By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

Get ready to rock all week long at the Ellis County Fair, with five nights of live bands taking the stage each evening.

"That fair isn't all country," Ellis County Fair Vice President Jill Pfannenstiel said. "Come out, have fun and listen to some good music."

The fair will feature the local lineup of:

•&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/TimAnthonyBand/">Anthony and the Anamals</a>: Free rock concert begins at 8 p.m. July 15 at the Midway. •&nbsp;<a href="https://paramount80s.com/follow-us">Paramount</a>: Free rock concert begins at 8 p.m. July 16 at the Midway. •&nbsp;<a href="https://sunsetsinners.com/">Sunset Sinners</a>: Free rock concert begins at 8 p.m. July 17 at the Midway. •&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/docacousticdj">DOC</a>: Free rock concert begins at 8 p.m. July 18 at the Midway. • <a href="https://www.facebook.com/p/Crazy-Horse-20-100063671161696/">Crazy Horse 2.0</a>: Free rock concert begins at 8 p.m. July 19 at the Midway.

Picnic tables and chairs will be available, with food vendors and a new beer garden nearby. Pfannenstiel said the rock bands will play until midnight and are easy to catch following grandstand events such as: •&nbsp;KPRA Rodeo: 8 p.m. July 15-16 at the Rodeo Arena. •&nbsp;Ranch Rodeo: 8 p.m. July 17 at the Rodeo Arena. •&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/52d736e5-de04-4b4b-a988-277667123f6a">Midget Wrestling</a>: 8 p.m. July 18 at the Rodeo Arena. •&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5b14a780-50e1-4795-b899-9800bd00a9d7">Moto Rodeo</a>: 8 p.m. July 19 at the Rodeo Arena.

As bands perform on the Midway, anyone with an empty stomach can also compete in a hot dog eating contest at 8:30 p.m. July 15 and a pie eating contest at 8:30 p.m. July 17.

Tickets for the fair can be purchased in advance&nbsp;<a href="https://www.etix.com/ticket/v/36944/ellis-county-fair?fbclid=IwY2xjawKujTRleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF6VFdJNnVTa0NYYk82ZUp4AR44_gw2XjWFjbazSFQJZE4y3MXwLLePpTZO8DU_vIYc0eKGGESB4xXlYUunwA_aem_v9FbcbBjuUHs1yaGOY1NgA">here</a>&nbsp;or at the gate. A pass covering seven events costs $40, and a single-night admission costs $20. Children aged 5 and younger enter for free.

You can follow the Ellis County Fair on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063657276403">Facebook</a>.

Five free nights of rock to light up Ellis County Fair

&nbsp;Submit events to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:admin@hayspost.com">admin@hayspost.com</a>. Cover photo courtesy Pixabay

Special thanks to <a href="https://www.visithays.com/183/Events">The Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau</a> and<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/"> Fort Hays State University</a> for their contributions to the community calendar.

Community Calendar

The Heartland Community Foundation invites all interested residents, leaders, and community stakeholders to two upcoming Strategic Doing meetings in Trego and Rooks counties. These collaborative gatherings are designed to bring people together to address local opportunities and challenges through a practical, action-oriented approach. 

Plainville Thursday, July 17 at 5:30 p.m. at Plainville Senior Center Topic: The Future of Redbud Village and Estates

 Redbud Village and Estates has served as a vital provider of long-term care and employment since 1963. As the facility undergoes a cultural and operational renewal, the time is right for the community to consider its future direction. This session will focus on sustaining and strengthening Redbud for future generations.

 “For decades, Redbud has provided essential services in our area,” said Deanna Hammerschmidt, Heartland’s Rooks County director. “We’re asking our neighbors to join us, share their ideas, and help shape a strong path forward.” 

WaKeeney Wednesday, July 23 at 7:00 p.m. at Western Kansas Electric Cooperative Community Room Topic: Exploring Opportunities for WaKeeney and Trego County

 This broader session will highlight current projects in the area and invite residents to contribute ideas and feedback.&nbsp;Participants will help identify actionable next steps to ensure continued community vitality.

&nbsp;“Strategic Doing goes beyond just sharing ideas—it’s focused on taking action,” said Savannah Downing, Heartland’s Trego County director. “We’re inviting our community members in WaKeeney to come together and be part of creating real solutions.”

