By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

United Way of Ellis County's 71st-annual fundraising campaign has raised about $211,000 of its $350,000 goal to fund local programs.

The nonprofit focuses on key pillars that foster a good quality of life and strengthen the community.

United Way Executive Director Erica Berges said the organization's mission is to support funding for essential programs.

"We base those programs on four criteria: youth opportunity, community resiliency, healthy community and financial security," she said.

Berges said she anticipates more donations in the weeks ahead.

Campaign donations are accepted <a href="https://liveunited.harnessgiving.org/donate/?selected-method=one-time&amp;amount=50&amp;campaign_id=0">online </a>until Jan. 31, by phone at 785-628-8281, and in person at the United Way of Ellis County office, 1200 Main Street, Suite 102.

United Way will continue to accept donations after Jan. 31 as the deadline helps facilitate the Care Council's funding decisions.

Giving options include payroll deductions, monthly contributions and rounding up purchases to support programs such as rent assistance, utility aid and physical therapy for children.

"The nice thing about donating to United Way is it's going to multiple agencies and programs across every demographic," Berges said. "From birth to our senior citizens and everybody in between."

Donors can designate their contributions to specific agencies or allow United Way of Ellis County to allocate them to an agency they select.

"You can always give us a call. I'm more than happy to talk to individuals to let them know what their donation dollars are going to," Berges said.

The Care Council consists of 12 community volunteers who review agency funding requests and recommend United Way allocations.

The council strives to ensure funded programs and agencies deliver essential community services.

"Unfortunately, the ask is always more than we can give, and we always want to give out as much as we can," Berges said. "That's why our annual campaign is so important."

United Way of Ellis County will host a Chamber Chat at 9 a.m. on Jan. 24 at its offices at  1200 Main St., Suite 102, to allow the public to learn about the group.

The organization is hosting a Dueling Pianos event at 6 p.m. on Feb. 8 at the Schenk Community Building. The event will include food, drinks and music. Tickets are $50 each.

You can visit the United Way of Ellis County <a href="https://www.liveunited.us/">website </a>and follow them on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/unitedwayofelliscounty/events">Facebook</a>.

United Way of Ellis County short of fundraising campaign goal

The Thursday, January 9, 2025 Hays City Commission meeting has been canceled.

Thursday's Hays City Commission meeting canceled

&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

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For Kansas road conditions, visit <a href="https://www.kandrive.gov/">https://www.kandrive.gov/</a>

Please email hayspost@eaglemedia.com&nbsp;to add your cancellation (preferred and quickest method). You can also call&nbsp;<a href="http://785-301-2211/">(785)-301-2211</a>&nbsp;to add your cancellation. Leave a voicemail if no one answers.

Schools • Smith Center, 2-hour delay Tuesday •&nbsp;TMP Marian and Holy Family Elementary, no school Tuesday, 2-hour delay Wednesday • USD 432 Victoria, no school Tuesday, 2-hour delay Wednesday • USD 489 Hays, no school Tuesday, 2-hour delay Wednesday • USD 388 Ellis, no school Tuesday • USD 270 Plainville, no school Tuesday • USD 407 Russell, no school Tuesday • USD 271 Stockton, no school Tuesday • Bright Minds Academy, closed Tuesday

•&nbsp;Russell Municipal Court scheduled for Tuesday January 7, 2025 has been postponed until 8 AM on Tuesday, January 21, 2025. • Community Assistance Senior Boxes can be picked up on Wednesday from 9 a.m. to noon. CAC closed today. No garage sale. •&nbsp;Heartland Gymnastics of Hays will be closed Tuesday. All classes have been canceled. •&nbsp;Continental barbershop will open at 10 am Tuesday. •&nbsp;Cancer Council of Ellis County will be closed on Tuesday. •&nbsp;Hays Senior Center &amp; Meal site will be closed Tuesday • Meals on Wheels (First Call for Help) - Cancelled Tuesday • Access Public Transportation will be running on Tuesday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. • Ellis Thrift, closed Tuesday • The Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel in Hays will remain closed until Wednesday at noon. 
• The Hays Lions Club will not meet on Tuesday. • Fort Hays State Women's &amp; Men's Basketball vs. Nebraska-Kearney, postponed to Wednesday, February 26 • high school basketball: Quinter games at Hill City will be rescheduled • Farmers &amp; Ranchers Livestock in Salina: Weaned/Vacc sale scheduled for Tuesday January 7th has been cancelled.

