Registration is open for the Walk Kansas program. This will be an 8-week healthy lifestyle challenge from March 22 through May 16.

You can put together a team of coworkers, friends, family and neighbors for this activity. Register ubtil March 31 online at WalkKansas.org or contact your local K-State Extension office for more information. The cost is $10 per person.

The telephone number for the Geary County Extension Office is 785-238-4161.

Join the Walking Challenge

WABAUNSEE COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 12:30p.m. Sunday in Wabaunsee County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Nissan Armada driven by&nbsp; Miranda L.&nbsp; Flippin, 50, North Richland Hills, Texas was eastbound on Interstate 70 two miles east of Maple Hill. The SUV traveled off the edge of the roadway to the right. The driver overcorrected and the vehicle rolled multiple times.

EMS transported Flippin to Stormont Vail in Topeka. She was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Woman hospitalized after SUV rollover accident

The Junction City Blue Jays Boys Basketball team fell to the Derby Panthers on Saturday night at Derby High School. The Blue Jays end their season in the 6A Sub-State Championship and finish with a record of 13-11 overall.

<i>Game recap Derby 73, Junction City 61.&nbsp;</i>

The two teams each traded early buckets to start a back and forth affair, with Junction City leading 4-2 in the opening minutes, but Derby would jolt ahead thanks to a trio of first quarter three pointers. Trailing 16-13 after the first quarter, and by as many as nine points early in the second period, the Blue Jays would answer back.&nbsp;

Jet Thompson knocked down three of his own shots from the outside in the second quarter to pull Junction City right back in the game. Thompson and Brody Boeckman would each lead Junction City’s offense in the first half with 11 points each, keeping the Blue Jays within three points, at 36-33 at halftime.&nbsp;

In the second half, Junction City’s Lovell Autry shook off his slow start by tallying the first four points of the third quarter and put the Blue Jays in the lead for the first time since the opening minutes. From there, the two teams would jostle for positioning once again, trading baskets but remaining within a possession of one another for the remainder of the quarter. Derby would keep its three point advantage at the end of the third, leading 49-46.&nbsp;

Autry, who scored just three first half points, would heat up when Junction City needed him most. The Senior scored a team-high 22 points in the contest. Scoring 19 of the Blue Jays 28 total after halftime.&nbsp;

Derby would use a quick run to extend its lead back out to nine points early in the fourth quarter, aided by the hot shooting of guard Greg Stiger, who would score 23 points in the game, but 18 of them in the second half, including nine points during the Panthers run that would eventually secure the win.&nbsp;

Additionally for Derby, Avant Riley would lead them in scoring overall with 25 points, while Cale Clingan added 14 points as well.&nbsp;

The Panthers would pull away for a double digit win despite the staunch effort of Junction City behind Autry, as well as Thompson’s 16 points.&nbsp;

With the win, Derby now advances to the 6A State Tournament.

Blue Jay Boys fall short in Sub-State Championship At Derby

<i>On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman talks with Ted Bush, president of the Wichita Firefighters Union, on the recent southwest Kansas fires.</i>

🎥 Forward Ever: Firefighters union president on southwest Kansas fires

Geary County was represented at the recent County Day at the Kansas Capitol.

Geary County representatives at the Kansas Capitol

SALINE COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 12:30p.m. Friday in Saline County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Kenworth Straight Truck driven by Phillip W..&nbsp;Weir, 54, White City, was westbound on Kansas 4 just east of Amos Road. The truck traveled off the roadway and the driver overcorrected. The truck&nbsp; crossed the center line, rolled onto its side through the south ditch and came to rest on its wheels.

EMS transported Weir to Salina Regional Health Center. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas man hospitalized after truck rollover accident

&nbsp;...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT SOUTHEASTERN DICKINSON...
SOUTHEASTERN GEARY...MORRIS AND WEST CENTRAL WABAUNSEE COUNTIES
THROUGH 900 PM CST...



At 811 PM CST, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from 8 miles northwest of White City to near Tampa.
Movement was northeast at 45 mph.



HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and half inch hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down small tree limbs and blow
         around unsecured objects. Minor damage to vegetation is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Herington, White City, Alta Vista, Dwight, Woodbine, Wilsey,
Parkerville, Latimer, and Burdick.&nbsp;&nbsp;

..A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHERN DICKINSON...
SOUTHWESTERN GEARY AND NORTHWESTERN MORRIS COUNTIES THROUGH 815 PM
CST..

.

At 740 PM CST, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Carlton, moving northeast at 45 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and penny size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.



IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down small tree limbs and blow
         around unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to outdoor
         objects and vegetation is possible.

