A major community effort to expand food access in Reno County is entering its final stretch, with organizers reporting $153,000 left to raise before a December 31, 2025, year-end deadline.

Leaders behind the project say the remaining funds are critical to completing a much-needed space designed to better serve families facing food insecurity across the county. Once finished, the expanded facility is expected to improve capacity, reliability, and efficiency in meeting the growing demand for food assistance.

Supporters emphasize that year-end contributions will have an immediate and lasting impact. Donations made before the deadline will go directly toward construction and completion costs, helping ensure the space is fully operational in the coming year.

“This is the moment to help us cross the finish line,” organizers said in a statement. “Your year-end gift will ensure families across Reno County continue to have reliable access to food when they need it most.”

Community members are encouraged to consider making a year-end donation to help close the remaining funding gap and support long-term food security efforts in Reno County.

Those interested in contributing can do so now, helping to nourish Reno County’s future as the calendar year comes to a close.

Food Bank of Reno County nears $1M Goal

Join the Buhler Education Foundation for an evening of Dueling Pianos!

 Enjoy a delicious dinner from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 23, followed by incredible music from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. at the 1861 Club on the Kansas State Fairgrounds. 

Don't miss your chance to win exciting raffle items throughout the night! 

Tickets are available for purchase today through Jan. 9, or until they are sold out. Join us for a night with friends, music, and fun all while supporting Buhler Schools!

Get your tickets NOW through <a href="https://www.successfund.com/2pz3q?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExNmJMZ1BRSXJINGl3V3dBOXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR43FiXX35yZwha7g7yOWGo7Y_AcxhJGBthLryjBmThEAdGBmjmN7aWxreMX6A_aem_tRAkHoTuiltLxuWex2axbQ">this link</a>.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.successfund.com/2pz3q?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExNmJMZ1BRSXJINGl3V3dBOXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR43FiXX35yZwha7g7yOWGo7Y_AcxhJGBthLryjBmThEAdGBmjmN7aWxreMX6A_aem_tRAkHoTuiltLxuWex2axbQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>Our exceptional event is sponsored by:

We value each of these sponsors greatly and thank them for helping us plan our event!&nbsp; &nbsp;

Buhler Education Foundation to host 'Dueling Pianos'

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. ——————————————

Derek	Jose	Jaquez	12/28/2025 6:39&nbsp;AM	Probation Violation

Ishamu		Hitimana	12/28/2025 7:11&nbsp;AM	DUI; 1st conv; incapable of safely driving,				Interference with Law Enforcement; Obstruct, Resist, Oppose, Misdemeanor case, Execution of Misdemeanor Warrant,				Fail to Give Information at Unattended Property or Vehicle Accident,				Insurance; Fail to Show Proof of Liability Insurance,				Registration Violation; No/Expired License Plate

Kaeden	Scott	Crank	12/28/2025 2:31&nbsp;PM	Arson; Non Dwelling; Without consent,				Criminal Threat; with Intent to Terrorize or cause Evacuation,				Criminal Damage to Property; Without consent; $1,000 to $24,999,				Interference with Law Enforcement; Obstruct, Resist, Oppose; Felony Case, Execution of a Felony Warrant

Maria	Clara	Dyer	12/28/2025 6:33&nbsp;PM	Theft; By Deceptionof Property with Value &lt; $1,500; from 3 Businesses within 72 Hours

David	Keith	Johnson	12/28/2025 7:52&nbsp;PM	Failure to Appear

Hailey	Dawn	Koehn	12/28/2025 10:13&nbsp;PM	Criminal Trespass; Defiance of Order

Korbin	Allen	McVey	12/29/2025 1:06&nbsp;AM	Interference with Law Enforcement; Obstruct, Resist, Oppose; Felony Case, Execution of a Felony Warrant,				Possess, Consume, Purchase Alcoholic Liquor/CMB by 18-20 YOA; 1st Conviction,				Possession of a Firearm Under the Influence,				Battery on LEO; Phys contact county/city LEO

Daily Bookings

Kansans are invited to start the New Year outdoors as Kansas State Parks participate in the nationwide First Day Hikes program on New Year’s Day.

First Day Hikes is a national initiative sponsored by America’s State Parks, designed to encourage individuals and families to welcome the New Year with a healthy, outdoor activity. The program offers guided and self-guided hikes in state parks across the country, giving participants an opportunity to exercise, enjoy nature, and connect with friends and family.

Kansas State Parks will host multiple First Day Hike events at parks throughout the state. Park staff encourage participants to come prepared for winter conditions. Recommended items include water, snacks, weather-appropriate clothing such as hats, gloves and heavy coats, sturdy hiking shoes, binoculars, a hiking stick, and a camera.