• ACCESS Public Transportation will run on Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.&nbsp;

Latest cancellations and delays

Due to the conditions from the winter storm and heavy amounts of snow that fell over the weekend, recycling is not guaranteed to be collected this week. This only applies to the recycling materials – regular trash will be collected as normal.  Please note that the exact time of collection of the regular trash may be delayed. Please make sure your polycarts are out by 7:00 AM and keep in mind the trucks have no set time schedule. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause our customers.

City of Hays customers who have any questions regarding this notice should contact the Solid Waste Division of the Public Works Department at 628-7350.

Recycling collection for Hays not guaranteed this week

Please be advised that City of Hays crews will be removing snow from the downtown area from Oak to Fort streets and 7th to 13th streets, Main Street from 6th to 16th streets, and West 9th and 10th streets in the 100 and 200 blocks, tonight, Monday, January 6, 2025, starting at approximately 10 p.m.  City crews request that cars be removed from these areas to allow the crews the ability to completely plow the street and the on-street parking areas.

If there are any questions, please call the Public Works Service Division at 785-628-7350.

Snow removal in downtown area for Hays

Monarch for a Day set for Jan. 16 

STAUNTON, VA – After an extraordinary 40-year career with Hays, Kansas-based Warehouse Inc., Bryan Huser, vice president of market development, is set to retire in early 2025, leaving behind an indelible legacy as an expert salesman, mentor and team player.

Huser’s journey with Warehouse Inc. began in February 1984 when he joined as an outside sales representative, having previously honed his skills selling Schlitz beer. The team quipped, "If he can sell Schlitz beer, he can sell anything!" and Huser quickly proved them right. By the late '80s, he convinced a Greenlight jobber to join Federated, marking the company’s first independent Federated jobber and setting the stage for future growth.

Known as a salesman who “never met a stranger,” Huser’s infectious enthusiasm and unparalleled ability to connect with people turned cold calls into warm relationships. His efforts led to the creation of Warehouse Inc.’s largest and most profitable sales territory. As one colleague noted, “Bryan could sell ice cream to the Eskimos!”

Huser’s career trajectory soared as he took on greater leadership roles, becoming sales manager in 2001 and vice president of market development in 2008.

Over his tenure, Huser helped Warehouse Inc. expand its reach, putting up signs in more than 30 independent jobber stores and overseeing the company’s first Carquest jobber changeover. His deep industry relationships mean he now sees second-generation store managers—kids he once saw playing in the aisles—leading their family businesses.

As Huser prepares for retirement, he looks forward to traveling the country in his restored VW camper van, spending time with his beloved grandkids, indulging in his passion for cooking (inspired by Grandpa Gable’s mantra: “If you don’t eat, you die!”), and cheering for his favorite team, the Kansas City Chiefs. Whether on the road in his VW or cruising on his prized Harley Davidson, Huser plans to embrace the open road and life’s adventures.

True to his commitment, Huser extended his retirement timeline to complete a final Carquest jobber changeover, ensuring a seamless transition for the company. His legacy will continue to influence the team, and the company hopes to involve him in special projects post-retirement to tap into his unique expertise.

“I cannot say enough good things about Bryan Huser,” said Sue Godschalk, CEO of Federated Auto Parts. “I have known Bryan since December of 1985 when Warehouse Inc. became a Federated member. At our first conversation, I could tell that Bryan was very passionate about the success of Warehouse Inc. Bryan’s magnetic personality and his drive are two of the things that you can pick up immediately during a conversation. I will certainly miss Bryan, but I could not be happier for him as he enters this new and well-deserved chapter. The entire team at Federated joins me in wishing Bryan only the best.”

“Bryan’s contributions to Warehouse Inc. are immeasurable,” said Don Bickle Jr, president of Warehouse Inc. “He is not just a phenomenal salesman but a mentor and a cornerstone of our success. We are excited to see him enjoy this next chapter, and we are grateful for everything he has done for our company. We congratulate Bryan on a well-deserved retirement and thank him for an unforgettable career.”

Federated Auto Parts, headquartered in Staunton, Virginia, is one of the largest auto parts distribution and marketing organizations in North America. Federated is dedicated to supporting its customers with quality name brand parts, programs designed to grow their businesses, and experienced people who are knowledgeable in today’s evolving automotive technology. For more information, visit <a href="https://federatedautoparts.com/">FederatedAutoParts.com.</a>

Warehouse Inc. celebrates legacy, retirement of Bryan Huser

For an updated list of activities, check the calendar of events on the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau website <a href="https://www.visithays.com/calendar.aspx">www.visithays.com</a>.

