By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

Giant wild animals filled the sky during the Hays Prairie Winds Kit Show on Saturday and Sunday.

The event was at the Bickle-Schmidt Sports Complex, organized by the Hays Convention &amp; Visitors Bureau and the Hays Recreation Commission.

Great American Kites &amp; Events of Missouri provided the kites of all shapes and sizes, accompanied by food trucks and family activities spread throughout the sports complex.

📷 Colorful kites soars over Hays at Prairie Winds Show

Ellis County Sheriff's activity log: Aug. 31-Sept. 6, 2025

Ellis County Jail bookings: Aug. 30-Sept. 6, 2025

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

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

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

Recent obituaries and service times

By MICHELLE BERAN Cottonwood Extension District

Changes in income, increased expenses, and other financial stresses can be overwhelming.

We have several publications available that can help identify opportunities and provide insight into coping with and handling tough financial times.

One of these, “When Your Income Drops: Coping With Stress”, was just updated in August and includes some ways to understand and help in addressing financial situations. 

None of us handle finances or financial stress in the exact same way. This can create additional stress within a household when all are not on the same page. This publication is part of a series which include additional topics such as “Making Ends Meet”, “Don’t Panic; Take Control”, and “Sharpening Survival Skills”.

Another publication that can be useful for any household is “How Are You Doing? A Financial Checkup.”

 It notes that a financial checkup is just as important as a physical checkup and can help identify problems, chart progress, and outline action steps to achieve goals. It is a great tool for helping with a household discussion about priorities and financial management. It covers great information highlighting a tax checkup, credit checkup, insurance checkup, a retirement checkup, and an investment checkup.

We don’t have any workshops planned for the immediate future on financial planning or budgeting so let us know if we can provide a resource or guide to help in navigating financial stresses.

Keep learning. Keep showing grace and kindness!

Michelle Beran is a Family and Community Wellness Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District. For more information on this article or other 4-H Youth Development resources, email Michelle at mberan@ksu.edu or call Cottonwood Extension District – Barton Office at 620-793-1910.

BERAN: Get your financial checkup

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly and Kansas Department of Transportation Secretary Calvin Reed announced that 27 local and off-system bridge projects across Kansas, including several in the region, will receive a combined total of $40.5 million in state and federal funding as part of two local bridge improvement programs.

“By funding bridge projects across our state, we are directly investing in the future of our communities,” Kelly&nbsp;said.&nbsp;“Repairing and replacing aging bridges ensures people and commerce can move safely and efficiently throughout Kansas.”

Combined with matching funds from the awarded cities and counties, the total project value is over $46.5 million. By reshaping the local bridge programs, the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) more than doubled its annual funding as part of the existing Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program (IKE).

There are more than 19,000 bridges on local road systems across Kansas, and over 5,000 of those bridges need updates to meet today’s standards.

“The Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program has allowed us to enhance our commitment to local bridges,”&nbsp;Secretary Reed said. “This is about more than just infrastructure; it's about strengthening the vital connections that keep our towns and cities thriving.”

KDOT will award about $20 million through the Kansas Local Bridge Improvement Program (KLBIP) in Fiscal Year 2026. 

The funds will go to 11 bridge replacement projects, and an additional four deficient bridges will be permanently removed from local systems. 

The KLBIP, established in 2015, provides funds to local public authorities for the replacement or rehabilitation of deficient city and county-owned bridges. The program also allows cities and counties to be awarded additional funds for the removal of deficient bridges.

KDOT will award $20.5 million through the Off-System Bridge program (OSB) in Fiscal Year 2027 to fund 16 projects across the state. The OSB program was established to comply with federal requirements to use a specific portion of federal funds for bridges not on the federal-aid system. The funding is a combination of federal Surface Transportation Block Grant funds, Bridge Program Funds, and state funds.

