NEW YORK (AP) —Shelley Duvall, the intrepid, Texas-born movie star whose wide-eyed, winsome presence was a mainstay in the films of Robert Altman and who co-starred in Stanley Kubrick's “The Shining,” has died. She was 75.

Duvall died Thursday in her sleep at her home in Blanco, Texas, her longtime partner, Dan Gilroy, announced. The cause was complications of diabetes, said her friend, the publicist Gary Springer.

“My dear, sweet, wonderful life, partner, and friend left us last night," Gilroy said in a statement. “Too much suffering lately, now she’s free. Fly away beautiful Shelley.”

Duvall was attending junior college in Texas when Altman's crew members, preparing to film “Brewster McCloud,” encountered her as at a party in Houston in 1970. They introduced her to the director, who cast her “Brewster McCloud” and made her his protege.

Duvall would go on to appear in Altman films including “Thieves Like Us,” “Nashville, “Popeye,” “Three Women” and “McCabe &amp; Ms. Miller.”

“He offers me damn good roles,” Duvall told The New York Times in 1977. “None of them have been alike. He has a great confidence in me, and a trust and respect for me, and he doesn’t put any restrictions on me or intimidate me, and I love him. I remember the first advice he ever gave me: ‘Don’t take yourself seriously.’”

Duvall, gaunt and gawky, was no conventional Hollywood starlet. But she had a beguiling frank manner and exuded a singular naturalism. The film critic Pauline Kael called her the “female Buster Keaton.”

At her peak, Duvall was a regular star in some of the defining movies of the 1970s and 1980s. In “The Shining,” she played Wendy Torrance, who watches in horror as her husband, Jack (Jack Nicholson), goes crazy while their family is isolated in the Overlook Hotel. It was Duvall’s screaming face that made up half of the film’s most iconic image, along with Jack’s axe coming through the door.

Kubrick, a famous perfectionist, was notoriously hard on Duvall in making “The Shining.” His methods of pushing her through countless takes in the most anguished scenes took a toll on the actor. Some saw Kubrick’s treatment as bordering on torture; one scene was reportedly performed in 127 takes.

Duvall, in an interview in 1981 with People magazine said she was crying “12 hours a day for weeks on end" during the film's production.

“I will never give that much again,” said Duvall. “If you want to get into pain and call it art, go ahead, but not with me.”

Duvall disappeared from movies almost as quickly as she arrived in them. By the 1990s, she began retiring from acting and retreated from public life.

“How would you feel if people were really nice, and then, suddenly, on a dime, they turn on you?” Duvall told the Times earlier this year. “You would never believe it unless it happens to you. That’s why you get hurt, because you can’t really believe it’s true.”

Duvall, the oldest of four, was born in Fort Worth, Texas, on July 7, 1949. Her father, Robert worked in law and her mother, Bobbie, in real estate.

Duvall moved back to Texas in the mid-1990s. Around 2002, after making the comedy “Manna from Heaven,” she retreated from Hollywood completely. Her whereabouts became a favorite topic of internet sleuths. A favorite but incorrect theory was that it was residual trauma from the grueling shoot for “The Shining.” Another was that the damage to her home after the Northridge Earthquake was the last straw.

To those living in Texas Hill Country, where Duvall lived for some 30 years, she was neither in “hiding” nor a recluse; But her circumstances were a mystery to both the media and many of her old Hollywood friends. That changed in 2016, when producers for the Dr. Phil show tracked her down and aired a controversial hourlong interview with her in which she spoke about her mental health issues. “I’m very sick. I need help," Duvall said on the program, which was widely criticized for being exploitative.

“I found out the kind of person he is the hard way,” Duvall told The Hollywood Reporter in 2021.

THR journalist Seth Abramovitch wrote at the time that he went on a pilgrimage to find her because, “it didn’t feel right for McGraw’s insensitive sideshow to be the final word on her legacy.”

Duvall attempted to restart her career, dipping her toe in with the indie horror “The Forest Hills” that filmed in 2022 and premiered quietly in early 2023.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720713573617.png" alt="FILE - Shelley Duvall is shown on Oct. 27, 1983, in Los Angeles. Duvall, whose wide-eyed, winsome presence was a mainstay in the films of Robert Altman and who co-starred in Stanley Kubrick's “The Shining,” has died. She was 75. (AP Photo/Doug Pizac, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - Shelley Duvall is shown on Oct. 27, 1983, in Los Angeles. Duvall, whose wide-eyed, winsome presence was a mainstay in the films of Robert Altman and who co-starred in Stanley Kubrick's “The Shining,” has died. She was 75. (AP Photo/Doug Pizac, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —Shelley Duvall, the intrepid, Texas-born movie star whose wide-eyed, winsome presence was a mainstay in the films of Robert Altman and who co-starred in Stanley Kubrick's “The Shining,” has died. She was 75.Duvall died Thursday in her sleep at her home in Blanco, Texas, her longtime partner, Dan Gilroy, announced. The cause was complications of diabetes, said her friend, the publicist Gary Springer.“My dear, sweet, wonderful life, partner, and friend left us last night," Gilroy said in a statement. “Too much suffering lately, now she’s free. Fly away beautiful Shelley.”Duvall was attending junior college in Texas when Altman's crew members, preparing to film “Brewster McCloud,” encountered her as at a party in Houston in 1970. They introduced her to the director, who cast her “Brewster McCloud” and made her his protege.Duvall would go on to appear in Altman films including “Thieves Like Us,” “Nashville, “Popeye,” “Three Women” and “McCabe &amp; Ms. Miller.”“He offers me damn good roles,” Duvall told The New York Times in 1977. “None of them have been alike. He has a great confidence in me, and a trust and respect for me, and he doesn’t put any restrictions on me or intimidate me, and I love him. I remember the first advice he ever gave me: ‘Don’t take yourself seriously.’”Duvall, gaunt and gawky, was no conventional Hollywood starlet. But she had a beguiling frank manner and exuded a singular naturalism. The film critic Pauline Kael called her the “female Buster Keaton.”At her peak, Duvall was a regular star in some of the defining movies of the 1970s and 1980s. In “The Shining,” she played Wendy Torrance, who watches in horror as her husband, Jack (Jack Nicholson), goes crazy while their family is isolated in the Overlook Hotel. It was Duvall’s screaming face that made up half of the film’s most iconic image, along with Jack’s axe coming through the door.Kubrick, a famous perfectionist, was notoriously hard on Duvall in making “The Shining.” His methods of pushing her through countless takes in the most anguished scenes took a toll on the actor. Some saw Kubrick’s treatment as bordering on torture; one scene was reportedly performed in 127 takes.Duvall, in an interview in 1981 with People magazine said she was crying “12 hours a day for weeks on end" during the film's production.“I will never give that much again,” said Duvall. “If you want to get into pain and call it art, go ahead, but not with me.”Duvall disappeared from movies almost as quickly as she arrived in them. By the 1990s, she began retiring from acting and retreated from public life.“How would you feel if people were really nice, and then, suddenly, on a dime, they turn on you?” Duvall told the Times earlier this year. “You would never believe it unless it happens to you. That’s why you get hurt, because you can’t really believe it’s true.”Duvall, the oldest of four, was born in Fort Worth, Texas, on July 7, 1949. Her father, Robert worked in law and her mother, Bobbie, in real estate.Duvall moved back to Texas in the mid-1990s. Around 2002, after making the comedy “Manna from Heaven,” she retreated from Hollywood completely. Her whereabouts became a favorite topic of internet sleuths. A favorite but incorrect theory was that it was residual trauma from the grueling shoot for “The Shining.” Another was that the damage to her home after the Northridge Earthquake was the last straw.To those living in Texas Hill Country, where Duvall lived for some 30 years, she was neither in “hiding” nor a recluse; But her circumstances were a mystery to both the media and many of her old Hollywood friends. That changed in 2016, when producers for the Dr. Phil show tracked her down and aired a controversial hourlong interview with her in which she spoke about her mental health issues. “I’m very sick. I need help," Duvall said on the program, which was widely criticized for being exploitative.“I found out the kind of person he is the hard way,” Duvall told The Hollywood Reporter in 2021.THR journalist Seth Abramovitch wrote at the time that he went on a pilgrimage to find her because, “it didn’t feel right for McGraw’s insensitive sideshow to be the final word on her legacy.”Duvall attempted to restart her career, dipping her toe in with the indie horror “The Forest Hills” that filmed in 2022 and premiered quietly in early 2023.

Shelley Duvall, star of 'The Shining,' 'Nashville,' dies at 75

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — StartUp Hutch announced today that Jackson Swearer, Executive Director, has been appointed a chairman of the South Central Kansas Economic Development District (SCKEDD) board. This facilitates a deepening partnership between StartUp Hutch and SCKEDD, both dedicated to supporting small businesses and fostering economic growth in the region.&nbsp;

Jackson Swearer expressed his enthusiasm for this new role, stating, "I am honored to serve as a chairman of the SCKEDD board. Our partnership with SCKEDD has been instrumental in providing support to small businesses in our region. Together, we are committed to driving economic development and creating opportunities for entrepreneurs. I look forward to continuing our collaborative efforts to enhance the business landscape in south-central Kansas."&nbsp;

SCKEDD, established in 1972, has been a cornerstone in advancing economic growth and prosperity for communities in south-central Kansas. The organization promotes regional strategies, partnerships, and solutions to enhance economic competitiveness and quality of life across the region. Their initiatives include community grants, weatherization grants, and a robust offering of small business loans, making them an important partner for StartUp Hutch.&nbsp;

For more information on StartUp Hutch funding opportunities, resources, or to learn about upcoming events, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.startuphutch.com/">www.startuphutch.com</a>&nbsp;or contact Jackson Swearer at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:jackson@startuphutch.com">jackson@startuphutch.com</a>.&nbsp; &nbsp;

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download">CLICK HERE&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile&nbsp;app.</a> <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea">CLICK HERE&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720703730796.jpeg" alt="Jackson Swearer" />
 <figcaption>Jackson Swearer</figcaption>
 </figure>StartUp HutchHUTCHINSON, Kan. — StartUp Hutch announced today that Jackson Swearer, Executive Director, has been appointed a chairman of the South Central Kansas Economic Development District (SCKEDD) board. This facilitates a deepening partnership between StartUp Hutch and SCKEDD, both dedicated to supporting small businesses and fostering economic growth in the region.&nbsp;Jackson Swearer expressed his enthusiasm for this new role, stating, "I am honored to serve as a chairman of the SCKEDD board. Our partnership with SCKEDD has been instrumental in providing support to small businesses in our region. Together, we are committed to driving economic development and creating opportunities for entrepreneurs. I look forward to continuing our collaborative efforts to enhance the business landscape in south-central Kansas."&nbsp;SCKEDD, established in 1972, has been a cornerstone in advancing economic growth and prosperity for communities in south-central Kansas. The organization promotes regional strategies, partnerships, and solutions to enhance economic competitiveness and quality of life across the region. Their initiatives include community grants, weatherization grants, and a robust offering of small business loans, making them an important partner for StartUp Hutch.&nbsp;For more information on StartUp Hutch funding opportunities, resources, or to learn about upcoming events, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.startuphutch.com/">www.startuphutch.com</a>&nbsp;or contact Jackson Swearer at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:jackson@startuphutch.com">jackson@startuphutch.com</a>.&nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download">CLICK HERE&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile&nbsp;app.</a> <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea">CLICK HERE&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.</a>

Swearer named chair of SCKEDD board

WICHITA, Kan. — Addison Barnard can add another "first" to her resume. Barnard has been named the 2023-24 American Athletic Conference Softball Scholar-Athlete of the Year, it was announced by the league Wednesday morning.