New year in Hays opens with new events, activities, sports

The Hays Police Department’s front office and the City of Hays Municipal Court will be closed to the public on Fridays until further notice. 

Our front office hours of operation for walk-ins and administrative phone calls will be Monday – Thursday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Hays Police Department, 105 W. 12th, 785-625-1030 Hays Municipal Court, 105 W. 12th, 785-625-1070

Hays Police Department, municipal court offices now closed on Fridays

People wanting to volunteer for the Cold Weather Shelter will need to attend a training provided through the High Plains Mental Health Center. 

This training will be on de-escalation, safety procedures and more. It is required that you be trained in order to volunteer. We cannot open the shelter without a sufficient number (six) to fill shifts.

Tuesday, Jan. 7 is the last training session offered. 

A signup and complete details can be found at the link below.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ourecma.com/hayscoldshelter">Cold Weather Shelter | ECMA</a>

Volunteers needed for Hays cold weather shelter; training set

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 Police Department arrest log, Dec. 29, 2024 - Jan. 4, 2025

Hays Police Department activity log, Dec. 29, 2024 - Jan. 4, 2025

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — A long-distance collaboration between Kansas State University and Garden City Community College offers residents of southwest Kansas the opportunity to earn a four-year college degree without relocating.

The agreement would combine remote instruction with on-site laboratory experiences as students completed the initial 60 to 75 hours of course credits at the community college in Garden City before finishing a bachelor’s degree at the land-grant university based in Manhattan.

The memorandum of understanding signed last month would focus attention on students with an associate degree interested in undergraduate programs within K-State’s College of Agriculture, including animal science, agribusiness or crop science. GCCC and KSU could add program offerings based on regional industry needs.

“Southwest Kansas has been a four-year educational desert for far too long,” said Garden City Mayor Manuel Ortiz.

The percentage of the population in southwest Kansas with a four-year college degree is nearly half the statewide average. In the region, 17.9% of residents have earned a four-year degree compared to the state average of 33.9%.

GCCC President Ryan Ruda said the partnership would prove to be transformative in terms of higher education in southwest Kansas. GCCC’s expertise is in delivering certificates and associate degrees, while K-State’s forte is in four-year bachelor’s degrees and graduate school programs.

“By enabling bachelor’s degree completion right here in Garden City, we’re offering students a unique chance to advance their careers while staying rooted in their communities,” Ruda said.

KSU President Richard Linton said the land-grant mission of the university included the placement of educational opportunities within the reach of Kansans regardless of background or hometown. He said broadening options for a high-quality bachelor’s degree through the public college and university was a “powerful step in making higher education a reality for the hardworking people of southwest Kansas.”

Lona Duvall, president of the Finney County Economic Development Corporation, said the alliance would fill a critical educational gap and enhance economic development in the region. It should serve to build the skilled workforce in ways beneficial to local businesses and help in attracting new industry, Duvall said.

In the future, officials said, community surveys would be conducted to determine priorities in terms of expanding four-year degree offerings in southwest Kansas through GCCC and KSU. Likely options include education and health sciences, officials said.

Kansas State, Garden City CC striving to shrink bachelor’s degree ‘educational desert’

HaysMed is thrilled to celebrate the arrival of our first baby of 2025! Welcome to the world, Isla Kay, born in the early hours of Jan. 1.

Congratulations to her proud parents, Chelsey and Brad.

HaysMed announces Baby New Year

<a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

Three-day weather outlook

USD 489 Hays will be closed Tuesday and will have a two-hour delay on Wednesday.

No school in Hays on Tuesday, delayed start Wednesday

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The K-State Ag Research Center reported 9 inches of snow in Hays as of Monday morning.

Bitter cold is forecast to linger over the area for the next two days. Highs are forecast in the low 20s Tuesday and Wednesday.

Wind chill values are forecast to be as low as -7 overnight.

Temperatures are forecast to barely break freezing on Thursday and the rest of the week.

