BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a><br><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039"><i>Kansas Reflector</i></a>

TOPEKA — Kansas’ request to ban candy and soft drinks from being purchased with food assistance dollars has yet to be approved, while other states’ similar restrictions are expected to go into effect Jan. 1.

Lawmakers say the goal of the ban is to reduce obesity rates and risks by eliminating the option to buy soft drinks and candy for a specific demographic — low-income families receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.

Republican lawmakers at a Tuesday meeting of the Senate Committee on Government Efficiency were anxious to see Kansas’ request for restrictions approved.

But Carla Whiteside-Hicks, the economic and employment services director for the Kansas Department for Children and Families, described during the committee meeting certain roadblocks.

Among them, she said, Kansas’ process is different from the process in other states. It’s more complex, she said, largely because of the nebulous definitions of soft drinks and candy in a new state law.

Bans of varying severity have been approved and are expected to go into effect on the first of the year in Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Utah and West Virginia. Some states restrict soft drinks, soda, candy or energy drinks, or a combination of the four.

Sen. Renee Erickson, a Wichita Republican and chair of the committee, argued other states’ bans aren’t inherently simpler than the one in Kansas. Nevertheless, the definitions are important, she said.

“It sounds simple when we say pop and candy, but we know those details, those definitions matter,” she said

The state sent an initial request for the restriction to the U.S.Department of Agriculture on April 2. The proposal for a ban&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/05/buying-candy-soda-with-food-stamps-banned-under-proposed-kansas-bill/">began as a bill</a>, which passed both chambers during the 2025 legislative session but was&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/04/14/kansas-families-with-snap-can-still-buy-soda-candy-but-new-law-adds-red-tape-to-assistance/">vetoed</a>&nbsp;on April 4 by Gov. Laura Kelly, who called it “simply wrong” and expressed concern for the law’s potential to hurt Kansas families and businesses. Instead of fully overriding the veto, Republican lawmakers inserted the policy into the state budget.

The provision withheld $1.8 million designated for a summertime food assistance program for families with school-age children. The provision required the secretary for the Kansas Department for Children and Families to request the restriction on candy and soft drinks before the department could access the funds.

Sen. Doug Shane, a Louisburg Republican, said during the meeting he didn’t understand why complexity was holding up Kansas’ request.

“And is there not any kind of national guidance considering this was part of a national policy agenda?” Shane said.

Kansas’ request is specific to Kansas statute and must work within the bounds of state law, Whiteside-Hicks said.

Upon first submitting the request to the USDA, Whiteside-Hicks said, she immediately assembled an internal team to guide the process of implementing the restrictions and measure their effectiveness.

“It was quickly evident that we do not have internal capacity to meet all of the requirements of having our waiver request approved,” she said.

No one on her team had the skillset to create an evaluation plan, she said, so the agency is soliciting proposals from third parties to do the work instead.

In Kansas, a monthly average of nearly 187,000 people in more than 93,500 households receive food assistance benefits. The average monthly benefit per household is around $452, according to USDA data from fiscal year 2023.

It isn’t clear how much it will cost to develop the new restrictions. Typically, the agency would undergo an analysis before submitting a restriction request to the federal government, but that didn’t happen this time, Whiteside-Hicks said.

Kansas officials targeted an effective date for restrictions for 18 months after the approval date — if it is approved.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689674819900.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a><br><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039"><i>Kansas Reflector</i></a></p><p>TOPEKA — Kansas’ request to ban candy and soft drinks from being purchased with food assistance dollars has yet to be approved, while other states’ similar restrictions are expected to go into effect Jan. 1.</p><p>Lawmakers say the goal of the ban is to reduce obesity rates and risks by eliminating the option to buy soft drinks and candy for a specific demographic — low-income families receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754958706400.png" alt="&nbsp;Photo Shalina Chatlani/ Stateline" />
                        <figcaption>&nbsp;Photo Shalina Chatlani/ Stateline</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Republican lawmakers at a Tuesday meeting of the Senate Committee on Government Efficiency were anxious to see Kansas’ request for restrictions approved.</p><p>But Carla Whiteside-Hicks, the economic and employment services director for the Kansas Department for Children and Families, described during the committee meeting certain roadblocks.</p><p>Among them, she said, Kansas’ process is different from the process in other states. It’s more complex, she said, largely because of the nebulous definitions of soft drinks and candy in a new state law.</p><p>Bans of varying severity have been approved and are expected to go into effect on the first of the year in Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Utah and West Virginia. Some states restrict soft drinks, soda, candy or energy drinks, or a combination of the four.</p><p>Sen. Renee Erickson, a Wichita Republican and chair of the committee, argued other states’ bans aren’t inherently simpler than the one in Kansas. Nevertheless, the definitions are important, she said.</p><p>“It sounds simple when we say pop and candy, but we know those details, those definitions matter,” she said</p><p>The state sent an initial request for the restriction to the U.S.Department of Agriculture on April 2. The proposal for a ban&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/05/buying-candy-soda-with-food-stamps-banned-under-proposed-kansas-bill/">began as a bill</a>, which passed both chambers during the 2025 legislative session but was&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/04/14/kansas-families-with-snap-can-still-buy-soda-candy-but-new-law-adds-red-tape-to-assistance/">vetoed</a>&nbsp;on April 4 by Gov. Laura Kelly, who called it “simply wrong” and expressed concern for the law’s potential to hurt Kansas families and businesses. Instead of fully overriding the veto, Republican lawmakers inserted the policy into the state budget.</p><p>The provision withheld $1.8 million designated for a summertime food assistance program for families with school-age children. The provision required the secretary for the Kansas Department for Children and Families to request the restriction on candy and soft drinks before the department could access the funds.</p><p>Sen. Doug Shane, a Louisburg Republican, said during the meeting he didn’t understand why complexity was holding up Kansas’ request.</p><p>“And is there not any kind of national guidance considering this was part of a national policy agenda?” Shane said.</p><p>Kansas’ request is specific to Kansas statute and must work within the bounds of state law, Whiteside-Hicks said.</p><p>Upon first submitting the request to the USDA, Whiteside-Hicks said, she immediately assembled an internal team to guide the process of implementing the restrictions and measure their effectiveness.</p><p>“It was quickly evident that we do not have internal capacity to meet all of the requirements of having our waiver request approved,” she said.</p><p>No one on her team had the skillset to create an evaluation plan, she said, so the agency is soliciting proposals from third parties to do the work instead.</p><p>In Kansas, a monthly average of nearly 187,000 people in more than 93,500 households receive food assistance benefits. The average monthly benefit per household is around $452, according to USDA data from fiscal year 2023.</p><p>It isn’t clear how much it will cost to develop the new restrictions. Typically, the agency would undergo an analysis before submitting a restriction request to the federal government, but that didn’t happen this time, Whiteside-Hicks said.</p><p>Kansas officials targeted an effective date for restrictions for 18 months after the approval date — if it is approved.</p>

Kansas ban on using food assistance for candy and soda has yet to be approved

By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/camikoons/">Cami Koons</a>

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it had improved and expanded its Farm to School Grant program and would invest up to $18 million to connect locally grown food to child nutrition programs.&nbsp;

The Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grants program was initiated in 2013, but according to a news release, the fiscal year 2026 investment represents the “largest total amount” the department has offered in a given year.&nbsp;

The Farm to School Grant announcement was made alongside U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s latest&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/09/09/repub/rfk-jr-lists-100-recommendations-to-make-america-healthy-again/" target="_blank">Make America Healthy Again report</a>, which called for more whole, unprocessed foods in children’s diets.

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said the grants are “one of the best ways we can deliver nutritious, high-quality meals to children, while also strengthening local agriculture.”&nbsp;

“These grants will open new doors for small family farms, expand access to healthy food in schools, and inspire the next generation of Great American Farmers,” Rollins said in the news release.&nbsp;

State agencies, tribal organizations, child nutrition programs, nonprofits, agricultural producers and groups of producers can apply for grants from $100,000 to $500,000 to support new and existing farm to school projects, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/grant/f2s/fy26?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery" target="_blank">grant website</a>.&nbsp;

Eligible projects are those that: incorporate more unprocessed and locally produced foods in school meals, encourage the consumption of fresh foods, train producers on food safety and procurement requirements or educate students on agriculture and nutrition.

The release from USDA said updates to the program will also streamline the application process, remove barriers to innovation and emphasize partnerships.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, USDA is proud to streamline this program, so it works better for families, farmers, and communities across our nation,” Rollins said in the release. “Putting America’s Farmers First starts with putting our children first.”

According to USDA’s latest&nbsp;<a href="https://farmtoschoolcensus.fns.usda.gov/census-results/states/ia" target="_blank">Farm to School Census</a>, more than 440 Iowa school food authorities, the entities that manage school food service, have participated in the program.

The grants can also be used to support agriculture education at schools through things like ag and nutrition classes, or school gardening programs. According to the census, nearly 50% of Iowa school food authorities had classroom programs and slightly more than 15% of Iowa school food authorities had edible gardens.&nbsp;

According to USDA, Farm to School Grant awards totaled $100 million since 2013.&nbsp;

The millions in Farm to School Grant dollars are significantly less than the billions of dollars that schools and food banks used under a pandemic-era program to support local food purchases.&nbsp;

These programs, Local Food for Schools and Local Food Purchase Assistance, were&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/03/11/usda-cuts-programs-bringing-local-food-into-schools-food-banks/" target="_blank">canceled in March</a>&nbsp;after USDA announced in October 2024 over a $1 billion in funds to continue the programs across the country.&nbsp;

Tommy Hexter, the policy director for Iowa Farmers Union, said the new investment from USDA is positive, but said it doesn’t make up for the loss of programs that provided “vital government support” to food farmers and players in the local food system.

Hexter said the canceled programs created relationships between farmers, food hubs, the state department of agriculture, schools and community, that are “fundamental to our food system in Iowa.”

“The first and foremost thing with this announcement is like, yes, let’s see how we can take advantage of this new announcement and make these programs come to Iowa,” Hexter said. “But we also are acknowledging that this investment does not replace the major loss of funding that happened earlier this year.”

