The Iola Register, Dec. 14, 2022

Food service overcomes new school challenges

By VICKIE MOSS The Iola Register

The past year has been challenging for food service professionals in USD 257, Robert Vicin, regional manager with OPAA! Food Management service, told school board members Monday evening.

To start, the district opened a new elementary school right at the start of the fall semester. It was a challenging transition, Vicin said. He gave a lot of credit to Staci Talkington, the district’s food service liaison, for her help during those difficult first few weeks.

“She has gone above and beyond to make this transition a lot smoother,” Vicin said.

The district also saw a change in OPAA!’s director of food services. Alicia Stahl

Bomb threat empties YCHS

By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register

YATES CENTER — A bomb scare Monday evening at Yates Center High School prompted authorities to evacuate the school as well as several neighbors for several hours.

Yates Center Police Chief Michael Strode said the call was sent to the Woodson County Sheriff’s Department shortly after 5 p.m.

The caller appeared to be “a distraught individual” thought to be in his late teens or early 20s, Strode said, and who claimed to be a bullying victim.

The caller told authorities he had broken into the school and planted a bomb that would “do something bad,” Strode said.

A middle school basketball game against Crest also was

Robert Vicin

took over the position in October.

“Alicia is homegrown. She’s been working at the middle school for the last four years until this fall, so she understands food service,” he said.

Staffing and supply chain

Feeling jazzed

The Iola Middle and High school bands performed a variety of holiday-themed numbers during a concert on Monday evening. Above, the high school jazz band performs a Christmas medley. Below, the combined middle and high school jazz bands play “Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” The bands are under the instruction of Brandi Holt. REGISTER/VICKIE MOSS

Dreaming of a Barbie Christmas

By MACIE HOAG Special to the Register

(Note: Macie Hoag is a senior at Iola HIgh School.)

One of my favorite Christmas memories over the years was in 2012. I would have been seven years old and obsessed with Barbies.

Probably everything on my list was Barbie related, but what was on the top was a Holiday Barbie. I wanted the one with blonde hair and blue eyes so I would match it. Her hair was all curled and swept to one side; her dress was red with a big bow and sparkly details, and she also had a big necklace.

Every year after

Humboldt girl asks city to allow poultry in limits

By SUSAN LYNN The Iola Register

HUMBOLDT — If charm were the deciding factor, then there’s little doubt 8-year-old Tessa Lou Francis would have convinced Humboldt council members that she should be allowed to raise chickens at her home at 620 Sycamore.

With a bow in her hair and a demeanor as sweet as candy, Miss Francis, the daughter of Tim and Kelly Francis, pleaded her case.

“One benefit of chickens

is that they provide healthy food, and with food being so expensive, this can save money,” Tessa Lou said.

“When you go to Walmart, eggs cost $5 a dozen. But if you have chickens, you’re lucky, because you get them for free.”

Youths who sell eggs learn valuable business skills, she said. And as for a benefit to the whole city, chickens “eat mosquitoes, spiders and even mice, which can keep diseases.”

The main problem with

Christmas

CHRISTMAS

Macie Hoag, now (above) and then

Yates Center High School

Tessa Lou Francis, 8, speaks with Humboldt City Council members Monday about her request to raise chickens inside city limits. REGISTER/SUSAN LYNN

Obituaries

Ginny Latta

Virginia “Ginny” Lorene Latta, age 97, of Iola, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Friday, Dec. 9, 2022, peacefully surrounded by her loved ones.

Virginia was born in Iola to Raymond and Louise (Moore) Kaufman on Aug. 31, 1925. She graduated from Iola High School in 1943.

On Oct. 4, 1946, Virginia married her sweetheart Robert (Bobby) Latta. They made their home in Iola, took over the Latta farming business, and began raising a family that would extend into five generations.

Virginia was a lifetime member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Iola. She had a strong love for Walmart, garage sales, family gatherings, and everyone was mesmerized by her contagious giggle. You could find her gathered around the kitchen table with a warm cup of coffee.

Virginia was known for her love of others and always wanting to do something for others. She was known for her selflessness. She loved children, her family, and especially her grandchildren. Virginia’s work ethic was one of determination and hard work.

Bobby and Ginny were married for 66 years prior to his death in 2013.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her sweet baby girl Ronda Latta, her brothers Robert and Gerald Kaufman, and three sons-in-law, Russell Cleaver, Charles Adams, and Rodger Holland.

Virginia is survived by her four children, Sandra Adams of Wichita, Cara Cleaver, Randy Latta and wife Patty, and Mindy Holland, all of Iola, and a brother, Kenneth Kaufman of Florida. Virginia’s legacy has expanded lovingly into 10 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren.

The family expresses its warm gratitude for the generous care and love given to Virginia over the years she resided at Greystone Assisted Living and for the loving care she received from hospice.

A visitation is from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 15, in The Venue at Feuerborn Family Funeral Service, 1883 U.S. 54, Iola. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Interment will follow in Highland Cemetery.

Memorials are suggested to Iola High School Baseball, and may be left with the funeral home.

Condolences may be left at www.feuerbornfuneral.com.

Shirley Ludlum

Shirley D. Ludlum, age 91, of Moran, passed away on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022, at Allen County Regional Hospital, Iola.

Shirley was born on July 12, 1931, in Medicine Lodge. She was the sixth of eight children born to John Ervin Jackson and Jessie Eva (Hollister) Jackson. Shirley grew up in Medicine Lodge, moving to a farm northwest of Elsmore in 1948. She graduated from Elsmore High School with the class of 1949.

Shirley married Joe Dean Ludlum of Elsmore on April 16, 1950, in Savonburg. They initially made their home on a farm west of Elsmore before purchasing the farm they lived on for over 40 years.

Shirley loved people and had a caregiver’s heart, and she found many ways to share her gifts with others, including her jobs. She worked as a clerk for several years at Tippie Store in Elsmore and then at the funeral home in Moran as a visitation attendant for nearly 20 years, she also spent many years as a volunteer for Allen County Hospice.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, two brothers and four sisters, Calvin Jackson, Fern Jackson, Dean Jackson, Ruth McEndree, Stella Ludlum and Lila Ludlum.

Shirley is survived by her daughter, Cynthia Jo Ritchie and husband, Glenn, of Savonburg; two grandchildren, Travis Terrell and wife Jennifer, of Erie, and Jessica Burnett of Elsmore; two great-grandchildren Wyatt Burnett and Emmylou Terrell; brother, John Jackson of Fort Scott; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will Wednesday, Dec. 14, at 10:30 a.m. at Elsmore United Methodist Church. Burial will follow in the Elsmore Cemetery. Shirley’s family will greet friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Feuerborn Family Funeral Service, Iola.

Shirley’s choice for memorial donations is to her great-grandchildren’s education fund.

Condolences may be left at www.feuerbornfuneral.com.

Third Funston book now available

By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register

Clyde Toland’s 27year endeavor to tell about Frederick Funston’s early years is complete.

“Yankee Hero: Frederick Funston, Expedicionario in the Cuban Liberation Army,” is the third and final volume of Toland’s “Becoming Frederick Funston” released this year.

The books are available for purchase at the Allen County Historical Society.

Part 3 tells about the origins of Funston’s military career in 1896 and 1897 while he joined the Cuban Liberation

Army as the island nation fought for its independence from Spain.

The basis for the story stems from 20 letters Funston wrote to family members, Toland noted, The first volume,

Valley, Alaska, and the British Northwest Territory,” arrived on bookshelves in November.

All three volumes are available at the ACHS museum, next door to the Funston Home, and can also be purchased via online retailers.

Toland expressed a “sense of satisfaction” in seeing his project conclude. “The driving force was to get this knowledge out there,” he said.

“American Hero, Kansas Heritage: Frederick Funston’s Early Years 1865-1890,” was released in the spring.

Part 2, “Heat and Ice: Frederick Funston’s Exploration of Death

He started in 1995, at about the same time Toland was leading efforts to relocate Funston’s boyhood home from a farm site north of town to the west side of Iola’s downtown square.

Lunch plans

Public notices

(First

Published in the Iola Register December 14 and 21, 2022.

Piqua State Bank, 1356, Xylan Rd, Piqua, KS 66761 intends to file an application with the State Bank Commissioner for permission to change the location of the main office to 301 W. 1st Street, Gas, KS 66742. Application will also be made to establish a full service branch known as Piqua State Bank at the former location of the main office.

The State Bank Commissioner considers a number of factors

(First published in The Iola Register Dec. 14, 2022)

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF ALLEN COUNTY, KANSAS IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: HARRY D. SHAY

CASE NO. AL-2022-PR-000077

NOTICE OF HEARING

THE STATE OF KANSAS TO ALL PERSONS CONCERNED:

You are notified that a Petition has been filed on the 22nd day of November 2022, in this Court by Kasey M. Roach, one of the heirs of Harry D. Shay, deceased, requesting: Descent to be determined of all personal property and other Kansas real estate owned by the decedent at the time of death. And that all personal property

in deciding whether to approve the application. Any person wishing to comment on this application may file his or her comments, in writing, with the State Bank Commissioner, 700 SW Jackson St., Suite 300, Topeka, Kansas 66603. Comments will be considered if received on or before January 3, 2023.

