families, friend groups, and future relationships,” Blackburn said. “Prevention education is an investment that pays dividends for decades.”

This year’s fundraiser will feature a cocktail hour, dinner, live entertainment, and both silent and live auctions. The event is being sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas.

Tickets on sale for Jana's Campaign 'Empty Place at the Table' on Oct. 11

HOLYROOD — The Heritage Matinee event will kick off at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4 at the Holyrood American Legion with archival film footage collected by Arlen Schultz dating from the 1940s depicting scenes such as a football game between Lorraine and Holyrood, and the dedication of the Ellsworth County Courthouse and celebratory parade.

An open mic storytelling time will follow for people to share their recollections about Holyrood and Ellsworth County. Attendees are encouraged to consider sharing a prepared historical anecdote between 1-2 minutes, which will be recorded for Holyrood’s archives. 'Sod and Stubble' Director Ken Spurgeon will introduce his film and entertain audience questions.&nbsp;&nbsp;

'Sod and Stubble' tells the story of the Ise family who homesteaded in Osborne County, Kansas in the 1870s and battled through the many challenges of homesteading on the Kansas plains. The original story was written by John Ise in the 1930s with the help and remembrances of his mother Rosa Ise. In the 1990s, Von Rothenberger added over 150pages of additional text to the new release. Now, the story of Henry and Rosie Ise comes to life on the screen through the work of an award-winning cast and crew.&nbsp;&nbsp;

'Sod and Stubble' was filmed in Downs, Wichita, and El Dorado, Kansas.&nbsp;

The film was produced by New Albany Films and Sod and Stubble LLC, and distributed by Purdie Distribution. 'Sod and Stubble' has been distributed nationwide to theatres and released on streaming platforms.&nbsp; More information about the film is available at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.sodandstubble.com/">www.sodandstubble.com</a>.&nbsp;

'Sod and Stubble' film featured at Holyrood Booster Club fundraising event Oct. 4

NESS CITY — The 16th annual Fall Festival Auction for Sacred Heart School in Ness City is Saturday, Oct. 4.

Mass is at 4 p.m. Doors open at 5 p.m. with a prime rib supper from 6 to 7 p.m. Silent auction at 6 p.m. followed by the live auction at 7 p.m.

Drawings include a 2025 CF Moto UTV, a Generac generator, chances to win cash and other prizes.

Reserve your seat today by calling Sacred Heart School in Ness City at&nbsp;785-798-3530 and get your tickets at the school.&nbsp;

Ness City Sacred Heart School Fall Festival Auction is Oct. 4

Community Block Party celebrates latest Community Foundation of Ellis project

The Ellis County Ministerial Alliance (ECMA) will have its monthly meeting at noon Wednesday, Oct. 8, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 2703 Fort St., Hays.

Anyone wishing to make a presentation to the group must make arrangements in advance with Cheryl Glassman, ECMA president, at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:president@ourecma.com">president@ourecma.com</a>.

Ellis County Ministerial Alliance to meet Oct. 8

St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, 2900 Canal Blvd., Hays, will hold its annual pet blessing following the 11 a.m. worship service on Sunday, Oct. 12.

Pastor Ben Houchen said, “Bring your beloved pets to receive a blessing and share in this joyful celebration of God’s creation.”

In addition, the church will hold a “Pet Supply Drive” that day, with donations going to the Humane Society of the High Plains.

Annual pet blessing Oct. 12 at St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Hays

LOGAN — The Hansen Museum Continuing Education Program is delighted to welcome certified Bob Ross instructor Hope Blakely of Arvada, Colorado, for two Magic of Painting classes on October 18 and 19. 

On Saturday, October 18, participants will paint Tropical Paradise, and on Sunday, October 19, English Village. 

Both classes will take place in the Hansen Museum Community Room, located at 110 W. Main Street in Logan, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. each day, with a one-hour lunch break.

These classes offer a fun, beginner-friendly introduction to painting. Students will be guided step-by-step through the process of completing a finished painting each day. No prior experience is necessary, and all supplies are provided. Participants need only bring a roll of paper towels. 

Open to individuals aged 13 and older, these sessions provide a relaxed, supportive atmosphere that fosters creativity and camaraderie.

Registration is available online at <a href="https://hansenmuseum.org/schedule-of-classes/">www.hansenmuseum.org</a> under the “Classes &amp; Camps” section. Discounts are offered to Patron and Sustaining Members of the Hansen Museum.

