The Iola Register, March 4, 2025 by Iola Register

Murder Overdue checkout

By RICHARD LUKEN

Chris Belknap’s sleuthing skills topped all others Saturday at the Iola Public Library.

Belknap was the first to correctly surmise the perpetrator — Dusty Tomes — in the dramatic conclusion of a dinner theater hosted by Iola Reads.

The production, “Murder Overdue,” capped this year’s Iola Reads celebration of the Agatha Christie book “Body in the Library,” and drew a capacity crowd to the library.

Tickets were cut off to limit the crowd to 50, all of whom feasted on homemade soups and cakes provided by various Iola Reads Committee members.

After that, the crowd migrated to the other side of the library, where Deb Greenwall directed the 10-man production.

The story revolved around the murder of Will Webster, portrayed by Felix Noviel, an unscrupulous online bookseller who makes off with a

valuable library book in order to sell it for a hefty profit. Sheriff

on possible motives and alibis before announcing who did the dastardly deed.

In the end, the clues pointed to a few prime suspects.

Jeanne Cloud’s Debbie Webster, Will Webster’s exwife, had plenty of motive, thanks to back child support payments. Likewise, Church Grundy’s Mattie Pryor, who lived next door to the victim, had let it be known she didn’t appreciate her neighbor’s loud TV at night.

But in the end, the Law arrived at the aforementioned Dusty Tomes, played by Ja-

See MYSTERY | Page A8

Trump to address Congress

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday night will deliver the first joint congressional address of his second presidency.

It’s not officially called the State of the Union, a title reserved for a president’s annual address to Congress during other years of an administration. But it is an opportunity for Trump to lay

See TRUMP | Page A8

How cuts would hit Medicaid

By JENNIFER SHUTT Kansas Reflector

WASHINGTON — Republicans in Congress have gotten a crash course in Medicaid during the last few weeks, as they eye the health care program for lower-income Americans as a source for hundreds of billions of dollars in savings to pay for tax cuts.

The 72 million Americans who rely on Medicaid, especially those represented by GOP lawmakers, as well as state leaders nervous about the effect on their budgets, are closely watching what Congress does.

Democrats already have seized on potential cuts in the state-federal program to portray Republicans as trying to harm poor and vulnerable Americans to preserve tax cuts for the wealthy.

Some GOP lawmakers have begun signaling to leadership they won’t vote for anything that reduces benefits to Medicaid recipients, a position that once would have left that handful of centrists out of negotiations.

But the extremely narrow majority in the House means that Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., will have to keep pretty much everyone on the same page as the package takes shape in the weeks ahead. Johnson himself might hear from constituents about

See MEDICAID | Page A3

Mental health includes dental health

By SARAH HANEY The Iola Register

YATES CENTER — While maybe not immediately apparent, changes have come to Yates Center Dental. The business, located in downtown Yates Center, was recently acquired by Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center (SEKMHC).

According to a statement from SEKMHC, the acquisition is a pivotal step in its “mission to deliver comprehensive, integrated healthcare service to the community of Southeast Kansas.”

The acquisition was effective Feb. 1.

Yates Center Dental will continue business as usual.

Same name. Same services. And the same team of Dr. Matthew Standridge and his staff.

“We hope patients will have the same great experience they have always had at Yates Center Dental,” said Nathan Fawson, Chief Executive Officer of SEKMHC.

“Our goal is whole person care, where we can bet-

ter treat and support our patients.”

It may be more accurate to say that SEKMHC has experienced the most significant change from the acquisition. Fawson noted that this will be the first time SEKMHC has offered dental services.

“Our mission has always been to provide comprehensive and compassionate care that addresses the full spectrum of our patients’ needs,” he said. “By adding a dental service to our offerings, we ensure that our patients receive the highest level of care in all aspects of their health — mental, physical, and dental.”

Oral health plays an important role in overall wellness, said Fawson. With the addition of Yates Center Dental, SEKMHC can expand its commitment to whole-person care. By integrating dental services with

its existing mental health and primary care offerings, Fawson notes that SEKMHC continues to remove barriers to quality healthcare and improve accessibility for residents throughout Southeast Kansas. Fawson added that Yates Center Dental patients can expect a seamless transition. Patients will continue receiving care from the same team of dental

sionals, but also gain access to an expanded network of integrated healthcare services which include mental health care and primary care services.

This acquisition is another step in SEKMHC’s ongoing efforts to transform healthcare delivery in the area. In 2023, SEKMHC collaborated with Ashley Clinic to integrate mental and physical health services.

profes-

Yates Center Dental was recently acquired by Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center. The business will maintain its name, staff and location at 109 W. Butler St. in Yates Center. REGISTER/SARAH HANEY

Dalton Law, other-

wise known as Sam Terhune, followed the clues offered by the other cast of characters

The Iola Register

Sam Terhune plays Sheriff Dalton Law in “Murder Overdue,” a whodunit mystery at the Iola Public Library Saturday. Below, a crowd of more than 50 gathered for a soup dinner prior to the play, which caps the Iola Reads celebration of Agatha Christie’s book, “Body in the Library.” REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN

Nathan Fawson

Carlyle Presbyterian

Gary Murphey was the speaker Sunday, preaching from the book of John. He posed some food for thought: How was Jesus as a baby?

Jesus did his first preaching at the temple when he was 12. Jesus told us he came into the world to save sinners and you should love others as you love yourself, even those you may not agree with. Jesus came down from Heaven to do God’s will. God said if you believe in my son I will raise you up on your final day.

Reading the Bible shares so much information that it’s hard to

take it all in. But, Jesus said “whoever believes in me shall never die.” Jesus went before us to prepare a mansion, so let your heart not be troubled.

Pianist Myrna Wildschuetz returned for Sunday service. Thanks goes to Rita Sanders for filling in in her absence. Session meeting will be at the Fellowship Hall Tuesday, March 5, at 5:45 p.m. Next week is Daylight Saving Time, so spring forward your clocks for the service next week. Continue to send prayers for Pastor Steve Traw — we hope to have him back soon.

Area churches host Lenten breakfast series

Ash Wednesday marks the start of the Lenten breakfast series for Iola area churches.

On Wednesday, residents are invited to First Presbyterian Church at 7 a.m. for a short worship service and meal.

Breakfasts will be

held March 12 at First Christian Church; March 19 at First Presbyterian; March 26 at St. John’s Catholic Church; April 2 at Wesley United Methodist Church; April 9 at First Christian; and April 16 at Calvary United Methodist Church.

Colony church news

Pastor Chase Riebel gave his sermon from Ezekiel 33 titled “Why Should You Die?” Confession without repentance still equals death. It tells us in 1 John 5:12 that if we believe in Jesus Christ we are saved, but Romans 6:15 tells us that we cannot continue to sin just because we are under grace and not the law. All who repent are forgiven, but repentance means to turn away from wickedness and no longer entertain sin.

Brant McGhee gave communion medita-

tion titled “Stay with Me.” We should slow down our days and rest in the Lord, listening to Him before we hit that bump in the road. We are given rest when we rest in Him.