The OSB and KLBIP programs are used for city and county bridges in need of replacement or repair that are not on the state highway system. Funds for both programs are awarded through an application process and, in most cases, require a local contribution. KDOT uses selection criteria that consider items such as bridge condition, detour length, inability to carry legal loads, and past project history.

For this cycle of the local bridge programs, KDOT received a combined total of 163 applications requesting $189.3 million.

The recipients and project locations for the KLBIP and OSB programs include the following areas.

2026 Kansas Local Bridge Improvement Program Projects

2027 Off-System Bridge Program Project Recommendations

Ellis County, area bridge projects awarded state funding

BUNKER HILL — Smoky Hills PBS is proud to present&nbsp;Growing Together, an all-new local mini-series created and produced by Smoky Hills PBS. This engaging series brings families trusted resources, practical tools, and expert advice for raising children at every stage of life.

From babies taking their first bites to young adults preparing for independence,&nbsp;Growing Together&nbsp;explores the challenges and triumphs of parenting and caregiving with real stories, local voices, and evidence-based guidance.

“Local productions like Growing Together are what make Smoky Hills PBS unique,” said Sara Oberle, producer/director of&nbsp;Growing Together&nbsp;and Smoky Hills PBS sales underwriting associate.&nbsp; “By focusing on the needs of Kansas families, we’re able to provide resources that are both practical and deeply meaningful to our communities.”

These all new episodes will air on Tuesdays at 7 p.m., exclusively on Smoky Hills PBS.&nbsp; Rebroadcasts will be available on Sundays at 3:30 p.m., ensuring multiple opportunities for viewers to tune in.&nbsp; Streaming options will also be available on the free&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.pbs.org/pbs-app/">PBS app</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/@SmokyHillsPBS">Smoky Hills PBS YouTube</a>&nbsp;channel.

For more information on broadcast times and additional coverage details, please visit our website at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.smokyhillspbs.org/">SmokyHillsPBS.org</a>&nbsp;or download the free Smoky Hills PBS mobile app for Android and iPhone users.

Growing Together is made possible by a partnership with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansashealthsystem.com/locations/great-bend-campus-hospital-great-bend-ks">The&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansashealthsystem.com/locations/great-bend-campus-hospital-great-bend-ks">University of Kansas Health System (Great Bend)</a>,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bcbsks.com/">Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas</a>,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansashealth.org/">Kansas Health Foundation Grant</a>, United Methodist Health Ministry Fund, Western Kansas Community Foundation Grant, Northwest Kansas Economic Innovation Center, Southwind Bank, Salina Pediatric Care (Salina Regional Health Center), Danny and Janis Reichenborn, Wilson State Bank, and La Pasadita Camiceria.

Smoky Hills PBS announces new production

<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

Stroup Hall at Fort Hays State University is expanding as the allied health program moves in with the nursing program.&nbsp;

On this episode of the Hays Post Podcast, news reporter Becky Kiser talks with Crista Beiker, chair of allied health department, and Jenny Manry, nursing department chair, along with president Tisa Mason about of the growth of the two departments.&nbsp;

🎙 Post Podcast: Expansion of Stroup Hall at Fort Hays State University

By STEVE GILLILAND Explore Kansas Outdoors

Here are several changes / updates to hunting and fishing regulations that will take effect September 12, 2025.

Expanded senior license options and a longer coyote season are among key changes.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) has announced several regulation updates taking effect September 12, including new discounted licenses for Kansas seniors and an extended season for night vision coyote hunting.

Kansas residents ages 65–74 will soon have access to three new multi-year license options:

· 5-Year Combination Hunting &amp; Fishing License – $90

One-year senior licenses remain available at half the standard adult rate.

“We introduced these new options after our authority to offer the deeply discounted 10-year senior licenses—commonly known as the senior lifetime license—expired,” said KDWP Secretary Christopher Kennedy. “While we’re still working to bring back the 10-year license, these five-year options give seniors more choices right now.”