She is the first Shocker softball student-athlete to earn scholar-athlete of the year honors since Wichita State joined The American in 2017. The Faculty Athletic Representatives (FARs) annually select 22 student-athletes (10 males, 12 females), one from each American sponsored sport, who will receive a post-graduate, post-eligibility financial scholarship of $2,000 and a trophy.

Last month Barnard was named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America Second Team, becoming the first Shocker to repeat as an Academic All-American. She was a First Team selection in 2022. She graduated in May with a degree in health science and a cumulative GPA of 3.82.

Barnard has been named to the American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team every year and the Athletic Director's Honor Roll every semester.

She recorded her third season of 20 or more home runs in 2024, finishing with 93 in her storied career. Her 93 career homers rank fifth all time in NCAA history. She became the first player in NCAA history with 90+ home runs and 60+ stolen bases, earning All-America honors three of her four seasons at Wichita State.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720698263340.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Wichita State AthleticsWICHITA, Kan. — Addison Barnard can add another "first" to her resume. Barnard has been named the 2023-24 American Athletic Conference Softball Scholar-Athlete of the Year, it was announced by the league Wednesday morning.She is the first Shocker softball student-athlete to earn scholar-athlete of the year honors since Wichita State joined The American in 2017. The Faculty Athletic Representatives (FARs) annually select 22 student-athletes (10 males, 12 females), one from each American sponsored sport, who will receive a post-graduate, post-eligibility financial scholarship of $2,000 and a trophy.Last month Barnard was named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America Second Team, becoming the first Shocker to repeat as an Academic All-American. She was a First Team selection in 2022. She graduated in May with a degree in health science and a cumulative GPA of 3.82.Barnard has been named to the American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team every year and the Athletic Director's Honor Roll every semester.She recorded her third season of 20 or more home runs in 2024, finishing with 93 in her storied career. Her 93 career homers rank fifth all time in NCAA history. She became the first player in NCAA history with 90+ home runs and 60+ stolen bases, earning All-America honors three of her four seasons at Wichita State.

🥎 WSU's Barnard named AAC Softball Scholar-Athlete of the Year 

SANDRA MILBURN Reno County Communications Specialist

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County Health Department hosted the Department of Justice Reaching Rural Grantees Wednesday and also on Thursday for a site visit to Reno County. 

 These are individuals from rural communities across the United States who have received Department of Justice funding to work on Substance Use Disorder related initiatives in their communities. 

 They traveled to Reno County to meet our partners and understand the journey the Reno County Health Department has been through in hiring someone with lived experience, increasing access to care, and partnering with the recovery community and community organizations. 

The group is holding their meeting at the Reno County Correctional Facility, 1800 S. Severance Ave. 

The first presentation was the "Overview of Reno County's Efforts to Address Substance Use Disorder." Reno County leaders discussed many of the programs and policies in place in our community to address substance use disorder (SUD) and support individuals in recovery. Topics covered during this panel included the Reno County Drug Court system, jail programming to support incarcerated individuals, public health responses to SUD, the local drug impact taskforce, the use of data in measuring and reducing SUD, and how the hiring of an individual in recovery has impacted the work and the direction Reno County is heading. 

 Speakers from Reno County were Thomas Stanton, District Attorney, Reno County; Randy Henderson, former Sheriff, Reno County; Megan Gottschalk, Assistant Director of Community Health, Reno County; Nick Baldetti, Chief Quality Officer, Hutchinson Regional Healthcare; and Seth Dewey, Regional Director, Mirror, Inc.

Other presentations are Incorporating Social Determinants of Health into Overdose Prevention and Community Outreach, Reaching Rural "We" and "it," Identifying Community Needs and Ensuring Stakeholder Buy In and Next Steps and Big Picture Thinking in Kansas. People visiting Reno County were from Miami County, Kansas, Illinois, Wyoming, Nebraska, Arkansas, Georgia, California and North Dakota.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720690252975.jpeg" alt="Seth Dewey with Mirror. Inc presents to DOJ grant recipients in Hutchinson on Wednesday, July 10. Photo by Sandra Milburn." />
 <figcaption>Seth Dewey with Mirror. Inc presents to DOJ grant recipients in Hutchinson on Wednesday, July 10. Photo by Sandra Milburn.</figcaption>
 </figure>SANDRA MILBURN Reno County Communications SpecialistHUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County Health Department hosted the Department of Justice Reaching Rural Grantees Wednesday and also on Thursday for a site visit to Reno County. These are individuals from rural communities across the United States who have received Department of Justice funding to work on Substance Use Disorder related initiatives in their communities. They traveled to Reno County to meet our partners and understand the journey the Reno County Health Department has been through in hiring someone with lived experience, increasing access to care, and partnering with the recovery community and community organizations. The group is holding their meeting at the Reno County Correctional Facility, 1800 S. Severance Ave. The first presentation was the "Overview of Reno County's Efforts to Address Substance Use Disorder." Reno County leaders discussed many of the programs and policies in place in our community to address substance use disorder (SUD) and support individuals in recovery. Topics covered during this panel included the Reno County Drug Court system, jail programming to support incarcerated individuals, public health responses to SUD, the local drug impact taskforce, the use of data in measuring and reducing SUD, and how the hiring of an individual in recovery has impacted the work and the direction Reno County is heading. Speakers from Reno County were Thomas Stanton, District Attorney, Reno County; Randy Henderson, former Sheriff, Reno County; Megan Gottschalk, Assistant Director of Community Health, Reno County; Nick Baldetti, Chief Quality Officer, Hutchinson Regional Healthcare; and Seth Dewey, Regional Director, Mirror, Inc.Other presentations are Incorporating Social Determinants of Health into Overdose Prevention and Community Outreach, Reaching Rural "We" and "it," Identifying Community Needs and Ensuring Stakeholder Buy In and Next Steps and Big Picture Thinking in Kansas. People visiting Reno County were from Miami County, Kansas, Illinois, Wyoming, Nebraska, Arkansas, Georgia, California and North Dakota.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download">CLICK HERE&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile&nbsp;app.</a> <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea">CLICK HERE&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.</a>

Reno County hosting guests working on Substance Use Disorder initiatives 

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Russian internet propaganda campaign backed by the Kremlin that spread disinformation in the United States and relied on artificial intelligence has been disrupted, the Justice Department said Tuesday in announcing the seizure of nearly 1,000 bogus social media accounts.

Officials described the operation as part of an ongoing effort to sow discord in the U.S. through the creation of fictitious social media profiles that purported to belong to legitimate users but were actually designed to advance the aims of the Russian government, including by spreading disinformation about its war with Ukraine.

U.S. officials said the scheme was organized in 2022 by a senior editor at RT, a Russian-state funded media organization that has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/69e84148c8a44512bdc648b1bcac4f34">registered with the Justice Department as a foreign agent.</a>&nbsp;It received the support and financial approval of the Kremlin, with an officer of Russia's Federal Security Service — or FSB — leading a private intelligence organization that promoted disinformation through social media.

An email to RT was not immediately returned Tuesday.

The disruption of the so-called social media bot farm comes as U.S. officials have raised alarms about the potential for AI technology to impact American elections and amid ongoing concerns that foreign influence campaigns by adversaries could shape the opinions of unsuspecting voters, like an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d7eeadacc3e442ebbe23916a053856fa">elaborate plot by Russians to disrupt the 2016 presidential election</a>&nbsp;through a huge but hidden social media trolling campaign aimed in part at helping Republican Donald Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton.

“Today’s actions represent a first in disrupting a Russian-sponsored Generative AI-enhanced social media bot farm,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a statement. “Russia intended to use this bot farm to disseminate AI-generated foreign disinformation, scaling their work with the assistance of AI to undermine our partners in Ukraine and influence geopolitical narratives favorable to the Russian government.”

Among the fake posts, according to the Justice Department, was a video that was posted by a purported Minneapolis, Minnesota resident that showed Russian President Vladimir Putin saying that areas of Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania were “gifts” to those countries from liberating Russian forces during World War II.

As part of the disruption, the Justice Department seized two domain names and 968 accounts on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Russian internet propaganda campaign backed by the Kremlin that spread disinformation in the United States and relied on artificial intelligence has been disrupted, the Justice Department said Tuesday in announcing the seizure of nearly 1,000 bogus social media accounts.Officials described the operation as part of an ongoing effort to sow discord in the U.S. through the creation of fictitious social media profiles that purported to belong to legitimate users but were actually designed to advance the aims of the Russian government, including by spreading disinformation about its war with Ukraine.U.S. officials said the scheme was organized in 2022 by a senior editor at RT, a Russian-state funded media organization that has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/69e84148c8a44512bdc648b1bcac4f34">registered with the Justice Department as a foreign agent.</a>&nbsp;It received the support and financial approval of the Kremlin, with an officer of Russia's Federal Security Service — or FSB — leading a private intelligence organization that promoted disinformation through social media.An email to RT was not immediately returned Tuesday.The disruption of the so-called social media bot farm comes as U.S. officials have raised alarms about the potential for AI technology to impact American elections and amid ongoing concerns that foreign influence campaigns by adversaries could shape the opinions of unsuspecting voters, like an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d7eeadacc3e442ebbe23916a053856fa">elaborate plot by Russians to disrupt the 2016 presidential election</a>&nbsp;through a huge but hidden social media trolling campaign aimed in part at helping Republican Donald Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton.“Today’s actions represent a first in disrupting a Russian-sponsored Generative AI-enhanced social media bot farm,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a statement. “Russia intended to use this bot farm to disseminate AI-generated foreign disinformation, scaling their work with the assistance of AI to undermine our partners in Ukraine and influence geopolitical narratives favorable to the Russian government.”Among the fake posts, according to the Justice Department, was a video that was posted by a purported Minneapolis, Minnesota resident that showed Russian President Vladimir Putin saying that areas of Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania were “gifts” to those countries from liberating Russian forces during World War II.As part of the disruption, the Justice Department seized two domain names and 968 accounts on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

US says Russia used AI-powered bots in disinformation scheme

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>&nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly and top legislative leaders voted Tuesday to allocate $35.7 million to public higher education after the Kansas Board of Regents certified campus administrators complied with a state law forbidding employment and admissions decisions to be based on diversity, equity and inclusion policies.