Brant and Danelle McGhee led worship with the songs “Awesome God,” “Everlasting God,” “Gratitude,” and “To the Table.” Mike and Isla Billings accompanied with Petra Billings on percussion and Ben Prasko on keyboard. Danelle read from Psalm 103, a psalm of praise.

ACC Board of Trustees reschedule meeting

The March Allen Community College Board of Trustees meeting has been moved to 7 p.m., March 12, in the Spencer Ambler Board Room at the ACC campus.

The meeting has been pushed back a day because of a schedule conflict on March 11, the original trustees meeting date. The meeting is open to the public.

Zelenskyy: End of war

By ILLIA NOVIKOV The Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) —

A deal to end the war between Ukraine and Russia “is still very, very far away,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, adding that he expects to keep receiving American support despite his recent fraught relations with U.S. President Donald Trump.

“I think our relationship (with the U.S.) will continue, because it’s more than an occasional relationship,” Zelenskyy said late Sunday, referring to Washington’s support for the past three years of war.

“I believe that Ukraine has a strong enough partnership with the United States of America” to keep aid flowing, he said at a briefing in Ukrainian before leaving London.

ZELENSKYY publicly was upbeat despite recent diplomatic upheaval between Western countries that have been helping Ukraine with military hardware and financial aid. The turn of events is unwelcome for Ukraine, whose understrength army is having a hard time keep bigger Russian forces at bay.

The Ukrainian leader was in London to attend U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s effort to rally his European counterparts around continuing — and likely much increased — support for Ukraine from the continent amid political uncertainty in the U.S., and Trump’s overtures toward Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Europe is suspicious of Trump’s motives and strategy. Friedrich

I think our relationship (with the U.S.) will continue, because it’s more than an occasional relationship.

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Merz, Germany’s likely next leader after the recent election, said Monday that he didn’t think last Friday’s Oval Office blow-up was spontaneous. He said that he had watched the scene repeatedly. “My assessment is that it wasn’t a spontaneous reaction to interventions by Zelenskyy, but apparently an induced escalation in this meeting in the Oval Office,” Merz said.

He said that he was “somewhat astonished

Retired personnel meeting Wednesday

The Allen County Area Retired School Personnel will meet March 5 at 11 a.m., in the Mary Ellen Stadler Conference Room at Allen Community College.

The program will be about the Orphan

Pie in the Face

On Friday, Feb. 28, Russell Stover Chocolates of Iola presented a check to Hope Unlimited in the amount of $3,092.53. Employees raised these funds via their annual Pie in the Face event at the plant. Employees donate towards the manager or supervisor that they “most love.” The top five earning managers or supervisors receive a pie in the face. In memory of former colleague Sheila Kendall, Russell Stover employees decided to donate the funds to Hope Unlimited. The organization is dedicated to assisting those in the community who have experienced abuse, providing them with resources and support as they rebuild their lives. “We believe this cause truly reflects Sheila’s compassionate spirit and her commitment to helping those in need,” read a release from Russel Stover. Pictured are Russell Stover employees presenting Donita Garner of Hope Unlimited with the donation. COURTESY PHOTO

Train. There will be a break for lunch at 11:30 a.m.

by the mutual tone,” but there has been “a certain continuity to what we are seeing from Washington at the moment” in recent weeks.

“I would advocate for us preparing to have to do a great, great deal more for our own security in the coming years and decades,” he said.

Even so, Merz said that he wanted to keep

the trans-Atlantic relationship alive.

“I would also advocate doing everything to keep the Americans in Europe,” he said.

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Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, greets Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in London on Saturday, March 1. AP PHOTO/KIN CHEUNG

Medicaid: A closer look at what cuts would mean

second-highest percentage of residents enrolled in the program. Other GOP-led states like Arkansas and West Virginia have more than a quarter of their residents signed up for Medicaid.

Johnson is suggesting as much as $50 billion a year in Medicaid waste, fraud and abuse could be recouped, though that won’t come near the level of savings the GOP has tasked its committee that oversees health care with finding.

“Medicaid is hugely problematic because it has a lot of fraud, waste and abuse. Everybody knows that. We all know it intuitively,” Johnson said in late February. “It doesn’t matter what party you’re in, you should be for that because it saves your money and it preserves the program so that it is available for the people who desperately need it.”

Beyond that, it’s unclear at the moment how exactly Republicans may alter Medicaid in the yet-to-be written package they hope to use to bolster defense and border security spending, rewrite energy policy and extend the 2017 GOP tax law.

The House and Senate must agree to adopt a budget resolution to unlock the reconciliation process that will allow them to pass their legislation without Democratic votes in the upper chamber.

The House’s budget resolution, which the Senate GOP plans to alter, proposes the Energy and Commerce Committee cut at least $880 billion from programs under its jurisdiction — which include Medicaid.

President Donald Trump has essentially said Republicans won’t “touch” Medicaid (or Medicare or Social Security), but he’s left the door open to addressing fraud.

Here is a brief explanation of why Medicaid exists, who relies on the program, what exactly is known about fraud and how the federal government splits the cost with states:

How is Medicaid funded?

The federal government covers a minimum of 50%, based on a formula that increases the federal share in states with lower per capita incomes. The states pay the rest.

The states with the highest percentage of federal funding are Alabama with 73%, Arkansas with 71%, Kentucky with 71%, Mississippi with 77%, New Mexico with 72% and West Virginia with 74%, according to the non-partisan health policy research organization KFF.

The federal government spent a total of

$6.8 trillion during the last full fiscal year, with about $611 billion going toward Medicaid.

Who receives their health care through Medicaid?

Medicaid eligibility differs in each state, but the federal government sets mandatory eligibility groups, including low-income families, qualified pregnant women and children, and individuals receiving Supplemental Security Income.

There are both financial and non-financial eligibility requirements to enroll in Medicaid, like living in the state.

The program also requires participants to “be either citizens of the United States or certain qualified non-citizens, such as lawful permanent residents.”

Medicaid covers 63% of the 1.2 million nursing home residents in the country, according to KFF.

West Virginia, Alaska, Louisiana, Mississippi and Georgia are the states with the highest percentage of nursing home residents relying on Medicaid for their coverage, according to a chart from KFF.

The Peter G. Peterson Foundation notes in an explainer on Medicaid that about “60 percent of the nation’s 73 million children received their health insurance through Medicaid or CHIP, which extends Medicaid benefits to children of low-income families who make too much money to qualify for the traditional Medicaid program.”

People with disabilities and senior citizens make up another 23% of Medicaid recipients, according to the foundation’s analysis.

How does Medicaid coverage affect prenatal and postpartum care, as well as maternal mortality?

Medicaid covers about 41% of all births

• Medicaid covers 63% of the nation’s 1.2 million nursing

• About 60% of the nation’s 73 million children get their health insurance through Medicaid.

• The elderly poor and those with disabilities account for 23% of Medicaid recipients.

in the United States, according to a fact sheet that includes a state-bystate breakdown.

That means the program has a significant impact on the type of health care women receive before, during and after giving birth, potentially setting it up as one avenue to address the country’s high maternal mortality rate.

Federal law requires states to cover postpartum coverage for at least 60 days, but it’s up to each state to decide if they want to extend coverage after that.

