By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The Hays USD 489 school board approved $208,000 in change orders for the new Hays High School at a special meeting on Thursday.

Members of the school board asked representatives of DLR, the district's architectural firm, and Nabholz, construction manager at-risk, to meet with the board to answer questions about the change orders.

The change order cost will be paid from the contingency fund and will not increase the total cost of the Hays High School project.

Ishita Banerjii, DLR Group's lead architect on the project, explained the change orders to the board.

The district's contract states it will establish contingency funds for the Hays High School project. The project has both an owner's contingency and construction contingency funds.&nbsp;

The owner's contingency fund covers items, including

The construction contingency is an allowance held within a construction manager's guaranteed maximum price to be used at their discretion for​ items, including

Banerjii said a perfect building can't be designed. About 50 people worked on the designs for the high school, and the plans constitute thousands of pages.

The American Institute of Architects recommends contingencies because they recognize humans are not perfect, and it is impossible to draw perfect plans, Banerjii said.

"People aren't perfect," she said, "but I'm a professional, and that is why I am able to fix it."

Brett Collins, Nabholz project executive, said, "This is a good project, and we are going to beat the normal by far."

None of the change orders were mistakes made in construction that later had to be fixed. There were errors in design that should have been in the plans in the first place. 

The items in the change orders are essential to the structural integrity and longevity of the building, she said.

For example, a roof drain was omitted. Leaving out that drain would cause future damage to the roof,&nbsp;Banerjii  said.&nbsp;

Some of the items in the change order have already been completed, so the project can continue on schedule. None of the change order fees will go to DLR. Most of it will be paid to the subcontractors for the additional work, with a small percentage paid to Nabholz to oversee it.

A standard owner's contingency is 3 to 5%, and the construction contingency is usually another 3 to 5%.

The contingency funds for the Hays High project, which has a $114 million budget, are well below those standards—.95% for the owner's contingency and 1.9% for the construction contingency.

With the approval of the change orders from Thursday and a previous change order on the softball field, $481,590, or 48% of the contingency, has been spent. The project is 59% complete.

The district requested the previous $228,000&nbsp; worth of change orders approved by the board on Dec. 9 for the softball field.&nbsp;

"We think this is a fair ask," Banerjii said. "Not everything can be predicted ahead of time."

Board member Jayme Goetz&nbsp;asked what would happen if the project ran over the contingency.

Collins said most of the exterior walls are in place, which will lower the risk from weather.

If the project exhausts both contingency funds, Nabaholz will need to reach out with further change orders for more funds.

However, Collins said he did not anticipate the project exceeding its contingency based on its current status.

Goetz expressed confusion about Nabholz's role in the project and frustration at the cost of the change orders.

"We are paying a butt-ton of money and trusting you not to screw us here," she said. ... "I do know if questions are not asked and things are not followed up on, it is so easy to be taken advantage of."

Board member Ruth Ruder said she experienced change orders on her home when it was built, which was nothing close to the size and scope of Hays High. She said she thought it was unfair to insinuate that Nabholz or DLR were trying to cheat the district.

Collins and Banerjii both emphasized they work for the school district and are bound by contract and ethics to act in their client's best interests.

"Our goal is to save you money so you can do more things with your bond," Collins said.

Board member Allen Park said he thought the board should have a separate representative. He also asked DLR and Nabholz to appear more frequently before the board and to bring change orders more often instead of grouping them into lump sums.

The DLR representatives said they visit the site every two weeks and could be available to answer questions.

The change order was approved by a vote of 5-1, with Park voting against it. Board member Derek Yarmer was absent.

The Hays High School project continues to be on schedule, and the school is set to open in August.

Hays USD 489 school board approves change orders for Hays High School

The 15th Annual Community Christmas Dinner will be held on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the VFW, 2106 Vine St.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The dinner is sponsored by New Life Center Church and the VFW.&nbsp;&nbsp;The meal will consist of roast beef, ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, a dinner roll and dessert.&nbsp;

The meal is free of charge; donations are accepted.&nbsp; Donations that are received will be given to organizations that serve and assist area residents in an effort to 'give back' all that has been given.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Community Christmas Dinner began with the vision to bring the community together for a Christmas meal, and to return to the true reason for the season - the remembrance and celebration of&nbsp;the birth of Jesus Christ.

