Tax season is here and if you are having trouble figuring out those tax forms, InterServ is out to help.&nbsp;

InterServ's Counseling for the Elderly program is currently underway.&nbsp; Appointments are necessary to get assistance. &nbsp;

Director of Volunteer Services Laraine Jones says the program assists those 60 and older with moderate to low income with their taxes. &nbsp;

"By moderate we mean under $60,000 this year," Jones tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "And we have trained volunteers that have been through certified IRS training that are available to help people file taxes."&nbsp;

Applications for the Counseling for the Elderly Program at InterServ began earlier this month. Jones says every year the program draws in a lot of people looking for help. &nbsp;

"We probably get phone calls from about, geeze I don't even know, my clerk that actually takes the appointments she probably has 60 phone messages every day, to try to call people back to schedule appointments," Jones says.&nbsp;

You can call InterServ's tax line at 816-558-3240 to leave a message to set up an appointment.&nbsp; Appointments can either be in person or drop offs at the offices.&nbsp;

Over the past three years all tax assistance was done by people dropping forms off at the InterServ offices&nbsp;

Jones says after only that during the pandemic, things are slowly starting to move back to in person, but it’s still more popular to just drop your forms off.&nbsp;

"Dropping them off and letting us process them and we call them in to come and pick up their documents has worked very well the last three years," Jones explains. "So, we're still doing that but there are a few people who want to be seen by a preparer and it's all still by appointment, and if they need to be seen they need to let us know, so still kind of a hybrid situation going on."&nbsp;

InterServ has three different tax assistance programs that run February 1st through April 15th.&nbsp; &nbsp;

InterServ offering tax help for low to moderate income residents

The National FFA Organization Thursday announced its participation in a new community of practice with other nonprofit organizations focused on advancing racial equity. Over the next six months, leaders in the National FFA Organization will work with The Bridgespan Group to strengthen their approach to advancing racial equity internally and externally. 

The Advancing Racial Equity Community of Practice, led by The Bridgespan Group, is funded by the Walmart Foundation. The funding will assist in supporting FFA to collaborate with others to share best practices and learnings on their work to prioritize equity. National FFA CEO Scott Stump says, “By partnering with other nonprofits through this initiative, we can expand our capacity to seek and promote inclusion and diversity in our membership.” F

FA is participating in the cohort alongside nine organizations: American Red Cross, Center for the Future of Arizona, Education Design Lab, Goodwill Industries International, National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, Team Rubicon, The Recycling Partnership, Winrock International, and World Wildlife Fund.

FFA to participate in the advancing racial equity community of practice initiative

A new partnership aims to increase soybean flower and pod retention. This unrealized value could bring $50 per acre or $400 million in economic return for U.S. soybean farmers, according to the United Soybean Board. 

The collaborative focus will test how heat and drought impact flower bud retention. Flower production dictates the final pod number and, ultimately, yield in soybeans. The Atlantic Soybean Council, Mid-South Soybean Board, North Central Soybean Research Program, Southern Soybean Research Program and United Soybean Board all agree this is a priority issue impacting the entire industry. 

Although flower retention is a leading cause of soybean yield loss in the U.S., no organized effort exists to address it. Farmers experience about 30 percent of flower loss under favorable conditions and up to 80 percent under drought and heat stress. Texas Tech University, in collaboration with Kansas State University, the University of Missouri and the University of Tennessee, will lead the research on this national effort.

Research identifies $400 million in unrealized soybean value

Agriculture Deputy Secretary Jewel Bronaugh announced Thursday her intention to step away from her role at USDA. 

Bronaugh says, “It is with mixed emotions that today I am announcing that I will step away from my role as Deputy Secretary in the coming weeks so I can spend more time with my family.” 

President Biden nominated Bronaugh to USDA in January of 2021 and was confirmed by the Senate in May of that year. 

