--JUNCTION CITY, Kan.&nbsp;–Due to the extreme cold temperatures in the area and for the safety of our students and staff, Geary County Schools USD 475 will remain closed on Thursday, Feb. 20. All athletic and after-school activities have been canceled.

Stay safe and warm. We can’t wait to see our students and staff back in our schools on Friday, Feb. 21. USD 475 will continue to monitor the weather and will notify parents of any school closings or changes.

--USD 475 Board of Education meeting scheduled at 6 p.m. Thursday has been canceled.

--USD 383 Manhattan - Ogden Schools will be on a 2-hour delay for Thursday, February 20. Bus routes will begin 2 hours later than normal route time.

Middle and high schools: School day begins at 9:40 a.m. (instead of 7:40 a.m.). School dismissal time is the same - 2:50 p.m.

Elementary schools: School day begins at 10:45 a.m. (instead of 8:45 a.m.). School dismissal time is the same - 3:45 p.m.

Early Learning: Morning session will be canceled. Afternoon session will continue as normal. If students are there for full day sessions, the start time will be 10:40 a.m. School dismissal time is the same - 3:40 p.m.

--&nbsp;Due to extremely cold temperatures, St. Francis Xavier School in Junction City will be delayed 2 hours tomorrow, February 20th. Doors will open at 9:50, and school will begin at 10:20.

-- USD 473 Chapman will have a two-hour delay. All busses will run two hours late, and school will begin at 10:00 a.m.&nbsp;

--Abilene Schools will begin two-hours later than normal tomorrow, Thursday, February 20, 2025.

--USD 323 Rock Creek will open two hours late on Thursday

--USD 320 Wamego delayed two hours. No AM preschool

--Geary County Senior Center closed Thursday

--USD 378 Riley County will start two hours late

--USD 379 Clay County opening two hours late

Postponements and Cancellations, Thursday, Feb. 20 

Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.

Geary County Booking Photos Feb. 20 

A public hearing will be conducted at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, to consider changes to the administrative regulations relating to meat and poultry inspection. The hearing will be held in person at the Kansas Department of Agriculture at 1320 Research Park Dr. in Manhattan, as well as via video conferencing system.

KDA is proposing amendments to two regulations and the revocation of one existing regulation for the administration of the Kansas Meat and Poultry Inspection Act, K.S.A. 65-6a18,&nbsp;et seq. These proposed changes will incorporate the currently adopted federal code sections into a single, complete document that will allow the state meat and poultry inspection program’s regulatory scheme to remain at least equal to that of the federal inspection program.

A copy of the proposed regulation changes, as well as an expanded notice of public hearing, may be accessed on the KDA website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.agriculture.ks.gov/PublicComment">agriculture.ks.gov/PublicComment</a>. Anyone desiring to participate via video conference must pre-register to be provided with a video link; the registration is available in the notice of public hearing. Written comments can be submitted prior to the hearing on KDA’s public comment web page, or sent by email to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Ronda.Hutton@ks.gov">Ronda.Hutton@ks.gov</a>&nbsp;or by mail to the Kansas Department of Agriculture, Attn: Ronda Hutton, 1320 Research Park Dr., Manhattan, KS, 66502.

Hearing for proposed changes to meat and poultry inspection regulations

<a href="mailto:melgares@ksu.edu" target="_blank">By Pat Melgares</a> K-State Research and Extension&nbsp;

MANHATTAN, Kan. – An idea spawned at Kansas State University to support rural grocery stores in transition to new ownership has grown into a network of resource providers in 11 states.

Clara Misenhelter, a program manager with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ruralgrocery.org/">K-State’s Rural Grocery Initiative</a>, credits an online course for helping to address a growing concern in rural communities.

“In 2021, the Rural Grocery Initiative surveyed rural Kansas grocers and found that nearly 1 in 4 planned to retire within five years,” Misenhelter said. “Of those, the vast majority – 73% – did not have a plan for how store ownership would transition after their retirement.”

Beginning last year, the Rural Grocery Initiative hosted an online course to train those already working in rural communities with a baseline knowledge around what it takes to successfully transition a rural grocery store.

In 2024, 19 students in 11 states – Kansas included – completed the course, according to Misenhelter.

“Supporting grocery store owners through times of transition is critical to ensuring that rural communities retain access to their local grocery stores,” Misenhelter said.

Between 2008 and 2018, 1 in 5 Kansas grocery stores closed, a trend that Misenhelter said is also seen across the United States.

“Rural grocery stores are critical infrastructure in rural communities,” Misenhelter said. “Locally owned grocery stores contribute to their community’s health, economy and society. Keeping these stores open is critical.”

