Harden goes 1-17 from deep as OKC powers past Houston

HOUSTON (AP) — After scoring 27 points in the first half against his former team, Chris Paul was on the bench during a big Oklahoma City run in the fourth quarter when a Thunder fan began yelling at coach Billy Donovan to put the veteran guard back in the game.

Paul turned to the man and gave him a look that indicated the group on the floor was doing just fine before asking him: “Do you not see the score?”

Paul scored 28 points and Danilo Gallinari added 25 as the Thunder rallied from a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat cold-shooting James Harden and the Houston Rockets 112-107 on Monday.

While Paul exulted in what he said might be his team’s best win of the season, Harden delayed his postgame shower for some extra work on his shooting after the Rockets lost their season-worst fourth straight.

Harden spent about 25 minutes on the court before returning to the locker room, and it was hard to argue he didn’t need the practice. The former MVP scored 29 points but went 1 of 17 from 3-point range in an astonishingly inefficient performance.

“Just trying to get back to the basics,” he said. “I think when you’re struggling you just try to get back to the fundamentals and the basics of your shot and form, form shooting and things like that. Staying with your shot. And just all repetition.”

Former Thunder player Russell Westbrook had 32 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds for Houston.

Gallinari and Dennis Schroder, who scored 17 of his 23 points after halftime, carried the Thunder after the break.

“It was fun to see how guys stayed together, stayed the course and fought back,” Paul said.

Houston coach Mike D’Antoni was asked what went wrong.

“Couldn’t make a shot, didn’t make foul shots,” he said. “Right now we’re at a period where if something is going to go bad, it’s bad and when it rains, it pours. And it’s pouring.”

Oklahoma City used a 6-0 run, highlighted by a dunk from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander after he stole the ball from Harden, to put the Thunder up 108-105 with about a minute left.

Harden made a layup for Houston to cut the lead to one, but Schroder made a jump shot with 28 seconds remaining to make it 110-107. Russell Westbrook missed a 3-pointer on the other end and Gilgeous-Alexander added two free throws to secure the victory.

“Dennis and Gallinari offensively, made some really really big shots to get us back in the game,” Donovan said. “And then we got some timely stops and some good rebounds. So it really was an amazing job by those guys.”

Houston had a 15-point lead before the Thunder scored 13 straight points to get within 100-98 with 4 1/2 minutes to go. Gallinari led the way for Oklahoma City in that stretch, making two 3-pointers and adding three free throws after being fouled on a 3-point attempt.

Harden made one of two free throws after that but Gallinari struck again seconds later with another 3 that tied it at 101-all. Gilgeous-Alexander then made one of two free throws to give the Thunder their first lead since the first quarter.

Westbrook made Houston’s first field goal in more than four minutes with a layup with just more than three minutes left. He then added another layup after a steal seconds later to give the Rockets a 105-102 lead with about two minutes to go.

The Thunder trailed by 16 points after three quarters, but a 9-2 run, with five points from Schroder, got them within 91-82 with about 9 1/2 minutes left.

Houston trailed by as many as 10 in the first half but led by seven at halftime and used a 9-3 run to open the third quarter and push it to 73-60. P.J. Tucker had a 3-pointer in that stretch and Westbrook added four points.

Houston scored the last four points in a third quarter where Oklahoma City scored just 14 points to make it 87-71 entering the fourth.

 

TIP-INS

Thunder: Steven Adams sprained his left ankle on a hard foul by Capela early in the first quarter. He missed both free throws after the foul and didn’t play after that. Capela was given a flagrant-1. … Paul received a technical for arguing about a foul call early in the fourth quarter.

Rockets: G Austin Rivers missed a second straight game with a right thumb injury. He said he is feeling better and expects to return on Wednesday. … Westbrook has scored 30 points or more in five straight games.

 

WESTBROOK’S 

TRIPLE-DOUBLES

With his performance on Monday, Westbrook joined LeBron James as the only players to have a triple-double against all 30 current NBA teams. Monday was Westbrook’s eighth of the season, 146th of his career and the 42nd time he’s had a triple-double in a 30-point game.

 

UP NEXT

Thunder: Visit Orlando on Wednesday night.

Rockets: Host Denver on Wednesday night.

Aaron Rodgers says ‘window’s open’ on another title run

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The 2019 season for the Green Bay Packers marked the dawn of a new era.