This story was originally produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/09/11/usda-to-invest-up-to-18-m-in-farm-to-school-grants/" target="_blank">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Kansas Reflector, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757765534936.png" alt="USDA announced funding for its Farm to School Grant program. (Photo by Brandon O’Connor, NRCS/USDA )" />
                        <figcaption>USDA announced funding for its Farm to School Grant program. (Photo by Brandon O’Connor, NRCS/USDA )</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/camikoons/">Cami Koons</a></p><p>The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it had improved and expanded its Farm to School Grant program and would invest up to $18 million to connect locally grown food to child nutrition programs.&nbsp;</p><p>The Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grants program was initiated in 2013, but according to a news release, the fiscal year 2026 investment represents the “largest total amount” the department has offered in a given year.&nbsp;</p><p>The Farm to School Grant announcement was made alongside U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s latest&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/09/09/repub/rfk-jr-lists-100-recommendations-to-make-america-healthy-again/" target="_blank">Make America Healthy Again report</a>, which called for more whole, unprocessed foods in children’s diets.</p><p>USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said the grants are “one of the best ways we can deliver nutritious, high-quality meals to children, while also strengthening local agriculture.”&nbsp;</p><p>“These grants will open new doors for small family farms, expand access to healthy food in schools, and inspire the next generation of Great American Farmers,” Rollins said in the news release.&nbsp;</p><p>State agencies, tribal organizations, child nutrition programs, nonprofits, agricultural producers and groups of producers can apply for grants from $100,000 to $500,000 to support new and existing farm to school projects, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/grant/f2s/fy26?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery" target="_blank">grant website</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>Eligible projects are those that: incorporate more unprocessed and locally produced foods in school meals, encourage the consumption of fresh foods, train producers on food safety and procurement requirements or educate students on agriculture and nutrition.</p><p>The release from USDA said updates to the program will also streamline the application process, remove barriers to innovation and emphasize partnerships.</p><p>“Under President Trump’s leadership, USDA is proud to streamline this program, so it works better for families, farmers, and communities across our nation,” Rollins said in the release. “Putting America’s Farmers First starts with putting our children first.”</p><p>According to USDA’s latest&nbsp;<a href="https://farmtoschoolcensus.fns.usda.gov/census-results/states/ia" target="_blank">Farm to School Census</a>, more than 440 Iowa school food authorities, the entities that manage school food service, have participated in the program.</p><p>The grants can also be used to support agriculture education at schools through things like ag and nutrition classes, or school gardening programs. According to the census, nearly 50% of Iowa school food authorities had classroom programs and slightly more than 15% of Iowa school food authorities had edible gardens.&nbsp;</p><p>According to USDA, Farm to School Grant awards totaled $100 million since 2013.&nbsp;</p><p>The millions in Farm to School Grant dollars are significantly less than the billions of dollars that schools and food banks used under a pandemic-era program to support local food purchases.&nbsp;</p><p>These programs, Local Food for Schools and Local Food Purchase Assistance, were&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/03/11/usda-cuts-programs-bringing-local-food-into-schools-food-banks/" target="_blank">canceled in March</a>&nbsp;after USDA announced in October 2024 over a $1 billion in funds to continue the programs across the country.&nbsp;</p><p>Tommy Hexter, the policy director for Iowa Farmers Union, said the new investment from USDA is positive, but said it doesn’t make up for the loss of programs that provided “vital government support” to food farmers and players in the local food system.</p><p>Hexter said the canceled programs created relationships between farmers, food hubs, the state department of agriculture, schools and community, that are “fundamental to our food system in Iowa.”</p><p>“The first and foremost thing with this announcement is like, yes, let’s see how we can take advantage of this new announcement and make these programs come to Iowa,” Hexter said. “But we also are acknowledging that this investment does not replace the major loss of funding that happened earlier this year.”</p><p>This story was originally produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/09/11/usda-to-invest-up-to-18-m-in-farm-to-school-grants/" target="_blank">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Kansas Reflector, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.</p>

USDA to invest up to $18 million in farm to school grants

By <a href="mailto:sean.boston@eaglemedia.com">SEAN BOSTON</a><br><i>Hutch Post</i>

HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — Press Box Suite C at Gowans Stadium has been renamed the Rusty Hilst Broadcast Booth, honoring the longtime voice of Hutchinson High School and Hutchinson Community College athletics.

Hilst, who died in June after a battle with ALS, spent more than 50 years calling football and basketball games for the Salthawks and Blue Dragons. Known for his warm and steady delivery, he became a fixture on the local airwaves and a trusted source for generations of fans.

The dedication was held Friday at Gowans Stadium, where family, colleagues and friends gathered to celebrate Hilst’s legacy as a teacher, coach and broadcaster.

“Rusty started broadcasting Blue Dragon athletics in 1969,” HutchCC sports information director Steve Carpenter said. “He called 870 Blue Dragon football games, winning 692, and 1,681 Blue Dragon men’s basketball games, winning 1,274. In the later years, he even did 249 women’s basketball games, winning 226. During that time, he got to call three national basketball championships, 19 men’s conference titles, six women’s titles, 14 men’s Region VI titles and six women’s Region VI titles. In football, four league titles and 16 bowl appearances. Rusty got to call a lot of good stuff.”

Over his career, Hilst earned numerous accolades, including Kansas Sportscaster of the Year and the Hod Humiston Award from the Kansas Association of Broadcasters. He was inducted into the Hutchinson High School Wall of Honor and later became the first non-player inducted into the Hutchinson Community College Quarterback Club Hall of Fame.

“When you name a room after an individual, it’s a permanent way to recognize their importance to a team, school or organization,” HutchCC athletic director Josh Gooch said. “Today is a special day. We get to honor and memorialize a legendary broadcaster that we all got to enjoy.”

Friends and colleagues said Hilst’s influence extended beyond the press box, recalling his kindness, mentorship and commitment to the Hutchinson community.

“On behalf of Hutch High and USD 308, I just want to say how thankful we are for Rusty,” Hutchinson High athletic director Steve Kappenman said. “Myself, growing up, those are my first memories of listening to Hutch High and the Blue Dragons with my dad — that voice in our house. We didn’t have smartphones, so it was that radio tuned into Rusty each time.”

One of Hilst’s longtime broadcast partners and the current voice of the Salthawks, Glen Grunwald, shared stories from years of traveling to and from games together.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757699902232.jpeg" alt="Press Box Suite C at Gowans Stadium was dedicated Friday as the Rusty Hilst Broadcast Booth in honor of the longtime radio voice of Hutchinson High and Hutchinson Community College football and basketball. Hilst, who passed away in June after a battle with ALS, spent decades on the air calling Blue Dragon and Salthawk games. (Hutch Post Photo/Sean Boston)" />
                        <figcaption>Press Box Suite C at Gowans Stadium was dedicated Friday as the Rusty Hilst Broadcast Booth in honor of the longtime radio voice of Hutchinson High and Hutchinson Community College football and basketball. Hilst, who passed away in June after a battle with ALS, spent decades on the air calling Blue Dragon and Salthawk games. (Hutch Post Photo/Sean Boston)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By <a href="mailto:sean.boston@eaglemedia.com">SEAN BOSTON</a><br><i>Hutch Post</i></p><p>HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — Press Box Suite C at Gowans Stadium has been renamed the Rusty Hilst Broadcast Booth, honoring the longtime voice of Hutchinson High School and Hutchinson Community College athletics.</p><p>Hilst, who died in June after a battle with ALS, spent more than 50 years calling football and basketball games for the Salthawks and Blue Dragons. Known for his warm and steady delivery, he became a fixture on the local airwaves and a trusted source for generations of fans.</p><p>The dedication was held Friday at Gowans Stadium, where family, colleagues and friends gathered to celebrate Hilst’s legacy as a teacher, coach and broadcaster.</p><p>“Rusty started broadcasting Blue Dragon athletics in 1969,” HutchCC sports information director Steve Carpenter said. “He called 870 Blue Dragon football games, winning 692, and 1,681 Blue Dragon men’s basketball games, winning 1,274. In the later years, he even did 249 women’s basketball games, winning 226. During that time, he got to call three national basketball championships, 19 men’s conference titles, six women’s titles, 14 men’s Region VI titles and six women’s Region VI titles. In football, four league titles and 16 bowl appearances. Rusty got to call a lot of good stuff.”</p><p>Over his career, Hilst earned numerous accolades, including Kansas Sportscaster of the Year and the Hod Humiston Award from the Kansas Association of Broadcasters. He was inducted into the Hutchinson High School Wall of Honor and later became the first non-player inducted into the Hutchinson Community College Quarterback Club Hall of Fame.</p><p>“When you name a room after an individual, it’s a permanent way to recognize their importance to a team, school or organization,” HutchCC athletic director Josh Gooch said. “Today is a special day. We get to honor and memorialize a legendary broadcaster that we all got to enjoy.”</p><p>Friends and colleagues said Hilst’s influence extended beyond the press box, recalling his kindness, mentorship and commitment to the Hutchinson community.</p><p>“On behalf of Hutch High and USD 308, I just want to say how thankful we are for Rusty,” Hutchinson High athletic director Steve Kappenman said. “Myself, growing up, those are my first memories of listening to Hutch High and the Blue Dragons with my dad — that voice in our house. We didn’t have smartphones, so it was that radio tuned into Rusty each time.”</p><p>One of Hilst’s longtime broadcast partners and the current voice of the Salthawks, Glen Grunwald, shared stories from years of traveling to and from games together.</p>

Gowans Stadium Press Box renamed for late broadcaster Rusty Hilst

’Honestly, it’s not for everyone’ tagline earned awards but also detractors as a ‘mockery’

Paul Hamme<br><a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/04/07/wall-of-shame-still-used-by-nebraska-to-convince-delinquent-taxpayers-to-pay-up/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN – John Ricks, the state tourism director who deployed the edgy and controversial marketing pitch “Nebraska. Honestly, it’s not for everyone,” has resigned.

Ricks, who was paid $133,838-a-year, could not immediately be reached for comment. His resignation was accepted Thursday by the State Tourism Commission, which has since appointed Deputy Director Heather Hogue as interim executive director, as was reported first by the Nebraska Rural Radio Network.

While Ricks got mixed reviews on the tourism pitch, an official with the Nebraska Travel Association said he played a key role in helping increase tourism in the state, citing a 26.4% growth rate in state lodging taxes from 2019-2022 compared to only 2.5% nationally.

“Ricks is to be commended for putting Nebraska on the tourism map,” said Kerri Rempp, president of the state travel association.

Hired in 2016 by then Gov. Pete Ricketts, Ricks had worked as an associate director in Colorado’s state tourism office before taking the Nebraska job. His hiring was touted as bringing a fresh perspective to a state that had been rated by one group as the “least likely” for tourists to visit.

That led to the new “Nebraska: Honestly, it’s not for everyone” marketing pitch, which included advertising emphasizing off-beat adventures in Nebraska, from floating down a river in a horse tank to hop-scotching across Badlands-like formations in Toadstool Park.

The self-deprecating pitch grabbed national attention, and, in 2022, won a national award for best integrated marketing and messaging. According to the State Tourism Commission, it also raised Nebraska’s tourism profile from last to 45th.

But some state leaders, including Gov. Jim Pillen and then Nebraska Department of Economic Development Director Tony Goins, disliked the motto, which was coined by a marketing firm from Colorado. Goins said it “made a mockery” of the DED’s pitchline for new residents: “The Good Life is Calling.”

By 2024, the “not for everyone” tagline was dropped by the Tourism Commission and state legislators passed a bill seeking to better coordinate marketing pitches between the independent commission, also known as “Visit Nebraska” and state economic development officials.

The Nebraska Travel Association, in a press release this week, urged the State Tourism Commission to “act swiftly” to replace Ricks.

