RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a series of vehicle thefts.

According the Riley County Police Department activity report, officers filed ten&nbsp; reports of motor vehicle theft in the last 24-hours.

"It cannot be emphasized enough to secure your property, lock your vehicles, and park in well-lit places. Please do not leave valuables in your vehicles.

RCPD: 10 reported motor vehicle thefts in past 24-hours

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

Bonds have been posted. Photos are unavailable.

Osvaldo Bigas, Driving while suspended, arrested 12/09

Geary County Booking Photos Dec. 10 

The VA is launching a new outreach campaign to encourage all eligible Veterans to enroll in VA health care – including approximately 13,900 unenrolled Kansas Veterans who served in Vietnam, the Gulf War, Iraq, and Afghanistan. This campaign will include text messages and emails directly to Veterans, public service announcements, paid advertising, and events.

<a>VA is launching this campaign after reports of concerns from Veterans about health issues – including mental health challenges and thoughts of suicide – potentially related to repeated blasts and head trauma (low-level artillery blasts, IEDs, missile launches, heavy fire, and more).</a>&nbsp;Since the first reporting about these concerns, VA researchers have been urgently studying this matter to learn more about the potential health impacts of blast exposure on Veterans.&nbsp;

Veterans enrolled in VA can access specialty screenings and services to address any health issues related to blast exposure.&nbsp;Importantly, Veterans who served in Vietnam, the Gulf War, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and other specific locations are eligible for VA health care based on their deployments — they do not need to have any health conditions specifically associated with their service in order to be eligible for care.

While we continue to urgently conduct research into the impacts of blast exposure, VA and the entire Biden-Harris Administration encourage these Veterans – and all eligible Veterans – to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.va.gov/health-care/how-to-apply/">apply for VA care today</a>. Veterans who use VA health care have better health outcomes than non-enrolled Veterans, VA hospitals are&nbsp;<a href="https://news.va.gov/press-room/va-health-care-outperforms-non-va-care-in-two-independent-nationwide-quality-and-patient-satisfaction-reviews/">dramatically outperforming non-VA hospitals,</a>&nbsp;and VA health care is often&nbsp;<a href="https://www.va.gov/health-care/copay-rates/">more affordable</a>&nbsp;than non-VA health care for Veterans. Additionally, 92% of&nbsp;Veteran patients currently report trusting VA outpatient health care – an all-time high.&nbsp;

“We take Veteran concerns about repeated blast exposure very seriously, and we are studying this matter urgently to learn more about potential health impacts,” said&nbsp;VA Secretary Denis McDonough.&nbsp;“While we do that, we don’t want Veterans to wait – they should enroll in VA health care today to get full access to primary care, mental health care, regular screenings, specialty care, and more. That’s what this outreach effort is all about: getting Veterans in our care, because Veterans who come to VA are proven to do better.”

“VA aims to be the best, most accessible, and most affordable health system in America for Veterans, and we are constantly looking for ways to improve that care as science and research tells us about new concerns,” said&nbsp;VA&nbsp;Under Secretary for Health Shereef Elnahal, M.D.&nbsp;“The more Veterans who enroll, the more we can learn about the impact of blast exposure – and the better care we can ultimately provide those who served.”

Earlier this year, VA made&nbsp;<a href="https://news.va.gov/press-room/veteran-toxins-hazards-serving-eligible-va/">all Veterans who were exposed to toxins and other hazards (and meet basic requirements) eligible to enroll directly in VA health care</a>&nbsp;– years earlier than called for by the PACT Act. This included all Veterans who served in the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan, the Global War on Terror, or any other combat zone after 9/11. Veterans who never deployed but were exposed to toxins or hazards while training or on active duty in the United States are also eligible to enroll. Additionally, Veterans who do not meet any of the above criteria can often still access VA health care by receiving VA disability benefits or based on income.

This new outreach effort is a part of the largest outreach campaign in VA history, which began when President Biden signed the PACT Act into law in 2022 and continues to this day. As a result of this campaign, more than 835,000 Veterans have enrolled in VA health care (a 37% increase over the previous period); more than 900,000 Veterans have upgraded their priority groups, making them eligible for health care with fewer copays (an all-time record); and more than 4.4 million Veterans and survivors have applied for disability compensation benefits (another all-time record). 

The campaign has been focused on bringing new Veterans to VA by sending millions of texts and emails, hosting thousands of events nationwide, launching new paid advertising campaigns, working with influencers and companies, and more.

Eligible Veterans can enroll today by visiting&nbsp;<a href="https://www.va.gov/health-care/apply-for-health-care-form-10-10ez/introduction">our website</a>&nbsp;or calling 877-222-8387.

VA launches new outreach campaign to enroll Kansas Veterans in health care

Junction City police recently hosted Shop with a Cop. A total of 46 children participated.