Matt LaFleur took over and won more games than any first-year coach in franchise history.

The final result again fell short of the Packers’ goal of winning it all, but this time it had a different feeling, according to Aaron Rodgers.

The two-time MVP was on the losing end of the NFC championship game in his third consecutive appearance.

There was the overtime loss at Seattle in the title game in the 2014 season, the 23-point rout at Atlanta in the conference championship in the 2016 season and Sunday’s 37-20 defeat to the Super Bowl-bound 49ers.

But the 36-year-old Rodgers said the latest loss isn’t like the others.

“It’s a lot different feel,” he said Sunday night. “I remember in those moments the emotion compared to this. I feel really confident in (general manager) Brian (Gutekunst) and the job that he’s done and his staff. They did go all-in — as much as they could — this year and the pieces that they brought in. I’m confident that he’s going to continue to add to this squad. So, that part is very exciting. It is a lot different feel than three years ago.”

Gutekunst spent big on the defense in free agency last March. The second-year general manager acquired pass rushers Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith and veteran safety Adrian Amos. The Packers also used both of their 2019 first-round picks on defenders (outside linebacker Rashan Gary at No. 12 and safety Darnell Savage at No. 21).

Both Smiths invigorated the defense and revitalized themselves, as each had a career high in sacks (Za’Darius, 13 1/2; Preston, 12)

But after being a large reason why Green Bay was 13-3 this season, swept its division and finished as the No. 2 seed in the NFC, that same re-tooled unit was largely to blame for Sunday’s loss because of its inability to stop the run.

The Packers’ leaky run defense, which was in the bottom third of the league for most of the season, allowed 220 yards and four touchdowns to Raheem Mostert, a running back who had been cut seven times in his career.

 

NEW OFFENSE

LaFleur brought with him an entirely new offense that showed flashes of brilliance but struggled to find consistency all season. However, it did uncover a gem in Aaron Jones, who had the most productive season of his young career.

The third-year running back had career highs in carries (236), rushing yards (1,084) and total touchdowns (19). Jones also had 49 catches, second on the team behind only Davante Adams’ 83, and was Green Bay’s first 1,000-yard rusher since Eddie Lacy in 2014.

But outside of Jones and Adams, there wasn’t much offensive production, which begs the question: After reshaping the defense last offseason, will Gutekunst have to spend this offseason finding a dynamic playmaker or two to add to LaFleur’s offense?

“The scheme is there. The scheme and what Matt and his staff put together every week was fantastic,” Rodgers said. “The execution and the moving pieces will continue to improve. Like I said, the window’s open and I think we’re going to be on the right side of one of these real soon.”

Green Bay has the 30th pick in this year’s draft.

 

PLENTY OF QUESTIONS

The Packers have a number of unrestricted free agents they will have to make difficult decisions regarding, including defensive back Tramon Williams and veteran right tackle Bryan Bulaga, who has protected Rodgers’ right side since 2010.

“This is my last year and we’ll see what happens,” Bulaga said. “I don’t have any predictions or anything like that. I don’t know what’s going to happen. So, we’ll see.”

Balaga, 30, and Williams, 36, are two of only four players remaining from Green Bay’s Super Bowl-winning team in the 2010 season.

Other notable unrestricted free agents include outside linebacker Kyler Fackrell (10 1/2 sacks in 2018), inside linebacker Blake Martinez (team-high 155 tackles in 2019, second in the NFL behind Bobby Wagner’s 159), wide receiver Geronimo Allison, 35-year-old tight end Marcedes Lewis and 35-year-old kicker Mason Crosby.

Buckle up: What to watch as impeachment trial takes off

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators like to float above messy politics in what’s known by some as the dignified “upper chamber,” home of Congress’ cooler heads and lofty rhetoric.

But as a court of President Donald Trump’s impeachment, the Senate beginning this morning might seem more like the economy cabin of an oversold flight on an especially tense, mandatory work trip.

Rock star legal teams will cram the airy well of the chamber just a few feet from each other and Chief Justice John Roberts. Four television screens take up rarified space. Staff will snap up seats near the wall. A podium stands at the center aisle.

As for phones, it’s worse than airplane mode: They are banned from the chamber. That maroons 100 chatty senators — including four Democrats in the heat of a nomination fight — for the serious constitutional business of the impeachment trial, for hours at a time.