Hunters using night vision equipment will now have a longer season to pursue coyotes. The updated season runs from September 1 to March 31, excluding firearm deer seasons. Due to the timing of the regulation change, the 2025–2026 season will only include:

· Trout Permit Fee Increase: Raised from $12 to $17.50 to cover rising stocking costs.

· Mussel Fees Removed: Mussel fishing and dealer fees were eliminated because commercial mussel harvesting was banned in 2022.

· Muzzleloader Ammunition Update: Hunters may now use either lead or non-lead (nontoxic) shot when hunting big game with muzzleloaders—a type of firearm loaded from the front of the barrel.

· More whitetail antlerless deer tags will be available in southeastern and central Kansas.

· Fewer whitetail antlerless deer tags will be available in northwestern Kansas due to declining deer populations.

· Extended firearm season dates were added for southeastern deer management units.

· 2025-2026 dates for Fort Riley, Fort Leavenworth, and Smoky Hill Air National Guard Range were set to support military access while respecting Department of Defense operations.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism maintains a very good and informative website, so go to <a href="https://ksoutdoors.gov/">www.ksoutdoors.gov</a> to stay informed of further changes, updates and for more valuable information to help you continue to enjoy Kansas Outdoors.

Steve can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Explore Kansas Outdoors: New wildlife regulations take effect September 12

Fort Hays State University paid tribute to those who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001.

The memorial stair climb began Saturday at 7:46 a.m. at Lewis Field Stadium, one hour before the first plane struck the North Tower in 2001. The opening consisted of the national anthem and a moment of silence.

Participants chose to run or walk the stadium steps or complete laps around the Lewis Field turf.

Dozens of first responders, including firefighters in full gear, honored 9/11 heroes by replicating the efforts of those who climbed the World Trade Center.

20-year-old Jose Amaya, a paid-on-call firefighter with the Ellis County Fire Department, said that although he was not born before 2001, he stayed motivated by imagining himself in the shoes of those who attempted the climb.

"We don't exactly see what those first responders did on 9/11, but we kind of get a feeling of what they had to suffer through to get up to the top of the World Trade Center," Amaya said.

18-year-old Kamdem Keller, a county firefighter, said he drew motivation from remembering the first responders who ran toward danger.

"When you're out here with this gear on and you're doing it, you realize these guys were making a push that not very many people could make," Keller said.

Gear typically weighs between 45 and 75 pounds.

After the climb, Amaya said he hopes the public recognizes firefighters’ dedication to serving the community.

"I'm glad I joined the fire department. They feel like a second family to me," he said.

Keller said he hopes the public will continue to support all first responders, including fire, law enforcement and EMT.

"Support your first responders, no matter what agency they are," Keller said. "These are tough jobs. You see some really challenging things, but if you're there to support them, it helps them give a deeper push in their day-to-day life."

As participants completed their laps, footage and audio from the New York attacks were displayed on the big screen at Lewis Field Stadium.

📷 Young firefighters pay tribute to 9/11 victims; FHSU Memorial Stair Climb

&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

Us 4 U, a student organization at Fort Hays State University, will host a “Prayer Service for Peace” at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16, at the Methodist Campus Center, 507 Elm St.

Led by local religious leaders, the service will include reflections, scripture readings, prayers, and silent meditation. Together, we will light candles and pray for peace, justice, and unity around the world. 

Everyone is welcome to join this time of hope and reflection.

‘Prayer Service for Peace’ to be held at Methodist Campus Center

By&nbsp; LINN ANN HUNTINGTON Special to Hays Post

The Healing Hearts Grief Support Group will have a special guest speaker at its next meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18. 

The meeting will be in the new Hays Senior Center location inside the Schmidt Community Center, 2510 Canterbury Dr. Doors will open at 6:15 p.m. Attendees are asked to use the south entrance. The meeting is free and open to the public.

