<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722888812301.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy Kansas State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Kansas State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas State Athletics<div><a name="x__Hlk148351062"></a>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;After serving the last three seasons as Kansas State&rsquo;s tight ends coach,&nbsp;Brian Lepak&nbsp;will now work with the Wildcat offensive line, head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman&nbsp;announced Thursday. Additionally,&nbsp;Drew Liddle, who has spent seven years on the K-State staff over two different stints, has been named the assistant offensive line coach after serving as an offensive analyst in 2024.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;Not only is Brian one of the top young coaches in our conference, but his background and experience with the offensive line made him the logical choice for this role,&rdquo; Klieman said. &ldquo;It was also important to have two coaches work in the trenches with our guys, and elevating Drew to assist Brian provides us stability and allows for a smooth transition.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
Lepak&rsquo;s move to offensive line is part of K-State&rsquo;s new-look offensive staff as&nbsp;Matt Wells&nbsp;was elevated to offensive coordinator earlier this week following the departure of offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Conor Riley last week.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;I am grateful that Coach Klieman and Coach Wells have the faith in me to take this next step in my career,&rdquo; Lepak said. &ldquo;I am excited to get back to coaching the offensive line and building on the many things I learned from Coach Riley. Whomever becomes the new tight ends coach will be getting a group that is extremely coachable and gave Kansas State their very best the last three seasons. I cannot thank those guys enough for all they have done for me.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
Lepak (pronounced luh-PACK) found quick success during his first three years as a full-time coach for the Wildcats, tutoring Ben Sinnott to All-Big 12 First Team accolades in both 2022 and 2023, while the Wildcats had two tight ends pick up All-Big 12 honors in 2024 in&nbsp;Garrett Oakley&nbsp;(second team) and&nbsp;Will Swanson&nbsp;(honorable mention). It was the first time since 1997 that the Wildcats had a pair of All-Big 12 tight ends in the same season, while Oakley&rsquo;s second-team designation marked the first time in the Big 12 era that K-State had a first- or second-team all-conference tight end in three straight seasons.
&nbsp;
Under Lepak&rsquo;s guidance, the K-State tight end unit combined for a nation-leading 13 touchdown receptions in 2024. Five of those came from Oakley, which tied for the second most in school history by a tight end and third by any sophomore. Oakley enters his junior campaign of 2025 with seven career receiving touchdowns to rank third in school history among tight ends.
&nbsp;
Over his first two seasons tutoring the K-State tight ends, Lepak coached Sinnott to top-10 rankings nationally among the position group in receiving yards (third), receptions (fourth) and receiving touchdowns (tied for eighth).
&nbsp;
Under Lepak&rsquo;s leadership, Sinnott earned 2023 Honorable Mention All-America honors from Phil Steele and was a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award, the first player in school history to be named a semifinalist for the award that is presented annually to the nation&rsquo;s top tight end. Sinnott was selected in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft &ndash; No. 53 overall &ndash; by the Washington Commanders, the highest-drafted tight end in school history.
&nbsp;
The 2025 season won&rsquo;t be the first time Lepak has coached an offensive line as he guided that position at Southern while also holding the title of run game coordinator. During his lone season in Baton Rouge, Lepak helped the Jaguars earn a top-20 final ranking during the 2021 spring season as all five Southern offensive linemen earned All-SWAC honors, including three first-team performers. Southern finished the COVID-shortened spring season with a 5-1 record.
&nbsp;
Lepak spent the previous three seasons as a graduate assistant at Oklahoma, assisting with an offensive line that helped pave the way for multiple national award winners &ndash; including two Heisman trophy winners &ndash; and helped lead the team to three consecutive Big 12 Championships and College Football Playoff appearances. In 2018, the offensive line was honored by winning the Joe Moore Award for the nation&rsquo;s most outstanding offensive line unit. He went to Oklahoma after spending the 2014 through 2016 seasons as a graduate assistant at Indiana.
&nbsp;
A native of Claremore, Oklahoma, Lepak was an offensive lineman for two seasons at Colorado State before transferring to Oklahoma where he spent three years, including the 2010 Big 12 Championship season, while he was an Academic All-American that year.
&nbsp;
After completing his playing career, Lepak was awarded the Dr. Prentice Gautt Postgraduate Scholar Award and attended law school at the University of Oklahoma College of Law where he was a member of the Oklahoma Law Review. He graduated in 2014 and was admitted to the Oklahoma Bar Association the same year. In addition to his law degree, he has dual degrees in Accounting and Finance from the OU Price College of Business where he was the Outstanding Senior in Accounting.
&nbsp;
Lepak and his wife, Colleen, have three children, Thomas, Penelope and Luke.
&nbsp;
Liddle, a former K-State football player and staff member, returned to Manhattan for his second coaching tenure prior to the 2024 season as he served as an offensive analyst.
&nbsp;
Liddle worked the previous two seasons as the tight ends/fullbacks coach at UTEP, while he was the
offensive line coach at Abilene Christian during the 2021 season. While at ACU, Liddle served on the same staff as K-State&rsquo;s current Director of Roster Management&nbsp;Clint Brown&nbsp;and Director of Scouting&nbsp;Dimitri Donald. Under Liddle&rsquo;s guidance, the ACU offensive line ranked No. 19 nationally in fewest sacks allowed (1.27 per game) in addition to a No. 35 national ranking in rushing offense (164.2 yards per game).
&nbsp;
A veteran of 26 games throughout his four-year K-State career, Liddle was an Offensive Graduate Assistant at K-State for the 2015 and 2016 seasons before working as an Offensive Quality Control Coach and Assistant Director of Recruiting for the 2017 through 2020 seasons.
&nbsp;
A native of Oak Grove, Missouri, Liddle earned his bachelor&rsquo;s degree in political science from Kansas State in 2014, while he obtained his MBA in 2017. He is married to the former Kelli Krier.
&nbsp;
THE BRIAN LEPAK FILE
Hometown:&nbsp;Claremore, Oklahoma
College:&nbsp;Oklahoma &ndash; Bachelor&rsquo;s in Accounting and Finance (2010); University of Oklahoma College of Law (2014)
Family:&nbsp;Wife: Colleen; Children: Thomas, Penelope, Luke
Playing Career:&nbsp;Colorado State (Offensive Line), 2006-07; Oklahoma (2008-10)
&nbsp;
COACHING CAREER TIMELINE
2014-16, Indiana (offensive graduate assistant)
2017-19, Oklahoma (offensive graduate assistant)
2020, Southern (run game coordinator/offensive line)
2021, Kansas State (senior offensive quality control)
2022-24, Kansas State (tight ends)
2025, Kansas State (offensive line)
&nbsp;
THE DREW LIDDLE FILE
Hometown:&nbsp;Oak Grove, Missouri
College:&nbsp;Kansas State &ndash; Bachelor&rsquo;s in Political Science (2014); Master&rsquo;s of Business Administration (2017)
Family:&nbsp;Wife: Kelli
Playing Career:&nbsp;Kansas State (Offensive Line), 2010-14
&nbsp;
COACHING CAREER TIMELINE
2015-16, Kansas State (offensive graduate assistant)
2017-20, Kansas State (offensive quality control)
2021, Abilene Christian (offensive line)
2022-23, UTEP (tight ends/fullbacks)
2024, Kansas State (offensive analyst)
2025, Kansas State (assistant offensive line)</div>

🏈 Klieman promotes 2 offensive assistants

MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State Athletics generates more than $486 million in annual economic activity for the Manhattan community and the state of Kansas according to a thorough economic impact study performed by nationally-renowned Tripp Umbach and the athletics department.

Tripp Umbach, who also recently performed a similar study with the university, utilized data from 2022-23 to conduct the study, which also revealed that more than 3,850 jobs resulted from the department's impact. From a tax perspective, K-State Athletics generated $26.2 million in direct and indirect/induced tax payments for state and local governments in Kansas, with $21.0 million amount specifically benefiting Manhattan.

"The experience surrounding game days in Manhattan is an amazing site to see – from Aggieville, restaurants, hotels and of course our purple-filled stadiums," Athletics Director Gene Taylor said. "On the heels of the most recent University-wide study, we wanted to exhaustively study ourselves on various fronts, and this summary from Tripp Umbach paints a solid picture of the overall value and impact K-State Athletics has on the local economy."

Visitors from outside of the community have a tremendous impact as more than $161 million in expenditures were accounted for in Manhattan and $201 million for the state. In addition, the 450 Wildcat student-athletes who live in the community accounted for $9.1 million of that spending.

A significant portion of K-State Athletics' economic impact is driven by visitor and fan spending before, during, and after sporting events. As a member of the Big 12 Conference, K-State attracts fans from across the country. Visitors from inside and outside Kansas flock to Manhattan to attend football, basketball, and other games. In FY23 alone, K-State Athletics welcomed 527,280 patrons to ticketed events, with many more attending non-ticketed games and matches.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739450626813.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy Kansas State Athletic Communications " />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Kansas State Athletic Communications </figcaption>
 </figure>K-STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONSMANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State Athletics generates more than $486 million in annual economic activity for the Manhattan community and the state of Kansas according to a thorough economic impact study performed by nationally-renowned Tripp Umbach and the athletics department.Tripp Umbach, who also recently performed a similar study with the university, utilized data from 2022-23 to conduct the study, which also revealed that more than 3,850 jobs resulted from the department's impact. From a tax perspective, K-State Athletics generated $26.2 million in direct and indirect/induced tax payments for state and local governments in Kansas, with $21.0 million amount specifically benefiting Manhattan."The experience surrounding game days in Manhattan is an amazing site to see – from Aggieville, restaurants, hotels and of course our purple-filled stadiums," Athletics Director Gene Taylor said. "On the heels of the most recent University-wide study, we wanted to exhaustively study ourselves on various fronts, and this summary from Tripp Umbach paints a solid picture of the overall value and impact K-State Athletics has on the local economy."Visitors from outside of the community have a tremendous impact as more than $161 million in expenditures were accounted for in Manhattan and $201 million for the state. In addition, the 450 Wildcat student-athletes who live in the community accounted for $9.1 million of that spending.A significant portion of K-State Athletics' economic impact is driven by visitor and fan spending before, during, and after sporting events. As a member of the Big 12 Conference, K-State attracts fans from across the country. Visitors from inside and outside Kansas flock to Manhattan to attend football, basketball, and other games. In FY23 alone, K-State Athletics welcomed 527,280 patrons to ticketed events, with many more attending non-ticketed games and matches.

