VICTORIA — Victoria High School would like to announce the Homecoming candidates for 2025! 

Emma Dinkel and Cody Schmidtberger Emma is the daughter of Kurt and Shanna Dinkel. Cody is the son of Jody Schmidtberger and Wade Schmidtberger

Myah Younger and Kyle Huser Myah is the daughter of Michael and Sarah Younger. Kyle is the son of Kevin and Kathleen Huser.

Shelby Dorzweiler and Sam Windholz Shelby is the daughter of Heath and Cheri Dorzweiler. Sam is the son of John and Dani Windholz.

The 2025 homecoming king and queen will be crowned before the Homecoming football game on Friday, September 19 at approximately 6:15 p.m.

 Knights will take on the Osborne Bulldogs with kickoff at 7 p.m. GO KNIGHTS! 

Also that night, Victoria's VIP will be hosting a tailgate where you can get hot dogs and hamburgers!&nbsp; &nbsp;

Victoria High School announces 2025 Homecoming candidates

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

The two items for Thursday's Hays City Commission work session involve city parks.

The Arc of Central Plains is requesting approval to proceed with Phase 3 improvements at ARC Park, 3300 Hillcrest.

Those improvements would include new shelter houses, a gazebo and permanent cornhole courts. 

The Arc of Central Plains would pay the estimated $500,000 costs. If the commission approves moving forward with Phase 3, Parks Director Jeff Boyle would monitor the construction phase.

Another ask is coming to the commission from the Heartland Community Foundation Youth Action Council.

The group wants permission to install painted fiberglass bison statues in the city, including some public spaces.&nbsp;

This is a countywide initiative involving the four high schools and funded entirely by donations.

Local and student artists would paint up to 25 life-size statues to reflect the community’s heritage and history.

The bison are intended for high-visibility public and private locations that draw attention and encourage visitors to explore nearby businesses and attractions. Maps, walking tours and social media campaigns would guide visitors, generating foot traffic and economic activity, according to the proposal.

The complete Sept. 18 agenda is available <a href="https://haysusa.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09182025-1570">here</a>.&nbsp;

The work session begins at 4 p.m. in Hays City Hall, 1507 Main.

ARC Park upgrades, bison sculpture plans to come before Hays City Commission

By JULIE TOLLESON KU News Service

LAWRENCE—The Kansas Geological Survey has released a new full-color geologic map of Jewell County, where an ancient inland sea left rocks rich in fossils, time and erosion created a striking landscape, and excavations reveal evidence of prehistoric people.

Authors of the map are William C. Johnson, professor emeritus, Department of Geography &amp; Atmospheric Science, and Terri Lee Woodburn, director of the Environmental Assessment Professional Science master’s program and associate teaching professor, University of Kansas. KGS cartographers John Dunham and Emily Bunse contributed map layout and database design.

Jewell County lies in the Smoky Hills physiographic region of the state along the Nebraska border. The new map shows the type and age of rock layers found at or near the surface in the north-central Kansas county and identifies deposits of rocks and other materials of economic importance for construction and roads.

The county’s surface and near surface sedimentary bedrock formed during the Cretaceous geologic period 100 to 80 million years ago when the Western Interior Seaway covered the present-day Great Plains.&nbsp;

The rocks found in the county today are rich in marine fossils, including Inoceramus and Ostrea shells, turtles, rays and mosasaurs. A sandstone within the Dakota Formation known as the “shark-tooth conglomerate” contains teeth from several species of shark. In 1874, Benjamin Mudge, the first director of the Kansas Geological Survey, discovered a plesiosaur — a large, swimming reptile — in the Fort Hays Limestone Member in Jewell County.

Excavations at Lovewell Reservoir uncovered the bones of several mammoths associated with the Last Glacial Maximum, the last time glaciers reached their maximum extent, 20,000-26,000 years ago during the Pleistocene. A collection of other Pleistocene fossils discovered in the area, called the Lovewell Local Fauna, include camels, dire wolves, horses, llamas, sloths, and small mammals, toads, snakes, fish and birds.

