The Iola Underhogs, the school’s second-year barbecue cookoff team, ventured to Wichita Saturday for the Kansas High School BBQ Association state meet.
Iola took 15 competitors — three teams of five — and all 15 qualified for the National BBQ Cookoff June 2-5 in Kansas City, Kan.
“We had a good day,” team coach Doug Kerr said.
Highlighting the day was Iola’s Junior Underhogs team of Ethan Sutterby, Cameron Palmer, Shayden Thyer, Isaiah Geizler and Drake Genoble, who took second overall, four points shy of winning a state championship.
The Lady Underhogs, Mahayla Burris, Alexys Leake, Lyndsay Wilson, Kenleigh Westhoff and Taylor McCoun took third in the allgirls division.
The Iola Underhogs, consisting of Franklin Kerr, Alston Nelson, Rohan Springer, Joe Holding and Simon Mueller, also earned a top-10 finish, thus qualifying for nationals.
The students were rated on their ability to cook up six types of meals: ribs, chicken, brisket, chili and grilled cheese.
Iola Underhogs members Simon Mueller, from left, Franklin Kerr, Rohan Springer and Alston Nelson compete Saturday at the Kansas High School Barbecue Championships. At right, Iola’s Kenleigh Westhoff takes a bite of a cut of meat following the competition. PHOTOS COURTESY OF NICKI GOSSETT
Iola’s competitors brought home second- and thirdplace finishes in brisket, third in both chicken and steak and second overall in grilled cheese.
For their efforts, Iola’s squad brought home an assortment of trophies and banners.
“We’re gonna start a trophy
See UNDERHOGS | Page A8
Farmers, consumers brace for tariff effects
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Farmers and meat producers across the U.S. can expect the new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China and the retaliatory action from those countries to hurt their bottom lines by billions of dollars if they stay in place a while, and consumers could quickly see higher prices for produce and ground beef.
But some of the impact on farmers might not be felt until the next harvest and some products might actually get cheaper in the short run for consumers if exports suffer. And the price of corn, wheat and soybeans accounts for relatively little of the price of most products. Plus, President Donald Trump could offer farmers significant aid payments, as he did during the trade war with China during his first administration, to offset some of the losses.
In his address to Congress Tuesday night, Trump argued that agricultural imports hurt American farmers and asked them to “bear with me again” as he seeks to protect them. He didn’t mention
any additional aid.
“I love the farmer,” he said. If the tariffs make farmers uneasy about investing in expensive tractors and consumers worry so much about groceries that they cut other spending, that would hurt the economy overall and could even lead to a recession. And consumers were already worried about record egg prices amid a bird flu outbreak.
“Exactly how strong our economy is over time has a lot to do with U.S. consumers’ comfort with continuing to go out to restaurants and continuing to buy washers and dryers and just that general activity. And a lot of what we’re talking about here is probably going to slow some
No school because of ... wind?
MORAN — A cold front that barrelled into Allen County overnight with gusty northwest winds caused an extended power outage for several Moran residents.
City Clerk Taeler Carr said Evergy crews had to deal with disruptions south and east of Moran, keeping much of the town in the dark until after 7 a.m. Because Evergy could not guarantee when power would be restored, Marmaton Valley-USD 256 officials called off school for Wednesday.
A wind advisory, with gusts up to 45 mph, remained in effect until Wednesday evening.
US charges Chinese hackers
WASHINGTON (AP) —
Eight leaders or members of a Chinese hacking company have been charged alongside two Chinese law enforcement officers in a global cyberespionage campaign that targeted dissidents, news organizations and U.S. agencies, the Justice Department announced Wednesday. A set of criminal cases
adds new detail to what U.S. officials say is a hacking-forhire ecosystem in China, in which private companies and contractors are paid by the Chinese government to target victims of particular interest to Beijing.
One indictment charges officials with a private hacking company known as I-Soon, whose officials conducted a sweeping array of
breaches around the world as part of what U.S. officials say was a broad intelligence-gathering operation.
The targets were in some cases directed by China’s Ministry of Public Security — two law enforcement officers were also charged — but in other instances the hackers acted at their own initia-
Feast with friends
Ash Wednesday brought a crowd to Iola’s First Presbyterian Church for the season’s first Lenten Breakfast, held Wednesday mornings at 7 a.m. Next week’s breakfast will be at First
The Iola Register
Trump: More cuts, tariffs ahead
WASHINGTON (AP)
— President Donald Trump vowed to keep up his campaign of “swift and unrelenting action” in reorienting the nation’s economy, immigration and foreign policy in an unyielding address before Congress that left Democratic legislators to register their dissent with stone faces and placards calling out “lies.”
Trump’s speech Tuesday was the latest marker in his takeover of the nation’s capital, where the Republican-led House and Senate have done little to restrain the president as he and his allies work to slash the size of the federal government and remake America’s place in the world.
The president’s address, clocking in at a record 99 minutes, added up to a defiant sales pitch to keep delivering sweeping change to rescue the nation from what he described as destruction and mistakes left by his predecessor.
He seldom addressed his comments directly to the American people, who are trying to keep up with the recent upheaval, while repeatedly needling the Democratic lawmakers seated before him.
Michigan Sen. Elis-
sa Slotkin, who delivered the Democratic response, allowed that “America wants change, but there’s a responsible way to make change and a reckless way, and we can make that change without forgetting who we are as a country and as a democracy.” Emboldened after overcoming impeachments in his first term, outlasting criminal prosecutions in between his two administrations, Trump has embarked on a mission to dismantle parts of the federal government, remake the relationship with America’s allies and slap on tariffs that have sparked a North American trade war.
Trump, who has billionaire adviser Elon Musk orchestrating his efforts to slash the size and scope of the federal government, said he is working to “reclaim democracy from this unaccountable bureaucracy” and threatened federal workers anew with firings if they resist his agenda.
Musk, who was seated in the House gallery, received a pair of standing ovations from Republicans in the chamber, as Trump exaggerated and shared false claims about alleged government abuse uncovered by the Tesla and SpaceX founder and his team of disrupters.
Trump repeated false
claims that tens of millions of dead people over 100 years old are receiving Social Security payments.
Trump spoke at a critical juncture in his presidency, as voters who returned him to the White House on his promise to fix inflation are instead finding economic chaos. All the gains the S&P 500 have made since Election Day are now gone, while consumer sentiment surveys show the public sees inflation as worsening.
Trump seemed prepared to double down on his trade policies, which experts have warned will raise prices for consumers.
RFK Jr. responds to measles outbreak with vitamin A
By BRAMMHI BALARAJAN Houston Chronicle/TNS
HOUSTON, TEXAS — Harris County officials outlined a plan to boost vaccination rates for measles and trace any potential cases in Houston — as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the federal government plans to combat the outbreak by shipping doses of vitamin A to Gaines County.
County officials announced on Tuesday they are testing for measles by monitoring 36 wastewater treatment facilities and 48 manholes. They also plan to start monitoring schools with low vaccination rates, nursing homes and more.
Health officials also noted additional vaccination efforts and encouraged residents to get vaccinated if they have not already.
“It is not normal to have an outbreak like that. This is not some-
ACC celebrates Aggie Day
Allen Community College Agriculture will host the college’s 47th annual Aggie Day April 3 in Iola.
The event will bring area high school students from near and far to compete in various Career Development Events (CDE) contests. The interscholastic competition will be on campus. Livestock judging will be at the Allen County Fairgrounds at Iola’s Riverside Park.
thing we see in the United States, it’s something we have not seen in decades.” County Judge Lina Hidalgo said at a news conference on Tuesday afternoon.
There are currently no cases in Houston, officials said.
But, the health and human services secretary said Tuesday in an interview with Fox News that the federal government was shipping doses of vitamin A to Gaines County, the epicenter of the outbreak, and helping to arrange ambulance rides.
