Collin Klein called it a "Dream Come True" as he was introduced to a cheering crowd as the new head football coach at Kansas State University on Friday.

Klein spoke in front of an audience at the Morgan Family Arena on the K-State campus. He praised the Kansas State football competitive spirit, touched on the physicality of the game., the need for resilience to adversity and steps necessary to excel. He was presented with a&nbsp; jersey bearing the number 7.

Klein pledged that K-State will be aggressive in moving the program forward, will play hard and with a schematic advantage.&nbsp; "I love challenges" and noted that&nbsp; he wants to take the program where it hasn't been before."

Collin Klein recruited many of the Wildcat players during an earlier stint as the offensive coordinator at Kansas State. He succeeds Chris Kleiman, who is retiring after seven years as the head coach.&nbsp;

Klein is the 36th head football coach in KSU history. He returns to Kansas State after two years as the offensive coordinator for Texas A&amp;M, and will continue to also serve in that capacity for the Aggies during the upcoming college football playoffs.

Collin Klein introduced as the new K-State head football coach

&nbsp; Junction City police have abbounced that the Tip-A-Cop event was a tremendous success. Thanks to the generosity of the Junction City community, more than one thousand dollars was raised for Special Olympics Kansas. The Geary County Sheriff's Deparment partnered with the JCPD during the event. 

The support directly benefits the athletes who inspiree with their dedication and determination.&nbsp; The event was hosted at High Wind Brewery.

Tip-A-Cop event is a success 

Home openers tonight for Junction City High School Boys and Girls basketball. Both teams are hosting the Atchison Phoenix.

Both games can be heard on 107.9 FM / 1420 AM KJCK Radio. You can also <a href="https://streamdb9web.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/KJCKAM">listen live by clicking here.&nbsp;</a>

Girls Livestream -&nbsp; Clic<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXKKNovGSz8&amp;list=PLAq6WhKxcDUX6Q4BsF-Eiw4l1lcxH_jQT">k here to watch and listen live&nbsp;</a>

Boys Livestream - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRUMXeWWyCQ&amp;list=PLAq6WhKxcDUX6Q4BsF-Eiw4l1lcxH_jQT&amp;index=2">Click here to watch and listen live.&nbsp;</a>

The girls are 0-1, while the boys are 1-0.&nbsp;

🏀WATCH/LISTEN LIVE: Junction City hosts Atchison in boys and girls basketball

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– One of the greatest players in school history will return to lead the Wildcats on the sidelines, as Collin Klein has been named the next head football coach at Kansas State, athletics director&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/staff-directory/gene-taylor/1">Gene Taylor</a>&nbsp;announced Thursday.

A 2012 Heisman Trophy finalist and member of K-State Football's Ring of Honor, Klein is now in his 12th year in coaching, nine of which have come at K-State.

Klein will be introduced to the public Friday in a welcome event at Morgan Family Arena. Doors open at 3 p.m., with the ceremony beginning at 4 p.m. It will also be streamed live on ESPN+."We are excited to welcome one of our all-time greats back home to Manhattan," Taylor said.

"Collin is a tremendous leader who cares deeply about his players. The grit, toughness and aggression he displayed as a player still fuels him today as a coach, and he is determined to carry on the tremendous success this program has achieved.

As we know, college football has changed, and I am confident that Collin is ready to embrace this new model while maintaining the culture that we know as K-State Football.

Welcome home, Collin, Shalin, Beric, Rhett, Trek and Briar."

Klein, the 36th head football coach in school history, has agreed to a five-year contract with an average base salary of $4.3 million to lead his alma mater.

He served as K-State's offensive coordinator in 2022 and 2023 and currently serves as the offensive coordinator at Texas A&amp;M, a role that he will continue in during the Aggies' postseason run."My family and I could not be more grateful for the opportunity to come home," Klein said.

"Thank you to President Linton and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/staff-directory/gene-taylor/1">Gene Taylor</a>&nbsp;for believing in us to lead the Cats into a new era. The position of Head Coach at Kansas State has a long legacy of service, hard work, determination, and competitive greatness that I am honored to carry forward.

This is Family business, and we cannot wait to get to work!

"The first K-State alum to serve as head football coach since Ellis Rainsberger from 1975-77,&nbsp; Klein helped the Wildcats to 51 wins and five bowl appearances during his tenure as a full-time assistant coach.

He helped guide Kansas State to a 19-8 mark and a Big 12 Championship during his two-year run as offensive coordinator.His first full season as K-State offensive coordinator in 2022 was a success as he led an offense that ranked in the top 10 in school history in 11 categories, including ranking second in offensive yards (5,863) and plays (958), fourth in rushing yards (2,916) and fifth in yards per game (418.8).