K-State Athletics generates $486.1 million in economic impact 

Sandra Milburn = Reno County Communications

Reno County Public Works Director Don Brittain announced during Wednesday’s Reno County Commission meeting that the county has been awarded a Small Town Water and Sewer Infrastructure Assistance Grant of $6,133,100 from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).

The grant is for the Yoder Sewer District 201 and Habit Sewer District 202 consolidation and rehabilitation project.

As part of the project, deteriorating portions of the HABIT Sewer District’s sanitary sewer collection system will be rehabilitated. The project will also rehabilitate and expand the existing HABIT wastewater treatment lagoon facility to operate as a joint-use treatment facility for the Reno County Yoder and HABIT Sewer Districts with the decommissioning of the existing Yoder lagoons.

Brittain said, “We have been applying for grants and loan forgiveness programs to help with the over $6 million cost of the sewer project. This project is very expensive for the people in these districts, and it has been very heavy on us trying to figure this out. Reno County has spent $350,000 on land and the project is already in design. I am pleased to announce that we have received a grant for the entire cost of the project of $6,133,100 from KDHE. Even though rates will increase, this grant is huge for the people in these sewer districts.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723673394915.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Sandra Milburn = Reno County CommunicationsReno County Public Works Director Don Brittain announced during Wednesday’s Reno County Commission meeting that the county has been awarded a Small Town Water and Sewer Infrastructure Assistance Grant of $6,133,100 from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).The grant is for the Yoder Sewer District 201 and Habit Sewer District 202 consolidation and rehabilitation project.As part of the project, deteriorating portions of the HABIT Sewer District’s sanitary sewer collection system will be rehabilitated. The project will also rehabilitate and expand the existing HABIT wastewater treatment lagoon facility to operate as a joint-use treatment facility for the Reno County Yoder and HABIT Sewer Districts with the decommissioning of the existing Yoder lagoons.Brittain said, “We have been applying for grants and loan forgiveness programs to help with the over $6 million cost of the sewer project. This project is very expensive for the people in these districts, and it has been very heavy on us trying to figure this out. Reno County has spent $350,000 on land and the project is already in design. I am pleased to announce that we have received a grant for the entire cost of the project of $6,133,100 from KDHE. Even though rates will increase, this grant is huge for the people in these sewer districts.”

Reno County Receives $6.13 Million KDHE Grant for Sewer Project

WASHINGTON —The Philadelphia Eagles spoiled the Kansas City Chiefs bid for a three-peat, winning the Super Bowl on Sunday.&nbsp; Now Kansas elected officials who made friendly wagers with colleagues are paying up.

On Sunday, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall used his social media account to share his wager.&nbsp; "The bet is on - If the Chiefs win, Senator McCormick of Pennsylvania will bring me a Yuengling beer, and Senator Fetterman&nbsp;will have to wear Chiefs gear. 

If the Eagles win, I’ll bring KC BBQ and wear Eagles gear. "

Wednesday morning, Marshall removed his suit jacket on the Senate floor to show he was wearing an Eagles football jersey.&nbsp; The Junior Senator from Kansas did not indicate what Kansas City BBQ he is going to bring to Washington.&nbsp; Marshall is the first taking action to pay up following the championship game.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739377603921.png" alt="Senator Roger Marshall on the Senate floor Wednesday morning during the vote count&nbsp; to confirm Tulsi Gabbard&nbsp; as director of National Intelligence-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Senator Roger Marshall on the Senate floor Wednesday morning during the vote count&nbsp; to confirm Tulsi Gabbard&nbsp; as director of National Intelligence-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —The Philadelphia Eagles spoiled the Kansas City Chiefs bid for a three-peat, winning the Super Bowl on Sunday.&nbsp; Now Kansas elected officials who made friendly wagers with colleagues are paying up.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Kansas City Chiefs fan Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) loses bet to Pennsylvania Senators -- shows up on Senate floor wearing Philadelphia Eagles jersey ... <a href="https://t.co/b8u8rK72gH">pic.twitter.com/b8u8rK72gH</a>&mdash; Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) <a href="https://twitter.com/HowardMortman/status/1889734003743191543?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On Sunday, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall used his social media account to share his wager.&nbsp; "The bet is on - If the Chiefs win, Senator McCormick of Pennsylvania will bring me a Yuengling beer, and Senator Fetterman&nbsp;will have to wear Chiefs gear. 

If the Eagles win, I’ll bring KC BBQ and wear Eagles gear. "<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A bet is a bet. <a href="https://twitter.com/SenFettermanPA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenFettermanPA</a> <a href="https://t.co/Zexv7lGkPI">pic.twitter.com/Zexv7lGkPI</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1889720550840217915?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Wednesday morning, Marshall removed his suit jacket on the Senate floor to show he was wearing an Eagles football jersey.&nbsp; The Junior Senator from Kansas did not indicate what Kansas City BBQ he is going to bring to Washington.&nbsp; Marshall is the first taking action to pay up following the championship game.

Kan. U.S. Senator lost bet, forced to wear Eagles jersey at work

1861 Club Events and Sales Manager

<a href="https://ksfairgroundsfoundation.org/2025/02/07/new-job-opening-1861-club-events-and-sales-manager/">CLICK HERE TO APPLY!</a>

The Kansas Fairgrounds Foundation (KFF) is seeking a dedicated Events and Sales Manager to join our team. This full-time position requires a flexible schedule, including weekends and evenings, to accommodate events throughout the year. This role is responsible for marketing the venue, handling inquiries, and coordinating non-Fair facility rentals at the 1861 Club.

Additionally, this team member will assist with all activities related to the operation of the Club during the Kansas State Fair (KSF). Our small, collaborative team works together to create exceptional events and service at the 1861 Club.

The Events and Sales Manager will focus on venue rental sales and event management for clients at the 1861 Club.

Responsibilities include developing a sales and marketing plan with the KFF Executive Director, understanding logistical needs, and ensuring smooth execution of all event details. The manager will work with KFF staff and the board to ensure the 1861 Club operates profitably.

• Establish, build, and maintain client and vendor relationships

• Respond to inquiries and book appointments

• Guide clients through the full sales process: identification, qualification, proposal development, booking, and post-event follow-up

• Conduct on-site walk-through appointments

• Negotiate contracts, close deals, and book events

• Provide timely and thorough responses to clients via phone and email

• Create reliable reports and information on sales, contacts, proposals, etc.

• Manage client expectations and clearly communicate needs to the 1861 Club team

• Prepare and develop a Venue Event Order (VEO) detailing all event aspects: guest count, floor plan, catering, timeline, décor, entertainment, audio-visual needs, etc.

• Share VEO information with all necessary KFF staff and partners

• Assist with setup, teardown, and execution of all event aspects

• Be proactive to solve problems and handle issues as they arise

• Collect payments and send payment reminders to clients

• Maintain a working knowledge of the complex needs for various events

• Understand venue systems, lighting, audio-visuals, kitchen equipment, etc.

• Identify and engage potential team members to assist with events

• Perform other duties related to the operation of the 1861 Club or Foundation activities as needed

• Excellent interpersonal skills and communication skills, including phone, written, electronic communication, and presentation skills

• Positive attitude and an interest in learning the inner workings of a multi-use venue

• Highly self-motivated with attention to detail

• Ability to organize, prioritize and execute multiple activities effectively

• Ability to work independently and as a part of a team

• Experience in the hospitality industry and events coordination

• Strong sales skills with the ability to identify client needs and develop effective sales strategies

• Proficient with computers and technology with a working understanding of Microsoft Office and Google Drive, an ability to learn and use new technology efficiently, a knowledge of the TOAST POS System is a plus

• Ability to analyze and solve problems, provide solutions, and retain information

• Ability to lift and move heavy items, set up and take down tables, chairs, stage, laundry bags, etc. as needed for event preparation

• Flexible workdays – with flexible schedule

• Events are often held in the evenings and on weekends

• Excludes August and September during preparation for the Kansas State Fair

• Hutchinson, Kansas, is the primary work site

• Competitive based on applicant's skills and experience

Please submit the following materials to James Fisher, Executive Director, at <a href="mailto:James.Fisher@ksfgf.org">James.Fisher@ksfgf.org</a>

If you have questions, please call 620-615-7388 or email <a href="mailto:info@KsFgF.org">info@KsFgF.org</a>.

The Kansas Fairgrounds Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with an office located on the Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson. As a separate and independent organization, the Foundation acts as the fundraising arm for the Kansas State Fair and Fairgrounds. The Foundation’s mission is to inspire excellence and understanding of Kansas agriculture, industry and culture through the Kansas State Fair, activities, educational programs and opportunities. The specific purposes of the Kansas Fairgrounds Foundation shall be to further the renovation, construction, preservation, and beautification of the Kansas State Fairgrounds; to help, assist, promote, support, maintain, enhance, endow, and advance the interests of the Kansas State Fair: and to encourage education of the public about the Kansas State Fair and its purpose and activities.