KENNEDY SAID doctors in Texas had seen “very, very good results” by treating measles cases with a steroid, budesonide; an antibiotic called clarithromycin; and cod liver oil, which he said had high
levels of vitamin A and vitamin D.
However, health experts have said that while vitamin A is sometimes used in low-income countries where malnutrition is a factor, it is ineffective in the U.S, and a dangerous narrative to spread.
There have now been 159 measles cases in Texas since the outbreak began in January, the Texas Department of State Health Services announced Tuesday.
OVER A DOZEN cases have spurted in less than a week since the health department’s last update Friday. Health officials have said that the outbreak could last over two months, NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth reported.
“It’s evergreen, it means we’re going to still be in this for at least
another two weeks. The fact that it continues to accelerate suggests to me that it’s going to be around for quite some time, I don’t see this going down soon in West Texas,” health official Dr. Peter Hotez said. Hidalgo emphasized that measles is highly contagious, as before vaccines each person with measles could affect 18 people. By contrast, each person with COVID-19 could affect three people.
However, health officials also noted that since measles has been seen in society before, and since there are vaccines, the state is much more equipped to fight it.
US halts sharing intel with Ukraine
WASHINGTON (AP)
—
The U.S. has paused its intelligence sharing with Ukraine, cutting off the flow of vital information that has helped the war-torn nation target Russian invaders, but Trump administration officials said Wednesday that positive talks between Washington and Kyiv mean it may only be a short suspension.
Information about Russia’s intentions and military movements has been critical to Ukraine’s defense and a strong indication of support from the U.S. and other Western allies. The suspension comes after Trump paused military aid to Ukraine and is another sign of how he has transformed America’s relationship with close allies.
“We have taken a step back and are pausing and reviewing all aspects of this relationship,” national security adviser Mike Waltz said Wednesday.
Comments from top Trump administration officials suggest the decision is part of the broader negotiations between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to negotiate a peace deal with Russia, and that intelligence could begin flowing to Ukraine again
soon.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe called the suspension a “pause” and said it came after the disastrous meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy in the Oval Office last week. Ratcliffe said Trump wanted to know that Zelenskyy was serious about peace.
“On the military front and the intelligence front, the pause that allowed that to happen will go away, and I think we’ll work shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine as we have,” Ratcliffe said.
U.S. intelligence assistance is vital for Ukraine to track Russian troop movements and select targets. Ukrainians use the information when operating U.S.-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, and the U.S. Army Tactical Missile System, known as ATACMS.
Intelligence from the U.S. and other allies also helps Ukraine prepare for Russian attacks, and supplied critical information in the war’s early days that allowed Ukraine to thwart Russian President Vladimir Putin’s hopes for a quick victory.
The CIA declined to respond to questions about the change in intelligence sharing.
President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, March 4. (YURI GRIPAS/ABACA PRESS/TNS)
Trump’s firings cost Kansas coach his job
By ERIC ADLER The Kansas City Star
Less than two miles from the University of Kansas, home of one of the most storied programs in college basketball, Adam Strom, the 48-year-old coach at Haskell Indian Nations University — tiny with 978 students, beleaguered and long overshadowed — blew his whistle twice on Feb. 24 to gather his team’s attention.
“OK, it’s about that time,” he said, beginning practice. “Let’s stretch. Let’s warmup. We’ll meet at half (court). Let’s go ladies.”
Every one of his players, 17 young women from as many tribal nations — Blackfoot, Apache, Navajo, Nez Perce and more — knew the situation, one that began as wrenching, but has since turned inspiring.
ON FEB. 15, they were brought to tears following their Senior Night victory, an 87-18 walloping of Kansas Christian College, when Strom informed them that, in keeping with one of President Donald Trump’s executive orders to reduce the federal workforce, he had been fired one day prior, on Valentine’s Day. His dismissal was “effective immediately.”
A winning coach in his fourth year, he was still technically a probationary employee at a federally funded institution. It wasn’t just him that was out, but also close to 40 colleagues — 25% of the school’s entire workforce.
It is a number so great that on Feb. 17, Dalton Henry, the interim president of the National Haskell Board of Regents, wrote a letter to Doug Burgum, U.S. Secretary of the Interior, asking for a waiver, a reprieve from Trump’s order, arguing that a cut so deep to Haskell could be existential.
It “would have disastrous consequences for fulfilling its educational mission,” he wrote.
“Haskell is already underfunded and struggles to fulfill its educational mission,” the letter said. “Further reductions in its workforce could threaten its ability to maintain operations.”
No reprieve has come, except from Coach Strom. He told his team he’s not going anywhere.
Adam Strom was head of the Haskell Indian Nations University women’s basketball team when he was fired this month as part of federal layoffs. Strom is working for free as his team seeks a conference championship. TAMMY LJUNGBLAD/THE KANSAS CITY STAR/TNS
FIRED, UNPAID, no of-
fice that is his, as soon as he was summarily let go, he made the decision to volunteer as coach, rather than abandon a team that on Saturday will play for a chance to win the CAC, or Continental Athletic Conference championship. In so doing, Haskell for the third time in four years could enter the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) tournament.
“I got lost in emotion, probably uncharacteristically,” said Strom, part of the Yakama Nation and raised in Wapato, Washington. “I questioned the equitability of the situation. But I gathered myself and said, ‘This is an example of adversity in life.’ I did tell them, ‘They can remove the coaching title, but they can’t remove me from my coaching duties.’”
A 25-year veteran of the game, Strom said he plans to be there until the final game, at least for this season.
The historical irony of an order, essentially a government edict, striking so hard at one of the nation’s 35 accredited TCUs, or Tribal Colleges & Universities, does not escape him.
FOUNDED BY THE U.S. Army in 1884, Haskell was birthed from tragedy. It was created as an Indian boarding school, where children were removed from their parents and tribal nations to be stripped of their culture and heritage and assimilated into white America. Children died there. A graveyard for 103 children at the southern edge of the campus speaks to that legacy.
In 1967, Haskell be-
came a junior college.
In 1993, it became a university offering Native Americans free education.
“It all leads back to the locker room,” Strom said. “I tell them, ‘Some people play for their town. Some people play for their community. Some people play for their institution. Some people play for their mascot. But, in this locker room, every time we step onto the court, we play for Indian country. Indian country is all the Native Americans throughout the United States.”
He continued, “I do bring those things up, because we need to be resilient. We need to be strong. That’s what I try to share with the ladies. My ancestors, your ancestors, endured many hardships. We play for Indian country. They get it 100%.”
COACHING IS all Strom ever wanted to do. His late father coached basketball for 30 years. When Strom, who has both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, first began coaching in high school, his father gave him a book by famed University of California, Los Angeles, coach John Wooden.
“Inside, in felt pen, was my dad’s writing,” Strom said. “He said, ‘Some day you’re going to make a great college coach.’ I feel every time I accept a coaching job, and every time I’m performing a coaching job, I feel like my dad is smiling.”
Strom took the job at Haskell in 2021. Two of his three sons, twins Bryan and Bryce, have played on Haskell’s men’s team. Strom built the women’s program.
When his athletic director, Zach Wilkerson, called him on Valentine’s Day, Strom was just returning from Topeka where his wife, Relyn Strom, is the principal at Robinson Middle School.
“I got my wife flowers and coffee and snacks,“ Strom said. “I came back into Lawrence and stopped by the shirt shop where the printed T-shirts were being made for our seniors, because Senior Night was Saturday.” His phone rings. Wilkerson, he said, asked him. “Are you on campus?” Strom was five minutes away. He
drove to the athletic director’s office.
“So I go in there and he said, ‘You’re on the list.’ And I said, ‘OK, I’m on a list.’ And he said, ‘The Trump administration has an order that is mandating that all probationary employees are terminated effective today.’
