NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Kyler Murray accounted for two of his five touchdowns in the fourth quarter to help No. 6 Oklahoma survive Kansas freshman running back Pooka Williams Jr.’s big game in a 55-40 victory Saturday night.

Oklahoma (10-1, 7-1 Big 12, No. 6 CFP) moved closer to a spot in the conference championship game, and Murray boosted his Heisman Trophy campaign in likely his final home game.

Williams rushed for a career-high 252 yards and two touchdowns and threw for a score for Kansas (3-8, 1-7). The Jayhawks have lost seven of the past eight games.

Murray sealed the game with a breakaway 75-yard touchdown run with 13:44 remaining, sparking a 20-point fourth quarter. He added another touchdown in the quarter and finished with 272 yards passing and two touchdowns. He rushed for 99 yards and three touchdowns.

That overshadowed a lackluster defensive performance. Oklahoma allowed 524 total offensive yards to Kansas.

THE TAKEAWAY
Kansas: With David Beaty nearing his final week as coach, the Jayhawks have something to build from offensively. Outside of Williams’ night, Peyton Bender completed 16 of 23 passes for 145 yards and the Jayhawks rushed for 348 yards.

Oklahoma: The Sooners’ embattled defense did itself no favors. It entered the game allowing 416 yards per game, a total Kansas eclipsed in the fourth quarter.

UP NEXT
Kansas: The Jayhawks host No. 13 Texas next week in their season finale.

Oklahoma: The Sooners close out the regular season next week with a trip to No. 7 West Virginia hoping to wrap up a spot in the Big 12 championship game.

NDIANAPOLIS – Fort Hays State saw its 2018 season end in the opening round of the 2018 NCAA Division II Playoffs on Saturday.

The program’s first playoff win remains elusive as Indianapolis outscored FHSU 20-3 in the final quarter to win 38-27. The Tigers end their season at 9-3 overall, while the Greyhounds improved to 10-1 overall and move on to the second round to face Ouachita Baptist.

Indianapolis took a 14-0 lead through one quarter before Fort Hays State pulled within three at halftime, 17-14. The Tigers held on to their momentum early in the second half, outscoring the Greyhounds 10-0 in the third quarter to take a 24-17 lead, but the Greyhounds took the momentum back following a targeting call against senior Doyin Jibowu late in the third quarter.

Fort Hays State nearly made a goal-line stand early in the fourth quarter, but UIndy quarterback Jake Purichia found his way in to the endzone on a rush on 4^th-and-1. The game was knotted 24-24 with 14:16 to go in the game. UIndy kept the momentum rolling at the 11:16 mark when Purichia found Daveon Bell for a 76-yard touchdown. The Tigers didn’t have quite enough to catch the Greyhounds from that point.

FHSU closed the gap to 31-27 with 3:55 remaining on a 40-yard Dante Brown field goal and the Tigers got the ball back with 2:02 remaining at their own 11 after a defensive stop. However, Jake Mezera was intercepted on the first play of the drive and Robert Williams returned the ball 22 yards for a touchdown to seal the game.

Chance Fuller threw for 252 yards with three touchdowns, completing 24-of-36 passes. Jacob Mezera went 11-of-15 for 79 yards. Harley Hazlett finished with 14 receptions for 103 yards and one touchdown. Layne Bieberle had 88 yards receiving with a touchdown. Charles Tignerhauled in the other touchdown pass for FHSU. Tanner Hoekman finished the game with a team-high 10 tackles for FHSU, followed by Wyatt Parker with nine. FHSU had 409 yards of total offense compared to 431 for Indianapolis.

Purichia finished with 182 passing yards for the Greyhounds. The Tigers gave up too much yardage on the ground, allowing 137 yards rushing to Al McKellar and 106 yards to Toriano Clinton. Indianapolis finished with 249 rushing yards as a team. Cole Sigmund led the Greyhounds with 10 tackles.

Kenneth Birt Jr.

Kenneth Birt Jr., who was booked for attempted murder in Barton County, posted his $10,000 cash bond on Friday, Nov. 16.

Birt was arrested following an Oct. 19 incident that left Dustin Turner with multiple gunshot wounds to the left leg that were non-life-threatening injuries.

Barton County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to 451 Northwest 40 Avenue at about 10:08 p.m. on Oct. 19 to the reported shooting. Birt was later arrested in the 1000 block of Jackson Street in Great Bend.