Bronaugh, in 2018 was appointed as the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner. She previously served as the Virginia State Executive Director for the USDA Farm Service Agency during the Obama administration. 

She was the first Black woman to hold the second-in-command position at USDA. Bronaugh thanked Secretary Tom Vilsack for his support, adding, “I now look forward to taking some time off to spend more quality time with my mom, husband and four children."

Agriculture Deputy Secretary Jewel Bronaugh to step down

The leadership of the Senate Agriculture Committee Wednesday announced a set of farm bill hearings. 

Senators Debbie Stabenow and John Boozman will hold the first hearing on February 1, titled. 

"Farm Bill 2023: Trade and Horticulture." The hearings will focus on the trade and horticulture titles of the farm bill. 

The first hearing will include testimony from USDA's Alexis Taylor, Jenny Lester Moffitt, and USAID's Sarah Charles. 

In a joint statement, Stabenow and Boozman say, "This is the first of many hearings the Committee has planned as we gear up for the 2023 Farm Bill," adding, "We are both looking forward to a collaborative process, working with all Senators to deliver a strong Farm Bill." 

The duo announced three other upcoming hearings: February 9 on Commodity Programs, Crop Insurance and Credit, February 16 on Nutrition Programs, and March 1 on Conservation and Forestry Programs. All hearings will be held in the committee’s hearing room.

Senate Ag plans hearings on farm bill trade and Horticulture titles

The Consumer Brands Association endorsed a new, bipartisan bill, this week. 

The Safer Highways and Increased Performance for Interstate Trucking Act, or "SHIP IT Act," would boost trucking capacity, improve supply chain efficiency and keep costs down for consumers. 

The SHIP IT Act was introduced by U.S. Representatives Dusty Johnson, a South Dakota Republican, and Jim Costa, a California Democrat. 

The legislation aims to address supply chain pinch points by increasing shipping capacity, lessening burdens on truck drivers and providing incentives to recruit and retain new drivers. 

The bill also modernizes the emergency use of certain vehicle waivers, offers workforce grants for truck drivers, simplifies the commercial driver's license process and tackles truck parking concerns. 

Consumer Brands vice president of supply chain Tom Madrecki says, “Ultimately, each step to enhance our supply chains with the latest tools and technologies available will ensure operations run as seamlessly as possible despite future disruptions.”

Consumer Brands Association supports new trucking legislation

Public health advocacy groups filed a lawsuit against the Food and Drug Administration this week. 

The groups say the lawsuit challenges the refusal to phase out unnecessary uses of antibiotics in animal agriculture. 

The groups include the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Food Animal Concerns Trust, Public Citizen and Earthjustice. 

They allege that approximately two-thirds of medically important antibiotics sold in the U.S. are for use in food-producing animals and are often administered to healthy animals to compensate for the higher risk of infections typically caused by cramped, unsanitary or stressful conditions. 

The lawsuit claims that the misuse of these medicines has contributed to the rise and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Steven Roach of Food Animal Concerns Trust says, "The FDA has allowed giant meat companies to habitually overuse antibiotics putting everyone's health at risk," adding, "This is absolutely unnecessary as animals raised under healthy conditions do not need routine antibiotics."

Lawsuit against FDA targets antibiotics use in livestock

The National Corn Growers Association praised the Biden administration for issuing an official rejection of a recent proposed compromise from Mexico on biotech corn imports into the country. 

The development came during a meeting between Mexican officials and U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Secretary of Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Alexis Taylor and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative’s chief ag negotiator Doug McKalip. 

In a statement that came after the meeting, USTR and USDA said the changes offered by Mexico “are not sufficient and Mexico’s proposed approach, which is not grounded in science, still threatens to disrupt billions of dollars in bilateral agricultural trade, cause serious economic harm to U.S. farmers and Mexican livestock producers, and stifle important innovations needed to help producers respond to pressing climate and food security challenges.” 