He said the university said it was looking into whether his position might be spared because of previous work he had done for the federal government. The previous work might make it so he was not considered probationary.
“The announcement started to sink in,” Strom said of his approximately $80,000 a year job. “This could really happen. I could be out of a job, but more so not to be able to coach the team. That is more concerning.”
IN LESS THAN an hour, Strom said, Wilkerson confirmed the news. “And I said, ‘Is there a possibility of me continuing throughout the end of the season?’
He said, ‘I knew you were going to ask that. I’ve looked into it. It’s going to have to be on a voluntary basis.’
“I said, ‘That’s fine. That’s all I can ask for.’
I go back to my office. I look at my things and I’m like, ‘No, I’m not ready to turn this in.’”
He didn’t tell his team
that Friday, waiting until after the Senior Night game. Six seniors are on the team.
“Those seniors deserved to be recognized,” he said. “One hundred percent, it’s about the kids.”
STROM IS NOT worried about his future. Since the news of his firing has spread, he has been receiving job offers, including, he said, from the Topeka Public Schools, where his wife is employed.
Supporters also set up a GoFundMe site. As of Tuesday, it has raised just less than $9,200.
At practice Monday, his prime concern was about their upcoming championship game, in which they are the No. 2 seed.
“I elected to continue coaching the team without compensation. But it hasn’t been a hindrance on our team, our practice, our attention to detail, our focus.
“I think adversity has brought the best out of us, combined, by myself as a coach, and them as a team. I think they have more determination than frustration. And I think we’re going to channel our emotions in the right direction — and that’s to conquer a 2025 CAC championship.”
On the court, another whistle. Time for drills.
NOW HIRING: OFFICE MANAGER
This is a full-time on-site role as an Office Manager at McIntosh Booth Insurance located in Iola, KS. The Office Manager will be responsible for communication with clients, providing administrative assistance, ensuring excellent customer service, and managing office administration tasks on a daily basis.
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WE’RE HIRING AT Allen Community College!
Custodian – Evenings (2-10:30 p.m.)
Full-time position
Minimum of $14 per hour plus excellent benefits Online Course Designer for Allied Health Experience as an RN/LPN and interest in developing online college courses
Vice President of Finance and Operations Salary commensurate with education and experience
Assistant Women’s Softball Coach/ Residence Hall Director $22,000 per year plus housing and 19-meal plan
Visit our website allencc.edu/contact/careers for
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.
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
for hay and pasture ground Woodson/ Allen County Area. 620-228-4852
Car Port complete and brand new. Assembled and very cheap. 1312 E Carpenter, Iola. Call 430-201-5438
Allen County Residents
We are now taking orders for Dust Abatement. e Public Works Department is taking orders for a dust inhibitor (commonly referred to as Dust Control) to be applied to the county roads. A maintenance agreement must be signed, and the fee paid in full prior to the application of the material. is may be accomplished in the Public Works O ce at 1 North Washington, (Courthouse), Iola, KS 66749 or call 620-365-1422.
e fee will be $2.37 per linear foot.
Dust Control will not be applied inside city limits. Allen County makes no implied or stated warranty as to the e ectiveness of this product. Deadline to order is April 11, 2025. Orders will not be accepted a er that date.
(Published in e Iola Register March 6, 2025)
Woman develops crush on co-worker
Hi, Carolyn: I’m married and recently realized I have a crush on a co-worker. I’m sure those feelings will pass in time, but since then I’ve tried to reflect on why I was in a headspace to develop a crush in the first place. If it matters, I’m a woman married to a man, both late 30s, married seven years, no kids, overall happy/peaceful/normal life.
My husband is not a very physically or verbally affectionate person. I know he loves me and shows it primarily through “acts of service.” If I don’t hold his hand or hug and kiss him, my hand doesn’t get held and I don’t get hugged or kissed. Sex is perfunctory, and when he is finished, sex is finished, for both of us. Compliments are infrequent. He’s happy to listen to me talk about my day if I start the conversation, but he rarely shows interest by inquiring or asking questions of me.
I never considered
Tell Me About It
Carolyn Hax
myself needy, but I guess it’s caught up to me. I feel overlooked. Going back to the office crush, I think it was just nice to feel paid attention to.
I’ve spoken up to my husband about my feelings here and there in a somewhat playful way — not the greatest, I know. My concerns are mostly brushed off, probably because of my lighthearted tone. I know I need to speak with him about this but am unsure of how even to begin. I don’t want him to feel any worse than I think he already will. But I want him to know it’s serious enough that I’m contemplating whether I want to live like this forever. I fear he is fine with our intimacy as is, and he won’t be able or willing to change.
Today in history
Today is Thursday, March 6, the 65th day of 2025. There are 300 days left in the year.
Today in history
On March 6, 1857, the U.S. Supreme Court, in the Dred Scott v. Sandford decision, ruled 7-2 that Scott, an enslaved person, was not an American citizen and therefore could not sue for his freedom in Federal court; it also ruled that slavery could not be banned from any Federal territory. The
CRYPTOQUOTES
There are many wonderful things that I love about him and our life together, so maybe I need to accept I’m going to be the one initiating … forever. I’m thinking of speaking with a therapist on my own first to see if I can sort out some of my feelings.
— Crushing
Crushing: You’ve done a lot of the work (thanks!), but a couple of points:
First, it’s one thing always to have to initiate. It’s demoralizing to ask, yes, but you do receive. But with abruptly ended sex, you’re not getting something ever, even when you ask. That’s different.
Second, I don’t recommend the “need to accept” route even if you believe you can be okay with things as is.
Once serious contemplation is happening, he deserves to know and deserves a chance to make you and your marriage happier.
I get your reluctance to say things you think
will be hurtful for him to hear, but there are a lot of ways to hurt a person — and drifting from him because you have deep, unspoken sadnesses in his presence is one of them.
Intimacy is hardwon; it means saying what is true for you for the purpose of getting closer to him. If you don’t, then you have transparency, at least.
Third, the failed lighthearted attempts are your opening: “I made a playful comment about x, but in retrospect, I was avoiding the hard conversation.”
Then have it: “I married you knowing you’re not demonstrative, and still loving so much about you. But I didn’t anticipate feeling as lonely as I do now after having to ask for every hug, year after year.”
Then leave him room to respond.
You can be both direct and loving. Trying to fix it, remember, is a way of saying you want to stay.
Yesterday’s Cryptoquote: A light exists in Spring not present on the year at any other period -- when March is scarcely here. -- Emily Dickinson
decision deepened the national divide over slavery in the years leading up to the Civil War.
Also on this date In 1912, Oreo cookies were first introduced by the National Biscuit Company (later known as Nabisco).
In 1981, Walter Cronkite signed off for the last time after nearly two decades as the anchor of “The CBS Evening News.”
BIDS BIDS
Crest USD 479 is soliciting bids for a track remodel project.
Crest USD 479 invites interested parties to request a copy of the Request for Proposal (RFP) and site plans. It is recommended that bidders schedule an on-site visit, which can be arranged by contacting Superintendent Shane Walter via email at swalter@usd479.org or call 620-852-3540.
ZITS
by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman
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
MUTTS by Patrick McDonell
Thursday, March 6, 2025
Trump’s tariffs whack Trump voters
Whatever happened to GOP’s concern for the working class?
President Trump won the Presidency a second time by promising working-class voters he’d lift their real incomes. Which makes it all the more puzzling that he’s so intent on imposing tariffs that will punish those same Americans.
Tariffs are taxes, and Mr. Trump’s latest tariffs are estimated to be about an annual $150 billion tax increase. Taxes are antigrowth. That’s the message investors are sending this week since Mr. Trump let his 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico take effect. The President also raised his 10% tariff on China by another 10%. Canada and China retaliated, while Mexico is holding off until Sunday.
