On this episode of the Post Podcast, Hays Post reporter Becky Kiser speaks with Dr. Tisa Mason, Fort Hays State University president about the 2024 accomplishments at FHSU.

On this episode of the Post Podcast, Hays Post reporter Becky Kiser speaks with Dr. Tisa Mason, Fort Hays State University president about the 2024 accomplishments at FHSU.<div><iframe title="Highlights from 2024 at Fort Hays State University with President Tisa Mason" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:300px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?from=embed&i=urs8i-1793abf-pb&square=1&share=1&download=1&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&rtl=0&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=300" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

🎙 Post Podcast: 2024 highlights at Fort Hays State University

Fort Hays State (9-3, 2-1 MIAA) at Missouri Western (9-4, 1-2 MIAA) Saturday, January 4&nbsp;• 1 p.m. St. Joseph, Mo.&nbsp;• MWSU Fieldhouse

Radio:&nbsp;KJLS (103.3)&nbsp;<a href="https://mix103fm.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a> Video:&nbsp;MIAA Network:&nbsp;<a href="https://themiaanetwork.com/fhsutigers/">CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)</a>

Fort Hays State continues its two-game road swing on Saturday at Missouri Western. Tipoff has been moved up 2 1/2 hours to 1 p.m. due to winter weather forecasted this weekend. The Tigers enter on a five-game win streak with a record of 9-3 overall and 2-1 in the MIAA, while the Griffons are 9-4 overall and 1-2 in the MIAA.

Fort Hays State ended its eight-game winless drought at Northwest Missouri State on Thursday night in dominating fashion defensively. The Tigers posted a 58-39 win over the Bearcats, their largest win ever in Maryville and first at Bearcat Arena since 2013. Northwest Missouri was held inside of 40 points in a game for the first time since the 1959-60 season. FHSU lowered its season scoring defense average to 60.8 per game, which leads the MIAA and ranks sixth nationally. FHSU is now 6-0 this season when holding teams inside of 60 points.

Missouri Western dropped its second-straight game on Thursday night. Nebraska-Kearney escaped MWSU Fieldhouse with 75-69 win, pushing the Griffons a game under .500 in conference play. Missouri Western started the season 8-1, but has lost three of its last four contests, all at home. Missouri Western joined Fort Hays State in the receiving votes section of the latest NABC Top 25 Poll released back on Tuesday.

Fort Hays State owns a three-game win streak over Missouri Western going back to the 2022-23 season. The Tigers swept the regular season series between the teams last year by scores of 73-49 in Hays and 55-40 in St. Joseph. FHSU has won two of the last three meetings with MWSU in St. Joseph and five of the last six overall between the schools.

The Tigers are currently on their longest win streak since the 2022-23 season, when they had a six-game win streak. The Tigers also had a seven-game streak earlier that season. The Tigers lead the MIAA and rank third nationally in 3-point field goal percentage at 41.8 percent. The Tigers also lead the MIAA and rank fifth nationally in fewest turnovers per game at 9.3. The Tigers are holding teams to 39.1 percent shooting overall, which ranks 13th&nbsp;nationally.

Kaleb Hammeke is on the verge of a couple more milestones heading into Saturday's contest. He is only one assist from 500 for his career, which would make him the only player in program history with at least 1,700 points and 500 assists. He is only 27 points shy of the all-time scoring record at Fort Hays State of 1,766 points, held by Alonzo Goldston. Hammeke averages 15.0 points and 4.8 assists per game this season.

Kyle Grill&nbsp;ranks second on the team in scoring at 12.3 points per game, while Shaun Riley is third at 11.5 per game. Grill leads the team in 3-point field goals made with 22, while Riley leads the team in rebounding at 6.7 per game.

Zane Nelson leads three Missouri Western players who average double figures in scoring at 16.2 points per game. Zion Swader averages 11.3 and Julius Dixon averages 11.1.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735938472999.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsFort Hays State (9-3, 2-1 MIAA) at Missouri Western (9-4, 1-2 MIAA) Saturday, January 4&nbsp;• 1 p.m. St. Joseph, Mo.&nbsp;• MWSU FieldhouseRadio:&nbsp;KJLS (103.3)&nbsp;<a href="https://mix103fm.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a> Video:&nbsp;MIAA Network:&nbsp;<a href="https://themiaanetwork.com/fhsutigers/">CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)</a>Fort Hays State continues its two-game road swing on Saturday at Missouri Western. Tipoff has been moved up 2 1/2 hours to 1 p.m. due to winter weather forecasted this weekend. The Tigers enter on a five-game win streak with a record of 9-3 overall and 2-1 in the MIAA, while the Griffons are 9-4 overall and 1-2 in the MIAA.Fort Hays State ended its eight-game winless drought at Northwest Missouri State on Thursday night in dominating fashion defensively. The Tigers posted a 58-39 win over the Bearcats, their largest win ever in Maryville and first at Bearcat Arena since 2013. Northwest Missouri was held inside of 40 points in a game for the first time since the 1959-60 season. FHSU lowered its season scoring defense average to 60.8 per game, which leads the MIAA and ranks sixth nationally. FHSU is now 6-0 this season when holding teams inside of 60 points.Missouri Western dropped its second-straight game on Thursday night. Nebraska-Kearney escaped MWSU Fieldhouse with 75-69 win, pushing the Griffons a game under .500 in conference play. Missouri Western started the season 8-1, but has lost three of its last four contests, all at home. Missouri Western joined Fort Hays State in the receiving votes section of the latest NABC Top 25 Poll released back on Tuesday.Fort Hays State owns a three-game win streak over Missouri Western going back to the 2022-23 season. The Tigers swept the regular season series between the teams last year by scores of 73-49 in Hays and 55-40 in St. Joseph. FHSU has won two of the last three meetings with MWSU in St. Joseph and five of the last six overall between the schools.The Tigers are currently on their longest win streak since the 2022-23 season, when they had a six-game win streak. The Tigers also had a seven-game streak earlier that season. The Tigers lead the MIAA and rank third nationally in 3-point field goal percentage at 41.8 percent. The Tigers also lead the MIAA and rank fifth nationally in fewest turnovers per game at 9.3. The Tigers are holding teams to 39.1 percent shooting overall, which ranks 13th&nbsp;nationally.Kaleb Hammeke is on the verge of a couple more milestones heading into Saturday's contest. He is only one assist from 500 for his career, which would make him the only player in program history with at least 1,700 points and 500 assists. He is only 27 points shy of the all-time scoring record at Fort Hays State of 1,766 points, held by Alonzo Goldston. Hammeke averages 15.0 points and 4.8 assists per game this season.Kyle Grill&nbsp;ranks second on the team in scoring at 12.3 points per game, while Shaun Riley is third at 11.5 per game. Grill leads the team in 3-point field goals made with 22, while Riley leads the team in rebounding at 6.7 per game.Zane Nelson leads three Missouri Western players who average double figures in scoring at 16.2 points per game. Zion Swader averages 11.3 and Julius Dixon averages 11.1.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀🎧 LISTEN: Tigers continue road swing at Missouri Western State

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>

SubmittedSTAUNTON, 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.”About FederatedFederated 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

&nbsp; Dennis L.
Lacock – age 82, of Lawrence, Kansas passed away peacefully at his home&nbsp;
on Wednesday, January 1, 2025.

He was born January 17, 1942, at Randolph Field, Texas to Frank Lloyd and Agnes
Hilda (Carlson) Lacock.&nbsp; He married Judy (Rome) on October 28, 1967, in
Victoria, Kansas.

Dennis was a hydrologist with the U. S. Geological Survey for 37 years
and retired in 2002.&nbsp; He grew up in St. Marys, Kansas, was a 1960 graduate
of St. Marys High School,&nbsp; and was a graduate of Emporia State College.&nbsp;
He was a veteran of the U S Army.

Dennis is survived by his wife, Judy, of the home. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, and his brother, Michael Lacock.

&nbsp;A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 A.M. Wednesday, January
8, 2025, at The Basilica of Saint Fidelis, 900 Cathedral Ave., Victoria, Kansas
with Celebrant, Father James Moster O.F.M. Cap.

 Burial will be in the Saint Fidelis Cemetery, Victoria, Kansas with Military
Honors by the Victoria V.F.W. Post #1751.&nbsp;&nbsp; 

&nbsp;Visitation will be from 10:00 to 11:00 A.M. Wednesday, at the church with a
family rosary at 10:45 A.M.&nbsp; 

The family suggests memorials made payable to: St. Fidelis Cemetery Fund or
ELARA Caring Hospice Foundation in care of Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary, 412 Main
Street, Victoria, Kansas 676671.