 Christmas can quickly become overshadowed by the busyness that tends to arise with the holiday season, and focus loss regarding the true meaning.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Community Christmas Dinner offers a time to refocus on the birth of Christ, provides the opportunity for community members to serve and be served, and simply enjoy each other's company.&nbsp; 

Though Jesus is celebrated all are&nbsp;welcome regardless of personal beliefs.&nbsp;

Service also extends&nbsp;beyond the walls of the VFW through the delivery of meals to those who are homebound.&nbsp;

The Community Christmas Dinner stands upon the scripture that “Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:8), and has continued to be an example of this kind of love throughout the years.

Volunteer opportunities will be available on Christmas Day prior to the meal, during the meal, and&nbsp;after.&nbsp; 

Some of the opportunities include decorating, directing traffic, preparing to-go boxes for delivery, filling drinks, clearing tables, delivering meals, washing dishes, cleaning&nbsp;after&nbsp;the event, and other miscellaneous tasks that arise.&nbsp;

Desserts&nbsp;for the meal are provided by community members, and these remain needed at this time.&nbsp;

Desserts can be dropped off at the VFW Christmas morning before 10:00 or call (785) 675-1344 for other arrangements.&nbsp;

For anyone who is&nbsp;homebound&nbsp;and would like a meal&nbsp;delivered, or if wishing to&nbsp;volunteer, provide&nbsp;desserts, or make a&nbsp;donation,&nbsp;please use the following contact information: (785) 625-5528&nbsp;thru Dec. 19th and (785) 675-1344&nbsp;Dec. 20 - Dec. 24, or&nbsp; email,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:communitychristmasdinner@gmail.com">communitychristmasdinner@gmail.com</a>

Christmas community dinner planned

<a href="https://postpodcast.podbean.com/">For more about the Post Podcast, including a full list of episodes and episode transcripts click here.</a>

🎙 The latest from the Post Podcast

Due to the observance of the Christmas holiday on Wednesday, December 25, the refuse/recycling collection schedules in Hays will be altered as follows:&nbsp;&nbsp;

• Monday and Tuesday routes will both be collected on Monday, December 23. • Wednesday and Thursday routes will both be collected on Thursday, December 26. • There are no anticipated changes to Friday's route.&nbsp;

It is anticipated that heavy volumes of refuse/recyclables&nbsp;will be encountered around the holidays. Please be sure to set your bags out by 7:00 a.m. on the collection day and keep in mind that the trucks have no set time schedule.

City of Hays customers that may have any questions regarding this notice should contact the Solid Waste Division of the Public Works Department at 785-628-7350.

Refuse, recycling route changes in Hays for Christmas holiday

&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

Battle of the Badges blood drive set for Thursday, Friday in Hays

City of Hays offices will be closed on Tuesday, December 24 in celebration of the Christmas Eve holiday, and on Wednesday, December 25 in celebration of the Christmas Day holiday.

Hays city offices closed Dec. 24, 25 for Christmas holiday

On Wednesday, CC Steel will be performing sewer line maintenance on Vine Street at 17th&nbsp;Street in Hays between the hours of 5:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. 

The northbound and southbound lanes of Vine St. will remain open.

 Those traveling eastbound on 17th&nbsp;St., will only be able to turn right going southbound onto Vine St.

The City of Hays regrets any inconvenience this may cause to the public. If there are any questions, please contact CC Steel at (218) 770-8286 or the Office of Project Management at (785) 628-7350.

Sewer line maintenance Wednesday on Vine Street at 17th in Hays 

Auditions for the Hays Community Theatre production of “Leaving Iowa” have been set for 7-9 p.m. on Dec. 18 and 19.

“Leaving Iowa is a comic and heartwarming tribute to the family vacation,” said Bill Gasper, who is taking on director responsibilities at HCT for the first time. “It is told through flashbacks as a son travels to Mount Union, Iowa, to bury his father’s ashes. During this journey, the son reflects on his life while revisiting the humor and disappointments of family road trips.”

The play features a cast ranging in size from as few as six people to as many as 28. All the characters are adults, so Gasper is looking for actors who are high school age and older.

