TALLAHASSEE,
 Fla. (AP) — Disney sued Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday over the
 Republican's takeover of its theme park district, alleging the governor
 waged a "targeted campaign of government retaliation" after the company
 opposed a law critics call <a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-lifestyle-education-florida-ron-desantis-322e0a40da909f48954b8b1bd9190750">“Don't Say Gay.”</a>

The lawsuit was filed in Tallahassee minutes after a Disney World oversight board <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ron-desantis">appointed by DeSantis</a>
 voted to void a deal that gave the company authority over design and 
construction decisions in its sprawling properties near Orlando.

"Disney
 regrets that it has come to this," the case said. “But having exhausted
 efforts to seek a resolution, the Company is left with no choice but to
 file this lawsuit to protect its cast members, guests, and local 
development partners from a relentless campaign to weaponize government 
power against Disney in retaliation for expressing a political viewpoint
 unpopular with certain State officials.”

The legal filing is the latest salvo in <a href="https://apnews.com/article/disney-desantis-florida-lgbtq-ec4f81d46aaf8967ff48729105fbbdbd">a more than year-old feud</a> between Disney and DeSantis that has engulfed the governor in criticism as he prepares to launch <a href="https://apnews.com/article/desantis-florida-trump-president-2024-election-00b8335b1a2dd4d08fb216e4b609f6a3">an expected presidential bid</a> in the coming months.

DeSantis,
 who has framed himself as a Republican firebrand able to deftly 
implement his conservative agenda without drama, has dived headlong into
 the fray with the beloved company and major tourism driver, as business
 leaders and White House rivals bash his stance as a rejection of the 
small-government tenets of conservatism.

“We are unaware of any 
legal right that a company has to operate its own government or maintain
 special privileges not held by other businesses in the state,” said 
DeSantis spokeswoman Taryn Fenske. “This lawsuit is yet another 
unfortunate example of their hope to undermine the will of the Florida 
voters and operate outside the bounds of the law.”

The fight began last year after Disney, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-travel-arts-and-entertainment-florida-lifestyle-be24e5ea65acff3e1cfe94649c26e023">in the face of significant pressure</a>,
 publicly opposed a state law that bans classroom lessons on sexual 
orientation and gender identity in early grades, a policy critics call 
“Don’t Say Gay.”

As punishment, DeSantis took over Disney World’s 
self-governing district and appointed a new board of supervisors that 
would oversee municipal services in the sprawling theme parks. But 
before the new board came in, the company pushed though an 11th-hour 
agreement that stripped the new supervisors of much of their authority.

The
 DeSantis board on Wednesday said Disney’s move to retain control over 
their property was effectively unlawful and performed without proper 
public notice.

“Disney picked the fight with this board. We were 
not looking out for a fight,” said Martin Garcia, chair of the Central 
Florida Tourism Oversight District, before the vote, adding “bottom 
line, what our lawyers have told us, is factually and legally what they 
created is an absolute legal mess. It will not work."

DeSantis has
 also vowed additional retribution, with proposals to enhance state 
oversight of the resort’s rides and monorail, as well as a suggestion to
 build a prison nearby.

Disney has said all agreements made with 
the previous board were legal and approved in a public forum. Disney CEO
 Bob Iger has also said that any actions against the company that 
threaten jobs or expansion at its Florida resort was not only 
“anti-business” but “anti-Florida.”

The Disney lawsuit asks a 
federal judge to void the governor's takeover of the theme park 
district, as well as the DeSantis oversight board's actions, on the 
grounds that they were violations of company's free speech rights.

“A
 targeted campaign of government retaliation — orchestrated at every 
step by Governor DeSantis as punishment for Disney’s protected speech — 
now threatens Disney’s business operations, jeopardizes its economic 
future in the region, and violates its constitutional rights," the 
lawsuit said.

TALLAHASSEE,
 Fla. (AP) — Disney sued Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday over the
 Republican's takeover of its theme park district, alleging the governor
 waged a "targeted campaign of government retaliation" after the company
 opposed a law critics call <a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-lifestyle-education-florida-ron-desantis-322e0a40da909f48954b8b1bd9190750">“Don't Say Gay.”</a>The lawsuit was filed in Tallahassee minutes after a Disney World oversight board <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ron-desantis">appointed by DeSantis</a>
 voted to void a deal that gave the company authority over design and 
construction decisions in its sprawling properties near Orlando."Disney
 regrets that it has come to this," the case said. “But having exhausted
 efforts to seek a resolution, the Company is left with no choice but to
 file this lawsuit to protect its cast members, guests, and local 
development partners from a relentless campaign to weaponize government 
power against Disney in retaliation for expressing a political viewpoint
 unpopular with certain State officials.”The legal filing is the latest salvo in <a href="https://apnews.com/article/disney-desantis-florida-lgbtq-ec4f81d46aaf8967ff48729105fbbdbd">a more than year-old feud</a> between Disney and DeSantis that has engulfed the governor in criticism as he prepares to launch <a href="https://apnews.com/article/desantis-florida-trump-president-2024-election-00b8335b1a2dd4d08fb216e4b609f6a3">an expected presidential bid</a> in the coming months.DeSantis,
 who has framed himself as a Republican firebrand able to deftly 
implement his conservative agenda without drama, has dived headlong into
 the fray with the beloved company and major tourism driver, as business
 leaders and White House rivals bash his stance as a rejection of the 
small-government tenets of conservatism.“We are unaware of any 
legal right that a company has to operate its own government or maintain
 special privileges not held by other businesses in the state,” said 
DeSantis spokeswoman Taryn Fenske. “This lawsuit is yet another 
unfortunate example of their hope to undermine the will of the Florida 
voters and operate outside the bounds of the law.”The fight began last year after Disney, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-travel-arts-and-entertainment-florida-lifestyle-be24e5ea65acff3e1cfe94649c26e023">in the face of significant pressure</a>,
 publicly opposed a state law that bans classroom lessons on sexual 
orientation and gender identity in early grades, a policy critics call 
“Don’t Say Gay.”As punishment, DeSantis took over Disney World’s 
self-governing district and appointed a new board of supervisors that 
would oversee municipal services in the sprawling theme parks. But 
before the new board came in, the company pushed though an 11th-hour 
agreement that stripped the new supervisors of much of their authority.The
 DeSantis board on Wednesday said Disney’s move to retain control over 
their property was effectively unlawful and performed without proper 
public notice.“Disney picked the fight with this board. We were 
not looking out for a fight,” said Martin Garcia, chair of the Central 
Florida Tourism Oversight District, before the vote, adding “bottom 
line, what our lawyers have told us, is factually and legally what they 
created is an absolute legal mess. It will not work."DeSantis has
 also vowed additional retribution, with proposals to enhance state 
oversight of the resort’s rides and monorail, as well as a suggestion to
 build a prison nearby.Disney has said all agreements made with 
the previous board were legal and approved in a public forum. Disney CEO
 Bob Iger has also said that any actions against the company that 
threaten jobs or expansion at its Florida resort was not only 
“anti-business” but “anti-Florida.”The Disney lawsuit asks a 
federal judge to void the governor's takeover of the theme park 
district, as well as the DeSantis oversight board's actions, on the 
grounds that they were violations of company's free speech rights.“A
 targeted campaign of government retaliation — orchestrated at every 
step by Governor DeSantis as punishment for Disney’s protected speech — 
now threatens Disney’s business operations, jeopardizes its economic 
future in the region, and violates its constitutional rights," the 
lawsuit said.

Disney sues DeSantis, calling park takeover 'retaliation'

By MARK KENNEDY AP Entertainment Writer

NEW YORK — The 1990s are making a comeback, with scrunchies 
acceptable again, “Night Court” back on TV and fanny packs and flannel 
all the rage. But it’s not the '90s until two of the most idiotic 
teenagers return, sniggering along the way.

That's right, Beavis 
and Butt-Head — forever un-matured — are on the streaming platform 
Paramount+ these days, still mocking culture and saying things like, 
“That cloud looks like a butt.”

“It is almost fun sometimes to 
just go to that lazy part of your brain where you’re just blurting out 
whatever stupid thought comes out,” says Mike Judge, who created the duo
 and voices them.

A second season of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yP30WvQy0sc">“Mike Judge's Beavis and Butt-Head”</a>
 kicked off this month with our heroes at school-mandated meditation 
class, an alternative to detention. “This sucks,” says Butt Head, the 
dark-haired one in braces and an AC/DC T-shirt. “Now try to empty your 
mind of all thoughts,” says the teacher. It is surprisingly easy.

There's
 also a visit to a polling place — the boys mistake it for a strip club —
 and later a scheme to buy beer by spray-painting Beavis' hair with 
white paint to make him look older. It goes awry, of course, when he 
gets on a shuttle bus to a retirement community.

The look, feel 
and snark of the show hasn't changed even if there are fewer music 
videos these days. Judge relies on a producer to scour YouTube to find 
videos that might spark a spontaneous put-down. It's all very timeless.

“That’s
 the beauty of ‘Beavis and Butt-Head’ — no matter what decade you were 
born in, you’re able to find ways to connect to them and even perhaps 
see bits of yourselves in them,” said Domenic DiMeglio, chief marketing 
officer for Paramount+.

There are a few bizarre tangents, 
particularly the return to an alternative universe where Beavis and 
Butt-Head are middle-aged. Judge devised one episode in which they marry
 each other without realizing it.

The original “Beavis and 
Butt-Head” arrived in 1993 on MTV and became an instant hit, running for
 seven seasons before going on hiatus in 1997. The un-dynamic duo 
returned with an eighth, stand-alone season in 2011, and the series was 
revived last year.

This show’s influence was so strong that it 
spawned a full-length film called “Beavis and Butt-Head Do America” in 
1996 and another titled “Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe" in 2022.

Judge
 says he started to think about returning to his cartoon duo after the 
band Portugal. The Man asked him if he could introduce them with his 
iconic title characters at 2018’s Coachella.

