By BECKY KISER Hays Post

Five candidates, including the three incumbents, participated in Monday night's Hays City Commission Forum at the Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center on the Fort Hays State University campus.

Reese Barrick, Sandy Jacobs, David Koshiol, Shaun Musil and David Vilaysing answered questions ranging from the budget and the R9 long-term water project, to low-income housing and economic development needs.

Candidates Samuel Allen, Justin Choitz and Candace Hathaway were not present for the forum. Kelly Ancar will be on the ballot for both a city and school board seat, but she has said she is only pursuing a school board seat.

Each of the three incumbents, Barrick, Jacobs and Musil, said they were running again in part to see the R9 water line, long-delayed by the judicial system, go online.&nbsp;

"I believe it's going to happen," said Musil, a Nex-Tech sales representative. "Our community and region is going to continue to grow. We're not taking away from Kinsley. We bought the water. ... We have by far the lowest water usage rate per person in the state, and we will continue to do that."&nbsp;

"We're getting extremely close to bringing sustainable water to Hays for the next 75 years," Sternberg Museum of Natural History Executive Director Barrick said. "In the recent past, we've had discussions with the governor's office, which has made water a priority for her administration. ... I think we need to have more discussions with the people of Edwards County and let them know we are being good neighbors."&nbsp;

"We've done everything by the book from day one," retired banker Jacobs said. "We're using water sustainably. ... The legal system is failing us. ... We've won everything substantive that Edwards County sues for."

"If I were elected," answered Vilaysing, "the first thing I would do is sit down and meet with all the parties involved to figure out where we're at and develop the game plan to push forward. ..."not just 10 years down the road but within the next four years."

 Vilaysing, a retired Hays Police officer, owns a private company that trains first responders across the country in effective communications.

Koshiol, a plumber for Auman Company, said he had changed his original stance on the situation, feeling that Hays was taking water from someone else. 

After looking at other possibilities, Koshiol said he doesn't see any other viable options.

"I think, at this point, we should leave it at litigation until it is settled. I think we've spent enough on this project," Koshiol said.

There was mostly consensus among the candidates that the city budget is streamlined, with no unnecessary spending.

Barrick said "priorities may shift," while Jacobs said "efficiencies can always be found." Vilaysing wanted to "get more out of the resources the city already has."

Koshiol specifically mentioned the bike lanes, saying he hears a lot of negative comments about the street markings.

"I know they're spoken about highly in public, but behind the scenes, I don't know many people who appreciate them.

"We can stop maintaining them," Koshiol said, "and it's just a little more money we can utilize for something that the bulk of the community will use."&nbsp;

Musil turned his focus to parks, noting that the ARC Park is the most utilized.

"I think we need to reprioritize on what we're putting in the parks, and it is something we're going to be talking about very soon," Musil said. "...&nbsp;I think we need to look at what we're maintaining and what we're sticking in the parks."

The lone audience applause of the night came when Vilaysing said he thought city commissioners should do their job without payment.&nbsp;

In January 2024, commissioners began receiving a <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/504ead11-c223-4107-8986-c7caca66fa41">$10,000 annual pay increase</a>. Their vote for the increase was unanimous.&nbsp;

"We did it in an effort to attract younger people, who are probably working, to run for the commission," Jacobs said.

Koshiol said he didn't think the pay was necessary, but understood the "carrot and stick approach" to young people.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR YOUNG FAMILIES

Although there are some projects that have moved forward in the affordable housing area, including the former Washington Grade School, Barrick said, "we do have some issues."

He said, "just getting started building houses will allow us to build more affordable housing in the future."&nbsp;

Jacobs thinks the city is already causing affordable housing to be built "as it can," but "we need to first really understand what affordable housing means. Asking a developer to build affordable housing in today's market with the cost of goods is just impossible. ... What we're doing today is causing housing to be built, which is freeing up (other) housing in our community."&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Koshiol said there are a number of options for the city. He suggested working with a land bank, flipping foreclosed homes, or purchasing vacant lots to invest in the community.

"We're trying to grow, but we're forgetting the bulk of our community,"&nbsp;Koshiol said. "The working class, the elderly, and our young adults are having a hard time finding a place that's affordable here."

Several development groups have come before the city asking for a letter of support in applying for federal or state funds to build affordable housing, but the developers have been turned down by those agencies, Musil said.&nbsp;

"Our goal is to build more houses and hopefully that opens up housing that is more affordable," he said. ... "City staff is working on (affordable housing planning) now, but it's a lot harder than it seems."