The tourism agency is funded by lodging taxes paid on motel and hotel bills. Its budget this year is $10.1 million to promote an industry that generates $4.5 billion in spending annually and supports over 41,000 jobs throughout Nebraska.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757679920780.png" alt="Nebraska tourism swag featured the now-dropped tagline, “Nebraska: Honestly, it’s not for everyone.”(Courtesy of Visit Nebraska)" />
                        <figcaption>Nebraska tourism swag featured the now-dropped tagline, “Nebraska: Honestly, it’s not for everyone.”(Courtesy of Visit Nebraska)</figcaption>
                    </figure><h2>’Honestly, it’s not for everyone’ tagline earned awards but also detractors as a ‘mockery’</h2><p>Paul Hamme<br><a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/04/07/wall-of-shame-still-used-by-nebraska-to-convince-delinquent-taxpayers-to-pay-up/">Nebraska Examiner</a></p><p>LINCOLN – John Ricks, the state tourism director who deployed the edgy and controversial marketing pitch “Nebraska. Honestly, it’s not for everyone,” has resigned.</p><p>Ricks, who was paid $133,838-a-year, could not immediately be reached for comment. His resignation was accepted Thursday by the State Tourism Commission, which has since appointed Deputy Director Heather Hogue as interim executive director, as was reported first by the Nebraska Rural Radio Network.</p><p>While Ricks got mixed reviews on the tourism pitch, an official with the Nebraska Travel Association said he played a key role in helping increase tourism in the state, citing a 26.4% growth rate in state lodging taxes from 2019-2022 compared to only 2.5% nationally.</p><p>“Ricks is to be commended for putting Nebraska on the tourism map,” said Kerri Rempp, president of the state travel association.</p><p>Hired in 2016 by then Gov. Pete Ricketts, Ricks had worked as an associate director in Colorado’s state tourism office before taking the Nebraska job. His hiring was touted as bringing a fresh perspective to a state that had been rated by one group as the “least likely” for tourists to visit.</p><p>That led to the new “Nebraska: Honestly, it’s not for everyone” marketing pitch, which included advertising emphasizing off-beat adventures in Nebraska, from floating down a river in a horse tank to hop-scotching across Badlands-like formations in Toadstool Park.</p><p>The self-deprecating pitch grabbed national attention, and, in 2022, won a national award for best integrated marketing and messaging. According to the State Tourism Commission, it also raised Nebraska’s tourism profile from last to 45th.</p><p>But some state leaders, including Gov. Jim Pillen and then Nebraska Department of Economic Development Director Tony Goins, disliked the motto, which was coined by a marketing firm from Colorado. Goins said it “made a mockery” of the DED’s pitchline for new residents: “The Good Life is Calling.”</p><p>By 2024, the “not for everyone” tagline was dropped by the Tourism Commission and state legislators passed a bill seeking to better coordinate marketing pitches between the independent commission, also known as “Visit Nebraska” and state economic development officials.</p><p>The Nebraska Travel Association, in a press release this week, urged the State Tourism Commission to “act swiftly” to replace Ricks.</p><p>The tourism agency is funded by lodging taxes paid on motel and hotel bills. Its budget this year is $10.1 million to promote an industry that generates $4.5 billion in spending annually and supports over 41,000 jobs throughout Nebraska.</p>

Nebraska tourism director who deployed ‘not for everyone’ marketing pitch resigns

RENO COUNTY —Kansas Governor Laura Kelly joined General William Turner and other military leaders at the Kansas State Fair on Thursday for the Veterans and Military Appreciation Breakfast.

General Turner is the Director of the Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs Office.

Governor Kelly wrote on social media,&nbsp;"Events like this remind us of the importance of supporting our veterans and active-duty military personnel in every way we can."

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757638207101.png" alt="Photos from the Governor's social media page" />
                        <figcaption>Photos from the Governor's social media page</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>RENO COUNTY —Kansas Governor Laura Kelly joined General William Turner and other military leaders at the Kansas State Fair on Thursday for the Veterans and Military Appreciation Breakfast.</p><p>General Turner is the Director of the Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs Office.</p><p>Governor Kelly wrote on social media,&nbsp;"Events like this remind us of the importance of supporting our veterans and active-duty military personnel in every way we can."</p>

Gov. attends the military appreciation breakfast at the State Fair

OREM, Utah (AP) — A palm print. A shoe impression. And a high-powered rifle found in a wooded area. Those are among the clues authorities laid out as they pleaded for the public's help to find the person who assassinated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/utah-valley-university-charlie-kirk-shooting-updates">conservative activist Charlie Kirk</a>&nbsp;before dropping from a Utah university campus roof and vanishing.

The search continued early Friday, nearly two days later.

Federal investigators and state officials on Thursday released a series of photos and a video of the person they believe is responsible. Kirk was hit as he spoke to a crowd gathered in a courtyard at Utah Valley University in Orem.

More than 7,000 leads and tips have poured in, officials said. But authorities have yet to name a suspect or cite a motive in the killing, the latest act of political violence to convulse the United States.

“We cannot do our job without the public’s help,” Gov. Spencer Cox said during a Thursday evening news conference with FBI Director Kash Patel, who did not speak.

The direct appeals for public support, including new and enhanced photos of a person in a hat, sunglasses, a long-sleeve black shirt and a backpack, appeared to signal law enforcement’s continued struggles. Two people who were taken into custody shortly after the shooting were determined not to be connected.

Other clues included a Mauser .30-caliber, bolt-action rifle found in a towel in the woods. A spent cartridge was recovered from the chamber, and three other rounds were loaded in the magazine, according to information circulated among law enforcement and described to The Associated Press. The weapon and ammunition were being analyzed by law enforcement at a federal lab.

Officials are offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. Cox said he's prepared to seek the death penalty.

The attack, carried out in broad daylight as Kirk spoke about social issues, was captured on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-video-graphic-online-social-media-6cfd4dfde356b960aeea69c01ea3ec34">grisly videos that spread on social media</a>.

The videos show Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump who played an influential role in rallying young Republican voters, speaking into a handheld microphone when suddenly a shot rings out. Kirk reaches up with his right hand as blood gushes from the left side of his neck. Stunned spectators gasp and scream before people start running away.

The shooter, who investigators believe blended into the campus crowd because of a “college-age” appearance, fired a single shot from the rooftop, according to authorities. Video released Thursday showed them then walking through the grass and across the street, before disappearing.

“I can tell you this was a targeted event,” said Robert Bohls, the top FBI agent in Salt Lake City.

Trump, who was joined by Democrats in condemning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/political-violence-assassination-minnesota-trump-3c750cff0749633872ab6101bfa23b23">the violence</a>, said he would award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S. Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, visited with Kirk's family Thursday afternoon in Salt Lake City. Vance posted a remembrance on X chronicling their friendship, dating back to initial messages in 2017, through Vance’s Senate run and the 2024 election.

“So much of the success we’ve had in this administration traces directly to Charlie’s ability to organize and convene,” Vance wrote. “He didn’t just help us win in 2024, he helped us staff the entire government.”

Kirk’s casket was flown aboard Air Force Two from Utah to Phoenix, where his nonprofit political youth organization, Turning Point USA, is based. Trump told reporters he plans to attend Kirk's funeral. Details have not been announced.

Kirk was taking questions about gun violence

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shooting-utah-university-republicans-8357c3d102de09e3320fde761258131a">Kirk was a conservative provocateur</a>&nbsp;who became a powerful political force among young Republicans and was a fixture on college campuses, where he invited sometimes-vehement debate on social issues.

One such provocative exchange played out immediately before the shooting as Kirk was taking questions from an audience member about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/gun-violence">gun violence</a>.

The debate hosted by Turning Point at the Sorensen Center on campus was billed as the first stop on Kirk's “American Comeback Tour.”

The event generated a polarizing campus reaction. An online petition calling for university administrators to bar Kirk from appearing received nearly 1,000 signatures. The university issued a statement last week citing First Amendment rights and affirming its “commitment to free speech, intellectual inquiry and constructive dialogue.”

Last week, Kirk posted on X images of news clips showing his visit was sparking controversy. He wrote, “What’s going on in Utah?”

Attendees barricaded themselves in classrooms

Some attendees who bolted after the gunshot rushed into two classrooms full of students. They used tables to barricade the door and to shield themselves in the corners. Someone grabbed an electric pencil sharpener and wrapped the cord tightly around the door handle, then tied the sharpener to a chair leg.

On campus Thursday, the canopy stamped with the slogan Kirk commonly used at his events — “PROVE ME WRONG” — stood, disheveled.

Kathleen Murphy, a longtime resident who lives near the campus, said she has been staying inside with her door locked.

“With the shooter not being caught yet, it was a worry,” Murphy said.

Meanwhile, the shooting continued to draw&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shooting-political-violence-reaction-87f6755421938d0a0d7c5905be10767f">swift bipartisan condemnation</a>&nbsp;as Democratic officials joined Trump and other Republican allies of Kirk in decrying the attack, which unfolded during a spike of political violence that has touched a range of ideologies and representatives of both major political parties.

