HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Greater Wichita YMCA today announced an exciting new phase of the Hutchinson YMCA capital campaign with the receipt of a generous $2 million challenge grant from the J. E. and L. E. Mabee Foundation. The gift will support the construction of the new 75,000-square-foot Hutchinson Y branch, which will be located on land near the intersection of 20th Street and Lorraine that was donated to the Y through a partnership with Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System.

The Mabee Foundation challenge grant is contingent upon the Y raising an additional $7 million for the estimated $30 million capital campaign by October 2025. 

“We are incredibly grateful to receive this grant from the Mabee Foundation, which only reinforces how important this project is to our community,” said Mike Folks, Hutchinson YMCA Board Chair. “We look forward to continuing the momentum by fulfilling the challenge grant requirements.”

Since its formation in 1948, the Mabee Foundation has made grants totaling over $1.6 billion for capital expenditures and the purchase of major medical equipment. The Mabee Foundation exclusively funds projects located in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas.

“John and Lottie Mabee believed in creating opportunities for individuals to improve their lives and mobilizing entire communities around worthy causes. The Greater Wichita YMCA embodies those ideals,” said Michael Goeke, Mabee Foundation Executive Director. “We are honored to assist the Y in making a profound impact in the lives of every Hutchinson-area resident for years to come through the construction of a new Hutchinson YMCA facility.”

The planned Hutchinson YMCA will include a first-class destination aquatics center, indoor track, gymnasium, expanded gymnastics center, fitness center with studios, community room, additional places for families to connect and programs that provide safe spaces for youth. This initial phase allows for future development to continue to transform the 9.9 acres of land into a health and wellness destination.

"At the YMCA, we’re dedicated to strengthening families, fostering youth development and promoting healthy living for all, regardless of background," said Ronn McMahon, Greater Wichita YMCA President and CEO. "Through the support of area residents, businesses and organizations like the Mabee Foundation, we can provide even more opportunities for people in the Hutchinson community to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733377938620.jpeg" alt="The groundbreaking for the new YMCA branch in Hutchinson took place on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. The new location is at the corner of 20th and Lorraine. (Hutch Post Photo/Sean Boston)" />
 <figcaption>The groundbreaking for the new YMCA branch in Hutchinson took place on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. The new location is at the corner of 20th and Lorraine. (Hutch Post Photo/Sean Boston)</figcaption>
 </figure>Greater Wichita YMCAHUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Greater Wichita YMCA today announced an exciting new phase of the Hutchinson YMCA capital campaign with the receipt of a generous $2 million challenge grant from the J. E. and L. E. Mabee Foundation. The gift will support the construction of the new 75,000-square-foot Hutchinson Y branch, which will be located on land near the intersection of 20th Street and Lorraine that was donated to the Y through a partnership with Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System.The Mabee Foundation challenge grant is contingent upon the Y raising an additional $7 million for the estimated $30 million capital campaign by October 2025. “We are incredibly grateful to receive this grant from the Mabee Foundation, which only reinforces how important this project is to our community,” said Mike Folks, Hutchinson YMCA Board Chair. “We look forward to continuing the momentum by fulfilling the challenge grant requirements.”Since its formation in 1948, the Mabee Foundation has made grants totaling over $1.6 billion for capital expenditures and the purchase of major medical equipment. The Mabee Foundation exclusively funds projects located in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas.“John and Lottie Mabee believed in creating opportunities for individuals to improve their lives and mobilizing entire communities around worthy causes. The Greater Wichita YMCA embodies those ideals,” said Michael Goeke, Mabee Foundation Executive Director. “We are honored to assist the Y in making a profound impact in the lives of every Hutchinson-area resident for years to come through the construction of a new Hutchinson YMCA facility.”The planned Hutchinson YMCA will include a first-class destination aquatics center, indoor track, gymnasium, expanded gymnastics center, fitness center with studios, community room, additional places for families to connect and programs that provide safe spaces for youth. This initial phase allows for future development to continue to transform the 9.9 acres of land into a health and wellness destination."At the YMCA, we’re dedicated to strengthening families, fostering youth development and promoting healthy living for all, regardless of background," said Ronn McMahon, Greater Wichita YMCA President and CEO. "Through the support of area residents, businesses and organizations like the Mabee Foundation, we can provide even more opportunities for people in the Hutchinson community to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives."

New Y gets challenge grant

<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/news/2024/12/8/football-k-state-to-play-in-rate-bowl-against-rutgers">K-State Athletics</a>

MANHATTAN, Kan. — K-State Nation is heading back to the Valley of the Sun, as Kansas State officials announced Sunday afternoon that the Wildcats have accepted an invitation to play Rutgers in the Rate Bowl inside Chase Field – home of MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks – in Phoenix, Arizona. The game, which is the only bowl matchup between members of the Big 12 and Big Ten Conferences, will take place on Thursday, December 26 at 4:30 p.m. (CT) and air on ESPN.

This is the 19th time overall and the eighth time for a bowl game that the Wildcats will play in the state of Arizona. It is the fifth time K-State will play in what is now known as the Rate Bowl as it also played in the game in 1993 (known as Copper Bowl and played in Tucson, Arizona), 2001 (Insight.com Bowl), 2013 (Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl) and 2017 (Cactus Bowl).

"We are excited to spend the holidays in Arizona and represent the Big 12 and our University in the Rate Bowl," said K-State head coach Chris Klieman, the first head coach in school history to lead his team to five bowl games in his first six seasons. "The staff at the Fiesta Bowl runs a first-class operation, and I know our players and coaches are looking forward to the trip and the extra work on the field, which is critical to our continued development as a program."

K-State finished with an 8-4 regular-season record in 2024, marking the fourth-straight season the Wildcats have won at least eight games. The Wildcats are one of just nine Power 4 teams to win at least eight games in each of the last four seasons, joining Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Notre Dame, Clemson, Ole Miss, Oregon and Ohio State. The Wildcats have been among the nation's leaders in bowl appearances since 1993 as the Wildcats are tied for 16th nationally and rank second in the Big 12 with 25. K-State will also be one of just 15 Power 4 teams to play in a bowl game at least 13 times in the last 15 years.

"We would like to thank Erik Moses and his staff for welcoming K-State Nation to the Phoenix area," said Athletics Director Gene Taylor. "It is good to be heading back to Arizona, and this will be a memorable week for our fans and program. We look forward to an exciting holiday experience."

Kansas State opened the 2024 campaign with a 7-1 record with wins over a pair of teams ranked No. 20 at the time in Arizona (31-7) and Oklahoma State (42-20), and the Wildcats were the only team this season to win at Colorado, a team that finished 23rd in the final College Football Playoff Top 25. Kansas State also retained the Governor's Cup with its 16th-straight win over Kansas, tied for the longest active uninterrupted winning streak in the nation. The Wildcats will be looking to right the ship from a 1-3 mark in November as they lost at Houston and to each of the Big 12 Championship Game participants, Arizona State and Iowa State.

K-State and Rutgers will meet for just the second time ever, and both matchups will be in bowl games, as the Scarlet Knights earned a 37-10 win over the Wildcats in the inaugural Texas Bowl in 2006. This is the fifth time in school history that Kansas State will face a Big Ten team in a bowl game with the last being a 31-14 victory over Michigan in the 2013 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, which was also the last time overall that the Wildcats faced a Big Ten foe.

Rutgers finished the regular season with a 7-5 overall record and a 4-5 mark in conference action to tie for ninth place in the Big Ten. After starting the season 4-0 with wins over Howard, Akron, at Virginia Tech and against Washington, RU lost each of its next four games. However, Rutgers went 3-1 in November with wins over Minnesota, Maryland and Michigan State.

The Scarlett Knights are playing in a bowl game for the 13th time in school history and third time in the last four years. They lost to Wake Forest in the 2021 Gator Bowl and defeated Miami in last year's Pinstripe Bowl.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733746941205.jpeg" alt="RateBowl" />
 <figcaption>RateBowl</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/news/2024/12/8/football-k-state-to-play-in-rate-bowl-against-rutgers">K-State Athletics</a>MANHATTAN, Kan. — K-State Nation is heading back to the Valley of the Sun, as Kansas State officials announced Sunday afternoon that the Wildcats have accepted an invitation to play Rutgers in the Rate Bowl inside Chase Field – home of MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks – in Phoenix, Arizona. The game, which is the only bowl matchup between members of the Big 12 and Big Ten Conferences, will take place on Thursday, December 26 at 4:30 p.m. (CT) and air on ESPN.This is the 19th time overall and the eighth time for a bowl game that the Wildcats will play in the state of Arizona. It is the fifth time K-State will play in what is now known as the Rate Bowl as it also played in the game in 1993 (known as Copper Bowl and played in Tucson, Arizona), 2001 (Insight.com Bowl), 2013 (Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl) and 2017 (Cactus Bowl)."We are excited to spend the holidays in Arizona and represent the Big 12 and our University in the Rate Bowl," said K-State head coach Chris Klieman, the first head coach in school history to lead his team to five bowl games in his first six seasons. "The staff at the Fiesta Bowl runs a first-class operation, and I know our players and coaches are looking forward to the trip and the extra work on the field, which is critical to our continued development as a program."K-State finished with an 8-4 regular-season record in 2024, marking the fourth-straight season the Wildcats have won at least eight games. The Wildcats are one of just nine Power 4 teams to win at least eight games in each of the last four seasons, joining Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Notre Dame, Clemson, Ole Miss, Oregon and Ohio State. The Wildcats have been among the nation's leaders in bowl appearances since 1993 as the Wildcats are tied for 16th nationally and rank second in the Big 12 with 25. K-State will also be one of just 15 Power 4 teams to play in a bowl game at least 13 times in the last 15 years."We would like to thank Erik Moses and his staff for welcoming K-State Nation to the Phoenix area," said Athletics Director Gene Taylor. "It is good to be heading back to Arizona, and this will be a memorable week for our fans and program. We look forward to an exciting holiday experience."Kansas State opened the 2024 campaign with a 7-1 record with wins over a pair of teams ranked No. 20 at the time in Arizona (31-7) and Oklahoma State (42-20), and the Wildcats were the only team this season to win at Colorado, a team that finished 23rd in the final College Football Playoff Top 25. Kansas State also retained the Governor's Cup with its 16th-straight win over Kansas, tied for the longest active uninterrupted winning streak in the nation. The Wildcats will be looking to right the ship from a 1-3 mark in November as they lost at Houston and to each of the Big 12 Championship Game participants, Arizona State and Iowa State.K-State and Rutgers will meet for just the second time ever, and both matchups will be in bowl games, as the Scarlet Knights earned a 37-10 win over the Wildcats in the inaugural Texas Bowl in 2006. This is the fifth time in school history that Kansas State will face a Big Ten team in a bowl game with the last being a 31-14 victory over Michigan in the 2013 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, which was also the last time overall that the Wildcats faced a Big Ten foe.Rutgers finished the regular season with a 7-5 overall record and a 4-5 mark in conference action to tie for ninth place in the Big Ten. After starting the season 4-0 with wins over Howard, Akron, at Virginia Tech and against Washington, RU lost each of its next four games. However, Rutgers went 3-1 in November with wins over Minnesota, Maryland and Michigan State.The Scarlett Knights are playing in a bowl game for the 13th time in school history and third time in the last four years. They lost to Wake Forest in the 2021 Gator Bowl and defeated Miami in last year's Pinstripe Bowl.

🏈 K-State to play in Rate Bowl against Rutgers

WASHINGTON (AP) — It's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-president-elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-2f0f76bb6440231f2504b77cb117d988">DOGE</a>&nbsp;time at the U.S. Capitol.

Billionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a>&nbsp;and fellow entrepreneur&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vivek-ramaswamy">Vivek Ramaswamy</a>&nbsp;arrived this week on Capitol Hill meeting with legislators behind closed doors about President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;plans to “dismantle” the federal government.

Trump tapped the two business titans to head his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-ramaswamy-trump-budget-cuts-doge-impoundment-8e2fffc27df6acc1b275b1614e66fd01">Department of Government Efficiency</a>, tasked with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-2024-government-regulations-democrats-6badc3b424b9eff3ba51e0ec35a8d824">firing federal workers</a>, cutting government programs and slashing federal regulations — all part of what he calls his "Save America" agenda for a second term in the White House.

“We're going to see a lot of change around here in Washington,” said House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ufc-house-speaker-johnson-madison-square-garden-995a7ee3324e04ec6da680c826136655">Mike Johnson</a>, as Musk, with a small child on his shoulders, breezed by and into the private meeting.

Washington has seen this before, with ambitious efforts to reduce the size and scope of the federal government that historically have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-spending-cuts-mccarthy-biden-senate-4f094e28b6d05a8d4852cdee4653d0f5">run into resistance</a>&nbsp;when the public is confronted with cuts to trusted programs that millions of Americans depend on for jobs, health care, military security and everyday needs.

But this time Trump is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cabinet-budget-immigration-loyalty-986154f35c82452e0e2e642a3e1752a8">staffing his administration</a>&nbsp;with battle-tested architects of sweeping proposals, some outlined in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-conservatives-trump-heritage-857eb794e505f1c6710eb03fd5b58981">Project 2025</a>, to severely reduce and reshape the government. Musk and Ramaswamy said they plan to work alongside the White House's Office of Management and Budget, headed by Trump's nominee Russ Vought, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-project-2025-heritage-foundation-e2b1be71422f4afcfd4a397828f7cab6">mastermind of past cuts</a>.

“DOGE has a historic opportunity for structural reductions in the federal government,” Musk and Ramaswamy wrote in an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/musk-and-ramaswamy-the-doge-plan-to-reform-government-supreme-court-guidance-end-executive-power-grab-fa51c020?mod=hp_opin_pos_0">op-ed in The Wall Street Journal</a>. “We are prepared for the onslaught.”

The duo, invited for what Johnson called a “brainstorming” session as they begin this “journey” together, face a first test in private with House and Senate lawmakers — some eager to hear what they have in mind.

“I am fired up to go out and do something,” said Rep. Aaron Bean, R-Fla., who joined with Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, in launching what they are calling the DOGE caucus in the House, with more than 50 Republicans and two Democratic members.

Bean said the DOGE caucus will unveil an email tip line where people can report wasteful spending. He also envisions a scoreboard of sorts that people can view on a website showing “how many positions we’ve cut, agencies we’ve cut, what the actual number is.”

In the Senate, Sens. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa and Rick Scott, R-Fla., have launched a similar caucus.

“I think that’ll be a great start to the whole process,” said Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who will chair a House Oversight subcommittee in the new year as part of “building the bridge between Congress and DOGE.”

While neither Musk nor Ramaswamy have much public service experience, they bring track records in private business — Musk's operations have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-doge-tesla-spacex-80fa8b213b46460b1a0e369dc07a6404">vast government contracts</a>&nbsp;— and enthusiasm for Trump's agenda, having campaigned alongside him in the final stretch of the election.

The world's richest man, Musk&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-america-pac-trump-d248547966bf9c6daf6f5d332bc4be66">poured millions</a>&nbsp;into a get-out-the-vote effort to help the former president return to the White House. He is known politically for having transformed the popular social media site formerly known as Twitter into X, a platform embraced by Trump's MAGA enthusiasts.

Despite its name, the Department of Government Efficiency is neither a department nor part of the government, which frees Musk and Ramaswamy from having to go through the typical ethics and background checks required for federal employment. They said they will not be paid for their work.

One good-government group has said that DOGE, as a presidential advisory panel, should be expected to adhere to traditional practices of transparency, equal representation and public input — as happened with similar advisory entities from the Reagan to the Obama administrations.

The Federal Advisory Committee Act “is designed expressly for situations like this," wrote Lisa Gilbert and Robert Weissman, the co-chairs of Public Citizen in a letter to the Trump transition team.

"If the government is going to turn to unelected and politically unaccountable persons to make recommendations as grand as $2 trillion in budget cuts, it must ensure those recommendations come from a balanced and transparent process not rigged to benefit insiders.”

The nation's $6 trillion federal budget routinely runs a deficit, which this year ran $1.8 trillion, a historic high, according to the Congressional Budget Office. It has not been balanced since the Clinton administration more than two decades ago.

Republicans generally blame what they see as exorbitant spending for the deficit, while Democrats point to tax cuts enacted under Republican presidents Trump and George W. Bush as the major driver.

Receipts last year as a percentage of gross domestic product came in just below the average for the past 50 years, while outlays were equal to 23.4% of GDP, compared to the 50-year average of 21.1%

Some of the biggest increases in spending last year occurred with politically popular programs that lawmakers will be reticent to touch. For example, spending on Social Security benefits went up 8%, Medicare outlays increased 9%, spending on defense went up 7% and spending on veterans health care rose 14%, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., said he would like to see Musk testify before the House Armed Services Committee on the “bloated defense budget.”

“I’d like to see Elon recommend some cuts. Let’s have him testify,” Khanna said.

He said he’s open to hearing proposals on non-defense spending, but was skeptical.

“If they find waste, maybe, but in terms of big numbers, I mean, no one is going to allow for cutting education funding for special needs kids and for low-income schools, or for cutting Social Security and Medicare,” Khanna said. “If they want to do that, they’re going to hand us a landslide in 2026.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733430476480.png" alt="Elon Musk with his son, lil X on Capitol Hill to meet with lawmakers on government efficiency -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Elon Musk with his son, lil X on Capitol Hill to meet with lawmakers on government efficiency -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — It's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-president-elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-2f0f76bb6440231f2504b77cb117d988">DOGE</a>&nbsp;time at the U.S. Capitol.Billionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a>&nbsp;and fellow entrepreneur&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vivek-ramaswamy">Vivek Ramaswamy</a>&nbsp;arrived this week on Capitol Hill meeting with legislators behind closed doors about President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;plans to “dismantle” the federal government.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpeakerJohnson</a> speaks to media before Elon Musk &amp; Vivek Ramaswamy meet with lawmakers on government efficiency: &quot;We need to make government more efficient.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/e7VYsoPvF3">pic.twitter.com/e7VYsoPvF3</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1864749912493064514?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump tapped the two business titans to head his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-ramaswamy-trump-budget-cuts-doge-impoundment-8e2fffc27df6acc1b275b1614e66fd01">Department of Government Efficiency</a>, tasked with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-2024-government-regulations-democrats-6badc3b424b9eff3ba51e0ec35a8d824">firing federal workers</a>, cutting government programs and slashing federal regulations — all part of what he calls his "Save America" agenda for a second term in the White House.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I just left a meeting with <a href="https://twitter.com/HouseGOP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HouseGOP</a> &amp; President Trump’s co-directors of the Department of Government Efficiency, <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elonmusk</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/VivekGRamaswamy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VivekGRamaswamy</a>. We are ready to roll up our sleeves, reduce our government spending, slash government bureaucracy, and get our country back on track. <a href="https://t.co/UVHHlKE8W4">pic.twitter.com/UVHHlKE8W4</a>&mdash; Tracey Mann (@RepMann) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMann/status/1864786754097549801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“We're going to see a lot of change around here in Washington,” said House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ufc-house-speaker-johnson-madison-square-garden-995a7ee3324e04ec6da680c826136655">Mike Johnson</a>, as Musk, with a small child on his shoulders, breezed by and into the private meeting.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Had a great meeting with Elon Musk. I’m looking very forward to working with him, <a href="https://twitter.com/DOGE?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DOGE</a> and the House Oversight Committee to get the back’s of the American taxpayers to cut wasteful government spending and eliminate unnecessary regulations. <a href="https://t.co/QfEdlvf8A8">pic.twitter.com/QfEdlvf8A8</a>&mdash; James Comer (@JamesComer) <a href="https://twitter.com/JamesComer/status/1864773385319751727?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Washington has seen this before, with ambitious efforts to reduce the size and scope of the federal government that historically have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-spending-cuts-mccarthy-biden-senate-4f094e28b6d05a8d4852cdee4653d0f5">run into resistance</a>&nbsp;when the public is confronted with cuts to trusted programs that millions of Americans depend on for jobs, health care, military security and everyday needs.But this time Trump is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cabinet-budget-immigration-loyalty-986154f35c82452e0e2e642a3e1752a8">staffing his administration</a>&nbsp;with battle-tested architects of sweeping proposals, some outlined in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-conservatives-trump-heritage-857eb794e505f1c6710eb03fd5b58981">Project 2025</a>, to severely reduce and reshape the government. Musk and Ramaswamy said they plan to work alongside the White House's Office of Management and Budget, headed by Trump's nominee Russ Vought, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-project-2025-heritage-foundation-e2b1be71422f4afcfd4a397828f7cab6">mastermind of past cuts</a>.“DOGE has a historic opportunity for structural reductions in the federal government,” Musk and Ramaswamy wrote in an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/musk-and-ramaswamy-the-doge-plan-to-reform-government-supreme-court-guidance-end-executive-power-grab-fa51c020?mod=hp_opin_pos_0">op-ed in The Wall Street Journal</a>. “We are prepared for the onslaught.”The duo, invited for what Johnson called a “brainstorming” session as they begin this “journey” together, face a first test in private with House and Senate lawmakers — some eager to hear what they have in mind.“I am fired up to go out and do something,” said Rep. Aaron Bean, R-Fla., who joined with Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, in launching what they are calling the DOGE caucus in the House, with more than 50 Republicans and two Democratic members.Bean said the DOGE caucus will unveil an email tip line where people can report wasteful spending. He also envisions a scoreboard of sorts that people can view on a website showing “how many positions we’ve cut, agencies we’ve cut, what the actual number is.”In the Senate, Sens. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa and Rick Scott, R-Fla., have launched a similar caucus.“I think that’ll be a great start to the whole process,” said Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who will chair a House Oversight subcommittee in the new year as part of “building the bridge between Congress and DOGE.”While neither Musk nor Ramaswamy have much public service experience, they bring track records in private business — Musk's operations have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-doge-tesla-spacex-80fa8b213b46460b1a0e369dc07a6404">vast government contracts</a>&nbsp;— and enthusiasm for Trump's agenda, having campaigned alongside him in the final stretch of the election.The world's richest man, Musk&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-america-pac-trump-d248547966bf9c6daf6f5d332bc4be66">poured millions</a>&nbsp;into a get-out-the-vote effort to help the former president return to the White House. He is known politically for having transformed the popular social media site formerly known as Twitter into X, a platform embraced by Trump's MAGA enthusiasts.Despite its name, the Department of Government Efficiency is neither a department nor part of the government, which frees Musk and Ramaswamy from having to go through the typical ethics and background checks required for federal employment. They said they will not be paid for their work.One good-government group has said that DOGE, as a presidential advisory panel, should be expected to adhere to traditional practices of transparency, equal representation and public input — as happened with similar advisory entities from the Reagan to the Obama administrations.The Federal Advisory Committee Act “is designed expressly for situations like this," wrote Lisa Gilbert and Robert Weissman, the co-chairs of Public Citizen in a letter to the Trump transition team."If the government is going to turn to unelected and politically unaccountable persons to make recommendations as grand as $2 trillion in budget cuts, it must ensure those recommendations come from a balanced and transparent process not rigged to benefit insiders.”The nation's $6 trillion federal budget routinely runs a deficit, which this year ran $1.8 trillion, a historic high, according to the Congressional Budget Office. It has not been balanced since the Clinton administration more than two decades ago.Republicans generally blame what they see as exorbitant spending for the deficit, while Democrats point to tax cuts enacted under Republican presidents Trump and George W. Bush as the major driver.Receipts last year as a percentage of gross domestic product came in just below the average for the past 50 years, while outlays were equal to 23.4% of GDP, compared to the 50-year average of 21.1%Some of the biggest increases in spending last year occurred with politically popular programs that lawmakers will be reticent to touch. For example, spending on Social Security benefits went up 8%, Medicare outlays increased 9%, spending on defense went up 7% and spending on veterans health care rose 14%, according to the Congressional Budget Office.Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., said he would like to see Musk testify before the House Armed Services Committee on the “bloated defense budget.”“I’d like to see Elon recommend some cuts. Let’s have him testify,” Khanna said.He said he’s open to hearing proposals on non-defense spending, but was skeptical.“If they find waste, maybe, but in terms of big numbers, I mean, no one is going to allow for cutting education funding for special needs kids and for low-income schools, or for cutting Social Security and Medicare,” Khanna said. “If they want to do that, they’re going to hand us a landslide in 2026.”

