The 'Sunflower Stretch' of the American Discovery 250 Relay to be held in September

KANSAS—A replica of the Declaration of Independence will soon travel the length of Kansas hand to hand, town by town, carried on foot, by bike, and on horseback as it crosses the state. Kansas Trails, Inc., in partnership with the American Discovery Trail, announced the Sunflower Stretch, the 575-mile Kansas segment of the American Discovery 250 Relay, a 6,800-mile coast-to-coast relay marking the United States' 250th anniversary. The Relay will be from September 15th through September 24th across Kansas. The Relay began near San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge on July 4th, 2026, and will end in Delaware on Thanksgiving Day, November 26th, 2026.

Russell Post Office renamed in honor of hometown hero

RUSSELL—For the first time since 1939, the name of the Russell Post Office is changing. The Russell Post Office has officially been renamed the Bob Dole Post Office, honoring one of Russell's most recognizable sons and a man whose career took him from a small Kansas community to the highest levels of American politics. (Hays Post)

Kansas school superintendent arrest on ten counts amid ongoing investigation

RANSOM—A booking record from the Ness County Sheriff's Office shows Jeff Jones was booked for making false information, official misconduct, interference with law enforcement, misuse of public funds, permitting a false claim, contributing to a child's misconduct, interfering with judicial process, aggravated intimidation of a witness or victim, and theft. A release from Ness County Attorney Jacob Gayer said the arrest occurred Friday morning, August 21st, at Western Plains High School in connection with an ongoing investigation. He did not provide additional case details. (Hays Post)

One person arrested for alleged human trafficking in Rawlins County

RAWLINS COUNTY—On Thursday, August 20th, a Rawlins County Sheriff's Deputy initiated a traffic stop on a red minivan for a traffic violation on U. S. Highway 36, according to a news release from the sheriff on Facebook. The van had an out-of-state license plate and carried six people, according to the news release. Deputies began an investigation into possible human trafficking, the release said. The Thomas County Sheriff's Office was called to assist in the investigation. One person was arrested on a requested charge of human trafficking. According to online jail records, the suspect in custody is 36-year-old Eduardo Baten Ordonez. The other four people were detained by the Rawlins County Sheriff's Office, according to the news release. The release said all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty. (Hays Post)