Announcing a big New Year's goal in mid-November does not leave much wiggle room. Yet Sandra Burton and Sandra Burton Massage in Great Bend and Live Like Jesus Today Ministries were able to reach that goal of purchasing and distributing 1,000 sleeping bags to needy residents in the area. With several donations in the final week of 2024, Burton was able to purchase 1,005 sleeping bags for the Rest Easy Sleeping Bag Project. More than 100 bags were ordered in the final 90 minutes of last year. Excess funds were used to purchase food for the warming center at the Dream Center in Great Bend during last week's cold spell.

Each sleeping bag was $17.50. The Rest Easy Project bank account will remain open to help fund future projects through Live Like Jesus Today Ministries.

Rest Easy Sleeping Bag Project exceeds goal of 1,000 sleeping bags for area needy

Check back to see your progress AND enter in additional rounds!

Enter the Bowl Pick'em Contest

Medical Park Pharmacy, Mayo Money Management, Hazmat Response, Protective Equipment Testing Lab, R&amp;R Roofing, Freedom Claims Management, Inc., Rosencrantz-Bemis Water Well Company, Stone Sand Company/Stone Waste Management, Miller Plastics/Miller Warehouse, Nex-Tech Wireless, USD #431 Hoisington, Great Bend Redi Mix, Heavy Duty Diesel &amp; Auto, USD #428 Great Bend

Make a Difference Contest 

Barton County Sheriff’s
Office incident log (1/13)

At 2:09 p.m. the K-9 was called out to the 2200 block of 24th
Street.

At 2:59 p.m. the K-9 was called out to 24th &amp;
Rock Bridge Road.

At 4:07 p.m. the K-9 was called out to 24th &amp;
Morton.

At 10:18 p.m. a driving complaint was reported at NE K-156
Highway.

At 10:41 p.m. a traffic arrest was reported at NE 50 Road
&amp; N. US 281 Highway.

At 10:52 p.m. a missing person/runaway was reported at 293
NE 30 Avenue.

Great Bend Police
Department incident log (1/13)

At 8:51 a.m. a theft of items from the business was reported
at Holiday Inn Express, 3821 10th Street.

At 9:20 a.m. a vehicle unable to maintain a lane in the
county was reported at NE K-156 Highway &amp; NE 150 Avenue.

At 10:05 a.m. someone using her debit card was reported at
1215 Stone.

At 11:19 a.m. a report of wanting to k now how to get
someone evicted from a residence was made at 5951 Hemlock.

At 11:38 a.m. a hit and run was reported at 5815 Broadway.

At 6:22 p.m. a vehicle unable to maintain a lane was
reported at 1315 10th Street.

Cop Shop (1/13)

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://greatbendpost.com/category/obituaries" target="_blank">HERE&nbsp;</a>to view the most recent obituaries and service times from Eagle Media's funeral home partners.

﻿Funeral homes and families can send notices to <a href="mailto:obitsgb@eagleradio.net">obitsgb@eagleradio.net</a>.

Obituary listings are a paid service. Contact Eagle Media for more details.

Recent obituaries 

By COLE REIF Great Bend Post

In June of 1980, Harold Tarlton hired Cecelia Conrad to work for the
City of Hoisington. Conrad worked in a variety of departments and retired at
the beginning of the year after more than 44 years with the city. 

Hoisington
City Manager Jonathan Mitchell said Conrad is well liked and respected throughout
the community.


"Cecelia was the first female power plant operator," said Mitchell. "She was the first female for a lot of things. She worked in the field for public works. She was the one that kind of blazed the trail in our community."

Conrad retired as City Clerk for the City of Hoisington, a position she held
since 2019. Hoisington staff held a public celebration for Conrad’s career last
Friday.

"I'm grateful for her and her contributions to our community," said Mitchell. "I'm really going to miss her but excited she gets to spend more time with her grandkids."

Kim Loesch, previously the Deputy Clerk, took over the City Clerk position on
Jan. 2.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Nearly 45 years with the City of Hoisington, Conrad retires

A special Claflin City Council meeting was held on Tuesday, Jan. 7.  The meeting was called for discussion and possible council action regarding the Hidden Hills Estates housing development. 

Remington Miller presented information on the Hidden Hills Estates housing development, including estimates for the proposed city’s portion of expenses and a plat. A municipal bond would assist in funding the 22-lot project, which would be paid for through special assessment taxes paid by the lot owners, developers, and the city. 

A discussion occurred regarding the responsibility for costs associated with the project. Attorney Bob Suelter will present the plat to the city zoning board for approval. 