Police issued a sincere thank you to the law enforcement agencies who joined us to make this event possible:

--Junction City Police Department Explorers

--<a href="https://www.facebook.com/GearyCountySheriffsOffice?__cft__[0]=AZUF0eISXg1lzXGBrbI4sgZ5E7lShZ6XrdpfDheBTGjNd1zIKCEvBZPutEnZS2Z5xhWjYUIAgoOAG8SWICbeYPVIdlqH0nlql2I1pwprt6Vkb6qFrGvmVpTgfsAhWPz1UYIpuo7ptiabvyWvMzvAZXPi5h9R2cqXKU9w_nNHBCVCWfBSt7gJALg4vrZ8ZwNZGoc&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Geary County Sheriff's Office</a>

--<a href="https://www.facebook.com/gvppolice?__cft__[0]=AZUF0eISXg1lzXGBrbI4sgZ5E7lShZ6XrdpfDheBTGjNd1zIKCEvBZPutEnZS2Z5xhWjYUIAgoOAG8SWICbeYPVIdlqH0nlql2I1pwprt6Vkb6qFrGvmVpTgfsAhWPz1UYIpuo7ptiabvyWvMzvAZXPi5h9R2cqXKU9w_nNHBCVCWfBSt7gJALg4vrZ8ZwNZGoc&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Grandview Plaza, Kansas Police Department</a>

--<a href="https://www.facebook.com/chapmanpolicedepartment?__cft__[0]=AZUF0eISXg1lzXGBrbI4sgZ5E7lShZ6XrdpfDheBTGjNd1zIKCEvBZPutEnZS2Z5xhWjYUIAgoOAG8SWICbeYPVIdlqH0nlql2I1pwprt6Vkb6qFrGvmVpTgfsAhWPz1UYIpuo7ptiabvyWvMzvAZXPi5h9R2cqXKU9w_nNHBCVCWfBSt7gJALg4vrZ8ZwNZGoc&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Chapman Police Department-Kansas</a>

--<a href="https://www.facebook.com/kshighwayPatrol?__cft__[0]=AZUF0eISXg1lzXGBrbI4sgZ5E7lShZ6XrdpfDheBTGjNd1zIKCEvBZPutEnZS2Z5xhWjYUIAgoOAG8SWICbeYPVIdlqH0nlql2I1pwprt6Vkb6qFrGvmVpTgfsAhWPz1UYIpuo7ptiabvyWvMzvAZXPi5h9R2cqXKU9w_nNHBCVCWfBSt7gJALg4vrZ8ZwNZGoc&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Kansas Highway Patrol</a>

Police also thanked the volunteers from Second Missionary Baptist Church, who prepared a delicious breakfast for all the kids and officers, and the incredible team from ReMax Signature Properties, who wrapped gifts for the kids.

.The JCPD said that they also want to thank all the officers, Explorers, and volunteers who brought their time, energy, and kindness to this event. Seeing the smiles and hearing the laughter of these children reminded them of the power of community and collaboration.



Shop with a Cop enjoys another successful event

Geary County Commission Chair Trish Giordano feels the governing body should consider holding some meetings outside of normal business hours. During a recent Kansas Association of Counties meeting she heard some counties hold Town Hall meetings. Others hold meetings at night once a month. "Something we should look at "said Giordano. 

She also wants to continue holding a budget meeting at night, something done this year. " I definitely want to continue the budget hearing in the evening ." Giordano added she was pleased about the number of people that attended the evening session. Giordano also supports doing something with the City and Board of Education members in the form of a Town Hall.

Giordano spoke during the weekly Geary County Commission meeting on Monday.

County Commission Chair supports more public acccess

Niket Patel, Possession of marijuana, Outside warrant, arrested 12/04

Kolby Houghston, Knowingly obtain control over stolen property or services knowing it was stolen, Criminal deprivation of property, Criminal trespass, arrested 12/04

Dustin Ford, Outside warrant, arrested 12/04

Patricia Purcell, Failure to appear, arrested 12/04

Melvin Johnson, Outside warrant, arrested 12/04

Keith Nicholson, Interference with LEO, Obstruct/resist/oppose misdemeanor warrant service or execution, arrested 12/05

Devin Johnson, Driving while habitual violator, arrested 12/05

Jeffrey Casey, Domestic battery, Unlawful restraint, arrested 12/05

Daniel Henry, Failure to appear, arrested 12/06

Moncerrat Chavez, Unlawful damage to property, arrested 12/07

Toriano Thomas, Criminal deprivation of property, arrested 12/08

Isley Lewis, Unlawful damage to property, Domestic battery, Criminal deprivation of property, arrested 12/08

Anthony McMillian Harris, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body, Possession of marijuana, arrested 12/08

Mamadou Traore, Failure to appear, arrested 12/08

Ericka Powel, Violation of a protective order, arrested 12/09

Anthony Meadows, Unlawful restraint, Criminal deprivation of property, Assault, Domestic battery, arrested 12/09

Geary County Booking Photos Dec. 5-9

Several Junction City High School Blue Jay football players received all-league honors from the Centennial League for the 2024 high school football season.