Birt is charged with attempted murder in the second degree, a severity level 3 person felony.  Per the 20^th Judicial District bond schedule, his bond was set at $100,000.

Austin Levingston

Barton County Attorney Amy Mellor announced that Austin James Levingston was bound over trial on several felony charges resulting from testimony presented at a preliminary hearing last Friday.

In a complaint filed against Levingston, he was charged with three counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child and three counts of lewd and lascivious behavior.

Testimony presented at the preliminary hearing established probable cause to believe that Levingston had committed five of the charged crimes.

Arraignment is set for later this month.

Although Levingston faces trial on the charges, Mellor stressed that this does not amount to a finding of guilt, and Levingston is presumed to be innocent of wrongdoing at this time. Trial dates have yet to be set.

After hearing arguments for and against the request, the Court granted a defense motion to reduce Levingston’s bond. He was placed on house arrest as a condition of the Court order.

The 24-year old posted a $100,000 bond through Ace Bail Bonding  on Friday, Nov. 16, according to the Barton County Sheriff’s Office arrest log.

At the time of his arrest on August 23, Great Bend Police Chief David Bailey said law enforcement was working on a suspect for alleged child sex crimes for months.

Barton County Health Director Shelly Schneider informed the Barton County Commissioners Monday that a foodborne illness surfaced within in the county earlier this month that caused several people to endure what she referred to as “violent” symptoms.

Schneider was limited to what she could say about the illness because of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), but said it came from a food vendor unbeknownst to the vendor.

Shelly Schneider Audio

The foodborne illness was believed to be staphylococcus aureus (staph) from the infected food delivered to the vendor. Staph is a well-known bacteria that lives on the skin, but Schneider says the fact that it broke down into toxins turned it into a foodborne illness.

There were 53 people that could have been affected by the illness, and Schneider said there were 27 individuals that reported problems from the food.

Shelly Schneider Audio

Schneider mentioned the incident happened on a Friday afternoon prior to a holiday this month (most likely November 9 before Veterans Day).

Schneider commended the response of her staff and those at the University of Kansas Health System hospitals for handling the quick response to the ill patients.

The Health Director reminds everyone that it is not a good idea to thaw food on the counter and that everyone should use refrigeration to thaw food.

IRVING, Texas – Kansas senior Lagerald Vick posted back-to-back 30-point efforts as he has been named the Big 12 Player of the Week in a vote by a media panel which covers the league, the conference announced Monday.

This is the second-straight week Kansas has taken home the Big 12 Player of the Week accolade as redshirt junior forward Dedric Lawson was last week’s honoree.

Vick opened the week scoring a then-career-high 32 points in Kansas 84-68 win against Vermont on Nov. 12. In the game, the Memphis, Tennessee, guard broke the Big 12 and Kansas record for most 3-point field goals made without a miss by going 8-for-8 from beyond the arc. Vick’s 8-for-8 effort was two shy of the NCAA record and his eight treys tied for the second most made in Kansas history.

In Kansas, 89-76 win against Louisiana on Nov. 16, Vick scored 33 points, surpassing his career high set earlier in the week. Once again Vick was sharp shooting from 3-point range, making 7-of-12 from beyond the arc. KU’s lone senior just missed a double-double against the Ragin’ Cajuns as he pulled down nine rebounds in the win.

For the week, Vick averaged 32.5 points and shot 23-for-32 (71.8 percent) from the field, 15-for-20 (75.0 percent) from 3-point range and averaged 6.0 rebounds. Vick’s 15 3-pointers in the two contests set a Kansas record for most 3-pointers made in consecutive games.

No. 2 Kansas (3-0) will take on Marquette (3-1) on Wednesday, Nov. 21, in the NIT Season Tip-Off at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The contest will start at 6 p.m. (Central) and will be televised on ESPN2.

MANHATTAN – Thanks to a 4-for-4 effort last week in Kansas State’s 21-6 victory over Texas Tech, sophomore placekicker Blake Lynch has been named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week, the conference office announced Monday.

It is Lynch’s first-career weekly conference honor, while the Wildcats now have four player-of-the-week accolades this season. Isaiah Zuber was the special teams player of the week following the South Dakota game, while Alex Barnes (offensive) and Duke Shelley (defensive) were honored following the Oklahoma State win.

