The 15th Annual Barton Community College Foundation Sporting Clay Shoot is set for April 27 at Camp Aldrich, offering participants a day of friendly competition while raising funds for a great cause.

The popular event supports Faculty Mini-Grants, which provide resources for Barton faculty to enhance classroom learning experiences for students. This year, several changes were introduced to improve the experience for shooters and spectators alike as the shooting event has grown to one of the largest in the state.

Teams will consist of four shooters, with individual shooters still welcome. The shoot will be flighted, meaning participants must start the course at designated times: 9 a.m., noon, or 3 p.m. Flight preferences will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis at registration, so early registration is recommended. Lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., allowing for rotating flights to eat.

The course at Camp Aldrich features 100 targets over 13 stations. Entry fees remain the same: $100 per shooter, $10 game tickets, and raffle tickets for $5. A portion of proceeds from entry fees and game ticket sales will go into the prize pot for winners. Games include flurry and long-bird competitions, which will be available all day for shooters who want additional opportunities for friendly competition and prizes.

Early bird registrations received by April 10 include a hamburger bar lunch and a retractable magnetic flashlight as a gift. A recent parking expansion allows for easier parking with a designated area for trucks and trailers.

In addition to the shooting competition, the Barton Foundation hosts an annual raffle. Of the six raffle items, two will be available for the community to purchase tickets for in advance of the clay shoot. They include a 28-gauge Franchi over/under shotgun featuring an aluminum alloy receiver, 28-inch barrel, and a Prince of Wales stock or a three-day bow hunt at Camp Aldrich, including lodging for two people in a cabin for two nights with exclusive access to the camp. Additional prizes, exclusive to event attendees, include a grill, a three-person guided pheasant hunt with Kansas Trophy Experience, shooting sunglasses, and more.

The Barton Foundation is dedicated to supporting Barton Community College through various fundraising efforts, providing financial support for initiatives such as faculty mini-grants and student scholarships. The annual Sporting Clay Shoot plays a crucial role in raising funds that directly benefit student learning and faculty development.

Community members and shooting enthusiasts are invited to join us for a day of friendly competition while supporting a worthwhile cause. For additional details or to register, visit clayshoot.bartonccfoundation.org or contact the Foundation office at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:foundation@bartonccc.edu">foundation@bartonccc.edu</a>&nbsp;or (620) 786-1136.

Barton Foundation to host 15th Annual Sporting Clay Shoot

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Make a Difference Contest 

By COLE REIF Great Bend Post

Central Kansas Community Corrections, charged with providing intensive
supervision of adult felony offenders instead of sending them to jail, showed
last week that their department is underfunded by the State of Kansas. Serving
Barton, Stafford, Russell, Ellsworth and Rice counties, CKCC has the seventh
highest caseload out of the 31 judicial districts in Kansas, yet receive the 28th
lowest funding amount. 


The Barton County Commission submitted a letter of support to the state last
week for increased local funding. On Tuesday, CKCC Director Brooke Haulmark
said the state (Kansas Department of Corrections, KDOC) has acknowledged Barton’s concern as they work on budget
allocations.


"I believe they're going to review the numbers some more," said Haulmark. "I don't know if they're necessarily surprised. We have partnered with them in other endeavors. We do house some KDOC parole staff for programming and parole. They are aware we're good partners to work with. They are looking at how to address the disparity across the state."

CKCC is adding a 4th Intensive Supervision Officer (ISO) on Monday
that comes from a law enforcement background. Haulmark noted last week that
because of a recent resignation from an officer, CKCC is 288 staffing hours
short every month.


"We have a wonderful team," said Haulmark. "They pull together. I'm grateful for that. For all five counties that we serve, we want them to be safe. We also want to help these clients to not continue the cycle, but to do that we have to be able to have impactful visits with them. That's difficult with the numbers that we're carrying."

CKCC covers a five-county area, more than 4,000 square miles, making it the
fifth highest district in Kansas in square miles. Staff supervises an average
of 237 active clients.


The Commission approved the fiscal year 2026 funding for CKCC provided through
a Kansas Department of Corrections grant. Haulmark requested $807,892.86 in
funding to support six positions and operational costs.

Community Corrections in Barton Co. still looking for more funding

Hear this week's City Edition episode with Eagle Media's Cole Reif and Great Bend Building Official Matt Schafer that aired March 19, 2025.

The City Edition program airs every Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. on 1590 KVGB &amp; 95.5 FM.&nbsp;

🎙Post Podcast: Great Bend Building Official Matt Schafer

Following a pair of structure fires at separate locations, the City of
Great Bend is moving forward with tearing down the unsafe houses. 

In June 2024,
a fire occurred at a mobile home at 201 Walnut Street. City Administrator Logan
Burns said half of the structure is missing due to the fire and the remaining
interior of the mobile home suffered severe smoke and fire damage.


"In January, Matt (Schafer, Building Official) conducted a follow-up inspection after several failed attempts to contact the owner," said Burns. "The portions of the house with fire damage have now collapsed on itself and there are piles of charred lumber around the exterior. The house remains unsecured from entry."