Public comments may be subject to disclosure pursuant to the Kansas Open Records Act; K.S.A. 45-201 et seq.

For more information about submitting a request for records, please refer to: https:// www.osbckansas.org/consumers/open-reocrds-requests/ (12) 14, 21

and other Kansas real estate be assigned pursuant to the laws of intestate succession.

You are required to file your written defenses to the Petition on or before January 6, 2023, at 8:30 a.m., in said court in the City of Iola, Allen County, Kansas, at which time and place the cause will be heard. Should you fail to file your written defenses, judgment and decree will be entered in due course upon the Petition.

Kasey M. Roach, Petitioner

Mars dust devil sound captured

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — What’s a dust devil sound like on Mars? A NASA rover by chance had its microphone on when a whirling tower of red dust passed directly overhead, recording the racket.

It’s about 10 seconds of not only rumbling gusts of up to 25 mph, but the pinging of hundreds of dust particles against the rover Perseverance. Scientists released the first-of-itskind audio Tuesday.

It sounds strikingly similar to dust devils on Earth, although

quieter since Mars’ thin atmosphere makes for more muted sounds and less forceful wind, according to the researchers.

The dust devil came and went over Perseverance quickly last year, thus the short length of the audio, said the University of Toulouse’s Naomi Murdoch, lead author of the study appearing in Nature Communications. At the same time, the navigation camera on the parked rover captured images, while its weather-monitoring instrument collected data.

Smith

Daniel

HEIM LAW OFFICES, P.A. 424 North Washington Iola, Kansas 66749 (620) 365-2222

daniel@heimlawoffices.com

Attorneys for Petitioner (12) 14, 22, 28

Ginny Latta

Shirley Ludlum

All three volumes of Clyde Toland’s trilogy, “Becoming Fred Funston,” have been released. REGISTER/VICKIE MOSS

Cofachique Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution members, from left, Linda Johnson, Marcia Longberg, Linda Rubow, Nancy Castellucci, Deborah Jackson and Cynthia Geisler met at The Bruncherie in Humboldt on Dec. 9. COURTESY PHOTO

Blizzards, tornadoes ravage much of US

SIOUX FALLS, S.D.

(AP) — A massive storm blowing across the country spawned tornadoes in parts of Oklahoma and Texas, including the Dallas-Fort Worth area, as much of the central United States from the Rocky Mountains to the Midwest braced Tuesday for blizzard-like conditions.

An area stretching from Montana into western Nebraska and Colorado was under blizzard warnings, and the National Weather Service said that as much as 2 feet of snow was possible in some areas of western South Dakota and northwestern Nebraska. Ice and sleet were expected in the eastern Great Plains.

Meanwhile, damage was reported in the Oklahoma town of Wayne after the weather service warned of a “confirmed tornado” shortly after 5 a.m. Tuesday. Video foot-

age from Oklahoma TV station KOCO showed substantial damage to a home in Wayne, which is about 45 miles south of Oklahoma City.

There were no deaths or injuries due to the tornado, McClain County Sheriff’s Capt. Bryan Murrell said. But as authorities began assessing the damage to the town of Wayne on Tuesday morning, it was clear the damage was widespread.

“We’ve got multiple family structures with significant damage ... barns, power lines down” in and around the town, Murrell said.

National Weather Service meteorologist Doug Speheger said wind speeds reached 111-135 mph and the tornado was rated EF-2. It was likely on the ground for about two to four minutes, according to the weather service.

In Texas, at least two tornadoes were spotted along the front edge of the storm as it headed toward the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area Tuesday morning, though the extent of any damage was not immediately known.

The National Weather Service warned that up to about half an inch of ice could form and winds could gust up to 45 mph in parts of Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota. Power outages, tree damage, falling branches and hazardous travel conditions all threatened the region.

All of western Nebraska was under a blizzard warning from Tuesday through Thursday, and the National Weather Services said up to 20 inches (51 centimeters) of snow was expected in the northwest. Winds of more than 50 mph at times will make

it impossible to see outdoors, officials said.

The Nebraska Department of Transportation closed stretches of Interstate 80 and Interstate 76 in western as heavy snow and high winds made travel dangerous. The Nebraska State Patrol, which was called to deal with several crashes and jackknifed semitrailers overnight, urged people to stay off the roads.

“There’s essentially no one traveling right now,” said Justin McCallum, a manager at the Flying J truck stop at Ogallala, Nebraska. He said he got to work before the roads were closed, but likely won’t be able to get back home Tuesday. “I can see to the first poles outside the doors, but I can’t see the rest of the lot right outside. I’ll probably just get a motel room here tonight.”

BOE: Food service issues discussed

Continued from A1

issues further complicated food service issues, but both seem to have improved.

The district is now fully staffed with 14 employees. Half are at the elementary school.

“These 14 ladies are hard-working women and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate what they’re doing and how hard it’s been to find them,” Vicin said.

He also thanked the district for moving an outdoor freezer and outdoor cooler to the elementary school. They were previously located at the high school campus, where elementary school meals previously were prepared and shipped to the three former schools.

“The elementary school is by far serving the most meals every day, so having that additional area to store stuff has been wonderful,” he said.

At the elementary school, about 230 students eat breakfast each day out of 540 total students. About 360 eat lunch.

Last year, another 100 or so students ate meals at school thanks to a USDA program that paid for meals for all students. That’s no longer the case.

“That’s kind of a big deal,” Vicin said. “We knew it was going to happen, and we’re trying to encourage more students to eat at school, especially breakfast.”

OPAA! set new goals for the next semester.

Among them: Increase the variety of meals offered at the elementary school.

Increase hot options for high school, such as pizzas, taquitos, burgers.

Use hard trays and silverware instead of disposable.

Incorporate staff specials such as a potato bar to encourage teachers and others to eat school meals.

SAFE BASE

Several students, parents, teachers and volunteers gave a presentation to the school board. Each spoke about what SAFE BASE has to offer.

For the past 23 years, the after-school program has offered a va-

riety of educational programs to students as well as other services including free tutoring and mental health counseling. SAFE BASE is a special help to working parents by giving students something to do until they are off work.

The program also offers a summer program, giving students an op-

portunity to learn and take field trips at no cost to families.

About 57% of students who attend SAFE BASE come from single-parent homes or are being raised by grandparents. Some parents spoke about how the program has helped their special needs children, including those

Threat: YCHS

Continued from A1

interrupted because of the threat.

Yates Center police and Woodson County sheriff’s deputies did an initial search before the Kansas Highway Patrol arrived with bomb-detecting canines for a pair of searches.

Officers also checked out several vehicles in the area.

No device was found, Strode said.

Yates Center authorities cleared the school for re-entry after an extensive scope of the building, and classes resumed as normal Tuesday morning.

Strode said the Kansas Bureau of Investigation is assisting efforts to determine where the call came from.

Hoag: Christmas

Continued from A1

morning we would go over to my Mimi’s house and have dinner. There were always nuts, homemade sugar cookies from the Hoag family recipe book, no-bake cookies, and lots of other food.

We always ate before we opened presents. After we all had finished we then went to the living room to open them.

When I unwrapped the gift containing

the Holiday Barbie I was ecstatic. I had a bit of a track record with cutting my barbie dolls’ hair and losing their shoes, but I promised that with this doll it would be different.

Now, I wasn’t the person who left their Barbie in the box, but I kept my promise and took good care of that doll. I still have it packed away today in a closet, 10 years later with no hair or shoes missing.

Kalie Insley, 4th grade, and her mother, Sarah Insley, talk Monday with USD 257 school board members about SAFE BASE. REGISTER/VICKIE MOSS

Above, Carter Warden, 4th grade, and his grandfather, Ed Rogers, talk about SAFE BASE. Below, Cameron Vaughn, 2nd grade, and her father, Chase Vaughn, talk about the after-school program during a USD 257 Board of Education meeting Monday. REGISTER/VICKIE MOSS

with autism or other learning challenges.

The program has been recognized nationally. Recently, Director Angela Henry traveled to Washington D.C. to talk about the program.

Colorado River users talk water crisis

LAS VEGAS (AP) —

Living with less water in the U.S. Southwest is the focus this week for state and federal water administrators, tribal officials, farmers, academics and business representatives meeting about the drought-stricken and overpromised Colorado River.

The Colorado River Water Users Association conference, normally a largely academic three-day affair, comes at a time of growing concern about the river’s future after more than two decades of record drought attributed to climate change.

“The Colorado River system is in a very dire condition,” Dan Bunk, a U.S. Bureau of Reclamation water manager, declared during internet presentations streamed Nov. 29 and Dec. 2 that invited public comment about possible actions.

“Flows during the past 23-year period … are the lowest in the past 120 years and (among) the lowest in more than 1,200 years,” Bunk told the webinar audience. The deadline for public submissions is Dec. 20 for a process expected to yield a final report by summer.