<a href="https://ksoutdoors.gov/State-Parks/Special-Events/First-Day-Hikes?fbclid=IwY2xjawO-PVRleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF0SXFuSFNkN1JxMk1kWFZic3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHjBrS984ICzdDNYbHk7ed2CSbrkqtHNaDtofUn88oSH94iyXj6rd_XDJw3l7_aem_THx_ln-tpJWmJi2qqyXHKQ">LINK:&nbsp;Kansas State Park First Day Hikes</a>

Pets are welcome on First Day Hikes but must be kept on a leash at all times. A valid Kansas State Parks vehicle permit is required unless otherwise noted for a specific location or event.

Organizers say First Day Hikes provide a simple and meaningful way to kick off the New Year by getting active, spending time outdoors, and celebrating the natural resources Kansas has to offer.

Kansas State Parks invite public to ring in the New Year with first day hikes

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/pages/weather">Click here for the KSStorm.Info forecast.</a>

Three-day Outlook

We didn’t have any strong tradition around trimming a Christmas tree when I was a child, at least not that I can remember. Obtaining the tree resembled a loose imitation of Clark Griswold as we ventured out to the corner of a pasture to find a red cedar that had managed to escape repeated fires.

Nearly all these adventures were rather uneventful and ended with an indoor evergreen adding a festive look and scent to our house. We’d drape lights over the boughs and hang an assortment of ornaments from the branches, carefully testing the heavier ones against the tree’s thin limbs.

Once erected and decorated, the tree was largely a stationary sentinel overseeing a growing pile of presents. It stood on duty until the packages were distributed on Christmas morning. Its mission completed after a few weeks, the tree was unceremoniously removed and disposed of before the New Year.

This was the tree routine of my childhood with the exception of one year. The only time I can remember we didn’t get, set up or decorate a tree at Christmas has provided one of my family’s most cherished holiday memories and likely the story that’s been retold the most.

Like any good American family story, this adventure began in a vehicle – a green Toyota Land Cruiser FJ-40 to be exact. The small, boxy, rugged vehicle wasn’t designed for toting Christmas trees. I also know it wasn’t built for comfort because my brother and I were relegated to the jump seats in the rear, which lacked both cushioning and seatbelts. It was, however, a vehicle created specifically to not get stuck on a hunting trip.

We were after the wrong prey, apparently, because our search for a perfect evergreen ended abruptly when we tried crossing a small draw in the middle of the pasture. The precise details of how we got stuck elude me, but the multiple escape attempts have been told and retold over the years.

When locking in the hubs to engage the four-wheel drive didn’t work, the next option was the winch on the front of the vehicle. The only problem was getting stuck in the middle of a pasture didn’t offer any anchor points. Luckily my dad had packed a mobile mooring for such an occasion. After several minutes of digging, hammering and swearing, he’d secured the ground anchor and attached the winch.

The cable grew taught and the Land Cruiser rocked ever so slightly before the shallow soil holding the anchor gave way and we remained stuck. The only option was a long walk to my grandparents’ house to get help while we stayed with the vehicle.

It didn’t take more than an hour or so for help to arrive in the form of my grandfather driving the tractor with a grin stretching from ear to ear while my father was riding on the hay wagon with his pride slightly defeated.

We were pulled free in short order and went home without a tree. Our presents accumulated under a small, decorative tabletop tree that year. We didn’t know it then, but that was also the start of a new Christmas tradition.

The hunt for a live tree faded as my brother and I grew older and weekends got busier. The decorative tree became the centerpiece for presents, and it still serves that purpose today — only now most of the presents are for grandkids.

While it doesn’t require any trimming, it still serves as a reminder of that fateful adventure so many years ago when a failed routine gave us a story and a new tradition that connects generations that never had the chance to meet.

When we retell the story of getting stuck in search of a Christmas tree, it leads into the narratives, anecdotes and chronicles that make up our family folklore. While getting a tree was once the tradition, it’s been replaced by a story. Every retelling is a reminder that planned moments matter less than the ones that stay with us long enough to be passed along.

"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: Family folklore

William	Raleigh	Glenn	12/27/2025 7:50&nbsp;PM	Failure to Appear

Hussein		Fataki	12/28/2025 3:02&nbsp;AM	Interference with Law Enforcement; Obstruct, Resist, Oppose, Misdemeanor case, Execution of Misdemeanor Warrant

Daily Bookings 

Kansas lawmakers passed more than 125 new laws during the 2025 legislative session, the majority of which took effect on July 1, 2025. Here are the laws or portions of laws that take effect Thursday.

Introduced as Senate Bill 42, this legislation updates the Insurance Code of Kansas. The bill includes the creation of a web-based insurance verification system for motor vehicle liability coverage. 

