The Geary County Food Pantry is pleased to announce it has been awarded $60,750 in Kansas Community Service Tax Credits through the Kansas Department of Commerce. This award provides a unique opportunity for donors to make a meaningful impact while receiving significant state tax benefits.

Through this program, individuals and businesses who make a qualifying donation to the Geary County Food Pantry will receive a 50% Kansas income tax credit for the amount contributed. For example, a $1,000 donation results in a $500 tax credit—directly reducing the donor’s Kansas tax liability.

Tax credits are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis, so community members are encouraged to act quickly to take advantage of this opportunity.

Anyone interested in making a donation or learning more can contact any Geary County Food Pantry Board Member or Debbie Johns, food pantry director by calling (785) 762-8830 or emailing gcfp2020@outlook.com for details.

“This award helps ensure we can continue providing food assistance to families in need right here in Geary County,” said Julia Loper, Chairman of the Board. “We’re grateful for the support of our community and invite everyone to be part of this effort.”

Geary County Food Pantry Awarded $60,750 in Kansas State Tax Credits

The Geary County 4-H Foundation is hosting a soup supper and bingo night, Sunday, November 9, starting at 5:30 p.m. at the 4-H/Sr. Citizens Center, 1025 South Spring Valley Road in Junction City.&nbsp; The Geary County 4-H Foundation is a not for profit organization for the purpose of supporting and promoting the 4-H program in Geary County.&nbsp; 

Chili, chicken noodle soup, crackers, carrots, and cinnamon rolls will be available for a donation starting at 5:30pm.&nbsp; Bingo will start about 6:15pm with a nominal charge for bingo cards and some really fun prizes for the winners.&nbsp; 

For more information about this event or the Geary County 4-H Foundation, contact Ginger Kopfer at the Geary County Extension Office, 785-238-4161.

Geary County 4-H Foundation will host a fundraiser

Sam Yoskowitz feels that you should serve your community and be the change that you want to see. She is seeking election to a seat on the Junction City Commission. Yoskowitz is a project management professional.

"Overall I do think we have to acknowledge reality in order to change it." Her top three priorities are to retain, engage and grow. "We should retain citizens and give them a return on their investment. Engage them to know what's actually going on on their behalf and on behalf of their tax dollars, and of course then we can grow our town."

Yoskowitz favors forming proceses that create a consistent and accountable experience for the public. She has highlighted issues including unqualified handouts of taxpayer money, the need to support local youth, especially the teenagers, and a need to audit officials.

Other candidates for city commission include Jim Germann, Terry Butler, Kelly Niemczyk, Joe Markley and Robert Laster. Three seats are up for election.

Sam Yoskowitz is running for city commission

TOPEKA&nbsp;– The&nbsp;Cold&nbsp;Weather&nbsp;Rule, designed to help Kansans who are behind on their utility payments avoid disconnection during the winter months, began on Saturday, November 1 and remains in effect through March 31.

While the&nbsp;Cold&nbsp;Weather&nbsp;Rule&nbsp;is in effect, utility companies cannot disconnect a customer's service when the local temperatures are forecast to drop below 35 degrees within the following 48-hour period. The Kansas Corporation Commission, the agency that regulates public utilities in the state, implemented the&nbsp;rule&nbsp;in 1983 to prevent utility companies from disconnecting a customer's natural gas, electric or water service during periods of extreme&nbsp;cold.

The&nbsp;Cold&nbsp;Weather&nbsp;Rule&nbsp;also requires utility companies to offer a 12-month payment plan to allow consumers to maintain or re-establish service. Any residential customer with a past due balance will qualify for payment arrangements; however, it is the customer's responsibility to contact the utility to make those arrangements.

Payment plan terms to maintain or restore service require that customers agree to pay 1/12th of the total amount owed, 1/12th of the current bill, the full amount of any disconnection or reconnection fee, plus any applicable deposit to the utility. The remaining balance must be paid in equal payments over the next 11 months, in addition to the current monthly bill.

The&nbsp;Cold&nbsp;Weather&nbsp;Rule&nbsp;applies only to residential customers of utility companies under the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.kcc.ks.gov%2Fabout-us%2Fjurisdiction%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/0101019a2b260897-9d45a153-2087-4dfa-a7b6-6e14eba5a02b-000000/x9BRqdv44vhcoh1i6KfOCI94IseoXSHbgM6MCmJ6tNg=428">KCC's jurisdiction</a>, however many municipal utilities and cooperatives have similar winter&nbsp;weather&nbsp;policies.