All Junction City award winners are listed below.

Ja'Marcus Vornes -&nbsp;Honorable Mention

Blue Jay football players receive All Centennial League Honors

Brian Field and Adam Geiger have been named Volunteers of the Year for the Geary County Rural Fire Department. They were recognized during the Department's annual banquet Sunday night.

Field and Geiger have served about one and a half years with the Department, although Field served an earlier stint for several years.

Volunteer firefighters attending the banquet posed for a photo.

Volunteer firefighters are honored

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating an alleged aggravated assault involving a firearm.

Just after 5p.m. Friday, officers filed a report of aggravated assault in the 100 block of Fort Riley Boulevard, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

A 30-year-old woman reported a 20-year-old man brandished a rifle at her who was trying to merge onto the highway.&nbsp;

RCPD: Suspect brandished rifle at driver on Fort Riley Blvd.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. —&nbsp;Kansas First District Congressman Tracey Mann believes the long term farm bill is going to get delayed again.

"That's what it's looking like," Mann said. "I'll tell you, I could not be more disappointed or frustrated. I've been to the floor of the House over 30 times urging other members of Congress to get serious about getting a five year Farm Bill done to lock in certainty for our producers. It looks like this is being made to punt yet again. Very frustrating. Not what I want."

The continuing resolution on discretionary spending needs to be dealt with in the next couple of weeks, but the farm bill will not be a part of that work.

"President Trump and his team are involved in the conversation because they're going to be impacted by however long this gets pushed into next year," Mann said. "It looks like the consensus or their desire is end of March, but we will see, those conversations are ongoing. Then really, you know, the question becomes, what is the plan for President Trump's first 100 days? What order does he want to tackle the many, many things to do to get this country back on track? How does government funding fit into that? All those things we'll take into consideration."

With Republican control of both houses and the presidency in January, there should be a change in emphasis next year.

"The election had consequences," Mann said. "The American people loud and clear, they said they want Donald Trump to be the President of the United States, and they are tired of business as usual in Washington. We need to get the train back on the track, so to speak. Republicans flipped the Senate. So 100 senators, that's a 53-47 vote margin in the House. Similar margins we've had, but with three folks from the House that have joined the administration, we'll have a one vote margin, looks like the first 100 days or so of the Congress."

It is important though, that both Ag committees will have Republicans with the gavel as a long term farm bill is worked out.

Mann says farm bill will wait for new Congress

Downtown Junction City was the site for Hometown Christmas activities Saturday. They ranged from horse and carriage rides to o live music and dance performances.

Junction City Main Street served as a sponsoring organization.

Hometown Christmas is celebrated in Junction City

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Andy Reid doesn't need to schedule a stress test anytime soon. He seems to get one every week.

The Kansas City Chiefs coach saw his third-string kicker doink a 31-yard field goal off the left upright and through for a victory that secured the Chiefs' ninth straight AFC West title.

It was the Chiefs' 15th straight win in a one-score game over the last two seasons.

Patrick Mahomes led the two-time defending Super Bowl champions (12-1) on a clock-killing 4 1/2-minute drive to set up Matthew Wright’s fourth field goal. The ball clanged off the upright in the latest narrow escape for Kansas City, which is 10-0 this season in one-score games.

The Chiefs have now had&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/OptaSTATS/status/1865987660210405643">three different kickers make a game-winning field goal</a>&nbsp;as time expired this season. No other team in NFL history has had more than one kicker do so in a single season.

After securing a first down inside of the 2-minute warning, both Mahomes and Reid were content with running out the clock for the potential game winner, rather than trying to score a touchdown and leave time on the clock for Justin Herbert and the Chargers.

“I trusted Matthew, so I was good with where we were,” Reid said. “Percentages are pretty high. I know we won a game in that same situation on the opposite end, so I get it, but he’s a solid gamer, so I wasn’t too worried about it.”

Wright said he wasn't thinking about the game situation, instead focusing on what he had to do if it came down to his right leg. As the ball headed toward the upright and started drifting left, Wright said his thought wasn't good.

“It’s not a good one,” he said. “I want it to just go right down the middle, obviously.”

Kansas City's nine straight division titles are two short of the New England Patriots' NFL record of 11.

The Chiefs led 13-0 at halftime after the Chargers (8-5) punted on their first five possessions, but LA woke up in the second half, scoring on each of its three drives. Cameron Dicker's 37-yard field goal put the Chargers ahead 17-16 with 4:35 left.

“We just had to settle in," said Herbert, who was 21 of 30 for 213 yards and a TD. “We didn’t make enough plays in the first half and we didn’t execute the way we wanted to. Pass game, run game, we weren’t moving the ball well. That’s on us and I praise the guys for staying in there, staying patient and making plays in the second half.”