While the law took effect July 1, 2025, select provisions will take effect Jan. 1, 2026.

Increased fees for electric and hybrid vehicles

The legislation increases registration fees for electric and hybrid vehicles. The higher fees are intended to offset reduced fuel tax revenue resulting from lower fuel consumption. Revenue generated from the increased fees will be distributed to the state highway fund and local highway funds.

New specialty license plate options

Two separate bills were passed into law creating new specialty license plate options.

House Bill 2201 authorizes the issuance of three new specialty plates. The first is a blackout plate featuring white lettering on a black background and available for an additional $50 royalty fee.

The second plate honors Route 66, with royalty fees benefiting the Route 66 Association of Kansas.

The third plate recognizes the Kansas Future Farmers of America Association. Kansas has 241 FFA chapters in high school agricultural education programs statewide.

A second bill, House Bill 2335, creates a distinctive Hunter Nation license plate. Hunter Nation is a nonprofit organization that supports hunting traditions and outdoor heritage.

Lawmakers passed Senate Bill 4, which changes the deadline for returning advance ballots. 

Under the new law, advance ballots must be received by election officials no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day. Previously, advance mail ballots could be returned up to the third day following an election.

Introduced as House Bill 2110, the legislation amends the Kansas 911 Act by eliminating the requirement that the state 911 board contract with a local collection point administrator, along with making several other changes. The law took effect upon publication in the Kansas Register, though provisions related to the distribution of 911 funds take effect this week.

House Bill 2334 amends multiple insurance-related laws, including the Insurance Holding Company Act, the Uniform Agents Licensing Act, and the Captive Insurance Act. The bill also establishes the Protected Cell Captive Insurance Company Act.

Most provisions took effect July 1, 2025; however, changes related to insurance company premium tax rates and remittance take effect Thursday.

Restructuring the Kansas Insurance Department

Introduced as House Bill 2050, the legislation modernizes and streamlines operations within the Kansas insurance department. The bill grants the commissioner of insurance authority to set and publish certain fees in the Kansas Register and allows the commissioner to reduce the number of members serving on certain insurance-related boards.

The law also renames the Kansas Insurance Department as the Kansas Department of Insurance and makes corresponding changes to the Office of the Securities Commissioner. In addition, the bill requires the commissioner to maintain a list of eligible non-admitted insurers and authorizes those insurers to conduct business with Kansas vehicle dealers and provide excess coverage insurance on Kansas-based risks.

Introduced as House Bill 2152, the legislation is designed to strengthen protections for public funds held by financial institutions. The bill requires governmental deposits exceeding FDIC insurance limits to be secured through a pooled method using qualifying investment company shares.

The law also prohibits investment advisers from directly managing bids for public funds, allows governmental units and financial institutions to negotiate agreed-upon investment rates, and establishes new reporting and oversight requirements involving financial institutions and the state treasurer. The provisions take effect this week and repeal several sections of existing law.

Adult guardianship and protective proceedings

Governor Laura Kelly signed House Bill 2359 into law in March. The legislation adopts both the Uniform Adult Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act and the Kansas Uniform Guardianship, Conservatorship, and Other Protective Arrangements Act.

House Bill 2359 was developed through the Kansas Judicial Council’s Guardianship and Conservatorship Advisory Committee, which began a comprehensive review of state statutes in 2020. The guardianship code had not been substantially updated in more than two decades.

House Bill 2045 establishes the Kansas Office of Early Childhood, a new agency that will consolidate nearly 20 existing state programs focused on early childhood care and education. The office is scheduled to officially open July 1,2026 and will oversee childcare licensing, subsidy programs, home visitation services, and the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund.

The office will be led by a director appointed by the governor and charged with expanding access to childcare and ensuring the effective administration of services. State officials say the consolidation is intended to reduce bureaucratic inefficiencies and improve access to high-quality early childhood services statewide.

On Dec. 18, Governor Kelly appointed Christi Smith as the inaugural director of the Kansas Office of Early Childhood.

The House Substitute for Senate Bill 9 strengthens security around Kansas military installations by restricting foreign real estate ownership and regulating certain drone technologies.

Key provisions prohibit foreign principals from acquiring real estate interests near military installations, limit the purchase of drones and drone components by state and local governments from foreign adversaries, and bar foreign principals from receiving benefits through Kansas economic development programs.

New laws that take effect on Jan. 1

Registration is now open for the 2026 spring and summer zoo camps at the Hutchinson Zoo, offering children an interactive way to learn about wildlife while enjoying hands-on fun.