Tucker and Richer reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Nicholas Riccardi in Denver; Michael Biesecker, Brian Slodysko, Lindsay Whitehurst and Michelle L. Price in Washington; Ty O'Neil in Orem, Utah; Hallie Golden in Seattle; and Meg Kinnard in Chapin, South Carolina, contributed to this report.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757639423442.png" alt="Images released by the FBI" />
                        <figcaption>Images released by the FBI</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>OREM, Utah (AP) — A palm print. A shoe impression. And a high-powered rifle found in a wooded area. Those are among the clues authorities laid out as they pleaded for the public's help to find the person who assassinated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/utah-valley-university-charlie-kirk-shooting-updates">conservative activist Charlie Kirk</a>&nbsp;before dropping from a Utah university campus roof and vanishing.</p><p>The search continued early Friday, nearly two days later.</p><p>Federal investigators and state officials on Thursday released a series of photos and a video of the person they believe is responsible. Kirk was hit as he spoke to a crowd gathered in a courtyard at Utah Valley University in Orem.</p><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YrfHme9Yhc8?si=dR-yzqr3RQfEXOJT&amp;start=3" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757639471242.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We are asking for the public&#39;s help identifying this person of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. <br>1-800-CALL-FBI<br>Digital media tips: <a href="https://t.co/K7maX81TjJ">https://t.co/K7maX81TjJ</a> <a href="https://t.co/ALuVkTXuDc">pic.twitter.com/ALuVkTXuDc</a></p>&mdash; FBI Salt Lake City (@FBISaltLakeCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBISaltLakeCity/status/1966169520403525760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757634046735.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>More than 7,000 leads and tips have poured in, officials said. But authorities have yet to name a suspect or cite a motive in the killing, the latest act of political violence to convulse the United States.</p><p>“We cannot do our job without the public’s help,” Gov. Spencer Cox said during a Thursday evening news conference with FBI Director Kash Patel, who did not speak.</p><p>The direct appeals for public support, including new and enhanced photos of a person in a hat, sunglasses, a long-sleeve black shirt and a backpack, appeared to signal law enforcement’s continued struggles. Two people who were taken into custody shortly after the shooting were determined not to be connected.</p><p>Other clues included a Mauser .30-caliber, bolt-action rifle found in a towel in the woods. A spent cartridge was recovered from the chamber, and three other rounds were loaded in the magazine, according to information circulated among law enforcement and described to The Associated Press. The weapon and ammunition were being analyzed by law enforcement at a federal lab.</p><p>Officials are offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. Cox said he's prepared to seek the death penalty.</p><h2>Grisly video shared online</h2><p>The attack, carried out in broad daylight as Kirk spoke about social issues, was captured on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-video-graphic-online-social-media-6cfd4dfde356b960aeea69c01ea3ec34">grisly videos that spread on social media</a>.</p><p>The videos show Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump who played an influential role in rallying young Republican voters, speaking into a handheld microphone when suddenly a shot rings out. Kirk reaches up with his right hand as blood gushes from the left side of his neck. Stunned spectators gasp and scream before people start running away.</p><p>The shooter, who investigators believe blended into the campus crowd because of a “college-age” appearance, fired a single shot from the rooftop, according to authorities. Video released Thursday showed them then walking through the grass and across the street, before disappearing.</p><p>“I can tell you this was a targeted event,” said Robert Bohls, the top FBI agent in Salt Lake City.</p><p>Trump, who was joined by Democrats in condemning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/political-violence-assassination-minnesota-trump-3c750cff0749633872ab6101bfa23b23">the violence</a>, said he would award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S. Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, visited with Kirk's family Thursday afternoon in Salt Lake City. Vance posted a remembrance on X chronicling their friendship, dating back to initial messages in 2017, through Vance’s Senate run and the 2024 election.</p><p>“So much of the success we’ve had in this administration traces directly to Charlie’s ability to organize and convene,” Vance wrote. “He didn’t just help us win in 2024, he helped us staff the entire government.”</p><p>Kirk’s casket was flown aboard Air Force Two from Utah to Phoenix, where his nonprofit political youth organization, Turning Point USA, is based. Trump told reporters he plans to attend Kirk's funeral. Details have not been announced.</p><h2>Kirk was taking questions about gun violence</h2><p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shooting-utah-university-republicans-8357c3d102de09e3320fde761258131a">Kirk was a conservative provocateur</a>&nbsp;who became a powerful political force among young Republicans and was a fixture on college campuses, where he invited sometimes-vehement debate on social issues.</p><p>One such provocative exchange played out immediately before the shooting as Kirk was taking questions from an audience member about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/gun-violence">gun violence</a>.</p><p>The debate hosted by Turning Point at the Sorensen Center on campus was billed as the first stop on Kirk's “American Comeback Tour.”</p><p>The event generated a polarizing campus reaction. An online petition calling for university administrators to bar Kirk from appearing received nearly 1,000 signatures. The university issued a statement last week citing First Amendment rights and affirming its “commitment to free speech, intellectual inquiry and constructive dialogue.”</p><p>Last week, Kirk posted on X images of news clips showing his visit was sparking controversy. He wrote, “What’s going on in Utah?”</p><h2>Attendees barricaded themselves in classrooms</h2><p>Some attendees who bolted after the gunshot rushed into two classrooms full of students. They used tables to barricade the door and to shield themselves in the corners. Someone grabbed an electric pencil sharpener and wrapped the cord tightly around the door handle, then tied the sharpener to a chair leg.</p><p>On campus Thursday, the canopy stamped with the slogan Kirk commonly used at his events — “PROVE ME WRONG” — stood, disheveled.</p><p>Kathleen Murphy, a longtime resident who lives near the campus, said she has been staying inside with her door locked.</p><p>“With the shooter not being caught yet, it was a worry,” Murphy said.</p><p>Meanwhile, the shooting continued to draw&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shooting-political-violence-reaction-87f6755421938d0a0d7c5905be10767f">swift bipartisan condemnation</a>&nbsp;as Democratic officials joined Trump and other Republican allies of Kirk in decrying the attack, which unfolded during a spike of political violence that has touched a range of ideologies and representatives of both major political parties.</p><p>___</p><p>Tucker and Richer reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Nicholas Riccardi in Denver; Michael Biesecker, Brian Slodysko, Lindsay Whitehurst and Michelle L. Price in Washington; Ty O'Neil in Orem, Utah; Hallie Golden in Seattle; and Meg Kinnard in Chapin, South Carolina, contributed to this report.</p>

FBI releases new video of suspect in Charlie Kirk assassination

David Leroy Beachy, 84, passed away on September 10, 2025, at Kenwood View Health and Rehabilitation Center, Salina, KS. David was born on May 31, 1941, in Hutchinson, KS, the son of David M. and Susie (Borntrager) Beachy.

David graduated from Hesston High School and attended Hesston College where he also played basketball. He received his bachelor's degree in social work from the University of Denver. He was a social worker in Denver, CO and was the owner of Moon Mist Hotel in Meade, KS. He was the director of Children’s Choir and did missionary work in the Philippines for over 25 years. David was a Broncos and Chiefs fan. On September 3, 1999, David married Magdalina “Maggie” Hora in the Philippines.

He is proceeded in death by his parents; brothers, Vernon, Alvin and Calvin Beachy; and a sister Nina Lee.

David is survived by his wife, Maggie Beachy; seven children, Jamie (Wael) Garas, Kristy (Dan) Beachy-Quick, Rebecca Beachy, Reden (Alexus) Beachy, Edison (Jornalyn) Beachy, David Joseph Beachy and Susie Beachy; a sister, Mary Ellen Diener; and seven grandchildren.

Funeral Services&nbsp; will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, September 16, 2025, at Hutchinson Funeral Chapel, 300 E. 30th Ave., Hutchinson, KS, with Pastor Terry Danford officiating. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. until service time at the funeral chapel. The burial will take place in the Yoder Cemetery, Yoder, KS. Memorials may be given to the Faith Baptist Church-Salina and can be sent in care of the funeral chapel.&nbsp;

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757622293126.jpeg" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>David Leroy Beachy, 84, passed away on September 10, 2025, at Kenwood View Health and Rehabilitation Center, Salina, KS. David was born on May 31, 1941, in Hutchinson, KS, the son of David M. and Susie (Borntrager) Beachy.</p><p>David graduated from Hesston High School and attended Hesston College where he also played basketball. He received his bachelor's degree in social work from the University of Denver. He was a social worker in Denver, CO and was the owner of Moon Mist Hotel in Meade, KS. He was the director of Children’s Choir and did missionary work in the Philippines for over 25 years. David was a Broncos and Chiefs fan. On September 3, 1999, David married Magdalina “Maggie” Hora in the Philippines.</p><p>He is proceeded in death by his parents; brothers, Vernon, Alvin and Calvin Beachy; and a sister Nina Lee.</p><p>David is survived by his wife, Maggie Beachy; seven children, Jamie (Wael) Garas, Kristy (Dan) Beachy-Quick, Rebecca Beachy, Reden (Alexus) Beachy, Edison (Jornalyn) Beachy, David Joseph Beachy and Susie Beachy; a sister, Mary Ellen Diener; and seven grandchildren.</p><p>Funeral Services&nbsp; will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, September 16, 2025, at Hutchinson Funeral Chapel, 300 E. 30th Ave., Hutchinson, KS, with Pastor Terry Danford officiating. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. until service time at the funeral chapel. The burial will take place in the Yoder Cemetery, Yoder, KS. Memorials may be given to the Faith Baptist Church-Salina and can be sent in care of the funeral chapel.&nbsp;</p>

David Leroy Beachy |1941-2025|

NEW YORK (AP) — Americans are marking 24 years since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/september-11-attacks">the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks</a>&nbsp;with solemn ceremonies, volunteer work and other tributes honoring the victims.

Many loved ones of the nearly 3,000 people killed joined dignitaries and politicians at commemorations Thursday in New York, at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

On Thursday morning, Denise Matuza, Jennifer Nilsen and Michelle Pizzo boarded a bus from Staten Island for Lower Manhattan — each wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the names and faces of their husbands, who died in the attack.

“Even 24 years later, it’s heart wrenching,” said Nilsen, whose husband, Troy Nilsen, worked at Cantor Fitzgerald on the 103rd floor of the World Trade Center. “It feels the same way every year.”

For Ronald Bucca, who lost his father, the FDNY fire marshal Ronald Paul Bucca, the annual memorial served as an opportunity to “educate people on that day, especially the younger generations, and learn from each other how to be resilient and deal with loss and rebuild.”

Pizzo, whose husband, Jason DeFazio, also worked at Cantor Fitzgerald, hoped more people could just take one minute to reflect on the day.

“Younger kids don’t realize that you have to remember,” she said.

The remembrances are being held during a time of increased political tensions. The 9/11 anniversary, often promoted as a day of national unity, comes a day after conservative activist Charlie Kirk&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shot-utah-turning-point-e771e3967d5a6024f7cf84d5e0228fed">was shot and killed</a>&nbsp;while speaking at a college in Utah.

The reading of names and moments of silence

Kirk’s killing prompted additional security measures around the 9/11 anniversary ceremony at the World Trade Center site in New York.

FBI Director Kash Patel was among the dignitaries in attendance. Vice President JD Vance and his wife, second lady Usha Vance, had planned to attend but instead are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/charlie-kirk-shooting-response-updates#00000199-389b-da74-a3bf-ffdf5b250000">set to visit with Kirk’s family</a>&nbsp;on Thursday in Salt Lake City, according to a person familiar with Vance’s plans, but not authorized to speak about them publicly.

Many in the ground zero crowd held up photos of lost loved ones as a moment of silence marked the exact time when the first hijacked plane struck the World Trade Center’s iconic twin towers.

Family members then read aloud the names of the victims, with many giving short remembrances and well wishes to their lost loved ones.

Melissa Pullis, whose husband Edward Pullis died in the towers, said this year is more difficult than others because two of the couple’s three children are getting married.

“You can’t walk your princess down the aisle,” she said through tears. “You are missed everyday. We will always say your name and we will always fight for justice.”

Zoe Doyle, daughter of equity trader Frank Joseph Doyle, said her family created a nonprofit in his honor that has built 16 schools in South Africa and feeds and educates thousands of children there each day.

“We love and miss you so much,” Doyle said.

At the Pentagon in Virginia, the 184 service members and civilians killed when hijackers steered a jetliner into the headquarters of the U.S. military were being honored in a ceremony attended by President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump. The president was then expected to head to the Bronx for a baseball game between the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers Thursday evening.

And in a rural field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, a similar ceremony marked by moments of silence, the reading of names and the laying of wreaths, honored the victims of Flight 93, the hijacked plane that crashed after crew members and passengers tried to storm the cockpit.

People across the country are also marking the 9/11 anniversary with service projects and charity works as part of a national day of service. Volunteers will be taking part in food and clothing drives, park and neighborhood cleanups, blood banks and other community events.

In all, the attacks by al-Qaida militants killed 2,977 people, including many financial workers at the World Trade Center and firefighters and police officers who had rushed to the burning buildings trying to save lives.

The attacks reverberated globally and altered the course of U.S. policy, both domestically and overseas. It led to the “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/077ff9b545584e4d8936e12cde859192">Global War on Terrorism</a>&nbsp;” and the U.S.-led invasions of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-islamic-state-group-e10e038baea732dae879c11234507f81">Afghanistan</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iraq-anniversary-refugee-asylum-debf2c74a9f5acc5d6562647d2bef94f">Iraq</a>&nbsp;and related conflicts that killed hundreds of thousands of troops and civilians.

While the hijackers died in the attacks, the U.S. government has struggled to conclude its long-running legal case against the man accused of masterminding the plot, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. The former al-Qaida leader was arrested in Pakistan in 2003 and later taken to a U.S. military base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, but has never received a trial.

The anniversary ceremony in New York was taking place at the National Sept. 11 memorial and Museum, where two memorial pools ringed by waterfalls and parapets inscribed with the names of the dead mark the spots where the twin towers once stood.