Lynch tied his career high and tied for second in school history with his four field goals against the Red Raiders, which came from distances of 20, 34, 41 and 22 yards. He is the third player in school history to make at least four field goals in a game twice in a season, joining Jamie Rheem (vs. Texas and Utah State in 1999) and Martin Gramatica (vs. Texas A&M and Kansas in 1998).

This season, the Goddard, Kansas, product is 13-of-15 on field-goal attempts, including a perfect 13-for-13 mark from under 50 yards. His current 86.7-percent mark ranks third in school history for a season, while he is four field goals shy of entering K-State’s top-10 list for field goals made in a season.

Kansas State travels to Ames, Iowa, on Saturday to take on Iowa State inside Jack Trice Stadium. The Wildcats, who are in search of their all-important sixth win of the season to extend their bowl streak to nine-straight seasons, and Cyclones kick off at 6 p.m., and the game will be shown nationally on FS1.

Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir (right) with attorney Jess Hoeme. (file photo)

The question of what is “ill-treatment” appeared to be a big factor in determining the verdict of the misdemeanor charge against Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir. That charge came from the August 10, 2017 incident when Bellendir hit Nathan Manley on the side of the head following Manley’s arrest at Bellendir’s daughter’s house. Bellendir’s daughter said Manley was stealing a propane tank from her grill on the front porch.

The jury did not take long to reach a decision that Bellendir was not guilty of the charge of “ill-treating a confined” Manley. The Sheriff was represented by attorney Jess Hoeme who felt there was a reason why the jury did not take long reaching that decision.

Jess Hoeme Audio

Bellendir stated after the verdict came out last Friday morning, that this case was a waste of taxpayers’ dollars and it was guided by County Attorney Amy Mellor. Despite video evidence of Bellendir hitting Manley upside the head, Hoeme says it was up to the six-member jury to determine if Bellendir’s actions were “ill-treatment.”

Jess Hoeme Audio

Hoeme said residents in Barton County want the criminal justice system to be fluid and effective. The attorney from Joseph Hollander & Craft out of Wichita felt the Attorney’s Office and Sheriff’s Office has to work together to efficiently bring justice.

The Great Bend City Council voted in favor to rezone a piece of real estate to enable Venture Corporation to open a new sandpit and establish an asphalt plant on the real estate within the three-mile radius of the city.

Currently Venture operates an asphalt plant near Dundee with a sandpit but the location will be depleted of sand in roughly three years. Venture purchased land southwest of Great Bend just west of the flood control levy and south of US 56 Highway.

Rocky Seybert with Venture wanted to make it clear that the plant will not be used to process asphalt or asphalt roofing material.

Rocky Seybert Audio

Seybert added that Venture has their state permits in line and they regularly get inspected throughout the year to make sure their facilities are in ordinance of health and environmental law. The Planning Commission recommended the rezoning from agricultural to light manufacturing – service commercial at their October 29^th meeting.

Rita Stolz, a nearby neighbor of the future asphalt plant, expressed concerns over noise, possible pollutants, and odors. Stolz also felt Venture got ahead of themselves by purchasing the land prior to receiving permission from the City for the real estate to be rezoned.

Rita Stolz Audio

Venture operated at the requested location in the 1990s on leased land but moved to the Dundee spot after purchasing land instead of having a lease.

Seybert anticipated the lifespan of the new sandpit to be 20 years. Seybert also added that there are 3,500 asphalt plants in the United States and most of them are metropolitan areas. The Venture worker stated 95 percent of all pavement is asphalt and this community and county needs this plant.

The City Council voted 5-1 to rezone the land and allow Venture to establish an asphalt plant and open a sandpit.

The NFL and Mexico’s President-Elect Andrés Manuel López Obrador confirmed today that the third game of the existing agreement signed in 2016 will be played in 2019 at Estadio Azteca.

The announcement follows meetings this morning between NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and the President-Elect and was confirmed with Televisa Chairman Emilio Azcárraga in Mexico City, according to information from the NFL.

The date and time of the game – which will help focus attention on the importance of participation in youth sports – will be determined in conjunction with the release of the NFL schedule next spring

The Sunflower Diversified Early Childhood Intervention Program provides individualized services to children ages birth to three years with a developmental delay or disability. Sunflower’s staff serves the child in the home setting, thus including the family actively in the educational process.

