Hutch Post, in partnership with Steve Harmon and the Conard-Harmon Collection, is proud to present Throwback Thursday. Enjoy a weekly release from Steve Harmon as he presents the "Hutch - Then &amp; Now Collection."

STEVE HARMON Hutch Post Contributor

Today's "Throwback Thursday Collection" takes us to the northwest corner of West 5th and North Main.

The Zion Evangelical English Lutheran Church in Hutchinson was formed in 1888. They first built a church alongside Cow Creek on the southeast corner of 1st and Jefferson in 1890 for $3,253.

Because of flooding issues, they moved it to 501 N. Main in 1895, at the cost of $2,600. The first photo shows that church in 1907.

The second photo shows that same church in 1917 in the background of a World War I parade with our troops going off to war.

In 1921, the church built a new brick building in another location and the wooden church was razed.

In 1922, the Stamey Construction Company built the Hotel Stamey on this open lot. The third photo shows the footings being poured for the hotel, looking in a southeast direction.

The fourth photo shows the hotel construction nearing its completion in 1923.

The fifth photo shows it on opening day, Aug. 22, 1923, with its massive signage on the roof working.

The Hotel Stamey was a viable hotel until 1958, when it was sold and rebranded as the Landmark Hotel.

By 1960, it had been converted to apartments.

Terry Messing purchased it in 1977 and it went downhill from there. The building was abandoned in 2014 and sat as a dangerous eyesore until 2024 when Michael and Laura Meyer Dick purchased the building to renovate it.

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/ed003121-1d1e-43c1-a0cb-0b68ef97d24f">Plans are to rehab the building into 36 modern apartments and open in the summer of 2026.</a> The sixth photo shows the building at 501 N. Main today being renovated by MBC Const. The property is owned by Meyer Landmark L.L.C.

To purchase a photo print, contact:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:sharmon5@cox.net">sharmon5@cox.net</a>.

Throwback Thursday is brought to you by:

<a href="https://www.hutchchamber.com/">Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce</a> <a href="https://underkansas.org/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_KHt9Zeq_QIVwRPUAR3CTwTSEAAYASAAEgJDJPD_BwE">STRATACA Kansas Underground Salt Museum</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/anchorinnhutch">Anchor Inn</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Anchorawayhutch/">Anchor Away</a>

📷 Throwback Thursday: 501 N. Main - Vol. 163

Here’s the latest booking activity from the Reno County Jail. This information is provided by the Reno County Sheriff’s Office and is not criminal history. The Hutch Post assumes no legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, or completeness, of this information. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. ——————————————

Mycah	Sean	Boham		2/25/2026 3:56&nbsp;PM	Viol protection order; Abuse order,					Probation Violation

Westley	Hardin	Brown		2/25/2026 2:17&nbsp;PM	Viol protection order; Condition of release,					Poss of THC,					Use or Possess with Intent to use Drug Paraphernalia into Human Body

Vanessa	Joann	Wentling		2/25/2026 5:08&nbsp;PM	Probation Violation

Kennedy	Cole	ONeal		2/25/2026 5:13&nbsp;PM	Viol protection order; Condition of release

Brooke	Marie	Palmatier		2/25/2026 6:25&nbsp;PM	Viol protection order; Condition of release

Tammy	Nicole	Tidd		2/25/2026 8:01&nbsp;PM	Ignition Interlock Device; Operate MV without device during restriction,					DUI;1st; incapable of safely driving; child present,					Agg endangering a child; unknown circumstance

Cory	Dale	Garrison		2/25/2026 9:51&nbsp;PM	Disorderly Conduct; Fighting words or noisy conduct

Daily Bookings

Reno County commissioners heard details about an upcoming public forum on data center development, tabled two health department grant items for further review and rejected a job incentive request tied to a local manufacturer’s planned expansion.

Data center forum scheduled March 11

An informational session on trends in data center development is set for 11 a.m. March 11 at the Stringer Fine Arts Center on the campus of Hutchinson Community College.

The forum will immediately follow the next commission meeting and is intended to address growing public discussion around potential data center projects in Kansas. Organizers said the event will feature industry and state officials to provide information on power use, water consumption, economic impacts and regulatory safeguards.

Scheduled speakers include Jason Clint, senior director of external affairs for Evergy, who will address power supply and consumer rate protections, and Paul Hughes, director for headquarters and mega projects development with the Kansas Department of Commerce, who will discuss statewide recruitment efforts.