Democrats in Congress included provisions in the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package they approved in 2021 that gave states a way to extend that coverage up to one year. So far, nearly every state, except Arkansas and Wisconsin, has opted to do just that, according to an analysis by KFF.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists writes that expanding postpartum coverage to one year “is especially critical because of the Medicaid unwinding, which began in April 2023 and allowed states (to) restart the process of disenrolling ineligible members from Medicaid.

“Soon, many people who had Medicaid coverage will no longer be eligible for that coverage and may become unin-

sured, making Medicaid extension even more critical.”

What do we know about waste, fraud and abuse in Medicaid?

The Government Accountability Office’s high-risk list for 2025 kept Medicaid among the more challenging programs and called for “strengthening” program integrity.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which administer both programs, estimated that during the most recent full fiscal year the improper payment rate for Medicaid was 5.09%, or $31.1 billion.

That is lower than the 8.6% rate in fiscal year 2023 and the 15.6% rate in fiscal year 2022, according to the GAO report.

GAO placed Medicaid on the high-risk list due to improper payments, “limitations in CMS efforts to ensure states use Medicaid funds in accordance with federal requirements” and “limited CMS oversight of states’ Medicaid data, including on expenditure and utilization.”

Separately, the U.S. Health and Human Services Department’s Office of the Inspector General oversees Medicaid Fraud Control Units in every state, typically run by the attorney general.

The most recent annual report details 814 convictions for Medicaid fraud and an additional 329 convictions for patient abuse or neglect. The efforts recovered $1.2 billion.

A state-by-state breakdown shows Ohio had the most convictions at 183, followed by Arizona and California with 67 convictions each.

What does the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, have to do with Medicaid?

The law, approved by Democrats 15 years ago, expanded Medicaid eligibility to adults who are not seniors and earn up to $21,597 annually for one person, which is 138% of the federal poverty level.

The Supreme Court ruled in 2012 that states could choose whether to expand Medicaid eligibility or not, but expansion came with some more money from the federal government.

Ten states — Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming — have decided against expanding eligibility for adults.

How would Congress eliminating the expanded Federal Medical Assistance Percentage that goes along with Medicaid expansion under the ACA impact states?

A report from The Urban Institute, a left-leaning think tank,

projects that if lawmakers eliminate that boosted federal match for states that expanded Medicaid under the ACA, and those states choose to keep the expansion in place, it would cost “$44.3 billion in state budget cuts or additional revenues that year to replace reductions in federal spending.”

“To offset such large reductions in federal spending, states would be forced to consider making cuts to their Medicaid programs, including limiting Medicaid eligibility, further reducing already low provider reimbursement rates, or eliminating optional benefits, raising new revenues, and cutting state spending in other areas,” the report states. Should states eliminate the Medicaid expansion under that one potential scenario, the report states enrollment in both Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program would drop by 15.9 million people, or 21.8%.

How would work requirements impact Medicaid recipients?

Republicans are generally supportive of work requirements for safety net programs like Medicaid, making it one route the GOP could take as its members look for ways to offset the cost of tax cuts.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a left-leaning think tank, estimates that as many as 36 million Medicaid recipients could lose coverage if work requirements were implemented. Their projections include a breakdown by how many people would potentially be affected in each of the country’s 435 congressional districts.

– 7/3/25)

• Head Resident Assistant

• Resident Assistant $2,300 • Academic Instructors $2,800 (5) • Paraprofessional $1,800 (2) For a detailed description of all open positions and instructions for submitting your

or deliver to the Memorial Building, City Manager’s office, 2nd floor, 101 S. Lincoln. To review the lease agreement or obtain additional information please contact the City Manager’s Office at 620-431-5217.

Proposal Deadline: Open until filled, with first review of applicants April 4, 2025.

RFK Jr. backs measles shot amid deadly outbreak

By JOSEPH WILKINSON NY Daily News/TNS

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. publicly backed the measles vaccine Sunday amid an outbreak of the disease in Texas that has already killed one child. The 71-year-old vaccine skeptic had previ-

ously criticized the immunization and called the outbreak “not unusual” last week. But on Sunday, he changed his tune.

“Vaccines not only protect individual children from measles, but also contribute to community immunity, pro-

tecting those who are unable to be vaccinated due to medical reasons,” he wrote in a Fox News opinion piece. Texas’ health department has reported 146 cases of measles in the state since late January, with 98 of the cases identified in Gaines County. Of the 146 cases, 79 people were unvaccinated, while the vaccination status of 62 more patients remained unknown, according to the health department. Five people who contracted measles were vaccinated.

Family takes sides over engagement scoop

Carolyn Hax is away. The following first appeared Nov. 26 and Nov. 10, 2010.

Dear Carolyn: My daughter, “Emma,” recently got engaged and posted it on social media. That same morning, her cousin got on the phone and told her grandmother about the engagement rather than waiting for the bride-tobe to tell her (the grandmother is not online).

Should I be offended that my nephew jumped the gun and told my mother before Emma could get a chance to call her and tell her?

It’s always the case that my sister and her son have to be in everyone’s business, then wonder why people get offended. When my sister told me what her son had done, I simply replied, “You told Mom you saw the post?” Her response to that was, “You can use that as an excuse to be mad at your family if you want — I can’t stop you.”

I think my nephew could have kept his mouth shut for a couple of days until Emma had a chance to call her grandma. Am I being unreasonable?

— Getting Tired of It Being My Fault

Getting Tired of It Being My Fault: Completely unreasonable. The sole person responsible for this “lack of consideration” is Emma, who chose to scatter her news to the wind.

If you don’t think that was fair to your moth-

CRYPTOQUOTES

Tell Me About It

Carolyn Hax

er, then you’re entitled to your opinion — but you’re not entitled to blame the wind.

That your mother got the news secondhand is the direct consequence of Emma’s decision to go online before she “could get a chance” to tell Grandma. She easily could have called her grandmother before she opted for the blast announcement to her feed. That community can certainly be forgiven for assuming there was no embargo on the news.

If your mother wasn’t upset that she heard the news from your nephew, then no response on your part was necessary. If she was upset, then Emma was the one you needed to call, to note respectfully that Grandma was feeling left out.

As such, your signature is ironic: You are quick to pin blame on your sister and nephew for your daughter’s choice. It sounds as if your sister is tired of being your punching bag.

In honor of your daughter’s milestone, maybe you can stage a milestone event of your own, in the form of a decision to stop seeking grounds for offense and to start assuming people are just doing their best.

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Trump owes Americans the truth

Is he planning deals with Russia and China to carve up the planet?

With his first weeks back in office, and especially after Friday’s Oval Office brawling with Ukraine’s president, it’s clear President Trump has designs for a new world order. Perhaps he could share this vision with the country when he addresses Congress on Tuesday.

The conventional view of Mr. Trump is that he’s above all transactional. He wants deals, at home and abroad, that he can sell as great successes.

But the way his second term is unfolding, this may undersell his ambition. Mr. Trump’s strategy seems to be moving toward that of Tucker Carlson and JD Vance, who view America as in decline and no longer able to lead or defend the West.

