Annaline Amelia (Wahlmeier) Lacy
passed away on September 29, 2024, at her home surrounded by her family at the
age of 105. She was born on December 13, 1918, in Jennings, KS to Henry B. and
Mary Catherine (Hickert) Wahlmeier. &nbsp;

Ann grew up in Jennings, KS and
graduated from high school in 1937. She married Vivian Francis “CY” Lacy on
April 10, 1940, at the St. Joseph Catholic Church in New Almelo. Ann’s
interests were her children. She lived to ensure they were safe, secure, and
loved. Her hobbies included anything that included her family. Ann was always
in attendance at school programs. She was a loving and compassionate mother.
She read to her kids daily, taught them rhymes, and how to love Jesus. It was
mandatory for the family to kneel and pray the Rosary together. Ann served
desserts at every meal and was best known for her homemade bread. She was an
extraordinary gardener that provided fresh produce for her family. She also
loved growing flowers, most especially zinnias and four o’clocks. Ann was
always willing to help a stranger and those less fortunate. She volunteered for
the Altar Society by helping with meal preparations for church events. On top
of caring for her family, she was also the bookkeeper for the family business.
Ann loved to exercise, especially walking long distances. She enjoyed sewing
her family’s garments and embroidered for relaxation. Learning to dance at barn
dances when she was small led her to dance gracefully and effortlessly. Ann
loved to dance and found great joy in dancing with others. Crosswords and
playing solitaire were also favorite pastimes. 

Ann is survived by her 13
children: Joyce Boeve of Phillipsburg, KS, Ron (Mary) Lacy of Kearney, NE, Dan
(Sharon) Lacy of Colorado Springs, CO, David Lacy of Hays, KS, William Lacy of
Hays, KS, Judy (Wayne) Kreller of Lubbock, TX, Mary (Jerry) Wiley of Hays, KS,
Mike (Sally) Lacy of Hays, KS, Gary (Jeanette) Lacy of Norton, KS, Kevin Lacy
(Cheryl Smith) of Norton, KS, Lisa VanZandt of Norton, KS, Denise Lacy of Hays,
KS, and Connie Lacy (Brian Luther) of Norton, KS; 30 grandchildren; 58 great
grandchildren; 14 great-great grandchildren, and sister, Henrietta Sloan of
Richardson, TX. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, CY and
siblings: Lawrence Wahlmeier, Francis Wahlmeier, Alfred Wahlmeier, and Viola
Tacha. 

Mass of Christian Burial will be
2:00 p.m., Saturday, October 5, 2024, at the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic
Church, Norton. Burial will follow in the Norton Cemetery. Visitation will be
from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m., Friday, October 4 at the funeral home. A Wake Service
and Rosary will follow the visitation at 7:00 p.m., at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church
or Lewy Body Dementia Association and sent in care of Plumer-Gobber Funeral
Home, 215 W. Main St., Norton, KS 67654. Condolences may be left at <a href="http://www.plumergobber.com">www.plumergobber.com</a>

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727974087710.jpeg" alt="Annaline Amelia (Wahlmeier) Lacy" />
                        <figcaption>Annaline Amelia (Wahlmeier) Lacy</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Annaline Amelia (Wahlmeier) Lacy
passed away on September 29, 2024, at her home surrounded by her family at the
age of 105. She was born on December 13, 1918, in Jennings, KS to Henry B. and
Mary Catherine (Hickert) Wahlmeier. &nbsp;</p><p>Ann grew up in Jennings, KS and
graduated from high school in 1937. She married Vivian Francis “CY” Lacy on
April 10, 1940, at the St. Joseph Catholic Church in New Almelo. Ann’s
interests were her children. She lived to ensure they were safe, secure, and
loved. Her hobbies included anything that included her family. Ann was always
in attendance at school programs. She was a loving and compassionate mother.
She read to her kids daily, taught them rhymes, and how to love Jesus. It was
mandatory for the family to kneel and pray the Rosary together. Ann served
desserts at every meal and was best known for her homemade bread. She was an
extraordinary gardener that provided fresh produce for her family. She also
loved growing flowers, most especially zinnias and four o’clocks. Ann was
always willing to help a stranger and those less fortunate. She volunteered for
the Altar Society by helping with meal preparations for church events. On top
of caring for her family, she was also the bookkeeper for the family business.
Ann loved to exercise, especially walking long distances. She enjoyed sewing
her family’s garments and embroidered for relaxation. Learning to dance at barn
dances when she was small led her to dance gracefully and effortlessly. Ann
loved to dance and found great joy in dancing with others. Crosswords and
playing solitaire were also favorite pastimes. </p><p>Ann is survived by her 13
children: Joyce Boeve of Phillipsburg, KS, Ron (Mary) Lacy of Kearney, NE, Dan
(Sharon) Lacy of Colorado Springs, CO, David Lacy of Hays, KS, William Lacy of
Hays, KS, Judy (Wayne) Kreller of Lubbock, TX, Mary (Jerry) Wiley of Hays, KS,
Mike (Sally) Lacy of Hays, KS, Gary (Jeanette) Lacy of Norton, KS, Kevin Lacy
(Cheryl Smith) of Norton, KS, Lisa VanZandt of Norton, KS, Denise Lacy of Hays,
KS, and Connie Lacy (Brian Luther) of Norton, KS; 30 grandchildren; 58 great
grandchildren; 14 great-great grandchildren, and sister, Henrietta Sloan of
Richardson, TX. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, CY and
siblings: Lawrence Wahlmeier, Francis Wahlmeier, Alfred Wahlmeier, and Viola
Tacha. </p><p>Mass of Christian Burial will be
2:00 p.m., Saturday, October 5, 2024, at the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic
Church, Norton. Burial will follow in the Norton Cemetery. Visitation will be
from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m., Friday, October 4 at the funeral home. A Wake Service
and Rosary will follow the visitation at 7:00 p.m., at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church
or Lewy Body Dementia Association and sent in care of Plumer-Gobber Funeral
Home, 215 W. Main St., Norton, KS 67654. Condolences may be left at <a href="http://www.plumergobber.com">www.plumergobber.com</a></p>

Annaline Amelia (Wahlmeier) Lacy

John Rupp, a respected member of the Ellis community and a
devoted family man, passed away on October 1, 2024, at the Good Samaritan
Society in Ellis, Kansas at the age of 94. Born on November 8, 1929, in Hays,
Kansas, to Ignatius J. and Mary K. (Wolf) Rupp. John lived a life marked by
dedication to his career, family, and service to others.



John embarked on his professional journey with the Knights of Columbus
Insurance, showcasing his commitment to helping others right from the start.
His career in public service began as he took on roles such as the Ellis County
Treasurer and the Ellis City Clerk. In 1963, he started his banking career at
Ellis State Bank, beginning as a cashier and advancing to the position of
Senior Vice President by the time of his retirement in 1992.



His educational journey began at St. Mary’s School, followed by St. Joseph's
Military Academy in Hays. He graduated from Fort Hays State University in 1951,
laying the foundation for a fruitful career. Throughout his life, John was
known for his professional demeanor, kindness, and ability to engage with
others while sharing a joke or two. As a proud father and grandfather, he
cherished his family deeply and relished the joys of family gatherings.



John's involvement with the Knights of Columbus was a significant aspect of his
life; he was an active participant in both the local Ellis 3rd and 4th degree
councils, and on a state level, he served as treasurer, secretary, State
Deputy, and Past State Deputy. His achievements were a source of pride for him,
particularly his role as a mentor and leader within the organization.



John is survived by his son, Steven Rupp (JoAnne) of Colorado Springs, CO;
daughters, Marilyn Kroeger (Steve), Paulette Kroeger (Greg), and Ann Gugler
(Doug), all of Ellis; and his stepchildren, Greg Heroneme, Denise Dresie, Karla
Stallings, and Tom Heroneme. He is also remembered fondly by his brother, Tim
Rupp (Terri) of New Smyrna Beach, Florida, and his sister, Sr. Marilyn Rupp ASC
of Wichita, Kansas. John found joy in his grandchildren: Erica, Jared, Terri,
Tracey, John, Brittany, Scott, and Tanner, as well as his step-grandchildren,
Jared, Steven, Elizabeth and Rebbeca. He was blessed with ten
great-grandchildren and six step great-grandchildren.



John was preceded in death by his beloved first wife, Theresa Schuster, whom he
married on November 11, 1952, and who passed away on July 19, 1989. He later
married Arlene Heroneme on November 26, 1993, who preceded him in death on
March 1, 2017. He also mourned the loss of his siblings: Roger Rupp, Brian
Rupp, Glenna Lewis, Anita Gilmore, his infant siblings, Roger, Edwarda and Mary
while also having to say goodbye to his grandson, Anthony.



Funeral services will be 10:30 AM Monday, October 7, 2024 at St. Mary's
Catholic Church in Ellis. 

Inurnment will follow in the church cemetery.



Memorial visitation will be Monday 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM at the church with a
Knights of Columbus rosary service at 10:00 AM.



Memorial contributions are suggested to St. Mary's Church or the K of C State
Charities Aid Foundation.



John Rupp leaves behind a legacy that embodies the values of service, family,
and community. He will be missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.
Words of comfort and memories may be shared on John's tribute page at <a href="http://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com">www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com</a>.



Services in care of Keithley Funeral Chapel 400 E. 17th Ellis, KS 67637.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727874781548.jpeg" alt="John Rupp" />
                        <figcaption>John Rupp</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>John Rupp, a respected member of the Ellis community and a
devoted family man, passed away on October 1, 2024, at the Good Samaritan
Society in Ellis, Kansas at the age of 94. Born on November 8, 1929, in Hays,
Kansas, to Ignatius J. and Mary K. (Wolf) Rupp. John lived a life marked by
dedication to his career, family, and service to others.</p><p>

John embarked on his professional journey with the Knights of Columbus
Insurance, showcasing his commitment to helping others right from the start.
His career in public service began as he took on roles such as the Ellis County
Treasurer and the Ellis City Clerk. In 1963, he started his banking career at
Ellis State Bank, beginning as a cashier and advancing to the position of
Senior Vice President by the time of his retirement in 1992.</p><p>

His educational journey began at St. Mary’s School, followed by St. Joseph's
Military Academy in Hays. He graduated from Fort Hays State University in 1951,
laying the foundation for a fruitful career. Throughout his life, John was
known for his professional demeanor, kindness, and ability to engage with
others while sharing a joke or two. As a proud father and grandfather, he
cherished his family deeply and relished the joys of family gatherings.</p><p>