The Wildcats finished the 2022 season with 421.6 total yards per game – their most since 2014 – while their 32.3 points per game were the most by the squad since 2017. K-State improved its production in Klein's second season at the offensive controls, as its 37.1 points per game ranked 10th nationally and sixth in school history, while it was the highest average by a K-State team since Klein's senior season of 2012 (38.9 points per game).

Kansas State produced 445.2 total yards per game in 2023 to rank second in school history.In Klein's offense, running back Deuce Vaughn became the second player in school history to twice earn Consensus All-America honors, while Cooper Beebe became the first offensive lineman in school history to earn Consensus All-America honors.

Prior to serving as K-State's offensive coordinator, Klein was the Wildcats' quarterbacks coach in 2017, 2019 and 2021, while he was a co-offensive coordinator in 2018.

He earned his first full-time coaching position tutoring the quarterbacks at Northern Iowa in 2016, which was just a year hiatus from Manhattan as he worked as an assistant director of recruiting and defensive quality control coach for the Wildcats in 2014 and an offensive graduate assistant in 2015.

The 2012 Johnny Unitas Award winner, Klein finished his K-State career ranking in the school's top 10 in 34 different game, season and career record categories. He was the first quarterback from a Power 5 school since 1998 to rush for at least 20 touchdowns and pass for 10 scores in consecutive seasons by doing so in 2011 and 2012.

Klein led the Wildcats to a combined 21-5 record as the starting quarterback in 2011 and 2012, which culminated with a No. 1 national ranking, Big 12 Championship and Fiesta Bowl berth in 2012.

Serving as the offensive coordinator at Texas A&amp;M the last two seasons, Klein has helped the Aggies to an 11-1 record this season and a possible berth into the College Football Playoff, which will be announced on Sunday.

This season, Texas A&amp;M holds an 11-1 record as the Aggies rank in the top 30 nationally in scoring offense (16th; 36.3 points per game), total offense (20th; 454.4 yards per game), rushing offense (26th; 192.7 yards per game), passing offense (32nd; 261.8 yards per game), tackles for loss allowed (1st; 2.83 per game), fourth down percentage (2nd; 75.0%), sacks allowed (11th; 1.00 per game), passing yards per completion (11th; 14.09), time of possession (15th; 32:24) and first downs (29th; 272).

Texas A&amp;M has hit the 400-yard mark in total offense 10 times in 12 games thus far in 2025.A 2025 Broyles Award Semifinalist, Klein has guided Aggie quarterback Marcel Reed to top-15 individual marks this season in passing yards per completion (7th; 14.03), points responsible for (13th; 186) and passing touchdowns (14th; 25).

In his first season at Texas A&amp;M in 2024, Klein helped guide the Aggies to a 5-0 start in SEC play, marking the program's best start in SEC action and its best conference start since 1998. Texas A&amp;M boasted the No. 2 rushing offense in the SEC, ranking 26th nationally (195.5 yards per game), and the offensive line ranked 10th in the country by allowing just 51.0 tackles for loss on the year.

Klein obtained his undergraduate degree from K-State in December 2011 in business financial services and controllership, while he received his master's degree in academic advising in December 2019. He is married to the former Shalin Spani, a former Wildcat women's basketball player. The couple has three sons, Beric, Rhett and Trek, and one daughter, Briar.

Back like he never left: Colin Klein and family arrive in Manhattan 

JUNCTION CITY, Kan. – Amber Cole’s journey to becoming a first-grade teacher at Westwood Elementary has been anything but traditional. Her impact though once she got into teaching has been nothing short of extraordinary.“Teaching at Westwood has opened my eyes to how deeply this staff is committed to students and their families. As a military family, we are familiar with constant change and the feeling of communities shifting around us. Yet at Westwood, there is a strong and steady sense of belonging that endures. The relationships, support and shared commitment here have created the consistent and caring community my family has longed for, and I am grateful to be part of it,” said Cole.

Although Cole wasn’t raised in a family of educators, her passion for working with children began early. Growing up in Omaha, Neb., Cole, whose family also farmed in Verdigre, Neb., watched as her mother opened their home to children as a foster parent, a powerful example that ultimately shaped her own desire to support and advocate for young people.

Fast forward to when Cole would become an adult herself and she and her husband, whom she met in high school, would go on to not only become a military family, moving all over the United States, but also licensed foster parents, which helped to deepen her belief that working with children is more than a career that it is a calling.“Watching my mom’s love, support and ability to advocate for children in need showed me what it truly means to care for the whole child. That experience shaped me in a profound way. Through every child who has come into our lives, I have learned that working with children is not simply something I can do; it is something I feel called to do. That same belief guides me as an educator today as I strive to create a classroom where every child feels valued, supported and seen,” said Cole, who has three boys of her own who all attend schools in USD 475.