🎥Kan. lawmaker attends Elon Musk DOGE event on Capitol Hill

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-hunter-pardon-president-trump-e2d0ce366c6980cd31c6717edbc9938a">is weighing whether to issue sweeping</a>&nbsp;pardons for officials and allies who the White House fears could be unjustly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-enemies-from-within-5c4a34776469a55e71d3ba4d4e68cf62">targeted by President-elect Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;administration, a preemptive move that would be a novel and risky use of the president’s extraordinary constitutional power.

The deliberations so far are largely at the level of White House lawyers. But Biden himself has discussed the topic with some senior aides, according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday to discuss the sensitive subject. No decisions have been made, the people said, and it is possible Biden opts to do nothing at all.

Pardons are historically afforded to those accused of specific crimes – and usually those who have already been convicted of an offense — but Biden’s team is considering issuing them for those who have not even been investigated, let alone charged. They fear that Trump and his allies, who have boasted of enemies lists and exacting “retribution,” could launch investigations that would be reputationally and financially costly for their targets even if they don’t result in prosecutions.

While the president’s pardon power is absolute, Biden’s use in this fashion would mark a significant expansion of how they are deployed, and some Biden aides fear it could lay the groundwork for an even more drastic usage by Trump. They also worry that issuing pardons would feed into claims by Trump and his allies that the individuals committed acts that necessitated immunity.

Recipients could include infectious-disease specialist Dr. Anthony Fauci, who was instrumental in combating the coronavirus pandemic and who has become a pariah to conservatives angry about mask mandates and vaccines. Others include witnesses in Trump’s criminal or civil trials and Biden administration officials who have drawn the ire of the incoming president and his allies.

Some fearful former officials have reached out to the Biden White House preemptively seeking some sort of protection from the future Trump administration, one of the people said.

It follows Biden’s decision to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-hunter-biden-pardon-son-9307d6bade834df77c265cae7d3b7c25">pardon his son Hunter</a>&nbsp;— not just for his convictions on federal gun and tax violations, but for any potential federal offense committed over an 11-year period, as the president feared that Trump allies would seek to prosecute his son for other offenses. That could serve as a model for other pardons Biden might issue to those who could find themselves in legal jeopardy under Trump.

Biden is not the first to consider such pardons — Trump aides considered them for him and his supporters involved in his failed efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election that culminated in a violent riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. But he could be the first to issue them since Trump’s pardons never materialized before he left office nearly four years ago.

Gerald Ford granted a “full, free, and absolute pardon” in 1974 to his predecessor, Richard Nixon, over the Watergate scandal. He believed a potential trial would “cause prolonged and divisive debate over the propriety of exposing to further punishment and degradation a man who has already paid the unprecedented penalty of relinquishing the highest elective office of the United States," as written in the pardon proclamation.

Politico was first to report that Biden was studying the use of preemptive pardons.

On the campaign trail, Trump made no secret of his desire to seek revenge on those who prosecuted him or crossed him.

Trump has talked about&nbsp;<a href="https://enemies/">“enemies from within"</a>&nbsp;and circulated social media posts that call for the jailing of Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, former Vice President Mike Pence and Sens. Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer. He also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-election-2024-gop-c584f9860260f48ddff90ab2dca0433a">zeroed in on former Rep. Liz Cheney,</a>&nbsp;a conservative Republican who campaigned for Harris and helped investigate Jan. 6, and he promoted a social media post that suggested he wanted military tribunals for supposed treason.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-trump-patel-fisa-russia-2d215ded96ad8a08689b6f7f0b2d49ec">Kash Patel, whom Trump has announced</a>&nbsp;as his nominee to be director of the FBI, has listed dozens of former government officials he wanted to “come after.”

Richard Painter, a Trump critic who served as the top White House ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush, said he was reluctantly in support of having Biden issue sweeping pardons to people who could be targeted by Trump's administration. He said he hoped that would “clean the slate” for the incoming president and encourage him to focus on governing, not on punishing his political allies.

“It’s not an ideal situation at all,” Painter said. “We have a whole lot of bad options confronting us at this point.”

While the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immunity-supreme-court-capitol-riot-trial-72ec35de776315183e1db561257cb108">Supreme Court this year ruled that the president enjoys broad immunity</a>&nbsp;from prosecution for what could be considered official acts, his aides and allies enjoy no such shield. Some fear that Trump could use the promise of a blanket pardon to encourage his allies to take actions they might otherwise resist for fear of running afoul of the law.

“There could be blatant illegal conduct over the next four years, and he can go out and pardon his people before he leaves office,” Painter said. "But if he’s going to do that, he’s going to do that anyway regardless of what Biden does."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660730933829.png" alt="Former Congresswoman Liz Cheney" />
 <figcaption>Former Congresswoman Liz Cheney</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-hunter-pardon-president-trump-e2d0ce366c6980cd31c6717edbc9938a">is weighing whether to issue sweeping</a>&nbsp;pardons for officials and allies who the White House fears could be unjustly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-enemies-from-within-5c4a34776469a55e71d3ba4d4e68cf62">targeted by President-elect Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;administration, a preemptive move that would be a novel and risky use of the president’s extraordinary constitutional power.The deliberations so far are largely at the level of White House lawyers. But Biden himself has discussed the topic with some senior aides, according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday to discuss the sensitive subject. No decisions have been made, the people said, and it is possible Biden opts to do nothing at all.Pardons are historically afforded to those accused of specific crimes – and usually those who have already been convicted of an offense — but Biden’s team is considering issuing them for those who have not even been investigated, let alone charged. They fear that Trump and his allies, who have boasted of enemies lists and exacting “retribution,” could launch investigations that would be reputationally and financially costly for their targets even if they don’t result in prosecutions.While the president’s pardon power is absolute, Biden’s use in this fashion would mark a significant expansion of how they are deployed, and some Biden aides fear it could lay the groundwork for an even more drastic usage by Trump. They also worry that issuing pardons would feed into claims by Trump and his allies that the individuals committed acts that necessitated immunity.Recipients could include infectious-disease specialist Dr. Anthony Fauci, who was instrumental in combating the coronavirus pandemic and who has become a pariah to conservatives angry about mask mandates and vaccines. Others include witnesses in Trump’s criminal or civil trials and Biden administration officials who have drawn the ire of the incoming president and his allies.Some fearful former officials have reached out to the Biden White House preemptively seeking some sort of protection from the future Trump administration, one of the people said.It follows Biden’s decision to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-hunter-biden-pardon-son-9307d6bade834df77c265cae7d3b7c25">pardon his son Hunter</a>&nbsp;— not just for his convictions on federal gun and tax violations, but for any potential federal offense committed over an 11-year period, as the president feared that Trump allies would seek to prosecute his son for other offenses. That could serve as a model for other pardons Biden might issue to those who could find themselves in legal jeopardy under Trump.Biden is not the first to consider such pardons — Trump aides considered them for him and his supporters involved in his failed efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election that culminated in a violent riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. But he could be the first to issue them since Trump’s pardons never materialized before he left office nearly four years ago.Gerald Ford granted a “full, free, and absolute pardon” in 1974 to his predecessor, Richard Nixon, over the Watergate scandal. He believed a potential trial would “cause prolonged and divisive debate over the propriety of exposing to further punishment and degradation a man who has already paid the unprecedented penalty of relinquishing the highest elective office of the United States," as written in the pardon proclamation.Politico was first to report that Biden was studying the use of preemptive pardons.On the campaign trail, Trump made no secret of his desire to seek revenge on those who prosecuted him or crossed him.Trump has talked about&nbsp;<a href="https://enemies/">“enemies from within"</a>&nbsp;and circulated social media posts that call for the jailing of Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, former Vice President Mike Pence and Sens. Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer. He also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-election-2024-gop-c584f9860260f48ddff90ab2dca0433a">zeroed in on former Rep. Liz Cheney,</a>&nbsp;a conservative Republican who campaigned for Harris and helped investigate Jan. 6, and he promoted a social media post that suggested he wanted military tribunals for supposed treason.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-trump-patel-fisa-russia-2d215ded96ad8a08689b6f7f0b2d49ec">Kash Patel, whom Trump has announced</a>&nbsp;as his nominee to be director of the FBI, has listed dozens of former government officials he wanted to “come after.”Richard Painter, a Trump critic who served as the top White House ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush, said he was reluctantly in support of having Biden issue sweeping pardons to people who could be targeted by Trump's administration. He said he hoped that would “clean the slate” for the incoming president and encourage him to focus on governing, not on punishing his political allies.“It’s not an ideal situation at all,” Painter said. “We have a whole lot of bad options confronting us at this point.”While the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immunity-supreme-court-capitol-riot-trial-72ec35de776315183e1db561257cb108">Supreme Court this year ruled that the president enjoys broad immunity</a>&nbsp;from prosecution for what could be considered official acts, his aides and allies enjoy no such shield. Some fear that Trump could use the promise of a blanket pardon to encourage his allies to take actions they might otherwise resist for fear of running afoul of the law.“There could be blatant illegal conduct over the next four years, and he can go out and pardon his people before he leaves office,” Painter said. "But if he’s going to do that, he’s going to do that anyway regardless of what Biden does."

Biden weighs pre-emptive pardons for potential targets of Trump’s retribution

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Planned Parenthood wanted to resume offering abortions in several Missouri clinics on Friday, immediately after a newly passed constitutional amendment rolling back the state’s near-total ban took effect, but they remain on hold as a complicated court battle drags on.

The issue is that the amendment does not specifically override any state laws. And even before the end of Roe v. Wade enabled Missouri's Republican-led legislature to approve a near-total ban, the state's numerous restrictions left the state with just one abortion clinic, in St. Louis.

Missouri’s Republican attorney general&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-ballot-fed343e84ce8e07c0f5d7bb32fda57e9">says</a>&nbsp;many of those old laws — like a 72-hour waiting period — should still be enforced despite the amendment; Planned Parenthood says they shouldn't.

Prosecutors are caught in the middle. They want a preliminary injunction halting enforcement of the old laws while attorneys argue about what to do.

But so far, Jackson County Circuit Judge Jerri Zhang hasn't acted on that request.

“As of today, Missourians have an unrealized constitutional right,” said Emily Wales, president and CEO of the Planned Parenthood Great Plains in a written statement. "They are entitled to access abortion under the state’s constitution, and every day they cannot get that care here at home, their rights are being violated.”