Condolences can be emailed to <a href="mailto:clineschapels@gmail.com">clineschapels@gmail.com</a> or left by
guestbook at <a href="http://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com">www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735944023897.jpeg" alt="Dennis L. Lacock" />
 <figcaption>Dennis L. Lacock</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp; Dennis L.
Lacock – age 82, of Lawrence, Kansas passed away peacefully at his home&nbsp;
on Wednesday, January 1, 2025.He was born January 17, 1942, at Randolph Field, Texas to Frank Lloyd and Agnes
Hilda (Carlson) Lacock.&nbsp; He married Judy (Rome) on October 28, 1967, in
Victoria, Kansas.Dennis was a hydrologist with the U. S. Geological Survey for 37 years
and retired in 2002.&nbsp; He grew up in St. Marys, Kansas, was a 1960 graduate
of St. Marys High School,&nbsp; and was a graduate of Emporia State College.&nbsp;
He was a veteran of the U S Army.Dennis is survived by his wife, Judy, of the home. He was preceded in death by his parents, and his brother, Michael Lacock.&nbsp;A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 A.M. Wednesday, January
8, 2025, at The Basilica of Saint Fidelis, 900 Cathedral Ave., Victoria, Kansas
with Celebrant, Father James Moster O.F.M. Cap. Burial will be in the Saint Fidelis Cemetery, Victoria, Kansas with Military
Honors by the Victoria V.F.W. Post #1751.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Visitation will be from 10:00 to 11:00 A.M. Wednesday, at the church with a
family rosary at 10:45 A.M.&nbsp; The family suggests memorials made payable to: St. Fidelis Cemetery Fund or
ELARA Caring Hospice Foundation in care of Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary, 412 Main
Street, Victoria, Kansas 676671.Condolences can be emailed to <a href="mailto:clineschapels@gmail.com">clineschapels@gmail.com</a> or left by
guestbook at <a href="http://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com">www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com</a>

Dennis L. Lacock

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Mike Johnson won reelection to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/mike-johnson-speaker-congress-updates">the House speakership</a>&nbsp;on a first ballot Friday, pushing past GOP hard-right holdouts and buoyed with a nod of support from President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>.

A collection of hardline Republicans convened in the back of the House chamber during a tense roll call on the first day of the new Congress, one by one declining to vote or choosing another lawmaker. The standoff sparked fresh turmoil signaling trouble ahead under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tax-cuts-republicans-congress-spending-immigration-e4aebdcc9955f5d663208aec08778442">unified GOP control of Washington</a>.

In the end, however, Johnson was able to flip two remaining holdouts who switched to support him, drawing applause from Republicans.&nbsp; &nbsp;Members of the Kansas GOP delegation cast votes for Johnson. Kansas Democrat House member Sharice Davids voted for Hakeem Jeffries.&nbsp; Mike Johnson received 218 votes to Jeffries 215.&nbsp; Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky voted for&nbsp;Tom Emmer of Minnesota.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">As the most recent speaker, Johnson’s</a>&nbsp;weak grip on the gavel threatens not only his own survival but President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump’s</a>&nbsp;ambitious agenda of tax cuts and mass deportations as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tax-cuts-republicans-congress-spending-immigration-e4aebdcc9955f5d663208aec08778442">Republicans sweep to power</a>.

Newly-elected House lawmakers started casting votes as Johnson's name was put forward for nomination by the GOP Conference Chair Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich.

“No speaker's perfect,” she said. But the goal is to make progress toward shared priorities for the country, she said. “None of us will get exactly what we want.”

Democrats put forward their own leader, Hakeem Jeffries of New York, as the only one with a track record of compromise and achievement in the face of “chaos and dysfunction” under the GOP majority.

“House Democrats are united behind the most powerful legislative leader in this chamber,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., of Jeffries, recounting the many times their votes bailed out Johnson to ensure passage of important legislation.

With opposition from his own GOP colleagues, Johnson arrived with outward confidence after working into the night to sway hardline&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-congress-trump-elon-budget-house-republican-05481374b154949c3fe1270141a02918">holdouts</a>. A flop by Johnson could throw Monday's congressional certification of Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">2024 election</a>&nbsp;victory into turmoil without a House speaker. Even backing from Trump himself, usually a sure bet for Republicans, was no guarantee Johnson will stay in power.

"We don’t have time for drama,” Johnson said as he walked into the Capitol.

The Louisiana Republican received a renewed nod of support from Trump. “A win for Mike today will be a big win for the Republican Party,” Trump posted on social media.

What was once a ceremonial day with newly elected lawmakers arriving to be sworn into office, often with family, friends and children in tow, has evolved into a high-stakes vote for the office of House speaker, among the most powerful elected positions in Washington. Vice President Kamala Harris was swearing in the senators.

While the Senate is able to convene on its own and has already elected party leaders — Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2024/john-thune-is-striving-to-be-the-next-republican-senate-leader-but-can-he-rise-in-trumps-gop/">John Thune</a>&nbsp;as the Republican majority leader and Sen. Chuck Schumer for the Democratic minority — the House must first elect its speaker, a role required by the Constitution, second in the line of succession to the president.

Congress has been here before, when it took Republicans nearly a week and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-house-of-representatives-kevin-mccarthy-us-republican-party-0938c7358f41c83759246f8949ac7c15">15 rounds of voting</a>&nbsp;to elect Kevin McCarthy as speaker in 2023, a spectacle unseen in modern times. McCarthy was then dumped by his party, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-327e294a39f8de079ef5e4abfb1fa555">historic first</a>, but he was also part of a long list of GOP speakers chased to early exits.

The stakes are higher this year as Trump prepares to return to the White House with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republicans-house-elections-e3754a684a7b96b129841d4b207c15e9">House</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-elections-house-senate-harris-trump-94b49277db2a5c21f23236794a36afa6">Senate</a>&nbsp;in GOP control and promising to deliver big on a 100-day agenda.

Johnson has been working diligently to prevent defeat, spending New Year's Day at Mar-a-Lago as he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ufc-house-speaker-johnson-madison-square-garden-995a7ee3324e04ec6da680c826136655">positions himself alongside Trump</a>. The speaker often portrays himself as the “quarterback” who will be executing the political plays called by the “coach,” the president-elect.

But Johnson also warned that without a House speaker there would be a "constitutional crisis" heading into Jan. 6, when Congress by law is required to count the electoral votes for president, weeks before Trump is set to be inaugurated Jan. 20.

“We don't have any time to waste, and I think that everybody recognizes that,” he said.

Johnson commands one of the slimmest majorities in modern times, having lost seats in the November election. With the sudden resignation of Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., the tally dropped to 219-215. That leaves Johnson relying on almost every Republican for support in the face of Democratic opposition, though the typical 218 majority of 435 members needed could shift with absences and others voting only "present."

Heading into Friday he did not have the full support needed.

Texas GOP Rep. Chip Roy was among the most notable holdouts, an unflinching member of the Freedom Caucus who lashed into Republican leadership’s handling of the year-end spending bill for failing to cut spending and adhere to House rules.

“Something MUST change,” Roy posted on social media. He eventually voted for Johnson.

One hard no was Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who voted for a different GOP Leader, as did other far-right Republicans, including some who helped topple McCarthy.

What's unclear is what other concessions Johnson can make to win support. Two years ago, McCarthy handed out prime favors that appeared to only weaken his hold on power.

Already, Johnson has clawed back one of those changes, with a new House rule pushed by centrist conservatives that would require at least nine members of the majority party on any resolution to oust the speaker — raising the threshold McCarthy had lowered to just one.

“I think the holdouts are going to have to realize that, listen, Trump is right all the time," said Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, exiting the speaker's office late Thursday. “Just know that Trump is right all the time, it’ll help you make a decision real simple.”

In many ways, Johnson has no choice but to endure political hazing by his colleagues, as they remind him who has leverage in their lopsided relationship. He was a last-ditch choice for the office, rising from the back bench once other leaders failed in the aftermath of McCarthy's ouster.

Democrats under Jeffries are not expected not help save Johnson, as they have in the past with their votes when he faced a threat of removal.

The speaker's election is set to dominate the opening of the new Congress, which also brings a roster of history-making members, as the Senate expects to quickly begin hearings on Trump's nominees for top Cabinet and administrative positions.

In the Senate, two Black women — Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland — were being sworn in, both wearing suits in white of the suffragettes, the first time in the nation's history two Black women senators will serve at the same time.

Sen.-elect Andy Kim of New Jersey also is making history as the first Korean American to join the chamber.

In the House, Sarah McBride is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sarah-mcbride-congress-transgender-lgbtq-delaware-9cce7f778e6b57dfdb08986d7410404e">the first openly transgender person</a>&nbsp;in the Congress.

And Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, who recently suffered a fall overseas and underwent hip replacement surgery, will make her own return to Washington, a reminder of the power she wielded when Democrats last held the majority.

