41. December

Locally

PAGE B1

Kansas’ top court revives voting rights lawsuit

By JOHN HANNA The Associated Press

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP)

The Kansas Supreme Court’s decision came in a challenge to a 2021 law that critics say hinders voter registration drives. Four groups argued in the lawsuit that their members could be prosecuted even if they were clear that they were not election officials but others still mistakenly believed they were. Backers of the law have scoffed at that argument.

The groups are pursuing another lawsuit against other elections restrictions that the Republican-led Legislature passed in 2021 over Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto amid false claims by some in the GOP that the 2020 presidential election wasn’t valid. One of the groups, Loud Light, said the law at issue in Friday’s ruling led it to stop registering voters even though it registered 10,000 in 2020.

“For two and a half years, the state and the attorney general’s office have said we’re just making this up — we’re crazy,” said Davis Hammet, Loud Light’s executive director. “Here is the Supreme Court of the state saying, ‘Yeah, you should be scared.’”

But Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, a Republican, called Friday’s

See COURT | Page A7

Clinic reports healthy first year

By VICKIE MOSS The Iola Register

The first few months after a school-based health clinic opened in January 2023 at Iola Elementary School, staff saw maybe one student per day.

By April, they were seeing about five on a daily basis. Fast forward to November — a short month because of the Thanksgiving holiday — and the staff treated 164 students, an average of more than eight each day and about 20% of the student body.

Sara Clift, physician assistant, and Heather Weast, health assistant, have been with the clinic since it opened. Almost a year later, they’re pleased to see how the program has grown.

“It’s been fantastic. I think it’s been a very positive thing for our community,” Clift said. It’s clear that positive news

USD 257’s health clinic at Iola Elmentary School, offered in cooperation with the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, has reported strong numbers at the end of its first full year. From left, IES secretary Iridian Klaassen, nurse Lauren Granere, physician assistant Sara Clift and health assistant Heather Weast. REGISTER/VICKIE MOSS

Dr. Cathy Taylor is fulfilling her late mother’s wish to further an education in the fine arts at Neosho County Community College. Taylor and her brother, Dr. Alex Mih, have directed the proceeds from the sale of their parents’ farmland toward NCCC. REGISTER/SUSAN LYNN

CHANUTE — Siblings Cathy Taylor and Alexander Mih kept their parents’ first loves of education and the fine arts as their objective in deciding to use their third passion — agriculture — as a means to help Neosho County Community College expand its fine arts program.

On Monday, almost 500 acres of prime farmland west of Humboldt held in Mrs. Marian Mih’s trust will be sold

at auction. Proceeds from the sale will be directed to NCCC.

The decision “honors both our parents,” said Taylor.

Though Taylor wants to save their vision for NCCC’s campus as “a secret,” she said it will have “lots of moving parts, including a need for matching funds.”

Taylor recalled her mother’s insistence that she and her brother’s education be well-rounded, including pri-

vate music lessons.

“One year, mother insisted sales from the year’s corn crop would be used to buy a baby grand piano,” she said of the piano that sits in Taylor’s home today.

For almost 50 years, Mrs. Mih served Neosho County Community College as either an instructor, board trustee or foundation member. She died

GOP leaders reject plan for Medicaid expansion

By SHERMAN SMITH Kansas Reflector

TOPEKA — GOP leadership in the Legislature rejected Gov. Laura Kelly’s latest proposal for Medicaid expansion, questioning whether federal regulators would allow a work requirement and calling for alternate reforms without offering their own plan.

Their resistance to Medicaid expansion, which would benefit an estimated 150,000 Kansans with low incomes, stands in contrast to support for the program from rank-andfile Republican lawmakers and a majority of Republican voters.

Kelly attempted to address concerns raised by opponents in the past by including a work requirement in her plan, offsetting the state’s cost by taxing the Medicaid funding hospitals receive, allowing individuals to stay on private insurance but receive assistance from the state, and clarifying that abortion services are only covered in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of a mother.

“Cloaked in a fake work requirement and a tax scheme, the governor’s proposal to expand the welfare state creates more problems than it solves,” said Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican. “It is poor public policy to push able-bodied adults off of private insurance and

See MEDICAID | Page A2

See CLINIC | Page A5

Almost 500 acres near Humboldt will be sold to benefit NCCC See AUCTION | Page A8

— A Kansas law that makes it a felony to impersonate an elections official is vague enough that voting rights advocates can pursue a legal challenge, the state’s highest court ruled Friday, reviving a lawsuit that a lower court dismissed.

Obituary

Wanda Henkle

Wanda Lee Henkle, 87, retired printing press operator at the Sedgwick County Extension office, died Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023. Private family services will be held.

Wanda once was a school teacher in a one-room schoolhouse. She took many adventures with her family including lots of travels within the United States, Mexico and Ecuador.

Wanda Henkle

She was preceded in death by her father, Clinton Broom; mother, Vivian Broom; stepfather, Raymond Reiter; and husband, Donald L. Henkle.

She is survived by her daughters, Marlene Henkle and Mindy (Jack) Johnson; grandchildren, Annie (Josh) Bagby, Jacque McLain, and Kristen (Gabe) Hadipour; great-grandchildren, Michael, Ashlyn, and J.J.; sister, Juanita Rix; and dear cousin, Donna Kary.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established with Allen County Historical Society, 20 S. Washington, Iola, KS 66749. Services are in care of Downing & Lahey Mortuary - West Chapel.

onto a government program that was intended for the truly vulnerable.”

Most of the Kansans who would benefit from Medicaid expansion are workers with low incomes or suffering from chronic illness. They are small business owners and their employees, as well as students, cancer patients and those who need mental health treatment.

Under current Medicaid rules in Kansas, a single mother working a minimum wage job earns too much to qualify. The Affordable Care Act allows states to expand eligibility to those who earn up to 138% of the federal poverty level. In exchange, the federal government covers 90% of the cost of existing and expanded services. Forty states have expanded Medicaid.

Sen. John Doll, a Garden City Republican who drove five hours to join Kelly for her announcement Thursday, said it was inaccurate to refer to Medicaid as welfare, “but if it was true, so be it.”

“And what disturbs me is this is the United States, this is Kansas — if somebody needs health care, they should be able to get health care,” Doll said.

House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, questioned whether federal regulators in the Biden administration would allow a work requirement to stand. The Cen-

ters for Medicare and Medicaid Services have blocked work requirements, which impose an administrative barrier and when allowed in Arkansas had no effect on employment rates.

“While I appreciate the governor’s newly found support for work requirements for welfare benefits, this is nothing more than smoke and mirrors,” Hawkins said.

Under Kelly’s proposal, individuals would have to prove they are working when they first enroll in the program, and again when they

renew their enrollment each year. The governor said she doesn’t consider the work requirement to be burdensome because every recipient already has to prove income eligibility.

Kelly said this approach was different than other states that required individuals to prove employment every month. Her plan also allows for exceptions for full-time students, caretakers, veterans and those with medical conditions.

Akeiisa Coleman, senior program officer for Medicaid in the Federal

and State Health Policy initiative at the Commonwealth Fund, said the work requirement could still be problematic for seasonal workers, such as those who work at harvest time. She said the work requirement in Arkansas resulted in coverage losses without increasing employment, an outcome that could be used to support a legal challenge to a work requirement in Kansas. Coleman also emphasized that almost all of the working-age adults who benefit from Medicaid expansion are already working.

Hawkins and Masterson both said they were interested in giving Kansans more options for health care and lowering costs, but neither has proposed legislation to do so.

“There’s one word to describe Republican leadership: Cruel,” said House Minority Leader Vic Miller, a Topeka Democrat. “Kansans across the state are suffering and quite literally dying from a lack of health care. Instead of responding with solu-

tions, the Kansas GOP actively mocks these people in the media.”

Miller said Republicans could defend their position in a debate, but GOP leaders refuse to allow a discussion on Medicaid expansion.

“Leadership doesn’t like when we point out the blood on their hands, but they are solely responsible,” Miller said. “Republicans need to stop trading Kansas lives in an attempt to score political points against the governor.”

candidates are, front row from left, Emma Bain, Madelyn McVey, Rio

Keira Fawson, Jenna Morrison, and Rylie Olson; back row, Briggs Michael, Gage Skahan, Brigham Folk, Casey Rowe, Will Talkington and Damian Wacker. Ceremonies are

Jan. 5, at the homecoming varsity boys basketball game against Osawatomie. REGISTER/SARAH HANEY

Solar flare disrupts radio signals on Earth

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A NASA telescope has captured the biggest solar flare in years, which temporarily knocked out radio communication on Earth.

The sun spit out the huge flare along with a massive radio burst on Thursday, causing two hours of radio interference in parts of the U.S. and other sunlit parts of the world. Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it was the biggest flare since 2017, and the radio burst was extensive, affecting even the higher frequencies.