The Trump administration has been contemplating ways that the federal government&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/911-museum-trump-federal-takeover-new-york-6b335a4b9dab79ef12e19282d631a28a">might take control</a>&nbsp;of the memorial plaza and its underground museum, which are now run by a public charity currently chaired by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a frequent Trump critic. Trump has spoken of possibly making the site a national monument.

In the years since the attacks, the U.S. government has spent billions of dollars providing health care and compensation to tens of thousands of people who were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-new-york-manhattan-9c1d95d9344564981558fa6c54f70c56">exposed to the toxic dust</a>&nbsp;that billowed over parts of Manhattan when the twin towers collapsed. More than 140,000 people are still enrolled in monitoring programs intended to identify those with health conditions that could potentially be linked to hazardous materials in the soot.

<p>NEW YORK (AP) — Americans are marking 24 years since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/september-11-attacks">the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks</a>&nbsp;with solemn ceremonies, volunteer work and other tributes honoring the victims.</p><p>Many loved ones of the nearly 3,000 people killed joined dignitaries and politicians at commemorations Thursday in New York, at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump pay respects at the Pentagon. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/September11?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#September11</a> <a href="https://t.co/YCQxPwTdd9">pic.twitter.com/YCQxPwTdd9</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1966156710516535597?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">American flag unfurled at the Pentagon. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/September11?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#September11</a> <a href="https://t.co/LfRZnhj6jl">pic.twitter.com/LfRZnhj6jl</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1966094979928916467?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/HGH3yQKdO7">https://t.co/HGH3yQKdO7</a></p>&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1966125485894648215?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FLOTUS</a> arrive at the Pentagon on the 24th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks <a href="https://t.co/OWMKaYbiFm">pic.twitter.com/OWMKaYbiFm</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1966126089706611011?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FLOTUS</a> stand for the National Anthem alongside <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a> and the <a href="https://twitter.com/thejointstaff?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@thejointstaff</a> Chairman at the Pentagon 9/11 observance ceremony. <a href="https://t.co/9cBaXxPaIZ">pic.twitter.com/9cBaXxPaIZ</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1966126949019038115?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Rudy Giuliani, Eric Adams, Michael Bloomberg -- 9/11 memorial ceremony NYC <a href="https://t.co/vzp8nK2H6Y">pic.twitter.com/vzp8nK2H6Y</a></p>&mdash; Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) <a href="https://twitter.com/HowardMortman/status/1966119847542272100?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> honors the memory of Army Lieutenant Colonel Kip Taylor, a young father who was killed at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.<br><br>Kip&#39;s son, Luke, is now a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army. 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/qlmYXdP95t">pic.twitter.com/qlmYXdP95t</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1966143280980312241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">. <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a> &quot;Twenty-four years ago, Islamist terrorists massacred nearly three thousand innocent American lives in New York City, Shanksville, Pennsylvania and right here at the Pentagon.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Eii2fqH8JL">pic.twitter.com/Eii2fqH8JL</a></p>&mdash; DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DOWResponse/status/1966138258553024803?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">. <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a> &quot;An entire generation of warriors step forward, willing to pay the ultimate price to exact retribution and secure our country.<br><br>Forged in the crucible of Afghanistan and Iraq, we stood watch in distant lands on dangerous missions, often in retrospect, nebulous missions.… <a href="https://t.co/jjp9e2f20h">pic.twitter.com/jjp9e2f20h</a></p>&mdash; DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DOWResponse/status/1966139296345370630?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">. <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@secwar</a> &quot;Here today, we honor those 184 rings of the bell... souls lost at the Pentagon and on Flight 77. <br><br>Even as first responders were grossly outnumbered by the wounded. Many ran toward the chaos.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/K8HBtaM3ty">pic.twitter.com/K8HBtaM3ty</a></p>&mdash; DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DOWResponse/status/1966140291758629333?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>On Thursday morning, Denise Matuza, Jennifer Nilsen and Michelle Pizzo boarded a bus from Staten Island for Lower Manhattan — each wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the names and faces of their husbands, who died in the attack.</p><p>“Even 24 years later, it’s heart wrenching,” said Nilsen, whose husband, Troy Nilsen, worked at Cantor Fitzgerald on the 103rd floor of the World Trade Center. “It feels the same way every year.”</p><p>For Ronald Bucca, who lost his father, the FDNY fire marshal Ronald Paul Bucca, the annual memorial served as an opportunity to “educate people on that day, especially the younger generations, and learn from each other how to be resilient and deal with loss and rebuild.”</p><p>Pizzo, whose husband, Jason DeFazio, also worked at Cantor Fitzgerald, hoped more people could just take one minute to reflect on the day.</p><p>“Younger kids don’t realize that you have to remember,” she said.</p><p>The remembrances are being held during a time of increased political tensions. The 9/11 anniversary, often promoted as a day of national unity, comes a day after conservative activist Charlie Kirk&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shot-utah-turning-point-e771e3967d5a6024f7cf84d5e0228fed">was shot and killed</a>&nbsp;while speaking at a college in Utah.</p><h2>The reading of names and moments of silence</h2><p>Kirk’s killing prompted additional security measures around the 9/11 anniversary ceremony at the World Trade Center site in New York.</p><p>FBI Director Kash Patel was among the dignitaries in attendance. Vice President JD Vance and his wife, second lady Usha Vance, had planned to attend but instead are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/charlie-kirk-shooting-response-updates#00000199-389b-da74-a3bf-ffdf5b250000">set to visit with Kirk’s family</a>&nbsp;on Thursday in Salt Lake City, according to a person familiar with Vance’s plans, but not authorized to speak about them publicly.</p><p>Many in the ground zero crowd held up photos of lost loved ones as a moment of silence marked the exact time when the first hijacked plane struck the World Trade Center’s iconic twin towers.</p><p>Family members then read aloud the names of the victims, with many giving short remembrances and well wishes to their lost loved ones.</p><p>Melissa Pullis, whose husband Edward Pullis died in the towers, said this year is more difficult than others because two of the couple’s three children are getting married.</p><p>“You can’t walk your princess down the aisle,” she said through tears. “You are missed everyday. We will always say your name and we will always fight for justice.”</p><p>Zoe Doyle, daughter of equity trader Frank Joseph Doyle, said her family created a nonprofit in his honor that has built 16 schools in South Africa and feeds and educates thousands of children there each day.</p><p>“We love and miss you so much,” Doyle said.</p><p>At the Pentagon in Virginia, the 184 service members and civilians killed when hijackers steered a jetliner into the headquarters of the U.S. military were being honored in a ceremony attended by President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump. The president was then expected to head to the Bronx for a baseball game between the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers Thursday evening.</p><p>And in a rural field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, a similar ceremony marked by moments of silence, the reading of names and the laying of wreaths, honored the victims of Flight 93, the hijacked plane that crashed after crew members and passengers tried to storm the cockpit.</p><p>People across the country are also marking the 9/11 anniversary with service projects and charity works as part of a national day of service. Volunteers will be taking part in food and clothing drives, park and neighborhood cleanups, blood banks and other community events.</p><h2>Reverberations from attacks persist</h2><p>In all, the attacks by al-Qaida militants killed 2,977 people, including many financial workers at the World Trade Center and firefighters and police officers who had rushed to the burning buildings trying to save lives.</p><p>The attacks reverberated globally and altered the course of U.S. policy, both domestically and overseas. It led to the “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/077ff9b545584e4d8936e12cde859192">Global War on Terrorism</a>&nbsp;” and the U.S.-led invasions of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-islamic-state-group-e10e038baea732dae879c11234507f81">Afghanistan</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iraq-anniversary-refugee-asylum-debf2c74a9f5acc5d6562647d2bef94f">Iraq</a>&nbsp;and related conflicts that killed hundreds of thousands of troops and civilians.</p><p>While the hijackers died in the attacks, the U.S. government has struggled to conclude its long-running legal case against the man accused of masterminding the plot, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. The former al-Qaida leader was arrested in Pakistan in 2003 and later taken to a U.S. military base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, but has never received a trial.</p><p>The anniversary ceremony in New York was taking place at the National Sept. 11 memorial and Museum, where two memorial pools ringed by waterfalls and parapets inscribed with the names of the dead mark the spots where the twin towers once stood.</p><p>The Trump administration has been contemplating ways that the federal government&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/911-museum-trump-federal-takeover-new-york-6b335a4b9dab79ef12e19282d631a28a">might take control</a>&nbsp;of the memorial plaza and its underground museum, which are now run by a public charity currently chaired by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a frequent Trump critic. Trump has spoken of possibly making the site a national monument.</p><p>In the years since the attacks, the U.S. government has spent billions of dollars providing health care and compensation to tens of thousands of people who were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-new-york-manhattan-9c1d95d9344564981558fa6c54f70c56">exposed to the toxic dust</a>&nbsp;that billowed over parts of Manhattan when the twin towers collapsed. More than 140,000 people are still enrolled in monitoring programs intended to identify those with health conditions that could potentially be linked to hazardous materials in the soot.</p><p>___</p>

🎥US marks 24th anniversary of 9/11 terror attacks

Darla D. Neal, 83, died September 8, 2025, at Hester Care Center, Hutchinson. &nbsp;She was born January 22, 1942, in Newton, to Luther D. and Gladys M. (Hatch) McJilton. &nbsp;

Darla graduated from Newton High School in 1959, and the University of Kansas in 1963, with her Bachelor of Science degree. &nbsp;Darla was an outstanding debater in high school and college (this won’t surprise anyone who knew her). &nbsp; As a senior in high school, she and her partner took runner-up at state after beating her future husband, John, in the semi-finals. &nbsp;Darla was offered a scholarship to debate at KU. &nbsp; She was named KU’s Outstanding Debater her freshman year. &nbsp;While at KU, Darla was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta where she met many of her lifelong friends. &nbsp;She also participated in Rock Chalk Revue. &nbsp;&nbsp;

It was also at KU where she met the first love of her life, John Neal. &nbsp; Darla &amp; John knew each other from debate &amp; forensics competitions in high school. &nbsp;Her sophomore year she agreed to go on a “blind date” only after learning that it was with John. &nbsp;Darla and John got engaged on Christmas Eve their senior year in college and were married on July 20, 1963 in Newton. &nbsp;Shortly after their wedding, Darla &amp; John moved to Madrid, Spain for a year while John was studying abroad on the Fulbright Scholarship. &nbsp;While in Madrid, Darla taught English at the American School and Berlitz Language School. Upon arriving back in the United States, Darla taught middle school and high school English &amp; Social Studies before they had children.

In 1969, Darla and John moved to Hutchinson, KS, where she lived the rest of her life. Darla was a major advocate for Hutchinson, Hutchinson schools, and numerous community projects and organizations. &nbsp; She served as President of Reno County’s American Cancer Society, President of Leukemia &amp; Lymphoma Society, President of Hutchinson Community Foundation, President of the Hutchinson PTA, President of Wesley Towers Board of Directors, and served 12 years on the USD 308 Board of Education with two stints as president. &nbsp;She participated in Leadership Kansas, Leadership Hutchinson, &amp; received the Altrusa Community Leadership Award in 2007. &nbsp;She was a member of P. E. O. Chapter BY and Trinity United Methodist Church, Hutchinson. She also started three successful businesses in three totally non-related industries!

