By MIKE COURSON
 Great Bend Post

No paid agitators could be found outside the Barton County
Courthouse Saturday morning, but a small group of local residents gathered at
Lakin and Main for an anti-ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) protest, organized by Women for Kansas.

“We know what happens when you give people who are poorly
trained no boundaries,” said Pam Martin. “And you give them guns. And you let
them mask. And you don’t listen to the Constitution. We know how that goes. ICE
is just terrible right now. It wasn’t until this happened. They had boundaries,
but now they’re targeting anyone who is not white. It’s just pure racism is
what it is.”

Several hundred immigration-related protests were held
around the country in 2025. In January 2026, largely because of the pair of fatal
shootings in Minneapolis, several hundred more rallies were reported nationwide
in January.

“They’ve already killed two people who were protesting,
using their Constitutional rights,” Martin said. “We want them to be the last
two people killed over this.”

Various reports indicate 32 people died in ICE custody in
2025, more people than in the previous 20 years combined. Several house members
on the Committee of Homeland Security recently sent DHS Secretary Kristi Noem a
letter citing 53 deaths of people in ICE or Customs and Border Protection
custody since she took the role as secretary.

Last September, the U.S. Supreme Court granted the Trump
administration’s request&nbsp;to lift a temporary restraining order, which
allowed ICE to conduct “roving patrols” in California. Stephanie Pfannenstiel
said that was one reason she attended Saturday’s protest in Great Bend.

“The United States Supreme Court overturned a ruling out of
California,” she said. “The end result of that is the Supreme Court has ruled
it is okay to detain people based on race, language spoken, or the type of
employment you do.”

Pfannenstiel also expressed concern about hundreds of
alleged court-order violations by ICE agents, and the potential arrest and detainment
of immigrants attempting to attend hearings to retain their protected legal
status.

“I’m also concerned about talk from the executive branch
about using ICE as security for elections being present at polling places in
2026,” said Pfannenstiel.

Last week, Steve Bannon, a former advisor to President
Trump, said, ‘You’re damn right we’re going to have ICE surround the polls come
November.’ White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said she has not heard
the president consider the option but also did not rule it out.

Handful of Great Bend residents voice concerns over ICE at weekend protest

Roger Myers, Wild West historian, will present a program about famous cattle trade characters of the old west at the Barton County Historical Society, Monday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m.&nbsp; The program will be in the Ray Schulz Research Library at the historical village. Members will be admitted for free, others are $5 at the door. Historical Society memberships may be purchased at the door that evening or during regular business hours.

Myers, a retired cooperative general manager living south of Larned, is a graduate of Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva, with a bachelor of science degree in accounting and a minor in history. He has been studying and writing old west Kansas history for about 30 years, with articles published in&nbsp;Wild West,&nbsp;True West&nbsp;and&nbsp;Old West&nbsp;magazines and other peer-reviewed journals such as&nbsp;Wild West History Journal&nbsp;and&nbsp;Panhandle-Plains Historical Review. Myers has written a book, tentatively titled “Violence on the Plains”, covering several violent events in Kansas old west history set to be published this year by The History Press.

Myers will speak about Ham Bell, Tom Sherman, Big Nose Kate and other major players, who were in Great Bend before moving to Dodge City. He recently discovered that Bell, who later became Ford County sheriff, landed in the local jail in the 1870s.

The Barton County Historical Society is located at 85 S. Hwy. 281, Great Bend, and is open Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the winter.&nbsp; Summer hours, which include weekends begin in April.

Barton Co. Historical Society hosting cattle trade characters program on Feb. 23

Sunday Sunny, with a high near 67. North northwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Sunday Night Clear, with a low around 37.

Monday Sunny, with a high near 71. Monday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 38.

Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 57. Tuesday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30.

Wednesday Mostly cloudy, with a high near 52.

Sunday's weather

Chase Raymond Public Schools celebrates Faltysek as KSHSAA 'Spirit of Sport' winner

In 2026, the American Discovery Trail Society (ADTS) celebrates the outdoors and 250 years of our independence with the&nbsp;American Discovery&nbsp;250 Relay— a 6,800-mile journey along the entire American Discovery Trail from California to Delaware, starting in July and ending around Thanksgiving. The ADTS invites all to join in the celebration by participating for a day or more in a relay, attending one of over 100 local events, or sharing your story of personal growth and adventure. Together, we commemorate America’s past and shape our future.&nbsp;

The ADT route in Kansas is 575 miles. While on the ADT in Kansas, you will walk in the footsteps of the pioneers, the Great Plains Indian tribes, and many a western hero or bandit. You will see unique geological formations, follow rivers, view the gorgeous Flint Hills and Smoky Hills, and watch birds at the Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Refuge. Most of the route through the Sunflower State is on paved or gravel back roads. The American Discovery Trail generally follows the Santa Fe National Historic Trail for much of the way. The trail includes a 143-mile stretch from McPherson to Great Bend, then to Kinsley.

Interested participants or teams are asked to register at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://discoverytrail.org/america-250-relay">discoverytrail.org/america-250-relay</a>. Organizers will work with registrants on their relay destinations closer to the start of the event. Runners, cyclists, hikers, wheelchair users and horseback riders are all encouraged to take part. We also encourage interest from those who wish to help with logistics, welcoming events or sponsorships.

The ADTS is making the turn-by-turn route instructions and GPS tracks free to the public during the 2026 year as part of the celebrations thanks to a generous donation from Indiana Trails. To access these files, please visit:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://discoverytrail.org/route">discoverytrail.org/route</a>

About the American Discovery Trail The American Discovery Trail is the nation’s first non-motorized coast-to-coast trail. It runs for 6,800 miles through 15 states and Washington, D.C.&nbsp;The route incorporates numerous local, state, and national trails, with most of them designed for walking, hiking, and running and for bicycle and equestrian use. It connects scores of scenic and historic trails, backcountry roads, national parks and forests plus thousands of state and local properties of historic, cultural and natural significance. Users can experience their local environment, or the 23 ecosystems the trail passes through - deserts, mountains, forests, waterfronts, and plains.&nbsp;You can learn more about the ADT by visiting&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.discoverytrail.org/">www.discoverytrail.org</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Coast-to-coast relay passing through Great Bend later this year

Saturday Partly sunny, with a high near 58. Breezy, with a south wind 7 to 12 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 28 mph. Saturday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 36. South wind 8 to 11 mph becoming northwest after midnight.

Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 57.

Saturday's weather

LINCOLN COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just after 9:30p.m. Friday in Lincoln County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Chevy Camaro driven by Natina L.&nbsp;Mitchell, 28, Thedford, Nebraska, was westbound on Interstate 70 near the&nbsp;Beverly,&nbsp;Carneiro exit.&nbsp; The Camaro rear-ended a 2002 Chevy Silverado driven by Aaron M. Gray, 48, Russell.&nbsp; Both vehicles then pulled off onto the right shoulder.

EMS transported&nbsp; Gray and a passenger in the pickup Deanna J. Gray, 54, Russell, to the Ellsworth County Medical Center.&nbsp; Mitchell was not injured. All three were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Kansas couple hospitalized after I-70 rear-end crash

Great Bend Economic Development held a question-and-answer session with Great Bend Chamber members Wednesday night. Executive Director Jason Kuilan will again answer questions from the public at Dry Lake Brewing in downtown Great Bend, from 5-7 p.m. on Feb. 11. Kuilan provided the following questions and answers from Wednesday's session.&nbsp;

Q: How did the Innovation Center originate? A:&nbsp;Great Bend Economic Development has built strong partnerships with the State of Kansas through two successful initiatives. The first is the Ignite program, a Shark Tank style competition supporting entrepreneurs across Barton County, awarding up to $95,000 in startup capital and earning statewide recognition and continued sponsorship from Network Kansas. The second is Bright Beginnings, our childcare center supported by the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund, which reached near capacity in its first year and now maintains waitlists. Based on this success, the Kansas Children’s Cabinet Trust Fund invited GBED in late 2023 to apply for the Capital Projects Fund Accelerator Grant to develop a community center. Great Bend was selected as one of only 10 sites statewide. Given our entrepreneurial focus, the project evolved into what is now the Innovation Center.

Q: What is the purpose of the Innovation Center? A:&nbsp;The Innovation Center is designed to support entrepreneurship and small business development while also providing healthcare, education, workforce development, and childcare-related programming. By working alongside partners such as healthcare providers, education institutions, childcare organizations, and local businesses, the Center will serve as a shared community resource that delivers lasting economic and social impact.

Q: What is the long-term vision for the Innovation Center? A:&nbsp;The Center’s education and workforce programming is intentionally aligned with the industries that drive Barton County’s economy. These include agriculture, particularly water, soil, sustainability, and technology. Transportation (aviation, drones, automotive, and pipelines (energy) will also be a heavy focus for the center. Lastly, technology at all levels, from basic computer skills to advanced AI and machine learning will drive educational and workforce developmental opportunities for all ages. The goal is to create a space that supports learning, innovation, and workforce readiness for all ages.

Q: Why was construction paused? A:&nbsp;The project began with a $4.3 million grant from the Kansas Children’s Cabinet Trust Fund, with a total construction budget of approximately $7 million. After securing an additional $1.2 million, GBED faced a decision: delay construction and risk losing awarded funds and potentially the entire project or proceed with the project while continuing to fundraise the remaining gap. The organization chose to move forward with a focused plan and line of sight to secure the additional funding needed. Shortly thereafter, staff turnover disrupted fundraising momentum. When I began as Executive Director approximately five months later, I announced the pause in construction to stabilize the project, clarify the vision, address misinformation, and rebuild community confidence. Since then, we have launched a new website, partnered with the Golden Belt Community Foundation on fundraising, met one-on-one with businesses, and have actively shared the project’s purpose through public events and the media.

Q: How will the remaining project funding be completed? A:&nbsp;Since launching the fundraising campaign, we have secured approximately $400,000 in pledges and continue to engage businesses, individuals, and funding partners. We are confident this gap will continue to close, allowing construction to resume on time to meet all funding partner deadlines.

Q: How will the Innovation Center operate financially once complete? A:&nbsp;Operations will be supported through multiple revenue streams, including rent-paying tenants, grants, state-sponsored programs, and private partnerships. We are also working with multiple partners that can provide operational capital. Continued fundraising will allow flexibility in allocating funds appropriately while honoring all grant restrictions. Fiscal responsibility and compliance with funding terms remain a top priority.

Q: How is Great Bend Economic Development structured and governed? A:&nbsp;GBED operates with two full-time staff and is governed by a seven-member board of directors representing diverse community leadership. GBED also oversees Advancing Barton County Childcare and Great Bend Alive. Financial oversight is supported by the Golden Belt Community Foundation as fiscal sponsor, an independent accountant, legal counsel, payroll services, and multiple marketing partners, ensuring strong checks and balances.

Q: How will similar challenges be avoided in the future? A:&nbsp;The Innovation Center highlighted the need for gap funding safeguards. Moving forward, GBED will work toward establishing an independent economic development investment fund that can provide financial guarantees for community projects. This structure would allow projects to proceed on time while ensuring a safety net to complete them responsibly.

Q: What are GBED’s current priorities? A:&nbsp;Current priorities include completing Innovation Center funding, finalizing its operational plan, strengthening organizational subcommittees, continuing entrepreneurship programs such as ICE-House, Co.Starters, and Ignite, and supporting community events like Big Bend Bash and Fridays on Forest.

Q: What are the long-term priorities for Economic Development? A:&nbsp;Long-term priorities focus on sustainable, data-driven growth. While job creation and quality-of-life investments remain important, addressing housing across income levels is critical to supporting population growth and economic stability. GBED is committed to working collaboratively to ensure Barton County continues moving forward responsibly and strategically.

Q: If someone is looking to help fund the Innovation Center what should they do? A:&nbsp;Reach out and let us know! We are accepting donations that are being held at the Golden Belt Community Foundation. No funds will be released to resume construction until we have all the funds needed to complete the project. Additionally, we are offering sponsorship opportunities starting at $25K for spaces within the center and would love to discuss those opportunities on a 1on1 basis.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Great Bend Eco Devo director provides answers questions from Chamber members

Panther Sports Powered by:&nbsp;Equity Bank. Sponsored in part by:&nbsp;GB Tarp Company, Advance Truck &amp; Diesel, Keller Real Estate &amp; Insurance, Innovative Livestock Services, The Fieldhouse, Marmie Auto Group, Magna Dry Cleaning Services, Freedom Claims Management, Great Bend Rec, Rosenberg Family Dentistry, Chris Ramsey - Shelter Insurance, Mitch Haney &amp; Associates, Farmer's Bank &amp; Trust, Scott's Welding Service, Kern Floor Service, Nex-Tech, Comfort Pro, The University of Kansas Health System - Great Bend Campus, People's Bank &amp; Trust, Sutherlands, The 10th Street Eyecare Center, Stone Sand Company and Stone Waste Management, Advanced Therapy &amp; Sports Medicine, Damm Pipe Testing, Great Bend Redi Mix, Insurance Planning, Edward Jones, Delgado's Mexican Restaurant, Mpire Realty, American Plains Coop, Cody Crook - Red Cedar Land Company, GB Tires, Animal Medical Center, Barton Community College, Dr. Chad Ohnmacht DDS, &amp; Watkins Calcara Chartered.

Additional Information: Great Bend Panther fans have a new way to follow their teams this year.&nbsp; The service features a live video stream of every home and away game, complete with the familiar B1043 The Point radio play-by-play patched in. Fans will be able to watch the action live from anywhere or go back and re-watch games at their convenience.

Cost: Fans may purchase access for $10 per game or buy a $100 season pass for the entire school year. A portion of the proceeds from the video stream will be donated back to USD 428, helping support Panther students and programs.&nbsp;&nbsp;

WATCH: Panther Basketball @ Liberal TONIGHT

For nearly six decades, the Kansas Wheat recipe book has been a tradition of consumer education, with editions dating back to the mid-1960s. Produced to help families confidently prepare wheat-based foods at home, the books have evolved alongside changes in nutrition science, baking practices, and consumer tastes, while continuing their intended purpose of connecting Kansas wheat farmers with the people who use their product. That legacy is now being preserved at Hale Library, Kansas State University’s library, assuring the full catalog of this outreach effort remains available for future study and reference.

Produced by the Kansas Wheat Commission, the recipe books date back to the 1960s and have served as a trusted resource for families learning to bake with Kansas-grown wheat. Distributed nationwide, the booklets combined tested recipes with practical baking guidance and science-based nutrition information.

Over time, the publications became more than collections of recipes. They documented how wheat foods, consumer trends and nutrition messaging evolved, while maintaining a direct link between Kansas farmers and the people using their product every day.

That connection is especially visible through the work of Cindy Falk. Falk began working with the Kansas Wheat Commission in 1985 after receiving a phone call inviting her to serve as a volunteer Speak for Wheat spokesperson. Beginning in 1988, she contributed to 38 editions of the Kansas Wheat recipe booklet, continuing a tradition that dates back to 1966. Under her influence, the booklets became a widely recognized Kansas Wheat resource, distributed across Kansas and nationally to represent wheat farmers and Kansas agriculture while helping families feel confident using wheat foods at home.

Now housed within the Morse Department of Archives and Special Collections at Kansas State University, the collection shifts from a kitchen staple to a research resource. The department serves as the official repository for Kansas State University records and a center of research for cookery, Kansas history and the consumer movement. Preserving these recipe books recognizes the role agricultural communications play in forming food knowledge, consumer confidence and understanding of farming practices.

Recipe books often reflect daily life more clearly than formal reports. Ingredient substitutions, preparation tips and seasonal themes capture how families cooked, learned and gathered. For researchers, they offer insight into nutrition education, regional food culture and the communication strategies used to connect producers with consumers over decades.

By archiving the collection, Kansas State University helps safeguard a piece of Kansas agricultural history that began with wheat farmers and ended at kitchen tables across the country. What started as practical guidance for baking bread now acts as a record of how a state’s signature crop was shared, taught and trusted for generations.

﻿Learn more about Kansas wheat outreach and education at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mK593pJwThcCQ10Ygk3yQCSQYCQ9Nl3nlvBAX8gwOUCjyj-e6E6KjAKPsWB34ZzQjkt33XGS6H0DLYfAnLtf-FfdKV15PNKOdTKpbP55PLTWdrTMt95FFjiASnVEcb8322jD7gPgH3d2-PxAlCCXFQ==&amp;c=8gGoqW8izimBz_PqKnHlOozxkeecbFl-qiFn_sfHi7OEaLGv1KYM_Q==&amp;ch=tHtBZJNca8z7ifsFCMCGx4yN1rLWCv-4Wcu9AHXv2IP3mcdFJuDqPQ==">kswheat.com</a>.

Wheat Scoop: Kansas Wheat History archived by Hale Library

Every weekday in our community, a simple knock at the door means more than a hot meal for that resident in need; it means someone checked in on them, and someone cared enough to be there.

And when that knock doesn’t come — someone notices that, too, said Linn Hogg, Meals On Wheels of Barton County director. Meals On Wheels relies on local volunteers to deliver meals to homebound seniors who can’t shop or cook for themselves, and there is an urgent need for more of these caring volunteers to come forward.

“These are neighbors who have worked, raised families, paid taxes, and quietly built the community we enjoy today,” she said. “For many of them, the Meals On Wheels driver is the only person they will see all day.”

But currently, the number of seniors needing meals outpaces the number of volunteers available to deliver them, she said.

“We have current routes that need volunteers and seniors on the waiting list for routes that need to be started,” Hogg said.

“It’s easy to assume ‘someone else will do it,’” Hogg said. “But when everyone thinks that, meals sit waiting, and seniors sit alone, wondering if they were forgotten. The need doesn’t disappear but the service gap grows wider.”

Volunteering with&nbsp;Meals On Wheels of Barton County&nbsp;doesn’t require special skills or a big time commitment, she said. Routes are short and schedules are flexible.

“What matters most is being there.” she said. “If you’re able to give even an hour a week, you can make sure a neighbor eats—and knows they still matter.”

Hogg said, “the truth is simple: If we don’t deliver the meals, no one else will.”

To learn more or sign up to volunteer, contact Volunteers In Action of Central Kansas at 620-792-1614.

Barton County Meals On Wheels needs volunteers to ‘show up’

Now is the time to recognize those who go above and beyond! You can nominate a School Hero! On the fourth Tuesday of each month, Eagle Media will select a Hero to recognize! The winner will also receive $500! Nominate a School Hero is presented by: <a href="https://opikan.com/">OPI</a> (Office Products Incorporated) &amp; Golden Belt Printing.&nbsp;

Any adult who works at a school in Barton County is eligible to be nominated. Admin, Teachers, Para's, Coaches, Maintenance, Cafeteria, etc.

Nominate a School Hero! Presented by: OPI & Golden Belt Printing

Big Bend Custom Engraving, Freedom Claims Management, Great Bend Redi Mix, Francis Financial, Medial Park Pharmacy, R&amp;R Roofing, Allstaff Chartered, Miller Plastics, Rosencrants Bemis Water Well Service, Great Bend Rec, Jimlo Glass Center, Haz Mat Response

Make a Difference Contest 

A win is a win in the Jayhawk Conference, especially on the road, and the Barton Community College men's basketball team found a way Saturday afternoon at the Dennis Lesh Sports Arena, outlasting Pratt Community College 85–78 in overtime.

Barton appeared poised to take control early, building an eight-point cushion five minutes into the contest. The Beavers pulled back to tie in the ensuing minutes, but consecutive&nbsp;Blake Rucker&nbsp;and&nbsp;Brian Sullivan, Jr.&nbsp;three-pointers pushed the Cougars back in front until late in the half. After Pratt grabbed its first lead since the opening minutes with 34 seconds left,&nbsp;Sebastian Muchitsch&nbsp;answered with an old-fashioned three-point play, converting a layup with five seconds remaining before adding the go-ahead free throw to send Barton into the break leading 41–40.

Muchitsch opened the second half by knocking down back-to-back three-pointers, later helping spark another six-point burst as the Cougars rebuilt separation. Behind a balanced attack and consistent pressure, Barton eventually pushed the gap to its largest of nine at 67–58 on a&nbsp;Noah Williams&nbsp;three-pointer with 7:55 left. Pratt refused to fold, chipping away possession by possession and leaning on timely perimeter shooting to erase the deficit. Barton still clung to a 73–70 edge inside the final two minutes, but the Beavers countered with back-to-back three-pointers to swing in front 76–73 with 1:01 remaining.

Needing an answer, the Cougars got it at the rim as&nbsp;Aris Rodriguez&nbsp;finished a tying layup with 22 seconds left. Pratt had a chance to steal it in the closing seconds, but a late turnover sent the game to overtime tied 76–76.

In the extra period, Barton delivered the final blow. Trailing briefly and playing without Muchitsch after he fouled out at the 3:05 mark, the Cougars clamped down defensively and closed the final 2:54 on an 8–0 run.&nbsp;Jayden Ramirez&nbsp;knocked down a pair at the line, Williams added three more free throws in the final minute, and Rucker capped it at the stripe sealing Barton's fourth straight victory at Lesh Arena.

Barton concludes its two-game road stretch improving to 11–7 in Jayhawk Conference play and 16–8 overall. Pratt drops its fourth consecutive, falling to 3–15 in the Jayhawk and 6–17 on the season.

The Cougars put their four-game win streak to the test on Wednesday, returning home hosting Fort Hays Tech Northwest in a 7:30 p.m. tip-off on "Pink Out Night." The Tigers previously erased a 15-point deficit on December 9 in Goodland to stun the then-No. 20 Cougars, setting the stage for a timely rematch at Fleske Fieldhouse.

Muchitsch led Barton with 22 points and 11 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season, while Williams delivered an efficient 20-point, nine-rebound performance.&nbsp;Majok Chuol&nbsp;added nine points and five boards, with Rodriguez finishing with nine points and two assists, including the game-tying basket in the final minute of regulation. Ramirez also scored nine, doing much of his damage at the free throw line, while Sullivan, Jr. chipped in nine points and seven rebounds.&nbsp;Jon Byrd&nbsp;directed the offense with a team-high four assists.

Hunter Vaughn led Pratt with 20 points, Keletigui "Kele" Kane dropped 4-of-8 behind the arc in a double-double 16 points and 12 rebound effort. Held scoreless in the second half, Galvin Luketa finished with 14 points while Muna Godswill added 11 points and 7 rebounds

Barton men survive late scare to win in overtime at Pratt 

The Barton Community College women's basketball team erased a sub-par first half by owning the final nineteen minutes Saturday at the Dennis Lesh Sports Arena, rolling past host Pratt Community College 67–43.

Barton got off to a slow start, trailing by four through the opening six minutes before stringing together six straight points. Pratt closed the opening quarter with the final four points to take a 13–11 lead, but the Beavers would not score for the next five minutes. The Cougars, however, struggled to fully capitalize during the drought, managing just six points before finally finding a spark with a brief burst capped by&nbsp;Eva Clements' three-pointer as part of a 13–2 stretch.

As they did to close the first quarter, Pratt again finished the half with the final four points, trimming Barton's advantage to 24–19 at the break.

Pratt opened the third quarter with another four straight points to extend an 8–0 run before&nbsp;Regina Donanu&nbsp;stopped the stretch on a pair of free throws. The Beavers answered with a three-pointer to knot the game at 26–26 with 7:33 left in the period, but from there it was all Barton. The Cougars responded with free throws to regain the lead, then used a Donanu jumper and a&nbsp;Kodi Greer&nbsp;scoring burst to seize full control. Barton piled up a 21-point third quarter to build a 47–32 edge heading into the fourth.

Pratt never got closer than fourteen in the final period, and after the Beavers cut it to 57–43 with 3:04 remaining, Barton slammed the door by closing the contest with the game's final ten points.

The Cougars improve to 8–10 in Jayhawk Conference play and 10–14 overall, while Pratt's fourteenth straight loss drops the Beavers to 2–16 in league action and 6–17 on the season. Barton returns home Wednesday for "Pink Out Night," hosting Fort Hays Tech Northwest in a 5:30 p.m. tip-off.

Donanu posted her first collegiate double-double and flirted with a triple-double, pouring in a game-high 20 points while adding 10 rebounds and eight assists, along with a pair of steals.

Mary Akinde&nbsp;recorded her ninth double-double of the season and third straight, scoring 10 points and pulling down 11 rebounds. Greer provided a first-half spark off the bench and later helped ignite the decisive third-quarter separation, finishing with 10 points and three assists.&nbsp;Mersadie Spray&nbsp;added 10 points and six rebounds, while Clements chipped in seven points and five rebounds.&nbsp;Alaina Eck&nbsp;finished with eight points, and&nbsp;Keyona Hall&nbsp;rounded out the scoring with two points.

Kalani Brock led Pratt with 11 points as Daniella Zamora grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds with 7 points.

Barton women flip the script after halftime to pull away at Pratt

The Barton Community College baseball team put together a balanced offensive attack Saturday afternoon, closing out the opening weekend with a four-game sweep of Rose State College following a 14-1 and 18-12 doubleheader sweep at the Raider Baseball Field.

Barton's lineup combined for 32 runs on 35 hits in the twinbill, including 15 extra-base hits and 31 RBIs, as run production was spread throughout the order with five different Cougars driving in four or more runs in the series-clinching wins.

With the doubleheader sweep, the Cougars improve to 4-0 on the young season following the four-game sweep, while the Raiders drop to 0-5 on the year. Barton will have the week off before opening its home campaign Friday afternoon, hosting Allen County Community College to kickstart a four-game weekend series, with first pitch of the doubleheader slated for 1:00 p.m. at Jimmy Lawson-Danny Biggs Field.

The Cougars offense was highlighted by several standout performances over the doubleheader.&nbsp;Hayden Oviatt&nbsp;drove in a team-high nine runs while collecting two triples and a home run, while&nbsp;Rhett Winchester&nbsp;followed with six RBIs behind a home run and a pair of triples.&nbsp;Kyle Graves&nbsp;set the tone offensively, batting .700 (7-for-10) with seven hits, including a double and a triple.

Game 1 RecapBarton opened the doubleheader with a 14-1 victory over Rose State, scoring in three of the seven innings to secure the series.

The Cougars produced crooked numbers in three of the seven innings, with three runs in the third, five in the fourth, one in the sixth, and five more in the seventh before Rose State scored its lone run in the home seventh.

Offensively, Barton finished with 14 runs on 18 hits, including five extra-base hits. Five Cougars recorded three or more hits in the contest, led by Graves, perfect 4-for-4 outing at the plate. The top four hitters in the Barton lineup combined to go 12-for-17 on the afternoon.&nbsp;

Winchester paced Barton's run production with five RBIs in the contest. The freshman recorded his first collegiate home run, a two-run blast that opened the scoring in the three-run third inning, then later cleared the bases with a triple in the seventh.

Oviatt supplied a two-run triple during Barton's five-run fourth inning, while Graves closed out the scoring in the seventh with the Cougars' second triple of the frame, bringing home one of his three RBIs.&nbsp;Kyle Walker&nbsp;chipped in two RBIs, ripping a run-scoring triple in the fourth before opening the five-run seventh with an RBI single.

On the mound, Barton hurlers limited Rose State to one run on six hits. Making his collegiate debut,&nbsp;Brian Justice&nbsp;earned the win, tossing four shutout innings while allowing two hits and one walk with two strikeouts.&nbsp;Patrik Ludviks&nbsp;worked the final three innings in relief, surrendering one run as the Raiders' lone extra-base hit came on a two-out RBI double in the seventh.

Game 2 RecapBarton completed the doubleheader sweep with an 18-12 victory over Rose State in the nine-inning nightcap, using a seven-run fifth inning to regain control before adding late insurance to close out the four-game sweep.

The Cougars jumped out early with three runs in the first inning before finding themselves trailing after Rose State responded with six runs in their first turn at the plate. Battling back to within one with two more in the second, the deficit grew back to four with the Raiders producing a three-run fourth. Barton answered in the fifth, sending 11 hitters to the plate and scoring seven runs to take the lead for good.

Production remained balanced up and down the lineup in the nightcap as Barton produced 18 runs on 17 hits, with eight of the nine hitters recording a hit. Oviatt led the way with seven RBIs, highlighted by a bases-clearing triple in the fifth inning and his first home run of the season in the ninth.

Kyler Horsman&nbsp;added three RBIs, sparked by his second home run of the season launched in the first inning, while Walker drove in three runs as part of a 3-for-5 nightcap at the plate to finish the doubleheader 6-for-9 with five RBIs.

Barton extended the lead with two runs in the seventh before Rose State trimmed the margin with runs in the seventh and eighth. The Cougars closed the game in the ninth, scoring four insurance runs behind Oviatt's three-run blast and a two-out RBI double from&nbsp;JJ Spafford, his second hit of the game.

Utilizing six pitchers in the nightcap,&nbsp;Landon Ritchey&nbsp;earned the victory in relief with 2.1 scoreless innings, while&nbsp;Drew Koch&nbsp;handled the final 1.1 inning without allowing a run, striking out three.

Offensive outburst powers Barton to opening-weekend sweep of Rose State

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — It’s almost time to crown an NFL champion. After two weeks of hype and anticipation, the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks will face off in Super Bowl 60 at Levi’s Stadium. Will Drake Maye and the Patriots capture their seventh Lombardi Trophy? Or will Sam Darnold and the Seahawks earn their second? The matchup features two stingy defenses, two balanced offenses and two quarterbacks who’ve taken vastly different routes to get here. The Seahawks allowed the fewest points in the NFL and have standout players at every level. The Patriots got here because their defense has been dominant in the playoffs.

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Lindsey Vonn's pursuit of a second Olympic downhill gold medal is over. The 41-year-old American, skiing with a badly injured left knee, crashed early in Sunday's race in Italy. She was taken off the course by helicopter after receiving medical attention. Vonn lost control early in the race and was heard screaming as she was surrounded by medical personnel. Vonn returned to elite ski racing last season after a long break and was a race favorite. The crash may end her storied career. Teammate Breezy Johnson won the gold.

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — American ski racer Breezy Johnson won the Olympic downhill Sunday with a hard-charging run on a day marred by teammate Lindsey Vonn’s crash. Johnson was the sixth racer and found speed with a risk-taking trip along the iconic Olympia delle Tofana course on a sunny day in Cortina. She was in the leader’s box when Vonn, the No. 13 racer, cut a corner too close and was spun around before crashing. The race was put on hold for more than 20 minutes. The 30-year-old Johnson joins Vonn as the only American women to win the Olympic downhill. Johnson finished in 1 minute, 36.10 seconds to hold off Emma Aicher of Germany by just .04 seconds. Italy’s Sofia Goggia, the 2018 Olympic downhill winner and 2022 silver medalist, finished with the bronze.

At a difficult time for America, Super Bowl advertisers are asking viewers to take care of themselves and others — and maybe even crack a smile. Ring shows how neighbors can use their doorbell cameras to find lost pets. A Budweiser Clydesdale protects a bald eagle chick from the rain. Novartis touts a blood test that can detect prostate cancer. Toyota reminds viewers to wear their seatbelts. Two ads feature songs from Mister Rogers. Health care is a big theme, with Novo Nordisk and Ro promoting GLP-1s. And tech companies like Meta, Anthropic and Amazon are all in on AI.

MILAN (AP) — Russian figure skater Petr Gumennik has been forced to change his short program music just two days before the men's competition at the Milan Cortina Olympics. He had been using music from “Perfume: The Story of a Murderer” but discovered he lacked the proper permissions. With limited time, he couldn't get clearance for his previous season's music from “Dune” and switched to “Waltz 1805” by Edgar Hakobyan. The men's competition begins Tuesday. Copyright issues have become a significant problem in figure skating after the International Skating Union relaxed its rules in 2014, allowing more modern music. Several problems have occurred in the first week of the Milan Cortina Olympics.

LIVIGNO, Italy (AP) — Ester Ledecka’s quest to become the first snowboarder to win gold medals in three straight Olympics came to a surprisingly early end. She lost her quarterfinal race in the sport’s parallel giant slalom by 0.06 seconds to Austria’s Sabine Payer. The 30-year-old Ledecka was a big favorite for gold. She hadn’t lost a PGS World Cup race in almost two years and hadn’t missed a podium in five. Ledecka made history in 2018 when she became the first athlete to win both a snowboard race and one on skis at the same Olympics.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — The New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks have defied the odds by reaching the Super Bowl after aggressive free agency spending. The Patriots spent more than $364 million, securing key players like Milton Williams and Stefon Diggs. General Manager Eliot Wolf emphasized a culture shift and intentional player selection. The Seahawks, spending more than $205 million, signed quarterback Sam Darnold and made strategic draft picks, bolstered by trades. Coach Mike Macdonald praised the balance of the draft and free agency. While free agency fueled success, both teams acknowledge it’s not a guaranteed strategy for future seasons.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Duke coach Jon Scheyer said he had staff members “that got punched in the face” as North Carolina fans stormed the court to celebrate a late winning shot in the famed rivalry Saturday night. That prompted UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham to publicly apologize. Cunningham said one person was injured amid the chaos but didn't offer details as to who or how. UNC beat rival Duke 71-68 on Seth Trimble's 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left.

CHICAGO (AP) — Nikola Jokic earned another game ball from his Denver Nuggets teammates after achieving another triple-double. He records 22 points, 17 assists, and 14 rebounds, surpassing Oscar Robertson for No. 2 on the NBA's career list with his 182nd regular-season triple-double. This performance leads the Nuggets to a 136-120 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night. Jokic, a three-time NBA MVP, is making his mark, trailing only Russell Westbrook on the career list. Nuggets coach David Adelman praises Jokic's unique skills, while teammate Jamal Murray expects even more record-breaking performances from him.

ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Falcons rookie star James Pearce Jr. was arrested near Miami on Saturday night after fleeing officers and then crashing his car following what police said was a domestic dispute with WNBA player Rickea Jackson. Pearce, the first-round pick who led the Falcons in sacks and was third in NFL defensive rookie of the year voting, was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center after Doral police were summoned to investigate a reported domestic dispute. According to jail records, Pearce is facing charges of two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon as well as aggravated stalking and fleeing or eluding police with lights or siren. Bond was not immediately set on all the charges. Jackson plays for the Los Angeles Sparks.

Final	(10)Michigan State	85	(5)Illinois	82	

Final	(21)Arkansas	88	Mississippi State	68	

Sunday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

Jayhawk Conference Men's Standings Team&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; CONF&nbsp; &nbsp;ALL Butler&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 12-5&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;16-7 Independence&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 12-6&nbsp; &nbsp; 14-9 Dodge City&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 11-6&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 15-8 Seward County&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 11-6&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;16-7 Barton&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 11-7&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;16-8 Cowley&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 10-7&nbsp; &nbsp; 15-8 Garden City&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;10-7&nbsp; &nbsp; 15-8 Coffeyville&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;9-9&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;15-9 Cloud County&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;8-9&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;13-10 Fort Hays Tech&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 7-9&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;11-10 Hutchinson&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;5-13&nbsp; &nbsp;10-14 Colby&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;3-15&nbsp; &nbsp; 5-19 Pratt&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 3-15&nbsp; &nbsp; 6-17 Saturday, February 7 Barton 85, Pratt 78 OT Coffeyville 98, Dodge City86 Cloud County 90, Colby 70 Garden City 102, Independence 91 Cowley 63, Hutchinson 60 Sunday, February 8 Seward County @ Fort Hays Tech Monday, February 9 Air Force Prep @ Fort Hays Tech Wednesday, February 11 Fort Hays Tech @ Barton Cowley @ Pratt Butler @ Independence Cloud County @ Coffeyville Dodge City @ Hutchinson Garden City @ Seward County Saturday, February 14 Barton @ Garden City Coffeyville @ Colby Pratt @ Dodge City Hutchinson @ Cloud County Seward County @ Butler Independence @ Neosho County Sunday, February 15 Cowley @ Fort Hays Tech&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Jayhawk Men's Standings, Scores, Schedule

Jayhawk Conference Women's Standings Team&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; CONF&nbsp; &nbsp; ALL Butler&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 16-1&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;22-1 Dodge City&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 15-2&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;20-2 Hutchinson&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;14-4&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 19-5 Coffeyville&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;12-6&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 18-6 Seward County&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 10-7&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 15-8 Garden City&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;10-7&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 15-7 Colby&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;10-8&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 13-11 Barton&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 8-10&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 10-14 Cowley&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 6-11&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 10-13 Cloud County&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;6-11&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;10-12 Fort Hays Tech&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 2-14&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;2-20 Pratt&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 2-16&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;6-17 Independence&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 2-16&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 5-19 Saturday, February 7 Barton 67, Pratt 43 Dodge City 94, Coffeyville 68 Cloud County 64, Colby 47 Garden City 93, Independence 43 Hutchinson 75, Cowley 50 Sunday, February 8 Seward County @ Fort Hays Tech Wednesday, February 11 Fort Hays Tech @ Barton Cowley @ Pratt Butler @ Independence Cloud County @ Coffeyville Dodge City @ Hutchinson Garden City @ Seward County Saturday, February 14 Barton @ Garden City Coffeyville @ Colby Pratt @ Dodge City Hutchinson @ Cloud County Seward County @ Butler Sunday, February 15 Cowley @ Fort Hays Tech &nbsp;

Jayhawk Women's Standings, Scores, Schedule

Saturday, February 7 @ Ness City Macksville Girls 47, Ness City 20 Ellinwood Boys 61, Macksville 33 Victoria Girls 2, Chase 0 FORFEIT Otis-Bison Boys 71, Chase 11 Monday, February 9 @ Ness City 6:30 Girls 9th Place - Ness City vs Chase&nbsp; 8:00 Boys 9th Place - Macksville vs Chase&nbsp; Tuesday, February 10 @ Offerle 3:00 #1 Ellinwood Girls vs Macksville 4:30 #1 Central Plains Boys vs Ellinwood 6:00 #2 Central Plains Girls&nbsp;Victoria 7:30 #3 Lacrosse Boys vs #6 Ness City Tuesday, February 10 @ Kinsley 3:00 #3 St. John Girls vs Otis-Bison 4:30 #2 St. John Boys vs&nbsp;Otis-Bison 6:00 #4 Kinsley Girls vs #5 Lacrosse 7:30 #4 Victoria vs #5 Kinsley Thursday, February 12 (Consolation Bracket @ Offerle) 3:00 Ellinwood Girls/TBA loser vs Kinsley/Lacrosse loser 4:30 Central Plains Boys/TBA loser vs Victoria/Kinsley loser 6:00 Central Plains Girls/TBA loser vs St. John/Otis-Bison loser 7:30 St. John Boys/TBA loser vs LaCrosse/Ness City loser Thursday, February 12 (Championship Bracket @ Kinsley) 3:00 Ellinwood Girls/TBA winner vs Kinsley/Lacrosse winner 4:30 Central Plains Boys/TBA winner vs Victoria/Kinsley winner 6:00 Central Plains Girls/TBA winner vs St. John/Otis-Bison winner 7:30 St. John Boys/TBA winner vs LaCrosse/Ness City winner Friday, February 13&nbsp;(Consolation Bracket @ Offerle) 3:00 Girls 7th Place Game 4:30 Boys 7th Place Game 6:00 Girls 5th Place Game 7:30 Boys 5th Place Game Friday, February 13&nbsp;(Championship Bracket @ Kinsley) 3:00 Girls 3rd Place Game 4:30 Boys 3rd Place Game 6:00 Girls Championship 7:30 Boys Championship

Central Prairie League Tournament Scores & Schedule

Sunday, February 8 11:30AM 1590/95.5FM - NBA Basketball - NY Knicks @ Boston Monday, February 9 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day 7:30PM Hits 106.9 - Jayhawk Basketball - Arizona @ Kansas Tuesday, February 10 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day 5:45PM B104- H.S. Basketball - Dodge City G&amp;B @ Great Bend 5:45PM KHOK - H.S. Basketball - Haven G&amp;B @ Hoisington 5:45PM Hits 106.9 - H.S. Basketball - Larned G&amp;B @ Scott City Wednesday, February 11 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day 1:45PM B104 - Cougar Basketball - Fort Hays Tech W&amp;M @ Barton Thursday, February 12 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day Friday, February 13 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day 5:45PM B104- H.S. Basketball - Garden City G&amp;B @ Great Bend 5:45PM KHOK - H.S. Basketball - Hoisington G&amp;B @ Nickerson 5:45PM Hits 106.9 - H.S. Basketball - Pratt G&amp;B @ Larned 8:00PM 1590/95.5FM - NBA Rising Stars All-Star Game Saturday, February 14 11:30AM Hits 106.9 - Jayhawk Basketball - Kansas @ Iowa St.&nbsp;(KU Network) 11:30AM 1590/95.5FM - College Basketball - Kansas @ Iowa State (ESPN) 1:45PM KHOK -&nbsp;H.S. Basketball - Ellsworth G&amp;B @ Hoisington 1:45PM B104 - Cougar Basketball - Barton W&amp;M @ Garden City 4:00PM 1590/95.5FM - NBA All Star Saturday Night Sunday, February 15 3:00PM 1590/95.5FM - NBA All Star Game Monday, February 16 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day Tuesday, February 17 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day 5:45PM B104- H.S. Basketball - Liberal G&amp;B @ Great Bend 5:45PM KHOK - H.S. Basketball - Hillsboro G&amp;B @ Hoisington 5:45PM Hits 106.9 - H.S. Basketball - Haven G&amp;B @ Larned&nbsp;&nbsp; Wednesday, February 18 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day 5:15PM B104 - Cougar Basketball - Barton W&amp;M @ Butler 7:30PM Hits 106.9 - Jayhawk Basketball - Kansas @ Oklahoma St.&nbsp;

Eagle Radio and Hull Broadcasting PBP Schedule

Barton Men 85 Pratt 78; Barton Women 67 Pratt 43

BARTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE BASKETBALL ON B104 3 THE POINT SPONSORED BY... THE COUGAR BOOSTER CLUB, NEXTECH @ 10TH &amp; GRANT, JIMLO GLASS CENTER, FREEDOM CLAIMS MANAGEMENT, VENTURE CORPORATION, NEX-TECH WIRELESS, KANSAS FISHING TOOL, MPIRE HOME IMPROVEMENTS DAMM PIPE TESTING, IDENTIFICATIONS COMPANY, THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS HEALTH SYSTEM - GREAT BEND CAMPUS, MARMIE AUTO GROUP, AND THE 10TH STREET EYECARE CENTER

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Xavier Edmonds scored a career-high 26 points and his six unanswered points down the stretch lifted TCU over Kansas State 84-82 on Saturday.

Edmonds made the tying and go-ahead free throws for an 83-82 lead with six seconds left, capping a rally from a five-point deficit in the final minute and a half. He had two free throws with 1:10 remaining and his dunk with 35 seconds left had made it a one-point game.

An alley-oop dunk by Khamari McGriff gave Kansas State an 82-77 lead with 1 1/2 minutes to go. The Wildcats, who did not score again, had turnovers on their three remaining possessions.

Micah Robinson made one of two free throws with two seconds left for the final margin.

Edmonds made nine of 10 shots, seven of 13 free throws and grabbed 10 rebounds for his fifth consecutive double-double. Robinson scored 16 points, David Punch 14 and Jayden Pierre 10 for the Horned Frogs (14-9, 4-6 Big 12).

PJ Haggerty scored 30, Marcus Johnson 15, Nate Johnson 13 with 11 rebounds, and David Castillo 11 for K-State (10-13, 1-10).

Marcus Johnson connected on his first four 3-point attempts and the Wildcats jumped out to a 29-14 lead. Later in the half, TCU rallied with a 15-2 run and K-State led 46-42 at halftime.

Eight consecutive points from Haggerty turned a three-point K-State lead into a 64-53 advantage eight minutes into the second half. The Wildcats still had a double-digit lead — 78-68 — with 5 1/2 minutes remaining.

TCU has a four-game winning streak in the series.

TCU: The Horned Frogs host No. 7 Iowa State on Tuesday.

Kansas State: The Wildcats return home to play Cincinnati on Wednesday.

TCU rallies late to beat Kansas State 84-82

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/ken-sweet">KEN SWEET</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/cora-lewis">CORA LEWIS</a>

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Rent can eat up an entire paycheck at the start of the month, so a growing number of renters are turning to a financial product that promises relief by letting them split the bill — for a price.

So-called “rent now, pay later” services have emerged over the past few years as&nbsp;<a href="https://f5411012e10fa78d0257c137e60c1be3/" target="_blank">housing costs climb</a>&nbsp;and paychecks grow less predictable, particularly for lower-income and gig-economy workers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, rents have jumped nearly 28% in past five years.

Companies such as Flex, Livble and, more recently, Affirm, say breaking rent into multiple payments can help renters manage cash flow. But consumer advocates warn the products typically function like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/buy-now-pay-later-missed-payments-regulation-f7fd30f2a0e900460919fad76a1e0dbf">short-term loans</a>, layering fees onto already strained budgets and, in some cases, carrying triple-digit effective interest rates — raising questions about whether they ease financial pressure or deepen it.

Kellen Johnson, 44, started using Flex to split up his rent payments about two years ago. Instead of paying the whole $1,850 of his rent on the first of the month, Johnson would pay $1,350 on that date, and $500 on the 15th. For the service, Flex collected a $14.99 monthly subscription fee, as well as 1% of the total rent, which for Johnson was $18.50, bringing his monthly charges for the app to more than $33.

Johnson said he was willing to pay the extra costs in part because he worked as an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/work-side-jobs-security-salaries-layoffs-df229576002b9b99cf4149b3978e937c">independently contracted delivery person</a>&nbsp;for Amazon at the time, and his paychecks could vary.

“It was an expense that I was incurring, but I went ahead as it was more convenient,” said Johnson, who now works as a driver for senior citizens in Sacramento, California.

Roughly 109 million Americans, or about 42.5 million households, are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/realpage-doj-lawsuit-settlement-rent-data-4d8985a50c28b6322b8f82a2fbb5c79e">renters in the United States</a>. The Census Bureau estimated in 2024 that a large share of those households pay 30% or more of their monthly income on rent. The bureau considers such households to be “cost burdened,” meaning rent consumes so much of their income that they have less ability to plan for future expenses or build wealth.

Rent now, pay later services generally operate the same way: The company pays the landlord the full rent when due, and the renter repays the company in two or more installments over the course of the month. Because rent can be such a large expense, the companies argue that spreading payments out can give renters more cash on hand.

Many of these services&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/buy-now-pay-later-debt-holidays-0bb6006ddf14077ee5ae83fd43486923">come with fees</a>. The fees can be structured differently but should be generally thought of as cost of credit, consumer advocates warn. In Johnson’s case, he was paying $33.49 for a two-week loan of $500, for an effective annual percentage rate of 172%, when expressed using standard consumer-lending calculations.

“Renters should be skeptical of any financing providers that have partnered with a landlord and be skeptical of anything that sells itself as no fees or no interest,” said Mike Pierce, executive director of Protect Borrowers. Pierce previously worked at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Launched in 2019, Flex is one of the largest companies focused on splitting rent payments. The company says its 1.5 million customers now send about $2 billion a month in rent through its system, and several of the country’s largest landlords accept Flex as a payment option.

Flex says most of its customers are lower-income renters with weaker credit profiles. The company reports a median credit score of 604 among its users and says about one in three customers works more than one job to make ends meet. A Flex spokesman says the average customer uses the service three to four times a year. Johnson used it every month.

Livble does not charge a subscription, but charges renters a fee ranging from $30 to $40, according to the company’s help page. Depending on how long the renter defers part of the payment, Livble’s fees can translate into effective annual percentage rates of roughly 104% to 139%.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/buy-now-pay-later-loans-installments-02852578a991fb0d31879acd0b687e0d">buy now, pay later</a>&nbsp;company Affirm said this month that it is piloting a program allowing some customers to split rent into two payments. The program is being tested in partnership with Esusu, a company that reports rent payments to credit bureaus to help consumers build credit. An Affirm spokesman said the company is not charging renters interest or fees to use the product, but may charge landlords fees. However, to access the Affirm service, renters must subscribe to Esusu Plus or Premium, which cost $35 and $50 a month, respectively.

As another financing option, landlords are increasingly accepting credit cards for rent payments. Bilt, a credit card startup, built its brand around targeting renters when it launched, and some tenants also use credit cards to accumulate rewards or points.

But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/credit-card-default-51f76dea3666e9b2d95156b47c8092cd">paying rent by credit card</a>&nbsp;can also be costly. Landlords typically pass the processing fees on to tenants. Depending on the card issuer and payment network, these fees can range from about 2.5% to 3.5% of the rent. For a renter paying $1,500 a month, that translates to roughly $37.50 to $52.50 in fees — a monthly cost comparable to what services like Livble and Flex charge.

Economists and renters’ advocates argue that none of these financing options address the fundamental issue of affordability in the rental market. If credit cards, or flexible rent payment options become more widely used, they worry rents could rise further as landlords start factoring in a potential renters’ weekly cash flow as opposed to the rental market in the area the building is located in.

