By COLE REIF Great Bend Post

Where does a school district’s money come from? 

Great Bend Assistant
Superintendent John Popp presented informational details to the USD 428 Board
of Education last week breaking down the district’s revenue. The school
district receives money from Kansas tax dollars, local tax dollars, federal
funds, fees, meal money, interest and donations.


Popp highlighted the concern of the district’s capital outlay, where approximately
half of the funding comes from local tax assessments.


"When the Lincoln school roof got hit with severe hail a couple of summers ago, it was almost three quarters of a million dollars to replace that roof," said Popp. "That's just one roof. We generate about $1.6 million in our capital outlay each year. Just replacing that one roof blew half of our capital outlay."

Based on the 2023-2024 school year, 57% of USD 428’s revenue came from state
funding, 17% federal, 11% from special education coop payments and health care
reserve fund, 8% from local taxes and 7% from fees and donations.


"This district has spent very wisely for many years, but it's going to take all of our efforts in capital outlay to keep up on those basic maintenance things going forward," said Popp. "The kind of projects we have been able to do are really nice, but I'm seeing a diminishing ability for us to be able to do anything more with our capital outlay other than just meet the needs of our buildings."

In 2023-2024, the Great Bend school district garnered just over $58.3 million.
Of that amount, $33.5 million came from state funding and $4.5 million from
local taxes.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Where Great Bend school district’s revenue comes from

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Make a Difference Contest 

Governor Laura Kelly announced Thursday $14.5 million for 47 aviation projects across the state through the Kansas Airport Improvement Program (KAIP), which provides funding for planning, construction, and rehabilitation of public-use general aviation airports.&nbsp;

“The Kansas aerospace industry is an essential part of our state’s economy,” Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“Keeping our aviation infrastructure in optimal condition is a large part of that economic growth and job creation, allowing local businesses and communities to prosper.”&nbsp;

The Kansas Department of Transportation’s Division of Aviation received 81 applications seeking a combined total project value of more than $42 million for this round of KAIP grants. Projects were selected from across the state and focused on pavement preservation, safety, and air ambulance accessibility to remote communities.&nbsp;

“Combining state and local funds to provide vital improvements to general aviation airports has helped to create a statewide aviation network citizens can depend on,”&nbsp;said Secretary of Transportation Calvin Reed.&nbsp;“This offers more services, like air ambulance accessibility, that can help support transportation needs in all areas of Kansas.”&nbsp;

The KAIP receives $15 million annually through the bipartisan Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program (IKE) and requires local matching funds of 10-50%, depending on the project. With local matching funds for these projects, the KAIP total project value this year is $22.9 million.&nbsp;

The Great Bend Municipal Airport was selected among the projects.

Great Bend Municipal Airport, Great Bend&nbsp;

Over $14 million for 47 aviation projects across KS, Great Bend included

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Recent obituaries 

Barton’s Dance Department will host a celebration of rhythm, passion, and movement with its “Moving in the Heartland” Dance Festival at 7 p.m. May 2 and 3 in the Fine Arts Auditorium.

Each show will host different dance guest artists from Central Kansas. &nbsp;The May 2 show will feature dances by Aly’s Dance Studio of Great Bend, Be Dance Studio of Great Bend, and the Bethel College Academy of Performing Arts. The May 3 show will feature Barton Dance alumni CJ Orozco performing Street Dance (hip hop and break dance), and the concert will conclude with the Metropolitan Ballet of Wichita’s performance of the Romantic-style ballet “Les Sylphides.” Both nights will include dances from Barton Dance Theatre, Barton’s Dance classes, and solos from Barton students Madi Franks, ShaeLee Martinz, Nineth Pereyra Zuany, and Maya Rodriguez. Barton’s students will present a wide variety of dance styles such as tap dance, modern contemporary dance, jazz dance, and ballet.

Barton Dance Instructor and the Festival Director, Danika Bielek, said she looks forward to having so many dance groups join Barton dance students as part of the event.

&nbsp;“This year the festival includes dance groups representing Great Bend, Newton, and Wichita sharing the stage with Barton’s students and Barton dance alumni,” she said. &nbsp;“The performer’s ages range from 12 years through adult, and almost every style of dance possible will be on display. This show brings some of the best dancers the region has to offer to our community. Additionally, this performance also serves as an end-of-the-year showcase for Barton’s dance classes and a vehicle for personal expression from our dance students. We have some meaningful dances where the students will put their hearts and souls out on the stage.”

In addition to the two performances, the festival will offer some free dance classes for Barton students and the community on May 3 for ages 10 and up, which includes any adults wanting to participate. These classes will be held in Studio 34. There are two classes available: “Ballet with Danika Bielek,” from 12:30- 1:45 pm, and “Street Dance” with CJ Orozco from 2-3 p.m.