The online course is designed for extension professionals, community economic developers and others who provide resources and support to rural grocery stores across the country. Misenhelter said classes address such topics as building relationships with grocery store owners and managers; transition planning; business valuation; and other tools to support rural grocery stores.

“The assignments in the course are intentionally designed to have real-world applications,” she said.

More information, including how to sign up for a future course,&nbsp;<a href="https://ruralgrocery.org/specialist">is available online</a>&nbsp;from the Rural Grocery Initiative.

K-State online course aids efforts to keep rural grocery stores open

Fort Riley and the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/1stInfantryDivision?__cft__[0]=AZXcsULwgYe_a4GGwjTfnW7M8Khzu3nK9BC5okDHOT6vbxwiKw7yBDQ54R2fi-8epwVKKRow_8icr9EDFA2cEK88eRnFOzZHfgbChFpUh-kfOj8tl-mauBcjtlR4TII0pbE8FsvsYvLA58DA6b83cQbY-U5d76QRdpkeI3U0ZDZpTRKpbS68EO17GTMTZa1fAYDtRVX-X8V3T3Bkh_4dN8ni&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">1st Infantry Division</a> will resume normal operations Thursday, February 20, 2025. Installation agencies, services, facilities and gates will operate on regular weekday schedules&nbsp;&nbsp;

Fort Riley returns to normal operations Thursday

JUNCTION CITY, Kan.&nbsp;– Students throughout Geary County Schools USD 475 are being taught by some of the best and brightest teachers in the state of Kansas.&nbsp;

At Junction City High School this is truly seen as the Blue Jays are blessed to have two published authors on staff in Megan Munger and David Mealing. Munger currently teachers English IV and English I and II Composition, while Mealing oversees English III, as well as AP Language and Composition.&nbsp;

Munger, who is currently in her third-year teaching in USD 475 and is a Pittsburg native, has based most of her writing in autobiography and has been a prolific journal writer since she was a teenager. She began writing poetry in high school, but it wasn’t until she began working on her master’s at Pittsburg State University that Munger really began to dive deep into poetry writing and began thinking that her work could actually be published. Through a little encouragement by her professors at Pitt State, she was able to see her dream become a reality.&nbsp;“I've only been seriously submitting poetry for the last year or so as I'm working on my second master's through Pacific University. 

This Master of Fine Arts in Writing program is low residency, meaning it's mostly correspondence and online, but I also spend about two weeks twice a year studying in Oregon. I've gained more confidence in my writing, and I sent out 100 poems last year for the first time ever. I also have a manuscript-in-progress that was born out of the poetry that I wrote during my first master's at Pitt State, so I keep revising and sending that out to publishers as well. Currently, I have about a dozen poems published or forthcoming. They are published in literary magazines and journals. Some are online, and some are in print,” said Munger.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

By seeing her writing published in different magazines and journals, Munger has truly been able to inspire her students, daily.&nbsp;“I'm a full-time student and full-time English teacher, which is a delicate balance for me, but also a great way to model the importance of self-discipline and self-care for my students. I value vulnerability and honesty in my classroom above all else, and all good writing has those two qualities,” said Munger. “I also try to foster the understanding that good writing requires a lot of work, but it's worth it because of what it can teach you about yourself in the process. Bravery and courage are only developed through doing difficult things, and writing well is one of many difficult but worthwhile tasks they will do in their lives. Publishing has taught me more about revision and rejection than anything else has, so I try to use my experiences as honest examples with my students. Mostly, I hope that my love for school and writing inspires them to do well and to confidently love what they love.”

Like Munger, Mealing, who began working in USD 475 in 2024 following winter break and is originally from a surf town in San Clemente, Calif., shares the same love for teaching. He is in his first year as a licensed teacher thanks to Kansas State University’s MAT program, which offers a one-year path to teaching program. He has been a storyteller and reader his whole life.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Most of my early storytelling experience came from being a DM for pen and paper roleplaying games. I playedDungeonsand Dragons since I was five years old, but I never attempted to write anything more than an academic essay for college or high school until I started writing my first novel, Soul of the World,” said Mealing.&nbsp;So far Mealing has published three epic fantasy novels in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. 

His first book that he had published was translated into German, while all three have been published in Polish. His first novel, Soul of the World, was published in English in 2016, while the second, Blood of the Gods, in 2018, and the third, Chains of the Earth, in 2023. All three are part of The Ascension Cycle trilogy and have been sold to publishers all over the world.“The series started during a week-long vacation to the big island of Hawaii with my wife. I’d brought a copy of Brandon Sanderson’s newly released Words of Radiance to read, and I did, all 1,000 pages, cover to cover, in a week,” said Mealing. “The whole time I was reading it I was thinking to myself, why am I not writing books like this? And so, I started writing. I wrote the first two chapters in our rented beach house, kept working on the plane, and never stopped until I had a completed first draft of Soul of the World nine months later.”

