Beginning Thursday there will be Junction City employees and volunteers conducting a low to moderate income survey in the community. They are taking this action to collect informaion for a federal community development block grant application, which could involve funding through HUD. The City's Public Information Officer Katie O'Shea said, This provides significant funding for infrastructure projects in small cities."&nbsp;

A total of 816 low to moderate income households have been randomly identified&nbsp; for the effort. At least 408 survey responses are needed for the City to qualify to move forward with the CDBG grant application. So far 162 usable responses have been received.

The City employees and volunteers will be knocking on doors Thursday. O'Shea said that they will have flyers with all of the information regarding the surveys and the process to submit it. Options include:

--Call in to submit your information. The telephone number is listed on the flyer.

--Drop it off at the Customer Service Department in the Municipal Building or if it is not during the 8 to 5 time frame there is a drop box outside of that building.&nbsp;

The questions will require yes or no answers and will take a short time.

O'Shea said, "If we don't receive responses we're potentially leaving millions of dollars on the table each year in outside funding for the city."

City will conduct a low to moderate income survey

SALINE COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just before 7:30a.m. Wednesday in Saline County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Hyundai Elantra driven by&nbsp; Joseph Doss, 15, Junction City, was actively fleeing law enforcement in a stolen vehicle. The teen driver turned northbound onto Ohio from the Interstate 70 westbound entrance.&nbsp; The car continued northbound on Ohio one half mile North of Thatcher Road, where the asphalt turns to gravel. The driver&nbsp; lost control of the car. It traveled off the the roadway to the right, struck an embankment and rolled onto its&nbsp; top in the roadway.

EMS transported&nbsp;&nbsp;Doss and a passenger Landon L.&nbsp;Alexander, 18, Junction City, to Salina Regional Health Center. The driver was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.&nbsp; The Patrol did not report possible charges the teens face.

Junction City teens hospitalized after police chase, crash in stolen car

RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON THROUGH 8 PM THURSDAY.

THIS MEANS NO BURNS PERIOD.  NO BURNING OF TRASH, CONTROLLED BURNS, AND YOU SHOULD AVOID OUTDOOR FIRE PITS AND MORE IN GEARY COUNTY.

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 8 PM CDT THURSDAY FOR LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY, STRONG WIND GUSTS, AND DRY FUELS FOR NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL KS...

The National Weather Service in Topeka has issued a Red Flag

Warning for low relative humidity, strong wind gusts, and dry

fuels for northeast, north central, and portions of east central

KS, which is in effect from noon to 8 PM CDT Thursday. The Fire

Red Flag Warning for Thursday

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just after 2p.m. Tuesday, officers executed a search warrant in the 1700 block of Winne Drive, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

After their investigation, police arrested 25-year-old&nbsp;DeShell Patterson of Manhattan, was arrested at approximately 5:05 p.m. on requested charges that include three counts of possession of opiate/opium/narcotic or certain stimulant and one count each for distribution/possession with intent to distribute heroin/certain stimulants/fentanyl (3.5-100 grams), distribute material containing fentanyl, distribute or possess with intent to distribute drug paraphernalia for illegal use, use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body, and aggravated endangering of a child.

&nbsp;Patterson is being held on a bond of $75,000.

Manhattan man accused of selling pills with fentanyl

SCAM ALERT: Geary County Emergency Managemwnt said that the Kansas Dept of Motor Vehicles will never send you a text message about an outstanding citation on your vehicle.  If you have grandparents, elderly parents or anyone not tech savvy help them understand to never respond to these messages or payment.  

These messages are going over cellular devices.

Scam alert

RILEY COUNTY—Three people were injured in two separate accident on Tuesday in Riley County.

Just before 11:30a.m.,&nbsp;a 2023 Hyundai Tucson driven by Dennis Ortbals, 74, of Manhattan, struck a 2024 Nissan Sentra driven by Aubrey Heier-Gonzalez, 17, of Manhattan&nbsp;in the 400 block of E. Highway 24, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

Pottawatomie County EMS transported Ortbals, and a passenger in the Hyundia, Marilyn Ortbals, 72, of Manhattan, to Via Christi Hospital. Dennis Ortbals was also issued a citation for failure to yield at a stop sign.