Mahomes then went to work, hitting Xavier Worthy for 14 yards on third-and-10 and scrambling for another first down. After the two-minute warning, Mahomes scrambled, dodged a would-be tackle and&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1865974106522611871">lobbed a throw to a kneeling Travis Kelce</a>&nbsp;that allowed the Chiefs to run the clock down to zero.

“I went through my reads,” Mahomes said. “As I was ready to run, I just saw 87 just sitting right there in the middle of the field, open. So I fired it to him.”

Mahomes says he's not surprised that Kelce stepped up in the clutch.

“He means the world to me,” he said. “Without getting like emotional, he’s a guy that has really kind of made me who I am in my career. (He's a) true leader on the football field. He's someone that I can just go to at any moment, and he’s going to make a big play happen, and as he’s done throughout his career.”

Mahomes was sacked three times and has taken 13 sacks over the past three games, the most of any three-game stretch in his career.

The Chargers opened the second half with a 13-play, 79-yard drive that concluded with Gus Edwards' 3-yard touchdown run. Following a Chiefs punt, the Chargers then went 74 yards on four plays, aided by 39-yard pass interference penalty on Justin Reid, to take a 14-13 lead. Herbert found Quentin Johnson for a 4-yard touchdown, the Chargers' first TD pass in 13 quarters.

The Chiefs responded with Wright’s third field goal, this one from 50 yards after an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty against Trey Smith pushed Kansas City back.

The Chiefs settled for Wright's 47-yard field goal on their opening drive, during which Mahomes passed Dan Marino for the most passing yards in the first eight years of a career.

Late in the second quarter,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chargers-herbert-3717688e0ee935d8dd58030b9ca654c1">Herbert was hit by Kansas City linebacker Nick Bolton</a>, forcing him to miss a play and leading to the Chargers' fifth punt. The Chiefs responded with a 9-play, 77-yard drive that ended with DeAndre Hopkins' TD catch.

Kansas City's halftime lead was its largest of the season and it shut out an opponent in the first half for the first time.

Kelce finished with 45 yards receiving and has 12,010 in his career, trailing only Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten among tight ends. He is the fastest to reach 12,000 yards among tight ends.

Herbert missed only one play after the hit by Bolton after trainers looked at his left leg. Taylor Heinicke replaced him. ... TE Will Dissly left the game with a right shoulder injury in the third quarter. ... WR Jalen Reagor was hurt in the third quarter.

Chiefs T DJ Humphries left in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury.

🏈 Chiefs win 9th straight AFC West title, beating Chargers on bank-shot field goal

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– K-State Nation is heading back to the Valley of the Sun, as Kansas State officials announced Sunday afternoon that the Wildcats have accepted an invitation to play Rutgers in the Rate Bowl inside Chase Field – home of MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks – in Phoenix, Arizona.

The game, which is the only bowl matchup between members of the Big 12 and Big Ten Conferences, will take place on Thursday, December 26 at 4:30 p.m. (CT) and air on ESPN.This is the 19th&nbsp;time overall and the eighth time for a bowl game that the Wildcats will play in the state of Arizona. 

It is the fifth time K-State will play in what is now known as the Rate Bowl as it also played in the game in 1993 (known as Copper Bowl and played in Tucson, Arizona), 2001 (Insight.com Bowl), 2013 (Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl) and 2017 (Cactus Bowl).

"We are excited to spend the holidays in Arizona and represent the Big 12 and our University in the Rate Bowl," said K-State head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/chris-klieman/2502">Chris Klieman</a>, the first head coach in school history to lead his team to five bowl games in his first six seasons. "The staff at the Fiesta Bowl runs a first-class operation, and I know our players and coaches are looking forward to the trip and the extra work on the field, which is critical to our continued development as a program."K-State finished with an 8-4 regular-season record in 2024, marking the fourth-straight season the Wildcats have won at least eight games.

The Wildcats are one of just nine Power 4 teams to win at least eight games in each of the last four seasons, joining Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Notre Dame, Clemson, Ole Miss, Oregon and Ohio State. The Wildcats have been among the nation's leaders in bowl appearances since 1993 as the Wildcats are tied for 16th nationally and rank second in the Big 12 with 25. K-State will also be one of just 15 Power 4 teams to play in a bowl game at least 13 times in the last 15 years.

"We would like to thank Erik Moses and his staff for welcoming K-State Nation to the Phoenix area," said Athletics Director&nbsp;Gene Taylor. "It is good to be heading back to Arizona, and this will be a memorable week for our fans and program. We look forward to an exciting holiday experience."

Kansas State opened the 2024 campaign with a 7-1 record with wins over a pair of teams ranked No. 20 at the time in Arizona (31-7) and Oklahoma State (42-20), and the Wildcats were the only team this season to win at Colorado, a team that finished 23rd&nbsp;in the final College Football Playoff Top 25. 

Kansas State also retained the Governor's Cup with its 16th-straight win over Kansas, tied for the longest active uninterrupted winning streak in the nation. The Wildcats will be looking to right the ship from a 1-3 mark in November as they lost at Houston and to each of the Big 12 Championship Game participants, Arizona State and Iowa State.K-State and Rutgers will meet for just the second time ever, and both matchups will be in bowl games, as the Scarlet Knights earned a 37-10 win over the Wildcats in the inaugural Texas Bowl in 2006. 