Darla was a teacher, entrepreneur, consultant, artist, and business owner, but her proudest title was “mom”. &nbsp;After Darla &amp; John’s first son, Michael, was born in 1968, every day her number one focus was her children. &nbsp;Never was this more apparent than after Michael was diagnosed with leukemia and during his subsequent treatment. &nbsp;Although Michael passed away in 1972, Darla was impacted by the experience after seeing the “good” in so many people who wanted to help and support Michael &amp; their family. &nbsp; Darla carried that emphasis and focus with her the rest of her life. &nbsp;The only title that was in contention with “mom” for her favorite was “Nana”. &nbsp;She was an incredible force, constant champion, and #1 fan for each and every one of her children &amp; grandchildren. &nbsp;It was never about her and always about making the world better for others. Darla’s goal was to make an impact, be an advocate, and leave her mark on Hutchinson, Reno County, and the lives of her family &amp; everyone she met. &nbsp;

John died September 4, 2005, after they shared 42 years of marriage. &nbsp;On a riverboat trip to Ukraine in 2007, Darla was fortunate enough to meet the second love of her life, Stanley Wingate. &nbsp; Darla &amp; Stan were married on April 19, 2008, at Trinity United Methodist Church, Hutchinson. &nbsp;Both had endured the heartbreak of losing their first spouses to cancer and felt incredibly blessed to find a second love who they could share their lives with. &nbsp; Even after being separated when Darla was moved into Memory Care at Wesley Towers, Stan would walk over to her room everyday so they could spend the day together. &nbsp;Darla &amp; Stan enjoyed 17 years of marriage. &nbsp;

Darla is survived by: husband, Stanley Wingate of Hutchinson; sons, David Neal (Karin) of Hutchinson and Matthew Neal of Rose Hill; grandchildren, Jack Neal, Katherine Neal, Benjamin Neal, and Andrew G. Neal, Jaden Neal, Andrew L. Neal, and Elizabeth Neal; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by: &nbsp;her parents; husband, John Neal; son Michael John Neal; and sisters, Kay Lachenmayr, Loretta Bowersock, Shirley Gates, and Barbara Fabic.

Celebration of Life service will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, September 15, 2025, at Trinity United Methodist Church, 1602 N. Main, Hutchinson. Private graveside service at Memorial Park will take place. &nbsp;Friends may call from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday and 1:00 to 8:00 p.m. Sunday, with the family present from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Sunday at Elliott Mortuary.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to support pediatric oncology at KU School of Medicine-Wichita. Checks can be made out to KU Endowment (memo Darla Neal memorial) and mailed to KU Endowment, 1010 North Kansas St., Wichita, KS 67214. Online contributions may be made at www.kuendowment.org/give. Under the choose area section select “other” and in the box under Other Purpose write in “Darla Neal memorial”. Or,&nbsp; can be mailed to Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS &nbsp;67501.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757598985738.jpeg" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Darla D. Neal, 83, died September 8, 2025, at Hester Care Center, Hutchinson. &nbsp;She was born January 22, 1942, in Newton, to Luther D. and Gladys M. (Hatch) McJilton. &nbsp;</p><p>Darla graduated from Newton High School in 1959, and the University of Kansas in 1963, with her Bachelor of Science degree. &nbsp;Darla was an outstanding debater in high school and college (this won’t surprise anyone who knew her). &nbsp; As a senior in high school, she and her partner took runner-up at state after beating her future husband, John, in the semi-finals. &nbsp;Darla was offered a scholarship to debate at KU. &nbsp; She was named KU’s Outstanding Debater her freshman year. &nbsp;While at KU, Darla was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta where she met many of her lifelong friends. &nbsp;She also participated in Rock Chalk Revue. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>It was also at KU where she met the first love of her life, John Neal. &nbsp; Darla &amp; John knew each other from debate &amp; forensics competitions in high school. &nbsp;Her sophomore year she agreed to go on a “blind date” only after learning that it was with John. &nbsp;Darla and John got engaged on Christmas Eve their senior year in college and were married on July 20, 1963 in Newton. &nbsp;Shortly after their wedding, Darla &amp; John moved to Madrid, Spain for a year while John was studying abroad on the Fulbright Scholarship. &nbsp;While in Madrid, Darla taught English at the American School and Berlitz Language School. Upon arriving back in the United States, Darla taught middle school and high school English &amp; Social Studies before they had children.</p><p>In 1969, Darla and John moved to Hutchinson, KS, where she lived the rest of her life. Darla was a major advocate for Hutchinson, Hutchinson schools, and numerous community projects and organizations. &nbsp; She served as President of Reno County’s American Cancer Society, President of Leukemia &amp; Lymphoma Society, President of Hutchinson Community Foundation, President of the Hutchinson PTA, President of Wesley Towers Board of Directors, and served 12 years on the USD 308 Board of Education with two stints as president. &nbsp;She participated in Leadership Kansas, Leadership Hutchinson, &amp; received the Altrusa Community Leadership Award in 2007. &nbsp;She was a member of P. E. O. Chapter BY and Trinity United Methodist Church, Hutchinson. She also started three successful businesses in three totally non-related industries!</p><p>Darla was a teacher, entrepreneur, consultant, artist, and business owner, but her proudest title was “mom”. &nbsp;After Darla &amp; John’s first son, Michael, was born in 1968, every day her number one focus was her children. &nbsp;Never was this more apparent than after Michael was diagnosed with leukemia and during his subsequent treatment. &nbsp;Although Michael passed away in 1972, Darla was impacted by the experience after seeing the “good” in so many people who wanted to help and support Michael &amp; their family. &nbsp; Darla carried that emphasis and focus with her the rest of her life. &nbsp;The only title that was in contention with “mom” for her favorite was “Nana”. &nbsp;She was an incredible force, constant champion, and #1 fan for each and every one of her children &amp; grandchildren. &nbsp;It was never about her and always about making the world better for others. Darla’s goal was to make an impact, be an advocate, and leave her mark on Hutchinson, Reno County, and the lives of her family &amp; everyone she met. &nbsp;</p><p>John died September 4, 2005, after they shared 42 years of marriage. &nbsp;On a riverboat trip to Ukraine in 2007, Darla was fortunate enough to meet the second love of her life, Stanley Wingate. &nbsp; Darla &amp; Stan were married on April 19, 2008, at Trinity United Methodist Church, Hutchinson. &nbsp;Both had endured the heartbreak of losing their first spouses to cancer and felt incredibly blessed to find a second love who they could share their lives with. &nbsp; Even after being separated when Darla was moved into Memory Care at Wesley Towers, Stan would walk over to her room everyday so they could spend the day together. &nbsp;Darla &amp; Stan enjoyed 17 years of marriage. &nbsp;</p><p>Darla is survived by: husband, Stanley Wingate of Hutchinson; sons, David Neal (Karin) of Hutchinson and Matthew Neal of Rose Hill; grandchildren, Jack Neal, Katherine Neal, Benjamin Neal, and Andrew G. Neal, Jaden Neal, Andrew L. Neal, and Elizabeth Neal; and numerous nieces and nephews.</p><p>She was preceded in death by: &nbsp;her parents; husband, John Neal; son Michael John Neal; and sisters, Kay Lachenmayr, Loretta Bowersock, Shirley Gates, and Barbara Fabic.</p><p>Celebration of Life service will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, September 15, 2025, at Trinity United Methodist Church, 1602 N. Main, Hutchinson. Private graveside service at Memorial Park will take place. &nbsp;Friends may call from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday and 1:00 to 8:00 p.m. Sunday, with the family present from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Sunday at Elliott Mortuary.</p><p>In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to support pediatric oncology at KU School of Medicine-Wichita. Checks can be made out to KU Endowment (memo Darla Neal memorial) and mailed to KU Endowment, 1010 North Kansas St., Wichita, KS 67214. Online contributions may be made at www.kuendowment.org/give. Under the choose area section select “other” and in the box under Other Purpose write in “Darla Neal memorial”. Or,&nbsp; can be mailed to Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS &nbsp;67501.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

Darla D. Neal |1942-2025|

Hutchinson, KS – August 2025&nbsp;– The Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of Hutchinson is proud to announce the launch of&nbsp;Transfr VR, an innovative virtual reality career exploration program, at Hutchinson Middle School 7 (HMS-7). Led by Tabetha Gray, FACS teacher and Director of Program Excellence at the Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of Hutchinson, the program immerses middle school students in realistic simulations of careers—helping them discover their strengths, explore possibilities, and make informed decisions about high school courses and potential future career paths.

Exploring Careers at the Perfect AgeMiddle school is a critical time for career exploration. By 8th grade, Kansas students complete an Individual Plan of Study (IPS) to guide high school coursework and career planning—a process that can feel overwhelming.&nbsp;Transfr VR&nbsp;provides hands-on, interactive experiences in skilled trades, healthcare, agriculture, cosmetology, and more, giving students a glimpse into local job opportunities and the skills required to succeed.

“Students are excited to explore careers using virtual reality,”&nbsp;said Ms. Gray.&nbsp;“The technology allows them to see in-demand jobs and potential salaries. Careers like correctional officers come up a lot, and students are curious to see what that entails. The&nbsp;VR&nbsp;experience is tailored to meet the demands of our local workforce.”

Student VoicesMia H., a participating HMS-7 student, shared:&nbsp;“I tried the medical field and realized it wasn’t for me... I do NOT like blood. Agriculture wasn’t my thing either, but I really liked cosmetology and can’t wait to try it again. I just wish the simulators lasted a little longer!”

Community &amp; Workforce ImpactTransfr VR&nbsp;is part of the&nbsp;Youth Career Discovery Partnership, a first-of-its-kind statewide collaboration with FFA, 4-H, Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG), Hutchinson YMCA, and Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of Hutchinson. With legislative support, Kansas has allocated $320,000 in year one to pilot the program, supplemented by $160,000 in private matching funds from organizations including the Kansas Health Foundation, Kansas Farm Bureau, and Kansas Corn Growers Association.

“Transfr VR&nbsp;gives students a clear vision of what different careers actually look like,”&nbsp;said&nbsp;Nathan Henry, Principal of HMS-7.&nbsp;“It’s an incredible way for them to explore their interests and make informed decisions. Programs like this reinforce what they learn in life skills classes, helping students discover their strengths and pair them with potential future paths. The kids are highly engaged, and the hands-on experience makes abstract concepts come to life.”

“By exploring careers early, our students can better tailor high school courses to their interests and strengths,”&nbsp;added&nbsp;Nick Caton, Teen Site Director at BGC.&nbsp;“This program removes barriers like cost or seat availability and provides hands-on experience that prepares kids for real-life careers. It’s a huge asset to our youth and our community’s future workforce.”

Expanding OpportunitiesCurrently,&nbsp;Transfr VR&nbsp;serves 12 students at a time at HMS-7 and the Boys &amp; Girls Club. The program will expand throughout the year to accommodate more students and career pathways, ensuring multiple opportunities for hands-on learning.&nbsp;Joyce Glasscock, Executive Director of the Kansas Boys &amp; Girls Clubs Alliance, spearheaded the fundraising efforts for this innovative project.

