By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

Thomas More Prep-Marian’s homecoming parade rolled through downtown Hays on Friday.

The parade featured the 2025 Point of Light honorees, this year’s Homecoming Court and alumni dating back to the class of 1975.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/82baa293-5c3d-4b4f-aea4-e5f720185b94">Thomas More Prep-Marian also celebrated the 100th anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone of its building on Friday.</a>

📷 2025 TMP-Marian Homecoming parade

ELLIS COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 10:30 a.m. Saturday in Ellis County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2012 Chevy Captiva driven by a 17-year from Ellis was eastbound in the 1200 block of Old U.S. 40 Highway. The SUV rear-ended a bicycle ridden by Kohno&nbsp;Satomi, 52, Hays, who was traveling on the highway shoulder.

EMS transported to Satomi to Hays Medical Center. The 17-year-old was properly restrained and not injured. Satomi was wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

Bicyclist from Hays hospitalized after rear-ended by SUV

The Kansas Hospital Association Leadership Institute graduated its 23rd class of 31 students on Sept. 5, 2025, at the KHA Annual Convention and Trade Show in Wichita, Kansas. Students were nominated by their hospital's CEO to be part of this select group. They represent the future leaders of Kansas hospitals.

Helping to build future health care leaders is important to the Kansas Hospital Association. “We are committed to strengthening and promoting the leadership capacity of hospital employees in Kansas,” said Chad Austin, president and CEO, Kansas Hospital Association.

 The KHA Leadership Institute was established to help hospitals provide professional development opportunities that accentuate the personal skills and abilities needed to facilitate positive change and innovation in Kansas hospitals.

The 2025 Leadership Institute class was diverse. They represented a wide geographic distribution of hospitals from St. Francis to Liberal and Neodesha to Lawrence – there was representation from all parts of the state. 

Students had been working in health care for as little as a year to 20 years. Several students have been in management positions while others were new managers. Some students also supervisor other staff, from a few to more than 50 employees.

It is important to note that the students nominated to participate in this program were not selected because they needed to learn "management skills." They were nominated because their CEO recognized their potential to be future leaders and wanted to help cultivate that development. Each one of these students made a personal and professional commitment to expanding their skills by attending all six courses of the Leadership Institute.

The curriculum was structured to enhance each student's leadership abilities.

 Course #1 focused on explaining the difference between leadership and management, identifying organizational values and creating a positive organizational climate. Course #2 focused on enhancing communication skills and grassroots advocacy. Course #3 focused on team building - including how to lead a team and how to be part of a team and Course # 4 examined conflict and conflict management. Course #5 was at the KHA Annual Convention and Trade Show. Students learned about the challenges facing health care.

KHA Leadership Institute Class of 2025&nbsp;

Steven Bazan, Newman Regional Health, Emporia

Lori Bortzfield, Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, Hutchinson

Sara Boyd, Memorial Health System, Abilene

Terance Brooks, Select Specialty Hospital, Wichita

Kourtney Brown, Stormont Vail Health Flint Hills Campus, Junction City

Anoria Carlson, Prairie View, Inc., Newton

Jessica Carson, Cheyenne County Hospital, Saint Francis

Shannon Deines, The University of Kansas Health System, Great Bend Campus

Megan Donecker, Pawnee Valley Community Hospital, Larned

Misty Duncan, Caldwell Regional Medical Center, Caldwell

Amy Elliott, Amberwell Hiawatha, Hiawatha

Stephanie Flegler, Russell Regional Hospital, Russell

Adam Gall, Wilson Medical Center, Neodesha

Wesley Goforth, Republic County Hospital, Belleville

Ashley Hutchinson, Salina Regional Health Center, Salina

Jayna Kelly, Wamego Health Center, Wamego

Sonjia Lemons, Greenwood County Hospital, Eureka

Amy Meyer, Meade District Hospital/Artesian Valley Health System, Meade

Chandra Michaelis, Rice Community Health, Lyons

Jodi Miller, Minneola Healthcare, Minneola

Monica Mullender, Osborne County Memorial Hospital, Osborne

Jaqueline Nieblas, Southwest Medical Center, Liberal

Cameron Rickel, Holton Community Hospital, Holton

Braden Shackelford, Stormont Vail Health, Topeka

Hanna Sharp, Scott County Hospital, Scott City

Patricia Smith, Edwards County Medical Center, Kinsley

Kristen Srna, Ascension Via Christi Hospital Manhattan, Inc., Manhattan

Shawn Weldin, Sabetha Community Hospital, Sabetha

The Kansas Hospital Association is a voluntary, non-profit organization existing to be the leading advocate and resource for members. KHA membership includes 242 member facilities, of which 124 are full-service, community hospitals. Founded in 1910, KHA’s vision is: “Optimal health for Kansans and Kansas hospitals.”