Through his writing, Mealing has not only been able to impact and connect with his students, daily, but also inspire them to reach towards their dreams and have goals following life after their time in the hallways of JCHS is done. He keeps a physical copy of each of his books in his classroom to do just that.&nbsp;“Having my name on physical books adds an air of authority to what I say about writing, but it is also a conversation starter with my students that helps demystify the idea that authors are these untouchable, quasi-mythical figures. They aren’t. They’re people like any of us, with hopes, dreams and stories to tell. My hope is that it inspires some of them to try their hand at writing a book of their own,” said Mealing, who hopes to be able to teach a creative writing class next school year.&nbsp;

 Published Authors Impacting Students at JCHS

&nbsp; The St. Xavier High School Scholars Bowl team has qualified for state competition three years running. This year they went 2-3 at state, just missing finals on a tiebreaker.&nbsp;Congratulations&nbsp;to the team and Coach Alex Becker on a great season!

St.Fancis Xavier High School Scholars Bowl Team Accomplishments

Executive Director Jodi Mason says that the Magdalene Project has a warming shelter open at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 126 W. 7th Street in JC.&nbsp; It is a 24/7 shelter with three hot meals and will be open until noon on Sunday, Feb. 23rd.

A key point is that this is for anyone without heat (ie: utilities&nbsp;are off), not just those that are unhoused.&nbsp; They are also looking for more 6-hour shift volunteers.&nbsp; The link to sign up for that is:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B48A5A62BA0FDC52-55060607-feb1520#/">https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B48A5A62</a>

You can volunteer to cover a 6-hour shift, donate blankets or sleeping bags, drop off supplies (cleaning, TP, bottled water) or sign up to provide a warm meal.

Magdalene Project has a warming shelter open

Bonds have been posted. Photos are unavailable.

Elisa Pogue, Failure to appear, arrested 02/14

Sylvester Jackson, Interference with LEO, Unlawful damage to property; Disorderly conduct, arrested 02/15

Mason Osteen, DUI-Liquor/Drugs, arrested 02/15

Ethan Torres, Failure to appear, arrested 02/15

John Hurley, Driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol, Possession of a controlled substance, Driving while license cancelled/suspended/revoked, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body, Possession of marijuana, Failure to appear, arrested 02/15

Christopher Bradford, Failure to appear, arrested 02/15

Alicia Hamlin, Cancelled/suspended/revoked drivers license, arrested 02/15

Brianna Little, Arrest by LEO, Warrant arrest, arrested 02/15

Jacob Bruce, Interference with LEO, Cancelled/suspended/revoked drivers license, Theft-motor vehicle parts and accessories, arrested 02/15

Valaun Turner, Failure to appear, arrested 02/16

Angelica Newman, Aggravated battery, Knowingly cause great bodily harm or disfigurement, arrested 02/17

Antonio Herrera, Failure to give information or render aid, arrested 02/18

Geary County Booking Photos Feb. 15-19

DICKINSON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 9a.m. Wednesday in Dickinson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Freightliner 206 driven by&nbsp; Marlon A.&nbsp;Castro Montes De Oca, 25, Portland, Oregon, was&nbsp;eastbound on Kansas 18 three and one half miles east of the K18/K15 East Junction.

The truck veered off the right shoulder and came to rest in a river embankment.&nbsp; EMS transported the driver to Salina Regional Medical Center. The KHP did not have seat belt usage details

DICKINSON COUNTY —While the snow has moved on, icy spots remain, and we’re still responding to crashes caused by slick conditions.

On Wednesday morning on&nbsp; Kansas Highway 18 near Paint Road in Dickinson County, KHP troopers and Dickinson County deputies responded to a single-vehicle injury crash, according to Trooper Ben Gardner.

A box truck left the highway, traveled into the south ditch, and ended up along a river embankment. The driver was transported to a Salina hospital with injuries, and troopers are following up to gather more details.

Even when the road looks clear, hidden icy patches can cause your vehicle to shift unexpectedly—before you know it, you’re just along for the ride.

Slow down. Stay alert. Adjust your driving well in advance for icy spots, drifting snow, debris, or slowed traffic. 