Festival tickets are five dollars at the door. Children 5 years and under and Barton students get in for free. For more information, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://shows.bartonccc.edu/">shows.bartonccc.edu</a>&nbsp;or contact Bielek at (620) 792-9253 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:bielekd@bartonccc.edu">bielekd@bartonccc.edu</a>.

Barton dance department to host two-day festival

Hear this week's County Edition show with Eagle Media's Dakota Tucker and staff from the Juvenile Services in Barton County that aired April 24, 2025.

The County Edition program airs every Thursday at 11:05 a.m. on 1590 KVGB &amp; 95.5 FM.&nbsp;

🎙Post Podcast: Juvenile Services staff in Barton County

Being trapped in a tight, restricted area is a harrowing, if not dangerous or lethal, scenario that leads to an estimated 100 worker deaths nationally each year. To help prevent these sorts of incidents locally, Fuller Industries Inc. last Wednesday held its federally mandated annual confined space training.

“This training is essential to ensure that employees can identify potential hazards, understand the necessary safety precautions and know how to respond in an emergency,” said Bree Husted, Fuller’s environmental health and safety assistant who taught the one-hour sessions. “By following best practices and maintaining accurate training records, we can minimize the risk of accidents and injuries in confined spaces and ensure compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations.”

Utilizing a video and demonstrations, Husted explained the dangers and how to avoid them. According to OSHA mandates, employers must annually provide adequate training to all employees who work in or around confined spaces.

OSHA notes that a confined space is large enough for an employee to enter and has limited means of entry or exit. Examples of confined spaces include tanks, silos, storage bins, vaults and pits, many of which exist in Fuller’s commercial cleaning product manufacturing facility west of Great Bend.

“Such spaces may contain hazardous atmospheres like toxic gases, oxygen deficiency or engulfing hazards,” Husted said. There are also threats such as falling, being crushed or buried, or drowning.

According to OSHA, the training serves multiple purposes: It reinforces essential safety skills, helps employees retain critical knowledge and skills, and reduces the likelihood of accidents or injuries. Additionally, the training provides an opportunity to inform employees about changes in confined space regulations or recommended safety procedures, identify skill gaps, and foster a strong safety culture.

“Whether it’s confined space or other safety-related training, Fuller is committed to making sure our team has the knowledge it needs,” Husted said. “This is part of our ongoing effort to make this the safest place it can be.”

Fuller team learns to avoid getting trapped in confined spaces

Graduation season is upon us. View area high school seniors that will be graduating in 2025,&nbsp;presented by Barton Community College.

Find links to pictures and names of local high school seniors by clicking <a href="https://greatbendpost.com/pages/graduating-classes-of-2025">HERE</a>.

View list/pictures of local high school graduating seniors

In a legislative session marked by its brevity, Kansas lawmakers managed to pass an impressive 116 bills. This makes 2025 a productive year for the state’s legislature. But while this productivity could suggest functional governance, a closer look reveals a shift in the balance of power that raises questions about the state of checks and balances in Topeka.

Democratic Governor Laura Kelly, operating with a Republican Legislature, signed into law more than 90 bills, demonstrating that our two major parties can work together when they find common ground. The legislature and governor addressed important topics, ranging from the sustainability of Kansas’ water supply to the opioid epidemic to broadband infrastructure. Many of these bills had broad support, passing both chambers with ease. And even when Kelly did have issues, she allowed 8 bills to become law without signing them, which is indication of compromise, not obstruction.

But this spirit of cooperation was balanced by a record-breaking exercise of legislative muscle. Fourteen of Kelly's 18 vetoes were overridden, the most during her tenure. That in and of itself is a sign of the growing power of Republican supermajorities and the increasingly diminishing role of the executive branch in shaping final policy outcomes.

It's not easy to override a veto. It takes two-thirds majority in both houses, which is 84 votes in the House and 27 in the Senate. That the legislature was able to do so 14 times speaks of a branch of government comfortable with its supremacy. In recent sessions, veto overrides were less prevalent. The 2025 session is a departure from that norm.

Furthermore, the legislature enacted changes to the budgeting process this year. The budget reform shifted actual power away from the Governor by allowing a new legislative committee to introduce their baseline budget early in the session. Rather than being the opening offer for negotiation, Governor Laura Kelly's proposed budget was a supplemental proposal. Supporters of the budget reform argued that these changes were not personally aimed at Kelly’s administration. However, the new budget process coupled with the record number of veto overrides paint the picture of a legislature increasingly inclined to bypass the governor's authority.

Though this session's productivity can be seen as an accomplishment, it is not the only measure of governmental achievement. In the coming years, Kansas will need to contend with a basic question: Can government ever be a sincere system of check and balance if one branch so consistently overrules the other?

Preserving checks and balances is something we should be care about. Enacting legislation is an important part of governing but ensuring that each branch can effectively check the others is essential to a healthy democracy. The erosion of the governor's check on legislative power should concern Kansans. Bipartisanship will persist in some policy realms, but the veto override trend and new budget process suggest a Legislature more at ease forging ahead without the governor.