This is the fifth time in school history that Kansas State will face a Big Ten team in a bowl game with the last being a 31-14 victory over Michigan in the 2013 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, which was also the last time overall that the Wildcats faced a Big Ten foe.Rutgers finished the regular season with a 7-5 overall record and a 4-5 mark in conference action to tie for ninth place in the Big Ten. After starting the season 4-0 with wins over Howard, Akron, at Virginia Tech and against Washington, RU lost each of its next four games. However, Rutgers went 3-1 in November with wins over Minnesota, Maryland and Michigan State.The Scarlett Knights are playing in a bowl game for the 13th&nbsp;time in school history and third time in the last four years. 

They lost to Wake Forest in the 2021 Gator Bowl and defeated Miami in last year's Pinstripe Bowl.Tickets in the official K-State sections are available now online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kstatesports.com/bowlgame">www.kstatesports.com/bowlgame</a>&nbsp;and via phone beginning at 8:30 a.m. Monday. Remaining tickets in the official K-State sections are priced by the bowl between $35 and $160. Tickets in some sections were sold out through pre-orders.

All Ahearn Fund members and fans who pre-ordered tickets will receive communication with information regarding their requests by the end of the day.The K-State Alumni Association will also provide official travel packages to the bowl game. 

Visit the Alumni Association's official bowl travel page –&nbsp;<a href="http://www.k-statesportstours.com/">www.k-statesportstours.com</a>&nbsp;– for travel package information.– k-statesports.com –How to follow the Cats:&nbsp;For complete information on K-State Football, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kstatesports.com/">www.kstatesports.com</a>&nbsp;and follow the team's social media channels on&nbsp;<a href="http://www.x.com/kstatefb">X (formerly Twitter)</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.instagram.com/kstatefb">Instagram</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.facebook.com/kstatesports">Facebook</a>.

K-State will face Rutgers in the Rate Bowl

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Tamar Bates had 29 points and five steals to help Missouri beat Hunter Dickinson and No. 1 Kansas 76-67 on Sunday.

Mark Mitchell scored 17 points in Missouri’s first win over Kansas since a 74-71 victory on Feb. 4, 2012. Anthony Robinson II had 11 points and five steals for the Tigers (8-1), and Josh Gray grabbed a team-leading 10 rebounds.

Dickinson had 19 points and 14 rebounds, but he also committed seven turnovers. The Jayhawks (7-2) have lost two straight on the road after falling 76-63 against Creighton on Wednesday night.

Missouri opened a 57-33 lead with 14:15 remaining on a jump shot from Tony Perkins. But the Jayhawks outscored the Tigers 30-8 over the next 11:55.

Bates scored 18 to help Missouri to a 39-25 lead at the break. The Tigers then opened the second half with a 16-6 run.

Kansas: Missouri's size and defensive pressure were too much for the Jayhawks, who are 5-5 at Mizzou Arena since it opened in 2004.

Missouri: Improved to 4-5 against Kansas when the Jayhawks are ranked No. 1 in The Associated Press poll.

Mitchell hit a 3-pointer to lift Missouri to a 68-63 lead with 2:03 remaining. Gray then hit a pair of free throws and Bates converted a layup to make it 72-63 with 1:16 to play.

Kansas committed 22 turnovers, including 14 in the first half.

Kansas: Hosts North Carolina State on Saturday.

🏀 Bates scores 29 points to help Missouri beat No. 1 Kansas 

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Cam Skattebo and Arizona State are on quite a run in their Big 12 debut after being the preseason pick to finish at the bottom of the conference.

Now the Sun Devils will represent their new 16-team league in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-playoff-boise-state-f72744b06516f1404697b1c5455bae20">12-team College Football Playoff</a>&nbsp;after a 45-19 win over Iowa State in the Big 12 championship game Saturday.

The tough-running Skattebo had 170 yards rushing, including a 28-yard gain on the first offensive snap. There were long, tackle-evading runs to open the two drives he ended with short touchdowns, and he later turned a short pass into another score.

“I’ve got the best seat in the house,” said Sam Leavitt, the freshman quarterback who hands off to Skattebo. “Get ready for a gain of 5 or whatever, and I just see the dude kind of weaving through some traffic ... and busts loose.”

The Sun Devils (11-2, No. 15 CFP), with their 34-year-old head coach Kenny Dillingham, take a six-game winning streak into the playoff.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-state-big-12-championship-30d6b067883fe860632f83c9310f9d58">Iowa State</a>&nbsp;(10-3, No. 16 CFP), which already had the first 10-win season in the program’s 133-year history, trailed 24-10 before turnovers in its own territory on its first three drives after halftime. Arizona State capitalized with Leavitt throwing touchdowns each time.

