HUMBOLDT — More than 15,000 meals were distributed over the summer via Humboldt USD 258’s summer meals program, which concludes Thursday.
The team served an average of 170 children and 30 adults a day, Terry Meadows, USD 258’s communications director, said in an email.
“This is more than just food service — this is community service at its finest,” Meadows said.
He lauded food service director Tara Stewart and her staffers for “their heart, care and professionalism they’ve shown every single day this summer. They’ve made a real impact.”
The summer program provided more than 12,000 free meals and 3,000 paid meals five days a week, including weekend meal bags — a crucial support for many local families, Meadows said.
Classes for USD 258 resume Aug. 21.
Meet the Red Devils
Small town, big ideas
Conversation focuses on growth in Iola
By SARAH HANEY The Iola Register
The Iola High School cafeteria was buzzing with ideas and optimism at Thrive Allen County’s “Community Conversation” Tuesday evening. Iolans pulled up chairs, rolled up their sleeves, and got down to business discussing opportunities for growth and how to overcome obstacles.
Residents turned questions into conversation, and conversation into momentum: What gives you pride in the community? What are the opportunities for improvement? Where do we find barriers and needs for growth?
The event featured a new format focused on small group discussions which were then shared collectively.
WHEN IT came to community pride, one answer was nearly unanimous: Iola’s historic town square. Its
well-kept appearance, rich history, and central role in community life continue to be a central part of Iola’s ap-
RFK Jr. cuts $500M for vaccines
By AMANDA SEITZ The Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Health and Human Services will cancel contracts and pull funding for some vaccines that are being developed to fight respiratory viruses like COVID-19 and the flu.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced in a statement Tuesday that 22 projects, totaling $500 million, to develop vaccines using mRNA technology will be halted.
Kennedy’s decision to terminate the projects is the latest in a string of decisions that have put the longtime vaccine critic’s doubts about shots into full effect at the nation’s health department. Kennedy has pulled back recommendations around the COVID-19 shots, fired the panel that makes vaccine recommendations, and refused to offer a vigorous endorsement of vaccinations as a measles outbreak worsened.
The health secretary criticized mRNA vaccines in a video on his social media accounts, explaining the decision to cancel projects being led by the nation’s leading pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer and Moderna, that offer protection against viruses like the flu, COVID-19 and H5N1.
“To replace the troubled mRNA programs, we’re prioritizing the development of safer, broader vaccine strategies, like whole-virus vaccines and novel platforms that don’t collapse when viruses mutate,” Kennedy said
IHS seniors paint
Iola High School student Bethany Miller was one of several seniors painting parking spaces at the school Wednesday morning. It’s been a long-standing tradition for incoming seniors to personalize their parking spots ahead of their final year. Each chose their own design to match their interests or personalities. Miller’s will be Bibleinspired with sheep and will include the phrase “All sheep need a shepherd.”
See more photos on A7. REGISTER/SARAH HANEY
Berlin Gonzalez discusses points of community pride with her fellow group members during Tuesday evening’s community conversation. REGISTER/SARAH HANEY
Camille Lavon, Thrive Economic Development Director, jots down ideas during the community conversation while Steve Bowman, left, and Doug Kerr participate in the group’s discussion. REGISTER/SARAH HANEY
Depot demo
Michael Maloney of Ray’s Metal Depot makes quick work Wednesday morning with the demolition of what had been a filling station years ago at the intersection of Washington Avenue and Broadway Street. The structure later became the Greyhound Bus depot for several years and later a teen center, but has been used for little more than storage for the past 30 or so years. REGISTER/SARAH HANEY
Cuts may slow housing progress
By ANNA KAMINSKI Kansas Reflector
TOPEKA — A cheese manufacturing plant in western Kansas created hundreds of new jobs, but developers needed help building enough housing for the plant’s workers.
The state program that helped fund 40 homes in a 227-home workforce housing development project in Dodge City did not receive any funding from the Kansas Legislature in its most recent session.
“We’re concerned,” said Ryan Vincent, executive director of the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation, a public nonprofit charged with administering state and federal housing assistance.
“Historically, we’ve received some funding for moderate-income housing for a decade plus,” he said during a Tuesday webinar focused on updates about the state of housing in Kansas.
The housing industry in Kansas faces a rollback of funding on the state and federal levels, rising building costs, inflation and tariffs, which could affect the progress made to address a dire need for housing in communities across the state.
“I think a little bit of the challenge is that there’s this perception from the Statehouse, from lawmakers, policymakers that, ‘Well, we’ve given you money. We’ve given you enough to fix the problem,’” Vincent said.
But they’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg, he said.
Typically, the Legislature allocates $2 million on average in the state budget to the housing corporation’s moderate-income program.
The program helps fund homeownership and rental opportunities for Kansans who earn too much to qualify for federally subsidized housing but still struggle to afford market-rate housing.
In Dodge City, the Hilmar Cheese Company, one of the world’s largest cheese manufacturers and whey suppliers, is driving economic growth and employment opportunities, said Emily Sharp, communications director for the state housing corporation.
Upon opening in March, the plant employed nearly 250 people, according to Gov.
IOLA MUNICIPAL COURT
Judge Patti Boyd
Convicted as follows:
Jeep Harper, Nevada, Mo., improper use/sale of fireworks, $175
Britton C. Klotz, Buffalo, driving while suspended, $415
Patrick D. Nee, failure to yield, $195
Edward M. Sargent Jr., Moran, driving as a habitual violator,
Laura Kelly’s Office.
“Which is really exciting,” Sharp said, “but it also means that there is a huge need for housing to support all those workers, and all of those industries and the development and growth that’s happening there.”
The project will eventually bring hundreds of homes for the plant’s workers, ranging in price from $22,000 to $197,000. More than 90 homes are complete so far. The development will consist of 127 single-family homes, 25
needs analysis.
“If we want our employers to be able to expand, if we want our downtowns to be revitalized, if we want our communities to ultimately be successful, we need the economic impact of housing,” Vincent said.
Legislators began discussing housing at the Statehouse before the 2025 session began in January, said Erin Beckerman, general counsel for the housing corporation.
Those talks led to a
If we want our employers to be able to expand, if we want our downtowns to be revitalized, if we want our communities to ultimately be successful, we need the economic impact of housing.
—
Ryan Vincent, executive director of the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation
townhomes, 10 tiny homes and eight “barndominiums,” which are metal homes known for their cheap price point and durability.
IN COTTONWOOD Falls, developers converted an old school into 10 moderate-income units. Some of the first tenants in the development were Kansas Highway Patrol troopers, Sharp said.
The way the housing corporation sees it, without state funding for the moderate-income program, projects like those in Dodge City and Cottonwood Falls will be more difficult to build.
Regions outside Kansas’ metro areas need about 4,000 houses built annually, according to the housing corporation’s 2021 state
$665
Cameron D. Simpson, speeding (37/25), $167
Wesley L. Sinclair, Iola, violating basic speed rule, $195
Other dispositions:
Melinda K. Holland, nuisance items in yard/ porch, dismissed with $75 fine
Vern A. Kurth, Elsmore, theft, dismissed with $75 fine
proposal from Rep. Sean Tarwater, a Stilwell Republican and chair of the House Commerce Committee, to eliminate the affordable housing tax credit entirely, which the House passed. The Senate modified the bill, eliminating one of the two credit options and capping the amount the corporation can dole out to $25 million in 2025 and $8.8 million in the subsequent years until the credit sunsets in 2028.