Associated Press writer Adriana Gomez Licon and Matt Brown contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735934939377.png" alt="Speaker Mike Johnson with the gavel after the vote-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Speaker Mike Johnson with the gavel after the vote-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Mike Johnson won reelection to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/mike-johnson-speaker-congress-updates">the House speakership</a>&nbsp;on a first ballot Friday, pushing past GOP hard-right holdouts and buoyed with a nod of support from President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>.A collection of hardline Republicans convened in the back of the House chamber during a tense roll call on the first day of the new Congress, one by one declining to vote or choosing another lawmaker. The standoff sparked fresh turmoil signaling trouble ahead under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tax-cuts-republicans-congress-spending-immigration-e4aebdcc9955f5d663208aec08778442">unified GOP control of Washington</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735933273794.png" alt="Rep. Mike Johnson celebrates his re-election Friday afternoon -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Mike Johnson celebrates his re-election Friday afternoon -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>In the end, however, Johnson was able to flip two remaining holdouts who switched to support him, drawing applause from Republicans.&nbsp; &nbsp;Members of the Kansas GOP delegation cast votes for Johnson. Kansas Democrat House member Sharice Davids voted for Hakeem Jeffries.&nbsp; Mike Johnson received 218 votes to Jeffries 215.&nbsp; Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky voted for&nbsp;Tom Emmer of Minnesota.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735930475874.png" alt="Rep. Mike Johnson during the tense moments of the Speaker vote-image courtesy" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Mike Johnson during the tense moments of the Speaker vote-image courtesy</figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Congratulations to my friend, <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpeakerJohnson</a>, on being re-elected Speaker of the House! I look forward to the great work we will do for America. 🇺🇸&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1875267029193970111?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">As the most recent speaker, Johnson’s</a>&nbsp;weak grip on the gavel threatens not only his own survival but President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump’s</a>&nbsp;ambitious agenda of tax cuts and mass deportations as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tax-cuts-republicans-congress-spending-immigration-e4aebdcc9955f5d663208aec08778442">Republicans sweep to power</a>.Newly-elected House lawmakers started casting votes as Johnson's name was put forward for nomination by the GOP Conference Chair Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735924221635.png" alt="Kansas First District Congressman Tracey Mann in the House Chamber ahead of the vote on Friday- image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Kansas First District Congressman Tracey Mann in the House Chamber ahead of the vote on Friday- image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>“No speaker's perfect,” she said. But the goal is to make progress toward shared priorities for the country, she said. “None of us will get exactly what we want.”Democrats put forward their own leader, Hakeem Jeffries of New York, as the only one with a track record of compromise and achievement in the face of “chaos and dysfunction” under the GOP majority.“House Democrats are united behind the most powerful legislative leader in this chamber,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., of Jeffries, recounting the many times their votes bailed out Johnson to ensure passage of important legislation.With opposition from his own GOP colleagues, Johnson arrived with outward confidence after working into the night to sway hardline&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-congress-trump-elon-budget-house-republican-05481374b154949c3fe1270141a02918">holdouts</a>. A flop by Johnson could throw Monday's congressional certification of Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">2024 election</a>&nbsp;victory into turmoil without a House speaker. Even backing from Trump himself, usually a sure bet for Republicans, was no guarantee Johnson will stay in power."We don’t have time for drama,” Johnson said as he walked into the Capitol.The Louisiana Republican received a renewed nod of support from Trump. “A win for Mike today will be a big win for the Republican Party,” Trump posted on social media.What was once a ceremonial day with newly elected lawmakers arriving to be sworn into office, often with family, friends and children in tow, has evolved into a high-stakes vote for the office of House speaker, among the most powerful elected positions in Washington. Vice President Kamala Harris was swearing in the senators.While the Senate is able to convene on its own and has already elected party leaders — Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2024/john-thune-is-striving-to-be-the-next-republican-senate-leader-but-can-he-rise-in-trumps-gop/">John Thune</a>&nbsp;as the Republican majority leader and Sen. Chuck Schumer for the Democratic minority — the House must first elect its speaker, a role required by the Constitution, second in the line of succession to the president.Congress has been here before, when it took Republicans nearly a week and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-house-of-representatives-kevin-mccarthy-us-republican-party-0938c7358f41c83759246f8949ac7c15">15 rounds of voting</a>&nbsp;to elect Kevin McCarthy as speaker in 2023, a spectacle unseen in modern times. McCarthy was then dumped by his party, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-327e294a39f8de079ef5e4abfb1fa555">historic first</a>, but he was also part of a long list of GOP speakers chased to early exits.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Thank you, President Trump! Today is a new day in America. Congressional Republicans must stay united to quickly deliver President Trump’s America First agenda. Let’s get it done. <a href="https://t.co/I0tjr7nMhE">pic.twitter.com/I0tjr7nMhE</a>&mdash; Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1875175393176735768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The stakes are higher this year as Trump prepares to return to the White House with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republicans-house-elections-e3754a684a7b96b129841d4b207c15e9">House</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-elections-house-senate-harris-trump-94b49277db2a5c21f23236794a36afa6">Senate</a>&nbsp;in GOP control and promising to deliver big on a 100-day agenda.Johnson has been working diligently to prevent defeat, spending New Year's Day at Mar-a-Lago as he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ufc-house-speaker-johnson-madison-square-garden-995a7ee3324e04ec6da680c826136655">positions himself alongside Trump</a>. The speaker often portrays himself as the “quarterback” who will be executing the political plays called by the “coach,” the president-elect.But Johnson also warned that without a House speaker there would be a "constitutional crisis" heading into Jan. 6, when Congress by law is required to count the electoral votes for president, weeks before Trump is set to be inaugurated Jan. 20.“We don't have any time to waste, and I think that everybody recognizes that,” he said.Johnson commands one of the slimmest majorities in modern times, having lost seats in the November election. With the sudden resignation of Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., the tally dropped to 219-215. That leaves Johnson relying on almost every Republican for support in the face of Democratic opposition, though the typical 218 majority of 435 members needed could shift with absences and others voting only "present."Heading into Friday he did not have the full support needed.Texas GOP Rep. Chip Roy was among the most notable holdouts, an unflinching member of the Freedom Caucus who lashed into Republican leadership’s handling of the year-end spending bill for failing to cut spending and adhere to House rules.“Something MUST change,” Roy posted on social media. He eventually voted for Johnson.One hard no was Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who voted for a different GOP Leader, as did other far-right Republicans, including some who helped topple McCarthy.What's unclear is what other concessions Johnson can make to win support. Two years ago, McCarthy handed out prime favors that appeared to only weaken his hold on power.Already, Johnson has clawed back one of those changes, with a new House rule pushed by centrist conservatives that would require at least nine members of the majority party on any resolution to oust the speaker — raising the threshold McCarthy had lowered to just one.“I think the holdouts are going to have to realize that, listen, Trump is right all the time," said Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, exiting the speaker's office late Thursday. “Just know that Trump is right all the time, it’ll help you make a decision real simple.”In many ways, Johnson has no choice but to endure political hazing by his colleagues, as they remind him who has leverage in their lopsided relationship. He was a last-ditch choice for the office, rising from the back bench once other leaders failed in the aftermath of McCarthy's ouster.Democrats under Jeffries are not expected not help save Johnson, as they have in the past with their votes when he faced a threat of removal.The speaker's election is set to dominate the opening of the new Congress, which also brings a roster of history-making members, as the Senate expects to quickly begin hearings on Trump's nominees for top Cabinet and administrative positions.In the Senate, two Black women — Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland — were being sworn in, both wearing suits in white of the suffragettes, the first time in the nation's history two Black women senators will serve at the same time.Sen.-elect Andy Kim of New Jersey also is making history as the first Korean American to join the chamber.In the House, Sarah McBride is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sarah-mcbride-congress-transgender-lgbtq-delaware-9cce7f778e6b57dfdb08986d7410404e">the first openly transgender person</a>&nbsp;in the Congress.And Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, who recently suffered a fall overseas and underwent hip replacement surgery, will make her own return to Washington, a reminder of the power she wielded when Democrats last held the majority.___Associated Press writer Adriana Gomez Licon and Matt Brown contributed to this report.

Despite drama House Speaker re-elected: Kan. GOP lawmakers fall in line

NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oprah-winfrey-us-news-ap-top-news-entertainment-steven-spielberg-165d8109c0c0444192c49f9880ceca5d">Apple TV+</a>&nbsp;is hoping people will make a dent in the Strategic Popcorn Reserve by bingeing its streaming TV and movies for free this weekend in what experts are calling a canny promotion.

The two-day offer this Saturday and Sunday is intended to give viewers a taste of what’s behind the Apple paywall and get them hooked, ready to fork over $9.99 a month in the U.S.

Michael D. Smith, a professor of information technology and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University, said the two-day window is not too short to ignore and not too long to satisfy all demand.

“This is not ‘I’m going to let you binge-watch this over the course of three or four days or a week or a couple weeks and then maybe you won’t subscribe next month,’” he said. “This is, ‘I’m giving you two days to explore my catalog. And I’m hoping that you’re going to find something in there that maybe you’ll binge. Maybe you’ll have time to binge the first six episodes, but it’s so cool you’ve got to come back and you’re going to be willing to subscribe to come back.’”

While entertainment companies often use promotions and discounts to lure new customers, Apple TV+’s pitch has no catches, like entering personal info or credit card numbers. All you need is an Apple ID, which is free and which many people already have from the days of 99-cent song downloads.

What can you see behind the paywall? The Emmy-winning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ted-lasso-finale-tv-jason-sudeikis-ae1d331d9dfcae84c6d9e441e5f58d6f">“Ted Lasso”</a>&nbsp;and “The Morning Show” and other buzzy series like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silo-apple-tv-rebecca-ferguson-hugh-howey-2b184bd68f23a8724f1ae4d010ca2602">“Silo,”</a>&nbsp;“Shrinking,” “Severance,” “Bad Sisters,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gary-oldman-slow-horses-interview-d26e32fc44d58c5241a94749d016efc1">“Slow Horses,”</a>&nbsp;“Disclaimer” and “Presumed Innocent.”

Movies include “Fly Me to the Moon,” “The Instigators,” “Spirited,” “Ghosted,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/argylle-movie-review-henry-cavill-matthew-vaughn-bd2560df6ce2a655022f9dd8d9eed2c8">“Argylle,”</a>&nbsp;Palmer,” “Napoleon” and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/movie-review-killers-flower-moon-scorsese-d5e7e7eaee09973fcd62023ee3812c1f">“Killers of the Flower Moon.”</a>

Smith suspects that by the end of the weekend, Apple will have lots of data to sharpen its approach to new customers and returning ones, like himself. Apple will learn, for example, what genres are hot, which shows attract viewers and how long people spend watching.