“I’m going to be stuck in Washington for God knows how long,” Sen. Bernie Sanders told supporters in Des Moines Monday night.

What — and whom — to watch when the trial gets underway around 1 p.m. EST Tuesday:

 

GROUND RULES

But first, naturally, some talk from senators.

The Senate opens with debate on the structure and rules of the proceedings. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is proposing a condensed, two-day calendar for opening arguments on the articles passed by the House on Dec. 18. They charge Trump with abusing power by pressuring Ukraine to help him politically, and obstructing Congress when it tried to find out what happened.

McConnell’s ground rules are outlined in a four-page resolution that must be voted on as one of the first orders of business. It pushes off any votes on witnesses until later in the process, rather than up front, as Democrats had demanded. But McConnell’s plan on witnesses lines up with the organizing resolution that set the structure of President Bill Clinton’s trial in 1999.

 

DRAWING THE CURTAIN

“At all times,” according to Senate rules, a majority of senators present can vote to close the proceedings and debate in private. That would mean the cameras shut off and everyone who’s not a member of the Senate kicked out of the chamber until the senators choose to reopen it.

Senators did that at various points during the Clinton trial. McConnell then argued that members of the chamber listen to each other better in private.

 

A LONG HAUL

McConnell, defending his GOP majority and up for reelection himself, wants to make this trial go quickly. It still will take some time.

After the four days of opening arguments — maximum 24 hours per side — senators will be allowed up to 16 hours for questions to the prosecution and defense, followed by four hours of debate. Only then will there be votes on calling other witnesses.

Senate rules say the trial must proceed six days a week — all but Sunday — until it is resolved.

There’s some question about whether it’s finished by Feb. 4, the day of Trump’s State of the Union speech. White House officials say that appointment remains, as of now. Trump can ask the House to postpone it.

But here again, there’s precedent for Trump to consider: Clinton delivered his State of the Union speech in the midst of his Senate trial. He wasn’t running for reelection, however, as Trump is.

 

OFF THE TRAIL, OFF THE GRID

Watch a coterie of Democratic senators who literally would rather be somewhere else — specifically Iowa and New Hampshire — ahead of their party’s kickoff votes for the right to try to unseat Trump in the November election.

Watch Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Michael Bennet of Colorado and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota for signs of fatigue from flying between Washington and these places and coping with being off the internet for hours at a time.

Also look for the surrogates, video calls to supporters and ads designed to give them a measure of presence in the early nominating states.

 

THE PROSECUTORS

They could be heard practicing speeches in the shuttered Senate chamber late into Monday night.

Leading the case for the House is Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff of Californian and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler of New York. Five other Democrats round out the prosecution team, a group House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she chose in part for their experience with the law.

Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., has worked on three impeachment inquiries, starting with the one that helped persuade President Richard Nixon to resign. Rep. Val Demings of Florida is not a lawyer, but she is a former police chief and a member of both committees deeply familiar with the case against Trump. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries is a lawyer and chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, so he’s close to Pelosi’s ranks.

Pelosi also chose two freshmen who helped flip the House from GOP control in 2018. Rep. Sylvia Garcia of Texas is a former judge. And Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado is a retired Army Ranger who was one of the seven new members with national security backgrounds to call for Trump’s impeachment over his conduct with Ukraine.

 

FOR THE PRESIDENT

Trump cast some big personalities for seats at the defense table.

White House counsel Pat Cipollone and personal lawyer Jay Sekulow are expected to lead the argument that Trump committed no crimes, that abuse of power is not an impeachable offense and that the president is a victim of a political “witch hunt” by Democrats.

Bringing experience both in constitutional law and the politics of impeachment, he’s adding retired law professor Alan Dershowitz and Ken Starr, the independent counsel who investigated Clinton. The team also will include Pam Bondi, the former Florida attorney general.

The team, less experienced in the Senate than the House prosecutors as a whole, visited the Senate chamber Monday, in part to test the equipment they expect to use for audio-visual presentations.

Look for signs of tension involving the president’s outside legal team and lawyers within the White House. Dershowitz on Sunday tried to distance himself from the president.

 

THE NUMBERS

100: The total number of senators.

53: The Republican majority.

51: The number of senators who must agree on almost anything to make it happen during an impeachment trial.