***

It seems clear that Mr. Trump wants to wash his hands of Ukraine. “You’re either going to make a deal, or we’re out,” Mr. Trump ordered Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday. This will embolden Vladimir Putin to insist on even harsher terms for a ceasefire deal. Mr. Trump seems mainly concerned with rehabilitating Mr. Putin in world councils, such as the G-7. He wants an early summit with the Russian, though Mr. Putin has made no concessions on Ukraine or anything else.

While he solicits Moscow, Mr. Trump is hammering traditional U.S. friends. He plans 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, in violation of his own USMCA trade deal, and his defense secretary has threatened to invade Mexico to pursue drug cartels. He wants to hit Western Europe with heavy tariffs on its autos, and slap reciprocal tariffs on the rest of the trading world.

These tariffs are harsher than those he has put on China. He is clearly courting Xi Jinping, the Communist Party boss, calling him a great leader and talking about a new mutual understanding. He has shown no similar interest in defending Taiwan, and he has said in the past that China can easily dominate the island democracy in a conflict. Watching Mr. Trump and Ukraine, the leaders of Taiwan and Japan should be deeply worried.

Meanwhile in the Americas, Mr. Trump has demanded control over the Panama Canal, which the U.S. ceded by treaty in 1999. And he wants Denmark to sell Greenland to the U.S.

These moves taken together hint at a worldview that has long been the goal of Ameri-

can isolationists: Let China dominate the Pacific, Russia dominate Europe, and the U.S. the Americas. The Middle East would presumably remain a region of contention, a least until Mr. Trump does a nuclear deal with Iran.

All of this would amount to an epochal return to the world of great power compe-

leader is saying openly. Mr. Trump says he is making America great again, not retreating from the defense of freedom. He says he wants “peace,” but is it peace with honor, or the peace of the grave for Ukraine and accommodation to Chinese domination in the Pacific? And why isn’t he increasing defense

Mr. Trump’s tariffs and demands hint at a worldview that has long been the goal of American isolationists: Let China dominate the Pacific, Russia dominate Europe, and the U.S. the Americas.

tition and balance of power that prevailed before World War II. It’s less a brave new world than a reversion to a dangerous old one.

Mr. Trump hasn’t articulated this, but some of the intellectuals surrounding him have.

Elbridge Colby, nominated for the chief strategy post at the Pentagon, has argued that the U.S. must leave Europe and the Middle East to their own devices to focus on the Asia-Pacific. But Mr. Colby has also said that South Korea might have to fend for itself, and he said in a letter to us last year that “Taiwan isn’t itself of existential importance to America.”

Mr. Vance is the most vigorous promoter of the abandon Ukraine strategy, arguing that the war with Russia is little more than an ethnic dispute.

Ross Douthat, the New York Times columnist who has become Mr. Vance’s Boswell, says the Vice President and President are merely “stripping away foreign policy illusions.” He says they believe America is “overstretched” and needs to “recalibrate and retrench.”

***

Yet that isn’t what either

spending?

If Messrs. Trump and Vance really are “stripping away” illusions, why not have the courage to say what those illusions are? Perhaps it’s because such retreat might not be as popular as vague promises of peace. And perhaps because American retreat might not be as peaceful as they think.

If Russia drives peace on its terms in Ukraine, look for Russia to invade elsewhere in the future and other stronger states to grab territory from their neighbors. Look for America’s allies to seek new trading and security relationships that don’t rely on the U.S. and might conflict with U.S. interests. Japan will have little choice but to become a nuclear power to deter China, and there will be others.

As Charles Krauthammer famously said, decline is a choice.

Mr. Trump has an obligation to tell Americans what new order he thinks he is building. Then we can have a debate about his intentions and its consequences. Tuesday night would be a good moment to make his ambitions clear.

— Wall Street Journal

President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, right, meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in the Oval Office on Friday, Feb. 28. (ANDREW HARNIK/GETTY IMAGES/ TNS)

Farm and Home

USDA layoffs leave uncertain future

By COLLIN SCHOPP Harvest Public Media

Jeannie Klein-Gordon’s path to landing a job as a plant researcher with the U.S. Department of Agriculture took her from coast to coast.

The job lasted for a little more than a year.

Klein-Gordon grew up on a dairy farm in Oregon. During her undergraduate years at Oregon State, she became interested in plant pathology — or the study of plant diseases — and spent time assisting with research at the USDA Agricultural Research Services.

Then it was onto five years of doctoral work at the University of Florida, before moving to Michigan State University for two shorter post-doctoral stints.

From there, she applied to a position as a research plant pathologist at the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research in Peoria, Illinois — commonly called the Ag Lab.

“I spent 11 and a half years getting to this position, and I got the position of my dreams,” said Klein-Gordon.

“This is my dream job.”

After moving her family from Michigan to Peoria in December 2023, she set to work on research projects.

She recently focused on Red Crown Rot — a disease that appeared in Illinois in 2018 and presents a significant threat to the state’s multibillion-dollar soybean industry. The team’s experiments looked to develop products for farmers to fight the disease.

That ended Thursday, Feb. 13.

Klein-Gordon’s employment was terminated by email at 10:05 p.m. She was 15 months into a standard three-year probationary period for government scientists.

KLEIN-Gordon wasn’t alone.

At the USDA’s National Centers for Animal Health in Ames, Iowa, dozens of researchers and other employees lost their jobs.

In Clay Center, Nebraska, at least 17 people at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center were terminated.

About a dozen employees were let go at the newly-built National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, according to

Jeannie Klein-Gordon stands in a soybean field. Before she was dismissed from the Ag Lab, her research looked for solutions to Red Crown Rot, a disease threatening Illinois’ soybean industry. PHOTO COURTESY JEANNIE KLEIN-GORDON/HARVEST PUBLIC MEDIA

a local newspaper in Manhattan, Kansas.

The total number of layoffs across the USDA is unknown.

IN THE DAYS following the terminations, the USDA scrambled to hire back employees who deal with the government’s response to bird flu.

“I think it’s pretty clear that the cuts have been indiscriminate and not particularly well planned out,” said Brian Depew, the executive director for the Center for Rural Affairs.

The non-profit, based in Nebraska, advocates for policies that help rural communities, as well as lending financial support to projects throughout the region.

Depew said through the center’s work, he had heard of significant cuts to local staff in the USDA’s Rural Development Office and the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Nebraska.

“These are individuals that help communities and producers and individuals navigate federal grant programs and make sure that they’re able to get resources to the field,” he said.

Depew said with the significant workforce loss, he expects services to rural communities and farmers will suffer.

THE LAYOFFS at USDA were just one part of an executive order issued Feb. 11 called the “Implementing The President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ (DOGE) Workforce Optimization Initiative.” It outlined changes to create a “critical transformation of the Federal

Planning pasture fertilization

Spring is just around the corner and that means it is time to be thinking about pasture fertilizers and weed control. As you know, the last three years have been hard on our pastures due to drought. One major question that seems to get asked a lot is “did my grass survive?” The short answer is only time will tell.

Lonnie Mengarelli

Extension Agent for Agriculture

Bureaucracy.”