Information about the&nbsp;Cold&nbsp;Weather&nbsp;Rule&nbsp;is available on the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.kcc.ks.gov%2Fconsumer-information%2Fcold-weather-rule%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/0101019a2b260897-9d45a153-2087-4dfa-a7b6-6e14eba5a02b-000000/bwAQzbqogqGZW9u1mxJxkB3WOomU90cjvN1AMOZ9KPI=428">Commission’s website</a><a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Flinkprotect.cudasvc.com%2Furl%3Fa=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.kcc.ks.gov%252Fconsumer-information%252Fcold-weather-rule%253Futm_medium%253Demail%2526utm_source%253Dgovdelivery%26c=E%252C1%252CEFhPWc-npJHC7SLIDM6OMuVKUr3wX9Xg4C-2l1zFp6i2MFyzNb_qLElkJQELZugDIrGtLQMT5BD4XlfbuOEOM56KVuryQVxL6SMnhGA16QG8r25Q%26typo=1%26utm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/0101019a2b260897-9d45a153-2087-4dfa-a7b6-6e14eba5a02b-000000/_wNNeH73-d0UdAhwOCeJdX4eMA0NIaXAzsaDXi53UGg=428">.&nbsp;</a>Kansans may also contact their local utility company or the KCC's Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at (800) 662-0027 or 785-271-3140 to learn more.&nbsp;

Cold Weather Rule takes effect

The Geary County Sheriff's Department reported that on Saturday at 6:40 a.m. Deputies responded to I-70 milemarker 308 for a single vehicle accident. Erin Manning of Holton, KS was traveling westbound in a 2023 Subaru Ascent when a deer was struck in the roadway. After striking the deer the engine caught fire and destroyed the car.There were no injuries, and the vehicle removed by Renegade Wrecker.

Non-injury accident leads to car fire

At a round table in the&nbsp;Wheat’s On Your Mind&nbsp;studio at the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center, four Kansas commodity CEOs traded notes that sounded a lot like the conversations happening at kitchen tables across the state. They pulled back the curtain on how checkoffs work, why grower associations matter and how collaboration keeps Kansas agriculture relevant in a tough market.

Justin Gilpin of Kansas Wheat, Josh Roe of Kansas Corn, Caleb Little of Kansas Soybeans and Adam York of Kansas Grain Sorghum outlined the roles of Kansas commodity commissions and the separate, dues-funded associations that handle advocacy. The group walked through how farmer dollars support research, market development and education while associations carry out policy work in Washington, D.C. and Topeka.

They also compared Kansas’ realities with the I-states, pointing to different climate, infrastructure and biofuel dynamics. The conversation kept circling back to a Kansas advantage: farmers who raise multiple crops and organizations that plan together on markets, research and water.

That statewide perspective comes from working shoulder to shoulder.&nbsp;

“Whether it’s research at K-State or joint market development abroad, we’re all working toward the same mission: helping farmers succeed,” Gilpin said. “We face different challenges, but we share the same fields and communities.”

The CEOs highlighted the strength of Kansas research leadership, especially through Kansas State University’s College of Agriculture. From developing wheat varieties resistant to disease and drought to improving sorghum genetics through the Center for Sorghum Improvement, farmer-funded checkoff dollars are driving real results. Investments in research partnerships across K-State departments help create practical, farmer-focused innovation.&nbsp;

“Research is the long game, but it’s also the clearest return farmers can see from their checkoff,” Gilpin said. “Every new variety, pest study or efficiency breakthrough helps keep Kansas agriculture competitive.”

Still, short-term challenges remain. Commodity prices are down across the board while input costs stay high, tightening farm margins heading into 2026. The CEOs agreed that while farmers prefer markets over aid, short-term relief may be necessary until the new farm bill provisions take effect. Roe added that Kansas producers are facing gluts in corn and soybeans, while international trade slowdowns have hit sorghum and wheat exports.

“Farmers are survivors,” York said. “Getting through this next year means focusing on efficiency, maintaining markets and making sure policy decisions reflect Kansas reality.”

Each Kansas commodity group operates a farmer-elected checkoff commission that invests producer dollars back into research, education and market development. The Kansas Wheat Commission, established in 1957 through the Kansas Wheat Act, collects a state assessment of two cents per bushel of wheat sold. Those funds support programs like the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center, international trade through U.S. Wheat Associates and research collaborations at Kansas State University.

Similarly, all four Kansas commodity commissions are funded through checkoff collection at the first point of sale. These funds are used for promotion, research and market development; however, checkoff funds aren’t used for lobbying or political advocacy; the separate dues-funded grower associations handle those efforts.

Together, Kansas’ commodity groups are proving that collaboration is one of agriculture’s greatest strengths. Farmers don’t typically just grow just one commodity but include several of the four in their crop rotations. By aligning priorities such as research, market development and policy advocacy, these groups are ensuring that farmer investments generate real returns — not just in stronger crops, but in stronger communities. Even in a challenging market, Kansas agriculture continues to move forward with resilience, innovation and a shared commitment to the future.

Wheat Scoop: Kansas agriculture works better together

JEFFERSON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 6:30p.m. Saturday in Jefferson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Ford Taurus driven by&nbsp;Stewart, Loretta L.&nbsp;Stewart, 67, Nortonville, was southbound in the northbound lane of Kansas 4 Highway just north of 62nd Street. The car struck a northbound 2019 Dodge Journey driven by Phillip A. Webster, 27, Fort Riley, head-on.