Both meetings use the Strategic Doing model, a guided process that helps communities form collaborative groups, develop practical solutions, and build momentum through measurable steps. 

Participation is also part of the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to the Dane G. Hansen Foundation, which encourages long-term, collaborative thinking by offering additional grant opportunities to communities that actively engage in this process. 

No RSVP is required. Refreshments will be provided at both events. All are welcome. 

For more information: Plainville meeting: Contact Deanna Hammerschmidt at 785-621-4090 or visit www.heartlandcf.org. WaKeeney meeting: Contact Savannah Downing at 785-743-3270 or email savannah@gscf.org.&nbsp;

Strategic Doings in Plainville, WaKeeney hosted by Heartland Community Foundation 

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Ellisjrfreefair">Ellis Jr. Free Fair</a>

93rd annual Ellis Jr. Free Fair runs July 22-26 

Palco to celebrate Christmas in July at McKenna Youth & Activity Center

Ken Pfeifer Salvage, Hays, will be closed on Wednesday, July 9.&nbsp;

They will reopen Thursday, July 10, at 8 a.m.

David Vogel in free concert at Hays First United Methodist Church on July 13

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; CHRISTMAS IN JULY CRAFT FAIR&nbsp;

Saturday, July 19&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

St. Mary's School Gym&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 605 Monroe Street, Ellis

Join us for a festive and fun-filled day at our Christmas in July Craft Fair! Whether you're getting a head start on holiday shopping or simply enjoying the summer spirit, there will be something for everyone.

Paper Pie Books Vinyl Records, CDs, and Cassettes Crochet Animal Loveys &amp; Baby Blankets Custom Wreaths ColorStreet Nail Strips Custom Made Fishing Lures Mary Kay Cosmetics Baked Goods &amp; Sweet Treats Resin Gifts &amp; Stocking Stuffers Crochet Hat Ornaments Art Prints Tupperware Glitter &amp; Sublimation Tumblers Cold Processed Soaps Glitter Pens Hot Pads, Pot Holders, Kitchen Towels Notepads, Bookmarks, Keychains Jordan Essentials

THE FROZEN FROG will be setting up, so look for them to get your favorite shaved ice treat! CONCESSION STAND: The Daughters of Isabella will be serving a delicious meal at their concession stand in the cafeteria from 10 a.m. to 2p.m., or until supplies run out.

Don't miss out on this wonderful opportunity to shop local, support small businesses and get into the holiday spirit—just a little early!

Christmas in July Craft Fair in Ellis on July 19 with Daughters of Isabella

Eleven athletes and three coaches from the Hays Buffalos have been selected to represent Kansas Special Olympics in the 2026 USA Games in Minneapolis, Minnesota, next summer.

Efforts are underway to raise funds for their trip. 

Members of the team will have a booth at Wild West Festival selling food, merchandise and raffle tickets.

Athletes from the Hays area have participated in the USA games before, but this is the first time that one of the basketball team has been selected to represent Kansas.

Hays Buffalos raising funds for USA games during Wild West Festival

City of Hays offices will be closed on Friday, July 4&nbsp; in observance of the Independence Day holiday.

City of Hays offices closed Friday for July 4 holiday

All July – Downs Free Swim Saturdays 1:00 p.m. to closing, &nbsp;Downs Swimming Pool, 715 Railroad St., Downs

July 4 – Sanders Baseball Complex, Osborne – Free ice cream at 8:30 p.m. and fireworks at dark

July 8 – Mommy &amp; Me Tea, 6:00 p.m., Second Street Café, 715 N. 2nd&nbsp;St., Natoma

July 13 – Alton Independence Celebration, Alton –

6 p.m. @ Fire House Free BBQ Meal 6:30 p.m. @ Ball field - Pie, ice cream, baked goods, and bottled water for sale 7 p.m. @ Ball field - T-ball, youth, and adult baseball games Dusk @ Ball field - flag presentation, National Anthem, and BCCF 50/50 drawing Fireworks presentation at dark Bring your lawn chairs &amp; come enjoy the evening. All are welcome!

July 13 – Scott Noel Memorial Golf Tournament 8:00 p.m. 3 Man Scramble, Shady Bend Golf Course, Osborne. To enter please call/Text Eric at 785-346-4654.