No action was taken at this time.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Claflin council discusses 22-lot housing development

Today Increasing clouds, with a high near 28. Northwest wind 6 to 11 mph becoming east-southeast in the afternoon.

Tonight Mostly cloudy, with a low around 16. East-southeast wind around 6 mph becoming southwest after midnight.

Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 39. West wind 6 to 11 mph.

Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 25. West wind around 9 mph.

Thursday Sunny, with a high near 43. West wind 7 to 9 mph becoming south in the afternoon.

Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 24.

Friday Sunny, with a high near 43.

Friday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 21.

Saturday Mostly cloudy, with a high near 26.

Saturday Night A 20 percent chance of snow before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 6.

Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 18.

Sunday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 0.

M.L.King Day Mostly sunny, with a high near 16.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Tuesday's weather

SALINE COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 5p.m. Monday in Saline County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2022 Chevy Silverado driven by Jackie&nbsp;Soukup, 43, Dorrance was eastbound on Interstate 70 just before Niles Road. The pickup rear-ended a 2022 Freightliner semi driven by&nbsp; Sahil&nbsp;Balkishan, 24, San Rafael, California.

EMS transported&nbsp;Soukup to Salina Regional Health Center.&nbsp;&nbsp;Balkishan was not injured.&nbsp; Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas woman hospitalized after pickup rear-ends semi

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

President-elect Donald Trump will begin his second term in the White House on Jan. 20. Already his proposed policies are impacting smaller government. Each year, USD 428 replenishes one-third of its Chromebook computers that are used by Great Bend students. Monday evening, Superintendent Khris Thexton suggested purchasing the Chromebooks now rather than later in the year.

"Usually, we bring these later in the year but we were made aware of possible tariffs that might be implemented shortly," he said, "and that it was best to get these ordered and get them coming prior to that possible up to 20 percent increase in costs."

The district will purchase 1,100 Acer C736 Chromebooks from Chicago-based CDW Government for $302,500, the same price as last year. Licenses for each computer will also cost the same at a total of $35,200. Protective cases will cost a total of $20,900. The total cost is $358,600.

"These are the new cases we put on the Chromebooks," Thexton said. "They're a lot more substantial and they've done a better job protecting Chromebooks than in the past. They're actually $5 less than they were in previous years."

The district replaces one-fifth of its computers and one-third of its Chromebooks each year. 

USD 428 approves purchase of Chromebooks earlier than usual

The New Year inspires new goals including financial resolutions.

The holidays can be a challenging time to save money, and now you may be motivated to regain control of your spending habits. However, saving, reallocating funds, and budgeting can be overwhelming tasks requiring attention to detail and time. The good news is that there are methods to simplify the process.

Budgets don’t have to be restrictive. In fact, a budget is simply an organizational tool that can help you keep track of income and expenses. With increased awareness, a budget can help you determine the best way to allocate your money. Overall, a budget can help you get “financially fit.” This means effectively managing your money to meet short-term and long-term goals.

So, instead of letting money management overwhelm you, here are a few ways to rethink the budgeting process.

First, pay yourself! A rewarding budgeting method is to “pay yourself first.” This means putting a set amount of money from each paycheck into savings or investment portfolios before spending anything. Organizing the remainder of your income is simplified and reduces the temptation to overspend on things you may regret. Paying yourself first streamlines goals, and for some, this can be done automatically through an electronic bank withdrawal system to make saving mindless.

Another key step to building a budget is to get organized. Keep track of bills to quantify expenses and get a realistic picture of how you spend money. To do this, carry a notebook to record all transactions for at least a week. This will increase awareness of your spending habits and help you understand where you currently allocate your money.

Once you have a better grasp of your financial habits, you can build a realistic budget. A realistic budget is a plan that accurately reflects your income, needs, and wants for your current

life circumstances. Following this type of plan will help you to find balance, and empower you to improve your financial situation.

If you want to discover more about your spending habits and how to construct a budget, join the Cottonwood Extension District on January 16th. This Personal Finance Workshop will take place at 10 am at Great Bend Public Library. Contact Karissa at 620-793-1910 to learn more.