The most recent housing built in Hays is priced for the top 25 percent of income earners, Vilaysing said.&nbsp;

"The RHIDs (Reinvestment Housing Incentive District) leave it open to the developer to build whatever they want. I would suggest putting in a stipulation that you get the RHID if you build 'x' number of houses, and then you build one more house which meets the income qualifications of the medium to low-income people of the city of Hays," Vilaysing said.

He also suggested bringing modular homes into the city.

Each of the commissioners agreed the city should continue funding support for local nonprofits.

Musil said he'd like the total to be more, but that would "probably require a mill levy increase."

The&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/7d615ae1-9b48-4ebd-9200-7c593c85db69">Hays mill levy has remained at 25 mills</a> or less for 17 years.&nbsp;

The forum was live-streamed by the FHSU Tiger Media Network and presented by the American Democracy Project, FHSU Student Government Association, FHSU Docking Institute of Public Affairs, Tiger Media Network and the Chamber in Hays.

City commission candidates talk housing, budget, R9 water project

Welcome to Cash Grab! It is your chance to win $250 on Friday's in October!

Keywords are given out at 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday. You will have 20 minutes to enter the correct keyword that you heard on our radio stations. We will then draw out one winner on Friday morning!

Cash Grab is presented by Robert Brogden GMC in downtown Hays, Whitetail Properties Agents Adam Hahn and Mitch Keeley, Tri-Central Office Supply, and Vanderbilt’s of Hays.

💰 ENTER CASH GRAB HERE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN $250!

On Wednesday, October 1, HaysMed proudly celebrated the remarkable commitment of its 2025 Service Award recipients. This year, 162 associates were recognized for reaching significant career milestones, honored every five years of service.

These individuals represent the heart of HaysMed’s mission. Their dedication not only strengthens our organization but also deeply impacts the communities we serve across Hays and western Kansas where our Associates live and raise their families. Their sustained contributions have helped elevate the quality of care we provide and reinforce our commitment to compassionate, community-centered healthcare.

HaysMed is grateful for their service and proud to celebrate their achievements.

Hays Medical Center (HaysMed) is a private, not-for-profit, 200+ bed hospital providing the only tertiary-level services in the region. As the premier provider in western Kansas for specialized care, HaysMed offers a wide variety of specialty programs including cardiology, orthopedics, cancer, surgery (general, minimally invasive and robotic), ENT, pulmonology, critical care and women’s services. HaysMed is a Level III Trauma Center and a certified Primary Stroke Center.

Other services include rehabilitation, hospice, neonatal, intensive care and diagnostic imaging, as well as a Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Center and a Sleep and Neurodiagnostic Center. HaysMed is proud to be one of only 20 U.S. hospitals recognized by Vizient in 2023 as a Top Performer in the Complex Care Medical Center cohort. In 2024, HaysMed was named as one of the top 100 rural and community hospitals in the country by the National Rural Health Association and earned the prestigious five-star designation in the 2024 CMS Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings. Learn more at haysmed.com.

HaysMed honors 162 associates with service awards

Thomas More Prep-Marian Parents Teachers Friends Soup Supper is Sunday, October 26 from 4-7 p.m.&nbsp; We will have chili, green bean dumpling soup, sandwiches and cinnamon rolls.&nbsp;Carry out is available. 

It is a free will offering with proceeds to support classroom and student scholarships.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Thomas More Prep-Marian PTF Soup Supper fundraiser is Oct. 26

The Hays Public Library is hosting a special book talk with Kansas author George Frazier, as he discusses his latest release,&nbsp;Riverine Dreams: Away to the Glorious and Forgotten Grassland Rivers of America, published by the University of Chicago Press.

The event is set for 2:00 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 11, in the HPL Kansas Room.

Prepare for tales of strange riverine forests left over from the ice age, leviathan fish migrations, modern grizzlies roaming the plains, endangered plants as rare as mastodon ivory, an audacious plan to return 10,000 bison to a Great Plains biosphere reserve, and of course, river otter mayhem.

If you thought you knew about the wild lands of Kansas and the surrounding states, get ready for some surprises. Grassland rivers are the most unheralded gems of the entire American backcountry, and Frazier will tell us about the “Grassland River revival” he discovered while exploring eight of the wildest stretches of rivers that remain.

The Hays Public Library is coordinating with Russell Specialty Books and Gifts for this event.