“I thought of it as a
 way of ‘Let me see what it sounds like if my voice still sounds like 
them.’ And I did it. I played it back and it still felt like Beavis and 
Butt-Head. And so that’s partly what got me thinking about doing this 
again.”

The targets have changed, even if some show principles 
have not. If something is already funny, it's usually not a good target.
 And being overexposed is usually a green light. So yesterday's Axl Rose
 became today's Jack Harlow.

This season sees Beavis and Butt-Head
 dunk on Lil Nas X, Audrey Nuna, Bill Gates, Ronald Reagan and even the 
Buddha. There's a bizarre scene in which the boys annoy Jesus and Ganesh
 on an astral plane so much that the deities take turns punching the 
boys.

Judge came up with the original concept at a time when TV 
was filled with yuppies — “The Cosby Show,” “Family Ties,” “The Fresh 
Prince of Bel-Air” and “Mad About You.”

“Maybe some of it was in 
reaction to that — finding a place in comedy that was different,” he 
said. “But I wasn’t trying to be shocking or edgy. I was just trying to 
make it funny.”

There was plenty of blowback. Judge thinks “Beavis
 and Butt-Head” were badly misunderstood back then by some people who 
accused it of contributing to all sorts of poor teen behavior. Judge 
even got death threats.

The cartoon duo have returned to a vastly 
different media landscape, one they had a part in cracking open. Can two
 snarky teens with little social consciousness have the ability to cut 
through the online hype?

Yes, says Paramount+: “Beavis and 
Butt-Head have been doing clever social commentary long before it was 
cool in the age of social media and their no-filter, blissfully ignorant
 POV has always been part of this duo’s DNA," said DiMeglio.

One 
thing the show will not do is wade into politics. In a recent episode, 
Beavis and Butt-Head go hunting — “The outdoors sucks,” says Butt-Head —
 and accidentally drink deer urine. This was an opportunity to raise the
 issue of guns, but Judge has no interest.

“I feel like this is 
comedy and we’re just looking for funny and just trying to give people a
 break from that kind of stuff. I don’t think Beavis and Butt-Head have 
anything to add to that conversation,” he said.

“They’re not 
sophisticated enough to go there. I think that’s what’s comforting about
 it: Just seeing some guys who don’t know any better. They don’t have 
much accountability. They don’t know what the word means.”

By MARK KENNEDY AP Entertainment WriterNEW YORK — The 1990s are making a comeback, with scrunchies 
acceptable again, “Night Court” back on TV and fanny packs and flannel 
all the rage. But it’s not the '90s until two of the most idiotic 
teenagers return, sniggering along the way.That's right, Beavis 
and Butt-Head — forever un-matured — are on the streaming platform 
Paramount+ these days, still mocking culture and saying things like, 
“That cloud looks like a butt.”“It is almost fun sometimes to 
just go to that lazy part of your brain where you’re just blurting out 
whatever stupid thought comes out,” says Mike Judge, who created the duo
 and voices them.A second season of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yP30WvQy0sc">“Mike Judge's Beavis and Butt-Head”</a>
 kicked off this month with our heroes at school-mandated meditation 
class, an alternative to detention. “This sucks,” says Butt Head, the 
dark-haired one in braces and an AC/DC T-shirt. “Now try to empty your 
mind of all thoughts,” says the teacher. It is surprisingly easy.There's
 also a visit to a polling place — the boys mistake it for a strip club —
 and later a scheme to buy beer by spray-painting Beavis' hair with 
white paint to make him look older. It goes awry, of course, when he 
gets on a shuttle bus to a retirement community.The look, feel 
and snark of the show hasn't changed even if there are fewer music 
videos these days. Judge relies on a producer to scour YouTube to find 
videos that might spark a spontaneous put-down. It's all very timeless.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682543106950.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“That’s
 the beauty of ‘Beavis and Butt-Head’ — no matter what decade you were 
born in, you’re able to find ways to connect to them and even perhaps 
see bits of yourselves in them,” said Domenic DiMeglio, chief marketing 
officer for Paramount+.There are a few bizarre tangents, 
particularly the return to an alternative universe where Beavis and 
Butt-Head are middle-aged. Judge devised one episode in which they marry
 each other without realizing it.The original “Beavis and 
Butt-Head” arrived in 1993 on MTV and became an instant hit, running for
 seven seasons before going on hiatus in 1997. The un-dynamic duo 
returned with an eighth, stand-alone season in 2011, and the series was 
revived last year.This show’s influence was so strong that it 
spawned a full-length film called “Beavis and Butt-Head Do America” in 
1996 and another titled “Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe" in 2022.Judge
 says he started to think about returning to his cartoon duo after the 
band Portugal. The Man asked him if he could introduce them with his 
iconic title characters at 2018’s Coachella.“I thought of it as a
 way of ‘Let me see what it sounds like if my voice still sounds like 
them.’ And I did it. I played it back and it still felt like Beavis and 
Butt-Head. And so that’s partly what got me thinking about doing this 
again.”The targets have changed, even if some show principles 
have not. If something is already funny, it's usually not a good target.
 And being overexposed is usually a green light. So yesterday's Axl Rose
 became today's Jack Harlow.This season sees Beavis and Butt-Head
 dunk on Lil Nas X, Audrey Nuna, Bill Gates, Ronald Reagan and even the 
Buddha. There's a bizarre scene in which the boys annoy Jesus and Ganesh
 on an astral plane so much that the deities take turns punching the 
boys.Judge came up with the original concept at a time when TV 
was filled with yuppies — “The Cosby Show,” “Family Ties,” “The Fresh 
Prince of Bel-Air” and “Mad About You.”“Maybe some of it was in 
reaction to that — finding a place in comedy that was different,” he 
said. “But I wasn’t trying to be shocking or edgy. I was just trying to 
make it funny.”There was plenty of blowback. Judge thinks “Beavis
 and Butt-Head” were badly misunderstood back then by some people who 
accused it of contributing to all sorts of poor teen behavior. Judge 
even got death threats.The cartoon duo have returned to a vastly 
different media landscape, one they had a part in cracking open. Can two
 snarky teens with little social consciousness have the ability to cut 
through the online hype?Yes, says Paramount+: “Beavis and 
Butt-Head have been doing clever social commentary long before it was 
cool in the age of social media and their no-filter, blissfully ignorant
 POV has always been part of this duo’s DNA," said DiMeglio.One 
thing the show will not do is wade into politics. In a recent episode, 
Beavis and Butt-Head go hunting — “The outdoors sucks,” says Butt-Head —
 and accidentally drink deer urine. This was an opportunity to raise the
 issue of guns, but Judge has no interest.“I feel like this is 
comedy and we’re just looking for funny and just trying to give people a
 break from that kind of stuff. I don’t think Beavis and Butt-Head have 
anything to add to that conversation,” he said.“They’re not 
sophisticated enough to go there. I think that’s what’s comforting about
 it: Just seeing some guys who don’t know any better. They don’t have 
much accountability. They don’t know what the word means.”

REVIEW: Beavis and Butt-Head return as wonderfully moronic as ever

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/dumbbell-ranch-operation-in-nebraska-sandhills-poised-for-next-chapter/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA — After less than a month on the market, the Nebraska Sandhills ranch with the quirky name and <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/04/03/dumbbell-in-nebraska-sandhills-gains-spotlight-with-sheer-size-storied-past/">storied past</a> is poised to be purchased by a Colorado family.

The owners of the Dumbbell Ranch in 
the Hyannis area have a preliminary agreement with the potential buyer. 
And a member of the family that has had an ownership interest in the 
15,500-acre property for more than a century said she is happy.

Anne Anderson Bennett of the Red Oak,
 Iowa area, said her family had hoped to pass on the Dumbbell legacy to a
 family, as opposed to a corporation or big entity. If all goes as 
hoped, she said, the Anderson Family trust this summer will turn the 
reins over to the Colorado ranching family, which had been wanting to 
relocate its operation to the Sandhills.

The asking price for the Dumbbell was
 $16.7 million, and Bennett said she was pleased with the price offered.
 She declined to provide too many details until the deal is officially 
sealed.

“It is bittersweet,” she said, as the
 Dumbbell has been a part of her family since 1913. “But I am so excited
 that a family is going to be able to continue the tradition. I think 
they will be a fabulous asset for the community.”

Bennett said she hadn’t met the 
family yet, but knew that there had been multiple offers on the ranch 
operation in the few weeks since <a target="_blank" href="https://hallhall.com/property-for-sale/nebraska/dumbbell-ranch/a095d00002U10JQ/">marketing</a> began.

The Dumbbell attracted attention from
 local and outside interests, in large part because of its size and 
storied past. Valentine area broker Mark Johnson of Hall and Hall, which
 marketed the ranch, said he was a bit taken aback by the widespread 
response.&nbsp;

“It really was the right time,” <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/04/03/dumbbell-in-nebraska-sandhills-gains-spotlight-with-sheer-size-storied-past/">Bennett told the Nebrask</a>a
 Examiner in early April about putting the Dumbbell operation up for 
sale. At 57, she is getting married again. Her only brother has a 
separate career in Colorado.

Younger generations of Andersons, 
namely Bennett’s daughters, who are in their 20s, had more pressing 
interests than continuing the ranch ties.

On Monday, Bennett was busy helping 
to write high school graduation announcements for her stepson and was 
working on plans for her nuptials.