These classes are part of the Hansen Museum Continuing Education Program and are made possible through generous support from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation. 

Upcoming beginner-friendly painting classes in Logan

Family Literacy Night celebrates FHSU Homecoming 

GOP leadership expresses interest in reshaping districts to benefit Republicans

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Maneuvering by Republicans to convene a special legislative session in November to revise boundaries of the state’s four congressional districts prompted U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids to dust off a 2022 playbook used to oppose the GOP’s last attempt to gerrymander her out of office.

Davids was elected in 2018 by Republicans, Democrats and independents in a 3rd District dominated by voters in Wyandotte and Johnson counties. She won reelection by double digits in 2022 and 2024, despite efforts by Kansas GOP legislators to undercut Davids by adding three rural counties and removing the northern half of Wyandotte County from the 3rd District.

Davids, who is the only woman, Native American and Democrat in the state’s congressional delegation, denounced the new gerrymandering campaign under development by Kansas Republicans in the Legislature. She said advance work on a special session session to transform the state’s 3-1 partisan split into a 4-0 GOP monolith tapped into the worst political instincts and was designed to appease President Donald Trump.

“Let’s be clear. Kansans deserve fair representation. Not backroom deals,” Davids said. “Republicans in Topeka know their politically motivated plan to once again silence Kansans and gerrymander the state isn’t popular, which is why they’re trying to do it in secret.”

She said sprinkling Johnson County voters across multiple GOP-controlled districts would require Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins to break commitments to a congressional map keeping Johnson County united as a community of interest. In 2022, Masterson and Hawkins said it was fair to have Johnson County as the core of the Kansas City-area’s 3rd District.

“They are breaking their promise to not split up Johnson County and putting their political futures and Donald Trump’s demands ahead of Kansans’ voices,” Davids said. “Voters, not politicians, should choose their representatives.”

Philip Sarnecki, a Johnson County businessman and Republican candidate for governor, said there should be no hesitation by the Legislature to deliver for Trump.

“I met with President Trump’s political team at the White House … and discussed&nbsp;redistricting&nbsp;in&nbsp;Kansas,” Sarnecki said. “I am 100% in favor of redrawing the congressional map and adding a Republican seat in Congress.”

Masterson, an Andover Republican and also a candidate for governor, told reporters at the Capitol on Wednesday that work of organizing a special session in Topeka — likely Saturday, Nov. 8 — to engage in reapportionment was a matter of “working out the details.” He&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/politics/state/2025/09/24/kansas-senate-president-expects-november-decision-on-redistricting/86333055007/" target="_blank">told the Topeka Capital-Journal</a>&nbsp;it was “disingenuous at best” for Gov. Laura Kelly to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/09/23/kansas-governor-urges-gop-to-convene-public-hearings-on-u-s-house-redistricting/">demand the Legislature convene public meetings</a>&nbsp;to gather input on how congressional maps might be redrawn ahead of 2026 elections.

“If our congressional delegation, particularly our Republican delegation, is united behind it, I don’t see why we wouldn’t take it up,” Masterson told Fox4 in Kansas City, Missouri.

Hawkins, a Wichita lawmaker seeking the Republican nomination for state insurance commissioner, said “we’re not there” yet on formally adopting a framework for a special session on reapportionment. Hawkins, as well as Masterson, would be better positioned to earn Trump’s endorsement if they delivered on redistricting in Kansas to undermine Davids.

Typically, Kansas governors would call the Legislature into special session. The House and Senate leadership could bypass tradition by gathering petition signatures from two-thirds of the Senate and House.

If the Legislature were to produce a map improving odds of a Republican sweep of the four U.S. House districts, the legislation would likely be vetoed by Kelly. The Legislature would need two-thirds majorities for an override — 84 of 125 members of the House and 27 of 40 members of the Senate. The GOP leadership in both chambers could afford to lose no more than four Republican members to complete an override and implement a new map — pending an inevitable lawsuit.

Rep. Mark Schreiber, a Republican from Emporia, said he wouldn’t be among GOP lawmakers backing a new map. He said redrawing Kansas’ congressional boundaries outside the regular 10-year cycle tied to the U.S. Census couldn’t be justified.

