WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;says he has directed the Treasury Department to stop minting new pennies, citing the rising cost of producing the one-cent coin.

“For far too long the United States has minted pennies which literally cost us more than 2 cents. This is so wasteful!” Trump wrote in a post Sunday night on his Truth Social site. “I have instructed my Secretary of the US Treasury to stop producing new pennies.”

The move by Trump is the latest in what has been a rapid-fire effort by his new administration to enact sweeping change through executive order and proclamation on issues ranging from immigration, to gender and diversity, to the name of the Gulf of Mexico.

Trump had not discussed his desire to eliminate the penny during his campaign. But Elon Musk's so-called Department of Government Efficiency raised the prospect in&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/DOGE/status/1881928086305870127">a post on X last month</a>&nbsp;highlighting the penny’s cost.

<a href="https://www.usmint.gov/content/dam/usmint/reports/2024-annual-report.pdf">The U.S. Mint reported losing</a>&nbsp;$85.3 million in the 2024 fiscal year that ended in September on the nearly 3.2 billion pennies it produced. Every penny cost nearly $0.037 — up from $0.031 the year before.

The mint also loses money on the nickel, with each of the $0.05 coins costing nearly $0.14 to make.

It is unclear whether Trump has the power to unilaterally eliminate the lowly one-cent coin. Currency specifications -- including the size and metal content of coins -- are dictated by Congress.

But Robert K. Triest, an economics professor at Northeastern University,&nbsp;<a href="https://news.northeastern.edu/2025/01/29/discontinue-the-penny-trump-administration/">has argued that</a>&nbsp;there might be wiggle room.

“The process of discontinuing the penny in the U.S. is a little unclear. It would likely require an act of Congress, but the Secretary of the Treasury might be able to simply stop the minting of new pennies,” he said last month.

Members of Congress have repeatedly introduced legislation taking aim at the zinc coin with copper plating. Proposals over the years have attempted to temporarily suspend the penny’s production, eliminate it from circulation, or require that prices be rounded to the nearest five cents, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Proponents of eliminating the coin have cited cost savings, speedier checkouts at cash registers, and the fact that a number of countries have already eliminated their one-cent coins. Canada, for instance,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mint.ca/en/blog/2022-06-legacy-of-the-penny?srsltid=AfmBOoqlKa_MtqmMEKdwsx8tKPRlFV-cbFrEsHAsm1W-xYh2ooN29ekU">stopped minting its penny</a>&nbsp;in 2012.

It wouldn't be the first time the U.S. eliminated its least valuable coin. The half-cent coin was discontinued by Congress in 1857.

Trump's new administration has been sharply focused on cutting costs, with Musk, who has been brought on to lead the task, targeting entire agencies and large swaths of the federal workforce as he tries to identify a goal of $2 trillion in savings.

“Let’s rip the waste out of our great nations budget, even if it’s a penny at a time,” Trump wrote in his post.

Trump sent the message as he was departing New Orleans after watching the first half of the Super Bowl.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739192025836.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;says he has directed the Treasury Department to stop minting new pennies, citing the rising cost of producing the one-cent coin.“For far too long the United States has minted pennies which literally cost us more than 2 cents. This is so wasteful!” Trump wrote in a post Sunday night on his Truth Social site. “I have instructed my Secretary of the US Treasury to stop producing new pennies.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739192207660.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The move by Trump is the latest in what has been a rapid-fire effort by his new administration to enact sweeping change through executive order and proclamation on issues ranging from immigration, to gender and diversity, to the name of the Gulf of Mexico.Trump had not discussed his desire to eliminate the penny during his campaign. But Elon Musk's so-called Department of Government Efficiency raised the prospect in&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/DOGE/status/1881928086305870127">a post on X last month</a>&nbsp;highlighting the penny’s cost.<a href="https://www.usmint.gov/content/dam/usmint/reports/2024-annual-report.pdf">The U.S. Mint reported losing</a>&nbsp;$85.3 million in the 2024 fiscal year that ended in September on the nearly 3.2 billion pennies it produced. Every penny cost nearly $0.037 — up from $0.031 the year before.The mint also loses money on the nickel, with each of the $0.05 coins costing nearly $0.14 to make.It is unclear whether Trump has the power to unilaterally eliminate the lowly one-cent coin. Currency specifications -- including the size and metal content of coins -- are dictated by Congress.But Robert K. Triest, an economics professor at Northeastern University,&nbsp;<a href="https://news.northeastern.edu/2025/01/29/discontinue-the-penny-trump-administration/">has argued that</a>&nbsp;there might be wiggle room.“The process of discontinuing the penny in the U.S. is a little unclear. It would likely require an act of Congress, but the Secretary of the Treasury might be able to simply stop the minting of new pennies,” he said last month.Members of Congress have repeatedly introduced legislation taking aim at the zinc coin with copper plating. Proposals over the years have attempted to temporarily suspend the penny’s production, eliminate it from circulation, or require that prices be rounded to the nearest five cents, according to the Congressional Research Service.Proponents of eliminating the coin have cited cost savings, speedier checkouts at cash registers, and the fact that a number of countries have already eliminated their one-cent coins. Canada, for instance,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mint.ca/en/blog/2022-06-legacy-of-the-penny?srsltid=AfmBOoqlKa_MtqmMEKdwsx8tKPRlFV-cbFrEsHAsm1W-xYh2ooN29ekU">stopped minting its penny</a>&nbsp;in 2012.It wouldn't be the first time the U.S. eliminated its least valuable coin. The half-cent coin was discontinued by Congress in 1857.Trump's new administration has been sharply focused on cutting costs, with Musk, who has been brought on to lead the task, targeting entire agencies and large swaths of the federal workforce as he tries to identify a goal of $2 trillion in savings.“Let’s rip the waste out of our great nations budget, even if it’s a penny at a time,” Trump wrote in his post.Trump sent the message as he was departing New Orleans after watching the first half of the Super Bowl.___

Trump orders end to minting of new pennies

RILEY COUNTY —A former Kansas State University basketball standout is out of jail after a weekend arrest in Manhattan.

Just after 5a.m. Sunday, police arrested 36-year-old Michael Beasley of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at the Manhattan Regional Airport for marijuana possession, according to the Riley County Police Department arrest report. Beasley posted the $750.00 bond and is no longer in custody.

Beasley returned to Manhattan for Saturday's Sunflower Showdown.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739186807284.png" alt="File photo Michael Beasley during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers" />
 <figcaption>File photo Michael Beasley during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers</figcaption>
 </figure>RILEY COUNTY —A former Kansas State University basketball standout is out of jail after a weekend arrest in Manhattan.Just after 5a.m. Sunday, police arrested 36-year-old Michael Beasley of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at the Manhattan Regional Airport for marijuana possession, according to the Riley County Police Department arrest report. Beasley posted the $750.00 bond and is no longer in custody.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739186532436.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Beasley returned to Manhattan for Saturday's Sunflower Showdown.

Former Kansas State basketball star arrested at Manhattan airport

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

The Women Who Lead nonprofit has partnered with a Fort Hays State University sorority to involve more young women in leadership and philanthropy.

Members of Delta Zeta sorority have joined the Women Who Lead group in Ellis County.

Since the groups joined forces, they have partnered on two food drives for the FHSU food pantry and a women's self-defense class.

The groups connected when Delta Zeta asked Ruth Ruder, Women Who Lead president, and Nancy Jeter, a Women Who Lead founder, to speak to students during a Women's Day event.

Some sorority members and their mothers were so excited about Women Who Lead that they joined that day.

Ella Burrows, president of Delta Zeta, said joining Women Who Lead has allowed her to make connections outside of campus.

"We get to see how a thoughtful and well-planned out organization operates, which has been really helpful for our girls to see in another organization outside of our own operate," Burrows said.

Burrows was impressed by Women Who Lead's community partnerships and hoped to use some of the same strategies in the sorority's fundraisers.

Delta Zeta's philanthropy efforts are focused on hearing and speech. They are partnered with the Herndon Clinic at FHSU, Starkey Hearing Foundation and American Society for Deaf Children.

The sorority has "Dodge for a Cause," a dodgeball tournament set for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 22 at Cunningham Hall. Its annual male beauty pageant, "Big Man on Campus," is set for March 25 at Beach Schmidt Performing Arts Center.