Burns noted there is a similar dangerous building at 218 Pine Street.


"In February 2025, a structure fire occurred at a single-family dwelling located at 218 Pine," said Burns. "The entire structure sustained significant fire damage and much of the roof structure has collapsed. There are no longer any doors or windows on the structure."

The Great Bend City Council approved public hearings for both properties for
May 5 at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall. Property owners have until then
to repair or remove the damage themselves before the city council votes on
whether to demolish the structure.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Great Bend identifies dangerous buildings on Walnut & Pine streets

As lawns begin to turn green, controlling weeds and applying fertilizer is important.

Cool-season grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass or tall fescue are among the most common grasses needing attention, said Kansas State University horticulture expert Cynthia Domenghini, who shares the following maintenance calendar:

March Spot treat broadleaf weeds, if necessary. Treat on a day that is 50 degrees or warmer. Rain or irrigation within 24 hours of application will reduce effectiveness.

April Apply crabgrass preventer when redbud trees are in full bloom, usually in April. The preventer needs to be watered in before it will start to work. One-quarter inch of water will be enough to water in any of the products commonly available.

May Fertilize the lawn with a slow-release fertilizer if you water your lawn or if you normally receive enough rainfall that your turf doesn’t go drought-dormant during the summer. If there are broadleaf weeds, spot treat with a spray or use a fertilizer that includes a weed killer. Rain or irrigation within 24 hours of application will reduce effectiveness of the weed killer, but the fertilizer needs to be watered in. If you are using a product that has both fertilizer and weed killer, wait 24 hours after application before watering in. If grubs have been a problem in the past, apply a product containing imidacloprid or chlorantraniliprole during May or anytime from May through June for imidacloprid. These products work to prevent grub damage. If rainfall does not occur within 24 hours, irrigate with ¼ inch of water.

June through Mid-July Apply second round of crabgrass preventer by June 15 – unless you have used Dimension (dithiopyr) or Barricade (prodiamine) for the April application.

Late-July through August If you see grub damage, apply a grub killer that contains Dylox. Imidacloprid and chlorantraniliprole are effective against young grubs but may not be effective on late instar grubs. The grub killer containing Dylox must be watered in within 24 hours or effectiveness drops.

September Fertilize around Labor Day. This is the most important fertilization of the year. Water in the fertilizer if rainfall does not occur.

November Fertilize. This fertilizer is taken up by the roots but is not used until the following spring. Water in fertilizer. Spray for broadleaf weeds even if they are small. Broadleaf weeds are much easier to control in the fall than in the spring. Try to spray on a day that is at least 50 degrees. Use label rates for all products. Domenghini reminds homeowners that using best practices for turf management is the most effective way to manage their lawn.

“This includes watering only when needed and only applying as much as needed. Deep, infrequent watering is more efficient than frequent, shallow watering. Excessive fertilizer does not equal a healthier lawn and follow recommendations for lawn height when mowing."

She also recommends getting the soil tested to determine nutrient levels. The best start to a healthy lawn is healthy soil.

Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact her by e-mail at aboor@ksu.edu or calling 620-793-1910.K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity employer and provider. Kansas State University, County Extension Councils, Extension Districts, and U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperating.

BOOR: Cool season lawn calendar 

Wearing a seat belt while driving has been stressed for decades, but the
use of car seats or booster seats for younger children is more unknown.
According to the American Red Cross, children should use car seats until the
lap-shoulder belt fits properly, typically for children ages 8 to 12 or over 4’9”.


Barton County Commissioner Tricia Schlessiger said if you have questions if
your car seats are installed properly, the Barton County Health Department will
have car seat technicians on hand Friday, March 21 in Ellinwood.


"They will also have inflatables there as part of the Ellinwood Chamber Coffee," said Schlessiger. "They'll do car seat safety checks. So if anyone needs their car seat safety checked, go to Ellinwood on Friday."

The car seat install and check event will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the band
shell in Wolf Park in Ellinwood, 2nd Street and Main Street.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Car seat install/check event in Ellinwood Friday

Barton County Sheriff's Office incident log (3/19)

At 5:22 a.m. a structure fire was reported at 1351 Susank Road in Hoisington.

At 8:11 a.m. an accident was reported at N. US 281 Highway &amp; NW 160 Road in Hoisington.

At 9:36 a.m. an accident was reported at MM 124 on N. US 281 Highway in Hoisington.

At 10:49 a.m. an accident was reported at NE 190 Road &amp; NE 160 Avenue.

At 4:22 p.m. traumatic injuries were reported at 694 Harrison Street.

At 9:40 p.m. a traffic arrest was reported in the 200 block of NW 20 Avenue.

At 9:56 p.m. the K-9 was called out to the 200 block of NW 20 Avenue.

Great Bend Police Department incident log (3/19)

At 12:59 a.m. ambulance assistance was needed at 1437 10th Street.