Growing up, Cole was a competitive club gymnast who started training at the age of nine. She spent years traveling, competing, coaching and even judging gymnastics, while attending Westside High School in Omaha where she excelled in DECA and business marketing. Following her time as a Warrior, she would go on to graduate as a licensed cosmetologist in 2006, while also earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science from Southern New Hampshire University. Cole began her tenure in Geary County Schools USD 475 in 2017 in a moment she describes as almost accidental. As a stay-at-home mother, she found herself helping in her youngest son’s Pre-K class at Jefferson Elementary on Fort Riley when a teacher nonchalantly asked if she would like to be a lunchroom aide at the school. Her panicked response of, oh uh yeah, that sounds great, helped launch what would become nearly a decade of service to USD 475 in numerous roles, including being a lunchroom aide, early childhood instructional assistant and early childhood teaching assistant.

Despite having all those roles, she is currently in her first year of teaching at Westwood Elementary thanks to a teaching program at Kansas State University called Master of Arts in Teaching Program, which is designed for individuals who change careers and want to teach. Thanks to the program, Cole can now teach in a USD 475 classroom since she has a limited elementary residency license.“Teaching is truly the only career I have had that no matter what kind of day I had the day before that I get up in the morning and look forward to the day I get to spend in my classroom with my students,” said Cole.As you can see, Cole’s journey reminds us that educators don’t all start the same way, but once they discover where they’re meant to be, their impact is immeasurable.

Cole's Amazing Journey

MANHATTAN — Kansas State University will see more than 1,500 candidates for graduation this fall at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.k-state.edu/graduation/">commencement ceremonies</a>&nbsp;set for Friday, Dec. 12, in Manhattan and Salina and Saturday, Dec. 13, in Manhattan.

Candidates from both the summer 2025 and fall 2025 semesters will be recognized.Ceremony information, including parking, accommodations and a livestream of the Manhattan campus ceremonies, will be available on the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.k-state.edu/graduation/">K-State graduation website.</a>The university will award approximately 1,050 bachelor's degrees, 350 master's degrees and 100 doctorates this fall. Seventy students will be earning multiple degrees and majors.

The graduates-to-be also include more than 300 students who are earning their degrees through a K-State Online program.As part of an effort to deliver and maximize a unified, student-centered graduation experience, undergraduate ceremonies on the Manhattan campus have been strategically combined this fall in a pilot structure.By hosting graduates from multiple academic colleges in three combined ceremonies on Saturday, in addition to an Army ROTC commissioning ceremony, the university aims to amplify the best of its commencement traditions.

Schedule and speakers for Friday, Dec. 12 ceremonies

K-State's fall 2025 commencement ceremonies celebrate Wildcat excellence

Geary County Public Works would like to share two new maps now found on the Geary County website. Navigate to the Public Works page, click on the Snow &amp; Ice Tab, and from here, you will find the following maps: 

The first map, Snow Removal Map, indicates which entities within Geary County are responsible for snow removal services. The map is searchable, so residents can search for a property, click on the highlighted road, and learn who is&nbsp; accountable. Associated phone numbers for each entity are included in the legend. 

The second map, Geary County Snow Plow Activity, provides a general&nbsp; representation of where the plow trucks are located. The intent for this map is for residents to see the areas in which the snow plow trucks are operating to inform the public of the areas traveled. 

If there are any questions regarding these maps, please feel free to contact the&nbsp; Geary County Public Works Office at publicworks@gearycounty.org or 785-238-3612.

Geary County Public Works announces new maps for Snow Plows and Removal

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a violent robbery in Manhattan have identified the teen suspects.

Just before 5:30p.m. Wednesday, officers filed a report of aggravated robbery in the 700 block of Allen Road, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

A 23-year-old man reported three unknown men battered him and stole a handgun.&nbsp;After additional investigation into the incident, officers identified the three male suspects.

Terrion Toliver, 18, of Manhattan was arrested on December 4, 2025, at approximately 11:56 p.m on a requested charge of Aggravated Robbery. He is being held on a bond of $150,000.

Isaiah Ellis, 16, of Manhattan was arrested on December 4, 2025, at approximately 10:18 p.m on a requested charge of Aggravated Robbery. He remains confined in the North Central Kansas Juvenile Detention Facility.

Noah McFadden, 17, of Manhattan was arrested on December 5, 2025, at approximately 12:48 a.m on a requested charge of Aggravated Robbery. He is being held in the North Central Kansas Juvenile Detention Facility.

The estimated total loss associated with this case is approximately $150.

RCPD: 3 teens arrested for violent robbery, gun theft

A 2012 Heisman Trophy finalist and member of K-State Football's Ring of Honor, Klein is now in his 12th year in coaching, nine of which have come at K-State. 

Klein will be introduced to the public Friday in a welcome event at Morgan Family Arena. Doors open at 3 p.m., with the ceremony beginning at 4 p.m. It will also be streamed live on ESPN+."We are excited to welcome one of our all-time greats back home to Manhattan," Taylor said. 