Insight Kansas: Power balance swings towards Kansas Legislature

The Larned Police Department, Pawnee County Sheriff's Office and Larned Recreation Center is hosting their second annual Cops and Bobbers event on June 7 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 317 Cleveland Street in Larned. The morning will include fishing with law enforcement and prizes. The Wildlife and Parks Department will provide loaner fishing poles, bait will be provided and a free lunch will be available. All ages are welcome to participate. The two law enforcement agencies are also welcoming&nbsp;community donations. Anyone interested can send a check to the&nbsp;Larned Police Department&nbsp;or the&nbsp;Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office, with "Cops and Bobbers" in the memo line. The agencies are accepting&nbsp;prize donations&nbsp;that can be given away during the event.&nbsp;&nbsp;

'Cops and Bobbers' returns in June from Larned law enforcement

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Sign up today at Kelly's Garden Sense 134 NE 10 Ave. You can register from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m

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Reef Blue Summer - Sign up today at Kelly's Garden Sense

Barton Community College will host its first-ever Homeschool Opportunities Day from 12 to 4<a>&nbsp;</a>p.m. May 2, offering homeschool families a chance to explore the many college-level options available to students in grades 9-12.

Homeschool families in Kansas have unique opportunities for early college access. Students in grades 10-12 and ninth grade with a gifted Individualized Education Plan (IEP) can begin taking college classes while completing their high school education. Homeschool Opportunities Day is designed as a flexible, choose-your-own-adventure event that allows families to participate in the activities that best meet their students’ needs and stages of readiness.

The event begins with a come-and-go session, where families can meet Barton instructors and ask questions. Director of Early College Opportunities Karly Little will lead an information forum focused on the home-school student experience, followed by a campus tour. For students ready to begin their Barton journey, the afternoon also includes placement testing, academic advising, and enrollment.

“Our goal is to provide a welcoming, informative, and personalized experience for homeschool families, wherever they are in their college-planning journey,” she said. “Whether you're just starting to think about college or ready to get started with classes at Barton, we have something for you.”

Families are encouraged to register by April 30. To sign up, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://bartonccc.edu/homeschool-opportunities">bartonccc.edu/homeschool-opportunities</a>. For more information, contact Little at (620) 792-9294 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:littlek@bartonccc.edu">littlek@bartonccc.edu</a>.

Barton Community College to host Homeschool Opportunities Day

Sunday, April 27 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Houston @ Kansas City 5:00PM 1590/95.5FM - MLB Baseball - Philadelphia @ Chicago Cubs Monday, April 28 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day Tuesday, April 29 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day 5:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Kansas City @ Tampa Bay Wednesday, April 30 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day 5:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Kansas City @ Tampa Bay Thursday, May 1 11:30AM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Kansas City @ Tampa Bay 3:45PM B104 - High School Softball - Great Bend @ Garden City Friday, May 2 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day 5:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Kansas City @ Baltimore Saturday, May 3 12:30PM&nbsp;1590/95.5FM - Major League Baseball - NY Mets @ St. Louis 5:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Kansas City @ Baltimore Sunday, May 4 12:00PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Kansas City @ Baltimore 5:00PM 1590/95.5FM - Major League Baseball - NY Mets @ St. Louis&nbsp; Monday, May 5 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day 6:00PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Chicago White Sox @ Kansas City Tuesday, May 6 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day 6:00PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Chicago White Sox @ Kansas City Wednesday, May 7 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day 6:00PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Chicago White Sox @ Kansas City&nbsp;&nbsp;

Eagle Radio and Hull Broadcasting PBP Schedule

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs general manager Brett Veach saw the same thing that everyone else saw during the Super Bowl: His team was beaten up front on both sides of the ball by the Philadelphia Eagles in a lopsided and humbling defeat.

He certainly took some swings at rectifying the situation in the NFL draft.

The Chiefs used the final pick in the first round on Thursday night to select Ohio State's Josh Simmons, believed by many to be the most talented offensive tackle in the draft. The biggest reason Simmons fell to No. 32 overall is that he's coming off a torn patellar tendon, but the Chiefs are confident after their medical checks that he will play this season.

Then, in the second round Friday night, they used the penultimate pick on Tennessee's Omarr Norman-Lott, who will slide into the middle of the defensive line alongside perennial Pro Bowl tackle Chris Jones.

Throw in another draft pick on the defensive front in the third round — pass rusher Ashton Gillotte of Louisville — and the Chiefs were able to address their most pressing needs before they even reached the middle rounds of the draft.

“Well, certainly there was a lot of discussion about the offensive line following the Super Bowl, and Brett — as he often does — took advantage of free agency to go ahead and reinforce it,” Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said, alluding to the signing of offensive tackle Jaylon Moore and defensive lineman Jerry Tillery earlier in the offseason.