Local industry representatives involved in data center supply chains — including firms that manufacture racking systems and water cooling components — are also expected to participate. Developers exploring projects ranging from 15 megawatts to more than 100 megawatts have been invited as well.

Organizers said the session is designed to provide factual information and allow for public questions before potential regulatory decisions are considered.

During public comment, Darren Gehring, a former Hutchinson firefighter, urged commissioners to consider expanding a proposed three-year moratorium on data centers to include battery energy storage systems. Gehring cited fire safety concerns related to a proposed site along North Buhler Road and asked the commission to “pump the brakes” until more information is available.

Commission Chair Ron Hurst encouraged residents to attend the March 11 session, regardless of their position on the issue.

Health grant items moved to study session

Commissioners voted 4-1 to table items 7C and 7D on the agenda — two Reno County Health Department grant matters — and schedule a special study session at 4 p.m. March 2.

The study session will allow commissioners to review financial and statistical data, including operating costs and services provided under the grants. A decision on the grants must be made by the March 11 meeting to meet a March 13 submission deadline.

Superior Boiler incentive request denied

Commissioners also considered a request for job performance incentives from Superior Boiler following its November 2025 acquisition by Watts Water Technologies.

Lauren Storm of Greater Hutch said the company plans to add up to 100 jobs — 20 administrative and 80 production positions — all paying at least $21 per hour. The request sought reimbursement of $1,500 per job retained for four consecutive quarters, potentially totaling up to $150,000 over a three-year period under the county’s economic development policy.

The motion to approve a letter of intent authorizing negotiations failed on a 3-2 vote, with Commissioners Ron Vincent, Ron Parks and Randy Boegner voting no, and Hurst and Richard Winger voting yes.

County Administrator Randy Partington said the policy has previously been used by companies including Superior Boiler, Kansas Protein Foods and Wifco Steel Products. Commissioners indicated they may revisit the job incentive policy in a future study session

108th Avenue bridge to be permanently closed

In other business, commissioners voted unanimously to permanently close and remove the 108th Avenue Bridge over Peace Creek, located between Sterling Road and Peace Road on the Reno-Rice county line.

The four-span timber bridge, approximately 74 feet long, was recently rated below a three-ton limit following inspection and deemed unsafe to remain open.

Reno County Public Works Director Don Britton said replacing the bridge would cost an estimated $548,968, with 26% — about $143,610 — billed to Rice County under state cost-sharing formulas. The bridge averages about 20 vehicles per day and does not landlock any properties, Britton said.

Commissioners determined replacement was not financially justified given the low traffic volume and competing infrastructure priorities. Reno County will remove the structure and bill Rice County for its share of removal costs.

Reno County Commission rejects job incentive, closes bridge

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Three-day Outlook

MARION COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 7:30a.m. Wednesday in Marion County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Dodge Ram driven by Michael T. Walsh, 75, Lost Springs, was westbound on 340th just east of Sunflower Road approximately 3 miles west of Lost Springs.

The driver fell asleep. The pickup traveled eastbound in the westbound lane. A westbound USD 387 school bus driven by James L. Beeson, 79, Paola, with seven students on board stopped. The pickup struck the school bus head-on.

EMS transported Walsh to St. Luke Hospital. He was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.&nbsp; Beeson was not injured. One student possibly had an injury but was not transported to the hospital, according to the KHP.

Kan. man hospitalized after head-on crash with a school bus

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 A man was killed Tuesday afternoon in a two-vehicle crash at a rural McPherson County intersection, authorities said.

The McPherson County Sheriff's Office said McPherson 911 received a report at 4:35 p.m. of a collision at 12th Avenue and Moccasin Road.

Responding deputies found a utility terrain vehicle on its side in the roadway and a Suzuki SUV in a nearby ditch.

According to the sheriff’s office, the UTV was traveling north on 12th Avenue and the SUV was heading west on Moccasin Road. Investigators determined the UTV struck the SUV in the intersection and overturned. The impact caused the UTV driver to be ejected.

The male driver of the UTV was pronounced dead at the scene. His name has not been released pending notification of family.

The female driver of the SUV was transported to McPherson Center for Health for treatment. Her condition was not immediately available.

McPherson County accident claims life of one

There’s a routine to spring calving season based on numbers. Once tiny hooves start hitting the cold ground, a rhythm takes over until the last mama cow has delivered her baby. Each day is different, but they’re all based on counting.