Locations impacted include...
Herington, White City, Hope, Woodbine, Carlton, and Latimer.&nbsp;

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN RILEY...

NORTHWESTERN POTTAWATOMIE AND SOUTHWESTERN MARSHALL COUNTIES THROUGH

At 645 PM CST, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over Leonardville, moving northeast at 45 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and nickel size hail.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down small tree limbs and blow         around unsecured objects. Hail damage to outdoor objects         and vegetation is possible.

&nbsp;..A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN RILEY AND EASTERN
CLAY COUNTIES THROUGH 645 PM CST...

At 615 PM CST, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 8
miles west of Wakefield, moving northeast at 45 mph.



HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and nickel size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down small tree limbs and blow
         around unsecured objects. Hail damage to outdoor objects
         and vegetation is possible.



Locations impacted include...
Clay Center, Leonardville, and Green.&nbsp;

Special Weather Statement

&nbsp; USD 475 has announced that there will be no school for all <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ECCUSD475?__cft__[0]=AZZkq4uY0XI3Xk0yS3YGpgvJ8zwYkQl3I_0Y1IfmfjwRPJ_U3IjV-UrCGdpeehMAoaAgy87ay4xJOfdEUVJnyXQkxA3tLmplZzAH4YRWUhkeP-FNt11jc-pLfuEAd6NVxSn9bvNONeNnJ4ToiEOuy1Qhz0u71gNoGPvSssNh48wKgS1VOudYfnOSo-TLFJyE6Pc&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Early Childhood</a> and elementary students on Monday, March 9 as it is an elementary plan day in the district. 

All secondary schools will be in session.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Elementary plan day is scheduled on Monday

Fort Riley leaders, Soldiers, and community members came together Thursday to launch this year’s Army Emergency Relief (AER) campaign, continuing a long tradition of Soldiers helping Soldiers.

For more than 80 years, AER has provided critical financial assistance to Soldiers and Families when they need it most—helping with unexpected emergencies, travel, housing needs, and more. The program stands as a powerful reminder that the Army community takes care of its own.



Fort Riley Kicks Off the Army Emergency Relief Campaign

Beginning at 11:30 AM, Friday Crews will be tapping a waterline located near 14th &amp; Jackson. Residents near 14th St between Madison to Jackson, may experience low to no water pressure until maintenance is complete. Maintenance is estimated to take 1 hour.&nbsp;&nbsp;

  Junction City Water Maintenance Alert:

The USD 475 Board of Education adopted a new board policy on INGG Facility Dogs in schools on Monday. The purpose of this policy is to establish board-authorized requirements for the use of facility dogs in district schools and programs, ensuring student safety, staff accountability, and compliance with applicable state and federal law.

The USD 475 Board of Education approved the recommendation from the staff to use approximately $224,851 on site and playground improvements at Lincoln Elementary.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Junction City High School English teacher, Patrick Hancock, was honored for being named the inaugural K-State College of Education Literacy Legacy Award recipient. The Literacy Legacy Award honors exceptional literacy educators who make a meaningful impact on student literacy learning. 

&nbsp;Junction City High School agriculture and FFA Chapter teacher Ashley Vahsholtz was recognized for being named the 2026 Kansas Association of Agricultural Educators Young Teacher of the Year. Laura Thompson of Ware Elementary was also recognized on Monday night for being named the 2026 Kansas Association of Special Education Administrators Special Education Professional of the Year.

The Junction City High School Family, Career and Community Leaders of America team, which consists of Mateo Fuentes, Kai Walsh, Brittney Dibben, Aubrey Goddard and Keileigh Johnston, was honored for being named the 2026 Kansas State Varsity LifeSmarts Champion at the Kansas State Finals on the campus of Wichita State University.&nbsp;

BOE highlights

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military said it killed six men Sunday in a strike on an alleged drug-smuggling vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean as part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-venezuela-drug-cartels-military-timeline-91e242e5c56eec39b6b7d72bf55dbd2d">Trump administration’s campaign</a>&nbsp;against alleged traffickers.

Sunday's attack brought the death toll to at least 157 people since the Trump administration began targeting those it calls “narcoterrorists” in small vessels in early September.

As with most of the military’s statements on the more than 40 known strikes in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, U.S. Southern Command said it targeted alleged drug traffickers along known smuggling routes. The military did not provide evidence that the vessel was ferrying drugs. It posted a video on X that showed a small boat being blown up as it floated on the water.

President Donald Trump has said the U.S. is in “armed conflict” with cartels in Latin America and has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maduro-drugs-venezuela-911-hegseth-3db3aafed492556bb9ca7de855c4849e">justified the attacks</a>&nbsp;as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States. But his administration has offered little evidence to support its claims of killing “narcoterrorists.”