"Collin is a tremendous leader who cares deeply about his players. The grit, toughness and aggression he displayed as a player still fuels him today as a coach, and he is determined to carry on the tremendous success this program has achieved. 

As we know, college football has changed, and I am confident that Collin is ready to embrace this new model while maintaining the culture that we know as K-State Football. 

Klein, the 36th head football coach in school history, has agreed to a five-year contract with an average base salary of $4.3 million to lead his alma mater. 

He served as K-State's offensive coordinator in 2022 and 2023 and currently serves as the offensive coordinator at Texas A&amp;M, a role that he will continue in during the Aggies' postseason run."My family and I could not be more grateful for the opportunity to come home," Klein said. 

"Thank you to President Linton and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/staff-directory/gene-taylor/1">Gene Taylor</a>&nbsp;for believing in us to lead the Cats into a new era. The position of Head Coach at Kansas State has a long legacy of service, hard work, determination, and competitive greatness that I am honored to carry forward.

"The first K-State alum to serve as head football coach since Ellis Rainsberger from 1975-77,&nbsp; Klein helped the Wildcats to 51 wins and five bowl appearances during his tenure as a full-time assistant coach. 

The Wildcats finished the 2022 season with 421.6 total yards per game – their most since 2014 – while their 32.3 points per game were the most by the squad since 2017. K-State improved its production in Klein's second season at the offensive controls, as its 37.1 points per game ranked 10th nationally and sixth in school history, while it was the highest average by a K-State team since Klein's senior season of 2012 (38.9 points per game). 

Prior to serving as K-State's offensive coordinator, Klein was the Wildcats' quarterbacks coach in 2017, 2019 and 2021, while he was a co-offensive coordinator in 2018. 

Serving as the offensive coordinator at Texas A&amp;M the last two seasons, Klein has helped the Aggies to an 11-1 record this season and a possible berth into the College Football Playoff, which will be announced on Sunday. 

This season, Texas A&amp;M holds an 11-1 record as the Aggies rank in the top 30 nationally in scoring offense (16th; 36.3 points per game), total offense (20th; 454.4 yards per game), rushing offense (26th; 192.7 yards per game), passing offense (32nd; 261.8 yards per game), tackles for loss allowed (1st; 2.83 per game), fourth down percentage (2nd; 75.0%), sacks allowed (11th; 1.00 per game), passing yards per completion (11th; 14.09), time of possession (15th; 32:24) and first downs (29th; 272). 

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

K-State confirms return of Colin Klein as head coach of the 'Cats

DICKINSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a vehicle theft and have taken a Kansas teen into custody.

On December 2, 2025, at approximately 12:30 PM, a deputy with the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office located a Toyota Avalon in the area of East 1st Street and Bonebrake Street that had been reported stolen out of Nebraska. The vehicle was unoccupied at the time it was recovered. The vehicle was processed and evidence was collected. The vehicle was towed for safekeeping until it can be returned to the owner.

Investigators with the Sheriff’s Office continued the investigation and developed a suspect the following day. The investigation led to the arrest of 19-year-old&nbsp; Christopher Madison Bryant of Abilene on a requested charge of theft of the vehicle.

Kan. teen arrested after reported stolen car recovered

Celebrate the spirit of Christmas with Friends of the Milford Nature Center and the Knights of Columbus this Friday and Saturday night with the&nbsp; Isle of Lights! 

We invite you to drive through the Milford State Park and see our 2025 Isle of Lights this weekend&nbsp;December 5th and 6th from 5-8pm. Alongside the festive displays, you can meet Santa while enjoying hot cocoa and cookies from 6-8pm. Located at the Prairie View Campground at Milford State Park. 

Santa and refreshments are located at the Sprung Hut at the South Boat Ramp and will be available from 6-8pm. A Park Pass is required | $10+ suggested donation per vehicle | No registration is required | All ages are welcome.&nbsp;

Last Weekend to see the Isle of Lights at Milford State Park

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations after a triffic stop.

Just after 11p.m. November 26, a K-9 Unit with the Shawnee County&nbsp; Sheriff’s Office&nbsp; conducted a traffic stop on a black 2017 Chevrolet Impala for speeding in&nbsp; the 300 block of SE 29th Street, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. During the investigation, it was determined that the driver had a&nbsp; suspended driver’s license and a warrant for his arrest. Illegal narcotics, including cocaine, were&nbsp; also located.

Leo Rucker Jr., 40, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of&nbsp; Corrections on requested charges of Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Possession of marijuana, Speeding; maximum limits, Driving while license suspended, Vehicle liability insurance; knowingly drive uninsured vehicle and&nbsp;&nbsp;Vehicles; operate vehicle without registration or with expired tag.