It was the most significant legislation this year, in the corporation’s eyes, Beckerman said.
The scrutiny of the affordable housing tax credit will continue with an audit report, which is expected to examine the amount of tax credits used since 2022 and revisit the
elimination during the 2026 legislative session.
“We are still seeing questions about that program, like the ones raised by the Legislative Post audit committee, just about how the program works and what value it brings to the state in comparison to the fiscal impact of providing those tax credits,” Beckerman said.
The audit is expected to be finished and presented to the Legislative Post Audit Committee this fall.
Beckerman said she also anticipates legislative discussions on whether to restore funding to the moderate-income housing program.
ON THE FEDERAL level, the Trump administration’s budget request proposed consolidating several housing-related programs into a single block grant and cutting the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s budget in half.
Those proposals would eliminate a grant program the Kansas housing corporation uses for developments and its first-time homebuyer program.
“There’s a lot of difference between what the administration, the Senate and the House have proposed,” Beckerman said, “so it’s hard to say where the funding may end up.”
Central Calif. wildfire poses new challenges
SANTA MARIA, Calif. (AP) — Rising temperatures on Wednesday posed new challenges for firefighters who have made incremental progress against a massive wildfire in central California that injured four people as it became the biggest blaze in the state so far this year.
More than 870 remote homes and other structures at the northern edge of Los Padres National Forest are threatened by the Gifford Fire, which grew only slightly overnight after burning out of control for days.
The fire has scorched at least 131 square miles (339 square kilometers) of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, with just 9% containment. It surpassed the 126-square mile (326-square-kilometer) Madre Fire, which erupted last month in southeastern San Luis Obispo County, as the state’s largest fire of 2025.
Crews working in steep, inaccessible terrain will be dealing with temperatures in the mid-90s on Wednesday and above 100 on Thursday, said Capt. Scott Safechuck with the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
“We have hot weather, and we have low relative humidity,” Safechuck said Wednesday. “So we expect extreme fire behavior.” Luckily, winds are expected to remain relatively calm, he said.
Wildfire risk will be elevated through the
weekend across much of inland California as the heat wave intensifies. The southern part of the state has seen very little rain, drying out vegetation and making it “ripe to burn,” the National Weather Service for Los Angeles warned in a statement. Triple-digit temperatures (around 38 Celsius) are forecast for the Sacramento Valley.
A dozen major blazes are burning statewide, and officials warn the threat will only grow in August and September, typically the most dangerous months for wildfires. Across the Sierra and northern parts of California, months of little to no rain are “pushing conditions toward critical levels faster than usual,” according to a wildfire forecast by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.
“In Southern California, the threat is driven by persistent drought, high grass loads, and weakening coastal moisture,” Cal Fire said.
More than 2,200 personnel are battling the Gifford Fire, which grew out of at least four smaller fires that erupted Friday along State Route 166, forcing closures in both directions east of Santa Maria, a city of about 110,000 people. The causes of the fires are under investigation.
Flames are racing through a vast, mostly unpopulated region that includes forestland, ranches, large canyon properties and agricultural parcels growing wine grapes and strawberries.
Haylee Malloy, allowing dog to run at large, dismissed with $75 fine
Kason P. Porter, improper use/sale of fireworks, dismissed with $75 fine
Drew A. Sirota, Iola, reckless driving, dismissed with $515 fine
Jason A. Stokes, Iola, improper registration, dismissed with $75 fine
Ryan Vincent, executive director of the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation, appears for a Dec. 19, 2023, recording of the Kansas Reflector podcast. KANSAS REFLECTOR/SHERMAN SMITH
Putin meets with Trump envoy before peace talks
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow on Wednesday, days before the White House’s deadline for Russia to reach a peace deal with Ukraine or potentially face severe economic penalties that could also hit countries buying its oil.
The meeting between Putin and Witkoff lasted about three hours, the Kremlin said.
Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said that Putin and Witkoff had a “useful and constructive conversation” that focused on the Ukrainian crisis and, in a nod toward improving relations between Washington and Moscow, “prospects for possible development of strategic cooperation” between the United States and Russia.
The threat of US sanctions Earlier on Wednesday, a White House official said the U.S. was still expected to impose secondary sanctions against Russia on Friday, after a 10-day deadline that Trump imposed is to expire.
The White House has not yet released details about the sanctions.
The official was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Washington has threatened “severe tar-
iffs” and other economic penalties if the killing doesn’t stop.
Trump also has threatened to slap tariffs on nations that buy Russian oil, which could increase import taxes dramatically on China and India He said Tuesday he hadn’t publicly committed to any particular tariff rate, and indicated that his decision could depend on an outcome of the meeting with Putin.
Trump has expressed increasing frustration with Putin over Russia’s escalating strikes on civilian areas of Ukraine, intended to erode morale and public appetite
Public
notice (First
KANSAS CHRISTIN M. HARTMAN Plaintiff, vs.
BUDDIE G. MCGATHY, JR., GERIOUS MAGNETT, TRAVIS WILSON, KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, KANSAS HIGHWAY PATROL, the unknown heirs, devisees, executors, administrators trustees, creditors and assigns of any deceased defendants; the unknown spouses of any defendants; the unknown, guardians conservators, and trustees of any defendants that are minors or are under any legal disability; and the unknown heirs, executors, administrators, devisees, trustees, creditors and assigns of any person alleged to be deceased, Defendants.
Case No: AL-2025-CV-000046
NOTICE OF SUIT
THE STATE OF KANSAS TO Buddie G. McGathy, Jr., Gerious Magnett, Travis Wilson, and the unknown heirs, executors, administrators, devisees, trustees, creditors and assigns of any deceased defendants; the unknown spouses of any defendants; the unknown guard-
Public notice
for the war. The intensified attacks have occurred even as Trump has urged the Russian leader in recent months to relent.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday evening that he and Trump spoke on the phone after Witkoff met with Putin. He said “European leaders also participated in the conversation,” and “we discussed what was said in Moscow.”
“Our common position with our partners is absolutely clear: The war must end,” Zelenskyy said. “We all need lasting and reliable peace. Russia must end the
ians, conservators, and trustees of any defendants that are minors or are under any legal disability; the unknown heirs, executors, administrators, devisees, trustees, creditors, and assigns of any person alleged to be deceased; and all other persons who are or may be concerned or who may claim an interest:
You are hereby notified that a petition has been filed in the District Court of Allen County, Kansas by Christin M. Hartman praying for a judgment and decree quieting title in her name in and to the following described vehicle:
2009 Ford Fusion VIN: 3FAHP08129R143515
You are hereby required to plead to said petition on or before the 18th day of September, 2025, in the Allen County District Court in Iola, Kansas. Should you fail therein judgment and decree will be entered in due course upon said petition.
KNIGHT LAW, LLC
Jacob T. Knight, KS #28070
6 E. Jackson Ave. Iola, KS 66749 (P): (620) 305-2598 (F): (620) 305-2597 E-mail: jake@jakeknightlaw.com Attorney for Plaintiff
(8) 7, 14, 21
war that it started.” He didn’t offer any details of the conversation.
Overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday, Russian forces hit a recreational center in Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhzhia region, killing two people and injuring 12, including two children, regional Gov. Ivan Fedorov said Wednesday.
Russian forces launched at least four
Public notice
(First Published in The Iola Register August 7th, 2025)
DISTRICT COURT, ALLEN COUNTY, KANSAS CIVIL DEPARTMENT
COMMUNITY NATIONAL BANK & TRUST, Plaintiff, v.
MATTHEW J. KORTE a/k/a
MATTHEW JOHN KORTE, et al.
CASE NO. AL-2025-CV-000044
TITLE INVOLVING REAL ESTATE NOTICE OF SUIT
THE STATE OF KANSAS TO:
ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES and all other persons who are or may be concerned:
You are hereby notified that a Petition for Foreclosure has been filed in the District Court of Allen County, Kansas, by Community National Bank and Trust, praying for foreclosure of certain real property described as follows:
strikes on the area and initially attacked with powerful glide bombs.
“There is zero military sense in this strike. Only cruelty to intimidate,” Zelenskyy said in a post on Telegram. Russia also struck the Ukrainian power grid and facilities for heating and cooking gas, Zelenskyy said, as Ukraine makes preparations for winter.
Western analysts and
Ukrainian officials say Putin is stalling for time and avoiding serious negotiations while Russian forces push to capture more Ukraine land.
Lots Twelve (12) and Thirteen (13), Layton’s Addition to the City of Iola, Allen County, Kansas. Commonly known as 628 N. Colborn St., Iola, KS. and you are required to plead to the Petition on or before the 18th day of September 2025 in the District Court of Allen County, Kansas. If you fail to plead, judgment and decree will be entered in due course upon said Petition.
Respectfully Submitted: /s/ Creath L. Pollak Creath L. Pollak, #21681 MINTER & POLLAK, LC 800 E. 1st St., Suite 310 Wichita, Kansas 67202 (316) 265-0797
Creath@mp-firm.com
Attorneys for Plaintiff MINTER & POLLAK, LC AS ATTORNEYS FOR PLAINTIFF IS ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE.
(8) 7, 14, 21
buy copies of The Annals of Iola and Allen County, 1868-1945, Vols. 1 and 2. Call the Iola Register, 620-365- 2111 or email susan@iolaregister.com
Diesel Mechanic II
The Monarch Cement Company is seeking to ll one Diesel Mechanic II position for our Humboldt, KS plant.
Monarch is a rewarding place to work and o ers an excellent bene t package including medical, dental and vision insurance, company paid life insurance, 401K with a company match, an educational assistance program, and an employee assistance program (EAP). This is a union position and starting wage begins at $35.41/hour.
To be considered for the position a candidate must be 18 years of age, have a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent, successfully complete a pre-hire physical, drug screen and background check, and possess a valid state issued driver’s license and a valid CDL license is preferred. 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.
Successful candidates must have at least ve (5) years of veri able full-time experience as a diesel mechanic capable of performing all types of work on heavy Caterpillar and John Deere type of equipment and other mobile equipment. Certi cation from an accredited Vocational Technical Training School or equivalent is required. A WorkReady Certi cate through KansasWorks is preferred. The successful candidate must own their own tools.
Must have a thorough knowledge of the operation of internal combustion and diesel engines and their auxiliary components. Some of the typical day-to-day duties will include, but are not limited to, performing mechanical maintenance on trucks, cranes, all types of loaders, large and small dump trucks, forklifts, skid steer loaders, pumps, compressors and other like equipment. Must have good computer skills, be able to keep equipment logs and records, be neat and orderly, be skilled in the use and care of all types of powered drills, grinders, hoses, and special mechanic’s tools.
Candidates interested in testing for the WorkReady Certi cate through KansasWorks can register by calling 620-432-0320 or contacting contacting Jim Jenkins or Samantha Cole 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. Diesel Mechanic II Position, P.O. Box 1000, Humboldt, KS 66748. Previous applicants must complete a new application.
Applications are to be submitted by August 22, 2025.
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.
Entry Level Laborer
The Monarch Cement Company is seeking to ll the position of Entry Level Laborer for the Humboldt, KS plant.
Monarch is a rewarding place to work and o ers an excellent bene t package including medical, dental and vision insurance, company paid life insurance, 401K with a company match, an educational assistance program, and an employee assistance program (EAP). This is a union position and starting wage begins at $28.23/hour with additional pay for working shifts. Shift work is a good probability.
To be considered for the position a candidate must be 18 years of age, have a high school diploma, GED or equivalent, successfully complete a pre-hire physical, drug screen and 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 Jim Jenkins or Samantha Cole 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 August 18, 2025.
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.
NOW HIRING:
Restaurant General Manager at 1602 N. State St Iola
Seeking friendly, high energy candidates to lead by example and oversee major restaurant operation.
Benefits: Salary Base Position Bonus Pay Potential Health, Vision & Dental
Hours Paid Sick & Vacation
Apply online at tbamericajobs.com
WE’RE HIRING AT
Grant Administrator & Government Relations O cer
Professional experience in grant writing/admin. and/or govt. relations
Salary commensurate with experience
Executive Director of Strategic Expansion & Workforce Innovation
Must live in the Topeka area
Campus Security O cer
Full-time 10-month position
Wednesday-Sunday evening hours
Computer Science Instructor –9-month position
January 2026 start date
Assistant Baseball Coach/ Residence Hall Director
$27,500 for 10-month position, plus room and 19 meal plan for housing responsibilities
Visit our website allencc.edu/contact/careers for detailed information about the openings and how to apply.
We offer an excellent benefit package including health/dental insurance, vision, KPERS, 403b with match, tuition benefits and generous leave, including opportunities for flex time and some remote work options.
Allen is an EOE/AA employer.
Now hiring for the positions below.Visit our website to review our excellent benefits package!
(AP) — Five soldiers were shot at Fort Stewart Wednesday, prompting a short lockdown at one of the country’s largest Army bases before a suspect was taken into custody, military officials said.
Few details were immediately available about what led to the gunfire, but this latest act of violence on a U.S. military installation — sites that are supposed to be among the most secure in the country — again raised concerns about safety and security within the armed forces’ own walls.
The Army said it’s investigating the shooting. There were still many unanswered questions, including the condition of the soldiers, the scope of their injuries, the identity of the shooter as well as any possible motive.
The injured were treated and then moved to Winn Army Community Hospital, base officials said in a Facebook post, adding there’s no threat to the community.
Some of the wounded were also taken to Me-
morial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, said spokesperson Bryna Gordon.
The hospital is the toplevel trauma center for coastal Georgia. Gordon said she didn’t know
how many people were being taken to the hospital or what their conditions are.
BEETLE BAILEY by Mort Walker
HAGAR THE HORRIBLE by Chris Browne
MARVIN by Tom Armstrong
HI AND LOIS by Chance Browne
BLONDIE
by Young and Drake
Patrick McDonell
Thursday, August 7, 2025
Healthcare talks highlight government’s role
To do collectively what can’t be done individually
Allen County Commissioner David Lee worries “big government” is preventing private practice physicians from setting up office.
