The Reno County Commission will meet at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, with a pair of agenda items tied to a proposed golf course development east of Hutchinson included on the consent agenda. 

Commissioners are scheduled to consider Resolution 2026-03 and Planning Case #2025-11, a request submitted by 2641 Wanamaker, LLC, represented by Andrew Goering, P.E., of Engineering Consultants, P.A. The request seeks to rezone approximately 180 acres of land from R-2 Suburban Residential District to AG Agricultural District. According to agenda materials, the rezoning is intended to eliminate the possibility of developing a high-density residential subdivision on the property. 

The land is located at the northeast corner of North Buhler Road and East 4th Avenue. 

A second item on the consent agenda related to the development project is Resolution 2026-04 and Planning Case #2025-12, which involves a conditional use permit request from the same applicant to develop a golf course resort. The proposal covers two parcels currently zoned AG Agricultural District, also located at the northeast corner of North Buhler Road and East 4th Avenue.

The Reno County Planning Commission approved the items during their meeting on Jan. 15.&nbsp;

Also on the consent agenda is a request from public works director don brittan to declare two freightliners as suplus, and an item removed and tabled from the Jan 28. Meeting for a tax abatement for a property at 4003 east 23rd street.   

All of items on the consent agenda are typically approved in a single vote unless a commissioner requests discussion or removal of an item for separate consideration. 

The board of county commissioners will also receive the annual report from the Reno County department of Emergency Management. County Administrator Randy Partington will also go over monthly department reports.&nbsp;

The Board of County Commissioners meetings are held the second, fourth and fifth Wednesdays of each month.&nbsp;

Commission looks to approve items for Salt Lick Golf Resort

UPDATE:&nbsp;The SHARE Haiti Benefit Dinner and Auction held this past weekend raised $209,000 in support of the organization’s mission in Haiti.

 The featured auction item — a 30-by-40-foot building — generated $51,000 on its own. 

Abner Schmucker and the team of volunteers expressed their sincere thanks to everyone who attended and supported the SHARE Haiti mission.

ORIGINAL STORY:&nbsp;A long-running local fundraiser supporting education and humanitarian work in Haiti returns this weekend, with two days of meals, music and a large benefit auction planned at the Pleasant View Activity Center.

The Share Haiti Benefit Auction and Dinner begins Friday evening and continues through Saturday, raising funds for a mission school and community outreach in southern Haiti, several hours away from Port-au-Prince. Organizers Abner Schmucker and Dale Lehman say the mission has seen growing need in recent years as families flee violence and unrest in the capital region.

Share Haiti operates a school in the community of Cote Fer, providing education for children from age three through seventh grade, with plans to add an eighth-grade class next year. The school currently serves about 470 students and employs roughly 70 staff members, including teachers and classroom helpers.

Organizers say education is central to the mission’s work.

“Education gives these children a much better opportunity in life,” Schmucker said. “This school has become one of the premier schools in the area because of its values, quality instruction, and care for students.”

In addition to academics, the mission provides daily hot meals for students—often the only hot meal they receive each day—and offers assistance to families in the surrounding community who come to the mission with urgent needs.

The fundraiser begins Friday at 4:30 p.m. with an authentic Haitian dinner featuring chicken, rice and beans. A singing group from the Moundridge area will perform later in the evening. The meal is donation-based, with dine-in and carry-out options available.

Events continue Saturday morning starting at 7 a.m. with a waffle and sausage breakfast, served until 10 a.m. The benefit auction begins at 9 a.m., overlapping with breakfast service, and continues through the morning. Lunch will also be available, allowing attendees to spend the day at the event.

The auction features a wide range of donated items, including fishing trips, gift certificates, farm and lawn-care services, tools, handmade pottery, hay, baked goods and agricultural equipment.

One of the top items is a site-built building, constructed with donated materials and labor from local businesses and churches. The structure will be a high-quality, stick-built building, with concrete included. The winning bidder is responsible for site preparation, utilities and excavation.

Cedar Crest Amish Mennonite Church and Prairie Chapel Mennonite Church coordinate much of the fundraising and logistics, with additional support from other area churches.

Organizers emphasize that all proceeds directly support the mission’s educational and humanitarian efforts in Haiti.

“The need continues to grow, but so does the impact,” Lehman said. “This is a chance for the community to come together and make a real difference.”

The Share Haiti Benefit Auction and Dinner is open to the public and will be held at the Pleasant View Activity Center, located south of Stutzman’s on Dean Road.

UPDATE: SHARE Haiti Benefit Dinner and Auction raises $209K

Family Community Theatre is bringing the high-energy musical Newsies to the Flag Theatre for two weekends of performances beginning Thursday.

Directed by Craig Williams, the production tells the story of the real-life 1899 New York City newsboys’ strike, when young newspaper sellers organized against publishing giants Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst over rising paper prices that cut into their already slim earnings.