The border taxes, and the uncertainty they bring, are weighing on growth and consumer confidence. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is down 3.4% since Mr. Trump took office, erasing the ebullient gains that followed his November election.
Brace for higher prices on berries, bell peppers, and, gulp, beer. Target CEO Brian Cornell told CNBC Tuesday that tariffs on Mexico may force the company to raise prices on fruits and vegetables. About 30% of vegetables and fresh fruit sold in the U.S. come from Mexico. Modelo’s Mexican-produced Especial is the best-selling beer in the U.S. Best Buy CEO Corie Barry said Tuesday that Mr. Trump’s tariffs “make price increases for American consumers highly likely.” Nafta, which was supplanted by the USMCA, encouraged electronics manufacturers to set up shop in Mexico instead of China. Hope you don’t plan to buy a smart TV since it could be 25% more expensive.
homes. These flows help stabilize the grid and lower prices in the Northeast and Midwest. New England’s grid operator estimates the tariffs could cost the region between $66 million and $165 million a year. Energy makes up 40% of primary aluminum producers’ costs. Several Midwest foundries have closed in recent years amid rising energy prices. The Trump tariffs will harm the very workers he claims to be trying to help.
They will also cause pain at the pump. The U.S. is a net oil exporter, but it still imports about 6.5 million barrels a day of crude, mostly from Canada and Mexico. That’s because refineries in the Gulf Coast and Midwest process heavy grades. It would cost billions of dollars to retrofit them to process light blends from U.S. shale. Drivers of pickup trucks in the Midwest (where refineries depend on Canadian crude) are likely to suffer the most pain.
~ Journalism that makes a difference
The president professes to love American farmers, but he apprently loves tariffs more.
Speaking of which, we recently told you about an Anderson Economic Group analysis that estimated the 25% tariffs would raise the cost of a pickup assembled in North America by $8,000. Heavy-duty truck prices may also surge as they rely on parts from Canada and Mexico. The dollar-value of imports from Canada and Mexico to crucial swing states that Mr. Trump won include Michigan ($120 billion), Ohio ($30.5 billion) and Georgia ($25.1 billion).
The President also professes to love American farmers, but he apparently loves tariffs more. U.S. farmers are already being squeezed by low crop prices and inflation. The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) says farmers are losing money on almost every major crop planted for the third straight year.
Energy prices will rise too. Mr. Trump implicitly conceded this by reducing his tariffs to 10% on Canadian energy imports. Despite the U.S. shale fracking boom, constraints on pipeline capacity mean the Midwest and Northeast depend heavily on Canada for natural gas. That means heating bills will rise in Trump country. So will electricity prices.
The U.S. imports about 3,315 gigawatt hours of electricity on average from Canada each month — enough to power about 3.7 million
Tariffs will increase their pain. About 85% of the U.S. potash supply for fertilizer is imported from Canada. China is hitting U.S. farm exports with a 15% tariff, which will let farmers in Brazil and Australia grab market share.
“Even more costs and reducing markets for American agricultural goods could create an economic burden some farmers may not be able to bear,” AFBF President Zippy Duvall said Tuesday. Mr. Trump’s tariff spree is the triumph of ideology over, well, common sense. Let’s hope the President soon comes to his senses. — Wall Street Journal
A look back in t me. A look back in t me.
70 Years Ago March 1955
Mr. and Mrs. Milford Langley announced in the Allen County News Journal today that “In order to render better service to our commercial printing and office supply customers, we are suspending publication of the Allen County News Journal and the Moran Herald this week.” The Langleys entered the newspaper business June 7, 1926 and have published daily or weekly newspapers in Allen Coun-
ty since then. ***** The Allen County Centennial Pageant, which will be staged in Riverside Park June 3-7, will be called “Prairie Cavalcade.” This title was selected from more than 125 entries in the name-the-pageant contest conducted by the Centennial Committee. Mrs. Rex Smoot, Gas City, suggested the title and will be presented a $25 savings bond at a special ceremony during one of the Cavalcade performances.
Elon Musk just fired my wife
Two weeks ago, my wife was fired from her job with the federal government. We were playing a board game and having a beer when her phone rang. A colleague asked if she had “got the email.”
Having left her work phone at the office, she had no way of knowing. We bundled into the car and raced across town. After a few minutes inside, she emerged from her office and gave me a thumbs-down as she walked toward the car.
“Fired,” she said, clicking her seatbelt into place.
Unbeknownst to us, tens of thousands of probationary federal employees — those within their first one to two years of service — had received the same email that evening.
The message itself was blank, just a Word document attached with five short paragraphs. The fourth read:
“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.”
If the suddenness of the firing and its financial impact weren’t enough, the baseless claim of poor performance added insult to injury.
My wife was an archaeologist working out of Hays under the National Resource and Conservation Services wing of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It was a dream job and one she had worked and studied for years to achieve. She engaged with Native American tribal groups, local communities, and farmers to ensure the preservation of cultural resources across the plains. I suspect a lot of people might think that the federal government has no business employing archaeologists, but their work is vital. They document and protect irreplaceable cultural heritage — not just Indigenous histories but also the lives of the settlers and pioneers who shaped the landscape we live on today. They ensure that historical sites and artifacts, from ancient campsites to century-old homesteads, are not lost to development or neglect.
But it wasn’t just archaeologists who were fired. Biologists, soil scientists, water conservation specialists, public health workers and forest service employees were all swept away in the same mass termination. One commenter on a subreddit dedicated to the recently fired employees voiced his frustration with the new ad-
ministration’s priorities : “I know I’ll bounce back and land another job. I am grateful that I’m young and that I have support, and I’ll be OK. The thing I can’t get over is that the richest man in the world directed my firing. I make $50k a year and work to keep drinking water safe. The richest man in the world decided that was an expense too great for the American taxpayer.”
Compensation for the entire federal workforce made up just 4.3% of the federal budget in 2024. If the entire federal workforce was eliminated today it would barely put a dent in our national debt, which sits at $36 trillion. This comes alongside plans for further tax cuts from the Trump administration. Some analysts suggest these cuts could add as much as $4.8 trillion to the national debt in the next decade.
Given the relatively minor impact that these job cuts will have on U.S. spending, it is frustrating and vexing to see jubilant celebrations at the elimination of jobs that protect and preserve history, national parks, drinking water, soil health, forests, and environmental and public safety.
cy, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, was established in 1935 as the Soil Conservation Service in response to the Dust Bowl. Its primary goal was to help farmers and landowners implement practices that prevent soil erosion, improve land productivity, and promote sustainable agriculture. Over the years, the agency expanded its focus to include water conservation, wildlife habitat preservation, and more recently the preservation of cultural resources through archeology.
SMALL FARMS and ranches across the state of Kansas appear to be struggling to adapt to new changes in federal funding, while large corporate farms stand poised to absorb them.
As the NRCS hemorrhages employees and funding, I wonder which private firm plans to step in to mitigate the effects of soil erosion, nutrient runoff and water contamination? Which start-up company will emerge to look after waterfowl and other wildlife?
Given the relatively minor impact these job cuts will have on U.S. spending, it is vexing to see jubilant celebrations at the elimination of jobs that protect and preserve national parks, drinking water, soil health and environmental and public safety.
The fact that Elon Musk and DOGE chose to begin their scrutinization of government expenditures here rather than starting with the Defense Department and programs like the F-35 fighter jet — a decade behind schedule and $183 billion over budget — speaks volumes.
THERE IS A NAIVE BELIEF that the private sector will absorb responsibility for these services. It is dubious. Many federal agencies exist to preserve and protect history, health, and nature. The private sector lacks sufficient incentive to care for these areas or, worse, has incentives to disregard them. My wife’s (former) agen-
My wife and three close friends are among those who were fired without notice and without severance. My wife and I will be okay. We have a strong support network, and while we may have to sell our house, we will find a way through this. Other friends of ours are single or have children and are far more reliant on this one job for their financial security. They will feel the impact of this shock for years to come.