Hays, Russell members among Kansas Hospital Association Leadership Institute graduates 

Kansas Department of Transportation

NORTON — The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) has revised the letting and construction schedule for the final phase of modernization on a 26-mile portion of Highway K-383 in Norton and Phillips counties.

Under the updated schedule, the project is expected to let for construction in December 2026, with work occurring during the 2027 and 2028 construction seasons.

The adjustment is necessary to allow additional time to complete right of way acquisition for several properties along the project. Once the acquisition process is finished, utility relocations can be completed, which are needed before KDOT can begin construction.

“There is a strong desire to see this project completed, and KDOT understands the importance of finishing the work,” said District Three Engineer Jeff Stewart. “We’re working diligently to keep our processes moving and appreciate everyone’s patience as we work towards completion.”

The final phase will widen and add shoulders on the remaining 14 miles of K-383, beginning near Almena and extending to two miles east of Long Island. Phase I was completed in 2022 and reconstructed six miles in Phillips County from east of Long Island to the U.S. 183 junction. Phase II, completed in 2023, reconstructed six miles in Norton County from the east U.S. 36 junction to Almena.

“Even though the project timeline has been extended, KDOT’s commitment to completing the work has not changed,” said KDOT Secretary Calvin Reed. “We know how important this project is to northwest Kansas and remain focused on providing a safe, high-quality roadway that will serve the traveling public for many years to come.”

Schedule revised for final phase of Highway K-383 modernization in Norton, Phillips counties

Reporter Tony Guerrero speaks with Ellis County Health Director Melissa Miller about National Preparedness Month and the upcoming flu season on this episode of the Hays Post Podcast.&nbsp;

🎙 Post Podcast: Ellis County Heath Director discusses preparedness, flu season

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Thomas More Prep-Marian celebrated the 100th anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone of its building on Friday.

The event was set to coincide with the fall homecoming on Friday night.

Travis Grizzell, advancement director for Hays Catholic Schools, greeted the group at a ribbon-cutting sponsored by the Chamber in Hays.

Placed shortly after the ending of World War I, the stone is inscribed with the words, "For God, for country" in Latin.

Although the cornerstone of the school was set in 1925, drought and the Great Depression intervened, and the school was not opened to students until 1931.

Grizzell said the cornerstone was one of the hidden secrets on the TMP campus.

Grizzell said that despite the wild Jazz Age of the time, a group of people in western Kansas decided to buckle down to ensure the continuation of Catholic education in this area.

"It's an amazing thing to pull up to this campus and see this building in Hays. Our campus is beautiful. The building is awe-inspiring," Grizzell said. "It's humbling, and you wonder how the group of people back then could have persisted through everything they had against them to create a building like this.

"Nothing is too big a task when you are honoring your Lord, and it is that dear to your heart," he said.

This year is also the 100th anniversary of the Hays Catholic Schools homecoming.

Grizzell echoed a statement from TMP Principal Chad Meitner, who said, "It's your job here at TMP-Marian and Hays Catholic Schools to help our young people get to heaven."

Curtis Hammeke, president of Hays Catholic Schools, also spoke to the group of students, staff, clergy, alumni and community members.

He said the word that came to his mind was gift. He said the school was a great gift to the Hays community.

"It's that important to our kids, our grandkids and our future generations," Hammeke said. "I'm proud of this vast history, and I'm very excited about the future. It is something we have to protect.

"There's nothing more important than staying focused on Christ, and this institution allows us to do that in a daily fashion. I can't think of a better gift we can give to our kids and grandkids."

Hammeke said the school's saying used to be, "Give us four years, and we will give you a lifetime."

He said it is more than that. It's eternity.