“This is the first time Newsies has been produced by our organization, and we believe it’s the first time it’s been staged in this part of the state,” Williams said during an interview on the BW Morning Show. “It’s a powerful story about young people finding their voice.”

Williams, who also serves as president of Family Community Theatre, said the show’s demanding choreography and music drew strong interest from local performers. More than 60 people auditioned, with a final cast of 40 selected from eight different communities.

At the center of the story is Jack Kelly, the charismatic newsboy who becomes the leader of the strike. The role is played by Leland Britton, a senior at Sterling High School. Catherine, the show’s female lead, is portrayed by a Wichita college student, while Pulitzer is played by Lee Keil, who shares the stage with his daughter Savannah, a member of the Newsies ensemble.

Producing a large-scale musical like Newsies presents unique challenges in the Flag Theatre’s more intimate space. Williams said creative staging solutions, including the use of scaffolding and multiple levels, helped maximize the 28-foot-wide stage and limited backstage areas.

“Adding music and choreography changes everything,” Williams said. “You need more rehearsal time, more staff, and the right choreographer and music director to make it all work.”

Rehearsals began in early December, with cast members logging nearly 40 rehearsals leading up to opening night. Williams said the process teaches young performers commitment, discipline, and collaboration.

Performances run February 12–15 and February 19–22. Evening shows are at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, with 3 p.m. matinees on Sundays.

Tickets are available in advance at Absolute Home, Busy Bee Laundry, or online through the Family Community Theatre website.

Williams said audiences can expect an energetic, uplifting production that blends athletic dance numbers with a message about standing up for fairness and community.

“It’s a show that’s fun to watch,” he said, “but it also reminds us what can happen when people work together for something they believe in.”

Family Community Theatre to present "Newsies"

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. ——————————————

Mathew	Ray	Castor		2/8/2026 4:07&nbsp;PM	Failure to Appear

Thaddeus	Xavier Nathanie	Krill		2/8/2026 5:30&nbsp;PM	Interference with Law Enforcement; Obstruct, Resist, Oppose; Felony Case, Execution of a Felony Warrant

Clara	Elizabeth Ann	Crumble		2/8/2026 10:09&nbsp;PM	DUI; Misdemeanor

Daily Bookings

Residents are invited to tour a new fire station in Nickerson later this month as Reno County Fire District 1 hosts an open house at Station 31.

The open house is scheduled for Friday, February 28, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the new station located at 206 South Burr Street in Nickerson.

Fire district officials say the event is an opportunity for community members to see the new facility, meet local firefighters, and learn more about fire and emergency services in the area. Visitors will be given guided tours of the station and its equipment.

Food will also be available during the event, with potato soup, garlic bread, and dessert served to those who attend.

Parking for the open house will be available behind the station, with access from the north off Avenue G. Attendees may also park in front of the former fire station.

The event is open to the public, and residents of Nickerson and surrounding communities are encouraged to attend.

Reno County Fire District 1 to host open house at new Nickerson Station

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/pages/weather">Click here for the KSStorm.info 7-day forecast.&nbsp;</a>

Three-day Outlook

RENO COUNTY, Kan. — The Reno County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal two-vehicle crash that occurred Saturday morning on K-14 Highway north of U.S. 50.

Deputies were dispatched at approximately 10:03 a.m. to a location about a half mile north of U.S. 50 on K-14 Highway, near the bridge over Blanchard Avenue. Investigators say a southbound Chevy Malibu crossed the center line for an unknown reason and was struck head-on by a northbound Jeep Liberty.

The driver of the Jeep Liberty, identified as 59-year-old Adam Arevalo of Hutchinson, was transported by Eagle Med to a Wichita hospital. Due to the severity of his injuries, the flight was redirected to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, where Arevalo later died.

The driver of the Chevy Malibu, 27-year-old Cecil Chandler IV of Hutchinson, was pronounced deceased at the scene by EMS. A passenger in the Malibu, 19-year-old Shyann Cullison of Hutchinson, was taken to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center and later transferred to a Wichita hospital, where she remains in serious condition.

The cause of the crash remains under active investigation. Officials said factors such as speed, impairment, weather, or other contributing conditions have not yet been determined and will be evaluated as the investigation continues.&nbsp;

The Reno County Sheriff’s Office expressed appreciation to assisting agencies, including the South Hutchinson Police Department, Buhler Police Department, Hutchinson Police Department, Hutchinson Fire Department, Reno County EMS, Eagle Med, and Reno County 911 Emergency Communications, which handled a high volume of calls and radio traffic during the incident.

No additional information is being released at this time to preserve the integrity of the investigation and out of respect for the families involved.

Anyone with information related to the crash is asked to contact the Reno County Sheriff’s Office or Crime Stoppers at 620-694-2666 or 1-800-222-TIPS.

Sheriff's office releases IDs of victims in Saturday's fatal accident

Kansas Democrats last won a U.S. Senate seat in 1932. That’s the longest active losing streak in the nation.

