Hutchinson Public School officials provided updates on several district initiatives during Monday evening's Board of Education meeting, including progress on a new daycare facility, upcoming capital improvement&nbsp; &nbsp;planning&nbsp;and the district’s annual insurance renewal.&nbsp;

Superintendent Dr. Dawn Johnson told board members that district administrators and finance staff have begun reviewing potential capital outlay projects for the coming summer. Officials recently walked through all district buildings to&nbsp;identify&nbsp;facility needs and prioritize projects.&nbsp;

Johnson said having the district’s finance director&nbsp;participate&nbsp;in the walkthrough process alongside staff requesting improvements should help the district better plan future maintenance and capital spending.&nbsp;

Johnson also reported progress on its new daycare facility. Playground equipment is expected to arrive this week, with installation planned for next week.&nbsp;District staff plans to move equipment from the old daycare location to the new building during spring break.&nbsp;

Johnson said they are hoping the daycare can open shortly after spring break, though some final items&nbsp;remain&nbsp;on a construction punch list, including completion of the building’s portico.&nbsp;A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for April 3 at 11:30 a.m.&nbsp;

Board members also heard updates on district activities and student achievements. The Hutch High&nbsp;boys&nbsp;wrestling team recently placed fourth as a team, with several individual medalists, while both boys and&nbsp;girls&nbsp;basketball teams completed their seasons during sub-state competition.&nbsp;Arya Byard&nbsp;also qualified individually for the state bowling tournament.&nbsp;

In other&nbsp;business, the board approved the district’s annual insurance renewal covering property, equipment, vehicles, cyber&nbsp;protection&nbsp;and other liabilities. Finance Director  Abby Stockebrand said the total annual premium is about $650,000,&nbsp;representing&nbsp;an increase of&nbsp;roughly 3 percent&nbsp;from last year — a smaller rise than the previous year.&nbsp;

Stockebrand said the district reviews its coverage annually and works with insurance providers to update&nbsp;policies&nbsp;as properties,&nbsp;equipment&nbsp;or leases change.&nbsp;

Two executive sessions were held during the meeting — one to discuss personnel matters and another related to a potential property purchase for district services. No action was taken following those discussions.&nbsp;

The meeting concluded with the board approving the personnel report and adjourning.&nbsp;

BOE receives update on daycare project

Charges have been filed in connection with a fatal rollover crash north of Hutchinson that left a 19-year-old man dead last year.

According to the Reno County Sheriff’s Office, deputies, along with the Hutchinson Fire Department, Reno County EMS and the Kansas Highway Patrol, were dispatched at approximately 3:06 p.m. on Aug. 27 to the 6100 block of North Plum Street for a report of a single-vehicle rollover crash with entrapment.

First responders located a 2010 Chevrolet Corvette in the east ditch after it had struck a tree and overturned. The driver, identified as Kaden J. Marcum, 19, of Hutchinson, was trapped inside the vehicle.

Emergency crews extricated Marcum and began life-saving measures before transporting him to a Wichita hospital in critical condition. Marcum later died from his injuries.

Investigators determined a second vehicle, a 2012 Dodge Charger driven by 20-year-old Ethan Kellen Goble of Plevna, was also involved in the crash. Goble sustained minor injuries and was transported by private vehicle to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center.

Authorities said both vehicles were traveling north on Plum Street when the Charger attempted to overtake the Corvette. The vehicles collided, causing the Corvette to leave the roadway, strike a tree and overturn. Investigators believe speed was a factor in the crash.

On Jan. 2, 2026, the Reno County District Attorney’s Office filed charges against Goble, including involuntary manslaughter, a level 5 felony, and reckless driving, a misdemeanor.

Man charged in fatal 2025 crash

The Reno County Commission will hold its weekly meeting Wednesday, March 11, beginning at 9 a.m. in the Veterans Room at the Reno County Courthouse, 206 W. First Ave.

Commissioners will consider a number of items on both the consent agenda and regular business agenda, including equipment purchases for Public Works, grant applications for the Reno County Health Department, and an economic-development incentive request.

Among the items listed on the consent agenda is approval of county vouchers covering bills and payments owed by the county and related taxing units. Commissioners will also consider resolutions involving cancellation of certain county payments and adjustments related to commissioner district boundaries.