Here is what to know about the complicated legal battle and the state of abortion access:

Missouri was one of several states that moved to expand access

Missouri is one of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ballot-measures-harris-trump-florida-missouri-49c9073cbb6056b66a8a7d0d099795d1">five states</a>&nbsp;where voters approved ballot measures in November adding the right to an abortion to their state constitutions. Ultimately approved by almost 52% of voters, it guarantees people’s right to make decisions about their reproductive health, such as whether to get an abortion, take birth control or get in vitro fertilization.

While the amendment is widely understood to prevent the state from restricting abortions up to the point of viability, abortion-rights advocates must persuade judges to prevent old regulations from being enforced.

Reproductive rights activists are also suing to dismantle Arizona's 15-week abortion ban that conflicts with the fundamental right to abortion voters approved.

Maryland's new abortion rights amendment won't make an immediate difference, since the state already allows access to abortion. It's a similar situation in Montana, where abortion is already legal until viability. Colorado's measure enshrined already-existing access and also undoes an earlier amendment that prohibited state and local government funding for abortion, opening the possibility of state Medicaid and government employee insurance plans covering care.

From voting booths to a courtroom in Kansas City

The day after voters approved Missouri's amendment, the two Planned Parenthood branches asked a judge to find the state’s near-total ban and most of its other abortion regulations unenforceable.

Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey has already conceded that most abortions are now legal. He issued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-ballot-fed343e84ce8e07c0f5d7bb32fda57e9">an opinion</a>&nbsp;last month, stating that he will not enforce Missouri’s ban on abortions before viability.

But his office is still fighting to keep a 72-hour waiting period before an abortion can be performed; bans on abortions based on race, sex or a possible Down syndrome diagnosis; and a requirement that medical facilities that provide abortions be licensed as ambulatory surgical centers, among other regulations.

The amendment leaves attorneys struggling with old laws

This patchwork of old laws is a big problem for abortion providers. They say those restrictions had effectively blocked abortions across most of the state even before Missouri enacted a law banning all abortions except in cases of medical emergency, minutes after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">Roe was toppled.</a>

“We have already been living in a post-Roe world,” Dr. Iman Alsaden, the medical director of the Planned Parenthood Great Plains, said at the time.

But Missouri Solicitor General Josh Divine has defended these laws, arguing that most women regret their abortions and that the requirements are designed to give them the time to think through their decisions.

"What we are trying to do is create a situation where women can in fact make the choice they want to do and we know that most of the time that is childbirth,” Divine said after a court hearing Wednesday.

Wales, of Planned Parenthood, said Missourians showed at the ballot box that they value reproductive rights. And she expressed frustration with what she described as "an Attorney General’s office that has made clear it will fight tooth and nail to prevent Missourians from accessing their new constitutional right to reproductive freedom.”

Ballentine reported from Columbia, Missouri.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22HEATHER%20HOLLINGSWORTH%20and%20SUMMER%20BALLENTINE%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH and SUMMER BALLENTINE Associated Press</a>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Planned Parenthood wanted to resume offering abortions in several Missouri clinics on Friday, immediately after a newly passed constitutional amendment rolling back the state’s near-total ban took effect, but they remain on hold as a complicated court battle drags on.The issue is that the amendment does not specifically override any state laws. And even before the end of Roe v. Wade enabled Missouri's Republican-led legislature to approve a near-total ban, the state's numerous restrictions left the state with just one abortion clinic, in St. Louis.Missouri’s Republican attorney general&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-ballot-fed343e84ce8e07c0f5d7bb32fda57e9">says</a>&nbsp;many of those old laws — like a 72-hour waiting period — should still be enforced despite the amendment; Planned Parenthood says they shouldn't.Prosecutors are caught in the middle. They want a preliminary injunction halting enforcement of the old laws while attorneys argue about what to do.But so far, Jackson County Circuit Judge Jerri Zhang hasn't acted on that request.“As of today, Missourians have an unrealized constitutional right,” said Emily Wales, president and CEO of the Planned Parenthood Great Plains in a written statement. "They are entitled to access abortion under the state’s constitution, and every day they cannot get that care here at home, their rights are being violated.”Here is what to know about the complicated legal battle and the state of abortion access:<h2>Missouri was one of several states that moved to expand access</h2>Missouri is one of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ballot-measures-harris-trump-florida-missouri-49c9073cbb6056b66a8a7d0d099795d1">five states</a>&nbsp;where voters approved ballot measures in November adding the right to an abortion to their state constitutions. Ultimately approved by almost 52% of voters, it guarantees people’s right to make decisions about their reproductive health, such as whether to get an abortion, take birth control or get in vitro fertilization.While the amendment is widely understood to prevent the state from restricting abortions up to the point of viability, abortion-rights advocates must persuade judges to prevent old regulations from being enforced.Reproductive rights activists are also suing to dismantle Arizona's 15-week abortion ban that conflicts with the fundamental right to abortion voters approved.Maryland's new abortion rights amendment won't make an immediate difference, since the state already allows access to abortion. It's a similar situation in Montana, where abortion is already legal until viability. Colorado's measure enshrined already-existing access and also undoes an earlier amendment that prohibited state and local government funding for abortion, opening the possibility of state Medicaid and government employee insurance plans covering care.<h2>From voting booths to a courtroom in Kansas City</h2>The day after voters approved Missouri's amendment, the two Planned Parenthood branches asked a judge to find the state’s near-total ban and most of its other abortion regulations unenforceable.Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey has already conceded that most abortions are now legal. He issued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-ballot-fed343e84ce8e07c0f5d7bb32fda57e9">an opinion</a>&nbsp;last month, stating that he will not enforce Missouri’s ban on abortions before viability.But his office is still fighting to keep a 72-hour waiting period before an abortion can be performed; bans on abortions based on race, sex or a possible Down syndrome diagnosis; and a requirement that medical facilities that provide abortions be licensed as ambulatory surgical centers, among other regulations.<h2>The amendment leaves attorneys struggling with old laws</h2>This patchwork of old laws is a big problem for abortion providers. They say those restrictions had effectively blocked abortions across most of the state even before Missouri enacted a law banning all abortions except in cases of medical emergency, minutes after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">Roe was toppled.</a>“We have already been living in a post-Roe world,” Dr. Iman Alsaden, the medical director of the Planned Parenthood Great Plains, said at the time.But Missouri Solicitor General Josh Divine has defended these laws, arguing that most women regret their abortions and that the requirements are designed to give them the time to think through their decisions."What we are trying to do is create a situation where women can in fact make the choice they want to do and we know that most of the time that is childbirth,” Divine said after a court hearing Wednesday.Wales, of Planned Parenthood, said Missourians showed at the ballot box that they value reproductive rights. And she expressed frustration with what she described as "an Attorney General’s office that has made clear it will fight tooth and nail to prevent Missourians from accessing their new constitutional right to reproductive freedom.”___Ballentine reported from Columbia, Missouri.

Access to abortion in Missouri still on hold; waiting for court ruling

WASHINGTON (AP) —The U.S. government on Friday ordered testing of the nation's milk supply for bird flu to better monitor the spread of the virus in dairy cows.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-raw-milk-kennedy-7950cb5eb3b642f0cc74c2d29254bedb">Raw or unpasteurized milk</a>&nbsp;from dairy farms and processors nationwide must be tested on request starting Dec. 16, the Agriculture Department said. Testing will begin in six states — California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon and Pennsylvania.

Officials said the move is aimed at “containing and ultimately eliminating the virus," known as Type A H5N1, which was detected for the first time in March in U.S. dairy cows. Since then, more than 700 herds have been confirmed to be infected in 15 states.

“This will give farms and farmworkers better confidence in the safety of their animals and ability to protect themselves, and it will put us on a path to quickly controlling and stopping the virus’ spread nationwide,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement.

The risk to people from bird flu remains low, health officials said. Pasteurization, or heat treatment, kills the virus in milk, leaving it safe to drink.

Veterinarians, farmers, scientists and academics have been calling for nationwide milk testing for months, said Keith Poulsen, director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, who led the efforts.

“It's another step in the right direction,” Poulsen said. “They're coming around that we need a better handle on it.”

Dairy farmers and processors across the U.S. have been reluctant to test animals or milk for the virus, fearing economic or other repercussions. Jamie Jonker, chief science officer of the National Milk Producers Federation, said the industry supports USDA efforts to eliminate the virus.

Under the federal order, dairy farmers and those who handle raw milk intended for pasteurization must provide samples of the milk on request for testing for bird flu. It requires reporting of positive tests to the USDA and it requires herd owners to provide basic information to allow tracing of the disease in cattle.

The move follows an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-avian-influenza-h5n1-hpai-60ce37b87616995fee5ec7faead37dde">April 24 federal order</a>&nbsp;that mandated testing of certain dairy cattle before they could move between states and required reporting of any positive tests. Despite that order, the virus has continued to spread, Poulsen noted.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-raw-milk-kennedy-7950cb5eb3b642f0cc74c2d29254bedb">Raw milk</a>&nbsp;from infected cows contains high loads of live virus, testing has shown.

At least 58 people in the U.S. have been infected with bird flu, mostly farm workers who became mildly ill after close contact with infected cows, including their milk, or infected poultry.

Bird flu has also been spreading among wild birds and a number of other animals.

Federal officials continue to warn against drinking raw milk, which can contain a host of germs that make people sick. In California,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-raw-milk-raw-farm-recall-5893b7b823efcaf4389b77fc01fb0c56">officials quarantined</a>&nbsp;a farm and halted distribution of milk after bird flu virus was detected in raw milk sold in stores. Raw Farm of Fresno issued a voluntary recall of raw milk and cream produced after Nov. 9.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722448527185.png" alt="File Photo courtesy of Iowa State Dairy Association" />
 <figcaption>File Photo courtesy of Iowa State Dairy Association</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The U.S. government on Friday ordered testing of the nation's milk supply for bird flu to better monitor the spread of the virus in dairy cows.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-raw-milk-kennedy-7950cb5eb3b642f0cc74c2d29254bedb">Raw or unpasteurized milk</a>&nbsp;from dairy farms and processors nationwide must be tested on request starting Dec. 16, the Agriculture Department said. Testing will begin in six states — California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon and Pennsylvania.Officials said the move is aimed at “containing and ultimately eliminating the virus," known as Type A H5N1, which was detected for the first time in March in U.S. dairy cows. Since then, more than 700 herds have been confirmed to be infected in 15 states.“This will give farms and farmworkers better confidence in the safety of their animals and ability to protect themselves, and it will put us on a path to quickly controlling and stopping the virus’ spread nationwide,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement.The risk to people from bird flu remains low, health officials said. Pasteurization, or heat treatment, kills the virus in milk, leaving it safe to drink.Veterinarians, farmers, scientists and academics have been calling for nationwide milk testing for months, said Keith Poulsen, director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, who led the efforts.“It's another step in the right direction,” Poulsen said. “They're coming around that we need a better handle on it.”Dairy farmers and processors across the U.S. have been reluctant to test animals or milk for the virus, fearing economic or other repercussions. Jamie Jonker, chief science officer of the National Milk Producers Federation, said the industry supports USDA efforts to eliminate the virus.Under the federal order, dairy farmers and those who handle raw milk intended for pasteurization must provide samples of the milk on request for testing for bird flu. It requires reporting of positive tests to the USDA and it requires herd owners to provide basic information to allow tracing of the disease in cattle.The move follows an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-avian-influenza-h5n1-hpai-60ce37b87616995fee5ec7faead37dde">April 24 federal order</a>&nbsp;that mandated testing of certain dairy cattle before they could move between states and required reporting of any positive tests. Despite that order, the virus has continued to spread, Poulsen noted.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-raw-milk-kennedy-7950cb5eb3b642f0cc74c2d29254bedb">Raw milk</a>&nbsp;from infected cows contains high loads of live virus, testing has shown.At least 58 people in the U.S. have been infected with bird flu, mostly farm workers who became mildly ill after close contact with infected cows, including their milk, or infected poultry.Bird flu has also been spreading among wild birds and a number of other animals.Federal officials continue to warn against drinking raw milk, which can contain a host of germs that make people sick. In California,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-raw-milk-raw-farm-recall-5893b7b823efcaf4389b77fc01fb0c56">officials quarantined</a>&nbsp;a farm and halted distribution of milk after bird flu virus was detected in raw milk sold in stores. Raw Farm of Fresno issued a voluntary recall of raw milk and cream produced after Nov. 9.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

USDA orders nationwide testing of milk for bird flu to halt the virus

WASHINGTON (AP) — The acting director of the Secret Service said Thursday that the agency is “reorganizing and reimagining” its culture and how it operates following an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-assassination-attempt-butler-pennsylvania/">assassination attempt against Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on the campaign trail.