Stewart was pronounced dead at the scene and ws transported to Barnett Family Funeral Home. EMS transported Webster and passengers in the SUV including Shianne K,&nbsp;Webster, 28, and a 2-month-old girl to Stormont Vail. EMS transported a 6-month-girl in the SUV to Children's Mercy. All were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas woman dead, family from Fort Riley injured in head-on crash

Kelly Niemczyk is running for a seat on the Junction City Commission. She has worked as a real estate agent and business owner.

"I believe our city government should put people first with accountability, transparency and fiscal responsibility. "

Niemczyk noted that she has managed budgets and people. "I think I know what it takes to balance the priorities and to get the results that we haven't gotten." She wants to ensure that tax dollars are used wisely, everybody feels heard and Junction City thrives.

Niemczyk supports reasonable growth and noted that the city's population is decreasing. She wants to assure infrastructure and businesses are taken care of but more than that the people. Protection of property rights, encouragement of local business development, maintaining a balanced budget and spending and investing money wisely are other priorities.

Other candidates for city commission include Sam Yoskowitz, Joe Markley, Jim Germann, Robert Laster and Terry Butler. Three seats on the commission are up for election.

Kelly Niemczyk wants to be a member of the city commission

On Halloween night, the Junction City Blue Jays blasted the Wichita West Pioneers 55-7 at Blue Jay Stadium in the first round of the playoffs.

Junction City kicked off to begin the game, and Wichita West opened the game driving the ball down into Junction City territory. The Blue Jays turned over the Pioneers on downs at the Junction City 42-yard line, and then JCHS never looked back.

The Blue Jays converted on a fourth and short and then scored on a 10-yard pass to H-back Landon Beene. Following the scoring drive, JC senior safety Kingston Timms picked off a pass and returned it for a 67-yard interception return for a touchdown.

The Blue Jays continued to cruise, scoring on their next two possessions, both passes from Gomez to junior wide receiver Brody Boeckman.

The Junction City defense continued to hold firm, pinning West deep in their own territory many times throughout the game. Mid-second quarter, senior Jackson Hollie blocked a punt, scooped it up, and ran it in for another touchdown.

JC scored one more time before the half, on a 50-yard pass from Gomez to senior receiver Lovell Autry. The Blue Jays led 42-0 at halftime.

Junction City added two scores in the second half: one on a touchdown run by sophomore Adrian Moreno and another by junior Jayden Wilcox. Junction City won the game 55-7, as the Pioneers got in the end zone with less than three minutes to go in the game.

It was a continuously running clock the entire second half. The Blue Jays were able to play younger players the entire second half.

“I am really pleased with the way our kids came out and played tonight,” JCHS head coach Randall Zimmerman said. “We were very focused and dialed in and rotated a lot of kids in tonight.”

The Blue Jays scored in all three aspects of the game on Friday night. “Offensively, defensively, and special teams, I think we were very good tonight,” Zimmerman said. “Everything about this year has been a lot of fun. We have a really good locker room, and our guys really do care for one another.”

With tonight’s win, the Blue Jays advance to the second round, where they will host the #6 seed Derby Panthers next Friday at Blue Jay Stadium. Derby knocked Junction City out in the second round last year.

Talking about next week’s matchup, Zimmerman discussed Derby as being a very prideful school and community with a lot of recent success. “Coach Clark does a great job with them, and they have a lot of good things going for them,” Coach Z stated. “We know we are going to get their best shot, and we are going to have to be really good next week.”

On our KJCK Radio broadcast, two players were named our Blu Restaurant Players of the Game. Senior Kingston Timms and junior Brody Boeckman received the awards. (Blu Restaurant in Junction City provides a free meal of up to $20 for our Player of the Game winners.)

Check out the full <a href="https://www.kshsaa.org/react/bracket/6170">6A bracket here.</a>

Blue Jays cruise past Pioneers, Advance to second round

The First round of the High School Football Playoffs have arrived! Junction City Blue Jays (6-2) and #3 seed in class 6A West host #14 seed Wichita West Pioneers at Blue Jay Stadium in Junction City.&nbsp;

WATCH/LISTEN LIVE BY <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G97-lXoh4TM">CLICKING HERE.</a>&nbsp;Commentary provided by Anthony Gorges and Brian Field. YouTube produced by Blue Jay Media.&nbsp;

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

Pregame coverage begins at 6:30 p.m., kickoff set for 7:00 p.m.

You can see the <a href="https://www.kshsaa.org/react/bracket/6170">full 6A bracket here.</a>

WATCH/LISTEN LIVE: 1st Round of Playoffs - Junction City Blue Jays host Wichita West

Terry Butler wants to become a Junction City Commissioner. She is a retired physical therapist and has been involved in the Junction City Main Street downtown revitalization effort.

Butler said she learned that she can make a difference. She has learned a lot. "I've gone to lots of trainings, lots of meetings, made lots of connections. I've gotten involved in pulling people together." As an example Butler pointed to the mural on the 10th Street building.