Women Who Lead has offered to help promote both of the upcoming events.

Jeter said it's powerful to involve partners in projects.

"So many of our projects start with a spark and an idea, and then it just grows, and then all of a sudden, we have a committee or a group of people who are making it happen," she said.

The Delta Zeta members are also giving back as members of Women Who Lead. Multiple sorority members have joined Women Who Lead committees, and&nbsp;Burrows has joined the Women Who Lead board.

Sophia Baumbach, recent FHSU graduate and former Delta Zeta social chairwoman, said Women Who Lead has been like a mother-daughter relationship. She said it's been comforting for her to have female support.

"It's like I lead, you watch, and one day you lead," she said.

"I feel like they are my adopted kids," she said. "I feel like I have to take care of them and nurture them into everything I know they can be. It's inspiring to see what they've already learned."

Jeter said Women Who Lead's membership tended to skew older before Delta Zeta became involved, and the partnership has been a way to involve younger women in the organization.

She said the Delta Zeta members bring life, passion and exuberance into the organization.

Ruder said Women Who Lead needed to bring in a younger generation.

"When we're in a nursing home, who's going to feed those people? Who's going to do Jesus' work? It has to be that generation that steps up," Ruder said.

Burrows, a senior in political science, and Baumbach said they hope they are creating the groundwork so future sorority members can continue the partnership with Women Who Lead.

In the future, Jeter said she could see a subgroup of Women Who Lead for FHSU students.

Not only would Women Who Lead like to continue growing its membership among students, but it has also created an Innovation Committee for women ages 30 to 40.

"We need to impact those women so everyone has a structure, and everyone has a place in Women Who Lead," Ruder said. "I think that is the big thing these girls helped us see. They fed off of us, and we fed off of them."

To learn more about Women Who Lead, visit the group's website at <a href="https://womenwholead.org/">womenwholead.org</a>&nbsp;or follow it on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/womenwholead.org">Facebook.</a>

Editor's note: Cristina Janney is a member of Women Who Lead.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738949411063.jpeg" alt="Women Who Lead board members Ruth Ruder and Nancy Jeter spoke to Delta Zeta members for their Women's Day event in April, which sparked a partnership with the Fort Hays State University sorority. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Women Who Lead board members Ruth Ruder and Nancy Jeter spoke to Delta Zeta members for their Women's Day event in April, which sparked a partnership with the Fort Hays State University sorority. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Women Who Lead nonprofit has partnered with a Fort Hays State University sorority to involve more young women in leadership and philanthropy.Members of Delta Zeta sorority have joined the Women Who Lead group in Ellis County.Since the groups joined forces, they have partnered on two food drives for the FHSU food pantry and a women's self-defense class.The groups connected when Delta Zeta asked Ruth Ruder, Women Who Lead president, and Nancy Jeter, a Women Who Lead founder, to speak to students during a Women's Day event.Some sorority members and their mothers were so excited about Women Who Lead that they joined that day.Ella Burrows, president of Delta Zeta, said joining Women Who Lead has allowed her to make connections outside of campus."We get to see how a thoughtful and well-planned out organization operates, which has been really helpful for our girls to see in another organization outside of our own operate," Burrows said.Burrows was impressed by Women Who Lead's community partnerships and hoped to use some of the same strategies in the sorority's fundraisers.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738949536130.jpeg" alt="Delta Zeta and Women Who Lead partnered with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553945955697&amp;__cft__[0]=AZUe0vFfzwKcShr_yy37NRvIw8pHzcKuizB_9BnKEDm_mPtOEQGcBO_21VXmRfnXmha5-9Yfi4VN3T7Xf5ya6qSFfyxf2fq9Q9gnVKySahRwCmvTxd62_l_UYzmPtQac02-soXuaIgfqGdTtw9iSQdz_raiCEMQieZZvznWJ1lrc4oI4Mhh6XangpXNxYzjPTPBtOy5O0B8yUD09YWIF1pKe&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">DXI Training Solutions LLC</a>&nbsp;to offer a women's self-defense course in September at FHSU. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Delta Zeta and Women Who Lead partnered with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553945955697&amp;__cft__[0]=AZUe0vFfzwKcShr_yy37NRvIw8pHzcKuizB_9BnKEDm_mPtOEQGcBO_21VXmRfnXmha5-9Yfi4VN3T7Xf5ya6qSFfyxf2fq9Q9gnVKySahRwCmvTxd62_l_UYzmPtQac02-soXuaIgfqGdTtw9iSQdz_raiCEMQieZZvznWJ1lrc4oI4Mhh6XangpXNxYzjPTPBtOy5O0B8yUD09YWIF1pKe&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">DXI Training Solutions LLC</a>&nbsp;to offer a women's self-defense course in September at FHSU. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Delta Zeta's philanthropy efforts are focused on hearing and speech. They are partnered with the Herndon Clinic at FHSU, Starkey Hearing Foundation and American Society for Deaf Children.The sorority has "Dodge for a Cause," a dodgeball tournament set for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 22 at Cunningham Hall. Its annual male beauty pageant, "Big Man on Campus," is set for March 25 at Beach Schmidt Performing Arts Center.Women Who Lead has offered to help promote both of the upcoming events.Jeter said it's powerful to involve partners in projects."So many of our projects start with a spark and an idea, and then it just grows, and then all of a sudden, we have a committee or a group of people who are making it happen," she said.The Delta Zeta members are also giving back as members of Women Who Lead. Multiple sorority members have joined Women Who Lead committees, and&nbsp;Burrows has joined the Women Who Lead board.Sophia Baumbach, recent FHSU graduate and former Delta Zeta social chairwoman, said Women Who Lead has been like a mother-daughter relationship. She said it's been comforting for her to have female support."It's like I lead, you watch, and one day you lead," she said.Ruder said she felt the same."I feel like they are my adopted kids," she said. "I feel like I have to take care of them and nurture them into everything I know they can be. It's inspiring to see what they've already learned."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738949715441.jpeg" alt="Women Who Lead and Delta Zeta members pose for a picture to commemorate a successful food drive for the Fort Hays State University food pantry in August. The two groups partnered again in January to restock the pantry. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Women Who Lead and Delta Zeta members pose for a picture to commemorate a successful food drive for the Fort Hays State University food pantry in August. The two groups partnered again in January to restock the pantry. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Jeter said Women Who Lead's membership tended to skew older before Delta Zeta became involved, and the partnership has been a way to involve younger women in the organization.She said the Delta Zeta members bring life, passion and exuberance into the organization.Ruder said Women Who Lead needed to bring in a younger generation."When we're in a nursing home, who's going to feed those people? Who's going to do Jesus' work? It has to be that generation that steps up," Ruder said.Burrows, a senior in political science, and Baumbach said they hope they are creating the groundwork so future sorority members can continue the partnership with Women Who Lead.In the future, Jeter said she could see a subgroup of Women Who Lead for FHSU students.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738949887991.jpeg" alt="Ruth Ruder, left, Women Who Lead president, and Nancy Jeter, right, Women Who Lead founding member, at the Delta Zeta Women's Day in April. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Ruth Ruder, left, Women Who Lead president, and Nancy Jeter, right, Women Who Lead founding member, at the Delta Zeta Women's Day in April. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Not only would Women Who Lead like to continue growing its membership among students, but it has also created an Innovation Committee for women ages 30 to 40."We need to impact those women so everyone has a structure, and everyone has a place in Women Who Lead," Ruder said. "I think that is the big thing these girls helped us see. They fed off of us, and we fed off of them."To learn more about Women Who Lead, visit the group's website at <a href="https://womenwholead.org/">womenwholead.org</a>&nbsp;or follow it on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/womenwholead.org">Facebook.</a>Editor's note: Cristina Janney is a member of Women Who Lead.

Women Who Lead taps FHSU sorority for next generation of philanthropy

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DAVE%20SKRETTA%20and%20ANDREW%20DALTON%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DAVE SKRETTA and ANDREW DALTON Associated Press</a>

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — There was no on-field celebration for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce after this Super Bowl.

Only consolation far away from the prying TV cameras.

The pop superstar turned up at the big game for the second consecutive year as her boyfriend and the Kansas City Chiefs tried to make history by winning a third consecutive Lombardi Trophy. Instead, Swift found herself booed by a pro-Eagles crowd and then had to endure their countless cheers as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2025-eagles-chiefs-score-e2ff209c074a00a6faff39750ff048f8">Philadelphia rolled to a 40-22 victory</a>&nbsp;at the Superdome.

Last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/taylor-swift">Swift</a>&nbsp;and Kelce&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/super-bowl-2024-updates">locked lips</a>&nbsp;on the field at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas as red and gold confetti fell like rain after the Chiefs won their second straight Super Bowl — the duo's first since becoming a sports-and-music power couple.

That was a celebratory affair for Swift all night: She won a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1756841836713476406">beer-chugging contest</a>&nbsp;to raucous cheers from the pro-Chiefs crowd, and she spent the game partying with&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1756889859455885414">celebrity friends</a>&nbsp;including Blake Lively and Lana Del Rey.

Yet much has changed over the past 12 months. Many sports fans have turned against Swift, whom they believe gets far too much television time during NFL games. And even more fans have turned against the Chiefs, who have replaced the Patriots of Tom Brady as the juggernaut that NFL fans love to hate.

So it wasn't surprising that Swift was booed when shown on the videoboards alongside rapper Ice Spice during a break in the first quarter Sunday night. She gave a bit of a side-eye look and wrinkled her nose when she realized the boos were for her.

By the second half, and with the Eagles in control, the cameras were staying away from her entirely, and after the game, President Donald Trump took a dig at Swift, who endorsed Kamala Harris in last year's election.

“The only one that had a tougher night than the Kansas City Chiefs was Taylor Swift,” Trump posted on social media. “She got BOOED out of the Stadium. MAGA is very unforgiving!”

Swift and Kelce became a couple&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-chiefs-broncos-b08b0e53fdd232dc0a468b5fa43b5b04">early last season</a>, when the four-time All-Pro tight end invited the songstress to watch him play in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-kelce-chiefs-891e7df84295f5b35cfa97a5ec427721">game against the Bears</a>. Kelce had famously tried and failed to deliver a friendship bracelet to Swift when she had played at Arrowhead Stadium, but she took him up on the offer to attend a game and their relationship blossomed.

Perhaps being shut out at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/grammy-awards">Grammy Awards</a>&nbsp;last week was a harbinger of a long, difficult night. In 2024, she had won album of the year for her 14th career Grammy a week before joining Kelce for their on-field Super Bowl celebration.

That week was arguably peak Taylor and Travis, not that their stardom has dimmed since. In 2024, after the Grammys, she was in the midst of her Eras Tour and had played a concert in Tokyo before making a mad dash to Las Vegas for the game.

This year she eased into the Big Easy, arriving in time to join Kelce on a double date with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany, on Friday night. The couples dined at Lilette, a French restaurant near the Garden District.

On the eve of the big game, Swift was spotted with musicians Danielle and Alana Haim at Gianna Restaurant.

The big question swirling early Sunday was what might happen if Kelce won a third straight Super Bowl ring and fourth overall. Would he pick such a festive moment to propose? BetMGM gave 8/1 odds for those willing to wager on it.

That possibility was snuffed out well before the game was over.

The Chiefs fell to 19-4 with Swift in the crowd, and Sunday was the first time she saw them lose in the playoffs.

“We haven’t played that bad all year. You don’t lose like that without everything going bad,” Kelce said.

Now, the question is whether the 35-year-old Kelce — who made himself scarce in the postgame locker room — will be back for another Super Bowl run. He has been noncommittal about playing next year, and some within the Chiefs organization are bracing for a potential retirement after a record-setting career that will almost certainly land him in the Hall of Fame.

Kelce has been laying the groundwork for his post-playing career for years. He has a lucrative podcast with his brother, retired Eagles center Jason Kelce, and has hosted game shows and even tried his hand at acting this past offseason.

“I’ll let Travis make that decision on his own,” said Mahomes, his closest buddy on the team. “He knows he still has a lot of football left in him. I mean, you can see it. He always makes plays in the biggest moment, but it’s if he wants to put in that grind, because it takes it takes it to go out there and play 20 games, whatever it is, and get to the Super Bowl.

“He’s done enough to be a gold-jacket guy and first-ballot Hall of Famer,” Mahomes added, “but I know he still has love for the game, and he’ll get to spend some time with his family and make that decision on his own.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739184858755.png" alt="Ice Spice, from left, Taylor Swift, Este Haim and Alana Haim watch during the first half of the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)" />
 <figcaption>Ice Spice, from left, Taylor Swift, Este Haim and Alana Haim watch during the first half of the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DAVE%20SKRETTA%20and%20ANDREW%20DALTON%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DAVE SKRETTA and ANDREW DALTON Associated Press</a>NEW ORLEANS (AP) — There was no on-field celebration for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce after this Super Bowl.Only consolation far away from the prying TV cameras.The pop superstar turned up at the big game for the second consecutive year as her boyfriend and the Kansas City Chiefs tried to make history by winning a third consecutive Lombardi Trophy. Instead, Swift found herself booed by a pro-Eagles crowd and then had to endure their countless cheers as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2025-eagles-chiefs-score-e2ff209c074a00a6faff39750ff048f8">Philadelphia rolled to a 40-22 victory</a>&nbsp;at the Superdome.Last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/taylor-swift">Swift</a>&nbsp;and Kelce&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/super-bowl-2024-updates">locked lips</a>&nbsp;on the field at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas as red and gold confetti fell like rain after the Chiefs won their second straight Super Bowl — the duo's first since becoming a sports-and-music power couple.That was a celebratory affair for Swift all night: She won a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1756841836713476406">beer-chugging contest</a>&nbsp;to raucous cheers from the pro-Chiefs crowd, and she spent the game partying with&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1756889859455885414">celebrity friends</a>&nbsp;including Blake Lively and Lana Del Rey.Yet much has changed over the past 12 months. Many sports fans have turned against Swift, whom they believe gets far too much television time during NFL games. And even more fans have turned against the Chiefs, who have replaced the Patriots of Tom Brady as the juggernaut that NFL fans love to hate.So it wasn't surprising that Swift was booed when shown on the videoboards alongside rapper Ice Spice during a break in the first quarter Sunday night. She gave a bit of a side-eye look and wrinkled her nose when she realized the boos were for her.By the second half, and with the Eagles in control, the cameras were staying away from her entirely, and after the game, President Donald Trump took a dig at Swift, who endorsed Kamala Harris in last year's election.“The only one that had a tougher night than the Kansas City Chiefs was Taylor Swift,” Trump posted on social media. “She got BOOED out of the Stadium. MAGA is very unforgiving!”Swift and Kelce became a couple&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-chiefs-broncos-b08b0e53fdd232dc0a468b5fa43b5b04">early last season</a>, when the four-time All-Pro tight end invited the songstress to watch him play in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-kelce-chiefs-891e7df84295f5b35cfa97a5ec427721">game against the Bears</a>. Kelce had famously tried and failed to deliver a friendship bracelet to Swift when she had played at Arrowhead Stadium, but she took him up on the offer to attend a game and their relationship blossomed.Perhaps being shut out at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/grammy-awards">Grammy Awards</a>&nbsp;last week was a harbinger of a long, difficult night. In 2024, she had won album of the year for her 14th career Grammy a week before joining Kelce for their on-field Super Bowl celebration.That week was arguably peak Taylor and Travis, not that their stardom has dimmed since. In 2024, after the Grammys, she was in the midst of her Eras Tour and had played a concert in Tokyo before making a mad dash to Las Vegas for the game.This year she eased into the Big Easy, arriving in time to join Kelce on a double date with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany, on Friday night. The couples dined at Lilette, a French restaurant near the Garden District.On the eve of the big game, Swift was spotted with musicians Danielle and Alana Haim at Gianna Restaurant.The big question swirling early Sunday was what might happen if Kelce won a third straight Super Bowl ring and fourth overall. Would he pick such a festive moment to propose? BetMGM gave 8/1 odds for those willing to wager on it.That possibility was snuffed out well before the game was over.The Chiefs fell to 19-4 with Swift in the crowd, and Sunday was the first time she saw them lose in the playoffs.“We haven’t played that bad all year. You don’t lose like that without everything going bad,” Kelce said.Now, the question is whether the 35-year-old Kelce — who made himself scarce in the postgame locker room — will be back for another Super Bowl run. He has been noncommittal about playing next year, and some within the Chiefs organization are bracing for a potential retirement after a record-setting career that will almost certainly land him in the Hall of Fame.Kelce has been laying the groundwork for his post-playing career for years. He has a lucrative podcast with his brother, retired Eagles center Jason Kelce, and has hosted game shows and even tried his hand at acting this past offseason.“I’ll let Travis make that decision on his own,” said Mahomes, his closest buddy on the team. “He knows he still has a lot of football left in him. I mean, you can see it. He always makes plays in the biggest moment, but it’s if he wants to put in that grind, because it takes it takes it to go out there and play 20 games, whatever it is, and get to the Super Bowl.“He’s done enough to be a gold-jacket guy and first-ballot Hall of Famer,” Mahomes added, “but I know he still has love for the game, and he’ll get to spend some time with his family and make that decision on his own.”___

No on-field kisses for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce at this Super Bowl

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has ordered the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to stop nearly all its work, effectively shutting down an agency that was created to protect consumers after the 2008 financial crisis and subprime mortgage-lending scandal.

Russell Vought, the newly installed director of the Office of Management and Budget, directed the CFPB, in a Saturday night email confirmed by The Associated Press, to stop work on proposed rules, to suspend the effective dates on any rules that were finalized but not yet effective, and to stop investigative work and not begin any new investigations. The agency has been a target of conservatives since President Barack Obama pushed to include it in the 2010 financial reform legislation that followed the 2007-2008 financial crisis.

The email also ordered the bureau to "cease all supervision and examination activity."

Since the CFPB is a creation of Congress, it would require a separate act of Congress to formally eliminate it. But the head of the agency has discretion over what enforcement actions to take, if any.

Yet Elon Musk commented, "CFPB RIP" on social media site X on Friday. And the CFPB homepage on the Internet was down Sunday, replaced by a message reading "page not found."

Also late Saturday, Vought said in a social media post that the CFPB would not withdraw its next round of funding from the Federal Reserve, adding that its current reserves of $711.6 million is "excessive." Congress directed the bureau to be funded by the Fed to insulate it from political pressures.

"This spigot, long contributing to CFPB's unaccountability, is now being turned off," Vought said on X.

The CFPB says that it has obtained nearly $20 billion in financial relief for U.S. consumers since its founding in the form of canceled debts, compensation, and reduced loans. Last month, the bureau sued Capital One for allegedly misleading consumers about its offerings for high-interest savings accounts — and "cheating" customers out of more than $2 billion in lost interest payments as a result.

Dennis Kelleher, president of Better Markets, an advocacy group, said, "that's why Wall Street's biggest banks and Trump's billionaire allies hate the bureau: it's an effective cop on the finance beat and has stood side-by-side with hundreds of millions of Americans — Republicans and Democrats — battling financial predators, scammers, and crooks."

The administration's move against the CFPB also highlights the tensions between Trump's more populist promises to lower costs for working-class families and his pledge to reduce government regulation.

During the campaign, Trump said he would cap credit card interest rates at 10%, after they had soared to record levels above 20%, on average, as the Federal Reserve lifted interest rates in 2022 and 2023. The CFPB had started work on how that proposal would be implemented.

The bureau can still take complaints, but it can't conduct exams or pursue existing investigations, according to a person familiar with the agency who insisted on anonymity to discuss CFPB business. The memo is also interpreted as blocking it from communicating with companies it regulates, consumer advocates or other outside groups.

Musk's team would also have access to complaints, investigations and regulatory oversight data. The access raises uncomfortable questions if Musk's company X launches a payments system as the CFPB has data on competitors such as Cash App, the person said.

Vought's email follows a similar directive from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Feb. 3 and is the latest move by the Trump administration to rapidly curtail the work of federal agencies that they have deemed excessive.

Obama spearheaded the creation of the bureau in the wake of the 2007-2008 housing bubble and financial crisis, which was caused in part by fraudulent mortgage lending. It was the brainchild of Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren and has attracted lawsuits from large banks and financial industry trade associations.

"Vought is giving big banks and giant corporations the green light to scam families," Warren said.

Last week, Warren called on Trump to work with the bureau to protect Americans from de-banking, the practice of banks shutting down customer accounts because they believe they pose financial, legal or reputational risks to the banks.

"I know that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is a favorite whipping boy of Republicans on this Committee, but the CFPB is the main agency in our government that is actively working to stop unfair de-banking," she said at a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.

Vought's email said that President Donald Trump had made him acting director of the CFPB on Friday. Trump fired the previous director of the bureau, Rohit Chopra, on Feb. 1. Vought was an architect of Project 2025, a policy blueprint for the Trump White House that Trump tried to disavow during last year's campaign.

Under Chopra, the CFPB approved rules to cap overdraft fees by banks, limit junk fees, and has proposed restrictions on data brokers selling personal information such as Social Security numbers.

AP Writers Josh Boak and Chris Megerian contributed to this report. AP Writer Holly Ramer contributed from Concord, New Hampshire.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738891651773.png" alt="Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall met with Vought in December-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall met with Vought in December-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics WriterWASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has ordered the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to stop nearly all its work, effectively shutting down an agency that was created to protect consumers after the 2008 financial crisis and subprime mortgage-lending scandal.Russell Vought, the newly installed director of the Office of Management and Budget, directed the CFPB, in a Saturday night email confirmed by The Associated Press, to stop work on proposed rules, to suspend the effective dates on any rules that were finalized but not yet effective, and to stop investigative work and not begin any new investigations. The agency has been a target of conservatives since President Barack Obama pushed to include it in the 2010 financial reform legislation that followed the 2007-2008 financial crisis.The email also ordered the bureau to "cease all supervision and examination activity."Since the CFPB is a creation of Congress, it would require a separate act of Congress to formally eliminate it. But the head of the agency has discretion over what enforcement actions to take, if any.Yet Elon Musk commented, "CFPB RIP" on social media site X on Friday. And the CFPB homepage on the Internet was down Sunday, replaced by a message reading "page not found."Also late Saturday, Vought said in a social media post that the CFPB would not withdraw its next round of funding from the Federal Reserve, adding that its current reserves of $711.6 million is "excessive." Congress directed the bureau to be funded by the Fed to insulate it from political pressures."This spigot, long contributing to CFPB's unaccountability, is now being turned off," Vought said on X.The CFPB says that it has obtained nearly $20 billion in financial relief for U.S. consumers since its founding in the form of canceled debts, compensation, and reduced loans. Last month, the bureau sued Capital One for allegedly misleading consumers about its offerings for high-interest savings accounts — and "cheating" customers out of more than $2 billion in lost interest payments as a result.Dennis Kelleher, president of Better Markets, an advocacy group, said, "that's why Wall Street's biggest banks and Trump's billionaire allies hate the bureau: it's an effective cop on the finance beat and has stood side-by-side with hundreds of millions of Americans — Republicans and Democrats — battling financial predators, scammers, and crooks."The administration's move against the CFPB also highlights the tensions between Trump's more populist promises to lower costs for working-class families and his pledge to reduce government regulation.During the campaign, Trump said he would cap credit card interest rates at 10%, after they had soared to record levels above 20%, on average, as the Federal Reserve lifted interest rates in 2022 and 2023. The CFPB had started work on how that proposal would be implemented.The bureau can still take complaints, but it can't conduct exams or pursue existing investigations, according to a person familiar with the agency who insisted on anonymity to discuss CFPB business. The memo is also interpreted as blocking it from communicating with companies it regulates, consumer advocates or other outside groups.Musk's team would also have access to complaints, investigations and regulatory oversight data. The access raises uncomfortable questions if Musk's company X launches a payments system as the CFPB has data on competitors such as Cash App, the person said.Vought's email follows a similar directive from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Feb. 3 and is the latest move by the Trump administration to rapidly curtail the work of federal agencies that they have deemed excessive.Obama spearheaded the creation of the bureau in the wake of the 2007-2008 housing bubble and financial crisis, which was caused in part by fraudulent mortgage lending. It was the brainchild of Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren and has attracted lawsuits from large banks and financial industry trade associations."Vought is giving big banks and giant corporations the green light to scam families," Warren said.Last week, Warren called on Trump to work with the bureau to protect Americans from de-banking, the practice of banks shutting down customer accounts because they believe they pose financial, legal or reputational risks to the banks."I know that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is a favorite whipping boy of Republicans on this Committee, but the CFPB is the main agency in our government that is actively working to stop unfair de-banking," she said at a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.Vought's email said that President Donald Trump had made him acting director of the CFPB on Friday. Trump fired the previous director of the bureau, Rohit Chopra, on Feb. 1. Vought was an architect of Project 2025, a policy blueprint for the Trump White House that Trump tried to disavow during last year's campaign.Under Chopra, the CFPB approved rules to cap overdraft fees by banks, limit junk fees, and has proposed restrictions on data brokers selling personal information such as Social Security numbers.___AP Writers Josh Boak and Chris Megerian contributed to this report. AP Writer Holly Ramer contributed from Concord, New Hampshire.

Trump administration orders consumer protection agency to stop work

Cristina Janney speaks with Doug Williams of Grow Hays about the recent Heartland Community Foundation Solutions Summit on this episode of the Hays Post Podcast.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/bc061cf6-69bd-4fe7-94f4-bf49403ecfea">SEE RELATED STORY: Solutions Summit: Ellis County needs to tell its story better</a>

<div><iframe title="Post Podcast: Grow Hays on Solutions Summit Meeting" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:300px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?from=embed&i=mkagb-17ece22-pb&square=1&share=1&download=1&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&rtl=0&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=300" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>Cristina Janney speaks with Doug Williams of Grow Hays about the recent Heartland Community Foundation Solutions Summit on this episode of the Hays Post Podcast.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/bc061cf6-69bd-4fe7-94f4-bf49403ecfea">SEE RELATED STORY: Solutions Summit: Ellis County needs to tell its story better</a>

🎙 Post Podcast: Doug Williams of Grow Hays discusses Solutions Summit

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

Local Republican legislators outlined significant cost-cutting measures and discussed water conservation, education, and gender policies at Saturday's legislative coffee in Hays.

Held at the Hays Public Library, Kansas Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, and Rep. Barb Wasinger, R-Hays, spoke to those in attendance.

Billinger discussed a potential $7.9 million savings on medical alert devices and said the state currently spends $8 million annually, but a review found the cost could be reduced to $55,000.

"If any of you have any idea on ways that we can save money and do our jobs better at the state level, feel free to share your ideas," Billinger said.

Billinger said Kansas overspent $916 million last year and needs to balance the budget to maintain financial stability.

"If we treat state money like it's our own money and that it doesn't grow on trees, I think we're better stewards," Rahjes added.

Billinger said a Senate effort to forgive compound interest on a bond recently saved the state $41 million.

Wasinger said the state plans to eliminate its 1.5-mill property tax but warned capping property values could prompt counties to raise levies, shifting rather than reducing the overall tax burden.

Wasinger continues prioritizing the R9 water project in Hays, advocating strongly for its progress.

Wasinger criticized state interference in the project, saying that Hays has led in water conservation and insisting it should proceed without delay.

"We have conserved our water in such a great example for the rest of the state... the city of Hays has spent a decade trying to fight for their water rights at the R9 Ranch," she said.

Gov. Laura Kelly proposed creating a Natural Resources Office to oversee water resource management across Kansas.

Billinger said control should remain with local water districts and management groups.

"I'm all for local control, and I think that's the key," he said.

Rahjes questioned the need for the U.S. Department of Education, advocating for greater control by local school boards.

"Wouldn't it be nice to have local school boards decide what's best for the local school children instead of having some edict from D.C. that says what works in Houston works in Ellis?" he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

USD 489 school board member Ruth Ruder, who was present, said the state is not meeting its responsibilities for special education funding.

"My obligation as a school board member is to the kids, not to the taxpayer," she said. "I'm going to fight to get those funds."

Billinger said there is a lack of special education funding and attributes the shortfall to increased spending as more children enroll in the program.

"It doesn't take long to burn through our safety net, which is our rainy day fund," he said. "In special ed, I will push for as much as I can get."

The legislators discussed the Do No Harm Act, which limits state funding for gender transition procedures and bans health care providers from offering it to minors.

The bill has passed both the House and Senate and now awaits the governor’s signature. Rahjes said Kelly is expected to veto it, but lawmakers believe they have enough votes to override.

Audience members pushed back on the bill's premise and raised concerns about its impact.

Wasinger said the number of people with gender dysphoria has risen in recent years. She said everyone is either male or female.

Rahjes emphasized the bill applies only to minors to prevent premature decisions with long-term consequences.

Rahjes said an increasing shortage of attorneys in rural Kansas has led to legal service gaps in many small communities.

"Whoever would have thought we'd have a shortage of lawyers in rural Kansas? I never thought it would be in my lifetime," he said.

Legislative efforts are underway to address this, including a loan repayment program in collaboration with Washburn and the University of Kansas School of Law.

The Legislature is also considering a grant program to help gas stations offer high-ethanol blends to consumers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739032921782.jpeg" alt="Sarah Wasinger, Chamber in Hays CEO/President, Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland,&nbsp;Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, and Rep. Barb Wasinger, R-Hays. Photo By Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Sarah Wasinger, Chamber in Hays CEO/President, Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland,&nbsp;Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, and Rep. Barb Wasinger, R-Hays. Photo By Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostLocal Republican legislators outlined significant cost-cutting measures and discussed water conservation, education, and gender policies at Saturday's legislative coffee in Hays.Held at the Hays Public Library, Kansas Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, and Rep. Barb Wasinger, R-Hays, spoke to those in attendance.<h2>Government spending</h2>Billinger discussed a potential $7.9 million savings on medical alert devices and said the state currently spends $8 million annually, but a review found the cost could be reduced to $55,000."If any of you have any idea on ways that we can save money and do our jobs better at the state level, feel free to share your ideas," Billinger said.Billinger said Kansas overspent $916 million last year and needs to balance the budget to maintain financial stability."If we treat state money like it's our own money and that it doesn't grow on trees, I think we're better stewards," Rahjes added.Billinger said a Senate effort to forgive compound interest on a bond recently saved the state $41 million.Wasinger said the state plans to eliminate its 1.5-mill property tax but warned capping property values could prompt counties to raise levies, shifting rather than reducing the overall tax burden.<h2>Water conservation</h2>Wasinger continues prioritizing the R9 water project in Hays, advocating strongly for its progress.Wasinger criticized state interference in the project, saying that Hays has led in water conservation and insisting it should proceed without delay."We have conserved our water in such a great example for the rest of the state... the city of Hays has spent a decade trying to fight for their water rights at the R9 Ranch," she said.Gov. Laura Kelly proposed creating a Natural Resources Office to oversee water resource management across Kansas.Billinger said control should remain with local water districts and management groups."I'm all for local control, and I think that's the key," he said.<h2>Education</h2>Rahjes questioned the need for the U.S. Department of Education, advocating for greater control by local school boards."Wouldn't it be nice to have local school boards decide what's best for the local school children instead of having some edict from D.C. that says what works in Houston works in Ellis?" he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;USD 489 school board member Ruth Ruder, who was present, said the state is not meeting its responsibilities for special education funding."My obligation as a school board member is to the kids, not to the taxpayer," she said. "I'm going to fight to get those funds."Billinger said there is a lack of special education funding and attributes the shortfall to increased spending as more children enroll in the program."It doesn't take long to burn through our safety net, which is our rainy day fund," he said. "In special ed, I will push for as much as I can get."<h2>Gender policies</h2>The legislators discussed the Do No Harm Act, which limits state funding for gender transition procedures and bans health care providers from offering it to minors.The bill has passed both the House and Senate and now awaits the governor’s signature. Rahjes said Kelly is expected to veto it, but lawmakers believe they have enough votes to override.Audience members pushed back on the bill's premise and raised concerns about its impact.Wasinger said the number of people with gender dysphoria has risen in recent years. She said everyone is either male or female.Rahjes emphasized the bill applies only to minors to prevent premature decisions with long-term consequences.<h2>Rural and agricultural issues&nbsp;</h2>Rahjes said an increasing shortage of attorneys in rural Kansas has led to legal service gaps in many small communities."Whoever would have thought we'd have a shortage of lawyers in rural Kansas? I never thought it would be in my lifetime," he said.Legislative efforts are underway to address this, including a loan repayment program in collaboration with Washburn and the University of Kansas School of Law.The Legislature is also considering a grant program to help gas stations offer high-ethanol blends to consumers.

Local legislators highlight cost saving measures, support Hays water conservations

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) —&nbsp;Former Iowa player and Nickerson High School standout Ava Jones announced on social media Saturday that she has cancer.

Jones said on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/avajones_35/p/DF0uLFnxNcZ/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>&nbsp;that she has Hodgkin lymphoma.

Just days after she committed to play for the Hawkeyes in 2022, Jones and her family were struck by a car in Kentucky. Her father, Trey Jones, died and she suffered a brain injury. Her mom was also injured.

“I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma after the results from the biopsy came back,” she wrote. “This is the news no one ever wants to get, but especially after spending the last 2 and a half years working my butt off and recovering from getting hit by a car. My body is very strong and I am confident in the doctors here at Iowa.”

Her former teammate Caitlin Clark commented on Jones’ post writing, “Praying for you kid."

Jones' scholarship was honored by Iowa and she was on the basketball team as a freshman before she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-ava-jones-retires-2b80c94b58f419264a4db5fb96a741a1" target="_blank">medically retired</a>&nbsp;eight months ago. She had several surgeries to address the brain injury as well as the multiple torn ligaments in her knees. She redshirted last season with hopes of playing at some point during her career at Iowa.

“It is with great sadness to announce that I am medically retiring from college basketball. My coaches, doctors, teammates and trainers have been amazing since the accident,” Jones said when she retired. “While I will no longer be a member of the women’s basketball program, I will still be on scholarship, receive a world-class education and forever be a Hawkeye. I’d like to thank my family for the never-ending support and I am excited for the next chapter of my life.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739063585196.jpeg" alt="FILE - Iowa Hawkeyes forward Ava Jones looks on during an exhibition game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Clarke Pride at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa, Oct. 22, 2023. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette via AP, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - Iowa Hawkeyes forward Ava Jones looks on during an exhibition game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Clarke Pride at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa, Oct. 22, 2023. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette via AP, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) —&nbsp;Former Iowa player and Nickerson High School standout Ava Jones announced on social media Saturday that she has cancer.Jones said on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/avajones_35/p/DF0uLFnxNcZ/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>&nbsp;that she has Hodgkin lymphoma.Just days after she committed to play for the Hawkeyes in 2022, Jones and her family were struck by a car in Kentucky. Her father, Trey Jones, died and she suffered a brain injury. Her mom was also injured.“I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma after the results from the biopsy came back,” she wrote. “This is the news no one ever wants to get, but especially after spending the last 2 and a half years working my butt off and recovering from getting hit by a car. My body is very strong and I am confident in the doctors here at Iowa.”Her former teammate Caitlin Clark commented on Jones’ post writing, “Praying for you kid."Jones' scholarship was honored by Iowa and she was on the basketball team as a freshman before she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-ava-jones-retires-2b80c94b58f419264a4db5fb96a741a1" target="_blank">medically retired</a>&nbsp;eight months ago. She had several surgeries to address the brain injury as well as the multiple torn ligaments in her knees. She redshirted last season with hopes of playing at some point during her career at Iowa.“It is with great sadness to announce that I am medically retiring from college basketball. My coaches, doctors, teammates and trainers have been amazing since the accident,” Jones said when she retired. “While I will no longer be a member of the women’s basketball program, I will still be on scholarship, receive a world-class education and forever be a Hawkeye. I’d like to thank my family for the never-ending support and I am excited for the next chapter of my life.”

Former Nickerson player Ava Jones reveals cancer diagnosis

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. winter virus season is in full force, and by one measure is the most intense in 15 years.

One indicator of flu activity is the percentage of doctor’s office visits driven by flu-like symptoms. Last week, that number was clearly higher than the peak of any winter flu season since 2009-2010, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/fluview/surveillance/2025-week-05.html">data</a>&nbsp;posted Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Of course, other viral infections can be mistaken for flu. But COVID-19 appears to be on the decline, according to hospital data and to CDC modeling projections.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/data/">Available data</a>&nbsp;also suggests another respiratory illness, RSV, has been fading nationally.

The flu has forced schools to shut down in some states. The Godley Independent School District, a 3,200-student system near Fort Worth, Texas, last week closed for three days after 650 students and 60 staff were out Tuesday.

Jeff Meador, a district spokesman, said the vast majority of illnesses there have been flu, plus some strep throat. He called it the worst flu season he could remember.

So far this season, the CDC estimates, there have been at least 24 million flu illnesses, 310,000 hospitalizations and 13,000 deaths — including at least 57 children. Traditionally, flu season peaks around February.

Overall, 43 states reported high or very high flu activity last week. Flu was most intense in the South, Southwest and western states.

In Rochester, New York, the flu season has been intense but not necessarily worse than at the peak of other years, said Dr. Elizabeth Murray, a pediatric emergency medicine doctor at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

She said there’s a lot of flu, but there’s also still a lot of RSV and a surprising number of babies with COVID-19.

“All of the respiratory illnesses are around, with a vengeance,” Murray added.

The CDC declined to let an Associated Press reporter speak to an agency flu expert about recent trends. The Trump administration ordered a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-health-communications-cdc-hhs-fda-1eeca64c1ccc324b31b779a86d3999a4">temporary “pause”</a>&nbsp;on health agency communications and has continued to refuse interview requests that were routinely granted in the past.

U.S. health officials recommends that everyone 6 months and older get an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid19-flu-rsv-vaccines-shots-ad33f4fe23f4c293ab87415b6449d9ad">annual flu vaccination</a>.

About 44% of adults got flu shots this winter, the same as last winter. But coverage of children is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/fluvaxview/dashboard/children-vaccination-coverage.html">way down</a>, at about 45% this winter. It’s usually around 50%, according to CDC data.

About 23% of U.S. adults were up to date in their COVID-19 vaccinations as of late January, up from about 20% at the same point in time the year before. COVID-19 vaccination rates for kids were about the same, at around 12%.

The government has not yet reported its estimates of how well this season's flu vaccine is working.

Testing results from patients indicate that two strains of seasonal flu that are causing most illnesses — a Type A H1N1 and a Type A H3N2. Health officials are closely watching a third strain — a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bird-flu">bird flu</a>&nbsp;known as Type A H5N1 — that has sickened tens of millions of animals, but is known to have infected only 67 people in the U.S.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/norovirus-flu-symptoms-covid19-rsv-a673bf84d9503395783d849733e007eb">To avoid seasonal viruses</a>, doctors say you should avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth because germs can spread that way. You should also wash your hands with soap and water, clean frequently touched surfaces and avoid close contact with people who are sick.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738961853692.png" alt="CDC image" />
 <figcaption>CDC image</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. winter virus season is in full force, and by one measure is the most intense in 15 years.One indicator of flu activity is the percentage of doctor’s office visits driven by flu-like symptoms. Last week, that number was clearly higher than the peak of any winter flu season since 2009-2010, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/fluview/surveillance/2025-week-05.html">data</a>&nbsp;posted Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Of course, other viral infections can be mistaken for flu. But COVID-19 appears to be on the decline, according to hospital data and to CDC modeling projections.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/data/">Available data</a>&nbsp;also suggests another respiratory illness, RSV, has been fading nationally.The flu has forced schools to shut down in some states. The Godley Independent School District, a 3,200-student system near Fort Worth, Texas, last week closed for three days after 650 students and 60 staff were out Tuesday.Jeff Meador, a district spokesman, said the vast majority of illnesses there have been flu, plus some strep throat. He called it the worst flu season he could remember.So far this season, the CDC estimates, there have been at least 24 million flu illnesses, 310,000 hospitalizations and 13,000 deaths — including at least 57 children. Traditionally, flu season peaks around February.Overall, 43 states reported high or very high flu activity last week. Flu was most intense in the South, Southwest and western states.In Rochester, New York, the flu season has been intense but not necessarily worse than at the peak of other years, said Dr. Elizabeth Murray, a pediatric emergency medicine doctor at the University of Rochester Medical Center.She said there’s a lot of flu, but there’s also still a lot of RSV and a surprising number of babies with COVID-19.“All of the respiratory illnesses are around, with a vengeance,” Murray added.The CDC declined to let an Associated Press reporter speak to an agency flu expert about recent trends. The Trump administration ordered a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-health-communications-cdc-hhs-fda-1eeca64c1ccc324b31b779a86d3999a4">temporary “pause”</a>&nbsp;on health agency communications and has continued to refuse interview requests that were routinely granted in the past.U.S. health officials recommends that everyone 6 months and older get an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid19-flu-rsv-vaccines-shots-ad33f4fe23f4c293ab87415b6449d9ad">annual flu vaccination</a>.About 44% of adults got flu shots this winter, the same as last winter. But coverage of children is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/fluvaxview/dashboard/children-vaccination-coverage.html">way down</a>, at about 45% this winter. It’s usually around 50%, according to CDC data.About 23% of U.S. adults were up to date in their COVID-19 vaccinations as of late January, up from about 20% at the same point in time the year before. COVID-19 vaccination rates for kids were about the same, at around 12%.The government has not yet reported its estimates of how well this season's flu vaccine is working.Testing results from patients indicate that two strains of seasonal flu that are causing most illnesses — a Type A H1N1 and a Type A H3N2. Health officials are closely watching a third strain — a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bird-flu">bird flu</a>&nbsp;known as Type A H5N1 — that has sickened tens of millions of animals, but is known to have infected only 67 people in the U.S.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/norovirus-flu-symptoms-covid19-rsv-a673bf84d9503395783d849733e007eb">To avoid seasonal viruses</a>, doctors say you should avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth because germs can spread that way. You should also wash your hands with soap and water, clean frequently touched surfaces and avoid close contact with people who are sick.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Flu season in the US is the most intense it's been in at least 15 years

Celebration Community Church in Hays rolled out the red carpet Friday for a Night to Shine.

The 9th annual Night to Shine is a prom-night celebration that shares God’s love with individuals with special needs ages 14 and older, assisted by volunteers.

At Night to Shine, guests (individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities) are given a VIP treatment and introduction before they hit the dance floor.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738989568109.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostCelebration Community Church in Hays rolled out the red carpet Friday for a Night to Shine.The 9th annual Night to Shine is a prom-night celebration that shares God’s love with individuals with special needs ages 14 and older, assisted by volunteers.At Night to Shine, guests (individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities) are given a VIP treatment and introduction before they hit the dance floor.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738989654533.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738989688366.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738989711249.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738989756586.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738989789966.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738989818202.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738989847967.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738989973700.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738989928785.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738990027166.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738990051800.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738990093400.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738990235534.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738990136618.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738990164102.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738990278987.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738990191952.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738990300991.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738990326752.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738990350934.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738990407683.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Photo gallery: Night to Shine in Hays 2025

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Friday that he's revoking former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden's</a>&nbsp;access to government secrets and ending the daily intelligence briefings he's receiving in payback for Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/biden-says-erratic-trump-shouldnt-get-intel-briefings-44b9f2c7204e482b55a2d03077a4c5bf">doing the same</a>&nbsp;to him in 2021.

Trump announced his decision in a post on his social media platform shortly after he arrived at his Mar-a-Lago home and private club in Palm Beach for the weekend.

“There is no need for Joe Biden to continue receiving access to classified information. Therefore, we are immediately revoking Joe Biden’s Security Clearances, and stopping his daily Intelligence Briefings,”&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113965169045323865">Trump wrote</a>. “He set this precedent in 2021, when he instructed the Intelligence Community (IC) to stop the 45th President of the United States (ME!) from accessing details on National Security, a courtesy provided to former Presidents.”

The move is the latest in a vengeance tour of Washington that Trump promised during his campaign. He has previously revoked security clearances from more than four dozen former intelligence officials who signed a 2020 letter saying that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-steve-bannon-politics-united-states-government-robert-hunter-d20948db8967e21024059f38cde5e94c">Hunter Biden laptop saga</a>&nbsp;bore the hallmarks of a “Russian information operation.” He's also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-pompeo-hook-iran-security-protections-987ca371756f48028ebd34ca7111f1c5">revoked security details</a>&nbsp;assigned to protect former government officials who have criticized him, including his own former secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-politics-government-iraq-qassim-soleimani-3353602bd30e683afec45d8c78196886">faces threats from Iran</a>, and former infectious disease expert&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fauci-trump-security-detail-4b2e317dc9e7768c0571df30750e863a">Dr. Anthony Fauci</a>.

Biden didn't immediately comment on the move.

Biden ended Trump's intelligence briefings after Trump helped spur efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and incited the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. At the time, Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/biden-says-erratic-trump-shouldnt-get-intel-briefings-44b9f2c7204e482b55a2d03077a4c5bf">said Trump's “erratic” behavior</a>&nbsp;should prevent him from getting the intel briefings.

Asked in an interview with CBS News what he feared if Trump continued to receive the briefings, Biden said he did not want to “speculate out loud” but made clear he did not want Trump to continue having access to such information.

“I just think that there is no need for him to have the intelligence briefings,” Biden said. “What value is giving him an intelligence briefing? What impact does he have at all, other than the fact he might slip and say something?”

in 2022, federal agents searched Trump's Florida home and seized boxes of classified records. He was indicted on dozens of felony counts accusing him of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-florida-indictment-highlights-857476c71e98e91521212a826efc8816">illegally hoarding classified records</a>&nbsp;and obstructing FBI efforts to get them back. He pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing. A judge dismissed the charges, ruling the special counsel who brought them was illegally appointed, and the Justice Department gave up appeals after Trump was elected in November.

In a related matter, Trump dismissed Colleen Shogan as the archivist of the United States, White House aide Sergio Gor posted on X Friday night.

Trump had said in early January that he would replace the head of the National Archives and Records Administration. The government agency drew his anger after it informed the Justice Department about issues with Trump’s handling of classified documents. Shogan, the first woman in the post, wasn’t the archivist of the United States at the time the issue emerged.

In his post on Biden, Trump cited the special counsel report last year into his handling of classified documents, saying, “The Hur Report revealed that Biden suffers from ‘poor memory’ and, even in his ‘prime,’ could not be trusted with sensitive information.”

He ended his post by saying, “I will always protect our National Security — JOE, YOU’RE FIRED. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

Special counsel Robert Hur investigated Biden’s handling of classified information and found that criminal charges were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-hur-garland-classified-documents-836b99fe9cbef9ba7d32602f4928efec">not warranted</a>&nbsp;but delivered a bitingly critical assessment of his handling of sensitive government records. The report&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-memory-age-special-counsel-report-doj-f4232bc8316e556ed467185b67c3e0a8">described</a>&nbsp;Biden’s memory as “hazy,” “fuzzy,” “faulty,” “poor” and having “significant limitations.” It said Biden could not recall defining milestones in his own life such as when his son Beau died or when he served as vice president.

Trump has the right to end the briefings for Biden because it is a sitting president’s decision on whether a past president should continue to have access to classified information.