The combination resulted in one of the largest solar radio events

ever recorded, Shawn Dahl of NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center said Friday. Multiple pilots reported communication disruptions, with the impact felt across the country, according to the space weather forecasting center. Scientists are now monitoring this sunspot region and analyzing for a possible outburst of plasma from the sun, also known as a coronal mass ejection, that might be directed at Earth. This could result in a geomagnetic storm, Dahl said, which in turn could disrupt high-frequency radio signals at the higher latitudes and trigger northern lights.

character champs

Colony schools recognized students who possess the character traits of being accountable at an assembly on Thursday, Dec. 14. From left, Kayla Hermreck, Jacob Zimmerman, Allison Weatherman, Kamryn Jones, Koiy Miller, Bella Sitler, Haylee Powell, Esteban Villalobos, Nicole Bain, Tyler Edgerton, Claire Holloway, Hayden Powell, Nova Starr and Madison Holloway. COURTESY

Girard district changes dress code policy after boy forced to cut hair

By RACHEL MIPRO Kansas Reflector

TOPEKA — A Girard dress code policy that led to the forced cutting of an 8-year-old Native American boy’s hair has been rescinded.

Girard School District Board of Education members voted unanimously during a Thursday night meeting to remove a district dress code policy that stipulates boys’ hair cannot “touch the collar of a crew neck t-shirt … or extend below the earlobes.” Female students weren’t subjected to the same mandate.

“Preparing our students for a fast-changing future requires occasional reflection and the ability to adapt, whether that be curriculum and technology or teaching practices and student opportunities.

This month we have reviewed portions of our student dress code and made a change through a vote of the school board,” reads a statement from the district sent to families.

The change comes after national attention to the story and legal warnings from the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas. In November, the ACLU sent a letter notifying board officials that the policy violated religious freedom for the 8-year-old, a member of the Wyandotte Nation and a student at R.V. Haderlein Elementary.

Many men in the Wyandotte Nation follow a spiritual and religious practice of growing their hair out, only cutting it when in mourning. The student began growing his hair out after he attended the Wyandotte Nation’s annual gathering and saw this cultural tradition in practice, according to the ACLU. For his safety, the family has chosen not to be identified publicly.

After several warnings in August, in September the school assistant principal told the child’s mother that she needed to cut his hair or he would be sent home from school, according to the ACLU.

After asking for a religious exemption to the policy and attempting to contact the district supervisor, the mother cut his hair out of fear that her child would be

sent home from school every day and potentially suspended, according to the ACLU.

In a Friday statement, the ACLU said the board had responded appropriately by changing the policy.

“Sex-based appearance codes reflect and reinforce harmful sex stereotypes, disproportionately discriminate against students of color — in particular

by imposing cultural and religious harm, and have nothing to do with a student’s ability to learn,” the statement read.

“Corrective action such as this is part of how we move forward from that painful legacy. Kansas schools should proactively review their policies to ensure no other child is forced to cut his hair to attend school again.”

Ukraine gets EU membership boost

BRUSSELS (AP) —

The European Union failed to agree on a 50 billion-euro ($54 billion) package in financial aid that Ukraine desperately needs to stay afloat, even as the bloc decided Thursday to open accession negotiations with the war-torn country. The aid was vetoed by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, delivering another tough blow to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after he failed this week to persuade U.S. lawmakers to approve an additional $61 billion for Ukraine, mainly to buy weapons from the U.S.

The start of accession talks was a momentous moment and stunning reversal for a country at war that had struggled to find the backing for its membership aspirations and long faced obstinate opposition from Orban.

Hungary’s leader decided not to veto the accession talks, but then blocked the aid package.

“I can inform you that 26 leaders agreed on the (budget negotiation),” European Council President Charles Michel said. “I should be very precise. One leader, Sweden, needs to consult its parliament, which is in line with the

From left, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European Council President Charles Michel. The European Union decided Thursday, Dec. 14, to open accession negotiations with Ukraine, a stunning reversal for a country at war that had struggled to find the necessary backing for its membership aspirations and long faced opposition from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. (AP PHOTO/VIRGINIA MAYO, FILE)

usual procedure for this country, and one leader couldn’t agree.” The decisions required unanimity among the EU’s members.

Still, Michel, who was chairing the Brussels summit, called the start of accession talks “a clear signal of hope for their people and our continent.”

Although the process between opening negotiations and Ukraine finally becoming a member could take many years, Zelenskyy welcomed the agreement as “a victory for Ukraine. A victory for all of Europe.”

“History is made by those who don’t get tired of fighting for freedom,” Zelenskyy said. The financial package

could not be endorsed after Orban vetoed both the extra money and a review of the EU budget. Ukraine is badly counting on the funds to help its damaged economy survive in the coming year. Michel said leaders would reconvene in January in an effort to break the deadlock.

Orban had warned before the summit that forcing a decision on the Ukraine issues could destroy EU unity. Decisions on enlarging the EU and on a review of its long-term budget, which contains the $54.1 billion in aid for the government in Kyiv, must be unanimous among all 27 member countries.

Orban had also threatened to veto the start of accession talks but ultimately backpedaled.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo called the opening of membership discussions a black eye for Russian President Vladimir Putin. “It is a very clear message to Moscow. Us Europeans, we don’t let go of Ukraine,” he said. Orban said that his opposition remained steadfast, but that he decided not to use his veto because the 26 other nations were arguing so strongly in favor. Under EU rules, an abstention does not prevent a decision from being adopted.

Prince Harry wins court case vs. tabloid

LONDON (AP) — Prince Harry’s phone was hacked by journalists and private investigators working for the Daily Mirror who invaded his privacy by snooping on him unlawfully, a judge ruled Friday, delivering an historic victory for the estranged royal who broke from family tradition to take on the British press.

Phone hacking was “widespread and habitual” at Mirror Group Newspapers, and executives at the papers covered it up, Justice Timothy Fancourt said in his 386-page ruling handed down in the High Court.

The newspapers were ordered to pay the Duke of Sussex $180,000 for using unlawful information gathering in 15 of the 33 newspaper articles examined at trial.

Harry said the ruling was “vindicating and affirming” and should serve as a warning to other news media that used similar practices, an overt reference to two tabloid publishers that face upcoming trials in lawsuits that make nearly identical allegations.

“Today is a great day for truth, as well as accountability,” Harry said in a statement read by his lawyer outside court. “I’ve been told that slaying dragons will get you burned. But in light of today’s victory and the importance of doing what is needed for a free and honest press, it is a worthwhile price to pay. The mission

continues.” Fancourt awarded the duke damages for the distress he suffered and a further sum to “reflect the particular hurt and sense of outrage” because two di-

rectors at Trinity Mirror knew about the activity and didn’t stop it.

“They turned a blind eye to what was going on and positively concealed it,” Fancourt said.

Homelessness up 12% to highest level as rents soar, aid lapses

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States experienced a dramatic 12% increase in homelessness to its highest reported level as soaring rents and a decline in coronavirus pandemic assistance combined to put housing out of reach for more Americans, federal officials said Friday.

About 653,000 people were experiencing homelessness, the most since the country began using the yearly pointin-time survey in 2007 to count the homeless population. The total in the January count represents an increase of about 70,650 homeless people compared with a year earlier.

The latest estimate also indicated that people becoming homeless for the first time were behind much of the increase, and it ended a downward trend in family homelessness that began in 2012.

“This data underscores the urgent need for support for

proven solutions and strategies that help people quickly exit homelessness and that prevent homelessness in the first place,” House and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge said in a prepared statement.

Going back to the first survey, the U.S. then made steady progress for about a decade in reducing the homeless population as the government focused particularly on in-

creasing investments to get veterans into housing. The number of homeless people dropped from about 637,000 in 2010 to about 554,000 in 2017. The numbers ticked up to about 580,000 in the 2020 count and held relatively steady over the next two years as Congress responded to the COVID-19 pandemic with emergency rental assistance, stimulus payments,

aid to states and local governments and a temporary eviction moratorium.

Jeff Olivet, executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, a federal agency, said the extra assistance “held off the rise in homelessness that we are now seeing,”

“While numerous factors drive homelessness, the most significant causes are the shortage of affordable homes and the high cost of housing that have left many Americans living paycheck to paycheck and one crisis away from homelessness,” Olivet said.

Within the overall rise, homelessness among individuals rose by nearly 11%, among veterans by 7.4% and among families with children by 15.5%.

People who identify as Black make up about 13% of the U.S. population but comprised 37% of all people expe-

riencing homelessness. People who identify as Hispanic or Latino make up about 19% of the population but comprised about 33% of those experiencing homelessness. Also, more than 25% of adults experiencing homelessness were over age 54. HUD said that rental housing conditions were “extraordinarily challenging” in 2022, with rents increasing at more than twice the rate of recent years. It noted that trend has subsided since the January count. That could show benefits when volunteers and housing officials around the country begin the next homeless count in just a few weeks.

Officials also noted that President Joe Biden’s budget for this fiscal year has recommended guaranteed vouchers for low-income veterans and youths aging out of foster care, among other investments designed to reduce homelessness.