Merchants already pass along credit card processing costs to customers in the form of higher prices, and advocates worry that the rental market could adopt similar patterns. For example, Livble is owned by RealPage, which last year settled allegations that its algorithm allowed landlords to collude and push rents higher.

Economics Writer Christopher Rugaber contributed from Washington.

Renters use 'rent now, pay later' services to manage monthly payments, but fees raise concerns

NEW YORK (AP) — The Trump administration on Thursday launched TrumpRx, a website it says will help patients buy prescription drugs directly at a discounted rate at a time when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/poll-government-priorities-health-care-costs-trump-9426742bd09273ec9b67c7321dae8a02">health care</a>&nbsp;and the cost of living are growing concerns for Americans.

<a href="https://trumprx.gov/">Click here to visit the TrumpRx website</a>

“You’re going to save a fortune,” President Donald Trump said at the site’s unveiling. “And this is also so good for overall health care.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://trumprx.gov/">government-hosted website</a>&nbsp;is not a platform for buying medications. Instead, it's set up as a facilitator, pointing Americans to drugmakers’ direct-to-consumer websites, where they can make purchases. It also provides coupons to use at pharmacies. The site launches with over 40 medications, including weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy.

The site is part of a larger effort by the Trump administration to show it's tacking the challenges of high costs. Affordability has emerged as a political vulnerability for Trump and his Republican allies going into November's midterm elections, as Americans remain concerned about the cost of housing, groceries, utilities and other staples of middle-class identity.

Trump stressed that the lower prices were made possible by his pressuring of pharmaceutical companies on prices, saying he demanded that they charge the same costs in the U.S. as in other nations. He said prescription drug costs will increase in foreign countries as a result.

“We're tired of subsidizing the world,” Trump said at the event on the White House campus that lasted roughly 20 minutes.

The president first teased TrumpRx in September while announcing the first of his more than 15&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prescription-drug-costs-medicaid-pfizer-trump-8a8412352bbba708b3c0ee7dbe4ccefb">deals with pharmaceutical companies</a>&nbsp;to lower drug prices to match the lowest price offered in other developed nations. He said in December the website would provide “massive discounts to all consumers" — though it's unclear whether the prices available on drugmakers' websites will routinely be any lower than what many consumers could get through their insurance coverage.

The website's Thursday release came after it faced multiple delays, for reasons the administration hasn't publicly shared. Last fall, Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, told Trump the site would share prices for consumers before the end of the year. An expected launch in late January was also pushed back.

The president has spent the past several months seeking to spotlight his efforts to lower drug prices for Americans. He’s done that through deals with major pharmaceutical companies, including some of the biggest drugmakers like Pfizer, Eli Lilly and Merck, which have agreed to lower prices of their Medicaid drugs to so-called “most favored nations” pricing. As part of the deals, many of the companies' new drugs are also to be launched at discounted rates for consumer markets through TrumpRx.

Many of the details of Trump's deals with manufacturers remain unclear, and drug prices for patients in the U.S. can depend on many factors, including the competition a treatment faces and insurance coverage. Most people have coverage through work, the individual insurance market or government programs like Medicaid and Medicare, which shield them from much of the cost.

Trump’s administration also has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medicare-drug-prices-negotiation-trump-ozempic-wegovy-53602fe0b5b7800030c475c3a5f34c3c">negotiated lower prices</a>&nbsp;for several prescription drugs for Medicare enrollees, through a direct negotiation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medicare-drug-pricing-program-trump-negotiations-d4753de72caf3acd3d7a5f4e7c2fe7c6">program</a>&nbsp;created by a 2022 law.

Government's new TrumpRx website for prescription drugs at a discount

SEDGWICK COUNTY&nbsp;— A suspect accused in the deadly shooting of a Dodge City man was back in court on Friday.

&nbsp;Ricardo Talavera, 41,  pleaded no contest&nbsp; involuntary manslaughter and interference with a law enforcement office in the death of 49-year-old Ruben Parga-Quintanar during a hearing in Judge Kathleen Watson's courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just before 9a.m. August 1, officers and Wichita Fire Department crews responded to a report of a man down near the entrance to an alley in the 2400 block of North Jeanette in Wichita, according to a media release. When fire personnel arrived, they found Parga-Quintanar with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 8:53 a.m.

Early findings in the investigation suggested Parga-Quintanar was shot elsewhere and collapsed after fleeing on a bicycle. As the case progressed, detectives determined he was shot in the alley and then collapsed nearby.

Investigators identified Talavera as a suspect and served a search warrant at his home.&nbsp; On August 6, police arrested him and booked him into the Sedgwick County Jail.&nbsp; He remains jailed on a&nbsp;$1,000,000.00 bond and will be sentenced in March, according to the district attorney's office.

Suspect enters plea in death of SW Kansas man

Bill voids decades of regulatory decisions amid concern about investigatory process

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">Tim Carpenter</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 — Lacey Grogan, Joshua Conner and Melissa Vaughn recounted traumatic nursing regulatory experiences in Kansas House testimony supporting an extraordinary bill written to force administrative changes at the Kansas State Board of Nursing.

The bill, if signed into law, would void state Board of Nursing disciplinary actions executed between Jan. 1, 2005, and July 1, 2026, including cases of licensure renewal and unprofessional conduct. Documents in the deleted cases would be sealed from the Kansas Open Records Act. Steps would be taken to remove from national databases information on nurses sanctioned by the Board of Nursing during the period.

A revised definition of unprofessional conduct for nurses — intended to rein in the Board of Nursing — would be retroactively applied to 2025. The definition would focus on alleged misconduct performed intentionally or carelessly but no longer include issues related to failure to timely renewal of a license.

In addition, the Board of Nursing would be required to adhere to a higher standard of proof in nurse disciplinary cases. It would shift from a preponderance of evidence to the more rigorous clear and convincing evidence.

Appointees of the Kansas governor to the Board of Nursing would undergo Senate confirmation. No member of the Legislature or the attorney general or a governor could serve on the board.

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/documents/fisc_note_hb2528_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">House Bill 2528 would make a series of other changes</a>&nbsp;at the Board of Nursing applicable to the 74,000 nursing professionals licensed in Kansas.

The House Health and Human Services Committee gathered testimony Thursday from critics and champions of the Board of Nursing. The&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/08/07/kansas-legislators-alarmed-nurses-suffer-draconian-penalty-for-license-renewal-errors/">Board of Nursing came under intense scrutiny by the Legislature in&nbsp;</a>mid-2025 as allegations of regulatory abuse became public.

Grogan, a registered nurse for 20 years who lives in St. Francis, told legislators she welcomed change at the Board of Nursing. While working at an understaffed rural Kansas hospital, Grogan said, she complied with professional standards by reporting a patient fall. The hospital’s administration retaliated by filing complaints against her with the Board of Nursing. Two were promptly dismissed, she said, but a third “lacking substantiated evidence was nevertheless pursued” by the Board of Nursing.

“I was denied a meaningful opportunity to speak on my own behalf without legal representation, pressured into signing a consent agreement for conduct I did not commit and ultimately fined and stripped of my nursing license,” Grogan said. “My name was included in a disciplinary mailer distributed to nurses statewide. Once reported to the national database, my licensure was called into question in nearly every other state where I held licensure.”

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