You can find out more about this and other library programs at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://hayslibrary.org/">hayslibrary.org</a>&nbsp;or by calling 785-625-9014.

Hays Public Library to host Kansas author George Frazier Oct. 11

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

Kansas Department of Transportation

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Transportation is seeking input from the public on regional transportation priorities at Local Consult meetings across the state in October.

“Local Consult meetings are a great opportunity for those who use our highways to give feedback on the projects and improvements that are most important to them,” said District Three Engineer Jeff Stewart. “That feedback is important to help KDOT prioritize and identify projects that will best serve our communities.”

People in northwest Kansas (District 3) are invited to participate:

COLBY - 9 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, Oct. 15: City Limits Convention Center, 2227 S. Range Ave.

Attendees will also hear about transportation investments being made in their area and learn about various grant funding programs available through KDOT.

STATEWIDE VIRTUAL MEETING - 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 28:&nbsp;Please register in advance – visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.ksdot.gov%2Flocal-consult-2025%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/01010199b9b4cec1-ff7a1d38-9138-4660-892b-63a458da4a6a-000000/VkUsBu5dZMEJq9oy5o7thBvm6cxFG-rjCzjWj8hCUgY=425">https://www.ksdot.gov/local-consult-2025</a>&nbsp;to attend the virtual meeting.

Local Consult meetings occur every two years to provide Kansans opportunities to ask questions and speak with local, state and federal officials about transportation needs across the state.

For more meeting or project information, please email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:KDOT.Engagement@ks.gov">KDOT.Engagement@ks.gov</a>.

Local Consult meeting in Colby on Oct. 15 to focus on regional transportation priorities

The Healing Hearts Grief Support Group will have its monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16, at the Schmidt Community Center, 2510 Canterbury. Doors will open at 6:15 p.m. Please use the south entrance.

The speaker will be Dr. Tim Davis, chair of the social work department at Fort Hays State University. Davis will discuss grief and its long-term effects and then will facilitate the meeting's share and support session.&nbsp;

The Healing Hearts group welcomes any adult who has lost a loved one of any age. The group’s facilitator is Dr. Kate McGonigal, who teaches in the Sociology Department at Fort Hays State University.

Social work professor to address grief support group

Fort Hays State University Alumni Office

Community members, alumni, and Tiger fans traveled far and wide for Homecoming at Fort Hays State University September 25 - 27.&nbsp;Whether to catch up with classmates and friends or take part in time-honored traditions, the turnout was outstanding.

Homecoming festivities teed off Thursday morning with 36 teams participating in the annual sold-out Homecoming Golf Tournament at Smoky Hill Country Club. While rain earlier in the week canceled the beloved bonfire that night, Tiger spirit ignited the evening pep rally.

The FHSU community gathered on campus Friday morning to celebrate a transformative seven-figure gift and the renaming of the university’s library. Currently undergoing a nearly $28 million comprehensive renovation, the library will now be known as the Tebo Library in recognition of alum Stephen Tebo’s generosity, alongside his wife Tatiana and the Tebo family. 

Read more about the library’s renaming here:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.EWtdXdo3nx3t8ZlvSfKX0b8qTGUC-2BWTp-2FgE8trnmiRAmqWsXudrdOTwQYq1O75GnAv067-2BZKviK1FL1K07AZjHYGKgtGDedXMkN6eMkMr0GArSuiE-2BLhN1mUrKCxzxm7z3QYklNsQRZwwrK7Hf7S7Q-3D-3DWj2x_1ix3pnygukYWZfKiCJpm8BsHsayWXlw0ucteiDEo46fRc0p9DVWJmv2prlqkbHR6S2dsrJiXPEopagJAn55fgrGOya21Ubchf288oY8AFP4iYaBJwhylwdd5l9F7UOfOcietdQGfFVQkm17oTQEFYO0H0q9wOl1NcUCkniCbAT5ySMYV3-2BTPDy1j-2BH7-2Bpfo1y4yhip3V249-2BbACdRV-2FRsNqWNXWClpv6L3f3gbBPyBP-2FELKHssyDL3FHTSv4W4wDSD5SfnTPJUL9KUnQHxPw7NTrN80yFhldCE28wYIOFkkg90-2Bb0kw3Tfr3NTG-2FsZS6I47hZoijnt3WWREez29VMC1gzCtWqWp6zC7RaeLIsxICJjIBnnvqvW7LpUdX3Gfa">foundation.fhsu.edu/fort-hays-state-university-announces-seven-figure-gift-to-campus-library</a>

Also honored throughout the weekend were six Fort Hays State University Alumni Award recipients. This year’s awardees included two Alumni Achievement Award recipients, Michelle (George) Dillard&nbsp;’11&nbsp;and Police Commander Benjamin A. Kelso&nbsp;’14, ’17,&nbsp;a Distinguished Service recipient, Dr. Jeff Curtis&nbsp;’77, a Nita Landrum Award recipient, Dr. Mike Slattery&nbsp;’73, ’77, ’89, and two Young Alumni Award recipients, Dr. Sara Brungardt&nbsp;’08, ’11,&nbsp;and Jacie Hoyt&nbsp;’11. 