Clinic: Students, staff can see physician at school health site

Continued from A1

is spreading about the benefits offered by the health clinic, as more students, staff and their families use the program.

Some families, though, are skeptical.

Luanne Granere was one of them.

During enrollment in August, the clinic staff asked her to fill out paperwork that would allow her children to be seen if needed. She declined. She worried her child would repeatedly ask to be seen for reasons she couldn’t control, bypassing her family’s physician and resulting in tests her child didn’t need and bills she couldn’t afford.

When Granere went behind the scenes, she learned her fears were ill-founded.

In September, Granere was hired by Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas to serve as the clinic’s nurse. CHC/SEK offers the program through a grant.

It’s been an eye-opening experience.

“I wish I could talk to everyone who had the same thoughts I had,” she said.

For starters, allowing your child to be seen at the school’s clinic “is not blanket consent. Before anything happens, we (staff) are calling parents. Before any tests are done, before any medications are administered, we’re calling parents. Seven-year-olds aren’t the best historians, so even if they come in and say ‘I have a headache but Mom gave me ibuprofen at 7:30,’ we’re going to call Mom and verify before we give them anything else.”

As for the cost of going to the clinic, there isn’t one.

For those who have health insurance, visits are billed to their insurance companies but no co-pays are expected.

“It’s a full clinic,” Granere realized. “It’s like going to a doctor’s office, but I don’t think a lot of people know that.”

Students and staff can visit the clinic for a variety of health care needs: wellness checks; immunizations; sports physicals; tests for flu, COVID, strep and other conditions; chronic ill-

I think the vision several of us had is finally coming to fruition. It’s great for the kids. This is a real clinic with a real provider, and I think the community is finally starting to see the benefits. People are struggling everywhere, and this is one way we can make a difference in the lives of our families.

— Andy Gottlob, Iola Elementary School principal

ness management and other types of routine health care. They also offer telehealth services in conjunction with Iola Middle and High schools, so those students don’t have to travel to IES.

For example, if a student has an ear infection, staff will check the patient and communicate with the parent and primary care provider without the parents having to leave work and without the child missing school.

Clift and staff also follow-up on all visits, both with the family and their primary care physician.

“There’s a ton of communication,” Weast said. “Sara probably makes at least four phone calls for each visit.”

Weast and Granere have utilized the clinic for their own children. Both, coincidentally, see the same family physician in Chanute.

If one of their children wakes up with a sore throat, they have two choices: They could wait until their family physician’s clinic opens at 8 a.m., call and make an appointment, drive to Chanute, wait to be seen, go to a pharmacy if needed and, if given the all clear, drop their child off at school after missing half a day of school and work.

Or, they could bring their children to school and see Clift first thing in the morning. If all is well, they’re back to work and students are back in the classroom within an hour.

“If a child is not feeling well, they’re going to go home. We don’t want sick kids at school,” Clift said.

“It’s very beneficial to families,” Weast added. “Parents can stay at work,” but also can attend the visits if desired.

If a condition warrants further testing, Clift may recommend the patient go to the CHC/SEK clinic at 2051 N. State St. That also would be considered part of the visit and the family would not be charged.

ONE OF THE goals of establishing a health clinic at the school is to reduce absenteeism.

IES Principal Andy Gottlob said he is working on how to evaluate just how the clinic has impacted student attendance. He doesn’t yet have the numbers, but he believes it’s already making a difference.

“I do think it will increase our attendance. It also creates a better relationship between the school and our families, knowing they can get that peace of mind,” Gottlob said.

School secretary Iridian Klaassen also noticed a difference, primarily in the number of “excused” versus “unexcused” absences. After five unexcused absences, she sends a letter to parents to encourage better attendance. This year, she’s sending fewer of those letters.

That’s because when Clift sends a student home, she automatically provides a doctor’s note. It qualifies as an excused absence and doesn’t count against the child’s attendance.

Prior to the opening of IES and the health clinic, Gottlob and Klaassen worked at Lincoln Elementary School, which did not have a full-time nurse. Students who had medical issues were seen in the office, usually by Klaassen, who does not have any medical training.

“I don’t mind putting on a Band-Aid or getting an ice pack or taking a temperature,” Klaassen said. “But it’s nice to

have this clinic so accessible.”

Like Granere, Klaassen initially had concerns. And like Granere, she’s since learned her fears were unfounded.

“I wasn’t sure how it would work, or that we would have people coming and going throughout the day,” she said. “It’s a smooth process. If parents want to come in while their child is being seen, they come to the office and we walk them back to the clinic.”

“I think the vision several of us had is finally coming to fruition,” Gottlob said. “It’s great for the kids. This is a real clinic with a real provider, and I think the community is finally starting to see the benefits. People are struggling everywhere,

and this is one way we can make a difference in the lives of our families.”

OVER THE past few months, Clift and her staff have seen unexpected benefits, as well. Clift calls working at the clinic her “dream job.”

Not only is she helping children and families with their health care needs, she’s able to educate them about the importance of taking care of their health in a variety of ways. She’s been able to work with families and make referrals for other types of needs, including mental health, when appropriate. She’s also diagnosed several cases of asthma.

Granere comes from a background as an emer-

gency room nurse. For families that don’t have insurance or a regular provider, the schoolbased clinic can help “bridge the gap.”

“They’re coming here instead of going to the ER or going without care,” she said.

Also, families who are new to the area may not have established a relationship with a primary care provider. They can have their immediate needs met as they explore options in the area.

“We’re catching these families as they’re coming into the district and we can talk to them about what’s best for their child,” Granere said. “It’s been a huge blessing, for my family as well as kids in the district.”

COP28 Climate Conference

Let’s make this the ‘beginning of the end’ on fossil fuels

It took nearly three decades, but world leaders this week finally acknowledged the obvious: There is no way to slow climate change without winding down fossil fuels.

The agreement reached Wednesday by nearly 200 nations at the COP28 climate conference in Dubai is something of a breakthrough. For the first time, world leaders called for moving away from fossil fuels in energy systems.

It’s easy to criticize this deal, which followed two weeks of tough negotiations, as weak and insufficient. It is nonbinding and full of caveats and loopholes. It includes support for carbon capture technology and “transitional fuels,” code for natural gas, that would enable the continued burning of planet-warming hydrocarbons.

It calls for “transitioning away” from fossil fuels, rather than phasing out, which many entities, including the United States, the European Union and vulnerable island states, were pushing for. The weaker language is the reflection of heavy influence from polluting industries, OPEC and oil-rich nations that lobbied fiercely against targeting fossil fuels. But the agreement is a milestone nonetheless. There is now a baseline global consensus on the need to move beyond fossil fuels.

Whether this deal truly signals the“beginning of the end” of the fossil fuel era, as U.N. officials have said, depends entirely on what steps countries take next to scale up clean, renewable energy and hasten the demise of planet-warming coal, oil and

gas. Now governments must quickly take action to avoid a disastrous future, including the collapse of ecosystems and mounting human suffering from worsening storms, fires, heat waves, floods and other climate-fueled disasters.

This will be a particular challenge for the U.S., which is the world’s top oil producer and is pumping out record amounts even as the planet records its hottest year. Oil and gas companies are doubling down on fossil fuels with big acquisitions and expansion plans, while using their record profits to attack, delay and undermine climate solutions including renewable energy and electric vehicles.

But there are also signs of hope. The historic clean energy investments under the Inflation Reduction Act are beginning to transform the U.S. economy. In California, 1 in 4 new cars sold are now zero-emission and Los Angeles officials last year banned new oil drilling and will phase out existing wells.

Perhaps future generations will look back on 2023 as a turning point when the world’s leaders — hosted by a petroleum company executive in the oil-rich United Arab Emirates, of all places — changed course and finally got on a path toward ending fossil fuels that endanger our planet and the life it sustains.

But it’s up to all of us to hold our government accountable for delivering on these words and taking all necessary actions to close the door on the fossil fuel era.

— Los Angeles

Times

~ Journalism that makes a difference

Where is Alexei Navalny?

History provides many painful examples of authoritarians who caused their perceived enemies to disappear, from Stalin’s gulag to Argentina’s dirty war and Mexican drug cartels’ violence. The disappearance of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny must be viewed with alarm under the dictatorship of President Vladimir Putin.

Mr. Navalny had been serving an 11-year sentence on spurious fraud charges at a penal colony, IK-6, in the Vladimir region, about 140 miles east of Moscow. After an additional 19 years were tacked on in August, for “extremism,” he was to be moved to a nearby “special regime” prison, IK-7, known for harsher conditions. Mr. Navalny’s lawyers and staff grew alarmed when he failed to appear by video at two scheduled court hearings the week of Dec. 4. They said they have lost contact with him.

History provides many painful examples of authoritarians who caused their perceived enemies to disappear, from Stalin’s gulag to Argentina’s dirty war and Mexican drug cartels’ violence. The disappearance of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny must be viewed with alarm under the dictatorship of President Vladimir Putin.