“That's one of the best things that he does,” Hunt said, “is he puts us in a position going into the draft where we don't have to draft based on need, and particularly when you're drafting as late as we do every year. Taking the best player available gives you a chance of getting somebody who can stick with the organization and make an impact long-term.”

That is exactly what the Chiefs see in their first- and second-round picks.

While all the reports on Simmons' knee came back positive, Chiefs coach Andy Reid said he was unsure exactly what Patrick Mahomes' new blind side protector would do this offseason. He may sit out the upcoming rookie minicamp, and perhaps the rest of voluntary workouts. But the Chiefs believe he will be on the field when training camp begins in July.

“Again, a lot of work ahead on the football side and on the rehab side,” Veach said, "but we've got a great coaching staff, great locker room, great training staff. so we feel good about what we can get out of him.”

The Chiefs were searching for a pass rusher to complement George Karlaftis, and they wound up with one in Gillotte, who is already familiar with his new teammate. Karlaftis played for defensive line coach Mark Hagen at Purdue, and Hagen left there for Louisville, where he tutored Gillotte last season. The two players have even worked out together.

“(Karlaftis) was watching practice, being like, ‘Oh that’s bad, you've got to fix that,’” Gillotte said. “He’s very critical, but in a lot of ways, he helped refine how I pass rush and get to this level to be considered."

The Chiefs believed so strongly in California cornerback Nohl Williams that they sent their 95th pick and a fourth-rounder next year to New England to move up 10 spots and pick him 85th overall. The Chiefs needed help at the position, and Williams certainly was productive in college, picking off 14 passes during five seasons.

Some draftniks thought Utah State wide receiver Jalen Royals could go as high as the second round. So when he was still there in the fourth round, the Chiefs grabbed him to help fill out a young but exciting wide receiver room. The Chiefs should get Rashee Rice back from injury this season, and Xavier Worthy is coming off a breakout rookie season.

The Chiefs picked up a fifth-round pick in a first-day trade with Philadelphia, and they used it on Oregon linebacker Jeffrey Bassa, who should provide depth while also having the versatility to play all four phases of special teams.

Few teams better filled their biggest holes than the Chiefs did during the draft. They have just one running back signed beyond the upcoming season, so they added SMU's Brashard Smith in the seventh round. But they did not manage to land a high-profile tight end with Travis Kelce's future in football uncertain beyond the 2025 campaign.

Chiefs solidify their offensive and defensive lines while plugging other holes during NFL draft

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Michael Wacha scattered four hits over six innings, Vinnie Pasquantino homered and the Kansas City Royals beat the Houston Astros 2-0 for the second straight night Saturday to run their winning streak to six.

Wacha (1-3) once again received little run support, but the veteran right-hander made the meager production stand up on chilly evening at Kauffman Stadium. He struck out six while walking two and never allowed a runner past second base.

Steven Cruz worked the seventh for Kansas City, his seventh appearance this season without allowing a run. John Schreiber left runners on the corners in the eighth, and Carlos Estévez had a perfect ninth for his seventh save.

Bobby Witt Jr. doubled and scored in the first inning for the Royals, extending his career-best hitting streak to 18 games.

Framber Valdez (1-3) gave up a sacrifice fly to Mark Canha in the first inning and Pasquantino's shot down the right-field line in the fifth. Otherwise, the Astros left-hander kept Kansas City in check, allowing three hits and two walks over eight innings.

Valdez had tossed seven shutout innings against the Royals last August in a 3-2 victory.

The Astros, who have lost five straight at the K, have managed just nine hits while getting shut out over the first two games of the series. They had rolled into Kansas City having won three straight and five of their last six games.

Isaac Parades hit a two-out double and Jeremy Peña followed with a single to give Houston runners on the corners in the eighth inning. Schreiber bounced back to strike out Christian Walker with a four-seam fastball to end the threat.

The Royals have only scored seven runs in the 32 innings that Wacha has pitched this season.

RHP Hunter Brown (3-1, 1.16) tries to extend a 24-inning scoreless streak for Houston in the series finale Sunday. LHP Kris Bubic (2-1, 1.45) gets the start for Kansas City after tossing seven shutout innings against the Rockies his last time out.

Wacha shuts down Astros, Pasquantino homers as KC beats Houston 2-0

Pick 32 (32) Josh Simmons OT Ohio State 6-4 317 LBS

2024: Honorable Mention All-Big Ten Conference. Started the first 6 games at LT for the national champions. Missed the final 10 games with a torn patellar tendon in his left knee.

Pick 31 (63) Omarr Norman-Lott DT Tennessee 6-1 291 LBS

2024: Played in all 13 games as a reserve (18 tackles, 4 sacks).

Pick 2 (66) Ashton Gillotte EDGE Louisville 6-2 264 LBS

2024: Second-team All-ACC. Led team with 10 TFLs, 4.5 sacks. Started 12 games (43 tackles). Did not play in the team's Sun Bowl win over Washington.