Just after 10:30p.m., a 2015 Chevy Impala driven by Alexis Trimble, 24, of Marysville, hit two guardrails in the 17000 block of Tuttle Creek Blvd. 

Trimble was transported to Via Christi Hospital by Riley County EMS for her injuries. The RCPD released no additional details.

3 hospitalized after 2 separate accidents in Riley County

I.C.A.R.E. announced that 16-year-old Sean Mueller has joined The I.C.A.R.E. Organization’s board of directors. Sean’s involvement will support&nbsp; expanding initiatives to build positive relationships between youth and older adults through intergenerational interaction.

I.C.A.R.E. announces a new board member

Kansas lawmakers have approved legislation that would require schools across the state to limit student cell phone use during the school day.

The Kansas House on Tuesday passed House Bill 2299 by a vote of 84–39. The Kansas Senate previously approved the measure March 5 on a 32–4 vote. The bill now heads to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly for consideration.

If signed into law, the legislation would require Kansas school districts and accredited private schools to adopt policies restricting student cell phone use during school hours. Supporters say the move is aimed at reducing classroom distractions and improving student focus.

Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Republican from Sedgwick County, said the legislation is intended to address growing concerns about the impact smartphones and social media have on students’ learning and mental health.

House Majority Leader Chris Croft, a Republican from Johnson County, also voiced support for the bill, calling cell phone use a significant challenge for educators.

However, some lawmakers questioned whether the issue should be handled at the state level.

Rep. Jerry Stogsdill, a Democrat from Overland Park, said many school districts have already begun addressing student cell phone use through local policies.

Gov. Kelly can sign the bill into law, veto it or allow it to become law without her signature. If she vetoes the measure, lawmakers would need a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers to override the veto.

The proposal reflects a broader national trend as states and school districts consider stricter rules on student smartphone use in classrooms. Supporters say the policies help restore focus to learning environments, while critics argue local districts should retain flexibility in determining how to manage devices in schools.

Legislature sends school cell phone use bill to governor's desk

The Geary County Historical Society has wrapped up their fourth annual murder mystery event with two weekends of SMOOCH: a 1980s Murder Mystery, which was written and directed by Museum Director Heather Hagedorn and Museum Program Director Kim Neptune. 

Each night of the event asked the audience to help solve the murder of "Jonny Bonny" the lead singer of the one-hit wonder band "SMOOCH."&nbsp;To do so, guests were provided evidence related to the crime and given the opportunity to "interrogate" the suspects of this 1980s mall-themed murder mystery. Cast members included: Dan Horton as Jonny Bonny, Andrew Liebau as Jean Simons, Dave Kappel as Nicci Sevven, Caity Marquez as Krystal Sentz, Jack Lutynski as Alex 'Axel' Tulip, Susan Kamphaus as Zippy Walker, Scott 'Moose' Jury as the Mall Santa, Karren Kilpatrick as Debbie Julius, Bill Powers as Crazy Carl, Curtis Gray as DJ Chippy Chase, and Heather Strafuss as&nbsp; Detective 'Foxxy' Roxie Malone.&nbsp;

Along with the interactive murder mystery, guests had their classic 80s department store photos taken and enjoyed a "food court" dinner of pizza and a salad bar.&nbsp;Sponsors for the event included: Geary County CVB, Twin Valley, Pizza Hut, and Affordable Portables. Costume assistance was provided by the Junction City Little Theater.&nbsp; All proceeds from this event benefited the Geary County Historical Society.&nbsp;Another historic mystery will be heading to Junction City in early 2027.

Historical Society hosted a murder mystery

The Flint Hills Discovery Center (FHDC) in Manhattan will present the 11th annual Meet the Makers event&nbsp;Monday through Friday,&nbsp;March 16&nbsp;through 20. 

Each day&nbsp;a local creator, crafter, or maker will present live demonstrations of their work from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the first-floor atrium of the Discovery Center in Manhattan. Visitors are encouraged&nbsp;to interact with the artists, ask questions, and see their work come to life.

Meet the Makers is free and open to the public. Those wanting to explore the exhibits beyond the atrium at the FHDC must pay the general admission fee. Some artists may have items for sale.

Meet the Makers is set for the Discovery Center

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/JCHSUSD475?__cft__[0]=AZbX7_9-zRgmN_Imkif9v9cmOML-gOKmEAgm1-bL9J4asGgsh-KZ-0jUJvGeCv7i2EiSff6qdJQOicKF0d3n2RiZFeDBq_ZI9CvH9yZYQe8cFcBcCu1O35qLOe7p_Gq1hj7M8TpsaTv3UxuUrPVNoUWYJAxbUkWm7v1DjWuit_rGM-W6eEN8TZfSzjjU1hR0C4KcAkdn9BwrS03aWeR_U15jxqX4bYZhF0UEe9_HwU_pQQ&amp;__tn__=-]K-y-R">Junction City High School USD 475</a> band standouts Keith Thompson, Migyelle Buentipo Ganuelas and Zachary Roberts claimed 2026 All-State accolades by the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ksmea?__cft__[0]=AZbX7_9-zRgmN_Imkif9v9cmOML-gOKmEAgm1-bL9J4asGgsh-KZ-0jUJvGeCv7i2EiSff6qdJQOicKF0d3n2RiZFeDBq_ZI9CvH9yZYQe8cFcBcCu1O35qLOe7p_Gq1hj7M8TpsaTv3UxuUrPVNoUWYJAxbUkWm7v1DjWuit_rGM-W6eEN8TZfSzjjU1hR0C4KcAkdn9BwrS03aWeR_U15jxqX4bYZhF0UEe9_HwU_pQQ&amp;__tn__=-]K-y-R">Kansas Music Educators Association</a>.

Thompson, a sophomore, earned All-State Full Orchestra honors in flute, while Buentipo Ganuelas, a junior, was named to the All-State String Orchestra in violin. Finally, Roberts, a freshman, collected all-state in band as a tuba player.

JCHS band standouts receive 2026 All-State recognition 

JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on drug allegations.

Just after 9p.m. March 8, a Sheriff’s Deputy developed probable cause to search a vehicle in the 12000 block of 150th&nbsp;Road, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse.&nbsp; During the search of the vehicle, illegal drugs or narcotics were discovered. The vehicle occupants were identified as Tristin William Howard, 28 and Jade Heffner, 23, both of Topeka, Kansas.

Heffner and Howard were arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail for requested charges of Possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant&nbsp;(cocaine), Possession of hallucinogenic drug; Possession of THC and Possession of drug paraphernalia.

Sheriff: Kansas couple caught transporting cocaine

WICHITA, Kan. —&nbsp;The Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office is issued an urgent warning to the public regarding a sophisticated text messaging scam (known as "smishing") currently targeting residents. Scammers are impersonating the Kansas Department of Vehicles (DOV) to steal sensitive personal and financial information.

The scam begins with an unsolicited text message claiming that the recipient’s driver’s license is at risk of suspension due to "unpaid traffic citations" or "unresolved violations." To create a sense of panic, the message often includes a strict deadline (e.g., "by the end of the day") and threatens additional 35% processing fees or legal action.

Once a user clicks the link, they are directed to a fraudulent site that uses official logos, fonts, and layouts to mirror the legitimate DOV website. The site prompts users to enter their:

The fraudulent website (shown first below)vs. the official website, (shown 2nd below)&nbsp; Note the slight differences in the URL.

What To Do If You Receive This Text

If you have already provided financial information to a suspicious site, contact your bank or credit card company immediately to freeze your accounts and monitor for unauthorized charges.

Text scam targets Kan. drivers with fake license suspension threats

WASHINGTON (AP) —President Trump says he will tap the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve to try to 'bring gas prices down."

During an interview Wednesday with WKRC Local 12 in Cincinnati, Trump was asked about tapping the reserve and said, “Well, we’ll do that and then we’ll fill it up.”

He added, “Right now we’ll reduce it a little bit, and that brings the prices down.” He didn’t specify how many barrels of oil the U.S. would release.

Trump frequently criticized the administration of former President Joe Biden for tapping the reserve to try and bring down gas prices.

🎥President Trump's good news on gas prices and Strategic Petroleum Reserve

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just before 5p.m. Tuesday in Kansas City, Missouri.

&nbsp;A blue Harley-Davidson Sportster was eastbound on Coal Mine Road, according to KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez. The driver failed to negotiate a curve in the road just before Winchester. The motorcycle traveled off the roadway to the left, struck multiple trees, and ramped through a wooded area before coming to rest. 

The driver was ejected from the motorcycle and transported to an area hospital, where he was pronounced deceased by medical staff. 

This marks fatality #15 for 2026, compared to #11 at the same time last year, according to Gonzalez.

KCPD: Motorcyclist killed after crash into wooded area

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas town known for its prisons is allowing a shuttered private prison to reopen and house immigrants detained for living in the U.S. illegally after a nearly yearlong legal fight amid a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-detention-louisiana-trump-3db72b138d1a6ee8a7bb5388669a1666">massive national push for new detention centers.</a>

The City Commission in Leavenworth on Tuesday approved a permit to private prison operator CoreCivic. Members voted 4-1 to approve a three-year permit with conditions that set minimum staffing levels, ban the housing of minors and provide for a city oversight committee.

“If they don’t follow those guidelines, we can pull the permit,” Mayor Nancy Bauder said before the vote.

The 1,104-bed Midwest Regional Reception Center is 10 miles (16 kilometers) west of the Kansas City International Airport. CoreCivic, one of the nation’s largest private prison operators, said the center will generate $60 million annually once it’s fully open.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/leavenworth">Leavenworth, Kansas</a>, sued CoreCivic after it tried to reopen the shuttered prison without city officials signing off on the deal.

The legal battle played out in state and federal courts, with the Department of Justice siding with CoreCivic in legal filings. The department argued that the city was engaged in an “aggressive and unlawful effort” to “interfere with federal immigration enforcement.”

It appears to be the only such legal battle nationally to delay a private prison from opening amid President Donald Trump’s push for mass deportations. The city argued that requiring a permit would prevent future problems, while CoreCivic maintained that it didn’t need a permit and the process would take too long.

Leavenworth was an unlikely foe because the GOP-leaning city’s name alone evokes a shorthand for serving hard time. Prisons employ hundreds of workers locally at two military facilities, the nation’s first federal penitentiary, a Kansas correctional facility and a county jail, all within 6 miles (10 kilometers) of city hall.

CoreCivic stopped housing pretrial detainees for the U.S. Marshals Service in its Leavenworth facility in 2021 after then-President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-race-and-ethnicity-prisons-coronavirus-pandemic-c8c246f00695f37ef2afb1dd3a5f115e">called</a>&nbsp;on the Justice Department to curb the use of private prisons. The American Civil Liberties Union and federal public defenders said inmates’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-890c5ae1e78e46629d1b36a4373fbfdb">rights had been violated</a>&nbsp;and there were stabbings, suicides and even one homicide.

The city’s lawsuit described detainees locked in showers as punishment and accused CoreCivic of impeding city police force investigations of sexual assaults and other violent crimes.

Almost four dozen people spoke in opposition to the permit before the commission’s vote. Bauder admonished the crowd several times for being too noisy, and police removed a protester who yelled vulgar comments.

“We, we the people of Leavenworth, are not fooled and we don’t care about their money,” David Benitez, a city resident, told the commission.

Some backers of the permit cited the potential boost to the local economy. Two CoreCivic employees argued for approval, and one of them, Charles Johnson, of Kansas City, Kansas, said his job gave him purpose and allowed his family to get off of state assistance.

“The people I work alongside are caring, professional and committed to doing things the right way,” he said, his comments drawing boos from critics outside the commission’s meeting room.

City Commissioner Holly Pittman said because the city “stood firm,” it could negotiate conditions on the permit. She said denying it would risk a potentially expensive lawsuit.

“I will not gamble the financial stability of this city,” she said before voting yes. “Let me be clear: Approval does not mean endorsement.”

Hollingsworth reported from Mission, Kansas.

Leavenworth relents, will allow prison to reopen and house ICE detainees

JOHNSON COUNTY —Fire crews responded to a house fire during a hail storm Tuesday night.

Just after 9p.m. firefighters at a “lightning strike investigation” found a fire in the basement near 172nd Place and Hall Street in Olathe, according to a social media report.

 The fire was quickly stopped. Damage to the home’s electrical system is significant. There were no injuries. Two people and their dogs are temporarily displaced.

🎥Crews fight Kansas house fire during hail storm

WASHINGTON (AP) — A man was taken into custody on Wednesday after driving his van into a security barrier outside the White House, authorities said.

The Secret Service said the man crashed into the temporary security barrier just before 6:30 a.m. He was immediately arrested by officers from the Secret Service’s uniformed division, the agency said.

The man, whose identity was not immediately released, was being interviewed by investigators. Criminal charges were pending, the Secret Service said.

A police bomb squad was called to the scene, checked the vehicle and determined it to be safe.

Van crashed into security gate outside White House, driver arrested

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.

Just before 6p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the area of 55th and Chestnut Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

When officers arrived, they located a man lying in a grassy area, unresponsive, and suffering from gunshot trauma. The victim was transported to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries. Officers on scene were updated later he was pronounced deceased at the hospital.

Detectives continue working to determine what led up to the shooting. Police have not reported an arrest and did not release the name of the victim.

&nbsp;This incident is being investigated as a homicide at this time and is ongoing.&nbsp;

If anyone was in the area and heard or saw anything or has any information they are asked to contact Homicide detectives directly at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS hotline.

KCPD looking for witnesses in man's shooting death

WASHINGTON (AP) — Majority Leader John Thune said Tuesday that the Senate will consider a bill to impose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/midterms-voting-laws-photo-id-citizenship-republicans-feecb51a6efa41cf32d18fe4b15c08ce">strict new proof-of-citizenship requirements</a>&nbsp;in elections, but says “the votes aren’t there” to pass it through a marathon talking filibuster sought by President Donald Trump.

Trump has said he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-gop-save-bill-citizenship-id-filibuster-744071b0a3c86ef64aa19aeb3b552509">won’t sign any other legislation</a>&nbsp;until the bill — known as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-save-act-citizenship-voting-elections-a37c139461d11eb5f82086680b67ffe7">Safeguard American Voter Eligibility</a>&nbsp;or SAVE America Act — is passed. But it faces unified opposition from Democrats, meaning that the Senate can’t pass it unless Republicans change the rules and eliminate the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-filibuster-shutdown-congress-2b46e610460d1c2448c3c7c816454de6">filibuster</a>.

Thune has said there aren’t enough votes to do that, or to launch a talking filibuster that would force Democrats to hold the floor indefinitely to block the bill.

“That is just a function of math,” Thune told reporters on Tuesday, making his strongest statements yet after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-bill-citizenship-senate-thune-trump-3709f2bd02d2c841e16d501529ec9198">weeks of discussions</a>&nbsp;among GOP senators. “For better or worse, I’m the one who has to be a clear-eyed realist about what we can achieve here.”

Republican senators are discussing, instead, voting on the legislation as soon as next week under regular procedure — meaning it will likely fail. Thune said that Republicans are “going to have a fight on the floor” and will force Democrats to vote on “whether they think noncitizens should vote in American elections.”

Trump’s aggressive effort to dictate Senate procedure has put Thune in an awkward position as he has tried to appease the president and increasingly angry base voters who have called for Republicans to do whatever they can to pass it ahead of the midterm elections. But most Republican senators appear to be backing Thune’s approach.

“There’s been enough dithering,” said Sen. John Kennedy, R-La.. “It’s time to go and let the chips fall where they may.”

Trump has made the SAVE America Act a priority ahead of the midterm elections, arguing that Republicans need it to win — even as his party&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-trump-election-certification-capitol-b8284b9b6b22f78ab7f23f8c8b3c3da3">won the presidency</a>&nbsp;and congressional majorities in 2024 without it. Federal law already requires that voters in national elections be U.S. citizens.

“It’ll guarantee the midterms,” he told House Republicans Monday at their annual retreat at his Florida golf club. “If you don’t get it, big trouble.”

But Trump's push is running into the realities of the Senate, where minority Democrats can filibuster any piece of legislation and force Republicans to find 60 votes when they only hold 53 seats. Democrats uniformly oppose the legislation, arguing that it would disenfranchise some 20 million American voters who don’t have birth certificates or other documents readily available.

Republicans could change the rules and eliminate the filibuster to pass it, or they could attempt the talking filibuster. But Thune says they don’t have enough support within the GOP conference to do either.

Even if they did, a talking filibuster would not guarantee passage. Supporters of that approach say that Democrats would eventually tire of speaking or allow the legislation to pass. But Democrats would also be allowed to bring up an indefinite number of amendments on any subject, forcing Republicans to take hard votes in an election year and delaying the process even more.

“We can’t find a piece of legislation in history that’s been passed that way,” Thune said this week.

Utah Sen. Mike Lee, who has led the talking filibuster push with Trump, posted on X Tuesday that the “Senate should do everything it can in an effort to pass” the bill.

“While passage isn’t guaranteed, we can be certain that failure will be the outcome if we don’t try," Lee wrote.

But leaving a GOP conference meeting on Tuesday, several senators said it was time to move on the legislation, even if they couldn’t accommodate the president’s procedural demands.

“I think we just go ahead and try to get on the bill,” said Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas.

Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson suggested that they should debate the bill on the floor for an extended time. There should not be a “one and done vote,” he said.

“Our base would scream about that and that wouldn’t be smart,” Johnson said.

There was little anger at Thune, as many of his GOP colleagues agree that eliminating the filibuster would be unwise and the talking filibuster would be risky. Republicans have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-filibuster-resistance-senate-thune-shutdown-e2facc2a1a32811d294b1bd16853f307">long pushed back on efforts to “nuke” the filibuster</a>, arguing that minority rights need to be preserved for legislation.

“There’s a right way to do it, there’s a wrong way to do it,” said Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina. “Nuking the filibuster doesn’t work. The talking filibuster would be a goat rodeo.”

Tillis said Thune “has the toughest job in Washington, D.C. He’s doing just fine. And he, quite honestly, has taken on a lot for the members.”

Trump said over the weekend that he also wants to add new priorities to the legislation, including a ban on mail-in ballots that he has pushed since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-fbi-seize-georgia-ballots-fulton-county-87300edb3ea86961c69132e6a2dfd6e8">losing the 2020 presidential election</a>. He said he also wants to add on two unrelated provisions around transgender rights issues — one that would ban those born as men from playing in women’s sports and another to block sex reassignment surgeries on some minors.

“Let’s go for the gold,” Trump told the House Republicans.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said Tuesday at the Florida retreat that they are “looking at mechanisms” to do that, even though the House has already&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/midterms-voting-laws-photo-id-citizenship-republicans-feecb51a6efa41cf32d18fe4b15c08ce">passed the bill</a>&nbsp;and sent it to the Senate. But it’s unclear if a ban on mail-in ballots would pass the House, as they are popular in many states.

Thune said that the House would probably have to pass a new bill to add those issues.

“It would probably make sense for them to send over another version,” he said.

Associated Press writers Kevin Freking and Lisa Mascaro in Washington and Steven Sloan in Doral, Florida contributed to this report.

Senate to consider voting bill co-sponsored by Kan. U.S. Senator

LYON COUNTY —A Kansas Highway Trooper in southeast Kansas stopped a car for failing to maintain its lane, according to a social media report from the patrol

During the stop, he noticed blood on the outside of the bed of the truck and upon further investigation, located a deceased buck which had just been poached. 

The Trooper contacted Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks was to assist. The game warden seized 2 rifles and the poachers were given over $5,500 in fines.

Kansas game warden seized rifles and issued fines after traffic stop

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — AJ Dybantsa had 40 points, nine rebounds and six assists, and No. 10 seed BYU use a big second-half run to break open a close game with No. 15 seed Kansas State and roll to a 105-91 victory in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament on Tuesday night.

Robert Wright III added 14 points and six assists, and Kennard Davis Jr. had 15 points for the Cougars (22-10), who set a single-game tournament scoring record while advancing to play seventh-seeded West Virginia on Wednesday night.

P.J. Haggerty matched Dybantsa into the second half and finished with 27 points for the Wildcats (12-20), who played their final game for interim coach Matthew Driscoll, who had taken control of the program after the firing of Jerome Tang last month.

Nate Johnson had 19 points for Kansas State. Khamari McGriff finished with 13.

The fact that BYU was playing at all Tuesday night was somewhat surprising.

Dybantsa could be the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft this year. Wright has been a star in his own right. At one point early in the season, the Cougars were ranked seventh in the AP Top 25 and living up to the lofty expectations of their expensive lineup.

But things went sideways beginning with a four-game skid in January and February, and floor leader Richie Saunders was lost for the rest of the season to a torn ACL. The Cougars lost three of their last four games, and tiebreakers put them at the No. 10 seed.

They jumped out to a quick lead Tuesday night, though, as Haggerty and Dybantsa began to duel. And while they led just 50-49 at the break, the Cougars went on a 17-2 run beginning with about 9 1/2 minutes to play that allowed them to pull away.

The Cougars march on to face West Virginia, which beat them 79-71 a couple of weeks ago.

Kansas State turns its focus toward hiring its next permanent coach.

🏀 Despite 27 from P.J. Haggerty K-State falls to BYU in Big 12 Tournament

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Junior guard P.J. Haggerty was named to the All-Big 12 Honorable Mention Team, as the conference announced its annual men’s basketball awards on Monday (March 9).

It marked the third time in Haggerty’s career that he earned all-conference honors after being an All-AAC Third Team selection at Tulsa in 2023-24 and a unanimous All-AAC First Team pick at Memphis in 2024-25. He was also the AAC’s Player of the Year in 2024-25 and the league's Freshman of the Year in 2023-24.

Big 12 regular season champion Arizona headlined the individual awards, as senior Jaden Bradley was the league Player of the Year and senior Tobe Awaka was the Sixth Man of the Year, while head coach Tommy Lloyd was named the Coach of the Year for the first time. Kansas had both the Defensive Player of the Year (Flory Bidunga) and Newcomer of the Year (Melvin Council Jr.), while BYU’s AJ Dybantsa was the Freshman of the Year and Texas Tech’s Christian Anderson was Most Improved. Iowa State’s Tamin Lipsey was the Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

The All-Big 12 awards are selected by league’s 16 coaches, who are not allowed to vote for their own players.

The nation’s No. 4 scorers at 23.3 points per game, Haggerty has scored in double figures in all 30 games he has played this season, which includes 22 games of 20 or more points and five games of 30 or more points. He is the first Wildcat since Jacob Pullen in 2009-10 to score in double figures in 30 consecutive&nbsp; games, while his 698 points are the fifth-most in a single season.

Haggerty’s 22 games of 20 or more points tied the legendary Bob Boozer (1958-59) for the second-most in school history, while his five 30-point games are the fifth-most in school history and the most since Michael Beasley set the school record with 13 in 2007-08.

Haggerty reached a career milestone at Houston on Feb. 14 when he became the fifth current Division I player to eclipse 2,000 career points.

For the season, Haggerty is averaging 23.3 points per game on 49.3 percent (263-of-534) shooting, including 34.5 percent (38-of-110) from 3-point range, with 5.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.1 steals in 35.1 minutes per game.

Haggerty and the Wildcats are the No. 15 seed at this week’s Phillips 66 Big 12 Tournament and will face 10-seed BYU (21-10, 9-9 Big 12) at 6 p.m., CT on Tuesday at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. The winner will get No. 7 seed West Virginia (18-13, 9-9 Big 12) at 6 p.m., CT on Wednesday.

2026 Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Men's Basketball Awards

Player of the Year: Jaden Bradley, Arizona

Defensive Player of the Year: Flory Bidunga, Kansas

Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State

Newcomer of the Year: Melvin Council Jr., Kansas

Most Improved: Christian Anderson, Texas Tech

A tie resulted in an extra position on the team

🏀 Haggerty Named to All-Big 12 Honorable Mention Team

The Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association (KWCA) and the Shrine Bowl of Kansas have announced the high school senior wrestlers who have accepted their invitation to wrestle in the 3rd annual KWCA Kansas Shrine Duals. &nbsp;The KWCA Kansas Shrine Duals will be held on Saturday, March 28th, 2026, at Fugate Gymnasium on the campus of Newman University in Wichita, Kansas. Gates open at 1:00 pm and the opening ceremony will begin at 2:00 pm. Tickets, event information, and sponsorship opportunities are available at www.KansasShrineDuals.com.

Selected from Junction City was a member of the Lady Jay team, Bree Villaneuva. She went 36-0 and was a state champion for JCHS at 117 pounds.

The KWCA selections for the 2026 rosters include 22 state champions from this year’s KSHSAA State Championships, along with an additional 11 state finalists and 54 overall 2026 state medalists. The coaches selected by the KWCA for this year’s event are Billy Broeckelman (Norton HS) and Paul Lappin (Garden City HS) for the West team and Adam Ludwin (Tonganoxie HS) and Brett Delich (Tonganoxie HS) for the East team. Wrestler selections are finalized by the KWCA after a review of applications submitted by wrestlers and are contingent upon that wrestler’s acceptance of the invitation. The East/West dividing line used to assign wrestlers to the East or West team is marked by the territories of the five Kansas Shrine Centers, however, some exceptions are made to ensure fulfillment of all weight classes. The rosters are subject to change and the final official match pairings will be determined and released the week of the event.

The KWCA and the Shrine Bowl of Kansas, Inc created the Kansas Shrine Duals in 2024 as a senior all-star wrestling event for a cause. All net proceeds from the KWCA Kansas Shrine Duals benefit Shriners Children’s. Through the first two years of the event $50,000 has been raised for Shriners Children’s.

Wresler will compete in KWCA Kansas Shrine Duals

2026 Big 12 Men’s Basketball Tournament Schedule

Game 1: No. 12 Arizona State vs. No. 13 Baylor (ESPN+) — 11:30 a.m. Game 2: No. 9 Cincinnati vs. No. 16 Utah (ESPN+) — 2 p.m. Game 3: No. 10 BYU vs. No. 15 Kansas State (ESPN+) — 6 p.m.&nbsp; Game 4: No. 11 Colorado vs. No. 14 Oklahoma State (ESPN+) — 8:30 p.m.

Game 5: No. 5 Iowa State vs. Game 1 winner (ESPN/ESPN2) — 11:30 a.m. Game 6: No. 8 UCF vs. Game 2 winner (ESPNU) — 2 p.m. Game 7: No. 7 West Virginia vs. Game 3 winner (ESPNU) — 6 p.m. Game 8: No. 6 TCU vs. Game 4 winner (ESPN2/ESPNU) — 8:30 p.m.

Game 9: No. 4 Texas Tech vs. Game 5 winner (ESPN/ESPN2) — 11:30 a.m. Game 10: No. 1 Arizona vs. Game 6 winner (ESPN/ESPN2) — 2 p.m. Game 11: No. 2 Houston vs. Game 7 winner (ESPN/ESPN2) — 6 p.m. &nbsp;Game 12: No. 3 Kansas vs. Game 8 winner (ESPN/ESPN2) — 8:30 p.m.

Game 13: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner (ESPN/ESPN2) — 6 p.m. Game 14: Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner (ESPN/ESPN2) — 8:30 p.m.

Game 15: Game 13 winner vs. Game 14 winner (ESPN) — 5 p.m.

🏀 Full schedule set for 2026 Big 12 Men’s Basketball Tournament

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.

Game recap Derby 73, Junction City 61.&nbsp;

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

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Freshman star Darryn Peterson scored 27 points in his likely Allen Fieldhouse finale, Tre White and Melvin Council Jr. had memorable senior send-offs of their own, and No. 14 Kansas routed Kansas State 104-85 on Saturday.

Peterson, the potential No. 1 pick in this year's NBA draft, was an efficient 10 of 15 from the field for the Jayhawks (22-9, 12-6 Big 12), who clinched a double-bye in next week's conference tournament by winning on Senior Day for the 43rd consecutive year.

White, a transfer from Illinois, had 23 points and 11 rebounds to cap his lone regular season in Lawrence, while Council — who arrived from St. Bonaventure — nearly had a triple-double with 17 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists in his final game at the Phog.

The win was a much-needed confidence boost heading into the postseason for the Jayhawks, who had dropped four of their previous six games, and it extended their home win streak over their in-state rivals to 20 in a row.

P.J. Haggerty, who missed last week's win over West Virginia with an undisclosed injury, scored 21 points to lead the Wildcats (12-19, 3-15). Nate Johnson also had 21 points, while Khamari McGriff finished with 15.