The 2024 Legislature made distribution of the university operating grants contingent on affirming DEI no longer dictated faculty or staff hiring nor influenced whether a student was admitted.

Compliance with the state law by public institutions meant recalibration of personnel procedures and the publishing of information about training or orientation programs to public websites. DEI refers to policies established to support people from diverse backgrounds. A DEI framework would take into account gender, race, sexual orientation and other factors relative to people with a history of being marginalized in higher education.

“So, has each of the presidents of the universities certified that they have performed the duties that are required?” said House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican.

Blake Flanders, president and CEO of the state Board of Regents, said mandates were met by University of Kansas, Kansas State University, Wichita State University and Emporia State University. He said neither Pittsburg State University nor Fort Hays State University previously ordered DEI training, but both universities planned to eventually include links to relevant material on their websites when appropriate.

The DEI law wouldn’t stop public universities or colleges from abiding by anti-discrimination statutes or undermine academic freedom of faculty or students engaged in DEI research or instruction. Campuses that violated the law by maintaining DEI pledges or oaths could face a $10,000 fine for every instance of noncompliance. The provisions weren’t applied in state law to private or parochial colleges or universities in Kansas.

The bipartisan State Finance Council likewise voted to support release of $21.8 million for need-based financial aid to public and private college and university students in Kansas.

In the past, controversy emerged when the state Board of Regents earmarked a higher percentage of money in the comprehensive grant program to students at public universities. The Legislature ordered the money divided equally between public and private institutions in the state. A hold was placed on the cash until the state Board of Regents affirmed it would follow prescribed methods of distributing the cash to students.

Adam Proffitt, the state’s budget director and secretary of the Kansas Department of Administration, also received permission from the State Finance Council to use state general fund dollars to pay $5.5 million in bond debt that otherwise wouldn’t be eliminated for seven years. He said it would require deployment of $4.7 million to deal promptly with the debt.

“Effectively, we are investing 87 cents of SGF to retire a $1 of SGF,” Proffitt said. “It doesn’t sound like much, but when you do that five million times over, you get to a pretty significant savings.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720633409164.png" alt=" Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover and Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly supported release of $35.7 million in university operating grants held up by an anti-DEA law and $21.8 million equally divided between public and private higher education institutions. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Kansas Legislature’s YouTube channel)" />
 <figcaption> Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover and Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly supported release of $35.7 million in university operating grants held up by an anti-DEA law and $21.8 million equally divided between public and private higher education institutions. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Kansas Legislature’s YouTube channel)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>&nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly and top legislative leaders voted Tuesday to allocate $35.7 million to public higher education after the Kansas Board of Regents certified campus administrators complied with a state law forbidding employment and admissions decisions to be based on diversity, equity and inclusion policies.The 2024 Legislature made distribution of the university operating grants contingent on affirming DEI no longer dictated faculty or staff hiring nor influenced whether a student was admitted.Compliance with the state law by public institutions meant recalibration of personnel procedures and the publishing of information about training or orientation programs to public websites. DEI refers to policies established to support people from diverse backgrounds. A DEI framework would take into account gender, race, sexual orientation and other factors relative to people with a history of being marginalized in higher education.“So, has each of the presidents of the universities certified that they have performed the duties that are required?” said House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican.Blake Flanders, president and CEO of the state Board of Regents, said mandates were met by University of Kansas, Kansas State University, Wichita State University and Emporia State University. He said neither Pittsburg State University nor Fort Hays State University previously ordered DEI training, but both universities planned to eventually include links to relevant material on their websites when appropriate.The DEI law wouldn’t stop public universities or colleges from abiding by anti-discrimination statutes or undermine academic freedom of faculty or students engaged in DEI research or instruction. Campuses that violated the law by maintaining DEI pledges or oaths could face a $10,000 fine for every instance of noncompliance. The provisions weren’t applied in state law to private or parochial colleges or universities in Kansas.The bipartisan State Finance Council likewise voted to support release of $21.8 million for need-based financial aid to public and private college and university students in Kansas.In the past, controversy emerged when the state Board of Regents earmarked a higher percentage of money in the comprehensive grant program to students at public universities. The Legislature ordered the money divided equally between public and private institutions in the state. A hold was placed on the cash until the state Board of Regents affirmed it would follow prescribed methods of distributing the cash to students.Adam Proffitt, the state’s budget director and secretary of the Kansas Department of Administration, also received permission from the State Finance Council to use state general fund dollars to pay $5.5 million in bond debt that otherwise wouldn’t be eliminated for seven years. He said it would require deployment of $4.7 million to deal promptly with the debt.“Effectively, we are investing 87 cents of SGF to retire a $1 of SGF,” Proffitt said. “It doesn’t sound like much, but when you do that five million times over, you get to a pretty significant savings.”

Kan. legislators, governor release $35.7 million tied to public university adherence to DEI law

Departures at HeadQuarters tied to staff rebellion, alleged misuse of grants

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

LAWRENCE — The interim executive director and the board of directors at the suicide prevention organization HeadQuarters Kansas resigned amid an uprising by employees and volunteers, allegations grant money was misappropriated and anxiety about potential loss of state and county funding.

Headquarters Kansas, which is based in Lawrence, operates the 988 suicide crisis call center for all 105 counties in the state. It is affiliated with the National Suicide Prevention Hotline.

The departure Monday of Ruby Johnson, interim executive director; Michelle Fales, chair of the board of directors; and the recent resignation of five other board members was the culmination of months of management turmoil.

“We created new structures of accountability in our relationships with funders, partners and each other,” said Johnson, who agreed in April to assume the role of interim executive director and step down from the board of directors. “The agency faces new challenges, but it falls to others to address them. I am moving on with pride in the work done, secure in having navigated challenges with integrity and with love for those who exemplify the mission of building resilience and preventing suicide.”

Johnson replaced interim director Becky Price, who held the top job from February to April. Price was hired after the sudden departure in January of Steve Devore, who had been president and CEO of the organization since 2019.

In a memorandum to HeadQuarters Kansas staff, Fales said she tendered her resignation Monday after enduring months of “lies and threats” from individuals more interested in provoking controversy than achieving results. She assumed the role of board chair in November and initiated a survey of employees, board members and community partners in conjunction with the overdue employee evaluation of Devore’s work.

“These surveys opened up a can of worms, including the misuse of grant funds,” Fales said. “Management giving bonuses that were not permitted under the grant. Buying family golf memberships with grant funds. Buying over $5,000 in items for a ‘therapy’ dog.”

She asserted three administrative employees at HeadQuarters Kansas were responsible for oversight of an estimated $206,000 in expenditures from 2021 to 2023 that may not have complied with grant guidelines. The spending was embedded in budget documents in ways that made it difficult for the board to track, she said.

In 2022, Fales said, she had asked for clarity about bonuses given certain employees and was allegedly misled by Devore.

Fales said the board of directors eventually decided to seek the resignation or termination of two staff members, which included Devore.

Fales also complained that Andrew Brown, deputy secretary of programs at the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, had been advising dissident staff and advocating for her to resign from the board. Prior to working at KDADS, Brown was executive director of HeadQuarters Kansas.

“The board has been slandered, threatened, intimidated, harassed while continuing to work in the best interest of keeping the organization solvent and clean up the messes made by prior management,” Fales said. “It has become abundantly clear that while most of the individuals working at HeadQuarters Kansas Inc. might be in the mental health arena, they have no desire to talk constructively with anyone that differs from their own opinions.”

The defection of Fales, Johnson and the other board members meant an attorney would likely be appointed to coordinate appointment of a new board of directors.

In April, 75 to 100 current and former employees and volunteers at HeadQuarters Kansas publicly demanded wholesale management change. In a letter to leaders of the organization Friday, the employee coalition vowed to initiate the equivalent of a strike if Fales and Johnson didn’t resign Monday.

The letter said HeadQuarters Kansas was in peril of losing state and county aid and the “unjust termination of our colleagues who voiced their concern or disapproval has changed our workplace culture from one of cooperation to one of fear and distrust.” There has been concern controversy at HeadQuarters Kansas could lead to loss of state funding for the 988 hotline, undermine appropriations from Douglas County and eventually force closure of the agency.

Hope Blankenship, vice president of operations at HeadQuarters Kansas, assumed the duties of executive director. Blankenship told the&nbsp;<a href="https://lawrencekstimes.com/2024/04/07/headquarters-kansas-in-crisis/" target="_blank">Lawrence Times</a>&nbsp;there had been no interruption in the organization’s call, text and chat services.