Learn more about each recipient here:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.EWtdXdo3nx3t8ZlvSfKX0aYR9Z8tDg7NaDuaaD04HBOwrASeRkFfF9qUs-2Bz2YCAlbmbJRCDVQSQwjO2fP4B0UjwsNSkZgkz4UUJSd4ekSWatFp4jkYXFbuUXiNKWgvZtR53R_1ix3pnygukYWZfKiCJpm8BsHsayWXlw0ucteiDEo46fRc0p9DVWJmv2prlqkbHR6S2dsrJiXPEopagJAn55fgrGOya21Ubchf288oY8AFP4iYaBJwhylwdd5l9F7UOfOcietdQGfFVQkm17oTQEFYO0H0q9wOl1NcUCkniCbAT5ySMYV3-2BTPDy1j-2BH7-2Bpfo1y4yhip3V249-2BbACdRV-2FRsDwwuXeBWWWYHcUWMAeXLd9vulD76evdrvlmvQfD-2B2zhvjPhX8m54V3K-2BZ54IQOUTjwE8NgAzowF1CaPx6thqnzE1c-2ByZWpiKKzaZwyqvOxjBEPPR-2BfS65udvmMAtuXOXiuTzCow4JuHr0yiNj2ddQHvHSa7aG8Wj5-2FRKKoLfmWZ">FHSUalumni.com/fhsu-reveals-2025-slate-of-alumni-award-recipients</a>

The classes of 1965 and 1975 celebrated 50- and 60-year milestones since their graduation from Fort Hays State on Friday at the annual Half Century Club luncheon. During the event, the Class of 1975 was officially inducted into the university’s Half Century Club. Among the inductees was Keith Harper, a standout athlete who played both baseball and basketball during his time on campus.

“The friendships and camaraderie I built through playing two different sports over four years created bonds I still cherish today,” Harper said. “I married the love of my life during my sophomore year, welcomed a child, lived in Wooster Place, and was honored as the 1975 Busch-Gross Award recipient – all while receiving a tremendous education at Fort Hays State. I’m not sure where the past 50 years have gone, but they flew by, and I’m looking forward to many more Homecoming celebrations to come. Go Tigers!”

Saturday morning kicked off with class reunion breakfasts and a lively Homecoming parade in downtown Hays. Tiger fans reunited for tailgating festivities before cheering Fort Hays State to a 31 to 23 victory over Missouri Western at Lewis Field Stadium. With more than 8,200 fans in attendance, the game drew one of the largest crowds in university history.

Mark your calendars for October 1&nbsp;-&nbsp;3, 2026, and make plans to attend FHSU Homecoming again next year! 

Members of the Class of 1976 will celebrate their 50-year reunion and will be inducted into the university’s Half Century Club. All FHSU graduates from 1976 and prior are encouraged to attend the weekend’s Half Century Club Social and Luncheon.

FHSU Homecoming a weekend to remember for alumni

By KENDRA FRASIER Cottonwood Extension District

Medicare can be challenging to navigate. 

If you are eligible, you know that enrolling in hospital insurance, Part B, supplemental coverage, and a drug plan can be overwhelming. 

The good news is that if you aren’t pleased with your current coverage, open enrollment allows you to make some changes. For example, you can review your current drug plan and see if it will be your best option next year. Since Part D plans tend to change yearly, it’s smart to see what that means for your coverage and costs.

The Cottonwood Extension District is here to help. Certified Senior Health Insurance Counselors in Kansas (SHICK) offer free, unbiased, and confidential Part D assistance to help you find the best drug plan. If you want to compare drug plans, switch plans, or shop around, we are available to visit with you and see what works best for your situation. Open Enrollment is from October 15 – December 7, and you can schedule an appointment today in Hays or Ellis with a certified counselor.