Smith will be logging in to watch “Ted Lasso” with his son but also wants to check out “Severance” with his daughter. Two days likely won't be enough to watch both to the end.

“It’s kind of like a mall, right? I’ve got an anchor tenant. For me, it’s ‘Ted Lasso.’ That gets me to the mall. And once I’m at the mall, I’m going to wander around and discover some other stuff there. And they’re hoping that the two days isn’t long enough for me to shop,” he said. “My guess it's going to pay off.”

There is some evidence that long bingeing widows don’t help streamers build customers.&nbsp;<a href="https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/10.1287/isre.2020.0948">A 2020 study</a>&nbsp;by Miguel Godinho de Matos and Pedro Ferreira for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cmu.edu/entertainment-analytics/">Initiative for Digital Entertainment Analytics</a>&nbsp;at Carnegie Mellon found that binge-watching over several weeks reduces the post-trial likelihood of paid subscriptions.

Apple's weekend deal is clearly an attempt to shake up its numbers. As of October 2024, it had an estimated 25 million subscribers, making it the eighth most popular streaming service by subscribers. Netflix, in No. 1, has 282.7 million.

“Apple TV+ never really truly took off, even though they do have a series of really high-quality TV shows,” says Bo “Bobby” Zhou, a business professor at the University of Maryland. “They are trying to offer a promotional period to let a wider viewer base sample their content in the hope that some of them will be converted.”

Other streamers are also offering deals, like Hulu's free 30-day trial, Starz's $2-a-month plan or Peacock's three-month trial for Samsung Galaxy owners. If viewers miss the Apple TV+ weekend offer, the streamer already has a free 7-day trial promotion going. It has lots of other offers though Target, Best Buy, Samsung and for buyers of Apple devices, too.

<a href="https://jarednewman.com/blog">Jared Newman</a>, a technology journalist who publishes the newsletter&nbsp;<a href="https://cordcutterweekly.com/">Cord Cutter Weekly,</a>&nbsp;said the promotion seems to be part of a big push by Apple to up its subscribers. The streamer recently agreed to be distributed through Amazon and there are signals it may want to experiment with an ad-supported tier.

“They really need to get their numbers up and need to get more people on board whatever way possible,” he said. “It may be just another way to test the waters of who would access their service if they didn’t have to pay for it.”

Zhou has seen the industry change from single paid downloads to unlimited access to subscribers and anticipates a future with different tiers of subscribers — say, one free episode for non-subscribers and a full season for diehard fans. Anything to get some buzz.

NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oprah-winfrey-us-news-ap-top-news-entertainment-steven-spielberg-165d8109c0c0444192c49f9880ceca5d">Apple TV+</a>&nbsp;is hoping people will make a dent in the Strategic Popcorn Reserve by bingeing its streaming TV and movies for free this weekend in what experts are calling a canny promotion.The two-day offer this Saturday and Sunday is intended to give viewers a taste of what’s behind the Apple paywall and get them hooked, ready to fork over $9.99 a month in the U.S.Michael D. Smith, a professor of information technology and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University, said the two-day window is not too short to ignore and not too long to satisfy all demand.“This is not ‘I’m going to let you binge-watch this over the course of three or four days or a week or a couple weeks and then maybe you won’t subscribe next month,’” he said. “This is, ‘I’m giving you two days to explore my catalog. And I’m hoping that you’re going to find something in there that maybe you’ll binge. Maybe you’ll have time to binge the first six episodes, but it’s so cool you’ve got to come back and you’re going to be willing to subscribe to come back.’”While entertainment companies often use promotions and discounts to lure new customers, Apple TV+’s pitch has no catches, like entering personal info or credit card numbers. All you need is an Apple ID, which is free and which many people already have from the days of 99-cent song downloads.What can you see behind the paywall? The Emmy-winning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ted-lasso-finale-tv-jason-sudeikis-ae1d331d9dfcae84c6d9e441e5f58d6f">“Ted Lasso”</a>&nbsp;and “The Morning Show” and other buzzy series like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silo-apple-tv-rebecca-ferguson-hugh-howey-2b184bd68f23a8724f1ae4d010ca2602">“Silo,”</a>&nbsp;“Shrinking,” “Severance,” “Bad Sisters,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gary-oldman-slow-horses-interview-d26e32fc44d58c5241a94749d016efc1">“Slow Horses,”</a>&nbsp;“Disclaimer” and “Presumed Innocent.”Movies include “Fly Me to the Moon,” “The Instigators,” “Spirited,” “Ghosted,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/argylle-movie-review-henry-cavill-matthew-vaughn-bd2560df6ce2a655022f9dd8d9eed2c8">“Argylle,”</a>&nbsp;Palmer,” “Napoleon” and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/movie-review-killers-flower-moon-scorsese-d5e7e7eaee09973fcd62023ee3812c1f">“Killers of the Flower Moon.”</a>Smith suspects that by the end of the weekend, Apple will have lots of data to sharpen its approach to new customers and returning ones, like himself. Apple will learn, for example, what genres are hot, which shows attract viewers and how long people spend watching.Smith will be logging in to watch “Ted Lasso” with his son but also wants to check out “Severance” with his daughter. Two days likely won't be enough to watch both to the end.“It’s kind of like a mall, right? I’ve got an anchor tenant. For me, it’s ‘Ted Lasso.’ That gets me to the mall. And once I’m at the mall, I’m going to wander around and discover some other stuff there. And they’re hoping that the two days isn’t long enough for me to shop,” he said. “My guess it's going to pay off.”There is some evidence that long bingeing widows don’t help streamers build customers.&nbsp;<a href="https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/10.1287/isre.2020.0948">A 2020 study</a>&nbsp;by Miguel Godinho de Matos and Pedro Ferreira for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cmu.edu/entertainment-analytics/">Initiative for Digital Entertainment Analytics</a>&nbsp;at Carnegie Mellon found that binge-watching over several weeks reduces the post-trial likelihood of paid subscriptions.Apple's weekend deal is clearly an attempt to shake up its numbers. As of October 2024, it had an estimated 25 million subscribers, making it the eighth most popular streaming service by subscribers. Netflix, in No. 1, has 282.7 million.“Apple TV+ never really truly took off, even though they do have a series of really high-quality TV shows,” says Bo “Bobby” Zhou, a business professor at the University of Maryland. “They are trying to offer a promotional period to let a wider viewer base sample their content in the hope that some of them will be converted.”Other streamers are also offering deals, like Hulu's free 30-day trial, Starz's $2-a-month plan or Peacock's three-month trial for Samsung Galaxy owners. If viewers miss the Apple TV+ weekend offer, the streamer already has a free 7-day trial promotion going. It has lots of other offers though Target, Best Buy, Samsung and for buyers of Apple devices, too.<a href="https://jarednewman.com/blog">Jared Newman</a>, a technology journalist who publishes the newsletter&nbsp;<a href="https://cordcutterweekly.com/">Cord Cutter Weekly,</a>&nbsp;said the promotion seems to be part of a big push by Apple to up its subscribers. The streamer recently agreed to be distributed through Amazon and there are signals it may want to experiment with an ad-supported tier.“They really need to get their numbers up and need to get more people on board whatever way possible,” he said. “It may be just another way to test the waters of who would access their service if they didn’t have to pay for it.”Zhou has seen the industry change from single paid downloads to unlimited access to subscribers and anticipates a future with different tiers of subscribers — say, one free episode for non-subscribers and a full season for diehard fans. Anything to get some buzz.

Why Apple TV+ is offering a free weekend of binge-watching

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Jennifer Harrell was inspired to be a child care provider when she was a teenager by her aunt, who was a provider for 40 years.

Harrell, 42, of Hays, spent summers with her aunt and helped her in her day care.

"I loved it," Harrell said. "I loved helping her with the kids."

When Harrell was in high school, she and her peers were assigned to care for electronic dolls. Harrell requested twins. There was a snowstorm the week she took her dolls home, so she had the dolls longer than initially assigned.&nbsp;

"I loved it," she said, "but everyone else hated it."

Harrell has been an in-home child-care provider for 10 years.

Child care appealed to Harrell because it allowed her to spend time with her own children. She also saw that her aunt was her own boss.

"She could do fun stuff with the kids in her home, and there was no one telling her what she could and couldn't do as far as the games they played and the fun they had," Harrell said. 

"If they wanted to go outside and play, they could. She didn't have a supervisor over her, and just the fact that she could love the kids like they were her own."

Harrell was nominated for the December Child Care Champion Award by&nbsp;Megan Maska.

"Jennifer has taken all three of my children over the last 10 years. She loves all the children in her care like they are her own," Maska said. "You know, when you drop them off, they are safe and well taken care of. 

"She does activities with them and celebrates special holidays with crafts and gifts that are for or from the children. She takes pride in the work she does and cares deeply for all her day care families. It was like a family—a family dynamic."

Harrell has three grown children of her own. When her children were younger, she worked outside of the home. She worked nights when they were very young and said she feels she missed much of their growing up.

Her oldest child was 10 when she started her in-home child care.

"I feel like it helped them and hindered them a little," Harrell said of her own children. "They got to interact with kids, play games and entertain them. It got them helping other people instead of just themselves."

Harrell said she takes running her child care one day at a time.&nbsp;

"You try to keep your mindset organized because if you try to organize any part of your home, it's not going to stay that way," she said.

The children in her child care love going outside.&nbsp;

"It is a good way to burn off energy. It's a good way to clear their minds when they get cabin fever," she said. 