Pick 21 (85) Nohl Williams CB California 6-0 199 LBS

2024: Second-team Associated Press All-American. First-team All-ACC CB. Honorable Mention All-ACC All-Purpose. Led the FBS with 7 INTs. Tied for the team lead with 9 PBUs. Tied for third in the FBS with 16 passes defensed. Returned a kickoff 80 yards for a TD. Started all 13 games (52 tackles, TFL, FF).

Pick 31 (133) Jalen Royals WR Utah State 6-0 205 LBS

2024: Second-team All-Mountain West. Led team with 55 receptions, 834 receiving yards (15.2 per, 6 TDs). Started 7 games (1-3-3.0 rushing; 9-184-20.4 KR). Missed the rest of the season with a foot injury.

Pick 20 (156) Jeffrey Bassa LB Oregon 6-1 232 LBS

2024: Honorable Mention All-Big Ten Conference. Played in all 14 games with 12 starts (54 tackles, 2.5 TFLs with 1.5 sacks, 2 PBUs, 2 FFs).

Pick 12 (228) Brashard Smith RB SMU 5-9 194 LBS

2024: Third-team Associated Press All-American All-Purpose. First-team All-ACC. Led team with 1,332 rushing yards (235 carries, 5.7 per), 14 rushing TDs. Ranked fourth in the FBS with 1,977 all-purpose yards (39-327-8.4, 4 TDs receiving; 14-320-22.9 KR). Played in all 14 games with 10 starts.

2025 Kansas City Chief draft selections

Team&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Conf&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; All Hutchinson&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;26-4&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;34-8 Butler&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 25-5&nbsp; &nbsp; 36-6 Barton&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 24-6&nbsp; &nbsp; 31-13 Dodge City&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 17-13&nbsp; &nbsp; 25-25 Garden City&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;16-13&nbsp; &nbsp; 24-19 Colby&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;10-20&nbsp; &nbsp;29-24 Seward County&nbsp; 9-20&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;17-28 Pratt&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 6-22&nbsp; &nbsp; 10-34 Fort Hays Tech&nbsp; &nbsp;0-30&nbsp; &nbsp;0-40 Saturday, April 26 Hutchinson @ Barton ppd Butler @ Pratt ppd Sunday, April 27 Hutchinson @ Barton Butler @ Pratt&nbsp;&nbsp; Dodge City @ Seward County North Platte @ Fort Hays Tech Monday, April 28 Fort Hays Tech @ Pratt Garden City @ Colby End of Regular Season

Jayhawk Softball D-I Standings, Scores, Schedule

Jayhawk West Standings Team&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Conf&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; All Barton&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;24-6&nbsp; &nbsp; 37-10 Cloud County&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 20-7&nbsp; &nbsp; 37-13 Butler&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 15-13&nbsp; &nbsp; 24-22 Hutchinson&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;15-13&nbsp; &nbsp;34-17 Colby&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;14-13&nbsp; &nbsp; 27-23 Dodge City&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;12-14&nbsp; &nbsp;28-20 Seward County&nbsp; &nbsp; 10-16&nbsp; &nbsp;23-26 Garden City&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;8-20&nbsp; &nbsp; 22-29 Pratt&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 5-21&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;12-36 Thursday, April 24 Dodge City 8, Barton 4 Dodge City 9, Barton 8 Friday, April 25 Hutchinson 7, Garden City 2 Hutchinson 4, Garden City 0 Saturday, April 26 Dodge City @ Barton ppd Colby 14. Cloud County 10 Cloud County 1, Colby 0 Seward County @ Pratt ppd Garden City , Hutchinson 4 Hutchinson 12, Garden City 2 Butler @ Cowley ppd Sunday, April 27 Dodge City @ Barton Seward County @ Pratt Butler @ Cowley (1) Monday, April 28 Cloud County @ Colby (Completion of suspended game. Cloud leads 3-1 in the 3rd inning) Hutchinson @ Cowley (1) McCook @ Colby (1) Tuesday, April 29 SE Nebraska @ Cloud County (1) Wednesday, April 30 Barton @ Coffeyville Thursday, May 1 Garden City @ Cloud County Colby @ Butler Seward County @ Dodge City Pratt @ Hutchinson Friday, May 2 Coffeyville @ Barton Saturday, May 3 Cloud County @ Garden City Butler @ Colby Dodge City @ Seward County Hutchinson @ Pratt End of Regular Season