When you schedule an appointment with the Cottonwood District, you will receive a Medicare Part D Prescription Drug -Coverage Worksheet. Medicare beneficiaries need to list all prescription drugs taken, dosage, and 30-day quantity on the worksheet. Bring the worksheet, your Medicare card, and recent letters from Social Security or Medicare to your appointment. 

To schedule your appointment in Hays or Ellis, please call 785-628-9430.

Or if you are in surrounding areas such as Great Bend, Hoisington, Ellinwood, or Claflin, please call 620-793-1910 to schedule an appointment with Michelle Beran.

Karissa Frasier, M.S., is a Certified Community Health Worker for Cottonwood Extension District in Hays. You may reach her at 785-628-9430 or by email at&nbsp;krfrasier@ksu.edu.

FRASIER: Medicare Part D Open Enrollment

<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

&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

Area Pizza Hut fundraisers today for HPD Officer Scott Heimann family 

HPD Officer Scott Heiman to be honored by Breakfast for a Cause fundraiser

The Thursday, Sept. 9 Hays City Commission meeting has been canceled.

Thursday's Hays City Commission meeting canceled

Kansas Department of Health and Environment

TOPEKA –The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has issued a boil water advisory for the Osborne Co RWD 1A public water supply system located in Osborne County.

Customers should observe the following precautions until further notice:

The advisory took effect on Tuesday, October 7 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 waterline break resulting in a loss of pressure in the distribution system.&nbsp; Failure to maintain adequate pressure may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination.&nbsp;

For consumer questions, please contact the water system at 785-697-2970, 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/1/01000199beedf89f-f12fa8b2-672a-4c6e-9712-9c1a5227c916-000000/eqUz2JULezqR03vIbI-j2xy-nRNnrqDabjDvBdOdWBY=425">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.

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.

Boil Water Advisory issued for Osborne Co. Rural Water District 1A by KDHE

HAMILTON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on drug charges after a drug bust in southwest Kansas.

&nbsp;On October 6, the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office in coordination with the Stanton County Sheriff's Office, executed a search warrant at 207 N. Maple Street in Coolidge, Kansas as part of an ongoing investigation into the illegal distribution of methamphetamine, according to a report from the Hamilton County Sheriff.

During the search investigators recovered suspected methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and additional evidence consistent with the distribution of controlled substances.&nbsp; Deputies arrested 59-year-old&nbsp;Patricia Apodaca of Coolidge on requested charges of Distribution of Methamphetamine, Unlawful Use of a Communication Facility in the Commission of a Drug Felony, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and No Drug Tax Stamp.

They also arrested 69-year-old Claude Bezona (69) of Coolidge on requested charges of Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Woman accused of selling meth from rural SW Kansas home

The Jackson County judge didn’t draw any conclusions about whether the current parental consent law is unconstitutional under the reproductive rights amendment

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>

A&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/04/30/abortion-advocacy-group-sues-missouri-parental-consent-laws/">lawsuit</a>&nbsp;seeking to strike down Missouri laws that restrict access to abortion for minors was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/2516-CV13783-%20%20Omnibus%20Order_FINAL.pdf?courtCode=16&amp;di=29109222" target="_blank">thrown out Tuesday on technical grounds.&nbsp;</a>

Jackson County Circuit Judge Sarah Castle determined that the nonprofit that filed the litigation, Right By You, did not have the standing to sue. The lawsuit targeted a requirement that minors get parental consent before an abortion and a ban on anyone aiding or assisting minors who are seeking an abortion.&nbsp;

Castle didn’t draw any conclusions in her Tuesday decision about whether the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/05/missouri-voters-overturn-states-near-total-abortion-ban/">reproductive rights amendment approved by voters last year&nbsp;</a>renders either law unconstitutional.&nbsp;

<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=188.028" target="_blank">Missouri’s parental consent law</a>&nbsp;requires a minor attempting to access abortion receive at least one parent’s consent. The other parent must also be notified. If that’s not possible, they can also ask a judge to bypass the requirement.

“Today’s victory ensures that Missouri’s parental consent laws will continue to safeguard young girls, hold abortion providers accountable and uphold the values of Missouri families for generations to come,”&nbsp;Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway said in a statement Wednesday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Right By You is a nonprofit that helps young people navigate pregnancy decisions, including by increasing access to and awareness around contraceptives, prenatal care, abortion, parenting and adoption. In its lawsuit, the nonprofit also asked the court to allow the group to begin funding and arranging logistics for minors seeking abortions, including transportation, hotel and child care costs.&nbsp;

But Castle on Tuesday determined Right By You, which has one employee in Illinois and some volunteers who live in Missouri,&nbsp; didn’t have the ability to sue because it’s “fiscally sponsored” by a nonprofit incorporated in California. She dismissed the lawsuit without prejudice, leaving the door open for the suit to be filed again.