"They love having dance parties. We'll move the table out of the way or furniture in the playroom and just dance, bliss and Mickey Mouse music. That is one of their favorite things."

Usually, Harrell does crafts with the children, but she has six children younger than 3 in her care at this time, and they are a little young for some of those activities.

She said pre-K children are the best to work with.

"This is the best part of their lives because they are experiencing everything for the first time," Harrell said. "They think everything is wonderful and amazing and new. They love unconditionally. I can open the door and look like a train wreck, and they will still hug me and tell me they love me.&nbsp;

"The innocence of it. They learn everything so quickly, and they are eager to learn," she said.

Harrell said one of her challenges as a child care provider has been getting through all her required training hours.&nbsp;

When she started 10 years ago, the state required five hours of training. Today, it requires 16 hours.

Harrell said child care is not for the weak.&nbsp;

"[The children] require all your attention all day long," she said. "You might get a load of laundry done during nap time, but they want all of you all day long. They need it, and they deserve it. That's what you're getting paid to do."

She said child care is not just a one- or two-year job. Families depend on their child care providers. It needs to be a career.&nbsp;

"The families learn to love you, and the kids learn to love you, and they learn to depend on you," Harrell said. "It's a constant in their lives."

She said she sees her child care children as an extension of her family.

"When we see them out, they run to me," Harrell said. "Some of their parents are my close friends, and we will go do things together. "

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735840775163.png" alt="Jennifer Harrell&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Jennifer Harrell&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostJennifer Harrell was inspired to be a child care provider when she was a teenager by her aunt, who was a provider for 40 years.Harrell, 42, of Hays, spent summers with her aunt and helped her in her day care."I loved it," Harrell said. "I loved helping her with the kids."When Harrell was in high school, she and her peers were assigned to care for electronic dolls. Harrell requested twins. There was a snowstorm the week she took her dolls home, so she had the dolls longer than initially assigned.&nbsp;"I loved it," she said, "but everyone else hated it."Harrell has been an in-home child-care provider for 10 years.Child care appealed to Harrell because it allowed her to spend time with her own children. She also saw that her aunt was her own boss."She could do fun stuff with the kids in her home, and there was no one telling her what she could and couldn't do as far as the games they played and the fun they had," Harrell said. "If they wanted to go outside and play, they could. She didn't have a supervisor over her, and just the fact that she could love the kids like they were her own."Harrell was nominated for the December Child Care Champion Award by&nbsp;Megan Maska."Jennifer has taken all three of my children over the last 10 years. She loves all the children in her care like they are her own," Maska said. "You know, when you drop them off, they are safe and well taken care of. "She does activities with them and celebrates special holidays with crafts and gifts that are for or from the children. She takes pride in the work she does and cares deeply for all her day care families. It was like a family—a family dynamic."Harrell has three grown children of her own. When her children were younger, she worked outside of the home. She worked nights when they were very young and said she feels she missed much of their growing up.Her oldest child was 10 when she started her in-home child care."I feel like it helped them and hindered them a little," Harrell said of her own children. "They got to interact with kids, play games and entertain them. It got them helping other people instead of just themselves."Harrell said she takes running her child care one day at a time.&nbsp;"You try to keep your mindset organized because if you try to organize any part of your home, it's not going to stay that way," she said.The children in her child care love going outside.&nbsp;"It is a good way to burn off energy. It's a good way to clear their minds when they get cabin fever," she said. "They love having dance parties. We'll move the table out of the way or furniture in the playroom and just dance, bliss and Mickey Mouse music. That is one of their favorite things."Usually, Harrell does crafts with the children, but she has six children younger than 3 in her care at this time, and they are a little young for some of those activities.She said pre-K children are the best to work with."This is the best part of their lives because they are experiencing everything for the first time," Harrell said. "They think everything is wonderful and amazing and new. They love unconditionally. I can open the door and look like a train wreck, and they will still hug me and tell me they love me.&nbsp;"The innocence of it. They learn everything so quickly, and they are eager to learn," she said.Harrell said one of her challenges as a child care provider has been getting through all her required training hours.&nbsp;When she started 10 years ago, the state required five hours of training. Today, it requires 16 hours.Harrell said child care is not for the weak.&nbsp;"[The children] require all your attention all day long," she said. "You might get a load of laundry done during nap time, but they want all of you all day long. They need it, and they deserve it. That's what you're getting paid to do."She said child care is not just a one- or two-year job. Families depend on their child care providers. It needs to be a career.&nbsp;"The families learn to love you, and the kids learn to love you, and they learn to depend on you," Harrell said. "It's a constant in their lives."She said she sees her child care children as an extension of her family."When we see them out, they run to me," Harrell said. "Some of their parents are my close friends, and we will go do things together. "

Child Care Champion: Provider inspired as teen to care for children

MARYVILLE, Mo. – Fort Hays State picked up its first win in over a decade Thursday night at Northwest Missouri State by posting its largest win ever in Maryville. The Tigers turned in a dominating defensive effort and won by 19 points, 58-39 over the Bearcats. FHSU moved to 9-3 overall and 2-1 in the MIAA, while NWMSU moved to 3-9 overall and 1-2 in the MIAA.

Fort Hays State picked up its first win in Maryville since the 2012-13 season when it won 64-60. That season, the Tigers went on to claim a share of the MIAA regular season title with Central Missouri. Since then, Northwest Missouri State has won 11-straight MIAA regular season titles. In their over-a-decade long run of conference titles, the Bearcats won eight-straight games over the Tigers in Bearcat Arena until the Tigers snapped the run on Thursday night. FHSU previous largest margin in a win in Maryville was 11 points in a 79-68 win back during the 2008-09 season.

The 39 points scored by the Bearcats were their fewest ever in the all-time series with FHSU, five less than the 44 they scored in a 15-point loss in Hays back in 1949. Researching all-time scores in the NWMSU record book, it was the first time the Bearcats were held under 40 points since the 1959-60 season when they won a one-point decision 39-38 over Southeast Missouri State. It was the first time the Tigers held a team under 40 points since a 65-32 win over Central Christian in 2022. It was the fewest points the Tigers held an opponent to in an MIAA game since 2021-22 when FHSU defeated Lincoln 73-35 in Jefferson City.

Northwest Missouri State is now 0-3 at home so far this season. It is the first time since that 2012-13 season when FHSU won the conference title that the Bearcats have lost at least three games in a season at home. It was the first time NWMSU has lost three-straight games at home since the 2010-11 season, when they lost five straight at home.

The Tigers pulled away methodically in the contest after trailing by five in the early going. FHSU took the lead for good early in the game when Dan Makuna&nbsp;made a basket to push the Tigers in front 9-7. It was part of a 9-0 run that put the Tigers up by six. The first basket of eight-straight points from Kyle Grill&nbsp;pushed the lead into double figures for the first time and FHSU went on to lead by 14 at the half by a score of 32-18.Northwest Missouri brought the lead back inside of 10 points just once in the second half by opening on an 8-3 burst. But, the Tigers countered with a 12-0 run to blow the game open, leading by 21 with 7:27 to play. Muhamed Kante&nbsp;scored six of the final eight points in the run. FHSU held NWMSU scoreless for nearly seven and a half minutes in the run.

The Tigers struggled to score for a little while after their run as the Bearcats battled back within 10 thanks to an 11-0 run, holding FHSU scoreless for just over four minutes. But, that was as close as the Bearcats could get as&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/r-j-crawford/8221">R.J. Crawford</a>&nbsp;snapped the run with a pair of free throws. It started a string of seven-straight points for the Tigers to get the lead back up to 17 before the final margin was 19.

Kaleb Hammeke led the Tigers with 13 points, going 6-of-6 at the free-throw line. Crawford reached double figures as well with 10. Grill provided all eight of his points in his individual burst in the first half. Shaun Riley&nbsp;led the Tigers in rebounds with seven, while Hammeke led in assists with four. The Tigers as a team went 19-of-23 at the charity stripe (82.6 percent). The Tigers had an 11-point advantage at the free-throw line and outscored the Bearcats 17-7 on points off turnovers.

The Tigers held the Bearcats to 27.5 percent shooting percentage from the field, including just 16.7 percent beyond the 3-point line. Emorie Knox was the only NWMSU player to reach double figures in scoring with 10, while Jack Ratigan had eight points and a team-high nine rebounds.