“I’m relieved,” she said. “I’m very grateful for the interest.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680554659570.png" alt="The Dumbbell Ranch spans about 15,500 acres, mostly in Nebraska’s Cherry County, known as the nation’s “top cow county.” It is for sale, which means it will have owners outside the Anderson family for first time in over a century. (Courtesy of Hall and Hall)" />
 <figcaption>The Dumbbell Ranch spans about 15,500 acres, mostly in Nebraska’s Cherry County, known as the nation’s “top cow county.” It is for sale, which means it will have owners outside the Anderson family for first time in over a century. (Courtesy of Hall and Hall)</figcaption>
 </figure>By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/dumbbell-ranch-operation-in-nebraska-sandhills-poised-for-next-chapter/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA — After less than a month on the market, the Nebraska Sandhills ranch with the quirky name and <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/04/03/dumbbell-in-nebraska-sandhills-gains-spotlight-with-sheer-size-storied-past/">storied past</a> is poised to be purchased by a Colorado family.The owners of the Dumbbell Ranch in 
the Hyannis area have a preliminary agreement with the potential buyer. 
And a member of the family that has had an ownership interest in the 
15,500-acre property for more than a century said she is happy.Anne Anderson Bennett of the Red Oak,
 Iowa area, said her family had hoped to pass on the Dumbbell legacy to a
 family, as opposed to a corporation or big entity. If all goes as 
hoped, she said, the Anderson Family trust this summer will turn the 
reins over to the Colorado ranching family, which had been wanting to 
relocate its operation to the Sandhills.The asking price for the Dumbbell was
 $16.7 million, and Bennett said she was pleased with the price offered.
 She declined to provide too many details until the deal is officially 
sealed.“It is bittersweet,” she said, as the
 Dumbbell has been a part of her family since 1913. “But I am so excited
 that a family is going to be able to continue the tradition. I think 
they will be a fabulous asset for the community.”Bennett said she hadn’t met the 
family yet, but knew that there had been multiple offers on the ranch 
operation in the few weeks since <a target="_blank" href="https://hallhall.com/property-for-sale/nebraska/dumbbell-ranch/a095d00002U10JQ/">marketing</a> began.The Dumbbell attracted attention from
 local and outside interests, in large part because of its size and 
storied past. Valentine area broker Mark Johnson of Hall and Hall, which
 marketed the ranch, said he was a bit taken aback by the widespread 
response.&nbsp;“It really was the right time,” <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/04/03/dumbbell-in-nebraska-sandhills-gains-spotlight-with-sheer-size-storied-past/">Bennett told the Nebrask</a>a
 Examiner in early April about putting the Dumbbell operation up for 
sale. At 57, she is getting married again. Her only brother has a 
separate career in Colorado.Younger generations of Andersons, 
namely Bennett’s daughters, who are in their 20s, had more pressing 
interests than continuing the ranch ties.On Monday, Bennett was busy helping 
to write high school graduation announcements for her stepson and was 
working on plans for her nuptials.“I’m relieved,” she said. “I’m very grateful for the interest.”

Massive Dumbbell Ranch in Nebraska Sandhills poised for next chapter

Meetings set to provide information for canola growers

K-State Research and Extension news service&nbsp;

MANHATTAN – A decision by a Nebraska-based agribusiness to recommission an oilseed crush facility near Goodland has opened an opportunity for farmers in Kansas and Oklahoma, said a Kansas State University agronomist.&nbsp;

Canola breeder Mike Stamm noted that Scoular – which lists more than 100 offices in North America and Asia and sales of more than $9 billion –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.scoular.com/news/scoular-invests-in-kansas-oilseed-crush-facility-for-renewable-fuels-market/">announced in mid-March</a>&nbsp;that it would retrofit the facility to crush both soybeans and canola.&nbsp;

The facility is expected to begin operations in fall 2024.&nbsp;

“We wanted to support them by getting growers together to learn more,” Stamm said. “For alternative oilseeds like canola to be successfully grown in Kansas, it is crucial to have a readily available end market within the region, which Scoular will provide.”&nbsp;

Stamm said K-State Research and the Great Plains Canola Association will host several canola informational meetings for new and experienced growers. The meetings are scheduled for May 11 in Enid, Oklahoma, and May 18 in Montezuma, Kansas and Harper, Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;

He said the meetings will include an update from Scoular on their marketing and pricing strategies and the company’s vision for the rapidly changing renewable fuels market. Brief updates on canola research and extension activities will be given, as well as an update from the Great Plains Canola Association.&nbsp;

The meetings are free to attend, but reservations are required because a meal will be provided. Location and contacts for each meeting include:&nbsp;&nbsp;

Thursday, May 11: Hoover Building, 300 E Oxford Ave, Enid, Okla.&nbsp;

RSVP to Ron Sholar,&nbsp;<a></a><a href="mailto:jrsholar@aol.com">jrsholar@aol.com</a>&nbsp; Thursday, May 18: Montezuma Community Building, 508 West Sunnyside Ave., Montezuma, Kansas.&nbsp;

RSVP to the Gray County Extension Office, 620-855-3821, or Kurt Werth,&nbsp;<a></a><a href="mailto:kwerth@ksu.edu">kwerth@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp; Thursday, May 18, 2023 – Fencepost, 700 E. 14th St., Harper, Kansas&nbsp;

<a>RSVP to the Harper County Extension Office, 620-842-5445, or Jenni Carr,&nbsp;</a><a></a><a href="mailto:jlcarr@ksu.edu">jlcarr@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682342241976.png" alt="Photo courtesy Scoular" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Scoular</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Meetings set to provide information for canola growers</h2>K-State Research and Extension news service&nbsp;MANHATTAN – A decision by a Nebraska-based agribusiness to recommission an oilseed crush facility near Goodland has opened an opportunity for farmers in Kansas and Oklahoma, said a Kansas State University agronomist.&nbsp;Canola breeder Mike Stamm noted that Scoular – which lists more than 100 offices in North America and Asia and sales of more than $9 billion –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.scoular.com/news/scoular-invests-in-kansas-oilseed-crush-facility-for-renewable-fuels-market/">announced in mid-March</a>&nbsp;that it would retrofit the facility to crush both soybeans and canola.&nbsp;The facility is expected to begin operations in fall 2024.&nbsp;“We wanted to support them by getting growers together to learn more,” Stamm said. “For alternative oilseeds like canola to be successfully grown in Kansas, it is crucial to have a readily available end market within the region, which Scoular will provide.”&nbsp;Stamm said K-State Research and the Great Plains Canola Association will host several canola informational meetings for new and experienced growers. The meetings are scheduled for May 11 in Enid, Oklahoma, and May 18 in Montezuma, Kansas and Harper, Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;He said the meetings will include an update from Scoular on their marketing and pricing strategies and the company’s vision for the rapidly changing renewable fuels market. Brief updates on canola research and extension activities will be given, as well as an update from the Great Plains Canola Association.&nbsp;The meetings are free to attend, but reservations are required because a meal will be provided. Location and contacts for each meeting include:&nbsp;&nbsp;Thursday, May 11: Hoover Building, 300 E Oxford Ave, Enid, Okla.&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>9:30 a.m., Coffee and networking&nbsp;</li><li>10 a.m., presentation and meeting&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>RSVP to Ron Sholar,&nbsp;<a></a><a href="mailto:jrsholar@aol.com">jrsholar@aol.com</a>&nbsp; Thursday, May 18: Montezuma Community Building, 508 West Sunnyside Ave., Montezuma, Kansas.&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>12 p.m., presentation and meal&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>RSVP to the Gray County Extension Office, 620-855-3821, or Kurt Werth,&nbsp;<a></a><a href="mailto:kwerth@ksu.edu">kwerth@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp; Thursday, May 18, 2023 – Fencepost, 700 E. 14th St., Harper, Kansas&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>6 p.m., presentation and meal&nbsp;</li>
 </ul> <a>RSVP to the Harper County Extension Office, 620-842-5445, or Jenni Carr,&nbsp;</a><a></a><a href="mailto:jlcarr@ksu.edu">jlcarr@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

Goodland crush facility opens opportunity for Kansas, Oklahoma farmers

NEW YORK (AP) — 
CNN fired longtime host Don Lemon on Monday following his short and 
disastrous run as a morning show host, a little over two months after he
 apologized for <a href="https://apnews.com/article/don-lemon-nikki-haley-e40445ae824a56e3548c17a029a80775">on-air comments</a> about Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley being past her prime.

The
 move quickly turned nasty. While CNN chairman and CEO Chris Licht 
announced, after Lemon had co-hosted the show Monday, that they had <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNPR/status/1650535190568026113" target="_blank">“parted ways,”</a> Lemon characterized it as a firing and said it was surprise to him.

“After
 17 years at CNN I would have thought someone in management would have 
the decency to tell me directly,” Lemon said. CNN said that Lemon was 
given the opportunity to meet with management but released a statement 
on Twitter instead.

CNN offered no 
public explanation for Lemon’s dismissal. During a February discussion 
on “CNN This Morning” with co-hosts Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins 
about the ages of politicians, he said that the 51-year-old Haley was 
not “in her prime.” A woman, he said, was considered in her prime “in 
her 20s, 30s and maybe her 40s.”

Harlow challenged 
Lemon, trying to clarify what he was referencing: “I think we need to 
qualify. Are you talking about prime for childbearing or are you talking
 about prime for being president?”

“Don’t shoot the messenger, I’m just saying what the facts are,” Lemon responded.

Lemon
 issued a statement the same day saying he regretted his “inartful and 
irrelevant” comments. He was subsequently absent from the show for three
 days, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-tv-nikki-haley-don-lemon-52be979ee7c3b95dbcddedf23683e98c">returning the following week</a> with a tweeted apology but no mention of the episode on air.

Haley,
 who had criticized Lemon’s statements as sexist and used the incident 
to fundraise in February, took to Twitter on Monday to call Lemon’s 
ouster “a great day for women everywhere,” linking to the beverage 
sleeves emblazoned with “Past my prime? Hold my beer.”

Lemon
 used to host the prime-time “Don Lemon Tonight” but moved when the 
network launched “CNN This Morning” last November, just before the U.S. 
midterm elections, as one of the first major programming moves under 
Licht.