Bunk said the two largest reservoirs on the river — Lake Mead behind Hoover Dam on the Nevada-Arizona state line and Lake Powell formed by the

Glen Canyon Dam on the Arizona-Utah line — are at unprecedented low levels. Lake Mead was at 100% capacity in mid-1999. Today it is 28% full. Lake Powell, last full in June 1980, is at 25%.

Scientists attribute extended drought to warmer and drier weather in the West to long-term, human-caused climate change. The effect has been dramatic on a vast river basin where the math never added up: The amount of water it receives doesn’t meet the amount that is promised.

Lake Powell’s drop last March to historically low water levels raised worries about losing the ability — perhaps within the next few months — to produce hydropower that today serves about 5 million customers in seven states. If power production ceases at Glen Canyon Dam, rural electric cooperatives, cities and tribal utilities would be forced to seek more expensive options.

Reclamation water managers responded with plans to hold back more water in Lake Powell but warned that Lake Mead water levels would drop.

Meanwhile, bodies have surfaced as Lake Mead’s shoreline recedes, including the corpse of a man who authorities say was shot,

maybe in the 1970s, and stuffed in a barrel. He remains unidentified.

The gruesome discoveries renewed interest in the lore of organized crime and the early days of the Las Vegas Strip, just a 30-minute drive from the lake.

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in June told the seven states that are part of the Colorado River Basin — Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming — to determine how to use at least 15% less water next year, or have restrictions imposed on them. Despite deadlines, discussions have not resulted in agreements.

Bureau officials use the image of pouring tea from one cup to another to describe how water from Rocky Mountain snowmelt is captured in Lake Powell, then released downriver through the Grand Canyon to Lake Mead.

About 70% is allocated for irrigation, sustaining a $15 billion-a-year agricultural industry that supplies 90% of U.S. winter vegetables.

The two lakes, combined, were at 92% capacity in 1999, Bunk noted. Today, they are at 26%.

“Due to critically low current reservoir conditions, and the potential for worsening drought which threatens critical infrastructure and public health and safety …

operational strategies must be revisited,” Bunk said.

This year’s meeting of water recipients begins Wednesday at Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip. The event theme, “A New Century for the Colorado River Compact,” marks 100 years since a 1922 interstate agreement divvied

Donors meet to get Ukraine through winter, bombing

PARIS (AP) — Dozens of countries and international organizations threw their weight and more than $1 billion in aid pledges behind an urgent new push Tuesday to keep Ukrainians powered, fed, warmed and moving as winter approaches.

An international donor conference in Paris quickly racked up substantial promises of financial and in-kind support, a defiant response to sustained Russian aerial bombardment of critical infrastructure that has plunged millions of Ukrainian civilians into deepening cold and dark.

Ukraine’s president made an impassioned argument that such aid could pressure Russia into pursuing peace, and conference donors strongly condemned the Kremlin’s savaging of power stations, water facilities and other essential services in Ukraine.

French President Emmanuel Macron, the conference host, denounced the bombardments as war crimes, asserting that Moscow had resorted to pounding civilian infrastructure because its troops suffered setbacks on the battlefields

and Russia’s “military weaknesses have been exposed to all.”

Russia “has chosen a cynical strategy, aiming to destroy civilian infrastructure in order to put Ukraine on its knees,” Macron said. “The objective is clear: Respond to military defeats by spreading terror among civilians, try to break the back as it can’t maintain the front.”

As temperatures plunge and snow falls, Ukraine’s needs are huge and pressing. Since Russia began hitting the Ukrainian power grid and other critical infrastructure in early October, successive waves of cruise missiles and exploding drones have destroyed about half of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, the Kyiv government has said.

Ukraine’s prime minister has alleged Russia is trying to pressure Europe by creating a mass exodus of Ukrainian refugees like the one early in the war. Russia says its military aim in destroying infrastructure is weakening Ukraine’s ability to defend itself and disrupting flows of Western weapons to the country it attacked in February.

COURTESY PHOTO

GORA/POOL/GETTY IMAGES/TNS)

German chancellor’s first year in office defined by Russia’s war in Ukraine

Last December, on becoming Germany’s first SPD chancellor for 16 years, Olaf Scholz asked aides whether there was a plan B for energy should Russia turn off the gas. The answer, Mr. Scholz wrote in an essay published this month, was “no.”

So began a year during which the assumptions underlying decades of German prosperity were tested to destruction. Vladimir Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, and his weaponisation of energy supplies, obliged Germany to simultaneously end its dependency on Russian gas and rethink a self-consciously low profile as a military power. Given the scale and moral urgency of the challenge — and Germany’s geopolitical importance — Mr. Scholz’s sometimes unwieldy three-party coalition government has not got the international credit it deserves for stepping up to the plate.

Under Mr. Scholz, Germany has become the third largest donor of aid, including weapons, to Ukraine. At the same time, it has held a necessary line on keeping NATO out of the war.

At home, the government has effectively dealt with what Mr. Scholz calls a zeitenwende (turning point) by spending exceptional sums to deal with extraordinary circumstances.

grants to apply for naturalisation and citizenship. Some of Mr. Scholz’s critics on the left would like the government to go further and faster on issues such as collective bargaining and fair wages. But a year on, and given the circumstances, this looks like a decent progressive record.

Nevertheless, after a traumatic year described by one SPD member of parliament as “absolutely insane,” the future looks just as challenging for Mr. Scholz and his coalition partners. In the polls, as the cost of living crisis bites, the SPD is running well behind the CDU opposition. In the east, resentment at the cost of supporting Ukraine’s resistance to Mr. Putin is rising. Police raids across the country last week, which thwarted a far-right plot to overthrow the state, confirmed the threat posed by fringe extremists radicalised in an age of permacrisis.

Buy now, pay later rife with hazards

Buying on credit, which slowed during the height of the pandemic, is back in vogue as many Americans struggle to afford what they need, let alone what they want, in this high-inflation era. Credit card balances are skyrocketing, but just as alarming is the rise of a new credit product known as “buy now, pay later.” About 4 percent of online transactions in North America are done this way, and usage surged nearly 70 percent over the week of Black Friday compared with the previous week. It is now offered for almost every purchase, including for gas and guns.

“Buy now, pay later” resembles once-popular layaway programs, except in reverse. When someone checks out, they are offered the option to purchase an item by paying about a quarter of the price on the spot.

Shoppers make another payment two weeks later, a third payment two weeks after that and the final payment at the six-week mark.

Consumers get approved (or denied) within seconds for these loans, making them fast and convenient. There’s usually no interest charged, and the debt must be paid off quickly. If used as intended, “buy now, pay later” can be a cheaper and easier alternative to a credit card. Many of the leading players have 4.5- and 5-star rated apps, suggesting there are a lot of satisfied customers.

who’s using this credit. ... Nearly 70 percent of users say they spend more using these products than they would have otherwise. Companies offering these loans typically do not do extensive credit checks. It’s also nearly impossible to tell how many other “buy now, pay later” loans a shopper might already have with other companies because these loans are rarely reported to credit bureaus. All of this makes it easy for people to find themselves in situations where they are overextended.

ators,” CFPB director Rohit Chopra warned.

Consumer advocates are urging the CFPB to regulate “buy now, pay later” products under the same laws as credit cards. This would require more disclosures and statements, better procedures for refunds and more stringent underwriting standards to assess borrowers’ ability to pay.

Mr. Scholz’s sometimes unwieldy government has not received the international credit it deserves for stepping up to the plate in its defense of Ukraine.

ON THE ENERGY front, impressive rhetoric on the need to accelerate the green transition is not being matched by facts on the ground. And on vexed European issues such as oil price caps and energy subsidies, other EU leaders have accused Mr. Scholz of lacking solidarity and taking a “Germany first” approach.

So what’s the problem? “Buy now, pay later” is largely unregulated, and substantial issues have emerged. Last year, 10.5 percent of users were charged at least one late fee, and several signs indicate delinquencies continue to rise in 2022. Users complain that it is difficult to get refunds and issues can ding their credit score in ways they didn’t realize. But the biggest concerns are that many of these financial technology companies are not doing a sufficient job assessing people’s ability to repay and are using shoppers’ data to suggest more products to buy — on credit.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau should act swiftly to put up guardrails to protect consumers and assure they fully understand the commitment they are making.

New academic research on more than 10 million Americans reveals a related and worrisome trend: People using these products are more likely to experience “rapid increases” in bank overdraft charges and credit card interest. That’s because “buy now, pay later” companies typically have shoppers use autopay when they sign up, meaning they link a debit or credit card to the account.

But leading companies offering these products have a point when they argue that “buy now, pay later” options should be regarded as distinct from credit cards. They aren’t usually charging interest, they stop making loans to people who repeatedly miss payments, and, by and large, surveys indicate that users understand the basic repayment terms.

As the country has accessed alternative sources of gas at breakneck speed, and tried to speed up the transition to renewable energy, $210 billion has been borrowed to subsidize high energy bills. About $105 billion more is to be invested in boosting the capabilities of a more high-profile German army.