I can still picture being sandwiched in the middle of the bench seat between my grandparents as we made the rounds through pastures to check on the progress. My grandfather kept one hand on the steering wheel with a pair of binoculars ready in the other.

We would slowly roll through the field, stopping abruptly for my grandfather to take a closer look at a cow. He’d raise the binoculars and quickly read off the number on the ear tag as my grandmother dutifully recorded the information in a spiralbound notebook.

When a calf was spotted, we’d ease close enough that my grandfather could quickly get out, lasso it and tag it all while keeping an eye on the mama cow, especially if she was a first-time mother. They could get a little angsty during the ordeal.

We checked the herd five or six times each day, starting with the morning feeding and ending well past dark if weather or other circumstances demanded. The vast majority of field checks happened without incident. All the cows were readily spotted along with the same number of calves from the previous count.

The adventures started when the numbers didn’t match up. While most mothers were more than happy to show off their calf, occasionally there’d be one who had witnessed the roundup procedure and took it on herself to keep her progeny hidden. Thankfully, cows aren’t masters at hide-and-seek.

While a mama might not show off her calf, she didn’t stray far from it so a hidden calf also meant the mother was away from the herd as well. In the main calving pasture, this usually meant the pair was hunkered down near the edge of a thin stand of trees. Spotting the mom didn’t present much of a challenge, but it was incredibly easy to mistake a fallen limb for a black baldy if its white face was tucked away.

We didn’t have to assist with many births, but it was always a tense time when pulling a calf was necessary, especially if there wasn’t time to move the cow to a temporary pen. Even more rare was finding a lonesome calf rejected by its mother. I only remember a handful of calves that were brought to the barn for bottle feeding, one of which didn’t make it.

Other times calves were lost to coyotes, weather or birth defects, and a few cows succumbed to injuries sustained while giving birth. The losses were never easy to take, but they were also strong reminders of why we counted. Every cow. Every calf. Every time.

"Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.

Insight on Agriculture: Counting cows

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&nbsp;U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann on Wednesday praised President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, calling it “one of the better speeches” he has heard from the president and pointing to tax cuts and border security as key priorities affecting Kansans.

Appearing on BW radio the morning after the address, Mann, who represents Kansas’ 1st Congressional District, said Trump effectively outlined what he described as major accomplishments during the first year of his second term and charted a vision for the year ahead.

“I thought it was an incredible speech,” Mann said. “He did a great job outlining the successes of the first year of his term and really charted a vision for our country this next year.”

Mann said a line that stood out to him was Trump’s assertion that he inherited “a nation in crisis” but had delivered what the president called a “turnaround for the ages.”

He also highlighted moments in which Trump recognized U.S. men’s hockey gold medal winners and awarded two Congressional Medals of Honor, calling those tributes “well deserved” and reflective of national pride.

Mann said he was surprised by what he viewed as limited bipartisan participation during portions of the speech. He pointed to a moment when Trump asked members of Congress to stand if they believed protecting American citizens is the government’s top priority.

“When you have half the chamber not willing to stand for that, that really surprised me,” Mann said, adding that the partisan divide could become one of the defining memories of the evening.

While acknowledging growing political divisions in Washington, Mann said there remain areas of bipartisan agreement. He cited support for preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and backing for the STOCK Act, legislation that would prohibit members of Congress from trading individual stocks. Mann said he is a co-sponsor of the measure.

“The most divisive issues are typically what the national media covers,” Mann said. “But there are bipartisan agreements on a whole host of issues.”

Turning to economic policy, Mann said recent federal tax changes are having a direct impact on Kansas families, farmers and small business owners. He referenced the "Working Families Tax Cuts" legislation passed last summer, which took effect Jan. 1.

According to Mann, without congressional action, Kansans would have faced an average federal income tax increase of about $2,200.

“Instead of increasing taxes, we were able to reduce taxes,” Mann said.

He pointed to provisions that lowered basic tax rates, eliminated taxes on overtime and tips, reduced taxes on Social Security income and lowered estate and capital gains taxes. Mann said those measures are particularly important in rural communities across western Kansas.

Mann represents the “Big First” District, which includes Hutchinson and much of the state.

The president’s address comes amid continued national debate over economic policy, border security and the role of government — issues Mann said remain top concerns for constituents in his district.