Kenneth Windholz, a clinical psychotherapist, will speak on the topic “Visitation Dreams.” Windholz teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in the Psychology Department at Fort Hays State University. He has authored book chapters and articles on neuropsychology. He has served as the president of the Kansas Association of Masters in Psychology, is the current president of the NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Kansas Board of Directors, and serves as the faculty sponsor for NAMI on the FHSU campus.

Dr. Kate McGonigal, the Healing Hearts group facilitator, said Windholz’s appearance is a celebration of the “new beginning” for Healing Hearts. It did not meet while the Senior Center was relocating to its new home. The group will continue meeting at 6:30 the third Thursday night of each month in its new home, she said.

Healing Hearts is a grief support group for adults who have lost a loved one. McGonigal said, “We want anyone who is experiencing grief to join us for one meeting, or for however meetings they wish, as they navigate the road to coping with the death of someone they loved. We focus on healing and coping from close personal losses.”

McGonigal is an associate professor of sociology at Fort Hays State University, where she has taught since 2004. She teaches the Death &amp; Dying class at FHSU, with an emphasis on caregivers and caregiving.&nbsp;

More information about the Healing Hearts group is available by contacting her at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:klmcgonigal@fhsu.edu">klmcgonigal@fhsu.edu</a>.

Grief support group to have guest speaker Sept. 18

To celebrate the beautiful brand new Hays High Auditorium, all former HHS music students are invited to join in performing in an alumni choir, band, and orchestra concert on September 27. 

Previous directors Matt Rome, Johnny Matlock, Elise Peterson, and Joan Crull will join our current directors to conduct in this concert. 

Alumni sought for reunion concert to celebrate new Hays High auditorium

The Ellis County Ministerial Alliance will hold its first meeting of the fall at noon Wednesday, Sept. 10, at St. Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church, 2901 E. 13th, Hays.

Ellis County Ministerial Alliance to meet Sept 10

By LINN ANN HUNTINGTON Special to Hays Post

Kansans for Life is bringing a traveling memorial exhibit to Hays on Monday, Sept. 22, and is seeking volunteers to help with the event that day.

Father Andy Hammeke, chaplain at Comeau Catholic Campus Center in Hays, said in a news release that about 50 volunteers are needed. The exhibit, called “Aftermath,” will have 19,467 models of babies on display.

This was the number of babies aborted in Kansas in 2023, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment Vital Statistics Report, which was published in December 2024, the most recent report available. This number represents a 58 percent increase from 2022 and a 148 percent increase from 2021, according to the report.

The exhibit will be on display at the Hays Downtown Pavilion, 117 E. 10th St., from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 22.

“Sometimes when we hear how many abortions have taken place, the&nbsp;number is hard to comprehend.&nbsp; But a good image can help make the numbers strike&nbsp;closer to home,” Hammeke said.&nbsp;“These won't be bloody images or images of dead babies.&nbsp; Simply lots and lots of baby&nbsp;models.”&nbsp;The exhibit is suitable for fifth graders and older, he said.

The exhibit will also provide pro-life information, including resources for women who have had an abortion. In addition to Hays, the exhibit will be traveling to 11 other Kansas cities.

According to the website, volunteers are needed to help set up and take down the exhibit, greet visitors, and staff the information table. Volunteers may get more information and sign up at <a href="https://aftermathks.com/">aftermathks.com</a>.

Kansans for Life seeks volunteers for event coming to Hays

Fort Hays State University Communications

The Kansas Wetlands Education Center’s (KWEC) 12th annual Butterfly Festival will be held on Saturday, September 20, from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Each year, millions of monarch butterflies undertake their annual fall flight to Mexico. Nets and tags will be available during the event for those who want to capture and tag monarch butterflies.

Participants head out into the flower-filled fields and shelter belt around KWEC to capture monarchs, with tagging leaders stationed along the trail to help with the tagging process. For the past several years, monarchs tagged at the event were recovered at three Mexico roost sites.

On the way to Mexico, data collected from tagged monarchs helps support the research of Monarch Watch. Tagging helps answer questions about the origins of monarchs that reach Mexico, the timing and pace of migration, mortality during the migration, and changes in geographic distribution.