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.&nbsp;

Driver injured after truck slides on the ice into river embankment

Pat Landes will serve as Junction City mayor. He was elected by his fellow city commissioners Tuesday night for the remaining one year of a term that had been left vacant by the recent resignation of Jeff Underhill. The vote for mayor&nbsp; was 4-1.

There were other nominations with Al Gordon nominating himself but there was not any second and Ronna Larson declining a nomination. Al Gordon was elected vice mayor on a 3-2 vote.

Pat Landes will serve as Junction City Mayor

&nbsp;Next Page Sports is hosting an exclusive event featuring a meet-and-greet with Kansas State athletes Ayoka Lee, Gabby Gregory, and Serena Sundell, followed by a fireside chat and panel discussion. Client Services Manager Shantel Coleman said that the event will take place on Sunday, February 23, 2025, from 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm at Rockin’ Ks.

Exclusive Event Featuring K-State Women’s Basketball Athletes

The Junction City varsity boys and girls bowling team placed first in their meet on Friday, Feb. 14. 

Junction City Bowl was the site of the varsity and junior varsity meet, including Junction City, Emporia, and Topeka Hayden.

Varsity boys scores: Junction City 2,526, Hayden 2,485, and Emporia 586.

Top performers for the boys included Jesse Holtcamp with 677, Sean McKone with 658, and Cael Smith with 649. 

Varsity girls scores: Junction City 2,147, Hayden 1,473

Top performers for the girls included Riley Roberts with 593, Angelina Shannon with 554, and Janiyah George with 488. 

Next is the Centennial League varsity meet on Thursday, Feb. 20, at Junction City Bowl.

JCHS bowling team wins meet

PROVO, Utah (AP) — Kansas has reached a low point with its uncharacteristic struggles in Big 12 play.

The No. 23 Jayhawks&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-byu-basketball-score-5a3cb1b0ef31ad1964470cda758f49c5">lost 91-57 to BYU</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday night, matching their largest margin of defeat in Bill Self’s tenure, after previously losing 85-51 to USC in the second round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament. It also marked the first time Kansas — the preseason No. 1 in the AP Top 25 poll — lost by 30-plus points against an unranked team since the poll began in 1948.

The Jayhawks have not led through their last 80 minutes of basketball after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-utah-basketball-score-2920c07f0583abda508becce4bb8fea0">also falling to Utah 74-67</a>&nbsp;on Saturday. They have lost four of six games since the start of February.

“Obviously we’re going to catch a lot of flak, whether it’s fans or national media, and rightfully so because we just lost by damn near 40,” said senior center Hunter Dickinson, who finished with 12 points and 14 rebounds. “Nobody is going to feel bad for us now that NIL is the thing, and players are getting paid and everything like that. Nobody is going to feel bad for you. They’re going to expect you to perform like a paid player.”

Kansas never came close to threatening the Cougars at any point. BYU shot 52% from the field and made 14 3-pointers en route to notching its third straight victory.

“We were one foot in and one foot out in how we guarded and a lot of other things right from the jump,” Self said. “It was crystal clear how we wanted to try to guard them and right from the jump we doubted and ended up hurting ourselves.”

BYU finished with 24 assists and 14 steals. It marked the first game against a ranked opponent over the last 25 seasons where the Cougars totaled more than 20 assists and 10 steals.

“I think BYU could have beat anyone tonight,” Self said. “They were great and then we didn’t do anything to make them play less than great.”

The Cougars looked impressive on both ends of the court en route to moving into fifth place in the Big 12 standings.

They had 15 assists on 15 baskets in the first half and forced eight turnovers on their way to building a 20-point halftime lead. BYU led by as many as 38 points after halftime.

It is a statement win for the Cougars as much as a statement loss for the Jayhawks. BYU started 2-4 in Big 12 play but has won seven of nine since.

“We’ve been waiting for a win against a really storied program and a team that’s good,” BYU coach Kevin Young said. “Tonight was impressive by how our guys carried out the game plan on both ends of the floor.”

🏀 Kansas struggles reach low point in 34-point loss to unranked BYU

The Junction City High School swim team placed 3rd at the Centennial League Swim Championships.

Junction City had 6 All-League Swimmers and this is the most the program has had in one season.&nbsp;

(Ivan Velarde, Truman Fortner, Brennen Doan, Owen Bockman)

State swim will take place this Friday and Saturday, Feb. 21-22 in Lenexa, KS, at the Shawnee Mission District Aquatic Center

JCHS swim team highlights

The Topeka High Lady Trojans beat the Junction City Lady Jays 76-23 on Monday night. 

Topeka High won the opening tip and jumped out to an early lead and never looked back. After the first quarter, T-High led 25-8. The second quarter was very similar to the first, with JC again only scoring eight points. The Lady Trojans led 41-16 at the half. 