Mann praises Trump’s State of the Union, highlights tax cuts

The Reno County Commission will consider a mix of routine approvals and major business items during its meeting this morning.&nbsp;

On the consent agenda, commissioners are expected to review and approve vouchers and past meeting minutes, along with multiple Community Corrections grant applications. Other items include the purchase of a vehicle for the Solid Waste Department, approval of bridge inspection services, foundation repairs for Public Works facilities, and the county’s annual noxious weed management plan and reporting requirements.

Under business items, commissioners will discuss and possibly take action on a job incentive request from Superior Holding Inc. Details of the incentive request were not immediately available in the agenda summary.

Commissioners also will address the future of the 108th Avenue Bridge over Peace Creek. The discussion could include potential repairs, replacement or other long-term options for the structure.

In addition, the board will consider approval of two grants for the Reno County Health Department through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. The grants include funding for the Aid to Local (ATL) program and the Overdose Prevention Education Initiative (OPEI).

The commission will also receive the county’s annual Facilities Report.

The meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the Veteran's Room of the Reno County Courthouse. Commission meetings are open to the public.

Reno County Commission to consider jobs incentive, bridge future

House cuts $60M in revenue sharing, makes it easy for dissenters to stop increases

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

TOPEKA — The Kansas House voted Wednesday to alter significant provisions of a bipartisan property tax reform bill granting the public a direct voice in decisions by local government to raise property taxes more than 3% annually.

The House agreed to an amendment lowering by half the signature threshold on protest petitions used to block a city or county from exceeding the cap. The House also passed an amendment deleting a $60 million state fund to compensate local units of government that held annual growth in property taxes under the cap. The revised bill advanced on a vote of 87-22.

Rep. Adam Smith, a Weskan Republican and chair of the House Taxation Committee, said the committee’s version of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2745/" target="_blank">House Bill 2745</a>&nbsp;respected the necessity of local units of government to secure operating revenue that tracked with inflation.

He said the objective of the bill was to require cities or counties to more aggressively lower mill levies whenever property valuations surged.

“This is really the heart of the problem,” Smith said. “As assessed valuations rise, the mill levy doesn’t go down enough.”

Smith said it was important the 2026 Legislature take action to curb outlandish increases in property taxes at the local level. Exceptions to the bill’s cap would be made for economic development programs, abatements, annexations, new construction projects or changes in land use. In addition, the bill wouldn’t apply the lid to public school districts.

Rep. Kristey Williams, R-Augusta, convinced House colleagues to adopt the amendment deleting $60 million in state appropriations to reward local units of government for avoiding property tax increases higher than 3%. She expressed appreciation for the House committee’s work to pressure local government to control tax increases and spending, but argued the state “cannot afford” the $60 million appropriation. The bill would have attached a 2% annual inflation adjustment for the fund.

Williams and other House Republicans said the GOP-controlled Legislature was annually spending $500 million or $600 million more each year than was raised in state tax revenue.

“Every $60 million we approve here is $60 million not available for core state obligations, tax relief or reserve stability,” Williams said.

The House bill would have earmarked new state aid to local governments for public services, including roads and bridges, law enforcement, elections, public health and other services mandated by state law.

Rep. Stephanie Sawyer Clayton, D-Overland Park, said the state could afford to use some of its $2 billion rainy-day fund to bring about tax relief through local units of government. She also encouraged city and county officials in Johnson County to appreciate some legislators in Topeka were convinced the original draft of the bill was overly generous to local governments.

“I just want you to get a bit of a reality check here and see that we have colleagues that even think this is too much,” she said.

Rep. Troy Waymaster, a Bunker Hill Republican and chair of the House Appropriations Committee, said he didn’t appreciate the $60 million property tax relief account nor the idea of drawing down the state’s emergency fund.

“That fund was not created to backfill spending regardless if its something for social services or property taxes,” Waymaster said.

The House also accepted an amendment proposed by Rep. Shannon Francis, R-Liberal, to lower the bar for voters to advance petitions to thwart annual property tax increases greater than 3%.

Under the revised bill, 5% of the number of a taxing jurisdiction’s voters who participated in the previous election would have to sign a protest petition to block a property tax increase above the cap. The original version of the bill set that signature requirement at 10% of voters in a previous election.

Francis said the reason for the adjustment was Seward County’s decision to adopt a 41% increase in property taxes for 2026.

“My community is honestly the poster child for why we have to do something,” he said. “The people in my community felt betrayed. They felt like they had no voice.”