“The casting is flexible as actors can assume one of the principal characters that appear throughout the play or take on one or more of the multi-character roles who appear during the production,” Gasper said. “Actors and audience members alike will enjoy the humorous ‘over-the-top’ scenes as well as the sentimental aspects of the play.”

Actors need only attend one evening of auditions, which will consist of each person reading a monologue specific to their gender. Several reads from the script will follow monologues. Selected reads will be dependent upon the number of people present at the audition. Audition monologues and reads can be found at <a href="https://www.hctks.com/auditions">https://www.hctks.com/auditions</a>. Interested actors should also download and fill out the audition form before their audition. All audition materials will also be available at the audition.

Rehearsals for “Leaving Iowa” will begin on Jan. 5 with performances set for Feb. 21-23 at Hays Community Theatre, 121 E. Eighth St.

Questions can be directed to Gasper at bgasper56@gmail.com.

UPDATE: Auditions for 'Leaving Iowa' set for this week

The Hays Lions Club is sponsoring a Visit with Santa , Wednesday afternoon December 18th, from 2 to 4 in the lobby, B entrance, Hays Medical Center. 

Lions Club sponsors Santa visit Wednesday

Enter to win Eagle Radio's Reindeer Radio

By STEVE GILLILAND Exploring Kansas Outdoors

I sort of hate to admit it, but we often watch Wheel of Fortune in the evening; I guess I can justify it as preparing ourselves for the inevitable nursing / retirement home life. Anyway, I always scoff at the conversation between the host and the contestant who wins nothing but the $1000 the show automatically gives them. The host approaches them with outstretched hand and says something like “Well the Wheel just didn’t cooperate tonight; hope you had a good time.” Without fail, the contestant always blurts “Thanks, I had a ball!”… In what universe do I believe that? You know they’re thinking more like “Thanks for nothin,’ but this stinks! I played like this was my first day, I made a giant fool of myself and was humiliated in front of a gazillion TV viewers, and all for a measly thousand bucks you were gonna’ give me anyway!

That sorta’ sums up how I’m feeling about this year’s deer season so far. I thank God every time I’m in the woods for everything He shows me and for all the wonders of His creation He’s shown me over the years, but after hunting long and hard and still not harvesting a deer, inside I feel like it kinda’ stinks. Most mornings I was treated to a show by one of the many hordes of blackbirds. Like the colored “stuff” inside one of the old lava lamps, they slowly and methodically poured themselves around over a field of milo stalks. Back and forth and up and down they would go, slowly swirling and twirling into shapes that often resembled tornadoes. I always wonder exactly what their purpose in life is. Maybe a new winter Olympic sport should be “Synchronized Blackbird Flying.” Anyway, when all was said and done, the blackbirds provided the only action most days.

Deer numbers appear to be down around my neck of the woods, and other hunters in the area have felt the same. Both the guy who hunts the adjoining property and myself noticed fewer deer on our cameras this year, yet the number of tracks seems to suggest otherwise. If the deer are there, as tracks seem to show, they are moving only at night for some reason. There have been other years when I have not harvested a deer, but at least we always saw deer on those years; it was just a matter of not being at the right place on the right time. This year there hasn’t been a right place or a right time. If deer numbers locally are in fact lower, I have to think the drought that’s plagued our area for the past three years has something to with that. Drought wreaks havoc in ways we don’t think about or even know. Water is the sustainer of life, and lack of fresh drinking water can cause young fawns to die and possibly even be aborted before birth. Diseases also result by forcing wildlife to drink stagnant and contaminated water. The lack of rainfall also equals a lack of sufficient cover in the spring to hide and protect young fawns and other wildlife from natural predators. I’m never sure how much stock to put into hunting by the moon signs, but the moon was full or very bright for much of the 12-day season. Also, as warm as it’s been, deer have not had to burn many calories, meaning they needed to browse less and might have moved mostly at night.

Well, I guess I’ve vented enough and I feel a little better now. When I was a kid, a question my deer hunting buddies and I always asked each other right after deer season was “Well, are you eating venison or bologna?” (meaning, did you get your deer or not) This year I’ll be eatin’ bologna. I guess on the bright side, it will give me a chance to test some more recipes for my new cook book “The Unsuccessful

Deer Hunter’s Guide to Using Bologna,” coming soon to a sporting goods store near you. Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!