“I’ve not heard a good reason yet to go back and redistrict. What we’re doing now is playing with the rules of the game. I just don’t see there’s wide (public) support for it,” Schreiber said.

Sen. Brenda Dietrich, a Topeka Republican, said remapping could regrettably make Republican U.S. Rep. Derek Schmidt more vulnerable to a challenge in the 2nd District.

“I always worry about unintended consequences,” she said.

She said diluting influence of moderates in Johnson County also could trigger a backlash against Republican candidates in Kansas House races in 2026.

Sen. Cindy Holscher, a Johnson County Democrat campaigning for governor, said the public should contact state representatives or senators to register opposition to this unique round of congressional redistricting. She said the GOP’s strategy was about “making it easier for extremists to take control.”

“This proposal aims to dilute the votes of the hundreds of thousands of Kansans. There is no reason to redistrict mid-decade except to rig the system in one party’s favor over another. That’s not democracy. That’s cheating,” she said.

Kansans haven’t been clamoring for a new congressional map, said Sen. Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa. She said hypothetical maps for Kansas illustrate GOP electoral goals could be achieved by splitting the 3rd District into two or three sections.

“Why redraw the map the Republicans celebrated as fair just three years ago?” Sykes said.

In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article312152069.html" target="_blank">a Kansas City Star story</a>, Rep. Bill Sutton, R-Gardner, said “it’s a questionable decision to redesign the districts anytime there’s a change in president.”

Sen. Mike Thompson, a Shawnee Republican, told the Star that breaking up Johnson County to shift political power “might end up maybe giving a court challenge a little bit more chance of succeeding.”

Legal challenges of a Kansas congressional map could wind up in front of the Kansas Supreme Court. It would be a near repeat of a battle leading to a 4-3 decision in 2022 upholding constitutionality of the GOP’s gerrymandered congressional map, which cut Wyandotte County in half and placed Lawrence in the 1st District.

Justice Caleb Stegall said in the majority opinion that lack of direction in the Kansas Constitution or Kansas law forbidding use of partisan political reasoning to shape congressional districts left the state’s highest court no alternative than approving the 2022 map.

“The use of partisan factors in district line drawing is not constitutionally prohibited,” Stegall wrote. “If the redistricting process is intended to have ‘substantial political consequences’ it is no surprise that our court has consistently rejected pleas to establish a bright line prohibition on politics in the redistricting process.”

He said the Legislature was free to adopt clear standards limiting partisan gerrymandering in Kansas. Such clear standards would provide the judiciary with tools to adjudicate claims of excessive partisan gerrymandering, he added.

There were two minority opinions from state Supreme Court justices. One was written by Justice Eric Rosen and the second by Justice Dan Biles. Biles’ dissent was joined by Rosen and Justice Melissa Standridge.

“The majority denies Kansans the very thing our founders envisioned: A people’s government that fervently guards the people’s equal benefit from and access to the law — regardless of what the narrower-in-scope center power has to say about it,” Rosen said.

Biles, with Rosen and Standridge concurring, said a judicial retreat wasn’t the answer when state actions crossed constitutional boundaries.

“Courts must intervene because a desire to harm politically disfavored groups is not a legitimate government interest,” Biles said.

Stegall’s majority opinion in 2022 was joined by Chief Justice Marla Luckert and Justices K.J. Wall and Evelyn Wilson. It could be significant, if there were a fresh challenge to a new congressional map, that Wilson retired from the Supreme Court. On Sept. 16, she was replaced by Justice Larkin Walsh.

Kansas Legislature closer to special session for partisan remapping of U.S. House districts

WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI has fired agents who were photographed kneeling during a racial justice protest in Washington that followed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd">2020 death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers</a>, three people familiar with the matter said Friday.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-george-floyd-kash-patel-8d18a1e6a5a36636cc2415fc492b3f52">bureau last spring had reassigned the agents</a>&nbsp;but has since fired them, said the people, who insisted on anonymity to discuss personnel matters with The Associated Press.

The number of FBI employees terminated was not immediately clear, but two people said it was roughly 20.

The photographs at issue showed a group of agents in a taking a knee during one of the demonstrations following the May 2020 killing of Floyd, a death that led to a national reckoning over policing and racial injustice and sparked widespread anger after millions of people saw video of the arrest. The kneeling had angered some in the FBI but was also understood as a possible de-escalation tactic during a period of protests.