“It doesn’t get that much more deflating than that,” Cyclones coach Matt Campbell said. “Their ability to take care of the football and our inability to do that in the third quarter was just paralyzing.”

Skattebo struck the Heisman Trophy pose multiple times during the game, and he wore a Big 12 championship T-shirt afterward.

“Nobody respects the fact that I’m the best running back in the country. And I’m going to stand on that,” he said. “I’m going to keep proving people wrong. And whatever NFL team takes me is going to get a gem.”

That can wait until after Arizona State’s guaranteed playoff spot as one of the five highest-ranked conference champions. The Sun Devils almost certainly will rank below Mountain West champion Boise State (12-1, No 10).

That would give the Broncos a first-round bye and send the Sun Devils on the road for a first-round game, much to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/big-12-football-championship-brett-yormark-892c43ee3b982b725df53e05bdc122bb">dismay of Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark</a>, who before the title game re-iterated his feelings about that.

“Last year, they left a team out because of a quarterback (then-undefeated Florida State). We’re 11-1 with our starting quarterback, having beat four ranked teams and we won the Big 12 championship,” Dillingham said. “We made a standard that the quarterback is that valuable ... I definitely think we should host a game.”

Xavier Guillory had TD catches of 8 and 21 yards in a 71-second span after the Iowa State turnovers. Skattebo then turned a third-down swing pass into a 33-yard score for a 45-10 lead that he punctuated with one of his Heisman poses.

Skattebo’s 2,074 yards from scrimmage (1,568 rushing and 506 receiving) are a single-season school record.

Before his 3-yard TD, Skattebo had a 47-yard run when he spun away at the line from defenders, then shrugged off others. He had a 2-yard score in the final minute of the first half after a 53-yard run, again after contact at the line before twisting and turning through chasing Cyclones.

“He’s an ‘A’ player, and he played an ‘A’ game today,” Campbell said. “In these moments, you need your ‘A’ players to play ‘A’ football, and he certainly did it.”

Arizona State makes College Football Playoff with win over Iowa State

NEW YORK (AP) — Zuby Ejiofor posted career highs scoring 28 points and grabbing 13 rebounds and St. John's used an offensive eruption after halftime to beat Kansas State 88-71 in a Big 12-Big East Battle contest on Saturday.

Ejiofor finished 11-for-17 shooting, Kadary Richmond scored 13 points and RJ Luis Jr. and reserve Simeon Wilcher each scored 11 for St. John's (7-2). The Red Storm had a 51-40 rebound advantage and a 17-10 edge in assists.

Brendan Hausen scored 21 of his 27 points before halftime, David N'Guessan scored 15 points and Coleman Hawkins 11 and grabbed nine rebounds for the Wildcats (6-3).

In a game of runs, St. John's ran away with it after halftime, starting with an 18-5 run over the first 4 1/2 minutes to go up 53-44 with consecutive 3-pointers from Luis and Aaron Scott. Ruben Prey's 3 gave the Red Storm a 62-50 lead at 11:01 to play and they led by double digits for the remainder. St. John's scored 53 points after intermission.

The first half featured runs by both teams.

St. John's used a 12-1 run turning a 16-7 deficit to a 19-17 lead; it's first lead of the game. The Wildcats countered with a 14-2 outburst in which Hausen sank three 3s and Max Jones added another for a 31-21 lead. St. John's rallied with an 8-0 spurt that took just a little more than minute to get within 31-28 with 3:42 left before halftime. The Wildcats led 39-35 at halftime.

It was the first time the two teams faced each other since Dec. 10, 1965, when then first-year head coach Lou Carnesseca led St. John’s to a 72-65 win. Carnesecca died at age 99 on Nov. 30.

🏀 Ejiofor's 28-points leads St. John's over Kansas State

The Junction City Blue Jay boys basketball team began their season Friday night in Atchison. The Blue Jays beat the Phoenix 74-51. 

After trailing early in the game 9-8, the Junction City Blue Jays went on a 33-6 run to end the first half and led the Phoenix 41-15 at halftime.

The Blue Jays suited up 13 players for the varsity roster, and all 13 played in the game. Nine of the 13 scored. Junction City was led in scoring by junior point guard Lovell Autry, who had 23 points. The only other Blue Jay in double figures was senior center Larkin Turner with 12 points.

With the win, the Blue Jays improve to 1-0 on the season, and Atchison falls to 0-1.

The Atchison Phoenix are led by head coach Pat Battle, who previously was the head coach at Junction City High School from 2011 to 2016. 

Junction City is back in action next weekend. The Blue Jays will play at Hays on Friday night and at Dodge City on Saturday.

Blue Jay boys basketball opens the season with a big win

<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–</a>&nbsp;Led by senior defensive end&nbsp;Brendan Mott&nbsp;as the Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year and an All-Big 12 First Team honoree, Kansas State&nbsp;football&nbsp;collected 17 total postseason conference honors as league announced the 2024 Coaches’ All-Big 12 selections on Thursday.