Other consent agenda items include approval of Board of County Commissioners meeting minutes from Jan. 14 and Jan. 28, along with special meeting minutes from Jan. 14 and Jan. 20.

Public Works is requesting approval to purchase a 2026 LeeBoy 4130B road widener from Kirby-Smith Machinery, Inc., at a cost of $296,365. The purchase request also includes declaring a 1986 Blaw-Knox RW100 road widener as surplus property to be sold at auction.

Commissioners will also revisit two grant-related items that were tabled during the Feb. 25 meeting. Those include a Kansas Department of Health and Environment Aid-to-Local grant application for the Reno County Health Department totaling $889,513.80, as well as an Outreach, Prevention, and Early Intervention (OPEI) passthrough grant valued at $350,000.

Under business items, commissioners will conduct a second review of a job incentive request submitted by Superior Holding, Inc. The proposal was originally denied at their Feb. 25, 2026 meeting by a 3-2 vote. The board will also hear the annual report presentation from Reno County Youth Services.

County commission to consider Health Department grants

Here’s the latest booking activity from the Reno County Jail. This information is provided by the Reno County Sheriff’s Office and is not criminal history. The Hutch Post assumes no legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, or completeness, of this information. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. ——————————————

Ethan	Kellen	Goble		3/9/2026 10:28&nbsp;AM	Reckless driving; unknown conviction,					Involuntary manslaughter; Lawful act

Amber	Dawn	Sinclair		3/9/2026 12:16&nbsp;PM	Failure to Appear

Shane	Clifton	Stone		3/9/2026 2:45&nbsp;PM	Probation Violation

Lonnie	Jefferson	Cole		3/9/2026 4:21&nbsp;PM	DUI; 1st conv; drugs or combination of drugs, Driving while license cancelled/suspended/revoked; misd; unknown conv

Joseph	Daniel	Freeman		3/9/2026 4:41&nbsp;PM	Indecent Liberties with a Child 14-15YOA; AGGRAVATED; Sexual Intercourse,					Sodomy; with a child who is 14-15 YOA,					Sexual Exploitation of a Child; Unknown Circumstances,					Electronic Solicitation; Believes Child to be 14-15YOA

Gabriel	Jacob Benson	Gendreau		3/9/2026 11:28&nbsp;PM	Use or Possess with Intent to use Drug Paraphernalia into Human Body,					Endangering a Child

Lilliana	Marie	Duran		3/9/2026 11:40&nbsp;PM	Failure to Appear,					Poss of marijuana,					Use or Possess with Intent to use Drug Paraphernalia into Human Body,					Endangering a Child

Vernell	Eugene	Golston	Jr	3/10/2026 12:17&nbsp;AM	Criminal Damage to Property; Without consent; &lt; $1,000,					Criminal Damage to Property; Without consent; $1,000 to $24,999

Daily Bookings

Central Christian School has rescheduled its upcoming Kindergarten Exploration and First Grade Preview event to Tuesday, March 24, while also celebrating a major milestone for its athletics program.

School officials announced the date change as both the CCS boys and girls basketball teams prepare to compete in the state tournament. It marks only the second time in school history that both teams have qualified for state in the same season.

The rescheduled event is designed for families considering enrolling their children in kindergarten or first grade at Central Christian School.

During the evening, attendees will have the opportunity to meet the school’s kindergarten teacher and connect with current kindergarten parents. The program will also feature a short presentation by the kindergarten class showcasing what students are learning in the classroom.

Children who will be entering kindergarten or first grade this fall can participate in hands-on activities, while parents can attend an informational session covering what to expect from the school’s kindergarten program.

Families with students entering first grade will also hear directly from Mrs. Penner, who will serve as next year’s first-grade teacher.

School officials say the event is designed to give families a firsthand look at the classroom environment, curriculum and community at CCS.

Additional details about the March 24 event are available through Central Christian School.

CCS Reschedules kindergarten exploration event

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/pages/weather">Click here for the KSStorm.info forecast.</a>

Three-day Outlook

RAFAEL GARCIA K-State News and Communications Services

Brian Geisbrecht will not hit a home run today, and that's okay. 

He won't discover the next big anti-inflammatory medicine, but he might tomorrow. He won't publish a paper — not yet anyway. 

But he'll continue to build on a body of work that is leading to new insights for understanding the human immune system. That track record of consistent advancement of his field — and the development of future researchers to go even further — has led him to receive one of the Big 12's highest faculty honors. 