John's involvement with the Knights of Columbus was a significant aspect of his
life; he was an active participant in both the local Ellis 3rd and 4th degree
councils, and on a state level, he served as treasurer, secretary, State
Deputy, and Past State Deputy. His achievements were a source of pride for him,
particularly his role as a mentor and leader within the organization.
</p><p>
John is survived by his son, Steven Rupp (JoAnne) of Colorado Springs, CO;
daughters, Marilyn Kroeger (Steve), Paulette Kroeger (Greg), and Ann Gugler
(Doug), all of Ellis; and his stepchildren, Greg Heroneme, Denise Dresie, Karla
Stallings, and Tom Heroneme. He is also remembered fondly by his brother, Tim
Rupp (Terri) of New Smyrna Beach, Florida, and his sister, Sr. Marilyn Rupp ASC
of Wichita, Kansas. John found joy in his grandchildren: Erica, Jared, Terri,
Tracey, John, Brittany, Scott, and Tanner, as well as his step-grandchildren,
Jared, Steven, Elizabeth and Rebbeca. He was blessed with ten
great-grandchildren and six step great-grandchildren.
</p><p>
John was preceded in death by his beloved first wife, Theresa Schuster, whom he
married on November 11, 1952, and who passed away on July 19, 1989. He later
married Arlene Heroneme on November 26, 1993, who preceded him in death on
March 1, 2017. He also mourned the loss of his siblings: Roger Rupp, Brian
Rupp, Glenna Lewis, Anita Gilmore, his infant siblings, Roger, Edwarda and Mary
while also having to say goodbye to his grandson, Anthony.</p><p>

Funeral services will be 10:30 AM Monday, October 7, 2024 at St. Mary's
Catholic Church in Ellis. </p><p>Inurnment will follow in the church cemetery.</p><p>

Memorial visitation will be Monday 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM at the church with a
Knights of Columbus rosary service at 10:00 AM.</p><p>

Memorial contributions are suggested to St. Mary's Church or the K of C State
Charities Aid Foundation.
</p><p>
John Rupp leaves behind a legacy that embodies the values of service, family,
and community. He will be missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.
Words of comfort and memories may be shared on John's tribute page at <a href="http://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com">www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com</a>.</p><p>

Services in care of Keithley Funeral Chapel 400 E. 17th Ellis, KS 67637.</p>

John Rupp

BALTIMORE (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. beat out an infield single to drive in the go-ahead run and send the Kansas City Royals into an AL Division Series with a 2-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday for a two-game sweep of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-orioles-al-wild-card-b1a51520c564ba2d18ce0c95d6761758">their Wild Card Series</a>.

With two outs and runners at the corners in sixth inning, Witt hit a grounder to the edge of the dirt behind second base, where Jordan Westburg made a diving stop and throw to first. Witt was already there after zooming 90 feet in 4.14 seconds, allowing Kyle Isbel to score from third.

It was the second consecutive game in which the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bobby-witt-jr">AL batting champion</a>&nbsp;provided the decisive hit. Witt's RBI single in Tuesday's series opener plated the only run&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-baseball-playoffs-2024-royals-orioles-088619707dc5aed035f49ee0fbbce578">in a 1-0 victory</a>.

“You never know when this opportunity ever is going to happen again, so got to make the most of it while you have it,” Witt said. “That’s the fun part of this game. This is why we do it, these situations here.”

Kansas City, which endured two seven-game losing streaks over the final month of the season, advanced to face the AL East champion New York Yankees. Game 1 is Saturday in the Bronx.

Cedric Mullins homered for the Orioles, who fell to 0-5 during two quick playoff exits the past two years. Baltimore has dropped its last 10 postseason games.

The new-look Royals lost 106 games last season but used a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/97e7e58c4c2257c95fa0bebe10cc7144">30-win improvement</a>&nbsp;to get back to October for the first time since winning the 2015 World Series.

Second baseman Michael Massey, who led off the game with a double and scored on a single by Vinnie Pasquantino, said the front office bringing in experienced veterans with playoff experience like Tommy Pham, Yuli Gurriel, Michael Wacha and Will Smith made this possible.

“They’ve been there before, they’ve done it, so I think it’s helped a lot of guys,” Massey said. “It’s helped us, for sure me, to be around those guys and just watch them, more than anything, and see how they go about their business, has been — I think that’s helped us stay even keel.”

The Royals left 12 runners on base and got through another close game with a razor-thin margin for error thanks to some masterful managing by Matt Quatraro, himself a postseason rookie like Witt, Game 1 winner Cole Ragans and so many others.

Quatraro let starter Seth Lugo get an out after loading the bases with nobody out in the fifth before spinning up bullpen roulette, starting with winning pitcher Angel Zerpa, who got KC out of that jam and then got the first out of the sixth. John Schreiber got three more outs, Sam Long two, Kris Bubic three and Lucas Erceg the final three to earn his second save of the series.

“It’s so impressive that they believe in themselves and they trust their stuff and they just come after some of the best hitters in the world,” Quatraro said.

The Orioles were swept in their only playoff series for a second consecutive year, going 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position this time and 5 for 32 combined. They face numerous offseason questions, from the future of manager Brandon Hyde to the possibility of losing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2c5a9a7c148b2c2d84994ab3fcc705fd">pending free-agent starter Corbin Burnes</a>.

“Especially when you lose like this, there’s frustration, there’s anger, there’s disappointment because you felt like there was opportunities there in those couple games to change the score, and it didn’t happen,” Hyde said.

Orioles: LF Colton Cowser broke his left hand when it was hit by the ball as he struck out swinging in the fifth. He exited after six innings.

The Royals face&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/carlos-rodon-yankees-alds-ed2934c198986eff681314996cc63641">Yankees ace Gerrit Cole</a>&nbsp;in the opener of their ALDS, with any starter but Ragans or Lugo rested and ready to go. Wacha had been in line to start Game 3 against Baltimore.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727914133285.png" alt="Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. (7) hits a single as home plate umpire Ben May, left, and Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman look on during the third inning in Game 2 of an AL Wild Card Series baseball game, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024 in Baltimore. (Stephanie Scarbrough/AP)" />
                        <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. (7) hits a single as home plate umpire Ben May, left, and Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman look on during the third inning in Game 2 of an AL Wild Card Series baseball game, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024 in Baltimore. (Stephanie Scarbrough/AP)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>BALTIMORE (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. beat out an infield single to drive in the go-ahead run and send the Kansas City Royals into an AL Division Series with a 2-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday for a two-game sweep of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-orioles-al-wild-card-b1a51520c564ba2d18ce0c95d6761758">their Wild Card Series</a>.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🗣️ This never gets old! <a href="https://t.co/SiSDUcYYBA">pic.twitter.com/SiSDUcYYBA</a></p>&mdash; Kansas City Royals (@Royals) <a href="https://twitter.com/Royals/status/1841646441241968641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>With two outs and runners at the corners in sixth inning, Witt hit a grounder to the edge of the dirt behind second base, where Jordan Westburg made a diving stop and throw to first. Witt was already there after zooming 90 feet in 4.14 seconds, allowing Kyle Isbel to score from third.</p><p>"I just had to try to run," Witt said.</p><p>It was the second consecutive game in which the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bobby-witt-jr">AL batting champion</a>&nbsp;provided the decisive hit. Witt's RBI single in Tuesday's series opener plated the only run&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-baseball-playoffs-2024-royals-orioles-088619707dc5aed035f49ee0fbbce578">in a 1-0 victory</a>.</p><p>“You never know when this opportunity ever is going to happen again, so got to make the most of it while you have it,” Witt said. “That’s the fun part of this game. This is why we do it, these situations here.”</p><p>Kansas City, which endured two seven-game losing streaks over the final month of the season, advanced to face the AL East champion New York Yankees. Game 1 is Saturday in the Bronx.</p><p>Cedric Mullins homered for the Orioles, who fell to 0-5 during two quick playoff exits the past two years. Baltimore has dropped its last 10 postseason games.</p><p>The new-look Royals lost 106 games last season but used a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/97e7e58c4c2257c95fa0bebe10cc7144">30-win improvement</a>&nbsp;to get back to October for the first time since winning the 2015 World Series.</p><p>Second baseman Michael Massey, who led off the game with a double and scored on a single by Vinnie Pasquantino, said the front office bringing in experienced veterans with playoff experience like Tommy Pham, Yuli Gurriel, Michael Wacha and Will Smith made this possible.</p><p>“They’ve been there before, they’ve done it, so I think it’s helped a lot of guys,” Massey said. “It’s helped us, for sure me, to be around those guys and just watch them, more than anything, and see how they go about their business, has been — I think that’s helped us stay even keel.”</p><p>The Royals left 12 runners on base and got through another close game with a razor-thin margin for error thanks to some masterful managing by Matt Quatraro, himself a postseason rookie like Witt, Game 1 winner Cole Ragans and so many others.</p><p>Quatraro let starter Seth Lugo get an out after loading the bases with nobody out in the fifth before spinning up bullpen roulette, starting with winning pitcher Angel Zerpa, who got KC out of that jam and then got the first out of the sixth. John Schreiber got three more outs, Sam Long two, Kris Bubic three and Lucas Erceg the final three to earn his second save of the series.</p><p>“It’s so impressive that they believe in themselves and they trust their stuff and they just come after some of the best hitters in the world,” Quatraro said.</p><p>Cionel Pérez took the loss.</p><p>The Orioles were swept in their only playoff series for a second consecutive year, going 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position this time and 5 for 32 combined. They face numerous offseason questions, from the future of manager Brandon Hyde to the possibility of losing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2c5a9a7c148b2c2d84994ab3fcc705fd">pending free-agent starter Corbin Burnes</a>.</p><p>“Especially when you lose like this, there’s frustration, there’s anger, there’s disappointment because you felt like there was opportunities there in those couple games to change the score, and it didn’t happen,” Hyde said.</p><p>TRAINER’S ROOM</p><p>Orioles: LF Colton Cowser broke his left hand when it was hit by the ball as he struck out swinging in the fifth. He exited after six innings.</p><p>UP NEXT</p><p>The Royals face&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/carlos-rodon-yankees-alds-ed2934c198986eff681314996cc63641">Yankees ace Gerrit Cole</a>&nbsp;in the opener of their ALDS, with any starter but Ragans or Lugo rested and ready to go. Wacha had been in line to start Game 3 against Baltimore.</p><p>___</p>

⚾ Royals advance to the ALDS with sweep of the Orioles

&nbsp;September 29, 2024, Janice (Handlin)
Stites, 86, of Hill City, Kansas passed away in Wichita joining her beloved
husband, Dennis. Janice was born February 25,&nbsp;1938, to Herman and Agnes
(Hudson) Handlin on a farm in Ellsworth County, Kansas. She began her school
years at Trivoli Country School through eighth&nbsp;grade.&nbsp; Janice then
attended Geneseo High School. Following high school graduation, she enrolled at
Fort Hays State for one year. While there she met her future husband Dennis
Stites of Hill City.&nbsp; Janice and Dennis were married September 29, 1957,
in Geneseo. The couple made their home in southern Graham County.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;In
addition to being a busy farmer’s wife, Janice was the mother of two active
children, Sandy and Roger. She was an avid gardener.&nbsp; Janice took great satisfaction in canning the
fresh vegetables that she had grown. Besides helping with 4H, she was a very
involved member of EHU. &nbsp;As a longtime
member of the local Eastern Star Chapter, Janice held numerous local, district
and state positions within the Order.&nbsp; She also served as Mothern Advisor for
the Rainbow Girls.