Hays receives heavy snowfall Sunday

Wednesday, January 8
 KAYS: Tiger Talk,
12:15pm
 KAYS: Kansas MBKB vs. Arizona State, 6:30pm

Thursday, January 9
 KJLS: Fort Hays State
WMBKB vs. Emporia State, 5:05pm

Friday, January 10
 KKQY: Smith Center
MWBKB at Ellis, 5:15 *
 KFIX: Hays High MWBKB at Emporia, 5:40pm
 KHAZ: TMP-Marian MWBKB at Salina Sacred Heart, 5:40pm

Saturday, January 11
 KAYS: Kansas MBKB at
Cincinnati, 11:30am

🎧 Eagle Radio, Hull sports broadcast schedule

HAYS, Kan. - The men's and women's basketball contests between Fort Hays State and Nebraska-Kearney originally scheduled for Tuesday have been postponed to Wednesday, February 26 due to continuing travel concerns created by Winter Storm Blair.

Tip times will remain as scheduled, with the women opening the evening at 5:30 p.m. and the men to follow at 7:30 p.m. Tickets dated January 7 will still be accepted on the new game day.

The Tigers are now scheduled to return to action on Thursday when they host Emporia State beginning at 5:30 p.m. for the women and 7:30 p.m. for the men.

🏀 Tuesday's FHSU games postponed to Feb. 26

Monday, January 6
 KAYS: Hawk Talk with
Bill Self, 6pm

Tuesday, January 7
 KJLS: Fort Hays State
WMBKB vs. Nebraska-Kearney, 5:05pm
 KFIX: Hays High MWBKB vs. Wichita Independent, 5:40pm
 KKQY: Quinter MWBKB at Hill City, approx. 5:45pm

The 3rd-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team opens 2025 against Northwest Missouri State on Thursday, January 2, 2025 at Bearcat Arena in Maryville,&nbsp; Mo.

🎧 Defend the Fort Podcast: FHSU Rewind-WBB at NW Missouri State

DENVER (AP) — Rookie Bo Nix set a franchise record by completing his first 18 passes and the Denver Broncos ended an eight-year playoff drought Sunday with a 38-0 rout of the Kansas City Chiefs' bevy of backups.

The Broncos (10-7) snapped a two-game skid and buried nearly a decade’s worth of futility and frustrations by returing to the postseason party for the first time since winning Super Bowl 50 following the 2015 season.

They'll visit Buffalo (13-4) in the wild-card round next weekend after handing the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs (15-2) their first shutout since Dec. 16, 2012, at Oakland.

Having already secured the AFC’s No. 1 seed and sole first-round bye in their quest for an unprecedented three-peat, Chiefs coach Andy Reid sat Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and a host of other starters.

Carson Wentz got the start at quarterback and fizzled in his first extended action since Week 18 with the Rams last season. He was 10 of 17 for 98 yards and was sacked four times by the league's best pass rush (62 sacks).

Nix threw for four touchdowns, giving him 29 for the season, second-most by a rookie in NFL history, behind only Justin Herbert's 31 in 2020.

He finished 26 of 29 for 321 yards, and his 18 consecutive completions also were the most ever by a Broncos QB. Nix hit Marvin Mims twice, Courtland Sutton (five times for 98 yards) and Devaughn Vele for scores.

Vele's TD was intended for Adam Trautman but ricocheted off cornerbacks Nazeeh Johnson (twice) and Keith Taylor before&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/1876031097215009092">Vele cradled the catch</a>&nbsp;just before tumbling out of the back of the end zone, giving Nix 17 consecutive completions at that point and extending Denver's lead to 21-0.

That wild conclusion capped an 18-play, 89-yard drive that lasted more than 11 minutes, keeping Wentz cooling his cleats on the sideline next to Mahomes, who was decked out in a white hoodie.

After Harrison Butker was wide left on a 51-yard field goal — his first miss in 18 tries at Empower Field at Mile High — Wil Lutz gave Denver a 24-0 halftime lead by nailing a 33-yarder with 3 seconds left.

The Broncos made it 31-0 on Mims' second TD catch late in the third quarter and Audric Estime punched it in from the 1 in the fourth quarter.

The Chiefs won't play again until Jan. 18 or 19, meaning Mahomes, who last played on Christmas Day, and other stars who sat this one out will have at least 24 days between games.

The Broncos are back in the playoffs for the first time since winning Super Bowl 50 after the 2015 season. That’s the longest playoff drought for a team after raising the Lombardi Trophy.