Jayhawk West Baseball Standings, Scores, Schedule

Western Athletic Conference Baseball Standings

Team&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;WAC&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;All Hays&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 7-1&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 8-6 Great Bend&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 5-2&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;13-4 Liberal&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 2-3&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;6-12 Dodge City&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 1-4&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 6-9 Garden City&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 1-6&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 4-9 Friday, April 25 Great Bend 5, Lee Summit North 4 Liberal 5, Cimarron 2 Cimarron 16, Liberal 11 Blue Valley West 15, Dodge City 0 Wichita Heights 15, Dodge City 5 Spring Hill 4, Hays 0 @ Desoto K.C. Piper 2, Hays 0 @ Desoto Saturday, April 26 St. Thomas Aquinas 2, Great Bend 0 @ Gardner-Edgerton Great Bend 2, Gardner-Edgerton 1 Tuesday, April 29 Liberal @ Great Bend (1) Garden City @ Dodge City Thursday, May 1 Liberal @ Hays Cimarron @ Liberal Dodge City @ Wichita South Friday, May 3 Dodge City @ Liberal Garden City @ Hays (1)

WAC Baseball Standings, Scores, Schedule

Baseball -Game 1- Saint Thomas Aquinas 2 Great Bend 0 -Game 2- Great Bend 2 Gardner-Edgerton 1

Great Bend Sports on B104 3 The Point sponsored by USD #428, Keller Real Estate &amp; Insurance Agency, Equity Bank, The 10th Street Eyecare Center, People's Bank and Trust, Comfort Pro, Delgado's Mexican Restaurant, Great Bend Rec, Edward Jones, Damm Pipe Testing, University of Kansas Health System, The Fieldhouse, Scott's Welding Service, American Plains COOP, Farmer's Bank &amp; Trust, Innovative Livestock Services, Marmie Auto Group, Mpire Realty, Advanced Therapy &amp; Sports Medicine, GB Tarp Company, Freedom Claims Management, Coldwell Banker - Megan Wells, Advanced Truck &amp; Diesel, Nextech, Stone Sand Company/Stone Waste Management, Rosenberg Family Denistry, Sutherlands, Great Bend Redi Mix, Kern Floor Service, Magna Dry Cleaning Services, Shelter Insurance - Chris Ramsey, and Mitchell K Haney and Associates.

TOPEKA, Kan. – The state volleyball and basketball formats will look different starting next school year, and the shot clock is officially in the postseason. Those items were approved during the KSHSAA Executive Board and Board of Director Meetings on Thursday.

Volleyball - The traditional two-day format for state volleyball will now be played across three days for classes 6A, 5A, 4 A, 3A, 2A and 1A DI. There will still be two days of competition for each classification, but of the three sites with two classifications, the teams there will alternate days of pool play, with the top two teams from each pool advancing to all play the semifinals, consolation and finals on Saturday. The 1A DII state volleyball format will remain the same.

“This decision is really centered around what is best for the student-athlete,” said KSHSAA Assistant Executive Director Sarah Smith. “The traditional two-day format put students in a situation where we were competing well into the night, sometimes at midnight. This allows for teams to be well rested before their most important match of the year.”

Thursday &amp; Friday Schedule/Format

Even-numbered classifications (6A, 4A, 2A) will play on Thursday during even-numbered years; odd numbered classifications (5A, 3A, 1A Div I) will play on Thursday during odd-numbered years. Whoever does not play Thursday will play the same time schedule/format on Friday.

Even-numbered classifications (6A, 4A, 2A) will play bracket play in the morning during even-numbered years; odd numbered classifications (5A, 3A, 1A Div I) will bracket play in the morning during odd-numbered years. 1A Div II will keep their current schedule/format.

Even Numbered Classes (assuming this is an even-numbered year)

9:00 am: 1st Place Pool 1 vs 2nd Place Pool 2; 1st Place Pool 2 vs 2nd Place Pool 1

10:30 am: 3rd Place Match; Championship Match

Odd Numbered Classes (assuming this is an odd-numbered year)

1:00 pm: 1st Place Pool 1 vs 2nd Place Pool 2; 1st Place Pool 2 vs 2nd Place Pool 1

2:30 pm: 3rd Place Match; Championship Match

Basketball – In June of 2024 the KSHSAA Executive Board approved the plan to move state basketball to four sites to align with the membership’s desire to combine championship venues as the association did with football and soccer this school year. On Thursday, the board approved the next step of the plan to move the quarterfinal round to a select group of neutral sites. While sites are not fully finalized, the general premise will be to place the higher seeds playing their opening round game closer to home so far as possible. There will be cases when the travel distance for the opponent is too great so a neutral site in the middle of the two schools will be selected. This could include multiple classes playing at the same site. There will be a total of four sites around the state for semifinals and finals. The quarterfinal sites and the semifinal and final sites have not been selected at this time. More information will be available soon.

Also approved Thursday was the next step for the shot clock. The KSHSAA Executive Board approved the following for mandatory adoption during the postseason:

The KSHSAA collected data throughout the year from those schools who chose to use the shot clock and sent a survey after the basketball season to every school asking for their opinion on the future of the shot clock. Results of the data from the season and the survey are linked here.