At 1:57 a.m. ambulance assistance was needed at 425 Buckeye Street.

At 6:25 a.m. ambulance assistance was needed at 1611 Stone.

At 6:42 a.m. a report of a viscous dog was reported at 1301 K-96 Highway.

At 7:12 a.m. an accident was reported at 3502 10th Street.

At 11:35 a.m. a tree branch falling on his vehicle was reported at 2012 Forest Avenue.

At 1:36 p.m. EMS assistance was needed at 3115 19th Street.

At 3:38 p.m. a dog at large was reported at 1200 Jackson Street.

At 4:22 p.m. EMS assistance was needed at 694 Harrison Street.

At 4:49 p.m. a subject on a 4-wheeler was reported at 25th &amp; Morton.

At 6:14 p.m. an accident was reported at 1513 Broadway.

At 7:16 p.m. EMS assistance was needed at 3703 10th Street.

At 9:40 p.m. a noise complaint was reported at 11th &amp; Washington. Music was turned down.

Cop Shop (3/19)

BOOKED: Zakary Zimmer-Pflughoeft on Barton County District Court case for driving while suspended. Bond set at $2,500 C/S.

Barton County Sheriff's booking activity (3/19)

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 

A pavement marking project on K-4 in Barton County&nbsp;is set to start around March 24, according to&nbsp;the Kansas Department of Transportation. The project stretches from 0.57&nbsp;mile&nbsp;east of the US-281/K-4 junction east to the Rice/Barton&nbsp;County line.&nbsp;Project work&nbsp;will start on the east end and work back to the west. KDOT expects work&nbsp;to finish by mid-April, weather permitting. Flaggers and a pilot car will guide traffic through&nbsp;the&nbsp;work zone, with intermittent delays of no longer than 15 minutes. Cillisen&nbsp;and Sons, Inc., of Kechi, is the&nbsp;primary&nbsp;contractor on the&nbsp;$207,000 project. KDOT urges motorists to stay alert and follow posted signs in all work zones. For current road conditions, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kandrive.gov/">www.kandrive.gov</a>&nbsp;or call 5-1-1. For updates on construction projects in South Central Kansas, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ksdot.gov/projects/south-central-kansas-projects">https://www.ksdot.gov/projects/south-central-kansas-projects</a>.

Pavement marking project to begin on K-4 in Barton County

Students at Great Bend High School recently stepped into the world of stock trading as they participated in the Eighth Annual Legacy Financial Solutions Investment Challenge. This hands-on competition gave students a taste of real-world investing, teaching them the fundamentals of financial markets in an exciting and interactive way.

Using the online platform How the Market Works, students, and staff each started with $100,000 in virtual funds to build their investment portfolios. Throughout February, participants researched stocks, made trades, and refined their strategies, simulating real-time market conditions in a low-risk environment.

After a month of strategic decision-making, the top three student investors emerged out of 167 participants: Jakobi Swartley, a junior, placed first place, receiving a $100 gift card; Aiden Stacey, a sophomore, placed second, receiving a $50 gift card; and Sydney Bailey, a freshman, placed third, receiving a $25 gift card.

“It’s inspiring to see students engage with the stock market in such a meaningful way,” said Lacy Wolters, GBHS career/ACT coordinator. “This challenge provides a valuable opportunity for them to learn about investments and financial planning in a hands-on setting.”

“This competition encourages students to think critically about financial decisions, and it’s exciting to see their enthusiasm grow each year,” added Wolters.

Matt Hiss, investment advisor representative with Legacy Financial Solutions, emphasized the importance of financial literacy. “Our goal is to give students and staff practical exposure to investing. Watching them gain confidence in making financial decisions reinforces the value of this challenge.”

Staff members also took part in the challenge, with this year’s winners all located at Great Bend High School. Carrie Minton secured first place, Kyle Kriegh earned second, and Robin Linsner placed third – receiving $100, $50, and $25 gift cards from Legacy Financial Solutions.

Great Bend students learn the risks & rewards of Wall Street

The stakes will be a lot lower this time around when Bill Self and John Calipari meet in March Madness. Calipari and Self will face each other in the NCAA Tournament for the third time on Thursday night in Providence, Rhode Island, when Arkansas plays Kansas in the opening round of the West Region. The others were both in the national championship game, with the winner walking away with the trophy. Calipari was with Memphis when he lost to Kansas in the 2008 title game. Four years later, Calipari earned his only title when Kentucky beat Kansas in the final.

Self-Calipari's 3rd Meeting in NCAA tourney play 

A group led by Symphony Technology Group managing partner William Chisholm has agreed to purchase the Boston Celtics for at least $6.1 billion, which would make the sale the richest in U.S. major pro sports history, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said Thursday. It remains unclear when exactly the deal will be closed and how the deal will be structured, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither side had made any public announcement of the agreement.

NBA's Boston Celtics sold

Due to technical issues on Hits 106.9, the University of Kansas basketball broadcast on March 20 will move over to 1590 KVGB &amp; 95.5 FM.