“Archaeological excavations have indicated that prehistoric peoples occupied Jewell County, with the most extensive cultural activity apparently adjacent to Lovewell Reservoir and the rest of White Rock Creek valley,” Johnson said.&nbsp;

“The most prominent geological feature in Jewell County is the Niobrara Escarpment, which becomes apparent as you travel northwest from the plains in the southeastern part of the county toward the town of Mankato,” Woodburn said. “Erosion beneath the Fort Hays Limestone Member of the Niobrara Chalk reveals the distinctive Blue Hill Shale Member of the Carlile Shale, with its bluish-black coloring. This exposure creates a striking and unexpected landscape.”

Where the Blue Hill Shale Member is visible, large septarian nodules often can be found. These unusual rocks are concretions composed of brown calcite and cemented sediment.&nbsp;

The Jewell County map identifies sources of rocks and other materials used in construction and road development.

“Historically, the geologic resources of Jewell County have included sand and gravel, limestone, the post-rock building stone, chalk, ceramic clays, volcanic ash and lignite (a type of coal),” Johnson said. In the late 1800s and first half of the 1900s, residents mined lignite from the Dakota Formation for heating and cooking, fence-post limestone from the top of the Greenhorn Limestone for fencing and building construction, and volcanic ash for use in abrasives, ceramics, concrete and paint, among others.

Today, the main resources found in Jewell County are limestone from the Fort Hays Limestone Member, exposed along the Niobrara Escarpment, and the Greenhorn Limestone; sand and gravel from river deposits; and sandstone and shale from the Dakota Formation along Buffalo Creek.

The 62-inch by 49.5-inch “Surficial Geology of Jewell County, Kansas” contains the map; a report on the geography, geology, water and mineral resources, and paleontology of the county; a cross section; and an illustrated stratigraphic column. Shaded relief provides a three-dimensional quality that accentuates the hills and valleys. The cross section depicts a vertical slice of subsurface rock layers along a line running west to east across the county. The stratigraphic column shows the order in which rock units were deposited over time and a description of each unit. 

Towns, roads (from highways to unimproved roadways), elevation contours at 25-foot intervals, and township and range boundaries also appear on the map. 

The scale is 1:50,000, so that one inch on the map equals about three-quarters of a mile of actual distance.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kgs.ku.edu/General/Geology/County/ghj/jewell.html">The map can be accessed online</a>.

Geographic information systems (GIS) data for the map will be available for download from the&nbsp;<a href="https://hub.kansasgis.org/">Kansas Data Access and Support Center</a>&nbsp;(DASC), housed at the KGS, and the&nbsp;<a href="https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/ngm-bin/ngm_compsearch.pl">U.S. Geological Survey National Geologic Map Database catalog</a>. GIS data helps geologists visualize, analyze and interpret the geology of a mapped area.

Paper copies of “Surficial Geology of Jewell County, Kansas” may be purchased by contacting the&nbsp;<a href="https://kgs.ku.edu/kgs-publications-sales">KGS publication sales office</a>&nbsp;at 1930 Constant Ave., Lawrence, KS 66047-3724 (phone 785-864-3965 or email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:kgs-publications@ku.edu">kgs-publications@ku.edu</a>) or the KGS’s&nbsp;<a href="https://kgs.ku.edu/kgsr">Kansas Geologic Sample Repository</a>&nbsp;at 4150 W. Monroe St., Wichita, KS 67209-2640 (phone 316-943-2343 ext. 200 or email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:kgsr@ku.edu">kgsr@ku.edu</a>). The cost is $20 plus shipping and handling and, for Kansas residents, sales tax.

More information about county geologic maps and other KGS products is available on the&nbsp;<a href="https://kgs.ku.edu/">KGS website</a>.

Geologic map for Jewell County now available; rocks rich in marine fossils

Hays Police Department arrest log: Sept. 7-13, 2025

Hays Police Department activity log: Sept. 7-13, 2025

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Recent obituaries and service times

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

As of July 29, Ellis County was removed entirely from the Kansas Drought Monitor map.