Four: The number of Republican senators who must join Democrats to get to the magical 51.

2/3: The proportion of senators required to convict and remove a president from office. So 67 members of the Senate would have to vote to convict if every senator is voting.

 

THE GANG

Both sides will be keeping tabs on the Senate’s moderates for an emerging gang of three to four who could influence the outcome on such matters as whether to subpoena former national security adviser John Bolton. That vote won’t be taken for days if not weeks.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine has been meeting with a small number of GOP colleagues who want to consider witness testimony and documents that weren’t part of the House impeachment investigation. Watch GOP Sens. Mitt Romney of Utah, Lamar Alexander of Tennessee and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska for signs of whether this group can stick together and force the Senate to consider additional material.

Feds target cocaine, meth addiction

WASHINGTON (AP) — Alarmed by a deadly new twist in the nation’s drug addiction crisis, the government will allow states to use federal money earmarked for the opioid epidemic to help growing numbers of people struggling with meth and cocaine.

The little-noticed change is buried in a massive spending bill passed by Congress late last year. Pressed by constituents and state officials, lawmakers of both parties and the Trump administration agreed to broaden the scope of a $1.5 billion grant program previously restricted to the opioid crisis. Starting this year states can also use those federal dollars to counter addiction to “stimulants,” a term the government uses for methamphetamine and cocaine.

“Meth and cocaine are making a comeback and they are more potent than they were during the last wave,” said Mark Stringer, director of Missouri’s Department of Mental Health. He oversees the state’s efforts to prevent addiction, get drug-dependent people into treatment, and support them in recovery. “Where meth is much more prevalent than opioids, this will be a game-changer.”

About 68,000 people died of drug overdoses in the U.S. in 2018, with opioids involved in about two-thirds of the cases. Opioids are a drug class that includes fentanyl, heroin, certain prescription painkillers, and various chemical combinations concocted for street sales. But the national numbers also hide dramatic differences in the deadliest drugs across the land.

In most states west of the Mississippi meth is the biggest killer, according to government data for 2017. Meanwhile, the highly lethal opioid fentanyl maintains its grip on the East and Midwest. Cocaine ranks third overall nationally in drug-involved deaths.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., whose state has been hard-hit by the opioid epidemic, said she was hearing from all quarters last year that the drug-addiction scourge is gradually changing.

“They were seeing much more impact from meth and from cocaine, substances they couldn’t address because of specific language in the law,” said Shaheen, referring to previous restrictions in the federal grant program aimed at opioids.

As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, which writes spending bills, Shaheen said she worked with Republican and Democratic leaders to add “stimulants” — not only opioids — to the language of the 2020 spending bill.

White House drug czar James W. Carroll said the Trump administration was also hearing calls for more flexibility from state officials, and supported the change.

“I know the term ‘opioid crisis’ is used a lot, and it’s not my preferred way of describing what we’re up against,” said Carroll. “I say what we really have is an addiction crisis.”

Other senators pushing to broaden the grant program included Republicans Rob Portman of Ohio and Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, also a member of the Appropriations Committee. Their states have been ravaged by opioids.

Federal lawmakers don’t want to be caught flat-footed if another drug crisis breaks out in an election year. The nation has been starting to see progress on opioids, with deaths declining slightly.

Last week the House Energy and Commerce Committee sent letters to federal agencies requesting detailed information on evolving patterns of cocaine and meth use.

“We are concerned that while the nation, rightly so, is devoting so much of its attention and resources to the opioid epidemic, another epidemic — this one involving cocaine and methamphetamine — is on the rise,” wrote committee leaders Chairman Frank Pallone, D-N.J. and ranking Republican Greg Walden of Oregon.

Meth, which was once cooked in makeshift labs in the U.S., is now produced by Mexican cartels and smuggled across the border. The price of the drug has dropped even as its purity has risen.

The increased prevalence of cocaine is being driven by greater supply, as cultivation of the coca plant has become more widespread in Colombia. Cocaine can also be laced with fentanyl, contributing to overdose deaths. As with meth, government data show the price of cocaine has dropped while its purity has risen.

Treating people addicted to meth or cocaine is different from treating opioid dependence. There are FDA-approved medications for opioid addiction, but not for cocaine and meth.