There’s only been one close race. In 1974, Bob Dole edged Bill Roy by 1.7 points. Democrats haven’t come close since.

Which raises the question: What would it take for Democrats to finally break the streak?

First, the broader political environment must break decisively in their favor. Second, they must field a top-tier candidate.

Since 1934, the president’s party has lost an average of four Senate seats in midterm elections. High presidential approval can blunt those losses and in rare cases, like 2002 in the aftermath of 9/11, even produce gains. Low approval can increase them, like in 2006, when George W. Bush’s approval fell to the low 30s and Republicans lost six Senate seats.

Trump’s approval rating has slipped steadily since taking office and is especially low among Independents whose support will be crucial in November.

Midterm elections also have much lower voter turnout than presidential years. The smaller electorate tilts heavily toward the out-party, which is more motivated to regain power.

In addition, shifting party coalitions benefit Democrats. Democrat voters today are more affluent and educated than in the past, characteristics strongly associated with political participation, especially in off-year election cycles.

Thus, intense Democrat motivation to stop Trump, stronger turnout propensity, and Trump’s low approval ratings together create a rare opening for Kansas Democrats.

Yet, so far, the Senate contest has failed to attract topnotch candidates.

Laura Kelley ruled it out. Barbara Bollier, who turned in the most competitive performance by a Democrat in a quarter-century, losing by 11 points against Roger Marshall in 2020, appears content working behind the scenes.

That brings us to U.S. Representative Sharice Davids.

Citing Republican plans to gerrymander her congressional district, Davids signaled a potential Senate bid, though nothing official. While gerrymandering efforts seem to have lost momentum, they’ve worked to Davids’s advantage, amplifying her visibility and providing an unambiguous vehicle for attacking Republican overreach and extremism, themes that historically play well for Kansas Democrats. For 2025, Davids raised 2.3 million, nearly forty percent coming from small donations under $200. During the same time period, incumbent Senator Marshall raised 2.5 million, with high dollar contributions over $2,000 making up the largest share.

Davids has also established herself as a formidable campaigner. She not only unseated four-term incumbent Kevin Yoder by a commanding nine-point margin in 2018 but has since turned the third congressional district into a reliably blue seat. In advanced forecasting models, Davids stands out, repeatedly outperforming expectations derived from political fundamentals. By contrast, Marshall underperforms, falling well short of what an average Republican candidate would achieve given the environmental conditions.

Davids, in other words, could be the Democrat who ends the streak.

She would undoubtedly attract national attention, having already broken down barriers, becoming a historic first in several categories.

Now, the chance to dismantle another long-standing barrier lies ahead. If you value political competition, you’re hoping Davids takes that chance.

Dr. Mark Russell Joslyn is a professor in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Political Science at the University of Kansas.

Insight Kansas: No better time than now

Circles Reno County is proud to recognize&nbsp;Erica LaForce&nbsp;as a recent program graduate whose journey reflects perseverance, growth, and community impact.

During her time in Circles, LaForce achieved several meaningful milestones, including purchasing a home with her significant other and increasing her wages to more than 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. She also strengthened her social connections and community involvement, building a foundation for long-term stability.

LaForce is an active member of the local Master Gardeners program and is known for her selfless spirit, compassion, and ability to lead with kindness and without judgment. She is also a devoted mother to her two daughters, Lila and Violet, who are a beloved part of the Circles community.

Circles Reno County celebrates graduate

Katrina	Mare	Hopkins		2/7/2026 8:31&nbsp;PM	Failure to Appear

Brian	Alan	Brown		2/7/2026 8:31&nbsp;PM	DUI; 1st conv; blood or breath .08 or higher

The Hutchinson Public Schools Board of Education will tackle accreditation updates, curriculum changes, and several major spending items when it meets for its regular meeting on Monday, Feb. 9.&nbsp;

One of the key presentations on the agenda is a presentation on Kansas Education Systems&nbsp;Accreditation (KESA). Dr. Krystal Young and Director of Curriculum Lisa Yantes are scheduled to present information related to the district’s Kansas Education Systems Accreditation, which evaluates school improvement efforts, student outcomes, and continuous improvement goals across the district. The KESA process operates on a five-year cycle, during which districts are evaluated based on specific criteria that include the develop implementation of school improvement plans.&nbsp;

The Board of Education will vote on the purchase of 1100 Google Chromebooks. &nbsp;These new devices will replace 5-year-old or older Chromebooks currently used by students.&nbsp;Each Chromebook will come with a Google Chrome academic license. &nbsp;The total for the winning bid&nbsp;submitted&nbsp;by Network Management Group totals&nbsp;$417,175.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Also,&nbsp;up for board approval is the replacement purchase of 145 replacement Clear Touch panels to update classroom display technology. &nbsp;The winning bid was&nbsp;submitted&nbsp;by Kansas City Audio Visual for a total of $321,311. Each Clear Touch panel comes with a five-year warranty.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;agenda also includes approval of a beverage contract&nbsp;with Pepsi-Cola Beverages&nbsp;