NEW YORK (AP) — 
CNN fired longtime host Don Lemon on Monday following his short and 
disastrous run as a morning show host, a little over two months after he
 apologized for <a href="https://apnews.com/article/don-lemon-nikki-haley-e40445ae824a56e3548c17a029a80775">on-air comments</a> about Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley being past her prime.The
 move quickly turned nasty. While CNN chairman and CEO Chris Licht 
announced, after Lemon had co-hosted the show Monday, that they had <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNPR/status/1650535190568026113" target="_blank">“parted ways,”</a> Lemon characterized it as a firing and said it was surprise to him. “After
 17 years at CNN I would have thought someone in management would have 
the decency to tell me directly,” Lemon said. CNN said that Lemon was 
given the opportunity to meet with management but released a statement 
on Twitter instead.CNN offered no 
public explanation for Lemon’s dismissal. During a February discussion 
on “CNN This Morning” with co-hosts Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins 
about the ages of politicians, he said that the 51-year-old Haley was 
not “in her prime.” A woman, he said, was considered in her prime “in 
her 20s, 30s and maybe her 40s.”Harlow challenged 
Lemon, trying to clarify what he was referencing: “I think we need to 
qualify. Are you talking about prime for childbearing or are you talking
 about prime for being president?”“Don’t shoot the messenger, I’m just saying what the facts are,” Lemon responded.Lemon
 issued a statement the same day saying he regretted his “inartful and 
irrelevant” comments. He was subsequently absent from the show for three
 days, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-tv-nikki-haley-don-lemon-52be979ee7c3b95dbcddedf23683e98c">returning the following week</a> with a tweeted apology but no mention of the episode on air.Haley,
 who had criticized Lemon’s statements as sexist and used the incident 
to fundraise in February, took to Twitter on Monday to call Lemon’s 
ouster “a great day for women everywhere,” linking to the beverage 
sleeves emblazoned with “Past my prime? Hold my beer.”Lemon
 used to host the prime-time “Don Lemon Tonight” but moved when the 
network launched “CNN This Morning” last November, just before the U.S. 
midterm elections, as one of the first major programming moves under 
Licht.

Lemon fired from CNN after divisive morning show run

NEW YORK (AP) — Fox News said Monday it has “agreed to part ways” with Tucker Carlson, its popular and controversial host, less than a week after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fox-news-dominion-lawsuit-trial-trump-2020-0ac71f75acfacc52ea80b3e747fb0afe">settling a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;over the network's 2020 election reporting.

The network said in a press release that the last program of “Tucker Carlson Tonight” aired Friday.

“We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor,” the press release from the network said.

Carlson became Fox’s most popular personality after replacing Bill O’Reilly in Fox’s prime-time lineup in 2016. He’s also consistently drawn headline for controversial coverage, including most recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-tucker-carlson-capitol-riot-mccarthy-adc245e22f50b076925eb72948062808">airing tapes from the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection</a>&nbsp;to minimize the impact of the deadly attack.

There was no immediate explanation from Fox about why Carlson was leaving. A text message to Carlson seeking comment was not immediately returned.

Fox agreed last week to pay Dominion Voting Systems more than $787 million and acknowledged that some of its reporting following the 2020 election — which allowed former President Donald Trump's aides to amplify false charges of election fraud — was incorrect.

But that reporting mostly concerned other shows, not Carlson’s. His name did come up during the case, primarily because of email and text messages that were revealed as part of the lawsuit.

Carlson and other Fox hosts were caught in private messages doubting their own network's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fox-news-dominion-lawsuit-trial-explainer-trump-fbd401a951905879d837a8860b3bec5e">allegations about Dominion's role</a>&nbsp;in the supposed election fraud, while also being concerned that Fox was losing audience among Trump fans at the time. In some of them, Carlson&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tucker-carlson-fox-news-murdoch-capitol-attack-96c305cf4046aaf373130876940fd06e">privately criticized Trump,</a>&nbsp;saying he hated him passionately.

A few weeks ago, Carlson&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fox-news-dominion-trial-trump-carlson-election-f580413e13d1bfaea1e94827a4f35dc1">devoted his entire show</a>&nbsp;to an interview with Trump.

Carlson was recently named in a lawsuit filed by Abby Grossberg, a Fox News producer fired after claiming that Fox lawyers had pressured her to give misleading testimony in the Dominion lawsuit. Grossberg had gone to work for Carlson after leaving Maria Bartiromo's Fox show.

Her lawsuit says that Grossberg learned “she had merely traded in one overtly misogynistic work environment for an event crueler one — this time, one where unprofessionalism reigned supreme, and the staff’s distaste and disdain for women infiltrated almost every workday decision.”

Fox has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fox-news-dominion-defamation-lawsuit-voting-sexism-9f0b4ec94a19fa68c1205864fef277c5">countered with its own lawsuit,</a>&nbsp;trying to bar Grossberg from disclosing confidential discussions with Fox attorneys and saying in a statement that “her allegations in connection with the Dominion case are baseless.”

“Fox News Tonight” will air in Carlson's 8 p.m. ET prime-time slot, hosted by a rotating array of network personalities, for the time being.

NEW YORK (AP) — Fox News said Monday it has “agreed to part ways” with Tucker Carlson, its popular and controversial host, less than a week after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fox-news-dominion-lawsuit-trial-trump-2020-0ac71f75acfacc52ea80b3e747fb0afe">settling a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;over the network's 2020 election reporting.The network said in a press release that the last program of “Tucker Carlson Tonight” aired Friday.“We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor,” the press release from the network said.Carlson became Fox’s most popular personality after replacing Bill O’Reilly in Fox’s prime-time lineup in 2016. He’s also consistently drawn headline for controversial coverage, including most recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-tucker-carlson-capitol-riot-mccarthy-adc245e22f50b076925eb72948062808">airing tapes from the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection</a>&nbsp;to minimize the impact of the deadly attack.There was no immediate explanation from Fox about why Carlson was leaving. A text message to Carlson seeking comment was not immediately returned.Fox agreed last week to pay Dominion Voting Systems more than $787 million and acknowledged that some of its reporting following the 2020 election — which allowed former President Donald Trump's aides to amplify false charges of election fraud — was incorrect.But that reporting mostly concerned other shows, not Carlson’s. His name did come up during the case, primarily because of email and text messages that were revealed as part of the lawsuit.Carlson and other Fox hosts were caught in private messages doubting their own network's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fox-news-dominion-lawsuit-trial-explainer-trump-fbd401a951905879d837a8860b3bec5e">allegations about Dominion's role</a>&nbsp;in the supposed election fraud, while also being concerned that Fox was losing audience among Trump fans at the time. In some of them, Carlson&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tucker-carlson-fox-news-murdoch-capitol-attack-96c305cf4046aaf373130876940fd06e">privately criticized Trump,</a>&nbsp;saying he hated him passionately.A few weeks ago, Carlson&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fox-news-dominion-trial-trump-carlson-election-f580413e13d1bfaea1e94827a4f35dc1">devoted his entire show</a>&nbsp;to an interview with Trump.Carlson was recently named in a lawsuit filed by Abby Grossberg, a Fox News producer fired after claiming that Fox lawyers had pressured her to give misleading testimony in the Dominion lawsuit. Grossberg had gone to work for Carlson after leaving Maria Bartiromo's Fox show.Her lawsuit says that Grossberg learned “she had merely traded in one overtly misogynistic work environment for an event crueler one — this time, one where unprofessionalism reigned supreme, and the staff’s distaste and disdain for women infiltrated almost every workday decision.”Fox has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fox-news-dominion-defamation-lawsuit-voting-sexism-9f0b4ec94a19fa68c1205864fef277c5">countered with its own lawsuit,</a>&nbsp;trying to bar Grossberg from disclosing confidential discussions with Fox attorneys and saying in a statement that “her allegations in connection with the Dominion case are baseless.”“Fox News Tonight” will air in Carlson's 8 p.m. ET prime-time slot, hosted by a rotating array of network personalities, for the time being.

Tucker Carlson, Fox News' most popular host, out at network

BRUSSELS (AP) — The guardians of Champagne will let no one take the 
name of the bubbly beverage in vain, not even a U.S. beer behemoth.

For
 years, Miller High Life has used the “Champagne of Beers” slogan. This 
week, that appropriation became impossible to swallow.

At the 
request of the trade body defending the interests of houses and growers 
of the northeastern French sparkling wine, Belgian customs crushed more 
than 2,000 cans of Miller High Life advertised as such.

The Comité
 Champagne asked for the destruction of a shipment of 2,352 cans on the 
grounds that the century-old motto used by the American brewery 
infringes the protected designation of origin “Champagne.”

The 
consignment was intercepted in the Belgian port of Antwerp in early 
February, a spokesperson at the Belgian Customs Administration said on 
Friday, and was destined for Germany.

Molson Coors Beverage Co., 
which owns the Miller High Life brand, does not currently export it to 
the EU, and Belgian customs declined to say who had ordered the beers.

The buyer in Germany “was informed and did not contest the decision,” the trade organization said in a statement.

Frederick
 Miller, a German immigrant to the US, founded the Miller Brewing 
Company in the 1850s. Miller High Life, its oldest brand, was launched 
as its flagship in 1903.

According to the Milwaukee-based brand’s 
website, the company started to use the “Champagne of Bottle Beers” 
nickname three years later. It was shortened to “The Champagne of Beers”
 in 1969. The beer has also been available in champagne-style 
750-milliliter bottles during festive seasons.

“With its elegant, 
clear-glass bottle and crisp taste, Miller High Life has proudly worn 
the nickname ‘The Champagne of Beers’ for almost 120 years,” Molson 
Coors Beverage Co. said in a statement to The Associated Press.

No
 matter how popular the slogan is in the United States, it is 
incompatible with European Union rules which make clear that goods 
infringing a protected designation of origin can be treated as 
counterfeit.