Sheriff: Kan. driver accused of speeding had cocaine in the car

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump was awarded the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fifa-peace-prize-infantino-trump-c339695d2cca0f8acd92ff0264ff5ea9">new FIFA peace prize</a>&nbsp;on Friday at the 2026 World Cup draw — giving the soccer spectacle to set matchups for the quadrennial tournament even more of a Trumpian flair.

Trump, who has openly campaigned for the Nobel Peace Prize, had been heavily expected to receive the newly created FIFA prize. FIFA president Gianni Infantino, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-world-cup-soccer-gianni-infantino-65a8160052baa74a007403ad20bbc256">close ally</a>&nbsp;of Trump, has said he thought Trump should have won the Nobel for his efforts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza.

The certificate that Infantino handed Trump recognizes the U.S. president for his actions to “promote peace and unity around the world.”

“This is what we want from a leader — a leader that cares about the people,” Infantino said about Trump, who wore a gold medal around his neck and was presented with a gold trophy with his name on it that depicts hands holding up the world. The FIFA leader said to Trump “this is your prize, this is your peace prize.”

Trump thanked his family, including his wife, first lady Melania Trump, and praised the leaders of the other two host nations — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum — in his brief remarks.

“This is truly one of the great honors of my life,” Trump said.

Infantino has often spoken about soccer as a unifier for the world, but the prize is a departure from the federation’s traditional focus on sport.

FIFA has described the prize as one that rewards “individuals who have taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace and by doing so have united people across the world.”

It comes during a week where Trump’s administration has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pete-hegseth-boat-strike-admiral-congress-521606d39c04dcc040ea232dc9cfeeda">under scrutiny for lethal strikes</a>&nbsp;on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and as Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-world-cup-draw-soccer-travel-bans-9a50f48ae28fd61e5e8339a2dedca907">hardens his rhetoric</a>&nbsp;against immigrants.

🎥FIFA awards President Trump their first peace prize

WASHINGTON (AP) — The man accused of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pipe-bombs-dc-jan6-40d748385b7b18ece2208c6c6690708b">planting a pair of pipe bombs</a>&nbsp;outside the headquarters of the Republican and Democratic national parties in Washington on the eve of the U.S. Capitol attack confessed to the act in interviews with investigators, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.

Brian Cole Jr. also indicated that he believed the 2020 election was stolen and expressed views supportive of President Donald Trump, said the people, who were not authorized to discuss by name an ongoing investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The details add to a still-emerging portrait of the 30-year-old suspect from Woodbridge, Virginia, and it was not immediately clear what other information or perspectives he may have shared while cooperating with law enforcement following his arrest on Thursday.

Federal authorities have not publicly disclosed any information about a possible motive or whether there is any connection to the attack on the Capitol the following day by Trump supporters.

A spokesperson for the federal public defender’s office, which will be representing Cole at a Friday court appearance in Washington, declined to comment. Calls to relatives of Cole listed in public records were not immediately returned Thursday.

Cole faces explosives charges in connection with the Jan. 5, 2021 placement of the pipe bombs near the offices of the Democratic and Republican national committees. Nobody was hurt before the bombs were rendered safe, but the FBI has said both devices could have been lethal.

An FBI affidavit made public Thursday indicated that investigators zeroed in on Cole through analysis of credit card charges related to the purchase of pipe bomb components, cellphone towers and a license plate reader.

The arrest marks the first time investigators have publicly identified a suspect in an act that has been an enduring mystery for nearly five years in the shadow of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeumZ2aHDug" target="_blank">the violent Capitol attack</a>.

Suspect in DC pipe bomb case said to have confessed to investigators

DOUGLAS COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating three teen suspects after a high-speed chase and crash in Doulas County.

The owner of a GMC Yukon reported it stolen from outside a home near 24th and Louisiana in Lawrence on Tuesday.

Justdecided not to stop for officers and ultimately crashed into a pole. 

Just after 11a.m. Wedneday, an officer spotted multiple people in the vehicle in the 4700 block of Overland Drive in Lawrence, according to a statement from police. The driver led police north on Folks, east on Peterson,&nbsp; south on Monterey and refused to stop.

 Another officer was able to set up spikes and pop a tire along the route, but the driver continued on until a failed left turn at Overland Drive. The driver ran from the crash but was chased down and safely arrested without injury. The others surrendered. 

A 17-year-old boy was taken to the hospital to get checked out and released to a parent. A 14-year-old, who was reported as a runaway, went to the Juvenile Detention Center.

🎥Teens in stolen SUV crash into pole during Kan. police chase

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. stock market rose to the edge of its all-time high on Friday.

The S&amp;P 500 added 0.2% and finished just 0.3% shy of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/investors-401k-what-to-do-bb0663da4643e8c3dbe08a4092482aa5">its record closing level</a>, which was set in October. It had briefly topped the mark during the day, before paring its gain.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 104 points, or 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.3%.

