StartUp Hutch released its first-ever annual report this week, detailing the organization’s 2025 activity, financial overview and expanding role in supporting entrepreneurs across Reno County.

Executive Director Graham Klemme said the report was designed to provide transparency and a clear snapshot of StartUp Hutch’s impact since he took the role in May 2025.

“It’s been a goal of mine to offer some transparency around what we do to the broader community,” Klemme said. “The report summarizes our activity, our data, some financial information and success stories.”

According to the report, StartUp Hutch served 203 entrepreneurs in 2025 through a mix of events and one-on-one assistance. The organization conducted more than 250 coaching sessions, focusing on repeated, hands-on support for individuals starting or growing businesses.

“The bulk of what we do is coaching,” Klemme said. “Someone comes in and says, ‘I’m starting a business and I don’t know what I’m doing,’ and we walk alongside them step by step.”

StartUp Hutch, founded in 1987, also helped entrepreneurs access nearly $500,000 in capital during the year. Klemme noted the total came during a transitional period for the organization, which operated without an executive director for part of the spring.

“That was actually a slow year,” he said. “Capital access is one of our core goals, and we want to see that number go up.”

The organization’s reach extends beyond Hutchinson, with workshops and outreach efforts in communities such as Buhler, Pretty Prairie and Haven. An upcoming “StartUp Haven” workshop is scheduled for March 3 and is part of a broader effort to host community-specific discussions on small business development throughout Reno County.

“Small businesses really make the world go round,” Klemme said, noting that many established local employers still fall under the federal definition of a small business, which includes firms with fewer than 500 employees.

StartUp Hutch also launched a podcast, “The Hot Seat,” to highlight local entrepreneurs and business resources. Recent episodes have featured local StartUp leaders and innovators, with the podcast available on major streaming platforms.

Funding for StartUp Hutch comes primarily from the City of Hutchinson, Reno County and grant support, including assistance from the Hutchinson Community Foundation. Klemme said that mix of public and private support is critical to sustaining the organization’s mission.

Looking ahead, Klemme said StartUp Hutch is developing new programming tied to housing and construction-related entrepreneurship and plans to continue expanding its community presence.

The 2025 annual report is available at startuphutch.com under the “Annual Report” section.

StartUp Hutch releases first annual report

Dear Dave, My husband and I make $180,000 a year combined. Right now, we’re working on our debt snowball. We’re almost debt-free except for our home, but we still have a little bit left on two car payments and some credit card debt.

He wants to get rid of the credit card debt, but he doesn’t seem to mind having car payments. I’m not sure I understand why he feels this way, and I’m a little worried he might lose interest in paying off debt once the credit cards are gone.

Dear Keri, To be honest, I’m not sure I understand his thinking either. They’re both debt payments, and you’re being charged interest on both of them. The only difference I can see is that one’s attached to a car and one’s not. It makes about as much sense as saying you like Visa better than MasterCard.

Even if he has some strange hang-up about car depreciation, that argument doesn’t hold water, either. Cars go down in value whether you borrow money to buy them or not. A $30,000 vehicle will be worth half that in just a few years, no matter what you do. And car payments won’t keep it from depreciating, or slow the rate of depreciation. 

You know, sometimes people just get burned out and tired of paying the price to become debt-free. I’ve seen it happen several times when folks have been working at it for a while, and they start to feel like they’re never going to get there. What if you two sit down, and have a detailed talk about why he feels this way? See if you can find out why he feels the way he does about car payments, and where the root of the problem really lies.  

Keri, this guy has been right with you on the journey to get out of debt, and gain control of your finances up until now. That tells me he’s disciplined, and that he’s willing to pay a price for things that are important to him. He may just need some encouragement and support. So, try reminding him how far you’ve come together. Remind him how close you are to winning, and how much you love and respect him for being part of it all.