This enormous amount of borrowing has been classed as an emergency fund — allowing it to be placed off the books. That, in turn, has permitted Mr. Scholz to pursue some of the center-left agenda that helped get him elected: the minimum wage has been raised, along with welfare payments and the state pension; a popular subsidized public transport pass will be reintroduced in 2023. The coalition government is also making it easier for immi-

The Franco-German relationship, in particular, is in need of repair.

Most fundamentally, Mr. Scholz is tasked with finding an updated business model for Europe’s most powerful economy. Having grown rich through export-led growth in an era of high globalisation and economic interdependency, Germany must now navigate a multipolar world in which both the US and China are erecting barriers. Mr. Putin’s actions have consigned the doctrine of Wandel durch Handel (change through trade) to history. Having successfully averted possible disaster during his first year in office, Mr. Scholz’s premiership will be defined by his ability to find a way to preserve German economic strengths in transformed times.

— The (London) Guardian

“People who turn to BNPL products are disproportionately financially vulnerable,” said Meghan Greene, senior director of research at the Financial Health Network, which has studied

The CFPB issued a major report in September outlining key concerns. In addition to worrying about consumers’ ability to repay, the agency flagged that these companies are shifting their business models — which currently rely heavily on fees charged to retailers — to look at ways to collect user data and market products to them. A Wired reporter who has also bought through “buy now, pay later” services described it like this: “you’re just in their email marketing loop until the end of time.”

“These firms aren’t just lenders, they are also advertisers and virtual mall oper-

“If you make new products like BNPL play by the same old rules on the books for decades, it has the effect of stifling competition, and it favors the incumbents,” said Penny Lee, chief executive of the Financial Technology Association, which represents many of the firms.

The CFPB could opt instead to come up with separate rules for “buy now, pay later” products. Whatever path it takes, the agency should push the industry to curb its more troublesome practices, especially data harvesting and lax underwriting. With consumer debt rising sharply, the CFPB needs a corresponding sense of urgency. Buying on credit always comes with risks, but they should be reasonable — and easy to understand.

— The Washington Post

How to keep the ‘tripledemic’ at bay

The clunky word “tripledemic” is now on many lips. It means we now face a winter with three different respiratory viruses with similar symptoms are spreading rapidly, and stressing hospital capacity.

Public health is not rocket science. The best way to frustrate the tiny danger is for people to mask in public and, whenever possible, to get shots to protect themselves.

The first virus sending people to the ER and ICU is our now familiar foe COVID-19 — which on the cusp of 2023, despite having become less virulent as it has evolved, is still killing more than 450 Americans per day. The second is the perennial scourge called influenza, for which hospi-

talizations are spiking. The third is RSV, a pathogen that, while no fun to catch no matter how old you are, is especially hard on infants.

When in public and indoors, covering your face with a high-quality mask remains the simplest and easiest line of defense against the triumvirate, akin to wearing sunscreen in the blazing heat. The second weapon in the arsenal is the needle, which delivers imperfect but safe and fairly reliable protection against two of the viruses.

COVID is no longer truly a “pandemic of the unvaccinated” — in November, 90% of those who died of COVID were 65 or older, many of whom had their first two or even three shots. But

still just 14% of Americans by most recent count have had their bivalent boosters, which guard against the newest variants. Older folks especially, with weaker immune systems, need these extra shots so a bout with COVID doesn’t become deadly.

Flu shots are available at your local pharmacy. It takes a few seconds and may well spare you and those you love from many days of misery. This year’s shot is a good match to the strains that are circulating.

As for RSV, it has no general population shot yet (just one for preemies and other highly vulnerable babies), but a few good candidates are in the pipeline. Step on it.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin, Germany. (ANDREAS

Easy money through the new “buy now, pay later” companies is plunging Americans into debt with overdraft charges and credit card interest. (JAWEE SRITAL ON/DREAMSTIME/TNS)

FTX founder charged in cryptocurrency scheme

NEW YORK (AP) —

The U.S. government charged Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder and former CEO of cryptocurrency exchange FTX, with a host of financial crimes on Tuesday, alleging he intentionally deceived customers and investors to enrich himself and others, while playing a central role in the company’s multibillion-dollar collapse.

The 13-page indictment says that, beginning in 2019, Bankman-Fried devised “a scheme and artifice to defraud” FTX’s customers and investors, diverting their money to pay expenses and debts at his crypto hedge fund, Alameda Research, and to make lavish real estate purchases and large political donations.

Bankman-Fried was arrested Monday by Bahamian authorities at the request of the U.S. government, which charged him with eight criminal violations, ranging from wire fraud to money laundering to conspiracy to commit fraud. He was also charged with making illegal campaign contributions, a notable charge as Bankman-Fried was one of the largest political donors this year.

The charges could land Bankman-Fried in jail for decades, carrying maximum penalties of 115 years, according to Nicholas Biase, a spokesperson for U.S. prosecutors.

The criminal indictment is on top of civil charges announced earlier Tuesday by the Se-

curities and Exchange Commission. The SEC alleges Bankman-Fried defrauded investors and illegally used their money to buy real estate on behalf of himself and family.

U.S. authorities said they will try to claw back any of Bankman-Fried’s financial gains from the alleged scheme. They are expected to request his extradition to the U.S., although the timing of that request is unclear.

A lawyer for Bankman-Fried, Mark S. Cohen, said Tuesday he is “reviewing the charges

with his legal team and considering all of his legal options.”

FTX filed for bankruptcy on Nov. 11, when it ran out of money after the cryptocurrency equivalent of a bank run.

Since FTX collapsed and before his arrest, Bankman-Fried had been holed up in his Bahamian luxury compound in Nassau. He was scheduled to appear in a Bahamian court Tuesday. The U.S. has not filed an extradition request with the Bahamas, but is expected to do so.

Bankman-Fried was one of the world’s wealthiest people on paper; at one point his net worth reached $26.5 billion, according to Forbes. He was a prominent personality in

Washington, donating millions of dollars toward mostly left-leaning political causes and Democratic political campaigns, though he also gave money to Republicans. FTX grew to become the second-largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world.

That all unraveled quickly last month, when reports called into question the strength of FTX’s balance sheet. As customers sought to withdraw billions of dollars, FTX could not satisfy all the requests because it apparently had used its customers’ deposits to fund investments at Bankman-Fried’s trading arm, Alameda Research.

“We allege that Sam Bankman-Fried built a house of cards on a

foundation of deception while telling investors that it was one of the safest buildings in crypto,” said SEC Chair Gary Gensler.

The SEC complaint alleges that Bankman-Fried had raised more than $1.8 billion from investors since May 2019 by promoting FTX as a safe, responsible platform for trading crypto assets.

Instead, the complaint says, Bankman-Fried diverted customers’ funds to Alameda Research without telling them.

“He then used Alameda as his personal piggy bank to buy luxury condominiums, support political campaigns, and make private investments, among other uses,” the complaint reads.

Humboldt: Ordinance sought to allow chickens within city

raising poultry is that roosters are prone to raising a ruckus and an unkept coop is smelly, Miss Francis admitted.

“Would you like to know more?” she asked her elders.

Clearly captivated, council members began discussing the possibility of changing city codes to accommodate Miss Francis when City Attorney Fred Works brought them back to Earth.

Years ago, city residents were allowed to keep four animals “of any kind,” in city limits, Works said.

Sheep, horses, cows and even deer abounded, until city leaders said “enough,” and limited only household pets within Humboldt proper confines.

“As a city, we have always denied requests for raising chickens,” Works said, primarily because of complaints by neighbors. “There’s the odor, and there’s the noise.”

Mayor Nobby Davis echoed the noise complaint. “Roosters are worse than a screaming baby,” he said.

City council members wondered about the policies of neighboring communities. Iola does not permit poultry to be raised within its city limits. Pittsburg, however, does on properties greater than 1 acre. For properties smaller than 1 acre, the owners must be granted a conditional use permit, according to Sarah Runyon, the city’s public information manager. Roosters, however, are banned in all circumstances.

Overall, the council

seemed amenable to Miss Francis’s request, saying it will send the matter to the ordinance committee and most likely the zoning committee, which meets Jan. 5.

PASTOR Jerry Neely requested council members assist the Ministerial Alliance’s Food Pantry with its plans to remodel a building by connecting it to city water and sewage and installing an ADA accessible restroom.

Last week, Allen County commissioners approved almost $37,000 in construction, electrical and HVAC work on the building, which sits adjacent to Humboldt’s new Senior Center at 908 Central St.

Initially, food pantry volunteers thought the restrooms at the senior center would be adequate for their purposes but have since decided otherwise since many of the volunteers are elderly.

Jeremy Bulk, public works director, said he would visit the contractors hired to renovate the building and personally inspect the building before giving Council members a cost estimate.

IN OTHER news:

• Council members renewed their agreement with Thrive Allen County to provide economic development services. The agreement is for $17,000 for 2023.

• Cereal malt beverage licenses were approved for Estrellita Mexican Restaurant, two Pete’s convenience stores, Dollar General Store, Our Market and Sticks Golf Lounge.

• The council approved amending the gas fund budget by an additional $200,000 to accommodate the anticipated higher cost of natural gas come winter. “We can’t exceed what we have budgeted,” said Cole Herder, city administrator, in explaining

the request.