Geisbrecht, university distinguished professor of biochemistry and molecular biophysics, was selected this spring as K-State's Big 12 Faculty of the Year recipient. 

The program recognizes outstanding faculty at each Big 12 institution who have excelled in areas of innovation and research and have made their college campuses thrive as places of learning and growth. 

"Brian Geisbrecht's research tackles some of the most pressing challenges in modern medicine," said Provost and Executive Vice President Jesse Perez Mendez. "Through innovative structural biology research and an outstanding record of federal support and scholarly publication, he is helping uncover new pathways for therapies while training the scientists who will carry this work forward. His impact embodies the excellence Kansas State University brings to the Big 12." 

Biochemist's lab studies effects of naturally-occurring inhibitors on human immune response

Since arriving at K-State in 2013, Geisbrecht has led a lab that studies the biochemical principles underlying immune evasion, or how pathogens, parasites, and certain insects inhibit the human immune system. 

Many diseases are actually not caused directly by a pathogen, but by the human body's overactive immune response, Geisbrecht said. 

That response is important — without it, most people would die from simple infections — but when it's overly active, Geisbrecht said, people begin to develop inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, age-related macular degeneration and a variety of rare hematological disorders. 

Geisbrecht's lab focuses on "digging in the biological sandbox" of immune evasion proteins to find new classes of inhibitors that could help tamp down inflammatory responses. 

"Understanding this matters because it's what I call 'nature's pharmacy,'" he said. "There's enormous investment in drug design and development, but nature often provides great templates. If we understand how they work, drug designers can potentially create molecules that mimic those effects." 

For many years, Geisbrecht's team has focused on Staphylococcus aureus, the bacterium that causes staph infections, and the molecules it uses to evade the human body's innate immune system. 

The lab has also worked with biting flies, or the kind that feed on blood. 

"Blood is a great nutritional source, but it's also filled with immune proteins," he said. "If an insect wants to feed on blood, it has to shut down that immune response. That's an area we've been focusing on more in the last couple of years." 

Developing the next generation of biochemists

At K-State, Geisbrecht mostly works with senior- and graduate-level students — typically science-minded future researchers who know they also want to make a difference in the fields of biochemistry and molecular biophysics. 

Geisbrecht's main goal as a research mentor is not only to develop excellent laboratory skills and understanding, but also to foster a sense of purpose among his students. 

"Most of what we do fails — that's just the nature of science," he said. "If you compare it to baseball, getting a hit three out of 10 times makes you an All-Star. In science, if three out of 10 experiments worked, you'd probably win the Nobel Prize. 

"The key is keeping perspective and making a little progress each day." 

Over the last five years, Geisbrecht said he has been blessed with a great group of students in his lab, such as Soheila Fatehi.

"He's everything you want in a research mentor," said Fatehi, a doctoral candidate in biochemistry. "It's the way he thinks about research. It's his attitude toward students. He's a phenomenal researcher and a supportive mentor." 

While other schools involved in medical research might stock labs with ranks of postdoctoral scientists, the professor said he has most enjoyed living K-State's land-grant mission to develop the next generation of researchers. 

"Graduate students are the lifeblood of what we do," he said. "This group is what makes honors like this possible. They show up, do their experiments, evaluate their data and collaborate with me. I might sketch out the scope of a project, but it's their work. 

"That's how my lab runs," he continued. "That's how our entire department runs. That's what makes this place work." 

Digging in the biological sandbox

By <a href="mailto:sean.boston@eaglemedia.com">SEAN BOSTON</a> Hutch Post

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Buckle officially opened its new exterior-facing location at Uptown Hutch Mall on Monday morning, becoming the latest business to relocate from the mall’s interior to an outside storefront.

Doors opened at 10 a.m., with shoppers welcomed by staff members from across the region and offered special deals and goodie bags as part of the grand opening celebration.

The store is managed by Kaitlyn Vargas, who recently relocated from Garden City to take over leadership of the Hutchinson location. Vargas said she is excited about both the new storefront and the opportunity to connect with the local community.

“I’m so excited to share with everybody,” Vargas said. “We just relocated and gave everybody a brand new location to look forward to. I look forward to getting connected with my community and meeting everybody.”

Vargas was selected to lead the store into its new exterior location. She said the opportunity to oversee the revamped store is something she feels grateful for.