This was the first time Ellis County has been completely drought-free since July 6, 2021, according to Matt Sittel, assistant state climatologist.

Hays received another .29 inches of rain as of 8 this morning according to the K-State Ag Research Farm.

Stacy Campbell, crop production extension agent, said that might be good news for fall crops, which will be harvested in late September or early October, and winter wheat, which will be planted this month.

Campbell said the moisture will help the wheat achieve adequate growth before it goes dormant for the winter.

The fall harvest might be almost too good, Campbell said.

The wheat harvest this summer was bountiful, but prices have been low. Demand has been lower, possibly due to tariffs, he said.

This means there is still a significant amount of wheat in storage at local co-ops.

"I was talking to one of the co-op guys in Great Bend a little over a week ago. He said, 'Boy, we have good crops. We're trying to figure out how we're going to get it all put into the bins,'"&nbsp;Campbell said.

"Grains aren't moving that much, so there's a concern of where all of this grain is going to go," Campbell said.

The corn harvest is expected to start at the end of the month. Soybean harvest will likely occur in October, Campbell said. Sorghum is usually harvested after the killing freeze, on average, around October 9, with an additional week of dry time following the freeze.

Campbell said it is much too early to forecast the outcome for winter wheat. The area will need to have precipitation later in the growing season to secure a good crop.

Although farmers elsewhere in Kansas irrigate crops, Ellis County row crop farmers rely on dryland farming due to a lack of water resources.

"The one limiting factor that affects yields the most in dryland farming is moisture," he said.

Holly Dickman, Hays water conservation specialist, said she initially questioned the removal of Ellis County from drought/dry status.

She said Hays had received more rain than areas in the southern Ellis County. However, since that interview, the county has received more rain.

Even though the county is no longer in drought, she said those conditions can change rapidly.

She urged residents to continue to conserve water.

As of this morning, Hays has received .8 inches of rain in September and 17.51 inches of rain year-to-date, according to the K-State Ag Research Farm.

In an average year, it receives 2.24 inches of precipitation in September and 19.84 inches of precipitation through the end of September.

The National Weather Service calls for a slight chance of showers or thunderstorms in Hays overnight, Thursday and Thursday night, then sunny skies through the weekend.

The forecast calls for another slight chance of rain on Sunday night then more sunny weather to start next week.

Rain pulls Ellis County out of drought for 1st time in 4 years; overnight rain update

The Hays Symphony Orchestra will continue its season with an evening of rich and resonant string music with, “Fall Classics: Simply Strings.”

The free performance will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 20, within St. Joseph Catholic Church, 215 W. 13th St.

Under the direction of Benjamin Cline, the orchestra’s string sections will be featured exclusively, performing a diverse program that spans from the Baroque era to the 21st century.

The concert is designed to highlight the versatility, power, and profound beauty of the string family, offering a unique auditory experience for the community.

The selection of St. Joseph Catholic Church as the venue was a deliberate choice to enhance the all-strings repertoire.

Its soaring architecture and resonant acoustics provide an ideal environment for the nuanced tones of violins, violas, cellos, and basses to flourish, Cline said.

“Presenting a strings-only concert is a wonderful way to focus on the core sound and emotional heart of the orchestra,” he said. “The repertoire for ‘Simply Strings’ is a journey through time and texture. We are creating an intimate yet powerful atmosphere, and the magnificent acoustics of St. Joseph’s will amplify every subtle detail, making the music a truly immersive experience for our audience.”

The program will begin with Francesco Geminiani’s vibrant Concerto Grosso, Op. 5, No. 12, famously known as “La Folia.” Based on a centuries-old Portuguese folk tune, this Baroque masterpiece is a thrilling set of variations that showcases the technical brilliance and dynamic interplay between the string sections.

The concert then moves to contemporary works, beginning with “Anthem and Chorale for Strings” by Spanish-American cellist and composer Andrea Casarrubios. This modern piece explores a rich palette of harmonic&nbsp;colors, contrasting stately, hymn-like passages with moments of sweeping, anthem-like grandeur, reflecting a deep emotional landscape.