Mr. Putin announced on Dec. 8 that he would run for another six-year term, but it will be a farce of an election, without real opposition. Mr. Navalny and other challengers — including Post contributor Vladimir Kara-Murza — have been jailed, while others have been forced into exile.

Nonetheless, Mr. Navalny’s organization remains active. The day before Mr. Putin’s announcement, the Anticorruption Foundation put up a series of billboards in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other cities,

wishing everyone a happy new year. However, the billboards contained a QR code that, when scanned, took users to a website headlined “Russia Without Putin” and urged people to vote for anyone but Mr. Putin next March. The day after the billboards went up, Moscow authorities took them down and issued instructions that QR codes were no longer permitted on billboards.

This is a favorite technique of dictators — poof! and people disappear, billboards vanish. Mr. Putin is most certainly trying to further isolate Mr. Navalny, who has already endured months in solitary confinement. Until now, he has managed to smuggle out messages through his lawyers, who post them on social media. Where is Alexei Navalny? The world wants to know — and wants him freed.

— The Washington Post

Finally, Kansas has proof of voter fraud

I hate to be the one to have to tell you this, but there’s widespread voting fraud going on in Kansas as you read this.

I’m speaking, of course, of the online polling to pick a design for new license plates.

It’s hard to overestimate the stakes of this decision to our society.

It’s captivated Kansas’ attention since last month, when Gov. Laura Kelly released the Department of Motor Vehicles’ choice for a new plate.

That one was a gold-andblack monstrosity that was near-universally panned for its similarity to New York plates and its use of the school colors of the University of Missouri, the historic rival of KU. Kelly soon announced that the oops would be undone through a public-participation process. Our choices now are two more-or-less plain plates or one of three Kansas-cliche designs — sunflowers, wheat or the Native-American archer statue atop the Capitol dome. In an earlier column, I predicted the sunflower and wheat options, but I’d completely forgotten about the guy on the top of the Capitol and how often he shows up in state PR, so sorry about

that.

Anyway, there I was at the state’s website, getting ready to cast my vote for my plate of choice. I was absolutely floored when I read the voting instructions: “Kansans can vote on their favorite design as many times as they’d like between 9 a.m. CT on Monday, December 11, 2023, and 5 p.m. CT on Friday, December 15, 2023.” Kansans can vote “as many times as they’d like?”

What’s that about?

I TESTED the voting system a couple of ways. I cast one vote using my Google browser. The system responded with the message “Your vote has been received. Thank you for voting! You may now close this window.”

I refreshed the page and tried to vote again. It wouldn’t let me. So I switched to the Firefox browser and voted for a different plate. Then I tried Google again, and this time it let me vote for a third plate.

For the record, I’m voting once for each of the five choices, so my investigation shouldn’t affect the outcome.

I used variants on my name and both my home and work ZIP codes to see if that had any effect on my ability to vote. It didn’t.

So, it appears as long as you can type a name and look up a Kansas ZIP code, you can vote — in state, out of state, in another country — even (gasp) if you’re an immigrant.

As Yoda might say, Outraged, I am.

If the DMV actually cared what we think, they would have put in a voting system that is not so easy to circumvent — and without the open invitation to circumvent it.

My first thought was: “Where’s Kris Kobach now

that we really need him?”

Our attorney general and former secretary of state has spent a lifetime looking for fraud in all the wrong places.

So what’s he doing now that it’s staring him in the face?

Next to nothing.

Two days ago on Twitter, or X, or whatever Elon Musk calls it this week, Kobach posted an image of a sixth plate that isn’t on the state-selected list. The Kobach-favored plate hits the trifecta — sunflowers, wheat stalks and the bowman statue. Talk about trying to please everybody.

Where’s that obsessive fervor for voting fraud that we’ve come to expect from Kobach? AWOL.

So in his absence, it’s up to me to recommend scrapping the current process and

replacing it with one where voters have to provide proof of citizenship — a simple scan of your birth certificate, passport, naturalization documents or gun license should suffice.

We also need proof of residency, and that you actually have a car to put a license plate on. That could be covered with scans of your driver’s license, car registration and proof of insurance (just in case).

Only then will we be able to say that the voice of Kansas has been well and truly heard when it comes to the monumental decision of which clip-art we want to hang on the back of our cars for the next decade or so.

As our state motto says: Ad Astra Per Aspera — To the Stars with Aspirin.

The Wichita

Opposition activist Alexei Navalny at Moscow’s Babushkinsky District Court in February 2021. (BABUSHKINSKY DISTRICT COURT/TASS VIA ZUMA PRESS/TNS)

Court: Case review

Continued from A1

ruling merely “jurisdictional.”

Justice Caleb Stegall expressed skepticism in the court’s opinion that the voting rights groups’ members would be prosecuted for impersonating elections officials. But he said they still have reason to expect their registration drives to generate “innocent or unreasonable listener mistakes.”

“The statute simply does not provide clarity that truthful speech which generates an innocent or unreasonable listener mistake is outside of its scope,” wrote Stegall, who is seen as the seven-member court’s most conservative member.

After reviving the group’s lawsuit over the law against impersonating election officials, the Supreme Court followed up with another order saying that it intends to consolidate that case with the other lawsuit from the four groups.

A three-judge Kansas Court of Appeals panel last year ruled that the groups didn’t have the legal right to challenge the anti-impersonation law because their members had not been prosecuted under it.

Although people and groups generally must show they have been injured to pursue a lawsuit, the state Supreme Court said that when a law is challenged as too vague, it is enough that it could cause someone to avoid constitutionally protected speech.

The law at issue in Friday’s ruling prohibits “conduct that gives the appearance of being an election official” or conduct that causes someone else to believe they are. A first-time offender could be sentenced to 13 months in prison, though the typical sentence would be two years of probation.

Stegall wrote that the law did not provide “a high degree of specificity and clarity” to ensure that only fraud was covered.

In the other lawsuit, a Court of Appeals panel reviewed two different laws. One prohibits people from delivering more than 10 absentee ballots from other voters to elections officials. The other changed the rules for matching a voter’s signature on an absentee ballot envelope with a signature

The statute simply does not provide clarity that truthful speech which generates an innocent or unreasonable listener mistake is outside of its scope.

— Justice

Caleb Stegall

already on file.

The appeals panel for the second lawsuit had different judges. It concluded that voting is a fundamental right and that restrictions cannot stand unless they are written narrowly and address an existing and compelling issue. If the state Supreme Court agrees, voting rights advocates will likely have an easier time challenging rules set by Republican lawmakers.

The state Supreme Court heard arguments from attorneys in the second lawsuit in November and has not said when it will rule.

“The vast majority of our election rules would come under fire,” Kobach told reporters after those arguments. “And many of them would probably fall.”

Republican legislators argued that they were trying to prevent fraud such as “ballot harvesting” and to keep ballots from being lost, though there has been no evidence of either being a significant problem.

Critics of the two laws contend that they handcuff efforts to help poor, elderly and disabled voters and make it more likely that some valid ballots will be rejected.

In November, Elizabeth Frost, an attorney for the four groups, told the state Supreme Court that most Kansas election laws still would pass a strict test “just fine.”

But the justices appeared to struggle to balance their concerns about legal votes not being counted with potentially jeopardizing long-standing rules, including limits on when polls are open.

Justice Eric Rosen, who was appointed by a Democratic governor, said from the bench, “How does that line get drawn?”

Israeli military mistakenly killed 3 Israeli hostages

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — The Israeli military on Friday mistakenly killed three Israeli hostages during its ground operation in the Gaza Strip, military officials said.

The army’s chief spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said Israeli troops found the hostages and erroneously identified them as a threat. He said it was not clear if they had escaped their captors or been abandoned.

The deaths occurred in the Gaza City area of Shijaiyah, where troops have engaged in fierce battles against Hamas militants in recent days.

He said the army expressed “deep sorrow” and was investigating.

The deaths were announced as a U.S. envoy said the U.S. and Israel were discussing a timetable for scaling back intense combat operations in the war against Hamas, even though they agree the overall fight will take months.

U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan also met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to discuss the besieged enclave’s postwar future, which, according to a senior U.S.

official, could include bringing back Palestinian security forces driven from their jobs in Gaza by Hamas in its 2007 takeover.

American and Israeli officials have been vague in public about how Gaza will be run if Israel achieves its goal of ending Hamas control. The notion that Palestinian security forces could return was floated as one of several ideas. It appeared to be the first time Washington offered details on its vision for security arrangements in the enclave.

Any role for Palestinian security forces in Gaza is bound to elicit strong opposition from Israel, which seeks to maintain an open-ended security presence there and says it won’t allow a postwar foothold for the Abbas-led Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank but is deeply unpopular with Palestinians.

Auction: Mih family shared a passion for agriculture, fine arts

Continued from A1

at age 96 in 2022.

Her husband of 37 years, Dr. Alexander W.S. Mih, was an anesthesiologist in addition to having a family practice with offices in Humboldt and Chanute. Mr. Mih died in 1992 at age 69.