The FBI Agents Association confirmed in a statement late Friday that more than a dozen agents had been fired, including military veterans with additional statutory protections, and condemned the move as unlawful. It called on Congress to investigate and said the firings were another indication of FBI Director Kash Patel's disregard for the legal rights of bureau employees.

“As Director Patel has repeatedly stated, nobody is above the law,” the agents association said. “But rather than providing these agents with fair treatment and due process, Patel chose to again violate the law by ignoring these agents’ constitutional and legal rights instead of following the requisite process.”

An FBI spokesman declined to comment Friday.

The firings&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fired-fbi-agents-lawsuit-patel-trump-4431bc93e2783b3b9c658ece82476742">come amid a broader personnel purge</a>&nbsp;at the bureau as Patel works to reshape the nation's premier federal law enforcement agency.

Five agents and top-level executives were known to have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-jan-6-patel-driscoll-f4bd75766307f558dfdbdea736e026e8">summarily fired</a>&nbsp;last month in a wave of ousters that current and former officials say has contributed to declining morale.

One of those, Steve Jensen, helped oversee investigations into the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/january-6-cases/">Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol</a>. Another, Brian Driscoll, served as acting FBI director in the early days of the Trump administration and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fbi-justice-department-jan-6-ff003e46ea48c4e8be710d1ba2eb2d02">resisted Justice Department demands</a>&nbsp;to supply the names of agents who investigated Jan. 6.

A third, Chris Meyer, was incorrectly rumored on social media to have participated in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-smith-c66d5ffb7ba86c1b991f95e89bdeba0c">investigation into President Donald Trump’s retention of classified documents</a>&nbsp;at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida,. A fourth, Walter Giardina, participated in high-profile investigations like the one into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/peter-navarro">Trump adviser Peter Navarro.</a>

A lawsuit filed by Jensen, Driscoll and another fired FBI supervisor, Spencer Evans, alleged that Patel communicated that he understood that it was “likely illegal” to fire agents based on cases they worked but was powerless to stop it because the White House and the Justice Department were determined to remove all agents who investigated Trump.

Patel denied at a congressional hearing last week taking orders from the White House on whom to fire and said anyone who has been fired failed to meet the FBI's standards.

FBI fires agents photographed kneeling during 2020 racial justice protest

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—&nbsp;A 24-year-old man has has been charged by the Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office with first-degree felony murder in the 2018 Cold Case shooting death of 20-year-old KC Gillespie of Edwardsville, Kansas, according to police.

On March 11 of 2018, police responded&nbsp;to a fatal traffic crash in the parking lot of the Forest Glen Estates Apartments,&nbsp;511 N 64 St, Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release.

First responders found Gillespie dead from a gunshot wound inside a white SUV that crashed into a tree.

Gillespie is survived by his fiancee and a 2-year-old daughter, according to his obituary.

Carter is being held in the Moberly, Missouri, Correctional Center,&nbsp; serving a 15-year sentence the 2022 shooting death of 24-year-old Cardell Crawford in the Westport Entertainment District.

Suspect charged in cold case murder of Kansas man

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. (AP) —On Friday, President Trump and his granddaughter were front and center at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ryder-cup">Ryder Cup</a>&nbsp;at Bethpage Black — welcomed to the first day of competition.

U.S. captain Keegan Bradley said he’s “deeply honored” that Trump will be there to cheer on his squad. European captain Luke Donald said the president’s attendance “just shows how big the Ryder Cup is,” calling it a “mark of respect,” even if he’s rooting for the other side.

The president took up position between the 1st tee and the 18th hole, near the bottom of the grandstand.

Four fighter jets flew over as a firefighter sang the National Anthem.

For Trump, an avid golfer, his Ryder Cup trip will be the culmination of a remarkable turnaround in his relationship with the sport — and in the sport’s relationship with him.

Next year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-doral-pga-tour-2026-signature-events-626c82e73363cad355156b82adbf0cfa">the Blue Monster course at his Doral resort near Miami will return to the PGA Tour schedule</a>&nbsp;for the first time in a decade. Trump’s courses in Scotland and Ireland have or are slated to host European tour events. And, since his return to office in January, he hosted Tiger Woods, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan and the head of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund in an unsuccessful attempt to fix golf’s PGA Tour-LIV Golf schism.

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