Steven Cheung, the president’s communications director, shared Trump’s post on the X social media platform and said, “Hit the road Jack and don’t you come back no more!”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731519489185.png" alt="File photo White House" />
 <figcaption>File photo White House</figcaption>
 </figure>PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Friday that he's revoking former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden's</a>&nbsp;access to government secrets and ending the daily intelligence briefings he's receiving in payback for Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/biden-says-erratic-trump-shouldnt-get-intel-briefings-44b9f2c7204e482b55a2d03077a4c5bf">doing the same</a>&nbsp;to him in 2021.Trump announced his decision in a post on his social media platform shortly after he arrived at his Mar-a-Lago home and private club in Palm Beach for the weekend.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738983167971.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“There is no need for Joe Biden to continue receiving access to classified information. Therefore, we are immediately revoking Joe Biden’s Security Clearances, and stopping his daily Intelligence Briefings,”&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113965169045323865">Trump wrote</a>. “He set this precedent in 2021, when he instructed the Intelligence Community (IC) to stop the 45th President of the United States (ME!) from accessing details on National Security, a courtesy provided to former Presidents.”The move is the latest in a vengeance tour of Washington that Trump promised during his campaign. He has previously revoked security clearances from more than four dozen former intelligence officials who signed a 2020 letter saying that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-steve-bannon-politics-united-states-government-robert-hunter-d20948db8967e21024059f38cde5e94c">Hunter Biden laptop saga</a>&nbsp;bore the hallmarks of a “Russian information operation.” He's also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-pompeo-hook-iran-security-protections-987ca371756f48028ebd34ca7111f1c5">revoked security details</a>&nbsp;assigned to protect former government officials who have criticized him, including his own former secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-politics-government-iraq-qassim-soleimani-3353602bd30e683afec45d8c78196886">faces threats from Iran</a>, and former infectious disease expert&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fauci-trump-security-detail-4b2e317dc9e7768c0571df30750e863a">Dr. Anthony Fauci</a>.Biden didn't immediately comment on the move.Biden ended Trump's intelligence briefings after Trump helped spur efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and incited the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. At the time, Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/biden-says-erratic-trump-shouldnt-get-intel-briefings-44b9f2c7204e482b55a2d03077a4c5bf">said Trump's “erratic” behavior</a>&nbsp;should prevent him from getting the intel briefings.Asked in an interview with CBS News what he feared if Trump continued to receive the briefings, Biden said he did not want to “speculate out loud” but made clear he did not want Trump to continue having access to such information.“I just think that there is no need for him to have the intelligence briefings,” Biden said. “What value is giving him an intelligence briefing? What impact does he have at all, other than the fact he might slip and say something?”in 2022, federal agents searched Trump's Florida home and seized boxes of classified records. He was indicted on dozens of felony counts accusing him of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-florida-indictment-highlights-857476c71e98e91521212a826efc8816">illegally hoarding classified records</a>&nbsp;and obstructing FBI efforts to get them back. He pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing. A judge dismissed the charges, ruling the special counsel who brought them was illegally appointed, and the Justice Department gave up appeals after Trump was elected in November.In a related matter, Trump dismissed Colleen Shogan as the archivist of the United States, White House aide Sergio Gor posted on X Friday night.Trump had said in early January that he would replace the head of the National Archives and Records Administration. The government agency drew his anger after it informed the Justice Department about issues with Trump’s handling of classified documents. Shogan, the first woman in the post, wasn’t the archivist of the United States at the time the issue emerged.In his post on Biden, Trump cited the special counsel report last year into his handling of classified documents, saying, “The Hur Report revealed that Biden suffers from ‘poor memory’ and, even in his ‘prime,’ could not be trusted with sensitive information.”He ended his post by saying, “I will always protect our National Security — JOE, YOU’RE FIRED. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”Special counsel Robert Hur investigated Biden’s handling of classified information and found that criminal charges were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-hur-garland-classified-documents-836b99fe9cbef9ba7d32602f4928efec">not warranted</a>&nbsp;but delivered a bitingly critical assessment of his handling of sensitive government records. The report&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-memory-age-special-counsel-report-doj-f4232bc8316e556ed467185b67c3e0a8">described</a>&nbsp;Biden’s memory as “hazy,” “fuzzy,” “faulty,” “poor” and having “significant limitations.” It said Biden could not recall defining milestones in his own life such as when his son Beau died or when he served as vice president.Trump has the right to end the briefings for Biden because it is a sitting president’s decision on whether a past president should continue to have access to classified information.Steven Cheung, the president’s communications director, shared Trump’s post on the X social media platform and said, “Hit the road Jack and don’t you come back no more!”

Trump says he’s revoking Biden’s access to classified information

PLAINVILLE -&nbsp;The TMP-Marian Monarchs basketball teams earned a doubleheader sweep as they returned to Mid-Continent League play Friday night in Smith Center.

The Monarch girls claimed a 47-46 victory while the boys earned a 57-46 win.

Gracyn Schippers scored with just over five seconds left to play lifting the TMP Lady Monarchs to a 47-46 win over the Smith Center Lady Red in the first game of the day.

TMP opened the game on an 11-2 run that covered the first quarter.

The lead was short-lived though, as Smith Center outscored TMP 17-7 in the second quarter as they rallied for a one point lead at halftime, 19-18.

The opening minutes of the third quarter belonged to TMP as they started the second half on a 13-3 run and 31-21 midway through the third period.

After TMP led by six at the end of the third quarter, Smith Center came all the way back to take the lead at 46-45 with just 15 second left in the game.

But after a TMP coach John Linn called a timeout the Monarchs got the ball in the post and scored &nbsp;with just five and a half seconds lefts putting TMP &nbsp;up 48-47.

Brooke Koenigsman for TMP led the way &nbsp;14 points. Claire Schippers add 14 points.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The TMP boys outscored Smith Center 26-5 to close out the game as they go on to win it, 57-46.

The first quarter featured seven lead changes and the Monarchs and Redmen were tied at 17 through the first quarter.

In the second neither team was able to build a substantial lead but a Ty Schmeidler three-pointer late in the first half gave TMP a 26-23 led.

PLAINVILLE -&nbsp;The TMP-Marian Monarchs basketball teams earned a doubleheader sweep as they returned to Mid-Continent League play Friday night in Smith Center.The Monarch girls claimed a 47-46 victory while the boys earned a 57-46 win.GIRLS: TMP 47, Smith Center 46Gracyn Schippers scored with just over five seconds left to play lifting the TMP Lady Monarchs to a 47-46 win over the Smith Center Lady Red in the first game of the day.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2029164076&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/john-linn-postgame-interview-vs-smith-center-feb-7th-25" title="John Linn Postgame Interview Vs Smith Center (Feb 7th 25)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">John Linn Postgame Interview Vs Smith Center (Feb 7th 25)</a></div> </div>TMP opened the game on an 11-2 run that covered the first quarter.The lead was short-lived though, as Smith Center outscored TMP 17-7 in the second quarter as they rallied for a one point lead at halftime, 19-18.The opening minutes of the third quarter belonged to TMP as they started the second half on a 13-3 run and 31-21 midway through the third period.After TMP led by six at the end of the third quarter, Smith Center came all the way back to take the lead at 46-45 with just 15 second left in the game.But after a TMP coach John Linn called a timeout the Monarchs got the ball in the post and scored &nbsp;with just five and a half seconds lefts putting TMP &nbsp;up 48-47.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2029164592&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/tmp-wbkb-highlights-vs-smith-center-feb-7th-25-mixdown" title="TMP WBKB Highlights Vs Smith Center (Feb 7th 25) Mixdown" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">TMP WBKB Highlights Vs Smith Center (Feb 7th 25) Mixdown</a></div></div>Brooke Koenigsman for TMP led the way &nbsp;14 points. Claire Schippers add 14 points.Boys: TMP 57, Smith Center 46&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The TMP boys outscored Smith Center 26-5 to close out the game as they go on to win it, 57-46.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2029163208&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/bill-meagher-postgame-3" title="Bill Meagher Postgame Interview vs Smiith Center (Feb 7th 25)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Bill Meagher Postgame Interview vs Smiith Center (Feb 7th 25)</a></div></div>The first quarter featured seven lead changes and the Monarchs and Redmen were tied at 17 through the first quarter.In the second neither team was able to build a substantial lead but a Ty Schmeidler three-pointer late in the first half gave TMP a 26-23 led.TMP took a 28-25 lead into the second half.In the third period Smith Center erased a four-point deficit with a 12-5 run giving the Redmen a four-point lead at 41-37 lead.Trailing by four Schmeidler connected on a three-pointer to close the third quarter with TMP down just one at 41-40.The Monarchs used that three pointer to close out the Redmen.They outscored Smith Center 20-5 over the final eight-plus minuets as TMP clinched the 57-46 &nbsp;victory<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2029164508&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/tmp-mbkb-highlights-vs-smith-center-feb-7th-25" title="TMP MBKB Highlights Vs Smith Center (Feb 7th 25)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">TMP MBKB Highlights Vs Smith Center (Feb 7th 25)</a></div></div>Schmeidler scored a team-high 15 points and Carson Lyes 11 points and eight rebounds for TMP.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;