One of the largest action items on the agenda is the proposed adoption of a new math curriculum. Lisa Yantes will present the recommendation, which carries a total cost of $1,208,016.39. The adoption includes instructional materials from McGraw Hill and associated math programs designed to support student learning at all grade levels. If approved, the new curriculum would&nbsp;represent&nbsp;a significant instructional investment by the district.&nbsp;

The board will also consider routine financial matters, including approval of the December 2025 treasurer’s report and January 2026 accounts payable.&nbsp;

Additional&nbsp;consent items include approval of furniture and equipment&nbsp;purchases&nbsp;for the Lil’ Hawks Childcare Center, totaling $138,383.62, as well as acceptance of gifts donated to district schools.&nbsp;

The board of education will conclude the meeting by entering executive session to discuss personnel matters under the non-elected personnel exception of the Kansas Open Meetings Act. 

Following the closed session, the board will reconvene in open session to consider approval of the personnel report before adjourning.&nbsp;

Board of Education to consider Chromebook purchase, math curriculum

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>

Bipartisan legislation reflects idea devices distract students, harm mental health

TOPEKA — Central Christian Academy and Atchison County Community Schools serve distinct K-12 populations, but superintendents of both oppose a proposed mandate by the Kansas Legislature to force private and public schools to ban personal cellphones and other electronic devices during school hours.

A House Education Committee hearing Friday generated criticism that such a state law would undermine local control of education. Supporters of reform said personal devices could be a classroom impediment to academic success and contributed to mental health challenges of students.

David Landis, superintendent of the 660-student private Christian school in Wichita, said the school’s leadership adopted several years ago nearly all the cellphone restrictions proposed in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2421/" target="_blank">House Bill 2421</a>. He objected to the Legislature mandating those policies from Topeka.

“We stand opposed to the state making financial and reporting policy decisions on behalf of any private school,” he said. “We ask that HB 2421 be rewritten to exclude all nonpublic schools.”

Andrew Gaddis, superintendent of the Atchison County district and its 500 students, said the bill was a departure from the state’s commitment to the principle of local control in public education. He said elected school boards collaborating with administrators, teachers and families were best suited to adopt policy respectful of local values and culture.

While many public school districts in Kansas previously enacted cellphone restrictions, Gaddis said, a one-size-fits-all law wouldn’t reflect diversity of thought on the in-school use of devices.

“Preserving local control allows districts to adjust practices as student needs change, technology evolves and community input is considered,” Gaddis said.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly endorsed the concept of an in-school ban on cellphones. Twenty-eight Republicans and Democrats in the Kansas Senate sponsored a bill creating a statewide ban. In the House, nine Republicans or Democrats did the same.

Under House and Senate versions of the bill, students attending accredited nonpublic and public elementary or secondary schools would be prohibited from using cellphones, smartwatches and earbuds during instructional time. The prohibition would include lunch breaks and gaps between classes.

The bills would require personal electronic communication devices owned by students and brought to school to be securely stored. The legislation wouldn’t allow storage in backpacks or lockers, but neither bill would provide state funding for schools to buy containers to sequester electronic devices. A legislative document outlining the bills say it could cost nearly $13.4 million for public schools to purchase $30 fabric pouches with locks for 446,000 students.

Exceptions to the ban would be made for students with personal medical issues. Exemptions would extend to students with an individualized education plan, or IEP, and those with a 504 plan outlining school accommodations designed to guarantee equal access to education. Students would be able to contact a parent or guardian with a school-owned telephone or device.

The legislation would forbid school district employees from communicating with students privately or directly through social media apps for official academic purposes.

The bills would direct local public school boards of education or governing bodies of accredited private schools to comply by Sept. 1, 2026. School administrators must report to the Kansas State Board of Education the average amount of time students in first through fourth grades spent on electronic devices with a screen during a typical school day.

A companion bill banning in-school use of personal communication devices was introduced as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb302/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 302</a>. The Senate Education Committee conducted a hearing on the bill in January.

Adrienne Olejnik, vice president of Kansas Action for Children, said schools implementing bell-to-bell cellphone restrictions contemplated in the legislation were beginning to see signs that children experienced better relationships, mental well-being and educational achievement.

“Digital devices interfere with so many critical aspects of children’s development and schools should thoughtfully consider how technology is integrated into a student’s day,” she said.

Olejnik said use of individual digital devices wasn’t intrinsically dangerous for children, but it was important schools step in to help young people find a healthy balance.

Kim Whitman, a Kansas leader of Smartphone Free Childhood US, said cellphones and social media platforms were designed to be addictive. A study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association said students spent an average of 70 minutes per school day on their phones. That added up to loss of the equivalent of 30 instructional days per year, she said.