Janice
was preceded in death by her parents and her husband.&nbsp; She is survived by a
son Roger Stites (Mary) of Birmingham, Alabama; a daughter Sandy Jones (Dennis)
of Edmond, Oklahoma; three grandchildren:&nbsp;
Taylor Jones, of Wichita, Riley Jones, and Jay (Kate) Peterson of Edmond,
Oklahoma; five great grandchildren: Cooper, Presley, Myles, Skylar and Grace
Peterson, all of Edmond, Oklahoma; and a sister Darlene Rush (Kermit) of
Ellsworth, Kansas.&nbsp;

Visitation
- Friday, October 4, 2024, from 3 to 7 p.m. at Stinemetz Funeral Home, Hill
City, Kansas, with family present from 5 to 7 p.m. Funeral service - Saturday,
October 5, 2024, 10:30 a.m. at Stinemetz Funeral Home. Memorials – Donor’s
Choice may be sent to Stinemetz Funeral Home, 522 N. Pomeroy, Hill City, KS
67642. Condolences for the family may be left at our website - www.stinemetzfh.com

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727899380144.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;Janice (Handlin) Stites" />
                        <figcaption>&nbsp;Janice (Handlin) Stites</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>&nbsp;September 29, 2024, Janice (Handlin)
Stites, 86, of Hill City, Kansas passed away in Wichita joining her beloved
husband, Dennis. Janice was born February 25,&nbsp;1938, to Herman and Agnes
(Hudson) Handlin on a farm in Ellsworth County, Kansas. She began her school
years at Trivoli Country School through eighth&nbsp;grade.&nbsp; Janice then
attended Geneseo High School. Following high school graduation, she enrolled at
Fort Hays State for one year. While there she met her future husband Dennis
Stites of Hill City.&nbsp; Janice and Dennis were married September 29, 1957,
in Geneseo. The couple made their home in southern Graham County.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;In
addition to being a busy farmer’s wife, Janice was the mother of two active
children, Sandy and Roger. She was an avid gardener.&nbsp; Janice took great satisfaction in canning the
fresh vegetables that she had grown. Besides helping with 4H, she was a very
involved member of EHU. &nbsp;As a longtime
member of the local Eastern Star Chapter, Janice held numerous local, district
and state positions within the Order.&nbsp; She also served as Mothern Advisor for
the Rainbow Girls.</p><p>Janice
was preceded in death by her parents and her husband.&nbsp; She is survived by a
son Roger Stites (Mary) of Birmingham, Alabama; a daughter Sandy Jones (Dennis)
of Edmond, Oklahoma; three grandchildren:&nbsp;
Taylor Jones, of Wichita, Riley Jones, and Jay (Kate) Peterson of Edmond,
Oklahoma; five great grandchildren: Cooper, Presley, Myles, Skylar and Grace
Peterson, all of Edmond, Oklahoma; and a sister Darlene Rush (Kermit) of
Ellsworth, Kansas.&nbsp;</p><p>Visitation
- Friday, October 4, 2024, from 3 to 7 p.m. at Stinemetz Funeral Home, Hill
City, Kansas, with family present from 5 to 7 p.m. Funeral service - Saturday,
October 5, 2024, 10:30 a.m. at Stinemetz Funeral Home. Memorials – Donor’s
Choice may be sent to Stinemetz Funeral Home, 522 N. Pomeroy, Hill City, KS
67642. Condolences for the family may be left at our website - www.stinemetzfh.com</p>

 Janice (Handlin) Stites

&nbsp;WASHINGTON —Vice presidential nominees JD Vance and Tim Walz met on the the debate stage Tuesday night in New York.&nbsp; &nbsp;Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall used his social media account to share his opinion of the outcome and a portion of his national television interview.

Marshall said. "JD Vance walked into the debate last night with a handful of aces and queens to share Donald Trump’s accomplishments, from the economy to the southern border."

"Tim Walz came with twos and threes and could barely defend Kamala’s failed policies."

<p>&nbsp;WASHINGTON —Vice presidential nominees JD Vance and Tim Walz met on the the debate stage Tuesday night in New York.&nbsp; &nbsp;Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall used his social media account to share his opinion of the outcome and a portion of his national television interview.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JDVance</a> walked into the debate last night with a handful of aces and queens to share Donald Trump’s accomplishments, from the economy to the southern border. <br><br>Tim Walz came with twos and threes and could barely defend Kamala’s failed policies. <a href="https://t.co/ujuVNKJ9KK">pic.twitter.com/ujuVNKJ9KK</a></p>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1841522065611849800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Marshall said. "JD Vance walked into the debate last night with a handful of aces and queens to share Donald Trump’s accomplishments, from the economy to the southern border."</p><p>"Tim Walz came with twos and threes and could barely defend Kamala’s failed policies."</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JDVance</a> was a true class act - he won tonights debate by a landslide. 🏆 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VPDebate2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VPDebate2024</a></p>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1841311773397303420?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JDVance</a> graduated from the school of hard knocks AND Yale. There’s no beating that combo- he’s lived the American Dream and no one better than him and Trump to keep it alive. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VPDebate?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VPDebate</a></p>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1841286609536225380?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">It almost seems like <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JDVance</a> did interviews to prepare for this… <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VPDebate2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VPDebate2024</a></p>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1841306293950202210?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Election Day is November 5.</p>

🎥Kansas U.S. Senator shares opinion of VP candidate debate

Fort Hays State University launched a historic affiliation partnership with North Central Kansas Technical College and Northwest Kansas Technical College in July of this year.

This fall,&nbsp;14,617 students, including 8,998 Kansans, are enrolled at one of the three Fort Hays institutions.

 Enrollment at Fort Hays Tech | North Central is up 3.1 percent, with 987 online and on-campus students in Hays and Beloit. This figure includes 966 Kansans.

Enrollment at Fort Hays Tech | Northwest campus in Goodland is up 3.7 percent at 752 online and on-campus students, including 577 Kansans.

Fall 2024 enrollment at Fort Hays State University, Kansas’ largest comprehensive regional public university, is 12,878 students. 

This figure includes 1,000 first-time new undergraduate (non-transfer) students, an increase of more than 9 percent over last year, a 3 percent overall increase in total graduate students, and campus residence halls operating at 97 percent capacity. 

This fall, 7,455 students, or more than 78 percent of FHSU’s domestic (U.S.) student population, are Kansans. This reflects a 2 percent increase in Kansans served over fall 2023.

Fort Hays State University's year-over-year change is an increase of .3 percent and a decrease of 19 percent over five years, according to the Kansas Board of Regents.

The Regents system experienced a 4 percent increase overall. The six state universities, which includes FHSU, saw a 2.3 percent increase in students overall.

<a href="https://www.kansasregents.org/about/news-releases/2024-news-releases/913-board-of-regents-announces-2024-fall-semester-enrollment">You can read the report for the full regents system here.&nbsp;</a>

“Unmatched affordability, innovative and student-focused academic programs, and the ethic of care of the dedicated faculty and staff at our three institutions make a Fort Hays education the best value in education, anywhere,” said FHSU President Dr. Tisa Mason. 

“We have only just begun to create the academic programs and cultivate the essential community and business partnerships that will drive future enrollment growth and allow FHSU, Fort Hays Tech | North Central, and Fort Hays Tech | Northwest to realize our shared goal of becoming valued partners in expanding economic prosperity across the High Plains of rural Kansas.”

The total enrollment count at FHSU includes students on-campus in Hays, online worldwide, and at the university’s five international partner campuses in Africa, Asia and South America.

1. Overall – 12,878<br>2. On campus – 3,742<br>3. FHSU Online – 5,974<br>4. International Partner campuses– 3,162

Scholarships fuel enrollment increases in new first-year students

FHSU’s decades-long commitment to offering the most affordable public university education in Kansas drove enrollment growth among new first-year students. Annual tuition and fees at FHSU remain the lowest among Kansas’ seven public universities, more than $3,200 per year less than the average of the state’s public institutions and over $5,300 lower than the national average.

A key driver behind FHSU’s overall enrollment growth this fall is the unmatched value and variety of scholarship offerings, with several designed for new undergraduate students. FHSU offers a series of Tiger Freshmen Scholarships that range from $8,000 to $15,000 per year and several Tiger Transfer Scholarships that range from $500 to $2,500. 

“The financial needs of college students are ever-changing, and we are constantly looking for ways to make a Fort Hays education more affordable,” said Dennis King, associate vice president for enrollment leadership. 

“This last year, we launched the EmpowerED Dream, a $1,500 income-based housing scholarship program for new, incoming, first-time, full-time Kansas freshmen and transfer students.”

Enrollment growth in critical-need academic programs

Enrollment in academic programs that prepare graduates for service in critical-need professions grew this fall. 

Undergraduate enrollment growth leaders in this category include Allied Health (Medical Diagnostic Imaging, Medical Imaging, and Radiologic Technology), Education, Nursing, Psychology, and Social Work. 

Likewise, several of FHSU ’s graduate programs in critical-need fields remain in high demand, including Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), Education Administration, Master of Business Administration (MBA), School Counseling, School Psychology, Special Education, Social Work, and Transition to Teaching.

Expanding early college opportunities for high school students

This fall, the number of high school students taking advantage of early college opportunities was another significant growth area. 

The Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science (KAMS/AMS), FHSU’s early college program, saw enrollment growth of 36 percent, and the number of area high school students enrolled in FHSU concurrent credit courses increased by 14 percent to 247 students.

Take a closer look at Fort Hays State University.

The best way for future students to preview the unmatched value of the Fort Hays experience is to sign up for the October 12 Tiger Day. Go to <a href="http://fhsu.edu/admissions/events/tiger-day">fhsu.edu/admissions/events/tiger-day</a> to learn more. For more information on Scholarship opportunities, go to <a href="http://fhsu.edu/admissions">fhsu.edu/admissions</a> and click “Scholarships.”