“We’re forcing doctors to have to come and work in these organizations whether they want to or not. We are creating a socialized medicine situation,” Lee said at Tuesday’s commission meeting.
Lee was referencing the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas and the Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center, both of which receive federal and state funds.
Local veterinarian Darryl Monfort understands the nuance.
“Veterinarians are coming out of college $250,000 in debt. For doctors and other professionals, it’s just as expensive,” Monfort said in his address to commissioners. “To get them into our communities, I hate to say it, but government support is what it’s going to take.”
If the resources are available, loan forgiveness is a handy carrot to entice prospective physicians to work in rural America. Otherwise, they’ll flock to metro-based operations with deep pockets.
In other words, Monfort assured commissioners, it’s to our advantage we have government funds helping secure these investments in healthcare.
THE CONCERN of being overrun by “socialized medicine” is nothing short of fearmongering.
The Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas and the Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center receive government funds.
Raise your hand if you haven’t.
From broadband initiative grants to crop insurance and subsidies, Social Security benefits to Medicare, public education to public roads and highways, we all rely on federal money to get through the day. Does that make us socialists?
Of course not. In the case of our local healthcare centers, they are not government-run entities. Neither their facilities nor their employees are under the government’s umbrella.
The closest this country comes to having “socialized medicine” is its VA, Medicare and Medicaid programs. Medicare and Medicaid are single-payer programs that most Americans pay into through payroll deductions. Even then, they are managed by private entities.
The VA hews closest to socialized medicine, in that the government provides the coverage, owns the facilities, and employs the staff.
~ Journalism that makes a difference
Does that make our veterans “socialists” because they subscribe to a government-provided health service?
Once again, no.
THOUGH WE ARE a long, long way from having the government provide our day-to-day healthcare affairs, its presence has been a lifeline to our regional care.
The SEK Community Health Center is a 21st Century rendition of President Lyndon Johnson’s vision for Neighborhood Health Centers included under his War on Poverty Act in the early 1960s.
From the get-go, their main focus was to provide primary care in underserved rural and urban communities. The first two were opened in Mound Bayou, Mississippi, population 1,500, and Boston, Mass.
Over the years, the parameters of the non-profits, known today as federally qualified health clinics, broadened. In the 1990s, they began accepting Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance as well as deciding payments would be determined on a sliding scale for the underinsured and those without insurance of any kind.
By law, the health centers are obligated to treat every patient, no matter their ability to pay. In more recent years they have broadened their scope to include dental and mental health services. Today, there are more than 1,100 community health centers across the country.
The mental health center, which is a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic, has similar goals, with their emphasis on mental health and substance use. The CCBHC model began in 2014 when Congress passed the Protecting Access to Medicare Act. In 2021, Kansas was brought into the fold and in 2022 was awarded a federal planning grant to support their development and expansion.
Like CHC/SEK, the mental health center is funded through private pay insurers and federal and state programs. They also determine payment for services based on one’s ability to pay and by law may not deny services because of a lack of resources. They both provide services to schools and businesses throughout their service areas.
For SEKMHC’s six-county district, the mental health center has case managers and therapists in a majority of their schools. In Allen County, they have a presence in Humboldt, Iola and Moran schools. Fears that non-profits are unfair competition miss the bigger point. We need affordable healthcare in Southeast Kansas and we all need to be a part of that effort. Without it we would be less healthy — emotionally and physically. That’s not an admirable goal.
— Susan Lynn
The Iola Register
The United States has brought to a near halt of allowing refugees to settle here. Though lawfully allowed here through the U.S.’s Refugee Resettlement program, their numbers have been reduced to a trickle. The U.S. relies on these people to help with harvests and other food-production jobs. Because refugees are not vulnerable to deportation, they provide a stable workforce. UNSPLASH/TIM MOSSHOLDER
Refugees a win for U.S. farmers
President Donald Trump recently acknowledged what American farmers have known for decades: immigrant labor is indispensable to our agricultural economy. From tending crops to processing poultry and dairy, immigrants make it possible for American families to put food on the table.
But while the agriculture industry’s attention has focused on the consequences of stepped-up immigration enforcement, there’s another, quieter labor crisis unfolding: the near-total halt of refugee resettlement to the United States.
Refugees are work-authorized the moment they arrive on U.S. soil. As lawfully present immigrants invited to restart their lives in the U.S. after having fled a well-founded fear of persecution, refugees are motivated to support their families. They often come from agrarian backgrounds that translate naturally into farming, food processing, and dairy jobs in the U.S.
And yet, despite being an ideal fit for the needs of U.S. agriculture, the flow of refugee workers has slowed to a trickle after the U.S.’s Refugee Resettlement program was suspended in the past months.
World Relief, one of the government’s partners in refugee resettlement, has seen firsthand the costs of this freeze, as well as the promise of resuming resettlement.
Across more than 20 U.S. offices, we’ve partnered with over 165 agricultural employers annually, from small family farms to giants like Tyson Foods, Smithfield, and Nestlé.
In just the last 18 months, our employment programs have placed more than 1,100 refugees in agricultural roles. That’s more than a quarter of all the work-eligible refugees we’ve served during that time.
Why do these partnerships work so well? Employers tell us over and over: refugee employees are consistent, resilient, and eager to work.
At World Relief Chicagoland, over 1,500 individuals have filled critical food production jobs over the past 25 years.
Nicole Kennell, an economic empowerment manager at World Relief Memphis, reports that a recent partnership with one of the
Nan Allen
world’s largest meat processing and packing companies allowed the opening of a new production line.
At World Relief Upstate in South Carolina, clients step into physically demanding roles in poultry and pork processing — jobs often passed over by native-born workers — with dignity and determination. In Wisconsin, meat packing plants and dairy producers alike have built cultures of belonging, fueled by dependable refugee hires.
Time and again, employers
Americans, is motivated by a moral call to welcome the stranger. That call resonates not only in churches and synagogues, but in our history of standing by persecuted people, supporting U.S. military allies, and offering new beginnings to those fleeing war, dictatorship, and religious oppression.
A 2025 Lifeway Research poll found that 70% of evangelical Christians believe the U.S. has a moral responsibility to resettle refugees, and polling from the Pew Research Center has shown that support for refugee resettlement crosses party lines.
Refugees are work-authorized the moment they arrive on U.S. soil and often come from agrarian backgrounds that translate naturally into farming, food processing and dairy job.
discover that refugee workers reduce turnover, raise morale, and stay on the job.
A human resources leader at a large meat and poultry processor put it simply: “I have never met more hard-working and determined people that just want to get ahead.”
In a sector already reeling from labor shortages, immigration enforcement, and demographic decline in rural areas, refugee resettlement is not only a humanitarian obligation, but a workforce imperative. Refugees are not vulnerable to deportation, want to work, and are ready to step into roles that keep America’s farms running and grocery prices stable.
It’s also worth stating plainly: refugee resettlement aligns with our nation’s values. World Relief, like many
Agri-Pulse REQUIREMENTS: SEND
Though it’s true that our leaders sometimes face decisions between what is right and what is popular, or between what is right and what helps the economy, restarting the U.S.’s refugee resettlement program is not one of those choices. Instead, doing so is a rare convergence of moral clarity, economic necessity, and bipartisan support.