July 19 – Free Snow Cone Day at Downs Swimming Pool, 715 Railroad St., Downs

July 20 – 2 Person Golf Tournament at 9:00 a.m., Downs Golf Course, KS 181, Downs. To register call/text Cory at 785-545-6043.

July 23-26 – Osborne County Fair, Osborne – races, exhibitions, rodeos and lots more! Fun for the whole family!

July Events for Osborne County

By JOHN P.&nbsp;TRETBAR Eagle Media

U.S. crude oil production drops for the third week in a row.&nbsp; The Energy Information Administration reports production last week averaged 13.38 million barrels per day. That's the first time since May 16, and only the fifth time this year, in which weekly output has dropped below 13.4 million.&nbsp; The average over the last four weeks and the average so far this year each remain over 13.4 million barrels a day.

Crude oil production in Kansas is just over half what it was ten years ago. The Kansas Geological Survey reports just 73,303 &nbsp;barrels a day last year, the lowest annual total in KGS records. Output for the first quarter of this year is down to 68,469 barrels a day. Ellis County output dropped 200 daily barrels from a year ago and seven hundred from two years ago, to an average of 5,299 barrels a day. Haskell County lands in second among counties at 4,551 barrels a day, an increase of more than six hundred daily barrels from the first quarter of last year. Finney County, at third, improved on last year by about 100 barrels at 3,961 barrels a day. Barton County notched production of 3,728 barrels a day through March, down slightly from last year.

The most recent weekly EIA crude-export report of 2.7 million barrels per day is down more than a million daily barrels from a year ago, but up half a million from two years ago. Four-week average crude exports are down eighteen percent from last year at this time.

Crude oil exports in the United States saw ups and downs in the first six months of 2025. Crude exports are down more than a million barrels a day from a month ago, and are nearly 2.5 million barrels lower than the recent peak in mid-April. The Energy Information Administration says crude exports started this year just over three million barrels a day, rising over four million for most of the first three months of the year. Exports topped five million barrels a day for one week in April and have plummeted since, down 214,000 barrels a day in May and another 1.15 million in June.

The Strategic Petroleum Reserve took delivery on 200,000 barrels of crude last week. The current dipstick reads 403 million barrels, up nearly 30 million or eight percent from a year ago. The US sold crude for an average of $95 a barrel from the SPR to limit price increases after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. We've been refilling the reserves prices about $25 less. That's $970 million in savings since refill operations resumed in April of last year.

Commercial crude stockpiles increased by more than seven million barrels. EIA says the nationwide stockpile of 426 million barrels (as of July 4) is about eight percent below the five-year average for this time of year.

Fuel inventories dropped last week. EIA says diesel fuel stockpiles are 23% below the five year average for this time of year. Stockpiles of regular gasoline are about one percent below the five-year seasonal average.

Fuel prices tick upward, but remain lower than a year ago. The auto club AAA reports this summer's pump prices reached the lowest seasonal average in four years. The national average of $3.17 a gallon is up a few pennies from earlier in the week, up a nickel from last month, but down 35 cents from a year ago.

Kansas is among the eleven cheapest states for regular gasoline at $2.88 per gallon, down a penny from last week, but up two cents from last month. Average diesel prices in Kansas are about twenty cents higher than a month ago, but nearly a dime cheaper than a year ago at $3.43 per gallon statewide.

The Association of American Railroads reports a decline in US oil-by-rail despite an increase in overall rail traffic. The tally of June petroleum tanker carloads trails last June by 1.5%. Totals for the first half of the year are down just under one percent. The latest weekly tally of just over 10-thousand tanker carloads is up five percent over the same week last year.&nbsp;&nbsp;

News from the Oil Patch: Kansas, U.S. crude production drop

Hays Police Department activity log: June 29-July 5, 2025

Hays Police Department arrest log: June 29-July 5, 2025

Congratulations to Darren Dunn from WaKeeney &amp; Debbie Windholz from Ogallah on becoming finalists in the Yuengling Flight Golf Cart Giveaway at Malay’s Market in WaKeeney this past Saturday.

Special thanks to our sponsors: High Plains Roofing and A &amp; A Coors Yuengling.

Keep listening to Eagle Radio and reading the Hays Post all summer long for your chance to become a finalist.