As close friends tighten their belts, prepare to move back in with their families or sell their homes, Elon Musk appeared at the CPAC conference in Washington with a chrome -plated chainsaw, a celebratory talisman of the evisceration of the federal workforce.
The callous indifference to the struggles of fired civil servants and the history, nature, wildlife and people that they work to protect should be an affront to every reasonable American.
About the author: Sam Foglesong is a scholar of African Studies and a writer who lives in Hays.
Sam Foglesong
The Kansas Reflector
Elon Musk on Tuesday, March 4. (SAUL LOEB/AFP/GETTY IMAGES/TNS)
Farm Bureau wants quick end to trade war
By AFB STAFF American Farm Bureau
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented Tuesday on President Trump’s decision to impose increased tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico and China.
“Farmers support the goals of ensuring secu-
rity and fair trade with other nations, but additional tariffs, along with expected retaliatory tariffs, will take a toll on rural America,” Duvall posted on the AFBF’s website.
“Farmers and ranchers are concerned with the decision to impose increased tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico and China —
our top trading partners.
Zippy Duvall
Last year, the U.S. exported more than $83 billion in agricultural products to the three countries.
“Approximately 85% of our total potash sup-
ply — a key ingredient in fertilizer — is imported from Canada.
For the third straight year, farmers are losing money on almost every major crop planted. Adding even more costs and reducing markets for American agricultural goods could create an economic burden some farmers may not be able to bear.
“We ask the president to continue working with our international partners to find ways to resolve disagreements quickly, so farmers can focus on feeding families in America and abroad.”
The American Farm Bureau Federation is a national organization that advocates for farmers, ranchers and rural communities.
Tariffs: Farmers, consumers brace for hikes
Continued from A1
of that,” said Glynn Tonsor, an agricultural economist at Kansas State University.
The situation has some farmers stocking up on equipment and supplies in preparation for prices to go up, but it’s not like they can easily buy all their fertilizer ahead of time. And consumers might have a hard time stockpiling perishable products like avocados and ground beef.
The details of how the tariffs are implemented and whether any products are excluded will also matter.
How will farmers be hurt?
Corn and soybean prices for this year’s harvest already fell roughly 10% since the tariffs were first announced a couple of weeks ago.
Joe Janzen, an agricultural economist with the University of Illinois, said that has “snuffed out” any profitability in those crops. He called Trump’s comments that farmers may be able to sell more of their products at home “at best tone deaf.”
“There is no domestic market for the amount of corn, soybeans, wheat, and other agricultural products that we now export in significant quantities,” he said.
Meanwhile, as crop prices decline, farmers might see their fertilizer bill jump because 85% of the potash American farmers use in fertilizer comes from Canada, which also supplies some nitrogen fertilizer as well. The Fertilizer Institute President and CEO Corey Rosenbusch said “an open, fair, predictable and transparent trade environment between the U.S. and Canada is vital.”
“We need potash to raise healthier crops,” said Minnesota farmer Danny Lundell, who hosted Gov. Tim Walz on his corn and soy-
bean farm near Cannon Falls on Tuesday. “And it doesn’t matter if you’re big, medium or small, it’s going to affect you.”
But Iowa State agricultural economist Chad Hart said many farmers applied fertilizer to their fields last fall and may not have to pay the higher fertilizer bills until later.
What about meat prices?
The United States imports a lot of lean beef to mix with fattier beef produced at American plants to make hamburger, and that imported beef will get more expensive because nearly half of it comes from Canada and Mexico. That’s likely to show up in grocery stores in six to eight weeks.
America exported more than $1.8 billion worth of chicken and another $8.4 billion in red meat to Mexico, Canada and China. These tariffs could easily lead to a 10% drop in exports, Tonsor said. If farmers aren’t able to move that much meat overseas because of tariffs, they can seek to sell more domestically -but they’ll likely have to discount prices. Bad for farmers, but potentially good for consumers.
The impact will vary by product. For instance, demand for steaks and bacon may remain relatively steady
because little of that is exported, but the price of hams could drop in the U.S. because Mexico is a major buyer of those. The price of specialty cuts like beef tongue that are almost entirely exported will plummet.
Livestock producers will see a bit of relief because the cost of the feed they use will decline, but Tonsor said they will still lose money overall.
How do farmers feel about this?
“Farmers are very concerned,” said Steve Kuiper, a director at the Iowa Corn Growers Association. “People just aren’t buying stuff,” he said, which is hitting big companies like John Deere and local suppliers that sell their equipment.
That’s the case for farmers who grow table crops as well as commodities. Katy Rogers, who manages an organic farm outside Indianapolis, said that as soon as Trump started talking about tariffs she bought everything she thought would see a price hike in the coming months.
Kuiper hopes that the impacts of tariffs can be mitigated and eventually lead to a more level playing field that benefits farmers. He wants to see trade open with more countries. For in-
stance, he said that for corn, China had already been favoring trade with Brazil, so he instead sees opportunity in places like India.
But Trump has threatened additional reciprocal tariffs on other countries on April 2, which could make it harder for farmers to shift their exports to other countries. What is the lasting impact?
Trump can do a lot to ease farmers’ pain with aid payments. He gave them more than $22 billion in aid payments in 2019 and nearly $46 billion in 2020, though that year also included aid related to the pandemic.
But Janzen notes that Trump is working to drastically slash spending across the federal government.
Minnesota’s Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, who lost his bid to be-
come vice president last fall, said the tariffs will hurt trading relationships and prompt buyers in China, Mexico and Canada to look elsewhere.
Some trade experts question how long Trump’s tariffs will last as they boost prices for American consumers, including his base voters, who have long complained about inflation and rising food prices.
“It is going to do nothing to help with the food inflation in the U.S,” said Timothy Wise, author of “Eating Tomorrow” and expert on agricultural trade between Mexico and the U.S.
“I don’t see it as sustainable. I don’t find it plausible that corporate folks who surround Trump are going to sit back and allow him to destroy their foreign markets.”
Continued from A1
tive and tried to sell the stolen information to the government afterward, the indictment says. The company charged the government the equivalent of between approximately $10,000 and $75,000 for each email inbox it successfully hacked, officials said.
Among the targets of the hacking was the U.S. Treasury Department, which disclosed a breach by Chinese actors late last year in what it called a “major cybersecurity incident.”
Phone numbers listed for I-Soon on a Chinese corporate registry rang unanswered, and I-Soon representatives did not immediately respond to an AP email requesting comment.
A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington suggested that the allegations were a “smear” and said, “We hope that relevant parties will adopt a professional and responsible attitude and base their characterization of cyber incidents on sufficient evidence rather than groundless speculation and accusations.”
A separate indictment charges two other Chinese hackers in a for-profit hacking campaign that targeted victims including U.S. technology companies, think tanks, defense contractors and health care systems.
DAILY
A container ship is docked at the Port of Oakland on Feb. 3, 2025, in Oakland, California. GETTY IMAGES/JUSTIN SULLIVAN/TNS
Underhogs: State success
case,” Kerr said.
That said, Kerr also stressed the importance of not relying too much on judges’ opinions.
As an example, Franklin Kerr — Coach Kerr’s son — earned a perfect 100 rating on his ribs from one judge, and a 40 rating from another.
“With our ribs, the kids all did a different flavor, to see which one works with the judges,” Kerr noted. “But we all made the same chili, because we wanted to see what kind of feedback we’d get.”
The chili ratings were “all over the map,” he laughed. “How can they be so far apart? It all depends on the judge.