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

Dave says: You’re too close to stop now

Here’s the latest booking activity from the Reno County Jail. This information is provided by the Reno County Sheriff’s Office and is not criminal history. The Hutch Post assumes no legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, or completeness, of this information. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. ——————————————

Pablo	Idrogo	Martinez		2/13/2026 10:07&nbsp;AM	Failure to Appear

Ricky	Duane	Hopewell		2/13/2026 1:12&nbsp;PM	Probation Violation

Richard	Michael	Chamberlain		2/13/2026 2:48&nbsp;PM	Criminal Damage to Property; Without consent; &lt; $1,000

Christopher	Lee	Craig		2/13/2026 3:07&nbsp;PM	Viol protection order; Pre-trial order,					Harassment by Telephone; Texting to harass or threaten

Orion	Anthony Matthew	Morales		2/13/2026 6:15&nbsp;PM	Poss of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant,					Use or Possess with Intent to use Drug Paraphernalia into Human Body

Realiti	Dawn	Courson		2/13/2026 7:05&nbsp;PM	Use or Possess with Intent to use Drug Paraphernalia into Human Body

Kerri	Lynn	Simmons		2/13/2026 7:10&nbsp;PM	Probation Violation

Matthew	Guy	Currie		2/13/2026 8:11&nbsp;PM	Driving while license cancelled/suspended/revoked; misd; unknown conv

Lucas	Randall	Shoen		2/13/2026 8:25&nbsp;PM	Disorderly Conduct; Fighting words or noisy conduct

Hunter	Christian	Cherry		2/13/2026 8:37&nbsp;PM	Failure to Appear,					Possession of marijuana,					Use or Possess with Intent to use Drug Paraphernalia into Human Body,					Interference with Law Enforcement; Obstruct, Resist, Oppose, Misdemeanor case, Execution of Misdemeanor Warrant

Daily Bookings

The Reno County Department of Aging will host a community discussion on fall prevention later this month, offering practical strategies and resources aimed at helping older adults remain safe and independent.

The event is part of the department’s Community Collaboration Series and is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, at the Reno County Department of Aging, 120 W. Ave. B in Hutchinson.

Jeremy McDowell, an account executive with Angels Care Home Health, will serve as the guest speaker. McDowell will discuss common fall risks, prevention strategies and steps individuals and caregivers can take to reduce the likelihood of falls at home and in daily activities.

The session will be presented by Cara Conaway, information and outreach program coordinator for the Reno County Department of Aging. Organizers say the program is designed for older adults, caregivers and family members who want to better understand how to prevent falls and maintain independence.

Community members are encouraged to attend and bring a friend. Reservations are requested.

Department of Aging to hold fall prevention event

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/pages/weather">Click here for the KSStorm.info 7-day forecast.&nbsp;</a>

Three-day Outlook

A Reno County man has been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to insurance fraud and related charges, according to Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt.

Larry Wilson, 54, was sentenced to 21 months in prison after pleading guilty Dec. 11, 2025, in Reno County District Court to one felony count of insurance fraud, two felony counts of making false information and two felony counts of forgery. He will also serve 12 months of probation following his release.

Prosecutors said Wilson fraudulently filed an insurance claim seeking lost wages for workdays he claimed to have missed due to injuries from a prior automobile accident. Authorities said Wilson forged his supervisor’s signature on falsified documents to support the claim.

“Insurance fraud costs all Kansans in the form of increased premiums every year,” Schmidt said in a statement. “The Department will continue pursuing penalties against anyone committing insurance fraud in Kansas.”

The case was investigated by the Kansas Department of Insurance and prosecuted by the Kansas Attorney General’s Office.

Hutch man sentenced for insurance fraud

By TISA MASON FHSU president

In the quiet hours before the Kansas sun touches the horizon, Gabrielle Davis is already immersed in her studies. It’s 5 a.m., and while most of the neighborhood is still asleep, Gabrielle is navigating the complex anatomy and pharmacology content she must master in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. 

Across the state line in Arapahoe, Nebraska, Janine Van Niekerk, serving as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in a rural nursing home,&nbsp;is balancing a similarly delicate act.

Janine and Gabrielle are pioneers. As members of the inaugural BSN hybrid (combined on-campus and online) program cohort at Fort Hays State University, they represent a shift in nursing education—one built for people with a deep connection to their hometowns and families, coupled with a purposeful commitment to ensure their rural communities have access to highly trained, compassionate nursing care.

For both women, nursing is a profound calling rooted in an ethic of care. 

Gabrielle, an LPN at the HaysMed walk-in clinic, represents the deep roots of Kansas healthcare. A third-generation nurse, she was inspired by her grandmother, mother, and an uncle, a physician. “I knew from a very young age that I wanted to be a nurse,” Gabrielle says. “Especially watching my mom. She is the nurse that I aspire to be.”