In a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iran-latin-america-china-d1cbf9af62f10e0644770f2e2b2bd791">meeting with Latin American leaders</a>&nbsp;on Saturday, Trump encouraged them to join the U.S. in taking military action against drug-trafficking cartels and transnational gangs, which he said pose an “unacceptable threat” to the region's national security.

To that end, Ecuador and the United States conducted military operations this past week against organized crime groups in the South American country.

With Saturday's gathering, Trump aimed to demonstrate that he remains committed to focusing U.S. foreign policy on the Western Hemisphere, even while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-us-march-8-2026-f0b20dbffaea9351ae1e54183ffe53ff">waging a war</a>&nbsp;on Iran that has had repercussions across the Middle East.

Critics&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-boat-strikes-drugs-25000-lives-c6e4c750b0dc6f15d397d598c9bd169f">have questioned the overall legality</a>&nbsp;of the boat strikes as well as their effectiveness, in part because the fentanyl behind many fatal overdoses is typically trafficked to the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-drug-smuggling-cocaine-coast-guard-caribbean-e10930a4c7e48eeb23816867e7987bcc">over land from Mexico</a>, where it is produced with chemicals imported from China and India.

The boat strikes also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-venezuela-boat-strikes-trump-6eaa178757a39803f0d4b5324dd43c1f">drew intense criticism</a>&nbsp;following the revelation that the military killed survivors of the very first boat attack with a follow-up strike. The Trump administration and many Republican lawmakers said it was legal and necessary, while Democratic lawmakers and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boat-strikes-survivors-hegseth-72b0a498ca08615b2589c772a1d9e642">legal experts said</a>&nbsp;the killings were murder, if not a war crime.

🎥US military kills 6 in new strike on drug boat in the Eastern Pacific

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-mojtaba-khamenei-supreme-leader-a2de686507c9179788d2a8793c8414a0">Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of Iran's late supreme leader</a>, has been named his successor, Iranian state TV announced early Monday, as the war that began a little over a week ago with his father's killing took a dramatic turn.

The younger Khamenei, who had not been seen or heard from publicly since the war started, had long been considered a contender for the post, even before an Israeli strike killed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-supreme-leader-ayatollah-ali-khamenei-dead-5b13b69b708c4ed38e8f95f5fb41a597">Ayatollah Ali Khamenei</a>, and despite never being elected or appointed to a government position.

His appointment came after signs of a rift among Iranian officials as the country awaited a decision by the Assembly of Experts, a group of clerics that selects the supreme leader. State TV read a statement from the assembly saying he was selected based on “strong” votes and urging the nation to unite behind him. The station broadcast scenes of people celebrating in parts of Tehran.

There has been only one other transfer of power in the office of supreme leader since the Islamic Revolution almost a half-century ago.

A secretive figure, the 56-year-old Khamenei now stands at the heart of Iran’s theocracy and will have final say over all matters of state. He will serve as commander-in-chief of the military and powerful paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. He also has authority over a stockpile of highly enriched uranium that could be used to build a nuclear weapon, if he chooses to decree it.

The selection of Khamenei faces the likelihood of U.S. criticism. “Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me,” U.S. President Donald Trump has said. “We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran.”

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump has derided the 56-year-old who has never been elected or appointed to a government position, as “a lightweight.”

 Trump told ABC News on Sunday he wants a say in who comes to power once the war is over; a new leader “is not going to last long” without his approval.

But Iran's Revolutionary Guard issued a statement expressing support, as did the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

Top Iranian security official Ali Larijani, speaking to state TV, praised the Assembly of Experts for “courageously” convening even as airstrikes continued in Tehran. He said the younger Khamenei had been trained by his father and “can handle this situation.”

What President Trump said about new Iran supreme leader

CHICAGO (AP) — Oil prices spiked near $120 per barrel before falling back Monday as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-us-march-8-2026-f0b20dbffaea9351ae1e54183ffe53ff">Iran war</a>&nbsp;intensified, threatening production and shipping in the Middle East and pummeling financial markets.

The price for a barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, surged to $119.50 per barrel early in the day but later was trading at $107.80 per barrel.

West Texas Intermediate, the light, sweet crude oil produced in the United States, spiked at $119.48 per barrel but fell back to $103 per barrel.