Steve can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Kansas Outdoors: Well, what’ll it be; Venison or bologna?

The winter holidays bring joy and festivities but also increase the risk of home fires due to decorations, cooking and improper safety practices.

Follow specific precautions when handling holiday lights, candles, Christmas trees, and big family meals to ensure a safe and jolly Christmas.

Hays fire offers winter holiday safety tips

&nbsp;FHSU University Communications

Lauren Huynh’s path to graduation, though often challenging, has shaped her into a graphic design professional ready to explore exciting career options.

 Lauren is the first member of her immediate family to graduate from college, received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from Fort Hays State University this past weekend during the FHSU winter commencement event.

Originally from Wichita and a graduate of Campus High School, also completing their International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program, Lauren was determined to succeed in college and find a way to do so without incurring significant debt.

“I was originally planning to go to school out of state and even enrolled to study aeronautics and physics, engineering,” Lauren said.

Several factors, including a post-pandemic change in goals, a renewed desire to keep college expenses manageable, and new opportunities like grants and scholarships, gave Lauren great options a little closer to home.

“I made a final decision about where to go less than a month before classes began,” Lauren said. “I knew Chaiwat Thumsujarit, professor of graphic design, and about the design program and knew that the individual attention and focus on not just skills but also on thinking conceptually was something special about the program at FHSU.”

Once enrolled and on campus, Lauren discovered that FHSU offered more than just a path to a degree but also an opportunity to be part of a community.

“I struggled a little when I first began with things like finding my way around and choosing classes,” Lauren said. "But everyone here was so friendly and willing to help. Initially, I got help from my roommate and floormates as we quickly became friends, as well as the peer mentors and staff in the Access to Academic Opportunity Grant (AAOG) program. They helped me a lot in navigating how to just be a college student.”

Lauren went on to serve as a mentor to new students in the AAOG program herself, working with Assistant Director of Student Success Hugo Perez.

“Lauren has been a pleasure to work with during her time here at FHSU,” Hugo said. “I have enjoyed seeing her grow and mature as a student and person.”

“She took the tips and advice that her peer mentor gave her during her first year and passed them on to her mentees over the past two and a half years. Her mentees have had great things to say about her each year.”

Once Lauren entered the design program, she found another set of mentors and a community of peers who would work together to ensure she could achieve her goals. 

She found Karrie Simpson Voth, FHSU Art and Design Program chair, to be an inspiration, particularly in how she reached out to students to make certain they were on track with their classes and schedules.

“Working with Lauren and witnessing her creative growth into a well-rounded designer and photographer has been a true pleasure,” said Karrie Simpson Voth. “Lauren forged her own path and overcame numerous challenges during her time at FHSU. Her talent is undeniable, and I’m thrilled to see where her journey takes her next.”

While Lauren could have graduated in just three years, she decided to stay at FHSU for one extra semester and finish a certificate in motion design while also weighing her post-graduation options. After spending several summers in Chicago, Lauren wants to move to a more metropolitan area. She has interviewed with a variety of companies and firms in cities like Chicago and Denver, but she currently has her heart set on Seattle.

“While you don’t have to go to a city to find a successful career in design, I think being in a city is where I will thrive,” Lauren said. “I have also had several interviews at places in Seattle, and right now, I’m mentally set on going there.”

When speaking about her experiences at FHSU and what advice she might have to others considering college, Lauren noted how welcoming the campus community was to her and how strongly she believes anyone considering a degree in art and design needs to look at the FHSU program. 

She emphasizes the close-knit community of students, the personal attention from faculty, the challenging and innovative curriculum, and the many connections and opportunities for careers after graduation as some of the highlights.

“I highly, highly, highly recommend the [FHSU] design program,” Lauren said. “The best way I can describe FHSU is as a family, really a home-away-from-home. Everyone has made it so welcoming, and I am so grateful to have been able to be a part of this.”