BGC’s Commitment to Workforce Readiness The Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of Hutchinson integrate&nbsp;Transfr VR&nbsp;with programs like Work-Based Learning, Career Launch, and EPIC SKillz to help youth build confidence, develop skills, and prepare for future careers.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584740557772.jpeg" alt="Boys and Girls Club Hutchinson.jpeg" />
                        <figcaption>Boys and Girls Club Hutchinson.jpeg</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Hutchinson, KS – August 2025&nbsp;– The Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of Hutchinson is proud to announce the launch of&nbsp;Transfr VR, an innovative virtual reality career exploration program, at Hutchinson Middle School 7 (HMS-7). Led by Tabetha Gray, FACS teacher and Director of Program Excellence at the Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of Hutchinson, the program immerses middle school students in realistic simulations of careers—helping them discover their strengths, explore possibilities, and make informed decisions about high school courses and potential future career paths.</p><p>Exploring Careers at the Perfect AgeMiddle school is a critical time for career exploration. By 8th grade, Kansas students complete an Individual Plan of Study (IPS) to guide high school coursework and career planning—a process that can feel overwhelming.&nbsp;Transfr VR&nbsp;provides hands-on, interactive experiences in skilled trades, healthcare, agriculture, cosmetology, and more, giving students a glimpse into local job opportunities and the skills required to succeed.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757543380543.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy Boys and Girls Clubs of Hutchinson" />
                        <figcaption>Photo courtesy Boys and Girls Clubs of Hutchinson</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>“Students are excited to explore careers using virtual reality,”&nbsp;said Ms. Gray.&nbsp;“The technology allows them to see in-demand jobs and potential salaries. Careers like correctional officers come up a lot, and students are curious to see what that entails. The&nbsp;VR&nbsp;experience is tailored to meet the demands of our local workforce.”</p><p>Student VoicesMia H., a participating HMS-7 student, shared:&nbsp;“I tried the medical field and realized it wasn’t for me... I do NOT like blood. Agriculture wasn’t my thing either, but I really liked cosmetology and can’t wait to try it again. I just wish the simulators lasted a little longer!”</p><p>Community &amp; Workforce ImpactTransfr VR&nbsp;is part of the&nbsp;Youth Career Discovery Partnership, a first-of-its-kind statewide collaboration with FFA, 4-H, Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG), Hutchinson YMCA, and Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of Hutchinson. With legislative support, Kansas has allocated $320,000 in year one to pilot the program, supplemented by $160,000 in private matching funds from organizations including the Kansas Health Foundation, Kansas Farm Bureau, and Kansas Corn Growers Association.</p><p>“Transfr VR&nbsp;gives students a clear vision of what different careers actually look like,”&nbsp;said&nbsp;Nathan Henry, Principal of HMS-7.&nbsp;“It’s an incredible way for them to explore their interests and make informed decisions. Programs like this reinforce what they learn in life skills classes, helping students discover their strengths and pair them with potential future paths. The kids are highly engaged, and the hands-on experience makes abstract concepts come to life.”</p><p>“By exploring careers early, our students can better tailor high school courses to their interests and strengths,”&nbsp;added&nbsp;Nick Caton, Teen Site Director at BGC.&nbsp;“This program removes barriers like cost or seat availability and provides hands-on experience that prepares kids for real-life careers. It’s a huge asset to our youth and our community’s future workforce.”</p><p>Expanding OpportunitiesCurrently,&nbsp;Transfr VR&nbsp;serves 12 students at a time at HMS-7 and the Boys &amp; Girls Club. The program will expand throughout the year to accommodate more students and career pathways, ensuring multiple opportunities for hands-on learning.&nbsp;Joyce Glasscock, Executive Director of the Kansas Boys &amp; Girls Clubs Alliance, spearheaded the fundraising efforts for this innovative project.</p><p>BGC’s Commitment to Workforce Readiness The Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of Hutchinson integrate&nbsp;Transfr VR&nbsp;with programs like Work-Based Learning, Career Launch, and EPIC SKillz to help youth build confidence, develop skills, and prepare for future careers.</p>

Boys & Girls Clubs of Hutchinson Launches Transfr VR Pilot

<i>Editor's Note:&nbsp; Charlie Kirk was a talk show host on KWBW.&nbsp; Kirk was the host of The Charlie Kirk Show which airs from 10 p.m. to Midnight Monday through Friday.&nbsp;</i>

OREM, Utah (AP) — Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and close ally of President Donald Trump, was shot and killed Wednesday at a Utah college event in an act that drew renewed attention to the threat of political violence across the United States.

The death was announced on social media by Trump, who praised the 31-year-old Kirk, the co-founder and CEO of the youth organization&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shutdown-charlie-kirk-turning-point-afb64a04493ddf44df3b7338536a6524">Turning Point USA</a>, as “Great, and even Legendary.”

“No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie,” Trump posted on his Truth Social account.

The suspected shooter has not been arrested, Orem, Utah, Mayor David Young said. A person who was taken into custody by law enforcement at the university where Kirk was speaking was not the suspect, according to a person familiar with the investigation who was not authorized to speak publicly.

Videos posted to social media from Utah Valley University show Kirk speaking into a handheld microphone while sitting under a white tent emblazoned with the slogans “The American Comeback” and “Prove Me Wrong.” A single shot rings out and Kirk can be seen reaching up with his right hand as a large volume of blood gushes from the left side of his neck. Stunned spectators are heard gasping and screaming before people start to run away. The AP was able to confirm the videos were taken at Sorensen Center courtyard on the Utah Valley University campus.

“We are confirming that he was shot and we are praying for Charlie,” said Aubrey Laitsch, public relations manager for Turning Point USA.

Kirk was speaking at a debate hosted by his nonprofit political organization. Immediately before the shooting, Kirk was taking questions for an audience member about mass shootings and gun violence.

“Do you know how many transgender Americans have been mass shooters over the last 10 years?” an audience members asked. Kirk responded: “Too many.”

The questioner followed up: “Do you know how many mass shooters there have been in America over the last 10 years?”

“Counting or not counting gang violence?” Kirk asked.

The event had been met with divided opinions on campus. An online petition calling for university administrators to bar Kirk from appearing received nearly 1,000 signatures. The university issued a statement last week citing First Amendment rights and affirming its “commitment to free speech, intellectual inquiry, and constructive dialogue.”

Last week, Kirk posted on X images of news clips showing his visit to Utah colleges was sparking controversy. He wrote, “What’s going on in Utah?”

Trump and a host of Republican and Democratic elected officials decried the shooting and offered prayers for Kirk on social media.

“We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot. A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!” Trump posted on Truth Social.

The shooting comes amid a spike in political violence in the United States across all parts of the ideological spectrum. The attacks include the assassination of a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband at their house in June, the firebombing of a Colorado parade to demand Hamas release hostages, and a fire set at the house of Pennsylvania’s governor, who is Jewish, in April. The most notorious of these events is the shooting of Trump during a campaign rally last year.

Former Utah congressman Jason Chaffetz, a Republican who was at the event, said in an interview on Fox News Channel that he heard one shot and saw Kirk go back.

“It seemed like it was a close shot,” Chaffetz said, who seemed shaken as he spoke.

He said there was a light police presence at the event and Kirk had some security but not enough.

“Utah is one of the safest places on the planet,” he said. “And so we just don’t have these types of things.”

Turning Point was founded in suburban Chicago in 2012 by Kirk, then 18, and William Montgomery, a tea party activist, to proselytize on college campuses for low taxes and limited government. It was not an immediate success.

But Kirk’s zeal for confronting liberals in academia eventually won over an influential set of conservative financiers.

Despite early misgivings,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-turning-point-voter-mobilization-musk-07286c2572b02aafefdda1cda093e788">Turning Point</a>&nbsp;enthusiastically backed Trump after he clinched the GOP nomination in 2016. Kirk served as a personal aide to Donald Trump Jr., the president’s eldest son, during the general election campaign.

Soon, Kirk was a regular presence on cable TV, where he leaned into the culture wars and heaped praise on the then-president. Trump and his son were equally effusive and often spoke at Turning Point conferences.

OREM, Utah (AP) — Charlie Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shutdown-charlie-kirk-turning-point-afb64a04493ddf44df3b7338536a6524">Turning Point USA</a>&nbsp;and a close ally of President Donald Trump, was in critical condition at a Utah hospital Wednesday after being shot at a college event, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press.

A person who was taken into custody at Utah Valley University was not the suspect, according to a person familiar with the investigation who was not authorized to speak publicly. It was not clear if authorities were still searching the campus for a suspect.

Kirk was speaking at a debate hosted by his nonprofit political organization. The event had been met with divided opinions on campus. An online petition calling for university administrators to bar Kirk from appearing received nearly 1,000 signatures. The university issued a statement last week citing First Amendment rights and affirming its “commitment to free speech, intellectual inquiry, and constructive dialogue.”

The college said a “single shot” had been fired at Kirk and a suspect was in custody.

OREM, Utah (AP) — Charlie Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was shot Wednesday at an event at a Utah college, Turning Point said.

Kirk was attending an event at Utah Valley University.