Karissa Winkel is the Family and Community Wellness Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District. You may reach her at: 620-793-1910 or krwinkel@ksu.edu. K-State Research &amp; Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

WINKEL: New Year - financial resolutions

Great Bend Recreation Commission Board meeting Jan. 13&nbsp; -&nbsp; 4 p.m. Carl Soden Recreation Center, 1214 Stone Street

1. Call to Order &nbsp; &nbsp;1.1 Adoption of Agenda &nbsp; &nbsp;1.2 Introduction of Guests

2. Consent Agenda &nbsp; &nbsp;2.1 Minutes: December 9th, 2024 &nbsp; &nbsp;2.2 Bills Payable &nbsp; &nbsp;2.3 Financial Reports

3. Communications &nbsp; &nbsp;3.1 Liaison Report USD#428/City of Great Bend &nbsp; &nbsp;3.2 Board Members’ Comments

4. Old Business Reports &nbsp; &nbsp;4.1 Enrichment Report &nbsp; &nbsp;4.2 Fitness-Heath-Wellness Report &nbsp; &nbsp;4.3 Sports Report &nbsp; &nbsp;4.4 December Attendance Report

5. New Business &nbsp; &nbsp;5.1 Election of Officers &nbsp; &nbsp;5.2 Annual Conflict of Interest Disclosure &nbsp; &nbsp;5.3 Board Meeting Calendar &nbsp; &nbsp;5.4 Basketball Rules Update

Great Bend Rec Board meeting agenda (1/13)

A new class of elected officials have officially been sworn into office. Under Kansas statute, elected county officials are to be sworn into their respective offices on the second Monday of the New Year following the general election. That meant moving Tuesday's Barton County Commission meeting to Monday morning to swear in various elected officials and members of the Barton County Sheriff's Office. 

Commissioners Barb Esfeld and Shawn Hutchinson both won uncontested races in the second and third districts, respectively.

"As of today, Commissioner Esfeld and I have now worked with this commission longer than we worked with the past commission," Hutchinson said. "This is no longer the new Barton County Commission. This is the Barton County Commission. I feel very blessed to work with all four of you and I think we all bring something very special to the table."

Levi Morris, former Barton County attorney, was sworn into his new role of district judge in the 20th Judicial District by Chief Judge Carey Hipp. District Judge Lisa Beran was also sworn in. Morris defeated Donald E. Anderson in last August's primary and was uncontested in November's general election.

J. Colin Reynolds, a former assistant county attorney under Morris, was sworn into his new role of county attorney. Reynolds was uncontested in both the primary and general elections.

County Clerk Bev Schmeidler kept her position in that office after defeating Alicia Straub in the August primary. Schmeidler ran uncontested in the general election.

Susan Williams, a former deputy register of deeds, defeated incumbent Glennda French in the August primary and won the general election against French's write-in bid.

Sheriff Brian Bellendir was sworn into his historic fourth term in that office. Bellendir ran uncontested in both races to become the first Barton County sheriff to ever be elected to a fourth four-year term. Following the swearing in ceremony of county officials in Court Room A at the courthouse, Bellendirs staff was sworn in by Schmeidler in the courthouse rotunda.

Barton County elected officials, deputies sworn into office


2	Trinity Valley Community College		14-1	337


3	Northeastern Oklahoma A&amp;M College		13-1	308


4	Indian Hills Community College		16-4	307


8	Northwest Florida State College		15-3	264

9	Cowley County
Community College		15-2	250

11	Butler
Community College - KS		13-3	184

12	Coffeyville
Community College		13-3	179

13	Barton
Community College		13-3	173


18	Moberly Area Community College		15-3	126


21	Eastern Florida State College		14-2	60


25	Northeast Mississippi Community College		16-0	17

2024-25 NJCAA DI Men's Basketball Poll | Week 7

DENVER (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/broncos-season-wrapup-nix-payton-b2593dd576936f77873176ae24350c97">Denver Broncos</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chargers-season-wrapup-harbaugh-1efa14152cb290aec5b399b5643065ca">Los Angeles Chargers</a>&nbsp;felt good about their chances heading into the playoffs in large part because they had played the reigning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-nfl-playoffs-6f7dbffff1f69e7b31277850fa6626b3">two-time Super Bowl</a>&nbsp;champion Kansas City Chiefs so tough this season.

Their wipeouts in the wild-card round show they're not as close to overtaking the Chiefs as they may have thought.

The Broncos (10-8) would have swept Kansas City (15-2) were it not for a blocked field goal as time expired in Week 10 that preserved the Chiefs' 16-14 escape at Arrowhead, and Denver ended its eight-year playoff drought with a 38-0 shutout of K.C.'s backups in Week 18.

If not for that fluke failure from his field goal protection unit, Sean Payton would be 3-1 against Kansas City since becoming Broncos head coach, and Jim Harbaugh was really close to going 2-0 against Andy Reid this season.

The Chargers (11-7) lost by two and seven points to K.C., which won its ninth consecutive AFC West crown in its quest for an unprecedented three-peat as Super Bowl champs.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texans-chargers-score-5a108d64ad9775007e5b4baade32bcf8">Chargers face-planted 32-12 at Houston</a>&nbsp;on Saturday after taking a 6-0 lead into the second quarter, and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/broncos-bills-playoffs-score-0519472b100dbacf96e8204dba436ffb">Broncos were blown out 31-7 at Buffalo</a>&nbsp;after grabbing a 7-0 lead just five snaps into the game.