Football – The KSHSAA Board of Directors made an adjustment to the classification limits for teams eligible to compete in 8-player and 6-player football. KSHSAA Handbook Rule 35 now reads: For 8-Player district football participation, assignments shall be limited to those schools with a maximum enrollment of 110 students in grades 9, 10 and 11. For 6-Player district football participation, assignments shall be limited to those schools with a maximum enrollment of 65 students in grades 9, 10 and 11. The change will go into effect for the next football districting cycle.

KSHSAA legislative boards approve several changes

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Seth Lugo threw eight scoreless innings as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Houston Astros 2-0 Friday night.

The Royals have now won five straight games after snapping a six-game losing streak.

Coming off a double-header on Thursday, the Royals needed Lugo to go deep in the game, and he delivered. Lugo (2-3) yielded three hits with a walk and eight strikeouts. Lucas Erceg, who got his first save, pitched a 1-2-3 ninth.

Hayden Wesneski (1-2) took the loss, allowing two runs on eight hits in five-plus innings.

Bobby Witt had three hits for Kansas City.

Both starters were on point early on. Lugo needed only 53 pitches to get through five one-hit innings, even with six strikeouts. Wesneski was nearly as good, allowing just one run on six hits through five innings.

Drew Waters led off the fifth with his second double of the game, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Freddy Fermin and scored on a sacrifice fly by Kyle Isbel.

The Royals added another run in the sixth on another sacrifice fly. Vinnie Pasquantino led off with a bloop single and went to second on another bloop hit by Maikel Garcia. Michael Massey sacrificed the runners to second and third. Pasquantino scored on a flyout to center by Hunter Renfroe.

The Astros got a lead-off hit from Victor Caratini in the eighth inning, bringing up the tying run with no outs. But Lugo got Cam Smith to ground into a 6-4-3 double play, squashing the rally.

Witt extended the longest active hitting streak in the majors to a career-high 17 games and is batting .371 (23 of 62) in that span.

The Astros and Royals will play Game 2 of a three-game series Saturday evening. Houston will send LHP Framber Valdez (1-2, 4.50 ERA) to the mound to face Kansas City's RHP Michael Wacha (0-3, 4.15 ERA).

Seth Lugo shuts down Astros to lead Royals to fifth straight win

SUN Bucks program provides eligible families with $120 per school-aged child for summer groceries

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ghills/">GRACE HILLS</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — An estimated 187,000 Kansas school-age children could have received free summer meals last year — their families just didn’t submit the application.

Of the 193,000 potential applications estimated by the United States Department of Agriculture for the SUN Bucks program, according to the Kansas Department for Children and Families, there were 5,645 submitted — only 3%. The program, also known as the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer program, gives families a $120 summer grocery card per eligible school-age child.

While most eligible children did not receive the SUN Bucks, 59,265 families&nbsp; automatically received them, according to DCF. The number of families who automatically received benefits were not counted into the 193,000 potential applications. Children in a household that had already submitted paperwork to receive free or reduced-price school lunches or applied for monthly food assistance programs, for example, were auto-enrolled. Families auto-enrolled for this summer received a letter in January.

The majority of states that offer SUN Bucks auto-enroll children in Medicaid. Kansas does not.

Haley Kottler, campaign director for food access at Kansas Appleseed, says DCF can’t auto-enroll children on Medicaid because of capacity issues with its internal system.

“If systems were integrated and updated, approximately 60,000 more eligible children could be auto-enrolled in SUN Bucks,” Kottler said.

After&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/usda-grocery-ebt-21-million-children-summer-2024-what-to-know/" target="_blank">federal funding was approved</a>, families had from<a href="https://www.propel.app/summer-ebt/" target="_blank">&nbsp;Aug. 12, 2024</a>, to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksde.gov/Home/Quick-Links/News-Room/Weekly-News/Student-Health-and-Nutrition/PID/6197/mcat/6219/acat/2/ArtDateMonth/9-2024" target="_blank">Oct. 15, 2024</a>, to apply. This year, families have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dcf.ks.gov/services/ees/Pages/Food/sunbucks.aspx" target="_blank">from Jan. 27 to Aug. 29</a>&nbsp;to apply — enlarging the window from two to seven months.

Kottler identified the small timespan as a reason for the low number of applications. The original application deadline was Sept. 11, 2024, and Kottler fought to change it. But she said that even with the extended window, applications didn’t increase.

“It made it really challenging, because a lot of families just didn’t know they were able to utilize this benefit,” Kottler said.

Erin LaRow, a spokeswoman for DCF, said her department spread the word via social media campaigns, messaging within the DCF phone system and self-service portal, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dcf.ks.gov/services/ees/Pages/Food/SUNBucks.aspx" target="_blank">dedicated webpage</a>&nbsp;and a statewide news release.

The department also shared a fact sheet, both in English and Spanish, with the Kansas State Department of Education.