The shooting comes amid a spike in political violence in the United States across all parts of the ideological spectrum. The attacks include the assassination of a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband at their house in June, the firebombing of a Colorado parade to demand Hamas release hostages, and a fire set at the house of Pennsylvania’s governor, who is Jewish, in April. The most notorious of these events is the shooting of President Donald Trump during a campaign rally last year.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757539632054.png" alt="Charlie Kirk image courtesy CSPAN" />
                        <figcaption>Charlie Kirk image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
                    </figure><p><i>Editor's Note:&nbsp; Charlie Kirk was a talk show host on KWBW.&nbsp; Kirk was the host of The Charlie Kirk Show which airs from 10 p.m. to Midnight Monday through Friday.&nbsp;</i></p><p>OREM, Utah (AP) — Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and close ally of President Donald Trump, was shot and killed Wednesday at a Utah college event in an act that drew renewed attention to the threat of political violence across the United States.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">In honor of Charlie Kirk, President Trump is ordering all American flags throughout the U.S. to be lowered to Half Mast. <a href="https://t.co/FOYHIZU2FD">pic.twitter.com/FOYHIZU2FD</a></p>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1965885627116966045?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">&quot;The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his… <a href="https://t.co/aM8Pz3TKml">pic.twitter.com/aM8Pz3TKml</a></p>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1965880535659470994?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Psalms 34:18: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”</p>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1965888011192893625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Please pray for Charlie Kirk and his family.</p>&mdash; Tracey Mann (@RepMann) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMann/status/1965854972349919555?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The loss of Charlie Kirk will be felt by all corners of the conservative movement. Charlie touched the lives of many people -– but most of all, America&#39;s youth.<br><br>His bright spirit and determination to bring about a better future for his children and his fellow Americans will…</p>&mdash; Rep. Ron Estes (@RepRonEstes) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepRonEstes/status/1965887318423908505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>The death was announced on social media by Trump, who praised the 31-year-old Kirk, the co-founder and CEO of the youth organization&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shutdown-charlie-kirk-turning-point-afb64a04493ddf44df3b7338536a6524">Turning Point USA</a>, as “Great, and even Legendary.”</p><p>“No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie,” Trump posted on his Truth Social account.</p><p>The suspected shooter has not been arrested, Orem, Utah, Mayor David Young said. A person who was taken into custody by law enforcement at the university where Kirk was speaking was not the suspect, according to a person familiar with the investigation who was not authorized to speak publicly.</p><p>Videos posted to social media from Utah Valley University show Kirk speaking into a handheld microphone while sitting under a white tent emblazoned with the slogans “The American Comeback” and “Prove Me Wrong.” A single shot rings out and Kirk can be seen reaching up with his right hand as a large volume of blood gushes from the left side of his neck. Stunned spectators are heard gasping and screaming before people start to run away. The AP was able to confirm the videos were taken at Sorensen Center courtyard on the Utah Valley University campus.</p><p>“We are confirming that he was shot and we are praying for Charlie,” said Aubrey Laitsch, public relations manager for Turning Point USA.</p><p>Kirk was speaking at a debate hosted by his nonprofit political organization. Immediately before the shooting, Kirk was taking questions for an audience member about mass shootings and gun violence.</p><p>“Do you know how many transgender Americans have been mass shooters over the last 10 years?” an audience members asked. Kirk responded: “Too many.”</p><p>The questioner followed up: “Do you know how many mass shooters there have been in America over the last 10 years?”</p><p>“Counting or not counting gang violence?” Kirk asked.</p><p>Then a single shot rang out.</p><p>The event had been met with divided opinions on campus. An online petition calling for university administrators to bar Kirk from appearing received nearly 1,000 signatures. The university issued a statement last week citing First Amendment rights and affirming its “commitment to free speech, intellectual inquiry, and constructive dialogue.”</p><p>Last week, Kirk posted on X images of news clips showing his visit to Utah colleges was sparking controversy. He wrote, “What’s going on in Utah?”</p><p>Trump and a host of Republican and Democratic elected officials decried the shooting and offered prayers for Kirk on social media.</p><p>“We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot. A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!” Trump posted on Truth Social.</p><p>The shooting comes amid a spike in political violence in the United States across all parts of the ideological spectrum. The attacks include the assassination of a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband at their house in June, the firebombing of a Colorado parade to demand Hamas release hostages, and a fire set at the house of Pennsylvania’s governor, who is Jewish, in April. The most notorious of these events is the shooting of Trump during a campaign rally last year.</p><p>Former Utah congressman Jason Chaffetz, a Republican who was at the event, said in an interview on Fox News Channel that he heard one shot and saw Kirk go back.</p><p>“It seemed like it was a close shot,” Chaffetz said, who seemed shaken as he spoke.</p><p>He said there was a light police presence at the event and Kirk had some security but not enough.</p><p>“Utah is one of the safest places on the planet,” he said. “And so we just don’t have these types of things.”</p><p>Turning Point was founded in suburban Chicago in 2012 by Kirk, then 18, and William Montgomery, a tea party activist, to proselytize on college campuses for low taxes and limited government. It was not an immediate success.</p><p>But Kirk’s zeal for confronting liberals in academia eventually won over an influential set of conservative financiers.</p><p>Despite early misgivings,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-turning-point-voter-mobilization-musk-07286c2572b02aafefdda1cda093e788">Turning Point</a>&nbsp;enthusiastically backed Trump after he clinched the GOP nomination in 2016. Kirk served as a personal aide to Donald Trump Jr., the president’s eldest son, during the general election campaign.</p><p>Soon, Kirk was a regular presence on cable TV, where he leaned into the culture wars and heaped praise on the then-president. Trump and his son were equally effusive and often spoke at Turning Point conferences.</p><p>__</p><p>------------</p><p>OREM, Utah (AP) — Charlie Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shutdown-charlie-kirk-turning-point-afb64a04493ddf44df3b7338536a6524">Turning Point USA</a>&nbsp;and a close ally of President Donald Trump, was in critical condition at a Utah hospital Wednesday after being shot at a college event, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We are closely monitoring reports of the tragic shooting involving Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. Our thoughts are with Charlie, his loved ones, and everyone affected. Agents will be on the scene quickly and the FBI stands in full support of the ongoing response and…</p>&mdash; FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/1965851035467132940?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Laina and I are heartbroken to learn that <a href="https://twitter.com/charliekirk11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CharlieKirk11</a> was shot while holding an event in Utah. <br><br>We are praying for him, his family, and everyone at the event.</p>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1965850846669017462?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Please pray for Charlie Kirk and his family.</p>&mdash; Tracey Mann (@RepMann) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMann/status/1965854972349919555?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">“We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot. A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!” - President Donald J. Trump <a href="https://t.co/GqYC4QdhA1">pic.twitter.com/GqYC4QdhA1</a></p>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1965854672390148201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🙏 Lord, we lift up Charlie Kirk in this immediate moment. Grant him strength, his doctors wisdom, and the kind of protection only YOU can provide. 🇺🇸✝️</p>&mdash; House Republicans (@HouseGOP) <a href="https://twitter.com/HouseGOP/status/1965853007683399997?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We love you Charlie Kirk. Praying for you. <a href="https://t.co/ti1viJjM5L">https://t.co/ti1viJjM5L</a></p>&mdash; Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy/status/1965853529266094107?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Please join me in praying for Charlie Kirk after this senseless act.</p>&mdash; Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveScalise/status/1965853329260740853?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>A person who was taken into custody at Utah Valley University was not the suspect, according to a person familiar with the investigation who was not authorized to speak publicly. It was not clear if authorities were still searching the campus for a suspect.</p><p>Videos posted to social media from Utah Valley University show Kirk speaking into a handheld microphone while sitting under a white tent emblazoned with the slogans “The American Comeback” and “Prove Me Wrong.” A single shot rings out and Kirk can be seen reaching up with his right hand as a large volume of blood gushes from the left side of his neck. Stunned spectators are heard gasping and screaming before people start to run away. The AP was able to confirm the videos were taken at Sorensen Center courtyard on the Utah Valley University campus.</p><p>“We are confirming that he was shot and we are praying for Charlie,” said Aubrey Laitsch, public relations manager for Turning Point USA.</p><p>Kirk was speaking at a debate hosted by his nonprofit political organization. The event had been met with divided opinions on campus. An online petition calling for university administrators to bar Kirk from appearing received nearly 1,000 signatures. The university issued a statement last week citing First Amendment rights and affirming its “commitment to free speech, intellectual inquiry, and constructive dialogue.”</p><p>Last week, Kirk posted on X images of news clips showing his visit to Utah colleges was sparking controversy. He wrote, “What’s going on in Utah?”</p><p>The college said a “single shot” had been fired at Kirk and a suspect was in custody.</p><p>Trump and a host of Republican and Democratic elected officials decried the shooting and offered prayers for Kirk on social media.</p><p>“We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot. A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!” Trump posted on Truth Social.</p><p>The shooting comes amid a spike in political violence in the United States across all parts of the ideological spectrum. The attacks include the assassination of a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband at their house in June, the firebombing of a Colorado parade to demand Hamas release hostages, and a fire set at the house of Pennsylvania’s governor, who is Jewish, in April. The most notorious of these events is the shooting of Trump during a campaign rally last year.</p><p>Former Utah congressman Jason Chaffetz, a Republican who was at the event, said in an interview on Fox News Channel that he heard one shot and saw Kirk go back.</p><p>“It seemed like it was a close shot,” Chaffetz said, who seemed shaken as he spoke.</p><p>He said there was a light police presence at the event and Kirk had some security but not enough.</p><p>“Utah is one of the safest places on the planet,” he said. “And so we just don’t have these types of things.”</p><p>Turning Point was founded in suburban Chicago in 2012 by Kirk, then 18, and William Montgomery, a tea party activist, to proselytize on college campuses for low taxes and limited government. It was not an immediate success.</p><p>But Kirk’s zeal for confronting liberals in academia eventually won over an influential set of conservative financiers.</p><p>Despite early misgivings,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-turning-point-voter-mobilization-musk-07286c2572b02aafefdda1cda093e788">Turning Point</a>&nbsp;enthusiastically backed Trump after he clinched the GOP nomination in 2016. Kirk served as a personal aide to Donald Trump Jr., the president’s eldest son, during the general election campaign.</p><p>Soon, Kirk was a regular presence on cable TV, where he leaned into the culture wars and heaped praise on the then-president. Trump and his son were equally effusive and often spoke at Turning Point conferences.</p><p>------------</p><p>OREM, Utah (AP) — Charlie Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was shot Wednesday at an event at a Utah college, Turning Point said.</p><p>“We are confirming that he was shot and we are praying for Charlie,” said Aubrey Laitsch, public relations manager for Turning Point USA.</p><p>Kirk was attending an event at Utah Valley University.</p><p>The shooting comes amid a spike in political violence in the United States across all parts of the ideological spectrum. The attacks include the assassination of a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband at their house in June, the firebombing of a Colorado parade to demand Hamas release hostages, and a fire set at the house of Pennsylvania’s governor, who is Jewish, in April. The most notorious of these events is the shooting of President Donald Trump during a campaign rally last year.</p>

Conservative activist Charlie Kirk dies after shot at Utah college event

 The Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center has once again been recognized among the nation’s top-performing hospitals, earning a five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in its 2025 hospital quality ratings. It is the third straight year the Wichita facility has received the highest possible score.

CMS’s ratings are based on five categories — mortality, safety of care, readmission, patient experience and timely and effective care. Hospitals receive a score from one to five stars, with five indicating superior performance across the quality measures.

In the past year, Dole VA implemented several initiatives to strengthen care for Veterans, including refining follow-up processes for patients discharged from acute mental health treatment, engaging experts to provide targeted education in areas needing improvement, and enhancing conversations with Veterans about stress management.

“These ratings highlight the excellent care Dole VA provides,” said Medical Center Director Michael Payne. “Our job is to continue raising the bar for customer service and convenience throughout the department, so Dole VA works better for the Veterans, families, caregivers and survivors we are charged with serving.”

Nationwide, CMS reported that 77 percent of VA hospitals receiving an Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating earned four or five stars in 2025. No VA hospitals received a one-star rating, and more than 90 percent of VA hospitals maintained or improved their standing from 2024.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757527994145.png" alt="Dole VA&nbsp; (Photo courtesy KSN News)" />
                        <figcaption>Dole VA&nbsp; (Photo courtesy KSN News)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p> The Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center has once again been recognized among the nation’s top-performing hospitals, earning a five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in its 2025 hospital quality ratings. It is the third straight year the Wichita facility has received the highest possible score.</p><p>CMS’s ratings are based on five categories — mortality, safety of care, readmission, patient experience and timely and effective care. Hospitals receive a score from one to five stars, with five indicating superior performance across the quality measures.</p><p>In the past year, Dole VA implemented several initiatives to strengthen care for Veterans, including refining follow-up processes for patients discharged from acute mental health treatment, engaging experts to provide targeted education in areas needing improvement, and enhancing conversations with Veterans about stress management.</p><p>“These ratings highlight the excellent care Dole VA provides,” said Medical Center Director Michael Payne. “Our job is to continue raising the bar for customer service and convenience throughout the department, so Dole VA works better for the Veterans, families, caregivers and survivors we are charged with serving.”</p><p>Nationwide, CMS reported that 77 percent of VA hospitals receiving an Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating earned four or five stars in 2025. No VA hospitals received a one-star rating, and more than 90 percent of VA hospitals maintained or improved their standing from 2024.</p><p>The full CMS star ratings and methodology are available online.</p>