Within days of the order, mass layoffs also took place at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Environmental Protection Agency, among others. Some former employees have referred to it as the “Valentine’s Day Massacre.”

Reports show the terminations mainly focused on probationary employees, which includes recent hires and those promoted or moved to new positions.

The letter that probationary employees at the Ag Lab in Peoria received on the evening of Feb. 13 read in part: “The Agency finds, based on your performance, that you have not demonstrated that your further employment at the Agency would be in the public interest.”

KLEIN-GORDON was filling a role that had been vacated by a retiree five years ago. She was preparing to start an experiment when she was laid off.

She said it was important that her work help farmers. Now, she’s unsure what will happen to it.

“I put what I felt was my heart and soul into my job and serving stakeholders, serving our growers and their best interests and their needs,” she said, “and it is a slap in the face to be treated this way.”

Research has shown that January and February are recommended times to fertilize pastures and hay meadows, but many producers have been known to wait till March and even April. As with most agricultural practices there is more than one way to do things, it is just a matter of adapting to the timing of the application.

PRODUCERS ARE aware that they need nitrogen for cool season grass such as fescue. While that is true for hay production especially, for pastures phosphorous plays an important role in plant health especially in a drought year. This is due to phosphorus promoting strong root development and early root growth. Phosphorus also plays a key part in cell division during growing stages, storing and transferring energy, and increasing disease resistance in plants. So yes, grass needs nitrogen but also requires phosphorus to maintain a healthy pasture.

There are options available for weed and brush control that can be applied by coating your fertilizer with them. This is beneficial to you as a producer for a couple of reasons. Most importantly time your time! Why wouldn’t you want to save time by doing two things at once? AKA feeding your grass and killing your weeds in one pass. Secondly by doing this you also save money by not having a second application cost. The down side to this is you will need to wait till later in the spring to apply the herbi-

cides to get a better control on your weeds. It is recommended that you wait till April 1st to make sure weeds and brush are emerging and are actively growing quickly. This also helps with the residual in herbicides to maintain control longer into the fall such as Aminopyralid plus Rinskor.

IF YOU CHOOSE not to use a herbicide with your fertilizer and would like to over seed your pasture you can mix the seed in your fertilizer cart and spread it together. Now the thing you need to know about doing this is that the seed will not travel as far as the fertilizer. To overcome this it is best to find a 50 foot double spinner fertilizer buggy, and then you’ll need to set it to half of the application rate. You will then double spread it to reduce your seed skips. As for recommended fertilizer rates a soil test is your best option to see what is needed in your pasture, but there are some common

mixes that many producers tend to use. For lower stocking rates on pasture a lot tend to use a 30-30-30 (Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium) mix. For higher stocking rates a 50-30-30 tends to get a little extra bump to get them though the growing season.

ON MARCH 25, there is a Soil Health: Pasture Rejuvenation field day at the Southeast Research and Extension Center in Parsons from 8:30am to 2:30pm. Lunch will be Provided. Topics include: Soil Variability, Soil Health Measurements, Pasture management, Farmer Panel, and Drone Demonstration.

Lonnie Mengarelli is a K-State Research and Extension Agriculture agent assigned to Southwind District. He may be reached at

news@iolaregister.com WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! 620-365-2111

302 S. Washington Ave., Iola iolaregister.com

Mystery: Iola reads caps celebration

Continued from A1

cob Cooper, a rival bookseller revealed to have surreptitiously arranged a deal to buy the stolen book before a scuffle broke out and he inadvertently murdered Webster.

Before the big reveal, audience members were asked to identify which character they believed committed the crime.

Belknap was first. His prize, aptly enough, was the board game “Clue.”

Others taking part in the production were Melissa Smoot as the narrator; Abigail Musser, who played Page Turner, the library cat; Gracie Campbell as Agatha Book, the librarian.

Greenwall also played a small, but pivotal role, as a library patron, who inadvertently distracts the library staff, opening the door for Will Webster to steal the valuable library book.

Noviel played a second role as well, Albert Pennyworth, who owns the apartment complex in which the murder victim lived.

The story was adapted by a play developed at the Eureka Public Library, Smoot explained, with a few modifications to

Jeanne Cloud, left, and Felix Noviel play out a scene from “Murder Overdue” Saturday at the Iola Public Library. Below, Ethan Riebel, right, helps fill out clues on a worksheet with Logan Thompson-Belknap. The events, including a soup supper, capped the Iola Reads celebration of the Agatha Christie book, “Body in the Library.” REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN

change the location to Iola.

Public notice

(First published in The Iola Register March 4, 2025)

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF ALLEN COUNTY, KANSAS Probate Division In the Matter of the Estate of Wesley W. Stephens, Deceased Case No. AL-2025-PR-000007

Notice of

Continued from A1

out his priorities for the year.

Here’s information on how to tune in to Trump’s joint address on Tuesday: What time is the joint address?

Trump’s remarks to Congress are slated to begin Tuesday at 8 p.m.. What channel will carry the address?

A number of networks have said they plan to air the Republican president’s address across their broadcast and streaming platforms, with special programming before

Correction An article detailing the Southeast Kansas Library System in Wednesday’s Register incorrectly reported the number of libraries served by the system.

The system serves 103 libraries — 54 public libraries, one special library, 41 schools and all seven academic libraries in southeast Kansas. We regret the error.

Trump: Talks to Congress

and afterward. The Associated Press will air a livestream of the address online at apnews. com and on its YouTube channel. Where does the address happen?

Trump’s speech will take place in the U.S. House chamber. Larger than the Senate chamber, it can accommodate both House and Senate lawmakers as well as other officials who are typically invited to such events. Who else will be there?

Members of the U.S. Supreme Court and Trump’s Cabinet will at-

tend.

There’s always one Cabinet member missing, though. Called the “designated survivor,” that person — who by position is in the presidential line of succession — is intentionally left out of such events to ensure that someone could assume the office of the president in case of a catastrophic or mass-casualty event.

The president typically invites guests who join the event from the balcony above the House floor and are seated with the first lady.

Sports Daily B

Tuesday, March 4, 2025

Wacker makes history in Salina

IHS freshman first female to medal at state

By JIMMY POTTS

The Iola Register

SALINA — Iola High School freshman 130-pound wrestler Addilyn Wacker made history Saturday after becoming the first female IHS grappler to earn a state medal.

Two weeks removed from capturing the Class 4 Regional title, Wacker (29-9) battled to the state semifinals until falling, then later securing third place on a high note as she held onto a chicken-wing — scoring near-fall points until the very end of her first state appearance.

“I just wanted to go out there and do my best. I am grateful for this opportunity,” Wacker said. “I was happy that, even if I didn’t place high, I still placed. That was one of my goals this year — to place at state. I did not expect to get this far.”

Wacker opened the tournament with a third-period pin after running a half-nelson on Concordia junior Airiana Wogomon (21-15), then literally escaped the quarterfinals with a 1-0 decision over Goodland junior Danica Dautel (32-16) via a third-period standup. Her luck ran out in the semifinals against eventual state runner-up Kahlyn Davis (28-6) of Halstead, who defeated Wacker in a 11-2 major decision.