• City council approved the sale of the properties at 415 and 417 Bridge St. The city had sold the properties to an individual who failed to fulfill his promise of developing the land, City Attorney Works explained. The owner has since found someone willing to purchase the properties under the same terms of the agreement.

• Chaz Sanchez was recognized for his 15 years of service with the city’s utilities department. Sanchez is now a department foreman. Jeremy Bulk, public works director, was recognized for his 10 years with the city.

IN HIS annual review, Herder noted the city’s progress in updating its streets and water system.

With the county’s assistance, Humboldt completed a chip and seal project for approximately 50 blocks.

Humboldt’s expense for the oil and chips was $51,800.

More than $700,000 will be devoted to renovating 44 blocks

throughout town in 2023. The city secured a $492,086 Community Development Block Grant to help fund the project and will match the grant with $210,894 in city funds.

Also planned for 2023 and into 2024 is a $13 million project to replace the city’s aging water distribution pipes, repair its water towers and make improvements to its water plant. Engineering for the project will consume most of 2023.

JUST AS the meeting began, city officials ended the meeting on a sweet note with Christmas gifts for council members, who serve on a volunteer basis. Included with the gifts were jars of honey produced by Herder, a beekeeper.

Continued from A1

Humboldt Mayor Nobby Davis presents certificates to longtime city employees, left, Jeremy Bulk, 10 years, and Chaz Sanchez, 15 years, Monday at the Humboldt City Council meeting. REGISTER/SUSAN LYNN

Sam Bankman-Fried

Humboldt’s Hull a hit

By QUINN BURKITT The Iola Register

HUMBOLDT — Humboldt

High football junior wide receiver Sam Hull capped his season in good form after being named November’s Athlete of the Month.

The Cub made sure to go out on a high note in his final game of the season in a loss to Nemaha Central at home. Hull hauled in three touchdown receptions and 147 receiving yards on only seven catches in the 44-20 loss.

With some key pieces missing next season due to graduation, Hull will step into an even bigger role. The multi-sport athlete hopes to build on his junior campaign which saw him catch seven touchdowns for 564 receiving yards.

Hull carried a leadership role this past season and will do the same again next fall.

“It was fun. Having people look up to you is kind of different,” said Hull. “It makes sure you stay on task and do the right things. I hope my teammates think I’ve been a leader and helped them get

around. Just getting used to a higher level of competition takes some getting used to.”

The junior was a part of the reason for Humboldt’s 6-2 finish to the regular season and an 8-3 finish overall after running through Cherryvale and Osage City in the playoffs. Hull’s best regular season game was a 46-0 drubbing over Cherryvale on Oct. 14. The Cub brought in two touchdown receptions for 85 receiving yards on two catches. Efficient is an understatement.

Even though he had a breakout performance in the playoff loss to Nemaha Central, Hull wasn’t thrilled.

“I didn’t necessarily look

at it like that. I feel like we could have been doing better but they’re a really tough team,” Hull said. “I don’t think we were playing the greatest. I probably could have gotten a few more tackles and helped more on the defensive side.”

Hull has grown close with his teammates over the past three years and hopes that the family-like environment can help the team continue its success. The Cubs’ team values were clearly evident when the team won the regional championship title.

“Trying to work together and battle through a game to accomplish the end task of a winning season is a different type of family experience,” Hull said. “I’ve been playing with them since I can remember, all the way back to third grade.”

The Humboldt native plays football, basketball and baseball, but Hull claims football as his favorite because.

“I like hitting people,” said Hull. “If you see somebody with the ball, go hit them. And if the ball is in the air, catch it and run.”

Crest’s Church signs

By QUINN BURKITT The Iola Register

COLONY — Crest High senior Trevor Church signed his national letter of intent Monday to play baseball for Fort Scott Community College.

Church primarily mans the mound but also has experience at centerfield and first base. He’s one of the main reasons the Lancers have been so successful the past few years and reached the state championships the last two years.

The senior finished the season with a team-best 0.74 ERA. Church also started nine games on the hill, collecting eight wins and five shutouts.

Church was also a force at the plate last season where he recorded 30 hits and 19 RBIs while hitting to the tune of a .395 batting average in 76 at-bats.

The Colony native has pitched in a number of big games in his high school career including a 4-1 win over Olpe last season in which Church tossed 6.1 innings, allowing only one run, five hits, three walks and struck out 10 batters. The victory gave the Lancers momentum heading into the playoffs.

“Being able to pitch in those big games and giving us the best chance we can to win was exciting,” Church said. “I’m always trying my best to work through tough situations.”

Church believes it’s his ability to stay calm and level-headed on the mound

that helps him play his best game.

“I work on my mindset on the mound and my confidence in spotting pitches, knowing where I’m going to put it,” said Church. “It definitely helps not getting worked up too much with runners on base or even at the plate hitting. I’m not trying to do too much.”

The two-way ballplayer knows that Fort Scott has taken a chance on him which means he must work to be the best player he can be.

“I think they’re getting someone who will compete on the mound and put their best in every at bat,” he said. “My goal is to work throughout the offseason and continue to improve every year. I’m hoping I can find a way into the rotation or in relief to get as many innings as I can.”

“I’m pretty excited because I like their program and coach (John) Hill’s been hyping us all up,” said Church. “They’ve got a lot of kids going there this year that are supposed to be really good so I think we’ll be good.

Coach Hill is big on academics which helps, too. I like how they’re always working on the program to get better every year.”

For this upcoming spring season, Church hopes he can leave everything he’s got on the field to help Crest hoist a state championship trophy.

“We’ve gotten close the past two years, so that’s what we’re all working for and looking to do.”

Top sports moments of 2022 a lengthy list

By JOHN MARSHALL The Associated Press

Dusty Baker’s run to a World Series title win was one of the several memorable sports stories in 2022, on and off the field.

One of the most respected people in baseball, the one thing missing from Baker’s resume: a World Series ring as a manager.

Baker finally got the elusive ring with the Houston Astros while erasing some of the taint of sign-stealing 2017 title in one of the best moments of the year in sports.

“Had this happened years ago, I might not even be here,” Baker said. “So maybe it wasn’t supposed to happen so that I could hopefully influ-

ence a few young men’s lives and their families and a num-

ber of people in the country through showing what perseverance and character can do for you in the long run.”

Baker won a World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but had gone 25 years without winning one as a manager. He had been to the Fall Classic twice before without winning and was the winningest manager without a title before the Astros beat the Philadelphia Phillies in six games.

“To be the team that was able to pull it off for him, I know how much it means to him and it means so much to us,” Astros pitcher Justin Verlander said.

Aaron Judge also made the headlines by breaking the

American League record with his 62nd homer, leading to a record nine-year, $360 million contract.

There were several off-field stories that made headlines — Brittney Griner, Dan Snyder and the Commanders, Suns owner Robert Sarver — but Baker’s long-awaited title win wasn’t the only redemptive sports story in 2022. On the courts:

— In the NBA, the Golden State Warriors regained their past magic and solidified their dynasty with a fourth NBA title in eight years, but first since 2018. Stephen Curry was again the catalyst, solidifying

Humboldt’s Sam Hull (17) celebrates a touchdown catch in a home playoff loss to Nemaha Central on Nov. 11. REGISTER/QUINN BURKITT

Crest’s Trevor Church, center, with his family after signing to play baseball at Fort Scott. REGISTER/QUINN BURKITT

Christian Braun of Kansas after defeating UNC in the NCAA Tournament National Championship. JAMIE SQUIRE/TNS

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Psychiatrist won’t give up a patient’s list of meds

DEAR DR. ROACH:

My sister has asked her psychiatrist for a list of the medications she has been on during the past few years. She would like to try a new one, as she is crying constantly and seems disoriented. He won’t explore changing meds and also won’t give her the list, claiming he hasn’t got the time. Isn’t it illegal not to give her this information? Who should she contact in the state of New York?

I am very worried. This does not seem professional. — Anon.

ANSWER: I am not an expert on the law, but in New York, a patient has the right to see their medical record, with some exemptions, which might possibly apply in your sister’s case. The first is that “personal notes and observations maintained by the prac-

titioner [i.e., the psychiatrist]” may be denied by the practitioner. The second is that “information that the practitioner determines may reasonably be expected to substantially harm the patient or others” may also be denied.

It’s not clear to me how a list of medications would qualify as an exception, and I think it likely that the medication list might not have been kept separately by the psychiatrist, requiring a review of all your sister’s notes to recreate a list, which is indeed time-consuming and might be considered

part of the “personal notes and observations” exemption.

I have two suggestions. The first is to go through your pharmacy, who probably does have a list of all the medications she has been on (but I don’t know how long her pharmacy may keep the list). That’s likely to be the easiest way to get the information.

The second is to have your sister see a second psychiatrist. Her current psychiatrist is more likely to give the kind of detailed information, which another psychiatrist would need to formulate a new treatment plan, directly to a colleague.

DEAR DR. ROACH: What is dysautonomia? Can you explain it and its symptoms? — V.A.