FHSU graphic design grad ready for next big adventure

By MICHAEL A. SMITH Insight Kansas

ibertarianism&nbsp;is a political ideology– a belief system–that contrasts sharply with both liberal and conservative.&nbsp; It is also America’s third largest political party:&nbsp; the only one besides Democrats and Republicans that is officially recognized by the State of Kansas. Once described by a friend of mine as “pro choice on everything,” libertarianism calls for the drastic reduction of government intervention in virtually every aspect of life.&nbsp; Libertarians would keep abortion legal but not give government funding for it–or for much of anything else.&nbsp; They would do away with government-issued marriage licenses, arguing that marriage is a private transaction.&nbsp; There would be no income tax, Social Security, Medicare, or public schools, and U.S. troops stationed overseas would come home.&nbsp; Under libertarianism, individualism is king, and we are all pretty much on our own.&nbsp; Those interested in learning more should check out the outspoken&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHl2PqwRcY0">novelist Ayn Rand</a>.&nbsp; Wichita industrialist Charles Koch is another well-known libertarian.

When I say that America is about to enter a libertarian moment, I do not mean that President-elect Trump is a libertarian– far from it.&nbsp; From tariffs on imported goods, to enabling states to criminalize abortion, to anti-immigration policies, Trump advocates much that is sharply at odds with libertarian principles.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Instead, what I am suggesting is that Trump 2.0 is likely to be so chaotic and fragmented that citizens will pretty much be out for ourselves when it comes to determining what is best– a libertarian moment.&nbsp; For example, if conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is indeed confirmed as Secretary of Health and Human Services, Americans may essentially be on our own when it comes to getting vaccinated.&nbsp; Mountains of evidence showing the safety and effectiveness of vaccines notwithstanding, there may be a push to remove mandatory vaccinations for school enrollment, bringing back childhood disease epidemics including measles, mumps, and whooping cough.

With his pre- and post-election behavior, his cabinet nominations, and of course his first term as President, Trump appears to be embodying Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan’s famous quote, “when you elect people who have contempt for government, you get a contemptible government.”

For the next four years, we may not be able to count on the federal government for much of anything– and some states are not looking too good, either.

In this libertarian-by-chaos moment, an irony emerges: those who voted for Vice President Harris are best-equipped to weather it.&nbsp; For example, the COVID-19 vaccine is highly effective, and needs to be updated every year for new strains.&nbsp; A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/for-covid-19-vaccinations-party-affiliation-matters-more-than-race-and-ethnicity/">2021 Brookings study</a>&nbsp;found that early COVID vaccination rates were 90% for Democrats, 68% for Independents and 56% for Republicans. I got my booster in October.

On other issues, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2017/06/22/the-demographics-of-gun-ownership/">Pew Research study</a>&nbsp;found that 41% of Republicans owned a gun, versus 16% of Democrats.&nbsp; Most of these are handguns. While many gun owners practice safe and responsible gun handling and storage, the fact remains that ready access to a handgun makes it&nbsp;<a href="https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2020/06/handgun-ownership-associated-with-much-higher-suicide-risk.html">far more likely that a person will die of suicide</a>.&nbsp; In Kansas, guns are used in&nbsp;<a href="https://publichealth.jhu.edu/center-for-gun-violence-solutions/kansas">two and a half times</a>&nbsp;as many suicides as homicides.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Democrats are also more likely to&nbsp;<a href="https://dlcc.org/press/washington-post-how-red-state-politics-are-shaving-years-off-american-lives/">support seat belt use and tobacco abatement</a>, and to&nbsp;<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39236212/#:~:text=Positive%20screen%20for%20depression%20did,in%20the%20past%2012%20months.">utilize mental health care</a>– all key factors in living a long and fulfilling life.

The American people voted for this, so here it comes. When we’re each on our own, it will be those who voted against it who are best-equipped to survive and thrive.&nbsp;&nbsp;

INSIGHT KANSAS: America will soon be plunged into a libertarian moment; Are you prepared?

<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

Recent obituaries and service times

On this episode of the <a href="https://hayspost.com/category/post-podcast" target="_blank">Post Podcast</a>, <a href="http://www.ipifinancialservices.com/" target="_blank">Insurance Planning, Inc.</a> account executives Brian Weimer and Gene Stramel discuss prescription drug programs with Hays Post reporter Cristina Janney.&nbsp; &nbsp;

🎙 Post Podcast: Insurance Planning shares information about prescription drug programs

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

The sanitary sewer lift station just off Highway 40 west of the Hays Regional Airport needs to be replaced, says Jeff Crispin, director of water resources. 