Egg. Larva. Pupa. Butterfly. That's magic!&nbsp;Steve Craig will have a butterfly magic show that makes learning this basic science fun using magic, puppets, and humor. The Butterfly Magic show is designed for family audiences - enjoy the metamorphosis at shows at 9:30, 10:30, and 11:15 a.m. Make sure to claim free tickets on your arrival at the festival.

Larned-based Kellie Honey Farm will be present with a demonstration hive on display in the exhibit hall to educate about the importance of honeybees.

Grassland Groupies, a nonprofit dedicated to inspiring the conservation of grassland ecosystems, will be at the festival. Depending on the availability of insects, they may have their Bumblebutt Petting Station, an all-male (so they won't sting), bumble bee interaction display, or a walk-in butterfly tent.

KWEC will also feature an invertebrate zoo, with giant walking stick insects, butterflies, caterpillars, chrysalises, fluorescing scorpions, a tarantula, and more.

Kids can make a butterfly tealight lantern at the craft station and a monarch butterfly rest stop to assist the butterflies migrating through your own backyard. Race through a pollinator obstacle course and earn a temporary butterfly tattoo. Use a sling shot to shoot seed bombs full of potential pollinator blooms out into our prairie and take home your own packet of seeds.

Explore the Melody Marsh, an interactive play area in the KWEC Pollinator Garden. The garden provides wildflower planting ideas to use at home and features a variety of native and adaptable plants that serve as hosts for different species of caterpillars and provide nectar sources for pollinators, including butterflies, birds, beetles, and more.

Pollinator seed packets will be available for free until they run out.

Partnering with the Kansas Wetlands Education Center and the annual Butterfly Festival, the Central Kansas Partnership's Suicide Prevention Task Force Walk and Remembrance Ceremony will occur early in the morning at 7:15 a.m. to ensure it is completed by the time the festival is set to begin.

Each individual will be able to write the loved one's name on a painted butterfly to stake in the ground during the festival for attendees to see. The task force will also have a booth during the festival, sharing information on suicide prevention.

For more information, contact KWEC at 1-877-243-9268 or visit: <a href="https://wetlandscenter.fhsu.edu/">wetlandscenter.fhsu.edu</a>.

Annual Butterfly Festival set for Sept. 20 at Kansas Wetlands Education Center 

Catch all of the live action of Hays High and TMP Marian sports this school year on <a href="https://team1sports.com/eagleradio/">HaysPost.com</a>.

To purchase your season-long or single game pass, go to <a href="https://team1sports.com/eagleradio/">HaysPost.com</a> today.

Purchase your pass for live action Hays High, TMP sports on Hays Post this season 

 City crews will be working to repair a water main break in the 500 block of West 17th Street on Wednesday, Sept. 3.

Please use caution and consider alternate routes if you're traveling through the area. We appreciate your patience as we work to get this repaired quickly.

The City of Hays Water Resources Department apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause.

Water main break repair today in 500 block of W. 17th, Hays

Girl Scout sign-up event set for Thursday in Hays

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal appeals court has upheld a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-carroll-defamation-trial-e4ea8b93cdeb29857864ffd8d14be888">civil jury's finding</a>&nbsp;that President Donald Trump must pay $83.3 million to E. Jean Carroll for his repeated social media attacks against the longtime advice columnist after she accused him of sexual assault.

In a ruling issued Monday, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Trump's appeal of the defamation award, finding that the “jury's damages awards are fair and reasonable.”

Trump had argued that he should not have to pay the sum as a result of a Supreme Court decision expanding presidential immunity. His lawyers had asked for a new trial.

A civil jury in Manhattan issued the $88.3 million award last year following a trial that centered on Trump’s repeated social media attacks against Carroll over her claims that he sexually assaulted her in a Manhattan department store in 1996.