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692359617414.jpeg" alt="File photo" />
                        <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
                    </figure><p><i>By FHSU University Communications</i></p><p>Fort Hays State University launched a historic affiliation partnership with North Central Kansas Technical College and Northwest Kansas Technical College in July of this year.</p><p>This fall,&nbsp;14,617 students, including 8,998 Kansans, are enrolled at one of the three Fort Hays institutions.</p><p> Enrollment at Fort Hays Tech | North Central is up 3.1 percent, with 987 online and on-campus students in Hays and Beloit. This figure includes 966 Kansans.</p><p>Enrollment at Fort Hays Tech | Northwest campus in Goodland is up 3.7 percent at 752 online and on-campus students, including 577 Kansans.</p><p>Fall 2024 enrollment at Fort Hays State University, Kansas’ largest comprehensive regional public university, is 12,878 students. </p><p>This figure includes 1,000 first-time new undergraduate (non-transfer) students, an increase of more than 9 percent over last year, a 3 percent overall increase in total graduate students, and campus residence halls operating at 97 percent capacity. </p><p>This fall, 7,455 students, or more than 78 percent of FHSU’s domestic (U.S.) student population, are Kansans. This reflects a 2 percent increase in Kansans served over fall 2023.</p><p>Fort Hays State University's year-over-year change is an increase of .3 percent and a decrease of 19 percent over five years, according to the Kansas Board of Regents.</p><p>The Regents system experienced a 4 percent increase overall. The six state universities, which includes FHSU, saw a 2.3 percent increase in students overall.</p><p><a href="https://www.kansasregents.org/about/news-releases/2024-news-releases/913-board-of-regents-announces-2024-fall-semester-enrollment">You can read the report for the full regents system here.&nbsp;</a></p><p>“Unmatched affordability, innovative and student-focused academic programs, and the ethic of care of the dedicated faculty and staff at our three institutions make a Fort Hays education the best value in education, anywhere,” said FHSU President Dr. Tisa Mason. </p><p>“We have only just begun to create the academic programs and cultivate the essential community and business partnerships that will drive future enrollment growth and allow FHSU, Fort Hays Tech | North Central, and Fort Hays Tech | Northwest to realize our shared goal of becoming valued partners in expanding economic prosperity across the High Plains of rural Kansas.”</p><h2>Fall 2024 FHSU enrollment at a glance</h2><p>The total enrollment count at FHSU includes students on-campus in Hays, online worldwide, and at the university’s five international partner campuses in Africa, Asia and South America.</p><h2>FHSU fall 2024 enrollment</h2><p>1. Overall – 12,878<br>2. On campus – 3,742<br>3. FHSU Online – 5,974<br>4. International Partner campuses– 3,162</p><h2>Scholarships fuel enrollment increases in new first-year students</h2><p>FHSU’s decades-long commitment to offering the most affordable public university education in Kansas drove enrollment growth among new first-year students. Annual tuition and fees at FHSU remain the lowest among Kansas’ seven public universities, more than $3,200 per year less than the average of the state’s public institutions and over $5,300 lower than the national average.</p><p>A key driver behind FHSU’s overall enrollment growth this fall is the unmatched value and variety of scholarship offerings, with several designed for new undergraduate students. FHSU offers a series of Tiger Freshmen Scholarships that range from $8,000 to $15,000 per year and several Tiger Transfer Scholarships that range from $500 to $2,500. </p><p>“The financial needs of college students are ever-changing, and we are constantly looking for ways to make a Fort Hays education more affordable,” said Dennis King, associate vice president for enrollment leadership. </p><p>“This last year, we launched the EmpowerED Dream, a $1,500 income-based housing scholarship program for new, incoming, first-time, full-time Kansas freshmen and transfer students.”</p><h2>Enrollment growth in critical-need academic programs</h2><p>Enrollment in academic programs that prepare graduates for service in critical-need professions grew this fall. </p><p>Undergraduate enrollment growth leaders in this category include Allied Health (Medical Diagnostic Imaging, Medical Imaging, and Radiologic Technology), Education, Nursing, Psychology, and Social Work. </p><p>Likewise, several of FHSU ’s graduate programs in critical-need fields remain in high demand, including Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), Education Administration, Master of Business Administration (MBA), School Counseling, School Psychology, Special Education, Social Work, and Transition to Teaching.</p><h2>Expanding early college opportunities for high school students</h2><p>This fall, the number of high school students taking advantage of early college opportunities was another significant growth area. </p><p>The Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science (KAMS/AMS), FHSU’s early college program, saw enrollment growth of 36 percent, and the number of area high school students enrolled in FHSU concurrent credit courses increased by 14 percent to 247 students.</p><h2>Take a closer look at Fort Hays State University.</h2><p>The best way for future students to preview the unmatched value of the Fort Hays experience is to sign up for the October 12 Tiger Day. Go to <a href="http://fhsu.edu/admissions/events/tiger-day">fhsu.edu/admissions/events/tiger-day</a> to learn more. For more information on Scholarship opportunities, go to <a href="http://fhsu.edu/admissions">fhsu.edu/admissions</a> and click “Scholarships.”</p>

Fall enrollment in Fort Hays programs marked by growth in several key areas

LAWRENCE — It’s a record year for the University of Kansas.

KU has its largest freshman class and its highest overall enrollment in history, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://aire.ku.edu/enrollment">annual data released Wednesday</a>

The record-setting freshman class includes 5,323 new Jayhawks — an increase of 1.2% from last year’s class, which at the time was the largest in KU history, according to a media release from the university.

Beyond the freshman class, KU’s overall enrollment has grown 4.8% to 30,770, eclipsing the previous all-time mark of 30,102 set in 2008. This increase includes a 5.6% jump at the Lawrence and Edwards campuses (which are counted together) and a 0.1% decrease at the KU Medical Center campuses.

“This is a special year for the University of Kansas,” said Chancellor Douglas A. Girod. “We are pleased to welcome this historic freshman class and to have grown our overall enrollment to the highest level in the 159-year history of the institution. These numbers confirm that talented students from across Kansas and the world see the value of attending a leading research institution like KU. Additionally, these enrollment numbers speak to the work our faculty and staff do to recruit talented students and support them as they earn their degrees.”

Freshman class size, talent and diversity

In addition to its historic size, this year’s freshman class is talented and diverse. The class boasts a record-high average high school GPA of 3.68. Minority students comprise 26.5% of the class, while out-of-state students account for a record-high 45% of the class.

Moreover, these first-year Jayhawks are entering fields that benefit the Kansas economy and strengthen Kansas communities, with all-time high numbers of freshmen enrolled in the School of Business, School of Education &amp; Human Sciences and School of Journalism.

“While we are pleased to have grown the size of our freshman class,” Girod said, “we are especially proud to have grown with talented, diverse students who are poised to address Kansas’ workforce needs in high-impact fields. Kansas employers look to KU as an engine of economic growth, and these freshmen will help us fulfill that role.”

KU leaders attribute the historic class to the university’s academic reputation and course offerings, recruitment strategies, nationwide network of donors and alumni, athletics profile and financial support from Kansas lawmakers.

Today’s data also include record-setting retention and graduation rates. This year, KU retained a record-high 86.5% of last year’s freshmen while also notching record-high four-year, five-year and six-year graduation rates.

“The number of new freshmen is the metric that often grabs the headlines, but equally important to our mission and overall enrollment is ensuring that we retain and support existing students as they work toward their degrees,” Girod said. “That’s why we are so proud of this year’s record-setting retention and graduation rates, and that’s why we must remain committed to improving the student experience through teaching, curriculum, advising, health care and other areas that matter to students.”

Girod said KU must continue working to overcome challenges facing higher education.

“This is a historic year for the University of Kansas, and we should all pause to celebrate and be proud of the work we’ve done,” he said. “That said, we must continue our work to recruit and retain top students and create a university they want to attend. Higher education continues to face challenges, and enrollments nationally are projected to continue dropping in the coming years. That’s why we must continue to improve our university through our&nbsp;<a href="https://strategicplan.ku.edu/">strategic priorities</a>&nbsp;in alignment with the Kansas Board of Regents’ strategic plan, the needs of Kansas businesses and communities, and our aspirations as one of the nation’s leading research institutions.”

<i>EDITOR'S NOTE: After using headcount as the unit of measure for many years, the Board of Regents in 2018 transitioned to a full-time equivalency metric. KU continues to use the headcount metric for the convenience of media, policymakers and others who are tracking KU’s year-over-year enrollment progress and want to make an apples-to-apples comparison with previous years’ data.</i>

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/9/1569013305712.png" alt="" />
                        <figcaption></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>LAWRENCE — It’s a record year for the University of Kansas.</p><p>KU has its largest freshman class and its highest overall enrollment in history, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://aire.ku.edu/enrollment">annual data released Wednesday</a></p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BIG news. ❤️ This year’s first-year students have broken the record for the largest incoming class in KU history! 💙 Their addition to our community brought the total number of enrolled students to 30,770, setting another historic record. 💛 Rock Chalk! <a href="https://t.co/Guz5jbIHFi">pic.twitter.com/Guz5jbIHFi</a></p>&mdash; University of Kansas (@UnivOfKansas) <a href="https://twitter.com/UnivOfKansas/status/1841508743550308509?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>The record-setting freshman class includes 5,323 new Jayhawks — an increase of 1.2% from last year’s class, which at the time was the largest in KU history, according to a media release from the university.</p><p>Beyond the freshman class, KU’s overall enrollment has grown 4.8% to 30,770, eclipsing the previous all-time mark of 30,102 set in 2008. This increase includes a 5.6% jump at the Lawrence and Edwards campuses (which are counted together) and a 0.1% decrease at the KU Medical Center campuses.</p><p>“This is a special year for the University of Kansas,” said Chancellor Douglas A. Girod. “We are pleased to welcome this historic freshman class and to have grown our overall enrollment to the highest level in the 159-year history of the institution. These numbers confirm that talented students from across Kansas and the world see the value of attending a leading research institution like KU. Additionally, these enrollment numbers speak to the work our faculty and staff do to recruit talented students and support them as they earn their degrees.”</p><h2>Freshman class size, talent and diversity</h2><p>In addition to its historic size, this year’s freshman class is talented and diverse. The class boasts a record-high average high school GPA of 3.68. Minority students comprise 26.5% of the class, while out-of-state students account for a record-high 45% of the class.</p><p>Moreover, these first-year Jayhawks are entering fields that benefit the Kansas economy and strengthen Kansas communities, with all-time high numbers of freshmen enrolled in the School of Business, School of Education &amp; Human Sciences and School of Journalism.</p><p>“While we are pleased to have grown the size of our freshman class,” Girod said, “we are especially proud to have grown with talented, diverse students who are poised to address Kansas’ workforce needs in high-impact fields. Kansas employers look to KU as an engine of economic growth, and these freshmen will help us fulfill that role.”</p><p>KU leaders attribute the historic class to the university’s academic reputation and course offerings, recruitment strategies, nationwide network of donors and alumni, athletics profile and financial support from Kansas lawmakers.</p><h2>Retention and graduation rates</h2><p>Today’s data also include record-setting retention and graduation rates. This year, KU retained a record-high 86.5% of last year’s freshmen while also notching record-high four-year, five-year and six-year graduation rates.</p><p>“The number of new freshmen is the metric that often grabs the headlines, but equally important to our mission and overall enrollment is ensuring that we retain and support existing students as they work toward their degrees,” Girod said. “That’s why we are so proud of this year’s record-setting retention and graduation rates, and that’s why we must remain committed to improving the student experience through teaching, curriculum, advising, health care and other areas that matter to students.”</p><h2>Additional highlights</h2><ul>
                        <li>Minority student enrollment is now at an all-time high in terms of total count (7,960 students) and percentage of overall enrollment (25.9%).</li><li>KU has 17,402 in-state students (the most of any university in Kansas) representing all 105 counties in Kansas, as well as 13,368 out-of-state students (the most of any university in Kansas) from 50 states and 116 countries. Surveys show approximately one-third of out-of-state students join the Kansas workforce after graduation, making KU the state’s predominant net importer of talent to address Kansas’ workforce needs.</li><li>KU has a record-high 2,258 veterans, active-duty and military-connected students. This is an increase of 17.4% from last year.</li>
                    </ul><h2>Looking ahead</h2><p>Girod said KU must continue working to overcome challenges facing higher education.</p><p>“This is a historic year for the University of Kansas, and we should all pause to celebrate and be proud of the work we’ve done,” he said. “That said, we must continue our work to recruit and retain top students and create a university they want to attend. Higher education continues to face challenges, and enrollments nationally are projected to continue dropping in the coming years. That’s why we must continue to improve our university through our&nbsp;<a href="https://strategicplan.ku.edu/">strategic priorities</a>&nbsp;in alignment with the Kansas Board of Regents’ strategic plan, the needs of Kansas businesses and communities, and our aspirations as one of the nation’s leading research institutions.”</p><p><i>EDITOR'S NOTE: After using headcount as the unit of measure for many years, the Board of Regents in 2018 transitioned to a full-time equivalency metric. KU continues to use the headcount metric for the convenience of media, policymakers and others who are tracking KU’s year-over-year enrollment progress and want to make an apples-to-apples comparison with previous years’ data.</i></p>