“Young Missourians will continue to be coerced, isolated, and stigmatized for simply choosing to end a pregnancy until the abortion restrictions targeting them are lifted,” Stephanie Kraft Sheley, Right By You’s founder and director, said in a statement Wednesday. “Missouri’s youth deserve better than being left on their own just to access basic health care.”

Kraft Sheley said attorneys may re-file the lawsuit. In the meantime, she said, Right By You will continue providing young people with information on abortion and contraception through the nonprofit’s text line.

Castle heard arguments in early September after the attorney general’s office asked the court to dismiss the case.

Peter Donohue, an assistant attorney general involved in the lawsuit, told Castle that the judicial bypass measures in place are sufficient.&nbsp;

“It’s kind of wild the plaintiffs think that in cases where judicial bypass is insufficient, that they want basically no circumstance in which parents would be notified of their minor children having an abortion, essentially,” Donohue said.

Allison Zimmer, with the Lawyering Project, argued on behalf of Right By You that the lawsuit was part of a larger effort to broadly protect reproductive rights.&nbsp;

“Just to go back to what is at stake here again, this is about the threat to the right to reproductive freedom,” Zimmer said. “A constitutional right for people in Missouri after the November election … “

Thirty-eight states, including Missouri, require at least some parental involvement for minors seeking abortions, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/minors-access-abortion-care" target="_blank">the Guttmacher Institute,&nbsp;</a>a reproductive rights research group.&nbsp;

“It makes sense that folks that are in healthy relationships with their children have this instinct that they would want their children to come to them, but a law that forces that to happen in every case is not the solution to that problem,” Kraft Sheley previously told The Independent. “Because it’s not possible for a law to legislate a healthy family dynamic.”

Kraft Sheley is also a co-founder of What’s Next, a reproductive justice group made up of organizers and activists who previously called for a constitutional amendment to appear on the Missouri ballot with no restrictions on abortion.&nbsp;

Last year, the coalition called on the state’s major reproductive rights groups<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/25/reproductive-justice-whats-next-abortion-amendment-3-missouri/">&nbsp;to challenge Missouri’s parental consent law</a>.&nbsp;

After getting no response, Kraft Sheley filed her own lawsuit, noting that current policy does not clearly state how or if minors in state custody or in the foster care system can access abortion through the current parental consent law.

An answer to the question of constitutionality may instead come from a separate lawsuit filed in February 2024 in Cole County by the attorney general’s office alleging Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which oversees clinics in Kansas City and Columbia, illegally transported minors out of state for abortions.&nbsp;

<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/29/missouri-attorney-general-andrew-bailey-lawsuit-planned-parenthood-project-veritas/">The lawsuit relied on a staged video&nbsp;filmed and edited by Project Veritas</a>, a conservative news organization. In the footage, a man working with Project Veritas goes to a Kansas City area Planned Parenthood and pretends to have a 13-year-old niece who he says needs an abortion. The employee tells the man that Planned Parenthood can help the girl get an abortion in Kansas.

Planned Parenthood has said the lawsuit should be dropped because the video was based on a hypothetical situation and because abortion is now legal.&nbsp;

“I find that the right to reproductive freedom initiative does not address the issue of parental consent,”&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/04/29/attorney-general-andrew-bailey-demands-records-from-missouri-abortion-nonprofit/">Boone County Judge J. Hasbrouck Jacobs said in April.</a>&nbsp;“And because of that, I’m going to deny the motion to dismiss.”

The next hearing date has not yet been set.

Missourians in November narrowly voted to enshrine the right to reproductive health care in the state constitution.<a href="https://moconstitutionalfreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Missourians-for-Constitutional-Freedom-Amendment.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;This amendment&nbsp;</a>includes a provision that prohibits the government from discriminating “against persons providing or obtaining reproductive health care or assisting another person in doing so.”&nbsp;

The amendment does allow the government to legislate abortion access if compelling governmental interest exists.&nbsp;

A new amendment proposed by the Republican legislature is set to appear on the November 2026 ballot. If passed, it will<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/10/07/missouri-abortion-ban-amendment-ballot-language-2026/">&nbsp;repeal the reproductive rights amendment and ban nearly all abortions,&nbsp;</a>with limited exceptions for survivors and for medical emergencies.