Fort Hays State continues the weekly road swing on Saturday at Missouri Western in St. Joseph. The game time was moved up to 1 p.m. due to the potential winter storm moving into the middle of the United States this weekend.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735880186625.png" alt="Fort Hays State's R.J. Crawford (11) defends NW Missouri State's Luke Mustakas (24) in an NCAA college basketball game on Thursday, January 2, 2025 in Maryville, Mo. (NW Missouri State Athletics photo/Aaron Hare)" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State's R.J. Crawford (11) defends NW Missouri State's Luke Mustakas (24) in an NCAA college basketball game on Thursday, January 2, 2025 in Maryville, Mo. (NW Missouri State Athletics photo/Aaron Hare)</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsMARYVILLE, Mo. – Fort Hays State picked up its first win in over a decade Thursday night at Northwest Missouri State by posting its largest win ever in Maryville. The Tigers turned in a dominating defensive effort and won by 19 points, 58-39 over the Bearcats. FHSU moved to 9-3 overall and 2-1 in the MIAA, while NWMSU moved to 3-9 overall and 1-2 in the MIAA.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1999826947&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/fhsu-mbkb-coach-mark-johnson-postgame-interview-vs-northwest-missouri-state-jan-2nd-25" title="Mark Johnson Postgame at Northwest Missouri State (Jan. 2, 2025)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Mark Johnson Postgame at Northwest Missouri State (Jan. 2, 2025)</a></div></div>Fort Hays State picked up its first win in Maryville since the 2012-13 season when it won 64-60. That season, the Tigers went on to claim a share of the MIAA regular season title with Central Missouri. Since then, Northwest Missouri State has won 11-straight MIAA regular season titles. In their over-a-decade long run of conference titles, the Bearcats won eight-straight games over the Tigers in Bearcat Arena until the Tigers snapped the run on Thursday night. FHSU previous largest margin in a win in Maryville was 11 points in a 79-68 win back during the 2008-09 season.The 39 points scored by the Bearcats were their fewest ever in the all-time series with FHSU, five less than the 44 they scored in a 15-point loss in Hays back in 1949. Researching all-time scores in the NWMSU record book, it was the first time the Bearcats were held under 40 points since the 1959-60 season when they won a one-point decision 39-38 over Southeast Missouri State. It was the first time the Tigers held a team under 40 points since a 65-32 win over Central Christian in 2022. It was the fewest points the Tigers held an opponent to in an MIAA game since 2021-22 when FHSU defeated Lincoln 73-35 in Jefferson City.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1999827211&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/fhsu-mbkb-postgame-rj-crawford-interview-vs-northwest-missouri-state-jan-2nd-25" title="R.J. Crawford Postgame at Northwest Missouri State (Jan. 2, 2025)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">R.J. Crawford Postgame at Northwest Missouri State (Jan. 2, 2025)</a></div></div>Northwest Missouri State is now 0-3 at home so far this season. It is the first time since that 2012-13 season when FHSU won the conference title that the Bearcats have lost at least three games in a season at home. It was the first time NWMSU has lost three-straight games at home since the 2010-11 season, when they lost five straight at home.The Tigers pulled away methodically in the contest after trailing by five in the early going. FHSU took the lead for good early in the game when Dan Makuna&nbsp;made a basket to push the Tigers in front 9-7. It was part of a 9-0 run that put the Tigers up by six. The first basket of eight-straight points from Kyle Grill&nbsp;pushed the lead into double figures for the first time and FHSU went on to lead by 14 at the half by a score of 32-18.Northwest Missouri brought the lead back inside of 10 points just once in the second half by opening on an 8-3 burst. But, the Tigers countered with a 12-0 run to blow the game open, leading by 21 with 7:27 to play. Muhamed Kante&nbsp;scored six of the final eight points in the run. FHSU held NWMSU scoreless for nearly seven and a half minutes in the run.The Tigers struggled to score for a little while after their run as the Bearcats battled back within 10 thanks to an 11-0 run, holding FHSU scoreless for just over four minutes. But, that was as close as the Bearcats could get as&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/r-j-crawford/8221">R.J. Crawford</a>&nbsp;snapped the run with a pair of free throws. It started a string of seven-straight points for the Tigers to get the lead back up to 17 before the final margin was 19.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1999825667&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/fhsu-mbkb-highlights-vs-1" title="Fort Hays State MBB Highlights at Northwest Missouri State (Jan. 2, 2025)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Fort Hays State MBB Highlights at Northwest Missouri State (Jan. 2, 2025)</a></div></div>Kaleb Hammeke led the Tigers with 13 points, going 6-of-6 at the free-throw line. Crawford reached double figures as well with 10. Grill provided all eight of his points in his individual burst in the first half. Shaun Riley&nbsp;led the Tigers in rebounds with seven, while Hammeke led in assists with four. The Tigers as a team went 19-of-23 at the charity stripe (82.6 percent). The Tigers had an 11-point advantage at the free-throw line and outscored the Bearcats 17-7 on points off turnovers.The Tigers held the Bearcats to 27.5 percent shooting percentage from the field, including just 16.7 percent beyond the 3-point line. Emorie Knox was the only NWMSU player to reach double figures in scoring with 10, while Jack Ratigan had eight points and a team-high nine rebounds.UP NEXTFort Hays State continues the weekly road swing on Saturday at Missouri Western in St. Joseph. The game time was moved up to 1 p.m. due to the potential winter storm moving into the middle of the United States this weekend.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 Tiger men down NW Missouri State for fifth-straight win

NEW YORK (AP) — Wayne Osmond, a singer, guitarist and founding member of the million-selling family act The Osmonds, who were known for such 1970s teen hits as “One Bad Apple," "Yo-Yo" and “Down By the Lazy River,” has died. He was 73.

Sibling Merrill Osmond posted on his Facebook page that Wayne died this week at a Salt Lake City hospital after suffering a “massive stroke.”

“I've never known a man that had more humility. A man with absolutely no guile,” Merrill wrote. “An individual that was quick to forgive and had the ability to show unconditional love to everyone he ever met.”

Wayne Osmond was the second oldest of nine children raised in a Mormon household in Ogden, Utah. The siblings' musical career began in the 1950s when Wayne, Alan, Merrill and Jay sang as a barbershop quartet.

Their popularity grew in the 1960s after being supported by singer Andy Williams, and they peaked as a quintet in the early 1970s, with younger brother Donny Osmond the breakout star. “One Bad Apple” and other songs were often compared to the music of The Osmonds' contemporaries, the Jackson 5, and Donny was positioned as the white counterpart to the Jacksons' lead singer, Michael Jackson.

The Osmonds' popularity faded by the mid-1970s, although Donny and Marie Osmond both enjoyed successful careers as solo performers and as a brother-sister duo.

In the 1980s, Wayne Osmond regrouped with Alan, Merrill and Jay as a country act and had a handful of hits, including “I Think About Your Lovin.'”

But in the mid-1990s he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and lost much of his hearing from the surgery and treatment. A stroke in 2012 left him unable to play guitar.

“I’ve had a wonderful life. And you know, being able to hear is not all that it’s cracked up to be, it really isn’t,” he told the Deseret News in 2018. “My favorite thing now is to take care of my yard. I turn my hearing aids off, deaf as a doorknob, tune everything out, it’s really joyful.”

Wayne Osmond married Kathlyn White in 1974. They had five children.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735857213455.png" alt="Wayne Osmond lower right on this June 1976 album" />
 <figcaption>Wayne Osmond lower right on this June 1976 album</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Wayne Osmond, a singer, guitarist and founding member of the million-selling family act The Osmonds, who were known for such 1970s teen hits as “One Bad Apple," "Yo-Yo" and “Down By the Lazy River,” has died. He was 73.Sibling Merrill Osmond posted on his Facebook page that Wayne died this week at a Salt Lake City hospital after suffering a “massive stroke.”“I've never known a man that had more humility. A man with absolutely no guile,” Merrill wrote. “An individual that was quick to forgive and had the ability to show unconditional love to everyone he ever met.”Wayne Osmond was the second oldest of nine children raised in a Mormon household in Ogden, Utah. The siblings' musical career began in the 1950s when Wayne, Alan, Merrill and Jay sang as a barbershop quartet.Their popularity grew in the 1960s after being supported by singer Andy Williams, and they peaked as a quintet in the early 1970s, with younger brother Donny Osmond the breakout star. “One Bad Apple” and other songs were often compared to the music of The Osmonds' contemporaries, the Jackson 5, and Donny was positioned as the white counterpart to the Jacksons' lead singer, Michael Jackson.The Osmonds' popularity faded by the mid-1970s, although Donny and Marie Osmond both enjoyed successful careers as solo performers and as a brother-sister duo.In the 1980s, Wayne Osmond regrouped with Alan, Merrill and Jay as a country act and had a handful of hits, including “I Think About Your Lovin.'”But in the mid-1990s he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and lost much of his hearing from the surgery and treatment. A stroke in 2012 left him unable to play guitar.“I’ve had a wonderful life. And you know, being able to hear is not all that it’s cracked up to be, it really isn’t,” he told the Deseret News in 2018. “My favorite thing now is to take care of my yard. I turn my hearing aids off, deaf as a doorknob, tune everything out, it’s really joyful.”Wayne Osmond married Kathlyn White in 1974. They had five children.

Wayne Osmond, singer and guitarist for The Osmonds, dead at 73

Fort Hays State's Shane Watts and Myles Menges&nbsp;have been named to the D2Football.com Elite 100 Team. The Elite 100 Team is the D2Football.com version of an All-America team, selected by staff with input from head coaches and professional football scouts. Watts and Menges have already raked in multiple All-America honors for their performances in 2024, helping the Tigers to a strong 8-3 season.

Both Watts and Menges were named to the Squad portion of the Elite 100 Team, Watts at running back and Menges on the defensive line. The team represents the top 100 players in Division II. Included are selections for first and second team offense, defense and special teams as well as 25 "squad" players for both offense and defense. Squad players are equivalent to honorable mention in similar post-season award lists.

Watts ranked fourth in NCAA Division II for total rushing yards (1,303) and all-purpose yards per game (160.8). He ranked seventh in points per game (9.3), eighth in total touchdowns (17) and 10th in total points scored (102). He produced the 20th&nbsp;1,000-yard rushing season in FHSU and first since Kenneth Iheme in 2017. The 1,303 rushing yards ranks sixth for a season in FHSU program history.'