That award followed a separate trial, in which Trump was found&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rape-carroll-trial-fe68259a4b98bb3947d42af9ec83d7db">liable for sexually abusing Carroll</a>&nbsp;and ordered to pay $5 million. That award was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-carroll-lawsuit-defamation-trial-78e4196024539653a6de492312770ff2">upheld</a>&nbsp;by an appeals court last December.

In a memoir, and again at a 2023 trial, Carroll described how a chance encounter with Trump at Bergdorf Goodman’s Fifth Avenue in 1996 started with the two flirting as they shopped, then ended with a violent struggle inside a dressing room.

Carroll said Trump slammed her against a dressing room wall, pulled down her tights and forced himself on her.

A jury found Trump liable for sexual assault, but concluded he hadn’t committed rape, as defined under New York law.

Trump repeatedly denied that the encounter took place and accused Carroll of making it up to help sell her book.

He also said that Carroll was “not my type.”

The 2023 jury awarded Carroll $5 million to compensate her for both the alleged attack and statements Trump made denying that it had happened.

After that first verdict, the court held a second trial with a new jury for the purpose of deciding damages for additional statements Trump made attacking Carroll’s character and truthfulness.

Trump had skipped the first civil trial but he attended the second, which took place as he was running for president in 2024. Speaking to reporters throughout the trial, Trump portrayed the lawsuit as part of a broader effort to smear him and prevent him from regaining the White House.

His lawyers complained that the judge, in setting rules for the second, damages trial, had barred Trump and his defense team from claiming in front of the jury that he was innocent of the attack. The judge ruled that that issue had been settled by the first jury and didn’t need to be revisited.

Court upholds $83.3 million defamation judgment against President Trump

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused in connection with an Amber Alert in September of 2024 is due in court for Monday.

 Trevawn Strong, 30 of Wichita will attend an arraignment hearing in Judge William Wooley's court room, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Strong has been charged with abuse of a child, two counts of aggravated battery, two counts of aggravated assault, three counts of aggravated endangering a child, three counts of criminal threat, and misdemeanor counts of domestic battery, criminal restraint, and criminal damage to property, according to the District Attorney's office.

Just before 5 p.m. September 11,&nbsp; 2024, Strong forcibly took his 5-year-old son Trevawn Strong Jr from his mother utilizing a knife and firearm during a domestic incident at their residence in Wichita, according to police.

&nbsp;Strong&nbsp; threatened to kill his son, stabbed the boy's mother, and took the child.&nbsp; The Kansas Bureau of Investigation reported the boy was in imminent danger. The suspect left in a vehicle, but that vehicle was recovered in the 1900 block of N. Woodlawn in Wichita.&nbsp;

Just before 9p.m. police located the child and took the father into custody.

Strong remains free on a $250,000 bond with conditions including electronic monitoring with pre-trial services, according to the district attorney's office.

Suspect in violent Kansas Amber Alert will return to court

Several states say pharmacists must continue providing shots.

By:<a href="https://stateline.org/author/schatlani/">Shalina Chatlani</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>

Several states, including Colorado, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York and Pennsylvania, announced last week that they would be breaking with restrictive eligibility policies unveiled last week by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on the newly approved COVID-19 vaccines for the fall season.

In New York, Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an executive order Friday morning to authorize pharmacists to provide the shot to anyone who desires it for the next 30 days, which can be renewed.

“When they said that they are not going to be requiring COVID shots and other vaccinations for our families, I said, ‘No, here in New York we will make parents have the option.’ If you want your child to have a COVID shot, it should be available to you and it should be covered by insurance,” Hochul&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNiPowR3Kso" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;during a news conference Friday morning, where she signed the order.

“So what I’m doing now is signing an executive order, because extreme times call for extreme measures. And this is the power I have to use in the interim until we are able to have the legislature get back in January and pass legislation that mandates this.”

Previous FDA policy recommended that COVID-19 vaccine booster shots be made available to anyone 6 months or older regardless of their health status. But in August, the federal agency announced restrictions for the new shot.