Members of a bipartisan House task force investigating the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/attempted-assassination-of-donald-trump">attempt on Trump's life</a>&nbsp;pushed Ronald Rowe on how the agency’s staffers could have missed such blatant security vulnerabilities leading up to the July 13 shooting at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. At one point, the hearing devolved into a shouting match between Rowe and a Republican congressman.

Rowe promised accountability for what he called the agency’s “abject failure” to secure the rally in Butler, where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-assassination-attempt-butler-pennsylvania/">a gunman opened fire</a>&nbsp;from a nearby building. Trump was wounded in the ear, one rallygoer was killed and two others were wounded.

<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/elections/2024/5-things-to-know-about-the-apparent-assassination-attempt-on-trump/">Another assassination attempt</a>&nbsp;two months later contributed to the agency’s troubles. That gunman waited for hours for Trump to appear at his golf course in Florida, but a Secret Service agent thwarted the attack by spotting the firearm poking through bushes.

The task force has been investigating both attempts, but it was the July shooting that dominated Thursday’s hearing. Its inquiry is one of a series of investigations and reports that have faulted the agency for planning and communications failures. The agency’s previous director resigned, and the Secret Service increased protections for Trump before the Republican won the November election.

Rowe was repeatedly asked by flabbergasted lawmakers how problems so obvious in hindsight were allowed to happen.

Rep. Jason Crow, a Colorado Democrat, said it was “just wild to me” that at a time of tech advances, the Secret Service was using text messages and emails to communicate in real time about threats.

He also asked Rowe why so many things went wrong that day “yet nobody said anything.”

Rowe said the agency used to have a culture where people felt comfortable speaking up.

“I don’t know where we lost that,” he said. “We have to get back to that.”

Rowe said the agency is putting a much stronger emphasis on training — something previous investigations found was lacking — and on doing more regular reviews of events to see what went right and where improvements can be made.

“We are reorganizing and reimaging this organization," Rowe told lawmakers. He said the agency needs to identify possible leaders much earlier in their careers instead of just promoting people to command positions because they have been around a long time.

The hearing was largely cordial, with members of Congress stressing the bipartisan nature of their work and praising Rowe for cooperating with their investigation even as they pushed him for explanations.

But at one point, Rowe and Rep. Pat Fallon, a Texas Republican, faced off — shouting over each other as other members pleaded for order.

Fallon pulled out a photo of President Joe Biden, Trump and others at this year's Sept. 11 ceremony in New York and asked Rowe why he was at the event, suggesting it was to burnish his prospects at getting the director job permanently. Trump has not yet named his pick to lead the agency.

“I was there to show respect for a Secret Service member that died on 9/11. Do not invoke 9/11 for political purposes!” Rowe shouted.

“You wanted to be visible because you were auditioning for this job that you’re not going to get!” Fallon later shot back.

Rowe roared back: "You are out of line, Congressman. You are out of line!”

This was the task force’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/secret-service-trump-rally-shooting-butler-police-081e812f3569b2bdb9f3ffe322ea1619">second public hearing</a>&nbsp;and the first time that Rowe has addressed its members in public. The panel has until Dec. 13 to release its final report.

Rep. Mark Green, a Tennessee Republican, said the agency’s conduct during the July shooting seemed almost “lackadaisical.” He said some of the issues that went wrong that day were ”really basic things.”

“It speaks of an apathy or a complacency that is really unacceptable in an organization like the Secret Service,” Green said.

The task force conducted 46 transcribed interviews, attended over a dozen briefings and reviewed over 20,000 documents. Members also visited the site of both assassination attempts and went to the FBI’s laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, to look at evidence.

Rowe said Thursday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/secret-service-trump-rally-shooting-butler-police-f0e07ef8e86b7f0aa699fde3b7eee133">the agency's internal investigation</a>, whose findings were released last month, identified failures by multiple employees. He noted that the quality of the advance work — the people who scope out event locations ahead of time — did not meet agency standards. He vowed accountability for those who fell down on the job.

Many of the investigations have centered on why buildings near the rally with a clear line of sight to the stage where Trump was speaking were not secured in advance. The gunman, Thomas Crooks, climbed onto the roof of one of them and opened fire before being killed by a Secret Service counter-sniper.

Rowe pointed to the failure to protect the building as the most glaring oversight that day.

He also was asked about the morale of agents and new hires. Rowe said applications are actually up this year — the agency made a net gain of about 200 agents during the past fiscal year, meaning both new agents were hired and veteran agents retained.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The acting director of the Secret Service said Thursday that the agency is “reorganizing and reimagining” its culture and how it operates following an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-assassination-attempt-butler-pennsylvania/">assassination attempt against Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on the campaign trail.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Heated exchange between <a href="https://twitter.com/RepPatFallon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepPatFallon</a> and U.S. Secret Service Acting Director Rowe. Rowe: &quot;Do not invoke 9/11 for political purposes!&quot; Fallon: &quot;I&#39;m not. I&#39;m invoking -&quot; Rowe: &quot;You are, sir. You are way out of line!&quot; <a href="https://t.co/LR28SDci5I">pic.twitter.com/LR28SDci5I</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1864708615694581942?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Members of a bipartisan House task force investigating the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/attempted-assassination-of-donald-trump">attempt on Trump's life</a>&nbsp;pushed Ronald Rowe on how the agency’s staffers could have missed such blatant security vulnerabilities leading up to the July 13 shooting at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. At one point, the hearing devolved into a shouting match between Rowe and a Republican congressman.Rowe promised accountability for what he called the agency’s “abject failure” to secure the rally in Butler, where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-assassination-attempt-butler-pennsylvania/">a gunman opened fire</a>&nbsp;from a nearby building. Trump was wounded in the ear, one rallygoer was killed and two others were wounded.<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/elections/2024/5-things-to-know-about-the-apparent-assassination-attempt-on-trump/">Another assassination attempt</a>&nbsp;two months later contributed to the agency’s troubles. That gunman waited for hours for Trump to appear at his golf course in Florida, but a Secret Service agent thwarted the attack by spotting the firearm poking through bushes.The task force has been investigating both attempts, but it was the July shooting that dominated Thursday’s hearing. Its inquiry is one of a series of investigations and reports that have faulted the agency for planning and communications failures. The agency’s previous director resigned, and the Secret Service increased protections for Trump before the Republican won the November election.Rowe was repeatedly asked by flabbergasted lawmakers how problems so obvious in hindsight were allowed to happen.Rep. Jason Crow, a Colorado Democrat, said it was “just wild to me” that at a time of tech advances, the Secret Service was using text messages and emails to communicate in real time about threats.He also asked Rowe why so many things went wrong that day “yet nobody said anything.”Rowe said the agency used to have a culture where people felt comfortable speaking up.“I don’t know where we lost that,” he said. “We have to get back to that.”Rowe said the agency is putting a much stronger emphasis on training — something previous investigations found was lacking — and on doing more regular reviews of events to see what went right and where improvements can be made.“We are reorganizing and reimaging this organization," Rowe told lawmakers. He said the agency needs to identify possible leaders much earlier in their careers instead of just promoting people to command positions because they have been around a long time.The hearing was largely cordial, with members of Congress stressing the bipartisan nature of their work and praising Rowe for cooperating with their investigation even as they pushed him for explanations.But at one point, Rowe and Rep. Pat Fallon, a Texas Republican, faced off — shouting over each other as other members pleaded for order.Fallon pulled out a photo of President Joe Biden, Trump and others at this year's Sept. 11 ceremony in New York and asked Rowe why he was at the event, suggesting it was to burnish his prospects at getting the director job permanently. Trump has not yet named his pick to lead the agency.“I was there to show respect for a Secret Service member that died on 9/11. Do not invoke 9/11 for political purposes!” Rowe shouted.“You wanted to be visible because you were auditioning for this job that you’re not going to get!” Fallon later shot back.Rowe roared back: "You are out of line, Congressman. You are out of line!”“You're a bully,” Fallon said.This was the task force’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/secret-service-trump-rally-shooting-butler-police-081e812f3569b2bdb9f3ffe322ea1619">second public hearing</a>&nbsp;and the first time that Rowe has addressed its members in public. The panel has until Dec. 13 to release its final report.Rep. Mark Green, a Tennessee Republican, said the agency’s conduct during the July shooting seemed almost “lackadaisical.” He said some of the issues that went wrong that day were ”really basic things.”“It speaks of an apathy or a complacency that is really unacceptable in an organization like the Secret Service,” Green said.The task force conducted 46 transcribed interviews, attended over a dozen briefings and reviewed over 20,000 documents. Members also visited the site of both assassination attempts and went to the FBI’s laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, to look at evidence.Rowe said Thursday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/secret-service-trump-rally-shooting-butler-police-f0e07ef8e86b7f0aa699fde3b7eee133">the agency's internal investigation</a>, whose findings were released last month, identified failures by multiple employees. He noted that the quality of the advance work — the people who scope out event locations ahead of time — did not meet agency standards. He vowed accountability for those who fell down on the job.Many of the investigations have centered on why buildings near the rally with a clear line of sight to the stage where Trump was speaking were not secured in advance. The gunman, Thomas Crooks, climbed onto the roof of one of them and opened fire before being killed by a Secret Service counter-sniper.Rowe pointed to the failure to protect the building as the most glaring oversight that day.He also was asked about the morale of agents and new hires. Rowe said applications are actually up this year — the agency made a net gain of about 200 agents during the past fiscal year, meaning both new agents were hired and veteran agents retained.

🎥Trump assassination attempt hearing turns into yelling match

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson City Finance Director Angela Richard updated the city council on Tuesday as to the general fund balance for the end of 2024 and how things look going into next year.

"When we approved the 2025 budget, at the end of 2024, we had projected to have a general fund balance of $5.5 million," Richard said. "I am projecting to have a general fund balance of $7.5 to 8 million, pending something doesn't come up that I haven't forecasted. If these trends project into 2025 and our spending aligns and our revenue stays about the same, we'll end 2025 with between $4.5 and 5 million. So the GFOA recommendations and the general fund balance that we had approved, we should probably be between $7 and 7.5 million. We'll end 2024 with about where we should be, but then at the end of 2025, we'll start having to look at what we should do to restore that general fund balance, but it is a lot better than the $913,000 we had projected at the end of 2025 in our budget."