The war’s toll on civilian targets grew as Bahrain accused Iran of striking a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-war-desalination-water-oil-middle-east-12b23f2fa26ed5c4a10f80c4077e61ce">desalination plant</a>&nbsp;vital to drinking water supplies, and oil depots in Tehran smoldered following overnight strikes by Israel.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-gasoline-iran-war-inflation-1a1b7c3e5fbd735aa87c43ac664501cb">Oil prices have surged</a>&nbsp;as the war, now in its second week, ensnares countries and places that are critical to the production and movement of oil and gas from the Persian Gulf.

Prices moderated after the Financial Times reported that some members of the Group of Seven industrial nations were considering releases of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iran-oil-strategic-petroleum-reserve-f94657cbef74c0c682f5cc6472bfb3cb">strategic oil reserves</a>&nbsp;to alleviate pressure on the markets. The unconfirmed report cited unnamed people familiar with the talks.

On Saturday, President Donald Trump downplayed the idea of turning to America’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-opec-business-government-and-politics-climate-environment-59aa11307b222550d48fb42ff0c3bd59">Strategic Petroleum Reserve,</a>&nbsp;saying U.S. supplies were ample and prices would soon fall.

Roughly 15 million barrels of crude oil — about 20% of the world’s oil — typically are shipped every day through the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/strait-hormuz-iran-energy-war-5b60e82ef2fc68e2b43aa570a32404dd">Strait of Hormuz</a>, according to independent research firm Rystad Energy. The threat of Iranian missile and drone attacks has all but stopped tankers from traveling through the strait, which is bordered in the north by Iran, carry oil and gas from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Iran.

Iraq, Kuwait and the UAE have cut their oil production as storage tanks fill due to the reduced ability to export crude. Iran, Israel and the United States also have attacked oil and gas facilities since the war started, exacerbating supply concerns.

The surge in costs for oil and natural gas is pushing fuel prices higher, cascading through other industries and jolting Asian economies that are especially vulnerable due to the region's heavy reliance on imports from the Middle East.

The last time Brent and U.S. crude futures traded near the current level was in 2022, after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Higher energy costs push inflation higher, straining household budgets and denting the consumer spending that is a main driver of many big economies.

Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei 225 index shed 5.2% on Monday while other markets also foundered. U.S. futures were down more than 1.5%.

On Friday, the S&amp;P 500 dropped 1.3% and the Dow plunged as many as 945 points before finishing with a loss of roughly 450. The Nasdaq composite sank 1.6%.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-economy-iran-inflation-jobs-gas-prices-7fbd5e99e3b6023963dd3de226aee4e4">In the U.S</a>., a gallon of regular gasoline rose to $3.45 on Sunday, about 47 cents more than a week earlier, according to AAA motor club. Diesel was selling for about $4.60 a gallon, a weekly increase of about 83 cents.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright, speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union,” said U.S. gas prices would be back under $3 a gallon “before too long.”

“Look, you never know exactly the time frame of this, but, in the worst case, this is a weeks, this is not a months thing,” Wright added.

If oil prices stay above $100 per barrel, some analysts and investors say it could be too much for the global economy to withstand.

Iranian authorities said strikes by Israel on oil depots&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-us-march-6-2026-6108249f19c4bc162eacd7847976c174">in Tehran</a>&nbsp;and a petroleum transfer terminal early Sunday killed four people. Israel’s military said the depots were being used by Iran’s military for fuel to launch missiles. Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament, warned that the war’s impact on the oil industry would spiral.

Iran exports roughly 1.6 million barrels of oil a day, mostly to China, which may need to look elsewhere for supply if Iran’s exports are disrupted, another factor that could increase energy prices.

The price of natural gas also has climbed during the war, though not by as much as oil. It was selling for about $3.33 per 1,000 cubic feet late Sunday. That’s 4.6% higher than its Friday closing price of $3.19, after rising about 11% last week.

Crude oil prices spike to highest price in over three years

Kansas City—Authorities are investigating the cause an apartment fire in Kansas City.

Just after 7a.m. Saturday Kansas City Fire Department companies were dispatched to&nbsp;a reported fire in the 3700 block of Main Street in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Battalion Chief Riley Nolan.

On arrival, crews reported heavy smoke and fire showing from a 3-story apartment and initiated an offensive fire attack. Multiple hose lines were advanced into the structure to fight the fire.

Searches throughout the structure were performed and reported all clear. The fire was brought under control&nbsp;at&nbsp; 7:43 a.m.

No injuries have been reported from this incident .Dangerous Buildings and City Planning have been requested to the scene.

Fire at 3-story apartment building in Kansas City

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a violent knife attack and have made an arrest.

Just after 5:30p.m. March 5, police responded to a call at the intersection of SW 17th Street and SW Washburn Avenue in Topeka, according to a media release.&nbsp;

Officers located a man with multiple stab wounds. He was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.