The remaining teams — Baltimore, Buffalo and Houston — in the AFC field all could pose stiff challenges to the Chiefs. But Patrick Mahomes is 15-3 in the playoffs, has won his last seven postseason starts and is 4-0 against the AFC quarterbacks remaining in the playoffs.

Josh Allen is 0-3 against Mahomes in the playoffs and 6-2 against everybody else. Lamar Jackson is 0-1 against Mahomes and 3-3 against others, and Stroud is 2-1 and will face Mahomes for the first time in the postseason Saturday, when Mahomes and several other starters will be coming off a whopping 24 days' rest.

The Ravens and Bills meet in the other divisional round game while the Chargers and Broncos both look toward next season and ponder the painful lessons learned from their early exits.

Though not nearly as strong as the NFC North, which produced the 15-2 Lions, 14-3 Vikings and 11-6 Packers, all playoff teams, the AFC West sent three teams to the postseason for the first time since 2013.

“One of the things we learned early on is we got to find a way to play these games at home,” coach Sean Payton said.

That would mean upending the Chiefs, who have owned the division ever since Peyton Manning retired in 2016 and have averaged almost 13 wins a season since Mahomes became their starter in 2018.

So, how close are the Broncos to knocking the Chiefs from their pedestal? Several players who were cleaning out their lockers Monday said they felt they were close, although one thought it was a gotcha question.

“I mean, if you look at us, we were in all those games, every single one of them,” left tackle Garett Bolles said of the Broncos' 3-3 divisional record that included a sweep of Las Vegas and a pair of seven-point losses to the Chargers. “None of them were blowouts. We're right there. I think that we need to get some more playmakers but everything we have in this locker room, the core value, is here.

“The sky's the limit for us and I think we're going to be exactly where we want to be.”

Asked how close he felt the Broncos were to catching the Chiefs, right guard Quinn Meinerz, fresh off his first All-Pro season, was having none of it.

“You're already assuming the Chiefs,” he retorted.

Well, they have won nine consecutive division titles, second most ever behind the New England Patriots' 11-year dominance of the AFC East from 2009-19 under Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.

“We're not even on to the next season yet,” Meinerz interjected. “I mean, I can't predict any of that. We just got done playing in the playoffs. I think that's kind of a, kind of baiting question to ask, to be honest."

“This is all speculation and I'm not here to speculate,” Meinerz said. “I'm here to talk about what we just accomplished and not necessarily speculate on the future.”

Blowouts show the Broncos, Chargers aren't so close to the Chiefs

SCHOOL&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; CONF&nbsp; &nbsp;ALL Hutchinson&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 10-0&nbsp; &nbsp;16-0 Dodge City&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 10-0&nbsp; &nbsp;15-1 Coffeyville&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;7-3&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;12-3 Seward County&nbsp; &nbsp; 7-3&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;12-4 Butler&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 6-4&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;11-4 Cloud County&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;6-4&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;11-4 Cowley&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 6-5&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;11-5 Garden City&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;5-5&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;8-7 Colby&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 4-7&nbsp; &nbsp; 9-8 Barton&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;3-7&nbsp; &nbsp; 7-9 Pratt&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;1-8&nbsp; &nbsp; 6-9 Independence&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;0-9&nbsp; &nbsp; 1-14 FHSU Tech NW&nbsp; &nbsp;0-10&nbsp; 0-14&nbsp;&nbsp; Monday, January 13 Cloud County 57, Garden City 53 Wednesday, January 15 Independence @ Barton Seward County @ Hutchinson Dodge City @ Coffeyville Garden City @ Pratt Cloud County @ Butler Colby @ FHSU Tech NW Saturday, January 18 Coffeyville @ Barton Seward County @ Hutchinson Dodge City @ Coffeyville Garden City @ Pratt Cloud County @ Butler Colby @ FHSU Tech NW