The third quarter is where Topeka pulled away, outscoring the Lady Jays 24-2 in the quarter to lead 65-18. The fourth quarter featured a running clock, and Topeka High beat JC 76-23. The Lady Trojans swept the Lady Jays this season. 

Junction City Freshman Isabel Pruitt led the team with 10 points, and junior Morgan Nabus had seven. 

Junction City falls to 1-16 on the season. 

The Junction City Blue Jays entered Monday night's matchup having lost six of their last eight games. The Blue Jays recovered from a slow start and beat Topeka 81-65. 

The Trojans began the game hitting their first three shots and led the Blue Jays for much of the first quarter, but JC recovered and led 16-12 after the first quarter. 

In the second quarter, Junction City exploded on offense and outscored T-High 29-11. The Blue Jays led by 20, 45-25 at halftime. 

Junction City controlled the game in the second half, leading by as many as 27 points. The Trojans tried to make it interesting down the stretch, cutting the lead to 14 late in the game, but Junction City held on and won, 81-65. 

The Blue Jays were led in scoring by senior Ja'Twaan Williams with 25 points. Senior Jackson Austin had 19, senior Larkin Turner had 15, and senior Isiah Handy added 12 points. 

Junction City improves to 11-6 on the year and, hosts Manhattan on Friday night for senior night.

Blue Jay boys defeat Topeka High, JC girls fall

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Ezra Ausar had 21 points and Lawson Lovering posted a double-double to help Utah hold on for a 74-69 victory over Kansas State on Monday night.

Ausar made 7 of 14 shots and all seven of his free throws, adding eight rebounds for the Utes (15-11, 7-8 Big 12 Conference). Lovering totaled 15 points and 10 rebounds for his first double-double this season. Gabe Madsen added 13 points.

Brendan Hausen scored 17 to lead the Wildcats (13-13, 7-8), who have lost two straight following a six-game win streak. Max Jones and Dug McDaniel both scored 13 with McDaniel adding six assists.

Lovering had nine points for Utah and Jones scored 10 for Kansas State in a first half that ended in a 32-32 tie.

Utah scored the first seven points of the second half to grab the lead. A Lovering dunk upped the Utes' advantage to 46-37 with 14:36 left to play. Madsen hit a 3-pointer to give Utah a 57-50 lead with 5:22 left, but Hausen hit a 3-pointer and two free throws as the Wildcats scored the next seven points to tie it with 3:25 remaining.

It was 59-all when Miro Little scored in the paint for Utah and Madsen followed with a 3-pointer. Jones had a layup with 15 seconds left to get the Wildcats within two, but the Utes made 3 of 4 foul shots in the final 12 seconds to wrap up the win.

Utah outrebounded K-State 51-28. The Utes had 21 rebounds at the offensive end, leading to 14 second-chance points.

Utah travels to play UCF on Sunday. Kansas State will host Arizona State on Sunday.

🏀 Ezra Ausar, Lawson Lovering help Utah hold off Kansas State

Junction City girls varsity wrestling team had eight qualify for the KSHSAA State Tournament. 

Freshman Catie Dee at 145 lb. placed 8th, senior Jordis Serrano 110 lb. placed 7th, Freshman, Shalina Hicks 190 lb. placed 6th, sophmores, Ka’Ori Herring 235 lb. and Elizabeth Edgerton-Diaz 130 lb. place 5th, Elaina Twitty, junior placed 3rd&nbsp;at 125 lbs.&nbsp;

 Regional champions were 115 lb. Bree Villanueva with a record of 29-1, and Jaidyn Alvarado at 100 lbs., record of 29-1 with 27 pins including all first-round pins through regionals.&nbsp; 

The state tournament is in Overland Park, starting on Feb. 28th.

Junction City girls wrestling qualifies 8 for the 6A State Tournament

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Gabe Madsen scored 24 points and became Utah's career leader in made 3-pointers as the Utes beat No. 17 Kansas 74-67 on Saturday night.

Madsen's fifth and final 3-pointer of the game with 1:58 to play gave him the Utah career record of 288 made 3s. He then hit two free throws with 26 second to play to clinch the game for the Utes.

Utah (14-11, 6-8 Big 12) never trailed but Kansas tied the game at 60 before the Utes' big finish.

Zeke Mayo had to leave the game briefly with a lower leg injury but led Kansas (17-8, 8-6) with 15 points while Dajuan Harris Jr. had 14 points and Hunter Dickinson added 12.