Following this is “Três Pequenas Variações” (“Three Small Variations”) by the Brazilian-American composer Clarice Assad. Known for fusing elements of Brazilian popular music, jazz, and classical traditions, Assad’s work promises to be a rhythmically engaging and melodically inventive exploration of a central theme.

The program also features “Eventide” by American composer Chris Pilsner. A beautifully lyrical and atmospheric piece, “Eventide” evokes the serene and contemplative mood of twilight. Its lush harmonies and soaring melodies have made it a favorite among modern string orchestra compositions.

“This program demonstrates the incredible evolution of string writing,” Cline said. “We have the fiery virtuosity of Geminiani’s Baroque variations set against the deeply personal and modern voices of Casarrubios, Assad, and Pilsner. Each piece tells its own story, but together they paint a comprehensive picture of what a string orchestra can achieve. It’s a showcase of passion, reflection, and pure sonic beauty.”

The evening will conclude with Ralph Vaughan Williams’s magnificent Concerto Grosso. A giant of 20th-century English music, Vaughan Williams composed this piece with a unique structure intended to involve players of all skill levels. The work divides the orchestra into a professional-level solo group (Concertino), the main orchestral body (Tutti), and a third group for beginners (Ad Lib), all weaving together to create a full, glorious sound. This structure embodies the spirit of community music-making, making it a fitting finale for the Hays Symphony, which itself is a blend of faculty, community, and student musicians.

“The Vaughan Williams piece is a celebration of collaboration,” Cline said. “It reflects our own orchestra’s mission of bringing together musicians from different backgrounds, from our university faculty to talented local players and dedicated students, to create something beautiful for our community. It’s a powerful statement about the unifying force of music.” 

Free tickets for “Fall Classics: Simply Strings” are available online at <a href="https://www.hayssymphony.org/">hayssymphony.org</a>.

Hays Symphony to present ‘Fall Classics: Simply Strings’ Sept. 20

TOPEKA —&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly announced on Friday 11 appointments to the following state council and commissions.

Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities

Purpose:&nbsp;To advocate for systematic change to increase productivity, independence, integration, and inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in Kansas communities.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kansas Commission on Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Purpose:&nbsp;To advocate for and facilitate equal access to quality, coordinated, and comprehensive services that enhance the quality of life for Kansans who are deaf and/or hard of hearing.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kansas African American Affairs Commission

Purpose:&nbsp;To address the public policy concerns of the African American community through its partnerships with state agencies, corporations, and foundations, and to serve as a conduit for programs, grants, research, and policy.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Hays woman appointed to Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities

Craft boutique benefit for Your Voice Through Cancer on Oct. 4

<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

Smith Center's Old Settlers' Day is Sept. 27

&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 Catholic Schools (Thomas More Prep-Marian and Holy Family Elementary) will proudly celebrate the 100th anniversary of Homecoming this September, marking a century of tradition, community, and faith. The milestone event will honor generations of alumni, students, faculty, and families who have carried forward the spirit of Catholic education in Hays since 1908.

“This centennial celebration is not only about looking back at our history,” said Travis Grizzell, advancement director for Hays Catholic Schools, “it’s about giving thanks for the generations who built this community of faith and excellence, and recommitting ourselves to the future of Catholic education in Hays. The cornerstone represents the faith and commitment of those who literally laid the foundation for our beautiful building on this historic campus. The fact that Hays Catholic Schools is here 100 years later speaks volumes about our dedicated alumni and faith community.”

Homecoming Week Schedule of Events <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tmp-m.org/o/tmpm/page/homecoming">https://www.tmp-m.org/o/tmpm/page/homecoming</a>

Monday, Sep. 15 at&nbsp;9:30 a.m.&nbsp;– All-School Mass: Students, faculty, and staff gather for a Mass to open Homecoming week.

Tuesday, Sep. 16 – Float building Day: Each class gathers at its float construction site to prepare for Friday’s parade.