Menges was the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year in 2024. He finished the season with 27 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss, one interception, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. His most impressive stat was 11 pass breakups by batting down several passes at the line of scrimmage. He led all defensive linemen in NCAA Division II by a landslide, the only one to reach double figures, and it ranked 16th nationally all behind defensive backs, which dominate the category.

This was Watts' fourth All-America honor for the season, also receiving honors from D2CCA (Second Team), AP (Second Team), and Don Hansen Football Committee (Second Team). This was Menges' third All-America honor for the season, also receiving honors from the AFCA (First Team) and Don Hansen Football Committee (Honorable Mention).&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735951550463.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsFort Hays State's Shane Watts and Myles Menges&nbsp;have been named to the D2Football.com Elite 100 Team. The Elite 100 Team is the D2Football.com version of an All-America team, selected by staff with input from head coaches and professional football scouts. Watts and Menges have already raked in multiple All-America honors for their performances in 2024, helping the Tigers to a strong 8-3 season.Both Watts and Menges were named to the Squad portion of the Elite 100 Team, Watts at running back and Menges on the defensive line. The team represents the top 100 players in Division II. Included are selections for first and second team offense, defense and special teams as well as 25 "squad" players for both offense and defense. Squad players are equivalent to honorable mention in similar post-season award lists.Watts ranked fourth in NCAA Division II for total rushing yards (1,303) and all-purpose yards per game (160.8). He ranked seventh in points per game (9.3), eighth in total touchdowns (17) and 10th in total points scored (102). He produced the 20th&nbsp;1,000-yard rushing season in FHSU and first since Kenneth Iheme in 2017. The 1,303 rushing yards ranks sixth for a season in FHSU program history.'Menges was the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year in 2024. He finished the season with 27 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss, one interception, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. His most impressive stat was 11 pass breakups by batting down several passes at the line of scrimmage. He led all defensive linemen in NCAA Division II by a landslide, the only one to reach double figures, and it ranked 16th nationally all behind defensive backs, which dominate the category.This was Watts' fourth All-America honor for the season, also receiving honors from D2CCA (Second Team), AP (Second Team), and Don Hansen Football Committee (Second Team). This was Menges' third All-America honor for the season, also receiving honors from the AFCA (First Team) and Don Hansen Football Committee (Honorable Mention).&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏈 FHSU's Watts, Menges named to D2Football.com Elite 100 team

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The highly decorated U.S. Army soldier inside the Tesla Cybertruck that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hotel-vehicle-fire-las-vegas-ad4c171c7a6af64f08db93d9fdc2d749">burst into flames</a>&nbsp;outside President-elect Donald Trump’s Las Vegas hotel shot himself in the head before the explosion and likely planned to cause more damage but the steel-sided vehicle absorbed much of the force from the rudimentary explosive, officials said Thursday.

Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill said at a news conference that a handgun was found at the feet of the man in the driver's seat, who officials believe is Matthew Livelsberger, 37, of Colorado. The shot appeared to be self-inflicted, officials said.

Damage from the blast was mostly limited to the interior of the truck. The explosion “vented out and up” and didn’t hit the Trump hotel doors just a few feet away, the sheriff said.

“The level of sophistication is not what we would expect from an individual with this&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/military-extremism-pentagon-veterans-terrorism-capitol-riot-jan-6-0c1fdd7b6b761e9c9e8556a9b9e45dc9">type of military experience</a>,” said Kenny Cooper, a special agent in charge for the the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Among other charred items found inside the truck were a second firearm, a number of fireworks, a passport, a military ID, credit cards, an iPhone and a smartwatch, McMahill said. Authorities said both guns were purchased legally.

Investigators have not definitively identified the remains as Livelsberger, but the IDs and tattoos on the body “give a strong indication that it’s him,” the sheriff said.

Livelsberger served in the Green Berets, highly trained special forces who work to counter terrorism abroad and train partners. He had served in the Army since 2006, rising through the ranks with a long career of overseas assignments, deploying twice to Afghanistan and serving in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia and Congo, the Army said.

He was awarded a total of five Bronze Stars, including one with a valor device for courage under fire, a combat infantry badge and an Army Commendation Medal with valor. Livelsberger was on approved leave when he died, according to the statement.

McMahill said Livelsberger rented the Tesla electric vehicle in Denver on Saturday and the sheriff displayed a map showing that it was charged in the Colorado town of Monument near Colorado Springs on Monday. On New Year’s Eve, it was charged in Trinidad, Colorado, and the towns of Las Vegas, Albuquerque and Gallup in New Mexico, along the Interstate 40 corridor.

(Click below to watch police video of the explosion)

Then on Wednesday, the day of the explosion, it was charged in the Arizona towns of Holbrook, Flagstaff and Kingman before video showed it on the Las Vegas Strip about 7:30 a.m.

The FBI said Thursday in a post on X that it was “conducting law enforcement activity” at a home in Colorado Springs related to Wednesday's explosion but provided no other details.

The explosion of the truck, packed with firework mortars and camp fuel canisters, came hours after 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-orleans-car-bourbon-street-1685016388d65039ce62e720aab2ba14">rammed a truck into a crowd</a>&nbsp;in New Orleans’ famed French Quarter early on New Year’s Day, killing at least 15 people before being shot to death by police. That crash was being investigated as a terrorist attack. The FBI said Thursday that they believe Jabbar acted alone, reversing its position from a day earlier that he likely worked with others.

Both Livelsberger and Jabbar spent time at the base formerly known as Fort Bragg, a massive Army base in North Carolina that is home to multiple Army special operations units. However, one of the officials who spoke to the AP said there is no overlap in their assignments at the base, now called Fort Liberty.

Chris Raia, FBI deputy assistant director, said Thursday that officials have found ‘no definitive link’ between the New Orleans attack and the truck explosion in Las Vegas.

Seven people nearby suffered minor injuries when the Tesla truck exploded. Video showed a tumble of charred fireworks mortars, canisters and other explosive devices crowded into the back of the pickup. The truck bed walls were still intact because the blast shot straight up rather than to the sides.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said Wednesday afternoon on X that “we have now confirmed that the explosion was caused by very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck and is unrelated to the vehicle itself."

"All vehicle telemetry was positive at the time of the explosion,” Musk wrote.

Musk has recently become a member of Trump’s inner circle. Neither Trump nor Musk was in Las Vegas early Wednesday. Both had attended Trump’s New Year’s Eve party at his South Florida estate.

Copp, Richer and Long contributed from Washington. Associated Press writers Rio Yamat and Ken Ritter in Las Vegas and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles contributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735849426172.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LAS VEGAS (AP) — The highly decorated U.S. Army soldier inside the Tesla Cybertruck that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hotel-vehicle-fire-las-vegas-ad4c171c7a6af64f08db93d9fdc2d749">burst into flames</a>&nbsp;outside President-elect Donald Trump’s Las Vegas hotel shot himself in the head before the explosion and likely planned to cause more damage but the steel-sided vehicle absorbed much of the force from the rudimentary explosive, officials said Thursday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Las Vegas Police on Cybertruck Incident: &quot;The subject inside wasn&#39;t able to be removed for a very long period of time because he was burnt beyond recognition...the individual had sustained a gunshot wound to the head prior to the detonation of the vehicle.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/XrPi0v1Jge">pic.twitter.com/XrPi0v1Jge</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1874903063397294311?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill said at a news conference that a handgun was found at the feet of the man in the driver's seat, who officials believe is Matthew Livelsberger, 37, of Colorado. The shot appeared to be self-inflicted, officials said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735849318503.png" alt="Among items found in the truck -image Las Vegas police" />
 <figcaption>Among items found in the truck -image Las Vegas police</figcaption>
 </figure>Damage from the blast was mostly limited to the interior of the truck. The explosion “vented out and up” and didn’t hit the Trump hotel doors just a few feet away, the sheriff said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735849348874.jpeg" alt="Among the weapons recovered -image Las Vegas Police" />
 <figcaption>Among the weapons recovered -image Las Vegas Police</figcaption>
 </figure>“The level of sophistication is not what we would expect from an individual with this&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/military-extremism-pentagon-veterans-terrorism-capitol-riot-jan-6-0c1fdd7b6b761e9c9e8556a9b9e45dc9">type of military experience</a>,” said Kenny Cooper, a special agent in charge for the the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735778174814.png" alt="Police found remains of fireworks, gas canisters, lighter fluid and other explosives in the bed of the cybertruck-image Las Vegas Police" />
 <figcaption>Police found remains of fireworks, gas canisters, lighter fluid and other explosives in the bed of the cybertruck-image Las Vegas Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Among other charred items found inside the truck were a second firearm, a number of fireworks, a passport, a military ID, credit cards, an iPhone and a smartwatch, McMahill said. Authorities said both guns were purchased legally.Investigators have not definitively identified the remains as Livelsberger, but the IDs and tattoos on the body “give a strong indication that it’s him,” the sheriff said.Livelsberger served in the Green Berets, highly trained special forces who work to counter terrorism abroad and train partners. He had served in the Army since 2006, rising through the ranks with a long career of overseas assignments, deploying twice to Afghanistan and serving in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia and Congo, the Army said.He was awarded a total of five Bronze Stars, including one with a valor device for courage under fire, a combat infantry badge and an Army Commendation Medal with valor. Livelsberger was on approved leave when he died, according to the statement.McMahill said Livelsberger rented the Tesla electric vehicle in Denver on Saturday and the sheriff displayed a map showing that it was charged in the Colorado town of Monument near Colorado Springs on Monday. On New Year’s Eve, it was charged in Trinidad, Colorado, and the towns of Las Vegas, Albuquerque and Gallup in New Mexico, along the Interstate 40 corridor.(Click below to watch police video of the explosion)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FLasVegasMetro%2Fvideos%2F1763169784264920%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=570" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Then on Wednesday, the day of the explosion, it was charged in the Arizona towns of Holbrook, Flagstaff and Kingman before video showed it on the Las Vegas Strip about 7:30 a.m.The FBI said Thursday in a post on X that it was “conducting law enforcement activity” at a home in Colorado Springs related to Wednesday's explosion but provided no other details.The explosion of the truck, packed with firework mortars and camp fuel canisters, came hours after 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-orleans-car-bourbon-street-1685016388d65039ce62e720aab2ba14">rammed a truck into a crowd</a>&nbsp;in New Orleans’ famed French Quarter early on New Year’s Day, killing at least 15 people before being shot to death by police. That crash was being investigated as a terrorist attack. The FBI said Thursday that they believe Jabbar acted alone, reversing its position from a day earlier that he likely worked with others.Both Livelsberger and Jabbar spent time at the base formerly known as Fort Bragg, a massive Army base in North Carolina that is home to multiple Army special operations units. However, one of the officials who spoke to the AP said there is no overlap in their assignments at the base, now called Fort Liberty.Chris Raia, FBI deputy assistant director, said Thursday that officials have found ‘no definitive link’ between the New Orleans attack and the truck explosion in Las Vegas.Seven people nearby suffered minor injuries when the Tesla truck exploded. Video showed a tumble of charred fireworks mortars, canisters and other explosive devices crowded into the back of the pickup. The truck bed walls were still intact because the blast shot straight up rather than to the sides.Tesla CEO Elon Musk said Wednesday afternoon on X that “we have now confirmed that the explosion was caused by very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck and is unrelated to the vehicle itself.""All vehicle telemetry was positive at the time of the explosion,” Musk wrote.Musk has recently become a member of Trump’s inner circle. Neither Trump nor Musk was in Las Vegas early Wednesday. Both had attended Trump’s New Year’s Eve party at his South Florida estate.___Copp, Richer and Long contributed from Washington. Associated Press writers Rio Yamat and Ken Ritter in Las Vegas and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles contributed.