Jayhawk Women Standings/Scores/Schedule

SCHOOL&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; CONF&nbsp; &nbsp;ALL Cowley&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 10-1&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;15-2 Coffeyville&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 9-1 1&nbsp; &nbsp; 13-3 Butler&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 8-2&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 13-3 Barton&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 7-3&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 13-3 Hutchinson&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 7-3&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 11-5 Colby&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;5-6&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 10-7 Pratt&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 4-5&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 8-7 Independence&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;3-6&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 7-8 Cloud County&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;3-7&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 9-7 Dodge City&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 3-7&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;6-10 Garden City&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 3-7&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;8-8 FHSU Tech NW&nbsp; &nbsp;2-8&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;4-10 Seward County&nbsp; &nbsp; 1-9&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;2-13 Monday, January 13 Garden City 85, Cloud County 73 Wednesday, January 15 Independence @ Barton Seward County @ Hutchinson Dodge City @ Coffeyville Garden City @ Pratt Cloud County @ Butler Colby @ FHSU Tech NW&nbsp;&nbsp; Saturday, January 18 Coffeyville @ Barton Butler @ Cowley Hutchinson @ Dodge City Pratt @ Cloud County Seward County @ Garden City Independence @ FHSU Tech NW

Jayhawk Men Standings/Scores/Schedule

DALLAS (AP) — Mike McCarthy will not return as coach of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/dallas-cowboys">Dallas Cowboys</a>, who are going on three decades since their last Super Bowl title, owner Jerry Jones said Monday.

Jones said the organization and McCarthy mutually agreed to part ways. A search for the team's next coach begins immediately, he said.

“I have great respect for Mike, and he has led the team through some very unique and challenging times during his tenure,” Jones said in a statement.

McCarthy’s contract expired on Jan. 8 following a 7-10 season. Dallas was 12-5 each of the three years before that under him, but still hasn’t been past the divisional round of the NFC playoffs since its last Super Bowl at the end of the 1995 season.

University of Colorado coach Deion Sanders — who played on the last Super Bowl-winning Cowboys team — has a good relationship with Jones and could emerge as a coaching candidate. The two have discussed the job, according to a person with knowledge of the conversation. The person, speaking on condition of anonymity because a formal interview hasn’t been arranged, said the team was still in the process of gathering candidates.

The Cowboys had an exclusive negotiating window with McCarthy through Tuesday, but the parties decided to split ahead of the deadline.

At least one NFL team asked during that time about talking to the 61-year-old coach, who won a Super Bowl with Green Bay.

Next season will be the 30th for the Cowboys since winning the last of their five Super Bowl titles.

Before taking the Dallas job after a full season out of coaching, McCarthy was with the Packers for 13 seasons and had a 125-77-2 record from 2006-18. He was 10-8 in the playoffs and led Green Bay to a Super Bowl title at AT&amp;T Stadium, the home of the Cowboys, 14 years ago.

There were also three other NFC championship games for McCarthy in Green Bay, and that is what Jones envisioned — and more — when he hired the coach in 2020 after Jason Garrett never got that far in his 10 years.

McCarthy finished with a 50-38 record in Dallas, including a 1-3 mark in the playoffs. That included last season, when the Cowboys were NFC East champions and had won 16 consecutive home games before trailing by 32 points in the fourth quarter of a 48-32 wild-card loss to the seventh-seeded Packers.

Dallas played the final nine games this season&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cowboys-dak-prescott-hamstring-injury-9cfef226fdbb0f1d735d0ace6734f144">without franchise quarterback Dak Prescott</a>&nbsp;because of a torn hamstring. Top receiver CeeDee Lamb, seven-time Pro Bowl guard Zack Martin, cornerback Trevon Diggs and rushing defending DeMarcus Lawrence also finished the season on injured reserve.

Garrett had the franchise’s second-longest coaching tenure. Hall of Fame coach Tom Landry was the coach for the Cowboys’ first 29 seasons, the same number of seasons they have now gone since winning a Super Bowl. Jones fired two-time Super Bowl winner Landry when he bought the Cowboys before the 1989 season.

Only 12 NFL coaches have more career regular-season wins than McCarthy’s 174, which is still far behind Don Shula’s record 328. The only active coaches with more wins than McCarthy are Andy Reid (302 in 29 seasons) and Mike Tomlin (183 in 18 seasons).

Jones' next coach will be his ninth. He hired Jimmy Johnson from the University of Miami, and the Cowboys won back-to-back Super Bowls in the 1992-93 seasons before the college teammates at Arkansas had an acrimonious split.

McCarthy won't return as the Cowboys' coach; Sanders could be replacement

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Sam Darnold tried to step up in the pocket to find a receiver but there was nowhere to go. The blue and yellow wall that was the Los Angeles Rams’ defense closed too fast. Akhello Witherspoon got there first, knocking the Minnesota quarterback to the ground as the ball popped loose. Jared Verse scooped it up and the Rams faithful roared their approval in their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rams-vikings-arizona-wildfires-f5b9b2cf4d655d35e45f00b18b260328">adopted home of State Farm Stadium</a>&nbsp;as the rookie ran untouched for a 57-yard touchdown. Los Angeles quarterback Matthew Stafford was right there with them. “Our defense,” he said, “just went crazy.” Los Angeles — the football team, but especially the city — has had a tough week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-wildfires-southern-california-2dc4d256d8681f7d035f64730982aef0">as wildfires have decimated large portions of the metropolitan area</a>. The Rams channeled all that sorrow and uncertainty into a dominant defensive performance, sacking Darnold an NFL playoff record-tying nine times to win 27-9 Monday night in an NFC wild-card game that was moved from Southern California to Arizona.