That’s why we urge Trump and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to act now. The case is clear: resettling refugees will strengthen the agricultural workforce, keep food on Americans’ tables, and reaffirm our commitment to the vulnerable.
About the author: Nan Allen is the director of economic empowerment at World Relief, a global Christian humanitarian organization that has resettled about 300,000 refugees to the United States since 1979. Agri-Pulse Communications devotes its coverage to on farm, food and rural policy issues.
Personalized parking
Trump raises tariffs on India by 25%
By JOSH BOAK
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP)
— President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday to place an additional 25% tariff on India for its purchases of Russian oil, bringing the combined tariffs imposed by the United States on its ally to 50%.
The tariffs would go into effect 21 days after the signing of the order, meaning that both India and Russia might have time to negotiate with the administration on the import taxes.
Trump’s moves could scramble the economic trajectory of India, which until recently was seen as an alternative to China by American companies looking to relocate their manufacturing. China also buys oil from Russia, but it was not included in the order signed by the Republican president.
As part of a negoti-
Cuts: ‘Dangerous decision’
the video.
Infectious disease experts say the mRNA technology used in vaccines is safe, and they credit its development during the first Trump administration with slowing the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. Future pandemics, they warned, will be harder to stop without the help of mRNA.
“I don’t think I’ve seen a more dangerous decision in public health in my 50 years in the business,” said Mike Osterholm, a University of Minnesota expert on infectious diseases and pandemic preparations.
He noted mRNA technology offers potential advantages of rapid production, crucial in the event of a new pandemic that requires a new vaccine.
The shelving of the mRNA projects is short-sighted as concerns about a bird flu pandemic continue to loom, said Dr. Paul Offit, a vaccine expert at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
“It’s certainly saved millions of lives,” Offit said of the existing mRNA vaccines.
SCIENTISTS ARE using mRNA for more than infectious disease
vaccines, with researchers around the world exploring its use for cancer immunotherapies.
At the White House earlier this year, billionaire tech entrepreneur Larry Ellison praised mRNA for its potential to treat cancer.
The mRNA approach starts with a snippet of genetic code that carries instructions for making proteins. Scientists pick the protein to target, inject that blueprint and the body makes just enough to trigger immune protection — producing its own vaccine dose.
In a statement Tues-
day, HHS said “other uses of mRNA technology within the department are not impacted by this announcement.”
Speaking hours later Tuesday at a news conference in Anchorage, Alaska, alongside the state’s two Republican U.S. senators, Kennedy said work is underway on an alternative.
He said a “universal vaccine” that mimics “natural immunity” is the administration’s focus.
“It could be effective — we believe it’s going to be effective — against not only coronaviruses, but also flu,” he said.
ating period with Beijing, Trump has placed 30% tariffs on goods from China, a rate that is smaller than the combined import taxes with which he has threatened New Delhi.
Trump had previewed for reporters on Tuesday that the tariffs would be coming, saying the U.S. had a meeting with Russia on Wednesday as the Trump administration tries to end the war in Ukraine.
“We’re going to see what happens,” Trump said about his tariff plans. “We’ll make that determination at that time.”
The Indian government on Wednesday called the additional tariffs “unfortunate.”
“We reiterate that these actions are unfair, unjustified and unreasonable,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement, adding that India would take all actions necessary to protect its interests.
by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman in
Briley Prather, above, and Brennen Coffield paint their personal senior parking spaces at Iola High School Wednesday morning. REGISTER/SARAH HANEY
Conversation: Iolans discuss barriers in the community
Continued from A1
peal.
Participants also expressed pride in the small-town atmosphere, vibrant local institutions like Allen Community College (particularly its support for international students), and the way organizations like Thrive, Humanity House, and Hope Unlimited work together to meet community needs.
There was appreciation for progressive initiatives such as the city’s investments in the Cedarbrook housing addition and a splash park, and education-forward programs like USD 257’s para-to-teacher pipeline that helps fund their educations.
“The Cedarbrook addition represents the city’s bet on building something,” noted Tim Stauffer. “It was a big investment.”
Following the sale of 22 residential lots in the Cedarbrook Third Addition in November 2023, the City of Iola invested $1.7 million in extending utilities to 16 of the 22 lots in the addition at the north edge of town.
The lots were purchased by Lakeview Investment Properties, an LLC owned by Blake Boone and his mother, Jennifer Chester.
Similarly, city council members approved spending up to $173,000 to help push
the Community Involvement Task Force/ PRIDE Committee over the top in its quest to get a splash park in Iola’s Meadowbrook Park by next summer.
Community amenities such as trails, the Bowlus Fine Arts Center, and the SEK Mental Health Center were also highlighted.
THE IDEAS flowed freely when the conversation shifted to opportunities.
Suggestions ranged from whimsical to strategic: rebranding Iola’s square as the “world’s largest Monopoly board,” increasing signage to better highlight the dog park, and creating new partnerships like “Friends of the Park” for the new Lehigh Portland State Park.
Housing was one of the most discussed topics.
Participants noted the aging housing stock and called for programs to assist homeowners — especially those without the financial means — to repair and preserve their homes.
Solutions included expanding partnerships with Habitat for Humanity, offering tax rebates or microloans, and investing in more rental and affordable housing options.
Evening public transportation, youth programs (like Big Brothers/Big Sisters),
and improved mental health support in schools were also noted as areas for expansion.
“Getting into schools and talking about it earlier does help,” said Sharla Miller.
Miller mentioned the Zero Reasons Why initiative — a teen-led storytelling and community mobilization campaign to remove the stigma of mental health and prevent teen suicide.
“I’d like to bring it into the schools,” she said. “It helps take that stigma away so they can reach out and ask for help.”
The idea of creating a central calendar or digital kiosk to improve community-wide communication about events and resources
received strong support. It was pointed out that the Register sends a weekly “Around Town” email that lists upcoming community events.
The need was also stressed for unity among governing bodies — city, county, school district, and college boards — to foster better collaboration.
“We need to break down the silos that we create and have a combined meeting with all of these groups together,” Josiah D’Albini said. Fellow group member Doug Kerr agreed, adding, “If we saw them working together on a project, we’d know it would have a good chance of actually happening.”
BARRIERS to progress were also discussed candidly.
Housing continued to dominate the conversation, with concerns about affordability, code restrictions on tiny homes, and the lack of starter homes and quality rentals.
There was also mention of how difficult it is for a local family to afford a newly built $200,000+ home based on typical area wages.
Some noted that while the community has strong nonprofits and motivated individuals, there’s a lack of coordination at the county level. The absence of a county administrator was named as a structural barrier to progress and continuity, especially in regards to long-term planning.
D’Albini suggested eliminating the county commissioners’ salaries and using those funds to pay for a county administrator. Participants expressed a desire for more leadership development opportunities for young people and a more inclusive, future-oriented approach to governance.
“We’re all getting older — we need to start thinking about who’s coming next,” said Mayor Steve French.
Susan Lynn suggested at-large city council elections to help bring in more diverse voices that aren’t relegated
to specific wards, and Mary Kay Heard expressed a desire for reducing the number of council members from 8 to 5 to make participation more feasible.
Infrastructure concerns included sidewalk repairs, the need for electric vehicle charging stations, upgraded recreational facilities, and persistent eyesores — like mountains of tires near local trails that’s both a blight and a health hazard.
AS THE conversation wrapped up, attendees were asked to name the top three issues they wanted to see energy and resources focused on in the next year. These included:
• Housing: Creating pathways to ownership, addressing code issues, and restoring existing homes.
• Recycling and sustainability: Establishing a municipal recycling service that’s easy and accessible for all.
• Communication and collaboration: Improving transparency, building bridges between governing bodies, and ensuring leaders listen to community concerns.
Thrive plans to compile notes from each group and share them with community leaders to ensure that residents’ voices are heard and considered in future planning.
AWAY:
5 Family Packs - 4 Gate Admission tickets built into the voucher, $20 in food tickets, 2 Midway FunTagg Cards and 2 of the 5-Ride Pass cards. The 5-Ride Pass allows 5 scans to be used on any of the following: State Fair Railroad, Ye Old Mill, Boat Ride on Lake Talbot, Sky Ride and the Giant Slide. Total value of $168!
5 Couple Packs - 2 Adult Gate Admission tickets built into the voucher, $20 in food tickets, 1 Midway FunTagg Card and 2 Round Trip Sky Ride tickets. Total value of $88!
12 sets of four general admission tickets
12 sets of four tickets to the Demolition Derby on Mon., Sept. 8
10 sets of two tickets to Ludacris on Friday, Sept. 12
Total value of $94
Sharla Miller shares ideas about integrating mental health prevention measures in schools and addressing teen suicide. REGISTER/SARAH HANEY
Sports Daily B
Thursday, August 7, 2025
New Red Devils make debut
By JIMMY POTTS
Multiple athletes donned the Allen Community College red and black for the rst time while suiting up for Media Day.
With the regular season just around the corner, and exhibition games starting Friday, ACC athletes representing soccer, cross country, volleyball and cheer and dance posed for team pictures Wednesday.
Gefte Blanc, ACC’s men’s soccer coach, was optimistic.
“We’re doing pretty well. Most of the guys are returning,” said Blanc. Allen Trustees promoted Blanc from assistant to head coach last spring. “We’re going to do well this season, and we’re excited for everybody being here. It’s pretty easy for us. We know these guys have been training all summer long.”
The Red Devils nished fourth in the Jayhawk Conference standings with a 2-5-1 record and 5-9-2 overall last year. After graduating 13 players from their 27-man roster, the Red Devils will not lack experience, but they will have plenty of holes to ll.
Blanc said he’ll hew closely to former Coach Doug Desmareau’s coaching philosophy to nd the right players for the right places.
“We’re going to be in good shape by the time everything starts,” Blanc said. “I was blessed by Coach Desmarteau
helping me throughout the entire process. He prepared me to be in that position, and it was an easy transition.”
For the women, sophomore striker Jillian Muelhberger hopes to take a bit of pressure o incoming freshmen looking to make a mark.
With only eight returning players from 2024, the Red Devils will have more than a few freshmen taking the eld. Muehlberger believes Allen can have success early if they develop a solid team chemistry before taking the
Slow-pitch tournament opens Friday
By JIMMY
More than a month of action will come to an end this weekend as the Iola Recreation Department Women’s Slow-Pitch League kicks o its league tournament Friday.
Tuesday, Iola Recreation Department o cials announced the tournament schedule and tabbed Farm Bureau as the top seed and the only team to receive a rst-round bye.
The action begins at 1 p.m. as fourth-seed Bat Intentions and fth-seed Basic Pitches battle for the right to take on Farm Bureau at 2 p.m.
On the opposite side of Riverside Park at 1 p.m. third-seed Allen Farms and sixth-seed Cleats N’ Cleavage face o . The winner will
SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle Kraken forward John Hayden and the team’s bluehaired troll mascot had a close call with a brown bear during a promotional video shoot in Alaska.
Hayden and the mascot named Buoy were on a y- shing outing in Katmai National Park as part of a trip promoting youth hockey when the bear approached, video released by the team shows.
Knee-deep in a shallow river, they wore waders and other y- shing gear. Hayden had been shing, but a guide quickly took the rod from him.
The bear charged toward the mascot, splashing water, but turned away before making contact as Hayden, Buoy and the lm crew waded back to shore through a gentle current.
Smelling salts banned by NFL
By JOHN DUBOW The
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The NFL is banning the use of “smelling salts” during games, saying the products aren’t proven to be safe and also could mask signs of a concussion.
The league sent a memo to teams on Tuesday explaining the decision to ban smelling salts and any other ammonia inhalant during pregame activities, games and halftime on the sideline or locker rooms.
“In 2024, the FDA issued a warning to companies that produce commercially available ammonia inhalants (AIs), as well as to consumers about the purchase and use of AIs, regarding the lack of evidence supporting the safety or e cacy of AIs marketed for improving mental alertness or boosting energy,” according to the memo obtained by The Associated Press.
“The FDA noted potential
Kansas City Chiefs rookies showing early promise at training camp
By DAVE SKRETTA
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) —
After watching his Kansas City Chiefs get dismantled by the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl, general manager Brett Veach identied two speci c areas where the three-time reigning AFC champions needed to improve.
One was left tackle, where a rotating cast struggled all
season to protect Patrick Mahomes. The other was wide receiver, where injuries prevented the Chiefs from ever having the group that they expected to have on the eld. Now, it appears two positions of weakness in February could be positions of strength by the season opener in September. On the left side of the offensive line, Veach signed Jaylon Moore in free agency, then drafted Josh Simmons
in the rst round out of Ohio State. He was widely considered to be the most talented tackle prospect available, but a knee injury that robbed Simmons of most of last season also sent his stock falling, and allowed him to fall right into the Chiefs’ lap at No. 32 overall.
Three weeks into training camp, not only has Simmons showed no lingering e ects of last year’s surgery, but he
See CHIEFS| Page B3
Delaney Ramsey of Allen Farms drives in a run during a game Sunday. Allen Farms returns to the diamond Friday for a game against Cleats N’ Cleavage at Riverside Park. REGISTER/JIMMY POTTS
International members of the Allen Red Devils Women’s Soccer Team pose for their team photo during Wednesday’s Media Day at Allen Community College. REGISTER/JIMMY POTTS
The Iola Register By CEDAR ATTANASIO
The Associated Press
Associated Press
Kansas City Chiefs running back Brashard Smith (30) catches a pass while doing a drill. EMILY CURIEL/KANSAS CITY STAR
The Associated Press
POTTS
The Iola Register
New ESPN deal o ers direct-to-consumer service
By DAVE SKRETTA The Associated Press
ESPN will continue to broadcast the NFL Draft as well as obtaining new digital rights for its upcoming direct-to-consumer service.
The two agreements were announced Wednesday morning, two hours before the Walt Disney Company announced its third-quarter earnings. It also came after the NFL and ESPN announced a nonbinding agreement Tuesday night in which ESPN will acquire the NFL Network and other league media assets while the NFL gets a 10% equity stake in ESPN.
ESPN has aired the NFL Draft since 1980, when the
league’s annual selection meeting took place at the New York Sheraton Hotel. Back then, the draft was two days (Tuesday and Wednesday) and took 12 rounds. Next year’s draft will be in Pittsburgh and is expected to attract massive crowds over the three days. The rst round has had its own night since 2010.
Ward, Hunter and Jeanty among rookies to watch
By TERESA WALKER The Associated Press
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Impressive and fantastic are a couple of the words that have been used to describe Tennessee quarterback Cam Ward as the No. 1-overall pick in April’s draft takes over as the starter for a franchise that won just three games last season.
Yes, the preseason means many rookies will be surrounded by the hype that made them top draft picks, even if some might be tagged already as potential busts soon to be forgotten. Ward isn’t the only one being watched closely to see how his rst NFL season turns out.
Travis Hunter will have to show he really can play wide receiver and cornerback in the NFL, just like he did in winning the Heisman Trophy at Colorado.
The Las Vegas Raiders certainly hope Ashton Jeanty runs through defenses like he did at Boise State.
Abdul Carter won’t have to carry the New York Giants’ pass rush by himself.
Then there’s Shedeur Sanders, who was projected to be a rstround selection but who wasn’t taken until the fth round by Cleveland. After his draft slide, everybody will be monitoring what Sanders does all season long.
Here’s a closer look at some of the NFL rookies to watch this season:
face either second-seed Chicks with Sticks or the Diamond Divas, who will battle in their tournament opener at 2 p.m.
As part of the double-elimination tournament, loser bracket play begins at 3 p.m. The winners bracket semi nal begins at 5 p.m. The loser’s bracket nal begins at 6 p.m. The championship game will take place at 7 p.m. with a second game, if necessary, slated for 8 p.m.
negative e ects from AI use.
AIs also have the potential to mask certain neurologic signs and symptoms, including some potential signs of concussion. As a result, the NFL Head, Neck, and Spine Committee recommended prohibiting the use of AIs for any purpose during
Cam Ward
The Titans tried to temper expectations for the rookie during the o season. They embraced giving him as much work as possible and listed him as the starter to start the preseason with Will Levis’ decision to have season-ending shoulder surgery. Ward has shown the ability to adapt quickly after playing at three di erent colleges. He set a Division I record with 158 touchdown passes in his career. He threw for 18,184 yards during his college career while running for 473 yards and 20 more TDs. He became an AP All-American at Miami.
Titans coach Brian Callahan, who worked with Joe Burrow as a rookie in Cincinnati as the Bengals’ o ensive coordinator, has studied how other top picks fared in their rookie
seasons at quarterback, hoping to help Ward avoid missteps.
“There’s really no stone unturned when it comes to getting a rookie quarterback ready,” Callahan said. “And there’s nowhere I won’t look for potential edges or advice or anything like that. So it’s been a fun process for sure.”
Travis Hunter
Yes, Jacksonville plans to give the man they traded up to select at No. 2 overall a chance to play both o ense and defense in the NFL. The Jaguars have Hunter listed as a starting wide receiver and a backup cornerback to start the preseason.
Hunter is getting plenty of work with the o ense, where the Jaguars want Hunter to help receiver Brian Thomas Jr. and franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Jacksonville also is
play in the NFL.” San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle rst disclosed the ban during an interview with NFL Network on Tuesday, adding that he hoped the league would relent and “ gure out a middle ground.”
That won’t happen, according to the memo, which explicitly prohibits any club personnel
from providing or supplying products such as ammonia capsules, inhalers, ammonia in a cup, and any form of “smelling salts.”
Smelling salts and other similar products have been a staple on NFL sidelines for years with many players believing they can provide a sudden jolt of energy or alertness.
ESPN and ABC will each have their own telecasts of the rst three rounds on Thursday and Friday. ABC will simulcast ESPN’s coverage of the nal four rounds on Saturday. Besides ESPN’s direct-to-consumer service, Disney+ and Hulu will also stream the ESPN, ABC, and ESPN Deportes’ feeds under the multi-year agreement. The draft will also continue to be aired on NFL Network.
making sure Hunter gets practice time on defense. Hunter did join Charles Woodson (1997) as the only full-time defensive players to win the Heisman Trophy.
“We’ve been talking about the draft since last year and how we continue to build on that. ESPN has been a partner in that from day one, bringing, the fans closer to that event and building that event into one of the most popuSee ESPN| Page B4
Bear: Close call
Brown bears commonly feast on salmon in the Brooks River in Katmai National Park, gobbling them as they leap upstream over Brooks Falls to spawn. The park, nearly 300 miles (485 km) southwest of Anchorage and inaccessible by road, is home to the annual “Fat Bear Week” contest celebrating the bears as they fatten up for the winter.
The NHL team said it didn’t intend to involve the bear in lming, but included it in a video posted to social media. Organizers had hired guides for safety.
“Bears are everywhere at Brooks Falls and, like, this is their territory,” said Kraken Partnership
Marketing Director Melissa O’Brochta, who also recorded the encounter from shore. “They’re also super used to seeing humans. So I wasn’t scared.”
A troll might have been a di erent story.
“I want to blame it on Buoy,” Hayden said on the video afterward. “They were pretty interested in his look.”
The run-in happened on June 25 as part of an annual trip organized by the Bristol Bay Native Corporation in Anchorage, Alaska, with events that promote youth ice hockey.
See ROOKIES| Page B3
Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty (2) runs in a drill during training camp in Henderson, Nevada. L.E. BASKOW/LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL
First female umpire in MLB history called up
By BEN WALKER The Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — Jen
Pawol is set to become the rst woman to umpire in Major League Baseball when she works games this weekend between the Miami Marlins and Atlanta Braves.
Pawol will work the bases in Saturday’s doubleheader
at Truist Park and the plate on Sunday, MLB told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
Pawol, a 48-year-old from New Jersey, worked spring training games in 2024 and this year.
MLB’s move comes 28 years after the gender barrier for game o cials was broken in the NBA, 10 years after it end-
ed the NFL and three years after the men’s soccer World Cup employed a female referee. The NHL still has not had any women on-ice o cials. Pawol in 2024 became the rst woman to umpire big league spring training games since Ria Cortesio in 2007. Cortesio spent nine years in the minor leagues, including the last ve in the Double-A
Southern League, then was released after the 2007 season.
Pawol was an all-state softball and soccer player in New Jersey for three seasons in each sport at West Milford High School. She went to Hofstra on a softball scholarship and became a threetime all-conference pick and was on the USA Baseball
Chiefs: Newbies impress early in camp
Continued from B1
has routinely punished teammates in 1-on-1 drills, and solidi ed the starting job ahead of Saturday’s preseason opener in Arizona.
“He’s very talented, man. Very, very good rookie so far,” right tackle Jawaan Taylor said. “He’s been soaking up all the things we’ve been teaching him — Coach (Andy) Heck, the players, the veterans, and I feel like he’s going to have a great career here.”
The Chiefs need him to have one.
They haven’t had a true franchise left tackle since Eric Fisher left after two Pro Bowls following the 2020 season, and that came back to haunt them, especially against the Eagles in February. Mahomes was sacked six times in the 40-22 Super Bowl loss, and he was forced to throw under duress on at least twice that many plays.
In training camp, Simmons has consistently given Mahomes more time to throw, and that has resulted in the kinds of explosive down eld passing plays that have been absent from the Kansas City offense the past few years.
“First of all, he’s getting a lot of reps, which I think is important for a rookie,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “He’s been in there and consistently showing up every day and working and not taking plays o or anything like that.
“But he’s a worker,” Reid continued. “I mean, he’s willing to do it. It’s just a matter of keep on going. But he’s done a nice job with what we’ve asked him.
He’s working on all the fundamentals and techniques, so that’s a challenge for him.”
At the receiving end of all those down eld throws are not only the wide receivers that Mahomes and Co. expected to have last season but a potentially improved group with the addition of fourth-round pick Jalen Royals.
Rashee Rice has shown no issues after a torn knee ligament cost him most of last season, while the shoulder injury that kept Marquise Brown o the eld for months has likewise healed.
Throw in a year of growth for Xavier Worthy, their rst-round pick last year, and the Chiefs’ wide receiver group is deeper, faster and more potent than it has been in a while.
“Not to take anything away from any receiv-
ers that we’ve been with here or anywhere else (but) for me, this collective group of wide receivers from top to bottom is extremely competitive and talented,” Chiefs o ensive coordinator Matt Nagy said.
“I don’t want to take for granted is JuJu Smith-Schuster. Unbelievable right now with what he is doing, as far as a leader in that room,” Nagy added. “Watching guys out here in walkthroughs, he’s taking these young guys and using his experience and giving his knowledge to them, and it is exciting because he is a great player. So, from top down we have a lot of speed. The guys have knowledge, they’re smart, they play fast and tough. Now, it is just the timing of Pat.”
That timing has been on point so far, thanks
in part to the voluntary passing camps that the two-time MVP has run the past few years at his home in Texas. Most of the receivers on the roster show up for at least some of it, and that typically gives them a big jump on training camp, when they begin facing defenders rather than just air.
“In order for our offense to be great,” Mahomes said, “you have to be able to complete those passes. It opens up everything else. ... If we can do that, I think it is really going to open up the o ense and make us a better team in general.”
women’s national baseball team in 2001.
Pawol got a master’s degree and was living in the Binghamton area of New York and taking teacher certi cation classes at Elmira College while still playing on the side.
“I wasn’t really satis ed,” she said last year. “Coming
See UMP| Page B4
Rookies: NFL
Continued from B2
The Jags have packages for the rookie to contribute defensively.
“He’s still learning,” Jaguars coach Liam Coen said.
Ashton Jeanty
The Raiders nished last in the NFL in 2024 by managing just 79.8 yards rushing per game. That’s why they selected Jeanty at No. 6 overall and made him the highest-drafted running back since Saquon Barkley was taken No. 2 overall in 2018 by the Giants.
Jeanty’s production easily won over the Raiders, overcoming concerns about his size at 5-foot-8 and 208 pounds. Jeanty led the nation by rushing for 2,601 yards and 29 TDs last season, averaging 7.0 yards on 374 carries.
He just missed Barry Sanders’ college record set in 1988 by 27 yards and nished second to Hunter in the Heisman voting.
Now Jeanty just has to prove he can help the Raiders run in the AFC West.
Abdul Carter
Unlike Ward, who got Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon’s permission to wear his No. 1, Carter was sacked by Hall of
Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor in his quest to wear No. 56 even though he came to the Giants after 12 sacks at Penn State and after leading the nation with 23 1/2 tackles for loss last year. The third-overall pick in April won’t have the pressure of carrying the Giants’ pass rush, a unit that features three-time Pro Bowl tackle Dexter Lawrence and edge rushers Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux. The 6-3, 250-pound Carter will have the chance to be rested and strong throughout games.
Shedeur Sanders Projected to be drafted as high as No. 2, Sanders had to wait until No. 144 overall to hear his name called during the draft. Now the quarterback is at the back end of a crowded quarterback room. The Browns have him fourth on the depth chart behind veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, a third-round pick. But it is Cleveland, where four di erent quarterbacks started at least one game during the 2024 season.
Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Ashton Gillotte (97), left, and o ensive tackle
Josh Simmons (71) get into a scu e during training camp at Missouri Western State University. EMILY CURIEL/KANSAS CITY STAR
By EDDIE PELLS The Associated Press
Major decisions by the NCAA’s top decision-making body will need approval from all four major conferences — or help from a smaller conference — to pass under a set of rules approved Tuesday that are designed to streamline the way business is done.
The Southeastern Conference had been pushing for it and the other three power conferences to receive a 17% voting share on the newly reshaped Division I Board of Direc-
eld.
“I love every single one of the freshmen,” Muehlberger said. “We came together really well as a team this week. It’s been super fun hanging out with them all of the time. We’ve done team bonding on top of all our practices. It’s been fun.”
The women hope to build from a strong run in 2024. They nished with an 8-9-1 record and 3-5 in the Jayhawk Conference for third place. Jeremy Hess is the ACC women’s soccer coach.
Muelhberger anticipates success in 2025, although they’re elding a younger team. However, avenging their 2024 postseason loss to Johnson County would make her sophomore season a bit more precious.
“I’ve been trying to be outgoing and friendly, telling the freshmen, ‘If you need anything just call,’” Muehlber said. “It’s a little di cult at the start but we will get there. We have a game
tors, so that if one of the four conferences disagreed with a proposal the others could still band together to pass it with 51% of the vote.
But the legislation only increased their voting share to 16.1% each, which gives each conference power to waylay a policy it doesn’t like.
The D-I board deals with nances, litigation and infractions unrelated to conditions set in the $2.8 billion antitrust settlement that allows schools to pay players as of July 1.
Though the NCAA plays virtually no role in overseeing Bowl Sub-
division football, which is run by the College Football Playo , this is the latest in an ongoing push to give the biggest, football-playing schools more autonomy in making decisions across the college landscape.
The vote also won’t directly impact the future of March Madness, where expansion has been on the docket but won’t come this year.
Separately, the D-I board introduced a proposal to create three additional “units” to pay out for the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments.
on Friday against Coffeyville. I’m excited to see how the team looks and how we’re gelling. I’m so ready for a game.”
o of a huge competitive career, just playing locally, I wasn’t getting my x. And I remember looking at the umpire and being like, I think that’s it. I got to go for that.”
After umpiring NCAA softball from 2010-16, she attended an MLB umpire tryout camp in 2015, was invited to the Umpire Training Academy at Vero Beach, Florida, and was o ered a job in the Gulf Coast League in 2016.
Violet Palmer became the NBA’s rst woman referee when she worked Dallas’ opener at Vancouver on Oct. 31, 1997, and Sarah Thomas was the
NFL’s rst woman oneld o cial when she served as line judge for Kansas City’s game at Houston on Sept. 13, 2015.
Stéphanie Frappart of France became the rst woman to referee a men’s World Cup game when she worked Germany’s 4-2 group stage win over Costa Rica on Dec. 1, 2022, and Rebecca Walsh became the rst to referee in England’s Premier League when she ofciated Burnley’s 2-0 win at Fulham on Dec. 23, 2023. MLB has 76 fulltime sta umpires and uses ll-ins on crews for openings created by injuries and vacations.