The $10,000 golf cart will be given away at this year’s OKTOBERFEST on Friday, Sept. 26.

Yuengling Flight Golf Cart finalist from Malay's Market named

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/category/obituaries">HERE</a>&nbsp;to view the most recent obituaries and service times from our funeral home partners.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/corrections-about-us">Click HERE for the Hays Post obituary policy.&nbsp;</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/45c326ac-a856-480a-b491-0312e5d43c5c">Find our obituary posting policy by clicking here.</a>

Recent obituaries and service times

Hays Post WAKEENEY - The annual Trego County Fair wrapped up over the weekend with the annual parade on Saturday.

Trego Co. Fair celebrates Hay Bales & Sleigh Bells

Ellis County Jail bookings: July 6-12, 2025

Ellis County Sheriff's activity log: July 6-12, 2025

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/07/03/clean-air-activists-uneasy-with-holcomb-coal-plants-2-year-exemption-from-new-pollution-rule/?emci=11ffdbf1-8558-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&amp;emdi=59ed3944-b558-f011-8f7c-6045bdfe8e9c&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — American Lung Association advocacy director Sara Prem doesn’t want to internalize consequences of the Hays-based Sunflower Electric Power Corp. securing a two-year exemption from tighter limits on pollution at its electricity plant in southwest Kansas.

Sunflower’s generating station at Holcomb was among 68 coal plants in two-dozen states given permission by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to sidestep elevated mercury and arsenic controls set to take effect in July 2027. The reprieve was tied to President Donald Trump’s executive order in April that said lack of technology and national security considerations could make compliance too onerous for U.S. plants generating power by burning coal.

“We’re creating the risk of more pollution in that community,” Prem said. “With these coal plants, you’re getting a lot of pollutants. It’s not just mercury. Inhaling those particulates can lead to a wide range of health effects.”

She said amplified restraints on emissions from coal plants could save lives because reliance on the fossil fuel damaged people’s lungs, made children susceptible to illness and contributed to climate problems.

The Trump administration shouldn’t have abandoned reforms President Joe Biden delivered to the country’s 200 coal-fired facilities, Prem said.

In 2024, Biden’s EPA directed utilities to adhere to elevated emission standards for toxic metals and to implement a 70% reduction for mercury releases at plants fueled by brown coal. The Democratic president required generating stations making use of coal to address 90% of carbon pollution.

To qualify for Trump’s presidential exemption, Sunflower Electric was told to send an email request to the EPA and await the president’s response.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2025-04/regulatory-relief-for-certain-stationary-annex-1.pdf" target="_blank">Sunflower Electric was the lone coal plant in Kansas</a>&nbsp;to get an exemption, but others were awarded in Oklahoma and Missouri.

Sunflower Electric, which is owned by cooperatives serving 58 counties in central and western Kansas, didn’t respond to requests for comment about the exemption. On social media, Sunflower Electric celebrated Trump’s work to derail Biden’s amended emission rules.

“Sunflower is encouraged by the EPA’s recent actions to address regulations impacting electric cooperatives,” Sunflower Electric said. “As electricity demand soars, it’s essential to have policies that ensure reliable, affordable power while protecting the environment.”

The Holcomb plant years ago deployed scrubbers and other technology to limit release of pollution in a process that burned coal, heated water and pushed turbines to generate electricity.

In March, Sunflower Electric announced start of construction on its third solar power project. The facility near Dodge City would — if completed — be the largest solar complex in Kansas. The cooperative previously collaborated on solar projects near Russell and closer to the Holcomb coal plant in Johnson City.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported coal’s share of the nation’s power generation had fallen under 20% after supplying approximately half of the country’s electricity in 2000. Natural gas and renewable sources, including solar and wind, absorbed coal’s market share.

Jim Matheson, CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, said the reprieve for coal plants addressed “unlawful, unrealistic and unachievable” rules advanced late in Biden’s term. The association said Biden’s rules would have been costly to utility companies.

“They will jeopardize the reliability of the electric grid for as long as they remain in effect,” Matheson said.

The federal Clean Air Act included provisions enabling a U.S. president to temporarily exempt industrial sites from new regulations.