The 1861 Club is an event venue located on the Kansas State Fairgrounds, operated by the Kansas Fairgrounds Foundation. For most of the year, it operates as a high-end venue for weddings, special and corporate events, and activities. During the Kansas State Fair, it is transformed into a climate-controlled food, beverage and entertainment venue for fast fine dining and entertainment experience for all Fair attendees. Funds raised from the 1861 Club are invested back into projects on the Fairgrounds through the Kansas Fairgrounds Foundation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739390656139.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>1861 Club Events and Sales Manager<a href="https://ksfairgroundsfoundation.org/2025/02/07/new-job-opening-1861-club-events-and-sales-manager/">CLICK HERE TO APPLY!</a>Job DescriptionThe Kansas Fairgrounds Foundation (KFF) is seeking a dedicated Events and Sales Manager to join our team. This full-time position requires a flexible schedule, including weekends and evenings, to accommodate events throughout the year. This role is responsible for marketing the venue, handling inquiries, and coordinating non-Fair facility rentals at the 1861 Club.Additionally, this team member will assist with all activities related to the operation of the Club during the Kansas State Fair (KSF). Our small, collaborative team works together to create exceptional events and service at the 1861 Club.DutiesThe Events and Sales Manager will focus on venue rental sales and event management for clients at the 1861 Club.Responsibilities include developing a sales and marketing plan with the KFF Executive Director, understanding logistical needs, and ensuring smooth execution of all event details. The manager will work with KFF staff and the board to ensure the 1861 Club operates profitably.Responsibilities• Client Management• Establish, build, and maintain client and vendor relationships• Prospect and develop new clients• Respond to inquiries and book appointments• Sales• Guide clients through the full sales process: identification, qualification, proposal development, booking, and post-event follow-up• Conduct on-site walk-through appointments• Negotiate contracts, close deals, and book events• Communication• Provide timely and thorough responses to clients via phone and email• Create reliable reports and information on sales, contacts, proposals, etc.• Manage client expectations and clearly communicate needs to the 1861 Club team• Prepare and develop a Venue Event Order (VEO) detailing all event aspects: guest count, floor plan, catering, timeline, décor, entertainment, audio-visual needs, etc.• Share VEO information with all necessary KFF staff and partners• Event Execution• Assist with setup, teardown, and execution of all event aspects• Be proactive to solve problems and handle issues as they arise• Collect payments and send payment reminders to clients• Maintain a working knowledge of the complex needs for various events• Understand venue systems, lighting, audio-visuals, kitchen equipment, etc.• Identify and engage potential team members to assist with events• Perform other duties related to the operation of the 1861 Club or Foundation activities as neededQualifications• Excellent interpersonal skills and communication skills, including phone, written, electronic communication, and presentation skills• Positive attitude and an interest in learning the inner workings of a multi-use venue• Highly self-motivated with attention to detail• Ability to organize, prioritize and execute multiple activities effectively• Ability to work independently and as a part of a team• Experience in the hospitality industry and events coordination• Strong sales skills with the ability to identify client needs and develop effective sales strategies• Proficient with computers and technology with a working understanding of Microsoft Office and Google Drive, an ability to learn and use new technology efficiently, a knowledge of the TOAST POS System is a plus• Ability to analyze and solve problems, provide solutions, and retain information• Ability to lift and move heavy items, set up and take down tables, chairs, stage, laundry bags, etc. as needed for event preparationWork Schedule• Flexible work schedule• Flexible workdays – with flexible schedule• Events are often held in the evenings and on weekends• Excludes August and September during preparation for the Kansas State FairLocation• Hutchinson, Kansas, is the primary work siteCompensation• Competitive based on applicant's skills and experience• Paid vacationApplication ProcedurePlease submit the following materials to James Fisher, Executive Director, at <a href="mailto:James.Fisher@ksfgf.org">James.Fisher@ksfgf.org</a>● Resume● Cover LetterIf you have questions, please call 620-615-7388 or email <a href="mailto:info@KsFgF.org">info@KsFgF.org</a>.Employer InformationThe Kansas Fairgrounds Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with an office located on the Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson. As a separate and independent organization, the Foundation acts as the fundraising arm for the Kansas State Fair and Fairgrounds. The Foundation’s mission is to inspire excellence and understanding of Kansas agriculture, industry and culture through the Kansas State Fair, activities, educational programs and opportunities. The specific purposes of the Kansas Fairgrounds Foundation shall be to further the renovation, construction, preservation, and beautification of the Kansas State Fairgrounds; to help, assist, promote, support, maintain, enhance, endow, and advance the interests of the Kansas State Fair: and to encourage education of the public about the Kansas State Fair and its purpose and activities.The 1861 Club is an event venue located on the Kansas State Fairgrounds, operated by the Kansas Fairgrounds Foundation. For most of the year, it operates as a high-end venue for weddings, special and corporate events, and activities. During the Kansas State Fair, it is transformed into a climate-controlled food, beverage and entertainment venue for fast fine dining and entertainment experience for all Fair attendees. Funds raised from the 1861 Club are invested back into projects on the Fairgrounds through the Kansas Fairgrounds Foundation.

1861 Club seeking Events and Sales Manager

By MATTHEW LEE, ERIC TUCKER and ZEKE MILLER Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump upended three years of U.S. policy toward Ukraine on Wednesday, saying that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to begin negotiations on ending the war following a dramatic prisoner swap.

Trump said in a social media post that he and Putin held a lengthy phone call during which they committed to "work together, very closely" to bring the conflict to an end and would meet in person, including perhaps in each other's countries.

It was unclear how closely Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would be involved. Trump held a phone call with him Wednesday, Ukrainian presidential adviser Dmytro Lytvyn said, characterizing it as a "good conversation."

Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump's special Russia-Ukraine envoy, retired Gen. Keith Kellogg, will all be in Germany later this week for the annual Munich Security Conference, which Zelenskyy will also attend.

However, in a blow to Ukraine's aspirations, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said earlier Wednesday at NATO headquarters in Brussels that NATO membership was not realistic for Ukraine and said that any security guarantees for the country would have to be borne by European countries.

The Biden administration had joined other NATO members since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 in vowing that membership in the alliance was "inevitable."

And Trump's announcement appeared to dismantle the Biden-era mantra that Kyiv would be a full participant in any decisions made. "Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine," Biden and his top national security aides said repeatedly.

Wednesday's Trump-Putin call and resulting policy sea change, followed a prisoner swap that resulted in Russia releasing American schoolteacher Marc Fogel, of Pennsylvania, after more than three years of detention in return for convicted Russian criminal Alexander Vinnik.

"We each talked about the strengths of our respective Nations, and the great benefit that we will someday have in working together," Trump said in a social media post disclosing details about the call. "But first, as we both agreed, we want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the War with Russia/Ukraine.

Trump said they also "agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately" and would be alerting Zelenskyy to their conversation. He appointed Rubio, CIA director John Ratcliffe, national security advisor Michael Waltz, and his special Mideast envoy Steven Witkoff to lead those talks.

White House officials later declined to clarify whether Ukraine would be a party to the U.S. negotiations with Russia although Trump and Zelenskyy did speak by phone, according to the White House and Kyiv.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the conversation between Trump and Putin covered a good deal of ground, including the Middle East and Iran in addition to Ukraine, which was the main focus.

Peskov said that Trump called for a quick cessation of hostilities and a peaceful settlement and that "President Putin, in his turn, emphasized the need to remove the root causes of the conflict and agreed with Trump that a long-term settlement could be achieved through peace talks."

"The Russian president of supported one of the main theses of the U.S. president that the time has come for our two countries to work together," Peskov told reporters. "The Russian president invited the U.S. president to visit Moscow and expressed readiness to host U.S. officials in Russia for issues of mutual interest, naturally including Ukraine, the Ukrainian settlement."

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy sought to put a brave face on what many in Ukraine will see as a major disappointment. In a social media post, he said he had had "a meaningful conversation with" Trump that included discussion of "opportunities to achieve peace" and Kyiv's "readiness to work together at the team level, and Ukraine's technological capabilities—including drones and other advanced industries."

"I am grateful to President Trump," he said.

The White House described the prisoner swap as evidence of a diplomatic thaw that could advance negotiations to end the fighting in Ukraine.

Fogel, an American history teacher who was deemed wrongfully detained by Russia, was arrested in August 2021 for possession of marijuana and was serving a 14-year prison sentence. He had been left out of previous prisoner swaps with Russia that were negotiated by the Biden administration.

Vinnik — the other person involved, according to two U.S. officials — was arrested in 2017 in Greece at the request of the U.S. on cryptocurrency fraud charges and was later extradited to the United States, where he pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to commit money laundering.

He is currently in custody in California awaiting transport to return to Russia, the officials said. The Kremlin confirmed that a Russian citizen was freed in the United States in exchange for Fogel but refused to identify him until he arrives in Russia.

Trump had welcomed Fogel at the White House on Tuesday evening after his return to U.S. soil on Witkoff's personal plane. On Wednesday, Trump declined to say if he spoke with Putin about Fogel and didn't say what the United States had provided in exchange for Fogel's release.

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Tuesday, Trump suggested that Fogel's release could help anchor a peace deal on Ukraine, saying: "We were treated very nicely by Russia, actually. I hope that's the beginning of a relationship where we can end that war."

BRUSSELS (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday that NATO membership for Ukraine was unrealistic and in sweeping remarks suggested Kyiv should abandon hopes of winning all its territory back from Russia and instead prepare for a negotiated peace settlement to be backed up by international troops.

Hegseth's strident comments came during the first trip to NATO by a member of the new Trump administration. Allies have been waiting to hear how much continued military and financial support Washington intends to provide to the Ukrainian government.

What they heard was that President Donald Trump is intent on getting Europe to assume most of the financial and military responsibilities for the defense of Ukraine, including a possible peacekeeping force that would not include U.S. troops. Hegseth said the force should not have Article Five protections, which could require the U.S. or the 31 other nations of the NATO alliance to come to the aid of those forces if they end up in contact with Russian forces.

Hegseth's stark message, and his insistence that Russia should keep some territory that Ukraine wants back, is likely to complicate talks later this week between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. Vice President JD Vance and other senior American officials at a major security security conference in Munich.

"The United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement," Hegseth said, as Kyiv's backers gathered at NATO headquarters for a meeting to drum up more arms and ammunition for the war, which will soon enter its fourth year.

All 32 allies must agree for a country to join NATO, meaning that every member has a veto.

"Instead, any security guarantee must be backed by capable European and non-European troops," Hegseth said. "To be clear, as part of any security guarantee, there will not be U.S. troops deployed to Ukraine."

Hegseth insisted that NATO should play no role in any future military mission to police the peace in Ukraine and that any peacekeeping troops should not be covered by the part of NATO's founding treaty that obliges all allies to come to the aid of any member under attack.

Article Five has been activated only once, when European allies and Canada used the collective security guarantee to help the United States in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, al-Qaida attacks on New York and Washington.

Hegseth also said Europe "must provide the overwhelming share of future lethal and nonlethal aid to Ukraine." Ukraine currently relies equally on Europe and the U.S. for about 30% each of its defense needs. The rest is produced by Ukraine itself.

Addressing the allies of Ukraine known as the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, he also insisted that Ukraine's Western backers must abandon the "illusionary goal" of returning the country to its pre-2014 borders, before Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula and seized parts of eastern Ukraine.

"Members of this contact group must meet the moment," Hegseth said to the approximately 50 member countries that have provided support to Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.