The modest moves capped a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-rates-fed-softbank-e16747e46ef55bbc7836ea2539b6f09c">quiet</a>&nbsp;week for Wall Street, offering a respite following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/asia-us-ai-japan-trump-6eda7d4af2b4b5be2f96af1f37a57661">weeks</a>&nbsp;of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-stocks-ai-china-japan-6edce247294508cd84c941b8ad55d8da">sharp and scary swings</a>.

Ulta Beauty helped lead the market and jumped 12.7% after the retailer reported stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than expected. CEO Kecia Steelman said its customers are broadly feeling pressure, but Ulta saw growth across its categories, particularly in e-commerce. It raised its forecast for revenue over the full year.

Another encouraging signal for the holiday shopping season came from Victoria’s Secret &amp; Co. It delivered a milder loss for the latest quarter than analysts expected, and it likewise raised its forecast for sales over the full year. Its stock rallied 18%.

Warner Bros. Discovery rose 6.3% after Netflix said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/netflix-warner-acquisition-studio-hbo-streaming-f4884402cadfd07a99af0c8e4353bd83">it would buy Warner Bros</a>. for $72 billion in cash and stock following its pending split from Discovery Global.

The deal for the company behind HBO Max, “Casablanca” and “Harry Potter” is not a sure thing, though. It could raise fears at the U.S. government about too much industry power residing at Netflix.

Shares of Netflix fell 2.9%. Paramount Skydance, which earlier had been seen as a front-runner to buy Warner Bros., sank 9.8%.

Also on the losing end of Wall Street was SoFi Technologies. The financial technology company fell 6.1% to $27.78 after saying it would add $1.5 billion worth of its stock into the market in order to raise cash. It’s selling the stock at a price of $27.50 per share.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 13.28 points to 6,870.40. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 104.05 to 47,954.99, and the Nasdaq composite gained 72.99 to 23,578.13.

If the S&amp;P 500 does return to a record, it would mark the latest time the U.S. stock market has powered past what seemed to be a debilitating set of worries. Most recently, those concerns centered on what&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-trump-government-shutdown-c388d97a4e4acf5cca538fd901e46b2d">the Federal Reserve will do with interest rates</a>, whether too many dollars are flowing into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence">artificial-intelligence</a>&nbsp;technology and if sharp&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bitcoin-cryptocurrency-markets-stock-c361fe86e2f42d933e7e57928dae5be3">drops for cryptocurrencies</a>&nbsp;would bleed over into other markets.

After some back and forth, the widespread expectation among traders is now that the Fed will cut its main interest rate next week in hopes of shoring up the slowing U.S. job market. If it does, that would be the third cut of the year.

Investors love lower interest rates because they boost prices for investments and can juice the economy. The downside is that they can worsen inflation, which is stubbornly remaining above the Fed’s 2% target.

Economic reports released on Friday did little to change expectations for a coming cut. One said that an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-spending-eaa913f6df77db354019d0d22a4b01fe">underlying measure of inflation</a>&nbsp;that the Fed prefers to use was at 2.8% in September, exactly as economists expected.

A separate report said U.S. consumers appear to be downgrading their expectations for inflation coming in the near future. They’re now forecasting 4.1% inflation for the year ahead, down from their forecast of 4.5% last month, according to the University of Michigan.

That’s the lowest such forecast since January, which is important because heightened expectations for inflation can create a vicious cycle that only worsens inflation.

In the bond market, Treasury yields climbed. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.13% from 4.11% late Thursday.

In stock markets abroad, indexes were mixed in Europe and Asia.

Germany’s DAX returned 0.6%, and South Korea’s Kospi jumped 1.8% for two of the world’s bigger gains.

Wall Street rises to the edge of its all-time high

WASHINGTON (AP) — With eyes across the globe focused on 48 balls being plucked from four bowls, next year's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/world-cup-draw-2026-updates">World Cup</a>&nbsp;came into focus Friday when a draw determined Argentina and Lionel Messi will start their title defense against Algeria and the U.S. will open against Paraguay.

Teams from five-time champion Brazil to newcomers Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan learned their group stage opponents in the expanded 48-nation, 104-game tournament that starts June 11 in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

“Exciting for the island, for the people there. They’re so proud,” said Dick Advoccat, the 78-year-old Dutchman leading Curaçao, a Caribbean island nation with a population of 150,000, into an opener against four-time champion Germany.

The ceremony included&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-world-cup-fifa-peace-prize-e14f95b8adaa197c869cad407b6ef604">U.S. President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;receiving a peace prize awarded by FIFA. Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney selected the balls of their own countries from bowls during a ceremony at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and Sheinbaum drew more applause than Trump.

The lead-in show was almost as long as a soccer match, with the actual draw for the expanded 48-nation tournament starting in the 87th minute. Balls with team names were plucked by famous North American athletes Tom Brady, Shaquille O’Neal, Aaron Judge and Wayne Gretzky.