As a result of the investigation, Kevin E. Hill, 54, Topeka, was transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections and was booked on requested charges of Aggravated battery; Knowingly use weapon cause great body harm/disfigure/death.

Kansas man accused of violent knife attack

KANSAS CITY —Kansas City Aviation Department (KCAD) received a call of a potential device inside the Kansas City international Airport (MCI) terminal Sunday Morning, as well in the parking garage.

Airport police and other law enforcement, including the FBI, worked quickly to evaluate the situation and ensure the safety of everyone. 

As part of that process, KCAD staff evacuated travelers from the terminal and held inbound flights on the taxiway away from the gates during the event.

Law Enforcement was able to determine no credible threat to the Airport or those inside the terminal. Once that determination was made, KCAD has started working to resume normal operations and minimize disruptions. ​The evacuation lasted approximately two hours.

During the sweep of the garage, a vehicle on the top floor was identified by K9 units as suspicious. As protocol, KCPD Bomb and Arson were called in to investigate and the garage was kept closed for an additional three hours.

Bomb and Arson investigated the vehicle and was able to determine that there was no threat.

As always, the KCAD and FBI encourage anyone who becomes aware of anything suspicious or concerning to report that to law enforcement.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement including the FBI forced the evacuation of portions of Kansas City International Airport terminal Sunday afternoon due to a threat.

On their social media page, the airport wrote, "The Kansas City Aviation Department is aware of a situation at Kansas City International Airport (MCI). As a precaution, the department has evacuated sections of the Airport Terminal."

"Airport Police are working with the FBI to substantiate any potential threat."

FBI Director Kash Patrol wrote on social media, "The FBI&nbsp;and our law enforcement partners quickly responded to the scene and secured the area. The threat was reviewed and determined not to be credible. Terminal has been swept, cleared, and normal operations resumed." 

"Thank you to our federal partners at U. S. Department of Transportation and Secretary Duffy for the coordination and quick response. 

Threats like these are a federal crime. FBI and law enforcement partners will fully investigate and bring to justice anyone responsible."

Just before 2p.m. the Airport terminal re-opened.&nbsp;

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy wrote, "The security incident at Kansas City&nbsp;is now clear and normal operations are resuming. I want to thank law enforcement including the FBI for their timely response.

Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

New details on KCI terminal evacuation during threat investigation

WASHINGTON (AP) —The U.S. military announced an American service member has died of injuries sustained during an Iranian attack on troops stationed in Saudi Arabia.

The seventh American service member killed in the Iran war was an Army soldier, a U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed to The Associated Press. The service member died on Saturday from injuries sustained during a March 1 Iranian attack on the kingdom.

The American death toll since the start of combat operations now stands at seven. Six Army reservists were also killed in the March 1 attack on Kuwait.

All seven casualties from the war in Iran were Army soldiers. The first six deaths were Army reservists killed in a March 1 attack on a command center in a Kuwaiti port.

A U.S. National Guard Soldier also died in a health-related incident in Kuwait on March 6 during a medical emergency, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command. The exact cause of death is under review.

The identity of the fallen warrior will be withheld until 24 hours after next of kin notification, according to the U.S. Central Command.

U.S. military reports more service member deaths in Iran conflict

KANSAS CITY—A Kansas City man faces charges in&nbsp;connection with the fatal shooting of a teenage girl that occurred in Independence in June 2021.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2821/Finch-Redacted-Complaint">Justin Finch</a>, 21,&nbsp;faces 2nd Degree Murder, Armed Criminal Action, and 1st Degree Burglary.&nbsp;

Finch was a juvenile at the time of the homicide. Last week, a Family Court judge certified him to stand trial as an adult.&nbsp;

“Justice does not have an expiration date. Homicide cases are among the most complex our office handles and when the suspect is also a juvenile at the time of the offense, the legal process becomes much more intricate, moving through Family Court first, under a completely different system,”&nbsp;Prosecutor Johnson said.&nbsp;“That process takes time, but that does not mean we’ve forgotten our obligation to victims. Our office will pursue accountability and justice for all victims no matter how long it takes.”

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2822/Finch-Redacted-Probable-Cause">According to court records</a>, Independence police responded to a residence on June 23, 2021, and located the victim deceased in her bedroom with an apparent injury to her face and head. A single spent shell casing was recovered under the victim’s bed.&nbsp;

Witnesses reported Finch and the victim were in a relationship and not getting along. The defendant had been seen with firearms in the past and had sent photos and videos of firearms to the victim.&nbsp;

The defendant’s DNA was present in the scrapings from both the victim’s hands. He had also been observed at the victim’s bedroom window the day of the homicide.&nbsp;

In July 2023, Finch had a pre-trial conference with Family Court but failed to appear. After investigators and different law enforcement agencies attempted to locate Finch, he was arrested on Jan. 6 for the warrant.&nbsp;

A Jackson County judge set the defendant’s bond to $350,000 cash only.