“When devices are stored away, students focus better and teachers can teach instead of policing phones,” Whitman said.

She said change was necessary because an estimated 11% of Kansas public school students were enrolled in districts enforcing phone-free policies covering the entire school day.

Wichita school board member Ngoc Vuong, a doctoral student at Wichita State University, endorsed the legislation. Vuong urged Kansas lawmakers to respond to unhealthy relationships many children and adolescents had with smartphones and social media.

“While I recognize and respect the local control argument, as a researcher and local school board member, I have come to the conclusion that, given the universality of problematic smartphone and social media use and its disproportionate impact on K-12 students, state-level action is necessary to mitigate its harms and promote more constructive, focused and engaging learning environments,” Vuong said.

Bills banning most cellphone use by Kansas students during school draws critics, champions

JACKSON COUNTY —Two people died in an accident just before 12:15 a.m. Monday in Jackson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix driven by Nadine A&nbsp;Aylesworth, 62, Whiting, was&nbsp;southbound in the northbound lanes of U.S.75 just south of 302 Road.&nbsp; The car struck a northbound 2010 Ford Fusion driven by Heather S K Browning, 18, Goff, head-on.

Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; Both were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Two Kansas women killed in wrong-way, head-on crash

RILEY COUNTY —A member of the Kansas State University men's basketball staff under investigation for alleged violent crimes.

Just before 1:30a.m. Monday, 29-year-old Mark Vital was booked into the Riley County Jail on requested charges of&nbsp;&nbsp;domestic battery; knowing rude physical contact with family member or dating relationship, according to the Riley County Police Department arrest report. Just after 3a.m. Vital met the requirement of a $2,000 bond and is no longer in custody.

He is in his first season as a graduate student manager at K-State, according to his online bio. Vital was a three-time All-Big 12 selection and a member of Baylor’s 2021 National Championship team where K-State head coach Jerome Tang was an assistant.  Vital is working towards a master’s in counseling and student development at K-State.

Police arrest K-State basketball grad student manager

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City, Missouri.

Just after 5:30p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 8200 block of Troost, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

As officers arrived they were directed to a convenience store in the area. It was there they located a man suffering from unknown trauma to his head. Officers began performing lifesaving measures and ordered KCFD EMS to the scene. The victim was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased a short time later.&nbsp;

Investigators and crime scene personnel responded and began a death investigation.&nbsp;&nbsp;They processed the scene for physical evidence, surveillance footage, and canvassed for witnesses. KCPD detectives were contacted by hospital officials at a later time revealing the victim suffered a gunshot wound. This case is now being investigated as a homicide..&nbsp;

If anyone was in the area and heard or saw anything or has any information they are asked to contact Homicide detectives directly at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS hotline.

We are committed to assisting victims of violent crimes through use of Missouri’s Protection Program for Victims/Witnesses of Violent Crime. Funding for temporary, or even permanent relocation, may be available but is subject to pre-approval by the State’s administering agency.

KCPD: Homicide victim shot in the head outside convenience store

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/dee-ann-durbin">DEE-ANN DURBIN</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mae-anderson">MAE ANDERSON</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/wyatte-grantham-philips">WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS</a> Associated Press

At a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/poll-trump-affordability-costs-ice-44196e8814c5a8e47df26fa1d21f44fd">difficult time</a>&nbsp;for America, Super Bowl advertisers asked viewers to take care of themselves and others — and maybe even crack a smile.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OheUzrXsKrY&amp;t=30s" target="_blank">Ring</a>&nbsp;showed how neighbors can use their doorbell cameras to find lost pets. A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_mh-v02-Tw" target="_blank">Budweiser</a>&nbsp;Clydesdale protected a bald eagle chick from the rain.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMTcZb48aVU" target="_blank">Novartis</a>&nbsp;touted a blood test that can detect prostate cancer.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5bJ612mUt8" target="_blank">Toyota</a>&nbsp;reminded viewers to wear their seatbelts.

Mister Rogers was invoked twice: Lady Gaga sang his classic “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” in a tearjerker for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvEFiLqsCDw" target="_blank">Rocket Companies</a>&nbsp;while the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLc8f2KbHnU" target="_blank">National Football League</a>&nbsp;used “You Are Special” to promote its work with youth sports organizations.

“A key thread running through this year’s Super Bowl ads was a desire for peace, harmony, community, and neighborliness,” said Kimberly Whitler, a marketing professor at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. “There is a general theme centered on people coming together to support one another.”

America is uneasy. U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/consumer-confidence-economy-spending-inflation-conference-board-f36b997dc46ac9c3577d05db52166846">consumer confidence</a>&nbsp;fell to its lowest level since 2014 in January. The killings of two protesters by federal officers in Minneapolis last month led to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-protests-64fd52ba5283e8f56c57dddb1c3a3852">widespread outrage</a>. And&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/next-winter-storm-blizzard-cold-bomb-cyclone-d16eaaf409277258d7748674f4b94b0c">winter weather</a>&nbsp;has been brutal across much of the country.