One of Mr. Mih’s favorite activities was to shepherd his family to Kansas City to attend live theater productions and enjoy its myriad restaurants.

“And he loved the farm,” Taylor said. “He’d get on the tractor to spray weeds and cultivate once in a while. Not that he ever had much time for it.”

In addition to growing crops, the Mihs shared a passion for raising Polled Herefords. Together, they owned MM Ranch Polled Herefords in the vicinity of Erie, where Mrs. Mihs was raised.

“My brother and I were very active in 4-H. We always showed our cows,” said Taylor.

INTEREST IN Monday’s auction is high, said Cameron Roth of Vaughn-Roth land brokers and in charge of Monday’s auction.

“I’ve had buyers from seven different states give me a call about this parcel,” he said Thursday afternoon.

Roth said both investors and agricultural producers have expressed interest in the river-bottom land. Of the 475 acres, 419 are rotated between soybeans and corn.

Roth said the market for good farmland, “is as strong as it’s ever been.”

It’s also a busy time of

the year for Roth, who deals solely in farm and ranchland.

“It’s between planting seasons,” he explained. “Lots of transactions happen now so that come spring, they’ll be ready to go.”

Roth expects in the neighborhood of 20 “serious buyers,” with upwards of three times that many to attend the auction.

“There will be lenders, bankers and even those who view it as a social event,” he said.

Roth wouldn’t venture as to how much the sale will fetch, but noted $200,000 in earnest money “to ensure a successful closing,” is required the day of the auction.

TAYLOR, age 66, is a practicing obstetrician/ gynecologist at Neosho Memorial Regional Hospital.

Her brother, Dr. Alex Mih, is a hand surgeon who “lives in Indianap-

olis but calls Chanute home,” explained Taylor. Dr. Mih returns to Chanute “about twice a month,” she said, to not only see patients but also tend to his cattle business.

Both Taylor and Mih, as well as their spouses Larry Taylor and Allison Guinotte Mih, attended NCCC as well as their respective children.

Cathy’s father came to the United States in the late 1940s from his native Shanghai, China, to further his medical studies in anesthesiology, receiving a master’s from Tulane University in New Orleans.

From there he moved to Chanute in 1953 at the encouragement of a local physician, Dr. Johnson, who, Taylor said, had worked with the founders of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

Dr. Mih began a family practice with offices in Humboldt and Chanute as well as provided

US returns ancient Greek artifacts

ATHENS, Greece (AP)

— The United States on Friday returned to Greece 30 ancient artifacts, including marble statues, armor helmets and breastplates, found to have been illicitly removed from the country, authorities said.

The pieces handed over to Greek officials in New York date back from as long as 4,700 years ago to the Middle Ages. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the “exquisite” works were collectively valued at $3.7 million.

Nineteen of the artifacts were voluntarily surrendered from New

York gallery owner Michael Ward, the DA’s office said in a statement.

Three others were seized from British art dealer Robin Symes, the statement said, while one was seized from a storage unit belonging to an unspecified New Yorkbased private collector.

“This is an exquisite set of 30 antiquities that represents the extraordinary depth and beauty of Greece’s cultural heritage,” Bragg said.

The works include a Roman-era headless marble statue of Aphrodite, the ancient Greek goddess of love. Bragg’s office said it was recov-

ered from a storage unit that belonged to Symes, where it had been hidden since at least 1999.

There were also seven bronze helmets dating from 6th century B.C. to 3rd century B.C., two bronze and two iron breastplates for soldiers, a medieval silver platter, a marble Cycladic figurine dating to 2,7002,300 B.C. and Mycenaean and Minoan Cretan pottery.

Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni praised in a statement the “strong cooperation and hard work” by U.S. and Greek experts that led to the antiquities’ return.

anesthesiology services for Chanute’s hospital.

He met Mariam at Chanute’s hospital where she worked as a volunteer.

“Weirdly they both spoke some German, the only language they could both understand,” said Cathy of her father’s thick Chinese accent.

TAYLOR described her mother as a talented woman.

“She would have been Martha Stewart’s mentor. She could cook anything, she gardened,” she said. “She was the ultimate ‘Tiger Mom’ before it was even a thing. Everything she did was based on what would be best for us, making sure we were taking the right classes and sufficient enrichment in the arts.

“She was not afraid to be a leader.”

An adventurous cook, Mrs. Mih was often remembered for her Chinese cooking classes at NCCC.

Mrs. Mih came from humble beginnings.

She was born in Shaw where her parents farmed. As a child she attended a one-room schoolhouse, transferring to schools in Erie

and Chanute. From there she attended Chanute Junior College followed by Kansas State Teachers College in Pittsburg where she received a bachelor’s and master’s degree in education. She also briefly attended the University of Colorado, “until her money ran out,” Taylor said.

After completing college, she began teaching in the Neodesha school district in 1947 before moving to Chanute. She taught at many levels in the Chanute school system before taking on at Chanute Junior College (today’s NCCC) when it was still located on the third floor of Chanute High School.

Her career as an NCCC instructor lasted 30 years, with a focus on the Humanities. She was also the school’s journalism instructor and newspaper and yearbook adviser. After retiring from teaching at NCCC she served on its Board of Trustees from 1995 to 2011 and was named the NCCC Alumni of the year in

2002. A lifelong educator, Mrs. Mih also tutored numerous children in after-school programs following her retirement from NCCC.

Mrs. Mih also had a passion for local adventurers Osa and Martin Johnson. In 1961, she self-published the book, “Safari: A Short Travelogue of the Adventures of Martin and Osa Johnson.”

Following her retirement, she was elected to the NCCC Board of Trustees and served twice as the vice chair. She also served on the NCCC Foundation Board where she held numerous officer positions.

Was she strict?, this reporter asks.

“Oh my, yes,” Taylor laughed, and remembered how her mother “tried” to teach her grandchildren how to play the piano.

“But sometimes grandparents need a different role. Sometimes you just need to let them pound the keys. “But that’s a whole other conversation.”

Marian and Dr. Alexander W.S. Mih on their wedding day in 1955.

Sports Daily B

Saturday, December 16, 2023

Mustangs muscle past Prairie View

IHS goes 1-1 in Erie, Parsons duals

— Iola

pre-Christmas

tion of its schedule Thursday with a double dose of intrigue. The Mustang grapplers traveled to Erie to take part in a pair of duals, first against the host Red Devils, and the second against Parsons. Both matchups came

down the final bout of the day, in the heavyweight division, to determine the team victors.

In the opener, Iola defeated host Erie, 40-30, while falling to Parsons, 42-41.

(Schools are assigned a point value with each match. For example, pinning your opponent is worth six points, while winning by a sim-

ple decision is worth three. More convincing wins are worth four. Side note: forfeits also are worth six points, which means a team can dominate in contested matches and still lose.)

That said, Thursday’s competition was evenly matched from start to finish

See WRESTLERS | Page B6

Iola High’s Korbin Cloud, right, wrestles earlier this week in Garnett. On Thursday, the Mustang grapplers wrapped up their pre-Christmas schedule in Erie. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN

Source: Royals to sign Wacha, Renfroe

By DAVE SKRETTA and RONALD BLUM The Associated Press

The Kansas City Royals made a pair of free-agent moves Friday, agreeing to a $32 million, two-year contract with pitcher Michael Wacha and a $13 million, two-year deal with outfielder Hunter Renfroe, people

familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

The people spoke on condition of anonymity Friday because the agreements had not been announced.

Wacha’s deal calls for a $16 million salary next year and contains a $16 million player option for 2025.

Renfroe will get a $5.5

million salary next season, and the agreement includes a $7.5 million player option for 2025 with a $1 million buyout.

Wacha, a 32-year-old right-hander, was 14-4 with a 3.22 ERA in 24 starts for San Diego this year. He didn’t pitch for the Padres

See ROYALS | Page B2

By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register

LA CYGNE — After taking to the court less than 48 hours after a bitter overtime defeat at Burlington, Iola High’s Mustangs had a halftime lead Thursday at Prairie View.

But head coach Luke Bycroft was anything but happy.

The Mustangs held a 2619 advantage, but were letting Prairie View dictate the game’s pace.

“They played hard and aggressive, maybe even a little out of control,” Bycroft said. “We let that lead us into playing the same way.”

So Byroft spent much of the halftime break repeating his pregame warning: “Don’t let their chaos lead to our chaos.”

“But at halftime, we addressed it a little more vigorously than I did during the game,” Bycroft said. “I was a little calmer before the game than I was at halftime.”

After the halftime chewing out, the Mustangs ap-

Iola High’s Kaysin Crusinbery (24) is pressured by Prairie View defender Rian Stainbrook Thursday. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN

Buffalos topple Iola

By RICHARD LUKEN

The Iola Register

LA CYGNE — Iola High’s girls were effective with their half-court defense Thursday, and when they were able to get the ball inside, the Mustang post players were effective at getting quality shots. Problem was, host Prairie View’s lightning quick transition game made Iola pay

dearly for every mistake.