ANSWER: The autonomic nervous system

is comprised of all the things that the nervous system does without our awareness. While you reach out for a cup of tea, you are aware of your arm moving, as well as your hand feeling the teacup and bringing it over to drink: These are all part of the somatic nervous system. But while you are doing that, the autonomic nervous system is regulating your heart rate, body temperature, movement of your stomach and intestines, and a thousand other body functions that a person is normally unaware of.

Dysautonomia is a general term for an issue occuring within the autonomic nervous system. This can affect one system (blood pressure is a common one, with too low blood pressure causing dizziness

or fainting upon standing) or many systems. A condition called familial dysautonomia affects many systems. In addition to the low blood pressure upon standing, those affected by this condition may have nausea and vomiting, swallowing problems, poorly regulated stomach movement, defective temperature regulation and poorly regulated breathing.

There are unfortunately many diseases that can affect the autonomic nervous system, sometimes as its primary manifestation (like familial dysautonomia and others), or sometimes along with other issues (Parkinson’s disease is an example of a condition that often affects the autonomic nervous system in addition to the somatic).

Fiance gets deeper in debt and lies to cover it up

Dear Carolyn: My fiance is really, really bad with money.

We have been together for five years. When we started dating, I found out that he owed about $8,000 on credit cards. I helped him figure out a budget to pay it off, and he should have been almost done by now. In the meantime, I’ve been paying for everything other than rent, which we split, because he was paying down his debt.

I recently found out that he fell behind on his credit payments and racked up late fees and penalties, which he promised he wouldn’t do. While hashing this out, he owned up to having two other secret credit cards. One has stupid, unnecessary things such as video games on it, and the other he has used to buy me a beautiful engagement ring, so I feel awful about being mad — but I am.

Also making me feel bad is that he is really ashamed of himself. He refused my offer to loan him the money to get out of debt, but he also said he doesn’t want me on his back about this. He’s

refusing to go to credit counseling, saying he got himself into this mess, and he’ll get himself out.

I love this man and believe he’s sincerely ashamed, but I still feel betrayed and disgusted. What can I do? — Mad

Mad: Leave him.

I’m sorry.

It’s one thing to have a problem; nobody’s perfect. But when a person’s response to a problem is, “I refuse to go to [thing that will help me get well], because I got myself into this [type of unwellness], so I will get myself out,” with no history of measurable progress from using this approach, then you have the much bigger problems of stubbornness, inflexibility and pride — which will make you miserable.

Regardless of the specifics of the source of misery.

He had five years to fix

his [stuff] and didn’t. He lied to you instead. Bye! Starting today and hereafter, don’t burn your money or peace of mind on people who don’t do what they say they will and who let you do all the work.

If/when he matures enough to live, share and manage his [stuff] honestly, then he’ll be ready for the equal partnership of marriage. It doesn’t have to be with you.

Readers’ thoughts:

· He’s not bad with money; he’s bad with truth and honesty. It just manifests itself mon-

etarily.

· Don’t just check your credit. Put a freeze on it. This will protect you from anyone (fiance, hackers, mail thieves) opening a credit card account in your name.

· My marriage ended over $100,000-plus debt that my ex-husband accrued buying stocks on credit cards. I foolishly agreed to a second mortgage to pay off his credit cards, putting my name on his debt. Three months later, another $30,000 in credit card debt for stock purchases.

· Oof. Carolyn is absolutely right. Take it

from me, who divorced a man she really loved who exhibited the same signs that I ignored out of “love.”

It wasn’t the “issue” itself (ours wasn’t money), so much as the underlying problems of lying, sneaking, avoiding big issues, lacking communication and being stubborn. And “not wanting you on his back” after he spent years letting you pick up the bills when you thought he was fixing his issues for your future together? No. All the nos. That shows a lack of integrity.

PIXABAY.COM

Dr. Keith Roach

To Your Good Health

Carolyn Hax

Week is loaded with Top 25 college basketball

By JOHN MARSHALL The Associated Press

The holiday break is usually a quiet time in college basketball, many of the top teams playing small-conference schools at home or taking extra time off before conference schedules start in full.

The season isn’t quite there yet and this week is loaded with marquee games, including two involving No. 16 UCLA.

The big day is Saturday when No. 4 Alabama faces No. 15 Gonzaga in Birmingham, Alabama, No. 6 Tennessee is at No. 9 Arizona and No. 8 Kansas hosts No. 14 Indiana. UCLA also faces No. 13 Kentucky in New York on Saturday after playing at No. 20 Maryland on Wednesday.

The most intriguing game Saturday might be No. 5 Houston at No. 2 Virginia.

The Cougars (9-1) lead the nation in scoring defense (49.7 points per game) and field goal defense (33.8%) despite losing to Alabama last week. The Cavaliers love to grind out possessions and are 13th nationally in scoring defense, allowing 57.9 points per game.

First one to 50 wins?

The Alabama game is the Zags’ latest against a high-level opponent.

Gonzaga (7-3) has

dropped in the AP Top 25 after starting at No. 2 in the preseason, thanks to losses to No. 7 Texas, top-ranked Purdue and No. 11 Baylor. The Zags do have wins over No. 13 Kentucky and Michigan State on their resume.

Saturday’s game won’t be easy.

Alabama (8-1) climbed four spots in this week’s poll after joining Oklahoma in 1990 as the only teams to beat two No. 1 teams in the same season. The Crimson Tide outlasted North Carolina in four overtimes on Nov. 27 and proved it was no fluke by topping Houston 71-65 on Saturday.

The Tennessee-Arizona game will be a head-butting of strengths.

The Volunteers (9-1) are one of the nation’s best defensive teams, leading the country in 3-point defense (20.2%) while ranking in the top six in scoring defense, field goal percentage against and steals.

Arizona (8-1) leads the nation with 91.2 points and 21 assists per game.

Tennessee looked unstoppable while building an 18-point lead against No. 20 Maryland on Sunday, then had to hold on down the stretch for a 56-53 win.

The Wildcats bounced back from a loss to Utah

with lopsided wins over California and No. 14 Indiana.

The Hoosiers (8-2) get another massive test playing the Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse. Indiana allowed Arizona to

go on a 17-0 run in Las Vegas, rallied to make it close and faded down the stretch without stellar freshman guard Jalen Hood-Schifino due to a back injury.

Kansas (9-1) has been

consin, and they blew out rival Missouri last weekend.

UCLA (8-2) may have the toughest task of all, facing two ranked teams in the same week for the second time this season.

The first go-round didn’t go so well. The Bruins lost by nine to No. 18 Illinois and by five to No. 11 Baylor in Las Vegas. UCLA has won five straight since, including victories over Stanford and Oregon to begin its Pac-12 schedule.

Maryland (8-2) has looked good in its first season under coach Kevin Willard, but has lost its last two games.

The Terrapins allowed Wisconsin to score 13 straight points, but held the Badgers without a field goal over the final 4:03 before losing 64-59 last week.

Maryland then fell into another hole against Tennessee in Brooklyn before pulling together another rally that came up short.

After the Terps, the Bruins face maybe an even tougher test.

solid after winning its fourth national title last season, its only loss coming to Tennessee in the Battle 4 Atlantis title game. The Jayhawks have wins over No. 12 Duke and No. 22 Wis-

Kentucky (7-2) has been dominant at times and its only losses were to Michigan State in double overtime and to Gonzaga in Spokane. The Wildcats also figure to get strong support at Madison Square Garden.

One-armed player at Northwestern St. scores

NATCHITOCHES, La.

(AP) — As soon as Hansel Emmanuel began to weave in from the right wing, his Northwestern State teammates started to stand up. When he dribbled between two defenders for a stylish layup, most everyone in the gym joined them.

The freshman with one arm was finally on the board.

And a minute later Saturday night, the 6-foot-6 guard provided the most defining mo-

ment of the game — a thunderous dunk in a 91-73 win over Louisiana-Monroe.

“I had to keep going after the layup – that was my first bucket,” Emmanuel said in a quote posted on the Southland Conference school’s website. “I know my family was proud. I had to keep working. You can’t give up.”

The 19-year-old Emmanuel, who lost his left arm just below his

shoulder in a childhood accident, wound up scoring five points. He was 2 of 3 from the field and 1 of 5 from the foul line, along with two rebounds in eight minutes.

Emmanuel had played in four previous games for the Demons this season, shooting 0 for 2 with one rebound.

Born in the Dominican Republic, Emmanuel was 6 when a pile of cinderblocks fell on him. The damage was

so severe, doctors had to amputate his arm.

Emmanuel later moved to Florida and became a big scorer in high school. He drew interest from Memphis, among other colleges, and became an internet sensation last year for his highlight videos posted to social media.

The Demons (8-2) were well on the way to their seventh straight win when Emmanuel started to drive toward his first points. He smoothly cut to the hoop for his layup with 2 1/2 minutes left.

With slightly over a minute to go, Emmanuel was fouled and made

the first free throw. He missed the second shot, but corralled a loose ball just beyond the foul line, took one dribble and threw down a high-flying dunk.