Judge throws out lawsuit challenging Missouri’s parental consent abortion law for minors

WASHINGTON (AP) — Israel and Hamas have agreed to the “first phase” of his peace plan to pause fighting and release at least some hostages and prisoners, U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday in announcing the outlines of the biggest breakthrough in months in the two-year-old war.

“This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace,” Trump wrote on social media. “All Parties will be treated fairly!”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on social media, “With God’s help we will bring them all home.” Hamas said separately that the deal would ensure the withdrawal of Israeli troops as well as allow for the entry of aid and exchange of hostages and prisoners.

Hamas plans to release all 20 living hostages this weekend, people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press, while the Israeli military will begin a withdrawal from the majority of Gaza.

It was not immediately clear whether the parties had made any progress on thornier questions about the future of the conflict, including whether Hamas will demilitarize, as Trump has demanded, and eventual governance of the war-torn territory. But the agreement nonetheless marked the most momentous development since a deal in January and February that involved the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

The deal was solidified in Egypt after days of negotiations centered on a Trump-backed peace plan that he hopes will ultimately result in a permanent end to the war and bring about a sustainable peace in the region.

The war began with Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people, many of them civilians, and took 251 hostage. Israel’s retaliatory military campaign has left tens of thousands of Palestinians dead, devastated Gaza and upended global politics.

Trump expressed optimism earlier in the day by saying that he was considering a trip to the Middle East within a matter of days.

Yet another hint of a deal came later in that event when U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rubio-note-middle-east-peace-f570658c65daefab6d0af9b29e851dd7">passed Trump a note</a>&nbsp;on White House stationery that read, “You need to approve a Truth Social post soon so you can announce deal first.” Truth Social is the president’s preferred social media platform.

The note prompted Trump to proclaim, “We’re very close to a deal in the Middle East.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;was holding a roundtable event with conservative influencers about antifa Wednesday when Secretary of State Marco Rubio, standing in the back corner of the White House’s Blue Room, caught his eye.

He had news for Trump, he said, but it would have to wait until after the media left. Then Rubio passed the president a note.

News photographers covering the event zoomed in on the handwriting on White House stationery that read, “You need to approve a Truth Social post soon so you can announce deal first.”

“I was just given a note by the secretary of state saying that we’re very close to a deal on the Middle East, and they’re gonna need me pretty quickly,” Trump said. “So we’ll take a couple of more questions.”

The influencer event had already been going on for more than an hour when Rubio first approached. The president invited him to come in, and Rubio whispered something to Trump before handing him the note.

The note’s urgent tone came as Trump’s top Middle East adviser, Steve Witkoff, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and other senior officials joined a third day of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">peace talks</a>&nbsp;between Israel and Hamas at an Egyptian resort Wednesday — a sign that negotiators aim to dive deeply into the toughest issues of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-palestinians-hamas-war-explainer-d5c5057d2fe9e2e255215850b454f601">an American plan</a>&nbsp;to end the war in Gaza.

Trump had kicked off the influencer event by telling assembled journalists that he planned to travel to the Middle East “toward the end of the week” and could even “make the rounds” in the region to Egypt and possibly the Gaza Strip as U.S. negotiators closed in on a deal.

Still, even after Rubio passed Trump the note, Trump continued to talk to the influencers and take questions from the media as the secretary of state became visibly anxious.

Nearly 10 minutes after his initial comments about leaving, Trump said: “I have to go now to try and solve some problems in the Middle East — although I’m very well represented by our secretary of state. He could probably do an even better job than me, but who knows.”

“We don’t want to take any chances. So we’re going to go and do that,” Trump added.

He then suggested Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stay and take questions in his absence. However, Trump continued to take questions before the event finally broke up without Cabinet members remaining behind.

“We’re gonna get peace in the Middle East,” Trump wrapped by saying. “That’s what we want to do.”

🎥Trump has good news on Middle East peace, hostage release

NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/dolly-parton">Dolly Parton</a>&nbsp;“ain't dead yet,” the country superstar said on social media Wednesday following public speculation about her health.

“There are just a lot of rumors flying around. But I figured if you heard it from me, you’d know that I was okay,” the 79-year-old singer said in a new two-minute video&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/dollyparton/reel/DPjkor7kfeb/">posted on Instagram.</a>&nbsp;“I’m not ready to die yet. I don’t think God is through with me. And I ain’t done working.”