The Jayhawks face Arkansas in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

The pregame show begins at 5:30 p.m. with tip-off at 6:10 p.m.

Listen to KU basketball in the NCAA on 1590 KVGB & 95.5 FM

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings have committed to moving forward with J.J. McCarthy as their starting quarterback this season after deciding not to offer Aaron Rodgers a contract, according to a person with knowledge of the decision. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Vikings were not commenting publicly on their plans. Rodgers was released last week by the New York Jets. The departure of Sam Darnold left the Vikings ready to turn their offense over to McCarthy. He was the 10th pick in the 2024 draft whose rookie year was spent rehabilitating from knee surgery.

DENVER (AP) — Perhaps the surest sign that artificial intelligence really is taking over the world will come the day it wins your favorite March Madness bracket pool. The day could be coming soon. A successful CEO-turned-disruptor is running a $1 million March Madness bracket challenge that pits his AI programmers’ picks against those belonging to one of the world’s best-known sports gamblers. 4C Predictions CEO Alan Levy says he's willing to wager the million because he's convinced the data crunching his AI programmers can do is better than what gambler Sean Perry can produce. Levy's AI program picks Houston to win it all. Perry is going with Duke.

WASHINGTON (AP) — As the annual NCAA tournament kicks off, some Americans are skipping March Madness — or at least they aren't trying to predict who'll win. A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that about 7 in 10 U.S. adults say they “never” fill out a bracket for the NCAA men’s or women’s basketball tournament. This group leans more female: About 6 in 10 bracket avoiders are women. Some bracket avoiders plan to watch tournament games but won’t predict winners, while others won't be paying attention to the tournament at all.

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — Marcus Foster scored 22 points and Zach Freemantle added 15 while overcoming foul trouble as Xavier rallied past Texas 86-80 in a First Four game at Dayton. The Musketeers erased a 13-point deficit in their biggest comeback win this season and advanced into the main bracket of the NCAA Tournament to play No. 6 seed Illinois on Friday night in Milwaukee. Tre Johnson led the Longhorns with 23 points in a matchup of No. 11 seeds. Tramon Mark scored 16. Freemantle hit a turnaround jumper to break a 78-all tie with 1:48 remaining and his two free throws extended Xavier’s lead to 82-79 with 1:09 left. Dailyn Swain’s putback upped the margin to five with 20 seconds to play.

TOKYO (AP) — There was the crack of Shohei Ohtani’s bat, the roars from the Tokyo Dome crowd and the beeps from the credit card machines at the massive merchandise center selling boatloads of Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs gear. It all must have been music to the ears of Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred. The 2025 season couldn’t have had a much better start for the sport, which showcased its international appeal over the past week in Japan. The Tokyo Dome hosted a capacity crowd of roughly 42,000 for all four games, including two exhibitions against Japanese teams and two regular-season games. It’s all part of MLB’s winning streak as it barrels toward its domestic opening day on March 27.

COSTA NAVARINO, Greece (AP) — A new president of the IOC will be elected Thursday as just the 10th leader in its 131-year history after one of the most open Olympic elections in decades. The winner will get an eight-year mandate with key issues including steering the Olympics on a smooth path in politics and sports toward the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. The new president will also oversee the selection of a host for the 2036 edition that could go to India or the Middle East. Seven IOC members are chasing an absolute majority for victory from about 100 eligible voters at a resort near the site of Ancient Olympia.

SHANGHAI (AP) — Ex-Formula 1 team owner and media personality Eddie Jordan has died. He was 76. He ran his own Jordan team in the 1990s and 2000s in F1. He became a popular pundit on TV after selling the team in 2005. Jordan had been undergoing treatment for what he had called “quite aggressive” cancer of the bladder and prostate which spread to his spine and pelvis. Jordan gave seven-time champion Michael Schumacher his first race in F1 in 1991. F1 president and chief executive Stefano Domenicali says Jordan was “a protagonist of an era of F1 and he will be deeply missed.”

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — Dola Adebayo and Jedy Cordilla each scored 22 points as Mount St. Mary’s defeated American University 83-72 in an NCAA Tournament matchup of No. 16 seeds at the First Four in Dayton. The Mountaineers earned a date with No. 1 seed Duke on Friday in an East Region game at Raleigh, North Carolina. American lost its leading scorer, Matt Rogers, to a right knee injury in the first half. Rogers scored seven points in eight minutes. Geoff Sprouse led American with 18 points on six 3-pointers off the bench.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The hopes of No. 1 seed Houston of cutting down the NCAA Tournament nets might rest on J’Wan Roberts’ ailing right ankle. Or Duke star Cooper Flagg’s left one. Or injuries to Texas Tech, Iowa State and other teams that could not only shape the tournament but should shape the brackets of millions of Americans on the eve of March Madness. In the case of Roberts, he is hoping to play against SIU-Edwardsville on Thursday, while the Blue Devils are hopeful Flagg can play against the American-Mount St. Mary's winner on Friday.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luka Doncic had 31 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in just three quarters of work, and the Los Angeles Lakers routed the Denver Nuggets 120-108 in a matchup of injury-depleted Western Conference contenders. Austin Reaves scored 22 points for the Lakers, who have won nine consecutive home games and three straight since finishing their 0-4 road trip last Friday with a loss at Denver. Aaron Gordon scored 26 points for the Nuggets, who played without Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. The Lakers scored a season-high 46 points in the first quarter led by Doncic, who scorched Denver for 21.