It's 40 years old, built in the 100-year flood plain and flooded as recently as 2018-19 during unusually wet years in Hays. The facility is underground and it leaks, he told city commissioners at their Thursday work session.

"Also, water running underground that you can't see is actually coming into the lift station," Crispin said, "[unnecessarily] adding to the run hours."

The station will also be used more once the new Hays High School and Hays Middle Schools open in a little more than a year. More new housing being built and planned in east Hays will also be an impact.

APAC, Hays submitted a low bid of $754,916 to replace the lift station.&nbsp;The new, expanded station will be above ground and raised out of the flood plain. 

Hays has four sanitary sewer lift stations, plus a small one serving the airport.&nbsp;

Crispin said there would be no downtime of the sewer system as the new lift station is installed.&nbsp;

Commissioners will vote on the bid at their Dec. 26 meeting.&nbsp;

&nbsp;The commission will also vote on a bid recommendation for phase 1 of the redevelopment of the downtown building at 1108 N. Main into a new luxury short-term rental Airbnb called Chestnut Suites.

Hays developer Adam Pray plans the renovation to create 24-26 rentable hotel-style rooms for both short-term and 30-day or more renters.&nbsp;

Pray asked the city of Hays to apply for $300,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding from the Kansas Department of Commerce, which was awarded in August.

A single bid was made for the project's first phase, including exterior concrete and masonry work, roofing accessories, window work, and plumbing. The bid was from Robben Construction, Hays, for $484,500.

The developer would be responsible for the cost gap between the grant and the bid award. No city funds will be expended.

The estimated total project cost is $3.2 million.&nbsp;&nbsp;

City to replace aging sewer lift station as school, housing develop in east Hays

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Zeke Mayo scored 25 points, Hunter Dickinson had 15 points and 13 rebounds and No. 8 Kansas defeated Brown 87-53 on Sunday.

Mayo hit two of his five 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to extend the Kansas lead to 25 points with 12 minutes to play. He was coming off a 26-point performance in a 75-60 win over NC State on Dec. 14, the team's last outing.

Brown (7-4) stayed competitive in the first half, trailing by a point 10 minutes into the game. But the Bears' shooting touch went cold.

Kino Lily Jr. scored 18 and Aaron Cooley and AJ Lesburt Jr. had six points each for Brown, which shot 26.7% (20 for 75).

Kansas (9-2) shot 50% (34 for 68) and went 8 for 22 from 3-point range. Brown was 8 for 33 (24%) from distance.

The Jayhawks have won two straight after losing consecutive games to Missouri and Creighton and extended their home winning streak this season to seven games.

Brown: Couldn’t get a rhythm on the offensive end, especially in the second half, scoring just 22 points.

Kansas: Struggled from inside the lane in the first half and let the Bears stay in the game early. The Jayhawks turned it on in the second half, backed by their defense.

Kansas scored the final six points of the first half, starting with an alley-oop dunk by Flory Bidunga, which was assisted by Dajuan Harris Jr., and took a 42-31 lead at the half.

Brown travels to Kentucky on Dec. 31, and Kansas opens Big 12 play at home against West Virginia on the same day.

🏀 Mayo and Dickinson power Kansas to a win over Brown

Sunday, December 22 KAYS: Kansas MBKB vs. Brown, 12:30pm KJLS: Fort Hays State MBKB vs. Regis, 1:30pm&nbsp;&nbsp;

🎧 Eagle Radio, Hull sports broadcast schedule

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Xavier Bell scored a season-high 24 points and Wichita State pulled away in the second half to beat Kansas State 84-65 on Saturday night.

Bell made 9 of 17 shots from the floor including his only 3-point attempt and 3 of 4 free throws for the Shockers (9-3), who snapped a five-game losing streak to the Wildcats (6-5).

Corey Washington and Quincy Ballard both posted their second double-double of the season for Wichita State. Washington totaled 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Ballard contributed 10 points and 10 rebounds. Justin Hill scored 13.