“I tell the kids that the judging and placing is fine. But it’s more important how you prepare
WITH THE state competition in the rear-view mirror, the Underhogs have set their sights on April 12, when they host their first-ever Iola City Championships.
Kerr is inviting grillmasters from all parts to take part.
The $125 entry fee covers the cost of the steak, chicken and ribs they’ll prepare.
Teams will be judged on four foods: chicken, ribs, grilled cheese and steak. Kerr is eschewing brisket and chili from the Iola competition because of the amount of time involved in preparing those.
“Brisket alone takes 10 to 12 hours,” he noted. “We wanted to shorten it down.”
The idea is to start small, and hopefully develop a solid response from competitors, to build the event into an annual fundraiser. “I’d rather under-promise and over-deliver,” Kerr said.
To enter a team, contact Kerr at (620) 3654715, or via email doug. kerr@usd257.org.
FUNDRAISERS are an essential part of the BBQ process at Iola High.
With the price of meat skyrocketing, a single brisket slab may cost up to $80.
“If we have three teams practicing together, that’s $240,” Kerr said. “I’ve never had to spend $240 for a single football practice.”
The fundraisers are essential to help the Underhogs pay for the meats they’ll prepare at various competitions, as well as travel and lodging.
On top of the April 12 Iola cookoff, the Underhogs will sell concessions at the state weightlifting championships hosted by
Iola March 29, as well as other
PERHAPS most importantly, the Underhogs have a handful of students who compete in sports and some student activities, but many do not.
“I love it, because it’s getting more kids involved, ones who aren’t really in anything else,” he said. “We have special ed kids, a foreign exchange student, a good cross section.”
And competing in BBQ can be addictive, like anything else, he added. “My main thing is just to teach the kids the art of cooking.”
“THIS is unlike any sport I’ve ever coached,” Kerr noted. “Coaching barbecue is an eighthour process, and we can’t have an eighthour practice.”
This means many of Iola’s competitors have practiced on their own whenever possible.
“The kids have asked when we’re gonna practice on our brisket,” Kerr said. “We practice brisket at the tournaments.”
public events, such as the Iola Rotary Clubs barbecue cook off in May
The Iola Underhogs competition barbecue cookoff team will send three squads to a national competition in Kansas City, courtesy of their strong showings at a state competition Saturday in Wichita. Team members are, front row from left, Taylor McCown, Alexys Leake and Lyndsey Wilson; second row, Cameron Palmer, Drake Genoble, Shayden Thyer, Kenleigh Westhoff, Mahayla Burris and Franklin Kerr; third row, Joe Holding, Ethan Sutterby, Ayden McCullough, Simon Mueller, Alston Nelson and Rohan Springer. At right, Burris stirs a pot of chili during Saturday’s competition. Below, Wilson and Leake prepare their cuts of chicken. PHOTOS COURTESY OF DOUG KERR (ABOVE) AND NICKI GOSSETT
The Iola Register
Sports Daily B
Thursday, March 6, 2025
Top athlete voting opens
By JIMMY POTTS
The Iola Register
in play in the postseason, a couple of Allen Coun ty Area Athletes of the Month candidates are still active on the hardwood.
candidates are Humboldt wrestler Taevyn Baylor, sophomore Allen Com munity College guard Ma falda Chambel and senior Iola High School guard Harper Desmarteau.
Taevyn Baylor
boldt High School, is a re cent KSHSAA state medal ist.
petition en route to a re gional title, Baylor (40-5) began her bid for a state title as the top seed of last weekend’s state tourna ment. After falling in the semifinals, she pinned Norcatur senior Dali Braun 26-18) to wrestle for third place, where she fell
Thuney traded for draft picks
By DAVE SKRETTA The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)
— The Kansas City Chiefs are trading two-time AllPro guard Joe Thuney to the Chicago Bears for a fourth-round pick in the 2026 draft, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade had not been finalized.
The 32-year-old Thuney would have carried a salary cap number of nearly $27 million next season, unless the Chiefs could have worked out a contract extension. That extension is now expected to come from the Bears, who have been working to retool their offensive line to better protect young quarterback Caleb Williams next season.
On Tuesday, the Bears agreed to send a 2025 sixth-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams for Jonah Jackson, a former Pro
Kansas City Chiefs guards Joe Thuney (62) and Mike Caliendo (66) cheer as running back Kareem Hunt (29) scores the game-winning touchdown in overtime, securing a 30-24 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. TNS
Mets outspend MLB teams by decades
By RONALD BLUM The Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Mets led the major leagues in spending for the third straight season in 2024 and have totaled $1.36 billion in payroll and luxury tax over four years under owner Steve Cohen, exceeding what the Marlins, Pirates and Rays each have spent on players in the past 21 seasons. The Mets established a $333.3 million regular payroll record, according to figures finalized by Major League Baseball this week and obtained by The Associated Press. That topped the previous mark of $319.5 million set by the Mets in 2023, when they became the first team to exceed $300 million. New York totaled $430.4 million last year in payroll and luxury tax ($97.1 million) to set a cost record. The Mets paid $420 million the year before, including a $100.8 million tax. Since Cohen bought the team from the Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz families in November 2020, the Mets have totaled $1.13 billion in payroll and $228.7 million in tax. And that was even before he lavished a record $765 million, 15-year contract on outfielder Juan Soto that starts this season.
Titans build roof for old stadium
By TERESA M. WALKER The Associated Press
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)
— The Tennessee Titans are in the midst of a major rebuilding project with their roster.
They can only hope their progress goes as well as the construction of their new enclosed stadium.
The Titans currently hold the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft April 24 after going 3-14 in 2024 — their third straight losing season. They ended the season losing their final six games.
Tennessee broke ground on the new Nissan Stadium on Feb. 29, 2024. Team officials gave tours to reporters Monday showing off how much construction has been finished one year into the three-year project.
From the start, Tennessee has targeted construction being completed by February 2027, providing more than enough time for the Titans to move next door from their current, openair stadium for the 2027 NFL season.
Kellen DeCoursey, the Titans’ project manager for the new Nissan Stadium, said they feel very confident of meeting that timeline.
“We had some wins, we
NASCAR sues
Jordan
agent and groups
By JENNA FRYER The Associated Press
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — NASCAR on Wednesday filed a counterclaim against Michael Jordan-owned 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports alleging they “willfully” violated antitrust laws by orchestrating anticompetitive collective conduct in connection with the most recent charter agreements.
23XI and Front Row were the only two teams out of 15 that refused to sign the new agreements, which were presented to the teams last September in a take-it-orleave-it offer a mere 48 hours before the start of NASCAR’s playoffs.
The charters are NASCAR’s version of a franchise and guarantee 36 of the 40 spots in each week’s field to the teams that hold them, as well as other financial incentives. 23XI and Front Row sued, alleging NASCAR and the France family that owns the stock car series are a monopoly. NASCAR already has lost one round in court in which the two teams have been recognized as chartered organizations for the
Chiefs, Bengals tag players
By MARK ANDERSON
The Associated Press
Dallas signed defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa before the franchise tag deadline Tuesday and Minnesota declined to give the tag to quarterback Sam Darnold, clearing the way for him to hit the open market next week.
Only two players were given the tag for 2025 before Tuesday's deadline with Cincinnati receiver Tee Higgins getting it on Monday and Kansas City guard Trey Smith getting it last week.
This marked a significant downturn in tags handed out from eight last season and an average of more than nine a year over the previous five seasons. The previous time only two or fewer players got tagged was in 1994 when Pittsburgh tight end Eric Green and Minnesota defensive tackle Henry Thomas were the only players, according to the NFL.
Among the top players other than Darnold who can sign with any other team as free agents starting March 12 after not getting tagged are Tampa Bay receiver Chris Godwin, Miami safety Jevon Holland, Philadelphia defensive standouts
Milton Williams, Zack Baun and Josh Sweat, and Baltimore left tackle Ronnie Stanley.