David Rubel, a New York City-based education consultant, looked at 12 states’ potential number of applications vs applications submitted. He found the percentage of applications submitted in every state was less than 20%.

North Carolina had the highest results, with 19.3% of applications submitted, followed by Missouri, with 18.3%. He said the comparatively robust numbers are because of communication about the SUN Bucks program from school districts.

“It’s all about the school districts getting the word out to their families. And why I emphasize the school districts is because they’re the only ones who have the current contact information for the families,” Rubel said.

Amber Wheeler, the superintendent of Humboldt School District — which has 33% of students approved for free and reduced-price lunches — said it has posted a DCF infographic on their social media accounts.

Robin Button, the food and service director for Fort Scott School District — with 56.7% of students approved for free and reduced-price lunches — said it plans on posting the infographic and mentioning the program at its town hall.

In the wake of President Donald Trump’s promise to deport more people — and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/irs-share-taxpayer-info-ice-immigrants-rcna200250" target="_blank">use of federal documents to identify them</a>&nbsp;— immigrant families are wary of submitting more documentation. While the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dcf.ks.gov/services/ees/Pages/Food/sunbucks.aspx" target="_blank">Kansas DCF website</a>&nbsp;states that receiving SUN Bucks would not affect a family’s immigration status, fear remains.

“There’s a chilling effect when it comes to programs like this,” Kottler said. “It’s absolutely causing them fear and to not apply.”

Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk have been pushing spending cuts — a crusade that has trickled down to state-level officials.

At the Kansas State Board of Education’s April meeting, a motion failed to allow KSDE Child and Wellness services to enter an agreement with the Kansas Association of Broadcasters to run public service announcements about summer meal programs. This means that stations associated with KAB won’t air promotional materials about the Summer EBT program.

In the 2025-2026 Kansas legislative session, Republicans attempted to insert a provision in the budget that would ban the use of SUN Bucks on candy or soda. Democratic Governor Laura Kelly vetoed the provision — and while the Senate overturned her veto, the House did not — ultimately upholding her veto.

LaRow with DCF said the department has received 1,294 SUN Bucks applications as of April 11.

Application is open now through Aug. 29, 2025.

Families who did not receive a letter from the Kansas Department for Children and Families in January&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dcf.ks.gov/services/ees/Pages/Food/sunbucks.aspx" target="_blank">can check their eligibility</a>.

Families should&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dcfapp.kees.ks.gov/apspssp/sspNonMed.portal" target="_blank">apply through the DCF Self-service portal</a>.

187,000 Kansas children miss out on free summer meals despite eligibility 

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City firefighter paramedic was critically injured while transporting a patient to the hospital.

Just after 1a.m. Sunday, the Kansas City fire department was dispatched to North Oak and 152 on a routine medical call, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

While transporting the patient to the hospital, the patient stabbed the firefighter paramedic in the chest. The firefighter's partner immediately called a crew emergency and additional KCFD personnel along with KCPD were dispatched to the scene. 

The firefighter was transported to North Kansas City Hospital in critical condition where they are receiving treatment for the injuries sustained and remains in critical condition, according to Hopkins.

The suspect/patient in this incident was apprehended by the Kansas City Police Department and is in custody. Police have released no additional details early Sunday.

Patient stabbed KC firefighter paramedic during transport

KANSAS CITY —Police are investigating a double homicide in Kansas City.

Just before 1p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting at 12th and Belmont in Kansas City, Missouri , according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchins.

First responders were directed to a vehicle in the road there. Inside that vehicle officers located two male shooting victims unresponsive. Officers summoned EMS to the scene who declared the victims deceased.

The investigation indicates that the victims were inside the vehicle at the location when they had an interaction with one or more suspects and shots were fired. Both victims were inside the vehicle when they were struck by the gunfire. Initial responding officers took one subject of interest into custody for further investigation. Detectives are working to determine that subject of interest’s exact involvement at this time.

Double Homicide 

Around 12:45 p.m. <a href="https://x.com/kcpolice">@kcpolice</a> responded to 12th and Belmont on a shooting. 

Two male shooting victims were located inside a vehicle. Both were pronounced dead. 

A person of interest was taken into custody at the scene. <a href="https://x.com/KansasCity">@KansasCity</a><a href="https://x.com/JacksonCountyMO">@JacksonCountyMO</a>

Double homicide: Two found with gunshot wounds in Kansas City

VATICAN CITY (AP) — A popular saying in Vatican circles is that if you “enter a conclave as pope, you leave as a cardinal.”

It implies&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-funeral-burial-rites-rituals-2eb13a689d09d3403f08027081fe3753">the sacred and secretive process</a>&nbsp;is no popularity contest or campaign, but rather the divinely inspired election of Christ’s Vicar on Earth by the princes of the church.

Still, there are always front-runners, known as “papabile,” who have at least some of the qualities considered necessary to be pope — much like those depicted in last year’s Oscar-nominated film “Conclave.”

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