The Broncos' clincher came 3,255 days after Von Miller led them to a 24-10 win over the Carolina Panthers on Feb. 7, 2016, and their reward as the AFC's seventh and final seed is a trip to Buffalo next weekend to face Miller in the first round of the playoffs.

The Bills were the only other team to beat Kansas City this season, 30-21 in Week 11.

The Chiefs' loss ended their six-game win streak but eliminated the prospect of them having to possibly face Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow at some point in the playoffs. The Bengals, who won their fifth consecutive game Saturday night at Pittsburgh, needed Denver to lose to have a chance to sneak into the playoffs at 9-8.

The Chiefs, who had won 17 of their previous 18 games against the Broncos, were planning on staying in Denver for the night because of a winter storm that also delayed their flight into Colorado for several hours Saturday.

Chiefs DB Chamarri Conner injured a shoulder in the first half and was ruled out at the start of the third quarter. Also sitting out for Kansas City were RB Isiah Pacheco (ribs), RT Jawaan Taylor (knee), CB Jaylen Watson (ankle), WR Mecole Hardman (knee), DE George Karlaftis, CB Trent McDuffie and DT Chris Jones (calf), among others.

The Broncos came out of the game healthy. WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey left briefly with an ankle injury in the first half but only missed a few snaps.

Chiefs: A first-round bye as they get healthy for the AFC divisional round Jan. 18-19.

Broncos: A visit next weekend to Buffalo for a wild-card game against the Bills.

🏈 Nix leads Broncos past Chiefs' reserves and into the playoffs

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Hunter Dickinson scored 21 of his 27 points in the first half and No. 7 Kansas posted the second-largest margin of victory in program history Sunday, beating UCF 99-48 in a Big 12 matchup.

Dickinson, a 7-foot-2 senior center, shot 12 for 17 from the field and had nine rebounds while limiting UCF's Moustapha Thiam, a 7-2 freshman who was slowed by foul trouble, to four points.

Flory Bidunga had 12 points and five rebounds, Rylan Griffen scored 14 points and Dajuan Harris Jr. and AJ Storr each had 11 for the Jayhawks (10-3, 1-1).

Kansas went on a 23-8 run after Thiam's second foul in the first half and held UCF without a field goal for more than seven minutes. The Knights missed 11 straight shots during that run and made only three of their final 19 shots in the first half. UCF shot 20.6% in the game and was 7 for 30 from 3-point distance.

Keyshawn Hall had 12 points on 4-for-17 shooting as UCF (10-3, 1-1) suffered its worst home loss.

Kansas: Bounced back from a 62-61 loss to West Virginia in its Big 12 opener.

UCF: The Knights have plenty of length and athleticism, yet looked outclassed after an impressive win over Texas Tech in their conference opener.

UCF was down 30 midway through the second half when Kansas had some emphatic plays. Bidunga blocked a jumper and scored a runout dunk. After a steal on the next possession, Kansas got a 3-pointer from Griffen to make it a 77-38 lead with about eight minutes to play.

Kansas dominated the interior with 22 offensive rebounds and 37 second-chance points.

Both teams have Big 12 games Wednesday. Kansas hosts Arizona State and UCF welcomes Colorado.

🏀 KU posts 2nd-largest margin of victory in program history in win over UCF

Sunday, January 5 KAYS: Kansas MBKB at UCF, 1:30pm KFIX: Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos, 2pm

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Noah Reynolds scored 18 points and made the go-ahead basket during TCU's game-ending 7-0 run to defeat Kansas State 63-62 on Saturday.

<a href="https://x.com/CBSSportsCBB/status/1875681082202292581">Reynolds worked off the dribble from the left side to the right, ducked inside and hit a one-hander off the glass for the go-ahead basket with 12.8 seconds remaining.</a>

A 3-pointer from Max Jones gave the Wildcats a 62-56 lead near the 3-minute mark of the second half but the Wildcats did not score again. A tip-in by Vasean Allette and a 3 from Brendan Wenzel made it 62-61 with 1:17 left.

Coleman Hawkins missed in the paint for Kansas State, then blocked a layup at the other end. David N’Guessan rebounded, was fouled and missed the front end of the one-and-one with 24 seconds left. Reynolds then put the Horned Frogs ahead and K-State's Dug McDaniel was unable to finish a contested layup before time ran out during the battle for the rebound.

Allette and Trazarien White each scored 14 points for TCU (8-5, 1-1 Big 12) and Ernest Udeh Jr. grabbed 12 rebounds.