Jon Prescott, Sunflower Executive Director, says it has been a busy year with the Program already matching the number of children served last year. Prescott mentioned Sunflower will be growing the Program in the future by adding a focus for autistic children.

Jon Prescott Audio

In the 2018 Barton County Operating Budget, the Early Childhood Intervention Program was funded at $15,000. Prescott requested that the funds be awarded to Sunflower and the Commission approved the request.

The Great Bend Tribune’s Jim Misunas is our guest after another full weekend of sports in the Golden Belt.

BUSINESS NEWS

GREAT BEND, KS – Saint Francis Ministries has begun its annual Christmas for Kids campaign, which provides presents to children in foster care at Christmas. Each year, Saint Francis and its community partners work hard to ensure that no child served by the ministry goes without a gift under the tree on Christmas morning.

This year’s campaign kicks off with two toy drives, on Friday, November 30, 8-5 p.m., and Wednesday, December 5, 8-7 p.m. Donors can drop-off toys at the Saint Francis office on 1508 Main Street.

“Christmas for Kids is our major event of the year,” said Vickee Spicer, director of marketing. “Saint Francis staff throughout the state work closely with our community donors and supporters to brighten the lives of children. We really get excited about it.”

Saint Francis Ministries sees to it that each child’s basic, seasonal needs are met – such as winter clothing, coats, and shoes. Christmas for Kids, however, helps meet a child’s wants. Working with corporate sponsors and individual donors, Saint Francis provides Christmas gifts for about 3,200 children each year.

Saint Francis employees throughout Kansas have started collecting toys, gift cards, and cash donations to purchase presents in preparation for a December distribution. Organizations and businesses interested in sponsoring toy drives are encouraged to contact Saint Francis to learn more about Christmas for Kids and to arrange pick-up of collected toys and gifts.

Persons interested in providing a present for a child in foster care this Christmas can visit www.christmasforkids.com to find the nearest office or to make an online donation.

About Saint Francis Ministries

Rooted in the Episcopal tradition, Saint Francis Ministries encompasses foster care, therapeutic foster care, adoption, family preservation, residential care, and community outreach services, as well as refugee resettlement services through Saint Francis Migration Ministries.

Founded in 1945 in Ellsworth, Kansas, the organization now serves more than 30,000 individuals through child and family welfare services in Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Texas, Mississippi, Illinois, and Central America. Additionally, Saint Francis provides supervised living and employment services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Mississippi. The organization is headquartered in Salina, Kansas.

For more information about Saint Francis, visit www.saintfrancisministries.org or call 1-800-423-1342.

Barton County Attorney Amy Mellor

Amy Mellor has served as Barton County Attorney for just under two years, and nearly half of that time if not more has been experienced with a rocky relationship with the Barton County Sheriff’s Office. For this reason and more, Mellor stated she plans to resign her position in December, 2018.

Mellor wrote this letter addressing it, “To the Citizens of Barton County.”

“During my 23-year career as a law enforcement officer and my 10 years as a prosecutor, I’ve long appreciated and worked to maintain the spirit of mutual cooperation among our law enforcement agencies and prosecutors, including county attorneys’ offices. While it is impossible to avoid all conflicts and differences of opinion, we rely on communication, collaboration, and pillars like our judicial system to ensure that we’re working for the best interest of all citizens.

I felt it would be appropriate to share the attached letter I received this week from the Barton County Sheriff and explain to our community why I am planning to resign from my position as the Barton County Attorney in December, 2018.

The Sheriff’s letter, actions, and public commentary make it clear that he is not interested in cooperation and instead would prefer to bully me and my office. This began more than a year ago when I was advised by administration at the Great Bend Police Department that a report had been filed with that agency regarding the Sheriff’s actions during an arrest.

I wrote a letter to an assistant director with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), requesting an investigation. Contrary to statements made by the Sheriff and his attorney, the assignment of agents to investigate was made by the KBI administration in Topeka, rather than by my husband. I recused myself and my office from this matter from the beginning because of the perceived conflict.

Unfortunately, Sheriff Bellendir continues to blame me and my husband for what has transpired as the result of his actions. I had hoped that once the criminal matter was concluded, healing could begin and all parties could act like adults and perform our duties. Based on Sheriff Bellendir’s continued actions and his letter, this is clearly not possible.