Butler is interested in a balanced approach with a well managed budget. "Ensuring taxpayer money is used in an efficient and transparent manner." She feels that supports the appearance of the community, plus community pride which creates an environnment welcoming to soldiers and their families, and attracts tourism. Butler also feels that supports creation of an environment that attracts businesses easier, shopping local and a feeder program for youth.

Other candidates for city commission include Kelly Niemczyk, Joe Markley, Sam Yoskowitz, Robert Laster and Jim Germann. Three seats are up for election. 

Terry Butler seeks election to the city commission

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/matthew-perrone">MATTHEW PERRONE</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-food-and-drug-administration">The Food and Drug Administration</a>&nbsp;on Friday moved to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fluoride-fda-kennedy-cavities-teeth-water-22c5aefeb97c411e2fda0c4754b78cf2">limit the use of fluoride</a>&nbsp;supplements used to strengthen children’s teeth, the latest action by Health Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fluoride-cdc-epa-6f4dbc64b5dc511f712a82cd2d252d76">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;and his deputies against a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fluoride-water-cdc-kennedy-02d931af8f025877a9e3d332bf215c69">chemical</a>&nbsp;that is a mainstay of dental care.

The FDA said that the products are no longer recommended for children younger than 3 and those who are older but don’t face serious risks of tooth decay. Previously, the products have been prescribed for children as young as six months.

The action stopped short of FDA statements in May suggesting regulators would seek the removal of the products from the market. Instead, the agency sent letters to four companies warning them not to market their products outside the new limits.

Fluoride tablets and lozenges are sometimes recommended for children and teens at increased risk of tooth decay or cavities because of low fluoride in their local drinking water. Companies also sell drops for babies.

The FDA released a new scientific analysis Friday, concluding that fluoride supplements have limited benefits for children’s teeth and may be linked to emerging safety concerns, including gut issues, weight gain and cognition.

“For the same reason fluoride may work to kill bacteria on teeth, it may also alter the gut microbiome, which may have broader health implications,” the agency said in a statement.

The agency also sent a form letter to dentists and other health providers warning about the risks of the products.

Those claims have been disputed by the American Dental Association, which has said there are no significant health problems associated with fluoride when used at the levels prescribed by dentists. The supplements can cause spotting or discoloration of teeth due to the extra fluoride, a downside the FDA also noted.

Dentists have warned that restricting fluoride supplements may result in more cavities and dental problems in rural communities, which are less likely to have fluoridated water. Kennedy is also seeking to end the practice of adding fluoride to drinking water throughout the U.S.

Fluoride strengthens teeth and reduces cavities by replacing minerals lost during normal wear and tear, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 1962, the agency set guidelines for how much should be added to water.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-vaccines-autism-measles-obesity-food-dye-f26089856550e978d28fd25b653d8103">Kennedy</a>, a former environmental lawyer,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fluoride-ruling-drinking-water-ccdfa11138600ab0838ebf979cbaead2">has called fluoride</a>&nbsp;a “dangerous neurotoxin” tied to a range of health dangers.

The FDA regulates most dental products, including fluoride-containing toothpastes, supplements, mouthwashes and rinses. The agency’s actions don’t affect toothpastes, mouthwash or fluoride treatments used by adults or those offered in dentists’ offices.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

FDA restricts use of kids' fluoride supplements citing emerging health risks

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man charged with shooting a teen in a Walmart parking lot is due to face a trial on Monday. Ruben Contreras, 47 of Wichita, is charged with attempted 1st&nbsp;degree murder, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;

&nbsp; He is scheduled to appear in Judge Quinton Pittman's courtroom for the trial. In July Contreras plead not guilty to the charges.

Just before 5p.m. May 11, 2024 officers were dispatched to a call involving a weapon at Walmart, 18631 W. Kellogg in Goddard, according to a statement from the Sedgwick County Sheriff's office. First responders located an 18-year-old, later identified as Anakin Zehring, in a vehicle&nbsp;suffering from a gunshot wound, in the Walmart parking lot.

Zehring and some friends were firing a&nbsp;toy gel blaster in the parking lot&nbsp;when they hit a girl, according to a court document. Investigators say she called her father, Contreras, who came to the scene and shot Zehring. EMS transported Zehring to the hospital in serious condition.&nbsp; He continues to recover at a hospital in Nebraska, according to an<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-us-support-my-sons-recovery-journey?lang=en_US&amp;utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=copy_link&amp;mibextid=xfxF2i"> online fundraiser.</a>

A suspect identified as&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=748186">Contreras,</a>&nbsp;remained on the scene when law enforcement arrived and was taken into custody.

Contreras was transported to Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Investigation to be interviewed. He was later booked into Sedgwick County Detention Facility and later met the condition of a $300-thousand bond and is out of jail, according to online records.

Trial to begin in shooting of Kan. teen over gel blaster incident

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Jacqueline Chapman is a retired school aide who relies on a $630 monthly Social Security check to get by. She was navigating the loss of her federal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-snap-wic-head-start-ddc8a5f6bb6b49150ff478eae9d454d5">food aid benefits</a>&nbsp;when she learned the assistance she receives for heating her Philadelphia apartment may also be at risk.