Although she would not become a state champion

See STATE| Page B3

Iola knocks off Riverton 68-59

By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register

RIVERTON — Iola High’s boys entered Friday’s Class 3A Substate opener cautiously confident about their chances.

“I felt good about where we were mentally,” Mustang head coach Luke Bycroft said. “I felt good about our practices, what we’d asked them to do, and how they responded.

“But then the game started, I thought, ‘Maybe not.’”

Host Riverton jumped out of the gates like a rocket, opening a 13-4 lead by the midpoint of the first quarter.

“But we settled in,” Bycroft said. “There were some nerves in a game like this, and we settled in.”

Iola clawed back to within three late in the first quarter and took the lead for good on Cortland Carson’s 3-pointer midway through the Iola High’s Nick Bauer (2) is pressured by Riverton’s Tyler Reitz (10) Friday in the sub-state opener. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN

See IOLA| Page B2

Girard eliminates Humboldt 50-49

By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register

HUMBOLDT — Even after the final horn sounded, with Humboldt High’s Cubs still down a point to Girard, players from both sides were unsure of what to do.

They looked on with equal parts exhaustion and confusion as the officials huddled, debating whether Humboldt senior standout Colden Cook was fouled as he launched a last-second runner that bounced off the rim.

After only a few seconds the officials emerged from

See SUB-STATE| Page B4

Mathes takes third; Baylor fourth at state

By JIMMY POTTS The Iola Register

The Humboldt Cubs and Lady Cubs came away from Hays with some hardware after medaling at the Class 1, 2 and 3 state tournament Saturday.

Cole Mathes (42-5) wrapped up his senior year by taking third place in the 190-pound weight class while junior 155-pounder Taevyn Baylor (40-5) gave Humboldt fans plenty to look forward to next November after taking fourth place. Mathes opened the tournament with a 4-2 decision over Wakeeney senior Kaiden Bliss (24-10) but fell to eventual state champion Sam Watkins (42-1), a senior from Hoxie, via 17-0 tech-fall. Mathes bounced back with a 15-0 tech-fall of Douglass

Lady Lancers advance after 36-34 nailbiter

RICHARD LUKEN

The Iola Register

OLPE — After a tough start Saturday, Crest High girls head coach Steve Zimmerman called timeout, mainly just to settle his players.

“I think we were a little shell-shocked,” he admitted.

Host Olpe was downright stifling in the early going, limiting the Lady Lancers to four points in the first quarter.

But aside from getting his players to calm their nerves, Zimmerman reminded Crest’s squad that they’re pretty good on the By

See CREST| Page B2

freshman 130-pound wrestler Addilyn Wacker runs a half-nelson during the state wrestling tournament last Friday in Salina, where she took third place. REGISTER/JIMMY POTTS

Humboldt High’s Colden Cook (35) collides with Girard High’s Ben Cullin (12) as he puts up a last-second shot. MIKE MYER/HHS

Humboldt senior Cole Mathes holds a pose while accepting his third-place medal Saturday in Hays. TERRY MEADOWS/HHS

Iola: Faces Caney Valley on Wednesday

Continued from B1

largely controlled the game from there in a 68-59 victory.

The win puts Iola two wins away from a Class 3A State Playoff berth.

Standing in the way is a Substate semifinal Wednesday at Caney Valley, a 70-19 winner over Cherryvale. Tipoff is at 7 p.m.

The key to Friday’s win, Bycroft and senior forward Lucas Maier agreed, was Iola’s ability to get key rebounds against Riverton’s towering front line.

The Rams’ Terryk Richardson — listed at 6-10 — had eight points by the middle of the first quarter, but only seven the rest of the way.

The responsibility to guard Richardson and his other towering forecourt teammates fell on Maier, Grady Dougherty and reserves Tre Wilson and Jordy Kaufman.

“If they passed to our guys, we’d slide over and another defender would come over the double team,” Maier explained. “That really kind of shut them down in the post. Obviously (Richardson) is gonna have a lot of length over us, but having that double-team really helped us a lot.”

But that was only half the battle.

“It was a matter of effort, hustle and wanting every ball on the floor,” Maier said. “If the ball was down there, get after it, dive 10 feet if you have to.”

Nowhere was that as evident as a sequence late in the half, when Iola’s Nick Bauer and Cortland Carson were pressuring the Riverton guards at midcourt.

Carson poked the ball free,while Bauer made a diving save, flipping the ball to a streaking Wilson for the layup, pushing Iola ahead, 25-20.

“Once we settled in, we really did control the game the rest of the way,” Bycroft said.

Iola led 33-27 at the break, and then took control behind Carson’s seven third-quarter points and bookend 3-pointers from Matthew Beckmon, the second of which gave Iola a 48-41 lead.

Riverton’s Cale Forbes pulled the Rams to within 50-46 early in the fourth quarter, but no closer.

Iola remained stout on defense, preventing Riverton’s players from getting clean looks at the basket.

“They’re big. Compared to us, they’re huge,” Bycroft said. “We wanted to double their post players before they could even make a move. We weren’t very good at it in the first half, but we were much better in the second.”

Iola put the game away by hitting 15 of 22 free throws in the fourth quarter.

Carson led the way with 23 points, seven rebounds and two steals, while hitting 10 of 11 free throws. Beckmon scored 12 with five assists and two steals. Wilson narrowly missed a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds, including five offensive boards. Bauer had seven assists and two steals. Maier scored seven points.

“I told the guys we had to do two things to win: rebound and take care of the ball,” Bycroft

said. “For the most part, we did that.”

NEXT UP is a rematch at Caney Valley, a game in which Iola led for much of the fourth quarter before falling in overtime.

“I haven’t seen anything from them in the last month and a half,” Bycroft said. “I knew it was a possibility, but I wanted our focus solely on these guys. I’ll spend the weekend getting ready for Caney, and we’ll have a couple of good practices.”

“We’re ready to go back and play well against them,” Maier said. “We’re ready to get

Humboldt: Room to improve

Continued from B1

senior Gavin Bowman (19-23), then broke into the consolation bracket with a second-period pin of Caney Valley sophomore Rayden Martin (3110). Mathes edged Kingman-Norman senior Collin Schreiner (38-8) in a 4-2 decision, then Effingham-Atchison County Community sophomore Elijah Webb (30-12) in a 5-3 decision for third place.

Baylor, the top seed at 155, seemed to cruise to the semifinals with a first period pin of Wichita County freshman Jaelene Vestal (20-17), then pinned Phillipsburg junior Johnna Ebner (2716) in the second period.

A loss via first-period pin to Plainville senior Zoe Brown (38-7),

cut short her state title aspirations. She pinned Norcatur senior Dali Braun (26-18) to wrestle for third place, where she fell to Hutchinson senior Trista Rogers (44-7).

Other results from state:

Heavyweight freshman Gabriela Vargas-Garcia (28-12) fell to River Long (13-14) of Stockton via second-period pin, then defeated McKenzie Rohr of Solomon (4-19) via first-period pin before elimination by Royal Valley freshman Hanna Myers (19-12) via 3-2 decision.

At 115, freshman Jordan Hency (20-18) fell to Wakeeney junior Kailan Rothchild via first-period pin, then defeated Cherryvale junior Alayna Collina (29-16) via third-period pin before elimination by Wathena senior Bayleigh Cooper (29-11) via

second-period pin.

a win against them.”

Wednesday’s winner will travel to Columbus Saturday to take on either Burlington or Anderson County in the Substate Championship.

The Class 3A State Tournament is March 12-15 in Hutchinson. Iola (13-20-15-20—68)

Crest: Postseason

Continued from B1

defensive end, too.

Sure enough, Crest whittled away at the lead, bit by bit, until pulling even early in the fourth quarter to settle up a dramatic finish.

Kinley Edgerton scored the decisive points down the stretch as Crest emerged with a 36-34 victory.

The win puts Crest in Friday’s Class 1A-I Substate Tournament championship vs. Flinthills at Canton-Galva High School.

“Cursten Allen had a huge game for us,” Zimmerman said. “She hit some huge 3’s to close the gap.

“But make no mistake,” he continued. “Our defense was what made the difference. It was a whole team effort.”

Crest closed Olpe’s lead to 19-15 at halftime and 29-27 after three.

Crest had a scare in the waning seconds when guard Aylee Beckmon fell on her knee and the

Crest (4-11-12-9—36) FG/3pt FT

Lady Lancers leading, 35-34.

“We think she’ll be OK,” Zimmerman said. The Lancers rebounded a missed free throw, and were able to run out most of the clock until Olpe fouled Edgerton with 3 seconds left.

Edgerton hit the first free throw. Olpe rebounded Edgerton’s miss, but could do no better than a desperation heave that was off the mark when the buzzer sounded.

Allen led the way with 14 points and Edgerton had 11.

Players like Karlee Boots, who scored five points, also warranted praise, Zimmerman said.

“She’s mad at herself for only scoring five points, but her defense was terrific,” Zimmerman said. “The whole team played great defense.”

Kayla Steinke and Lilly Skalksy led Olpe with 13 and 12 points, respectively.

At 190, junior Savannah Koch (31-15) opened the tournament with a first-period pin of Ellis senior Riley Rodriguez (11-15), then fell to Douglass sophomore Layton Roberts (26-13) via third-period pin. Koch rebounded with a 5-0 decision over Oakley junior Abbie Mandeville (9-13) before falling to Smith Center sophomore Kacee Herredsberg (17-20) via 8-2 decision.

At 170, Willow LaCrone junior (20-17) fell to Ellis senior Gracelyn Dombrowski (13-7) via first-period pin, then Central sophomore Eva Wyatt (14-14) via second-period pin.

BOYS: At 126, Curt Shannon (32-17) fell to Effingham-Atchison County Community sophomore Luke Smith (32-13) in a 9-7 decision, then Hill City junior Ryan Budig (32-16) via first-period pin.

Humboldt junior Traevyn Baylor stands on the podium while accepting her fourthplace medal Saturday at state tournament in Hays. TERRY MEADOWS/HHS

Iola High’s Jordy Kaufman puts up a shot while being guarded by Riverton’s Levi Mann (35) Friday. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN

State: Iola looks ahead to 2026

Saturday, Wacker still had something to fight for. Her teammates, coaches, friends and family made the threehour journey to Salina and sat mat-side every round.

In the consolation semifinals, she locked down a half-nelson on Marysville sophomore Karleigh Throm (28-12) to score the majority of her points in a 4-1 decision, putting Wacker in contention for a bronze medal.

The only person standing in Wacker’s way of third place was Jefferson West junior Payge Vetsch (41-10). Wacker previously defeated Vetsch in the regional finals in a 14-3 major decision, but both Coach John Taylor and Wacker knew strange things can happen in medal round matches, when there is nothing to lose. Vetsch took a gamble by diving in for a takedown on a single-leg. The gamble paid off as she jumped out to a 3-0 lead.

“It was an emotional match. We knew we could win. We beat her at regionals,” Taylor said. “She worked so hard. She out-worked anybody in our room. She deserves what she gets. I told her before the match, ‘Do you want to end your season on a loss or do you want to end it on a win?’”

Wacker remembered Coach Taylor’s warning to not panic if she gave up a takedown early. After all, two-thirds of every match takes place on the ground, and that was Wacker’s time to strike. Despite leading, Vetsch gambled again by choosing to go neutral, and hoping for another 3-point takedown. But this time, Wacker was ready. Stuffing the takedown, Wacker circled around to tie the match with a takedown of her own.

And then she went to work.

Wacker took the down position to open the third period, then in a flurry of moves switched from a standup to a sit-out, taking Vetsch’s back in the scramble. Now leading 5-3, Wacker did not relent as she worked a chicken-wing, scoring near-fall points until the final seconds.

“I’ve seen matches all weekend long where kids try to stall only to give up a last second takedown,” Taylor said. “I try to push that in their mind, you have a lead because you out-wrestled them the entire match. Don’t stop wrestling that way at the end — try to finish it — she did that. And she did it really well.”

Although Wacker stood alone on the medal podium, the applause from the crowd as the referee raised her hand proved she did not make this journey by herself. Despite being the only Iola medalist that day, Taylor believes the entire program won Saturday.

“It’s going to make big dividends next year. I let a lot of kids come so they could experience this. A lot of

them are now motivated,” Taylor said.

“The great part about our program is most schools have separate men’s and women’s teams, but we have a team. When Addie and Zoie were wrestling, all of the boys were watching them. They care about each other.”

As for Wacker, she thanked those who supported her throughout the year. With three more years of high school wrestling left, Wacker’s legacy at Iola may be just beginning.

“My teammates especially, they are always supportive, always matside for my matches giving me that big energy boost,” Wacker said.

“The people I want to thank the most are my coaches. They’ve been coaching me since I was really little. I could not have done it without them. I felt like I had a lot of support during that match.”

for most of the match, Hesse fell to top-seeded Fort Scott junior Ali Simhiser (35-4) when the eventual bronze medalist found a power-half-nelson in the second period.

“Zoie is a wrestler who can beat anybody in that bracket,” Taylor said. “She just didn’t do it this weekend. Now the hard work begins, and we get ready for next year.’”

Pratt benefits despite early exit

After finishing second at last week’s regional competition in Altamont, sophomore 157-pounder Kale Pratt (24-14) faced a tough road at state.

We have a team. When Addie and Zoie were wrestling, all of the boys were watching them. They care about each other.

— Coach John Taylor

He opened the tournament with a loss to Goodland junior Omar Hernandez (25-14) via tech-fall, then fell to Wellsville freshman Jakes Doles (33-13) via second-period pin.

Coach confident in Hesse for next season

At 190, sophomore Zoie Hesse came up just one match short of making the medal podium.

Hesse (28-3) opened the tournament with a loss via first-period pin after struggling to find her footing in a scramble against St. George sophomore Rae Wilson (23-10). She rebounded by pinning Clay Center sophomore Skylet March (13-19) in similar fashion. Despite leading on the scoreboard

Although making an early exit, Pratt has nothing to hang his head about considering everything he accomplished this season, said Taylor.

“Kale came in as a sophomore, and young. I don’t think there were a lot of expectations for him,” Taylor said. “Getting here was our goal for the year. Anything better than that was icing on the cake. His bracket was stacked with juniors and seniors with a ton of experience. Just getting him out here and getting the experience of being here will help.”

Above, Iola High School sophomore Zoie Hesse works for control against Ali Simhiser of Fort Scott. Below, Wacker has her hand raised after winning the bronze medal in the consolation finals. REGISTER/JIMMY POTTS

Jimmy Johnson retires as NFL announcer

By Staff report

The Associated Press

Jimmy Johnson, who won two Super Bowls and a national championship as a coach, has announced his retirement from Fox Sports after being a part of its NFL coverage for 31 years.

The 81-year-old Johnson made the announcement Monday.

“The most fun I ever had in my career, that’s counting Super Bowls and national championships, was at Fox Sports,” he said, adding that he loved working for CEO Eric Shanks and Fox NFL Sunday producer Bill Richards.

“But I’ve made an extremely difficult decision,” he said. “I’ve been thinking about it for the last four or five years and I’ve decided to retire from Fox. I’m going to miss it.

I’m going to miss all the guys. I’ll see them occasionally. It’s been a great run starting 31 years ago.”

Johnson worked alongside hosts Curt Menefee and Terry Bradshaw and analysts Howie Long and Michael Strahan.

“Jimmy Johnson was there when Fox NFL Sunday came onair for the first time

31 years ago, and since then has been a cherished member of our Fox Sports family, which makes today’s retirement news bittersweet,” Shanks said in a statement posted to social media. “Jimmy served as an inspiration to generations of football fans with his legendary swager, one-of-a-kind inside and signature humor.”

Johnson won Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys for the 199293 seasons and the college football national championship with Miami in 1987.

Johnson coached the Cowboys for five seasons, stepping down after winning his second Lombardi Trophy and three months later was hired as a Fox NFL pregame show analyst. He left in 1996 to become general manager and coach of the Miami Dolphins. He returned to Fox in 2002.

Johnson’s coaching career started in 1965 as an assistant at Louisiana Tech, Bradshaw’s alma mater. He became a head coach for the first time in 1979, at Oklahoma State, and left after five years for Miami, where he went 52-9 with two No. 2 finishes to go with his 1987 title.

Rams QB Stafford walks out on contract talks

By Greg Beacham

The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP)

— Sean McVay says he never seriously thought his partnership with Matthew Stafford would come to an end this month after four seasons together with the Los Angeles Rams.

The head coach still acknowledged Monday that he’s “been sleeping better the last couple of days” since the Rams and Stafford ended their much-publicized negotiations by agreeing to a restructured contract that gives a substantial raise to the Super Bowl-winning quarterback.

“That was never something that felt like ever got close, and it was never something that I allowed my mind to go to,” McVay said of the possibility of a breakup with Stafford, whose agent was allowed to speak to other teams about the quarterback’s potential value in a trade.

The Rams got a deal done with the 37-year-old Stafford, whose return keeps them among the NFL’s clear Super Bowl contenders for 2025.

Los Angeles has made the playoffs three times in Stafford’s four seasons, and the NFC West champion Rams gave the strongest challenge in the just-completed postseason to the eventual champion Philadelphia Eagles, who only narrowly won the teams’

Cubs: End season in tough loss

their huddle with a quick wave of their arms.

No foul. Girard 50, Humboldt 49.

So ended Humboldt’s season in the first round of the Class 3A Substate Tournament with a 16-4 mark.

Girard, 6-13, which entered Friday’s contest as the No. 13 seed, advances to play at Fredonia Wednesday in the semifinals.

“It was definitely a chaotic ending,” Humboldt head coach David Taylor agreed.

The game saw big runs by both teams, but seemed to be in Humboldt’s favor when Senior guard Tre Franklin drilled a 3-pointer with 1:40 left to put the Cubs on top, 47-44.

But a recurring theme for much of the night — struggles at the free throw line, and Girard’s ability to get key offensive boards — proved fatal down the stretch.

The Cubs missed four straight free throws after Franklin’s 3-pointer.

Meanwhile, Girard’s Scott Moore got open inside for a bucket to pull the Trojans to within 47-46.

The teams traded turnovers before two missed Humboldt free throws gave Girard possession once again. Moore connected again from the lane, putting Humboldt in arrears, 48-47, with 40 seconds left.

Humboldt missed two more free throws.

snowy divisional round meeting.

The Rams haven’t revealed the size of Stafford’s pay raise, but McVay said the quarterback didn’t add extra years to his contract. He is still signed through the 2026 season under the original fouryear extension he accepted following the Rams’ Super Bowl triumph in February 2022.

Girard, which also struggled from the line, missed both of its free throws with 20 seconds left, but the Trojans’ Blake Brokob grabbed the second miss and had a quick putback, pushing the lead to 5047 with 20 seconds left.

After a timeout, Franklin got a clean look from 3-point range, but the shot was short, into the arms of Cook, who put in the offensive rebound to make it 50-49 with

4.5 seconds left on the clock.

That’s when things took a turn for the surreal.

Humboldt pressured the ball as Girard attempted to inbound the ball, prompting the Trojans to try for a long pass to Moore behind the Cub defenders.

But Cook intercepted the pass at midcourt. Knowing time was running short, Cook drove down the left side of the court, leaning in for a running layup attempt and into Girard defender Ben Cullin. Both players crashed to the floor, the ball bounced off the rim and the buzzer sounded.

Just like that, the Cubs’ season of promise was over.

“The guys had a very good season,” Taylor said. “I think exhaustion may have had a part in it. Girard’s a good team, and they got some key rebounds.”

Humboldt started out like gangbusters.

Blake Ellis drained a 3-pointer late in the first quarter, triggering a 22-9 run to put the Cubs ahead, 30-16 with

4:40 left in the half.

But things went cold from there.

Girard’s zone defense stymied Humboldt and the Trojans rattled off a 14-0 run to knot the score at 30-30 midway through the third quarter.

Cook’s layup with 4:36 left in the period snapped Humboldt’s 8-minute scoring drought.

Girard’s Brokob scored with 3:59 left to push the Trojans ahead, but Humboldt rattled off eight straight points on a 3-pointer and layup from Avery Works and another 3-pointer from Franklin.

Blake Ellis scored early in the fourth quarter to push Humboldt’s lead to 42-37, but the Trojans responded with a 7-2 run to knot the score at 4444 with 4:01 left.

That’s where it stood until the game’s frantic finale.

Franklin led the Cubs with 15 points and three assists. Cook added 12 points and three assists. Works scored nine points with five rebounds and four assists.

Ellis scored seven and Mason Sterling scored six points with three steals.

Girard was the epitome of balanced scoring. Four players reached double figures, with Moore and Kam Smith scoring 11 apiece and Brokob and Ranson Born each scoring 10.

HUMBOLDT loses the services of a decorated senior class: Cook, Ellis, Works, Franklin, Asher Hart and Keith Gomez.

“They’ve had good careers,” Taylor said. “I feel bad for the kids. But unless you win a state championship (or finish third), your season is gonna end like this.” Girard