KU sets all-time marks for freshman class size, overall enrollment

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Cash Grab is presented by Robert Brogden GMC in downtown Hays, Whitetail Properties Agents Adam Hahn and Mitch Keeley, Tri-Central Office Supply, and Vanderbilt’s of Hays.

<p>Welcome to Cash Grab! It is your chance to win $250 on Friday's in October!</p><p>Keywords are given out at 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday. You will have 20 minutes to enter the correct keyword that you heard on our radio stations. We will then draw out one winner on Friday morning!</p><p>Thanks for playing and good luck!!</p><p>Cash Grab is presented by Robert Brogden GMC in downtown Hays, Whitetail Properties Agents Adam Hahn and Mitch Keeley, Tri-Central Office Supply, and Vanderbilt’s of Hays.</p><div><script src="https://xp.audience.io/widget.js"></script>
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First Care Clinic, Inc.
is pleased to announce Ross Kee, DDS, as its full-time dentist.&nbsp; Dr. Kee previously served on a part-time
basis as the Dental Director for the clinic but will be joining the dental
department full-time beginning October 1, 2024.&nbsp;


Dr. Kee earned his
Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Missouri – Kansas City School
of Dentistry. He comes to First Care Clinic from the La Crosse Family Dentistry
practice in La Crosse, where he served his patients for four years. Patients from
La Crosse Family Dentistry are now able to schedule with Dr. Kee at the First
Care Clinic location at 105 W. 13th St. in Hays.

“I am happy to announce that some of my current staff are making
the transition to Hays with me,” stated Dr. Ross Kee. “My patients will receive
the same exceptional dental care, just at a different location.”

“A little over a year
ago, Dr. Kee joined our clinic as Dental Director, and his leadership style
really resonated with our dental team.&nbsp;
We were fortunate to have him in our clinic providing dental services one
day a week as well” says CEO, Eric Flax, “I saw first-hand how caring and
patient-driven Dr. Kee is.&nbsp; I am very
excited to now have Dr. Kee in our clinic full-time.&nbsp; We are looking forward to meeting the dental,
medical and pharmacy needs of the La Crosse Family Dental patients. “

Flax went on to
explain, “As we work to integrate Dr. Kee’s current patients into First Care
Clinic, we have not forgotten our longtime dental patients.&nbsp; Our goal is to get those patients back on
schedule, and our staff will be reaching out to them soon.”

Dental patients of
First Care Clinic, who are waiting to be seen, can expect to receive a text
notification to request an appointment with Dr. Kee, or one of the Dental
Hygienists.

“We have put together a
wonderful team.&nbsp; Along with Dr. Kee, we are very fortunate to have three
very talented dental hygienists on staff as well - Cheyenne Branch, Kim Seib
and Rylee Smalley.&nbsp; They take pride in providing the compassionate and
quality care that our patients have come to expect,” stated Flax.

First Care Clinic is a federally qualified health center, with three locations in Hays, providing services for people of all ages, regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. They provide family medicine, express care, pharmaceutical, behavioral health, and family dentistry services.

First Care Clinic welcomes all patients and accepts all major insurances. A sliding fee scale discount is also available to those who qualify. Patients can request an appointment at firstcareclinic.com or by calling First Care Clinic at (785) 621-4990. Patients can also schedule same-day Express Care visits on our website. Book a time and skip the line!

“First Care Clinic. The region’s premiere medical home, dedicated to providing access to compassionate, quality care for all.”

For more information contact Danielle Windholz, Director of Operations, at First Care Clinic (785-621-4990).

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727812014203.png" alt="Ross Kee, DDS" />
                        <figcaption>Ross Kee, DDS</figcaption>
                    </figure><p><i>Submitted</i></p><p>First Care Clinic, Inc.
is pleased to announce Ross Kee, DDS, as its full-time dentist.&nbsp; Dr. Kee previously served on a part-time
basis as the Dental Director for the clinic but will be joining the dental
department full-time beginning October 1, 2024.&nbsp;
</p><p>Dr. Kee earned his
Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Missouri – Kansas City School
of Dentistry. He comes to First Care Clinic from the La Crosse Family Dentistry
practice in La Crosse, where he served his patients for four years. Patients from
La Crosse Family Dentistry are now able to schedule with Dr. Kee at the First
Care Clinic location at 105 W. 13th St. in Hays.</p><p>“I am happy to announce that some of my current staff are making
the transition to Hays with me,” stated Dr. Ross Kee. “My patients will receive
the same exceptional dental care, just at a different location.”</p><p>“A little over a year
ago, Dr. Kee joined our clinic as Dental Director, and his leadership style
really resonated with our dental team.&nbsp;
We were fortunate to have him in our clinic providing dental services one
day a week as well” says CEO, Eric Flax, “I saw first-hand how caring and
patient-driven Dr. Kee is.&nbsp; I am very
excited to now have Dr. Kee in our clinic full-time.&nbsp; We are looking forward to meeting the dental,
medical and pharmacy needs of the La Crosse Family Dental patients. “</p><p>Flax went on to
explain, “As we work to integrate Dr. Kee’s current patients into First Care
Clinic, we have not forgotten our longtime dental patients.&nbsp; Our goal is to get those patients back on
schedule, and our staff will be reaching out to them soon.”</p><p>Dental patients of
First Care Clinic, who are waiting to be seen, can expect to receive a text
notification to request an appointment with Dr. Kee, or one of the Dental
Hygienists.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727812082668.png" alt="Kim Sieb, Dental Hygienist" />
                        <figcaption>Kim Sieb, Dental Hygienist</figcaption>
                    </figure><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727812092247.png" alt="Rylee Smalley, Dental Hygienist" />
                        <figcaption>Rylee Smalley, Dental Hygienist</figcaption>
                    </figure><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727812104488.png" alt="Cheyenne Branch, Dental Hygienist" />
                        <figcaption>Cheyenne Branch, Dental Hygienist</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>“We have put together a
wonderful team.&nbsp; Along with Dr. Kee, we are very fortunate to have three
very talented dental hygienists on staff as well - Cheyenne Branch, Kim Seib
and Rylee Smalley.&nbsp; They take pride in providing the compassionate and
quality care that our patients have come to expect,” stated Flax.</p><p><b>ABOUT FIRST CARE CLINIC, INC.</b></p><p>First Care Clinic is a federally qualified health center, with three locations in Hays, providing services for people of all ages, regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. They provide family medicine, express care, pharmaceutical, behavioral health, and family dentistry services.</p><p>First Care Clinic welcomes all patients and accepts all major insurances. A sliding fee scale discount is also available to those who qualify. Patients can request an appointment at firstcareclinic.com or by calling First Care Clinic at (785) 621-4990. Patients can also schedule same-day Express Care visits on our website. Book a time and skip the line!</p><p>“First Care Clinic. The region’s premiere medical home, dedicated to providing access to compassionate, quality care for all.”</p><p>For more information contact Danielle Windholz, Director of Operations, at First Care Clinic (785-621-4990).</p>

Fort Larned plans 2024 Candlelight Tour   

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice presidential hopefuls&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tim-walz">Tim Walz</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jd-vance">JD Vance</a>&nbsp;focused their criticism on the top of the ticket on Tuesday as they engaged in a policy-heavy discussion that may be the last debate of the 2024 presidential campaign.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?538521-1/simulcast-cbs-news-vice-presidential-debate">Click here to watch a full replay of the debate&nbsp;&nbsp;</a>via CSPAN courtesy CBS&nbsp;

It was the first encounter between Minnesota’s Democratic governor and Ohio’s Republican senator, following last month’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-trump-debate-tuesday-6ad8c03f6bf1ae88870b7db26276236e">debate</a>&nbsp;between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. It comes just five weeks before Election Day and as millions of voters are now able to cast early ballots.

Tuesday’s confrontation played out as the stakes of the contest rose again after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-lebanon-hezbollah-gaza-news-10-01-2024-eb175dff6e46906caea8b9e43dfbd3da">Iran fired missiles</a>&nbsp;into Israel, while a devastating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rainfall-helene-carolina-tennessee-georgia-climate-change-flood-fcba634e14a0ffa1a8e1fa85d7e2b390">hurricane</a>&nbsp;and potentially debilitating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dockworkers-strike-ports-ila-longshoremen-91703e4798dbc9ee82185e983f31a3f6">port strike</a>&nbsp;roiled the country at home. Over and again, Walz and Vance outlined the policy and character differences between their running mates, while trying to introduce themselves to the country.

Here are some takeaways from Tuesday’s debate.

With Mideast in turmoil, Walz promises ‘steady leadership' and Vance offers ’peace through strength'

Iran’s ballistic missile attack on Israel on Tuesday elicited a contrast between the Democratic and Republican tickets on foreign policy: Walz promised “steady leadership” under Harris while Vance pledged a return to “peace through strength” if Trump is returned to the White House.

The differing visions of what American leadership should look like overshadowed the sharp policy differences between the two tickets.

The Iranian threat to the region and U.S. interests around the world opened the debate, with Walz pivoting the topic to criticism of Trump.

“What’s fundamental here is that steady leadership is going to matter,” Walz said, then referenced the “nearly 80-year-old Donald Trump talking about crowd sizes” and responding to global crises by tweet.

Vance, for his part, promised a return to “effective deterrence” under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-north-america-donald-trump-iran-nuclear-politics-6c7bbec22af14e03b85daa568b46533d">Trump against Iran</a>, brushing back on Walz’s criticism of Trump by attacking Harris and her role in the Biden administration.