NCGA President Tom Haag responded, “This is significant development and good news for corn growers.” Mexico announced in late 2020 a decree banning biotech corn into the country, beginning in early 2024.

Corn growers praise Biden officials for stance on biotech corn

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association recently filed a Notice of Intent to sue the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

NCBA is planning the lawsuit over the listing of the lesser prairie chicken under the Endangered Species Act. 

NCBA Associate Director of Government Affairs Sigrid Johannes says, “The lesser prairie chicken only survives today because of the voluntary conservation efforts of ranchers,” adding, “There are numerous places where this listing goes seriously wrong and we are defending cattle producers against this overreaching, unscientific rule.” 

The listing was previously set to take effect at the end of January, but thanks to pressure on the Biden administration from NCBA and our allies in Congress, the rule was delayed by 60 days. 

The listing will now take effect on March 27, 2023, and the states included in the species’ range are Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Colorado.

NCBA sues Biden Administration to overturn lesser prairie chicken listing

President Joe Biden again nominated Margo Schlanger and Stacy Dean to politically appointed positions at the Department of Agriculture. 

Biden nominated Schlanger to serve as Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights and Dean as Undersecretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services. 

Both were nominated by the President to USDA during the last Congress but were not confirmed by the Senate. 

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says Dean’s commitment during her time at USDA and throughout her career “makes her the ideal person to serve as Under Secretary for FNCS.” Throughout her life and career, Schlanger has devoted herself to civil rights and to public service. 

At the Department of Homeland Security. Vilsack says, “Schlanger would be able to continue her commitment to public service and civil rights as we at USDA continually seek to fairly and equitably serve our employees and customers.” The nominations of Schlanger and Dean were part of a slate of political appointees announced this week by the White House.

Biden again nominates Dean and Schlanger to USDA

A survey from Farm Futures shows the 2023 acreage battle is ongoing. However, there could be a surprise when it comes to the total number of corn and soybean acres.

 A surge in projected wheat acres and costly inputs will likely limit any expansion of corn and soybean acres. About 70 percent of the respondents said they were locked in on 2023 acreage decisions by late December. Farm Futures says corn and soybean plantings will increase only minimally compared to past projections due in large part to shrinking profit margins for both corn and soybeans. 

The survey shows that 90.5 million acres of corn and 88.9 million acres of soybeans will get planted in the spring. Soaring costs of inputs likely mean more wheat acres as wheat typically requires less nitrogen. Anhydrous ammonia retailed for about $1,400 per ton last fall, so many farmers opted for less nitrogen-intensive crops for 2023 plantings.

Farm Futures 2023 planting survey results

The St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce has started a new initiative in order to help beautify the city.

A 2021 survery conducted by the Chamber shows that 63 percent of St. Joseph residents rate the community's appearance as below average or poor. Because of this, the Chamber announced a new program called 'Adopt-a-Block.'

Chamber president Natalie Redmond says several businesses within the city have already tested out Adopt-a-Block.'

"It's a concept that we tested with Missouri American Water last year," Redmond said on KFEQ's The Hotline. "Missouri American Water partnered with Gray Manufacturing and Cintas and adopted a block. The idea behind the program is you'll adopt the block for a year. Your business, your organization or you as a group of citizens. You'll take that block and give it some love."

Anyone wanting to sign up for 'Adopt-a-Block' can do so online at imaginestjoseph2040.com. 

Redmond says any group, family or business can sign up. The Chamber first announced 'Adopt-a-Block' to the general public at their annual banquet last weekend.

Redmond adds that there's many little things one can do to take care of whatever block they choose to adopt.

"Picking up trash, picking up old shrubs," Redmond noted. "Anything that needs support within that block. The city is happy to provide resources, like dumpsters and different things that you need."

&nbsp;Redmond says this is a simple way to give back to the community.

"There's thing that an average citizen can do," she said. "Beautification of a community is something that anyone can participate in. Even if you adopt a block just one time, we'll take it. If you want to sign up with Beautify St. Joseph, they do monthly cleanups."