And when the Buffalos got hot from 3-point range in the second half, Iola had little answer in a 53-31 setback.

The loss comes in Iola’s final game of the fall semester. An 18-day layoff awaits before play resumes Jan. 2 against Fort Scott.

“We have to keep working,”

See

Iola High’s Landon Weide, right, tries to corral the ball in a scrum of players, including Prairie View’s Payton Hopper, center, and Weide’s IHS teammate Lucas Maier (22) Thursday. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN

ERIE

High wrapped up the

por-

Michigan St. trustees OK release of Nassar documents

EAST LANSING,

Mich. (AP) — Trustees at Michigan State University agreed Friday to release documents to the state attorney general related to the school’s investigations into now-imprisoned former sports doctor Larry Nassar.

The East Lansing school’s trustees unanimously voted to finally turn over the documents, which first will be reviewed by the school’s general counsel before they’re released.

There will be redactions of sensitive and personal privacy information. The school had argued that the documents are protected by attorney-client privilege. In its resolution, the board said Michigan State will develop and implement a plan to support those who might experience trauma when the documents are released.

Women who were sexually assaulted by Nassar filed a lawsuit in July against Michi-

gan State and the trustee board, saying school officials made “secret decisions” about releasing documents in the case.

They said the school refused to give the attorney general’s office more than 6,000 documents for an investigation into how Nassar was allowed to get away with his behavior, and later wouldn’t turn over emails about the board of trustees’ decision-making.

Nassar was sentenced in 2018 to 40 to 175 years in prison after he admitted to molesting some of the nation’s top gymnasts for years under the guise of medical treatment. He was accused of sexually assaulting hundreds of women and girls.

Michigan State has been criticized for its handling of the Nassar investigation and its dealings with survivors in the aftermath of his arrest and conviction. The school has settled lawsuits filed by Nassar victims for $500 mil-

lion.

Attorney General

Dana Nessel said in a statement following Friday’s vote that her office will review the documents and reopen and expedite its investigation as soon as they are received.

“The students, the MSU community atlarge, and most importantly, the victims of Larry Nassar have long been owed this transparency,” Nessel said. “I am encouraged to see the MSU Board of Trustees finally make the right decision on a long-promised, and long-delayed, measure of transparency.”

Nessel previously had asked the school to release the documents to help shine a light on what the school knew about Nassar’s abuse. She ended her investigation of the school’s handling of the Nassar case in 2021 because the university refused to provide documents related

OTHER BOWL GAMES

to the scandal.

Board Chair Rema Vassar called the decision to release the documents “a critical and welcomed step forward.”

“We also know that revisiting this investigation will be painful for many, and we

will diligently work to provide the utmost compassion, care, and supportive resources to those who need it most,” Vassar said.

Nassar victim Amanda Cormier told the board prior to Friday’s vote that she appreciates the body finally

was to consider releasing the documents.

“I truly believe that the culture of MSU will not heal until the documents are released, and we learn more about the culture of MSU that allow this to happen to so many people,” Cormier said.

Royals: Wacha

Continued from B1

a right fielder but also plays center and first base. He hit .233 with 20 homers and 60 RBIs this year for the Los Angeles Angels and Cincinnati, which claimed him off waivers on Aug. 31 as the Angels cut payroll to try to void the luxury tax.

Renfroe has a .239 average with 177 homers and 454 RBIs in eight big league seasons with San Diego (2016-19), Tampa Bay (2020), Boston (2021), Milwaukee (2022), the Angels and Reds.

General manager J.J, Picollo had been looking to add a corner outfielder.

Lyles and hope Brady Singer can bounce back from a poor season.

Renfroe, who turns 32 next month, is primarily

Hunter Renfro, above at right, and Michael Wacha, below, playing in Milwaukee and Boston, respectively, during the 2022 season, have reportedly signed free agent contracts Friday with the Kansas City Royals. TNS FILE PHOTOS

Wildcats v. Wildcats: MVJH squads hit road to Yates Center

YATES CENTER —

Marmaton Valley Junior High’s girls put a nice bow on 2023 with a pair of wins at Yates Center Thursday.

Marmaton Valley’s A team cruised to a 19-6 win, while MV’s B team prevailed, 11-8.

Both defenses were stingy.

Yates Center’s A team limited MV to three points in the first quarter and five in the second. Problem for them was Marmaton Valley’s defense was even tougher, allowing nary a point until the third quarter.

Marmaton Valley’s offense began clicking down the stretch, including a pair of field goals from Emma Louk to seal the win.

Annabell Green was Marmaton Valley’s leading scorer with six points. Jetta Mathews and Emma Louk added four apiece. Mercedes McKinnis was next with three and Clara Ferguson scored two.

Harper Morrison scored four for Yates Center. Ella Cummings also had a field goal.

Reagan Marshall

scored six to lead MV’s B team. Kennlee Redburn and Emily Heskett each had two. Grayce Dodson chipped in with a free throw.

Casey Collier, Karla Pilgrim, Mackenzie Burkholder and Whitley Shaffer all scored two

points each for Yates Center.

IN BOYS play, Yates Center’s A team pulled out a 34-30 win against Marmaton Valley. The Marmaton Valley B and C teams pulled out wins of 35-24 and 11-

8, respectively. Individual statistics were not immediately available.

Marmaton Valley resumes play in January with games against Uniontown and Jayhawk-Linn. Thursday’s doubleheader concluded Yates Center’s season.

Don’t be surprised if Pats part ways with Belichick

By ANDREW CALLAHAN Boston Herald

FOXBOROUGH, Mass.

— If you dismiss the NBC Sports Boston report stating Robert Kraft decided last month to part ways with Bill Belichick at the end of the season, I have two questions for you.

Question No. 1: Do you remember the last 11 months?

Last January, Kraft ended Belichick’s experiment with the coaching staff that resulted in the worst Patriots offense in decades and dragged a solid team into an 8-9 finish. Kraft then sent a letter to season-ticket holders that expressed his dissatisfaction with the team’s performance and projected an improved on-field product in 2023.

In March, Kraft reiterated his belief in Belichick to reporters at the owners meetings around this pointed remark: “In the end, this is a business. You either execute and win, or you don’t. That’s where we’re at. We’re in a transition phase.” Next, when asked about newly re-signed linebackers coach Jerod Mayo, Kraft said: “There’s no ceiling on (Mayo’s) ability to be a head coach. And he’ll be a head coach. I’m sure of that. I hope he’s with us.”

Months later, Kraft watched Mac Jones, whom he has repeatedly backed, break in real time during a 34-0 loss to New Orleans, the Pa-

triots’ worst home shutout in franchise history. A month later, Kraft told the NFL Network in Germany that the team’s 2-7 start had been “really disappointing.” He also shared a belief the Pats’ upcoming kickoff against the Colts offered a legitimate chance to reset their season.

Instead, Jones got benched for a third time, and the Patriots suffered international embarrassment with a wretched 10-6 loss. It was around that time, according to NBC Sports Boston’s Tom E. Curran, that Kraft decided he would split with Belichick.

Since then, all that’s come to pass is another benching for Jones, another home shutout and the Patriots’ earliest elimination from postseason contention since 2000. Meanwhile, Mayo waits comfortably in the wings.

Question No. 2: If you were Kraft, how much more would you need to see to reach the same conclusion?

The Patriots just clinched their third losing season in the last four years. Come January, Belichick’s winning percentage as a head coach and GM since Tom Brady left will fall somewhere between 40-45%. Few franchises have drafted worse than the Pats over the last decade — their last firstround hit was Dont’a Hightower in 2012 — and none have broken a young quarterback quite like Belichick did with Jones.

The Patriots’ struggles already spooked television executives, who

did them the great dishonor of making them the first NFL team in history to get booted off Monday Night Football. The Pats will instead host the Chiefs at 1 p.m. Sunday in a regionally televised game; history Kraft would rather not have made.

Kraft feeling incensed about the Patriots’ struggles is nothing new. From March 2022: “After my family, there’s nothing more important to me than the New England Patriots and winning football games.

I’m a Patriot fan bigtime first, and it bothers me that we haven’t been able to win a playoff game in the last three years. We had a period of two decades that was unbelievable. We have

to find a way to sustain it, keep it going.”

Perhaps all of Kraft’s bluster is performative, as some have long suggested. When addressing reporters, Kraft always portrays himself as a fan first and owner second, a way to ally himself with fans. Kraft cares deeply about his legacy, both around New England and the league at large; especially in his early 80s and standing on the doorstep of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But what would the payoff of performative anger be at this point? What would that achieve?

Belichick has already lost most of the fan base. Keeping him would only incite fans against Kraft, who has been staring at an in-

creasingly empty stadium and rising criticism for the team’s lack of spending. If he stays, Belichick’s contract would also require a difficult and delicate restructuring, as no NFL head coach ever enters a true contract year. Belichick’s deal reportedly runs through 2024.

My understanding is Belichick recently expressed uncertainty about next season to some close to him. Well now, that uncertainty, like the Patriots’ playoff chances, is poof — gone.