Trump said the exemptions were necessary because emission-control technology required to meet Biden’s mandate wasn’t widely available in a commercially viable form. In addition, the president said adherence to his predecessor’s rules raised “the unacceptable risk of the shutdown of many coal-fired power plants, eliminating thousands of jobs, placing our electrical grid at risk and threatening broader, harmful economic and energy security effects.”

“The (Biden) rule places severe burdens on coal-fired power plants and, through its indirect effects, on the viability of our nation’s coal sector,” Trump’s order said.

A coalition of 12 environmental and community organizations filed a lawsuit in June against the Trump administration for the alleged illegal use of presidential authority for benefit of the exemptions.

The Natural Resources Defense Council, which is a plaintiff in the lawsuit, said the majority of coal plants given exemptions had cleaning equipment installed that could meet — or has met — the safer pollution limits. The council said one-fourth of coal units receiving an exemption were scheduled to retire within 5 years.

Prem, the Kansas and Nebraska advocate for the American Lung Association, said Trump’s bid to breathe life into the coal industry meant exempted coal-burning units could avoid installing continuous monitoring equipment to alert communities of excessive emissions.

The real-time data was to have been provided to regulators to track compliance with emissions restrictions, she said.

“We’ve created a situation where they’re allowed less transparency,” Prem said.

Clean-air activists uneasy with Sunflower Electric coal plant’s exemption from new pollution rule

The Ellis County Commission will hear an update on the second draft of the 2026 budget during its 8:30 a.m. meeting Tuesday.

This version includes revisions from department heads and elected officials. The main budget updates are employee pay adjustments and insurance premium increases.

Several budget items still need further discussion, including a proposed new retirement match tier, outside agency funding and possibly adding one to two mills.

The discussion of mill levies continues from the <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/4077a840-fcf5-4db5-b779-d7f8ed822aba">July 8 meeting</a>.

The commission will be asked to approve sending a notice to the county clerk of its intention to exceed the revenue-neutral rate for the 2026 budget year.

This notice does not obligate the commission to exceed the revenue-neutral rate but preserves the legal option to do so as final budget decisions are made.

Current estimates show the general fund mill levy would increase slightly to about 37 mills and the fire district to around four mills to meet projected 2026 revenue requirements. A public hearing on the budget is set for Sept. 9.

Capital improvement projects and bond options

The commission will review several major upcoming capital improvement projects with a total cost of about $9.75 million.

These include remodeling areas in the law enforcement center in Hays, building a new EMS/fire station in Ellis, replacing fan coil units in the administrative building and upgrading the courthouse HVAC system.

Darin Myers, county administrator, will ask the commission to consider using bonds to finance these projects, as the county has a solid AA credit rating.

The Ellis County Fire Department will display two new fire engines after the meeting for the commissioners to see.&nbsp;These engines were approved for purchase in December 2023.

The commission will be requested to approve an updated rental contract for the Schenk and Unrein Buildings at the Ellis County Fairgrounds. Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation requested a change to the indemnity clause limiting their responsibility to injuries or damages only caused by their group or contractors.

The commission will be asked to approve a bid of about $36,200 from JDR Painting to repaint the jail cells and kitchen ceiling at the Ellis County Jail.

The commission will be asked to approve revised job descriptions as part of the previously approved restructuring of the Public Works Department.

You can view the full agenda <a href="https://www.ellisco.net/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07152025-685">here</a>.

Ellis County Commission to discuss 2026 budget; Possible mill increase 

🎥 Meet the Larks Garrett Gruell

KAYS - (1400/94.3) KFIX - (96.9) KHAZ - (99.5) KJLS - (103.3) KKQY - (101.9)&nbsp; &nbsp;

Wednesday, July 16
 none

Friday, July 18
 KAYS: Kansas City
Royals at Miami Marlins, 5:30pm

Saturday, July 19
 KAYS: Kansas City
Royals at Miami Marlins, 2:30pm

Sunday, July 20
 KAYS: Kansas City
Royals at Miami Marlins, 12:00pm

🎧 Eagle Radio, Hull sports broadcast schedule

🎥 Meet the Larks Frank Leo

Andy Reid remains the standard for NFL coaches.

Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs fell short in their quest to become the first team to three-peat in the Super Bowl era and were dominated by the Philadelphia Eagles for the NFL title.

Still, Reid was a near-unanimous choice for the NFL’s No. 1 coach by The Associated Press in a preseason survey.