The FDA limited access to the vaccines to people who are 65 and older and to younger people with at least one underlying health condition, such as asthma or obesity, that would put them at risk of developing a severe illness without a booster shot. Children are eligible only if a medical provider is consulted. Additionally, the Pfizer vaccine, one of the three that were approved, will no longer be available for any child under 5.

“The American people demanded science, safety, and common sense. This framework delivers all three,” U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wrote on social media platform&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/SecKennedy/status/1960742897201872969" target="_blank">X</a>&nbsp;on Aug. 27.

Other states are also taking measures to ensure more people can get access to the vaccines.

On Thursday, Massachusetts Democratic Gov. Maura Healey&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mass.gov/doc/coverage-for-vaccines-bulletin/download" target="_blank">ordered</a>&nbsp;health insurers in the state to continue covering the vaccine. The state also issued an order to allow pharmacies to continue providing shots to residents above the age of 5.

Massachusetts is “leading efforts to create a public health collaboration with states in New England and across the Northeast committed to safeguarding public health as the federal government backs away from its responsibilities,” the governor’s office said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mass.gov/news/governor-healey-announces-immediate-steps-to-ensure-vaccine-availability-in-massachusetts-amid-trump-rfk-rollbacks" target="_blank">release</a>.

This week, the State Board of Pharmacy in Pennsylvania held a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pa.gov/governor/newsroom/2025-press-releases/state-board-of-pharmacy-votes-to-protect-vaccine-access-across-p" target="_blank">special meeting</a>&nbsp;to vote to bypass federal vaccine recommendations and allow pharmacists to continue administering COVID-19 vaccines.

“Health care decisions should be up to individuals — not the federal government and certainly not RFK Jr. My Administration will continue to protect health care access for all Pennsylvanians,” Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pa.gov/governor/newsroom/2025-press-releases/state-board-of-pharmacy-votes-to-protect-vaccine-access-across-p" target="_blank">said</a>.

<a href="https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/colorado-access-covid-19-vaccines/" target="_blank">Colorado</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://sourcenm.com/briefs/nm-board-of-pharmacy-expected-to-release-new-protocol-for-covid-19-vaccines-this-week/" target="_blank">New Mexico</a>&nbsp;took similar steps this week, with state officials signing public health orders asking state agencies to take steps necessary to require insurers to cover the vaccines and instructing pharmacists to provide the shots without a doctor’s note.

Stateline reporter Shalina Chatlani can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:schatlani@stateline.org">schatlani@stateline.org</a>.

States break with FDA restrictions on COVID vaccines, ensuring broader access

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Wichita and asking hte public for help to locate suspects.

Just before 4p.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting in the 700 North Piatt in Wichita, according to Police Department spokesman Andrew Ford. First responders found a 50-year-old man with a gunshot wound to his upper body.&nbsp;

Witnesses were giving the victim CPR and then emergency crews transported him to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

Police are looking for three persons of interest in the case. They are described as a light-skinned man, approximately 5-foot-9 with curly hair, a dark-skinned man, approximately 5-foot-9 with a thin build and a woman believed to be in her 40s, approximately 5-foot-2 with red and black hair that may have be a wig.

Anyone with information is asked to call Wichita Police.&nbsp; The name of the victim has not been released.

Police ask for help to locate 3 suspects in Kansas man's murder

FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) — A man charged with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shooting-gunshots-florida-f62f8378d3a8ce7b2e99d6a8fb40aba9">trying to assassinate</a>&nbsp;Donald Trump while he played golf last year in South Florida wanted to ask potential jurors Monday on the first day of jury selection about their views on the war in Gaza and the talk of the U.S. acquiring Greenland, but a judge said those questions were irrelevant.

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon earlier had signed off on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-routh-assassination-attempt-ukraine-suspicions-florida-530098c668f283d8a38eb5dd5570f1b2">Ryan Routh’s</a>&nbsp;request to represent himself but said court-appointed attorneys needed to remain as standby counsel. Routh also wanted to ask jurors what they would do if they were driving and saw a turtle in the road.