In his report, Curran cited conversations he shared with sources shortly after the loss in Germany. By now, you shouldn’t need to listen to know what comes next.

Just a working memory.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft celebrates with the Lombardi trophy during the team victory parade after winning Super Bowl LIII on Feb. 5, 2019, in Boston. BOSTON HERALD/NANCY LANE/TNS

Marmaton Valley Junior High’s Lane Lord, left, controls the ball in a game against Jayhawk-Linn on Monday. PHOTOS BY HALIE LUKEN/MVHS

Marmaton Valley Junior High’s Reagan Marshall dribbles in a game Monday against Jayhawk-Linn.

background check, and possess a valid state issued driver’s license. This position also requires the candidate to be capable of following oral and/or written instructions and able to accomplish duties in a safe and systematic manner. A college education and/or technical certi cation and WorkReady Certi cate through KansasWorks is preferred.

Some of the day-to-day duties will include, but are not limited to, clean-up and housekeeping of the plant and surrounding plant properties, motors, dust collectors, conveyor belts, hoppers, and piping. The candidate must be able to work from sca olds and ladders as required to reach areas to be cleaned, work inside hot and con ned spaces such as inside the rotary kilns, grinding mills and dust collectors. This position is required to operate forklifts, skid steer loaders, vacuum truck, street sweepers, man lifts, telehandler, jackhammer, chipping hammer and other equipment e ciently and safely. This type of work requires considerable walking, lifting up to 100 lbs., bending, pushing, pulling, climbing and working at elevated areas and con ned spaces.

Candidates interested in testing for the WorkReady Certi cate through KansasWorks can register by calling 620-432-0320 or contacting Lonnie Jones at the Mitchell Career and Technical Center at 4101 S. Ross Lane, Chanute, KS.

Applications can be obtained either online at monarchcement.com or by stopping by the plant o ce between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. or at the Corporate O ce between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Completed applications can be dropped o at the Corporate O ce, by email at hr.dept@monarchcement.com or by mailing the application to

The Monarch Cement Company, Att. Entry Level Laborer Position, P.O. Box 1000, Humboldt, KS 66748. Previous applicants must complete a new application.

Applications are to be submitted by December 29, 2023.

The Monarch Cement Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages quali ed minority, female, veteran and disabled candidates to apply and be considered for open positions.

Mustangs: Go into holidays at 4-2

Continued from B1

proached the third quarter with a bit more focus.

The lead swelled to double digits on Matt Beckmon’s 3-pointer 90 seconds into the second half, and Iola never looked back.

The Mustangs ended the game with a 21-2 run to cruise to a 56-27 win, improving to 4-2 at the Christmas break.

“Once we took care of the ball, we were fine,” Bycroft said. “It just took us a while to play well.”

The Mustangs were trailing 8-5 late in the first quarter before taking the lead on an 11-2 run.

The margin stayed near the half-dozen mark for the balance of the half.

“We were just sloppy with the ball, and we got in a hurry,” Bycroft said. “That’s exactly what they wanted.”

His message at the break was simple.

“I vocalized exactly what my expectations were, and I told each player that if that doesn’t happen, they will come sit down next to me.”

Message received. With much crisper passing, and with Beckmon’s outside shooting, Iola soon found a litany of easy scoring opportunities down the stretch.

“As long as we were disciplined on defense, we were OK,” Bycroft said. “A few times we got sloppy, and they got some easy shots. And there were a couple of times they hit some tough shots where we guarded them well.”

One of Bycroft’s other pregame concerns, the status of starting point guard Landon Weide’s ailing ankle, also dissipated as the game continued.

Weide was limping noticeably at the end of

Iola

Tuesday’s Burlington contest.

“We weren’t even sure he was going to play until right before tipoff,” Bycroft said.

Weide played well into the game, coming out only when the lead reached 20 points midway through the fourth quarter.

“I played him a whole lot more minutes than I wanted to,” Bycroft said. “But I was afraid if I sat him down, he wouldn’t be able to get back up. He was out there, and he kept telling me he was fine every time I’d

ask. So I let him ride it out.” With Iola idle until Jan. 2, the break will allow Weide to recover fully. There’s also the likelihood of senior Mac Leonard — who has missed Iola’s first six games because of an ankle injury suffered during the football season — returning to the court soon.

Beckmon paced Iola with 16 points, including a trio of 3-pointers.

“That’s what we’ve been pushing to do, be more aggressive with his shot,” Bycroft said.

“If he gets those, it opens up other opportunities for us.”

Cortland Carson followed with 14 points. Weide wound up with seven points, eight rebounds and six assists. Lucas Maier pulled down nine boards. Nick Bauer, Beckmon and Carson had two steals apiece.

“I wasn’t sure how we felt after Tuesday’s loss, but it was good to finish the way we did,” Bycroft said. “Now, we can get our heads right during the break.”

The Mustang junior varsity prevailed, 64-18, behind a balanced scoring attack.

Jayden Beene led with 11 points, Austin Crooks and Hayden Kelly each scored 10, Kyser Nemecek and Brennen Coffield both had eight, Nick Bauer seven, Gavin Jones six and Konner Larney five.

Iola also won 34-30 in C team play.

Austin Crooks scored 12 points, Jase Herrmann scored eight and Luke Coronado had six. Ricky Roew scored four, Kaeden Vega three and Larney one.

The Mustangs will return to action Jan. 2 against Fort Scott in Iola’s first home game of the season.

Chargers fire Staley after Raiders debacle

By JOE REEDY The Associated Press

Coach Brandon

Staley and general manager Tom Telesco were fired by the Los Angeles Chargers on Friday morning after one of the worst losses in franchise history. The Chargers made the playoffs last season but are one of this year’s biggest disappointments at 5-9, with losses in five of their last six games. They dropped into last place in the AFC West after Thursday night’s 63-21 loss at Las Vegas. It was the most points allowed in franchise history and the 42-point margin was the third-worst. The franchise did not immediately announce who the interim coach and general manager will be. Los Angeles’ next game is against Buffalo on Dec. 23.

Owner Dean Spanos thanked Staley and Telesco in a statement for their hard work, dedication and professionalism, but he did not mince words on in why the move was made with three games remaining in the regular season.

“Doing nothing in the name of continuity was not a risk I was willing to take. Our fans have stood strong through so many ups and downs and close games. They deserve more. Frankly, they’ve earned more,” he said.

Staley — who had an overall record of 24-25 — is the third NFL coach to be fired this season, joining Josh McDaniels of the

Raiders and Carolina’s Frank Reich.

It is the first time since 1998 that the Chargers have made an in-season coaching move.

Telesco had been the general manager since 2013. The team only made three playoff appearances under his tenure and were 86-95 overall.

When the Chargers fell behind 42-0 late in the second quarter, some thought the move should have happened at halftime.

“Brandon Staley. I hate to say this because you don’t ever want to call for somebody’s job, but they should fire him. They should make history. They should fire him at halftime,” Amazon Prime Video analyst Richard Sherman said. “We’ve got an Uber X carpool outside and we’ll send you on your way because right now, I’ve never seen a team come out this uninspired.”

While Staley had been confident about his job security in the past, Thursday night’s titanic defeat had him questioning his future. He said “I don’t know” when asked if he would still be leading the Chargers on Friday.

However, Staley wasn’t lacking in confidence and said he should remain in charge.

“I know what I’ve done here for three years, and I know what I’ve put into this. I know what we’re capable of. I know the type of coach that I am, and I believe in myself,” he said.

Wrestlers: Take on Erie, Parsons

Continued from B1

144

150 — Kale Platt, Iola, def Dylan Kirk-

Erie, majority decision, 8-0, 157 — Ean DeLaTorre, Iola, def. Justus Graff, Erie, fall 4:12

165 — Devon Westhoff, Erie, def. Rohan Springer, Iola, 5-3

175 — Double forfeit

190 — Broderick Pe-

ters, Iola, win via forfeit. 215 — Franklin Kerr, Iola, win via forfeit 285 — Ramon Ballin, Iola, win via forfeit. Parsons 42, Iola 41

106 — Trapper Boren, Iola, win via forfeit 113 — Ruger Boren, Iola, win via forfeit 120 — Kakarre Green, Parsons, def. Beau Erickson, Iola, fall 1:48

126 — Tripp Mathes,

Iola, def. Blake Blevins, Parsons, technical fall (19-0), 5:46

132 — Blane Beery, Parsons, win via forfeit 138 — Dakota Woodke, Parsons, win via forfeit 144 — Korbin Cloud, Iola, win via forfeit

150 — Kale Pratt, Iola, win via forfeit

157 — Ean DeLaTorre, Iola, def. Dayvee Summers, Parsons, fall 2:46

165 — Rohan Springer,

Iola, win via forfeit 175 — Gannon Friess, Parsons, win via forfeit

190 — Brelin Sumers, Parsons def. Broderick Peters, Iola, fall :25

215 — Kaden Blake, Parsons, win via forfeit 285 — Zaveahn Ball, Parsons, def. Alston Nelson, Iola, fall 2:29

HMS Lady Cubs drop doubleheader at Eureka

EUREKA — Humboldt Middle School’s girls battled valiantly, their head coach said Thursday, but came away with a pair of tough losses to host Eureka.