It saddens me to see this behavior, and I don’t believe it would benefit our county to continue working in such a hostile environment. Additionally, I do not agree with the Barton County Commissioners’ endorsement of Sheriff Bellendir’s actions. I believe their message condones law enforcement’s mistreatment of suspects and inmates. All citizens should be protected by our laws, and I have always believed that members of law enforcement should be held to a higher standard; law enforcement officers are not exempt from the law.

It never was personal for me, it was and is about what is right and what is wrong.

Beyond that, the Sheriff’s proposed hiring of independent counsel would, in my opinion, be an improper use of taxpayer funds. It would also further distract the county offices from our joint responsibility in protecting our communities and citizens.

If elected officials in Barton County continue to use these bullying tactics to work against one another and address perceived conflicts, I’m concerned for the future of Barton County.

To the citizens of Barton County, thank you for your support throughout my time in serving you. I will continue to pray for grace, mindfulness, and a spirit of cooperation for all who work to protect and improve our communities.

Sincerely,

Amy Schartz Mellor”

Bellendir addressed a letter to Mellor on Monday that read like this…

“Amy,

After consultation with city, county, and state leaders as well as numerous local citizens, it has become clear, a majority of the citizens of Barton County are demanding change in your office. To that end, on Monday, November 26, 2018 I will be addressing the Board of County Commissioners in open session. I will be requesting the commissioners retain independent counsel to research and investigate removing you from office either by ouster or recall.

There is substantial public support for this action and I anticipate numerous citizens will attend.

Most Sincerely,

Sheriff Brian J. Bellendir”

—

Her background…

Mellor was sworn into office on January 9, 2017. In an uncontested race, she earned just under 97 percent of the vote at 9,294. She took over for Doug Matthews after Matthews served as County Attorney for 12 years. Matthews and his office was criticized for moving slowly or not at all on certain cases for prosecution.

Mellor spent time as an officer and detective with the Great Bend Police Department from 1983 to 1995 before deciding to go to law school at the age of 47. Before coming back to Great Bend to work in the County Attorney’s Office in 2010 as an assistant to Matthews, Mellor was an attorney with Wyandotte County and interned with the Kansas Attorney General’s Office while going through law school at Washburn University.

—

Case with Bellendir…

On Nov. 1, 2017, Bellendir was issued a summons to appear in Barton County District Court following an investigation by the KBI. Mellor requested Chase County Attorney William Halvorsen serve as special prosecutor for the case.

The case that Mellor turned over for investigation charged Bellendir with a misdemeanor for “ill-treating a man in handcuffs” on Aug. 10, 2017. Bruce Mellor, Amy’s husband, was currently in charge of the KBI office in Great Bend and was involved in the interview with Bellendir before the summons came out.

A jury voted that Bellendir was not guilty on Nov. 16, 2018 of “ill-treating” Nathan Manley after hitting on the side of the head and speaking to him in a vulgar manner.

Bellendir mentioned in a short press conference following the verdict he would seek action for a change within the County Attorney’s Office and expressed his frustration with the slow procedure of prosecuting cases.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say they have located and recovered 18 missing children who ran away from foster homes in Kansas.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation said in a news release Tuesday that the joint effort last week to find runaways from the Kansas Foster Care Program involved more than 100 federal, state and local law enforcement officers.

It focused on Sedgwick, Johnson and Wyandotte counties although the effort ultimately spanned several other Kansas counties and generated leads forwarded to other states.

Operation Hope was led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service, the Office of Inspector General and Office of Investigations.

The KBI says law enforcement officials sought to ensure the well-being of the foster children and to identify waste, fraud and abuse occurring within the state’s foster care program.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — A group of Kansas residents is pushing for a Kansas City suburb to release records regarding how a 911 call to check on a teenager’s welfare ended with an officer fatally shooting the teen.

The city of Overland Park has denied most of the records requests by Johnson County citizens group JOCO United over the January shooting of 17-year-old John Albers, the Kansas City Star reported.

The demand for records comes after authorities released dashcam video of the encounter in which an officer fired 13 times into a minivan that Albers was backing out of his family’s garage. Officers were called to Albers’ home after receiving a report that he appeared to be suicidal.

JOCO United argues that the video didn’t answer questions about why the use of lethal force was needed.

The group said that the city has refused to release a report written by the officer who shot Albers, an investigative file compiled by a team that reviewed the officer’s actions and the Overland Park Police Department’s internal review of the shooting.