The Chamber did a trial run of 'Adopt-a-Block' last year with Missouri American Water, Gray Manufacturing and Cintas.

You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

St. Joseph Chamber unveils 'Adopt-a-Block' program in beautification effort

Northern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves defends the U.S.
House Republican Caucus in the aftermath of a prolonged and, at times,
contentious election for House Speaker.

It took 15 votes before Republicans joined together and
elected California Congressman Kevin McCarthy Speaker.

Graves says it took so long to elect McCarthy Speaker for a
reason.

“Because we had some changes that needed to be made in the
rules package and to be quite honest with you, it really didn’t take that long,”
Graves tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. &nbsp;“Again,
it took an extra day from what we planned for.”

Graves says some of the rules adopted to appease hardline
conservative Republicans will prove good for the chamber, such as allowing a
single lawmaker to call for the Speaker’s removal.

“That’s an accountability issue,” Graves says. “It also
reinstates something like the Holman Rule, which allows us to vote on
amendments to appropriations bills individually. So that allows us to be able
to cut specific programs or pet projects out of appropriations bills. That is
something that was first put in in 1876 until Speaker Tip O’Neill took it out.
That reinstates that. That’s a good thing.”

Another rule change has become especially relevant of late. It
requires the Speaker to press for budget cuts in any discussion about raising
the debt ceiling. The nation has hit its debt ceiling, but the Treasury
Department says it can keep paying the bills until around June 5th,
when the department says it will no longer be able to use extraordinary
measures to avoid default. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, has stated he will
not negotiate with House Republicans on the issue.

Conservative Republicans also wrangled other
concessions before pledging to vote for McCarthy.

Did McCarthy give up too much to get the Speakership?

“I don’t think so,” Graves says. “I’m a big supporter of Kevin.
I think Kevin is going to do a fantastic job as Speaker. I don’t think that he
gave up too much.&nbsp; I think what we did is
we just made the rules even stronger and better. It will be interesting to see
if the majority were to change again any time in the future if the rules are
kept.”

Other rules adopted during the procedure separate budget bills
and tie any vote to raise the debt ceiling to budget cuts.

Graves defends US House GOP in prolonged process to elect Speaker McCarthy

A
St. Joseph man has been sentenced in federal court for making a bomb threat
against the Social Security office in St. Joseph.

Federal
District Judge Brian Wimes sentenced 32-year-old James Curtman to 18 months in federal
prison without parole.

In
August, Curtman confessed to threatening to blow up the St. Joseph Social
Security office, pleading guilty to one count of influencing a federal officer
by threat.

Federal
prosecutors say Curtman, during a phone appointment in June of 2021, began
cursing and yelling at a Social Security employee. Prosecutors say the employee
attempted to help, but Curtman reverted to demeaning and offensive language and
told the employee he would make a bomb and blow up the building. The employee
placed the call on speaker for a guard to hear and when Curtman continued to
curse, she hung up.

The bomb threat forced the office to close early that day and the next day.

The
employee told investigators she worried about Curtman’s tone of voice, rage,
and close location of his address. She said she was worried he would come to the
Social Security Administration office and commit violence.

Curtman has
a prior conviction for issuing a terrorist threat in August 2020 for using
abusive language when talking by phone to employees of the Department of Social
Services in Rolla.

Curtman
also has a history of threat-related conduct for which he was not criminally
charged, including a threat in May 2017 to blow up U.S. Bank, as well as a
series of misdemeanor convictions for property damage and threatening the
peace.

St. Joseph man sentence to prison for threatening to blow up Social Security office

BOONE COUNTY —A Kansas man was injured in an accident just after 12:30a.m. Wednesday in Boone County, Missouri.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Peterbilt semi driven by Frank K. Bosse, 66, Atchison, Kan., was eastbound on Interstate 70 at Route Z.