Wednesday, March 19 At UD Arena Dayton, Ohio

Thursday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

Three members of the Barton Community College men's basketball team were named to the All-KJCCC/Region 6 post-season award list.

Landing on the first team were sophomores&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/mbkb/2024-25/bios/moss_brent_th5a">Brent Moss</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/mbkb/2024-25/bios/kindell_keandre_xyju">Keandre Kindell</a>&nbsp;with freshman&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/mbkb/2024-25/bios/rodriguez_aris_jaun">Aris Rodriguez</a>&nbsp;earning Honorable Mention honors.

The trio helped lead Barton to a third place conference finish at 18-7 and a third straight appearance in the Region 6 title game resulting in a runner-up placing to 5th ranked Cowley as Kindell and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/mbkb/2024-25/bios/williams_fontaine_k5rg">Fontaine Williams</a>&nbsp;were named to the All-Tournament team.

Now 25-8 on the season, the trio and the Cougars most recently received an at-large berth to make the program's first ever consecutive appearances at the NJCAA Division I National Tournament.

The returning honorable mention selections last season, Moss and Kindell played pivotal roles in the Cougars' 2024 national crown, now leading the title defense as the 9th seed beginning Sunday at noon against 24th seeded Brunswick Community College.

BRENT MOSS – 1st TeamOne of the top five performers in the region, Moss was the lone player to average a double-double each outing by leading the league with rebounds on a 4th best scoring average of 18.9 points coming on 10th best 52.9 shooting percentage.

Posting 16 double-doubles, fourteen came against conference opponents earning three conference player of the week honors. Moss added the NJCAA's week nine national player of the week honor from a monster 40-point, 20-rebound effort against Independence followed by a 17-point outing helping Barton to a double digit victory over then-12th ranked Coffeyville.

The 6'6" sophomore from Freeport, Bahamas, led Barton's scoring in fourteen of the thirty-three games and 22 games in rebounds.

KEANDRE KINDELL – 1st TeamArguably one of the, if not the, hardest guards to contain in the conference, Kindell put up an 11th best 16.5 points on the board while leading the league with 5.1 assist per game and 88.9% free throw shooting while defensively finishing second with 2.2 steals.

Earning a pair of conference players of the week awards, the first came in week 11 posting back-to-back career high performances exceeding his 26-point outing leading a road upset at then No. 23 Hutchinson to three days later posting a 31-point performance on 67% shooting versus Garden City.

Five weeks later the 6'0" guard out of Cincinnati, Ohio, grabbed his second weekly honor averaging 22 points on 55.6% shooting with 6.5 assist and 2.0 steals.

ARIS RODRIGUEZ – Honorable MentionRodriguez was in the starting lineup in all but one of the Cougars' 33 games, averaging a team third best 11.8 points on 45% shooting and a second best 80.9% from the free throw stripe.

Raising his game reaching double figures in sixteen of the conference outings, the 6'4" freshman guard from Reading, Pennsylvania, ranked 18th in the league at 13.3 points, 11th at 1.5 steals per game, and 12th in free throw shooting at 80.6%.

Rodriguez' biggest output came on the road at Seward County in dropping 21 points on 4-of-5 three-point shooting.

Trio of Barton men's 🏀 players named to All-KJCCC award list

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2024-25/bios/onugha_vivian_7u24">Vivian Onugha</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2024-25/bios/eck_alaina_m8sz">Alaina Eck</a>&nbsp;of the Barton Community College women's basketball team have been selected to the 2025 Division I All-KJCCC/Region 6 team.

The duo helped Barton to its 8th straight advancement to the quarterfinal round of the post-season before having the season close at 16-16 overall falling to eventual Region 6 champion and 7th ranked Dodge City.

VIVIAN ONUGHA – 1st TeamOnugha was a constant focus from the opposition, drawing double and often three opponents surrounding her to still lead the league with 17.0 rebounds while third in scoring at 17.6 points per game.

Posting 26 double-double efforts in the season's 32 games, Onugha averaged 17.4 points per outing on 53.5% shooting and 16.1 rebounds, 9.9 on the offensive glass, while also leading the team with 2.0 steals.

A second team selection last year, the Lagos, Nigeria, native closed out her stellar Barton career on game highs 22 points, 7 rebounds, and career high 5 steals, rewriting the program record book in eight different categories while having countless other top ten all-time best performances.