Wednesday, Sep. 17 – Halftime Rehearsal: Band and Homecoming royalty candidates rehearse at Fort Hays State University’s Lewis Field.

Thursday, Sep. 18 – A pep rally will be held at Al Billinger Fieldhouse&nbsp;at 2:30 p.m. to close the school day.&nbsp;Beginning at 7 p.m., a bonfire, blessing, and candidate introductions will take place on campus, with food trucks and snowcones available for students, families, and community members.

Friday, Sep. 19 – Morning: Alumni and guests are invited to tour the TMP-Marian campus.

10:00 a.m.: A Hays Chamber Ribbon Cutting ceremony will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the school’s cornerstone setting and the first Hays Catholic Schools Homecoming in 1925.

5:30 p.m.: Homecoming Parade, beginning at the TMP-Marian campus and traveling down Main Street. Parade entry form&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://form.jotform.com/251625567433157">https://form.jotform.com/251625567433157</a>

Evening: Halftime of the football game will feature the crowning of Homecoming royalty, recognition of Homecoming Grand Marshals, and presentation of the Point of Light Award and Distinguished Alumni Awards.

Saturday, Sep. 20 at 11 a.m.&nbsp;– Morning: A Mass for deceased alumni will be held in the Marian Chapel.

Noon: The traditional Dutch Lunch will be served in the TMP-Marian Dining Hall, offering fellowship and reunion among generations of alumni.

For more information, please contact the TMP-Marian Advancement Office at 785-625-9434 or advancement@tmpmarian.org.

Hays Catholic Schools to celebrate 100th anniversary of homecoming

The Bricks is wrapping up its Brick-by-Brick Campaign. Community members and businesses have one last opportunity to leave a lasting legacy in Downtown Hays before the September 30 deadline to purchase an engraved brick or limestone block for the new Shed Project.

The Shed Project will be a new storage and service facility adjacent to the Downtown Hays Pavilion. This addition is designed to secure event equipment, serve concessions, and host the Downtown Hays Market Manager’s station during community favorites such as the Downtown Hays Market, Christmas Magic on Main Street, and Wines &amp; Steins. Once complete, the Shed will provide much-needed support for year-round events that bring vibrancy and connection to The Bricks.

“We are very excited about this enhancement to Union Pacific Park, one of our most visible and well utilized contributions to Downtown. While events are just part of what we do, last year they brought over 15,000 people to the heart of our community. This project meets an immediate need for those initiatives and the functionality of the pavilion, while staying true to the beautiful architecture of the original railroad depot. None of this progress is possible without the support of our community!,” said Andrew Taylor, board chair of The Bricks (operating as the Downtown Hays Development Corporation, or DHDC).

To participate, visit The Bricks office at 1200 Main Street, Suite 102 in Downtown Hays, or reach out online at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.downtownhays.com/">www.DowntownHays.com</a>/pavilion-shed-project. For logo submissions (limestone block donors only), email your file and contact details to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:thebricks@downtownhays.com">thebricks@downtownhays.com</a>.

“This campaign is about more than bricks and mortar,” said Lee Ann June, Executive Director at The Bricks. “It’s about the community who believes in Downtown Hays and wants to see it thrive for generations to come.”

The Brick by Brick Campaign officially closes on September 30, 2025. Don’t miss your chance to engrave your name, your business, or your family into the story of The Bricks.

 Brick-by-Brick campaign ends Sept. 30 for Downtown Hays shed project

Help us fill up the St. Joseph Food Pantry, Hays, and earn $3,000 in matching funds by donating to the Food Bank Fill-Up project at our Hays 24/7 Travel Stores location throughout the month of September! 

In recognition of National Hunger Awareness Month, 24/7 Travel Stores are partnering with food banks across Kansas to raise funds for the fight against hunger. 

Stop in the store at 3601 Vine Street and donate at the register, or drop off your financial donation at the parish office, 210 W. 13th. 

Matching funds, up to $3,000, will be provided to participating food pantries so every donation matters! 

Thank you for supporting the St. Joseph Food Pantry!