Instead, treatment relies on counseling and support to try to help people overcome their drug habit. It’s a labor-intensive effort that carries a significant risk of failure. Access to more federal dollars will help pay for treatment, particularly in states that have held out on accepting Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act. Expanded Medicaid for low-income adults is a mainstay of treatment in states that embraced it.

The federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is preparing to notify states of the newly available grant flexibility.

Ultimately, state officials want Congress to consider folding the opioid money into a larger block grant program administered by the same agency, creating a big pool of federal money to treat addiction, with fewer restrictions on its use.

Anxiety builds as virus spreads across China

WUHAN, China (AP) — Face masks sold out and temperature checks at airports and train stations became the new norm as China strove today to control the outbreak of a new virus that has reached four other countries and territories and threatens to spread further during the Lunar New Year travel rush.

Anxiety grew both at home and abroad after Chinese government expert Zhong Nanshan confirmed fears on state television late Monday that the new type of coronavirus can spread from human to human.

Six people have died and 291 have been infected in China, the National Health Commission said today.

The stock prices of some companies that sell masks rose today, but markets fell in much of Asia as investors worried about the potential impact on tourism and the economy.

Concerned about a global outbreak similar to SARS, another coronavirus that spread from China to more than a dozen countries in 2002-2003, numerous nations have adopted screening measures for travelers from China, especially those arriving from Wuhan, the central city where the virus appears to have originated.

Guards at Wuhan’s airport pointed electronic thermometers at travelers. Several online retailers were sold out of masks, which were being sold for more than 10 times their original price. Users of the popular Weibo social media platform urged others to wash their hands and stay home.

Outside the Wuhan Medical Treatment Center, where many of the coronavirus patients are receiving care, several workers were dressed in full-body biohazard suits, supplemented by goggles, masks and plastic wrapped around their shoes.

While many wore masks in Wuhan, streets were far from deserted and people appeared to be carrying on with their regular activities.

“I’m not that worried,” said Helen Cao, a Wuhan resident who was shopping on a downtown avenue lined with stores and full of pedestrians. Like many in the city, she began wearing a mask after hearing Zhong’s assessment of human-to-human transmission.

“Maybe people from other places are more concerned about our health, but (Wuhan) locals actually are continuing to eat, go out and take strolls, go clubbing at night,” Cao said. “Everything’s very normal, everyone’s just wearing masks, nothing more.”

Initial symptoms of the new coronavirus include fever, cough, tightness of the chest and shortness of breath.

The first cases late last month were connected to a seafood market, and transmission was thought to be occurring from animals to humans. Authorities previously had not confirmed human-to-human transmission.

In addition to 258 cases in Wuhan, more than 20 have been diagnosed in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong province in the south and Zhejiang in the east. Four cases have been confirmed overseas among Chinese travelers in South Korea, Japan and Thailand. A Taiwanese businesswoman who just returned from Wuhan tested positive for the virus, Taiwan’s Centers for Disease Control reported Tuesday.

Fifteen medical workers have also tested positive for the virus, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission said.

Two cases in Guangdong were people who had not visited Wuhan but fell ill after family members returned from there. Zhong cited those as evidence the disease had spread between humans.

Australia, Japan, South Korea and the U.S. were among the countries increasing airport screenings. Three weekly direct flights from Wuhan to Sydney will be met by border security and biosecurity staff for assessments, chief Australian medical officer Brendan Murphy told reporters.

“Please take every possible precaution,” Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe instructed the health minister and other government departments.

The coronavirus family includes those that cause the common cold, but some found in bats, camels and other animals have evolved into more severe illnesses like SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, and MERS, Middle East respiratory syndrome.

The possibility the virus can be transmitted between people increases the chances it could spread faster and more widely. The Chinese government has estimated people will make around 3 billion trips during the Lunar New Year travel season, but some social media users have said they may stay home due to concern about the virus.

In his first public remarks on the illness, Chinese President Xi Jinping instructed government departments to promptly release information on the virus and deepen international cooperation.

When SARS began infecting people in southern China, the Chinese government initially tried to conceal the severity of the epidemic, which ended up killing nearly 800 people. The cover-up was exposed by a high-ranking physician.

Gabriel Leung, dean of medicine at the University of Hong Kong, said Chinese authorities have responded much more quickly this time.

“Our underlying assumptions are the force of infection is very different now … because so many public health measures have been undertaken and so many interventions have been executed,” Leung told reporters at a briefing.