“Who has been the vice president for the last three and a half years and the answer is your running mate, not mine,” he said. He pointedly noted that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">Hamas attacks on Israel</a>&nbsp;on Oct. 7, 2023, happened “during the administration of Kamala Harris.”

Vance and Walz punch up rather than at each other

Vance and Walz trained the bulk of their attacks not on their onstage rivals, but on the running mates who weren’t in the room.

Both vice presidential nominees sought to convey a genial mien as they lobbed criticism at Harris and Trump, respectively.

It was a reflection of the fact that most voters don’t cast a ballot based on the vice president, and on a vice presidential nominee’s historic role in serving as the attack dog for their running mates.

Walz pointedly attacked Trump for failing to meet his pledge of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-immigration-mexico-473c8491da5061e8632a4dd5593ad3d4">building a physical barrier</a>&nbsp;across the entire U.S.-Mexico border at the country’s southern neighbor’s expense.

“Less than 2% of that wall got built and Mexico didn’t pay a dime,” Walz said.

Underscoring the focus on the top of the ticket, during a back-and-forth about immigration, Vance said to his opponent, “I think that you want to solve this problem, but I don’t think that Kamala Harris does.”

It was a wonky policy debate, with talk of risk pools, housing regulations and energy policy

In an age of world-class disses optimized for social media, Tuesday’s debate was a detour into substance. Both candidates took a low-key approach and both enthusiastically delved into the minutiae.

Walz dug into the drafting of the Affordable Care Act when he was in the House in 2009, and pushed Vance on the senator’s claim that Trump, who tried to eliminate the law, actually helped preserve it. Vance, defending his claim that illegal immigration pushes up housing prices, cited a Federal Reserve study to back himself up. Walz talked about how Minneapolis tinkered with local regulations to boost the housing supply. Both men talked about the overlap between energy policy, trade and climate change.

It was a very different style than often seen in presidential debates over the past several election cycles.

Walz pounced on Vance repeatedly over abortion access and reproductive rights as the Ohio senator tried to argue that a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">state-by-state matrix of abortion laws</a>&nbsp;is the ideal approach for the United States. Walz countered that a “basic right” for a woman should not be determined “by geography.”

“This is a very simple proposition: These are women’s decisions,” Walz said. “We trust women. We trust doctors.”

Walz sought to personalize the issue by referencing the death of Amber Thurman, who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/georgia-abortion-ban-amber-thurman-death">waited more than 20 hours</a>&nbsp;at the hospital for a routine medical procedure known as a D&amp;C to clear out remaining tissue after taking abortion pills. She developed sepsis and died.

Rather than sidestep the reference, Vance at one point agreed with Walz that “Amber Thurman should still be alive.”

Vance steered the conversation to the GOP ticket’s proposals he said would help women and children economically, thus avoiding the need for terminating pregnancies. But Walz retorted that such policies — tax credits, expanded childcare aid, a more even economy — can be pursued while still allowing women to make their own decisions about abortion.

Both candidates put a domestic spin on climate change

In the wake of the devastation of Hurricane Helene, Vance took a question about climate change and gave an answer about jobs and manufacturing, taking a detour around Trump's past claims that global warming is a “hoax.”

Vance contended that the best way to fight&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/climate-change">climate change</a>&nbsp;was to move more manufacturing to the United States, because the country has the world’s cleanest energy economy. It was a distinctly domestic spin on a global crisis, especially after Trump pulled the U.S. out of the international Paris climate accords during his administration.

Walz also kept the climate change focus domestic, touting the Biden administration’s renewable energy investments as well as record levels of oil and natural gas production. “You can see us becoming an energy superpower in the future,” Walz said.

It was a decidedly optimistic take on a pervasive and grim global problem.

Walz, Vance each blame opposing presidential candidate for immigration stalemate

The two running mates agreed that the number of migrants in the U.S. illegally is a problem. But each laid the blame on the opposing presidential nominee.

Vance echoed Trump by repeatedly calling Harris the “border czar” and suggested that she, as vice president, single-handedly rolled back the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/immigration">immigration</a>&nbsp;restrictions Trump had imposed as president. The result, in Vance’s telling, is an unchecked flow of fentanyl, strain on state and local resources and increased housing prices around the country.

Harris was never asked to be the “border czar” and she was never specifically given the responsibility for security on the border. She was tasked by Biden in March 2021 with tackling the “root causes” of migration from the Central American countries of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador and pushing leaders there and in Mexico to enforce immigration laws. Harris was not empowered to set U.S. immigration policy — only the president can sign executive orders and Harris was not empowered as Biden’s proxy in negotiations with Congress on immigration law.

Walz advanced Democrats’ arguments that Trump single-handedly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-aid-border-security-386dcc54b29a5491f8bd87b727a284f8">killed a bipartisan Senate deal</a>&nbsp;to tighten border security and boost the processing system for immigrants and asylum seekers. Republicans backed off the deal, Walz noted, only after Trump said it wasn’t good enough.

Both candidates leaned on tried-and-true debate tactics — including not answering tough questions

Asked directly whether Trump’s promise to deport millions of illegal immigrants would remove parents of U.S.-born children, Vance never answered the question. Instead, the senator tried to put his best spin on Trump’s plan to use the military to help with deportations and pivot to attacking Harris for a porous border. Asked to respond to Trump’s having called climate change a “hoax,” Vance also avoided a response.

The debate kicked off with Walz being asked if he’d support a preemptive strike by Israel against Iran. Walz praised Harris’ foreign policy leadership but never answered that question, either.

And at the end of the debate, Vance would not answer Walz’s direct question of whether Trump indeed lost the 2020 election.

Walz has stumbles and lands punches in uneven night

Walz had several verbal stumbles on a night in which he admitted to “misspeaking” often. In the debate’s opening moments, he confused Iran and Israel when discussing the Middle East.

At one point he said he had “become friends with school shooters,” and he stumbled through an explanation of inaccurate remarks about whether he was in Hong Kong during the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. (&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/walz-china-tiananmen-square-protests-8d433bf7184e8c430aa31d1f5460fe87">He was not</a>.)

But the governor noticeably put Vance on the defensive over abortion and, near the end of the debate, with a pointed question about whether Trump won the 2020 election.

Vance stays on a limb on Jan. 6 insurrection

The candidates went out of their way to be polite to each other until the very end, when Vance refused to back down from his statements that he wouldn’t have certified Trump's 2020 election loss.

Vance tried to turn the issue to claims that the “much bigger threat to democracy” was Democrats trying to censor people on social media. But Walz wouldn’t let go.

“This one is troubling to me,” said Walz, noting that he’d just been praising some of Vance’s answers. He rattled off the ways Trump tried to overturn his 2020 loss and noted that the candidate still insists he won that contest. Then Walz asked Vance if Trump actually lost the election.

Vance responded by asking if Harris censored people.

“That is a damning non-answer,” said Walz, noting that Trump’s former vice president, Mike Pence, wasn’t on the debate stage because he stood up to Trump on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">Jan. 6, 2021,</a>&nbsp;and presided over Congress’ certification of the former president’s loss.

“America,” Walz concluded, “I think you’ve got a really clear choice on this election of who’s going to honor that democracy and who’s going to honor Donald Trump.”