The slam made it 8970 and brought Emmanuel’s teammates and the crowd of 1,627 to their feet.

Drew Timme (2) of the Gonzaga Bulldogs controls the ball against Oscar Tshiebwe (34) of the Kentucky Wildcats in the first half at the Spokane Arena on November 20 in Spokane, Washington. WILLIAM MANCEBO/GETTY IMAGES/TNS

Morocco faces biggest test against France

DOHA, Qatar (AP) —

Morocco’s improbable, history-making run at the World Cup is about to get its ultimate test.

Africa’s first World Cup semifinalist is playing defending champion France and its star striker Kylian Mbappé, the leader of a new wave of soccer superstars coming out of an era dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Wednesday’s match has cultural and political connotations — Morocco was under French rule from 19121956 — and the outcome is far from the foregone conclusion many would presume by looking at the names of the players and the rankings of the teams.

Morocco has exceeded all expectations in Qatar by beating second-ranked Belgium in the group stage and then eliminating European powerhouses Spain and Portugal in the knockout phase to reach the semifinals.

No African or Arab nation has ever gotten this far.

It is one of the biggest stories in the World Cup’s 92-year history and Morocco is not done

yet.

“I was asked if we can win the World Cup and I said, ‘Why not? We can dream, it doesn’t cost you anything to have dreams,’” said Walid Regragui, Morocco’s French-born coach.

“European countries are used to winning the World Cup and we have played top sides, we have not had an easy run. Anyone playing us is going to be afraid of us now.”

Even France?

The defending cham-

pions have just passed their own big test by coming through a tough quarterfinal match against England, on a rare occasion when Mbappé was kept quiet.

No player has scored more than his five goals and it won’t be easy for Mbappé to add to that tally against Morocco, which has yet to concede a goal to an opposition player at this World Cup — or indeed in its nine games since Regragui was hired in August. The only goal

Top: Sports moments of 2022

his claim as the greatest shooter in NBA history with another dynamic performance.

— In men’s college basketball, Kansas re-established its blue-blood status in college basketball by mounting the biggest comeback in national championship history, rallying from 16 points down to beat North Carolina for its fourth national championship. The win came after an epic Final Four matchup between Tobacco Road rivals North Carolina and Duke.

— In women’s college hoops, South Carolina did something no other team had been able to accomplish, handing UConn’s Geno Auriemma his first lost in 12 national title games.

— The veterans ruled most of the men’s tennis majors, with Rafael Nadal winning the Australian Open and French Open to stretch has Grand Slam record to 22 titles. Novak Djokovic won Wimbledon, but didn’t get a chance to play in Australia or the U.S. Open because of his vaccination status.

— Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz was the lone youngster among the Grand Slammers , breaking through to win the U.S. Open at 19. Iga Świ tek won two Grand Slam titles in 2022, including a U.S. Open that saw the farewell of Serena Williams after 23 titles.

On the ice: The Colorado Avalanche cranked up the way-back machine, winning their first Stanley Cup title since 2001 by beating the reigning champion Tampa Bay Lightning in six games.

The uber-talented core that suffered through several early postseason exits looks like a group that could be more than one-and-done with the Cup.

On the gridiron:

— The Los Angeles Rams proved that home cooking is best, beating the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 to become the second straight team to win the Super Bowl at their home stadium after Tampa Bay did it the year before. The Super Bowl title was the Rams’ first since 2000, when the franchise was in St. Louis.

— In the College Football Playoffs, Georgia pulled off a similar move in football, knocking off Alabama and Nick Saban for the program’s first national championship in 41 years.

At the Olympics: The Winter Olympics in Beijing, still grappling with the effects of the pandemic, saw American figure skater Nathan Chen earn gold after his flameout at the Pyeongchang Games four years earlier.

Lindsey Jacobellis, long known for her blunder at the 2006 Torino Games, finally won gold in snowboard cross and added another in the mixed-team event.

Chloe Kim proved she was the queen of the halfpipe, winning her second straight gold and Finland won its first hockey gold by beating favored Russia in the final.

Out on the fairways:

— LIV: The Saudi-backed LIV made waves that reverberated across the golf world, with several major players abandoning the PGA and European tours to cash in on the riches of the lucrative tour.

— On the PGA Tour, the young guys moved to the forefront. Scottie Scheffler won The Masters, Justin Thomas the PGA Championship, Matt Fitzpatrick took the U.S. Open and Cameron Smith won the British Open, marking the first time all four majors were won by players under 30 in the same year.

On the track:

Youth prevailed at the Daytona 500 as well, with rookie Austin Cindric taking the checkers. Marcus Ericsson became the second Swedish driver to win the Indianapolis 500 by holding off some of the biggest names in North American auto racing.

Off the field: — Griner’s arrest and imprisonment on drug charges became international sports and political news as the US tried to free the WNBA star. A deal was finally worked out in December.

allowed was an own-goal by its defender, Nayef Aguerd, against Canada in the group stage.

Morocco might have some injuries now — Aguerd and fellow center back Romain Saiss could be missing Wednesday — but Regragui’s game plan relies on team shape and discipline more than any specific individual.

“We recovered well. We have good doctors and every day we get good news. No one is ruled out and no one is for certain,” Regragui

told reporters on Tuesday. “We’ll use the best team possible.”

The Morocco coach said his team is ready to “change the mentality” of Africa, and he’s told his players not to settle for anything less than the top prize.

“We’re going to fight to move on, for the African nations, for the Arab world,” he said.

Regragui said defender Achraf Hakimi is looking forward to a “nice duel” with Mbappé, his teammate at Paris Saint-Germain, but added that France doesn’t just depend on its star player.

“Well have to block Kylian, but not just him. Hakimi is super motivated to beat his friend,” he said.

The key to winning the game, he said, will be Morocco’s “team spirit” and the support of the crowd at Al Bayt Stadium, where French President Emmanuel Macron is set to be in attendance along with tens of thousands of green-and-redclad Morocco fans. It will feel like a home game for Morocco’s players, which might level things up even more.

“We have the best fans in the world along with

Argentines and Brazilians. They’re people who come from anywhere in the world to support their country,” Regragui said. “We’re going to play like being at home and that’s the most important thing in the world.”

France starts as the big favorite, though, because of its star quality and experience. In Mbappé and Antoine Griezmann, a forward who has reinvented himself as a midfield playmaker at the World Cup, the team has two of the World Cup’s leading players while Olivier Giroud’s winner against England took him to four goals — the same as Messi.

They have attacking threats from everywhere and that intangible quality of just knowing how to get the job done. France center back Raphael Varane said there will be no danger of complacency among his teammates in a gam against the world’s No. 22-ranked team.

“We have enough experience in the team to not fall into that trap,” he said. “We know Morocco isn’t here by chance. It is up to us, as experienced players, to make sure we are all prepared for another battle.”

Photography

Photo by April Kroenke

Nayef Aguerd of Morocco battles for possession with Alvaro Morata of Spain during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Round of 16 matches between Morocco and Spain on December 06 in Al Rayyan, Qatar. CLIVE BRUNSKILL/GETTY IMAGES/TNS

Inflation rate slows after mid-year peak

WASHINGTON (AP)

— Inflation in the United States slowed again last month in the latest sign that price increases are cooling despite the pressures they continue to inflict on American households.

Consumer prices rose 7.1% in November from a year ago, the government said Tuesday. That was down sharply from 7.7% in October and a recent peak of 9.1% in June. It was the fifth straight decline.

Measured from month to month, which gives a more up-to-date snapshot, the consumer price index inched up just 0.1%. And so-called core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy costs and which the Federal Reserve tracks closely, slowed to 6% compared with a year earlier. From October to November, core prices rose 0.2% — the mildest increase since August 2021.

All told, the latest figures provided the strongest evidence to date that inflation in the United States is steadily slowing from the price acceleration that first struck about 18 months ago and reached a fourdecade high earlier this year.

Gas prices have tumbled from their summer peak. The costs of used cars, health care, airline fares and hotel rooms also dropped in November. So did furniture and electricity prices.

Grocery prices, though, remained a trouble spot last month, rising 0.5% from October to November and 12% compared with a year ago. Housing costs also jumped, though much of that data doesn’t yet reflect real-time measures that show declines in home prices and apartment rents.

“Inflation was terrible in 2022, but the outlook for 2023 is much better,” said Bill Adams,

CRYPTOQUOTES

Gas prices displayed Monday at a QuikTrip in Dallas.

Gas prices peaked in June and have declined since.

The average gas price in Texas is $2.69 vs. $2.91 a year ago, according to AAA. In Kansas, a gallon of regular is averaging $2.89. IRWIN THOMPSON/TNS

chief economist for Comerica Bank. “Supply chains are working better, business inventories are higher, ending most of the shortages that fueled inflation in 2020.”

President Joe Biden called the inflation report “welcome news for families across the country” and noted that lower auto and toy prices should benefit holiday shoppers. Still, Biden acknowledged that inflation might not return to “normal levels” until the end of next year.