The council praised Richard for her good work in keeping the city solvent to this point.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733312174723.jpeg" alt="Hutchinson City Finance Director Angela Richard speaks to the Hutchinson City Council at their meeting December 3, 2024. Image courtesy City of Hutchinson." />
 <figcaption>Hutchinson City Finance Director Angela Richard speaks to the Hutchinson City Council at their meeting December 3, 2024. Image courtesy City of Hutchinson.</figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson City Finance Director Angela Richard updated the city council on Tuesday as to the general fund balance for the end of 2024 and how things look going into next year."When we approved the 2025 budget, at the end of 2024, we had projected to have a general fund balance of $5.5 million," Richard said. "I am projecting to have a general fund balance of $7.5 to 8 million, pending something doesn't come up that I haven't forecasted. If these trends project into 2025 and our spending aligns and our revenue stays about the same, we'll end 2025 with between $4.5 and 5 million. So the GFOA recommendations and the general fund balance that we had approved, we should probably be between $7 and 7.5 million. We'll end 2024 with about where we should be, but then at the end of 2025, we'll start having to look at what we should do to restore that general fund balance, but it is a lot better than the $913,000 we had projected at the end of 2025 in our budget."The council praised Richard for her good work in keeping the city solvent to this point.

City's fiscal health better than anticipated

AP Sports Summary for December 4th, 2024:

Miami's playoff hopes nosedive as Alabama rises in the latest College Football Playoff rankings

Miami's playoff hopes took a nosedive while Alabama's got a boost in the last rankings before the College Football Playoff bracket is set next weekend. The Hurricanes moved down six spots to No. 12 after suffering their second loss of the season. They are one spot behind the Crimson Tide, who won won last week and moved up two spots to No. 11. Alabama is projected as the last team in and the fourth from the Southeastern Conference. Oregon stayed at No. 1 for the fifth straight week and will head into Saturday's Big Ten title game as the only undefeated team in big-time college football.

Flames honor the late Johnny Gaudreau and welcome his family back to Calgary

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — The Calgary Flames paid tribute to longtime star Johnny Gaudreau before their game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, months after the All-Star was killed while biking on a New Jersey road this summer. Known as "Johnny Hockey," Gaudreau played the first eight of his 10 full seasons with Calgary, where he developed into one of the NHL's top players. He spent his last two seasons with the Blue Jackets. Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, were killed on Aug. 29 when police said they were struck by a suspected drunken driver. Calgary hosted several members of the Gaudreau family on Tuesday night, including Johnny's father, his wife Meredith and their two children, and his sisters.

Juan Soto starting to eliminate teams from negotiations, agent Scott Boras says

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Juan Soto is starting to drop teams from negotiations ahead of baseball's winter meetings next week. Likely to approach or set a record contract, the free agent slugger has met with the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays. Soto's agent, Scott Boras, says the outfielder has "begun the process of eliminating teams" but he doesn't think a decision is "imminent" in the near future. A four-time All-Star, Soto finished third in AL MVP voting after hitting .288 with 41 homers, 109 RBIs and 129 walks this year to help the Yankees reach the World Series. He has a .285 career batting average with 201 homers, 592 RBIs and 769 walks.

USWNT beats Netherlands 2-1 in goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher's final match

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Alyssa Naher made two critical saves in her final match for the United States, Lynn Williams scored the go-ahead goal in the 71st minute and the Americans beat the Netherlands 2-1. The U.S., which won its fifth Olympic gold medal in France this summer, wrapped up the year on a 20-game unbeaten streak. The Americans were coming off a scoreless draw with England on Saturday at Wembley Stadium. Naeher announced two weeks ago that the European matches would be her last. The 36-year-old goalkeeper played in 115 games for the U.S., with 111 starts, 89 wins and 69 shutouts.

Wiggins, Schieffelin and Clemson's defense hold down No. 4 Kentucky for a 70-66 win

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Chauncey Wiggins scored 12 points and Ian Schieffelin had 11 points and a career-high 20 rebounds as Clemson shut down No. 4 Kentucky for a 70-66 victory in the SEC/ACC Challenge. The Tigers improved to 8-1 and handed the Wildcats their first loss of the season. It's the second straight season in which Clemson has defeated a top-5 opponent, after beating No. 3 North Carolina 80-76 in January. Otega Oweh led Kentucky with 17 points.

Signing with Dodgers was really easy decision for 2-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell says it was a really easy decision to sign with the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Joining a team that includes two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani influenced the left-hander too. Snell was introduced Tuesday at Dodger Stadium after signing a $182 million, five-year deal last weekend. Snell has known Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman since he was 18. Friedman says all conversations the front office has had since the World Series ended last month involved Snell, who was 2-2 against the Dodgers during his career.

Knicks beat Magic to advance in the NBA Cup. Orlando also moves on as the East wild card

NEW YORK (AP) — Karl-Anthony Towns had 23 points and 15 rebounds, Jalen Brunson scored 21 points and the New York Knicks beat the Orlando Magic 121-106 on Tuesday to reach the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup. New York went 4-0 in East Group A and will host Atlanta on Dec. 11. Orlando (3-1) advanced as the East wild card and will travel to Milwaukee. Mikal Bridges had 19 points and Josh Hart added 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Knicks, who have won their last three games and eight of their last 10. Franz Wagner finished with 30 points for the Magic, who had their six-game winning streak snapped.

Iowa State and SMU athletic directors in a 'stay off my lawn' moment regarding latest rankings

Athletic directors at Iowa State and SMU are in a turf war over the latest College Football Playoff rankings, leading to a "stay off my lawn" moment on social media. Cyclones AD Jamie Pollard tweeted at his SMU counterpart Rick Hart suggesting the Mustangs' eighth ranking was inflated because of its less-than-brutal schedule and said, "looks like your lawn may be artificial." Hart responded by saying Iowa State's schedule wasn't so hot either. And, he said, "stay off my lawn."

Texans' Azeez Al-Shaair suspended 3 games without pay after violent hit on Trevor Lawrence

HOUSTON (AP) — Houston's Azeez Al-Shaair was suspended by the NFL without pay for three games for repeated violations of player safety rules following his hit to the head of Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence, which led to a concussion. Al-Shaair's punishment was announced by NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan. In his letter to Al-Shaair, he noted that he has had multiple offenses for personal fouls and sportsmanship-related rules violations in recent seasons. Runyan says "video shows you striking the head/neck area of Jaguars' quarterback Trevor Lawrence after he clearly goes down in a feet-first slide."

High school recruiting isn't the only way to build a winner in the era of the transfer portal

Texas A&amp;M signed the nation's top-ranked class three years ago believing it had built a potential national title contender. Plenty of players from that heralded 2022 class could indeed be participating in the first 12-team College Football Playoff this month. They just won't be doing it for the Aggies. Texas A&amp;M represents perhaps the clearest example of how recruiting and roster construction have changed in the era of loosened transfer restrictions. Coaches must assemble high school classes without always knowing which of their own players are transferring and what players from other schools could be available through the portal.

Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:

Final	(22)Texas A&amp;M	57	Wake Forest	44	

		(10)Alabama	at	(20)North Carolina	7:15 p.m.	

		(18)Pittsburgh	at	Mississippi St.	9:15 p.m.	

		(24)San Diego St.	at	Fresno St.	10:30 p.m.	

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for December 4th, 2024" />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for December 4th, 2024</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Summary for December 4th, 2024:<div><iframe width="100%" height="95" src="https://embeds.audioboom.com/posts/8618915/embed?v=202301" style="background-color: transparent; display: block; padding: 0; width: 100%" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="allowtransparency" scrolling="no" title="Audioboom player" allow="autoplay" sandbox="allow-downloads allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe></div>Miami's playoff hopes nosedive as Alabama rises in the latest College Football Playoff rankingsMiami's playoff hopes took a nosedive while Alabama's got a boost in the last rankings before the College Football Playoff bracket is set next weekend. The Hurricanes moved down six spots to No. 12 after suffering their second loss of the season. They are one spot behind the Crimson Tide, who won won last week and moved up two spots to No. 11. Alabama is projected as the last team in and the fourth from the Southeastern Conference. Oregon stayed at No. 1 for the fifth straight week and will head into Saturday's Big Ten title game as the only undefeated team in big-time college football.Flames honor the late Johnny Gaudreau and welcome his family back to CalgaryCALGARY, Alberta (AP) — The Calgary Flames paid tribute to longtime star Johnny Gaudreau before their game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, months after the All-Star was killed while biking on a New Jersey road this summer. Known as "Johnny Hockey," Gaudreau played the first eight of his 10 full seasons with Calgary, where he developed into one of the NHL's top players. He spent his last two seasons with the Blue Jackets. Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, were killed on Aug. 29 when police said they were struck by a suspected drunken driver. Calgary hosted several members of the Gaudreau family on Tuesday night, including Johnny's father, his wife Meredith and their two children, and his sisters.Juan Soto starting to eliminate teams from negotiations, agent Scott Boras saysLOS ANGELES (AP) — Juan Soto is starting to drop teams from negotiations ahead of baseball's winter meetings next week. Likely to approach or set a record contract, the free agent slugger has met with the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays. Soto's agent, Scott Boras, says the outfielder has "begun the process of eliminating teams" but he doesn't think a decision is "imminent" in the near future. A four-time All-Star, Soto finished third in AL MVP voting after hitting .288 with 41 homers, 109 RBIs and 129 walks this year to help the Yankees reach the World Series. He has a .285 career batting average with 201 homers, 592 RBIs and 769 walks.USWNT beats Netherlands 2-1 in goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher's final matchTHE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Alyssa Naher made two critical saves in her final match for the United States, Lynn Williams scored the go-ahead goal in the 71st minute and the Americans beat the Netherlands 2-1. The U.S., which won its fifth Olympic gold medal in France this summer, wrapped up the year on a 20-game unbeaten streak. The Americans were coming off a scoreless draw with England on Saturday at Wembley Stadium. Naeher announced two weeks ago that the European matches would be her last. The 36-year-old goalkeeper played in 115 games for the U.S., with 111 starts, 89 wins and 69 shutouts.Wiggins, Schieffelin and Clemson's defense hold down No. 4 Kentucky for a 70-66 winCLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Chauncey Wiggins scored 12 points and Ian Schieffelin had 11 points and a career-high 20 rebounds as Clemson shut down No. 4 Kentucky for a 70-66 victory in the SEC/ACC Challenge. The Tigers improved to 8-1 and handed the Wildcats their first loss of the season. It's the second straight season in which Clemson has defeated a top-5 opponent, after beating No. 3 North Carolina 80-76 in January. Otega Oweh led Kentucky with 17 points.Signing with Dodgers was really easy decision for 2-time Cy Young winner Blake SnellLOS ANGELES (AP) — Two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell says it was a really easy decision to sign with the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Joining a team that includes two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani influenced the left-hander too. Snell was introduced Tuesday at Dodger Stadium after signing a $182 million, five-year deal last weekend. Snell has known Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman since he was 18. Friedman says all conversations the front office has had since the World Series ended last month involved Snell, who was 2-2 against the Dodgers during his career.Knicks beat Magic to advance in the NBA Cup. Orlando also moves on as the East wild cardNEW YORK (AP) — Karl-Anthony Towns had 23 points and 15 rebounds, Jalen Brunson scored 21 points and the New York Knicks beat the Orlando Magic 121-106 on Tuesday to reach the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup. New York went 4-0 in East Group A and will host Atlanta on Dec. 11. Orlando (3-1) advanced as the East wild card and will travel to Milwaukee. Mikal Bridges had 19 points and Josh Hart added 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Knicks, who have won their last three games and eight of their last 10. Franz Wagner finished with 30 points for the Magic, who had their six-game winning streak snapped.Iowa State and SMU athletic directors in a 'stay off my lawn' moment regarding latest rankingsAthletic directors at Iowa State and SMU are in a turf war over the latest College Football Playoff rankings, leading to a "stay off my lawn" moment on social media. Cyclones AD Jamie Pollard tweeted at his SMU counterpart Rick Hart suggesting the Mustangs' eighth ranking was inflated because of its less-than-brutal schedule and said, "looks like your lawn may be artificial." Hart responded by saying Iowa State's schedule wasn't so hot either. And, he said, "stay off my lawn."Texans' Azeez Al-Shaair suspended 3 games without pay after violent hit on Trevor LawrenceHOUSTON (AP) — Houston's Azeez Al-Shaair was suspended by the NFL without pay for three games for repeated violations of player safety rules following his hit to the head of Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence, which led to a concussion. Al-Shaair's punishment was announced by NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan. In his letter to Al-Shaair, he noted that he has had multiple offenses for personal fouls and sportsmanship-related rules violations in recent seasons. Runyan says "video shows you striking the head/neck area of Jaguars' quarterback Trevor Lawrence after he clearly goes down in a feet-first slide."High school recruiting isn't the only way to build a winner in the era of the transfer portalTexas A&amp;M signed the nation's top-ranked class three years ago believing it had built a potential national title contender. Plenty of players from that heralded 2022 class could indeed be participating in the first 12-team College Football Playoff this month. They just won't be doing it for the Aggies. Texas A&amp;M represents perhaps the clearest example of how recruiting and roster construction have changed in the era of loosened transfer restrictions. Coaches must assemble high school classes without always knowing which of their own players are transferring and what players from other schools could be available through the portal.AP-ScorecardHere are the scores from yesterday's sports events:___NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal	Cleveland	118	Washington	87	Final	Milwaukee	128	Detroit	107	Final	Philadelphia	110	Charlotte	104	Final	Toronto	122	Indiana	111	Final	New York	121	Orlando	106	Final	Oklahoma City	133	Utah	106	Final	Dallas	121	Memphis	116	Final	Phoenix	104	San Antonio	93	Final	Denver	119	Golden State	115	Final	L.A. Clippers	127	Portland	105	Final	Sacramento	120	Houston	111	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUEFinal OT	Montreal	2	N-Y Islanders	1	Final	Seattle	4	Carolina	2	Final	Colorado	5	Buffalo	4	Final OT	San Jose	2	Washington	1	Final OT	Pittsburgh	5	Florida	4	Final OT	Boston	3	Detroit	2	Final OT	Minnesota	3	Vancouver	2	Final	St. Louis	4	Winnipeg	1	Final	Calgary	3	Columbus	0	Final	Vegas	1	Edmonton	0	___TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALLFinal	(3)Tennessee	96	Syracuse	70	Final	Clemson	70	(4)Kentucky	66	Final	Michigan	67	(11)Wisconsin	64	Final	Villanova	68	(14)Cincinnati	60	Final	(21)Oklahoma	76	Georgia Tech	61	Final	(22)Texas A&amp;M	57	Wake Forest	44	Final	(23)Mississippi	86	Louisville	63	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION		Detroit	at	Boston	7:30 p.m.			Indiana	at	Brooklyn	7:30 p.m.			L.A. Lakers	at	Miami	7:30 p.m.			Orlando	at	Philadelphia	7:30 p.m.			Atlanta	at	Milwaukee	8 p.m.			Minnesota	at	L.A. Clippers	10:30 p.m.	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE		Boston	at	Chicago	7:30 p.m.			Nashville	at	Toronto	7:30 p.m.			Dallas	at	Los Angeles	10 p.m.			Vegas	at	Anaheim	10 p.m.	___TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL		(1)Kansas	at	Creighton	8:30 p.m.			(2)Auburn	at	(9)Duke	9:15 p.m.			(5)Marquette	at	(6)Iowa St.	8 p.m.			(10)Alabama	at	(20)North Carolina	7:15 p.m.			(12)Oregon	at	Southern Cal	10:30 p.m.			Virginia	at	(13)Florida	7:15 p.m.			(15)Baylor	at	(25)UConn	6:30 p.m.			Louisiana Tech	at	(16)Memphis	8 p.m.			(18)Pittsburgh	at	Mississippi St.	9:15 p.m.			(24)San Diego St.	at	Fresno St.	10:30 p.m.	___