The 27-nation bloc has a system of protected 
geographical designations created to guarantee the true origin and 
quality of artisanal food, wine and spirits, and protect them from 
imitation. That market is worth nearly <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_683">75 billion euros ($87 billion) annually</a> — half of it in wines, according to a 2020 study by the EU's executive arm.

Charles
 Goemaere, the managing director of the Comité Champagne, said the 
destruction of the beers "confirms the importance that the European 
Union attaches to designations of origin and rewards the determination 
of the Champagne producers to protect their designation.”

Molson Coors Beverage Co. said it “respects local restrictions” around the word Champagne.

“But
 we remain proud of Miller High Life, its nickname and its Milwaukee, 
Wisconsin provenance,” the company said. “We invite our friends in 
Europe to the U.S. any time to toast the High Life together.”

Belgian
 customs said the destruction of the cans was paid for by the Comité 
Champagne. According to their joint statement, it was carried out “with 
the utmost respect for environmental concerns by ensuring that the 
entire batch, both contents and container, was recycled in an 
environmentally responsible manner.”

BRUSSELS (AP) — The guardians of Champagne will let no one take the 
name of the bubbly beverage in vain, not even a U.S. beer behemoth.For
 years, Miller High Life has used the “Champagne of Beers” slogan. This 
week, that appropriation became impossible to swallow.At the 
request of the trade body defending the interests of houses and growers 
of the northeastern French sparkling wine, Belgian customs crushed more 
than 2,000 cans of Miller High Life advertised as such.The Comité
 Champagne asked for the destruction of a shipment of 2,352 cans on the 
grounds that the century-old motto used by the American brewery 
infringes the protected designation of origin “Champagne.”The 
consignment was intercepted in the Belgian port of Antwerp in early 
February, a spokesperson at the Belgian Customs Administration said on 
Friday, and was destined for Germany.Molson Coors Beverage Co., 
which owns the Miller High Life brand, does not currently export it to 
the EU, and Belgian customs declined to say who had ordered the beers.The buyer in Germany “was informed and did not contest the decision,” the trade organization said in a statement.Frederick
 Miller, a German immigrant to the US, founded the Miller Brewing 
Company in the 1850s. Miller High Life, its oldest brand, was launched 
as its flagship in 1903.According to the Milwaukee-based brand’s 
website, the company started to use the “Champagne of Bottle Beers” 
nickname three years later. It was shortened to “The Champagne of Beers”
 in 1969. The beer has also been available in champagne-style 
750-milliliter bottles during festive seasons.“With its elegant, 
clear-glass bottle and crisp taste, Miller High Life has proudly worn 
the nickname ‘The Champagne of Beers’ for almost 120 years,” Molson 
Coors Beverage Co. said in a statement to The Associated Press.No
 matter how popular the slogan is in the United States, it is 
incompatible with European Union rules which make clear that goods 
infringing a protected designation of origin can be treated as 
counterfeit.The 27-nation bloc has a system of protected 
geographical designations created to guarantee the true origin and 
quality of artisanal food, wine and spirits, and protect them from 
imitation. That market is worth nearly <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_683">75 billion euros ($87 billion) annually</a> — half of it in wines, according to a 2020 study by the EU's executive arm.Charles
 Goemaere, the managing director of the Comité Champagne, said the 
destruction of the beers "confirms the importance that the European 
Union attaches to designations of origin and rewards the determination 
of the Champagne producers to protect their designation.”Molson Coors Beverage Co. said it “respects local restrictions” around the word Champagne.“But
 we remain proud of Miller High Life, its nickname and its Milwaukee, 
Wisconsin provenance,” the company said. “We invite our friends in 
Europe to the U.S. any time to toast the High Life together.”Belgian
 customs said the destruction of the cans was paid for by the Comité 
Champagne. According to their joint statement, it was carried out “with 
the utmost respect for environmental concerns by ensuring that the 
entire batch, both contents and container, was recycled in an 
environmentally responsible manner.”

Champagne and 'Champagne of Beers' spat bubbles over

A severe thunderstorm warning is in effect for the Geary and Riley county area until 7:15 p.m. Wednesday. Large hail and wind of 60 mph is possible with this storm.

Just after 6:30 p.m., trained weather spotters reported golf ball-sized hail 5 miles east of Milford Lake.

The National Weather Service in Topeka has issued a tornado watch for much of the area, including Geary and Riley counties, through 11 p.m. Wednesday.

Severe thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes are possible late Wednesday afternoon and again in the early morning hours Thursday.

The NWS is warning of potentially apple-sized hail and wind gusting up to 75 mph. Locally heavy rainfall could occur, as well.

The National Weather Service in Topeka in warning of the chance of severe thunderstorms across the area early Thursday morning.

There is a 10 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms after 5 p.m. Wednesday. After 2 a.m. Thursday, that chance increases to 70 percent.

The storms — forecasted to be most severe north of Manhattan — could bring hail in excess of 3 inches, 70 mph winds and the possibility of tornadoes.

The skies are expected to begin to clear by 7 a.m. Thursday, the NWS predicted.

The daytime high in the mid-80s on Wednesday will drop to a high in the mid-to upper-60s Thursday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681938824627.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>UPDATE 6:45 p.m. WednesdayA severe thunderstorm warning is in effect for the Geary and Riley county area until 7:15 p.m. Wednesday. Large hail and wind of 60 mph is possible with this storm.Just after 6:30 p.m., trained weather spotters reported golf ball-sized hail 5 miles east of Milford Lake.-------UPDATE 4:30 p.m. WednesdayThe National Weather Service in Topeka has issued a tornado watch for much of the area, including Geary and Riley counties, through 11 p.m. Wednesday.Severe thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes are possible late Wednesday afternoon and again in the early morning hours Thursday.The NWS is warning of potentially apple-sized hail and wind gusting up to 75 mph. Locally heavy rainfall could occur, as well.---------------------The National Weather Service in Topeka in warning of the chance of severe thunderstorms across the area early Thursday morning.There is a 10 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms after 5 p.m. Wednesday. After 2 a.m. Thursday, that chance increases to 70 percent.The storms — forecasted to be most severe north of Manhattan — could bring hail in excess of 3 inches, 70 mph winds and the possibility of tornadoes.The skies are expected to begin to clear by 7 a.m. Thursday, the NWS predicted.The daytime high in the mid-80s on Wednesday will drop to a high in the mid-to upper-60s Thursday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A tornado watch has been issued for parts of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska until 11 PM CDT <a href="https://t.co/bmXwCOkENZ">pic.twitter.com/bmXwCOkENZ</a>&mdash; NWS Topeka (@NWSTopeka) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSTopeka/status/1648789609441267712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 19, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div>

UPDATE: Golf ball-sized hail reported at Milford Lake; T-storm warning in effect

By LINDSEY BAHR AP Film Writer

In Ari Aster's new film “ <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuiWDn976Ek">Beau is Afraid</a>,” Joaquin Phoenix plays an anxious man in a rotten world who goes on a wildly weird journey, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/beau-is-afraid-review-ari-aster-joaquin-phoenix-38535c76e687d09fc95361f45663d3fd">both Homeric and Oedipal</a>, to his mother's home.

It's
 theatrical and depraved and perhaps best left largely unexplained, at 
least until audiences get a chance to enter the debate. But on the eve 
of the film's wide release Friday, Aster and Phoenix attempt to shed 
some light on “whatever this is,” male pattern baldness and things 
better left unsaid.

Remarks have been edited for clarity and brevity.

AP: What gave you the confidence to make “Beau” now?

ASTER: <a href="https://apnews.com/article/ari-aster-beau-is-afraid-0af9d7c72a04ba828250ac40dedaaf78">I’ve wanted to make it for a long time</a>.
 I think I just felt that maybe I might actually be granted the green 
light now. And I was, which is still a surprise. I also just wanted to 
make something funny and sad.

AP: Joaquin, your schedule was 
already quite busy with Todd Phillips' “Joker” sequel and Ridley Scott’s
 “Napoleon” — why did you want to make time for this?

PHOENIX: 
That’s what I do. You always work it out. And I didn’t know what it 
would be, but in having conversations with Ari, I kept just being 
curious and I enjoyed talking to him. At some point it was like let’s 
just start shooting and see what happens. But I didn’t really have any 
expectations other than I thought that it would be challenging.

AP: I’m always reticent to ask about process, especially in a movie like this where maybe it’s better not to know.

PHOENIX:
 I don’t know the f——-g process either. It’s a mystery to me, but you 
just start. I mean, one of the first things that Ari and I did, we 
talked a great length about the hair. That was just our way in for 
whatever reason. So months in advance, like, like six months or 
something, Ari was in L.A. and we worked with someone in the hair 
department and we kind of just started playing with what look might 
work. Then we get into costumes and Ari had this great idea that Beau 
should have oversize clothing. And I just thought that was a great idea.
 I love things that are tactile that I can feel and put on. That starts 
having an effect on things. And then, I don’t know, we just talk 
endlessly. I don’t even remember what we talked about. Probably a lot 
about balding.

ASTER:
 Well, yeah ... We knew there was male pattern baldness. We just didn’t 
know to what extent. Like, is he, totally bald? What was the color of 
the hair, you know, if there is any.

PHOENIX:
 He’s somebody who’s constantly being tested. It’s really about 
identifying his nature, like who he was because everything about the 
world is trying to get him to react. And there’s something so good about
 him in some way, and it’s something that’s not jaded. But he also 
doesn’t realize how absurd this world is. And what was really important 
to us is that I played it as straight as possible. These things, this 
danger really does exist. And he doesn’t ever really stop and say, hold 
on a sec, this is f——-g crazy. Something is going on, right? I just 
think that was really important in getting to what his true nature is, 
which is kind of what (his mother) Mona is trying to do. She kind of 
fears that genetically he has something ... or, should I not?