The Cowboys locked up Odighizuwa by agreeing to an $80 million, four-year contract with $58 million guaranteed.
Agent Sam Leaf Ireifej confirmed the deal to The Associated Press and said it includes a $20 million signing bonus. A franchise tag would have been worth $25.1 million for 2025.
Odighizuwa, a third-round pick in 2021, is coming off his best season with career highs with 4½ sacks, 47 tackles and 23 quarterback hits.
Darnold had a breakthrough season in his only year in Minnesota, throwing for 4,319 yards and 35 TDs while posting a 102.5 passer rating. Darnold was drafted third overall by the New
See FRANCHISE| Page B3
Athletes: Candidates alive in postseason
Continued from B1
to Hutchinson senior Trista Rogers (44-7). Baylor earned a fourthplace state medal.
Mafalda Chambel
ACC sophomore Mafalda Chambel’s season continues to soar. Chambel leads her team into this weekend’s postseason tournament in Overland Park. Before getting into foul trouble during Monday’s 80-28 blowout of Hesston, Chambel had four assists and a pair of steals.
Against Highland College, she had four steals to complement her 14 points and an astounding eight steals and 15 points against Kansas City Kansas Community College.
Harper Desmarteau
Iola High’s Harper Desmarteau, a senior, recently wrapped up the regular season in a 39-35 loss to Prairie View. Desmarteau’s offensive production accounted for five points, but those scores came
at crucial times. Without a shot-clock running during the substate game, Iola had to make each possession count. Desmarteau’s contribution also came on timely turnovers leading to fastbreaks which nearly shifted the outcome of Thursday’s game.
Of the male candidates, 6-4 Iola senior forward Lucas Maier is the only high school athlete still active at the time of publication.
Humboldt 190-pound wrestler Cole Mathes wrapped up his winter sports season at last weekend’s KSHSAA Class 1, 2 and 3 state tournament in Hays while Crest High School senior guard Jacob Zimmerman ended his season following Monday’s sub-state tournament loss to Little River.
Lucas Maier
Maier will take the court Wednesday as the Iola Mustangs look to break into the regional title game with a win
against Caney Valley.
While his seven-point contribution may have gone overlooked in last Friday’s 68-59 upset of the higher-seeded Riverton Rams (12-8), Maier provides a big body under the basket for rebounds and second-chance opportunities on offense. He contributed 10 points in Iola’s regular season finale against Erie.
Cole Mathes
Wrestler Cole Mathes came in third on the medal podium in Hays after bouncing back in the consolation semifinals.
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 win against Douglass senior Gavin Bowman (19-23), then broke into the consolation bracket with a
second-period pin of Caney Valley sophomore Rayden Martin (31-10). 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.
Mathes recently accepted an offer to play football with Tabor College.
Jacob Zimmerman
Crest High School guard Jacob Zimmerman, a senior, played a crucial role Monday against Little River.
Following an season-ending injury to guard Lane Yocham, the Lancers needed another man to at least partially fill the void while also completing his other duties.
Zimmerman seemed just the right candidate as he combined with fellow senior Denton Ramsey for 14 points in Crest’s 48-39 loss to Little River.
Trade: Kansas City
Continued from B1
Bowl offensive guard. Jackson was drafted by the Detroit Lions, where he had played for new Chicago coach Ben Johnson.
Williams was sacked an NFL-high 68 times last season. The Texans’ C.J. Stroud was next with 63 sacks.
Kansas City would have liked to keep the dependable Thuney, who has started all 146 games in his nine NFL seasons. He is a four-time Super Bowl champion, winning two with the Patriots and two with the Chiefs, and has proven to be the consummate team player, even sliding out to left tackle late last season as Kansas City struggled to protect Patrick Mahomes’ blind side.
The trade to Chicago ultimately came down to finances.
By trading Thuney, the Chiefs freed up $16 million in much-needed salary cap space to address other needs. They are still in search of a solution at left tackle — a season-long problem that doomed them in their Super Bowl loss to Philadelphia — along with help at wide receiver, along the defensive line and in the defensive backfield.
The Chiefs placed the franchise tag on Pro Bowl offensive guard Trey Smith on Tuesday, which equates to a one-year deal worth about $23.4
million for next season — unless the sides work out a long-term deal. That effectively makes Smith the highest-paid guard in the NFL next season. And when his salary is combined with the four-year, $72 million deal that center Creed Humphrey signed last fall, the Chiefs have tied up a huge chunk of their cap space in their offensive line.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs have several options to replace Thuney already on the roster.
Mike Caliendo finished the season at his spot once Thuney moved to tackle, though he struggled mightily against the Eagles in the Super Bowl. They also drafted interior lineman Hunter Nourzad in the fifth round of last year’s draft.
The most intriguing possibility, though, may be Kingsley Suamataia, whom the Chiefs drafted in the second round last April in the hopes that he could play left tackle. Suamataia struggled at that position early in the year and was summarily benched, but the Chiefs began to try him at guard during practice and he seemed to flourish at the new spot down the stretch.
The Chiefs are expected to take another swing at addressing the left tackle position in the April draft.
Raiders release Gardner Minshew
By MARK ANDERSON
The Associated Press
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — The Las Vegas Raiders plan to release quarterback Gardner Minshew next week, a person with knowledge of the decision said Wednesday.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made. Minshew signed a two-year, $25 million contract last year with $15 million guaranteed. He beat out Aidan O’Connell for the starting job going into last season but struggled to hold on to the position. He finished with 10 interceptions and four lost fumbles while throwing nine touchdown passes.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold drops by for a pass. TNS
Franchise: Darnold to test free agency after turnaround year
York Jets in 2018 but struggled mightily during three seasons with the Jets and two with Carolina.
After spending the 2023 season as a backup in San Francisco, Darnold finally played to his potential for most of the season before posting back-to-back duds in his final two games: a Week 18 game against Detroit for the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a wild-card loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
His performance in those key games contributed to the decision by the Vikings to pass on the $40.2 million franchise tag number and turn the team over to J.J. McCarthy, who was drafted 10th overall last season. McCarthy missed his rookie season with a knee injury but is expected to be the starter on coach Kevin O'Connell's talented offense featuring star receiver Justin Jefferson.
Higgins got the tag for a second straight season with his worth $26.2 million. Higgins was tied for sixth in the league this past season with 10 touchdown catches. He also had 73 receptions for 911 yards and averaged 12.5 yards per catch.
Smith, a sixth-round pick in 2021, received a tag worth $23.402 million. He has missed just one game in four seasons and has helped the Chiefs win Super Bowls following the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
Spending: Some MLB teams can’t keep up
“One thing I’ve learned a long time ago, if you want something that’s amazing, it’s going to be uncomfortable,” Cohen said in December.
New York’s spending on major league players for 2021-24 was just above what the payrolls from 2004-24 totaled for the Marlins ($1.34 billion), Pirates ($1.32 billion) and Rays ($1.32 billion).
By comparison, Oakland has spent a low of $269 million over the past four seasons and Pittsburgh $271 million.
Total spending, based on regular payrolls, rose 1.8% to $5.158 billion from $5.065 billion last year and has increased 27.3% in three seasons under the current labor contract from $4.051 billion in 2021.
The Mets became the first team to lead in payrolls in three straight seasons since the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2014-17. The Yankees were second among regular payrolls at a team record $310.9 million. The World Series champion Dodgers were third at $270.8 million and Philadelphia fourth at $249.1 million.
Ten teams topped $200 million, down from a record 11 in 2023. A record-low four teams were below $100 million, a decrease from six in 2023.
Because $68 million of his $70 million salary is deferred until from 2034-43, Shohei Ohtani totals $28.2 million in salary toward payroll plus $1.03 million in non-cash compensation.