CHICAGO (AP) — Infielder Josh Rojas can earn up to $1 million in performance bonuses in addition to his $3.5 million salary with the Chicago White Sox. Rojas can earn $500,000 based on games played, according to the deal announced Jan. 8: $100,000 each for 90 and each additional 10 through 130. He also can make $500,000 for plate appearances: $100,000 for 300 and each additional 50 through 500. Rojas would get a $150,000 assignment bonus each time he’s traded. Rojas hit .225 with eight homers, 31 RBIs and 10 steals in 143 games with Seattle last season. He became a free agent in November when Seattle failed to offer a 2025 contract. The 30-year-old has a .247 average with 34 homers and 189 RBIs over six seasons with Arizona (2019-23) and Seattle (2023-24). He also would earn $100,000 for MVP, $90,000 for finishing second in the voting, $80,000 for third, $70,000 for fourth and $60,000 for fifth. He would get $100,000 for World Series MVP, $75,000 for League Championship Series MVP, $50,000 for winning a Gold Glove or making The Sporting News All-Star team, $25,000 for election to the All-Star team and $15,000 for selection.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — James Harden scored 13 of his 26 points in a third-quarter revival that rallied the Los Angeles Clippers past the Miami Heat 109-98 on Monday night, snapping a two-game skid. The Clippers were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lakers-clippers-wildfires-9a35ed2bacbdb071f91327ba21be2a1e">playing their first game in five days</a>&nbsp;after their scheduled game on Saturday was postponed because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-wildfires-southern-california-4997fb4d4490fdaa9f2d5cf8cd5f2be7">deadly wildfires in the Los Angeles area.</a>&nbsp;White towels with LA Strong and the state of California in blue were given out. Norman Powell led the Clippers with 29 points. Ivica Zubac had 21 points and a season-high 20 rebounds for his 25th double-double. Harden added 11 assists. Tyler Herro had 32 points and 11 rebounds to lead Miami, which had its three-game winning streak snapped. Kel’el Ware added 19 points and a career-best 13 rebounds off the bench.

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Carson Beck has been through his first team meeting at Miami, and he’s starting to build relationships with his new teammates with the Hurricanes already working out in advance of the 2025 season. When Miami’s new quarterback will start throwing, however, remains unclear. There may be a chance that Beck’s surgically repaired right elbow will be healed enough for him to take part in spring practice, Miami coach Mario Cristobal said Monday — but there’s no timetable yet. “There’s always hope,” Cristobal said. “You know, the sooner the better. I know we went through examinations yesterday and everything’s ahead of schedule. I’ll probably have more clarity in maybe a couple of weeks, so I’d hate to say this or that. I know that certainly for the summertime everything is scheduled to be full-throttle, full-go. But there is anticipation of maybe earlier. I just don’t have it yet.”

NFL PLAYOFFS AFC WILD CARD ROUND No. 4 Houston 32, LA Chargers 12 No. 3 Baltimore 28, No. 6 Pittsburgh 14 No. 2 Buffalo 31, No. 7 Denver 7

AFC DIVISIONAL ROUND No. 4 Houston at No. 1 Kansas City Saturday, Jan. 18, 3:30 p.m. on ESPN/ABC

No. 3 Baltimore at No. 2 Buffalo Sunday, Jan. 19, 5:30 p.m. on CBS/Paramount+

NFC WILD CARD ROUND No. 6 Washington 23, No. 3 Tampa Bay 20 No. 2 Philadelphia 22, No. 7 Green Bay 10 No. 4 LA Rams 27, No. 5 Minnesota 9

NFC DIVISIONAL ROUND No. 6 Washington at No. 1 Detroit Saturday, Jan. 18, 7 p.m. on Fox

No. 4 LA Rams at No. 2 Philadelphia Sunday, Jan. 19, 2 p.m. on NBC

Tuesday's Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

1/13 BOOKED: Michael D. Gray on Barton County District Court case for Driving Under the Influence, Driving on the Right Side of Roadway, and Failure to Use Proper Signal, bond set at $2,500 C/S.