Most notably, a record 26 rebounds in a single game led to finishing as the top rebounder in program history ranking first in: career rebounds (828), career rebound average (12.9), single season rebounds (514), single season rebound average (16.1), season offensive rebounds (197), season offensive rebound average (6.1), and single season defensive rebound average (9.9) while finishing ten behind with a season second most 318 defensive rebounds.

The drawn attention also sent Onugha to the free throw line, shooting a single game 20 attempts tying for the program most, second in season attempts (208), and finished 5th all-time in being to the charity stripe for 325 attempts.

Earning three KJCCC player of the week honors, Onugha also earned the NJCAA's week eight national player of the week following her record setting 26 rebound game performance in averaging 18 points and 24.5 rebounds helping Barton to a pair of victories.

ALAINA ECK – Honorable MentionEck's development from a Kansas Class 1A school to a collegiate athlete drew the attention of league coaches in receiving honorable mention honors.

The freshman from Little River began her collegiate career memorable outing against the then-nation's 8th ranked team Odessa with an 18-point performance on 3-of-4 three-point shooting, while grabbing 5 rebounds, with a team high 3 assists and 3 steals.

Averaging a team third most 9.5 points on the season, Eck put up just shy of 9 points per conference outing including a career high 23 points at Independence with another 21-point production against Cowley.

Barton's Onugha and Eck land All-KJCCC/Region 6 honors

Nebraska high jumper Tyus Wilson was selected as the Big Ten Men’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Year on Wednesday by the conference head coaches.

The senior from Sterling, Kan., was this year’s high jump national champion, the first Husker men’s indoor national champion since 2009, as he cleared an indoor PR and the third-highest mark in school history, 2.28m (7-5 ¾). Wilson is a four-time USTFCCCA First Team All-American, three-time Big Ten Champion and now a two-time conference field athlete of the year.&nbsp;

This marks the fourth year in a row a Husker has won the Big Ten Men’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Year honor, with Till Steinforth and Jonah Wilson earning this award the past two seasons.&nbsp;

Freshman of the Year: Abraham Vogelsang, IOWA

Track Athlete of the Year: Matthew Erickson, ORE

Field Athlete of the Year: Tyus Wilson, NEB

Freshman of the Year: Pauline Bikembo, IOWA

Track Athlete of the Year: Dajaz DeFrand, USC

Field Athlete of the Year: Amanda Moll, WASH

Former Sterling standout Wilson named Big 10 Indoor Field Athlete of the Year 

'All you can eat tacos' fundraiser for Great Bend Bat Cats

TOKYO (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit a towering solo homer in his return to Japan, taking Chicago Cubs pitcher Nate Pearson deep with a ball that barely cleared the fence in right-center field and helping the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Chicago Cubs 6-3 to sweep the two-game series in Tokyo. Ohtani’s every step, swing and smile were intensely followed this week during his homecoming at the Tokyo Dome, an event that would make most mortals wilt under the pressure. After admitting to some nerves during Tuesday’s season homer, the slugger was more relaxed a day later. It led to another baseball moment that will live in MLB lore for quite a while.

LONDON (AP) — Algerian boxer Imane Khelif says that President Donald Trump’s stance on gender in sports “does not intimidate” her and plans to defend her gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics. Khelif, who found herself in the middle of a bitter divide about gender eligibility during the Paris Olympics, was asked about Trump’s policies during an interview with British broadcaster ITV scheduled to be aired on Wednesday. She says “the U.S. president issued a decision related to transgender policies in America. I am not transgender. This does not concern me, and it does not intimidate me.” Khelif says she is aiming for a “second gold medal, of course,” at the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.

JuJu Watkins of Southern California and Hannah Hidalgo of Notre Dame are on The Associated Press women's basketball All-America team for second straight year, becoming the third and fourth players to earn that honor in their first two seasons. The pair of sophomores were joined on the first team by Madison Booker of Texas, UConn's Paige Bueckers and UCLA's Lauren Betts. Watkins, Bueckers and Betts were unanimous choices. Betts is the first player from UCLA to earn first-team honors.

A Department of Defense webpage describing baseball and civil rights icon Jackie Robinson’s military service is now missing. That development comes after a page honoring a Black Medal of Honor winner was momentarily taken down amid the department’s campaign to strip out content singling out the contributions by women and minority groups, which the Trump administration considers “DEI.” According to Internet Archive, the page on Robinson previously included biographical information about his Army service during World War II. When that page’s address was entered Wednesday, a message showed up saying it “might have been moved, renamed, or may be temporarily unavailable.” The letters “dei” were also automatically added to the URL.