Rep. Tom Sawyer, D-Wichita, said the 10% threshold should be restored. He said a 5% petition requirement would make it too easy for a fraction of voters to undermine tax increases to complete projects supported by the public. The 5% threshold would make it especially challenging for smaller communities to finance priority projects with property tax revenue, he said.

Kansas House amends bill aimed at constraining local property tax increases

HAVANA (AP) — Cuba’s government said late Wednesday that the 10 passengers on a boat that opened fire on its soldiers were armed Cubans living in the U.S. who were trying to infiltrate the island and unleash terrorism.

The announcement came hours after Cuba said its soldiers killed four people and wounded six others aboard a Florida-registered speed boat that had entered Cuban waters and opened fire on the soldiers first, injuring one Cuban officer.

Cuba’s government said the majority of the 10 people on the boat “have a known history of criminal and violent activity.”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had told reporters earlier that he was made aware of the incident and that the U.S. is now gathering its own information to determine if the victims were American citizens or permanent residents.

“We have various different elements of the U.S. government that are trying to identify elements of the story that may not be provided to us now,” Rubio said while at the airport in Basseterre, St. Kitts, where he was attending a regional summit with Caribbean leaders.

The Cuban government identified two of the boat passengers as Amijail Sánchez González and Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez, who are wanted by Cuban authorities “based on their involvement in the promotion, planning, organization, financing, support or commission of actions carried out in the national territory or in other countries, in connection with acts of terrorism.”

The government said it also had arrested Duniel Hernández Santos, adding that he was “sent from the United States to guarantee the reception of the armed infiltration, who at this time has confessed to his actions.”

The Associated Press was not immediately able to independently verify that information.

Cuba’s government said it obtained the details about the passengers aboard the boat from the suspects detained following the shootout.

It identified seven of the 10 passengers, including Conrado Galindo Sariol, José Manuel Rodríguez Castelló, Cristian Ernesto Acosta Guevara and Roberto Azcorra Consuegra. Cuba's government said that one of the four killed was Michel Ortega Casanova. Three others have not yet been identified.

“The investigation process continues until the facts are fully clarified,” the ministry said in a statement.

Misael Ortega Casanova, brother of Michel Ortega Casanova, told The Associated Press late Wednesday that he was mourning his brother’s death but lamented that he fell into what he called an “obsessive and diabolical” quest for Cuba’s freedom.

“Only us Cubans who have lived over there understand,” Misael Ortega Casanova said, referring to the “great suffering” that he and other Cubans on the island have faced.

He noted that his brother, who was a truck driver and an American citizen who lived for more than 20 years in the U.S., leaves behind his wife, his mother, two sisters — one of whom lives in Cuba — and a daughter who is pregnant.

“No one knew,” Misael said of his brother’s plans. “My mother is devastated.”

He added: “They became so obsessed that they didn’t think about the consequences nor their own lives.”

Misael said that he did not recognize any of the names that the Cuban government released.

He said that while he doesn’t believe in heroes — “because that is ignorance” — he hopes that his brother’s death might be a worthwhile sacrifice: “maybe it will justify that some day Cuba will be free.”

U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cuba-venezuela-maduro-oil-economy-b9ffd24928e34dc7e3fc1fdcb22709a1">President Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;top diplomat refused to speculate on what happened, saying that it could be a “wide range of things,” and that the U.S. will not solely rely on what the Cuban authorities have provided thus far.

“Suffice it to say, it is highly unusual to see shootouts in open sea like that. It’s not something that happens every day. It’s something, frankly, that hasn’t happened with Cuba in a very long time,” Rubio said.

He said both the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Coast Guard are investigating the incident and stressed that he wants to verify the facts.

“The majority of the facts being publicly reported are those by the information provided by the Cubans. We will verify that independently as we gather more information, and we’ll be prepared to respond accordingly," Rubio said. "We’re going to have our own information on this. We’re going to figure out exactly what happened.”

He said it was not a U.S. government operation and that he wasn’t "going to speculate about whose boat it was, what they were doing, why they were there, what actually happened.”

One of the men identified by the Cuban government, Conrado Galindo Sariol, was interviewed in June 2025 by Martí Noticias, a U.S.-based news site that has long called for a change of government in Cuba.

Galindo, whom the host called “a legend” and a former political prisoner, was quoted as saying that he wants to support the struggles that Cubans face, especially in the eastern part of the island “to achieve the freedom that is needed.”