N’Guessan had 17 rebounds and scored 10 points for K-State (7-6, 1-1). McDaniel scored 12 points, Coleman Hawkins 11 and Brendan Hausen 10.

TCU pushed its three-point halftime lead to six points early in the second half before Kansas State took the lead at 45-43 with 11 minutes remaining. The Wildcats held the lead for close to 11 minutes before Reynolds' game-winner.

TCU improved to 8-0 at home and Kansas State's road losing streak reached 51 weeks and 11 games.

TCU will play at No. 14 Houston for the first time since 2011 on Monday.

🏀 TCU scores the final 7-points to edge Kansas State

ST. JOSEPH, Mo – Fort Hays State saw its five-game win streak snapped on Saturday (Jan. 4) in a 47-44 loss at Missouri Western. The Tigers turned in another strong defensive performance, but could not find enough offense in the second half to keep their streak alive. FHSU moved to 9-4 overall, 2-2 in the MIAA, while MWSU moved to 10-4 overall, also 2-2 in the MIAA.

Fort Hays State took its first lead of the game on a Kaleb Hammeke&nbsp;basket at the 12:39 mark of the first half. It was part of a 7-0 run by the Tigers on the way to a 12-8 lead just over halfway through the opening half. A 6-0 burst just a few moments later put the Tigers up 18-10, their largest lead of the game. FHSU went on to lead 22-18 at the break.

With his first assist of the game in the first half, Hammeke became the fourth player in FHSU men's basketball history to reach 500 career assists. He also became the first player in program history to have at least 1,700 points and 500 assists after being part of the club of at least 1,600 points and 400 assists with Raymond Lee and Mark Wilson.

After FHSU made the first basket of the second half, Missouri Western crawled back in front 26-24 with an 8-0 run over a span of about three minutes. Muhamed Kante&nbsp;briefly put the Tigers back on top 27-26 with a baseline jumper at the 12:49 mark, but it would be the final lead of the game for FHSU. The Tigers were able to tie the game twice more, the latest at the 9:37 mark, but a 6-0 burst by the Griffons a bit later pushed their advantage to eight, their largest of the game.

The Tigers made a late 11-4 run at the Griffons to get the lead back down to one twice. They had a chance to win the game in the waning seconds, but a stepback jumper by Hammeke just inside the 3-point arc was long and the Griffons secured the rebound and closed the game with a pair of free throws with under a second to play.

Free throws wound up being the difference in the game. Missouri Western made 12 compared to seven for FHSU. The Griffons shot 16 attempts and missed four, while the Tigers shot 10 attempts and missed three. FHSU made one more field goal than MWSU and had a high shooting percentage from the field, while both teams went 3-of-15 beyond the 3-point line.

Fort Hays State held Missouri Western to just 28.1 percent shooting overall, but mustered just a 34 percent effort of its own. FHSU turned the ball over 11 times compared to nine for MWSU.

Just a couple of days after holding Northwest Missouri State to its fewest points in a game since the 1959-60 season, the Tigers were held to their fewest points since the 2011-12 season when they scored just 40 in a loss at Central Missouri. However, the Tigers still managed to hold the Griffons to less than 50 points for the fourth-straight games between the teams and fifth time in the last six meetings.

Hammeke led the Tigers in scoring with 16 points and tied for the team lead in rebounds with Shaun Riley, each securing six. Hammeke led in assists as well with four. He was the only Tiger to reach double figures in scoring.

Zane Nelson was the only Griffons player to reach double figures in scoring with 12 points. Zion Swader and Ethan Killgore each had nine, combining for seven of MWSU's 12 made free throws in the game.

Fort Hays State will be at home for its next four games in a row, starting with contests against Nebraska-Kearney (Tue. Jan. 7) and Emporia State (Thur. Jan. 9) next week.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 Tiger men come up short at Missouri Western

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - The third-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team suffered its first loss of the 2024-25 season on Saturday, losing to Missouri Western by one, 67-66. The Tigers (12-1, 3-1 MIAA) led by as many as 11 in the first half, but a basket with less than four seconds remaining handed the Griffons (9-3, 4-0 MIAA) the lead for good.

The Griffons have now won five of the last seven games against the Tigers, with all five of those MWSU wins being decided by three or fewer points.