Gabrielle’s resilience was forged during the COVID-19 pandemic. While still in high school, she completed her courses via Zoom and then worked until 10 p.m. at a nursing home in Atwood to help cover staffing shortages. She continues to work there one weekend a month because of the deep bond she shares with the residents. “I don’t want to give up my residents,” she says. “A lot of them I call grandparents. They consider me their grandchild.”

This same dedication drives Janine Van Niekerk. Originally from South Africa, the 45-year-old mother of six now lives in a rural area of Nebraska. 

For her, the FHSU hybrid program provided a way forward that seemed almost tailored to her life. She began her general education courses while still living abroad and was moved by the university's support during her transition back to the States. “Everyone was so helpful in helping me register, so patient in going through my credits,” Janine recalls. “I knew FHSU was the right choice.”

The stories of Janine and Gabrielle are individual threads in a much larger tapestry. Fort Hays State University serves as a primary engine for the Kansas nursing workforce with a simple priority: getting nurses to rural Kansas. The university doesn’t just graduate students; it delivers them where the need is most acute.

Currently, approximately 70% of FHSU BSN graduates and more than 90% of family nurse practitioners go straight to work in rural communities. With 80% of total nursing graduates staying in Kansas, FHSU is a proven, high-yield investment in our state’s future. 

Beyond the classroom, FHSU serves as a regional hub for healthcare excellence, providing guaranteed&nbsp;admission to Kansas community college students and serving as a vital training ground for HaysMed, EagleMed, and 25 critical access hospitals.

The hybrid BSN program is the latest tool in this mission, combining the convenience of online learning with the rigor of on-campus clinical clusters. For Janine, whose husband travels for work, this flexibility is a necessity. “For me, time is vital,” she says. “The hybrid gives me more flexibility with my schedule and everything I’m responsible for.”

Janine’s passion is fueled by a desire to rectify disparities she sees in rural healthcare. “I’m very disappointed in the healthcare system, the more I learn, especially in rural areas,” she explains, noting the high costs of basic lab tests and clinic fees. “Ultimately, what I’ve decided now to do is look into being a legal nurse consultant, so that I can help rectify the wrongs that are so very evident in healthcare.”

Gabrielle similarly integrates her clinical training into the margins of a busy life, studying between serving patients and after shifts. She finds a spiritual anchor in her daily routine. “Before I go to work, I pray about my day,” she says. “I pray for good patient outcomes. I pray that all my patients are safe and healthy. That helps me, or else I get very burned out.”

As the first BSN cohort to navigate this hybrid path, Janine and Gabrielle are doing more than just earning a degree; they are helping FHSU refine the program for future generations. 

Gabrielle is already looking toward the finish line in May 2027 with plans to eventually teach. “It opens up a whole new universe of opportunities,” she says. “We are helping them (the FHSU Hybrid BSN Program) figure out their trials and errors for the future of the program.”

For Tanya Smith, BSN Coordinator and Professor of Nursing, the pride in her first Hybrid BSN cohort is apparent.

“The students are very dedicated to the program and have shown resilience despite growth challenges along the way,” she said. “Each student has had becoming a BSN-prepared RN as a personal goal.”

FHSU’s Hybrid pathway has been the route to achieving this goal.

“The students have expressed many thanks to the Department of Nursing for creating this learning path for the BSN degree,” Tanya shared. “As we continue to grow the Hybrid BSN cohort, we are excited to partner with community hospitals across the state to ensure students are receiving clinical experiences close to home.”

The journey of these program pioneers reflects the heart of the FHSU mission. Through grit and a commitment to innovation, they are preparing to meet their communities' healthcare needs with expertise and empathy. Their progress is a testament to the power of a program designed&nbsp;with people, place, and purpose at its core.

Women for Kansas provides non-partisan dialogue

Drivers may notice gas prices ticking up slightly ahead of the holiday weekend. The national average for a gallon of regular is up a couple of cents from last week to $2.94.

 Current prices remain below what they were this time last year when the national average was $3.16.&nbsp;

 According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand increased last week from 8.15 million b/d to 8.30 million. Total domestic gasoline supply increased from 257.9 million barrels to 259.1 million. Gasoline production increased last week, averaging 9.1 million barrels per day.