A panel of eight AP Pro Football Writers ranked the top five players at quarterback, basing selections on current status entering the 2025 season. First-place votes were worth 10 points. Second through fifth-place votes were worth 5, 3, 2 and 1 points.

Reid, who has three Super Bowl rings and leads two different franchises in victories, received seven first-place vote and one second. Nick Sirianni, who led the Philadelphia Eagles to a 40-22 victory over Reid and the Chiefs in the Super Bowl, got the other first-place vote.

Baltimore’s John Harbaugh finished one point ahead of Sirianni for second place on the list. Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay came in fourth and Buffalo’s Sean McDermott was fifth.

Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh, Denver’s Sean Payton, Green Bay’s Matt LaFleur, Minnesota’s Kevin O’Connell, San Francisco’s Kyle Shanahan, New England’s Mike Vrabel and Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin also received votes.

Reid was the most successful coach in the history of the Eagles before going to Kansas City and turning the Chiefs into a dynasty.

Under Reid, the Chiefs have had 12 straight winning seasons, made 11 playoff appearances, won nine consecutive AFC West titles and reached five Super Bowls in the past six years.

Reid guided the Eagles to five NFC title games and one Super Bowl between 1999-2012. He is fourth on the career list with 301 victories.

Harbaugh has led the Ravens to 15 winning seasons in 17 years and beat his brother to earn his only Super Bowl ring following the 2012 season.

Baltimore is 4-7 in the playoffs since that victory and twice failed to advance to the Super Bowl despite earning the AFC’s No. 1 seed.

Harbaugh is 179-113. He got three second-place votes, four thirds and one fifth.

Sirianni has led the Eagles to the playoffs in each of his four seasons and became the second coach to guide the franchise to a Super Bowl victory.

He’s 54-23 and his .701 winning percentage is fourth best all time.

Despite his success, Sirianni has been a lightning rod for criticism through his tenure in Philadelphia. Critics called for his firing when the Eagles started 2-2 last season. But Sirianni led the Eagles to 10 straight wins and 16 of 17, capped by a dominant performance against the Chiefs in the Super Bowl when Philadelphia jumped out to a 34-0 lead.

Sirianni got two second-place votes, two thirds and one fourth, appearing on seven of eight ballots.

After leading the young, rebuilding Rams to 10 wins and a playoff appearance in 2023, McVay guided Los Angeles to an NFC West title and a playoff win over 14-win Minnesota.

The Rams were 13 yards away from scoring a go-ahead touchdown against Philadelphia in the divisional round before a sack and incomplete pass ended their season.

McVay has six double-digit win seasons in eight years and has won and lost a Super Bowl.

He received two second-place votes, two thirds and one fourth.

The Bills have won five straight AFC East titles since Tom Brady left New England they’ve reached the playoffs seven times in eight seasons under McDermott.

McDermott’s .624 winning percentage is fifth best among active coaches with a minimum of four seasons.

🏈 Andy Reid is voted the NFL’s top head coach by AP writers

Patrick Mahomes still stands on top among NFL quarterbacks.

The three-time Super Bowl MVP was voted the NFL’s No. 1 quarterback by The Associated Press in a preseason survey.

This time, he had more competition for the top spot after being a unanimous choice in 2023 and 2024.

Mahomes, who led the Kansas City Chiefs to consecutive Super Bowl titles in the 2022-23 seasons, finished with five first-place votes in the latest poll. Reigning NFL MVP Josh Allen got two, finishing second. Joe Burrow received the other first-place vote and came in third.

Two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson finished fourth and Jalen Hurts, who outplayed Mahomes in Philadelphia’s dominant Super Bowl victory over Mahomes and the Chiefs, was fifth. Jayden Daniels and C.J. Stroud also received votes.

Mahomes had a career-low 3,928 yards passing and tied for his fewest touchdown passes with 26, but still led the Chiefs to their third straight Super Bowl appearance and fifth in his seven years as the starting QB.

Mahomes, who turns 30 in September, has a chance to become only the fourth quarterback to win four Super Bowls.

He received two second-place votes and one fourth.

Allen led Buffalo to a fifth straight AFC East title and edged Jackson for the MVP award last season. But Allen and the Bills again were knocked out of the playoffs by Mahomes and the Chiefs, losing in the AFC title game.