The vehicle began to slide on the ice-covered road, traveled off the road into the ditch and overturned. Boone County ambulance transported Bosse to University Medical Center. He was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Kansas man injured after semi overturns on icy I-70

Four finalists have been identified to become the 11th President of Northwest Missouri State University

The four individuals were identified by a search committee hired by the Board of Regents.

The four finalists are Michael Godard, provost at Southeast Missouri State University, David P. Jones the vice president for student affairs and enrollment management at Minnesota State University Mankato, Kent Porterfield vice provost of student affairs at Gonzaga University, and Lance Tatum the senior vice chancellor for academic affairs and chief academic officer at Troy University.

“The search committee was delighted with the quality of the candidates who interviewed last week, and we are enthusiastic about introducing each finalist to the Northwest community as they make campus visits over the next few weeks,” said John Moore, chair of Northwest’s Presidential Search Committee and serves as chair of the Board of Regents in a press release.

Each of the finalists will visit the Northwest campus in Maryville for interactions with stakeholder groups in addition to town hall-style meetings that are open to all students, employees, alumni, community members and other individuals who may be unable to participate in stakeholder-specific sessions. 

The public forums also will be available via zoom for people who cannot attend in person.  For up to two days after each visit, the Northwest community will have an opportunity to submit their input regarding the finalists by completing a brief, online survey.

More information about the finalists, as well as public forums to ask questions of the candidates <a href="https://www.nwmissouri.edu/media/news/2023/01/26presidentialsearchupdate.htm">HERE</a>.

Four finalists named in search for next NWMSU President

One of St. Joseph's many elementary schools will become an early childhood learning center next school year. &nbsp;

The Board of Education voted unanimously at their January meeting to convert Mark Twain Elementary to early childhood next school year. &nbsp;

Superintendent Gabe Edgar says currently there is a lack of early childhood education in the city.&nbsp;

"We have one facility right now at the old Lake Contrary school, you know it's going great but we face a bigger challenge than that," Edgar tells host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline. "If you look at percentages, about 44% of our students are ready to go to Kindergarten, and on a state average that average is about 65-66%."&nbsp;

Edgar says getting children educated early helps form routine, but also it could help solve major problems in the district, such as attendance.&nbsp;

"Ok, if you learn to come to school at three or four, then you're going to come to school at five right, because you've learned to come to school at three and four," Edgar explains. "And one of our biggest challenges is kindergarten attendance, kindergarten is one of the lowest attended grades that we have in the St. Joseph public school district, and often times is the worst."&nbsp;

Edgar says another goal in the district is with discipline and helping kids early on learn structure and discipline to carry into their school careers.&nbsp;

With the change, St. Joseph will have 13 elementary schools in the next school year. &nbsp;

Edgar says the board was only going to discuss the change during its meeting, with an eventual vote coming in February, but staff from Mark Twain urged them to push the vote.&nbsp;

"Because we received a letter from administration and the staff at Mark Twain that said listen if this is inevitable would you please just go ahead and make the vote so we can plan and get this behind us, and relieve some of the pressure," Edgar says. &nbsp;

School Board President David Foster read that letter during the meeting and the board went on to vote 6-0 for the change.&nbsp;

Students from Mark Twain are expected to be sent to one of five different schools next year, between Coleman, Skaith, Edison, Carden Park, and Parkway schools.&nbsp;

Mark Twain Elementary to become early childhood education center

A 29-year-old St. Joseph woman suffered serious injuries when
struck by a vehicle while running across the Belt Highway.

St. Joseph police report Alicia Andre was taken to the hospital
after the accident on the Belt, just off Frederick Avenue around midnight.

Police say the vehicle was traveling south on North Belt
Highway when it struck Andre, who was running west across the Belt.

The driver remained on the scene and cooperated with police.
No charges have been filed. The investigation continues.

This article has been updated since first published.