K-State’s 17 total selections ranked fifth in the conference behind Colorado (21), Arizona State (19), BYU (18) and Iowa State (18). It was the fourth-straight season the Wildcats combined for at least 15 All-Big 12 honors.

Mott, who was an honorable mention pick a year ago, collected the Wildcats’ conference-leading sixth Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year accolade since the award was introduced following the 2006 season, two more than the next closest school (Texas – 4). He joins former Wildcat winners Meshak Williams (2012), Ryan Mueller (2014), Jordan Willis (2016) and Felix Anudike-Uzomah (2021 and 2022).

A product of Iowa City, Iowa, Mott led the Big 12 during the regular season with 8.5 sacks, a mark that also ranked 21st nationally. His season high of 2.5 sacks at Colorado was the most by any Big 12 player in a game this season and most by a Wildcat since Anudike-Uzomah had 3.0 sacks at Texas Tech in 2022. Mott also led the Wildcats and tied for fourth in the Big 12 with 11.5 tackles for loss. He helped&nbsp;K-State&nbsp;defensive ends earn All-Big 12 First Team honors for the fourth time in the last five seasons.

K-State’s All-Big 12 Second Team honors included running back&nbsp;DJ Giddens, tight end&nbsp;Garrett Oakley, linebacker&nbsp;Austin Romaine&nbsp;and offensive linemen&nbsp;Easton Kilty&nbsp;and&nbsp;Sam Hecht. Giddens earned his second All-Big 12 honor in as many seasons as he was an honorable mention pick a year ago, while Romaine is on the All-Big 12 team for the first time after earning votes for the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year award last year. Oakley, Kilty and Hecht were each honored for the first time.

Giddens, a native of Junction City, finished the regular season ranking 11th nationally and fourth in the Big 12 with 1,343 rushing yards on 205 carries, scoring seven touchdowns while also adding 258 receiving yards and another score on 21 catches. A semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award, Giddens ranks second nationally with 10 rushes of at least 30 yards and fourth with 17 rushes of at least 20 yards. He enters postseason play ranked 10th in the nation and fourth in the Big 12 with 133.4 scrimmage yards per game.

K-State Garners 17 Selections on Coaches’ All-Big 12 Teams

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Pop Isaacs helped unranked Creighton upset No. 1 Kansas 76-63 on Wednesday night, scoring a season-high 27 points and matching his career high with six 3-pointers.

Kansas cut a 13-point deficit to one early in the second half, but Isaacs hit back-to-back 3s to rebuild the lead as the Bluejays (6-3) pulled away for their second straight victory over a top-ranked opponent. They knocked off Connecticut 85-66 in Omaha in February.

The Jayhawks (7-1) lost a regular-season game against an unranked nonconference opponent for the first time in three years. Creighton had been in 16 straight Associated Press polls before dropping out this week following losses in three of its previous four games.

Students rushed the court at the final buzzer as flames shot out of the top of the goal standards.

Isaacs’ shooting display overshadowed what was supposed to be the featured matchup between two of the nation’s best big men, the 7-foot-1 Ryan Kalkbrenner and the Jayhawks’ 7-2 Hunter Dickinson.

Kalkbrenner, who had missed the Bluejays' previous game because of a lower-body injury, and Steven Ashworth each scored 17 points.

The Jayhawks struggled offensively and never led. Dajuan Harris had 15 points and AJ Storr and Zeke Mayo added 12 apiece for Kansas.

Kansas: The Jayhawks could never find a rhythm offensively. Dickinson had difficulty getting touches and took only four shots, making two.

Creighton: When the Bluejays make their 3-pointers, they’re tough to beat. They came into the game shooting 32% from distance but were 12 of 29 against the Jayhawks.

Issacs' back-to-back 3s early in the second half stemmed Kansas' comeback attempt, putting the Bluejays up 49-40.

Greg McDermott, the Bluejays' career coaching wins leader and a former coach at Iowa State, won for the first time in his 11 games against Kansas.

🏀 Creighton knocks off No. 1 Kansas behind Pop Isaacs' 27 points

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kstatesports.com/documents/2024/12/4/2025_Early_Signing_Day_Release.pdf">Signing Day Bios</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/2025-26">Signing Days Roster</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kstatesports.com/watch/?Archive=23822&amp;type=Archive">Watch Coach Klieman’s Press Conference</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kstatesports.com/podcasts/chris-klieman-signing-day-press-conference-december-4-2025/4930">Listen to Coach Klieman’s Press Conference</a>

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;Kansas State head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman&nbsp;announced Wednesday the signing of 26 prospects during the early 2025 signing period.

So far, K-State’s Class of 2025 is comprised of 24 high school prospects and two community-college transfers. Of the 26 overall players, 15 players are on defense, 10 are on offense and there is one specialist. There are five linebackers, four safeties, four wide receivers, three offensive linemen, two cornerbacks and defensive ends, one defensive back, one defensive tackle, one punter/kicker, one quarterback, one running back and one tight end.