Help us fill up the St. Joseph Food Pantry in Hays

2025 Paradise Fall Festival set for Sept. 20

Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter #1655 in Hays is sponsoring a learn-to-fly informational meeting on Thursday, September 18, 6 p.m., at RANS Aircraft, 4600 U.S. Highway 183 Alternate.

Come learn about what is required to become a private pilot. Meet local&nbsp;instructors and pilots, and register for a chance to receive a discovery flight from Hays Aircraft.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Enjoy a complementary hamburger cookout.&nbsp;

Please register to attend by emailing your name and contact information to eaachapter1655@gmail.com no later than Tuesday, September 16.

Learn To Fly informational meeting in Hays Sept. 18

CASS COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect in connection with a three vehicle accident near Kansas City.

Just before 5:30 p.m. Sept 15, sheriff deputies responded to the area of 195th Street on Route D in Belton regarding a three-vehicle accident, according to the Cass County Sheriff.

The driver of a pickup truck had struck a semi and another vehicle. The vehicles sustained heavy damage. Deputies conducted standardized field sobriety tests for the driver of the pickup truck. He was placed into custody --- and has been identified as 37-year-old Justin Sherman of Amoret, Missouri.

 Sherman has been charged with two felony counts of Property Damage - 1st Degree, a felony for Leaving the Scene of an Accident - Property Damage Exceeding $1,000 and a misdemeanor for Driving While Intoxicated. 

Sherman is being held on a$50,000 bond, according to the sheriff's office.

Driver charged with felony for leaving 3-vehicle crash near KC

BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an incident in northeast Kansas.

Just before 10a.m. September 10, a sheriff's&nbsp;deputy was on routine patrol and noticed plywood scattered on U.S. 36 highway just south of Hiawatha that appeared to have been lost off of a vehicle going to the landfill, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.&nbsp;

&nbsp; A vehicle description was passed on to landfill employees by the deputy , and the suspect vehicle and occupants were made available for questioning when the deputy arrived.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 

Upon conclusion of the investigation, the driver of the vehicle, 31-year-old&nbsp; Edubiel Vega Gonzalez of&nbsp; Dawson, Nebraska was arrested on requested charges of Driving While License Cancelled, Suspended or Revoked&nbsp; and also cited for&nbsp; Littering&nbsp; The passengers in the Gonzalez vehicle were directed to clean the debris from the roadway.

Sheriff: Suspect with no drivers license dumped trash on Kan. highway

NEW YORK (AP) — ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show indefinitely beginning Wednesday after comments that he made about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shooting-suspect-things-to-know-dcde3f792f4d6636d44fb9f4fa53569c">Charlie Kirk's killing</a>&nbsp;led a group of ABC-affiliated stations to say it would not air the show.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jimmy-kimmel">Kimmel, the veteran late-night comic</a>, made several comments about the reaction to Kirk's assassination on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Monday and Tuesday nights, including that “many in MAGA land are working very hard to capitalize on the murder of Charlie Kirk.”

ABC, which has aired Kimmel's late-night show since 2003, moved swiftly after Nexstar Communications Group said it would pull the show starting Wednesday. Kimmel's comments about Kirk's death “are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse,” said Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar's broadcasting division. Nexstar operates 23 ABC affiliates.

There was no immediate comment from Kimmel, whose contract is up in May 2026. ABC's statement did not cite a reason for why his show was preempted.

President Donald Trump celebrated ABC's move on the social media site Truth Social, writing: “Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done.”

He also targeted two other late-night hosts, Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, and said they should be canceled too, calling them “two total losers.” In July,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stephen-colbert-late-show-cbs-end-8bad9f16f076df62c0ffc50e9c8adbab">after CBS canceled “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,”</a>&nbsp;Trump wrote on his social media platform: “I absolutely love that Colbert got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings. I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next. Has even less talent than Colbert!” Like Colbert, Kimmel has been consistently been critical of Trump and many of his policies.