Despite the early 11 a.m. start, both teams showed up to the gym ready to play. The Tigers hit 62.8 percent from the floor over the first 10 minutes (10-of-16), while the Griffons poured in 50 percent from the floor in the first quarter (8-of-16). Five of Missouri Western's first six field goals were 3-pointers, allowing the Griffons to lead by as many as four early on. Katie DeGarmo&nbsp;got things going early and often, scoring eight points in the first four minutes. Those eight points allowed the graduate student to climb into second place on the FHSU all-time scoring list, passing Kate Lehman (1,917 points). DeGarmo finished the game with a season-high 23 points, giving her 1,933 points in 136 career games in a Tiger uniform.

The lead changed hands four times in the opening frame, with FHSU leading 23-22 after 10 minutes of action. The Tigers kept things rolling on offense in the second quarter while turning up the pressure on defense, opening the frame on a 13-3 run to build an 11-point lead, 36-25. The Griffons hit just 1-of-7 from the floor and turned the ball over six times over the first seven minutes of the frame before clicking back into gear heading into halftime. The home team closed the half on a 10-0 run, closing within 36-35 at the break.

DeGarmo was perfect from the floor in the first half, knocking down all eight of her attempts to total 17 points alongside seven rebounds, one assist and one steal.

An Ellie Stearns&nbsp;3-pointer put the Tigers up four early in the second half before Missouri Western used a 10-2 run to take a four-point lead of its own, 47-43. The Griffons later led by as many as five three separate times, tied for FHSU's largest deficit of the season.

The Griffons went up by five for the final time with 7:18 remaining in the contest before Brooke Loewe&nbsp;responded with her second 3-pointer of the game. Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;then knocked down a pair of free throws to tie the score with six minutes on the clock. Missouri Western answered with a triple two possessions later, but Kate Dilsaver&nbsp;punched right back with a long-range make of her own to tie the score again at 62.Hollenbeck later tied the score again at 64 with a basket before handing FHSU a two-point lead with three minutes to go with two more free throws. The Tiger defense did all it could down the stretch to seal the win, forcing five-straight misses and a pair of turnovers over a four-minute stretch to cling to the lead.

The offense, however, struggled down the stretch, with FHSU combining to miss its final three shots from the floor and its final four free-throw attempts while turning the ball over twice in the final two minutes.

After two Tiger free-throw attempts rattled out with 15 seconds to go, the Griffons were able to regain the lead for the final time on a layup with less than four seconds to go.

DeGarmo finished the game with 10 rebounds alongside her game-high 23 points, giving her a second double-double of the season. Loewe contributed 10 points and a career-high 12 assists, giving the Tigers a pair of double-doubles in the same game for the first time since December 2023.Hollenbeck scored 10 points and added four rebounds, while Talexa Weeter&nbsp;scored 11 points and added one block off the bench.

Fort Hays State created 19 Griffon turnovers while the Tigers turned the ball over 16 times themselves. Both teams collected 36 rebounds. Missouri Western finished the game with 12 made 3-pointers.

The Tigers will return home to play their next four games inside Gross Memorial Coliseum. The homestand begins Tuesday when FHSU hosts Nebraska-Kearney beginning at 5:30 p.m.

🏀 Griffons clip No. 3 Tiger women

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — A Kansas legislator renewed attempts to rid the state of daylight saving time under a bill filed ahead of the state’s 2025 legislative session, which begins later this month.

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb1/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 1</a>, which was prefiled Friday, seeks to exempt Kansas from participating in the national practice of switching clocks back an hour every November and forward again every March.

Sen. Kenny Titus, a Wamego Republican who was elected to the Senate in November after serving a term in the House, is sponsoring the bill that would create year-round standard time beginning November 2025.

“Every year I get asked by constituents why the state doesn’t do something about switching clocks back and forth,” Titus said. “Most often I hear from folks that they don’t really care if we are on daylight saving or standard time, they just want to keep it consistent throughout the year.”

Recent attempts to put an end to the time changes at state and federal levels have failed. The last attempt in Kansas was in&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/02/14/clock-is-ticking-ditch-the-switch-for-year-round-standard-or-daylight-saving-time/">2021</a>&nbsp;when Rep. Shannon Francis, a Republican from Liberal, drafted a resolution asking Congress to eradicate standard time and stick with daylight time year-round.

Only Arizona, Hawaii and the U.S.’s unincorporated territories are exempt from the switch.