ASTER:
 It was very important that Beau be very, very real and whatever he is 
experiencing be very, very real. It’s a very heightened performance, but
 it’s also very grounded. That was really necessary because the world is
 so arch and almost cartoonishly malign. The world of Beau is supposed 
to be a mirror of this world, like it’s horrible in all the same ways 
but with the dial turned up. I think that would have been unbearable, 
especially at this length, if you didn’t have somebody that you could 
kind of hold onto somebody who is a very effective surrogate whoever the
 audience is. A lot of the conversations were about just making this guy
 real enough. How do we have this guy be of this world and at the same 
time be (five-second pause) uh, real and authentic.

PHOENIX: You see what I’m saying? This is what it was for a month leading up to shooting.

ASTER: Only, you know, mercifully no cameras for posterity.

AP:
 The world around Beau is wild, especially in the nightmarish city where
 he lives full of incredible vulgarity and depravity, from the graffiti 
to the store signs. I read Ari was the architect of a lot of those 
details.

ASTER: That was just happening on automatic. Just bring a notepad, you know what I mean?

PHOENIX: Just talking, giving direction and then just, like, writing the most putrid thoughts.

ASTER: Because the world was invented, it gave me license to throw in things that make me laugh.

AP:
 People have made a big deal about this being the most expensive film 
A24 has made, which makes it seem like it’s some $200 million superhero 
movie when it’s really much more modest than that according to the 
reported numbers.

ASTER:
 That is right. It was my biggest budget. “Midsommar” was $10 million 
and “Hereditary” was $5 million. But this was a much, much bigger film. 
In some ways it kind of felt like we had the same kinds of resources for
 what we were trying to do, which means that, you know, we had to 
stretch every dollar. And if ever we fell behind on one day, it was 
very, very stressful because we would have to make up for another day, 
which was already packed with stuff we had to do. There were a lot of 
limitations. But those can be good. It puts you into problem solving 
mode. It’s hardest on the crew.

PHOENIX: You work on weekends, you
 work through lunches. There’s something in some way that’s great about 
it because it forces you to constantly focus on work. There’s no fat. 
There is no time to just relax. It probably creates an energy that the 
film captures.

AP: Before “Hereditary.” <a href="https://apnews.com/article/97920f54401243ddaeeff1a7bfb8210a">you said were feeling a little cynical about Hollywood</a>. Has your perspective changed after your successes?

ASTER: I’m not sure what I said about Hollywood. Hollywood is ...

ASTER:
 Yeah. Wait, Hollywood is hell on earth, what are we talking about? It’s
 the worst place in the world. But no, I love it. I’ve been very 
fortunate in that right out of the gate I had this relationship with 
A24. That’s been a really wonderful thing in my life. The fact that I 
was able to make whatever this thing is right now is pretty wonderful. I
 have no complaints. Was that a good answer?

<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PuiWDn976Ek"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By LINDSEY BAHR AP Film WriterIn Ari Aster's new film “ <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuiWDn976Ek">Beau is Afraid</a>,” Joaquin Phoenix plays an anxious man in a rotten world who goes on a wildly weird journey, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/beau-is-afraid-review-ari-aster-joaquin-phoenix-38535c76e687d09fc95361f45663d3fd">both Homeric and Oedipal</a>, to his mother's home.It's
 theatrical and depraved and perhaps best left largely unexplained, at 
least until audiences get a chance to enter the debate. But on the eve 
of the film's wide release Friday, Aster and Phoenix attempt to shed 
some light on “whatever this is,” male pattern baldness and things 
better left unsaid.Remarks have been edited for clarity and brevity.AP: What gave you the confidence to make “Beau” now?ASTER: <a href="https://apnews.com/article/ari-aster-beau-is-afraid-0af9d7c72a04ba828250ac40dedaaf78">I’ve wanted to make it for a long time</a>.
 I think I just felt that maybe I might actually be granted the green 
light now. And I was, which is still a surprise. I also just wanted to 
make something funny and sad.AP: Joaquin, your schedule was 
already quite busy with Todd Phillips' “Joker” sequel and Ridley Scott’s
 “Napoleon” — why did you want to make time for this?PHOENIX: 
That’s what I do. You always work it out. And I didn’t know what it 
would be, but in having conversations with Ari, I kept just being 
curious and I enjoyed talking to him. At some point it was like let’s 
just start shooting and see what happens. But I didn’t really have any 
expectations other than I thought that it would be challenging.AP: I’m always reticent to ask about process, especially in a movie like this where maybe it’s better not to know.PHOENIX:
 I don’t know the f——-g process either. It’s a mystery to me, but you 
just start. I mean, one of the first things that Ari and I did, we 
talked a great length about the hair. That was just our way in for 
whatever reason. So months in advance, like, like six months or 
something, Ari was in L.A. and we worked with someone in the hair 
department and we kind of just started playing with what look might 
work. Then we get into costumes and Ari had this great idea that Beau 
should have oversize clothing. And I just thought that was a great idea.
 I love things that are tactile that I can feel and put on. That starts 
having an effect on things. And then, I don’t know, we just talk 
endlessly. I don’t even remember what we talked about. Probably a lot 
about balding.ASTER: Yeah.PHOENIX. And testicles.ASTER:
 Well, yeah ... We knew there was male pattern baldness. We just didn’t 
know to what extent. Like, is he, totally bald? What was the color of 
the hair, you know, if there is any.AP: Who is Beau to you?PHOENIX:
 He’s somebody who’s constantly being tested. It’s really about 
identifying his nature, like who he was because everything about the 
world is trying to get him to react. And there’s something so good about
 him in some way, and it’s something that’s not jaded. But he also 
doesn’t realize how absurd this world is. And what was really important 
to us is that I played it as straight as possible. These things, this 
danger really does exist. And he doesn’t ever really stop and say, hold 
on a sec, this is f——-g crazy. Something is going on, right? I just 
think that was really important in getting to what his true nature is, 
which is kind of what (his mother) Mona is trying to do. She kind of 
fears that genetically he has something ... or, should I not?ASTER: I guess maybe?PHOENIX: I’ll just stop.ASTER: No, no, no. Well, maybe.PHOENIX: You’re right, never mind.ASTER:
 It was very important that Beau be very, very real and whatever he is 
experiencing be very, very real. It’s a very heightened performance, but
 it’s also very grounded. That was really necessary because the world is
 so arch and almost cartoonishly malign. The world of Beau is supposed 
to be a mirror of this world, like it’s horrible in all the same ways 
but with the dial turned up. I think that would have been unbearable, 
especially at this length, if you didn’t have somebody that you could 
kind of hold onto somebody who is a very effective surrogate whoever the
 audience is. A lot of the conversations were about just making this guy
 real enough. How do we have this guy be of this world and at the same 
time be (five-second pause) uh, real and authentic.PHOENIX: You see what I’m saying? This is what it was for a month leading up to shooting.ASTER: Only, you know, mercifully no cameras for posterity.AP:
 The world around Beau is wild, especially in the nightmarish city where
 he lives full of incredible vulgarity and depravity, from the graffiti 
to the store signs. I read Ari was the architect of a lot of those 
details.PHOENIX: It’s very easy for him.ASTER: That was just happening on automatic. Just bring a notepad, you know what I mean?PHOENIX: Just talking, giving direction and then just, like, writing the most putrid thoughts.ASTER: Because the world was invented, it gave me license to throw in things that make me laugh.AP:
 People have made a big deal about this being the most expensive film 
A24 has made, which makes it seem like it’s some $200 million superhero 
movie when it’s really much more modest than that according to the 
reported numbers.ASTER: What are the reported numbers?AP: I read $35 million.ASTER:
 That is right. It was my biggest budget. “Midsommar” was $10 million 
and “Hereditary” was $5 million. But this was a much, much bigger film. 
In some ways it kind of felt like we had the same kinds of resources for
 what we were trying to do, which means that, you know, we had to 
stretch every dollar. And if ever we fell behind on one day, it was 
very, very stressful because we would have to make up for another day, 
which was already packed with stuff we had to do. There were a lot of 
limitations. But those can be good. It puts you into problem solving 
mode. It’s hardest on the crew.PHOENIX: You work on weekends, you
 work through lunches. There’s something in some way that’s great about 
it because it forces you to constantly focus on work. There’s no fat. 
There is no time to just relax. It probably creates an energy that the 
film captures.AP: Before “Hereditary.” <a href="https://apnews.com/article/97920f54401243ddaeeff1a7bfb8210a">you said were feeling a little cynical about Hollywood</a>. Has your perspective changed after your successes?ASTER: I’m not sure what I said about Hollywood. Hollywood is ...PHOENIX: Hollywood is great.ASTER:
 Yeah. Wait, Hollywood is hell on earth, what are we talking about? It’s
 the worst place in the world. But no, I love it. I’ve been very 
fortunate in that right out of the gate I had this relationship with 
A24. That’s been a really wonderful thing in my life. The fact that I 
was able to make whatever this thing is right now is pretty wonderful. I
 have no complaints. Was that a good answer?PHOENIX: It was interesting.ASTER: Thanks.

🎥 Q&A: Aster, Phoenix try to discuss ‘Beau is Afraid

By BARBARA ORTUTAY AP Technology Writer

Anyone in the U.S. who has had a Facebook account at any time since May 24, 2007, can now <a href="https://facebookuserprivacysettlement.com/#submit-claim">apply for their share</a> of a $725 million privacy settlement that parent company <a href="https://apnews.com/article/steve-bannon-technology-business-social-media-donald-trump-13d01e05b42398fb49aced1a1e8dcc23">Meta has agreed to pay</a>.

Meta is paying to settle a lawsuit alleging the world’s largest social media platform <a href="https://apnews.com/article/data-mining-north-america-ap-top-news-mark-zuckerberg-international-news-c8f615be9523421998b4fcc16374ff37">allowed millions of its users’ personal information</a> to be fed to Cambridge Analytica, a firm that supported Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.