“I feel like I’m living in scary times. It’s not easy to rest when you know you have things to do with limited accounts, limited funds. There isn’t too much you can do,” said Chapman, 74.

Chapman relies on the $4.1 billion Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which helps millions of low-income households pay to heat and cool their homes.

With temperatures beginning to drop in areas across the United States, some states are warning that funding for the program is being delayed because of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/government-shutdown">federal government shutdown</a>, now in its fifth week.

The anticipated delay comes as a majority of the 5.9 million households served by the federally funded heating and cooling assistance program are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-food-lines-snap-6b55e2c21c0198f3309f3a45a55f33b6">grappling with the sudden postponement</a>&nbsp;of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-snap-wic-head-start-ddc8a5f6bb6b49150ff478eae9d454d5">benefits</a>&nbsp;through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which helps about 1 in 8 Americans buy groceries.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-snap-wic-head-start-e6176d2683f74b7011d861b48a47d3f1">Money is running out</a>&nbsp;for other safety net programs as well and energy prices are soaring.

“The impact, even if it’s temporary, on many of the nation’s poor families is going to be profound if we don’t solve this problem,” said Mark Wolfe, executive director of the&nbsp;<a href="https://neada.org/#:~:text=The%20National%20Energy%20Assistance%20Directors,their%20heating%20and%20cooling%20bills.">National Energy Assistance Directors Association</a>, which represents state directors of the program. Commonly called LIHEAP, it serves all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories and federally recognized tribes.

“These are important income supports that are all potentially heading toward a cliff at the same time,” Wolfe said. “And I can’t point to a similar time in recent history where we’ve had this.”

States are warning applicants about a funding delay

LIHEAP, created in 1981, assists families in covering utility bills or the cost of paying for fuels delivered to homes, such as home heating oil. It has received bipartisan congressional support for decades.

States manage the program. They receive an allotment of federal money each year based on a formula that largely takes into account state weather patterns, energy costs and low-income population data.

While President Donald Trump proposed zero funding for the program in his budget, it was anticipated that Congress would fund LIHEAP for the budget year that began Oct. 1. But since Congress has not yet passed a full 2026 spending bill, states have not gotten their new allocations yet.

Some states, including Kansas, Pennsylvania, New York and Minnesota, have announced their LIHEAP programs are being delayed by the government shutdown.

In Pennsylvania, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration said it cannot front the $200 million-plus in federal LIHEAP aid it had expected to help pay heating bills for some 300,000 low-income households. It is predicting payments will not go out until at least December, instead of November, as is customary.

Minnesota’s energy assistance program is processing applications but the state’s Department of Commerce said federal LIHEAP dollars will likely be delayed by a month. The agency does not plan to pay recipients’ heating bills until the shutdown ends.

“As temperatures begin to drop, this delay could have serious impacts,” the agency said. The program services 120,000 households, both homeowners and renters, that include many older adults, young children and people with disabilities.

Connecticut has enough money to set aside to pay heating bills through at least the end of November or December, according to the group that helps administer LIHEAP. But the program faces uncertainty if the shutdown persists. Connecticut lawmakers are considering covering the cost temporarily with state budget reserves.

“The situation will get much more perilous for folks who do need those resources as we move later into the heating season,” said Rhonda Evans, executive director of the Connecticut Association for Community Action. More than 100,000 households were served last year.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the assistance program, blamed the federal shutdown and the delay in LIHEAP payments on congressional Democrats and said the Trump administration is committed to reopening the government.

“Once the government reopens, ACF will work swiftly to administer annual awards,” the spokesperson said, referring to the Administration for Children and Families, an agency within HHS. The spokesperson did not directly answer whether the timing could be affected by the administration’s earlier decision to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/heating-assistance-hhs-layoffs-kennedy-trump-91e466c458ac804b098be00867a92106">fire workers who run the LIHEAP program</a>.

Wolfe, from the group that represents state program directors, predicts there could be delays into January. He noted there are questions over who will approve states' program plans and how the money will be released when it becomes available.

“Once you’ve fired the staff, things just slow down,” he said.

Low-income families face mounting obstacles

Chapman, the retired school aide, may be eligible for a program through her gas utility to prevent being shut off this winter. But the roughly 9% of LIHEAP recipients who rely on deliverable fuels such as heating oil, kerosene, propane and wood pellets, typically do not have such protections.

Electric and natural gas companies are usually regulated by the state and can be told not to shut people off while the state waits to receive its share of the LIHEAP money, Wolfe said. But it is different when it involves a small oil or propane company, fuels more common in the Northeast.

“If you’re a heating oil dealer, we can’t tell that dealer, ‘Look, continue to provide heating oil to your low-income customers on the possibility you’ll get your money back,’” Wolfe said.

Mark Bain, 67, who lives in Bloomfield, Connecticut, with his son, a student at the University of Connecticut, started receiving financial assistance for his home heating oil needs three years ago.