He said that the protests in Cuba at that time were “not a spark that’s going to be extinguished.”

“The regime’s leaders are crisscrossing Cuba, trying to mitigate what’s coming very soon because ... they know they’re out of power, that they can’t do anything about it, and they’re looking for ways to prevent the protests from growing in other parts of the country,” Galindo was quoted as saying.

Rubio said he found out about the shooting before the Cuban government posted on social media, noting that the U.S. has “constant contact” with the country “at the Coast Guard level.”

Earlier, Cuba’s Interior Ministry issued a statement that provided few details about the shooting, but noted that the boat was roughly 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) northeast of Cayo Falcones, off Cuba’s north coast.

The government provided the boat’s registration number, but The Associated Press was unable to readily verify details of the boat because boat registrations are not public in the state of Florida.

It wasn’t immediately known what the boat and its occupants were doing in Cuban waters. In the statement, the ministry said Cuba’s government was “safeguarding its sovereignty and ensuring stability in the region.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida said it would pursue answers “through every legal and diplomatic channel available,” adding that “facts remain unclear and conflicting.”

U.S. Vice President JD Vance said late Wednesday afternoon that Rubio had briefed him on the incident. He added that the White House was monitoring the situation.

“Hopefully it’s not as bad as we fear it could be,” Vance said.

The shooting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cuba-health-care-us-energy-embargo-crisis-33ad8447dc4b442ea9b614eb91392be5">threatens to increase tensions</a>&nbsp;between the U.S. and Cuba. Following the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Trump and top administration officials have taken an increasingly aggressive stance toward Cuba, which had been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cuba-airplanes-fuel-shortages-us-blockade-oil-18d79e2f138520dcbf28c24c1599b1a5">largely kept economically afloat</a>&nbsp;by Venezuela’s oil.

The energy crisis Cuba has been grappling with in recent years entered new extremes last month when Trump signed an executive order that would impose a tariff on any country that sells or provides oil to Cuba. The move put pressure on Mexico, which Cuba became largely dependent on for petroleum after Trump halted oil shipments from Venezuela.

Meanwhile, James Uthmeier, Florida’s attorney general, said he has ordered prosecutors to work with federal, state and law enforcement partners to start an investigation.

“The Cuban government cannot be trusted, and we will do everything in our power to hold these communists accountable,” he wrote on X.

Lee reported from Basseterre, St. Kitts and Coto from San José, Costa Rica. Associated Press reporters Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska, and Michael Biesecker, Aamer Madhani and Konstantin Toropin in Washington contributed to this report.

🎥Why did Cuba kill 4 on speedboat from U.S.?

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for an allege violent crime.

On September 16, 2025 police investigated an incident that had occurred at 12:30a.m. at a residence in the 300 block North 5th in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

 A 44 year old woman reported that she was at the residence visiting the suspect when he became angry and physically assaulted her. She later went to the hospital for examination of injuries at which time she notified police.

Just before 1p.m. Tuesday, police arrested 33-year-old Donald E. Harvey III, of Atchison in the 1000 block Main Street on a District Court warrant for aggravated battery and a Leavenworth County warrant for failure to appear in court.&nbsp;

Police: Kansas man jailed for violent attack on a woman

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President JD Vance announced Wednesday that the Trump administration would “temporarily halt” some Medicaid funding to the state of Minnesota&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-fraud-charges-fbad68312012dc02a4060852474f72ee">over fraud concerns</a>, as part of what he described as an aggressive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-minnesota-covid-nutrition-cc55a566c806a29a7f2e64c762975a09">crackdown on misuse of public funds</a>.

Vance, who made the announcement with Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said the administration was taking the action “in order to ensure that the state of Minnesota takes its obligations seriously to be good stewards of the American people’s tax money.”

Oz, who referred to people committing fraud as “self-serving scoundrels,” said the federal government would hold off on paying $259.5 million to Minnesota in funding for Medicaid, the health care safety net for low-income Americans.

“This is not a problem with the people of Minnesota, it’s a problem with the leadership of Minnesota and other states who do not take Medicaid preservation seriously,” Oz said.

Wednesday’s move is part of a larger Trump administration effort to spotlight fraud around the country. That effort comes after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-fraud-immigration-enforcement-somali-76e246b70d582f1dd42f1242cf7d7a66">allegations of fraud</a>&nbsp;involving day care centers run by Somali residents in Minneapolis prompted a massive immigration crackdown in the Midwestern city, resulting in widespread protests. President Donald Trump, in his State of the Union address on Tuesday, announced Vance would spearhead a national “war on fraud.”