RELEASED: Matthew Hapes on Great Bend Municipal Court case for Domestic Battery, on 48-hour OR bond, and on Barton County District Court case for Interference with LEO, on 48-hour OR bond.

RELEASED: David A. Mayers on Barton County District Court cases, after time served.

RELEASED: Brandon L. Cooks on Barton County District Court warrant for Probation Violation, after time served.

Barton County Sheriff's booking activity (1/13)

- The "Voice of the Cougars" Cole Reif joins the show to talk about the Barton Men and Women's victories at Colby Saturday and to talk about Wednesday's home games against Independence.

- The "Voice of the Panthers" Steve Webster recaps Friday's home games against Garden City and Friday's trip to Hutchinson to take on the Salthawks.

- Mike Courson goes "On the Prowl" for Panther sports.

Tuesday on Sports Day

Monday Statewide Scores

Tuesday, January 14 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day 5:45PM KHOK - H.S. Basketball - Hesston @ Hoisington 5:45PM Hits 106.9 - H.S. Basketball - Larned @ Nickerson Wednesday, January 15 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day 5:15PM B104 - Cougar Basketball - Independence M&amp;W @ Barton 5:30PM Hits 106.9 - Jayhawk Basketball - Kansas @ Iowa State Thursday, January 16 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day 5:45PM Hits 106.9 - H.S. Basketball - Larned @ Halstead Friday, January 17 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day 5:45PM B014 - H.S. Basketball - Great Bend @ Hutchinson 5:45PM KHOK - H.S. Basketball - Hoisington @ Pratt Saturday, January 18 11:30AM Hits 106.9 - Jayhawk Basketball - Kansas St. @ Kansas 1:45PM B104 - Cougar Basketball - Coffeyville M&amp;W @ Barton Monday, January 19 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day 5:30PM&nbsp;1590/95.5FM - CFP Championship - Ohio State vs Notre Dame TBA KHOK - H.S. Basketball -Hoisington Winter Jam coverage TBA Tuesday, January 20 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day TBA KHOK - H.S. Basketball -Hoisington Winter Jam coverage TBA Wednesday, January 21 5:15PM B104 - Cougar Basketball - Barton M&amp;W @ Hutchinson 5:30PM Hits 106.9 - Jayhawk Basketball - Kansas @ TCU

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WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;choice for defense secretary,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pete-hegseth-allegations-defense-trump-194e39797595d87f621db641d0f35ff1">Pete Hegseth</a>, is heading into a potentially explosive confirmation hearing Tuesday as senators question whether the former combat veteran and TV news show host is fit to lead the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/military-and-defense">U.S. military</a>.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/event/senate-committee/defense-secretary-nominee-pete-hegseth-testifies-at-confirmation-hearing/429823">Click here to watch</a>&nbsp;

An ‘unconventional’ nomination as a boon, chairman contends

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. Roger Wicker called Hegseth’s nomination to lead the Defense Department “unconventional” but equated the choice as fitting for President-elect Donald Trump.

“Admittedly, this nomination is unconventional. The nominee is unconventional,” Wicker said.

Hegseth, Wicker said, was an unorthodox political figure “just like that New York developer who rode down the escalator,” in 2015.

Hearing begins for Defense nominee Pete Hegseth as senators launch round of public vetting for Trump’s Cabinet picks

Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to run the Department of Defense, entered the Senate hearing room alongside his entourage.

During Senate hearing, Hegseth will make overtures to female and Black troops

Pete Hegseth, Trump’s pick to be defense secretary, will make overtures to female and Black troops in his confirmation hearing Tuesday after questioning the capabilities of both groups.

In prepared remarks obtained by The Associated Press, Hegseth says to “officers and enlisted, Black and white, young and old, men and women, all Americans, all warriors -- this hearing is for you. Thank you for figuratively, and literally, having my back. I pledge to do the same for you. All of you.”

That strikes a far different tone than he did in his published books, which include inflammatory passages questioning the capabilities of Black troops -- like a passage in “War on Warriors” that “we can assume that 17 percent of all Black officers in the Air Force are promoted simply because of how they look,” and questioning the value of women serving in combat.

Hegseth to say he would be a ‘change agent’ if confirmed

President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary will tell senators he would be a “change agent” at the Pentagon if he’s confirmed.

Pete Hegseth will face questioning from the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday as Democrats have questioned whether the former combat veteran and TV news show host is fit to lead the U.S. military. In his prepared remarks obtained by The Associated Press, Hegseth says “it’s true that I don’t have a similar biography to Defense Secretaries of the last 30 years” but “where has it gotten us?”

Hegseth said Trump believes, “and I humbly agree, that it’s time to give someone with dust on his boots the helm.”