Young woman seriously injured in St. Joseph car-pedestrian accident (UPDATED)

St. Joseph police have identified the man found dead in a car
parked on the side of the road in the 500 block of South 20th Sunday
night.

Police report the victim was 48-year-old Jason Mays of St.
Joseph.

Officers responded to a call about 10:30 Sunday night about a deceased
person located in a vehicle.

The investigation continues. No charges have been filed in the
case.

St. Joseph police identify man found dead in car

HAYS, KS - Missouri Western women's basketball had already made some pretty sweet memories at Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays within the past year after winning the Central Region championship there last March.

The Griffons certainly added to their memory bank on Thursday. Missouri Western (18-4, 12-2 MIAA) survived a double-overtime thriller and beat Fort Hays State 82-81, giving the Griffons their first regular season win at Hays since January 2007.

It also marked the 200th career win for Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker.

The game started about as perfectly as it could have for the Griffons, as Western led 24-10 at the end of the first quarter after junior Brionna Budgets scored a staggering 20 points in the first 10 minutes alone.

Fort Hays State (15-7, 10-4 MIAA) started inching closer, as the Tigers only trailed 32-23 at halftime. Hays outscored Missouri Western in the third period 19-10 and tied the game at 42-42 headed to the fourth.

The fourth quarter was as evenly matched as it could be, as Hays' Olivia Hollenbeck's layup tied the game 60-60 with 24 seconds left in regulation.

The Griffons then got down 67-62 with 1:30 left in the first overtime. But a Brionna Budgets layup and a massive three-pointer from Jordan Cunningham tied the game in the final minute.

A steal and fast break layup by Alyssa Bonilla gave the Griffons a 69-67 lead with 16 seconds left in the first OT, but free throws by Hays' Sydney Golladay with six seconds remaining tied the game at 69, and sent the contest to a second OT.

Missouri Western got off to a great start in that period and led 76-70 with 1:43 left, but Hays fought back yet again and even took the lead, 81-80, with just over four seconds left after a running layup by Golladay went down.

The Griffons used their final timeout and got the ball in the halfcourt. Cunningham threw the ball directly in the lane to Connie Clarke, who gathered the ball, backpedaled just a bit and threw the ball up off the glass and through the rim, putting the Griffons up 82-81 with 2.2 to go.

Hays had a look at a halfcourt shot at the buzzer, but it fell well short.

Budgets led the Griffons with a game-high 29 points. Clarke had 16 points and seven rebounds. Junior Mary Fultz came off the bench and had 12 points and 10 rebounds to score her first career double-double.

Cunningham had 11 points, while Bonilla had eight points and a game-high three steals.

Katie Wagner led Fort Hays State with 20 points and 17 rebounds. The Griffons have now won 11 straight games and got some revenge after Hays beat the Griffons in St. Joseph 64-58 earlier this season on Dec. 10, 2022.

FHSU men pull away late, down Missouri Western Thursday

The Missouri Western men's basketball team trailed by 13 at halftime and were only down 12 with 10:46 left in the game. But over that final 10:46, Fort Hays State outscored the Griffons 28-13 and the Tigers rolled to a 75-48 win at Gross Memorial Coliseum Thursday.&nbsp;

Hays (14-6, 9-5 MIAA) shot 60 percent from the field in the second half, and made 10-of-18 from beyond the arc through the whole game.

Missouri Western also turned the ball over 19 times, which led to 27 points the other way for Hays. The Tigers, meanwhile, turned the ball over just seven times the whole game.

Kaleb Hammeke led Hays with a game-high 25 points on an impressive 10-of-13 shooting from the field. JaRon Thames led Missouri Western with 13 points. Reed Kemp came off the bench to score 11 for the Griffons.

Missouri Western has now dropped five straight games and eight of their last nine. Ethan Kilgore was out for a second straight game with a foot injury, while Will Eames remains out as he recovers from a surgery on his hand.

Both Griffon teams are at Nebraska-Kearney Saturday. The women play at 2 and the men at 4. Both games are on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3, 680kfeq.com).