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727831426274.png" alt="Image courtesy CBS via CSPAN" />
                        <figcaption>Image courtesy CBS via CSPAN</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice presidential hopefuls&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tim-walz">Tim Walz</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jd-vance">JD Vance</a>&nbsp;focused their criticism on the top of the ticket on Tuesday as they engaged in a policy-heavy discussion that may be the last debate of the 2024 presidential campaign.</p><p><a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?538521-1/simulcast-cbs-news-vice-presidential-debate">Click here to watch a full replay of the debate&nbsp;&nbsp;</a>via CSPAN courtesy CBS&nbsp;</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Gov. <a href="https://twitter.com/Tim_Walz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Tim_Walz</a> on abortion: &quot;This is about health care. In Minnesota we are ranked first in health care for a reason. We trust women. We trust doctors.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/3YZpr6jrbz">pic.twitter.com/3YZpr6jrbz</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1841298078038438056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sen. <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JDVance</a> on abortion: &quot;My party, we&#39;ve got to do so much better of a job at earning the American people&#39;s trust back on this issue where they, frankly, they just don&#39;t trust us...I want us as a Republican Party to be pro family is the fullest sense of the word.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/l1GE9Qfhzx">pic.twitter.com/l1GE9Qfhzx</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1841298293181038670?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/margbrennan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@margbrennan</a>: &quot;The audience can&#39;t hear you because your mics are cut.&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VPDebate2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VPDebate2024</a> <a href="https://t.co/2BNCEhcK3l">pic.twitter.com/2BNCEhcK3l</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1841293277384856041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sen. <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JDVance</a> on his past comments on Donald Trump: &quot;I was wrong on Donald Trump.&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VPDebate2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VPDebate2024</a> <a href="https://t.co/EmbDyD6dER">pic.twitter.com/EmbDyD6dER</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1841297881279467778?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sen. <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JDVance</a> on building new homes: &quot;We don&#39;t want to blame immigrants for higher housing prices. But, we do want to blame Kamala Harris for letting in millions of illegal aliens into this country which does drive up costs.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/eeIrIPhXZM">pic.twitter.com/eeIrIPhXZM</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1841302412025327877?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">During exchange on gun violence: <br><br>Sen. <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JDVance</a>: &quot;We have to empower law enforcement...our schools, we&#39;ve got to talk about more security.&quot;<br><br>Gov. <a href="https://twitter.com/Tim_Walz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Tim_Walz</a>: &quot;I sat in that office with those Sandy Hook parents. I&#39;ve become friends with school shooters. I&#39;ve seen it.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/idFExcHbef">pic.twitter.com/idFExcHbef</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1841308417744425458?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Gov. <a href="https://twitter.com/Tim_Walz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Tim_Walz</a>: &quot;Did he lose the 2020 election?&quot;<br><br>Sen. <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JDVance</a>: &quot;Tim, I&#39;m focused on the future. Did Kamala Harris censor Americans from speaking their mind in the wake of the 2020 COVID situation?&quot;<br><br>Walz: &quot;That&#39;s a damning non-answer.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/v0PXnbuewL">pic.twitter.com/v0PXnbuewL</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1841309223096897957?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Gov. <a href="https://twitter.com/Tim_Walz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Tim_Walz</a> closing statement. <a href="https://t.co/iyjc6DT8Mu">pic.twitter.com/iyjc6DT8Mu</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1841312345404182981?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sen. <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JDVance</a> closing statement. <a href="https://t.co/E4q4WtYkNu">pic.twitter.com/E4q4WtYkNu</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1841312447740739940?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>It was the first encounter between Minnesota’s Democratic governor and Ohio’s Republican senator, following last month’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-trump-debate-tuesday-6ad8c03f6bf1ae88870b7db26276236e">debate</a>&nbsp;between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. It comes just five weeks before Election Day and as millions of voters are now able to cast early ballots.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727835042038.png" alt="Image courtesy CBS via CSPAN" />
                        <figcaption>Image courtesy CBS via CSPAN</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Tuesday’s confrontation played out as the stakes of the contest rose again after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-lebanon-hezbollah-gaza-news-10-01-2024-eb175dff6e46906caea8b9e43dfbd3da">Iran fired missiles</a>&nbsp;into Israel, while a devastating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rainfall-helene-carolina-tennessee-georgia-climate-change-flood-fcba634e14a0ffa1a8e1fa85d7e2b390">hurricane</a>&nbsp;and potentially debilitating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dockworkers-strike-ports-ila-longshoremen-91703e4798dbc9ee82185e983f31a3f6">port strike</a>&nbsp;roiled the country at home. Over and again, Walz and Vance outlined the policy and character differences between their running mates, while trying to introduce themselves to the country.</p><p>Here are some takeaways from Tuesday’s debate.</p><h2>With Mideast in turmoil, Walz promises ‘steady leadership' and Vance offers ’peace through strength'</h2><p>Iran’s ballistic missile attack on Israel on Tuesday elicited a contrast between the Democratic and Republican tickets on foreign policy: Walz promised “steady leadership” under Harris while Vance pledged a return to “peace through strength” if Trump is returned to the White House.</p><p>The differing visions of what American leadership should look like overshadowed the sharp policy differences between the two tickets.</p><p>The Iranian threat to the region and U.S. interests around the world opened the debate, with Walz pivoting the topic to criticism of Trump.</p><p>“What’s fundamental here is that steady leadership is going to matter,” Walz said, then referenced the “nearly 80-year-old Donald Trump talking about crowd sizes” and responding to global crises by tweet.</p><p>Vance, for his part, promised a return to “effective deterrence” under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-north-america-donald-trump-iran-nuclear-politics-6c7bbec22af14e03b85daa568b46533d">Trump against Iran</a>, brushing back on Walz’s criticism of Trump by attacking Harris and her role in the Biden administration.</p><p>“Who has been the vice president for the last three and a half years and the answer is your running mate, not mine,” he said. He pointedly noted that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">Hamas attacks on Israel</a>&nbsp;on Oct. 7, 2023, happened “during the administration of Kamala Harris.”</p><h2>Vance and Walz punch up rather than at each other</h2><p>Vance and Walz trained the bulk of their attacks not on their onstage rivals, but on the running mates who weren’t in the room.</p><p>Both vice presidential nominees sought to convey a genial mien as they lobbed criticism at Harris and Trump, respectively.</p><p>It was a reflection of the fact that most voters don’t cast a ballot based on the vice president, and on a vice presidential nominee’s historic role in serving as the attack dog for their running mates.</p><p>Walz pointedly attacked Trump for failing to meet his pledge of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-immigration-mexico-473c8491da5061e8632a4dd5593ad3d4">building a physical barrier</a>&nbsp;across the entire U.S.-Mexico border at the country’s southern neighbor’s expense.</p><p>“Less than 2% of that wall got built and Mexico didn’t pay a dime,” Walz said.</p><p>Underscoring the focus on the top of the ticket, during a back-and-forth about immigration, Vance said to his opponent, “I think that you want to solve this problem, but I don’t think that Kamala Harris does.”</p><h2>It was a wonky policy debate, with talk of risk pools, housing regulations and energy policy</h2><p>In an age of world-class disses optimized for social media, Tuesday’s debate was a detour into substance. Both candidates took a low-key approach and both enthusiastically delved into the minutiae.</p><p>Walz dug into the drafting of the Affordable Care Act when he was in the House in 2009, and pushed Vance on the senator’s claim that Trump, who tried to eliminate the law, actually helped preserve it. Vance, defending his claim that illegal immigration pushes up housing prices, cited a Federal Reserve study to back himself up. Walz talked about how Minneapolis tinkered with local regulations to boost the housing supply. Both men talked about the overlap between energy policy, trade and climate change.</p><p>It was a very different style than often seen in presidential debates over the past several election cycles.</p><h2>Vance stays on the defensive on abortion</h2><p>Walz pounced on Vance repeatedly over abortion access and reproductive rights as the Ohio senator tried to argue that a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">state-by-state matrix of abortion laws</a>&nbsp;is the ideal approach for the United States. Walz countered that a “basic right” for a woman should not be determined “by geography.”</p><p>“This is a very simple proposition: These are women’s decisions,” Walz said. “We trust women. We trust doctors.”</p><p>Walz sought to personalize the issue by referencing the death of Amber Thurman, who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/georgia-abortion-ban-amber-thurman-death">waited more than 20 hours</a>&nbsp;at the hospital for a routine medical procedure known as a D&amp;C to clear out remaining tissue after taking abortion pills. She developed sepsis and died.</p><p>Rather than sidestep the reference, Vance at one point agreed with Walz that “Amber Thurman should still be alive.”</p><p>Vance steered the conversation to the GOP ticket’s proposals he said would help women and children economically, thus avoiding the need for terminating pregnancies. But Walz retorted that such policies — tax credits, expanded childcare aid, a more even economy — can be pursued while still allowing women to make their own decisions about abortion.</p><h2>Both candidates put a domestic spin on climate change</h2><p>In the wake of the devastation of Hurricane Helene, Vance took a question about climate change and gave an answer about jobs and manufacturing, taking a detour around Trump's past claims that global warming is a “hoax.”</p><p>Vance contended that the best way to fight&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/climate-change">climate change</a>&nbsp;was to move more manufacturing to the United States, because the country has the world’s cleanest energy economy. It was a distinctly domestic spin on a global crisis, especially after Trump pulled the U.S. out of the international Paris climate accords during his administration.</p><p>Walz also kept the climate change focus domestic, touting the Biden administration’s renewable energy investments as well as record levels of oil and natural gas production. “You can see us becoming an energy superpower in the future,” Walz said.</p><p>It was a decidedly optimistic take on a pervasive and grim global problem.</p><h2>Walz, Vance each blame opposing presidential candidate for immigration stalemate</h2><p>The two running mates agreed that the number of migrants in the U.S. illegally is a problem. But each laid the blame on the opposing presidential nominee.</p><p>Vance echoed Trump by repeatedly calling Harris the “border czar” and suggested that she, as vice president, single-handedly rolled back the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/immigration">immigration</a>&nbsp;restrictions Trump had imposed as president. The result, in Vance’s telling, is an unchecked flow of fentanyl, strain on state and local resources and increased housing prices around the country.</p><p>Harris was never asked to be the “border czar” and she was never specifically given the responsibility for security on the border. She was tasked by Biden in March 2021 with tackling the “root causes” of migration from the Central American countries of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador and pushing leaders there and in Mexico to enforce immigration laws. Harris was not empowered to set U.S. immigration policy — only the president can sign executive orders and Harris was not empowered as Biden’s proxy in negotiations with Congress on immigration law.</p><p>Walz advanced Democrats’ arguments that Trump single-handedly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-aid-border-security-386dcc54b29a5491f8bd87b727a284f8">killed a bipartisan Senate deal</a>&nbsp;to tighten border security and boost the processing system for immigrants and asylum seekers. Republicans backed off the deal, Walz noted, only after Trump said it wasn’t good enough.</p><h2>Both candidates leaned on tried-and-true debate tactics — including not answering tough questions</h2><p>Asked directly whether Trump’s promise to deport millions of illegal immigrants would remove parents of U.S.-born children, Vance never answered the question. Instead, the senator tried to put his best spin on Trump’s plan to use the military to help with deportations and pivot to attacking Harris for a porous border. Asked to respond to Trump’s having called climate change a “hoax,” Vance also avoided a response.</p><p>The debate kicked off with Walz being asked if he’d support a preemptive strike by Israel against Iran. Walz praised Harris’ foreign policy leadership but never answered that question, either.</p><p>And at the end of the debate, Vance would not answer Walz’s direct question of whether Trump indeed lost the 2020 election.</p><h2>Walz has stumbles and lands punches in uneven night</h2><p>Walz had several verbal stumbles on a night in which he admitted to “misspeaking” often. In the debate’s opening moments, he confused Iran and Israel when discussing the Middle East.</p><p>At one point he said he had “become friends with school shooters,” and he stumbled through an explanation of inaccurate remarks about whether he was in Hong Kong during the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. (&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/walz-china-tiananmen-square-protests-8d433bf7184e8c430aa31d1f5460fe87">He was not</a>.)</p><p>But the governor noticeably put Vance on the defensive over abortion and, near the end of the debate, with a pointed question about whether Trump won the 2020 election.</p><h2>Vance stays on a limb on Jan. 6 insurrection</h2><p>The candidates went out of their way to be polite to each other until the very end, when Vance refused to back down from his statements that he wouldn’t have certified Trump's 2020 election loss.</p><p>Vance tried to turn the issue to claims that the “much bigger threat to democracy” was Democrats trying to censor people on social media. But Walz wouldn’t let go.</p><p>“This one is troubling to me,” said Walz, noting that he’d just been praising some of Vance’s answers. He rattled off the ways Trump tried to overturn his 2020 loss and noted that the candidate still insists he won that contest. Then Walz asked Vance if Trump actually lost the election.</p><p>Vance responded by asking if Harris censored people.</p><p>“That is a damning non-answer,” said Walz, noting that Trump’s former vice president, Mike Pence, wasn’t on the debate stage because he stood up to Trump on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">Jan. 6, 2021,</a>&nbsp;and presided over Congress’ certification of the former president’s loss.</p><p>“America,” Walz concluded, “I think you’ve got a really clear choice on this election of who’s going to honor that democracy and who’s going to honor Donald Trump.”</p>

🎥 The best of the Walz, Vance Vice Presidential debate

In a heartwarming effort to inspire the next generation of givers, the Heartland Community Foundation is proud to announce a special initiative for Give Fest 2024: Every 5th grader in Ellis, Rooks, and Trego counties will receive $10 to donate to a local nonprofit of their choice! Thanks to the generous support of Insurance Planning, Inc. and the Fred &amp; Jean Berger, Insurance Planning, Inc. Charitable Fund in Ellis County, and Solutions North Bank in Rooks and Trego counties, all 5th grade students will have the opportunity to learn firsthand about the power of philanthropy.

On October 10, students will visit the Give Fest events in Hays, Plainville, and WaKeeney to meet participating nonprofits, learn about their missions, and choose where to allocate their $10 voucher. This initiative is designed to foster an early understanding of charitable giving and community support among young people.

“We believe in the importance of starting early when it comes to charitable giving,” said Andrew Rupp at Insurance Planning, Inc. “By giving these students the opportunity to choose where their donation goes, we hope to empower them to feel the impact of their gift and to understand the importance of supporting local causes.”

Solutions North Bank, which is sponsoring the initiative in Rooks and Trego counties, shares the same commitment. “Helping young people connect with their community in this way teaches them that even small contributions can make a big difference. It’s an investment not just in today’s nonprofits, but in the future of philanthropy,” said Shana Coleman at Solutions North Bank.