The Tornadoes held a slight lead before pulling away in the fourth quarter to win, 36-24, in the A team contest.

Eureka’s B team took control in the third quarter of its 26-18 win over HMS.

“We did some really good things in some aspects, and need to continue to improve in others,” head

coach Eric Carlson said. “These girls are improving each time out on the court, and will no doubt continue to improve.”

Addisyn Drake led the Humboldt A team with 16 points, 10 rebounds and six steals. Adalyn Hillmon and Bailey Daniels added four points apiece, while Jadey Ellis scored two points with three steals.

Ellis scored 12 and Carlson six for Humboldt’s B team.

The Lady Cubs resume play Jan. 4 at home against Neodesha.

Humboldt sweeps Tornadoes

EUREKA — Humboldt Middle School’s boys rang in the Christmas break Thursday with a pair of wins.

The Cubs were at Eureka, where Humboldt’s A team picked up its first win of the season, 37-20.

The Cub B team, meanwhile, pulled in a 33-30 win.

“It was good to get the win,” head coach Jeremy Weilert said. “It was a total team effort tonight.”

The Cub A team had several contributors.

Weston Johnson led the way with nine points and 11 rebounds. Connor Newman and Ty Shaughnessy added eight points apiece, while Owen Sicka notched six, Kolton Hanson five and Bryer Grisier one.

Shaughnessy led with five steals; Johnson had four, Newman three and Sicka two.

Zane Sanchez poured in 14 points in the B

team win. He also had five rebounds.

Mason Miller and Tucker Wrestler both scored five points, Bentlee Anderson had three and Breckin Guenther, Riley Lassman and Bently Kolb all had two.

IHS girls: Enter Christmas break with defeat

Continued from B1

head coach Kelsey Johnson said. “Good things can happen over the Christmas break. It’ll give us a chance to improve.”

A familiar bugaboo reared its head early on — a slow start for Iola.

Prairie View’s defenders converted turnovers and missed shots into a litany of fast break opportunities. An 11-2 Buffalo run pushed Prairie View ahead 17-6 after one quarter.

Iola settled down nicely from there. Keira Fawson, who missed Iola’s previous game at Burlington after breaking her nose during pregame warmups, came off the bench and scored a pair of baskets, and

reserve Alana Mader sliced the lead to 21-15 late in the second quarter. Iola stayed within six points into the second half, before the Buffalos took control.

“We just had little breakdowns, and they did a good job of knocking down their shots,” Johnson said. “I’m less frustrated tonight than I was (Tuesday) because we had consistent effort the entire game. Our defensive intensity was up. The girls never stopped fighting.

“What I really liked was that everybody came in with the same intensity,” she continued. “It didn’t matter if they played for 2 minutes or 30.”

Diversity at forefront of NASCAR initiative

year marks the 20th anniversary of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program and we’re celebrating this milestone by welcoming a very talented group of drivers,” said Brandon Thompson, NASCAR’s Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion.

The NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program was created in 2004 to develop and train top drivers from diverse backgrounds and experiences, both on and off the track. Rev Racing, which operates the program, brings together championship caliber executives, competition staff and equipment in a unique academystyle environment. The team owned by Max and Jennifer Siegel is based in Concord, N.C.

Since the program’s inception, several graduates have moved on to compete at the national series level, achieving important milestones. Kyle Larson, Bubba Wallace and Daniel Suárez currently race in the NASCAR Cup Series, and all three have left their mark in the history books.

Larson is the first graduate of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program to win a NASCAR Cup Series championship. The Northern California native of Japanese descent won the

Mader and Reese Curry shared high-scoring honors with seven points apiece. Kyndal Bycroft followed with six. Prairie View’s Kally Stroup, who exited the game briefly after falling while connecting on a layup, returned to the lineup in the second quarter none the worse for wear. She wound up leading three players in double figures with 16 points. Ella McCammon followed with 13 points and KJ Gregg scored 12.

Iola prevailed, 35-31, in a hard-fought junior varsity contest. Zoie Hesse and Bethany Miller were exemplary, scoring 14 and 12 points, respectively. Brooklyn Hollo-

2012 K&N Pro Series (now ARCA Menards Series) Championship with Rev Racing. Currently, he’s the only Asian-American driver competing regularly in NASCAR Cup Series.

Suárez made history in 2022, becoming the first Mexican-born driver to win a race in the NASCAR Cup Series. A trailblazer in NASCAR, Suárez also made his mark in the sport when he won the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship in 2016. In 2023, Suárez completed his third season driving for Trackhouse Racing, a team owned by Justin Marks and Pitbull.

Wallace is the first Black driver to win multiple Cup Series races. In 2023, he finished his third season contending for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with the 23XI Racing team, owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin.

Nick Sanchez, who participated in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program from 2017-2022 and won the 2022 ARCA Menards Series Championship with Rev Racing, advanced to the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in 2023. Sanchez drove the No. 2 Gainbridge Chevrolet for Rev Racing with its technical alliance partner, Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM), finished sixth in points this season and was named the 2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Rookie of the Year.

Rajah Caruth also graduated from the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program and competed full-time this season in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, driving the No. 24 for GMS Racing. Caruth is a prominent iRacer who made his transition to the racetrack in 2019.

THE 2024 CLASS

Andrés Pérez de Lara - ARCA

Menards Series: The Mexico City, Mexico, native, 18, returns to Rev Racing for his third season after earning five top 5’s in the ARCA Menards Series.

Lavar Scott - ARCA Menards Series: The 20-year-old from Carney’s Pointe, N.J., returns to Rev Racing after earning five top 5’s in the ARCA Menards Series East.

Nathan Lyons - INEX Legend Car Series: The 14-year-old originally from Texas, moved to Concord, N.C., to pursue his dream to race in NASCAR.

Eloy Sebastián López FalcónNASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series: The 18-year-old concluded his first season in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Youth Driver Development Program in a U.S. Legend Car.

Lanie Buice - NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series: From 2017 to 2020, Buice had 91 total wins in go karts, including 23 straight wins during her last season.

TJ DeCaire - NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series: During the 2023 season, DeCaire earned three wins in Super Late Models, Pro Late Models and Truck Weekly Touring Series.

Regina Sirvent - NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series: In the NASCAR México Challenge Series, the 20-year-old from Mexico City finished 5th at Tuxtla Gutierrez and 5th at Puebla.

Cassidy Keitt - INEX Legend Car Series: Keitt earned two top 5s and five top 10s in U.S. Legend Cars at the Cookout Summer Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

LaQuan McCoy Jr. - INEX Legend

Car Series: McCoy collected a firstplace finish and three top 5s across all five Bandolero races at the 2023 Citrus County Speedway Winter Nationals.

FIRST LOOK: ALEX BOWMAN’S 2024 RIDE: For the next Cup Series season, Bowman’s Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 Chevrolet will have a brand-new paint scheme for sponsor Ally.

Details on Elliott’s ‘MPD’ award

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- For the sixth consecutive season, Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott was selected as the National Motorsports Press Association “Most Popular Driver” in an online vote by the sport’s fans – the longest such winning mark by an active NASCAR Cup Series driver and a nod to the Elliott family’s rich tradition in the sport. Elliott’s father, NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott, won the honor a record 16 times in his championship career.

The 28-year old Elliott arrived at the NASCAR Awards Ceremony in downtown Nashville to accept his award wearing a sling on his right arm – a result of recent offseason shoulder surgery. The nod to Elliott’s huge popularity comes even in a season when the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion missed five races after breaking his leg in a snowboarding accident and another as a result of NASCAR discipline.

Even with his impressive streak of winning the award, Elliott insists he never assumes he will be bestowed with the honor. He finished 17th in the NASCAR Cup Series standings –tops among the non-Playoff drivers — despite missing those six events and he finished with seven top-five and 15 top-10 finishes.

“There’s always a chance for anything and also too, I think [NASCAR Cup Champion] Ryan [Blaney] has a great following as well and obviously him having a great year I thought he’d have a shot and also Kevin [Harvick] finishing up his career, a great career,” Elliott said. “Obviously, I know our fans pretty well and they are loyal folks. But I don’t ever take it for granted. I think it’s an easy thing to look at and think that I would, but I’m always grateful for the honor and to have the support we’ve had.”

Of winning the award again even in a season he did not compete in every race, Elliott reminded that he never takes it for granted and sees it as a genuine continuation of his family’s long legacy in the sport.

JR Motorsports driver Justin Allgaier was voted Most Popular Driver in the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series and for the third consecutive season, ThorSport Racing’s Hailie Deegan won the award for the Most Popular Driver in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Iola High’s Kyndal Bycroft puts up a shot Thursday at Prairie View.