"We hear you," U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey said in response to Hegseth's opening remarks. Both Hegseth and Healey spoke in front of journalists at the top of a closed-door session in Brussels to discuss future aid to Ukraine.

Over nearly three years, those 50 countries have collectively provided Ukraine with more than $126 billion in weapons and military assistance, including more than $66.5 billion from the U.S., which has served as the chair of the group since its creation.

But the meeting this week was convened by the United Kingdom, and no decision has been made on who might chair the next meeting, if one is called.

Hegseth wasn't expected to make any announcement on new weapons for Ukraine.

His trip comes less than two weeks before the third anniversary of Russia's invasion on Feb. 24, 2022. Most U.S. allies fear that Russian President Vladimir Putin won't stop at Ukraine's borders if he wins, and that Europe's biggest land war in decades poses an existential threat to their security.

Trump has promised to end the war quickly. He's complained that it's costing American taxpayers too much money and suggested that Ukraine should pay for U.S. support with access to its rare earth minerals, energy and other resources.

Hegseth in his remarks said that NATO member nations also need to significantly increase defense spending to 5% of their budgets — a high mark that the U.S. does not presently meet either.

"The United States will no longer tolerate an imbalanced relationship which encourages dependence. Rather, our relationship will prioritize empowering Europe to own responsibility for its own security," Hegseth said.

European allies have hiked their military budgets since Putin ordered his troops into Ukraine, and 23 of them are estimated to have reached or exceeded last year's target of spending 2% of gross domestic product, but a third still fall short.

Some U.S. allies worry that a hasty deal might be clinched on terms that aren't favorable to Ukraine.

Before Hegseth spoke, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told The Associated Press that Putin will only negotiate a peace deal with Ukraine if its backers continue to provide enough weapons and ammunition.

"We have to make sure that he has no other option, and that means to force him to the table," Rutte said. "He needs to understand that we will not give up on Ukraine. We have to make sure that we have maximum economic impact on Russia."

Hegseth's remarks come a day after American history teacher Marc Vogel returned safely to the U.S. after three years in a Russian prison. The White House suggested that his release could help to advance negotiations on ending the war.

Trump said another American, someone "very special," would be released Wednesday, though he declined to name the person or say from what country. The president did not say what the United States exchanged for Fogel's release.

Copp reported from Washington. Associated Press Writer Lolita C. Baldor in Washington contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739386034277.png" alt="President Trump at the White House Tuesday night greeting American teacher&nbsp;Marc Fogel upon his return from being held in Russia- White House image" />
 <figcaption>President Trump at the White House Tuesday night greeting American teacher&nbsp;Marc Fogel upon his return from being held in Russia- White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATTHEW LEE, ERIC TUCKER and ZEKE MILLER Associated PressWASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump upended three years of U.S. policy toward Ukraine on Wednesday, saying that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to begin negotiations on ending the war following a dramatic prisoner swap.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739386721138.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Trump said in a social media post that he and Putin held a lengthy phone call during which they committed to "work together, very closely" to bring the conflict to an end and would meet in person, including perhaps in each other's countries.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I had a long and detailed conversation with President Trump. I appreciate his genuine interest in our shared opportunities and how we can bring about real peace together. We discussed many aspects—diplomatic, military, and economic—and President Trump informed me about what… <a href="https://t.co/flmigxqtbl">pic.twitter.com/flmigxqtbl</a>&mdash; Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1889773900353151436?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>It was unclear how closely Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would be involved. Trump held a phone call with him Wednesday, Ukrainian presidential adviser Dmytro Lytvyn said, characterizing it as a "good conversation."Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump's special Russia-Ukraine envoy, retired Gen. Keith Kellogg, will all be in Germany later this week for the annual Munich Security Conference, which Zelenskyy will also attend.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecDef</a> Hegseth: Returning to Ukraine&#39;s pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective. Chasing this illusionary goal will only prolong the war and cause more suffering...The U.S. does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement. <a href="https://t.co/fSU352rMny">pic.twitter.com/fSU352rMny</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1889699670164672603?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>However, in a blow to Ukraine's aspirations, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said earlier Wednesday at NATO headquarters in Brussels that NATO membership was not realistic for Ukraine and said that any security guarantees for the country would have to be borne by European countries.The Biden administration had joined other NATO members since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 in vowing that membership in the alliance was "inevitable."And Trump's announcement appeared to dismantle the Biden-era mantra that Kyiv would be a full participant in any decisions made. "Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine," Biden and his top national security aides said repeatedly.Wednesday's Trump-Putin call and resulting policy sea change, followed a prisoner swap that resulted in Russia releasing American schoolteacher Marc Fogel, of Pennsylvania, after more than three years of detention in return for convicted Russian criminal Alexander Vinnik."We each talked about the strengths of our respective Nations, and the great benefit that we will someday have in working together," Trump said in a social media post disclosing details about the call. "But first, as we both agreed, we want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the War with Russia/Ukraine.Trump said they also "agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately" and would be alerting Zelenskyy to their conversation. He appointed Rubio, CIA director John Ratcliffe, national security advisor Michael Waltz, and his special Mideast envoy Steven Witkoff to lead those talks.White House officials later declined to clarify whether Ukraine would be a party to the U.S. negotiations with Russia although Trump and Zelenskyy did speak by phone, according to the White House and Kyiv.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the conversation between Trump and Putin covered a good deal of ground, including the Middle East and Iran in addition to Ukraine, which was the main focus.Peskov said that Trump called for a quick cessation of hostilities and a peaceful settlement and that "President Putin, in his turn, emphasized the need to remove the root causes of the conflict and agreed with Trump that a long-term settlement could be achieved through peace talks.""The Russian president of supported one of the main theses of the U.S. president that the time has come for our two countries to work together," Peskov told reporters. "The Russian president invited the U.S. president to visit Moscow and expressed readiness to host U.S. officials in Russia for issues of mutual interest, naturally including Ukraine, the Ukrainian settlement."Meanwhile, Zelenskyy sought to put a brave face on what many in Ukraine will see as a major disappointment. In a social media post, he said he had had "a meaningful conversation with" Trump that included discussion of "opportunities to achieve peace" and Kyiv's "readiness to work together at the team level, and Ukraine's technological capabilities—including drones and other advanced industries.""I am grateful to President Trump," he said.The White House described the prisoner swap as evidence of a diplomatic thaw that could advance negotiations to end the fighting in Ukraine.Fogel, an American history teacher who was deemed wrongfully detained by Russia, was arrested in August 2021 for possession of marijuana and was serving a 14-year prison sentence. He had been left out of previous prisoner swaps with Russia that were negotiated by the Biden administration.Vinnik — the other person involved, according to two U.S. officials — was arrested in 2017 in Greece at the request of the U.S. on cryptocurrency fraud charges and was later extradited to the United States, where he pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to commit money laundering.He is currently in custody in California awaiting transport to return to Russia, the officials said. The Kremlin confirmed that a Russian citizen was freed in the United States in exchange for Fogel but refused to identify him until he arrives in Russia.Trump had welcomed Fogel at the White House on Tuesday evening after his return to U.S. soil on Witkoff's personal plane. On Wednesday, Trump declined to say if he spoke with Putin about Fogel and didn't say what the United States had provided in exchange for Fogel's release.Speaking to reporters at the White House on Tuesday, Trump suggested that Fogel's release could help anchor a peace deal on Ukraine, saying: "We were treated very nicely by Russia, actually. I hope that's the beginning of a relationship where we can end that war."----------------------BRUSSELS (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday that NATO membership for Ukraine was unrealistic and in sweeping remarks suggested Kyiv should abandon hopes of winning all its territory back from Russia and instead prepare for a negotiated peace settlement to be backed up by international troops.Hegseth's strident comments came during the first trip to NATO by a member of the new Trump administration. Allies have been waiting to hear how much continued military and financial support Washington intends to provide to the Ukrainian government.What they heard was that President Donald Trump is intent on getting Europe to assume most of the financial and military responsibilities for the defense of Ukraine, including a possible peacekeeping force that would not include U.S. troops. Hegseth said the force should not have Article Five protections, which could require the U.S. or the 31 other nations of the NATO alliance to come to the aid of those forces if they end up in contact with Russian forces.Hegseth's stark message, and his insistence that Russia should keep some territory that Ukraine wants back, is likely to complicate talks later this week between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. Vice President JD Vance and other senior American officials at a major security security conference in Munich."The United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement," Hegseth said, as Kyiv's backers gathered at NATO headquarters for a meeting to drum up more arms and ammunition for the war, which will soon enter its fourth year.All 32 allies must agree for a country to join NATO, meaning that every member has a veto."Instead, any security guarantee must be backed by capable European and non-European troops," Hegseth said. "To be clear, as part of any security guarantee, there will not be U.S. troops deployed to Ukraine."Hegseth insisted that NATO should play no role in any future military mission to police the peace in Ukraine and that any peacekeeping troops should not be covered by the part of NATO's founding treaty that obliges all allies to come to the aid of any member under attack.Article Five has been activated only once, when European allies and Canada used the collective security guarantee to help the United States in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, al-Qaida attacks on New York and Washington.Hegseth also said Europe "must provide the overwhelming share of future lethal and nonlethal aid to Ukraine." Ukraine currently relies equally on Europe and the U.S. for about 30% each of its defense needs. The rest is produced by Ukraine itself.Addressing the allies of Ukraine known as the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, he also insisted that Ukraine's Western backers must abandon the "illusionary goal" of returning the country to its pre-2014 borders, before Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula and seized parts of eastern Ukraine."Members of this contact group must meet the moment," Hegseth said to the approximately 50 member countries that have provided support to Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022."We hear you," U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey said in response to Hegseth's opening remarks. Both Hegseth and Healey spoke in front of journalists at the top of a closed-door session in Brussels to discuss future aid to Ukraine.Over nearly three years, those 50 countries have collectively provided Ukraine with more than $126 billion in weapons and military assistance, including more than $66.5 billion from the U.S., which has served as the chair of the group since its creation.But the meeting this week was convened by the United Kingdom, and no decision has been made on who might chair the next meeting, if one is called.Hegseth wasn't expected to make any announcement on new weapons for Ukraine.His trip comes less than two weeks before the third anniversary of Russia's invasion on Feb. 24, 2022. Most U.S. allies fear that Russian President Vladimir Putin won't stop at Ukraine's borders if he wins, and that Europe's biggest land war in decades poses an existential threat to their security.Trump has promised to end the war quickly. He's complained that it's costing American taxpayers too much money and suggested that Ukraine should pay for U.S. support with access to its rare earth minerals, energy and other resources.Hegseth in his remarks said that NATO member nations also need to significantly increase defense spending to 5% of their budgets — a high mark that the U.S. does not presently meet either."The United States will no longer tolerate an imbalanced relationship which encourages dependence. Rather, our relationship will prioritize empowering Europe to own responsibility for its own security," Hegseth said.European allies have hiked their military budgets since Putin ordered his troops into Ukraine, and 23 of them are estimated to have reached or exceeded last year's target of spending 2% of gross domestic product, but a third still fall short.Some U.S. allies worry that a hasty deal might be clinched on terms that aren't favorable to Ukraine.Before Hegseth spoke, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told The Associated Press that Putin will only negotiate a peace deal with Ukraine if its backers continue to provide enough weapons and ammunition."We have to make sure that he has no other option, and that means to force him to the table," Rutte said. "He needs to understand that we will not give up on Ukraine. We have to make sure that we have maximum economic impact on Russia."Hegseth's remarks come a day after American history teacher Marc Vogel returned safely to the U.S. after three years in a Russian prison. The White House suggested that his release could help to advance negotiations on ending the war.Trump said another American, someone "very special," would be released Wednesday, though he declined to name the person or say from what country. The president did not say what the United States exchanged for Fogel's release.___Copp reported from Washington. Associated Press Writer Lolita C. Baldor in Washington contributed to this report.