At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session, WTI rose 67 cents to settle at $64.63 a barrel. The EIA reports crude oil increased by 8.5 million barrels from the previous week. At 428.8 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are about 3% below the five-year average for this time of year.

Gas prices tick up headed into holiday weekend

Mark	Andrew	Norton	II	2/12/2026 1:12&nbsp;PM	Harassment by Telephone; Calling to harass or threaten,					Stalking; Conduct causing fear to a person or person's family

Wade	Hampton	Kennon		2/12/2026 2:15&nbsp;PM	In Transit From-To Other Agency

Celia	DeAnne	Ferguson		2/12/2026 3:44&nbsp;PM	Failure to Appear

Audra	Lynn	Sisler		2/12/2026 4:14&nbsp;PM	Failure to Appear

Destiny	Rose	Harper		2/12/2026 7:44&nbsp;PM	Criminal Damage to Property; Without consent; &lt; $1,000,					Disorderly Conduct; Brawling or fighting

Alexus	Ann&nbsp;Canady&nbsp;2/12/2026 9:00 PM&nbsp;Failure to Appear



Hutchinson voters will decide March 3 whether to double the city’s local sales tax, a move that city officials say would significantly increase revenue but would also raise the amount residents pay on everyday purchases.&nbsp;

The proposal would add a new 0.75% city sales tax to Hutchinson’s existing 0.75% tax, bringing the total local rate to 1.5%. The current sales tax is divided between 0.50% for&nbsp;general use&nbsp;and 0.25% distributed among&nbsp;Strataca, the Cosmosphere, street&nbsp;improvements, and property tax relief.&nbsp;

Data provided by the City of Hutchinson shows $687,420 in sales tax revenue in January 2026. Total collections for 2025 were $9,051,442.&nbsp;

Under the current rate, a resident who spends $1,000 per month on taxable purchases within the city pays about $7.50 in local sales tax, or $90 annually. The tax applies to all purchases, including groceries, because Kansas law does not allow cities to exempt food from local sales taxes.&nbsp;

If voters approve the increase, that same spending level would result in $15 per month in local sales tax, or $180 per year.&nbsp;

Using the city’s figures, officials estimate that if the higher rate had been in place in January, Hutchinson would have collected $1,374,840 in sales tax revenue for the month. Applied to all of 2025, the higher rate would have generated an estimated $18,102,884.&nbsp;

Supporters of the measure argue the&nbsp;additional&nbsp;revenue would strengthen city finances and support long-term infrastructure and service needs. Opponents have raised concerns about the cumulative tax burden on residents, particularly those on fixed incomes.&nbsp;

While Hutchinson residents often cite concerns about being among the most heavily taxed, several smaller cities already have higher local sales tax rates.&nbsp;

Seven cities have local sales tax rates of 3.0%.&nbsp; Those cities are Caney, Cherryvale, Coffeyville, Conway Springs, Independence, LaCrosse and Neodesha.&nbsp;

Here is the breakdown of the sales tax rates for the&nbsp;top 15 cities by population in Kansas.

The March 3 vote will&nbsp;determine&nbsp;whether Hutchinson joins a growing number of Kansas&nbsp;cities&nbsp;relying more heavily on local sales taxes to fund municipal operations and community priorities to keep property tax mill rates to a minimum.&nbsp;

City tax rate not excessive as compared to similar size cities

PAWNEE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 2a.m. Saturday in Pawnee County&nbsp;

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Chrysler 300 driven by Jon Myles Woelk&nbsp; Blakely, 36, Rozell, was westbound on K156 Highway three miles west of the U.S. 183 Junction. The car traveled off the roadway to the left and the driver corrected.&nbsp; The vehicle returned to the road and rolled into the ditch.

&nbsp;Blakely was pronoumced dead at the scene and was transported to Beckwith Mortuary. He was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after car rolls into a ditch

An Arizona sheriff's department got more than 4,000 calls within 24 hours after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/savannah-guthrie-mom-missing-arizona-b765fed6b9669441383b75860263ac99">release of videos</a>&nbsp;of a masked person on Nancy Guthrie's porch. Many tips will be worthless. Others could have merit. Experts say one thing's certain: They can't be ignored.

Tips can solve crimes — big or small — and eerie images of a mysterious male covered head to toe have been the most significant clues shared with the public during Guthrie's nearly 2-week-old disappearance in the Tucson area.

“It's a tremendous amount of work,” said Roberto Villaseñor, a former Tucson police chief.

“In a situation like this, you really cannot do what's been done without tips and public input,” he said. “They have processed the scene. But once that’s done and exhausted, it's hard to move forward without additional information coming in.”

The Pima County sheriff and the FBI announced&nbsp;<a href="https://pimasheriff.org/">phone numbers</a>&nbsp;and a&nbsp;<a href="https://tips.fbi.gov/home">website</a>&nbsp;to offer tips about the apparent kidnapping of Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC “Today” co-anchor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/savannah-guthrie">Savannah Guthrie</a>. Several hundred detectives and agents have been assigned to the case, the sheriff's department said.

The FBI said it has collected more than 13,000 tips since Feb. 1, the day Guthrie was reported missing. The sheriff's department, meanwhile, said it has taken at least 18,000 calls.

"Every tip is reviewed for credibility, relevance, and information that can be acted upon by law enforcement," the FBI said Thursday on X, adding that the effort is a 24-hour operation. It said it won't comment on the tips received.

Meanwhile, many people stopped Friday at KVOA-TV in Tucson, an NBC affiliate, to sign a large outdoor banner with a photo of Nancy Guthrie and the message “Bring her home.”

“They're like family, you know,” said Sandy Bryant, referring to her yearslong enjoyment of the “Today” show and the Guthrie family's local ties. “It's painful. It's scary, very scary.”

Major U.S. crimes for years have been cracked with a tip. In 1995, the brother and sister-in-law of Ted Kaczynski recognized certain tones in an anonymous, widely published anti-technology manifesto. Known by the FBI as the “Unabomber,” Kaczynski was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ted-kaczynski-unabomber-dies-federal-prison-95fdd4f398fbfe20aaadf5d53a91dc26">found living in a shack</a>&nbsp;in Montana and subsequently admitted to committing 16 bombings over 17 years, killing three people.

The 1989 murders of an Ohio woman and two teen daughters in Florida were solved three years later when St. Petersburg police asked the public if they recognized handwriting found in the victims' car. A former neighbor led investigators to Oba Chandler.

Retired Detroit homicide investigator Ira Todd recalled how images from a gas station camera solved the disappearance and death of a 3-month-old baby — and stopped authorities from pursuing the wrong person in 2001. “A niece of this guy saw it on TV and says, ‘That’s my uncle,’” he said.

The murders of four University of Idaho students in 2022 generated nearly 40,000 tips to state and federal authorities. None had a direct role in the capture of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bryan-kohberger">Bryan Kohberger</a>, but the public's involvement nonetheless was “absolutely” important, said Lt. Darren Gilbertson of the Idaho State Police.

“That's one of the things that kept us going for weeks,” he said, while authorities awaited DNA and other evidence.

Gilbertson said much of the early vetting in the Idaho murders was done by the FBI. He said agents and analysts who were screening tips had a good grasp of what information could be spiked and what should be handed up to key investigators. Some tips arrived by regular mail.

“Aliens to bears to crazy conspiratorial ideas — don't even pass that along,” Gilbertson said.

Nancy Guthrie was last seen Jan. 31 and was reported missing the following day. Hours before her family knew she was gone, a porch camera recorded video of a person with a backpack who was wearing a ski mask, long pants, jacket and gloves — images that were released by the FBI along with a public plea for help.

The FBI on Thursday said the person, now a suspect, is a man about 5 feet, 9 inches tall with a medium build. The agency also named the brand and model of the backpack.

Neighborhood resident Laura Gargano said she's tried to be helpful. She recommended that authorities look at an underground tank at Guthrie’s home, which was checked last weekend. She also told them that a rental house, not typical for the neighborhood, had recently been vacated.

“I noticed the cars were gone,” she told The Associated Press. “It could have been nothing, it could have been coincidental, but it was a change.”

The sheriff's department has not said whether any tips from the videos have advanced the investigation.

“I'm hopeful,” said Villaseñor, the former Tucson chief. “I have seen cases where simpler and less detailed information has helped bring somebody about. Maybe someone recognizes clothing, maybe the bag. You never know what someone will key on.”

Anyone with information: (800) 225-5324; (520) 351-4900;&nbsp;<a href="https://t.co/8PjMoU17mh">http://tips.fbi.gov</a>

Sorting through tips in cases like the Nancy Guthrie mystery

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/alex-veiga">ALEX VEIGA</a> Associated Press

Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell sharply in January as higher home prices and possibly harsh winter weather kept many prospective homebuyers on the sidelines despite easing mortgage rates.

Existing home sales sank 8.4% last month from December to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.91 million units, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday. That’s the biggest monthly decline in nearly four years and the slowest annualized sales pace in more than two years.

Sales fell 4.4% compared with January last year. The latest sales figure fell short of the 4.105 million pace economists were expecting, according to FactSet.

“The decrease in sales is disappointing,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist. “The below-normal temperatures and above-normal precipitation this January make it harder than usual to assess the underlying driver of the decrease and determine if this month’s numbers are an aberration.”

Home sales slowed sharply across the Northeast, Midwest, South and West. But sales had their biggest annual and monthly drop in the West, which wasn’t as affected by last month’s winter storm as the other regions of the country. Plus, there’s usually a month or two lag between a contract signing and when the sale is finalized, so many of January’s sales reflect contracts signed late last year.

Despite the sharp drop in sales, home prices continued to climb last month. The national median sales price increased 0.9% in January from a year earlier to $396,800. Home prices have risen on an annual basis for 31 months in a row.

The U.S. housing market has been in a sales slump dating back to 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. The combination of higher mortgage rates, years of skyrocketing home prices and a chronic shortage of homes nationally following more than a decade of below-average home construction have left many aspiring homeowners priced out of the market.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/housing-home-sales-real-estate-home-prices-d14d4f80bb90d6031292d1f0c377d708">Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes remained stuck last year at 30-year lows.</a>

Sales have been hovering close to a 4-million annual pace now going back to 2023. That’s well short of the 5.2-million annual pace that’s historically been the norm.

Still, mortgage rates have been trending lower for months, which helped give home sales a boost in December and brightened the outlook for the upcoming spring home-buying season — at least for home shoppers who can afford to buy at current rates.

Many of the homes purchased last month likely went under contract in November and December, when mortgage rates eased to their lowest levels of the year.

The average rate on a 30-year mortgage briefly dropped last month to 6.06%, the lowest level since September 2022, according to mortgage buyer Freddie Mac. It has since inched higher, remaining this week at just&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-8078c72e225e45b9298e0bf3e0d2236f">above 6%</a>, but close to a percentage point lower than a year ago.

Even so, affordability remains a challenge for many aspiring homeowners, especially first-time buyers who don’t have equity from an existing home to put toward a new home purchase. They accounted for 31% of homes sales last month. Historically, they made up 40% of home sales.

“Today we have minimal foreclosures, housing wealth continues to build out, it’s just that renters who want to become homeowners are finding difficulty,” Yun said.

Uncertainty over the job market is also likely keeping many would-be buyers on the sidelines.

While the economy has been registering solid growth, the labor market has been sluggish for months.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-labor-economy-ai-layoffs-1304701fb238015de750a931c4175579">U.S. job openings fell in December</a>&nbsp;to the lowest level in more than five years. And while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-economy-unemployment-labor-c760d3f86988833bc9ccb3936d44d61b">hiring by U.S. employers was surprisingly strong in January,</a>&nbsp;government revisions reduced the number of jobs created last year to the weakest total since 2020, when the pandemic began.

The sales slowdown means more homes are staying on the market longer.

There were 1.22 million unsold homes at the end of January, down 0.8% from December and up 3.4% from January last year, NAR said. That’s still well short of the roughly 2 million homes for sale that was typical before the COVID-19 pandemic.

January’s month-end inventory translates to a 3.7-month supply at the current sales pace. Traditionally, a 5- to 6-month supply is considered a balanced market between buyers and sellers.

More homes traditionally go on the market ahead of the spring home-buying season, which could give prospective buyers a wider selection.

“Buyers will find a more favorable market as we head into spring,” said Lisa Sturtevant, chief economist at Bright MLS. “More inventory, lower rates and slower price growth will give buyers more room for negotiation.”

Why US homes sales fell sharply in January

Five individuals were federally indicted this week for their roles in an alleged $220 million nationwide fraud scheme involving purported cattle purchase contracts, according to United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.

Those indicted by a Fort Worth federal grand jury on February 11, 2026, were:

“Thousands of unwitting investors, ranchers, and others in the cattle industry nationwide were drawn in and victimized by the defendants’ multi-million dollar scheme alleged in this indictment,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould.&nbsp; “My office, in concert with our law enforcement partners, will hold these defendants accountable and pursue justice on behalf of the victims.”

“The defendants allegedly used false promises to lure prospective clients into their scheme and then misappropriated client funds to enrich themselves. One individual, Joshua Robert Link, remains a fugitive. We are asking the public to contact the FBI if they have any information regarding Link’s location,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock.

As alleged in the indictment, each of the defendants were associated with Agridime LLC, a business headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas that offered cattle sales and meat processing and retail services to the public.&nbsp; Jed Wood served as the Operations Director.&nbsp; Joshua Link served as the Executive Director.&nbsp; Tia Link served as the Marketing Director.&nbsp; Taylor Bang served as a cattle broker, and Royana Thomas served as the financial controller.

The indictment alleges that, from January 2021 through December 2023, the five defendants, acting through Agridime, perpetrated a fraud scheme in which they falsely represented to individual cattle purchasers, cattle ranchers, and feedlots that Agridime would use their funds to purchase specific individual cattle for each victim, raise the cattle, and eventually sell the meat from the same specific individual cattle for a profit.&nbsp; In reality, as the indictment charges, the defendants did not use victim funds as promised and instead used newer cattle purchaser funds to pay Agridime operating expenses, pay funds owed by Agridime to earlier cattle purchasers, pay personal expenses, and purchase real property.&nbsp;

As alleged, the defendants fraudulently collected more than $220 million from over 2,200 individual victims located throughout the United States due to fraudulent misrepresentations the defendants made in public and private advertising statements.

If convicted, the defendants face up to twenty years in federal prison on each wire fraud count for which they were indicted as well as twenty years’ imprisonment for the charged wire fraud conspiracy.&nbsp; Additionally, the defendants face up to ten years’ imprisonment for each money laundering count in which they are charged.

Tia Link and Taylor Bang appeared for arraignment before a United States Magistrate Judge in Fort Worth today.&nbsp; Both were released under pretrial supervision.&nbsp; Jed Wood and Royana Thomas are set to appear for arraignment in Fort Worth before a United States Magistrate Judge on February 25, 2026.

Joshua Robert Link remains a fugitive. The FBI requests that the public contact the FBI with any information regarding Link’s location.

FBI: Man with ties to Kansas wanted for $220 million fraud scheme

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">Morgan Chilson</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed a controversial bill that forces transgender people to use bathrooms that match their biological sex at birth, saying the poorly drafted legislation would have far-reaching consequences.

The Democratic governor now hands House Substitute for&nbsp;<a href="https://kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb244/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 244</a>&nbsp;back to a Legislature that has enough Republican votes to override her veto and put the bill into law.

The bill requires government entities to police bathrooms and other private spaces in their buildings, and levies fines against the governing body for failing to comply. It also sets up escalating penalties for individuals who use a bathroom that doesn’t match their sex at birth.

In a statement Friday, Kelly cited multiple situations that would be affected by HB 244.

“If your grandfather is in a nursing home in a shared room, as a granddaughter, you would not be able to visit him,” Kelly said. “If your sister is living in a dorm at K-State, as a brother, you would not be able to visit her in her room.”

Kelly said she vetoed the bill because of those “numerous and significant consequences.”

“I believe the Legislature should stay out of the business of telling Kansans how to go to the bathroom and instead stay focused on how to make life more affordable for Kansans,” she said.

House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, said he didn’t understand why the governor would veto a “common sense” bill.

“That’s not extreme — it’s basic clarity, truth, and dignity,” he said in a statement. “Kansans expect their laws to reflect reality and protect privacy. Instead of standing with the overwhelming majority of Kansans on this issue, the Governor chose to appease her most radical supporters at the cost of women and girls in our state.”

Senate President Ty Masterson said he was surprised to see Kelly “turn her back on women.”

“Sadly, our governor has decided she will side with they/them over simple, scientific truth,” Masterson said in a statement. “Kansans need not worry — the Kansas Senate will restore sanity, and override her veto.”

The House and Senate, through a series of procedural devices, passed SB 244 without allowing public input on the bathroom portion of the bill.

The legislation originated in the House Judiciary Committee as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2426/" target="_blank">House Bill 2426</a>, which originally dealt with gender markers on driver’s licenses and birth certificates. Despite little advance notice of the hearing on the bill, more than 200 people opposed HB 2426 through written testimony.

A week later, the committee debated the bill with no advance notice. Rep. Bob Lewis, R-Garden City, proposed an amendment to ban transgender people from using the bathroom of their choice and prohibiting anyone from taking a child older than 10 into a bathroom for the opposite sex.

In a “gut and go” move, the committee then placed HB 2426 into SB 244, which was completely unrelated. The move allowed the Senate, following passage by the House, to hold an immediate vote without a committee hearing first.

Numerous Democrats blasted the lack of transparency in the process&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/01/28/this-bill-spits-on-basic-human-decency-kansas-legislature-passes-bathroom-ban-without-hearing/">during a six-hour House debate</a>.

In a statement Friday, House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard said SB 244 was a failure of “process and priorities.”

“The bill was rushed through the Legislature without meaningful public input or debate. Beyond its flawed process, the legislation targets a small and vulnerable group of Kansans while creating sweeping and unintended consequences for communities across our state,” he said in a statement.

Like Kelly, Woodard expressed concern for the far-reaching implications of SB 244. It would affect shared hospital, nursing home, rehabilitation and treatment rooms, dorm rooms and sporting events, he said.

“This bill is bad legislation and has bad unintended consequences,” Woodard said.

Local government officials have said the bill could cost local governments&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/02/12/kansas-local-government-leaders-question-millions-in-costs-lack-of-detail-in-bathroom-bill/">millions of&nbsp; dollars to implement</a>.

Harper Seldin, a senior staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union, said the Kansas bill stands out as “particularly pernicious” and different from similar legislation that has passed across the country.

“I think this bill is particularly extreme and harmful. It’s unique in that it contains these escalating criminal penalties against individual people, as well as this private right of action,” he said. “I think also the provision regarding municipal liability is particularly harmful, because it puts the price of this kind of discrimination on local taxpayers in a way that feels deeply unjust.”

SB 244 sets an initial penalty if a local government entity doesn’t comply with the bill at $25,000, with penalties escalating to $125,000 after subsequent violations. City and county officials&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/02/12/kansas-local-government-leaders-question-millions-in-costs-lack-of-detail-in-bathroom-bill/">have expressed concern</a>&nbsp;about the bill’s lack of clarity.

Seldin said the language in the bill is confusing for parents, who must decide whether they have to leave their 10-year-old son standing alone outside the restroom if they are using the women’s room.

“This bill is particularly poorly worded and constructed in ways that are going to create confusion and anxiety, and certainly real material harm in the event it’s enforced,” he said.

Seldin said Kansas legislators, no matter their feelings about transgender people, should consider whether the bill should be passed in its current form.

“I think that’s exactly the intent of bills like this, including the poor wording, which is to create the kind of fear and uncertainty that causes trans folks to self police and over comply, even in restrooms where they are perfectly permitted to be,” Seldin said.

Although there has been a “wave” of restroom bans across the country, Seldin said it is a solution in search of a problem.

“Trans people are much more likely to be the victims of violence than than they are to be causing it,” he said. “Public restrooms are not a site of a lot of violence or harm. I think that the assumption of these bills is that trans people are unworthy to be in society, or that there’s something dangerous about us, because we don’t conform to ideas of what men and women are. But there’s no evidence to support that.”

Human Rights Campaign president Kelley Robinson said SB 244’s focus on attacking transgender people is “appalling.”

“SB 244 is about invading privacy, forcing people into the wrong bathrooms, stripping transgender Kansans of accurate IDs, and inviting government-sanctioned harassment — all pushed through using cynical procedural tricks to silence public opposition,” Robinson said in a statement. “Shameful policies like this are part and parcel of a national right-wing anti-LGBTQ+ campaign, and they don’t make anyone safer.”

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