The Loper women are ranked No. 13 and come in at 19-3, which sets up for a huge matchup against the 18-4 Griffons, who have won 11 straight.&nbsp;

The Kearney men are 3-16 overall and just 1-12 in MIAA play.

MWSU WBB wins double OT thriller at FHSU, Griffon men fall to Tigers Thursday

DEARBORN - In the first three meetings between Bryce Kemper's Mid-Buchanan and his son, Braydn Kemper's North Platte, the Dragons had won by an average of 23 points.

On Tuesday, Braydn came as close as he ever had to beating Dad. In fact, the Panthers were on the verge of breaking a 12-game losing streak to the Dragons, which dates back to 2016.

With Tuesday's game knotted at 42, and with under 10 seconds left, Mid-Buchanan's Joe Clark passed the ball underneath to teammate Cade Brinton, whose layup went all the way around the edge of the rim and finally through the cylinder, lifting the Dragons to a 44-42 win in the first round of the North Platte tournament.

"We wanted to get the win," Brinton said. "It was a big game, you know. Dad versus son. So, we wanted to go out there and get the win and keep moving on in the tournament."

The game featured 12 ties and 14 lead changes, unofficially. Neither team ever led by more than three points.

North Platte led 11-9 at the end of the first, but Mid-Buchanan led 22-20 at halftime, thanks to a buzzer-beater triple from Raife Smith.

The game was tied at 33 entering the fourth, and after a long scoring drought by both teams in the middle of the fourth, it was tied again at 42-42 in the final minute.

With 41.1 seconds left, North Platte had the ball. After each team spent a timeout, and after each team got a stop, it was Panther ball once again with less than 20 seconds left.

Mid-Buchanan played a trap defense near midcourt, and the Dragons were able to knock the ball free and win possession off of a tip with 15.9 remaining.

After another flurry of timeouts from both sides, Mid-Buchanan drew up their final play with just over seven seconds left. Clark plugged the lane, and then passed it off at the last second to Brinton, who put it off the glass, around the rim and down.

"I was a little nervous," Brinton admitted. "I just tried to get it in there. It kind of just spun around for a minute. You couldn't have asked for a better shot."

Brinton had five points, while Clark led Mid-Buchanan with 12 points and at least five blocks. Ian Wegenka finished with seven points. Jackson Wahlgren, Raife Smith and Jackson Sauvage each scored six.

Creek Johnson led North Platte with a game-high 21 points. Dylan Armstrong followed with 10.

It was the fourth, and by far the closest edition of Bryce vs. Braydn Kemper to date.

"He's going to get me at some point I'm sure," Bryce said of Braydn. "I'm just glad it wasn't today. I can put it off for another year, anyway. (North Platte) has a real good, young team. They're hungry and they've gotten a lot better as the year has gone on. So, I'm proud of (Braydn) from that standpoint."

Mid-Buchanan advances to face West Platte (10-5) in semifinals on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. North Platte sees Braymer in consolation on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m.

GIRLS: North Platte 50 Mid-Buchanan 43

The Panthers (16-2) won their 10th straight game to open up play in their home tournament Tuesday. Kenedie Summers led the way with 14 points. Jaylin Burgess had 11, while Karli Guinn scored 10.

Kamryn Lippold led Mid-Buchanan with 11 points. Mallie Lieffring had nine.

North Platte faces West Platte in semifinals on Thursday at 7:15 p.m. Mid-Buchanan faces Polo in consolation on Wednesday at 7:15 p.m.

Mid-Buchanan sneaks by North Platte in thrilling NP tournament game 

&nbsp;(AP) - The Kansas City Royals have acquired left-hander Josh Taylor from the Boston Red Sox for injury prone shortstop Adalberto Mondesi and an additional player.