“I remember the first winter before I knew about this program. I was desperate. I was on fumes,” said Bains, who is retired and relies on income from Social Security and a small annuity. “I was calling around to my social services people to find out what I could do.”

He has been approved this year for $500 in assistance but he has a half tank of oil left and cannot call for more until it is nearly empty. By that point, he is hoping there will be enough federal money left to fill it. He typically needs three deliveries to get through a winter.

Bains said he can “get by” if he does not receive the help this year.

“I would turn the heat down to like 62 (degrees) and throw on another blanket, you know, just to get through,” he said.

Government shutdown threatens to delay home heating aid for Kan. families

SEDGWICK COUNTY&nbsp; — A Kansas&nbsp; woman is in custody on a one-million dollar bond on a requested charge of first-degree murder following the fatal stabbing of her 80-year-old mother, Anita Avers, early Friday morning in southeast Wichita.

Just before 8a.m. Friday, police responded to a reported stabbing at a residence in the 1500 block of East Crowley in Wichita, according to a media release. Upon arrival, officers located the suspect, identified from jail booking records&nbsp; as 47-year-old Angelynn Elizabeth Mock, outside the home.

&nbsp;Inside the residence, officers found Anita Avers unresponsive in her bed with multiple stab wounds.&nbsp;Sedgwick County EMS transported the victim to St. Francis Hospital, where she was later pronounced deceased at 8:26 a.m.

Mock was transported to the hospital for treatment before being taken into custody and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on the requested chargeof&nbsp; first-degree murder.

Kan. woman held on $1 million bond for alleged stabbing death of her mom

KANSAs CITY —Law enforcement are investigating an officer involved shooting involving a Kansas City, Missouri police officer, according to a statement from the the Missouri State Highway Patrol's Division of Drug and Crime Control. One person was transported to the hospital with critical injuries.&nbsp;

Just after 3:30p.m. Sunday, Kansas City Police were dispatched to a disturbance&nbsp;in the 3500 block of Independence Avenue. A man was reportedly shooting a gun into the air. When officers arrived at the scene, one officer deployed a taser. Another officer fired his duty weapon striking the man. EMS transported the man to an area hospital in critical condition. No officers were injured. Investigators recovered a handgun at the scene.&nbsp;

The Missouri&nbsp;State Highway Patrol's Division of Drug and Crime Control is in charge of investigating the officer-shooting. Authorities released no additional details.

Man critically injured in Kansas City police officer shooting 

President Trump was the opening interview on 60 minutes Sunday. He taped the interview with Norah O'Donnell in Florida after his return from a successful trip to Asia. 

This was his first interview with the show since CBS parent company Paramount settled a lawsuit filed by President Trump over editing of the 60 minutes interview with Kamala Harris ahead of the 2024 election. The White House released the full 73 minute unedited video of President Trump's interview. The program only used 27 minutes on their broadcast.

White House releases unedited President Trump 60 Minutes interview

KANSAS CITY—Four&nbsp; people were injured in an accident during a pursuit with law enforcement just after midnight Sunday in Kansas City.

A preliminary investigation revealed that a Highway Patrol Trooper was pursuing a silver Infinity G35 for speeding and careless driving, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.

 At some point during the pursuit, on Interstate 35 South, past the NE Vivion exit, the driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the embankment. 

EMS transported all four occupants to an area hospital. One occupant&nbsp; had life-threatening injuries and remained in critical condition with life-threatening injuries late Sunday, according to Becchina.

Police: 4 injured in crash during chase involving State Troopers

Morris’ public service covers 16 years on local school board, 20 years in Senate

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 — Former Kansas Senate President Steve Morris, who served southwest Kansas for more than three decades as an elected school board member and state legislator, died Saturday. He was 79.

Morris died unexpectedly at home in Hugoton. He had undergone a series of bypass surgeries and underwent treatment for prostate cancer, said a daughter, Stephanie Heger.

“He was definitely someone who only wanted what was best and for people to work together,” Heger said in an interview Sunday. “He wanted to be a policymaker instead of a politician.”

As a father, she said, Morris was kind, humble and adhered to the biblical concept of “do to others as you you would have them do to you.”

“He was one of the people who never said a negative thing about anyone,” Heger said.

Morris was born in Garden City and raised in rural Hugoton. He graduated from Hugoton High School in 1964 and from Kansas State University in 1969. He served on active duty as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force from 1969 to 1974 before moving to the Air Force Reserve and returning to Hugoton to farm. His was married to Barbara Morris and they had three daughters — Susan Morris, Sara Tasset and Heger.

He was on the Hugoton Board of Education from 1977 to 1993 and the K-State Alumni Association Board of Directors from 1985 to 1991.

In 1992, Morris was elected to the Kansas Senate by defeating Democrat Leroy Hayden. Morris, a Republican, was a member of the Senate for 20 years.

He served as the chamber’s president from 2005 to 2013 during a period in which the Legislature grappled with controversial casino gambling legislation and court cases on funding of K-12 education. He was involved in shaping major bills on the budget, taxation, transportation and energy issues.