Trump also recently nominated Colin McDonald to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-fraud-division-colin-mcdonald-trump-91da4a174aa88706c3b6bfbd67399689">serve as the first assistant attorney general</a>&nbsp;in charge of a Justice Department division dedicated to rooting out fraud.

Oz said the administration was simultaneously notifying Minnesota’s Democratic Gov. Tim Walz as he was making the announcement publicly.

“We will give them the money, but we’re going to hold it and only release it after they propose and act on a comprehensive corrective action plan to solve the problem,” Oz said.

He said Walz would have 60 days to respond and advised health care providers and Medicaid beneficiaries who were concerned to contact Walz’s office.

Walz, former Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2024 running mate, said in a pair of social media posts that the administration’s move had nothing to do with fraud.

“This is a campaign of retribution. Trump is weaponizing the entirety of the federal government to punish blue states like Minnesota,” Walz said. “These cuts will be devastating for veterans, families with young kids, folks with disabilities, and working people across our state.”

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said in a statement that his team has secured over 300 Medicaid fraud convictions since he took office in 2019. And he noted that he called on the Legislature earlier Wednesday to give him more staff and new legal tools to combat Medicaid fraud.

"Courts have repeatedly found that their pattern of cutting first and asking questions later is illegal, and if the federal government is unlawfully withholding money meant for the 1.2 million low-income Minnesotans on Medicaid, we will see them in court,” Ellison said.

Oz said the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services were also taking action to crack down on fraud in Medicare, the health care system relied upon by millions of older adults.

He said CMS for six months would block any new Medicare enrollments for suppliers of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics or other supplies used to treat chronic conditions or assist in injury recovery.

The Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found last year that Medicare improperly paid suppliers nearly $23 million for durable medical equipment from 2018 through 2024. But it found that most of that was before January 2020, when changes to the system were implemented.

Oz also announced a new crowdsourcing effort he said would help “crush fraud” by soliciting Americans’ tips and suggestions.

“All of us are smarter than any one of us,” he said.

In a news release accompanying the announcement, CMS said the funding being paused in Minnesota included some $244 million in unsupported or potentially fraudulent Medicaid claims and about $15 million in claims involving “individuals lacking a satisfactory immigration status.”

Immigrants who are not living in the U.S. legally, as well as some lawfully present immigrants, are not allowed to enroll in the Medicaid program that provides nearly-free coverage for health services.

CMS said in the release that if Minnesota fails to satisfy its requirements, it may defer up to $1 billion in federal funds to the state over the next year. CMS spokesperson Catherine Howden said the agency's review of potential fraud cases would include sampling claims to see if they comply with federal requirements, and potentially requesting more information about specific claims.

Akeiisa Coleman, the senior program officer for Medicaid at the Commonwealth Fund, said CMS was taking a “highly unusual step" in deferring funding. She said if the state doesn't have enough funds available, it may have to halt payments to providers, which could affect care.

The administration has threatened to cut off funding for various programs for some Democratic-run states over fraud concerns over the last few months.

One judge blocked those actions and required that payments flowing to Minnesota and four other states — California, Colorado, Illinois and New York — for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-service-funds-trump-democratic-states-536a40afc6abca52bd9a660196394333">variety of social service programs</a>. The government had said that there was “reason to believe” that those states were granting benefits to people in the country illegally. It did not initially explain where that information came from, but a government lawyer told the judge it was largely in reaction to news reports about possible fraud.

Another judge said she would not let it cut off funding for administrative costs for 22 states that have refused to hand over information about applicants and recipients of food aid through the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/judge-blocks-trump-administration-snap-recipients-data-af9113866b0138699e96ce173d53a58e">Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program</a>.

The latest action was prompted in part by a series of fraud cases, including a nonprofit called Feeding Our Future accused of stealing pandemic aid meant for school meals. Prosecutors have put the losses from that case at $300 million.

Since then, Trump has targeted the Somali diaspora in Minnesota with immigration enforcement actions and has made a series of disparaging comments about the community. During his State of the Union address on Tuesday, Trump said “pirates” have “ransacked Minnesota.”

Federal agencies have also been enlisted to assist in targeting fraud in Minnesota.

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