Three-time champion Argentina opens on June 16 at either Kansas City, Missouri, or Santa Clara, California. Specific sites for all group stage games and kickoff times were to be announced Saturday. The Albiceleste then face Austria and Jordan in Group J. Argentina surprisingly lost its 2022 opener to Saudi Arabia before going on to win the final over France on penalty kicks.

The U.S., which reached the semifinals at the inaugural World Cup in 1930 and the quarterfinals in 2002, starts Group D against Paraguay on June 12 in Inglewood, California. The Americans play Australia six days later at Seattle, then face Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo on June 25 back at SoFi Stadium.

The Americans had friendlies against Turkey in June and Paraguay last month.

“We know them but they know us,” U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino said. “The most important is the evolution and keep improving.”

Mexico hosts the tournament opener at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on June 11 against South Africa in Group A, a rematch of the 2010 opener in Johannesburg, a 1-1 draw. El Tri then meets South Korea and closes the first round against the Czech Republic, Ireland, Denmark or North Macedonia.

Forty-two of the teams have been determined and 22 are competing in playoffs for six berths that will be decided March 31.

Winners and second-place nations from the 12 groups advance to the new round of 32 along with the top eight third-place teams. All games from the quarterfinals on will be in the U.S., culminating in the July 19 final at East Rutherford, New Jersey.

England, which won its only title in 1966, plays Croatia, Ghana and Panama in Group L, and five-time champion Brazil meets Morocco, Haiti and Scotland in Group C.

Top-ranked Spain, the 2010 champion, faces Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay in Group H, while four-time champion Germany plays Curaçao, Ivory Coast and Ecuador in Group E.

Two-time champion France starts June 16 against Senegal at East Rutherford, New Jersey, or Foxborough, Massachusetts. With Les Bleus coming off their first world title, they lost to Senegal 1-0 in the 2002 opener. France then faces Bolivia, Iraq or Suriname in Group I.

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, like Messi expected to play in a record sixth World Cup, has Group K matches against Uzbekistan, Colombia and Congo, Jamaica or New Caledonia. If Portugal and Argentina win their groups, Ronaldo and Messi could meet in a quarterfinal at Arrowhead Stadium.

B: Canada, Switzerland, Qatar and Italy, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Wales or Northern Ireland

F: Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia and Sweden, Ukraine, Albania and Poland

No team has repeated as champion since Brazil in 1958 and ’62 and only eight nations have won soccer’s biggest prize. Italy has four titles and Uruguay two.

On a wintry day with snow falling, soccer officials and celebrities filled the hall, 189 days before the expanded 48-nation, 104-game tournament.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino gave Trump a large gold-colored peace prize trophy and a gold-colored medal hanging from a blue ribbon, which Trump hung around his neck. Standing next to Trump, Infantino lavished praise.

US learns who they will face first to open World Cup play

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 — Two-term Rep. Silas Miller was selected by the Sedgwick County Democratic Party to fill a vacancy in the Kansas Senate created by the resignation of Sen. Mary Ware.

Miller, elected to the House in 2022 and reelected without opposition in 2024, prevailed in a vote Thursday among Senate precinct committee members. He&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/12/02/longtime-lgbtq-advocate-returns-to-public-stage-as-candidate-for-kansas-senate-seat/">defeated Tom Witt</a>, a former executive director of Equality Kansas who retired from Statehouse lobbying in 2022, on a vote of 16-5.

Miller said he appreciated Ware as a political colleague and that he would have “big shoes to fill” while completing her unexpired term in the 25th District.

“Silas Miller is a forward-thinking leader who brings a wealth of life and legislative experience to the table,” said Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Johnson County Democrat. “We’re grateful that he has decided to step into the Senate chamber in this new capacity.”

Miller serves on the House education, election and insurance committees. He’s been the ranking Democrat on the House Federal and State Affairs Committee. In 2024, Miller proposed an unsuccessful amendment to a bill that would have removed cannabis from a list of illegal drugs in Kansas.

Ware, a retail store owner,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-senator-from-wichita-retires-opening-democratic-seat-ahead-of-legislative-session/">announced her decision to resign</a>&nbsp;Nov. 13. In 2018, she replaced Sen. Lynn Rogers in a precinct committee election. Rogers had stepped down after elected lieutenant governor on a ticket with Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.

Ware was elected to a full term in the Senate during 2020 and reelected 2024. Last November, she carried the district with 57% of the vote against Republican Keenen Smith. She served on tax, commerce and agriculture committees in the Senate.

“While my time in the Senate is at an end, I will remain an involved private citizen and an advocate for the people of Wichita in this next era of my life,” Ware said.

Kristi Kirk, chair of the Sedgwick County Democratic Party, said Ware was known for her involvement with the community and as a unifying force in the Democratic Party.

“Mary could always be counted on to support not only her constituents, but was a champion for creating a full and safe future for Kansas children since joining the Senate,” Kirk said.