Allen threw for 3,731 yards, 28 TDs and had six picks for a 101.4 passer rating. He ran for 531 yards and 12 scores, becoming the first player in NFL history to have five consecutive seasons with at least 40 total touchdowns.

He got three second-place votes, one third and two fourths.

Burrow set career highs last season in nearly every passing category, including yards (4,918), TD passes (43) and QB rating (108.5). He earned his second AP Comeback Player of the Year award but the Bengals couldn’t overcome another slow start and missed the playoffs with a 9-8 record.

Burrow, who started 17 games last season for the first time in his career, received a second-place vote, two thirds and three fourths.

Jackson is coming off his third All-Pro season and the best all-around year of his career. He threw for 4,172 yards, 41 TDs and only four interceptions, and led the NFL with a 119.6 passer rating. He also ran for 915 yards and four scores.

But Jackson and the Ravens fell short in the playoffs again, losing to the Bills in the divisional round.

Jackson got one second-place vote, four thirds, two fourths and one fifth.

The Super Bowl MVP appeared on just four of eight ballots despite leading the Eagles to their second NFC championship victory in three years.

Hurts, who got one second-place vote, one third and two fifths, had 2,903 yards passing, 18 TDs and only five picks last season. He ran for 630 yards and 14 scores.

🏈 Patrick Mahomes is voted the NFL’s top quarterback by AP writers

HAYS – Dylan LaRue hit a two-run homer and four Hays Larks pitchers combine to hold the Collegiate Roughriders to one run and the Larks finish off a four-game sweep with a 6-1 victory in a non-league game Sunday evening at Larks Park.

LaRue’s two-run shot to right proved to be all the Larks (23-4-1) needed as they ran their winning streak to eight games and 10-straight at home. The Roughriders (9-20) have lost six straight. LaRue’s sixth homer of the season came with two outs, two batters after Trent Baker doubled.

The Larks scored four in the bottom of the fourth. Lorenzo Rios singled and scored on a wild pitch. Brady Kreutzer walked and scored on a passed ball, Baker later added a two-run single.

The Roughriders lone run came on a solo homer to lead off the sixth.

Four Larks pitchers combined to allow the one run on seven hits with nine strikeouts an no walks. It’s the first time the Larks didn’t walk a better since July 26, 2022 versus the Gameday Angels.

Seth Lee started and went five innings with two hits and two strikeouts, Adrian Najar allowed one hit and fanned four over two innings and picked up the win. Ryan Hanks allowed the one run on three hits with two strikeouts and Dylan pitched the final two frames with one hit and one strikeout.

The Larks continue their homestand Tuesday with the first of two against the Liberal Bee Jays beginning at 7:00 p.m.

⚾ LaRue homer, solid pitching leads Larks to win over Roughriders

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Kansas City Royals selected five players on the first day of the 2025 First-Year Player Draft.

With the 23rd overall pick in the 1st round, the Royals selected outfielder Sean Gamble out of IMG Academy (Fla.). An advisory with information regarding a Zoom call with Gamble will be shared shortly.

The Royals were awarded the 28th overall selection in this year’s Draft—dubbed the Prospect Promotion Incentive pick—due to Bobby Witt Jr. being named the American League MVP runner-up last season, and with that pick they selected infielder Josh Hammond out of Wesleyan Christian Academy (N.C.). More info on the PPI program can be found at the end of this release.

With the 61st overall pick in the 2nd round, the Royals selected RHP Michael Lombardi out of Tulane University (La.). They used the 71st pick selection in the Competitive Balance Round B to select LHP Justin Lamkin from Texas A&amp;M University. With their final selection on Night 1 of the Draft, they selected RHP Cameron Millar out of Alhambra High School (Calif.) with the 97th pick in Round 3.

Gamble, 19, is a native of Des Moines, Iowa, who left home at the age of 14 to attend IMG Academy. He is currently committed to play baseball at Vanderbilt University (Tenn.). According to Maxpreps.com, he batted .374 (74-for-198) across three seasons with IMG, including .413 (31-for-75) with 4 home runs, 6 triples, 8 doubles, 29 runs and 30 RBI as a senior, a 1.324 OPS. He only struck out 6 times in 91 plate appearances this season, while drawing 10 walks.