“I truly feel so blessed for the opportunity to be here,” Vargas said. “Watching the transformation and bringing it to life here has truly been such an amazing experience.”

Employees from several Buckle locations across the Midwest, including team members from Texas, traveled to Hutchinson to help welcome customers and celebrate the opening.

The retailer had previously operated inside the mall before transitioning to the exterior space, a move Vargas said will help increase visibility and attract new customers.

“I feel like being in the mall didn’t give us the exposure that we needed,” Vargas said. “Now we’re going to be able to get ourselves out there to everybody, even those who may have never shopped with Buckle before.”

Buckle is known for its denim selection and carries a wide variety of clothing and accessories. The store offers women’s, men’s and youth apparel, including jeans, tops, shoes and accessories from the company’s BKE brand along with other popular labels.

Vargas said shoppers can also expect new seasonal styles arriving soon.

“We’re known for denim, so we’re your top denim destination,” Vargas said. “Whether you’re looking for a slim fit, something universal or something more relaxed, we truly have something for everybody.”

Buckle unveils new exterior location at Uptown Hutch Mall

StartUp Hutch has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the Hutchinson Community Foundation to launch a new Housing Entrepreneurship Program aimed at strengthening the local contractor and skilled trades pipeline to support housing development in Hutchinson and Reno County.

The two-year pilot initiative addresses a critical gap in the community’s housing ecosystem: the shortage of local contractors, subcontractors, and skilled trades entrepreneurs needed to efficiently and affordably deliver new housing and rehabilitation projects.

While existing efforts like the City of Hutchinson’s Small-Scale Developers Alliance are helping move housing projects forward, limited contractor capacity has remained an upstream constraint impacting project timelines, costs, and feasibility.

“This program tackles housing challenges at their root,” said Graham Klemme, Executive Director of StartUp Hutch. “If we want more housing, we need more local entrepreneurs in the trades who are equipped not only with technical skills, but with the business training and support to grow sustainable companies.”

The Housing Entrepreneurship Program will:

Over the two-year pilot period, StartUp Hutch will provide trades-focused entrepreneurship training, one-on-one technical assistance, ecosystem convenings, and pilot project support.

Anticipated outcomes include increased trades-based business formation, improved contractor readiness, stronger coordination between developers and contractors, and reduced reliance on out-of-area labor.

Supporting Economic Growth Through Housing

Hutchinson and Reno County continue to face housing challenges that impact workforce recruitment, neighborhood stability, and long-term economic growth. Employers frequently cite housing availability as a barrier to attracting talent, while aging housing stock and limited new construction strain the local market.

By investing in local trades entrepreneurs, the program ensures that housing investments circulate dollars within the community, build generational wealth, and strengthen Reno County’s economic resilience. The initiative also serves as a pilot toward a future Center for Entrepreneurship at Hutchinson Community College, with a focus on skilled trades entrepreneurship aligned with Elevate Reno County.

A Scalable, Community-Driven Model

The $50,000 investment will support staffing, training, technical assistance, convenings, pilot implementation, and evaluation of the program. StartUp Hutch designed the initiative as a scalable model that can expand as community partnerships and resources grow.

“As Reno County’s rallying community for entrepreneurs, StartUp Hutch is uniquely positioned to connect trades professionals with the tools, training, and relationships they need to thrive,” said Klemme. “This program strengthens our housing system by strengthening the people who build it.”

More details—including how to get involved and upcoming info sessions—will be shared in the coming weeks.

Contractors, skilled trades professionals, and partners interested in learning more about the program should complete the interest form at <a href="http://startuphutch.com/housing">startuphutch.com/housing</a> or contact Graham Klemme, Executive Director of StartUp Hutch at <a href="mailto:graham@startuphutch.com.">graham@startuphutch.com. </a>

StartUp Hutch awarded $50K grant

Here's a list of events happening around the area.&nbsp; If your club or organization has an event, you can e-mail the information to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:hutchpost@eaglemedia.com">HutchPost@eaglemedia.com.</a>

So Bad It's Good Movie Night: "Little Shop of Horrors - 6:30 p.m. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Senior Center at Elmdale Park&nbsp;– 400 East Ave. E

HutchCC Symphonic Band and Concert Choir concert with Salt City Orchestra: "Between Sound and Silence" - 7 p.m. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Stringer Fine Arts Center&nbsp;– 600 East 11th Ave.

HutchCC Women's Basketball vs Colby - Region 6 Second Round - 6 p.m. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Hutchinson Sports Arena - 700 East 11th Ave.

Trends in Data Center Development - 11 a.m. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Stringer Fine Arts Center - 600 East 11th Ave.

KSHSAA 3A and 4A State Basketball Championships &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Hutchinson Sports Arena - 700 East 11th Ave.

KSHSAA 3A and 4A State Basketball Championships &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Hutchinson Sports Arena - 700 East 11th Ave.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"Hoppers" Movie - 7 p.m. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Cosmosphere - 1100 North Plum

KSHSAA 3A and 4A State Basketball Championships &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Hutchinson Sports Arena - 700 East 11th Ave.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A Gathering for Gardeners – 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Our Redeemer Lutheran Church - 407 E. 12th Ave.&nbsp;

Irish Road Bowling - 9 a.m. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Carey Park - 601 S. Plum St., Hutchinson.&nbsp;

Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce Legislative Forum - 9a.m. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Stringer Fine Arts Center - 600 E. 11th Ave.

Card, Comic, &amp; Toy Show - 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Meadowlark Building, Kansas State Fairgrounds, 2000 N. Poplar St.&nbsp;

Creative Jump Start Workshop - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Hutchinson Art Center - 405 North Washington

Fox Live Series: Tom Papa Grateful Bread Tour - 7:30 p.m. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Historic Fox Theatre - 18 East First Ave.

Mid-America Flea Market - 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Meadowlark Building, Kansas State Fairgrounds, 2000 N. Poplar St.

Happenings Around Hutch • March 9 - March 15

A Kansas Senate bill that would eventually eliminate property taxes in the state is scheduled for a public hearing on Tuesday.

The Kansas Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs will hold a hearing on Senate Bill 488 at 9:30 a.m. on March 10. The measure is titled the Kansas Property Tax Freedom Act of 2026.

The proposal would phase out property taxes over several years. Under the bill, local governments would be limited to 50% of their 2025 mill levy in tax year 2026 and 25% of the 2025 levy in 2027. Beginning in 2028, property taxes on real and personal property would be prohibited under the plan.

To replace lost revenue, the legislation would establish a “Kansas fair share purchase surcharge” beginning Jan. 1, 2027. Purchases of $20 or more would carry a flat $1.60 surcharge, while purchases under $20 would be charged 7.6% of the purchase price.

Revenue from the surcharge would be distributed primarily to local governments and schools, with 48% allocated to school districts and 35% to counties, cities and other local taxing entities. Additional funds would support the state general fund and a reserve fund intended to stabilize revenue and potentially provide taxpayer rebates if the balance exceeds $500 million.

The bill also outlines exemptions from the surcharge, including groceries eligible for SNAP, prescription drugs, motor fuel, utilities, child care services and K-12 tuition.

Even if approved by lawmakers, the plan would only take effect if Kansas voters pass a constitutional amendment prohibiting property taxes during a statewide election.

Kansas 'Property Tax Freedom Act' set for legislative hearing

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s attacks on regional oil infrastructure and pledges to choke off maritime traffic left markets on edge Tuesday as the United States promised blistering new strikes. The war entered its 11th day with no end in sight as its effects were felt across the region and beyond.

Both sides sharpened their rhetoric as they dug in, with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth again promising the most intense strikes yet, while Iran's leaders ruled out talks and directly threatened U.S. President Donald Trump.

Iran launched new attacks Israel and Gulf Arab countries, and Israel — America’s key ally in the fight — launched more airstrikes on Tehran and in Lebanon, where it is battling the Iran-backed Hezbollah.

At the Pentagon, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth warned that Tuesday “will be yet again our most intense day of strikes inside Iran: The most fighters, the most bombers, the most strikes, intelligence more refined and better than ever.” He said “the last 24 hours have seen Iran fire the lowest amount of missiles they have fired yet.”

Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said U.S. forces hit more than 5,000 targets, and that their objectives included striking “deeper into Iran's military and industrial base.”

Witnesses reported hearing several explosions in Tehran in the afternoon as Israel commenced a new wave of airstrikes. Many shops were shuttered.

Iran's leaders have remained defiant after days of heavy strikes targeting the country's leadership, military, ballistic missiles and disputed nuclear program. Iran's parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, said on X that Iran was “definitely not looking for a ceasefire.”

“We believe that the aggressor should be punched in the mouth so that he learns a lesson so that he will never think of attacking our beloved Iran again,” he said.

A top Iranian security official, Ali Larijani, appeared to threaten Trump himself, writing on X that “Iran doesn’t fear your empty threats. Even those bigger than you couldn’t eliminate Iran. Be careful not to get eliminated yourself.” Iran has been accused of plotting attempts to kill Trump in the past.

US and Iranian leaders trade new threats

The NBA has canceled the Atlanta Hawks' plans for a celebration of the city's Magic City adult entertainment club, saying Monday that it was responding to concerns from many across the league.

The event was supposed to happen next Monday during a game against the Orlando Magic.

Atlanta announced the plan last month, calling it a tribute to an “iconic cultural institution” with food — including the club’s lemon pepper wings, a version of which is named for former Hawks guard Lou Williams — along with music and exclusive merchandise.

“While we are very disappointed in the NBA’s decision to cancel our Magic City Night promotion, we fully respect its decision,” the Hawks said Monday. “As a franchise, we remain committed to celebrating the best of Atlanta — with authenticity — in ways that continue to unite and bring us all together.”

Some elements of the plans for the night will remain, the Hawks said, including a halftime performance from rapper T.I. — and there are plans for lemon pepper wings to be sold.

But some plans for merchandise have been scrapped, as has a live recording of a podcast that was to feature Hawks primary owner Jami Gertz, T.I. and Magic City founder Michael Barney.

Plans for the celebration were met with mixed reactions — some for, some against. One NBA player, Luke Kornet of the San Antonio Spurs,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawks-magic-city-club-night-luke-kornet-spurs-e422f9344fc122168bd0ebafb3fe1e98">spoke out about the idea of promoting a strip club</a>&nbsp;and urged the parties involved to reconsider.

And the league evidently heard the same message from others.

“When we became aware of the Atlanta Hawks’ scheduled promotion, we reached out to Hawks leadership to better understand their plans and rationale,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “While we appreciate the team’s perspective and their desire to move forward, we have heard significant concerns from a broad array of league stakeholders, including fans, partners and employees.

“I believe canceling this promotion is the right decision for the broader NBA community.”

The Hawks have ties to the club. Gertz was a producer for a five-part docuseries that explored the club's history, its place in Black and hip-hop culture and what it means to the city.

“This collaboration and theme night is very meaningful to me after all the work that we did to put together ’Magic City: An American Fantasy,’” Gertz, who is also a filmmaker and actor, said when the promotion was announced. “The iconic Atlanta institution has made such an incredible impact on our city and its unique culture.”

Why the NBA canceled a team's controversial promotion

ALLEN COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Humboldt Police Department, and the Allen County Sheriff's Office are investigating a homicide that occurred in Humboldt, Kansas.

Just after 5p.m. on Sunday, Humboldt officers were dispatched to the 1000 block of Sycamore Street, in Humboldt, according to a media release from the KBI.

Preliminary information indicates that a woman fled a residence during a domestic dispute with her boyfriend, Malachi I. Davis, 25, of Humboldt, and sought help at a neighbor’s house. The neighbor contacted a male subject, who arrived at the scene. The man, John P. Kent, 43, of Humboldt, became involved in a verbal altercation with Davis.

During the incident, Davis fired a single shot from his vehicle window, striking Kent, who was transported to Allen County Regional Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Davis fled the scene following the shooting. The KBI identified Davis as the suspect and multiple law enforcement agencies began searching for him. At approximately 8:40 p.m., the Kansas Highway Patrol spotted Davis and conducted a traffic stop in Allen County near La Harpe. Davis was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Allen County Jail for second-degree murder.&nbsp; He has a previous conviction for theft in 2022, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The investigation is ongoing. Nothing further will be released at this time.

KBI: Good Samaritan killed in domestic incident 

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

One school closure in a small Kansas school district is a big decision. Two closures is almost unheard of. Yet that’s the position in which the USD 112 Central Plains Board of Education found itself over the past three years. In January 2023, the board voted to close Wilson High School. At a special meeting on Feb. 23, the board voted 5-1 to close Wilson Elementary at the close of the 2025-26 school year. During a special meeting at Central Plains Elementary School on Jan. 21, Superintendent Bobby Murphy laid the groundwork for the decision.

“In 2022-23, there were 87 K-6 students,” Murphy said of the school. “In 2023-24, there were 75 students K-6. In 2024-25, there were 69 students. And at the beginning of this year, there were 66 students K-6. When we came after Christmas break on Jan. 12, we had 58 students K-6. We’re anticipating being close to the 50 number next year for our school enrollment at Wilson Elementary. If we do drop to that 50 mark for K-6 enrollment, that will mean our K-6 population dropped by 37 students over this span. That is a 42 percent drop in K-6 students, resulting in an estimated revenue loss of over $200,000 in funding.”

Murphy said superintendents from surrounding districts have reported they are transporting 28-35 students from Wilson and Dorrance to their schools. That figure does not include families who transport their own students out of the district. Even after absorbing two positions at the school, Wilson Elementary is spending $250,000-300,000 more than it receives in state-aid revenue. Last year, Wilson Elementary spent just over $28,000 per student, while the state average is just under $18,000 per student.

Another issue at play is the state funding formula regarding education. In 2018 and 2019, the Kansas Supreme Court issued rulings in the&nbsp;Gannon v. Kansas&nbsp;case, which found the state’s education funding to be equitable but inadequate. That oversight ended in 2024, which will change how schools are funded in future years.

At the Jan. 16 meeting, Murphy reported that approximately 70 percent of participating residents in Wilson and Dorrance agreed to close Wilson Elementary so the district could begin the process of a land transfer with several other area districts. Wilson resident Michelle Brokes asked if the closure could be delayed until the end of the 2026-27 school year. Denise Schmidt said the closure of a school should not define a community.

“Let’s remember that a school does not define your community,” she said. “The people in your community define your community. If you want to look at the very best example of that, we should look at the community of Bushton. When the teachers, staff members, and students left in May 2019, they had no idea they wouldn’t be coming back in August 2019. That community didn’t fold up. They took initiative, they were resilient, as Kansas people are, and they have developed a strong, thriving community, even with a school closing.”

No direct action was taken on the closure during the Jan. 16 meeting, but the board reconvened for another special meeting on Feb. 23 inside the Central Plains High School gymnasium. Murphy outlined the state statute at play to close a school building.

“The board of education of any unified school district, by adoption of a resolution, may close any school building at any time the board determines the building should be closed for the improvement of a school system of a unified school district,” he told the board. “The board of education may close more than one school building in one resolution. A resolution adopted pursuant to this section shall require a majority vote of the members of the board of education, and shall require no other approval.”

KSA 72-1431 also outlines the appeal process for a closing resolution. The State Board of Education will hold an administrative review if five percent of the district’s registered voters express dissatisfaction with the resolution. The appeal must be made within 45 days of the approval of the resolution, and the State Board will have 45 days to issue a non-binding opinion advising the local board to modify or rescind the resolution.

&nbsp;“I would anticipate, with the administrative review and finding the declining enrollment numbers, factored with the amount of residents who are choosing to transport their elementary school students to other students, coupled with the state-provoked public school funding challenges that are coming up, I don’t see any way an administrative review team would deem a closing resolution in this situation as anything but reasonable,” Murphy said. “But that’s just my opinion.”

The board voted 5-1 that evening to close Wilson Elementary at the close of the 2025-26 school year. Board Member Kayla Cullens was the lone dissenting vote.

“When you lose a school, you’re not just losing a building,” Cullens said. “You lose families, you lose jobs, you lose the economic impacts it has on your community. By closing the elementary, that’s going to be two schools in three years on that community. That’s a tough hit.”

Board Member Allison Gonzalez was part of the majority that voted in favor of the closure.

“It’s not easy to sit here and make decisions like this, and talk about things like this,” she said. “I think we all recognize the choices carry weight and affect the families, students, and staff of our entire community. Most of the feedback I have received tells me the residents of the community, from Wilson and Dorrance both, support pursuing the land transfer. I’ve been hearing that since I got on the board.

“At the same time, the potential receiving districts have made it clear that before we can have any meaningful discussions about a land transfer, the elementary school has to first be closed. If we’re serious about moving forward and working toward a land transfer, we have to take the necessary first step. For that reason, I believe it’s appropriate to close the building, effective at the end of this school year, so the discussions can begin, and we can move forward with planning.”

The USD 112 Board of Education held its regular monthly meeting Monday night. While no action was taken on the closure, the board did hear from a handful of concerned residents.

The late Donley Bristow coached and taught in Wilson for several years before retiring in 2001. His wife, Linda, spoke of the impact Wilson schools have had on many generations.

“This building is in good shape, and you want to close it,” she said. “It’s something to think about, putting kids on a bus in the early morning –they have no time to play in the evenings if they are on a bus. This school has taught a lot of kids, and they’ve done very well.”

Roberta Meier was a vocal opponent against the closure of Wilson High School in 2023. She cited many volunteer and youth-based organizations in Wilson that impact surrounding communities.

“This is going hurt not only the Wilson community, but the surrounding ones, as these volunteers, with their generous, helping hands, possibly have to go somewhere else.”

USD 112 board returns to normal schedule after vote to close Wilson school

ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (AP) — Vice President JD Vance joined the grieving family of a Kentucky man who was the seventh U.S. service member to die in combat during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/iran-war-israel-trump-khamenei-03-09-2026">Iran war</a>&nbsp;as his remains were brought back to the U.S. Monday evening.

The dignified transfer, a solemn event that honors U.S. service members killed in action, took place at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware for Army Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, 26, of Glendale, Kentucky. He died Sunday after being wounded during a March 1 attack on the Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, a Pentagon statement said.

Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth saluted alongside high ranking military officials as the transfer case draped with the American flag was carried from the military aircraft and into an awaiting vehicle.

Mike Bell, retired pastor of Glendale Christian Church, said he’d known Pennington since he was a toddler and got a call from Pennington's father when the soldier was hurt.

“I talked to Tim Saturday morning, and he was doing a little better, and they were talking about maybe moving him to Germany,” Bell said. Tim Pennington called again that evening, Bell said, to ask for prayers as his son's condition was worsening, and then later told him the soldier had succumbed to his injuries.

“He was just a quiet person,” said Bell, noting that Pennington attended the church’s after-school program. “I mean, he never attracted attention because he was just steady doing what he needed to do to do it.”

Pennington was assigned to the 1st Space Battalion, 1st Space Brigade of the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command based at Fort Carson, Colorado.

The unit’s mission focused on “missile warning, GPS, and long-haul satellite communications,” according to their website.

“This just breaks my heart,” Keith Taul, judge-executive of Hardin County, where Pennington was from, said in a statement emailed to The Associated Press. “I have known the family for at least 30 years. I can’t imagine the pain and suffering they are experiencing.”

Glendale is an unincorporated town of about 300 residents south of the Hardin County seat of Elizabethtown.

In a statement posted on social media, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear called Pennington “a hero who sacrificed everything serving our country.”

The other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-military-deaths-0a3f1532ec1953d51898e5b5e2b625d6">six service members killed</a>&nbsp;since the conflict began on Feb. 28 were Army reservists killed in Kuwait when an Iranian drone struck an operations center at a civilian port.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Saturday joined grieving families at Dover Air Force Base at the dignified transfer for those six U.S. soldiers.

The dignified transfer is considered one of the most somber duties of any commander in chief. During his first term, Trump said bearing witness to the transfer was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-government-ae37de2f1c6b450ab60ce236c8f04450">“the toughest thing I have to do”</a>&nbsp;as president.

Pennington graduated in 2017 from Central Hardin High School, where he was enrolled in the automotive technology pathway, district spokesman John Wright told the AP. Former automotive tech instructor Tom Pitt, who taught Pennington in 2017 at Hardin County Early College and Career Center, called him “an American hero.”

“A lot of times as a teacher, you have students who are smart, you have students who are charismatic, who are likable, dare I say, enchanting,” said Pitt, who called Pennington Nate. “Rarely do you have students who are all of those. And Ben Pennington was all of those. He was basically the quintessential all-American.”

Photos on his and family members' Facebook pages show that Pennington achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in August 2017. His Eagle project was the demolition of some old baseball dugouts in Glendale, said Darin Life, former committee chairman for Troop 221.

“If you look up Eagle Scout, his picture’s probably there,” said Life, who knew Pennington throughout his scouting career. “He loved his country. I would have expected nothing less of him than to lose his life protecting his country.”

A month after his Eagle ceremony, Pennington posted a photo of himself taking the oath of enlistment. He entered the service as a unit supply specialist and was assigned to the Space and Missile Command on June 10, 2025, the Army said in a release.