Leung, who was heavily involved in the response to SARS, said modeling shows that cases will multiply over the coming weeks but the outbreak will gradually lose momentum as precautions take effect.

For the moment, the new coronavirus appears to be far less lethal than SARS.

“Based on current information, an animal source seems the most likely primary source of this outbreak with limited human-to-human transmission occurring between close contacts,” World Health Organization spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said at a briefing.

“Based on current data, some new cases seem to experience milder diseases which is within the milder end of the spectrum of symptoms caused by respiratory illnesses,” Jasarevic said.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang pledged rigorous measures to tackle the virus.

“We will resolutely contain the spread of the epidemic,” Geng said.

Surgical masks were mandatory Tuesday at Beijing United Family Hospital, where all visitors had their temperatures taken at the entrance.

At one pharmacy in Shanghai, a shopkeeper named Liu Zhuzhen said more than 100 people had bought masks by midday. They were already sold out despite having recently been restocked.

3M, an American brand popular in China for anti-pollution masks, was sold out of masks on its official online stores on e-commerce platforms Taobao and JD.com as of Tuesday afternoon. Other retailers were selling 3M masks at a markup, including for as much as 40 yuan ($7) a mask. Websites that track online pricing show the same masks used to sell for 3 yuan (53 cents) each.

State broadcaster CCTV quoted Wuhan Mayor Zhou Xianwang urging limitations on travel.

“Unless it’s necessary, people outside should not come to Wuhan, and citizens of Wuhan should not leave the city,” Zhou said.

Letter to the editor

Dear editor,

I want to thank Ernie and Wanda Davidson for getting me to the hospital recently. They probably saved my life. 

I’m grateful for Dr. Robinson for his skillful surgery skills, and Peggy Strong of Tara Gardens and the nurses and cooks at Greystone Assisted Living. 

I’m also thankful for Virgil Strong and his helper for fixing my furniture, and for Becky French for giving me the proper medicine and care. 

Most of all, I’m grateful for my sister Ida B., who has stood by me through thick and thin.

I still have my bicycles handy, but am exercising inside these days. 

Kind thoughts to everyone,

Jim Brownrigg,

Iola, Kan.

Police news

Arrests reported

Iola police officers arrested David R. Amus Jr., 22, Topeka, Sunday for suspicion of interfering with law enforcement, possessing methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia and driving without a license.

Allen County sheriff’s deputies arrested Milton P. Beasly, 49, LaHarpe, Sunday for suspicion of possessing marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Gregory L. Jennings, 59, rural Chanute, was arrested Saturday by Iola officers for suspicion of interfering with law enforcement, illegal registration and no liability insurance.

Deputies arrested Bradley R. Griffith, 37, Moran, for suspicion of domestic battery and disorderly conduct.

Iola officers arrested Theresa L. Walker, 62, Iola, for suspicion of domestic battery Thursday.

Dale A. McDown, 72, Iola, was arrested by IPD Thursday for suspicion of domestic battery.

Deputies arrested Madison R. Witchley, 23, LaHarpe, Thursday for suspicion of driving while suspended (third or greater offense.)

Deputies arrested Misty D. Beatty, 44, Iola, on seven probation revocation warrants Thursday.

Michael W. Craig, 24, Iola, was arrested by Iola officers Thursday on a warrant for misdemeanor traffic violations.

Officers arrested Roy L. Poffenbarger, 62, Iola, Wednesday for suspicion of criminal damage to property and disorderly conduct.

Steven R. Sinclair, 37, Iola, was arrested by Iola officers Wednesday for suspicion of interfering with law enforcement, trespassing, criminal damage to property and two counts of disorderly conduct.

Justin Cameron, 31, Iola, was arrested by Iola officers Jan. 14 for suspicion of being a pedestrian under the influence.

Officers arrested Michael F. Naff, 34, Humboldt, Jan. 14 for warrants relating to charges of trespassing, possessing stolen property and two counts of possessing drug paraphernalia.

Tanner Beauvais, 26, rural Iola, was arrested by deputies Jan. 13 for a warrant.

Humboldt police officers arrested Michael D. Johnson, 46, Moran, Jan. 13 for suspicion of driving while suspended, illegal registration and no liability insurance.