The Overland Park Police Department doesn’t release the names of officers involved in shootings. But a federal lawsuit filed in April by Albers’ mother, Sheila Albers, identified the officer as Clayton Jenison.

Mark Schmid, a JOCO United member, said the public is forced to rely on Johnson County district attorney Steve Howe’s conclusion that the shooting was justified. Howe announced in February that the officer reasonably feared for his life.

“The investigative records should be produced to establish the truth of what Howe presented,” Schmid said.

Overland Park’s attorney, Mike Seck, declined to comment while litigation is pending.

Kansas’ public records law allows officials to keep many types of law enforcement records confidential. Kansas law guards the privacy of officers involved in shootings and doesn’t require the state to eventually name them as a matter of public record.

The Overland Park Police Department did announce that the officer who shot Albers resigned for personal reasons after the shooting.

Ryan Zink

BUSINESS NEWS

Story and portrait by Brandon Steinert

Ryan Zink knows serendipity is a force not to be ignored. He began pursuit of an education to become a teacher at Barton Community College after he graduated from high school in 1998, but his plans were disrupted by a deep realization that his passion was elsewhere.

Zink was granted a books and tuition scholarship to serve as a student worker in the Athletic Training office, tending to athletes’ injuries and keeping them in good condition to perform at their best in competition.

“I enjoy being able to see them succeed,” he said. “Maybe they had an injury or something that was holding them back and I can work with them and treat them and get them back out on the field; that’s a pretty good feeling to see somebody out there doing well when they were hurting a couple of weeks beforehand.”

After some coaxing from mentors, Zink changed his major to pursue a career as an athletic trainer.

“With the help of (Barton Athletic Trainer) Ken Henderson, and with some of his encouragement, I could really see where I would have a future as an athletic trainer,” he said. “The more I did it, the more I found out I had a knack for it.”

Zink’s career has come full circle and he is able to focus on both of his passions every day, as a teacher and athletic trainer at Great Bend High School. He traces his blessed career back to time spent at Barton and the people with whom he interacted.

“Ken’s been my mentor for a long time,” Zink said. “I’ve always looked up to him and a lot of the things I do or don’t do are based on him.”

He also advised anyone considering athletic training as a career to give it a go at Barton first, citing exposure to athletes from all over the planet, affordability and quality curriculum.

“Barton is a great way to find out whether you will fully enjoy it or not before you jump in full bore,” he said. “Without committing too much, it’s a nice way to find out before spending thousands at a bigger school and finding out you don’t care for it, but it’s also beneficial to have a start at a smaller school where you can get more hands-on experience early on.”

Sterling College, Barton Community College announce Athletic Training Program transfer agreement

Administrators at Barton Community College and Sterling College signed an agreement in the fall of 2018 to create a seamless transfer of credits from Barton to Sterling toward the completion of an undergraduate and graduate degree.

All credits must be completed with a C or better at Barton to qualify for the program. For more details, contact Barton Athletic Trainer Ken Henderson at hendersonk@bartonccc.edu.

Henderson said recognition by the Board of Certification of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association will move to a master’s level program in 2022, which makes the partnership with Sterling relevant and timely.

“Three great things about the two plus three partnership with Sterling College are the hands-on experiences during two years working in Barton’s athletic training setting, a shorter overall duration of five years instead of six or more, and the cost savings of starting at a community college,” Henderson said.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A temporary replacement has been named to lead Haskell Indian Nations University after a scathing federal report.

The Lawrence Journal-World reports that the Bureau of Indian Education says Haskell professor Daniel Wildcat will serve as acting president beginning Tuesday. For as long as the next 60 days, Haskell Indian Nations University President Venida Chenault will be on “special assignment for the BIE.”

Haskell faculty learned of the change in an email from the Haskell president’s office. The email says the change is to help the BIE “meet mission objectives.”

The announcement came after a report issued Friday said administrators at the university had underreported crime statistics for a two-year period and failed to follow internal policy when handling misconduct complaints. A university spokesman didn’t immediately return a phone message from The Associated Press seeking comment.

Farm Bill 2018 Timeline Ticking
Congress has entered the lame duck session with a host of issues awaiting congressional action. The congressional to-do list, topped by government funding, includes several major legislative items. To avoid a government shutdown, Congress must pass the remaining seven FY2019 appropriations bills, which includes USDA program funding, before Dec. 7. Both Agriculture Committee chairmen and ranking members continue to hold closed door discussions. As leadership continues to reach compromises and move forward with the bill, National Sorghum Producers remains optimistic that a bill will get done in the next month.