“There is a collective trauma. Everybody is stressed out. It doesn’t matter who you are, it’s something that’s impacting everyone,” said Vann Graves, the executive director of the Brandcenter at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Super Bowl ads, he said, give people a much-needed respite and a rare shared moment.

“It’s been a bit of time that we can just be human and be silly and enjoy ourselves,” Graves said.

There is plenty of silliness in this year’s commercials. Sabrina Carpenter tried to build the perfect man out of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CdX8W8U7jA" target="_blank">Pringles</a>. Benson Boone and Ben Stiller played a disco duo doing flips over&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instacart.com/company/pressreleases/instacart-goes-bananas-in-super-bowl-lx-ad" target="_blank">Instacart</a>. Andy Samberg, as “Meal Diamond,” squirted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TpdUBwyL4c" target="_blank">Hellmann’s</a>&nbsp;mayonnaise on the sandwiches of Elle Fanning and other deli customers. And&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjDfVdrtl48&amp;t=27s" target="_blank">Liquid I.V.</a>, with a chorus of singing toilets, told viewers to “take a look at your pee” to check for dehydration.

Polar bears — Coca-Cola’s traditional mascots — shared a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPHI2zNf_ww" target="_blank">Pepsi</a>&nbsp;in an ad that spoofs last year’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coldplay-kiss-cam-viral-public-event-privacy-e768214f389bc788dcc539a00bf066da">viral kiss cam</a>. Adrien Brody couldn’t stop overacting in a commercial for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qp5LJNm3Jkc" target="_blank">TurboTax</a>.

Delivery services tried to outdo each other. George Clooney appeared in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUhomG3Fm5A" target="_blank">Grubhub</a>&nbsp;ad to promote free delivery on orders of $50 or more.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEQ-jR1sMYY" target="_blank">Uber Eats</a>&nbsp;enlisted Matthew McConaughey to convince Bradley Cooper and Parker Posey that football is a conspiracy to make people hungry. And Rapper 50 Cent trolled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sean-diddy-combs-appeal-6dd10d2a86243e3402d1fdbbb5fabf37">Sean “Diddy” Combs</a>&nbsp;in an ad for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEjd6uFrN90&amp;t=2s" target="_blank">DoorDash</a>.

Artificial intelligence was all over the Super Bowl airwaves.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NerlyGrv7WM" target="_blank">Oakley Meta</a>&nbsp;touted its AI-enabled glasses in two action-packed spots showing Spike Lee, Marshawn Lynch and others using the glasses to film video and answer questions.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRo5spaBfbo" target="_blank">Wix</a>&nbsp;debuted an ad for Wix Harmony, which uses AI tools for website design.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkeWRI2yJGM" target="_blank">Svedka Vodka</a>&nbsp;enlisted Silverside AI, an AI studio, to help create its ad, which featured its robot mascot FemBot dancing alongside her male counterpart, BroBot.

Like AI itself, AI ads aren’t without&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/grok-elon-musk-deepfake-x-social-media-2bfa06805b323b1d7e5ea7bb01c9da77">controversy</a>. AI developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmnjDLwZckA" target="_blank">Anthropic</a>&nbsp;aired a pair of commercials pointing out that Claude, its chatbot, doesn’t have ads. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman took issue with that in a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/openai-anthropic-chatgpt-claude-rivalry-c19e0cca22c37190cc4e0dc08e889ef0">social media post</a>; OpenAI said last month it will start testing ads as a way to keep ChatGPT free.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ha92_hfK9Po" target="_blank">Amazon</a>&nbsp;also struck a nerve with an ad starring Chris Hemsworth that pokes fun of people’s fears of AI. The ad is running just days after Amazon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amazon-layoffs-job-cuts-tech-74387fae2313ff7b0b1e638c00863443">laid off 16,000 corporate workers</a>, some of whom&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amazon-jassy-ai-alexa-workforce-7eea6387e97b84f1f239af2538de5ee9">may be replaced</a>&nbsp;with AI.

“I suspect this is meant to be funny, but it might reinforce some people’s very real concerns about AI,” said Tim Calkins, a clinical professor of marketing at Northwestern University.

Super Bowl ads still celebrated snacks. Bowen Yang, Scarlett Johansson and Jon Hamm teamed up to pitch&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWDINj9-xX8" target="_blank">Ritz</a>&nbsp;crackers. A retiring potato farmer passed the farm along to his daughter in a heartfelt ad for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC2SPHF9ggo" target="_blank">Lay’s</a>.

But there was also a focus on health. Octavia Spencer and Sofia Vergara urged people to test for kidney disease in an ad for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GO6Lq8lLlVU" target="_blank">Boehringer Ingelheim</a>.