K-State cast a wide net as the 26 signees hail from 12 different states, the second time in the last three years the Wildcats had signees from at least 12 states (13 in 2023). Once again, Kansas leads in terms of numbers from one state with five, as it marks the 16th-straight season the Wildcats have signed at least four in-state prep players. Additionally, the Class of 2025 includes five players from Texas, four from Florida and Missouri, and one apiece from Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Maryland, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina and Ohio.

Of the 26 signees on Wednesday, 14 are expected to enroll at K-State for the 2025 spring semester. The list includes:&nbsp;Logan Bartley,&nbsp;Nunu Concepcion,&nbsp;Jemyri Davis,&nbsp;Dillon Duff,&nbsp;Monterrio Elston Jr.,&nbsp;Noah King,&nbsp;Adonis Moise,&nbsp;Cub Patton,&nbsp;Weston Polk,&nbsp;Larry Porter IV,&nbsp;Sawyer Schilke,&nbsp;Brad Stanyer,&nbsp;Patrick Tackie&nbsp;and&nbsp;Dylan Villarouel.

Kansas State may add more prospects to the Class of 2025 during the regular signing period, which opens on Wednesday, February 5.

K-State Signs 26 During 2025 Early Signing Period

ANDERSON COUNTY —Two people including a juvenile were injured in an accident just after 6:30p.m. Monday in Anderson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2009 Polaris Ranger driven by James G&nbsp;Matthiesen,&nbsp; 40, Lane, was northbound at 29852 Neosho Road one half miles north of 2000 Road. The driver was unable to navigate a curve due to an oncoming vehicle. The driver lost lost control of the UTV and it overturned.

EMS transported&nbsp;Matthiesen to the Anderson County hospital in Garnet and a 13-year-old passenger Trevor J. Matthiesen of Lane to Children's Mercy for treatment of serious injuries.

13-year-old Kan. boy seriously injured after UTV overturns

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a> State's Newsroom

WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump vowed to sign an executive order on his first day in office to end the constitutional right to U.S. citizenship for anyone born in the country, during an extensive Sunday interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press with Kristen Welker.”

But Trump also admitted there would be legal hurdles to carrying out his policy goal of amending the 14th Amendment.&nbsp;<a href="https://hrp.law.harvard.edu/press-statement-constitutional-law-scholars-respond-to-trumps-threats-against-birthright-citizenship/" target="_blank">Many constitutional legal scholars have argued</a>&nbsp;that Trump could not halt what is known as birthright citizenship through an executive order.

“We have to end it,” Trump told Welker. “We’re going to end that because it’s ridiculous.”

On other immigration topics, he said he is willing to make a deal with Democrats on keeping so-called Dreamers in the U.S., and he supports deporting entire families in his mass deportation plans, even if the children themselves are U.S. citizens.

But some of his most extensive comments were on birthright citizenship. “We’re gonna have to get it changed,” Trump said of the 14th Amendment.

<a href="https://exchange.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/birthright-citizenship-united-states" target="_blank">The U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment</a>&nbsp;was ratified in 1868 and guarantees U.S. citizenship to anyone born in the country.

“All persons born or naturalised in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside,” according to the 14th Amendment.

Trump said that he will try to end birthright citizenship through an executive order, “if we can.”

Experts take issue.&nbsp;“There is today no serious scholarly debate about whether a president can, through executive action, contradict the Supreme Court’s long-standing and consistent interpretation of the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment,” Gerald Neuman, director of the human rights program at Harvard Law School, said in a statement in 2018 along with a group of constitutional law scholars.

Two-thirds of both the U.S. House and Senate would be required to vote to approve an amendment&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/our-government/the-constitution/#:~:text=An%20amendment%20may%20be%20proposed,slavery%20and%20the%20slave%20trade." target="_blank">changing the Constitution</a>, and three-fourths of state legislatures would have to ratify such an amendment for it to take effect. A convention could also be called by two-thirds of state legislatures.

While Republicans are set to control both chambers by January, it’s not by a margin of two-thirds.

During the interview, Trump also inaccurately claimed that the United States is the only country in the world that has birthright citizenship.<a href="https://maint.loc.gov/law/help/birthright-citizenship/global.php" target="_blank">&nbsp;More than a dozen&nbsp;</a>countries bestow birthright citizenship, from Canada to Brazil.

Some countries have birthright citizenship, but with restrictions, such as France, which requires at least one parent be a citizen in order for the child to obtain citizenship.

Welker asked Trump what his plans are for the Dreamers, the more than 500,000 people in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that he tried to end during his first administration. The DACA program is currently waiting for a federal court to<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2024/10/10/federal-appeals-court-weighs-fate-of-daca-program/" target="_blank">&nbsp;decide its legal fate.</a>

“These are people that have been brought here at a very young age and many of these are middle-aged people now, they don’t even speak the language of their country,” he said.

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