MANALAPAN, Fla. (AP) — NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman says the league and the Players' Association will sit down to begin negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement the week of April 1. Bettman said he did not expect either side to be pushing for fundamental changes and hopes to get a deal done quickly and quietly. NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh said last month he was going into talks with a positive attitude. The working relationship between the league and union is at its highest point in recent history with business booming and revenues setting records.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The tennis players' association co-founded by Novak Djokovic has sued the main groups that run the sport in a bid to gain more money and control. The Professional Tennis Players' Association filed a class-action antitrust lawsuit in federal court in New York on Tuesday. They also are pursuing similar actions in Brussels and London. The athletes are hoping for a greater cut of revenues and to change the way the WTA and ATP professional tours, the International Tennis Federation and the International Tennis Integrity Agency oversee things.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida center Olivier Rioux, the world’s tallest teenager, is one of the team's most popular players heading into the NCAA Tournament. And he has yet to take the court. The requests are endless and the 19-year-old Rioux handles them all effortlessly without anything in return. But the Canadian whose unusual height landed him a spot in the Guinness World Record is hoping to start earning money from use of his name, image and likeness in the United States. Rioux has formally applied for an 0-1 visa that would allow him earning power through NIL.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina coach Dawn Staley has built a powerhouse, not unlike what Connecticut and Tennessee accomplished in previous decades. She has no shortage of talent. The Gamecocks will try to win back-to-back national championships with the help of their reserves. South Carolina’s bench is the best in women’s college basketball, and it’s not even close. The Gamecocks average 41.5 points per game from their reserves. That's nearly 10 points more than the next closest Division I team.

TOKYO (AP) — Sota Fujimori is the luckiest 10-year-old in Japan. Sitting in right-center field on Wednesday night at the Tokyo Dome, he watched Shohei Ohtani’s home run in the fifth inning fall off the hands of another fan nearby — and back onto the field. It looked like bad luck. He says: “I thought I missed out at first.” But Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong made his night, tossing the ball back into the stands. Young Sota retrieved the ball as umpires on the field reviewed to make sure the ball had cleared the wall and Ohtani had his first home run of the season.

Tuesday, March 18 At UD Arena Dayton, Ohio

Wednesday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

8:00PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Kansas City vs San Francisco

2:00PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Kansas City vs Texas

12:00PM B104.3 - Barton Men's Basketball - Barton vs Brunswick

7:00PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Kansas City vs Texas

12:00PM B104.3 - Barton Men's Basketball - PENDING Sunday Win

6:00PM 1590/95.5FM - NBA Basketball - Golden State @ Miami

6:00PM 1590/95.5FM - NBA Basketball - LA Lakers @ Indiana

2:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Cleveland @ Kansas City&nbsp;&nbsp;

Eagle Radio and Hull Broadcasting PBP Schedule

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man who was shot by police this week after he struck a patrol car while attempting to flee law enforcement is facing multiple charges, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2548/BEEBE-Complaint-RED">Robert Beebe, 35, faces</a>&nbsp;Resisting a Lawful Stop, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, and Tampering with a Motor Vehicle, according&nbsp; to Johnson.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2549/BEEBE-PC-RED">According to court records</a>, Kansas Highway Patrol Troopers were following a black Infiniti Tuesday evening that had previously eluded them. Troopers followed the vehicle until it reached state line. The passenger of the Infiniti bailed from the vehicle and was taken into custody. The driver of the Infiniti, later identified as Beebe was observed driving in a careless manner, according to Kansas City police helicopter footage. The driver drove into oncoming traffic and failed to stop at multiple traffic control devices.&nbsp;

The Infiniti then pulled into a parking lot on the 1600 block of Jefferson Street. A patrol vehicle attempted to conduct a car check of the vehicle. Witnesses, one of whom was participating in a police ride-along, said the officers identified themselves during the car check and requested the defendant to exit the vehicle. The defendant then hit the police car as he backed out and he revved its engine as if to strike the vehicle again. A witness said he believed the Infiniti was driving in the direction of an officer. Police fired at the vehicle, hitting Beebe who was transported to an area hospital for treatment of his injuries.&nbsp;

A stolen firearm was recovered from the Infiniti’s front driver side floorboard, loaded with live rounds. Beebe is currently on probation for Felony Possession of a Controlled Substance. He&nbsp;is being held on a $50,000 bond.

Man shot by KCPD after striking patrol vehicle moved from hospital to jail

SEDGWICK COUNTY— A Kansas man accused of&nbsp;&nbsp;vandalism to a church in Wichita last weekend went before a judge Wednesday.

Michael A. Gonzalez, 23, who is from Saline County, according to police, is charged with burglary, criminal desecration, theft, and criminal damage to property, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Just after 8:30 Saturday, police responded to a reported burglary at St. Patrick Catholic Church, located in the 2000 block of N. Arkansas Street in Wichita, according to Wichita Police spokesman Brad Wright.

Officers discovered significant vandalism, including hate speech and damage to items such as statues, candles, and glass. Notably, a United States flag had been burned.

Recognizing the severity of this crime, Wichita Police and investigators—alongside federal law enforcement partners including the FBI and ATF—immediately launched a full-scale investigation. The Wichita Police dedicated Crime Scene Investigation team worked diligently to analyze evidence, leading to the swift identification of a suspect.

Officers from the Wichita Police Field Community Response Teams were provided with critical intelligence and began searching for the suspect. At approximately 2:20 a.m. Sunday, officers located and arrested Gonzalez in the 2800 block of N. Hillside in Wichita without incident.

Gonzalez remains jailed on a $500,000 bond. He is due back in court March 31, according to the district attorney's office.

Kansas church vandalism suspect faces a judge

MORTON COUNTY —Three new cases of measles have been confirmed in Morton County, linked to a previous case identified in Stevens County last week, according to a statement from the Morton County Health Department.

Early symptoms of measles are a fever of more than 101 degrees Fahrenheit, runny nose, cough, and red, watery eyes. Usually, one to four days after these early symptoms, a red rash appears on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.&nbsp;Measles symptoms typically develop 10-14 days after exposure. Symptoms can develop as soon as seven days and as long as 21 days after exposure, according to the Kansas Department of Health.

Measles is a respiratory disease caused by a virus. Measles is spread through the air by breathing, coughing or sneezing. Measles can be spread from an infected person to others from four days before, to four days after the rash appears.

Because measles is a highly infectious disease, it is very important for anyone exposed and experiencing symptoms to isolate from others with the exception of visiting a health care provider.

The best way to prevent measles is to get the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends children get their first dose at 12 to 15 months of age, and a second dose at age 4 to 6 years. Infants ages 6 through 11 months old should get the MMR vaccination if traveling outside the United States. Adults are protected from measles if they have had at least one dose of the MMR vaccine, were born before 1957, or have evidence of immunity from a blood test.

If an individual has known exposure to someone with measles and they are not immune through vaccination or prior infection, they are recommended to:

Per K.A.R. 28-1-2, measles is a four-hour reportable disease. If a health care provider, laboratory or hospital suspects, tests, or diagnoses an individual with measles, KDHE should be notified immediately. KDHE will work with the health care provider on testing recommendations. Teachers and school administrators are also required by law to report suspected cases to KDHE. &nbsp;

Measles cases rarely occur in Kansas and are usually associated with international travel.

For questions, call the Stevens County Health Department at 620-544-7177 or KDHE Epidemiology Hotline at 877-427-7317 (option 5).

More measles cases reported in Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) — An American man who was abducted more than two years ago while traveling through Afghanistan as a tourist has been released by the Taliban in a deal with the Trump administration that Qatari negotiators helped broker, the State Department said Thursday.

George Glezmann, an airline mechanic from Atlanta, is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-taliban-american-detainee-prisoner-exchange-e201170029067fbd8c9ef5861af0930e">the third American detainee</a>&nbsp;to be released by the Taliban since January. He was seized by the Taliban's intelligence services in December 2022 and was designated by the U.S. government as wrongfully detained the following year.

In a statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Glezmann was on his way back to the United States to be reunited with his wife, Aleksandra, and praised Qatar for “steadfast commitment and diplomatic efforts” that he said were “instrumental in securing George’s release.”

“George’s release is a positive and constructive step," Rubio said. “It is also a reminder that other Americans are still detained in Afghanistan. President Trump will continue his tireless work to free ALL Americans unjustly detained around the world.”

Glezmann was being accompanied back to the U.S., through Qatar's capital, Doha, by Adam Boehler, who has been handling hostage issues for President Donald Trump's administration. The Taliban disclosed earlier Thursday that Boehler had met with a delegation that included Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

Glezmann, 66, was in Afghanistan as a tourist at the time of his abduction and has visited more than 100 countries as part of his passion for exploring different cultures, according to a profile on the website of the Foley Foundation, an organization that advocates for the release of Americans detained by foreign countries.

The release of Glezmann is part of what the Taliban has previously described as the “normalization" of ties between the U.S. and Afghanistan following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-kabul-milley-taliban-biden-620fd2ca8187389da38ddcf3f9466fbd">the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan</a>&nbsp;in 2021. Most countries still don’t recognize the Taliban’s rule.

Glezmann's release follows a separate deal, arranged in January in the final days of the Biden administration and also mediated by the Qataris, that secured the releases of Ryan Corbett and William McKenty.

The Taliban’s Foreign Ministry in Kabul said at the time that those two U.S. citizens had been exchanged for Khan Mohammed, who was sentenced to two life terms in 2008 after being convicted under U.S. narco-terrorism laws for securing heroin and opium that he knew was bound for the U.S.

Unlike in that arrangement, the U.S. did not give up any prisoner to secure Glezmann’s release, which was done as a goodwill gesture, according to an official briefed on the matter who insisted on anonymity due to the sensitivity of the negotiations.

On Thursday, Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry confirmed Glezmann's release on “humanitarian grounds." In a statement, it said the “Islamic Emirate again reaffirms its longstanding position that dialogue, understanding and diplomacy provide effective avenues for resolving all issues.”

President Joe Biden contemplated before he left office&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taliban-afghanistan-detainees-ryan-corbett-biden-trump-7a62e24dda83867f83386e08ff2e60df">an earlier proposal</a>&nbsp;that would have involved the release of Glezmann and other Americans for Muhammad Rahim, one of the remaining detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

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