Mike Tyson talked about his sister’s death from obesity in an ad urging people to eat real, unprocessed food. The ad was paid for by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICygZXJfMpQ" target="_blank">MAHA Center Inc</a>., a nonprofit led by Tony Lyons, a publisher and key ally of U.S. Health Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-f-kennedy-jr">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/weightloss-drugs-nutrition-frozen-meals-glp1-5bb5dfaae3778b1968c1793326e8ba73">GLP-1 weight loss drugs</a>&nbsp;also crashed the party.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Y6zH5bm2eY" target="_blank">Novo Nordisk</a>&nbsp;trumpeted its new Wegovy pills in an ad featuring Kenan Thompson, DJ Khaled, Danielle Brooks, Ana Gasteyer, John C. Reilly and Danny Trejo. Telehealth firm&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqXOcRtZoow" target="_blank">Ro</a>&nbsp;pitched its GLP-1s in an ad starring Serena Williams.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZ7Z5LTJWHM" target="_blank">Hims &amp; Hers</a>, which recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wegovy-hims-fda-novo-nordisk-semaglutide-weight-74eb9395c44acd8bb1e12350cb32c146">scrapped plans</a>&nbsp;to offer its own GLP-1 pill, said it gives everyone access to the kind of personalized health care that the wealthy enjoy.

“There was a remarkable number of health ads on the Super Bowl this year,” Calkins said. Novartis’s ad about prostate cancer and Ro’s ad with Serena Williams were particularly effective, he said.

“Wegovy’s spot promoting its new pill form was clear, but the long list of side-effects limited its impact,” Calkins said.

One way to get Americans feeling better? Evoke warm memories of the past.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xbu-hEYPyaA&amp;t=6s" target="_blank">State Farm</a>&nbsp;kicked off the game with an ad featuring the 1986 Bon Jovi hit “Livin’ on a Prayer.” At the end of the ad, Jon Bon Jovi pulled up in a red convertible to offer actress Hailee Steinfeld a ride.

But mostly, the night belonged to the 1990s.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gr96AsZGFQc" target="_blank">Dunkin’</a>&nbsp;ran an ad spoofing 1997’s “Good Will Hunting” featuring Ben Affleck, Tom Brady and a host of ‘90s sitcom stars, including Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, Jason Alexander and Alfonso Ribeiro.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3O4ymaZ41Q&amp;feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">Pokemon</a>, which debuted in 1996, ran an ad celebrating its 30th anniversary.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_3eB7omJO4" target="_blank">T-Mobile</a>&nbsp;featured the Backstreet Boys singing a version of their 1999 hit “I Want It That Way.” The Backstreet Boys returned in a karaoke-style commercial for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ox__f7ZdFyM" target="_blank">Coinbase</a>, which encouraged viewers to sing along to the 1997 hit “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back).”

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyE4IZDPdBg&amp;t=7s" target="_blank">Volkswagen</a>&nbsp;went all the way back to 1992 with a commercial set to House of Pain’s “Jump Around.” And&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Wpmz5X3yx0" target="_blank">Xfinity</a>&nbsp;reunited Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum in a tongue-in-cheek reimagining of 1993’s “Jurassic Park” that shows Xfinity restoring power to the island so nothing goes awry.

Whitler said nostalgia — in the form of older celebrities, music, or imagery — like a black-and-white&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHuBiLk_A04" target="_blank">Squarespace</a>&nbsp;ad starring Emma Stone — has been getting more common in Super Bowl ads. Her research has shown that 28% of the ads in 2015 had an element of nostalgia; that increased to 54% in 2025, she said.

Advertisers flock to the Super Bowl each year because so many people watch the big game.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-ratings-fox-nielsen-eagles-chiefs-e0c22b0e956e16637870110140933cea">In 2025, a record 127.7 million U.S. viewers watched the game</a>&nbsp;across television and streaming platforms.

Jura Liaukonyte, a professor of marketing in Cornell University’s SC Johnson College of Business, said companies that normally have to parse out ad dollars across broadcast and streaming platforms pay a premium for Super Bowl spots to reach a unified audience.

This year’s Super Bowl ads cost an average of $8 million per 30-second unit, but a handful of spots sold for $10 million-plus, a record, said Peter Lazarus, who leads advertising and partnerships for NBC Sports. He said he was calling February, with the Super Bowl,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics">Olympics</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/all-star-game-rosters-kawhi-leonard-55e9f15191216f1b65a8b4172a3f68ba">NBA All-Star Game</a>, “legendary February.”

Super Bowl ads try to overcome tough times with health, caring and laughs

NEW YORK (AP) — The FBI pored over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein’s</a>&nbsp;bank records and emails. It searched his homes. It spent years interviewing his victims and examining his connections to some of the world’s most influential people.

But while investigators collected ample proof that Epstein sexually abused underage girls, they found scant evidence the well-connected financier led a sex trafficking ring serving powerful men, an Associated Press review of internal Justice Department records shows.