🎥Trump reveals details of call with Putin on ending war in Ukraine

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Wednesday confirmed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gabbard-trump-intelligence-director-senate-confirmation-5750d01104cf650b8ef0853dabb2e5a2">Tulsi Gabbard</a>&nbsp;as President Donald Trump's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dni.gov/">director of national intelligence</a>&nbsp;after Republicans who had initially questioned her experience and judgment fell in line behind her nomination.

Gabbard was an unconventional pick to oversee and coordinate the country's 18 different intelligence agencies, given&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gabbard-trump-intelligence-director-russia-ukraine-syria-20b7a404704efe88aa56a06ce1894f9a">her past comments sympathetic to Russia</a>, a meeting she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gabbard-syria-assad-trump-b7518871e72a5e19c618c5ff52dedfd2">held with now-deposed Syrian President Bashar Assad</a>&nbsp;and her previous support for government leaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-united-states-government-797f390ee28b4bfbb0e1b13cfedf0593">Edward Snowden</a>.

Gabbard, a military veteran and former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, was confirmed by a 52-48 vote, with Democrats opposed in the sharply divided Senate where Republicans hold a slim majority. The only "no' vote from a Republican came from Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

She will take over the top intelligence post as Trump works to reshape vast portions of the federal government. Intelligence agencies including the CIA have issued voluntary resignation offers to staffers, while cybersecurity experts have raised concerns about Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency gaining access to sensitive government databases containing information about intelligence operations.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence was created to address intelligence failures exposed by the Sept. 11, 2001. Republicans have increasingly criticized the office, saying it has grown too large and politicized. Trump himself has long viewed the nation’s intelligence services with suspicion.

GOP senators who had expressed concerns about Gabbard’s stance on Snowden, Syria and Russia said they were won over by her promise to refocus on the office’s core missions: coordinating federal intelligence work and serving as the president’s chief intelligence adviser.

“While I continue to have concerns about certain positions she has previously taken, I appreciate her commitment to rein in the outsized scope of the agency,” said Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, adding that Gabbard will bring “independent thinking” to the job.

Democrats noted that Gabbard had no experience working for an intelligence agency and said her past stances on Russia, Syria and Snowden made her a poor choice for the job. They also questioned whether she would stand up to Trump if necessary and could maintain vital intelligence sharing with American allies.

“It is an insult to people who have dedicated their lives and put themselves in harm’s way to have her confirmed into this position,” said Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, a former CIA analyst,, D-Mich., about members of America's intelligence service.

Until GOP support fell into place, it was unclear whether Gabbard’s nomination would succeed. Given the 53-47 split in the Senate, Gabbard needed virtually all Republicans to vote “yes.”

Trump's “Make America Great Again” base has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-senate-confirmation-ernst-hegseth-dd15a8b031ca8cad2a99237ab99b53a8">pressured senators to support Trump’s nominees</a>, and Elon Musk, the president's ally, took to social media recently to brand Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., as a “deep-state puppet.” Young had raised concerns about Gabbard but announced his support after speaking with Musk. The post was deleted after they spoke, and Musk later called Young an ally.

Gabbard is a lieutenant colonel in the National Guard who deployed twice to the Middle East and ran for president in 2020. She has no formal intelligence experience and has never run a government agency or department.

Gabbard’s past praise of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-united-states-government-797f390ee28b4bfbb0e1b13cfedf0593">Snowden</a>&nbsp;drew particularly harsh questions during her confirmation hearing. Snowden, a former National Security Agency contractor, fled to Russia after he was charged with revealing classified information about U.S. surveillance programs.

Gabbard said that while Snowden disclosed important facts about such programs that she believes are unconstitutional, he violated rules about protecting classified secrets. “Edward Snowden broke the law,” she said.

Gabbard's 2017 visit with Assad was another flashpoint. He was recently deposed following a brutal civil war in which he was accused of using chemical weapons.

Following her visit, Gabbard faced criticism that she was legitimizing a dictator, and then there were more questions when she said she was skeptical that Assad had used such weapons.

Gabbard defended her meeting with Assad, saying she used the opportunity to press the Syrian leader on his human rights record.

“I asked him tough questions about his own regime’s actions,” Gabbard said.

She also has repeatedly echoed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-covid-science-health-donald-trump-300742272576985618e1d5a30f53bb23">Russian propaganda</a>&nbsp;used to justify the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine. In the past, she opposed a key U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-surveillance-fisa-702-congress-reform-7dc1b506b58ce74de0d7983dfba98909">surveillance program</a>&nbsp;known as Section 702, which allows authorities to collect the communications of suspected terrorists overseas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739313030999.png" alt="Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran met with Gabbard in December- courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran met with Gabbard in December- courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Wednesday confirmed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gabbard-trump-intelligence-director-senate-confirmation-5750d01104cf650b8ef0853dabb2e5a2">Tulsi Gabbard</a>&nbsp;as President Donald Trump's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dni.gov/">director of national intelligence</a>&nbsp;after Republicans who had initially questioned her experience and judgment fell in line behind her nomination.Gabbard was an unconventional pick to oversee and coordinate the country's 18 different intelligence agencies, given&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gabbard-trump-intelligence-director-russia-ukraine-syria-20b7a404704efe88aa56a06ce1894f9a">her past comments sympathetic to Russia</a>, a meeting she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gabbard-syria-assad-trump-b7518871e72a5e19c618c5ff52dedfd2">held with now-deposed Syrian President Bashar Assad</a>&nbsp;and her previous support for government leaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-united-states-government-797f390ee28b4bfbb0e1b13cfedf0593">Edward Snowden</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🇺🇸 Tulsi Gabbard’s confirmation as Director of National Intelligence highlights President Trump’s commitment to safeguarding America’s security and ensuring intelligence operations remain focused on protecting our nation and the American people. America is BACK! <a href="https://twitter.com/TulsiGabbard?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TulsiGabbard</a> <a href="https://t.co/03UyPlExFe">pic.twitter.com/03UyPlExFe</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1889721271912374504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Gabbard, a military veteran and former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, was confirmed by a 52-48 vote, with Democrats opposed in the sharply divided Senate where Republicans hold a slim majority. The only "no' vote from a Republican came from Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.She will take over the top intelligence post as Trump works to reshape vast portions of the federal government. Intelligence agencies including the CIA have issued voluntary resignation offers to staffers, while cybersecurity experts have raised concerns about Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency gaining access to sensitive government databases containing information about intelligence operations.The Office of the Director of National Intelligence was created to address intelligence failures exposed by the Sept. 11, 2001. Republicans have increasingly criticized the office, saying it has grown too large and politicized. Trump himself has long viewed the nation’s intelligence services with suspicion.GOP senators who had expressed concerns about Gabbard’s stance on Snowden, Syria and Russia said they were won over by her promise to refocus on the office’s core missions: coordinating federal intelligence work and serving as the president’s chief intelligence adviser.“While I continue to have concerns about certain positions she has previously taken, I appreciate her commitment to rein in the outsized scope of the agency,” said Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, adding that Gabbard will bring “independent thinking” to the job.Democrats noted that Gabbard had no experience working for an intelligence agency and said her past stances on Russia, Syria and Snowden made her a poor choice for the job. They also questioned whether she would stand up to Trump if necessary and could maintain vital intelligence sharing with American allies.“It is an insult to people who have dedicated their lives and put themselves in harm’s way to have her confirmed into this position,” said Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, a former CIA analyst,, D-Mich., about members of America's intelligence service.Until GOP support fell into place, it was unclear whether Gabbard’s nomination would succeed. Given the 53-47 split in the Senate, Gabbard needed virtually all Republicans to vote “yes.”Trump's “Make America Great Again” base has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-senate-confirmation-ernst-hegseth-dd15a8b031ca8cad2a99237ab99b53a8">pressured senators to support Trump’s nominees</a>, and Elon Musk, the president's ally, took to social media recently to brand Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., as a “deep-state puppet.” Young had raised concerns about Gabbard but announced his support after speaking with Musk. The post was deleted after they spoke, and Musk later called Young an ally.Gabbard is a lieutenant colonel in the National Guard who deployed twice to the Middle East and ran for president in 2020. She has no formal intelligence experience and has never run a government agency or department.Gabbard’s past praise of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-united-states-government-797f390ee28b4bfbb0e1b13cfedf0593">Snowden</a>&nbsp;drew particularly harsh questions during her confirmation hearing. Snowden, a former National Security Agency contractor, fled to Russia after he was charged with revealing classified information about U.S. surveillance programs.Gabbard said that while Snowden disclosed important facts about such programs that she believes are unconstitutional, he violated rules about protecting classified secrets. “Edward Snowden broke the law,” she said.Gabbard's 2017 visit with Assad was another flashpoint. He was recently deposed following a brutal civil war in which he was accused of using chemical weapons.Following her visit, Gabbard faced criticism that she was legitimizing a dictator, and then there were more questions when she said she was skeptical that Assad had used such weapons.Gabbard defended her meeting with Assad, saying she used the opportunity to press the Syrian leader on his human rights record.“I asked him tough questions about his own regime’s actions,” Gabbard said.She also has repeatedly echoed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-covid-science-health-donald-trump-300742272576985618e1d5a30f53bb23">Russian propaganda</a>&nbsp;used to justify the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine. In the past, she opposed a key U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-surveillance-fisa-702-congress-reform-7dc1b506b58ce74de0d7983dfba98909">surveillance program</a>&nbsp;known as Section 702, which allows authorities to collect the communications of suspected terrorists overseas.