Oakland had the lowest payroll at $66.5 million in its final season before moving to Sacramento for at least
Kansas City lost the Super Bowl last month to Philadelphia thanks in part to struggles on the offense line. That contributed to the decision to give the tag to one of their more reliable linemen in hopes of giving better protection to Patrick Mahomes. Teams can sign players on the franchise tags by July 15, otherwise they will have to play on the tag in 2025.
Seahawks cut veteran Lockett
By Staff report
The Associated Press
SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks released Tyler Lockett on Wednesday, parting ways with the franchise’s second alltime leading receiver in a cost-cutting move ahead of the new league year.
Lockett, a 10-year veteran, caught 661 passes for 8,564 yards and 61 touchdowns in Seattle, trailing only Hall of Famer Steve
three seasons before a planned shift to Las Vegas. Pittsburgh was 29th at $87.3 million. Oakland, Pittsburgh and Tampa are the only teams never to finish with a $100 million payroll.
The 12 teams that reached the postseason combined to spend $2.37 billion, 46% of payrolls, including $1.02 billion (19.9%) for the four teams in the League Championship Series. The Dodgers and AL champion Yankees combined for $644.2 million (12.5%).
Adding payroll and luxury tax, the four LCS teams combined for 23.5% of total spending
($1.29 billion of $5.47 billion) and the Yankees and Dodgers for 13.7% ($747.3 million).
Arizona raised payroll the most, by $48 million to $177 million after winning the NL pennant, and the Chicago Cubs were the second-most, by $34 million to $230 million.
San Diego cut payroll by $85 million to $172 million in 2024 following the death of owner Peter Seidler. The Los Angeles Angels dropped $51 million to $179 million and Minnesota by $34 million to $133 million.
Regular payrolls are based on 2024 salaries, earned bonuses and
prorated shares of signing bonuses and noncash compensation for 40-man rosters. Deferred salaries and bonus payments are discounted to present-day values, and termination pay, option buyouts and cash transactions among clubs are accounted for.
Largent in all three categories on the team’s career list.
Yet Lockett’s production dipped in each of the past two seasons. He finished with just 894 yards receiving in 2023, a number that fell to just 600 in 2024, his lowest mark since 2017.
Lockett’s salary cap number was scheduled to balloon to more than $30 million in 2025. Cutting him frees up about $17 million in cap space.
MLB calculated the average salary at $4,592,147, while the players’ association, using a slightly different methodology, pegged it at $4,655,366.
Luxury tax is based on payrolls with average annual values that include benefits and the pre-arbitration bonus poo l.
Steve Cohen, owner of the New York Mets, shakes hands with Juan Soto (22) . Al Bello/TNS
NASCAR: Attorney calls counter-claim meritless
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2025 season as the legal dispute winds through the courts. NASCAR has also appealed a decision to have the case dismissed.
“Today’s counterclaim by NASCAR is a meritless distraction and a desperate attempt to shift attention away from its own unlawful, monopolistic actions,” said attorney Jeffrey Kessler, who is representing 23XI and Front Row.
“NASCAR agreed to the joint negotiations that they now attack. When those joint negotiations failed, they used individual negotiations to impose their charter terms, which most of the teams decided they had no choice but to accept.”
What is NASCAR counterclaiming?
In the counterclaim, Polk is repeatedly singled out as the ringleader against the current charter proposals. NASCAR attorney Christopher Yates went so far as to tell The Associated Press that Polk, who in addition to being Jor-
dan’s business manager is a co-owner of 23XI along with three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, does not understand the NASCAR business model.
“Curtis Polk basically orchestrated and threatened a boycott of one of the qualifying races for a major event and others did not go along with him,” Yates said.
“He got other teams to boycott a meeting that was required by the charter. When you have a threatened boycott of qualifying races that are covered by media, that’s not a good thing for other race teams, not a good thing when you are trying to collectively grow the sport.”
The qualifying race in question was the 2024 pair of 150-mile duels that set the field for the Daytona 500.
“I don’t think Mr. Polk really understands the sport,” Yates told the AP. “I think he came into it and his view is it should be much more like the NBA or other league sports. But it’s not. No motorsport is like that.
He’s done a lot of things
that might work in the NBA or might be OK in the NBA but just are not appropriate in NASCAR.”
Who is violating the antitrust act?
NASCAR’s complaint alleges “the undisputed reality is that it is 23XI and FRM, led by 23XI’s owner and sports agent Curtis Polk, that willfully violated the antitrust laws by orchestrating anticompetitive collective conduct in connection with the terms of the 2025 Charter Agreements.”
“It is truly ironic that in trying to blow-up the Charter system, 23XI and FRM have sought to weaponize the antitrust laws to achieve their goals,” the counterclaim says, alleging Polk’s threats are “attempting to misuse the legal system as a last resort to secure new terms.”
Entreprenuer Bob Jenkins owns Front Row Motorsports and joined 23XI in the lawsuit when he declined to sign the 2025 charter agreement last September.
NASCAR’s counterclaim seeks an injunc-
tion eliminating guaranteed starting spots for charter teams. It wants the four combined charters held by 23XI and Front Row before the lawsuit to be returned to NASCAR, and it wants to dissolve the two charters each team purchased ahead of the 2025 season for their own individual expansion.
Stadium: Titans hope to complete by 2027
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had some losses, but we’re feeling like we’re right on track where we want to be,” DeCoursey said Monday.
The new Nissan Stadium is being built with what is considered the largest commitment of public funding for an NFL stadium with $1.2 billion combined being issued in state and local bonds. The name will remain the same as the current stadium, which became Nissan Stadium in 2015.
The new stadium is being built in what had been parking lots between Interstate 24 and the current stadium. Nashville has a group working to line up events, ranging from a Super Bowl and a Final Four to concerts.
Two shifts of workers have the framework of the new enclosed stadium in place with prebuilt concrete decking for seats being installed Monday
in the west end zone — closest to the current stadium.
The building is a hybrid of concrete and steel, and being enclosed will protect the stadium from the elements that have had the Titans working to fix crumbling concrete, busted pipes and other issues for the past decade of the open-air stadium that opened for the 1999 season.
The new stadium will use a translucent roof similar to that currently used at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The cable-suspension system for the roof will help the new stadium top out at 235 feet or 80 feet taller than the top of the light standards at the Titans’ current stadium.
The cables supporting the roof are set to start being installed in September, and DeCoursey said the goal is lifting the roof into place in May 2026.
“There’s a misperception out there that somehow 23IX and Front Row might achieve something that other teams can take advantage of, and that’s just not right,” Yates told the AP. “This is not going to be a renegotiation. NASCAR has no intent of renegotiating the terms of the charter. Front Row and 23XI are threatening the charter system and its continuation, and NASCAR is fine without the charter system.
The field at the new stadium will run east to west instead of the north-south layout of the current stadium. One new feature is a mosh pit for Titans’ fans, which already has sold out, in the east end zone closest to Interstate 24.
The west end zone will include a massive window for views across the Cumberland River at Nashville’s Lower Broad honky tonk district once the current stadium is demolished.
And yes, DeCoursey said blackout curtains will be included to prevent sunlight from blinding players on the field.
Once construction on the new stadium is complete, workers will start salvaging equipment and gear from the current stadium. DeCoursey said that should take six weeks for stripping before demolition begins in March 2027. Demolition of the old stadium should take six months.
Regular Season Champion, Tyler Reddick, driver of the (45) Upper Deck Toyota, poses with Curtis Polk, 23XI Racing co-owners, NBA Hall of Famer, Michael Jordan, and Denny Hamlin, driver of the (11) Sport Clips Haircuts Toyota, after the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on Sept. 01, 2024, in Darlington, South Carolina. TNS