Kansas House Democrat chosen to complete term of former state senator

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mike-stobbe">MIKE STOBBE</a> AP Medical Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal vaccine advisory committee voted on Friday to end the longstanding recommendation that all U.S. babies get the hepatitis B vaccine on the day they’re born.

A loud chorus of medical and public health leaders decried the actions of the panel, whose current members were all appointed by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — a leading anti-vaccine activist before this year becoming the nation’s top health official.

“This is the group that can’t shoot straight,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a Vanderbilt University vaccine expert who for decades has been involved with ACIP and its workgroups.

For decades, the government has advised that all babies be vaccinated against the liver infection right after birth. The shots are widely considered to be a public health success for preventing thousands of illnesses.

But Kennedy’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices decided to recommend the birth dose only for babies whose mothers test positive, and in cases where the mom wasn’t tested.

For other babies, it will be up to the parents and their doctors&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/acip/meetings/upcoming.html">to decide</a>&nbsp;if a birth dose is appropriate. The committee voted to suggest that when a family decides not to get a birth dose, then the vaccination series should begin when the child is 2 months old.

“We are doing harm by changing this wording, and I vote no," said committee member Dr. Cody Meissner.

The acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Jim O’Neill, is expected to decide later whether to accept the committee’s recommendation.

The decision marks a return to a public health strategy that was abandoned more than three decades ago.

Asked why the newly-appointed committee moved quickly to reexamine the recommendation, committee member Vicky Pebsworth on Thursday cited “pressure from stakeholder groups wanting the policy to be revisited.” She did not say who was pressuring the committee, and a spokesman for Kennedy did not respond to a question about it.

Committee members said the risk of infection for most babies is very low and that earlier research that found the shots were safe for infants was inadequate.

They also worried that in many cases, doctors and nurses don’t have full conversations with parents about the pros and cons of the birth-dose vaccination.

The committee members voiced interest in hearing the input from public health and medical professionals, but chose to ignore the experts’ repeated pleas to leave the recommendations alone.

Dr. Peter Hotez of the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development in Houston declined to present before the group “because ACIP appears to have shifted its mission away from science and evidence-based medicine,” he said in an email to The Associated Press.

The committee gives advice to the director of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-director-susan-monarez-50dfbec849b53b4593755d2e6e616687">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>&nbsp;on how approved vaccines should be used. CDC directors almost always adopted the committee’s recommendations, which were widely heeded by doctors and guide vaccination programs. But the agency currently has no director, leaving acting director O’Neill to decide.

In June, Kennedy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kennedy-cdc-acip-vaccines-3790c89f45b6314c5c7b686db0e3a8f9">fired the entire 17-member</a>&nbsp;panel earlier this year and replaced it with a group that includes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-acip-vaccine-committee-9f58e1f004075b081718ff078de88d76">several anti-vaccine voices</a>.

Hepatitis B is a serious liver infection that, for most people, lasts less than six months. But for some, especially infants and children, it can become a long-lasting problem that can lead to liver failure, liver cancer and scarring called cirrhosis.

In adults, the virus is spread through sex or through sharing needles during injection drug use. But it can also be passed from an infected mother to a baby.

In 1991, the committee recommended an initial dose of hepatitis B vaccine at birth. Experts say quick immunization is crucial to prevent infection from taking root. And, indeed, cases in children have plummeted.

Still, several members of Kennedy’s committee voiced discomfort with vaccinating all newborns. They argued that past safety studies of the vaccine in newborns was limited and it’s possible that larger, long-term studies could uncover a problem with the birth dose.

But two members said they saw no documented evidence of harm from the birth doses and suggested concern was based on speculation.

The panel was to vote Thursday, but voted to postpone after some members said they had just received the densely-worded vote proposals and wanted clarification and more time to consider it.

Three panel members asked about the scientific basis for saying that the first dose should be delayed for two months for many babies.

“This is unconscionable,” said committee member Dr. Joseph Hibbeln, who repeatedly voiced opposition to the proposal during the sometimes-heated two-day meeting.

The committee’s chair, Dr. Kirk Milhoan, said two months was chosen as a point where infants had matured beyond the neonatal stage. Hibbeln countered that there was no data presented that two months is an appropriate cut-off.

Meissner also questioned a second proposal — which passed 6-4 — that said parents should talk to pediatricians about blood tests meant to measure whether hep B shots have created protective antibodies.

Such testing is not standard pediatric practice after vaccination, but proponents said it could be a new way to see if fewer shots are adequate.

A CDC hepatitis expert, Adam Langer, said results could vary from child to child and would be an erratic way to assess if fewer doses work. He also noted there’s no good evidence that three shots pose harm to kids.

Meissner attacked the proposal, saying the language “is kind of making things up.”

“It’s like never-neverland,” he said.

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