Her post, which appeared on numerous of Parton's social media accounts and her website, was captioned, “I ain't dead yet.”

Late last month Parton&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dolly-parton-las-vegas-residency-health-scare-210a75da9b16a3ec7cca3a5b12c52ef5">postponed her first Las Vegas residency</a>&nbsp;in 32 years, citing “health challenges.”

She was scheduled to perform six shows at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace for “Dolly: Live in Las Vegas” between Dec. 4 and Dec. 13, overlapping with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-finals-rodeo-nfr-las-vegas-4df317c307fb23e2e02f602c74083bb3">the National Finals Rodeo.</a>&nbsp;Her dates have been moved to next year — Sept. 2026.

She did not provide specific details at the time, writing, “As many of you know, I have been dealing with some health challenges, and my doctors tell me that I must have a few procedures. As I joked with them, it must be time for my 100,000-mile check-up, although it’s not the usual trip to see my plastic surgeon!”

In the new video clip shared Wednesday, Parton is seen sitting on a set speaking directly to camera, telling her audience that she's about to record a few commercials for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elmo-sesame-street-grand-ole-opry-1e6475ca83df447c0f541596d8ef1bdc">the Grand Ole Opry,</a>&nbsp;which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

“Everyone thinks that I am sicker than I am. Do I look sick to you? I'm working hard here! Anyway, I wanted to put everybody's mind at ease, those of you who seem to be real concerned, which I appreciate," she continued. “And I appreciate your prayers because I'm a person of faith. I can always use the prayers for anything and everything.”

On Tuesday, a Facebook posted shared by her sister Freida Parton escalated concerns around Parton's health when she wrote that she had been “up all night praying for my sister, Dolly.” Hours later, Freida Parton followed up with another post.

“I want to clear something up. I didn’t mean to scare anyone or make it sound so serious when asking for prayers for Dolly," she wrote. “She’s been a little under the weather, and I simply asked for prayers because I believe so strongly in the power of prayer."

Parton offered her own clarification in the video, referencing her&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dolly-parton-husband-carl-dean-dies-2b17ba0e44bcb864a3800bc17afdedeb">late husband of nearly 60 years Carl Dean,</a>&nbsp;who died earlier this year at age 82.

“I want you to know that I'm OK. I've got some problems as I've mentioned. Back when my husband Carl was very sick, that was for a long time, and then when he passed, I didn't take care of myself. So I let a lot of things go that I should've been taking care of,” she said. “So anyway, when I got around to it, the doctor said ‘We need to take care of this. We need to take care of that.’ Nothing major but I did have to cancel some things so I could be closer to home, closer to Vanderbilt, where I'm kind of having a few treatments here and there.”

And in true Parton fashion, she ended with a joke. "But I wanted you to know that I'm not dying. Did you see that AI picture of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/reba-mcentire">Reba (McEntire)</a>&nbsp;and me, oh Lordy! I mean, they had Reba at my death bed, and we both look like we need to be buried," she laughed.

“If I was really dying, I don't think Reba would be the one at my death bed. She might come visit me earlier.

🎥Dolly Parton responds to concerns about her health

KANSAS CITY —A tree trimmer was critically injured in an accident just after 1p.m. Wednesday in Kansas City.

The Kansas City Fire Department&nbsp;responded to the reported high-angle rescue and possible electrocution in the 2400 block of Brighton, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins. On arrival crews encountered a tree trimmer who had come in to contact with an overhead power line. 

The patient was unconscious and suspended by his safety rope. The patient was lowered to the ground and transported to a local hospital in critical condition. Kansas City police responded to the scene as part of protocol and is now investigating the incident. 

Tree trimmer in KC hospital after making contact with power line

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Staff at the Topeka Zoo and Conservation Center are mourning the loss of a beloved elephant.

Cora, the Zoo’s 67-year-old Asian elephant was humanely euthanized following a recent and more rapid decline in her health, according to a statement from the zoo.

Her caregivers made this difficult but compassionate decision out of love and respect for her well-being. Cora passed peacefully, surrounded by her devoted zoo family. Cora was one of the oldest Asian elephants in human care in the United States, living far beyond the average life expectancy for her species. 

 Cora’s story is one of both extraordinary longevity and cultural legacy. Before calling Topeka home, Cora enjoyed a brush with Hollywood fame, starring as “Charlotte” in the 1980 hit film Smokey and the Bandit II, which became the eighth highest-grossing movie of that year. 

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