The judge on Monday approved most of the other questions for jurors submitted by prosecutors.

Routh wore a gray sports coat, red tie with white stripes and khaki slacks, in accordance with Cannon's instructions that he be dressed in professional business attire, and he was partially shackled at the defense table. Three batches of 60 jurors arrived at the federal courtroom in Fort Pierce, Florida, on a staggered schedule Monday and spent the morning filling out questionnaires.

The court has blocked off four weeks for Routh's trial, but attorneys are expecting they’ll need less time.

Jury selection was expected to take three days in an effort to find 12 jurors and four alternates. Opening statements were scheduled to begin Thursday, and prosecutors will begin their case immediately after that.

At a hearing last week, Cannon explained to Routh that he would be allowed to use a podium while speaking to the jury or questioning witnesses, but he would not have free rein of the courtroom.

Cannon is a Trump-appointed judge who drew scrutiny for her handling of a criminal case accusing Trump of illegally storing classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach. The case became mired in delays as motions piled up over months, and was ultimately dismissed by Cannon last year after she concluded that the special counsel tapped by the Justice Department to investigate Trump was illegally appointed.

Routh's trial begins nearly a year after prosecutors say a U.S. Secret Service agent thwarted Routh's attempt to shoot the Republican presidential nominee. Routh, 59, has pleaded not guilty to charges of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fbi-assassination-attempt-indictment-b4c956e1a126e4acfb3c4eae0c06ddb1">attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate</a>, assaulting a federal officer and several firearm violations.

Just nine weeks earlier, Trump had survived&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-butler-assassination-attempt-anniversary-crooks-d18804b0e1382003bbb91449638c721c">another attempt</a>&nbsp;on his life while campaigning in Pennsylvania. That gunman had fired eight shots, with one bullet grazing Trump's ear, before being shot by a Secret Service counter sniper.

Prosecutors have said Routh methodically plotted to kill Trump for weeks before aiming a rifle through the shrubbery as Trump played golf on Sept. 15, 2024, at his West Palm Beach country club. A Secret Service agent spotted Routh before Trump came into view. Officials said Routh aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire, causing Routh to drop his weapon and flee without firing a shot.

Law enforcement obtained help from a witness who prosecutors said informed officers that he saw a person fleeing. The witness was then flown in a police helicopter to a nearby interstate where Routh was arrested, and the witnesses confirmed it was the person he had seen, prosecutors have said.

The judge last week unsealed the prosecutor's 33-page list of exhibits that could be introduced as evidence at the trial. It says prosecutors have photos of Routh holding the same model of semi-automatic rifle found at Trump's club.

Routh was a North Carolina construction worker who in recent years had moved to Hawaii. A self-styled mercenary leader, Routh spoke out to anyone who would listen about his dangerous, sometimes violent plans to insert himself into conflicts around the world, witnesses have told The Associated Press.

In the early days of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ukraine">war in Ukraine</a>, Routh tried to recruit soldiers from Afghanistan, Moldova and Taiwan to fight the Russians. In his native Greensboro, North Carolina, he was arrested in 2002 for eluding a traffic stop and barricading himself from officers with a fully automatic machine gun and a “weapon of mass destruction,” which turned out to be an explosive with a 10-inch fuse.

In 2010, police searched a warehouse Routh owned and found more than 100 stolen items, from power tools and building supplies to kayaks and spa tubs. In both felony cases, judges gave Routh either probation or a suspended sentence.

In addition to the federal charges, Routh also has pleaded not guilty to state charges of terrorism and attempted murder.

FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) — A federal trial is scheduled to begin Monday for a man charged with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shooting-gunshots-florida-f62f8378d3a8ce7b2e99d6a8fb40aba9">trying to assassinate</a>&nbsp;Donald Trump as he played golf in Florida in September 2024.

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