Ezra Ausar scored 12 points and Jake Wahlin had 10 points and 12 rebounds to help Utah get its first Quad 1 win in 10 tries.

Kansas coach Bill Self got a technical with 11:37 to play and the resulting free throws by Madsen gave Utah a 60-49 lead. The Jayhawks scored 11 consecutive points after that.

Kansas: In the first game for the Jayhawks at Utah, Kansas committed 12 turnovers which led to 22 Utah points. Kansas has now dropped three of its last five games.

Utah: Despite a second-half drought of 7:17 and Lawson Lovering going 1 for 9 from the free-throw line, the Utes finally found a way to win against a top-flight opponent.

Capping a late 7-0 run, Madsen hit a stepback jumper after a head fake with 1:58 remaining to pass Nick Jacobson and top the school 3-pointer list.

Utah has 16 offensive rebounds and a 46-36 overall edge on the boards.

Utah hosts Kansas State on Monday night while Kansas plays at BYU on Tuesday night.

🏀 Madsen scores 24 in Utah win over No. 17 Kansas

PROVO, Utah (AP) — Richie Saunders scored 17 points and grabbed 14 rebounds on Saturday night to help BYU beat Kansas State 80-65 and snap the Wildcats' six-game win streak.

Dallin Hall scored 16 points and Fousseyni Traore 11 for BYU (17-8, 8-6 Big 12). Keba Keita added nine points, 11 rebounds and five blocks.

Egor Demin threw down a dunk that gave BYU the lead for good less than five minutes into the game and sparked a 17-4 run that made it 26-12 about four minutes later. The Cougars led by at least eight point the rest of the way.

CJ Jones made layup for the Wildcats with 7:43 left in the first and half and neither team scored again until Hall's layup with 2:56 to go until halftime that gave BYU a 14-point lead.

Kansas State, which made four of its first 16 shots and at one point missed 10 consecutive field-goal attempts, shot 27% (9 of 33) in the first half.

Dug McDaniel led Kansas State (13-12, 7-7) with 22 points on 9-of-16 shooting, 3 of 7 from 3-point range. Brendan Hausen added 12 points, including three 3s.

The Wildcats lost for the first time since a 70-62 loss at Baylor on Jan. 22, the last in a six-game skid.

Hall hit a 3-pointer to give the Cougars a 22-point lead — their biggest of the game — less than four minutes into the second half. Kansas State responded with an 18-4 run to trim its deficit to 53-45. Saunders answered with a layup and BYU led by double figures for the final 10-plus minutes.

🏀 Richie Saunders has 17 and 14 rebounds, BYU beats Kansas State 

The Junction City Lady Jays kept the game close for the first four minutes, then Washburn Rural took over and cruised to a 71-13 win. 

At the end of the first quarter, the Junior Blues led 17-4. Washburn Rural then had an offensive explosion in the second quarter, outscoring JC 28-4, and led 45-8 at the half. 

Rural continued to pour it on in the second half, leading 59-11 at the end of three, and then finished the game with a final score of 71-13. 

Junction City Freshman Isabel Pruitt led the Lady Jays with six points. Rural completed the season sweep of JC. 

Washburn Rural was ready from the opening tip and took a 7-0 lead to force an early Junction City timeout. The Junior Blues led by double-digits at the end of the first quarter, 18-7. In the second quarter, JC trailed by 16 points, 29-13. The Blue Jays then rattled off a 14-4 run to end the half and trailed 33-27. 

In the second half, the Blue Jays turned up their defensive intensity and turned defense into offense, which then gave the Blue Jays their first lead of the game late in the third quarter. Washburn Rural senior King Leonard made a floater at the buzzer, but JC led 50-49 at the end of the third. 

The Junior Blues took the momentum of the buzzer-beater into the fourth quarter and outscored JC to win the game 64-58. JC made it close down the stretch when senior Jayden Mears hit a three-pointer to cut the lead to 60-58 with 30 seconds to go. Rural made their free throws down the stretch and completed the season sweep over Junction City. 

In the game, Junction City had three players in double-digits. Senior Ja'Twaan Williams led the way with 12 points, and junior Lovell Autry and senior Jeremias Cruz had 10 in the game. 

JC falls to 10-6 on the year and 3-3 in Centennial League play. 

The next action will be Monday night, Feb. 17, when the Blue Jays host Topeka High School. (The games have been moved up to Monday due to potential inclement weather on Tuesday).

Washburn Rural sweeps Junction City

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Republican&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mitch-mcconnell">Sen. Mitch McConnell</a>&nbsp;is announcing on Thursday that he won’t seek reelection next year, ending a decadeslong tenure as a power broker who championed conservative causes but ultimately ceded ground to the fierce GOP populism of President Donald Trump.