🎥New details in case of explosion in cybertruck outside Trump hotel

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

TOPEKA — The Kansas Attorney General’s Office blocked millions in school bond funds to a district in the state’s smallest county based on a rigid interpretation of a 2023 elections law.&nbsp;

Voters in the Greeley County school district, headquartered in Tribune near the state’s westernmost edge, approved in May a $4.6 million school bond for renovations and new construction, but the Attorney General’s Office refused to approve the funds.&nbsp;

“I feel like we have ignored a core tenet of our society and our government as a whole,” said John Niehues, the district superintendent. “You know, it’s the will of the people.”

The Attorney General’s Office determines whether any bond issue across the state meets legal standards. The Greeley County schools decision relied on a 2023 elections reform&nbsp;<a href="https://kslegislature.gov/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230406185329_890627/" target="_blank">bill</a>. It created a state law requiring county election officials to publish notice of an election three weeks in advance on a county election website, in addition to a traditional newspaper notice.&nbsp;

However, Greeley County, with a population of about 1,200, doesn’t have a website.

The office found the county clerk’s “non-compliance with the website notification” was equal to a failure to follow the law, said Danedri Herbert, a spokeswoman for the attorney general.&nbsp;

“This determination is purely one of compliance verification and not a judgment on the merits of or need for the bond in question,” she said.&nbsp;

In years past, when school districts or election officials were in similar situations, they relied on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch25/025_007_0016.html" target="_blank">another state law</a>&nbsp;for resolution. It says “the real will of the people may not be defeated by any technical irregularity of any officer, whenever the greater number of votes were in favor of a question submitted.”

Niehues, who has been at the district for about nine years and superintendent for four, said he was going to be OK no matter the result of the bond election. But with that acceptance also came mixed emotions.

“I don’t like that I’m the tip of the spear on this — that we chose the smallest county in Kansas to make a point,” he said.

Leading up to the May 21 primary, Niehues engaged the community to inform them about the bond, which would replace an old one and avoid tax increases for local property owners. Answers to frequently asked questions and in-depth information about the bond were — and still are — visibly posted on the school district&nbsp;<a href="https://tribuneschools.org/35934_1" target="_blank">website</a>.

“There was no way anyone in Greeley County could not have known about this school bond,” said Jerri Young, the county clerk, who has acted as the county’s elections official for about 15 years.&nbsp;

The elections law was poorly written, Young said. State law doesn’t require Kansas counties to operate a website, and no funding was attached to the 2023 bill to ensure they did.

“I still don’t have one,” she said.&nbsp;

Young said she met with Attorney General Kris Kobach and office staff. She said she felt the decision had been made before the meeting began.

Outgoing state Sen. John Doll, a Garden City Republican whose district encompasses Greeley County, supported the 2023 elections bill at the time of its passage. Before leaving office, he said, he has attempted to help the district and the county remedy the situation without success. He said he didn’t consider how stringently the Attorney General’s Office would interpret it, even when small communities like Greeley County use their schools as sources of information.

The 25-year bond issue would have funded a new gymnasium, renovations in the existing gym and a new accessible playground. A private, anonymous donor also promised to cover about 10% of the project, which totals more than $4.7 million.&nbsp;

All now hangs in the balance as local officials wait to see if the 2025 legislative session might bring change.&nbsp;

The district had limited options in how to proceed once the Attorney General’s Office refused to release the bond funds. The district could still take legal action, which Niehues isn’t fully in favor of. The Legislature could remedy the requirement through new or amended legislation. Or the district could hold another election, but there would be no guarantee that a majority of voters would approve a bond question a second time.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735849758103.png" alt="The Greeley County Schools campus in Tribune. (Greeley County Schools)" />
 <figcaption>The Greeley County Schools campus in Tribune. (Greeley County Schools)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Kansas Attorney General’s Office blocked millions in school bond funds to a district in the state’s smallest county based on a rigid interpretation of a 2023 elections law.&nbsp;Voters in the Greeley County school district, headquartered in Tribune near the state’s westernmost edge, approved in May a $4.6 million school bond for renovations and new construction, but the Attorney General’s Office refused to approve the funds.&nbsp;“I feel like we have ignored a core tenet of our society and our government as a whole,” said John Niehues, the district superintendent. “You know, it’s the will of the people.”The Attorney General’s Office determines whether any bond issue across the state meets legal standards. The Greeley County schools decision relied on a 2023 elections reform&nbsp;<a href="https://kslegislature.gov/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230406185329_890627/" target="_blank">bill</a>. It created a state law requiring county election officials to publish notice of an election three weeks in advance on a county election website, in addition to a traditional newspaper notice.&nbsp;However, Greeley County, with a population of about 1,200, doesn’t have a website.The office found the county clerk’s “non-compliance with the website notification” was equal to a failure to follow the law, said Danedri Herbert, a spokeswoman for the attorney general.&nbsp;“This determination is purely one of compliance verification and not a judgment on the merits of or need for the bond in question,” she said.&nbsp;In years past, when school districts or election officials were in similar situations, they relied on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch25/025_007_0016.html" target="_blank">another state law</a>&nbsp;for resolution. It says “the real will of the people may not be defeated by any technical irregularity of any officer, whenever the greater number of votes were in favor of a question submitted.”Niehues, who has been at the district for about nine years and superintendent for four, said he was going to be OK no matter the result of the bond election. But with that acceptance also came mixed emotions.“I don’t like that I’m the tip of the spear on this — that we chose the smallest county in Kansas to make a point,” he said.Leading up to the May 21 primary, Niehues engaged the community to inform them about the bond, which would replace an old one and avoid tax increases for local property owners. Answers to frequently asked questions and in-depth information about the bond were — and still are — visibly posted on the school district&nbsp;<a href="https://tribuneschools.org/35934_1" target="_blank">website</a>.“There was no way anyone in Greeley County could not have known about this school bond,” said Jerri Young, the county clerk, who has acted as the county’s elections official for about 15 years.&nbsp;The elections law was poorly written, Young said. State law doesn’t require Kansas counties to operate a website, and no funding was attached to the 2023 bill to ensure they did.“I still don’t have one,” she said.&nbsp;Young said she met with Attorney General Kris Kobach and office staff. She said she felt the decision had been made before the meeting began.Outgoing state Sen. John Doll, a Garden City Republican whose district encompasses Greeley County, supported the 2023 elections bill at the time of its passage. Before leaving office, he said, he has attempted to help the district and the county remedy the situation without success. He said he didn’t consider how stringently the Attorney General’s Office would interpret it, even when small communities like Greeley County use their schools as sources of information.The 25-year bond issue would have funded a new gymnasium, renovations in the existing gym and a new accessible playground. A private, anonymous donor also promised to cover about 10% of the project, which totals more than $4.7 million.&nbsp;All now hangs in the balance as local officials wait to see if the 2025 legislative session might bring change.&nbsp;The district had limited options in how to proceed once the Attorney General’s Office refused to release the bond funds. The district could still take legal action, which Niehues isn’t fully in favor of. The Legislature could remedy the requirement through new or amended legislation. Or the district could hold another election, but there would be no guarantee that a majority of voters would approve a bond question a second time.&nbsp;“We did everything,” Young, the county clerk, said, “and the people voted. It was the will of the people.”