Tulsi Gabbard confirmed as Trump’s director of national intelligence

DALLAS (AP) — The FBI on Tuesday said it discovered 2,400 new records related to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jfk-assassination">assassination of former President John F. Kennedy</a>&nbsp;as federal agencies work to comply with President Donald Trump's executive order last month to release&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jfk-assassination-documents-release-trump-50ea62770b13f0ffc11ca18dde03500d">thousands of files</a>.

The FBI said it's working to transfer the records to the National Archives and Records Administration to be included in the declassification process.

The federal government in the early 1990s mandated that all documents related to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-51224feebb8742a8a4e604da845c7fa8">Nov. 22, 1963</a>, assassination be housed in a single collection at the National Archives. And while the vast majority of the collection — over 5 million records — has been made public, researchers estimate that 3,000 files&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jfk-assassination-documents-release-trump-50ea62770b13f0ffc11ca18dde03500d">haven't been released,</a>&nbsp;either in whole or in part.

The FBI did not say in its statement what kind of information the newly discovered files contain. The FBI in 2020 opened a Central Records Complex and began a years-long effort to ship, electronically inventory and store closed case files from field offices across the country. The agency said a more comprehensive records inventory along with technological advances allowed it to quickly search and locate records.

Jefferson Morley, vice president of the Mary Ferrell Foundation, a repository for files related to the assassination, called the FBI’s disclosure of the files “refreshingly candid.”

“It shows that the FBI is serious about being transparent,” said Morley, who is also editor of the JFK Facts blog.

Morley said it sets a precedent for other agencies to come forward with documents that haven’t yet been turned over to the National Archives.

Trump's order last month directed the national intelligence director and attorney general to develop a plan to release classified records related to Kennedy’s assassination. A spokesperson for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said that as required by the order, a release plan has been submitted, but offered no details about the plan or a timeline for when records may be made available to the public.

The collection was required to be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c50d6fd107534341b9fa47b9014801ab">opened by 2017,</a>&nbsp;barring any exemptions designated by the president. In his first term, Trump said he would allow the release of all of the remaining records but ended up holding some back due to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/trump-boasted-hed-open-all-jfk-files-but-now-says-he-cant-2f48d57f9ee045d98eb784d2295288ef">potential harm to national security</a>. And while files&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-statutes-assassinations-lee-harvey-oswald-5b50bdcd246d228828b24f584ccad3ab">continued to be released</a>&nbsp;under former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>, some remain unseen.

The assassination fueled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e45a1408a8274447bdba8dc34b93bfa1">conspiracy theories</a>&nbsp;for decades. Kennedy was fatally shot in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-298388ef0d6e41d98a47c70c86c64788">downtown Dallas</a>&nbsp;as his motorcade passed in front of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/travel-and-tourism-e9f33c5e647d45149c1738d64ea0e3c5">Texas School Book Depository building,</a>&nbsp;where 24-year-old assassin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c7cb2904bd954273a42c9cce1458fe42">Lee Harvey Oswald</a>&nbsp;positioned himself from a sniper’s perch on the sixth floor. Two days after Kennedy was killed, nightclub owner Jack Ruby fatally shot Oswald during a jail transfer.

The Warren Commission, established by then-President Lyndon B. Johnson to investigate the assassination, found that Oswald acted alone and that there was no evidence of a conspiracy. But that conclusion never quelled a web of alternative theories over the decades.

Gerald Posner, author of “Case Closed,” which concludes that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c7cb2904bd954273a42c9cce1458fe42">Oswald</a>&nbsp;acted alone, said it’s possible that the newly discovered files are repeats of documents that are already in the National Archives’ collection or they could be documents the review board for the collection had previously said it didn’t want.

“If they are really new assassination documents, then it raises a whole bunch of questions about how they were missed for all of these years,” Posner said.

He said the “wow” would be if they are related to Oswald or the investigation.

The documents&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-government-77243c0452d743d8ac62d03c253b6057">released over the past several years</a>&nbsp;from the collection have offered details on the way intelligence services operated at the time, and include CIA cables and memos discussing visits by Oswald to the Soviet and Cuban embassies during a trip to Mexico City just weeks before the assassination. The former Marine had previously defected to the Soviet Union before returning home to Texas.

Morley said the CIA's surveillance of Oswald has been the “emerging story over the last five to 10 years." He said there could be information on that in the new files.

Associated Press writers Eric Tucker and David Klepper contributed reporting from Washington.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700660678254.png" alt="FILE - In this Nov. 22, 1963 file photo, President John F. Kennedy waves from his car in a motorcade approximately one minute before he was shot in Dallas. Riding with Kennedy are First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, right, Nellie Connally, second from left, and her husband, Texas Gov. John Connally, far left. (AP Photo/Jim Altgens, File)&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>FILE - In this Nov. 22, 1963 file photo, President John F. Kennedy waves from his car in a motorcade approximately one minute before he was shot in Dallas. Riding with Kennedy are First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, right, Nellie Connally, second from left, and her husband, Texas Gov. John Connally, far left. (AP Photo/Jim Altgens, File)&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>DALLAS (AP) — The FBI on Tuesday said it discovered 2,400 new records related to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jfk-assassination">assassination of former President John F. Kennedy</a>&nbsp;as federal agencies work to comply with President Donald Trump's executive order last month to release&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jfk-assassination-documents-release-trump-50ea62770b13f0ffc11ca18dde03500d">thousands of files</a>.The FBI said it's working to transfer the records to the National Archives and Records Administration to be included in the declassification process.The federal government in the early 1990s mandated that all documents related to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-51224feebb8742a8a4e604da845c7fa8">Nov. 22, 1963</a>, assassination be housed in a single collection at the National Archives. And while the vast majority of the collection — over 5 million records — has been made public, researchers estimate that 3,000 files&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jfk-assassination-documents-release-trump-50ea62770b13f0ffc11ca18dde03500d">haven't been released,</a>&nbsp;either in whole or in part.The FBI did not say in its statement what kind of information the newly discovered files contain. The FBI in 2020 opened a Central Records Complex and began a years-long effort to ship, electronically inventory and store closed case files from field offices across the country. The agency said a more comprehensive records inventory along with technological advances allowed it to quickly search and locate records.Jefferson Morley, vice president of the Mary Ferrell Foundation, a repository for files related to the assassination, called the FBI’s disclosure of the files “refreshingly candid.”“It shows that the FBI is serious about being transparent,” said Morley, who is also editor of the JFK Facts blog.Morley said it sets a precedent for other agencies to come forward with documents that haven’t yet been turned over to the National Archives.Trump's order last month directed the national intelligence director and attorney general to develop a plan to release classified records related to Kennedy’s assassination. A spokesperson for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said that as required by the order, a release plan has been submitted, but offered no details about the plan or a timeline for when records may be made available to the public.The collection was required to be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c50d6fd107534341b9fa47b9014801ab">opened by 2017,</a>&nbsp;barring any exemptions designated by the president. In his first term, Trump said he would allow the release of all of the remaining records but ended up holding some back due to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/trump-boasted-hed-open-all-jfk-files-but-now-says-he-cant-2f48d57f9ee045d98eb784d2295288ef">potential harm to national security</a>. And while files&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-statutes-assassinations-lee-harvey-oswald-5b50bdcd246d228828b24f584ccad3ab">continued to be released</a>&nbsp;under former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>, some remain unseen.The assassination fueled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e45a1408a8274447bdba8dc34b93bfa1">conspiracy theories</a>&nbsp;for decades. Kennedy was fatally shot in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-298388ef0d6e41d98a47c70c86c64788">downtown Dallas</a>&nbsp;as his motorcade passed in front of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/travel-and-tourism-e9f33c5e647d45149c1738d64ea0e3c5">Texas School Book Depository building,</a>&nbsp;where 24-year-old assassin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c7cb2904bd954273a42c9cce1458fe42">Lee Harvey Oswald</a>&nbsp;positioned himself from a sniper’s perch on the sixth floor. Two days after Kennedy was killed, nightclub owner Jack Ruby fatally shot Oswald during a jail transfer.The Warren Commission, established by then-President Lyndon B. Johnson to investigate the assassination, found that Oswald acted alone and that there was no evidence of a conspiracy. But that conclusion never quelled a web of alternative theories over the decades.Gerald Posner, author of “Case Closed,” which concludes that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c7cb2904bd954273a42c9cce1458fe42">Oswald</a>&nbsp;acted alone, said it’s possible that the newly discovered files are repeats of documents that are already in the National Archives’ collection or they could be documents the review board for the collection had previously said it didn’t want.“If they are really new assassination documents, then it raises a whole bunch of questions about how they were missed for all of these years,” Posner said.He said the “wow” would be if they are related to Oswald or the investigation.The documents&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-government-77243c0452d743d8ac62d03c253b6057">released over the past several years</a>&nbsp;from the collection have offered details on the way intelligence services operated at the time, and include CIA cables and memos discussing visits by Oswald to the Soviet and Cuban embassies during a trip to Mexico City just weeks before the assassination. The former Marine had previously defected to the Soviet Union before returning home to Texas.Morley said the CIA's surveillance of Oswald has been the “emerging story over the last five to 10 years." He said there could be information on that in the new files.___Associated Press writers Eric Tucker and David Klepper contributed reporting from Washington.

FBI says it found 2,400 new JFK assassination records

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Monday he is banning federal use of paper straws, saying they “don’t work” and don't last very long. Instead he wants the government to exclusively move to plastic.

“It’s a ridiculous situation. We’re going back to plastic straws,” Trump said as he signed an executive order to reverse federal purchasing policies that encourage paper straws and restrict plastic ones. The order directs federal agencies to stop buying paper straws “and otherwise ensure that paper straws are no longer provided within agency buildings.”