In his monologue on Monday, Kimmel said that “we hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”

Authorities say Tyler Robinson, 22, who is charged with killing Kirk, grew up in a conservative household in southern Utah but was enmeshed in “leftist ideology.” His parents told investigators he had turned politically left and pro-LGBTQ rights in the last year.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/charlie-kirk-shooting-news#00000199-3e68-d49f-a99f-3fef75fe0000">Utah records</a>&nbsp;show he was registered as a voter, but not affiliated with either political party. His voter status is inactive, meaning&nbsp;<a href="https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title20A/Chapter2/20A-2-S505.html?v=C20A-2-S505_2025050720250507">he did not vote</a>&nbsp;in two regular general elections. He told his transgender partner that he targeted Kirk because he “had enough of his hatred.”

Kimmel's show pulled as audience waited for taping

An audience was lined up outside the theater where “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” tapes when they were told Wednesday’s show was canceled.

“We were just about to walk in — interestingly enough, they waited to pull the plug on this right as the studio audience was about to walk in,” Tommy Williams, a would-be audience member from Jacksonville, Florida, told The Associated Press outside the theater. “They didn’t tell us what had happened. They just said that the show was canceled.”

Williams said he was worried someone had been injured — until he saw that ABC had announced nearly at the same time online that the preemption was indefinite. Williams hadn’t been aware of Kimmel’s comments on Kirk, but sought them out after the announcement.

“They didn’t really seem to justify the means. It seemed to be a bit extreme. And it wasn’t like insulting to, it really had nothing to do with Charlie Kirk at all. He didn’t even mention anything ill about Charlie Kirk — it was about the shooter,” Williams said.

What Kimmel said on his show and reaction to it

Kimmel said that Trump's response to Kirk's death “is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend. This is how a 4-year-old mourns a goldfish, OK?” He also said that FBI chief Kash Patel has handled the investigation into the killing “like a kid who didn't read the book, BSing his way through an oral report.”

He returned to the topic on Tuesday night, mocking Vice President JD Vance's performance as guest host for Kirk's podcast.

He said Trump was “fanning the flames” by attacking people on the left. “Which is it, are they a bunch of sissy pickleball players because they're too scared to be hit by tennis balls, or a well-organized deadly team of commandos, because they can't be both of those things.”

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, called Kimmel’s comments on Kirk some of the “sickest conduct possible” in an interview Wednesday morning with conservative podcaster Benny Johnson.

“There are calls for Kimmel to be fired. I think you could certainly see a path forward for suspension over this,” Carr said.

Carr said it appeared to be an “intentional effort” to mislead the public that Charlie Kirk’s assassin was a right-wing Trump supporter.

The conservative group interest group Center for American Rights cited Carr’s comments in lodging a complaint Wednesday against ABC in addition to a prior complaint from early September accusing ABC of political bias. They wrote in the complaint that Kimmel showed a “reckless indifference or willful defiance of facts” and asked the commission to take ABC off air, if ABC did not take Kimmel off air first.

FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez criticized the administration for “using the weight of government power to suppress lawful expression” in a post on X.

The move comes as the president, his administration and political party have stepped up their effort to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kirk-trump-cancel-culture-assassination-4d69649e382ea46d8dcf794150a1d3c9">police speech about Kirk’s death.</a>&nbsp;Vance earlier this week urged Americans to turn in fellow citizens who mocked the assassination. It is also the latest effort by the administration to use its power to lean on the media. Carr has launched investigations of outlets that have angered Trump and the president has sued numerous media organizations for negative coverage.

CBS said this past summer that it was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stephen-colbert-late-show-cbs-end-8bad9f16f076df62c0ffc50e9c8adbab">canceling Colbert’s show</a>&nbsp;at the end of this season for financial reasons, although some critics have wondered if his stance on Trump played a role. Soon after the cancellation, the FCC approved CBS parent company Paramount's long-pending deal with Skydance. ABC parent company Disney is currently awaiting regulatory approval for ESPN's acquisition of the NFL Network.

ABC suspends Kimmel's late-night show over remarks about Charlie Kirk’s death

WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s public health system is headed to a “very dangerous place” with Health Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-f-kennedy-jr">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;and his team of anti-vaccine advisers in charge, fired Centers for Disease Control and Prevention chief Susan Monarez warned senators on Wednesday.