Tuesday marked the second straight day that Kansas City dealt one of its surplus position players in a bid to upgraded its lackluster bullpen. On Monday night, the Royals sent starting centerfielder Michael A. Taylor to the AL Central-rival Minnesota Twins for a pair of pitching prospects, Steven Cruz and Evan Sisk, that could help the big league bullpen as soon as this season.

Cruz, a 6-foot-6 power right-hander, went 1-4 with a 5.14 ERA, 35 walks and 72 strikeouts in 56 innings last season for Double-A Wichita. In 120 career minor league appearances, he has 259 strikeouts in 192 1/3 innings.

Sisk, a left-hander with a funky delivery, split last season between Wichita and Triple-A St. Paul. He went 5-1 with a 1.57 ERA, 29 walks and 76 strikeouts in 63 innings between the teams.

The 31-year-old Taylor hit .254 with nine homers and 43 RBIs in 414 at-bats last season for the Royals. Drew Waters and Kyle Isbel, who shared time in the outfield last season, are the front-runners to take over his spot in the lineup.

The 30-year-old Josh Taylor missed all of last season with a back injury, but he was stellar over the previous three seasons in Boston, with a 3.69 ERA and 129 strikeouts over 121 appearances. At one point during the 2021 season, he had a streak of 26 consecutive scoreless outings, the longest streak for a left-hander in franchise history.

He also pitched in six of 11 postseason games for the Red Sox in '21, allowing one earned run over four innings pitched.

Mondesi signed with the Royals in 2011 and has played his entire career with the club. He made his big league debut in the 2015 World Series, when it seemed as if his future was limitless. But despite elite speed and defense, and showing flashes at the plate, Mondesi was never able to stay healthy, appearing in just 109 games over the past three seasons.

Despite having one year left on his deal, Mondesi's future with the Royals was thrown in doubt last season, when heralded prospect Bobby Witt Jr. made his debut. He proceeded to hit .252 with 20 homers and 30 stolen bases.

Royals get LHP Josh Taylor from Boston for oft-injured Adalberto Mondesi

DEARBORN - North Andrew rallied from a 10-point, first half deficit and needed a go-ahead three-pointer in the final 25 seconds to fend off Mound City, 56-54, in the opening round of the North Platte tournament Monday night.

Mound City (11-8) got off to a 7-2 start and led 27-17 midway through the second quarter after dominating on the glass early. North Andrew (13-4) closed the gap, pulled down some rebounds and only trailed 33-29 at the break.

The Cardinals came out hot in the second half, starting the third quarter on a 7-0 run. A three-pointer by senior Hayden Ecker gave the Cardinals their first lead at 36-33 with 4:43 left in the third.

"I feel like it gave the team the boost we needed to come back," said sophomore Braxon Linville, who led North Andrew Monday with 25 points. "I feel like that gave us the energy boost we needed to get in transition and get a couple of buckets, and we just kept playing from there."

Mound City eventually answered, but the Cardinals led 45-42 entering the fourth. The Panthers then got down by nine after a 6-0 Cardinal run, but Mound City reeled off a 9-0 run of their own to tie the game at 51 with 1:57 remaining.

Mound City briefly retook the lead in the closing minute after a basket-and-one by senior Trevor Tubbs. But on the ensuing possession, Linville passed the ball on the left corner to an open Trey McDaniel, who knocked down the go-ahead three-pointer with 20 seconds left.

"We were trying to get Braxon to drive down the right-hand side for a layup," North Andrew coach Wade Bryson said. "Braxon made a great read. They triple-teamed him and he found Trey in the corner. Trey stepped up, shot it with confidence and knocked it down."

North Andrew missed the front end of a one-and-one twice in the those last 20 seconds, giving Mound City a couple of chances to tie or even win the game, but the Panthers came up empty.

Senior Gunner Lawrence had nine points for North Andrew, while fellow senior Collin Patterson tallied eight. Bryson said once Linville got going, and once the Cardinals started getting rebounds, the tables turned in their favor.

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