The move by Trump — who has long railed against paper straws, and whose 2019 reelection campaign&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-government-b563fe72490a422e809fad211100d06d">sold Trump-branded reusable plastic straws</a>&nbsp;for $15 per pack of 10 — targets a Biden administration policy to&nbsp;<a href="https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/07/19/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-releases-new-strategy-to-tackle-plastic-pollution-takes-action-to-reduce-single-use-plastics-in-federal-operations/">phase out federal purchases of single-use plastics,</a>&nbsp;including straws, from food service operations, events and packaging by 2027, and from all federal operations by 2035.

Trump declared President Joe Biden’s policy “DEAD!” in a social media post over the weekend.

While plastic straws have been blamed for polluting oceans and harming marine life, Trump said Monday that he thinks "it's OK” to continue using them. “I don’t think that plastic is going to affect the shark very much as they’re eating, as they’re munching their way through the ocean,'' he said at a White House announcement.

Several U.S. states and cities have banned plastic straws, and some restaurants no longer automatically give them to customers. But plastic straws are only a small part of the problem. The environment is littered with single-use plastic food and beverage containers — water bottles, takeout containers, coffee lids, shopping bags and more.

Around the world, the equivalent of one garbage truck of plastic&nbsp;<a href="https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/26132/reckoning-with-the-us-role-in-global-ocean-plastic-waste">enters the ocean every minute</a>&nbsp;from a range of sources, including plastic bags, toothbrushes, bottles, food packaging and more, experts say. As those materials break down in the environment, microplastics are turning up in the stomachs of fish, birds and other animals, as well as in human blood and tissue.

And plastic manufacturing releases planet-warming greenhouse gases and other dangerous pollutants. More than 90% of plastic products are derived from fossil fuels such as oil and natural gas, and millions of tons of plastic waste enter the world’s oceans every year. Many multinational companies have moved away from plastic straws and have made reducing plastic use across their operations central to their sustainability goals, making Trump's decision an outlier in the business world.

Trump’s order is “more about messaging than finding solutions,″ said Christy Leavitt, plastics campaign director for the environmental group Oceana, noting that most U.S. voters support requiring companies to reduce single-use plastic packaging and foodware.

“President Trump is moving in the wrong direction on single-use plastics,'' Leavitt said. “The world is facing a plastic pollution crisis, and we can no longer ignore one of the biggest environmental threats facing our oceans and our planet today.”

The plastic manufacturing industry applauded Trump's move.

“Straws are just the beginning,” Matt Seaholm, president and CEO of the Plastics Industry Association, said in a statement. “‘Back to Plastic’ is a movement we should all get behind.”

More than 390 million straws are used every day in the United States, mostly for 30 minutes or less, according to advocacy group Straws Turtle Island Restoration Network. Straws take at least 200 years to decompose and pose a threat to turtles and other wildlife as they degrade into microplastics, the group says.

"To prevent another sea turtle from becoming a victim to plastic, we must make personal lifestyle alterations to fight for these species,'' the group said in a statement.

Every year, the world produces more than 400 million tons of new plastic.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/plastic-pollution-crisis-treaty-south-korea-631960e4375aeec46517133348635a7d">About 40% of all plastics are used in packaging</a>, according to the United Nations.

Globally, nations are creating a treaty to address plastic pollution. Leaders met for a week in South Korea late last year but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/plastic-pollution-treaty-south-korea-75187319a8cebc6e54fc1557ff40b266">didn’t reach an agreement</a>. Talks resume this year as more than 100 countries pursue a pact that limits plastic production as well as tackles cleanup and recycling.

The U.S., China and Germany are the biggest players in the global plastics trade. U.S. manufacturers have asked Trump to remain at the negotiating table, and to revert to Biden’s previous position that focused on redesigning plastic products, recycling and reuse.

White House staff secretary Will Scharf, who presented the executive order to Trump, told him the push for paper straws has cost the government and private industry “an absolute ton of money and left consumers all over the country wildly dissatisfied with their straws. It really is something that affects ordinary Americans in their everyday lives."

Associated Press writer Jennifer McDermott in Providence, Rhode Island, contributed to this story.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Monday he is banning federal use of paper straws, saying they “don’t work” and don't last very long. Instead he wants the government to exclusively move to plastic.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;We&#39;re going back to plastic straws.&quot; –President Donald J. Trump 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/GONNjP6UNn">pic.twitter.com/GONNjP6UNn</a>&mdash; President Donald J. Trump (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1889090935071388109?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Trump signs exec order on paper straws: &quot;We&#39;re going to plastic straws. These things don&#39;t work. They break. They explode. If something&#39;s hot they don&#39;t last very long..I don&#39;t think that plastic&#39;s going to affect a shark very much as they&#39;re munching their way through the ocean&quot; <a href="https://t.co/8HHMeRsHHU">pic.twitter.com/8HHMeRsHHU</a>&mdash; Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) <a href="https://twitter.com/HowardMortman/status/1889120837149524210?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“It’s a ridiculous situation. We’re going back to plastic straws,” Trump said as he signed an executive order to reverse federal purchasing policies that encourage paper straws and restrict plastic ones. The order directs federal agencies to stop buying paper straws “and otherwise ensure that paper straws are no longer provided within agency buildings.”The move by Trump — who has long railed against paper straws, and whose 2019 reelection campaign&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-government-b563fe72490a422e809fad211100d06d">sold Trump-branded reusable plastic straws</a>&nbsp;for $15 per pack of 10 — targets a Biden administration policy to&nbsp;<a href="https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/07/19/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-releases-new-strategy-to-tackle-plastic-pollution-takes-action-to-reduce-single-use-plastics-in-federal-operations/">phase out federal purchases of single-use plastics,</a>&nbsp;including straws, from food service operations, events and packaging by 2027, and from all federal operations by 2035.Trump declared President Joe Biden’s policy “DEAD!” in a social media post over the weekend.While plastic straws have been blamed for polluting oceans and harming marine life, Trump said Monday that he thinks "it's OK” to continue using them. “I don’t think that plastic is going to affect the shark very much as they’re eating, as they’re munching their way through the ocean,'' he said at a White House announcement.Several U.S. states and cities have banned plastic straws, and some restaurants no longer automatically give them to customers. But plastic straws are only a small part of the problem. The environment is littered with single-use plastic food and beverage containers — water bottles, takeout containers, coffee lids, shopping bags and more.Around the world, the equivalent of one garbage truck of plastic&nbsp;<a href="https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/26132/reckoning-with-the-us-role-in-global-ocean-plastic-waste">enters the ocean every minute</a>&nbsp;from a range of sources, including plastic bags, toothbrushes, bottles, food packaging and more, experts say. As those materials break down in the environment, microplastics are turning up in the stomachs of fish, birds and other animals, as well as in human blood and tissue.And plastic manufacturing releases planet-warming greenhouse gases and other dangerous pollutants. More than 90% of plastic products are derived from fossil fuels such as oil and natural gas, and millions of tons of plastic waste enter the world’s oceans every year. Many multinational companies have moved away from plastic straws and have made reducing plastic use across their operations central to their sustainability goals, making Trump's decision an outlier in the business world.Trump’s order is “more about messaging than finding solutions,″ said Christy Leavitt, plastics campaign director for the environmental group Oceana, noting that most U.S. voters support requiring companies to reduce single-use plastic packaging and foodware.“President Trump is moving in the wrong direction on single-use plastics,'' Leavitt said. “The world is facing a plastic pollution crisis, and we can no longer ignore one of the biggest environmental threats facing our oceans and our planet today.”The plastic manufacturing industry applauded Trump's move.“Straws are just the beginning,” Matt Seaholm, president and CEO of the Plastics Industry Association, said in a statement. “‘Back to Plastic’ is a movement we should all get behind.”More than 390 million straws are used every day in the United States, mostly for 30 minutes or less, according to advocacy group Straws Turtle Island Restoration Network. Straws take at least 200 years to decompose and pose a threat to turtles and other wildlife as they degrade into microplastics, the group says."To prevent another sea turtle from becoming a victim to plastic, we must make personal lifestyle alterations to fight for these species,'' the group said in a statement.Every year, the world produces more than 400 million tons of new plastic.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/plastic-pollution-crisis-treaty-south-korea-631960e4375aeec46517133348635a7d">About 40% of all plastics are used in packaging</a>, according to the United Nations.Globally, nations are creating a treaty to address plastic pollution. Leaders met for a week in South Korea late last year but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/plastic-pollution-treaty-south-korea-75187319a8cebc6e54fc1557ff40b266">didn’t reach an agreement</a>. Talks resume this year as more than 100 countries pursue a pact that limits plastic production as well as tackles cleanup and recycling.The U.S., China and Germany are the biggest players in the global plastics trade. U.S. manufacturers have asked Trump to remain at the negotiating table, and to revert to Biden’s previous position that focused on redesigning plastic products, recycling and reuse.White House staff secretary Will Scharf, who presented the executive order to Trump, told him the push for paper straws has cost the government and private industry “an absolute ton of money and left consumers all over the country wildly dissatisfied with their straws. It really is something that affects ordinary Americans in their everyday lives."___Associated Press writer Jennifer McDermott in Providence, Rhode Island, contributed to this story.

🎥Trump bans federal use of paper straws; paper ones 'don’t work'

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/david-a-lieb">DAVID A. LIEB</a> Associated Press

For years, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office in suburban Indianapolis has wanted to partner with federal immigration authorities to identify and detain immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally and facing charges.

President Joe Biden’s administration never returned its calls, the sheriff’s office said. But as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;cracks down on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/immigration">illegal immigration</a>, Hamilton County deputies soon could become the first in Indiana empowered to carry out federal immigration duties and one of many nationally that Trump’s administration hopes to enlist.

“We definitely are joining,” Chief Deputy John Lowes told The Associated Press. “We want to collaborate with ICE to make sure we keep our community safe.”

Under Trump,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-immigration-and-customs-enforcement">U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement</a>&nbsp;is reviving and expanding a decades-old program that trains local law officers to interrogate immigrants in their custody and detain them for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-deportations-border-immigration-bcd2737e6f9b482ec500238c6caa4f35">potential deportation</a>. The 287(g) program — named for a section of the 1996 law that created it — currently applies only to those already jailed or imprisoned on charges.

But Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, recently told sheriffs that he wants to expand it to include local task forces that can make arrests on the streets, reviving a model that former President Barrack Obama discontinued amid concerns about racial profiling. It’s unclear whether that could allow local officers to stop people solely to check their immigration status.

On Friday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that the Florida Highway Patrol had struck an agreement with ICE to interrogate, arrest and detain immigrants suspected of being in the country illegally and deliver them to federal authorities.

The arrangement will help “fulfill the president’s mission to effectuate the largest deportation program in American history,” DeSantis said.

Advocates for immigrants, meanwhile, are raising alarm about new pacts that put local law officers on immigration enforcement.

“All of these agreements, in practice, have the same track record of racial profiling, of sweeping in U.S. citizens or people who have lawful status, of having a chilling effect in terms of communities reporting crime to local law enforcement agencies,” said Nayna Gupta, policy director at the nonprofit American Immigration Council.

In the early 2000s, many of the initial participants in the 287(g) program had agreements that allowed them to enforce immigration laws in their communities, not just their jails. But problems arose in several places, including Arizona.

In 2011, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25515657-mcso_justice-department_2011/" target="_blank">civil rights investigation</a>&nbsp;by the U.S. Department of Justice found that deputies in Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix, had engaged in a pattern of racial profiling, unlawful stops and arrests of Latinos. The Department of Homeland Security&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/dbbc09f793ce4550b2445ce30cc8d418">ended its agreement</a>&nbsp;with the county.

The program became “the hallmark of far-right, anti-immigrant sheriffs” as a means “to feed people on the basis of their ethnicity into the deportation machine,” asserted Lena Graber, senior staff attorney at the nonprofit Immigrant Legal Resource Center.

In recent years, ICE has offered two types of 287(g) agreements to law enforcement agencies. One model requires four weeks of training and allows local officers to question suspected noncitizens who are jailed on other charges and detain them for ICE. The other model, which Trump launched during his first term, requires just eight hours of training and only allows local officers to serve federal immigration warrants.

As of December, ICE had 135 agreements with sheriff’s offices, police departments and prison systems in 21 states, with requests pending from 35 others. Two-thirds of the agreements were in just three states — Florida, Texas and North Carolina. But no agreements had been signed during Biden’s four years as president, according to ICE data.

On his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-deportation-immigration-homan-asylum-inauguration-ac10480dc636b758ab3c435b974aeb19">first day back in office</a>, Trump ordered the Department of Homeland Security to maximize 287(g) agreements for local law officers to investigate, apprehend and detain immigrants. At a recent National Sheriffs’ Association conference, Homan said the administration is looking to lighten detention facility regulations and shorten the training to encourage greater collaboration with federal immigration officials.

The association’s president, Kieran Donahue, applauded the announcement.

“There’s going to be local sheriffs’ offices throughout the country, no question, they’re going to sign onto this program,” Donahue told the AP.

But Donahue is not planning to sign up his own department in Canyon County, Idaho.

“I don’t have that kind of manpower,” he said, adding: “I have no bed space in my facility. Zero.”

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement in 2002 was the first to sign a 287(g) agreement with the federal government, running a task force for immigration enforcement. Twenty years later, Florida became&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-biden-business-florida-ron-desantis-a16cc42c3a77bd80e2c45ee8e6234c13">the first state to require</a>&nbsp;all local agencies with county jails to join the program or inform the state why they couldn’t.

After a Venezuelan man who was illegally in the U.S. killed University of Georgia student Laken Riley, Georgia passed a law last year requiring local law enforcement agencies to apply for the program.

This year, Republican lawmakers in about a dozen states are seeking to require or incentivize cooperative agreements with ICE. One measure is sponsored by Texas state Rep. David Spiller, a Republican who also authored a law&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-immigration-migrants-arrest-explainer-306f644e8bb95333b078ed3923adacf0">allowing any law enforcement officer to arrest migrants</a>&nbsp;suspected of entering the country illegally. That law is on hold amid a legal challenge.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738002670796.png" alt="Photo Homeland Security-Ice" />
 <figcaption>Photo Homeland Security-Ice</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/david-a-lieb">DAVID A. LIEB</a> Associated PressFor years, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office in suburban Indianapolis has wanted to partner with federal immigration authorities to identify and detain immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally and facing charges.President Joe Biden’s administration never returned its calls, the sheriff’s office said. But as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;cracks down on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/immigration">illegal immigration</a>, Hamilton County deputies soon could become the first in Indiana empowered to carry out federal immigration duties and one of many nationally that Trump’s administration hopes to enlist.“We definitely are joining,” Chief Deputy John Lowes told The Associated Press. “We want to collaborate with ICE to make sure we keep our community safe.”Under Trump,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-immigration-and-customs-enforcement">U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement</a>&nbsp;is reviving and expanding a decades-old program that trains local law officers to interrogate immigrants in their custody and detain them for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-deportations-border-immigration-bcd2737e6f9b482ec500238c6caa4f35">potential deportation</a>. The 287(g) program — named for a section of the 1996 law that created it — currently applies only to those already jailed or imprisoned on charges.But Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, recently told sheriffs that he wants to expand it to include local task forces that can make arrests on the streets, reviving a model that former President Barrack Obama discontinued amid concerns about racial profiling. It’s unclear whether that could allow local officers to stop people solely to check their immigration status.On Friday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that the Florida Highway Patrol had struck an agreement with ICE to interrogate, arrest and detain immigrants suspected of being in the country illegally and deliver them to federal authorities.The arrangement will help “fulfill the president’s mission to effectuate the largest deportation program in American history,” DeSantis said.Advocates for immigrants, meanwhile, are raising alarm about new pacts that put local law officers on immigration enforcement.“All of these agreements, in practice, have the same track record of racial profiling, of sweeping in U.S. citizens or people who have lawful status, of having a chilling effect in terms of communities reporting crime to local law enforcement agencies,” said Nayna Gupta, policy director at the nonprofit American Immigration Council.<h2>A dormant program gets a jumpstart</h2>In the early 2000s, many of the initial participants in the 287(g) program had agreements that allowed them to enforce immigration laws in their communities, not just their jails. But problems arose in several places, including Arizona.In 2011, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25515657-mcso_justice-department_2011/" target="_blank">civil rights investigation</a>&nbsp;by the U.S. Department of Justice found that deputies in Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix, had engaged in a pattern of racial profiling, unlawful stops and arrests of Latinos. The Department of Homeland Security&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/dbbc09f793ce4550b2445ce30cc8d418">ended its agreement</a>&nbsp;with the county.The program became “the hallmark of far-right, anti-immigrant sheriffs” as a means “to feed people on the basis of their ethnicity into the deportation machine,” asserted Lena Graber, senior staff attorney at the nonprofit Immigrant Legal Resource Center.In recent years, ICE has offered two types of 287(g) agreements to law enforcement agencies. One model requires four weeks of training and allows local officers to question suspected noncitizens who are jailed on other charges and detain them for ICE. The other model, which Trump launched during his first term, requires just eight hours of training and only allows local officers to serve federal immigration warrants.As of December, ICE had 135 agreements with sheriff’s offices, police departments and prison systems in 21 states, with requests pending from 35 others. Two-thirds of the agreements were in just three states — Florida, Texas and North Carolina. But no agreements had been signed during Biden’s four years as president, according to ICE data.On his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-deportation-immigration-homan-asylum-inauguration-ac10480dc636b758ab3c435b974aeb19">first day back in office</a>, Trump ordered the Department of Homeland Security to maximize 287(g) agreements for local law officers to investigate, apprehend and detain immigrants. At a recent National Sheriffs’ Association conference, Homan said the administration is looking to lighten detention facility regulations and shorten the training to encourage greater collaboration with federal immigration officials.The association’s president, Kieran Donahue, applauded the announcement.“There’s going to be local sheriffs’ offices throughout the country, no question, they’re going to sign onto this program,” Donahue told the AP.But Donahue is not planning to sign up his own department in Canyon County, Idaho.“I don’t have that kind of manpower,” he said, adding: “I have no bed space in my facility. Zero.”<h2>States push for mandatory ICE training</h2>The Florida Department of Law Enforcement in 2002 was the first to sign a 287(g) agreement with the federal government, running a task force for immigration enforcement. Twenty years later, Florida became&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-biden-business-florida-ron-desantis-a16cc42c3a77bd80e2c45ee8e6234c13">the first state to require</a>&nbsp;all local agencies with county jails to join the program or inform the state why they couldn’t.After a Venezuelan man who was illegally in the U.S. killed University of Georgia student Laken Riley, Georgia passed a law last year requiring local law enforcement agencies to apply for the program.This year, Republican lawmakers in about a dozen states are seeking to require or incentivize cooperative agreements with ICE. One measure is sponsored by Texas state Rep. David Spiller, a Republican who also authored a law&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-immigration-migrants-arrest-explainer-306f644e8bb95333b078ed3923adacf0">allowing any law enforcement officer to arrest migrants</a>&nbsp;suspected of entering the country illegally. That law is on hold amid a legal challenge.Spiller said mandatory participation in ICE programs is essential.“President Trump and border czar Homan cannot remove and deport all the people that are a public safety threat to our state and our nation over the next year and a half without the help of our local law enforcement,” Spiller said.Already this year, Florida lawmakers have passed legislation that would allot millions of dollars for local immigration enforcement efforts.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-bill-tennessee-republican-17af910d31b325516da02f0ff9a5c853">Legislation passed in Tennessee</a>&nbsp;would direct the state to apply for the 287(g) program and authorize grants for local agencies that join.Legislation creating a state grant program for 287(g) participants also passed the Indiana Senate this week and is pending in the House. Democratic state Sen. Rodney Pol called it a “very, very dangerous” and “very, very disturbing” proposal.“We’re putting too much on people, particularly police officers, that are going to be put into situations where they’re going to have to break up their communities,” Pol said.But Lowes said Hamilton County deputies plan to focus only on people who are already in jail. Last year, he said, the jail booked over 500 people believed to be noncitizens on charges that included driving while intoxicated, drug possession, theft, burglary, sexual battery and other offenses. It’s unclear how many were in the country illegally, but ICE became involved in 64 of those cases, he said.“We believe that this program will help us see a reduction in some of those crimes and will help us get some of the people out of our community that are committing crimes that endanger our safety,” Lowes said.