It's
 not clear how much money individual users will receive. The larger the 
number of people submitting valid claims, the smaller each payment will 
be since the money has to be divided among them.

To apply for the settlement, users can <a href="https://facebookuserprivacysettlement.com/#submit-claim">fill out a form</a> and submit it online, or print it out and mail it.

The
 case sprang from 2018 revelations that Cambridge Analytica, a firm with
 ties to Trump political strategist Steve Bannon, had paid a Facebook 
app developer for access to the personal information of about 87 million
 users of the platform. That data was then used to target U.S. voters 
during the 2016 campaign that culminated in Trump’s election as the 45th
 president.

Uproar over the revelations led to a contrite Zuckerberg being <a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ap-top-news-facebook-privacy-scandal--politics-mark-zuckerberg-75f8ec6489b340d9a1ce723502fe0ad2">grilled by U.S. lawmakers</a> and spurred calls for people to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-ap-top-news-relationships-facebook-privacy-scandal--ca-state-wire-18ecd2abaa334adcaabb9ea79c542a73">delete their Facebook accounts</a>.

Facebook’s
 growth has stalled as more people connect and entertain themselves on 
rival services such as TikTok, but the social network still boasts more 
than 2 billion users worldwide, including an estimated 250 million in 
the U.S.

By BARBARA ORTUTAY AP Technology WriterAnyone in the U.S. who has had a Facebook account at any time since May 24, 2007, can now <a href="https://facebookuserprivacysettlement.com/#submit-claim">apply for their share</a> of a $725 million privacy settlement that parent company <a href="https://apnews.com/article/steve-bannon-technology-business-social-media-donald-trump-13d01e05b42398fb49aced1a1e8dcc23">Meta has agreed to pay</a>.Meta is paying to settle a lawsuit alleging the world’s largest social media platform <a href="https://apnews.com/article/data-mining-north-america-ap-top-news-mark-zuckerberg-international-news-c8f615be9523421998b4fcc16374ff37">allowed millions of its users’ personal information</a> to be fed to Cambridge Analytica, a firm that supported Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.It's
 not clear how much money individual users will receive. The larger the 
number of people submitting valid claims, the smaller each payment will 
be since the money has to be divided among them.To apply for the settlement, users can <a href="https://facebookuserprivacysettlement.com/#submit-claim">fill out a form</a> and submit it online, or print it out and mail it.The
 case sprang from 2018 revelations that Cambridge Analytica, a firm with
 ties to Trump political strategist Steve Bannon, had paid a Facebook 
app developer for access to the personal information of about 87 million
 users of the platform. That data was then used to target U.S. voters 
during the 2016 campaign that culminated in Trump’s election as the 45th
 president.Uproar over the revelations led to a contrite Zuckerberg being <a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ap-top-news-facebook-privacy-scandal--politics-mark-zuckerberg-75f8ec6489b340d9a1ce723502fe0ad2">grilled by U.S. lawmakers</a> and spurred calls for people to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-ap-top-news-relationships-facebook-privacy-scandal--ca-state-wire-18ecd2abaa334adcaabb9ea79c542a73">delete their Facebook accounts</a>.Facebook’s
 growth has stalled as more people connect and entertain themselves on 
rival services such as TikTok, but the social network still boasts more 
than 2 billion users worldwide, including an estimated 250 million in 
the U.S.

Are you a Facebook user? You could get some settlement cash

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today suggested taxpayers 
who filed or are about to file their 2022 tax return use the IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator">Tax Withholding Estimator</a> to help update the amount of tax to have taken out of their 2023 pay.

The IRS says now is a good time to use this online tool. The Tax 
Withholding Estimator, also available in Spanish, can help people adjust
 how much is withheld and could put more cash in their pocket or help 
them avoid a tax bill for 2023.

The Tax Withholding Estimator offers workers, retirees and the 
self-employed a step-by-step guide to effectively tailor the amount of 
income tax they have withheld from wages, pension and other income. It's
 especially useful after a major life change such as marriage, divorce, 
home purchase, the birth or adoption of a child or a big change in 
income.

For employees, withholding is the amount of federal income tax taken 
out of their paycheck. Workers can use the results from the Tax 
Withholding Estimator to determine if they should complete a new <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-4">Form W-4</a> and submit it to their employer. For example, checking withholding can:

The Tax Withholding Estimator's results are only as accurate as the 
information entered. To help prepare, the IRS recommends taxpayers 
gather:

Income taxes must generally be paid as taxpayers earn or receive 
income throughout the year, through either withholding or estimated tax 
payments. If the amount of income tax withheld from one's salary or 
pension is not enough, or if they receive other types of income such as 
interest, dividends, alimony, self-employment income, capital gains, 
prizes and awards, they may need to make estimated tax payments.

In 2023, taxpayers who receive more than $600 in income from 
third-party settlement organizations, including popular payment apps, 
may receive <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/understanding-your-form-1099-k">Form 1099-Ks</a>. Individual taxpayers can use the IRS online <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/am-i-required-to-make-estimated-tax-payments">Interactive Tax Assistant</a> to see if they're required to pay estimated taxes. <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/how-long-should-i-keep-records">Good recordkeeping is key</a>.

People with complex tax situations should instead use the instructions in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-505">Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax</a>.
 This includes taxpayers who owe alternative minimum tax or certain 
other taxes and people with long-term capital gains or qualified 
dividends.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="IRS&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>IRS&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today suggested taxpayers 
who filed or are about to file their 2022 tax return use the IRS <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator">Tax Withholding Estimator</a> to help update the amount of tax to have taken out of their 2023 pay.The IRS says now is a good time to use this online tool. The Tax 
Withholding Estimator, also available in Spanish, can help people adjust
 how much is withheld and could put more cash in their pocket or help 
them avoid a tax bill for 2023.The Tax Withholding Estimator offers workers, retirees and the 
self-employed a step-by-step guide to effectively tailor the amount of 
income tax they have withheld from wages, pension and other income. It's
 especially useful after a major life change such as marriage, divorce, 
home purchase, the birth or adoption of a child or a big change in 
income.<h2>Benefits of using the Estimator</h2>For employees, withholding is the amount of federal income tax taken 
out of their paycheck. Workers can use the results from the Tax 
Withholding Estimator to determine if they should complete a new <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-4">Form W-4</a> and submit it to their employer. For example, checking withholding can:<ul>
 <li>Ensure the right amount of tax is withheld and prevent an unexpected tax bill or penalty at tax time.</li><li>Determine whether to have less tax withheld from each paycheck, boosting take-home pay and reducing refunds at tax time.</li>
 </ul><h2>What records are needed?</h2>The Tax Withholding Estimator's results are only as accurate as the 
information entered. To help prepare, the IRS recommends taxpayers 
gather:<ul>
 <li>Their most recent pay statements and, if married, statements for their spouse.</li><li>Information for other sources of income.</li><li>Their most recent income tax return.</li>
 </ul><h2>Withholding or estimated payments?</h2>Income taxes must generally be paid as taxpayers earn or receive 
income throughout the year, through either withholding or estimated tax 
payments. If the amount of income tax withheld from one's salary or 
pension is not enough, or if they receive other types of income such as 
interest, dividends, alimony, self-employment income, capital gains, 
prizes and awards, they may need to make estimated tax payments.In 2023, taxpayers who receive more than $600 in income from 
third-party settlement organizations, including popular payment apps, 
may receive <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/understanding-your-form-1099-k">Form 1099-Ks</a>. Individual taxpayers can use the IRS online <a href="https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/am-i-required-to-make-estimated-tax-payments">Interactive Tax Assistant</a> to see if they're required to pay estimated taxes. <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/how-long-should-i-keep-records">Good recordkeeping is key</a>.People with complex tax situations should instead use the instructions in <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-505">Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax</a>.
 This includes taxpayers who owe alternative minimum tax or certain 
other taxes and people with long-term capital gains or qualified 
dividends.<h2>More information</h2><ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator-faqs">Tax Withholding Estimator FAQs</a></li><li><a href="https://www.irs.gov/paycheck-checkup">Paycheck Checkup</a></li>
 </ul>

Owe on taxes this season? IRS tool will get you ready for 2024

If you're relying upon Facebook for your local news, you are missing out!

Click <a href="https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/188842?hl=en&amp;co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid">HERE</a> for instructions on how to bookmark Post on your Android device.

Click <a href="https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/bookmark-favorite-webpages-iph42ab2f3a7/ios">HERE</a> for instructions on how to bookmark Post on your Apple device.

Or download our native app on Google Play or iTunes!

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587155364471.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>If you're relying upon Facebook for your local news, you are missing out!Click <a href="https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/188842?hl=en&amp;co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid">HERE</a> for instructions on how to bookmark Post on your Android device.Click <a href="https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/bookmark-favorite-webpages-iph42ab2f3a7/ios">HERE</a> for instructions on how to bookmark Post on your Apple device.Or download our native app on Google Play or iTunes!<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667836816364.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

How to bookmark a Post site on your mobile device

By JUDD WEIL&nbsp; Hutch Post

HUTCHINSON, Kan. —&nbsp;Hutchinson’s Historic Fox Theatre will present Blues Traveler on April 25 and tickets are going fast.&nbsp;

Blues
 Traveler has released a total of&nbsp;14 studio albums, four of which have 
gone gold, three platinum, and one six-times platinum- selling more than
 10 million&nbsp;combined units worldwide. &nbsp;

Over an illustrious career, Blues Traveler has played over 2,000 live shows in front of more than 30 million people. &nbsp;

"This
 will be their [Blues Traveler] first time performing at the Fox," Josh 
Davies, Fox Theatre Executive &amp; Technical Director, said. "It is 
incredibly exciting to have a band like Blues Traveler perform on our 
stage, especially since they’ve made it the first stop on their current 
tour."

1994’s “Run-Around,” had the longest-charting radio single 
in Billboard history, which earned them a Grammy for “Best Rock 
Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Their latest album Travelers Blues,
 by Round Hill Records, was released in 2021 and featured reimagined and
 recharged classics from the American blues songbook, as well as a few 
surprises. &nbsp;

The group’s first official blues album was nominated for a Grammy for “Best Traditional Blues Album” in 2022. &nbsp;

Their&nbsp;movie credits include “Blues Brothers 2000,” “Kingpin,” “Wildflowers,” and others.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A
 television favorite, they have been featured on “Saturday Night Live,” 
“Austin City Limits,” “VH1's Behind the Music”&nbsp;and they&nbsp;hold the record 
for the most appearances of any artist on “The Late Show with David 
Letterman." 

Tickets range from $58 to $78 and can be purchased online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hutchinsonfox.com/" target="_blank">hutchinsonfox.com</a>, by phone at 877-FOX-SHOW, or in-person at the Fox Theatre box office.

The Fox Theatre is located at 18 E. 1st Ave., open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m..&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671835265952.jpeg" alt="Hutchinson's Historic Fox Theatre will be Blues Traveler's first stop in their current tour. [Photo: Judd Weil] " />
 <figcaption>Hutchinson's Historic Fox Theatre will be Blues Traveler's first stop in their current tour. [Photo: Judd Weil] </figcaption>
 </figure>By JUDD WEIL&nbsp; Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. —&nbsp;Hutchinson’s Historic Fox Theatre will present Blues Traveler on April 25 and tickets are going fast.&nbsp;Blues
 Traveler has released a total of&nbsp;14 studio albums, four of which have 
gone gold, three platinum, and one six-times platinum- selling more than
 10 million&nbsp;combined units worldwide. &nbsp;Over an illustrious career, Blues Traveler has played over 2,000 live shows in front of more than 30 million people. &nbsp;"This
 will be their [Blues Traveler] first time performing at the Fox," Josh 
Davies, Fox Theatre Executive &amp; Technical Director, said. "It is 
incredibly exciting to have a band like Blues Traveler perform on our 
stage, especially since they’ve made it the first stop on their current 
tour."1994’s “Run-Around,” had the longest-charting radio single 
in Billboard history, which earned them a Grammy for “Best Rock 
Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Their latest album Travelers Blues,
 by Round Hill Records, was released in 2021 and featured reimagined and
 recharged classics from the American blues songbook, as well as a few 
surprises. &nbsp;The group’s first official blues album was nominated for a Grammy for “Best Traditional Blues Album” in 2022. &nbsp;Their&nbsp;movie credits include “Blues Brothers 2000,” “Kingpin,” “Wildflowers,” and others.&nbsp;&nbsp;A
 television favorite, they have been featured on “Saturday Night Live,” 
“Austin City Limits,” “VH1's Behind the Music”&nbsp;and they&nbsp;hold the record 
for the most appearances of any artist on “The Late Show with David 
Letterman." Tickets range from $58 to $78 and can be purchased online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hutchinsonfox.com/" target="_blank">hutchinsonfox.com</a>, by phone at 877-FOX-SHOW, or in-person at the Fox Theatre box office. The Fox Theatre is located at 18 E. 1st Ave., open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m..&nbsp;&nbsp;The show will start at 8 p.m. &nbsp;

Blues Traveler playing Hutch's Fox Theatre for first time

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Ultimate rock and roll tribute band Hairball will 
perform at the Kansas State Fair, Thursday, Sept. 14. 2023.&nbsp;This is 
Hairball’s 23rd year of rocking hundreds of thousands of fans across the
 country.&nbsp;​

Hairball is known for their high-energy, electrifying 
performances that pay tribute to some of the greatest rock bands of all 
time,&nbsp;including&nbsp;Kiss, Van Halen, Motley Crue, Queen,&nbsp;Aerosmith&nbsp;and more.
 With their impressive array of costumes, stage props,&nbsp;and pyrotechnics,
 Hairball is sure to deliver an unforgettable show that will leave 
audiences wanting more.&nbsp;​​

It’s been said that “a band puts on a 
concert - Hairball puts on an event!” Vocalists Joe Dandy, Kris Vox, and
 Dave Moody lead&nbsp;the band through a 2+ hour mind-blowing, drop-dead 
accurate homage to some of the biggest arena acts in the world. 
The&nbsp;Hairball stage becomes an entirely new rock concert before your 
very&nbsp;eyes&nbsp;countless times throughout the night.&nbsp;​Tickets go on sale at 8
 a.m. Friday, April 21&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasstatefair.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3e8ba81fdd03d1e38c02c0ae6&amp;id=2541fd3283&amp;e=3291b91fe2" target="_blank">KansasStateFair.com.</a> Anyone
 signed up for Kansas State Fair emails can get&nbsp;access to tickets with a
 presale code, starting 8 a.m. Thursday, April 20. Sign up for 
emails&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasstatefair.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3e8ba81fdd03d1e38c02c0ae6&amp;id=caff27f52f&amp;e=3291b91fe2" target="_blank">https://www.kansasstatefair.com/p/general-information1/email-updates</a>​​

The show will be Thursday, Sept. 14 at 7:30 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;​

Reserved seating in the Grandstand is $30.&nbsp;

There are several options for an upgraded Grandstand experience:​ &nbsp;

Party
 alongside the 2023 Grandstand artists! The Mel Hambelton Ford Party Pit
 gives concertgoers the opportunity to be on the floor,&nbsp;located right in
 front of the stage. Each ticket is $40.&nbsp;​ Metal &amp; Soul Patio​

Get
 all your friends close to the stage! Reserve a table on our Metal &amp;
 Soul Patio to enjoy the show from a private table that seats six. 
Each&nbsp;table is $350.​

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681740379888.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Ultimate rock and roll tribute band Hairball will 
perform at the Kansas State Fair, Thursday, Sept. 14. 2023.&nbsp;This is 
Hairball’s 23rd year of rocking hundreds of thousands of fans across the
 country.&nbsp;​Hairball is known for their high-energy, electrifying 
performances that pay tribute to some of the greatest rock bands of all 
time,&nbsp;including&nbsp;Kiss, Van Halen, Motley Crue, Queen,&nbsp;Aerosmith&nbsp;and more.
 With their impressive array of costumes, stage props,&nbsp;and pyrotechnics,
 Hairball is sure to deliver an unforgettable show that will leave 
audiences wanting more.&nbsp;​​It’s been said that “a band puts on a 
concert - Hairball puts on an event!” Vocalists Joe Dandy, Kris Vox, and
 Dave Moody lead&nbsp;the band through a 2+ hour mind-blowing, drop-dead 
accurate homage to some of the biggest arena acts in the world. 
The&nbsp;Hairball stage becomes an entirely new rock concert before your 
very&nbsp;eyes&nbsp;countless times throughout the night.&nbsp;​Tickets go on sale at 8
 a.m. Friday, April 21&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasstatefair.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3e8ba81fdd03d1e38c02c0ae6&amp;id=2541fd3283&amp;e=3291b91fe2" target="_blank">KansasStateFair.com.</a> Anyone
 signed up for Kansas State Fair emails can get&nbsp;access to tickets with a
 presale code, starting 8 a.m. Thursday, April 20. Sign up for 
emails&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasstatefair.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3e8ba81fdd03d1e38c02c0ae6&amp;id=caff27f52f&amp;e=3291b91fe2" target="_blank">https://www.kansasstatefair.com/p/general-information1/email-updates</a>​​The show will be Thursday, Sept. 14 at 7:30 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;​Ticket Options:​Reserved seating in the Grandstand is $30.&nbsp; There are several options for an upgraded Grandstand experience:​ &nbsp;Mel Hambelton Ford Party Pit​Party
 alongside the 2023 Grandstand artists! The Mel Hambelton Ford Party Pit
 gives concertgoers the opportunity to be on the floor,&nbsp;located right in
 front of the stage. Each ticket is $40.&nbsp;​ Metal &amp; Soul Patio​Get
 all your friends close to the stage! Reserve a table on our Metal &amp;
 Soul Patio to enjoy the show from a private table that seats six. 
Each&nbsp;table is $350.​Metal &amp; Soul Patio with VIP Experience​Want
 the ultimate VIP treatment? In addition to a reserved table for six on 
the Metal &amp; Soul Patio, this package provides three beverage&nbsp;coupons
 per person, complimentary food within the VIP seating area prior to the
 show, 2 VIP parking passes, and early entrance to the&nbsp;Grandstand. Each 
table with VIP experience is $500.​NOTE: Each grandstand ticket 
will also include a gate admission scan. Ticket will be valid on date of
 event only. Some&nbsp;exclusions apply. Visit&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasstatefair.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3e8ba81fdd03d1e38c02c0ae6&amp;id=ab4a8d59c0&amp;e=3291b91fe2" target="_blank">KansasStateFair.com</a>&nbsp;to learn more.​To purchase tickets or for more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasstatefair.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3e8ba81fdd03d1e38c02c0ae6&amp;id=d02caf6734&amp;e=3291b91fe2" target="_blank">https://www.etix.com/ticket/v/12251/kansas-state-fair</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;call&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasstatefair.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3e8ba81fdd03d1e38c02c0ae6&amp;id=e759f727c7&amp;e=3291b91fe2" target="_blank">(620) 669-3618.</a>&nbsp;​2023 Kansas State Fair Nex-Tech Grandstand Acts (so far!):​<ol>
 <li>Friday, Sept. 8&nbsp;– NEEDTOBREATHE​</li><li>Saturday, Sept. 9&nbsp;– Carly Pearce with Megan Moroney​</li><li>Sunday, Sept. 10 – Rob Schneider with Byron Kennedy</li><li>Wednesday, Sept. 13 – Matthew West with Anne Wilson</li><li>Thursday, Sept. 14&nbsp;– Hairball&nbsp;</li>
 </ol>The Nex-Tech Grandstand is sponsored by Nex-Tech Wireless and Nex-Tech.​

Misc