Sophomore Macaleab Rich came off the bench to score a career-high 20 points for Kansas State. He made 8 of 13 shots with three 3-pointers. Brendan Hausen hit four 3-pointers and scored 13. The pair combined to make 7 of 13 from distance while their teammates made 2 of 19.

Rich scored 13 to lead the Wildcats to a 33-29 advantage at halftime.

Wichita State moved in front 44-41 with 15:41 remaining on a Hill 3-pointer. Rich connected from beyond the arc to pull the Wildcats even at 48 with 12 minutes left. Matej Bosnjak answered with back-to-back baskets to ignite an 8-0 run and Wichita State led 56-48 with 9:38 to go. The Shockers maintained at least a two-possession lead from there.

The Shockers shot 51% overall, made 4 of 10 from distance and 20 of 22 at the foul line. The Wildcats shot 36% overall and made only six of their 15 free throws.

🏀 Xavier Bell scores 24 to rally Wichita State to victory over K-State

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, the brash speedster who shattered stolen base records and redefined baseball's leadoff position,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rickey-henderson-dies-dbc401d2db457ee16d7e74b3d80d3e92">has died</a>. He was 65.

Henderson died on Friday. The Athletics said Saturday they were “shocked and heartbroken by his passing," but did not specify a cause of death.

Known as baseball's “Man of Steal,” Henderson had a lengthy list of accolades and accomplishments over his nomadic 25-year career — an MVP, 10 All-Star selections, two World Series titles and a Gold Glove award.

“Rickey was simply the best player I ever played with. He could change the outcome of a game in so many ways," said Don Mattingly, Henderson's teammate with the New York Yankees from 1985-89. "It puts a smile on my face just thinking about him. I will miss my friend.”

It was stealing bases where Henderson made his name and dominated the sport like no other.

He broke through with 100 steals in his first full season in the majors in 1980, topping Ty Cobb's AL single-season record with Billy Martin's “Billy Ball” Oakland Athletics. He barely slowed playing for nine franchises over the next two decades. He broke Lou Brock's single-season record of 118 by stealing 130 bases in 1982 and led the league in steals for seven straight seasons and 12 overall.

Henderson surpassed Brock's career record when he stole his 939th base on May 1, 1991, for Oakland, and famously pulled third base out of the ground and showed it off to the adoring crowd before giving a speech that he capped by saying: “Lou Brock was a great base stealer, but today I am the greatest of all time.”

Henderson finished his career with 1,406 steals. His 468-steal edge over Brock matches the margin between Brock and Jimmy Rollins, who is in 46th place with 470.

“He’s the greatest leadoff hitter of all time, and I’m not sure there’s a close second,” former A's executive Billy Beane said of Henderson.

In September, Henderson insisted he would have had many more steals in his career and in the record-breaking 1982 season if&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-pitch-clock-shift-limits-bigger-bases-311fdb091b61f40b654c05e600a0d4ce">rules introduced in 2023 to limit pickoff throws and increase the size of bases</a>&nbsp;had overlapped with his career.

“If I was playing today, I would get 162, right now, without a doubt," he said. "Because if they had had that rule, you can only throw over there twice, you know how many times they would be throwing over there twice and they’d be going, ‘Ah, (shoot), can y’all send him to third? Give him two bases and send him to third.’ That would be me.”

He even predicted how he could still be stealing more bases than the current major leaguers even 20-plus years post-retirement: "If they’re stealing 40-50 bases right now I’d lead the league.”

Henderson’s accomplishment that record-breaking day in 1991 was slightly overshadowed that night when Nolan Ryan threw his record seventh career no-hitter. Henderson already had been Ryan’s 5,000th career strikeout victim, which led him to say, “If you haven’t been struck out by Nolan Ryan, you’re nobody.”

That was clearly not the case for Henderson. He is also the career leader in runs scored with 2,295 and in leadoff home runs with 81, ranks second to Barry Bonds with 2,190 walks and is fourth in games played (3,081) and plate appearances (13,346). He finished his career with 3,055 hits over 25 seasons spent with Oakland, the Yankees, Toronto, San Diego, Anaheim, the New York Mets, Seattle, Boston and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He fittingly finished his career with the Dodgers at age 44 in 2003 by scoring a run in his final play on a major league field.