Zoo camps are designed to blend education and adventure, giving participants the chance to explore their connection with nature through engaging animal encounters, behind-the-scenes keeper talks, and creative, themed crafts. Camp activities are structured to spark curiosity, encourage learning, and help children gain a deeper appreciation for animals and conservation.

Zoo officials say the camps provide a memorable experience that goes beyond a typical classroom setting, allowing campers to learn directly from animal care professionals while exploring the diverse species that call the Hutchinson Zoo home.

Families interested in enrolling their children are encouraged to register early, as zoo camps traditionally fill quickly. Additional details, including camp dates, age groups, and registration information, are available through at these links.&nbsp;

<a href="http://hutchinsonzoo.org/221/SpringFall-Camps?fbclid=IwY2xjawO9mfBleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFHamtNVW5YSWMxcHh4REx2c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHhABrvlyxm6nahiidWhRhnNzv8y59angkX6O7Bh2CJDlI4SdHlMOkZ3eFLXn_aem_XSX6VvT9YM2tN8qXrCLk3w">LINK: Spring camps</a>

<a href="http://hutchinsonzoo.org/155/Summer-Camps?fbclid=IwY2xjawO9midleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFHamtNVW5YSWMxcHh4REx2c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHk13Rh4WmBEqlh1OWZ8fcAMZ-WNKsHNt7q6Msl2c7MxBQVhIqEDAgsvvPh8G_aem_VXQd5TmAJi0bgetX3r6k_Q">LINK: Summer camps</a>

Hutch Zoo offering spring, summer camps

Dear Dave, I know a big part of your teaching centers around the importance of learning to delay gratification. You seem to believe reaching a level of maturity where you can do this is essential to attain the things in life that are really important. But this can be hard sometimes, no matter how old you are or how mature you happen to be. Do you have any suggestions for someone struggling to reach this point?

Dear Brent, You’re right, it is hard. Sometimes it’s very difficult to leave the dinner table when someone’s asking if you want another piece of pie. And harder still to go from there to taking a nice, long walk instead. But learning to delay pleasure is part of the process when it comes to growing up emotionally.

When you’ve practiced it long enough, I think your mind starts to make the connection. You begin to realize that what’s waiting down the road—if you’ll just apply some forethought and discipline—is way better than whatever happens to be sitting in front of you at the moment.

Here’s a quick personal example. The last thing I wanted to do today was get up really early, and go for a long walk. But the thing is, I know in my mind that I feel so much better the entire day when I get in a little roadwork first thing in the morning. That’s why I made myself get out of bed before sunrise, and just do it.

I think the whole process starts in the brain, then works its way to the heart, where it promotes understanding—and mature actions. So, if you think about it, it’s really an intellectual behavior that influences will. You have to logically and intellectually grasp the concept, then think about where you’re going, and where you’ll end up, as a result of your actions.

It works for me, Brent. I hope it helps you, too!

You can hear Dave Ramsey, Monday through Friday evenings from 7 to 10 p.m. on KWBW, unless it is preempted by sports coverage.&nbsp;

Dave Says: Learning to delay gratification is part of maturing emotionally

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly prepares for final State of State speech to lawmakers in January

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 — Gov. Laura Kelly approached the final year of her second term with a familiar plea that the Kansas Legislature pass a reasonable budget and a bleak realization the state wouldn’t be able to compensate for federal reductions in spending on health care and food programs.

The bell tolls 2 p.m. Jan. 12 on the annual legislative session in Kansas with the term-limited Democratic governor and a Republican supermajority in the House and Senate. As Kelly moved closer to departing the office, Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, would continue his campaign for governor and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, would be occupied with a campaign for state insurance commissioner.

Kelly, scheduled to deliver the State of the State address on Jan. 13, said developing a budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 would be her primary quest.

“No. 1 is always the budget,” she said in an interview with Kansas Reflector. “That the Legislature pass a balanced, reasonable, sane budget that funds the important responsibilities of state government.”

Kelly said it wasn’t possible for the state to fill in for slashed federal appropriations to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

“We are not really taking that approach. That’s the way we’ve been since these cuts started coming down,” the governor said. “One, we don’t really have the money. Where do you stop on those kinds of things? Can we backfill the cuts to Medicaid that are coming? Absolutely not. SNAP? We cannot.”

The U.S. Congressional Joint Economic Committee estimated the “One Big Beautiful Bill” signed by President Donald Trump would eventually strip Medicaid coverage from 90,000 Kansans, place rural hospitals across Kansas at greater risk and prompt Affordable Care Act premium increases. Changes to the ACA compel higher personal insurance premiums after Dec. 31, but Medicaid cuts would be staggered during 2026, 2027 and 2028.

Overall, Kelly said, Kansas could lose least $150 million through federal reductions to health care programs.