Republicans Name Upcoming Leadership 
Republicans have announced the new leaders for the upcoming 116th congress. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) will remain the head of conference. The Majority whip will be Senator John Thune (R-SD) and Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) will be the conference chair. Other Senate leadership nominees include: Roy Blunt (R-Mo) as Policy Committee chair, Joni Ernst (R-IA) as Conference vice chair and Todd Young (R-IN) as National Republican Senatorial Committee chair.

The House minority leadership will consist of: Minority leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Minority whip Steve Scalise (R-LA), Conference chair Liz Cheney (R-WY), Conference vice chair Mark Walker (R-NC), Conference secretary Jason Smith (R-MO), Policy Committee chair Gary Palmer (R-AL) and National Republican Congressional Committee chair Tom Emmer (R-MN). House Democrats will hold their leadership elections on Nov. 28.

Senate Ag Committee Announces Hearing for USDA Food Safety and Research Nominees
Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) have announced a hearing to consider three USDA nominations: Mindy Brashears, of Texas, to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for Food Safety, Scott Hutchins, of Indiana, to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for Research, Education, and Economics, and Naomi C. Earp, of Maryland, to be an Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Civil Rights.

Thanksgiving Dinner Cost Down for Third Straight Year
The American Farm Bureau Federation’s 33rd annual survey of classic items found on the Thanksgiving Day dinner table indicates the average cost of this year’s feast for 10 is $48.90, or less than $5.00 per person. This is a 22-cent decrease from last year’s average of $49.12. The AFBF Thanksgiving dinner survey was first conducted in 1986. While Farm Bureau does not make any scientific claims about the data, it is an informal gauge of price trends around the nation. Farm Bureau’s survey menu has remained unchanged since 1986 to allow for consistent price comparisons.

NSP November Board Meeting Continues
The National Sorghum Producers board of directors met this week in Lubbock, Texas. Board members entertained a host of questions and ideas to help generate action plans for the upcoming year. National board members were joined by industry professionals and state leaders.

Enter the 2018 NSP Yield Contest 
Time is running out to enter the sorghum yield contest. The yield contest gives NSP the opportunity to recognize growers for their yield achievements and highlight crop quality across the nation. Winners will have the opportunity to travel to Commodity Classic in Orlando, Florida, and will be recognized at the annual NSP yield contest awards dinner. Enter online at SorghumGrowers.com where more information about the contest and this year’s rule changes can be found.

Commodity Classic Registration Opens
Registration for America’s largest farmer-led, farmer-focused agricultural and educational experience officially opens at 10:00 a.m. Central on Wednesday, Nov. 14. Early bird discounts on registration end Jan. 10, 2019. The 2019 Commodity Classic will be held Thursday, Feb. 28 through Saturday, March 2 in Orlando, Florida. Commodity Classic is presented annually the American Soybean Association, National Corn Growers Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Sorghum Producers and the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. This experience includes a robust schedule of educational sessions, a huge trade show featuring the latest technology, equipment and innovation, top-notch entertainment, inspiring speakers and the opportunity to network with thousands of farmers from across the nation. To register, reserve hotel rooms, sign up for email updates or see a full schedule of events, visit CommodityClassic.

Apply for the National Sorghum Foundation and BASF Scholarship
The National Sorghum Foundation and BASF are again partnering to provide a joint scholarship program for the 2018-2019 school year. Two scholarships will be given and include a $2,500 award for tuition, as well as cover expenses for the recipients’ participation in the 2019 Commodity Classic in Orlando, Florida, set for Feb. 28 – March 2, 2019.

Attending the Commodity Classic will allow scholarship awardees to experience the nation’s largest gathering of farmers and learn about top issues and opportunities in agriculture today. The Commodity Classic Trade Show offers scholarship recipients the opportunity to network with leading agribusiness companies and learn about their newest technologies. The deadline to apply is Dec.1.

Crop Update 
Producers had harvested 73 percent of the nation’s sorghum acreage by Nov. 11, eight percentage points behind last year and 11 points behind the five-year average. Harvest progress advanced 12 percentage points or more from the previous week in Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota.