The Ellinwood Recreation Commission is inviting the public to join them in a heartfelt tribute to a man whose passion for community and recreation left a lasting legacy. On June 5, 2025, at 5:15 p.m., a special ceremony will be held at 501 S. Main Street to formally dedicate and rename the community’s softball complex to Stephen C. Richter Memorial Fields.

Stephen C. Richter, the late Recreation Director for Ellinwood, is remembered fondly by many for his tireless efforts in supporting youth programs, building strong community connections, and promoting recreational opportunities for all ages. His leadership and dedication helped shape the recreation landscape in Ellinwood, touching the lives of families, athletes, and residents for years.

“This renaming stands as a lasting tribute to a man who believed in the power of recreation, the strength of community, and the importance of giving back,” the Commission shared in a recent Facebook post announcing the event.

Following the dedication ceremony, attendees are encouraged to stay and cheer on local athletes. The evening will feature a doubleheader from the 10-12 girls’ softball team, with T-Ball and Coach Pitch games kicking off at 6:00 p.m.

The community is invited to attend and help honor Stephen Richter’s memory through the spirit of the game and the joy of youth sports — a fitting celebration for a man who made it his life’s work to build up others through recreation.

Forever remembered. Forever part of Ellinwood.

Ellinwood Recreation Commission to Dedicate Softball Fields in Honor of Stephen C. Richter

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Sign up today curtesy of The Center for Counseling, at the City Auditorium&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&amp;&amp;p=e7c5b5a531eb283fde4f1be12fb7a1b62c34054d951978d15c1c7b32a834ca04JmltdHM9MTc0NzYxMjgwMA&amp;ptn=3&amp;ver=2&amp;hsh=4&amp;fclid=21488660-d8fc-636b-1262-92a5d9c66208&amp;u=a1L21hcHM_Jm1lcGk9MTA5fn5Ub3BPZlBhZ2V-QWRkcmVzc19MaW5rJnR5PTE4JnE9R3JlYXQlMjBCZW5kJTIwQ2l0eSUyMEF1ZGl0b3JpdW0mc3M9eXBpZC5ZTjg3M3g3MjY0Mzc1NzEzMjM1MTEwNzc1JnBwb2lzPTM4LjM2NDA5Mzc4MDUxNzU4Xy05OC43NjcxNTg1MDgzMDA3OF9HcmVhdCUyMEJlbmQlMjBDaXR5JTIwQXVkaXRvcml1bV9ZTjg3M3g3MjY0Mzc1NzEzMjM1MTEwNzc1fiZjcD0zOC4zNjQwOTR-LTk4Ljc2NzE1OSZ2PTImc1Y9MSZGT1JNPU1QU1JQTA&amp;ntb=1">1214 Stone St, Great Bend</a>. You can register from 3:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

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Since the Administration's tariff announcements in April, US crude prices are six dollars below the average for the year.&nbsp; For the last week, prices are holding there within a two dollar range. By midday Tuesday, the expiring June contract on the NYMEX was fetching a few cents over $62 a barrel.&nbsp; Offers for July crude dipped below $62. London Brent was fetching $65 a barrel late Tuesday.

Domestic crude production has gone down about 200,000 barrels a day since the first of April. Output rose slightly last week, but remains below 13.4 million barrels a day for a second straight week. The four-week average and year-to-date total are both over 13.4 million. Both are up more than two percent from a year ago.

The rig counts in New Mexico and Texas were each down two according to the weekly tally from Baker Hughes. Losses were offset somewhat by gains in Wyoming and Ohio. The total of 576 active rigs is down one oil rig and one gas rig. The active list of the horizontal rigs is down two.

The Kansas Rig Count from Independent Oil and Gas Service is down three rigs or 13% from a week ago, nine percent lower than a month ago, and more than 35% lower than a year ago. Operators were moving in rotary tools Friday on a lease in Barton County.

Kansas Regulators approve just five new drilling permits, the smallest weekly tally in more than a decade.&nbsp; The Kansas Corporation Commission gave its okay to one new drilling location in Barton County among three in Western Kansas last week. That's 263 new drilling permits this year, down from 337 a year ago.

At 468 wells, this week's Completions report from Independent Oil and Gas Service is down 18 wells from a year ago. Out of 24 new completions this week, eleven are in the western half of the state, including two in Barton County.

Crude output in the number-three producing state increased in March, after dropping in each of the three preceding months. The North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources reports production of nearly 1.2 million barrels a day, up nearly 30-thousand daily barrels from the month before. Permits and completions are both rising according to DMR's monthly oil-and-gas report.US Crude imports averaged 5.8 million barrels a day last week, down nearly a quarter million daily barrels. The four week average is down nearly 15% from a year ago. Crude exports are down 16% from a week ago to 3.3 million barrels a day.

The Energy Department took delivery on another half million barrels of crude for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The raises the total to just shy of 400 million barrels, down more than 200-million from the peak, but up 32 million barrels from a year ago.

Commercial inventories increased by four million barrels to just under 442 million. Stockpiles are six percent below the five-year average for this time of year.

Oil-by-rail in the US declined in April, amid otherwise broad gains on the nation's railroads. Of the 20 freight categories tracked by the Association of American Railroads, coal shipments led the way rising 23% compared to last April. Petroleum and Petroleum Products were among the seven categories that saw declines, dropping more than 3,000 carloads or 7.5% year-over-year. &nbsp;

The U.S. last week imposed sanctions on a shipping network sending millions of barrels of crude oil to China on behalf of Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff and a front company. According to the State Department, the sale of the oil reaped billions to fund attacks by the Houthi militant group on shipping.

News from the Oil Patch: Prices, Production, Rig Counts Drop

FROM SCARLETT MADINGER, KANSAS LIVESTOCK ASSOCIATION:

Farmers and ranchers impacted by natural disasters may now be eligible for assistance through the Emergency Conservation Program, or ECP. The program is designed to help landowners recover from events like tornadoes that significantly impair agricultural productivity or threaten land and water resources.

ECP funding can help with debris removal, land grading, restoring permanent fences and conservation structures, and even implementing emergency water conservation measures during drought.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency says the program provides cost-share assistance for up to 75 percent of the cost of approved conservation practices. Limited resource producers may qualify for up to 90 percent.

Funding is limited and distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given based on the severity of the disaster and extent of the damage. Producers are urged to contact their local FSA office as soon as possible after a disaster to begin the application process. That process includes damage assessments, documentation of impact, and proposed conservation plans.

For more details, including enrollment deadlines and requirements, producers should reach out to their local Farm Service Agency office.

EPC Offers Aid to Farmers and Ranchers Impacted by Natural Disasters

Many of my most recent home visits have been centered around tree health and subsequently around trees experiencing dieback or death from drought stress. The past several years has been very dry and it typically it takes a few years for a tree to show stress from an event. If you take a good look at your tree, you can begin to analyze the overall health and take steps to keep them healthy. To&nbsp;determine the health of your trees, looking at the amount of new growth each year will show you how healthy they are. Observe the tips of the branches that are exposed (not shaded). A tree that grows less than 4 inches from the previous year is likely under stress and considered unhealthy. 

New growth is often identifiable by the color. The new twig emerging from the bud may be greener but the leaves are often a brighter shade as well. You'll notice the leaves attached directly to these new stems rather than lateral branches. New growth may also look more compressed than growth from previous years.

Though evaluating the amount of growth can help you determine if your tree is healthy, it does not tell you what may be the cause of an unhealthy tree. The effects of stress accumulate year after year. A drought two years ago can have an impact on growth of a recovering tree. The root growth may have been stunted and roots could struggle to take in enough water to support the tree as temperatures rise. When possible, ensure trees are receiving water to a depth of 12 inches every couple of weeks during the summer either from rain or supplemental watering.

One of the more common means of watering trees is the use of soaker hoses, but they are notorious for non-uniform watering. On small trees, circling the tree several times with the soaker hose will even out the amount of water applied but this isn't practical for larger trees.&nbsp; On larger trees, hooking both the beginning and the end of the soaker hose to a Y-adapter helps equalize the pressure and therefore provide a more uniform watering. The specific parts you need include the soaker hose, Y-adapter and female to female connector.

The soaker hose can circle the trunk at a distance within the dripline of the tree but at least ½ the distance to the dripline. The dripline of the tree is outermost reach of the branches.

Soil should be wet at least 12 inches deep as 80% of a tree’s roots are in the top foot of soil.&nbsp; Use a metal rod, wooden dowel, electric fence post or something similar to check depth. Dry soil is much harder to push through than wet and your probe will stop when it hits dry soil.&nbsp; How long it takes water to reach a 12-inch depth varies depending on the rate of water flow and soil.&nbsp; Record the amount of time it takes to reach 12 inches the first time the tree is watered.&nbsp; After that, simply water for that same amount of time.&nbsp;

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: How to Assess Tree Health and Improve Survival

For the fourth year in a row, Member Services at Wheatland Electric Cooperative, Inc., (WEC) has received national recognition in the 2025 Spotlight on Excellence Awards program, sponsored by the Council of Rural Electric Communicators (CREC) and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA).

WEC’s member services team received a Gold Award in Best External Event for our Dine and Drive, held Sept. 30, 2024, in Great Bend in conjunction with National Drive Electric Week (NDEW).

During last year’s event at the WEC office, 200 10th St., community members enjoyed a delicious lunch while exploring renewable energy benefits in our outdoor green space, learning more about programs and services like Community Solar, and experiencing the power of driving electric first-hand thanks to three all-electric vehicles available on site for driving.

Guided by the Fifth Cooperative Principle, WEC is dedicated to creating educational opportunities for our members, and this unique event attended by approximately 150 locals gave members a chance to explore electric vehicles and renewable energy resources. Through two WEC fleet vehicles and one Tesla vehicle volunteered by a WEC employee, just over two dozen of these attendees experienced the thrill of driving a 100% electric vehicle firsthand. Because the adoption of renewable energy and electric transportation is slow in our rural region, (with no auto dealerships in our area offering electric vehicles and only three public EV charging stations across WEC’s 4,625 miles of line), we are proud host events like our Dine and Drive to lead the way in bridging this gap and empowering our members with knowledge and access.

“Our member services team continues to raise the bar when it comes to engaging and educating our communities,” said Bruce W. Mueller, CEO and general manager. “I couldn’t be prouder of the creativity, dedication and innovation they bring to every project. This national recognition is a testament to their hard work and the values that guide us at Wheatland Electric.”

The communications team is led by Alli Conine, director of member services and corporate communications, and includes the following staff members: Samantha Garcia and Mary Hoisington, both member services and key accounts managers; Shajia Donecker, social media specialist; and Caitlin Moser, member services coordinator.

The WEC employees will be recognized at the CONNECT Conference in Kansas City, MO, a national conference for communications and marketing professionals in the cooperative electric industry in early May. Moser and Donecker will accept the award and participate in this annual professional development opportunity.

The annual Spotlight on Excellence Awards program recognizes the best communication and marketing efforts by electric cooperatives and related organizations nationwide. At least several hundred entries were submitted across 20 different categories, including writing, graphic design, digital communications, campaign development and more. The esteemed judging panel includes faculty from top universities across the nation, as well as noted professionals in the fields of marketing, digital communications, and print media.

Our Mission: Delivering Energy for Life–Wheatland Electric Cooperative, Inc., a member owned distribution cooperative headquartered in Scott City, KS, was established in 1948 as a distribution and power cooperative in the state of Kansas. Today, Wheatland Electric serves more than 33,000 electric meters in 14 Kansas counties and three Colorado counties and maintains over 4,000 miles of distribution power lines across southwest and central Kansas and eastern Colorado. Together, with the help of our members, we are committed to building a better and stronger rural America. Visit www.weci.net for more information.

Wheatland Electric Wins National Spotlight on Excellence Awards

The Summer Street Stroll Farmers Market will return to Jack Kilby Square on Wednesday, May 29, beginning at 4:00 PM, at the corner of Lakin and Kansas Avenue in downtown Great Bend.

This weekly open-air market invites the community to come together to shop local and support regional farmers, artisans, and entrepreneurs. Attendees can expect to find a wide variety of fresh produce, baked goods, homemade items, and other locally crafted products. The market will continue weekly throughout the summer.

Located in the heart of downtown, the event also provides a fun and engaging environment for families, friends, and visitors to enjoy the charm and hospitality of Great Bend. With free admission and easy access, the market is a great way to experience local flavors and support small businesses.

· Event: Summer Street Stroll Farmers Market

· Location: Jack Kilby Square, corner of Lakin and Kansas Ave., Great Bend, Kansas

Summer Street Stroll Farmers Market Returns to Downtown Great Bend

Booked Williams, Jessica on Great Bend Municipal warrant #202500003 for Failure to Appear with bond of 91,000.00 cash or surety.

Released Williams, Jessica on Great Bend Municipal warrant #202500003 for Failure to Appear posted surety bond of 91,000.00 cash or surety

Booked in Juvenile on Barton County District Court case #8T2022JV0063 for Probation Violation with bond set at No Bond

Released: Guerrero, Christian A. on Great Bend Municipal Court Court warrants 202500214 and 202500215 for Failure to Appear by Order of the Court.

Booked in Stanley Jr. Robert E. on Barton County District Court case #25-0798 for Aggravated Domestic Battery with a bond of $20,000.00 Cash or Surety.

Booked in Torres, Eric W. on Barton County District Court warrant # 8T2018CR0391 for Probation Violation. Bond is set at NO BOND.


Barton County Sheriff's booking activity (5/19)

The new therapist at Heart of Kansas Family Health Care knew she wanted to work with children. But instead of pursuing an elementary-school teaching path, she veered into sociology.

Lanie Trendel is now seeing clients of all ages primarily at the Stafford clinic and will travel regularly to other sites.

“Somewhere along the line, I realized I wanted to focus on the social/emotional aspects of children’s lives,” Trendel recalled. “I have worked in child welfare for almost 20 years and have a lot of experience with children and families.

“Working in this field, you encounter the gamut of mental-health and social-work issues,” she added. “This includes domestic violence, substance use, legal problems, social injustice, poverty and divorce, along with child abuse, neglect and trauma.”

When facing these issues, some people are apprehensive about seeking guidance from a therapist, said Trendel, a licensed professional counselor.

“Nevertheless, I would encourage you to make that first appointment and see how you feel about it,” she advised. “Then try the second meeting where you and your therapist get to know one another better.

“By the third session, you will probably know if it is a good match. Feeling comfortable with your therapist will improve the outcomes significantly.”

Trendel wants to work at Heart of Kansas for a couple of reasons.

“First, I love what Heart of Kansas stands for; it ensures everybody has access to care. We offer integrated care, which is important because everything interconnects.

“Medical issues affect our mental health and vice versa. Even dental concerns can contribute to medical and mental health. Medical services keep us alive and active, while mental health helps us make life worth living.”

The other reason Trendel was attracted to Heart of Kansas is she has worked professionally with Carie Brown, director of behavioral health and director of operations. “Carie provided therapy to some of the kiddos I worked with in previous employment. I appreciate all she did to support them.”

Trendel earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology, with a concentration in criminal justice and family and social services, in 2004; she received her master’s in mental health counseling, with coursework in addictions counseling, in 2006. Both degrees are from Emporia State University.

The therapist has been trained in Child First Forensic Interviewing and has experience working with victims of sexual-abuse trauma. Other ongoing training involves trauma, domestic violence, identifying abuse, human trafficking and parenting.

Previous employers include the Kansas Department for Children and Families; Saint Francis Community Services; and TFI Family Services.

Brett Middleton, Heart of Kansas chief executive officer, said “our patients are so fortunate to have Lanie as a therapist and advocate. She has a wealth of knowledge in so many areas, which enhances our behavioral-health team. Lanie and her professional colleagues are here for anyone struggling with a mental-health concern.”

Heart of Kansas Family Health Care is a Federally Qualified Health Center, which allows it to be a safety net for patients who are uninsured or underinsured. Its professional providers also welcome those with insurance at the Great Bend, Larned and Stafford locations. Heart of Kansas is open to everyone.

Trendel joins Heart of Kansas behavioral-health team

PLEVNA, Kan. — A tornado struck the tiny Reno County community of Plevna late Sunday night, leaving behind widespread damage and prompting a community-wide cleanup effort Monday morning.

Vonda Zongker, who lives just north of Plevna, described a chaotic night as the storm tore through homes, vehicles and landmarks in and around the town.

“Right now what the city of Plevna could use is porta pottys,” Zongker said. “Everybody’s got their own wells, and we have no electricity, no water, no bathrooms.”

At least four homes are believed to be destroyed — three in the immediate Plevna area and one closer to the community of Zenith. Numerous other structures were also damaged or destroyed, including the town’s Plevna Community Bible Church and its parsonage.

“The church in Plevna has a lot of damage, most of the roof is gone. The parsonage is, I’m sure, a total wipeout and will have to be rebuilt,” Zongker said.

The tornado also demolished a neighbor’s shed and totaled the vehicles that were stored inside. Their house, Zongker added, is “pretty well totaled.”

Zongker said the twister passed between her home and a neighbor’s to the east, just a mile apart, shortly after they had left each other’s homes.

“A lot of damage, and we could use a lot of prayers out here,” she said. “A lot of people are struggling.”

Emergency crews and residents are currently assessing the damage and beginning cleanup efforts. No injuries had been reported as of midmorning, but officials were still working to evaluate the full impact of the storm.

The National Weather Service has not yet released an official damage rating for the tornado.

Plevna tornado: 'A lot of damage, and we could use a lot of prayers'

ATLANTA (AP) — With new innovations and technology, scientists have learned from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/severe-weather-climate-3228371d5290c75746a5146d05467e57">major tornado outbreaks</a>&nbsp;over the years how to improve safety guidance. During tornado season, forecasters try to get the word out about staying safe during a storm — but also planning for it ahead of time.

Tornado seasons typically begin at different times in different parts of the United States.

In what has historically been known as Tornado Alley — a designation that typically includes Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas — the peak of tornado season is May into early June. But the season starts earlier in what's often called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-868ff31a54e44630bcb16fff1c7f30a6">Dixie Alley</a>, made up of southern states such as Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.

The idea of a tornado alley can be misleading, since tornadoes have been reported in all 50 states. About 1,200 tornadoes strike the U.S. every year, and each year violent twisters happen outside these traditional “alleys” of tornado outbreaks, according to the National Severe Storms Laboratory. Recent twisters have even struck in places unaccustomed to them, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-storm-atmospheric-river-flooding-8ff2e22bb0bf121704a41aa879c27353">one near Los Angeles</a>&nbsp;in 2023 that tore apart rooftops and injured one person.

When a tornado takes aim at your house, and the sirens are sounding, the dogs are barking and the children are screaming, there are some last-minute precautions that could save the lives of you and your loved ones.

Experts also recommend a few simple steps to prepare well before the twister is on your doorstep. Here’s a look at some tornado safety tips:

Weather radios, specialized receivers that get alerts and can sound an alarm in an emergency, are something that every home and business should have, said Rick Smith, the warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s forecast office in Norman, Oklahoma.

“It does feel like old-school technology, but they are lifesaving devices,” Smith said.

Radios can be particularly valuable in the South, where many&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornadoes-climate-storms-science-new-orleans-27d2df41d6d7a9b0bb79dd04b8639f40">tornadoes strike at night</a>&nbsp;when people are sleeping. “This can wake you up in the middle of the night with the alarm,” Smith said.

The National Weather Service encourages people to have multiple ways of being warned, which can include weather radios, a cellphone app or other method in case power is lost. Redundancy is key, Smith said.

The ideal places to take shelter are enclosed, underground shelters and basements, or a safe room above ground that’s designed to withstand tornadic winds.

But many people don’t have that option — in Oklahoma, for example, the clay soil makes building basements expensive, so lots of homes don’t have them.

If you have to be above ground in a tornado, “your goal is to put as many walls and barriers between you and the outside as you possibly can,” Smith said.

Smith recommends using mattresses, couch cushions or other sturdy items to protect yourself from deadly flying or falling debris. Bicycle or sports helmets can provide crucial head protection. It's important that they are stored in a convenient place so they can be retrieved quickly, when you have only minutes or seconds before the storm strikes.

A car seat can help protect a small child, Smith says, and can be brought inside ahead of time.

Recent research has shown that closing your home’s garage door and all interior doors could ease the high winds inside somewhat by compartmentalizing them, according to Smith. Doing so&nbsp;<a href="https://ibhs.org/wind/tornado-resources/">is recommended during thunderstorms and tornadoes</a>&nbsp;by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety.

That’s the opposite of a commonly held misconception: “There’s still a chunk of people out there who think you’re supposed to open the doors and windows to equalize the pressure,” Smith said.

It’s also important to prepare for the tornado’s aftermath, when you might emerge from a home or shelter to find downed trees and power lines and shredded buildings. Dress for disaster, such as wearing long pants and sturdy shoes, to make it easier to safely navigate treacherous terrain.

An emergency kit of essentials like drinking water and nonperishable food items is also a good idea.

Don't look to Hollywood for sound tornado safety practices. The recent Hollywood film “Twisters” shows the characters sprinting toward a highway underpass as a tornado approaches.

If you are in a car or truck, “you really don’t have a lot of good options at that point,” Smith said. “Try not to get caught in that situation.”

The best thing to do is get off the road and try to find a building. If there’s nowhere to go, there are no guaranteed safe options.

When it comes to ditches, overpasses or staying inside a car, “people have survived doing all of those, people have died doing all of those,” Smith said. “I’ve seen cars rolled up into unrecognizable balls of metal.”

&nbsp;Coverage of Severe Weather warnings can be heard locally on 100.7 Eagle Country, B1043 The Point, Hits 1069, and 1590 KVGB &amp; 95.5FM Presented by H&amp;B Communications in Holyrood.

What you do before and during a tornado could mean the difference between life and death

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Hayden Birdsong threw five sharp innings in his first start of the season and the San Francisco Giants beat the Kansas City Royals 3-2 on Tuesday night.

Birdsong (2-0) was moved from the bullpen to the rotation in place of Jordan Hicks and provided just what manager Bob Melvin hoped he would deliver when he made the move.

Birdsong allowed one unearned run, five hits and no walks to give the Giants their fourth win in the last five games.

Ryan Walker pitched the ninth for his ninth save in 11 chances.

Willy Adames hit an RBI triple in the fourth inning against Michael Lorenzen (3-5) and scored on a single by Casey Schmitt to give San Francisco a 2-1 lead.

Lorenzen allowed three runs — two earned — and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings in his shortest start of the season for Kansas City.

Kyle Isbel hit a sacrifice fly in the third and Bobby Witt Jr. had a run-scoring infield single in the eighth for the Royals, who have been held to four runs or fewer in 42 of 50 games.

The Giants added an insurance run in the fifth after Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino threw wildly to second when he tried to get a force on a grounder by Wilmer Flores. Jung Hoo Lee followed with an RBI single to make it 3-1.

San Francisco improved to 25-9 this season against right-handed starters.

RHP Logan Webb (5-3, 2.42 ERA) pitches the series finale for the Giants. Webb is 3-0 with a 0.64 ERA in four starts at home. The Royals are undecided on their starter.

Birdsong pitches the Giants past the Royals 3-2 in his 1st start of the season

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) —
Hayden Birdsong threw five sharp innings in his first start of the
season and the San Francisco Giants beat the Kansas City Royals 3-2.
Birdsong allowed one unearned run, five hits and no walks to give the
Giants their fourth win in the last five games. Willy Adames hit an
RBI triple in the fourth inning against Michael Lorenzen and scored
on a single by Casey Schmitt to give San Francisco a 2-1 lead. The
Royals have been held to four runs or fewer in 42 of 50 games.

ST. LOUIS (AP) —
Riley Greene homered and hit the winning RBI double in the ninth
inning to help the Detroit Tigers beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-4.
Zack McKinstry singled off Kyle Leahy (1-1) to lead off the ninth and
scored on Greene’s double to the right-field gap. Will Vest (4-0)
pitched a scoreless eighth inning, and Tommy Kahnle pitched the ninth
to earn his sixth save in eight chances. Tigers starter Tarik Skubal
allowed three runs on five hits and a walk and struck out eight in 5
2/3 innings. Erick Fedde allowed four runs on five hits and struck
out two five innings for the Cardinals.

NEW YORK (AP) —
Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer, rookie Will Warren struck out a
career-high 10 and the New York Yankees beat the Texas Rangers 5-2.
Ben Rice also went deep for the Yankees in the opener of a three-game
series between the past two American League champions. Anthony Volpe
blooped an RBI double after Rice drove in the first two runs. New
York has won nine of 12 to move a season-best nine games over .500.
Texas manager Bruce Bochy was ejected by plate umpire Carlos Torres
with Judge batting in the sixth inning, and the Rangers lost for the
third time in four games following a six-game winning streak. Jonah
Heim’s two-run homer off Ian Hamilton with two outs in the ninth
prevented a shutout.

BOSTON (AP) — Mets
manager Carlos Mendoza wouldn’t get into specifics on any
conversion he had with slugger Juan Soto after a lack of hustle left
him with a single rather than extra bases in New York’s series
opener at Boston. Mendoza said frustration may have played a role in
Soto’s response to a line drive in the sixth inning Monday night
that bounced high off the Green Monster as Soto stood and watched
from the batter’s box in the Mets’ 3-1 loss. Mendoza sounded
somewhat more understanding Tuesday than he did after the game Monday
night, when he said he would have a chat with the $765 million star
who is in his first season with the Mets.

LOS ANGELES (AP) —
Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani has mixed in
breaking pitches for the first time in a throwing session. The
right-hander had been limited to fastball and splitters previously as
he works to return to pitching this season following elbow surgery.
Manager Dave Roberts confirmed Ohtani is getting closer to facing
live hitting for the first time since he underwent his second Tommy
John procedure in September 2023. Ohtani’s return to the mound has
been expected to come near the All-Star break in July

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) —
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 20 of his 31 points in the second
half, and the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Minnesota
Timberwolves 114-88 in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.
Gilgeous-Alexander, an MVP finalist, had nine assists. He made 8 of
14 field goals after halftime. Julius Randle scored 28 points for
Minnesota, but just eight in the second half. Anthony Edwards, who
had been averaging 26.5 points per game in the playoffs, was held to
18 points on 5-of-13 shooting. Oklahoma City was just two days
removed from eliminating Denver in Game 7 of the conference
semifinals. Minnesota hadn’t played since May 14.

GREENBURGH, N.Y.
(AP) — When Jalen Brunson and Tyrese Haliburton glared at each
other in a WWE wrestling ring last summer, it seemed like a fitting
next step in the rivalry between the Indiana Pacers and New York
Knicks that's already featured headbutts and chokes. The teams go at
it again starting Wednesday night in Game 1 of the Knicks’ first
trip to the Eastern Conference finals in 25 years, with the winner of
their ninth playoff matchup headed to the NBA Finals. The Knicks and
Pacers met six times in an eight-year span starting in 1993, then
again last year when Indiana won Game 7 at Madison Square Garden in
the second round.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) —
Carter Verhaeghe and Aaron Ekblad scored two tone-setting
first-period goals while Sergei Bobrovsky remained strong in net as
the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers beat the Carolina
Hurricanes 5-2 in Tuesday night’s opener of their Eastern
Conference final series. A.J. Greer added a goal by finishing off a
perfect 2-on-1 transition chance in the second period for Florida.
Sam Bennett and Eetu Luostarinen scored in the third period.
Sebastian Aho and Jackson Blake scored Carolina's lone goals in the
opener of a series that is a rematch of the 2023 Eastern final. Game
2 is Thursday night at Carolina.

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) —
NFL owners unanimously approved player participation in flag football
for the 2028 Olympics at their spring meetings on Tuesday. The vote
authorized the league to negotiate safety provisions and scheduling
logistics with the NFL Players Association and relevant international
and national team governing bodies before it becomes reality during
the Summer Games in Los Angeles. No more than one player per NFL club
would be permitted. Olympic rosters will be selected by the national
committees for each country.

UNDATED (AP) —
Two-time Southeastern Conference defensive player of the year Zakai
Zeigler is suing the NCAA over rules limiting him to four seasons in
a five-year window. The lawsuit argues that rule is an unlawful
restraint of trade under both federal and Tennessee laws. Zeigler
played four seasons at Tennessee before graduating in May. He helped
the Vols to consecutive Elite Eight berths. A statement from his
attorneys says Zeigler has asked for an injunction allowing him to
start preparing for next season. The lawsuit estimates that Zeigler
could earn up to $4 million by playing a fifth season.

UNDATED (AP) — The
four biggest conferences in college sports are working to tie their
schools to the pending $2.8 billion NCAA antitrust settlement and
could have drastic penalties for anyone refusing to comply. Officials
from the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Big Ten, the Big 12 and the
Southeastern Conference drafted a document intended to prevent their
members from using state laws to breach or subvert enforcement that
would come with the settlement. An AP source says the agreement would
bind institutions to enforcement policies even if their state laws
are contradictory.

LOS ANGELES (AP) —
Former Pac-12 basketball rivals Arizona and UCLA will play each other
in the Hall of Fame Series at Intuit Dome. The game between the men’s
teams will be Nov. 14 and will honor late Hall of Famer Bill Walton.
Besides starring for the Bruins in college, his son Luke played for
the Wildcats and the elder Walton broadcast games involving both
schools. The teams most recently met in December, when UCLA won 57-54
in Phoenix. Last season, UCLA played in the first college basketball
game at Intuit Dome, beating Gonzaga 65-62.

Cleveland	at	Minnesota	1:10
p.m.	(Suspended)

Cleveland	at	Minnesota	2:10
p.m.	(Postponed)

NATIONAL
BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS

Wednesday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

Wednesday, May 21 No Sports Day 2:00PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Kansas City @ San Francisco 3:45PM B104 - 5A Regional Baseball - Great Bend vs Ark City 6:00PM B104 - 5A Regional Baseball - Great Bend vs TBA 6:30PM 1590/95.5FM - NBA Playoffs - Eastern Conference Finals - Game 1 Thursday, May 22 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day&nbsp; 7:00PM 1590/95.5FM - NBA Playoffs - Western Conference Finals - Game 2 Friday, May 23 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day&nbsp; 6:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Kansas City @ Minnesota Saturday, May 24 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Kansas City @ Minnesota 7:00PM 1590/95.5FM - NBA Playoffs - Western Conference Finals - Game 3 Sunday, May 25 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Kansas City @ Minnesota 5:00PM 1590/95.5FM - Major League Baseball - LA Dodgers @ NY Mets Monday, May 26 (Memorial Day) 2:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Cincinnati @ Kansas City 7:00PM 1590/95.5FM - NBA Playoffs - Western Conference Finals - Game 3 Tuesday, May 27 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day&nbsp; 6:00PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Cincinnati @ Kansas City Wednesday, May 28 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day&nbsp; 6:00PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Cincinnati @ Kansas City&nbsp;&nbsp;

Eagle Radio and Hull Broadcasting PBP Schedule

Softball -Game 1- Great Bend 13 Andover Central 1 -Game 2- Topeka-Seaman 7 Great Bend 6

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.

Larned Sports on Hits 106.9 brought to you in part by USD #495, Beckwith Mortuary, Equity Bank, Smith Dental, Eakin Concrete, Santa Fe Liquor Mart, Farmer's Bank &amp; Trust in Larned, Farm Bureau Financial Services Leigh Anne Seeman, Clock Realty &amp; Insurance, Pawnee Plaza, Innovative Livestock Services, Titan Building Systems, Pawnee County COOP, Progressive Therapy &amp; Sports Medicine, Frick Veterinary, Services, H&amp;H Roofing, Rosenberg Family Dentistry, Fusion Bank, Doerr's Ace Hardware, Pawnee Valley Community Hospital, Larned Veterinary Clinic, Heart of Kansas Family Health, Barton Community College, and Off Broadway Boutique.

Softball -Game 1- Buhler 2 Larned 0

- The Great Bend baseball Panthers begin play in the 5A Regional Wednesday at the Great Bend Sports Complex. We'll talk about their first round matchup with head coach Randy Beck.

- Great Bend Lady Panther swimming coach Jade Winter previews this weekends 5A state meet in Topeka. She'll be joined by the 6 Panther state qualifiers, Darcy Feist, Clarise Snapp, Jo Mazouch , Braylee Carper, Emma Snapp, and Meredith Mazouch.

Tuesday on Sports Day (Watch)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Kris Bubic’s no-hit bid for the Kansas City Royals ended with an official scoring change Monday night.

The left-hander hardly let that bother him.

Bubic made a run at an historic homecoming before settling for seven shutout innings of two-hit ball in a 3-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants.

“I knew it was happening, but I wasn’t nervous about it,” Bubic said. “I wasn’t really thinking about it. In my head I was just thinking, hey, keep attacking guys. Keep getting ahead of guys."

Bubic initially got through six innings without allowing a hit — only to have an error charged to Royals second baseman Michael Massey changed to a single before the start of the seventh.

With two outs in the sixth, Wilmer Flores hit a grounder toward second base. Massey moved to his left and was in position to make the play but slipped to the ground at the edge of the grass as the ball rolled past him into the outfield.

The play was initially ruled an error by official scorer Michael Duca, and Bubic then struck out Jung Hoo Lee to end the inning.

But moments later, after reviewing video, Duca changed his call to a base hit for Flores.

Casey Schmitt’s clean double down the left-field line with one out in the seventh was the only other hit off Bubic (5-2). He struck out five, walked three and lowered his ERA to 1.47.

That’s the second-lowest mark for a Royals pitcher through his first 10 starts of a season. Zack Greinke was at 0.84 in 2009, when he won the AL Cy Young Award.

Vinnie Pasquantino, who hit a two-run homer off reliever Tyler Rogers (2-2) to break a scoreless tie in the eighth, raved about Bubic.

“Hitters getting to first base, talking about how frustrating it is facing him,” Pasquantino said. “That’s what you’re looking for. He was ridiculous again tonight.”

In his past four starts, Bubic has permitted one run over 25 1/3 innings.

This outing came in the ballpark where Bubic grew up rooting for the Giants. He went to Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose and then to college at Stanford.

“I’ve probably sat in every area in this ballpark,” he said.

The 27-year-old Bubic estimated he had 30-40 family members and friends in attendance.

“You always want to do well in front of them. It makes life a little easier for everybody,” Bubic joked.

He referenced the fact that he had made two previous starts at Oracle Park, including when he pitched six scoreless innings in a 3-1 loss on April 9, 2023. Bubic said that experience kept away the jitters Monday.

“I treated this like any other game,” he explained. “It’s cool to be able to pitch in front of friends and family and I’m glad they got to see a win.”

Bubic underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023 and was strictly a reliever in 27 appearances last season.

He made one start with a longer no-hit bid: On Aug. 21, 2021, Bubic threw six hitless innings against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

After a weather delay, he allowed a walk and then a home run to Patrick Wisdom. Bubic gave up just that one hit over 6 1/3 innings in the Royals’ 4-2 win.

Kris Bubic loses no-hit bid for Royals but enjoys fantastic homecoming

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State women's basketball coach Bill Fennelly announced the addition of Emily Ryan to his 2025-26 staff as a graduate assistant Tuesday morning.

"I want to first of all thank our administration for making it possible for Emily Ryan to remain a member of the Cyclone Women's Basketball family," said Fennelly. "Emily's loyalty to Iowa State and her passion for this program are truly special. Her work ethic is as good as I have ever seen. I am confident that she will impact our program as a coach, just as she did as one of the best players to ever play at Iowa State."

Ryan ended her career as one of the best point guards in Iowa State history, recording top five all-time marks in assists, steals and blocks. She set the program record for assists by over 200 dimes and ranks seventh all-time in NCAA women's basketball history with 993 assists. Her 1,632 points rank 11th all-time at ISU and she was just the third NCAA women's basketball player to record 1,500 assists, 900 assists and 600 rebounds in a career.

The Claflin, Kansas native helped Iowa State to five NCAA Tournaments, including a Sweet 16 appearance in 2022 where she was named to the Greensboro Regional All-Tournament Team. In Iowa State's run to the 2023 Phillips 66 Big 12 Women's Basketball Championship crown, Ryan passed out a team-high 15 assists through three games while averaging 9.0 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.

Throughout her five seasons running point for the Cyclones, Ryan was a three-time All-Big 12 honoree, a 2024 Big 12 All-Tournament team member, a three-time Naismith Trophy watch list member, 2025 Wooden Award watch list member and a two-time Nancy Lieberman Award watch list member. For her excellence both on the court and in the classroom, she was voted a College Sports Communicators (CSC) Third Team Academic All-America in 2024-25.

Iowa State Adds Ryan to Women’s Basketball Staff

Class 5A @ Great Bend - Tuesday, May 20 3:00 Topeka-Seaman (18-8) vs Goddard-Eisenhower (11-15) 4:45 Great Bend (21-5) vs Andover Central (9-17) 6:15 Championship Class 4A @ Hoisington - Tuesday, May 20 3:00 - Circle (18-8) vs Augusta (10-14) 4:30 - Hoisington (17-7) vs Ulysses (10-14) 6:00 - Championship Class 4A @ McPherson - Tuesday, May 20 2:00 - Larned (15-11) vs Mulvane (15-9) 3:30 - McPherson (26-0) vs Clay Center (7-17) 5:00 - Championship Class 2-1A Inman Regional Monday, May 19 @ Bennington Sterling 20, Ellinwood 11 Bennington 7, Little River 2 Monday, May 19 @ Inman Sacred Heart 7, Sylvan-Lucas 2 Inman 15, Ell-Saline 0 Tuesday, May 20 @ Inman 3:00 Sterling (9-10) vs Bennington (22-1) 4:30 Sacred Heart (10-15) vs Inman (20-1) 6:00 Championship

Area Regional Softball Scores, Schedule

Class 5A - Wednesday, May 21 @ Great Bend 2:00 Emporia (15-10) vs Kapaun Mt. Carmel (15-11) 4:00 Great Bend (21-5) vs Ark City (7-19) 6:00 Championship Class 4A - Tuesday, May 20 @ McPherson 2:00 Larned (15-9) vs Buhler (17-9) 4:00 McPherson (23-3) vs Circle (9-17) 6:00 Championship Class 4A - Tuesday, May 20 @ Clay Center 2:00 Hoisington (15-6) vs Lyons (13-10) 4:00 Clay Center (17-6) vs Andale (10-16) 6:00 Championship Class 2-1A TMP Regional Friday, May 16 TMP 21, Ell-Saline 0 Ellinwood 19, Bennington 11 Sacred Heart 15, Republic County 0 Ellis 9, Plainville 5 Wednesday, May 21 @ TMP High School 2:00 TMP (19-4) vs Ellinwood (12-11) 4:00 Sacred Heart (18-7) vs Ellis (16-8) 6:00 Championship Class 2-1A Pratt-Skyline Regional Wednesday, May 14 Elkhart 13, Sublette 3 Kinsley/Macksville 11, Stanton County 1 Spearville 10, Minneola 0 Medicine Lodge 7, Bucklin 1 Tuesday, May 20 @ Pratt Community College 2:00 Elkhart (19-3) vs Kinsley/Macksville (13-6) 4:00 Spearville (18-5) vs Medicine Lodge (10-10) 6:00 Championship

Area Regional Baseball Scores, Schedule

GOVE COUNTY—The tornado that damaged or destroyed more than a dozen homes in Grinnell on Sunday had peak winds of 140mph, according to the National Weather Service in Goodland.

The weather service survey team on Tuesday upgraded the strength of the storm to an EF3 tornado. It's path of destruction was 230 yards wide.

The tornado also caused damage to both the electric and gas systems in the the community and downed 15 power poles.&nbsp; Although several families are displaced, there were no injuries.

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