The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline was implemented in Kansas during July 2022. In preparation for the launch, Kansas integrated HeadQuarters Kansas, COMCARE of Sedgwick County and Johnson County Crisis Line into the 988 network.&nbsp;The three centers operate with state funding and oversight from KDADS and the 988 Coordinating Council. In terms of the Lawrence facility, KDADS allocated $3.7 million to the agency during the 2023 fiscal year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720539289959.png" alt=" The entire board of directors and the executive director resigned from the Lawrence-based HeadQuarters Kansas, which operates the 988 suicide crisis call center for all 105 counties. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> The entire board of directors and the executive director resigned from the Lawrence-based HeadQuarters Kansas, which operates the 988 suicide crisis call center for all 105 counties. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Departures at HeadQuarters tied to staff rebellion, alleged misuse of grants</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>LAWRENCE — The interim executive director and the board of directors at the suicide prevention organization HeadQuarters Kansas resigned amid an uprising by employees and volunteers, allegations grant money was misappropriated and anxiety about potential loss of state and county funding.Headquarters Kansas, which is based in Lawrence, operates the 988 suicide crisis call center for all 105 counties in the state. It is affiliated with the National Suicide Prevention Hotline.The departure Monday of Ruby Johnson, interim executive director; Michelle Fales, chair of the board of directors; and the recent resignation of five other board members was the culmination of months of management turmoil.“We created new structures of accountability in our relationships with funders, partners and each other,” said Johnson, who agreed in April to assume the role of interim executive director and step down from the board of directors. “The agency faces new challenges, but it falls to others to address them. I am moving on with pride in the work done, secure in having navigated challenges with integrity and with love for those who exemplify the mission of building resilience and preventing suicide.”Johnson replaced interim director Becky Price, who held the top job from February to April. Price was hired after the sudden departure in January of Steve Devore, who had been president and CEO of the organization since 2019.In a memorandum to HeadQuarters Kansas staff, Fales said she tendered her resignation Monday after enduring months of “lies and threats” from individuals more interested in provoking controversy than achieving results. She assumed the role of board chair in November and initiated a survey of employees, board members and community partners in conjunction with the overdue employee evaluation of Devore’s work.“These surveys opened up a can of worms, including the misuse of grant funds,” Fales said. “Management giving bonuses that were not permitted under the grant. Buying family golf memberships with grant funds. Buying over $5,000 in items for a ‘therapy’ dog.”She asserted three administrative employees at HeadQuarters Kansas were responsible for oversight of an estimated $206,000 in expenditures from 2021 to 2023 that may not have complied with grant guidelines. The spending was embedded in budget documents in ways that made it difficult for the board to track, she said.In 2022, Fales said, she had asked for clarity about bonuses given certain employees and was allegedly misled by Devore.Fales said the board of directors eventually decided to seek the resignation or termination of two staff members, which included Devore.Fales also complained that Andrew Brown, deputy secretary of programs at the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, had been advising dissident staff and advocating for her to resign from the board. Prior to working at KDADS, Brown was executive director of HeadQuarters Kansas.“The board has been slandered, threatened, intimidated, harassed while continuing to work in the best interest of keeping the organization solvent and clean up the messes made by prior management,” Fales said. “It has become abundantly clear that while most of the individuals working at HeadQuarters Kansas Inc. might be in the mental health arena, they have no desire to talk constructively with anyone that differs from their own opinions.”The defection of Fales, Johnson and the other board members meant an attorney would likely be appointed to coordinate appointment of a new board of directors.In April, 75 to 100 current and former employees and volunteers at HeadQuarters Kansas publicly demanded wholesale management change. In a letter to leaders of the organization Friday, the employee coalition vowed to initiate the equivalent of a strike if Fales and Johnson didn’t resign Monday.The letter said HeadQuarters Kansas was in peril of losing state and county aid and the “unjust termination of our colleagues who voiced their concern or disapproval has changed our workplace culture from one of cooperation to one of fear and distrust.” There has been concern controversy at HeadQuarters Kansas could lead to loss of state funding for the 988 hotline, undermine appropriations from Douglas County and eventually force closure of the agency.Hope Blankenship, vice president of operations at HeadQuarters Kansas, assumed the duties of executive director. Blankenship told the&nbsp;<a href="https://lawrencekstimes.com/2024/04/07/headquarters-kansas-in-crisis/" target="_blank">Lawrence Times</a>&nbsp;there had been no interruption in the organization’s call, text and chat services.The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline was implemented in Kansas during July 2022. In preparation for the launch, Kansas integrated HeadQuarters Kansas, COMCARE of Sedgwick County and Johnson County Crisis Line into the 988 network.&nbsp;The three centers operate with state funding and oversight from KDADS and the 988 Coordinating Council. In terms of the Lawrence facility, KDADS allocated $3.7 million to the agency during the 2023 fiscal year.

Kan. suicide prevention nonprofit’s executive director, entire board of directors resign

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson Public Schools will welcome back all staff on Thursday, August 8th. The annual Convocation event, to be held at the Hutchinson Sports Arena, will energize and inspire Salthawk staff as they head into the 2024-2025 school year.

In partnership with the Davis Foundation, USD 308 will host Kristen Brown as keynote speaker. Kristen is known as The Energy Phoenix, and is a Certified Speaking Professional who reshapes leadership energy in today's workplace. Leveraging her journey as a young widow and 15 years of corporate leadership, Kristen has transformed workplace dynamics at major companies across various industries. She holds a Master's in Integral Theory and several wellness certifications, offering a comprehensive approach to impact, resilience, and results. Featured in Forbes and "Live with Kelly," Kristen is among only 360 active Certified Speaking Professionals worldwide, ensuring a blend of fun, expertise, and dynamic energy in her engagements, helping organizations not just adapt, but rise.

“We have reimagined the Convocation event for this year. We will honor a longstanding tradition of a breakfast sponsored by Heartland Credit Union, welcome messages from District leaders, followed by a staff awards and recognition ceremony. New this year, the Davis Foundation is sponsoring an exciting and engaging keynote speaker to help our staff tap into their ‘7 Energies of Leadership.’ Not only is this our first opportunity of the year to welcome back our staff, but we want to send them into the year ready to set big goals and shoot for the stars. It’s going to be a great year at 308!” says USD 308 Director of Communications, Stacy Goss.

The first day of school for Hutchinson Public School students this year is August 14th&nbsp;for Kindergarten through 9th&nbsp;grades and August 15th&nbsp;for 10th&nbsp;through 12th&nbsp;grades.

For more information, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://u345601.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.AWagEuh61Tby9DP97u1iB9NE88ItLuvDiVxWb0g9zpI-3DOya5_-2BBxK0BSqAd-2BprHf4m5NZjVsYrwneFvFXH6RGjOVtkAEfkWkzNEsurIsNG3bUBUSqv359eNi8rg7f7wIhYsOBEPizZDqdlM8cnOVk2SCYqlu6qH4AmTWLUYV1LiaH0XLT7L-2Bhx15jxumGv9W9FSNUc5QL9dAz7WQY8Xy2AETFFAIjZqJZaqvyLsz0wE87zCkLIyHOi-2FNITyn2dhJVEHwz2SHnI9mWjB8IQL6h-2FG1NTvPY3LGVmuIWkLEcBno6IqJ-2F34eYLM7GpdcoPg0R610-2BJaRsjCXdf-2FRrH6KDGNdgCXM-3D">www.usd308.com</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720536272184.jpeg" alt="Kristen Brown-Via Kristen Brown Presents" />
 <figcaption>Kristen Brown-Via Kristen Brown Presents</figcaption>
 </figure>STACY GOSS Hutchinson USD 308HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson Public Schools will welcome back all staff on Thursday, August 8th. The annual Convocation event, to be held at the Hutchinson Sports Arena, will energize and inspire Salthawk staff as they head into the 2024-2025 school year.In partnership with the Davis Foundation, USD 308 will host Kristen Brown as keynote speaker. Kristen is known as The Energy Phoenix, and is a Certified Speaking Professional who reshapes leadership energy in today's workplace. Leveraging her journey as a young widow and 15 years of corporate leadership, Kristen has transformed workplace dynamics at major companies across various industries. She holds a Master's in Integral Theory and several wellness certifications, offering a comprehensive approach to impact, resilience, and results. Featured in Forbes and "Live with Kelly," Kristen is among only 360 active Certified Speaking Professionals worldwide, ensuring a blend of fun, expertise, and dynamic energy in her engagements, helping organizations not just adapt, but rise.“We have reimagined the Convocation event for this year. We will honor a longstanding tradition of a breakfast sponsored by Heartland Credit Union, welcome messages from District leaders, followed by a staff awards and recognition ceremony. New this year, the Davis Foundation is sponsoring an exciting and engaging keynote speaker to help our staff tap into their ‘7 Energies of Leadership.’ Not only is this our first opportunity of the year to welcome back our staff, but we want to send them into the year ready to set big goals and shoot for the stars. It’s going to be a great year at 308!” says USD 308 Director of Communications, Stacy Goss.The first day of school for Hutchinson Public School students this year is August 14th&nbsp;for Kindergarten through 9th&nbsp;grades and August 15th&nbsp;for 10th&nbsp;through 12th&nbsp;grades.For more information, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://u345601.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.AWagEuh61Tby9DP97u1iB9NE88ItLuvDiVxWb0g9zpI-3DOya5_-2BBxK0BSqAd-2BprHf4m5NZjVsYrwneFvFXH6RGjOVtkAEfkWkzNEsurIsNG3bUBUSqv359eNi8rg7f7wIhYsOBEPizZDqdlM8cnOVk2SCYqlu6qH4AmTWLUYV1LiaH0XLT7L-2Bhx15jxumGv9W9FSNUc5QL9dAz7WQY8Xy2AETFFAIjZqJZaqvyLsz0wE87zCkLIyHOi-2FNITyn2dhJVEHwz2SHnI9mWjB8IQL6h-2FG1NTvPY3LGVmuIWkLEcBno6IqJ-2F34eYLM7GpdcoPg0R610-2BJaRsjCXdf-2FRrH6KDGNdgCXM-3D">www.usd308.com</a><a href="https://hutchpost.com/download">CLICK HERE&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile&nbsp;app.</a> <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea">CLICK HERE&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.</a>

USD 308 Convocation speaker announced

WASHINGTON (AP)—President Joe Biden met Monday at the White House with Liat Beinin Atzili, an Israeli-American teacher who was held hostage in Gaza for more than 50 days by Hamas militants.

Atzili was among those taken captive on Oct. 7 when Hamas militants rampaged through Kibbutz Nir Oz. Her husband, Aviv, was killed in the attack.

The White House said in a statement that Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, joined Biden’s meeting with Atzili and her family.

The meeting comes as hostage negotiations are expected to resume this week amid signs of narrowing differences between Israel and Hamas over a U.S.-backed proposal to release all remaining hostages over the course through a three-phase deal.

Biden has dispatched CIA Director William Burns and White House senior adviser Brett McGurk to the region for the talks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701295331170.png" alt="Liat Beinin Hostages and Missing Families Forum" />
 <figcaption>Liat Beinin Hostages and Missing Families Forum</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP)—President Joe Biden met Monday at the White House with Liat Beinin Atzili, an Israeli-American teacher who was held hostage in Gaza for more than 50 days by Hamas militants.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FPOTUS%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0mkmQz6gTeCeAwsRdSDdchA4zYwgvSHJd1NFyot3FTTychUwpaKQ54HzfbSXMfmryl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="508" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>Atzili was among those taken captive on Oct. 7 when Hamas militants rampaged through Kibbutz Nir Oz. Her husband, Aviv, was killed in the attack.The White House said in a statement that Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, joined Biden’s meeting with Atzili and her family.The meeting comes as hostage negotiations are expected to resume this week amid signs of narrowing differences between Israel and Hamas over a U.S.-backed proposal to release all remaining hostages over the course through a three-phase deal.Biden has dispatched CIA Director William Burns and White House senior adviser Brett McGurk to the region for the talks.

American teacher who was held hostage in Gaza visits the White House

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Republican National Committee’s platform committee has adopted a policy document that reflects former President Donald Trump’s position opposing a federal abortion ban and ceding limits to states, omitting the explicit basis for a national ban for the first time in 40 years.

<a href="https://cdn.nucleusfiles.com/be/beb1a388-1d88-4389-a67d-c1e2d7f8bedf/2024-gop-platform-july-7-final.pdf?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=ncl_amplify&amp;utm_campaign=240708-2024_gop_platform_make_america_great_again&amp;utm_content=ncl-4NsN8UE5x2&amp;_nlid=4NsN8UE5x2&amp;_nhids=Nog6f1V6">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the full 16-page platform

The points of the platform are listed below

The committee adopted a draft platform Monday asserting, “We believe that the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States guarantees that no person can be denied life or liberty without due process.” The document, obtained by The Associated Press, also noted "that the states are, therefore, free to pass laws protecting those rights.”

The document sticks to the party's longstanding principle that the Constitution extends rights to the unborn, but removes language maintaining support for an “amendment to the Constitution and legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment’s protections apply to children before birth,” a passage in the party platform first included in 1984.

The move comes as Trump imposes his priorities on the committee as he seeks to steer clear of strict abortion language, even while taking credit for setting up the 2022 reversal of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court. Trump appointed three of the six justices who voted in the majority to overturn the 1973 abortion rights precedent.

The abortion language was first reported by The New York Times.

Marjorie Dannenfelser, SBA Pro-Life America president, praised the committee for reaffirming “its commitment to protect unborn life through the 14th Amendment.”

Dannenfelser stopped short of endorsing the document's reflection of Trump's view that the matter rests entirely with states. Under the 14th Amendment, “it is Congress that enacts and enforces its provisions.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-united-states-presidential-election-events-5f771e9c99d24893ad698614b65f6afc">platform is a statement of first principles</a>&nbsp;traditionally written by party activists. Trump's campaign wants the group drafting this year's platform to produce a shorter document that excludes statements favored by many conservatives but are potentially unpopular with the broader electorate.

The platform committee began its meeting Monday, a week before the start of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/republican-national-convention">Republican National Convention</a>&nbsp;in Wisconsin where Trump is scheduled to accept his third straight nomination for president.

Trump has faced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-abortion-reproductive-rights-election-harris-trump-roe-1f7c48bc4a9c1c44bb802dce0eb5b159">months of Democratic criticism over abortion</a>&nbsp;as President Joe Biden's reelection campaign has highlighted that Trump nominated half of the Supreme Court majority that struck down the nationwide right to abortion in 2022.

In promoting the platform document, the campaign released a statement highlighting 20 issues it addresses, including immigration, the economy, energy, taxes and crime, but omitted any mention of abortion.

Among the vocal abortion opponents on the platform committee, some say the aspiration of a federal ban on abortion after a certain stage in pregnancy must remain a party principle, even if it's not an immediately attainable policy or one that necessarily helps the Trump campaign in November.

“I see that as problematic. We still need these principles clearly stated. Some of these battles are not over,” said Iowa state Rep. Brad Sherman, a platform committee member who supported Trump’s winning Iowa caucus campaign in January and also supports a federal limit on abortion.

While the abortion statement is likely to be the most contested provision in the platform, there may also be disputes over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/83f8d0349379443a876f9179fe1091bb">Trump’s preference for tariffs</a>&nbsp;and his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-united-states-government-and-politics-5c6ba68dbd9b2ee86bc77faad6936cf6">isolationist approach to foreign policy</a>&nbsp;and U.S. involvement in global conflicts, particularly in helping Ukraine as it battles Russia.

Conservative activists who are accustomed to having a seat at the table fumed over what they said was a secretive process for selecting committee members and the meeting taking place behind closed doors.

“For 40 years, the Republican Party and the GOP platform have massively benefitted from an open and transparent process,” said Tim Chapman, the incoming president of Advancing American Freedom, a foundation headed by Trump’s former Vice President Mike Pence.

Trump’s campaign has sought to reshape the Republican National Committee into a campaign vessel. It signaled in a memo last month from senior campaign advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles that “textbook-long platforms ... are scrutinized and intentionally misrepresented by our political opponents.”

Trump ally Russ Vought is serving as the policy director of the Republican Party’s platform writing committee while also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-conservatives-trump-heritage-857eb794e505f1c6710eb03fd5b58981">leading the effort to draft the 180-day agenda</a>&nbsp;for Project 2025, a sweeping proposal for remaking government that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-project-2025-biden-9d372469033d23e1e3aef5cf0470a2e6">Trump said Friday he knew “nothing about”</a>&nbsp;despite having several former aides involved.

Trump had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/0a165e54c0a94600871539472ba82ba1">supported federal legislation in 2018</a>&nbsp;that would have banned abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy, though the measure fell short of the necessary support in the Senate.

However, after the 2022 midterm elections, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-federal-ban-trump-gop-2024-20586bbb64a511030ef58290e98f99f0">blamed Republicans who held strict anti-abortion positions</a>&nbsp;for the party's failure to secure a larger House majority. He has since been critical of the most stringent abortion bans in individual states.

An AP-NORC poll conducted in June 2023 found that about two-thirds of Americans think abortion should be legal in all or most cases. The poll also found that 6 in 10 Americans think Congress should pass a law guaranteeing access to legal abortion nationwide.

Biden's campaign has criticized Republicans for making the platform committee meetings in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, closed to the news media and reminded voters of Trump's onetime support for a 20-week abortion ban.

Tamara Scott, who is one of Iowa's two Republican National Committee members and also a platform committee member, said Trump could campaign on the position he holds and also embrace the platform to reflect a longer-term goal of a federal limit.

“It’s our vision. It’s our foundational principles. It’s who we are as a party,” Scott said. “I agree a platform must be clear and concise but it must convey our core principles.”

To several on the committee, that means maintaining support for an “amendment to the Constitution and legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment’s protections apply to children before birth,” the passage first included in 1984.

Trump was urged to keep that language in the platform, according to a letter signed by leaders of groups opposed to abortion, including Dannenfelser, Ralph Reed, Faith and Freedom Coalition founder and chairman; Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council.

That passage, once removed, would be difficult to restore in future platforms, Dannenfelser said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718556066582.png" alt="File photo -Former President Trump during a campaign stop last month -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo -Former President Trump during a campaign stop last month -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Republican National Committee’s platform committee has adopted a policy document that reflects former President Donald Trump’s position opposing a federal abortion ban and ceding limits to states, omitting the explicit basis for a national ban for the first time in 40 years.<a href="https://cdn.nucleusfiles.com/be/beb1a388-1d88-4389-a67d-c1e2d7f8bedf/2024-gop-platform-july-7-final.pdf?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=ncl_amplify&amp;utm_campaign=240708-2024_gop_platform_make_america_great_again&amp;utm_content=ncl-4NsN8UE5x2&amp;_nlid=4NsN8UE5x2&amp;_nhids=Nog6f1V6">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the full 16-page platform<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720521521992.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The points of the platform are listed below<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720484913719.png" alt="Image courtesy RNC" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy RNC</figcaption>
 </figure>The committee adopted a draft platform Monday asserting, “We believe that the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States guarantees that no person can be denied life or liberty without due process.” The document, obtained by The Associated Press, also noted "that the states are, therefore, free to pass laws protecting those rights.”The document sticks to the party's longstanding principle that the Constitution extends rights to the unborn, but removes language maintaining support for an “amendment to the Constitution and legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment’s protections apply to children before birth,” a passage in the party platform first included in 1984.The move comes as Trump imposes his priorities on the committee as he seeks to steer clear of strict abortion language, even while taking credit for setting up the 2022 reversal of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court. Trump appointed three of the six justices who voted in the majority to overturn the 1973 abortion rights precedent.The abortion language was first reported by The New York Times.Marjorie Dannenfelser, SBA Pro-Life America president, praised the committee for reaffirming “its commitment to protect unborn life through the 14th Amendment.”Dannenfelser stopped short of endorsing the document's reflection of Trump's view that the matter rests entirely with states. Under the 14th Amendment, “it is Congress that enacts and enforces its provisions.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-united-states-presidential-election-events-5f771e9c99d24893ad698614b65f6afc">platform is a statement of first principles</a>&nbsp;traditionally written by party activists. Trump's campaign wants the group drafting this year's platform to produce a shorter document that excludes statements favored by many conservatives but are potentially unpopular with the broader electorate.The platform committee began its meeting Monday, a week before the start of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/republican-national-convention">Republican National Convention</a>&nbsp;in Wisconsin where Trump is scheduled to accept his third straight nomination for president.Trump has faced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-abortion-reproductive-rights-election-harris-trump-roe-1f7c48bc4a9c1c44bb802dce0eb5b159">months of Democratic criticism over abortion</a>&nbsp;as President Joe Biden's reelection campaign has highlighted that Trump nominated half of the Supreme Court majority that struck down the nationwide right to abortion in 2022.In promoting the platform document, the campaign released a statement highlighting 20 issues it addresses, including immigration, the economy, energy, taxes and crime, but omitted any mention of abortion.Among the vocal abortion opponents on the platform committee, some say the aspiration of a federal ban on abortion after a certain stage in pregnancy must remain a party principle, even if it's not an immediately attainable policy or one that necessarily helps the Trump campaign in November.“I see that as problematic. We still need these principles clearly stated. Some of these battles are not over,” said Iowa state Rep. Brad Sherman, a platform committee member who supported Trump’s winning Iowa caucus campaign in January and also supports a federal limit on abortion.While the abortion statement is likely to be the most contested provision in the platform, there may also be disputes over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/83f8d0349379443a876f9179fe1091bb">Trump’s preference for tariffs</a>&nbsp;and his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-united-states-government-and-politics-5c6ba68dbd9b2ee86bc77faad6936cf6">isolationist approach to foreign policy</a>&nbsp;and U.S. involvement in global conflicts, particularly in helping Ukraine as it battles Russia.Conservative activists who are accustomed to having a seat at the table fumed over what they said was a secretive process for selecting committee members and the meeting taking place behind closed doors.“For 40 years, the Republican Party and the GOP platform have massively benefitted from an open and transparent process,” said Tim Chapman, the incoming president of Advancing American Freedom, a foundation headed by Trump’s former Vice President Mike Pence.Trump’s campaign has sought to reshape the Republican National Committee into a campaign vessel. It signaled in a memo last month from senior campaign advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles that “textbook-long platforms ... are scrutinized and intentionally misrepresented by our political opponents.”Trump ally Russ Vought is serving as the policy director of the Republican Party’s platform writing committee while also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-conservatives-trump-heritage-857eb794e505f1c6710eb03fd5b58981">leading the effort to draft the 180-day agenda</a>&nbsp;for Project 2025, a sweeping proposal for remaking government that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-project-2025-biden-9d372469033d23e1e3aef5cf0470a2e6">Trump said Friday he knew “nothing about”</a>&nbsp;despite having several former aides involved.Trump had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/0a165e54c0a94600871539472ba82ba1">supported federal legislation in 2018</a>&nbsp;that would have banned abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy, though the measure fell short of the necessary support in the Senate.However, after the 2022 midterm elections, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-federal-ban-trump-gop-2024-20586bbb64a511030ef58290e98f99f0">blamed Republicans who held strict anti-abortion positions</a>&nbsp;for the party's failure to secure a larger House majority. He has since been critical of the most stringent abortion bans in individual states.An AP-NORC poll conducted in June 2023 found that about two-thirds of Americans think abortion should be legal in all or most cases. The poll also found that 6 in 10 Americans think Congress should pass a law guaranteeing access to legal abortion nationwide.Biden's campaign has criticized Republicans for making the platform committee meetings in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, closed to the news media and reminded voters of Trump's onetime support for a 20-week abortion ban.Tamara Scott, who is one of Iowa's two Republican National Committee members and also a platform committee member, said Trump could campaign on the position he holds and also embrace the platform to reflect a longer-term goal of a federal limit.“It’s our vision. It’s our foundational principles. It’s who we are as a party,” Scott said. “I agree a platform must be clear and concise but it must convey our core principles.”To several on the committee, that means maintaining support for an “amendment to the Constitution and legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment’s protections apply to children before birth,” the passage first included in 1984.Trump was urged to keep that language in the platform, according to a letter signed by leaders of groups opposed to abortion, including Dannenfelser, Ralph Reed, Faith and Freedom Coalition founder and chairman; Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council.That passage, once removed, would be difficult to restore in future platforms, Dannenfelser said.___

Read the Trump inspired Republican Party 2024 platform document

RENO COUNTY — The Board of County Commissioners will discuss a new policy for department heads at their meeting on Wednesday.

According to agenda documents, current policy is in place that states that all department heads must live in Reno County and are given 8 months to relocate once accepting a department head position. 

With the current struggles in some specialized professions, it may be necessary to be more flexible in residence. Below is the proposed procedure.

1. Residency Requirement: Department heads are required to establish residency within the County within a reasonable amount of time upon assuming their position. Residency shall be defined as maintaining a primary residence within the County limits.

2. Preference for County Residents in Hiring: Current residency within Reno County shall not be the sole factor in determining a successful candidate, but it may be the deciding factor in some instances.

3. Exceptions: Exceptions to the residency requirement may be granted on a case-by-case basis. The County Administrator will review requests for a residency exception and then make a recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners. Exceptions may be considered for department heads with unique qualifications or circumstances that warrant flexibility, such as specialized expertise, unique family situations, or family obligations. Criteria will be based on factors such as the time it would take for the department director to respond on-site in the case of an emergency and if there is a hardship to Reno County by granting the exception.

4. Waivers: Department heads may request waivers for the residency requirement due to extenuating circumstances such as significant hardship or medical reasons. Waiver requests must be reviewed and decided upon first by the County Administrator and then the Board of County Commissioners.

5. Enforcement: Failure to comply with the residency requirement with an approved waiver or exception will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

The Board of County Commissioners meets Wednesday at 9 a.m. in the Veterans Room of the Reno County Courthouse.

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716032579635.jpeg" alt="Reno County Commission-Photo by Sandra Milburn" />
 <figcaption>Reno County Commission-Photo by Sandra Milburn</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY — The Board of County Commissioners will discuss a new policy for department heads at their meeting on Wednesday.According to agenda documents, current policy is in place that states that all department heads must live in Reno County and are given 8 months to relocate once accepting a department head position. With the current struggles in some specialized professions, it may be necessary to be more flexible in residence. Below is the proposed procedure.1. Residency Requirement: Department heads are required to establish residency within the County within a reasonable amount of time upon assuming their position. Residency shall be defined as maintaining a primary residence within the County limits.2. Preference for County Residents in Hiring: Current residency within Reno County shall not be the sole factor in determining a successful candidate, but it may be the deciding factor in some instances.3. Exceptions: Exceptions to the residency requirement may be granted on a case-by-case basis. The County Administrator will review requests for a residency exception and then make a recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners. Exceptions may be considered for department heads with unique qualifications or circumstances that warrant flexibility, such as specialized expertise, unique family situations, or family obligations. Criteria will be based on factors such as the time it would take for the department director to respond on-site in the case of an emergency and if there is a hardship to Reno County by granting the exception.4. Waivers: Department heads may request waivers for the residency requirement due to extenuating circumstances such as significant hardship or medical reasons. Waiver requests must be reviewed and decided upon first by the County Administrator and then the Board of County Commissioners.5. Enforcement: Failure to comply with the residency requirement with an approved waiver or exception will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.The Board of County Commissioners meets Wednesday at 9 a.m. in the Veterans Room of the Reno County Courthouse.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Board of County Commissioners take on department head residency policy

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720468817752.png" alt="Photo Courtesy Bethel College Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Bethel College Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure><div>Bethel College Athletics
 
NORTH NEWTON, Kan.&nbsp;- The Bethel College Athletic Department has announced the resignation of Head Football Coach&nbsp;<dfn style="text-align: start;color: rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size: 16px;"><a href="https://bethelthreshers.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/a-b-stokes/529" rel="smarttag" style="color: rgb(177, 16, 43);">A.B. Stokes</a></dfn>&nbsp;and the appointment of&nbsp;<dfn style="text-align: start;color: rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size: 16px;"><a href="https://bethelthreshers.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/daylon-markham/532" rel="smarttag" style="color: rgb(177, 16, 43);">Daylon Markham</a></dfn>&nbsp;as Interim Head Coach for the upcoming season. &nbsp; &quot;We want to thank Coach Stokes for his time at Bethel College,&quot; stated Athletic Director Tim Swartzendruber. &quot;Coach Stokes is a first-class person and led our program with class both on and off the field.&quot; &nbsp; AB Stokes took over the helm during a time of uncertainty for the Threshers. He took over a program that had just come off of back-to-back KCAC Conference Championships and had nearly the entire coaching staff leave. &nbsp; &quot;I&apos;m very thankful for my time at Bethel. I wish nothing but the best for the coaches, players and Bethel Community,&quot; Stokes said. &quot; I&apos;m very confident in the plans for the future and have the utmost respect for Tim and Coach Markham in all they do. I&apos;m also excited to get back to Oklahoma and continue the ministry I started there two and a half years ago.&quot; &nbsp; During Coach Stokes&apos; career, the Threshers won a conference championship in 2022, finishing with a 9-1 record. In 2023, the Threshers finished with a 6-5 record including a 20-13 victory over #20 Southwestern College. &nbsp; Stokes coached 44 All-KCAC selections and seven NAIA All-American&apos;s during his short return to the Threshers. &nbsp; &quot;My family and I can&apos;t thank Bethel enough for the opportunity, God bless,&quot; Coach Stokes finished. &nbsp; <dfn style="text-align: start;color: rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size: 16px;"><a href="https://bethelthreshers.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/daylon-markham/532" rel="smarttag" style="color: rgb(177, 16, 43);">Daylon Markham</a></dfn>, the Defensive Coordinator under Coach Stokes, will take over as Interim Head Coach for the upcoming 2024 Football season. &nbsp; &quot;I am excited to have Coach Markham as our Interim Head Coach. Our defense has excelled under Coach Markham since he arrived at Bethel College,&quot; AD Swartzendruber stated. &quot; In order to have a great program, I firmly believe you must have a great defense. I am confident that Coach Markham can continue our success in the football program.&quot; &nbsp; In the 2023 season, Markham finished his third season with the squad, his first as the Defensive Coordinator. &nbsp; &quot;I am excited for this opportunity and I would like to thank Tim for believing in me,&quot; Markham said. &quot;I am ready to keep this program going in the right direction. The staff and players are ready to get back to work and have a great season.&quot; &nbsp; Under Markham, the Threshers held their opponents to 23.3 points per game, giving up just 2.6 yards per rushing attempt and 5.44 yards per attempt through the air. The Thresher defense allowed just over 31% on third-down conversions. &nbsp; Markham concluded by thanking Coach Stokes, &quot; I would like to thank Coach Stokes for everything he&apos;s done for this program, we wish him well on his next endeavor.&quot; &nbsp; Prior to his coaching career, Markham played at Harding University, where he compiled 155 solo tackles and five interceptions. He was able to earn a nod on the Don Hansen NCAA DII All-America team in 2016, while also helping Harding win a conference championship in the same season. Markham received his undergrad degree in Criminal Justice as well as an MBA from Harding University.</div>

🏈 Bethel College announces Stokes resigns as head coach

Kansas Department of Health and Environment

TOPEKA&nbsp;— The Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s (KDHE) Community Health Promotion program is pleased to announce that the recipients of this year’s Chronic Disease Risk Reduction (CDRR) Community grant. In total, the State Fiscal Year 2024 CDRR program covers: 17 grantees, 30 counties and 1,993,817 Kansans (67.8 percent of the total Kansas population).

The CDRR Community Grant Program provides funding, training and technical assistance to communities to address chronic disease risk reduction through evidence-based strategies that impact tobacco use, physical activity and nutrition. Strategies include reducing secondhand smoke exposure, preventing youth from using tobacco, promoting tobacco treatment and the&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8va2Fuc2FzLnF1aXRsb2dpeC5vcmcvZW4tVVMvP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1nb3ZkZWxpdmVyeSIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDA3MDguOTcyODU2MTEifQ.RcUTBjJFd4CeNgM1p4ZaefncRgNf0eCPLyncNRU0HlU/s/1305944069/br/245342120406-l">Kansas Tobacco Quitline</a>, increasing physical activity, and improving community nutrition.

“This program empowers local communities to take significant steps toward reducing chronic disease and improving overall health,”&nbsp;KDHE Section Director for Community Health Promotion Mende Barnett said. “We are excited to support and collaborate with our grantees to achieve these important health goals across Kansas.”

Hutch Post area departments receiving funds, with their servicing counties, include:

Barton County Health Department (Barton County, Pawnee, Rice and Stafford counties).

Harvey County Health Department (Harvey County).

Reno County Health Department (Reno County).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682611864808.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas Department of Health and EnvironmentTOPEKA&nbsp;— The Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s (KDHE) Community Health Promotion program is pleased to announce that the recipients of this year’s Chronic Disease Risk Reduction (CDRR) Community grant. In total, the State Fiscal Year 2024 CDRR program covers: 17 grantees, 30 counties and 1,993,817 Kansans (67.8 percent of the total Kansas population).The CDRR Community Grant Program provides funding, training and technical assistance to communities to address chronic disease risk reduction through evidence-based strategies that impact tobacco use, physical activity and nutrition. Strategies include reducing secondhand smoke exposure, preventing youth from using tobacco, promoting tobacco treatment and the&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8va2Fuc2FzLnF1aXRsb2dpeC5vcmcvZW4tVVMvP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1nb3ZkZWxpdmVyeSIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDA3MDguOTcyODU2MTEifQ.RcUTBjJFd4CeNgM1p4ZaefncRgNf0eCPLyncNRU0HlU/s/1305944069/br/245342120406-l">Kansas Tobacco Quitline</a>, increasing physical activity, and improving community nutrition.“This program empowers local communities to take significant steps toward reducing chronic disease and improving overall health,”&nbsp;KDHE Section Director for Community Health Promotion Mende Barnett said. “We are excited to support and collaborate with our grantees to achieve these important health goals across Kansas.”Hutch Post area departments receiving funds, with their servicing counties, include:Barton County Health Department (Barton County, Pawnee, Rice and Stafford counties).Harvey County Health Department (Harvey County).Reno County Health Department (Reno County).<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download">CLICK HERE&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile&nbsp;app.</a> <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea">CLICK HERE&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.</a>

Area departments receive grants

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Julie Kallas is the Public Health Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for the Reno County Health Department. She urges the public to be prepared for events out of their control. 

"Preparedness is more than just tornadoes and fires and things like that," Kallas said. "It is a lost driver's license. It is underinsured in your home. It can look a million different ways depending on who you are and your situation. There are a lot of things that change regardless of your age or things like that. Just staying up with the times and making sure that you are prepared for as much as possible."

Preparedness isn't always about the unexpected.

"If you think about public health emergency preparedness, that is being ready for and being ready to respond to emergencies," Kallas said. "Whether it be natural disaster or a man-made or even already events that you're already looking forward to and that you'll be a part of like the state fair, for example."

There is a group that meets at regular intervals to make sure the community is prepared.

"There is several community partners that work together," Kallas said. "The hospital and Hutch Clinic, emergency management, the health department, the VOAD, which is volunteer organizations active in disaster through the United Way. There are several people that are ready to go just in case of a situation like that."

If you need more information on how you can help, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://servks.org/">https://servks.org/</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720192820539.jpeg" alt="Julie Kallas is the Public Health Emergency Preparedness Director for Reno County. Photo by Sandra Milburn." />
 <figcaption>Julie Kallas is the Public Health Emergency Preparedness Director for Reno County. Photo by Sandra Milburn.</figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Julie Kallas is the Public Health Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for the Reno County Health Department. She urges the public to be prepared for events out of their control. "Preparedness is more than just tornadoes and fires and things like that," Kallas said. "It is a lost driver's license. It is underinsured in your home. It can look a million different ways depending on who you are and your situation. There are a lot of things that change regardless of your age or things like that. Just staying up with the times and making sure that you are prepared for as much as possible."Preparedness isn't always about the unexpected."If you think about public health emergency preparedness, that is being ready for and being ready to respond to emergencies," Kallas said. "Whether it be natural disaster or a man-made or even already events that you're already looking forward to and that you'll be a part of like the state fair, for example."There is a group that meets at regular intervals to make sure the community is prepared."There is several community partners that work together," Kallas said. "The hospital and Hutch Clinic, emergency management, the health department, the VOAD, which is volunteer organizations active in disaster through the United Way. There are several people that are ready to go just in case of a situation like that."If you need more information on how you can help, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://servks.org/">https://servks.org/</a>.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download">CLICK HERE&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile&nbsp;app.</a> <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea">CLICK HERE&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.</a>

Preparedness starts with thinking ahead

RENO COUNTY — Reno County has scheduled three Town Hall meetings, in District 1 and District 2, to gather feedback regarding possible expansion of County Wide Zoning and Solar in the unzoned areas of the county.

Monday, July 8, 2024 in the Nickerson Community Center, 11 N. Nickerson St., Nickerson, at 6:30 p.m.

Monday, July 22 , 2024 in the Arlington City Hall, 900 W. Main Street, Arlington, at 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, July 23, 2024 in the Pretty Prairie City Office, 119 W Main St, Pretty Prairie, at 6:30 p.m.

The Town Halls will all be attended by Reno County Public Works Director Don Brittain, Reno County Planner Mark Vonachen, Reno County Administrator Randy Partington and Reno County Commissioners Randy Parks and Ron Hirst, regarding possible expansion of County Wide Zoning and also Solar in the unzoned areas of Reno County. 

The informal meetings will start with information about what planning and zoning is and what it would mean to residents in the rural parts of Reno County and then gather their comments about zoning. 

Officials will look for feedback to see if there is any interest in commercial solar farms, either the prohibition or allowance of these farms, from people living in the unzoned areas of Reno County. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618246135812.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SANDRA MILBURN Reno County Communications SpecialistRENO COUNTY — Reno County has scheduled three Town Hall meetings, in District 1 and District 2, to gather feedback regarding possible expansion of County Wide Zoning and Solar in the unzoned areas of the county.Town Hall Meetings Schedule:Monday, July 8, 2024 in the Nickerson Community Center, 11 N. Nickerson St., Nickerson, at 6:30 p.m.Monday, July 22 , 2024 in the Arlington City Hall, 900 W. Main Street, Arlington, at 6:30 p.m.Tuesday, July 23, 2024 in the Pretty Prairie City Office, 119 W Main St, Pretty Prairie, at 6:30 p.m.The Town Halls will all be attended by Reno County Public Works Director Don Brittain, Reno County Planner Mark Vonachen, Reno County Administrator Randy Partington and Reno County Commissioners Randy Parks and Ron Hirst, regarding possible expansion of County Wide Zoning and also Solar in the unzoned areas of Reno County. The informal meetings will start with information about what planning and zoning is and what it would mean to residents in the rural parts of Reno County and then gather their comments about zoning. Officials will look for feedback to see if there is any interest in commercial solar farms, either the prohibition or allowance of these farms, from people living in the unzoned areas of Reno County. This meeting is open to the public.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Town hall meetings on solar start Monday

HOUSTON (AP)—The crew of a NASA mission to Mars emerged from their craft after a yearlong voyage that never left Earth.

The four volunteer crew members spent more than 12 months inside NASA's first simulated Mars environment at Johnson Space Center in Houston, coming out of the artificial alien enviroment Saturday around 5 p.m.

Kelly Haston, Anca Selariu, Ross Brockwell and Nathan Jones entered the 3D-printed habitat on June 25, 2023, as the maiden crew of the space agency's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/chapea/">Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog</a>&nbsp;project.

Haston, the mission commander, began with a simple, “Hello.”

“It’s actually just so wonderful to be able to say ‘hello’ to you all,” she said.

Jones, a physician and the mission medical officer, said their 378 days in confinement “went by quickly.”

The quartet lived and worked inside the space of 17,000 square feet to simulate a mission to the red planet, the fourth from the sun and a frequent focus of discussion among scientists and sci-fi fans alike concerning a possible voyage taking humans beyond our moon.

The first CHAPEA crew focused on establishing possible conditions for future Mars operations through simulated spacewalks, dubbed “Marswalks,” as well as growing and harvesting vegetables to supplement their provisions and maintaining the habitat and their equipment.

They also worked through challenges a real Mars crew would be expected to experience including limited resources, isolation and delays in communication of up to 22 minutes with their home planet on the other side of the habitat's walls, NASA said.

Two additional CHAPEA missions are planned and crews will continue conducting simulated spacewalks and gathering data on factors related to physical and behavioral health and performance, NASA said.

Steve Koerner, deputy director of Johnson Space Center, said most of the first crew's experimentation focused on nutrition and how that affected their performance. The work was “crucial science as we prepare to send people on to the red planet,” he said.

“They've been separated from their families, placed on a carefully prescribed meal plan and undergone a lot of observation,” Koerner said.

“Mars is our goal,” he said, calling the project an important step in America's intent to be a leader in the global space exploration effort.

Emerging after a knock on the habitat's door by Kjell Lindgren, an astronaut and the deputy director of flight operations, the four volunteers spoke of the gratitude they had for each other and those who waited patiently outside, as well as lessons learned about a prospective manned mission to Mars and life on Earth.

Brockwell, the crew's flight engineer, said the mission showed him the importance of living sustainably for the benefit of everyone on Earth.

“I’m very grateful to have had this incredible opportunity to live for a year within the spirit of planetary adventure towards an exciting future, and I’m grateful for the chance to live the idea that we must utilise resources no faster than they can be replenished and produce waste no faster than they can be processed back into resources," Brockwell said.

“We cannot live, dream, create or explore on any significant timeframe if we don’t live these principles, but if we do, we can achieve and sustain amazing and inspiring things like exploring other worlds," he said.

Science officer Anca Selariu said she had been asked many times why there is a fixation on Mars.

“Why go to Mars? Because it’s possible,” she said. "Because space can unite and bring out the best in us. Because it’s one defining step that ‘Earthlings’ will take to light the way into the next centuries.”

By BRIAN P. D. HANNON Associated PressHOUSTON (AP)—The crew of a NASA mission to Mars emerged from their craft after a yearlong voyage that never left Earth.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">CHAPEA&#39;s 4-person crew just exited their home after 378 days. ✅ They simulated a Mars mission to help assess health and performance in relation to Mars-realistic resource limitations in isolation and confinement. The door is officially open and the mission is complete. Congrats… <a href="https://t.co/AbfaMrzw2n">pic.twitter.com/AbfaMrzw2n</a>&mdash; NASA&#39;s Johnson Space Center (@NASA_Johnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA_Johnson/status/1809709743147217251?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The four volunteer crew members spent more than 12 months inside NASA's first simulated Mars environment at Johnson Space Center in Houston, coming out of the artificial alien enviroment Saturday around 5 p.m.Kelly Haston, Anca Selariu, Ross Brockwell and Nathan Jones entered the 3D-printed habitat on June 25, 2023, as the maiden crew of the space agency's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/chapea/">Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog</a>&nbsp;project.Haston, the mission commander, began with a simple, “Hello.”“It’s actually just so wonderful to be able to say ‘hello’ to you all,” she said.Jones, a physician and the mission medical officer, said their 378 days in confinement “went by quickly.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720352644768.png" alt="The first CHAPEA mission crew members who have been living and working inside NASA’s first simulated yearlong Mars habitat mission pose for a photograph taken on June 25, 2024. (Credits: NASA)" />
 <figcaption>The first CHAPEA mission crew members who have been living and working inside NASA’s first simulated yearlong Mars habitat mission pose for a photograph taken on June 25, 2024. (Credits: NASA)</figcaption>
 </figure>The quartet lived and worked inside the space of 17,000 square feet to simulate a mission to the red planet, the fourth from the sun and a frequent focus of discussion among scientists and sci-fi fans alike concerning a possible voyage taking humans beyond our moon.The first CHAPEA crew focused on establishing possible conditions for future Mars operations through simulated spacewalks, dubbed “Marswalks,” as well as growing and harvesting vegetables to supplement their provisions and maintaining the habitat and their equipment.They also worked through challenges a real Mars crew would be expected to experience including limited resources, isolation and delays in communication of up to 22 minutes with their home planet on the other side of the habitat's walls, NASA said.Two additional CHAPEA missions are planned and crews will continue conducting simulated spacewalks and gathering data on factors related to physical and behavioral health and performance, NASA said.Steve Koerner, deputy director of Johnson Space Center, said most of the first crew's experimentation focused on nutrition and how that affected their performance. The work was “crucial science as we prepare to send people on to the red planet,” he said.“They've been separated from their families, placed on a carefully prescribed meal plan and undergone a lot of observation,” Koerner said.“Mars is our goal,” he said, calling the project an important step in America's intent to be a leader in the global space exploration effort.Emerging after a knock on the habitat's door by Kjell Lindgren, an astronaut and the deputy director of flight operations, the four volunteers spoke of the gratitude they had for each other and those who waited patiently outside, as well as lessons learned about a prospective manned mission to Mars and life on Earth.Brockwell, the crew's flight engineer, said the mission showed him the importance of living sustainably for the benefit of everyone on Earth.“I’m very grateful to have had this incredible opportunity to live for a year within the spirit of planetary adventure towards an exciting future, and I’m grateful for the chance to live the idea that we must utilise resources no faster than they can be replenished and produce waste no faster than they can be processed back into resources," Brockwell said.“We cannot live, dream, create or explore on any significant timeframe if we don’t live these principles, but if we do, we can achieve and sustain amazing and inspiring things like exploring other worlds," he said.Science officer Anca Selariu said she had been asked many times why there is a fixation on Mars.“Why go to Mars? Because it’s possible,” she said. "Because space can unite and bring out the best in us. Because it’s one defining step that ‘Earthlings’ will take to light the way into the next centuries.”

🎥 Crew of NASA's earthbound Mars habitat emerge after a year

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. will remove all its forces and equipment from a small base in Niger this weekend and fewer than 500 remaining troops will leave a critical drone base in the West African country in August, ahead of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-niger-military-base-withdrawal-sahel-russia-92af307c383c0d23e89d6e6f93ddd7da">a Sept. 15 deadline</a>&nbsp;set in an agreement with the new ruling junta, the American commander there said Friday.

Air Force Maj. Gen. Kenneth Ekman said in an interview that a number of small teams of 10-20 U.S. troops, including special operations forces, have moved to other countries in West Africa. But the bulk of the forces will go to Europe, at least initially.

Niger's ouster of American troops&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/niger-tensions-presidential-guard-96f8f63b838af5467d4c95ba7b998b32">following a coup last year</a>&nbsp;has broad ramifications for the U.S. because it is forcing troops to abandon the critical drone base that was used for counterterrorism missions in the Sahel, a vast region south of the Sahara desert where groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group operate.

Ekman and other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-africa-niger-chad-defense-brown-05cb62aff7faa0318f2e39290f708666">U.S. military leaders have said</a>&nbsp;other West African nations want to work with the U.S. and may be open to an expanded American presence. He did not detail the locations, but other U.S. officials have pointed to the Ivory Coast and Ghana as examples.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720210727266.png" alt="Maj. Gen. Kenneth P. Ekman speaks in front of a "Welcome to Niamey" sign depicting U.S. military vehicles at Air Base 101 in Niger, May 30, 2024. As the Director of Strategy, Engagement and Programs for U.S. Africa Command, Ekman is coordinating the smooth transition of forces and gear out of Niger. This operation reflects the commitment to a safe, orderly, and responsible transition. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Christopher Dyer)" />
 <figcaption>Maj. Gen. Kenneth P. Ekman speaks in front of a "Welcome to Niamey" sign depicting U.S. military vehicles at Air Base 101 in Niger, May 30, 2024. As the Director of Strategy, Engagement and Programs for U.S. Africa Command, Ekman is coordinating the smooth transition of forces and gear out of Niger. This operation reflects the commitment to a safe, orderly, and responsible transition. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Christopher Dyer)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. will remove all its forces and equipment from a small base in Niger this weekend and fewer than 500 remaining troops will leave a critical drone base in the West African country in August, ahead of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-niger-military-base-withdrawal-sahel-russia-92af307c383c0d23e89d6e6f93ddd7da">a Sept. 15 deadline</a>&nbsp;set in an agreement with the new ruling junta, the American commander there said Friday.Air Force Maj. Gen. Kenneth Ekman said in an interview that a number of small teams of 10-20 U.S. troops, including special operations forces, have moved to other countries in West Africa. But the bulk of the forces will go to Europe, at least initially.Niger's ouster of American troops&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/niger-tensions-presidential-guard-96f8f63b838af5467d4c95ba7b998b32">following a coup last year</a>&nbsp;has broad ramifications for the U.S. because it is forcing troops to abandon the critical drone base that was used for counterterrorism missions in the Sahel, a vast region south of the Sahara desert where groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group operate.Ekman and other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-africa-niger-chad-defense-brown-05cb62aff7faa0318f2e39290f708666">U.S. military leaders have said</a>&nbsp;other West African nations want to work with the U.S. and may be open to an expanded American presence. He did not detail the locations, but other U.S. officials have pointed to the Ivory Coast and Ghana as examples.Ekman, who serves as the director for strategy at U.S. Africa Command, is leading&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-africa-niger-chad-defense-brown-05cb62aff7faa0318f2e39290f708666">the U.S. military withdrawal</a>&nbsp;from the small base at the airport in Niger's capital of Niamey and from the larger counterterrorism base in the city of Agadez. He said there will be a ceremony Sunday marking the completed pullout from the airport base, then the final 100 troops and the last C-17 transport aircraft will depart.Under the junta agreement, two-thirds of U.S. troops and equipment must be out of the country by July 26, Ekman said. That deadline, which forced the Pentagon to move quickly, is a key reason why U.S. Africa Command will complete its withdrawal of all 1,000 troops from Niger early.But it also leaves a counterterrorism gap that U.S. officials are struggling to fill as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/africa-niger-alqaida-islamic-state-26d23d581507515e96ff15bfdc96a60b">security threats from extremist groups in the Sahel grow</a>.One of those groups, Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin, known as JNIM, is active in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger and is looking to expand into Benin and Togo. Those expansion locations could be used initially as hubs to rest, recuperate, get financing and gather weapons, according to U.S. officials, but the group also has increased attacks there.“Niger was immensely helpful for us as a location because it was in the Sahel and it was adjacent to those areas where the threat is most concentrated,” Ekman said. Now, he said, the challenge is battling the insurgency while having to get access from outside Niger, which makes it more difficult.He said other coastal West African nations are concerned about the Sahel-based threats and want to talk about how they can partner with American forces. Ekman added that the small teams of U.S. troops moving to other West African nations are not combat forces but advisers, as well as special operations, personnel recovery and intelligence and surveillance forces.Talks with other nations continue, and Ekman said some may be interested but not ready to allow in more U.S. troops. One example, he said, is Togo, which is southwest of Niger on the coast.“In Togo, what I find is a partner that is friendly to the U.S. but that right now is unresolved on the degree they want the presence of any additional U.S. military personnel there,” he said. “My assessment was, ‘Not yet.'”Speaking to reporters from The Associated Press and Reuters from the U.S. embassy in Niamey, Ekman said that while portable buildings and vehicles that are no longer useful will be left behind when U.S. troops leave Niger, a lot of larger equipment will be pulled out. For example, he said 18 4,000-pound (1,800-kilograms) generators worth more than $1 million each will be taken out of Agadez.Unlike the withdrawal from Afghanistan, he said the U.S. is not destroying equipment or facilities as it leaves.“Our goal in the execution is, leave things in as good a state as possible,” he said. “If we went out and left it a wreck or we went out spitefully, or if we destroyed things as we went, we’d be foreclosing options” for future security relations.Niger’s ruling junta ordered U.S. forces out of the country in the wake of last July’s ouster of the country’s democratically elected president by mutinous soldiers.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/france-niger-coup-military-withdrawal-bfa3afe3fdfa034dabe3dce265540411">French forces had also been asked to leave</a>&nbsp;as the junta turned to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wagner-russia-coup-niger-military-force-e0e1108b58a9e955af465a3efe6605c0">the Russian mercenary group Wagner</a>&nbsp;for security assistance.Washington officially designated the military takeover as a coup in October, triggering U.S. laws restricting the military support and aid.Ekman said he has been told that there are fewer than 100 Russian troops at the base near in Niamey and that once they are done training Niger troops, they will also leave the country.