Hammond, 18, was ranked as the No. 16 overall prospect by Perfect Game and is currently committed to play baseball at Wake Forest University (N.C.). He slashed .471/.613/.882 (40-for-85, 1.495 OPS) with 41 runs scored, 28 RBI, 11 doubles, 3 triples and 6 home runs as a senior, polishing off a 4-year career as a starter at Wesleyan Christian, according to Maxpreps.com. He also pitched in high school, logging 255 strikeouts in 155.1 innings pitched. Hammond earned NCISAA All-State honors after leading Wesleyan to a Class 4A championship and was named to the MaxPreps All-American Second Team. He pitched in 2 games for Team USA’s 18U squad in 2024, including 3.0 innings of 1-run ball vs. Panamá in the gold medal game.

Lombardi, 21, pitched in parts of three seasons at Tulane University (La.), where he posted a 3.82 ERA (48 ER in 113.0 IP) and 154 strikeouts, while earning 8 wins and 16 saves. As a junior this season, he appeared in 23 games (6 starts) and earned 11 saves while pitching to a 2.14 ERA (10 ER in 42.0 IP), as well as 73 strikeouts (12.3 K/9). He earned Louisiana Sports Writers Association All-State Team Honorable Mention as well as a selection to the All-AAC Second Team as a sophomore after striking out 53 batters in 41.2 innings of work, an 11.4 K/9. He also hit during all three of his seasons at Tulane, and was a career .258 hitter, including a .273/.392/.453 slashline in 2025. He graduated from Fox Lane High School (N.Y.), where he was a National Honor Society member as well as a two-year letterwinner in basketball. Some of his accolades on the diamond included three All League selections, two All Section selections, two League MVPs and a pair of First Team All-County honors. He had a career .425 batting average, and had more career intentional walks than strikeouts.

Lamkin, 21, started 15 games at Texas A&amp;M University this season and posted a 3.42 ERA (32 ER in a team-high 84.1 IP) with 98 strikeouts (10.5 K/9), just 19 walks (2.0 BB/9) and a team-best 7 quality starts. In three seasons (53 games, 41 starts) with the Aggies, he struck out 260 batters across 209.1 innings (11.2 K/9). Prior to attending Texas A&amp;M, he graduated from Calallen High School (Texas), where he recorded all 21 outs via the strikeout in a no-hitter over Kerrville Tivy on March 11, 2022, and later that year was named to the Class 4A All-State Third Team by the Texas Sportswriters Association.

Millar, 18, just finished his senior season at Alhambra High School (Calif.), where he went 7-1 with a 0.11 ERA (1 ER in 64.0 IP) with 117 strikeouts (49.8 K%) and just 18 walks (7.7 BB%), per his Maxpreps.com page. He didn’t allow an extra-base hit, scattering 23 singles throughout his final year. Over three seasons, he went 20-8 with a 0.45 ERA (12 ER in 187.0 IP) and 268 strikeouts (37.5 K%) and just 53 walks (7.4 BB%). He did bat as well, mostly through his sophomore and junior seasons, combining to hit .221 (19-for-86) with 2 home runs. Only one player from Alhambra High School has made it to the Majors, and that was current Angels reliever Robert Stephenson. Millar is committed to the University of Arizona.

As part of the Collective Bargaining Agreement in 2022, the Prospect Promotion Incentive (PPI) was implemented as a way to encourage teams to promote their best young players to the Majors as early as possible. Part of this, per MLB.com’s Joe Trezza, states: “Players who made an Opening Day roster and accrued the service time but didn’t factor in any awards that year retain PPI eligibility. They need to place in the top three for MVP or Cy Young (Award voting) before hitting arbitration. Witt Jr. became the first player to achieve this in 2024, when his top-3 AL MVP finish earned Kansas City a PPI pick in the 2025 Draft. Witt retained his eligibility from 2022, when he made his MLB debut for Kansas City on Opening Day.”

The Draft will conclude tomorrow beginning at 10:30 a.m. CT with rounds 4-20, exclusively on MLB.com.

⚾ Royals select five players on first day of MLB draft

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Nick Loftin delivered his second game-winning hit in less than a week, driving in Tyler Tolbert from second base with a single in the ninth inning to give the Kansas City Royals a 3-2 win over the New York Mets on Sunday.

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