Cassandra E. Geisler, 27, Chanute, was arrested by Iola officers Jan. 12 for suspicion of domestic battery and disorderly conduct.

Nathaniel C. Streeter, 22, Iola, was arrested by the Kansas Highway Patrol Jan. 12 on a warrant for misdemeanor traffic violations.

Deputies arrested Tryston Ingle, 22, rural LaHarpe, Jan. 12 for suspicion of domestic battery.

Christopher W. Hibbs, 33, vagrant, was arrested by deputies Jan. 11 for three counts of violating the Offender Registration Act and two counts of making a false writing.

Kaleb W. Sellers, 26, LaHarpe, was arrested by Iola officers Jan. 10 for suspicion of aggravated burglary, driving under the influence, reckless driving and driving while suspended.

Barry W. Cline, 63, Kansas City, was arrested by deputies Jan. 10 for multiple warrants related to drug charges.

Humboldt officers arrested Kristen N. Dreher, 35, Girard, Jan.10 on warrants out of Jackson County related to charges of trespassing, interfering with law enforcement, identity theft/fraud, no liability insurance and illegal registration.

Deputies arrested Nancy Renfro, 46, Yates Center, Jan. 9 for a drug court violation/probation revocation warrant.

Brandon W. Bell, 22, LaHarpe, was arrested by deputies Jan. 9 for suspicion of violating the Offender Registration Act.

Deputies arrested Jessica L. Chapman, 33, Neosho Falls, Jan. 9 for suspicion of driving while revoked as a habitual violator and transporting an open container of alcohol.

Kimberly A. Taylor, 58, Overland Park, was arrested by deputies Jan. 9 for suspicion of criminal damage to property, driving while suspended, illegal registration and no liability insurance.

Dakota J. Schmidt, 19, Arma, was arrested by deputies Jan. 8 for suspicion of possessing a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia.

Iola officers arrested Clinton T. Fletcher, 42, Gas, for a warrant Jan. 8.

Officers arrested Patrick J. Thomas, 47, Gas, for a warrant Jan. 8.

Troopers from KHP arrested Dominic T. Ellis, 18, Iola, Jan. 8 for suspicion of driving without a license, illegal registration and no liability insurance.

LaHarpe police officers arrested Orion C. Nicholas, 20, LaHarpe, Jan. 7 for suspicion of domestic battery.

Joe A. Stevens III, 32, Iola, was arrested by Iola officers Jan. 7 for suspicion of domestic battery, criminal damage to property, battery, child endangerment, possessing illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia and criminal possession of a firearm.

Deputies arrested Amanda L.R. Julian, 24, rural Iola, for suspicion of domestic battery and criminal damage to property.

William E. Trout, 26, Tulsa, was arrested by deputies Jan. 6 for suspicion of criminal possession of a firearm, possessing marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Humboldt officers arrested Seth O. Pace, 25, Humboldt, for suspicion of criminal damage to property, criminal threat and possessing drug paraphernalia.

Joshua A. Granere, 38, Moran, was arrested by deputies Jan. 5 for suspicion of driving while intoxicated and transporting an open container of alcohol.

Deputies arrested Kristen L. Michael, 36, rural Iola, Jan. 5 for suspicion of driving against restrictions.

Ashley Brown, 20, Chanute, was arrested by deputies Jan. 4 for suspicion of driving while suspended.

Mach-ala A. Jackson, 22, Tulsa, was arrested by KHP Jan. 4 for suspicion of driving without a license, illegal registration and no liability insurance.

Deputies arrested James A.R. Hansen, 48, Buffalo, for suspicion of driving under the influence Jan. 4.

Hayden T. White, 30, Iola, was arrested by deputies Jan. 3 for two Iola warrants related to theft and drug paraphernalia charges and Bourbon County warrant stemming from a theft charge.

Troopers arrested Adam J. Jackson, 30, rural Iola, for suspicion of driving while suspended (second or greater offense) on Jan. 3.

Matthew J. Beeson, 45, Le Roy, was arrested by Iola officers Jan. 3 for warrants related to theft charges in Iola and a Coffey County warrant related to driving under the influence and driving while suspended (second or greater charge).

Humboldt officers arrested Nancy Newkirk, 62, Iola, Jan. 2 for suspicion of domestic battery.