📢📰🎧 Sports Headlines for Wednesday

Kansas had more than 2 million voters registered in last month’s election

By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — More Kansans voted in last month’s general election than in any in the state’s history, officials announced Monday.

The Kansas State Board of Canvassers met to certify the results of last month’s vote for U.S. president and a host of federal, state and local offices. President-elect Donald Trump won handily in Kansas over Vice President Kamala Harris.

Kansas elections director Bryan Caskey said the vote broke three records.

For the first time, more than 1.34 million Kansans voted, Caskey said. More than 2 million were registered for the election. And more people voted in person ahead of Election Day than ever before.

Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, a Republican, thanked election workers and volunteers, noting that unfounded accusations of voter fraud have made their jobs difficult.

“It’s been hard for election workers the past several years,” Schwab said, “but they stand up every election cycle and do their work and they don’t complain.”

Trump won Kansas and its six Electoral College votes by 16 percentage points, widening his victory slightly compared to 2020. In 2020 when President Joe Biden won the election, conservatives claimed without evidence that widespread voter fraud helped lift him into office.

Caskey, who serves under Schwab, said he wasn’t aware of any allegations of fraud by any candidates in Kansas this year.&nbsp;

Schwab said he gets frustrated by claims of voter fraud and noted the vast majority of Kansans do not complain about elections.&nbsp;

“It’s a small group of people,” he said, “but when their person wins, then they don’t complain. When their person loses, they complain.”&nbsp;

Asked if he thought election workers could put allegations of fraud behind them, he said he lets the work of election officials speak for itself.

“Are there going to be people who say the world is flat?” Schwab said. “Are there going to be people (who) say we’ve never been to the moon?”

Schwab said his office was reviewing the election to see if the state needs any legislative fixes to help the vote run smoothly. The office may pursue bills when the Kansas Legislature returns in January “to make sure we continue to have secure elections,” he said, but he declined to say what sort of proposals he was considering, noting they are still under review.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733234170388.png" alt="Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab chairs a meeting of the State Board of Canvassers on Monday as members certify the results of last month's election. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab chairs a meeting of the State Board of Canvassers on Monday as members certify the results of last month's election. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Kansas had more than 2 million voters registered in last month’s election</h2>By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — More Kansans voted in last month’s general election than in any in the state’s history, officials announced Monday.The Kansas State Board of Canvassers met to certify the results of last month’s vote for U.S. president and a host of federal, state and local offices. President-elect Donald Trump won handily in Kansas over Vice President Kamala Harris.Kansas elections director Bryan Caskey said the vote broke three records.For the first time, more than 1.34 million Kansans voted, Caskey said. More than 2 million were registered for the election. And more people voted in person ahead of Election Day than ever before.Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, a Republican, thanked election workers and volunteers, noting that unfounded accusations of voter fraud have made their jobs difficult.“It’s been hard for election workers the past several years,” Schwab said, “but they stand up every election cycle and do their work and they don’t complain.”Trump won Kansas and its six Electoral College votes by 16 percentage points, widening his victory slightly compared to 2020. In 2020 when President Joe Biden won the election, conservatives claimed without evidence that widespread voter fraud helped lift him into office.Caskey, who serves under Schwab, said he wasn’t aware of any allegations of fraud by any candidates in Kansas this year.&nbsp;Schwab said he gets frustrated by claims of voter fraud and noted the vast majority of Kansans do not complain about elections.&nbsp;“It’s a small group of people,” he said, “but when their person wins, then they don’t complain. When their person loses, they complain.”&nbsp;Asked if he thought election workers could put allegations of fraud behind them, he said he lets the work of election officials speak for itself.“Are there going to be people who say the world is flat?” Schwab said. “Are there going to be people (who) say we’ve never been to the moon?”Schwab said his office was reviewing the election to see if the state needs any legislative fixes to help the vote run smoothly. The office may pursue bills when the Kansas Legislature returns in January “to make sure we continue to have secure elections,” he said, but he declined to say what sort of proposals he was considering, noting they are still under review.

Kansas officials certify November election with record-setting turnout

AP Sports Summary for December 3rd, 2024:

McMillian's pick 6 helps Broncos spoil career nights by Winston, Jeudy and beat Browns 41-32

DENVER (AP) — Ja'Quan McMillian returned an interception for a game-sealing 44-yard touchdown with 1:48 remaining, and the Denver Broncos spoiled career-best performances by Cleveland quarterback Jameis Winston and receiver Jerry Jeudy, beating the Browns 41-32. Winston threw for a franchise-record 497 yards and four touchdowns, and Jeudy had nine catches for 235 yards — the most in NFL history by a receiver against his former team. Winston's electric night included three picks, two of which were returned for TDs. Bo Nix threw for 294 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions for Denver. The Broncos moved to 8-5 while the Browns fell to 3-9.

49ers running back Christian McCaffrey headed to IR with an injured right knee

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey will not need surgery on his injured right knee but he will miss the rest of the regular season. Coach Kyle Shanahan said McCaffrey will be out at least six weeks after injuring his posterior cruciate ligament in a loss to the Buffalo Bills. McCaffrey will be placed on injured reserve for the second time this season after previously missing the first eight games with Achilles tendinitis The 49ers also lost McCaffrey's backup to an injury. Jordan Mason is also set to go on injured reserve after suffering a high ankle sprain in the game.

Houston's Al-Shaair apologizes for hit on Jacksonville's Lawrence that led to concussion

HOUSTON (AP) — Houston's Azeez Al-Shaair took to X to apologize to Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence after his violent blow to the quarterback's facemask led to him being carted off the field with a concussion. Back in the starting lineup after missing two games with a sprained left shoulder, Lawrence scrambled left on a second-and-7 play in the second quarter of Houston's 23-20 win on Sunday. He initiated a slide before Al-Shaair raised his forearm and unleashed on the defenseless quarterback. In the long post, Al-Shaair says "To Trevor I genuinely apologize to you for what ended up happening."

Jets are sticking with struggling Aaron Rodgers as their starting quarterback

Aaron Rodgers will remain the New York Jets' starting quarterback despite speculation the team could bench him in what has been a disappointing season. Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said during a video call that he still believes Rodgers, who turned 41 on Monday, gives the Jets their best chance to win. Rodgers was 21 of 39 for 185 yards and touchdown passes to Davante Adams and Isaiah Davis but also had an interception returned 92 yards for a touchdown by Leonard Williams in the Jets' 26-21 loss to Seattle on Sunday.

College playoff bracket offers last dress rehearsal and one more chance to see where the SEC stands

The next set of College Football Playoff rankings will be released Tuesday night under heavy scrutiny before the final bracket is set on Sunday. It will be one last chance to see just how much the selection committee loves the Southeastern Conference. The best gauge will be whether Miami, which suffered its second loss over the weekend, is placed behind any or all three SEC teams with three losses — Alabama, Mississippi and South Carolina, all of which are coming off wins. Whatever happens, the SEC is likely to have at least five teams in the 12-team field when the final bracket comes out.