Describing extraordinary turmoil inside the nation's health agencies, Monarez and former CDC Chief Medical Officer Chief Debra Houry described exchanges in which Kennedy or political advisers rebuffed data supporting the safety and efficacy of vaccines.

Monarez, who was fired after just 29 days on the job following disagreements with Kennedy, told senators deadly diseases like polio and whooping cough, long contained, are poised to make a comeback in the U.S.

“I believe preventable diseases will return, and I believe we will have our children harmed by things they don’t need to be harmed by,” Monarez said before the Senate health committee.

Monarez said she was ordered by Kennedy to resign if she did not sign off on new vaccine recommendations, which are expected to be released later this week by an advisory panel that Kennedy has stocked with medical experts and vaccine skeptics. She said that when she asked for data or science to back up Kennedy’s request to change the childhood vaccination schedule, he offered none.

She added that Kennedy told her “he spoke to the president every day about changing the childhood vaccination schedule.”

Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, who chairs the powerful health committee, listened intently as Monarez and Houry described conversations with Kennedy and his advisers.

“To be clear, he said there was not science or data, but he still expected you to change schedule?” Cassidy asked.

Cassidy carefully praised President Donald Trump for his commitment to promoting health policies but made it clear he was concerned about the circumstances surrounding Monarez's removal.

Houry, meanwhile, described similar exchanges with Kennedy's political advisers, who took an unprecedented role in preparing materials for meetings of the CDC's advisory vaccine panel.

Ahead of this week's meeting of the panel, Houry offered to include data around the hepatitis B shot that is administered to newborns to prevent spread of the deadly disease from the mother. She said a Kennedy adviser dismissed the data as biased because it might support keeping the shots on the schedule.

"You’re suggesting that they wanted to move away from the birth dose, but they were afraid that your data would say that they should retain it?" Cassidy asked.

During the Senate hearing, Democrats, all of whom opposed Monarez's nomination, also questioned Kennedy's motives for firing Monarez, who was approved for the job unanimously by Republicans.

“Frankly, she stood up for protecting the well-being of the American people, and for that reason she was fired,” said Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont who caucuses with Democrats.

Monarez said it was both her refusal to sign off on new vaccination recommendations without scientific evidence and her unwillingness to fire high-ranking career CDC officials without cause that led to her ousting.

Kennedy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kennedy-senate-cdc-3a5a090fc9d9f547377203fe5c61ffa2">has denied</a>&nbsp;Monarez’s accusations that he ordered “rubber-stamped” vaccine recommendations but has acknowledged he demanded firings. He has described Monarez as admitting to him that she is “untrustworthy,” a claim Monarez has denied through her attorney.

While Senate Republicans have been mostly loath to challenge Trump or even Kennedy, many of them have expressed concerns about the lack of availability of COVID-19 vaccines and the health department’s decisions to scale back some childhood vaccines.

Others have backed up Kennedy’s distrust of the nation’s health agencies.

Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall, a doctor, aggressively questioned Monarez about her “philosophy” on vaccines as she explained that her decisions were based on science. Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville said Trump was elected to make change and suggested Monarez's job was to be loyal to Kennedy.

“America needs better than this,” Tuberville said.

The Senate hearing was taking place just a day before the vaccine panel starts its two-day session in Atlanta to discuss shots against COVID-19, hepatitis B and chickenpox. It’s unclear how the panel might vote on the recommendations, though members have raised doubts about whether hepatitis B shots administered to newborns are necessary and have suggested COVID-19 recommendations should be more restricted.

The CDC director must endorse those recommendations before they become official. Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jim-oneill-cdc-kennedy-trump-vaccines-58fd24f678bf46ea6ec96a2b09f85ff4">Jim O’Neill</a>, now serving as the CDC’s acting director, will be responsible for that.

“I'm very nervous about it,” Monarez said of the meeting.

Associated Press writers Mike Stobbe in New York and Lauran Neergaard in Washington contributed.

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