He lost a campaign for reelection in 2012 when defeated by Republican Larry Powell in the August primary. GOP Gov. Sam Brownback and Koch political interests had targeted Morris and one-half dozen other Senate Republicans they viewed as political moderates.

“Americans for Prosperity and Kansas Chamber sent out I think something like 40 negative, large postcards in the last two weeks of the campaign,” Morris said in an&nbsp;<a href="https://ksoralhistory.org/interview/interview-of-steve-morris-by-rex-buchanan-august-22-2024" target="_blank">August 2024 interview with Kansas Oral History Project</a>. “People had never seen something like that before. They assumed all those things were true, which they weren’t.”

Morris also was&nbsp;<a href="https://ksoralhistory.org/interview/interview-of-steve-morris-by-joan-wagnon-july-15-2020" target="_blank">interviewed by Kansas Oral History Project in July 2020</a>&nbsp;regarding his legislative career.

Morris said that after leaving the Legislature he missed “the good people we worked with” and that “overall it was a good experience.”

&nbsp;In 2014, Morris played a role in Republicans for Kansas Values, which supported Democratic state Rep. Paul Davis’ unsuccessful campaign for governor against Brownback.

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, said he was saddened by the passing of a longtime friend and dedicated public servant. Moran and Morris served together in the state Senate.

“He was a thoughtful, principled and dedicated statesman who represented Kansans well,” Moran said. “Robba and I send our deepest condolences to his wife Barbara, his family and all those whose lives he touched. We will miss him deeply.”

Former moderate GOP Kansas Senate President Steve Morris dies at 79

WYANDOTTE COUNTY–Law enforcement are investigating a weekend homicide in Kansas City.

Just before 4:30 a.m. Saturday officers with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department were called the area of North 11th Street and Barnett Avenue to investigate a shooting.

When officers arrived on the scene they located a woman, outside of her home, that had been shot.&nbsp;She was taken to the hospital, where she died from her injuries.

The KCK Major Case Squad went to the scene to gather evidence and are trying to find out what led to the shooting.&nbsp; Anyone with information is asked to call the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS.&nbsp;

Police: Woman killed in shooting outside Kan. home

By MICHAEL SCHNEIDER Associated Press

One of the monkeys that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rehsus-monkeys-escape-mississippi-tulane-24318048052a1e8c1eb39855dadd1b1c">escaped last week</a>&nbsp;after a truck overturned on a Mississippi roadway was shot and killed early Sunday by a woman who says she feared for the safety of her children.

Jessica Bond Ferguson said she was alerted early Sunday by her 16-year-old son who said he thought he had seen a monkey running in the yard outside their home near Heidelberg, Mississippi. She got out bed, grabbed her firearm and her cellphone and stepped outside where she saw the monkey about 60 feet (18 meters) away.

Bond Ferguson said she and other residents had been warned about diseases that the escaped monkeys carried so she fired her gun.

“I did what any other mother would do to protect her children,” Bond Ferguson, who has five children ranging in age from 4 to 16, told The Associated Press. “I shot at it and it just stood there, and I shot again, and he backed up and that’s when he fell.”

The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office confirmed in a social media post that a homeowner had found one of the monkeys on their property Sunday morning but said the office didn’t have any details. The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks took possession of the monkey, the sheriff’s office said.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rhesus-macaque-monkeys-south-carolina-lab-escape-81dd4bb3acf2a445c0f899e31a8e05eb">Rhesus monkeys</a>&nbsp;had been housed at the Tulane University National Biomedical Research Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, which routinely provides primates to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/monkeys-escape-mississippi-tulane-animal-research-1ff00420c5f4af37a8b8ec4e2028227c">scientific research organizations</a>, according to the university. In a statement last week, Tulane said the monkeys do not belong to the university, and they were not being transported by the university.

A truck carrying the monkeys overturned Tuesday on Interstate 59 north of Heidelberg. Authorities have said most of the 21 monkeys were killed. The sheriff’s department has said animal experts from Tulane examined the trailer and had determined&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/monkeys-escape-mississippi-tulane-2a8e2bcfc5fe9f81e641cefa78bb746f">three monkeys had escaped</a>.

The Mississippi Highway Patrol has said it was investigating the cause of the crash, which occurred about 100 miles (160 kilometers) from the state capital, Jackson.

Rhesus monkeys typically weigh about 16 pounds (7.2 kilograms) and are among the most medically studied animals on the planet. Video recorded after the crash showed monkeys crawling through tall grass beside the interstate, where wooden crates labeled “live animals” were crumpled and strewn about.

Jasper County Sheriff Randy Johnson had said Tulane officials reported the monkeys were not infectious, despite initial reports by the truck’s occupants warning that the monkeys were dangerous and harboring various diseases. Nonetheless, Johnson said the monkeys still needed to be “neutralized” because of their aggressive nature.

The monkeys had recently received checkups confirming they were pathogen-free, Tulane said in a statement Wednesday.