TMP celebrates 100th anniversary of laying of cornerstone, Catholic schools homecoming

ELLIS COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 11:30p.m. Friday in Ellis County.&nbsp;

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2023 Ford Truck driven by Erkin&nbsp;Ismatov, 45, Brooklyn, New York, was eastbound on Interstate 70 just east of Yocemento Avenue. The truck struck a disabled vehicle which was stationary in the right lane. After impact the truck left the roadway to the south and struck a guardrail.&nbsp;

EMS transported&nbsp;Ismatov to Hays Medical Center. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Driver hospitalized in Hays after I-70 truck crash

COLBY — Western Plains Arts Association (WPAA) opens our 2025-2026 season at the Cultural Arts Center in Colby on Sunday, September 21 at 3:00 p.m. with DIVA 3, an ensemble of superb singers. 

Three female singers with powerhouse voices sing the biggest hits of the greatest divas in music history. This vibrant show spans four decades covering the 1960's through the 1990's with hits by Aretha Franklin, Carole King, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Cher, Dolly Parton, Donna Summer, ABBA, and many more!

Individual members of the group have all starred in shows on the Las Vegas strip. Since its inception in 2013, the group has gone on to perform not only at several hotels and casinos throughout their hometown of Las Vegas, but also performing arts centers across the United States, as well as international waters as a headlining guest entertainer act aboard luxury cruise ships.

Admission can be purchased at the door or by WPAA season tickets. You can buy season tickets at the door if you haven’t gotten yours already.

This program is made possible through the generous funds from The Dane G. Hansen Foundation and many area businesses and individuals that sponsor WPAA.

Western Plains Arts Association season opens Sept. 21 with DIVA 3 in Colby

By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension District

There has been an increase of insect infestations this growing season around the state. 

Two of the more widespread pests have been lepidoptera larvae (worms): the fall armyworm and the armyworm. These pests have become problematic for our fall planted alfalfa, bromegrass, tritcale planted early for haying, etc. and have the potential to be problematic in our fall-planted wheat. It is advised to not get in any hurry to plant wheat.

Fall armyworm (FAW) – Larvae when mature are 1-1.5 inches long and have a variable color (green to black) with three prominent white lines down their back and a distinctive white, inverted ”Y” pattern on their face between the eyes. These larvae feed on just about anything green and are currently very active in our area and probably all of Kansas.

This moth does not overwinter in the Great Plains but migrates northward annually from southern states. It usually arrives in Kansas in July where it deposits eggs on corn, sorghum and other summer crops. Several generations occur and reproduction may continue through August and into September, putting early-planted wheat at greatest risk. Early-planted fields should be inspected frequently during the first few weeks following emergence. 

The first sign of damage is “window-pane” injury caused by tiny larvae chewing on seedling leaves. The larvae, which are usually too small to be easily observed at this time, hide in or around the base of seedlings. Within a few days the larvae become large enough to destroy entire leaves.

Fields with 25 to 30 percent of plants with windowpane injury should be re-examined daily and treated immediately if stand establishment appears threatened. Larvae increase in size at an exponential rate, and so do their food requirements. Later instars, larger larvae do the most damage, sometimes destroying entire stands, and are the least susceptible to insecticides. Without treatment, problems can continue until larvae reach maturity or until a killing freeze.

In our area there are significant populations of FAW feeding in seedling and established alfalfa, bromegrass, early planted triticale for haying or grazing, etc. Scouting is important because they can destroy seedling crops quickly.

Armyworms (ARW) - Larvae are darker with several conspicuous light-colored stripes on both sides of their bodies, and they present a somewhat different problem than the FAW, because they do overwinter in Kansas.

Therefore, the larvae may be around when the 2025 planted wheat crop germinates. Thus, planting as late as possible is important, as is destroying all volunteer wheat well before wheat planting begins. 

This is also important because it is the female moth that initiates the infestation by where she deposits her eggs, and she won't deposit any eggs unless she detects some greenery for a potential food source for the developing larvae. From past&nbsp;experience with armyworm infestations, they may continue to feed until temperatures dip into the mid-20s °F for a couple of hours, says Jeff Whitworth, K-State Extension Entomologist.

Army cutworms - One other worm to consider is the Army cutworm. These moths migrate back into Kansas in the fall, looking for any greenery on which to deposit their eggs. So, they will not be the same problem as armyworms, as their feeding will be ending this fall, but the army cutworms will just be starting their feeding and culminate in the common "Miller moths" in the spring.