KC man will stand trial as an adult for killing girl in her bedroom

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/kevinhardy/">Kevin Hardy</a>

Online prediction markets allow users to put money on the outcome of almost anything — this weekend’s NBA game between the Warriors and the Thunder, the next supreme leader of Iran, whether the government will confirm the existence of aliens.

But those markets have no state oversight and operate even in states that ban gambling.

The platforms are raising bipartisan alarms, especially related to sports gambling. As states have legalized sports betting in recent years, they’ve required legal sportsbooks to jump through multiple hoops — from age verification procedures to protections for gambling addiction to tax collections. Online prediction markets circumvent all those rules.

Platforms including Kalshi and Polymarket say they are offering contracts similar to commodity markets that speculate on the future price of corn or oil — not outright gambling. But a growing number of states are rejecting those justifications, arguing the platforms are offering a backdoor to skirt state gambling regulations, particularly on sports.

The issue has sparked action from state regulators, new legislation, and lawsuits from both states and prediction markets. Complicating matters are the federal government’s moves to block state regulation of prediction markets, which see more than&nbsp;<a href="https://theconversation.com/everything-can-be-a-bet-now-the-rise-and-risks-of-prediction-markets-276464" target="_blank">$13 billion</a>&nbsp;in transactions each month.

Most activity on those platforms revolves around sports. And in national ads, Kalshi even marketed itself as the first national legal sports betting platform — even though states approve and regulate sports gambling since a 2018 Supreme Court decision. In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.americangaming.org/research/state-of-play-map/" target="_blank">11 states,</a>&nbsp;sports gambling remains illegal.

“This is sports wagering. If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s probably sports wagering, in this situation,” said Kentucky state Rep. Michael Meredith, a Republican.

Meredith, who sponsored a 2023 law that legalized sports betting in Kentucky, called for states to regulate prediction markets during a webinar hosted by the National Conference of State Legislatures. That organization, representing state legislators across the country, has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncsl.org/resources/details/ncsl-urges-congress-to-address-unregulated-sports-betting-via-prediction-markets" target="_blank">urged Congress</a>&nbsp;“to act swiftly to address the rapid growth of unregulated sports‑related event contracts.”

State leaders argue their longstanding authority to oversee gambling should allow states to regulate or ban prediction market platforms. But those companies maintain they are not beholden to state regulations.

“I think it’s very clear that this authority should be vested in our state governments,” Meredith said last month.

In New York, lawmakers are considering&nbsp;<a href="https://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?default_fld=&amp;leg_video=&amp;bn=A09251&amp;term=&amp;Summary=Y&amp;Actions=Y&amp;Text=Y" target="_blank">legislation</a>&nbsp;that would ban prediction markets from offering contracts on sports events, in addition to natural disasters, acts of terrorism and deaths. In Nevada, where gambling and tourism are top economic drivers, regulators are involved in a&nbsp;<a href="https://nevadacurrent.com/2026/02/24/protracted-legal-fight-expected-in-nevada-v-kalshi/" target="_blank">protracted legal fight&nbsp;</a>after the state sought to stop prediction market activity on sports.

“To me, this is clearly gambling,” Thomas Reeg, CEO of Caesars Entertainment, which operates casinos and sports betting,&nbsp;said during a company&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fool.com/earnings/call-transcripts/2026/02/17/caesars-czr-q4-2025-earnings-call-transcript/" target="_blank">earnings call</a>&nbsp;in January.

But states are also fighting an obscure federal agency seeking to protect the emerging marketplace. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which regulates&nbsp;<a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/derivative.asp" target="_blank">derivatives</a>&nbsp;such as futures contracts on stocks, has asserted it has “exclusive jurisdiction” over prediction markets and promised to fight state regulatory efforts in court.

The CTFC did not respond to Stateline’s request for comment. Neither did Kalshi or Polymarket, two of the leading prediction market companies.

Unless Congress passes legislation, experts say the courts will ultimately decide what role states can play in regulating prediction markets.

The standoff has led to litigation between the platforms and states in at least eight states, and officials in 11 states have sent cease and desist orders to prediction market companies, according to the American Gaming Association, an industry group representing casinos and sports books. A bipartisan group of attorneys general from 39 states and the District of Columbia recently urged a federal court to uphold state authority to regulate sports gambling.