McConnell, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-montana-united-states-senate-new-york-city-mitch-mcconnell-41f4326218e7c2d8439ca02d09c6683b">longest-serving Senate party leader</a>&nbsp;in U.S. history, chose his 83rd birthday to share his decision not to run for another term in Kentucky and to retire when his current term ends. He informed The Associated Press of his decision before he was set to address colleagues in a speech on the Senate floor.

His announcement begins the epilogue of a storied career as a master strategist, one in which he helped forge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-presidential-election-trump-harris-ed91f084599d0f25b00f44bb71620528">a conservative Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;and steered the Senate through&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2d9e099660064f2b8a8fc2237b4e7e4e">tax cuts</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-impeachment-trial-0d0916330d20cc139c64f73af5ef4647">presidential impeachment trials</a>&nbsp;and fierce political fights.

“Seven times, my fellow Kentuckians have sent me to the Senate,” McConnell said in prepared remarks provided in advance to the AP. “Every day in between I’ve been humbled by the trust they’ve placed in me to do their business here. Representing our commonwealth has been the honor of a lifetime. I will not seek this honor an eighth time. My current term in the Senate will be my last.”

McConnell, first elected in 1984, intends to serve the remainder of his term ending in January 2027. The Kentuckian has dealt with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcconnell-senate-fall-republican-8d58004d3f14c1995d83c11319d77d72">a series of medical episodes</a>&nbsp;in recent years, including injuries sustained from falls and times when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-gop-leader-mcconnell-health-freeze-up-c5b43745251daa0bb63636ceff4edce2">his face briefly froze</a>&nbsp;while he was speaking.

The senator plans to deliver his speech in a chamber the famously taciturn McConnell revered as a young intern long before joining its back benches as a freshman lawmaker in the mid-1980s. His dramatic announcement comes almost a year after his decision to relinquish&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mitch-mcconnell-senate-republican-leader-stepping-down-ba478d570a4561aa7baf91a204d7e366">his leadership post</a>&nbsp;after the November 2024 election.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-leader-thune-cornyn-scott-mcconnell-trump-c3c1c451a420729136ae641a14d9d5d6">South Dakota Sen. John Thune</a>, a top McConnell deputy, replaced him as majority leader.

McConnell's looming departure reflects the changing dynamics of the Trump-led GOP. He's seen his power diminish on a parallel track with both his health and his relationship with Trump, who once praised him as an ally but has taken to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/trump-slams-mcconnell-for-rfk-jr-vote-calling-him-bitter-and-questioning-his-childhood-polio-bcf92bb6f7a54c71b81ba861d4180575">criticizing him in caustic terms</a>.

In Kentucky, McConnell's departure will mark the loss of a powerful advocate and will set off a competitive GOP primary next year for what will now be an open Senate seat. Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, seen as a rising star in his party for winning statewide office in Republican territory, has said he has no interest in the Senate, though he is widely viewed as a contender for higher office.

McConnell, a diehard adherent to Ronald Reagan’s brand of traditional conservatism and muscular foreign policy, increasingly found himself out of step with a GOP shifting toward the fiery, often isolationist populism espoused by Trump.

McConnell still champions providing Ukraine with weapons and other aid to fend off Russia’s invasion, even as Trump ratchets up criticism of the country and its leader,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-kellogg-zelenskyy-437f4c8fa4531059007dd3ab00c23458">Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>. The senator plans to make it clear Thursday that national defense remains at the forefront of his agenda.

“Thanks to Ronald Reagan’s determination, the work of strengthening American hard power was well underway when I arrived in the Senate,” McConnell said in his prepared remarks. "But since then, we’ve allowed that power to atrophy. And today, a dangerous world threatens to outpace the work of rebuilding it. So, lest any of our colleagues still doubt my intentions for the remainder of my term: I have some unfinished business to attend to."

McConnell and Trump were partners during Trump's first term, but the relationship was severed after McConnell blamed Trump for “disgraceful” acts in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack by his supporters</a>. A momentary thaw in 2024 when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mitch-mcconnell-endorsement-donald-trump-super-tuesday-422a2ec6f19917b46804b4cf6ee40371">McConnell endorsed Trump</a>&nbsp;didn't last.

Last week,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-mitch-mcconnell-polio-rfk-vaccines-06a03dd5ca2024317f01e1c4f5171678">Trump referred to McConnell</a>&nbsp;as a "very bitter guy” after McConnell, who battled polio as a child, opposed vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation as the nation’s top health official. McConnell referred to Trump as a “despicable human being” and a “narcissist” in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcconnell-trump-biography-election-0a861001d95287e689336504abc2281f">a biography of the senator</a>&nbsp;by The Associated Press' deputy Washington bureau chief, Michael Tackett.