The best ways to help mitigate an infestation in fall-planted wheat from any of these worms are to plant as late as possible and destroy all volunteer wheat well before any wheat is planted in your area.

Information provided by Jeff Whitworth, K-State Extension Entomology Specialist.

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: Fall armyworm population is huge

<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

Follow this link to see more:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://coldwellbankersell.idxbroker.com/idx/details/listing/b596/204644/301-W-20th-St-Hays-KS-67601">https://coldwellbankersell.idxbroker.com/idx/details/listing/b596/204644/301-W-20th-St-Hays-KS-67601</a>

Community Calendar

The Hays Arts Council is pleased to announce a community&nbsp;Meet &amp; Greet&nbsp;with new Executive Director Chandler Reich, on&nbsp;Thursday, Sept. 25 9-11 a.m. at the Hays Arts Center, 112 E 11th. The come-and-go event will feature coffee and donuts and provide an opportunity for the public to meet Reich, learn more about her vision for the organization, and extend a warm welcome.

Reich began her full-time role as executive director in September and has already hit the ground running in leading programs and community initiatives. The council board&nbsp;invites all community members to stop by, say hello, and join in celebrating this new chapter for the region’s oldest arts council.

Public invited to meet and greet for Hays Arts Council executive director

FHSU Student Engagement and Belonging

The 2025 Fort Hays State University Homecoming parade will take place on Saturday, September 27. The parade will take place on The Bricks in downtown Hays, America, at 11:00 a.m. 

Parade entries are still being accepted through September 22. Use the following form to sign up:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://tigerlink.fhsu.edu/submitter/form/start/691056">FHSU Homecoming Parade Entry</a>

For more information, please contact the Student Engagement and Belonging office at 785-628-4020 or via email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:engage@fhsu.edu">engage@fhsu.edu</a>.

Entries open for FHSU Homecoming parade on Sept. 27

Tasty fundraiser for Hays Area Children's Center; order by Sept. 24

GRAINFIELD — A craft fair will be held Saturday, Sept. 20 at the historic Grainfield Opera House, 296 Main Street, Grainfield, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

There will be many vendors with a variety of crafts and lunch is available.

Craft fair Saturday at historic Grainfield Opera House

Heartland Community Foundation

The Heartland Community Foundation, dedicated to supporting Ellis, Rooks, and Trego counties, is excited to announce the opening of its fall grant cycle. Applications can be submitted online until 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, November 15, 2025. A total of over $150,000 in funding is available.

This grant cycle aims to support local initiatives that fulfill one or more of the following goals:

• Directly benefiting communities in Ellis, Rooks, or Trego counties. • Enhancing the quality of life for individuals and expanding the capacity or outreach of applying organizations through programs, projects, or capital improvements. • Providing seed funding to kickstart new projects, programs, or organizations that will serve the community

Funding this cycle is made possible by the Legacy Funds of Ellis, Rooks, and Trego counties, along with contributions from the Dane G. Hansen Community Grant Fund, the Heartland Healthy Living Fund, and the Heartland Area Action Fund. 

Two new funds will also be making their first grant distributions this fall: the Hays Optimist Friends of Youth Fund will support projects that benefit youth or are youth-led, while the Trego County Enhancement Fund will support projects that promote economic development in Trego County.

Eligible projects must be based in Ellis, Rooks, or Trego counties and will undergo a competitive evaluation process. Nonprofit organizations, government entities, educational institutions, and churches are all encouraged to apply. All applications must be submitted online by the deadline&nbsp;of 11:59 p.m. on November 15. Detailed funding criteria and the application form can be found at <a href="https://heartlandcommunityfoundation.org/grants/">https://heartlandcommunityfoundation.org/grants/</a>

For further inquiries, please reach out to Sarah Meitner, executive director, at 785-621-4090, Savannah Downing, Trego Development Director, at 785-743-3270, or Deanna Hammerschmidt, Rooks Development Director, at 785-688-5098.

You can easily make a charitable gift by clicking the GIVE ONLINE button.