The American Gaming Association says prediction markets should either get out of the sports betting business or follow the same regulations and rules that apply to sportsbooks such as DraftKings and FanDuel.

“They don’t want to pay the taxes, they don’t want to undergo the compliance and provide all of the consumer protections that are required by states of operators who operate legal sports betting,” said Tres York, the vice president of government relations for the association.

The organization estimates states have lost out on more than&nbsp;<a href="https://www.americangaming.org/sports-event-contracts/" target="_blank">$570 million</a>&nbsp;in sports gambling tax revenues since prediction markets began offering sports events contracts.

Many state leaders and experts are<a href="https://stateline.org/2024/12/05/growth-of-sports-betting-may-be-linked-to-financial-woes-new-studies-find/" target="_blank">&nbsp;already concerned</a>&nbsp;about the societal effects from the meteoric rise of sports gambling, which has transformed collegiate and professional sports, and the potential for&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2025/09/09/wagers-on-touchdowns-strikeouts-and-even-penalties-states-eye-limits-on-prop-bets/" target="_blank">manipulation</a>&nbsp;by players.

“If you already have what I would call an epidemic of sports betting addiction in this country when you have regulated sports betting, imagine what it’s going to be like when you have essentially unregulated sports betting,” said Benjamin Schiffrin, director of securities policy at Better Markets, a nonprofit watchdog group advocating for consumer and investor financial protections.

The wide range of available bets also is raising alarms over election integrity and insider trading. In addition to individual elections, prediction markets have allowed wagers on the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and the timing of the U.S. strike on Iran. Last week, hundreds of thousands of dollars were bet the day before the Iranian strikes, and more than 100 accounts cashed in $10,000 or more from successful predictions, according to a New York Times&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/03/upshot/prediction-markets-iran-strikes.html" target="_blank">analysis</a>.

“It’s a huge change to all of a sudden allow betting on elections, and it really threatens the underpinnings of our democracy,” Schiffrin said. “It just seems like there’s tremendous potential for wrongdoing.”

On its&nbsp;<a href="https://news.kalshi.com/p/values-and-principles-for-prediction-markets" target="_blank">website</a>, Kalshi says it operates under a “strict regulatory framework” with a suite of market integrity, surveillance, financial safeguards, and anti-manipulation protections.

Citing what it called “an onslaught” of state litigation, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission last month filed a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/9183-26" target="_blank">court brief&nbsp;</a>underscoring its authority to regulate prediction markets.

“To those who seek to challenge our authority in this space, let me be clear: We will see you in court,” Commissioner Mike Selig said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cftc.gov/Exit/index.htm?https://x.com/ChairmanSelig/status/2023744651216240966?s=20" target="_blank">video</a>&nbsp;posted on social media. Selig is the only member of the presidentially appointed commission, which currently has four vacancies.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican, immediately vowed to oppose the federal agency and the prediction platforms in court. Gambling has been&nbsp;<a href="https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title76/Chapter9/76-9-S1402.html" target="_blank">banned</a>&nbsp;under the Utah Constitution since the state’s founding, and Cox posted on social media that prediction markets are “destroying the lives of families.”

Kalshi&nbsp;<a href="https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2026/02/24/kalshi-sues-utah-over-proposed-prop-betting-ban/" target="_blank">swiftly sued&nbsp;</a>the governor and the state in federal court in anticipation of enforcement efforts and pending legislation in Salt Lake City. The company’s lawsuit cited the governor’s post and a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.deseret.com/opinion/2026/02/22/utah-gambling-apps-prediciton-markets-harmful-dangerous/" target="_blank">column penned</a>&nbsp;by Republican Attorney General Derek Brown explaining why he joined Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, a Democrat, “in urging Congress to address offshore gambling operations that disregard state law and target young Americans.”

Utah Republican state Rep. Joseph Elison sponsored the&nbsp;<a href="https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2026/02/23/utah-legislature-advances-ban-on-proposition-betting/" target="_blank">legislation</a>&nbsp;cited in Kalshi’s lawsuit. The bill, which has passed both chambers, would expand the state’s definition of gambling to include&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2025/09/09/wagers-on-touchdowns-strikeouts-and-even-penalties-states-eye-limits-on-prop-bets/" target="_blank">proposition betting</a>&nbsp;— bets on the performance of an individual player or team that don’t necessarily affect the outcome of a competition. While Elison acknowledged the courts will ultimately determine the issue, he said prediction markets are essentially offering proposition betting without authorization.

”We’re 50 independent sovereigns that gave centralized government to the federal government to do certain things,” he told Stateline. “But the rest, we want those things to be under our purview. And this is one of those.”

In early rulings on the matter, courts have issued a mix of opinions: States have found initial success in state courts while results have been more mixed in federal courts, said Daniel Wallach, a gaming and sports gambling attorney tracking the issue.

But federal law has long affirmed state authority to oversee gambling, he said.

Despite attempts to cast transactions as investments, Wallach says courts will look at the substance of bets, which he said are almost indistinguishable from those made in state-regulated betting markets.

“The argument that this is investing rather than gambling is essentially elevating form over substance,” he said. “Plain and simple, this is wagering on the outcome of a sporting event.”

Wallach said state efforts such as cease and desist orders are counterproductive, as they essentially invite federal lawsuits from prediction market firms. He said states are better off pursuing gambling enforcement efforts in state courts, where several have won preliminary injunctions&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/judge-bans-kalshi-offering-sports-events-contracts-massachusetts-30-days-2026-02-06/" target="_blank">halting operations&nbsp;</a>of the platforms temporarily.

For now, he said the federal agency has applied almost no scrutiny of the platforms, noting that the president’s family has a financial interest in the industry.

Donald Trump Jr., the president’s eldest son, has a business interest in two of the largest online prediction markets, and the president’s social media platform Truth Social announced it would start its own prediction market, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/15/us/politics/donald-trump-jr-prediction-markets.html" target="_blank">The New York Times</a>.

Journalist Dustin Gouker, who authors<a href="https://substack.com/@dustingouker" target="_blank">&nbsp;newsletters</a>&nbsp;on gambling and prediction markets, noted that the CFTC rules that currently regulate prediction markets were built for financial products — not gambling. He said prediction markets have moved into the gaming market because “nobody said no.”

“It’s a bit of a mess,” he said. “If we’re going to have betting in 50 states for everyone 18 and over, shouldn’t we have thought about that a little bit more?”

Stateline reporter Kevin Hardy can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:khardy@stateline.org">khardy@stateline.org</a>.&nbsp;

This story was originally produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2026/03/06/kalshi-and-polymarket-are-skirting-laws-on-sports-betting-states-say/" target="_blank">Stateline</a>, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Missouri Independent, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

Kalshi and Polymarket are skirting laws on sports betting, states say

Clocks skipped ahead an hour at 2 a.m. Sunday for daylight saving time in most of the U.S., creating a 23-hour day that throws off sleep schedules, plunges early-morning dog walks into darkness and inspires millions of complaints.

Even though polls show most people dislike the system that has most Americans changing clocks twice a year, the political moves necessary to change the system haven't succeeded because opinions on the issue and its potential impacts are sharply divided.

Want to make daylight saving time permanent? That would mean the sun rises around 9 a.m. in Detroit for a while during the winter. Prefer staying on standard time year round? That would mean the sun would be up at 4:11 a.m. in Seattle in June.

“There’s no law we can pass to move the sun to our will,” said Jay Pea, the president of Save Standard Time, an organization devoted to switching to standard time for good.

Imposing a clock on a rotating planet causes a lot of headaches

Genie Lauren spends her winters in New York City keeping an eye on the sunrise and sunset “white-knuckling it” until the sun is up late enough for her to feel like doing anything outside her apartment after work — even going to the movies.

“The majority of the year we’re in daylight savings time,” said the 41-year-old health care worker. “What are we doing this for?”

The U.S. has tinkered with the clock intermittently since railroads standardized the time zones in 1883. So has a lot of the world. About 140 countries have had daylight saving time at some point; about half that many do now.

About 1 in 10 U.S. adults favor the current system of changing the clocks, according to an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2025/how-americans-feel-about-changing-the-clocks-according-to-a-new-ap-norc-poll/">AP-NORC poll</a>&nbsp;conducted last year. About half oppose that system, and some 4 in 10 didn’t have an opinion. If they had to choose, most Americans say they would prefer to make daylight saving time permanent, rather than standard time.

Since 2018, 19 states — including much of the South and a block of states in the northwestern U.S. — have adopted laws calling for a move to permanent daylight saving time.

There’s a catch: Congress would need to pass a law to allow states to go to full-time daylight saving time, something that was in place nationwide during World War II and for an unpopular, brief stint in 1974.

The U.S. Senate passed a bill in 2022 to move to permanent daylight saving time. A similar House bill hasn't been brought to a vote.

U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, a Republican from Alabama who introduces such a bill every term, said the airline industry, which doesn't want the scheduling complexity a change would bring, has been a factor in persuading lawmakers not to take it up.

U.S. Rep. Greg Steube, a Florida Republican, is proposing another approach.

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