About 10 years ago, three Rhesus macaques in the breeding colony of what was then known as the Tulane National Primate Research Center were euthanized after a “biosecurity breach,” federal inspectors wrote in a 2015 report. The breach involved at least one staff member failing to adhere to biosafety and infection control procedures, it said.

The facility made changes in its procedures and retrained staff after that happened, according to the report from the U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

Rhesus macaques “are known to be aggressive,” according to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. It said the agency’s conservation workers were working with sheriff’s officials in the search for the animals.

The search comes about one year after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/monkeys-escape-alpha-genesis-south-carolina-5001428b828c84f063b50bc4be22f60a">43 Rhesus macaques escaped</a>&nbsp;from a South Carolina compound that breeds them for medical research because an employee didn’t fully lock an enclosure. Employees from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/monkeys-escape-alpha-genesis-south-carolina-640eb78119c66b88a418ccd1e361318e">Alpha Genesis facility</a>&nbsp;in Yemassee, South Carolina, had set up traps to capture them.

Woman killed escaped research monkey fearing for her children's safety

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/JCHSUSD475?__cft__[0]=AZXLoPVGcd9hxaQIWqNhuwwkGqV9wGTPylxjqTj_98EMApBBouDcm-vHLiU0OJHDCZSRLlMj7LAPPiWPfVflu16JR_Tpn41NJtgXmM-DDjwpp9EG6TZdCdvjQSusujUB4QanMk967rKngsNYlJWF2eH9ftWdjT9c2txSDCq7_koaEzDc1RojwA8jM8UxJCMPmyy4Rw_9sqMMH-5W05N7cjEH1KONLwE82xbsUGoNICHcRw&amp;__tn__=-]K-y-R">Junction City High School </a>&nbsp;junior Anthony Testa placed fifth overall at the Class 6A Cross Country Championships on Saturday. Testa crossed the finish line in 16:03.08 at Rim Rock Farm in Lawrence to record not only the fourth highest finish in school history, but also the fastest time ever clocked by a Blue Jay at a state meet.

Anthony Testa runs at the state meet

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen threw a touchdown pass and ran for two scores to outduel Patrick Mahomes and the Buffalo Bills defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 28-21 on Sunday in a rematch of last season’s AFC championship game.

James Cook had 114 yards rushing and Buffalo’s defense did the rest in harassing Mahomes, who was sacked three times, hit 15 more and finished with the worst completion percentage of his career.

The game was decided in the final 17 seconds, when Mahomes threw three straight incompletions from Buffalo’s 40. The last throw fell short of the end zone and was batted down by rookie Maxwell Hairston. The drive began at Kansas City's 42 after Matt Prater's 52-yard field goal attempt for the Bills struck the right upright.

Allen was 23 of 26 for 273 yards for Buffalo, which improved to 6-2 and has won two straight since losing consecutive games. The Bills have defeated Kansas City in five straight regular-season meetings, but are 0-4 in playoff matchups dating to the 2020 postseason — including last season's AFC title game.

The Chiefs (5-4) had a three-game win streak snapped after winning five of their last six.

Mahomes, who entered having passed for three touchdowns in each of his past three outings, finished 15 of 34 for 250 yards and no scores and an interception.

Mahomes, a two-time NFL MVP, had previously never finished a regular-season outing completing fewer than 50% of his passes over his nine-year career. His previous low was going 19 of 38 for 159 yards in a 21-7 win at Cleveland on Dec. 15.

Rashee Rice scored on a 3-yard run and Kareem Hunt had a 2-yard run to account for the Chiefs’ two touchdowns. Mahomes did convert a 2-point play with a completion to Travis Kelce, while Harrison Butker made field goals from 19 and 46 yards.

Allen opened the scoring with a 23-yard TD pass to Dalton Kincaid — the seventh time Buffalo has scored a touchdown on its opening drive this season. The quarterback also scored on a pair of 1-yard runs in an outing during which the teams traded leads twice.

After the Chiefs built a 10-7 lead on Butker’s 46-yarder 5 1/2 minutes into the second quarter, the Bills responded by scoring touchdowns on their next two possessions.

Ty Johnson capped a five-play 70-yard drive with a 3-yard run for the go-ahead score.

The Chiefs then gave up the ball on downs at Buffalo’s 40 when Cole Bishop broke up a pass attempt to Rice on fourth-and-3. Allen then marched Buffalo on a seven-play, 60-yard drive that he capped with the first of two touchdowns.

Allen’s TD run was the 78th of his career, including the playoffs, breaking the NFL record for quarterbacks he shared with Cam Newton. With his three TDs, Allen has 282 (passing and rushing), moving ahead of Mahomes for second among players before the age of 30. Allen, who turns 30 in May, now trails only Peyton Manning (288).

Chiefs: RB Isiah Pacheco sat out after hurting his knee last week. ... Starting RT Jawaan Taylor hurt his right ankle.

Bills: Starting nickel cornerback Taron Johnson, who hurt his groin in practice Friday, was inactive. ... DE Michael Hoecht hurt his Achilles tendon in a non-contact situation in the fourth quarter and was ruled out.

Local

Region

Sports