The federal government has funded about two-thirds of the annual cost of Medicaid in Kansas, and covered all but administrative expenditures for emergency food aid under SNAP.

“Kansas is not alone,” Kelly said. “These programs like SNAP and Medicaid were really built on the premise of a partnership.”

Kelly said another objective was to sustain the push for economic development. The state’s commitment to financially support relocation of the Kansas City Chiefs to a stadium in Wyandotte County and a headquarters in Johnson County was a “game-changer for our state,” she said.

The governor said the process of recruiting the NFL franchise was an example of what Republicans and Democrats at the local and state levels could accomplish through collaboration. Masterson and Hawkins, as well as Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, and House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard, D-Lenexa, stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Kelly and Lt. Gov. David Toland for the announcement Monday in Topeka.

“You don’t often see this type of bipartisanship in our politics today, but that’s how we do things in Kansas, especially when the stakes are high,” Kelly said.

In the 2026 session, Kelly said she also would focus on finalizing a long-term plan for preserving and enhancing the state’s water resources.

“We are on the cusp of coming up with that strategic plan that I’d like to see in place before I’m out of office,” Kelly said. “As I’ve said before, I don’t expect to solve the water problem by the time I leave, but I would like in place a structure and a funding source that will insure that we can address water.”

In addition, the governor said she was committed to standing up the new state Office of Early Childhood by July 1. The goals would be consolidation of programs housed in a cluster of state agencies and the upgrading of services beneficial to children.

“We will spend and invest a lot of energy to make sure,” Kelly said. “Part of the point of the Office of Early Childhood is to be more efficient, so I’m hoping that we won’t be looking at needing money

Kan. governor’s legislative priorities in 2026 center on budget, water and children

SEDGWICK COUNTY— Law enforement are investigating a deadly home invasion and shooting in Wichita.

Just before 8:30 p.m. Saturday, police responded to a home&nbsp;in the 100 block of North Ash in Wichita, according to a media release. When officers arrived, they found a 52-year-old man and 67-year-old man inside the home with gunshot wounds. Both were transported to a local hospital, the 52-year-old was later pronounced deceased at the hospital. The 67-year-old remained in critical but stable condition late Sunday.

Police arrested a neighbor identified in booking records as 54-year-old Matthew D. Morgan. An unknown suspect fled the residence on foot. The motive for the home invasion remains under investigation.

Morgan was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on requested charges of second-degree reckless murder.

Anyone with information is urged to call investigators at 316-268-4111 for non-emergency tips. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

Police: Neighbor arrested for Kan. home invasion killing

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump on Sunday insisted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Ukraine and Russia</a>&nbsp;are “closer than ever before” to a peace deal as he hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his Florida resort, but he acknowledged the negotiations are complex and could still break down, leaving the war dragging on for years.

The president’s statements came after the leaders met for talks following what Trump said was an “excellent,” two-and-a-half-hour phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose invasion of Ukraine launched the war nearly four years ago. Trump insisted he believed Putin still wants peace, even as Russia launched&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/photo-gallery/russia-ukraine-war-kyiv-attacks-9afb64eb232695d5a86f1edb3f1b1872">another round of attacks</a>&nbsp;on Ukraine while Zelenskyy flew to the United States for the latest round of negotiations.

“Russia wants to see Ukraine succeed,” Trump said during a late afternoon news conference as he stood with Zelenskyy after their meeting. He repeatedly praised his counterpart as “brave.”

Trump and Zelenskyy both acknowledged thorny issues remain, including whether Russia can keep Ukrainian territory it controls, as well as security guarantees for Ukraine to ensure it's not invaded again in the future. After their discussion, they called a wide group of European leaders, including Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, and the leaders of Finland, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Poland.

Zelenskyy said Trump had agreed to host European leaders again, possibly at the White House, sometime in January. Trump said the meeting could be in Washington or “someplace.”

Zelenskyy thanked Trump for his work. “Ukraine is ready for peace,” he said.

Trump said he'd follow the meeting with another call to Putin. Earlier Sunday, Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said the Trump-Putin call was initiated by the U.S. side and was “friendly, benevolent and businesslike.” Ushakov said Trump and Putin agreed to speak again “promptly” after Trump’s meeting with Zelenskyy.

But Ushakov added that a “bold, responsible, political decision is needed from Kyiv” on the fiercely contested Donbas region in eastern Ukraine and other matters in dispute for there to be a “complete cessation” of hostilities.

Both leaders identified deciding the future of the Donbas region as a major sticking point.

Trump said the parties were inching closer to agreement. “That's a very tough issue but one that I think will get resolved,” he said.

Zelenskyy said: “Our attitude is very clear. That's why President Trump said this is a very tough question and, of course, we have with Russia different positions on it.”

Trump said, however, that he still believes Putin is “very serious” about ending the war, even as Russia continued striking targets in Ukraine as Zelenskyy traveled to the U.S. Trump said, “I believe Ukraine has made some very strong attacks also.”

He held out the possibility that negotiations could still fall apart.

“In a few weeks, we will know one way or the other, I think," Trump said. "We could have something where one item that you’re not thinking about is a big item, breaks it up. Look, it’s been a very difficult negotiation. Very detailed.”

Trump and Zelenskyy's sit-down underscored the apparent progress made by Trump’s top negotiators in recent weeks as the sides traded draft peace plans to end the fighting. Zelenskyy told reporters Friday that the 20-point draft proposal negotiators have discussed is “about 90% ready” — echoing a figure, and the optimism, that U.S. officials conveyed when Trump’s chief negotiators met with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-berlin-talks-zelenskyy-5b99faff949ee1ba6212433be2d54b88">Zelenskyy in Berlin</a>&nbsp;this month.

During the recent talks, the U.S. agreed to offer certain&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-zelenskyy-peace-plan-d0c476bfa9ec218da5c8d5ff0c1d25c9">security guarantees to Ukraine</a>&nbsp;similar to those offered to other members of NATO. The proposal came as Zelenskyy said he was prepared to drop his country’s bid to join the security alliance if Ukraine received NATO-like protection that would be designed to safeguard it against future Russian attacks.

Zelenskyy also spoke on Christmas Day with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law. The Ukrainian leader said they discussed “certain substantive details" and cautioned “there is still work to be done on sensitive issues” and “the weeks ahead may also be intensive.”

The U.S. president has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-trump-plan-92b2c89b62f4326ff67abc5613c9b59e">working to end the war</a>&nbsp;in Ukraine for much of his first year back in office, showing irritation with both Zelenskyy and Putin while publicly acknowledging the difficulty of ending the conflict. Gone are the days when, as a candidate in 2024, he boasted that he could resolve the fighting in a day. Indeed, on Sunday, Trump referred multiple times to the complexity of the negotiations.

After&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-zelenskyy-putin-ukraine-tomahawks-ce697e5eda6ce9793b4343499d105a8c">hosting Zelenskyy at the White House in October</a>, Trump demanded that both Russia and Ukraine halt fighting and “stop at the battle line,” implying that Moscow should be able to keep the territory it has seized from Ukraine.

Zelenskyy said last week that he would be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-zelenskyy-peace-plan-d0c476bfa9ec218da5c8d5ff0c1d25c9">willing to withdraw troops</a>&nbsp;from Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland as part of a plan to end the war, if Russia also pulls back and the area becomes a demilitarized zone monitored by international forces.

Putin has publicly said he wants all the areas in four key regions that have been captured by his forces, as well as the Crimean Peninsula, illegally annexed in 2014, to be recognized as Russian territory. He also has insisted that Ukraine withdraw from some areas in eastern Ukraine that Moscow’s forces haven’t captured. Kyiv has publicly rejected all those demands.

The Kremlin also wants Ukraine to abandon its bid to join NATO. It warned that it wouldn’t accept the deployment of any troops from members of the military alliance and would view them as a “legitimate target.”

Putin also has said Ukraine must limit the size of its army and give official status to the Russian language, demands he has made from the outset of the conflict.

Ushakov told the business daily Kommersant this month that Russian police and national guard would stay in parts of Donetsk -– one of the two major areas, along with Luhansk, that make up the Donbas region — even if they become a demilitarized zone under a prospective peace plan.

Ushakov cautioned that trying to reach a compromise could take a long time. He said U.S. proposals that took into account Russian demands had been “worsened” by alterations proposed by Ukraine and its European allies.

Trump has been somewhat receptive to Putin’s demands, arguing that the Russian president can be persuaded to end the war if Kyiv agrees to cede Ukrainian land in the Donbas region and if Western powers offer economic incentives to bring Russia back into the global economy.

Kim reported from Washington and Morton from London. Associated Press writers Illia Novikov in Kyiv, Nicholas Riccardi in Denver and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.

🎥Takeaways from Trump’s Ukraine peace talks with Zelensky in Florida

COWLEY COUNTY —A Kansas man is recovering from injuries in an accident in Cowley County.

Just before 5p.m. Saturday,&nbsp;Arkansas City Fire/EMS responded to a call involving a 37-year-old man who was injured in a fall while trimming a tree in the 600 block of North C Street, according to a media release.

The man fell an estimated 30 to 35 feet from the tree. He sustained non-life-threatening injuries to his lower legs and lower back. Because the incident occurred about four blocks from the Fire/EMS station, responders transported the patient to the Arkansas City Fire/EMS Department, where an open field adjacent to the station was used for the EagleMed air ambulance landing. 