To learn more about the Heartland Community Foundation, make a donation to one of our managed funds, or apply for a grant, please visit <a href="https://heartlandcommunityfoundation.org/">www.heartlandcommunityfoundation.org</a>.&nbsp;

Stay updated on our latest news, grantee stories, and featured funds by following us on Facebook at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/HeartlandCF">https://www.facebook.com/HeartlandCF</a>.

Heartland Community Foundation accepting grant applications through Nov. 15

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

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

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

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a case of arson and vandalism at the St. Anne’s Catholic school in Olmitz have made an arrest.

Just after 5 p.m. on July 10, the Barton County Sheriff's Office was dispatched to St. Anne's Catholic School in the rural Barton County community of Olmitz, located approximately 17 miles northwest of Great Bend, for a report of vandalism, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.

Deputies found the school had been broken into. Unknown persons entered the building causing extensive damage to the interior of the building and other property inside the building.

 The Sheriff’s Office has been conducting investigation that involved out-of-state agencies as well as the Russell Kansas Police Department and Russell County Sheriff’s Office.

On September 17, 2025, the Russell County Sheriff’s office arrested 30-year-old Matthew Clampit on requested charges of criminal damage to property, arson and burglary of a non-dwelling for his involvement in the case. 

Clampit is being held in lieu of a $20,000 bond. Three more suspects have been developed, and arrest warrants are being sought by the Barton County Attorney’s office. Further arrests are expected in this case, according to Sheriff Bellendir

Suspect jailed for racist graffiti, vandalism at Kan. Catholic school

WASHINGTON (AP) — When it was all over,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;couldn’t believe it. “I could barely breathe,” she writes in her new book about learning she had lost the 2024&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/election-results-2024/?office=P">presidential election</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>.

One of her aides peeled “Madame President” off celebratory cupcakes before serving them to crushed staffers. Harris kept asking, “My God, my God, what will happen to our country?”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-donald-trump-election-ddeae9fb378530159201ef4196cba9b3">next morning</a>&nbsp;was no easier. “I was ashamed to realize I was in the denial and bargaining stages of grief, a very long way from acceptance,” she wrote.

It’s one of several raw admissions in Harris’ book, “107 Days,” that is scheduled for release Tuesday. The title refers to the length of the hyperspeed campaign that the former vice president launched against Trump after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-drops-out-2024-election-ddffde72838370032bdcff946cfc2ce6">Joe Biden dropped out</a>&nbsp;of the race.

Although Harris earned a reputation as guarded and circumspect, the book has the tone of someone who is finished biting her tongue. She concedes mistakes, reveals frustrations and details some of the stranger moments from her race.

The book isn’t a winding memoir or a political treatise, and Harris doesn’t disclose any future plans. Instead, it reads like a ticking time bomb, with each chapter counting down to Election Day.

Harris insists in the book that she had no concerns about Biden’s ability to serve as president. “If I believed that, I would have said so.”

“But at eighty-one, Joe got tired,” Harris wrote. “That’s when his age showed in physical and verbal stumbles.”

Harris wrote that Biden’s inner circle “should have realized that any campaign was a bridge too far.” However, “it seemed that the worse things got, the more they pushed him.”

The tenuous situation unraveled when Biden and Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bidentrumppresidentialdebate-0e7577e9a354a69f50675494fea54ca9">faced off</a>&nbsp;with each other. “As soon as he walked onto the debate stage in Atlanta, I could see he wasn’t right,” Harris wrote.

Biden’s team appeared to be in denial. Afterward, they gave Harris talking points that said “JOE BIDEN WON.”

Harris wrote warmly of her partnership with Biden, but there were frosty moments too. As Biden faced calls to drop out of the race, he invited Harris to join him for a Fourth of July celebration at the White House.

First lady Jill Biden pulled Harris’ husband Doug Emhoff aside. “What’s going on?” she asked. “Are you supporting us?”

Later, in private, Emhoff erupted in anger. “They have to ask if we’re loyal?”

Another difficult episode came after Harris had replaced Biden at the top of the ticket and was preparing for her own debate with Trump.

Shortly before she took the stage, Biden called to say he heard from his brother that Harris had been badmouthing him, upsetting some power brokers in Philadelphia. Then he rambled about his own debate performances while Harris was “barely listening.”

“I just couldn’t understand why he would call me, right now, and make it all about himself,” she wrote.

Harris admits some mistakes of her own, particularly a damaging&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-stern-view-colbert-60-minutes-daddy-5a2af60ba0b1099e19cca151955c9855">appearance on “The View”</a>&nbsp;talk show. When one of the hosts asked what she would have done differently than Biden during the previous four years, Harris blanked on the talking points she had prepared and simply said, “There is not a thing that comes to mind.”

“I had no idea I’d just pulled the pin on a hand grenade,” Harris writes. Around the studio, “my staff were besides themselves” about how she had just given a “gift to the Trump campaign.”

Harris wrote that she didn’t want to criticize Biden or litigate any of the areas where they disagreed. But she also didn’t understand how much her association with the president was holding back her candidacy.

David Plouffe, a senior adviser, told Harris bluntly that “people hate Joe Biden.”

There’s plenty of grist in the book that could make the next Democratic convention a little more awkward.

Harris wrote that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pete-buttigieg">Pete Buttigieg</a>, Biden’s transportation secretary and a former mayor from Indiana, was her first choice to be her running mate. He’s also gay, and Harris thought it was “too big of a risk” to pick him while already asking voters to accept a Black woman as president.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro was another possibility. But Harris “had a nagging concern that he would be unable to settle for a role as number two and that it would wear on our partnership.”

She ended up going with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-picks-tim-walz-running-mate-a64a91ae84953e880c8d086316d07c54">Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz</a>, but his debate performance against JD Vance left her yelling at the television screen. “You’re not there to make friends with the guy who is attacking your running mate,” she said.

There’s only one reference to California Gov. Gavin Newsom in the book. When Harris reached out to him after Biden ended his reelection campaign, he texted, “Hiking. Will call back,” but he never did.

Harris’ brother-in-law is Tony West, a former top Justice Department official and member of her inner circle of political advisers. While Harris was serving as vice president, West put together what was known as the “Red File,” a collection of plans in case something happened to Biden.

West argued that it would be foolish not to prepare. Harris writes that she “didn’t want to dwell on such an eventuality” and “I left it in his hands.”

He kept refreshing the document as people pressured Biden to drop out, which came in handy when Biden finally pulled the plug on his reelection campaign.

Harris writes that Biden was planning to wait a day before endorsing her as his successor, an idea that horrified her.

“If you want to put me in the strongest position, you have to endorse me now,” she recalled telling him. Harris prevailed, and the endorsement happened shortly after Biden announced that he was done.

Campaigns can be hallucinatory affairs, and this one was full of bizarre moments.

Harris writes that she warmed up for her convention speech with a professional voice coach who “wanted me to stand there and emit animal noises.” A little hesitant, Harris got her entire team to make “hums, grunts and trills” with her.

Harris also writes about talking with Trump after a second assassination attempt against him. Despite tearing into her on the campaign trail, Trump proceeded to flatter his opponent.

“How do I say bad things about you now?” he said. “I’m going to tone it down. I will. You’re going to see.” Then Trump said that his daughter Ivanka “is your big fan.”

Kamala Harris reveals what Biden told her just before debate with Trump

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri judge has struck down a ballot summary for an anti-abortion amendment backed by Republican state lawmakers while concluding that it presented an unfair and insufficient description to voters.

Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green ruled Friday that the ballot summary must be rewritten, but he rejected a request by abortion-rights advocates to block the proposed constitutional amendment from going to voters.

The judge said the summary prepared by Republican lawmakers failed to inform voters that the new measure would repeal an abortion-rights amendment adopted by voters last year. He directed the secretary of state's office to write a new summary.

The ruling marks the latest in a series of twists and turns in Missouri’s abortion policies over the past three years.

When the U.S. Supreme Court ended a nationwide right to abortion by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">overturning Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;in 2022, that triggered a Missouri law to take effect banning abortions “except in cases of medical emergency.” But abortion-rights activists then gathered initiative petition signatures to put their own measure on the ballot.

Last November, Missouri voters narrowly approved a constitutional amendment guaranteeing a right to abortion until fetal viability, generally considered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-technology-science-health-birmingham-7fc806f3c06aeae94c5d6ed1b06a6461">sometime past 21 weeks of pregnancy</a>. That measure, known as Amendment 3, also allows later abortions to protect the life or health of pregnant women and creates a “fundamental right to reproductive freedom” that includes birth control, prenatal and postpartum care and “respectful birthing conditions.”

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