<a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein/doj-disclosures">Click here to view the</a> Epstein files

Videos and photos seized from Epstein’s homes in New York, Florida and the Virgin Islands didn’t depict victims being abused or implicate anyone else in his crimes, a prosecutor wrote in one 2025 memo.

An examination of Epstein’s financial records, including payments he made to entities linked to influential figures in academia, finance and global diplomacy, found no connection to criminal activity, said another internal memo in 2019.

While one Epstein victim made highly public claims that he “lent her” to his rich friends, agents couldn’t confirm that and found no other victims telling a similar story, the records said.

Summarizing the investigation in an email last July, agents said “four or five” Epstein accusers claimed other men or women had sexually abused them. But, the agents said, there “was not enough evidence to federally charge these individuals, so the cases were referred to local law enforcement.”

The AP and other media organizations are still reviewing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-justice-department-trump-musk-andrew-tisch-d5dfbb26b93c46a4d6ab9ecf4eb3d3b1">millions of pages of documents</a>, many of them previously confidential, that the Justice Department released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act and it is possible those records contain evidence overlooked by investigators.

But the documents, which include police reports, FBI interview notes and prosecutor emails, provide the clearest picture to date of the investigation — and why U.S. authorities ultimately decided to close it without additional charges.

The Epstein investigation began in 2005, when the parents of a 14-year-old girl reported she had been molested at the millionaire’s home in Palm Beach, Florida.

Police would identify at least 35 girls with similar stories: Epstein was paying high school age students $200 or $300 to give him sexualized massages.

After the FBI joined the probe, federal prosecutors drafted indictments to charge Epstein and some personal assistants who had arranged the girls’ visits and payments. But instead, then-Miami U.S. attorney Alexander Acosta&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-florida-e2a4431f7319afd037023d9a586aa291">struck a deal</a>&nbsp;letting Epstein plead guilty to state charges of soliciting prostitution from an underage girl. Sentenced to 18 months in jail, Epstein was free by mid-2009.

In 2018, a series of Miami Herald stories about the plea deal prompted New York federal prosecutors to take a fresh look at the accusations.

Epstein was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bb41822a39a147ccb03501acf049b58c">arrested in July 2019</a>. One month later, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/b76666895e674991a6782d77b726d085">killed himself</a>&nbsp;in his jail cell.

A year later, prosecutors charged Epstein’s longtime confidant,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/89212f72a6ca436f038e88ffd0250a40">Ghislaine Maxwell</a>, saying she’d recruited several of his victims and sometimes joined the sexual abuse. Convicted in 2021, Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison term.

Prosecutors fail to find evidence backing most sensational claims

Prosecution memos, case summaries and other documents made public in the department’s latest release of Epstein-related records show that FBI agents and federal prosecutors diligently pursued potential coconspirators. Even seemingly outlandish and incomprehensible claims, called in to tip lines, were examined.

Some allegations couldn’t be verified, investigators wrote.

In 2011 and again in 2019, investigators interviewed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-roberts-giuffre-obit-778c4fdd6fac2522133ca3d79244bccd">Virginia Roberts Giuffre</a>, who in lawsuits and news interviews had accused Epstein of arranging for her to have sexual encounters with numerous men, including Britain’s former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/king-charles-prince-andrew-strips-royal-titles-7fad76a46a211ae24b605cbd24e80748">Prince Andrew</a>.

Investigators said they confirmed that Giuffre had been sexually abused by Epstein. But other parts of her story were problematic.

Two other Epstein victims who Giuffre had claimed were also “lent out” to powerful men told investigators they had no such experience, prosecutors wrote in a 2019 internal memo.

“No other victim has described being expressly directed by either Maxwell or Epstein to engage in sexual activity with other men,” the memo said.

Giuffre acknowledged writing a partly fictionalized memoir of her time with Epstein containing descriptions of things that didn't take place. She had also offered shifting accounts in interviews with investigators, they wrote, and had "engaged in a continuous stream of public interviews about her allegations, many of which have included sensationalized if not demonstrably inaccurate characterizations of her experiences." Those inaccuracies included false accounts of her interactions with the FBI, they said.

Still, U.S. prosecutors attempted to arrange an interview with Andrew, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. He refused to make himself available. Giuffre&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-arts-and-entertainment-lawsuits-royalty-prince-andrew-4abc060592c70dd26e3ec9ce99395e6c">settled a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;with Mountbatten-Windsor in which she had accused him of sexual misconduct.

In&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-giuffre-memoir-jeffrey-epstein-prince-andrew-0adb8b983ac18a45fc7ec035dc789d08">a memoir</a>&nbsp;published after she killed herself last year, Giuffre wrote that prosecutors told her they didn't include her in the case against Maxwell because they didn't want her allegations to distract the jury. She insisted her accounts of being trafficked to elite men were true.

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