Before their falling out, Trump and McConnell pushed through&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/6a409d3266be46dcaa2f1267fd947a12">a tax overhaul</a>&nbsp;largely focused on reductions for businesses and higher-earning taxpayers. They joined forces to reshape the Supreme Court when Trump nominated three justices and McConnell guided them to Senate confirmation, tilting the high court to the right.

McConnell set a new precedent for hardball partisan tactics in 2016 by refusing to even give a hearing to Democratic President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-government-6fe101b4bef54f989d939bccc81873fc">Barack Obama’s pick of Merrick Garland</a>&nbsp;to replace the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Putting the brakes on the Senate's “advise and consent” role for judicial nominees, McConnell said the vacancy should be filled by the next president so voters could have their say.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f5a557876d5546cca4ebd53b4860e2ed">Trump filled the vacancy</a>&nbsp;once he took office, and McConnell later called the stonewalling of Garland's nomination his “most consequential” achievement.

Later, when liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died weeks before the 2020 presidential election won by Democrat Joe Biden, McConnell&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-donald-trump-virus-outbreak-ruth-bader-ginsburg-amy-coney-barrett-82a02a618343c98b80ca2b6bf9eafe07">rushed Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation</a>&nbsp;through the Senate, waving off allegations of hypocrisy.

McConnell also guided the Senate — and Trump — through two impeachment trials that ended in acquittals.

In the second impeachment, weeks after the deadly Capitol attack by a mob hoping to overturn Trump’s 2020 reelection defeat, McConnell joined all but seven Republicans in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-riots-trials-impeachments-b245b52fd7d4a079ae199c954baba452">voting to acquit</a>. McConnell said he believed Trump couldn’t be convicted because he’d already left office, but the senator also condemned Trump as “practically and morally responsible” for the insurrection.

McConnell over the years swung back and forth from majority to minority leader, depending on which party held power. He defended President George W. Bush’s handling of the Iraq war and failed to block Obama’s health care overhaul.

McConnell, the longest-serving senator ever from Kentucky, ensured that the Bluegrass State received plenty of federal funding. Back home he was a key architect in his party's rise to power in a state long dominated by Democrats.

He is married to Elaine Chao, and they have long been a power couple in Washington. In his prepared remarks Thursday, the senator referred to her as his “ultimate teammate and confidante.” Chao was labor secretary for Bush and transportation secretary during Trump's first term, though&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-security-michael-pence-01e30bccef96ccd73fe642f8f96f8519">she resigned</a>&nbsp;after the Capitol insurrection, saying it had “deeply troubled” her.

McConnell's parting words reflected his devotion to the Senate and his disdain for his detractors.

“The Senate is still equipped for work of great consequence," he said. "And, to the disappointment of my critics, I’m still here on the job.”

Mitch McConnell, longest-serving Senate leader, won't seek reelection

FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for an alleged violent crime in southwest Kansas.

Just after 3a.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to the north part of Garden City where offices observed a vehicle in the roadway. Officers made contact with the driver who told Officers that an occupant inside the vehicle had been kidnapped at knifepoint by someone known to them.

 The investigation revealed that the victim was being driven home when the suspect, identified as 39-year-old Augustin Beronvil began following their vehicle. 

Beronvil then confronted the vehicle at an intersection and pulled out a pocketknife. The victim ran from the vehicle, but Beronvil grabbed them from behind, forced them into his vehicle and drove off. 

Officers quickly located Beronvil and the victim at his residence, and Beronvil was taken into custody on requested charges of Aggravated Kidnapping, Aggravated Assault, and other violations.

Man accused of kidnapping victim in southwest Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) — Thousands of federal government employees have been shown the door in the first month of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump’s administration</a>&nbsp;as the White House and its Department of Government Efficiency fire both new and career workers, tell agency leaders to plan for “large-scale reductions in force” and freeze trillions of dollars in federal grant funds.

It is affecting more than just the national capital region, home to about 20% of the 2.4 million members of the civilian federal workforce, which does not include military personnel and postal workers. More than 80% of that workforce lives outside the Washington area.

There is no official figure available of the total firings or layoffs. The Associated Press tallied how agencies are being affected based on AP reporting and statements from lawmakers and employee unions.

Here is a look at some of the broad and specific ways federal agencies and employees are being affected by the administration’s reductions, as of Wednesday:

‘Deferred resignation’ proposal for federal workers