In 2022, the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/03/15/u-s-senate-backs-shift-to-permanent-daylight-saving-time/">Senate</a>&nbsp;passed a bill that would’ve made daylight saving time permanent, but the U.S. House declined to take it up.&nbsp;

Despite the U.S. House’s resistance, Titus said, “it shows there is popular support to at least talk about making a change.”

A 2021 AP-NORC&nbsp;<a href="https://apnorc.org/projects/dislike-for-changing-the-clocks-persists/" target="_blank">poll</a>&nbsp;found that 75% of Americans want to stop switching their clocks, and studies have shown switching clocks can be detrimental to sleep habits and overall&nbsp;<a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7954020/" target="_blank">health</a>.&nbsp;

“When I compared the arguments for daylight saving time and standard time, the primary benefit of daylight saving time was increased consumer spending (because there is more daylight in the evening for shopping and activities) compared to the increased health benefits of standard time with more daylight in the morning

In comparing year-round daylight saving time to standard time, Titus found increased consumer spending was the primary benefit because of more daylight in the evening for shopping and activities. More daylight in the morning with year-round standard time, on the other hand, can lead to health benefits, he said.

“For me, it was a no-brainer to prioritize the health of Kansans,” Titus said.

President-elect Donald Trump vowed last month in a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1867686000711155989" target="_blank">post</a>&nbsp;to social media platform X that the Republican Party would attempt to eliminate daylight saving time, calling it “inconvenient” and “costly.” Titus’ bill provides for the possibility of Congress taking its own action.

His is the only Senate bill to be prefiled so far.&nbsp;

“The primary issue is fairly straightforward, so I thought it was best to get the conversation started before committee calendars are filled up with other topics,” he said.

Daylight saving time would end in Kansas under senator’s prefiled bill

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Peter Yarrow,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/music">the singer-songwriter</a>&nbsp;best known as one-third of Peter, Paul and Mary, the folk-music trio whose impassioned harmonies transfixed millions as they lifted their voices in favor of civil rights and against war, has died. He was 86.

Yarrow, who also co-wrote the group's most enduring song, “Puff the Magic Dragon,” died Tuesday in New York, publicist Ken Sunshine said. Yarrow had bladder cancer for the past four years.

“Our fearless dragon is tired and has entered the last chapter of his magnificent life. The world knows Peter Yarrow the iconic folk activist, but the human being behind the legend is every bit as generous, creative, passionate, playful, and wise as his lyrics suggest,” his daughter Bethany said in a statement.

During an incredible run of success spanning the 1960s, Yarrow, Noel Paul Stookey and Mary Travers released six Billboard Top 10 singles, two No. 1 albums and won five Grammys.

They also brought&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-music-aafbc7b40c864f2289f52c3a4eb8fb9b">early exposure to Bob Dylan</a>&nbsp;by turning two of his songs, “Don't Think Twice, It's All Right” and “Blowin' in the Wind,” into Billboard Top 10 hits as they helped lead an American renaissance in folk music. They performed “Blowin’ in the Wind” at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/march-washington-1963-martin-luther-king-6e4aa7bb8cdbcafd09218557cc0ea842">1963 March on Washington</a>&nbsp;at which the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.

After an eight-year hiatus to pursue solo careers, the trio reunited in 1978 for a “Survival Sunday,” an anti-nuclear-power concert that Yarrow had organized in Los Angeles. They would remain together until Travers' death in 2009. Upon her passing, Yarrow and Stookey continued to perform both separately and together.

Born May 31, 1938, in New York, Yarrow was raised in an upper middle class family he said placed high value on art and scholarship. He took violin lessons as a child, later switching to guitar as he came to embrace the work of such folk-music icons as Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger.

Upon graduating from Cornell University in 1959, he returned to New York, where he worked as a struggling Greenwich Village musician until connecting with Stookey and Travers. Although his degree was in psychology, he had found his true calling in folk music at Cornell when he worked as a teaching assistant for a class in American folklore his senior year.

“I did it for the money because I wanted to wash dishes less and play guitar more,” he told the late record company executive Joe Smith. But as he led the class in song, he began to discover the emotional impact music could have on an audience.

“I saw these young people at Cornell who were basically very conservative in their backgrounds opening their hearts up and singing with an emotionality and a concern through this vehicle called folk music,” he said. “It gave me a clue that the world was on its way to a certain kind of movement, and that folk music might play a part in it and that I might play a part in folk music.”

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