EagleMed then assumed care, and the patient was airlifted to Wichita for further medical evaluation and treatment.

Kan. man airlifted to hospital after fall while trimming trees

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating suspect in connection with alleged child abuse.

Just after 8a.m. on Saturday police responded to a disturbance at a residence in the 1200 block South 10th Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. It was determined that a child less than two years old had been struck multiple times.&nbsp; 

Police took 28-year-old Zachary Voelker into custody at the scene. During his arrest he was found to be in possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.&nbsp; Voelker is being held on requested charges of aggravated battery, abuse of a child, and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.&nbsp; The child did not require hospital care, according to Wilson.

Police: Kansas man accused of beating a toddler

&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a Christmas Day disturbance.

Just before 6a.m. Christmas morning., the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a man screaming and banging on the front door of a residence, another nearby residence reported the same man entering their home without their authorization, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the scene at 15698 SE Indian Valley Lane and subsequently took the man into custody. The man was identified as Michael Eugene Bennet, 53, of Topeka.&nbsp; Bennett was booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, criminal use of weapons, criminal carrying of weapons and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Sheriff: Christmas Day disturbance landed Kan. man in jail

KANSAS CITY —Police in Kansas City are investigating another homicide.

Just before 2a.m Saturday, officers were dispatched to a shooting in the 3900 block of St. John Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

As officers arrived they located a man on the sidewalk, suffering from a gunshot wound. Offiers began performing life saving measures as KCFD EMS arrived on scene. Medics transported the victim to a local hospital with life threatening injuries.&nbsp;

Just before 3a.m., the victim was pronounced deceased at the hospital. This is being investigated as a homicide. The preliminary investigation revealed there was an interaction between several individuals just prior to the shots being fired and the victim being struck.&nbsp; Police have not released any suspect details or released the name of the victim.

KCPD: Man found with gunshot wound died at the hospital

By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/kevinhardy/">Kevin Hardy</a>

As pennies vanish from the American landscape, many businesses are clamoring for federal guidance on how to handle cash transactions in a penniless world.

Should retailers round up or down? Should they round in favor of the customer? Or in favor of the business?

So far, calls for federal direction have gone unanswered. Some businesses are setting their own policies, but states are now beginning to act amid growing uncertainty.

While the question revolves around only a few cents per transaction, it does raise important consumer protection and legal questions for states to consider. Retailers must weigh threats of potential lawsuits, while policymakers worry about protecting the most vulnerable consumers who rely on cash for everyday purchases.

President Donald Trump in February moved to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-penny-treasury-mint-192e3b9ad9891d50e7014997653051ba" target="_blank">eliminate</a>&nbsp;the penny from U.S. pocketbooks, citing the high cost of minting them — about 3.7 cents per penny. But even before the coin’s final production run last month, U.S. retailers and banks were reporting widespread penny shortages.

To provide clarity, lawmakers in New York have proposed legislation mirroring Canada’s rounding standard — up or down to the nearest five cents. And officials in&nbsp;<a href="https://dor.georgia.gov/taxes/tax-rules-and-policies/sales-use-tax-policy-bulletins" target="_blank">Georgia</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://dcp.utah.gov/2025/11/10/national-penny-shortage-the-business-guide-to-cash-rounding/" target="_blank">Utah</a>&nbsp;have issued nonbinding guidance to businesses.

“States do not have the luxury of waiting for the federal government,” said Katherine Tschopp, senior associate at government relations firm MultiState.

Complicating the issue are the growing number of jurisdictions requiring businesses to accept cash — a move aimed at protecting vulnerable consumers who may not have access to credit cards or electronic payment systems.

In November,&nbsp;<a href="https://cnycentral.com/news/new-york-news/governor-hochul-signs-law-mandating-ny-retailers-to-accept-cash-without-fees" target="_blank">New York&nbsp;</a>became the ninth state to add such a rule, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.multistate.us/insider/2025/12/9/retailers-look-to-policymakers-to-navigate-the-post-penny-era" target="_blank">tracking from MultiState</a>. At least eight major cities also require businesses to accept cash.

A bipartisan group of federal lawmakers have proposed legislation in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/3074/text" target="_blank">U.S. House</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/3074/text" target="_blank">Senate</a>&nbsp;to require all cash transactions be rounded to the nearest five cents, but neither proposal has made it to a floor vote.

The record-breaking federal government shutdown and heated debate on health insurance subsidies have sidelined the penny discussion, Tschopp said. She thinks the federal government will likely determine a national rounding policy — eventually. But in the meantime, she expects more states to weigh in.