LeBron's jumper is off, and the Lakers are struggling on offense

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for December 3rd, 2024" />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for December 3rd, 2024</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Summary for December 3rd, 2024:<div><iframe width="100%" height="95" src="https://embeds.audioboom.com/posts/8618306/embed?v=202301" style="background-color: transparent; display: block; padding: 0; width: 100%" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="allowtransparency" scrolling="no" title="Audioboom player" allow="autoplay" sandbox="allow-downloads allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe></div>McMillian's pick 6 helps Broncos spoil career nights by Winston, Jeudy and beat Browns 41-32DENVER (AP) — Ja'Quan McMillian returned an interception for a game-sealing 44-yard touchdown with 1:48 remaining, and the Denver Broncos spoiled career-best performances by Cleveland quarterback Jameis Winston and receiver Jerry Jeudy, beating the Browns 41-32. Winston threw for a franchise-record 497 yards and four touchdowns, and Jeudy had nine catches for 235 yards — the most in NFL history by a receiver against his former team. Winston's electric night included three picks, two of which were returned for TDs. Bo Nix threw for 294 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions for Denver. The Broncos moved to 8-5 while the Browns fell to 3-9.49ers running back Christian McCaffrey headed to IR with an injured right kneeSANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey will not need surgery on his injured right knee but he will miss the rest of the regular season. Coach Kyle Shanahan said McCaffrey will be out at least six weeks after injuring his posterior cruciate ligament in a loss to the Buffalo Bills. McCaffrey will be placed on injured reserve for the second time this season after previously missing the first eight games with Achilles tendinitis The 49ers also lost McCaffrey's backup to an injury. Jordan Mason is also set to go on injured reserve after suffering a high ankle sprain in the game.Houston's Al-Shaair apologizes for hit on Jacksonville's Lawrence that led to concussionHOUSTON (AP) — Houston's Azeez Al-Shaair took to X to apologize to Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence after his violent blow to the quarterback's facemask led to him being carted off the field with a concussion. Back in the starting lineup after missing two games with a sprained left shoulder, Lawrence scrambled left on a second-and-7 play in the second quarter of Houston's 23-20 win on Sunday. He initiated a slide before Al-Shaair raised his forearm and unleashed on the defenseless quarterback. In the long post, Al-Shaair says "To Trevor I genuinely apologize to you for what ended up happening."Jets are sticking with struggling Aaron Rodgers as their starting quarterbackAaron Rodgers will remain the New York Jets' starting quarterback despite speculation the team could bench him in what has been a disappointing season. Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said during a video call that he still believes Rodgers, who turned 41 on Monday, gives the Jets their best chance to win. Rodgers was 21 of 39 for 185 yards and touchdown passes to Davante Adams and Isaiah Davis but also had an interception returned 92 yards for a touchdown by Leonard Williams in the Jets' 26-21 loss to Seattle on Sunday.College playoff bracket offers last dress rehearsal and one more chance to see where the SEC standsThe next set of College Football Playoff rankings will be released Tuesday night under heavy scrutiny before the final bracket is set on Sunday. It will be one last chance to see just how much the selection committee loves the Southeastern Conference. The best gauge will be whether Miami, which suffered its second loss over the weekend, is placed behind any or all three SEC teams with three losses — Alabama, Mississippi and South Carolina, all of which are coming off wins. Whatever happens, the SEC is likely to have at least five teams in the 12-team field when the final bracket comes out.LeBron's jumper is off, and the Lakers are struggling on offenseMINNEAPOLIS (AP) — LeBron James is in quite the shooting slump, especially from long distance. James missed all four of his 3-point attempts for the Los Angeles Lakers in a 109-80 loss at Minnesota, stretching his skid to 0 for 19 from deep over the last four games. He went 4 for 16 from the floor with six of his team's 20 turnovers for a season-low 10 points against the Timberwolves. The Lakers are 12-9 at the quarter mark of their schedule under rookie coach J.J. Redick. James wants to play all 82 games in his age-40 season.Fueled by boos, Browns receiver Jerry Jeudy turns in 235-yard performance in return to DenverDENVER (AP) — The boos only brought out the best in Jerry Jeudy as he returned to Denver. The explosive Cleveland Browns wideout turned in an electric performance Monday night with nine catches for 235 yards, the most in NFL history by a receiver against his former team. He also had a 70-yard touchdown in a 41-32 loss to the Broncos. Jeudy, who played his first four seasons with Denver, was jeered every time he caught the ball. He loved all the noise directed at him, even motioning at times for the crowd to get even louder. His only regret was the Browns couldn't close out the win.Mollie Marcoux Samaan stepping down as LPGA commissioner after 3 1/2 years of record prize moneyMollie Marcoux Samaan is leaving after more than three years as LPGA commissioner. In a surprise announcement Monday, Marcoux Samaan said she will step down in January, just three weeks before the LPGA starts its 75th season. Liz Moore is the chief legal and technology officer. She'll be serving as interim commissioner until a search committee can find a permanent replacement. Marcoux Samaan was the athletic director at Princeton when she took over the LPGA in May 2021. Prize money has soared during her tenure. She also has faced criticism for the LPGA not gaining in popularity during a rise in women's sports.Kansas holds off Auburn for No. 1 in AP Top 25 as SEC grabs 3 of top 4 spots; UConn slides to No. 25Kansas continues to hold the No. 1 ranking in The Associated Press Top 25 men's college basketball poll. Auburn is pushing the Jayhawks in the latest poll after winning the Maui Invitational and checked in at No. 2. Two-time reigning national champion UConn nearly fell out entirely after an 0-3 week at Maui, falling from No. 2 to 25th. The Southeastern Conference had three of the top four teams with No. 3 Tennessee and No. 4 Kentucky behind the Tigers. The poll featured six new teams, headlined by No. 13 Oregon, No. 16 Memphis and No. 18 Pittsburgh.TCU, Duke climb into top 10, Notre Dame drops in women's AP Top 25; UCLA and UConn remain 1-2TCU has its best ranking ever in The Associated Press Top 25 women's basketball poll after a convincing win over Notre Dame. The Horned Frogs jumped eight spots to No. 9, the first time the school has ever been in the top 10. The Fighting Irish, who were third last week, fell seven spots to 10th after losses to TCU and Utah. UCLA remained No. 1, followed by UConn, South Carolina, Texas and LSU. USC, Maryland and Duke are next.AP Sports SummaryBrief at 2:34 a.m. ESTMcMillian's pick 6 helps Broncos spoil career nights by Winston, Jeudy and beat Browns 41-32DENVER (AP) — Ja'Quan McMillian returned an interception for a game-sealing 44-yard touchdown with 1:48 remaining, and the Denver Broncos spoiled career-best performances by Cleveland quarterback Jameis Winston and receiver Jerry Jeudy, beating the Browns 41-32. Winston threw for a franchise-record 497 yards and four touchdowns, and Jeudy had nine catches for 235 yards — the most in NFL history by a receiver against his former team. Winston's electric night included three picks, two of which were returned for TDs. Bo Nix threw for 294 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions for Denver. The Broncos moved to 8-5 while the Browns fell to 3-9.49ers running back Christian McCaffrey headed to IR with an injured right kneeSANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey will not need surgery on his injured right knee but he will miss the rest of the regular season. Coach Kyle Shanahan said McCaffrey will be out at least six weeks after injuring his posterior cruciate ligament in a loss to the Buffalo Bills. McCaffrey will be placed on injured reserve for the second time this season after previously missing the first eight games with Achilles tendinitis The 49ers also lost McCaffrey's backup to an injury. Jordan Mason is also set to go on injured reserve after suffering a high ankle sprain in the game.Houston's Al-Shaair apologizes for hit on Jacksonville's Lawrence that led to concussionHOUSTON (AP) — Houston's Azeez Al-Shaair took to X to apologize to Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence after his violent blow to the quarterback's facemask led to him being carted off the field with a concussion. Back in the starting lineup after missing two games with a sprained left shoulder, Lawrence scrambled left on a second-and-7 play in the second quarter of Houston's 23-20 win on Sunday. He initiated a slide before Al-Shaair raised his forearm and unleashed on the defenseless quarterback. In the long post, Al-Shaair says "To Trevor I genuinely apologize to you for what ended up happening."Jets are sticking with struggling Aaron Rodgers as their starting quarterbackAaron Rodgers will remain the New York Jets' starting quarterback despite speculation the team could bench him in what has been a disappointing season. Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said during a video call that he still believes Rodgers, who turned 41 on Monday, gives the Jets their best chance to win. Rodgers was 21 of 39 for 185 yards and touchdown passes to Davante Adams and Isaiah Davis but also had an interception returned 92 yards for a touchdown by Leonard Williams in the Jets' 26-21 loss to Seattle on Sunday.College playoff bracket offers last dress rehearsal and one more chance to see where the SEC standsThe next set of College Football Playoff rankings will be released Tuesday night under heavy scrutiny before the final bracket is set on Sunday. It will be one last chance to see just how much the selection committee loves the Southeastern Conference. The best gauge will be whether Miami, which suffered its second loss over the weekend, is placed behind any or all three SEC teams with three losses — Alabama, Mississippi and South Carolina, all of which are coming off wins. Whatever happens, the SEC is likely to have at least five teams in the 12-team field when the final bracket comes out.LeBron's jumper is off, and the Lakers are struggling on offenseMINNEAPOLIS (AP) — LeBron James is in quite the shooting slump, especially from long distance. James missed all four of his 3-point attempts for the Los Angeles Lakers in a 109-80 loss at Minnesota, stretching his skid to 0 for 19 from deep over the last four games. He went 4 for 16 from the floor with six of his team's 20 turnovers for a season-low 10 points against the Timberwolves. The Lakers are 12-9 at the quarter mark of their schedule under rookie coach J.J. Redick. James wants to play all 82 games in his age-40 season.Fueled by boos, Browns receiver Jerry Jeudy turns in 235-yard performance in return to DenverDENVER (AP) — The boos only brought out the best in Jerry Jeudy as he returned to Denver. The explosive Cleveland Browns wideout turned in an electric performance Monday night with nine catches for 235 yards, the most in NFL history by a receiver against his former team. He also had a 70-yard touchdown in a 41-32 loss to the Broncos. Jeudy, who played his first four seasons with Denver, was jeered every time he caught the ball. He loved all the noise directed at him, even motioning at times for the crowd to get even louder. His only regret was the Browns couldn't close out the win.Mollie Marcoux Samaan stepping down as LPGA commissioner after 3 1/2 years of record prize moneyMollie Marcoux Samaan is leaving after more than three years as LPGA commissioner. In a surprise announcement Monday, Marcoux Samaan said she will step down in January, just three weeks before the LPGA starts its 75th season. Liz Moore is the chief legal and technology officer. She'll be serving as interim commissioner until a search committee can find a permanent replacement. Marcoux Samaan was the athletic director at Princeton when she took over the LPGA in May 2021. Prize money has soared during her tenure. She also has faced criticism for the LPGA not gaining in popularity during a rise in women's sports.Kansas holds off Auburn for No. 1 in AP Top 25 as SEC grabs 3 of top 4 spots; UConn slides to No. 25Kansas continues to hold the No. 1 ranking in The Associated Press Top 25 men's college basketball poll. Auburn is pushing the Jayhawks in the latest poll after winning the Maui Invitational and checked in at No. 2. Two-time reigning national champion UConn nearly fell out entirely after an 0-3 week at Maui, falling from No. 2 to 25th. The Southeastern Conference had three of the top four teams with No. 3 Tennessee and No. 4 Kentucky behind the Tigers. The poll featured six new teams, headlined by No. 13 Oregon, No. 16 Memphis and No. 18 Pittsburgh.TCU, Duke climb into top 10, Notre Dame drops in women's AP Top 25; UCLA and UConn remain 1-2TCU has its best ranking ever in The Associated Press Top 25 women's basketball poll after a convincing win over Notre Dame. The Horned Frogs jumped eight spots to No. 9, the first time the school has ever been in the top 10. The Fighting Irish, who were third last week, fell seven spots to 10th after losses to TCU and Utah. UCLA remained No. 1, followed by UConn, South Carolina, Texas and LSU. USC, Maryland and Duke are next.