In the days leading up to Give Fest, representatives from the Heartland Community Foundation will visit area schools to introduce students to the idea of giving back. “We’re excited to talk with students about what it means to be a nonprofit and why supporting local organizations matters,” said Sarah Meitner, Executive Director of the Heartland Community Foundation. “It’s inspiring to

see young people get involved and understand that, no matter their age, they can make a real difference in their community.”

Give Fest 2024, happening on October 10, is a celebration of philanthropy, community spirit, and cultural heritage with an Oktoberfest twist. The event spans Ellis, Rooks, and Trego counties, offering in-person opportunities for donors to meet local nonprofits, enjoy Oktoberfest food and entertainment, and make a meaningful impact. With 44 participating organizations, there’s a cause for everyone, from education and healthcare to animal welfare, emergency response, and more.

All donations made to participating nonprofits during the 24-hour giving period will be matched up to 100% by the Heartland Community Foundation, thanks to a $150,000 match pool. Donations will go directly to the nonprofits' endowed funds at the foundation, ensuring a stable financial future, while match dollars provide immediate support for current needs.

This year's festivities will feature in-person events at the following locations from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.:

· Ellis County: The Strand Event Center, 1102 Main St., Hays

· Rooks County: Letha’s Events, 211 Mill St., Plainville

· Trego County: VFW, 400 N. Railroad, WaKeeney

· Online: Donate at www.HeartlandGiveFest.org from midnight on October 4 through 11:59 p.m. on October 10. Online gifts will be eligible for matching funds for a full week!

· In-Person: Drop off donations at the Give Fest events or the Heartland Community Foundation office, 1200 Main St., Hays, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on October 10.

· Mail: Send donations to Heartland Community Foundation, PO Box 1673, Hays, KS 67601. They must be received by October 10.

· Out-of-Town Donors: Send your gift directly to the nonprofit, and they will bring it to be counted. Checks should be made out to Heartland Community Foundation with the charity’s name in the memo, along with a donor form.

For more information about Give Fest and the participating nonprofits, visit www.HeartlandGiveFest.org.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727293400741.png" alt="" />
                        <figcaption></figcaption>
                    </figure><p><i>Submitted</i></p><p>In a heartwarming effort to inspire the next generation of givers, the Heartland Community Foundation is proud to announce a special initiative for Give Fest 2024: Every 5th grader in Ellis, Rooks, and Trego counties will receive $10 to donate to a local nonprofit of their choice! Thanks to the generous support of Insurance Planning, Inc. and the Fred &amp; Jean Berger, Insurance Planning, Inc. Charitable Fund in Ellis County, and Solutions North Bank in Rooks and Trego counties, all 5th grade students will have the opportunity to learn firsthand about the power of philanthropy.</p><p>On October 10, students will visit the Give Fest events in Hays, Plainville, and WaKeeney to meet participating nonprofits, learn about their missions, and choose where to allocate their $10 voucher. This initiative is designed to foster an early understanding of charitable giving and community support among young people.</p><p>“We believe in the importance of starting early when it comes to charitable giving,” said Andrew Rupp at Insurance Planning, Inc. “By giving these students the opportunity to choose where their donation goes, we hope to empower them to feel the impact of their gift and to understand the importance of supporting local causes.”</p><p>Solutions North Bank, which is sponsoring the initiative in Rooks and Trego counties, shares the same commitment. “Helping young people connect with their community in this way teaches them that even small contributions can make a big difference. It’s an investment not just in today’s nonprofits, but in the future of philanthropy,” said Shana Coleman at Solutions North Bank.</p><p>In the days leading up to Give Fest, representatives from the Heartland Community Foundation will visit area schools to introduce students to the idea of giving back. “We’re excited to talk with students about what it means to be a nonprofit and why supporting local organizations matters,” said Sarah Meitner, Executive Director of the Heartland Community Foundation. “It’s inspiring to</p><p>see young people get involved and understand that, no matter their age, they can make a real difference in their community.”</p><p>Give Fest 2024, happening on October 10, is a celebration of philanthropy, community spirit, and cultural heritage with an Oktoberfest twist. The event spans Ellis, Rooks, and Trego counties, offering in-person opportunities for donors to meet local nonprofits, enjoy Oktoberfest food and entertainment, and make a meaningful impact. With 44 participating organizations, there’s a cause for everyone, from education and healthcare to animal welfare, emergency response, and more.</p><p>All donations made to participating nonprofits during the 24-hour giving period will be matched up to 100% by the Heartland Community Foundation, thanks to a $150,000 match pool. Donations will go directly to the nonprofits' endowed funds at the foundation, ensuring a stable financial future, while match dollars provide immediate support for current needs.</p><p>This year's festivities will feature in-person events at the following locations from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.:</p><p>· Ellis County: The Strand Event Center, 1102 Main St., Hays</p><p>· Rooks County: Letha’s Events, 211 Mill St., Plainville</p><p>· Trego County: VFW, 400 N. Railroad, WaKeeney</p><p>How to Give:</p><p>· Online: Donate at www.HeartlandGiveFest.org from midnight on October 4 through 11:59 p.m. on October 10. Online gifts will be eligible for matching funds for a full week!</p><p>· In-Person: Drop off donations at the Give Fest events or the Heartland Community Foundation office, 1200 Main St., Hays, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on October 10.</p><p>· Mail: Send donations to Heartland Community Foundation, PO Box 1673, Hays, KS 67601. They must be received by October 10.</p><p>· Out-of-Town Donors: Send your gift directly to the nonprofit, and they will bring it to be counted. Checks should be made out to Heartland Community Foundation with the charity’s name in the memo, along with a donor form.</p><p>For more information about Give Fest and the participating nonprofits, visit www.HeartlandGiveFest.org.</p>

Local donors empower area fifth graders with $10 each to give to nonprofits

BALTIMORE (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. made the most of his much-anticipated playoff debut, driving in the only run Tuesday to back Cole Ragans' six sharp innings and help the Kansas City Royals return from a nine-year postseason absence with a 1-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles in Game 1 of their AL Wild Card Series.

Witt, the 24-year-old shortstop who led the majors with 211 hits and a .332 batting average this season, singled to left field off a 95 mph, first-pitch cutter from 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes with two outs in the sixth. Maikel Garcia came around to score after drawing a walk, stealing second — Burnes allowed runners to swipe a major league-high 41 bases this season — and moving to third on a groundout.

Just after Witt delivered, Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/PatrickMahomes/status/1841227979432870173">posted on social media</a>: “Let’s go!! Keep it going!!! @Royals”

They couldn't keep adding to their lead, but that didn't matter, thanks to Ragans, who was every bit as good, if not better, than Burnes before leaving after 80 pitches because of cramping in his left calf, plus a bullpen that was KC's weakness during the regular season but was more than fine Tuesday.

Sam Long, Kris Bubic and Lucas Erceg, who earned the save, shut down the Orioles the rest of the way.

The Royals lost 106 games last season but a 30-win improvement has them back in October for the first time since winning the 2015 World Series.

Now they can end this best-of-three series and advance to an AL Division Series against the New York Yankees by winning Game 2 in Baltimore on Wednesday, when KC will send All-Star Seth Lugo to the mound. Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said he wouldn’t announce his starter until after Tuesday’s game, although it was expected to be Zach Elfin.

Baltimore has lost its last nine postseason games, a skid that dates to 2014.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727822807888.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy Kansas City Royals" />
                        <figcaption>Photo courtesy Kansas City Royals</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>BALTIMORE (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. made the most of his much-anticipated playoff debut, driving in the only run Tuesday to back Cole Ragans' six sharp innings and help the Kansas City Royals return from a nine-year postseason absence with a 1-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles in Game 1 of their AL Wild Card Series.</p><p>Witt, the 24-year-old shortstop who led the majors with 211 hits and a .332 batting average this season, singled to left field off a 95 mph, first-pitch cutter from 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes with two outs in the sixth. Maikel Garcia came around to score after drawing a walk, stealing second — Burnes allowed runners to swipe a major league-high 41 bases this season — and moving to third on a groundout.</p><p>Just after Witt delivered, Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/PatrickMahomes/status/1841227979432870173">posted on social media</a>: “Let’s go!! Keep it going!!! @Royals”</p><p>They couldn't keep adding to their lead, but that didn't matter, thanks to Ragans, who was every bit as good, if not better, than Burnes before leaving after 80 pitches because of cramping in his left calf, plus a bullpen that was KC's weakness during the regular season but was more than fine Tuesday.</p><p>Sam Long, Kris Bubic and Lucas Erceg, who earned the save, shut down the Orioles the rest of the way.</p><p>The Royals lost 106 games last season but a 30-win improvement has them back in October for the first time since winning the 2015 World Series.</p><p>Now they can end this best-of-three series and advance to an AL Division Series against the New York Yankees by winning Game 2 in Baltimore on Wednesday, when KC will send All-Star Seth Lugo to the mound. Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said he wouldn’t announce his starter until after Tuesday’s game, although it was expected to be Zach Elfin.</p><p>Baltimore has lost its last nine postseason games, a skid that dates to 2014.</p><p>Ragans, a lefty All-Star picked up in a trade with the Texas Rangers last season, was terrific, mixing a 98 mph fastball with a variety of off-speed offerings while allowing just four hits and striking out eight.</p><p>Burnes looked every bit the ace Baltimore hoped it was getting when it acquired him from the Milwaukee Brewers in February. The AL's All-Star starter this season exited to a standing ovation from the orange-clad fans at Camden Yards after giving up a leadoff single in the ninth. He allowed one run, five hits and that one key walk.</p><p>The right-hander became the first starter to throw a pitch in the ninth inning of a postseason game since Washington ace Stephen Strasburg in Game 6 of the 2019 World Series against Houston.</p><p>But Baltimore's sluggers — the team's 232 homers trailed only the Yankees in 2024 — could not come through in the clutch.</p><p>The Orioles got a runner to third in the third, but Jordan Westburg flied out to the warning track in left. The hosts then put men at the corners with one out in the fifth, but Ragans struck out James McCann and 2023 AL Rookie of the Year Gunnar Henderson to end that threat.</p><p>And in the eighth, with a pair on and two out, Erceg replaced Bubic and got Anthony Santander to ground into a fielder's choice.</p><h2>Trainer's Room</h2><p>Royals: 1B&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-kansas-city-injuries-3d58f8b6810ed0d06ffd2cce41107a70">Vinnie Pasquantino</a>&nbsp;came off the injured list for this series after being out since Aug. 29 with a broken right thumb, and he was in his usual No. 3 spot in the starting lineup as the DH. He wouldn't be able to play the field for another two to three weeks — if KC remains in the postseason. Pasquantino went 0 for 3 on Tuesday.</p><h2>Up Next</h2><p>Lugo (16-9, 3.00 ERA) will be making the first postseason start of his career. "Something I’ve been looking forward to for a long time," he said.</p><p>Eflin went 10-9 with a 3.59 ERA combined for Tampa Bay and Baltimore in 2024.</p>