New York Democratic Assemblymember John T. McDonald III said he agreed with Trump’s move to phase out the costly production of the penny. But businesses are asking for some kind of guidance now, he said.

“In the absence of federal action, I think it’s important that the states act to provide clarity — clarity for everybody: clarity for the consumer, as well as the merchant and the state,” McDonald told Stateline.

McDonald’s proposed legislation mirrors Canada’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.budget.canada.ca/2012/themes/theme2-eng.pdf" target="_blank">rounding policy</a>&nbsp;following the 2012 elimination of its one-cent coin.&nbsp;<a href="https://nyassembly.gov/leg/?default_fld=&amp;leg_video=&amp;bn=A09274&amp;term=2025&amp;Summary=Y&amp;Text=Y" target="_blank">His bill&nbsp;</a>calls for so-called symmetrical rounding of after-tax cash purchases to the nearest five-cent mark. Purchases ending with one, two, six or seven cents would be rounded down. And purchases ending in three, four, eight or nine cents would be rounded up.

So, a consumer would get no cash back from a $1.99 purchase. But a retailer would hand over a nickel to someone spending $1.97.

McDonald sits on the National Conference of State Legislature’s State and Local Taxation Task Force that has been examining&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncsl.org/fiscal/elimination-of-the-penny-cents-able-considerations" target="_blank">the penny issue.</a>&nbsp;That task force has recommended symmetrical rounding as the fairest method for merchants and consumers.

McDonald noted that the NCSL group reached a bipartisan consensus on the issue. And he said he’s found no opposition from New York businesses or consumer groups on his bill.

“In this day and age where we seem to have a lot of fractious conversations on other issues, it’d be nice to find something that actually we can all agree on,” he said. “And to have it start with the good old little penny would be a good spot.”

On Wednesday, South Dakota Republican state Sen. Tim Reed urged state lawmakers to start communicating with agencies, retailers and the public over the issue.

A co-chair of the NCSL task force, he said businesses need guidance and consumers may need reassurance. While he acknowledged concerns about “strategic pricing” — in which retailers set prices to push rounding to their advantage — the group’s report characterized that as a “<a href="https://www.ncsl.org/fiscal/elimination-of-the-penny-cents-able-considerations" target="_blank">limited risk.”</a>

“Everybody’s thinking, ‘Oh, I’ll get overcharged, or I’ll get undercharged,’” Reed said at an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncsl.org/town-hall" target="_blank">NCSL virtual event about the penny.</a>&nbsp;He said it would be good for people to know that “really this is all going to kind of wash out in the end.”

New York Democratic state Sen. James Sanders Jr. said the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S4153/amendment/A" target="_blank">cash acceptance law&nbsp;</a>he sponsored earlier this year ensures people without access to smartphones or banking are not excluded from commerce. That law also says customers paying with cash cannot be charged more than other buyers.

“Otherwise, you absolutely have a two-tiered system,” he said, noting that cash is “a lifeline” for working families, older adults, immigrants and small businesses.

Sanders said he would prefer for retailers to round down to the nearest nickel on cash transactions to protect consumers.

“For the large corporations, this could be a difference of hundreds of thousands of dollars if they are steadily rounding up,” he said. While each rounding transaction represents a loss or gain of only a few cents, Sanders said, “multiply that by tens of thousands of people, and you’ve effectively raised the price of your product without any type of sanction.”

Sanders said he plans to introduce legislation on the matter soon, but added that he remains open to McDonald’s current proposal of symmetrical rounding. More than anything, he said, businesses desire some kind of guidance.

“We’re not trying to cheat business. We’re just trying not to be cheated by business,” he said. “The people I’ve been speaking to are honest souls, and they just want to know the right thing to do in a penniless society.”

The U.S. Mint in Philadelphia struck&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/12/business/last-penny-minted" target="_blank">the last penny</a>&nbsp;on Nov. 12, but pennies were already scarce at that time.

By mid-November, more than 100 of the government’s 165 coin distribution sites across the country were without pennies, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rila.org/blog/2025/11/retailers-face-penny-shortages-call-for-federal-ac" target="_blank">Retail Industry Leaders Association</a>, which represents major chains including CVS, Target and 7-Eleven.

In a November&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rila.org/blog/2025/11/retailers-face-penny-shortages-call-for-federal-ac" target="_blank">survey</a>&nbsp;of its members, that organization found six national chains had more than 1,000 stores that had no pennies.

The association said most of its survey respondents were rounding cash transactions to the benefit of customers — always down to the nearest five cents. While it’s fair for shoppers, it’s “costing businesses millions of dollars as small amounts add up across thousands of daily cash transactions.”

While states weigh the issue, the association is pushing for a federal answer.

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