One sign of progress in November’s figures was that prices for new cars didn’t budge from October. On average, new cars are still 7.2% costlier than they were a year ago. But that’s down from a 13.2% yearover-year jump in April, which was the highest on records dating to 1953.

The decline in newcar prices helps illustrate how supply chain snarls, which have unwound for most goods, are also easing for semiconductors and other key automotive parts.

Economists say this should enable automakers to boost production and give buyers an expanded supply of vehicles.

It also suggests that the Federal Reserve’s aggressive interest rate hikes, which have made it more expensive to borrow for homes, cars and

on credit cards, have begun to slow demand and limit the ability of auto dealers to charge more.

Wall Street welcomed the better-than-expected inflation data as providing further support for the Fed to slow and potentially pause its rate hikes by early next year.

The S&P 500 stock index was up more than 1%, in late-morning trading.

On Wednesday, the Fed is widely expected to raise its benchmark rate by a half-point, its seventh hike this year.

The move would follow four three-quarter point hikes in a row. A halfpoint increase would put the Fed’s key shortterm rate in a range of 4.25% to 4.5%, the highest in 15 years.

The increase will further raise loan rates for consumers and businesses. Economists have warned that in continuing to tighten credit to fight inflation, the Fed is likely to cause a recession next year.

“There’s growing evidence that the worst of the inflation scare may be in the rearview mirror,” said Jim Baird, an economist at Plante Moran Financial Advisers.

“On the horizon is the potential for a recession — the next hazard in the road that policymakers will need to navigate the economy around or potentially through.”

Fed Chair Jerome Powell has said he is tracking price trends in

three separate categories to best understand the likely path of inflation: Goods, excluding volatile food and energy costs; housing, which includes rents and the cost of homeownership; and services excluding housing, such as auto insurance, pet services and education.

In a speech two weeks ago in Washington, Powell noted that there had been some progress in easing inflation in goods and housing but not so in most services. Some of those trends extended into last month’s data, with goods prices, excluding food and energy, falling 0.5% from October to November, the second straight monthly drop.

Housing costs, which make up nearly a third of the consumer price index, are still rising. But real-time measures of apartment rents and home prices are starting to drop after having posted sizzling price acceleration at the height of the pandemic. Powell said those declines will likely emerge in government data next year.

Yesterday’s Cryptoquote:

If you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, on where you stop your story. — Orson Welles

ZITS by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

BEETLE BAILEY by Mort Walker HAGAR THE HORRIBLE by Chris Browne FUNKY WINKERBEAN by Tom Batiuk

BLONDIE by Young and Drake MARVIN by Tom Armstrong HI AND LOIS by Chance Browne

F U I H W B P R W A R M L W R P R D H F A R G Y Z M L I

B U H W A Z I K Y , R G Y O L U Z K Y L M L I T B U H G D H W W Z Q B L I R G Y P Z I L O L R V B H Q V K . — G Z I P R G M H G F L G B E L R K L

Mississippi State football coach Mike Leach dies at 61

By RALPH D. RUSSO The Associated Press

Mike Leach, the gruff, pioneering and unfiltered college football coach who helped revolutionize the game with the Air Raid offense, has died following complications from a heart condition, Mississippi State said Tuesday. He was 61.

Leach, who was in his third season as head coach at Mississippi State, fell ill Sunday at his home in Starkville, Mississippi. He was treated at a local hospital before being airlifted to University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, about 120 miles away. He died Monday night.

“Mike was a giving and attentive husband, father and grandfather.

He was able to participate in organ donation at UMMC as a final act of charity,” the family said in a statement issued by Mississippi State. “We are supported and uplifted by the outpouring of love and prayers from family, friends, Mississippi State University, the hospital staff, and foot-

ball fans around the world. Thank you for sharing in the joy of our beloved husband and father’s life.”

In 21 seasons as a head coach at Texas Tech, Washington State and Mississippi State, Leach went 158-107.

Leach fought through a bout with pneumonia late in this season,

coughing uncontrollably at times during news conferences, but seemed to be improving, according to those who worked with him.

News of him falling gravely ill swept through college football the past few days and left many who knew him stunned, hoping and praying for Leach’s recovery under grim circumstances.

His impact on all levels of football — from high school to the NFL — over the last two decades runs deep and will continue for years to come.

“Mike’s keen intellect and unvarnished candor made him one of the nation’s true coaching legends,” Mississippi State President Mark Keenum said. “His passing brings great

Texas suspends coach over family violence charge

AUSTIN, Texas (AP)

— Chris Beard, who coached Texas Tech to the 2019 NCAA championship game and was hired away by Texas with expectations that he would elevate his alma mater to the same level, was arrested early Monday on a felony family violence charge after a woman told police he strangled and bit her.

The school suspended Beard without pay “until further notice,” and assistant Rodney Terry directed No. 7 Texas to an 87-81 overtime win over Rice on Monday night.

Beard was arrested by Austin police and booked at the Travis County jail at 4:18 a.m. on a charge of assault on a family or household member in which their breath was impeded. The charge is a third-degree felony in Texas, with a possible punishment of two to 10 years in prison.

According to the arrest affidavit first reported by the Austin American-Statesman, the woman told police she is his fiance and they have been in a relationship for six years. She said they had been in an argument where she broke his glasses before he “just snapped on me and became super violent.”

According to the affidavit, the woman told police “he choked me, bit me, bruises all over my leg, throwing me around and going nuts.”

She told police Beard choked her from behind

with his arm around her neck and she couldn’t breathe for about five seconds. Police say she she had a bite mark on her right arm and an abrasion to her right temple among other visible injuries.

When questioned by police, Beard said he had audio recordings of the incident that would show he was not the primary aggressor. But he refused to share them with officers, police said.

Beard went before a magistrate judge for his bond hearing, wearing jailhouse black-andgrey stripes with his hands cuffed in front at his waist. Beard was told he could communicate with the woman but not in a threatening manner, was ordered to stay 200 yards away from the residence where police were called and was told he is barred from possessing a firearm.

Beard nodded his head and answered “yes, sir” several times when addressing the judge.

Jail records show Beard posted $10,000 bond. He didn’t answer questions when he left the jail with his attorney Perry Minton.

Minton declined comment but earlier told the American-Statesman the coach is innocent.

“He should never have been arrested,” Minton told the newspaper. “The complainant wants him released immediately and all charges dismissed. It is truly inconceivable.”

It wasn’t immediately known if the woman has an attorney. She was identified in the affidavit, but The Associated Press does not typically identify alleged victims of extreme violence without their consent.

“The university takes matters of interpersonal violence involving members of its community seriously,” the school said in announcing Beard’s suspension.

It did not commit to Terry as the acting coach beyond Monday night. Terry was a head

coach at UTEP (2018-21) and Fresno State (201118).

Beard is in his second season of a seven-year guaranteed contract that pays him more than $5 million per year. Before that, he was 112-55 in five seasons with the Red Raiders. He was named The Associated Press coach of the year in 2019 as he guided Texas Tech to a 31-7 finish and lost in an overtime thriller to Virginia in the national championship game.

His departure for Texas — a deal reached after a meeting with Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte that included a McDonald’s breakfast an hour’s drive north of Lubbock — left Texas Tech officials frustrated.

Beard said it was a difficult move, but he could not turn down a chance to coach at his alma mater, where he was a student assistant three decades ago. Earlier this year, he led Texas to a first-round victory over Virginia Tech that was the Longhorns’ first NCAA Tournament win since 2014.

Beard’s contract includes a provision under which he can be fired for cause for conduct the administration reasonably determines reflects poorly on the coach, program, school or university system. That includes being charged with a felony. University of Texas System Board of Regents Chairman Kevin Eltife did not return a message seeking comment.

sadness to our university, to the Southeastern Conference, and to all who loved college football. I will miss Mike’s profound curiosity, his honesty, and his wideopen approach to pursuing excellence in all things.”

Leach was known for his pass-happy offense, wide-ranging interests — he wrote a book about Native American leader Geronimo, had a passion for pirates and taught a class about insurgent warfare — and rambling, off-the-cuff news conferences.

An interview with Leach was as likely to veer off into politics, wedding planning or hypothetical mascot fights as it was to stick to football. He considered Donald Trump a friend before the billionaire

businessman ran for president and then campaigned for him in 2016.

He traveled all over the world and his curiosity knew no bounds. He most appreciated those who stepped outside of their expertise.

“One of the biggest things I admire about Michael Jordan, he got condemned a lot for playing baseball. I completely admired that,” Leach told The Associated Press last spring. “I mean, you’re gonna be dead in 100 years anyway. You’ve mastered basketball and you’re gonna go try to master something else, and stick your neck out and you’re not afraid to do it, and know that a lot of people are gonna be watching you while you do it. I thought it was awesome.”

As another fantastic year comes to a close, we wish you a joyful Christmas season full of laughter and new memories with those you love.

Head coach Mike Leach of the Mississippi State Bulldogs, shown during a game Sept. 10, died Monday of a heart attack. GETTY IMAGES/REBECCA NOBLE/TNS

Texas head coach Chris Beard directs action during a 2021 game against Stanford. GETTY IMAGES/ETHAN MILLER/TNS