Henderson is the third prominent baseball Hall of Famer with ties to the Bay Area who died this year, following the deaths in June of former Giants stars&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/willie-mays-dies-at-93-baseball-33b31cc2d6382676ed54517d20ea36a3">Willie Mays</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/orlando-cepeda-died-86-giants-2d8b17a39dd0814b290f175196b938d8">Orlando Cepeda</a>.

Henderson was the rare position player who hit from the right side and threw with his left arm — but then again, everything about Henderson was unique.

He batted out of an extreme crouch, making for a tighter strike zone that contributed to his high walk total. He struck fear in opponents with his aggressive leads off first, his fingers twitching between his legs inside his batting gloves as he eyed the pitcher and the next base.

Born on Christmas Day in 1958 in Chicago in the back of his parents' Chevy, Henderson grew up in Oakland and developed into a star athlete. He played baseball, basketball and football at Oakland Tech High School and was a highly sought-after football recruit who could have played tailback at Southern California — where he likely would have eventually had the chance to run alongside football Hall of Famer Marcus Allen.

But Henderson said his mother loved baseball and thought it would be the safer career in a decision that proved to be prescient.

“She didn’t want her baby to get hurt,” Henderson told the San Francisco Chronicle in 2019. “I was mad, but she was smart. Overall, with the career longevity and the success I had, she made the right decision. Some of the players in football now have short careers and they can barely move around when they’re done.”

Henderson was selected in the fourth round of the 1976 amateur draft by the hometown A's and made his big league debut in 1979 with two hits — and, of course, one stolen base.

He became a star for the A's the following season and remained in Oakland through 1984 before being traded to the Yankees. Henderson was part of some talented teams in New York that never made the postseason. In 1985, he scored 146 runs in 143 games to go along with a league-leading 80 steals and 24 homers, helping start the "80-20 club" that season with Cincinnati's Eric Davis.

Henderson was traded back to Oakland in June 1989, leading to his greatest successes. He topped the AL that season with 113 runs, 126 walks and 77 steals, was named the ALCS MVP and helped lead the A's to the World Series title in the earthquake-interrupted Bay Bridge series by sweeping the Giants.

Henderson then won the AL MVP the following season for Oakland before the A's lost the World Series to Cincinnati.

He set the career steals record in 1991 and then was traded two years later to Toronto, where he won his second World Series. He spent the final decade of his career bouncing around the majors and still led the AL with 66 steals and 118 walks at age 39 with Oakland in 1998.

In 2017, the A's named their playing surface “Rickey Henderson Field” at the Oakland Coliseum in his honor.

“When you’re old and grey, sitting around with your buds talking about your career in baseball, you are going to talk about Rickey," said Ron Guidry, another of Henderson's former Yankees teammates. "He was just amazing to watch. There were great outfielders. There were great base stealers. There were great home run hitters. Rickey was a combination of all of those players. He did things out there on the field that the rest of us dreamed of.”

Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, baseball's stolen base king, has died

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw for 260 yards and a touchdown while running for a score&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texans-chiefs-nfl-inactives-d2e3212152218c0f4d773a806b90ce70">on his ailing ankle</a>, and the Kansas City Chiefs took a big step toward securing the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs with a 27-19 victory over the Houston Texans on Saturday.

The AFC West champion Chiefs (14-1), who have won four straight against the AFC South champ Texans (9-6), can clinch the postseason bye if Buffalo loses to or ties New England on Sunday. If the Bills win, Kansas City can wrap it up by beating Pittsburgh on Christmas Day.

Xavier Worthy had seven catches for 65 yards and a touchdown, Kareem Hunt ran for 55 yards and another score, and Marquise Brown had five catches for 45 yards for Kansas City in his first game this season after recovering from a shoulder injury.

C.J. Stroud had 244 yards and two touchdown passes with two interceptions for Houston, though one of those TD throws came at great expense. Tank Dell, who had six catches for 98 yards,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texans-tank-dell-injury-chiefs-846aab7b6825a1febee75eee1dc453cb">hurt his left knee on the play</a>&nbsp;and was carted from the field.

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