Expect Hegseth to be grilled over his derogatory statements about women

Hegseth will have to answer for his derogatory comments about women in military service as two former female combat veterans, GOP Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-senate-confirmation-ernst-hegseth-dd15a8b031ca8cad2a99237ab99b53a8">Joni Ernst</a>&nbsp;of Iowa and Democrat Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, are among those grilling him from the dais.

“He can try to walk back his comments on women in combat all he wants, but we know what he thinks, right?” said Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran, who lost her legs and partial use of her right arm when the Blackhawk helicopter she was piloting in the Army National Guard was shot down.

Duckworth said she plans to ask Hegseth about his logistical experience, how many people he's commanded and about his diplomatic skills. Many senators have not yet met with Hegseth, and they have not been given access to his FBI background check.

“He’s the most unqualified person to ever be nominated for Secretary of Defense,” Duckworth said.

How military groups have reacted to Hegseth’s nomination

Hegseth has the support of some veterans’ groups that say his past indiscretions are not as important as getting in the job someone who will focus on improving military readiness to fight.

Four defense officials pointed to Hegseth’s acknowledged problems and said senior officers have expressed unease about having him at the helm because the defense secretary often sits in judgment of generals and admirals accused of bad behavior — including infidelity and refusal to obey orders.

Service members expect those holding them accountable to set an example and meet equally high standards, said the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to relay private discussions.

“Character is everything in an institution,” said former Defense Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/chuck-hagel">Chuck Hagel</a>, who served in the Obama administration and was a longtime Republican senator. “You can’t minimize how important character is in leadership.”

Hegseth could lead troops who’d face getting fired for actions he’s done in the past

If Pete Hegseth were still in uniform, his extramarital affairs and a decision to flatly ignore a combat commander’s directive would not just be drawing the attention of senators — they could have run afoul of military law.

That's raising questions among current and former defense leaders and veterans about whether he would be able to enforce discipline in the ranks if confirmed as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hegseth-defense-senate-confirmation-questions-c5209938f7ccf7afe6ade7818817ca07">President-elect Donald Trump’s defense secretary</a>. Hegseth would oversee more than 2 million troops who could be disciplined or kicked out of the service for the same behavior&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pete-hegseth-background-defense-secretary-confirmation-hearing-e160e10c86385a8beff110d9190fb34e">he has acknowledged or been accused of</a>&nbsp;in the past.

Hegseth, a 44-year-old Army National Guard veteran and former Fox News Channel weekend host, has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hegseth-pentagon-desantis-senate-allegations-3cb8c7d7bb555ed075cbbb4e8dad0741">acknowledged having multiple extramarital affairs</a>&nbsp;— which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-assault-allegations-police-report-trump-e6ebec0a1a5c7fb51cb5e2198f5e12a5">occurred while he was in the military</a>, according to divorce records — and has said he told his troops to ignore commands about when to fire on potential enemies. Both violate the Uniform Code of Military Justice and can get troops court-martialed and dishonorably discharged.

He’s also facing questions over his past drinking — which, had it occurred in uniform, also could have led to disciplinary action.

Hegseth’s former experience in the Army National Guard is widely viewed as an asset for the job, but he also brings a jarring record of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pete-hegseth-background-defense-secretary-confirmation-hearing-e160e10c86385a8beff110d9190fb34e">past statements and actions</a>, including allegations of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-assault-allegations-police-report-trump-e6ebec0a1a5c7fb51cb5e2198f5e12a5">sexual assault</a>, excessive drinking and derisive views about women in military combat roles, minorities and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-trump-diversity-pentagon-list-602477b6e80641b53f4f9b640a14f4ce">“woke” generals</a>. He has vowed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hegseth-pentagon-desantis-senate-allegations-3cb8c7d7bb555ed075cbbb4e8dad0741">not drink alcohol</a>&nbsp;if he is confirmed to lead the Pentagon.

He is among the most endangered of Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-staff-picks-stefanik-wiles-stephen-miller-tom-homan-243d73610b03a3ee18c4d5f68756af7c">Cabinet choices</a>, but GOP allies are determined to turn Hegseth into a cause célèbre for Trump’s governing approach amid the nation's culture wars. Outside groups, including those aligned with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/project-2025-cabinet-nominees-heritage-foundation-hegseth-d770431b8022159dc3f6c53458bdcf0e">Heritage Foundation</a>, are running costly campaigns to prop up Hegseth's bid.

“He will be ripped, he will be demeaned. He will be talked about,” said Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., at an event with former Navy SEALs, Army special forces and Marines supporting the nominee. “But we’re going to get him across the finish line.”

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