Deputies arrested Isaiah Malachi, 18, Yates Center, on Jan. 1 for a warrant related to charges of reckless driving and attempting to flee and elude law enforcement.

4.5 magnitude earthquake shakes southern Kansas

HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — A small earthquake was reported in southern Kansas on Sunday.

The U.S. Geological Survey said a magnitude 4.5 earthquake struck about 2 miles southwest of Hutchinson shortly after 1 p.m. The service had initially reported that it was a magnitude 4.4 earthquake, but later upgraded it. No damage was immediately reported.

The earthquake happened near where several others have happened before in Reno County, The Hutchinson News reported.

Kansas began seeing a spike in earthquakes in 2014 that were blamed on wastewater injection wells from oil and gas production. The number of quakes began tapering off after oil prices dropped and regulations were enacted.

University of Kansas to close its languages school

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The University of Kansas will close its School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures but departments within the school will remain open and students will not be affected, according to a school official.

The closing at the end of the academic year will change only the administrative structure for languages at Kansas, said John Colombo, interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, The degree offerings and curriculum will not be affected, he said.

Budget problems prompted the closing, The Lawrence Journal-World reported.

The School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures has been administrative director for six departments: African and African American Studies; East Asian Languages and Cultures; French, Francophone and Italian Studies; German Studies; Slavic Languages and Literatures; and Spanish and Portuguese.

One staff position will be lost because of the closing. The director and co-director of the school will return to their respective positions within their academic units, Colombo said in an email.

The creation of the school about five years ago did not increase enrollment for language departments or raise substantial private support to sustain the language programs, as was originally anticipated, Colombo said.

According to the university’s budget, the language college was budgeted to receive $440,947 for fiscal year 2020.

Mahomes lifts Chiefs to Super Bowl appearance

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) ? With his best imitation of a tightrope walker, Patrick Mahomes high-wired the Kansas City Chiefs into their first Super Bowl since 1970.

Oh sure, Mahomes did his usual superb job passing, but it was his 27-yard tap dance down the left sideline late in the first half that gave the Chiefs their first lead. From there, they outran the run-oriented Tennessee Titans and star back Derrick Henry for a 35-24 victory Sunday in the AFC championship.

At last, for the third time overall, the Chiefs (14-4) are Super Bowl bound.

In two weeks in Miami, they will play San Francisco, which rolled to a 37-20 win over Green Bay in the NFC title game.

?I mean, it?s amazing. It really is,? said Mahomes, who had 294 yards passing and three touchdowns. ?To be here, to be a part of Chiefs Kingdom and to be able to do it here at Arrowhead, these people deserve it. And we?re not done yet.?

Adding to the joy of the achievement, coach Andy Reid and owner Clark Hunt accepted the Lamar Hunt Trophy ? named after his father ? emblematic of the AFC title. It was handed over to them by Chiefs Hall of Famer Bobby Bell, with Mahomes and safety Tyrann Mathieu jumping for joy on the makeshift stage.

Next up: chasing the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

?Very excited and very emotional to win the trophy that has my dad?s name on it,? Hunt said. ?Yeah, 50 years were too long, but we?re going to another Super Bowl.

?Chiefs Kingdom, we are going to the Super Bowl.?

The Chiefs lost in 1967 in the first AFL-NFL Championship Game ? nope, it wasn?t called the Super Bowl yet ? to the Lombardi Packers 35-10. Three years later, one year after the New York Jets shocked Baltimore to lay claim to the AFL being equal to the long-established NFL, Kansas City was back. This time, it was known as the Super Bowl ? indeed, Lamar Hunt is credited with coming up with the name ? and his Chiefs hammered Minnesota 23-7 with the typical Wild West offensive flair and a staunch defense. Those are characteristics that helped carry KC this season.

Reid isn?t as animated as Hall of Famer Hank Stram, who famously urged the Chiefs team to ?keep matriculating the ball down the field, boys.? Caught up in the moment Sunday, Reid said, ?It?s awesome,? before asking the crowd to chant ?How about those Chiefs??

Moments later, standout tight end Travis Kelce proclaimed, ?You gotta fight for your right to party.?

There will be plenty of partying on South Beach for Chiefs Kingdom heading into the championship matchup.

?Fired up to go to Miami, got to get on a diet so I can fit into my clothes,? Reid said. ?Very proud.?

As they had done in their past three ?elimination? games, the sixth-seeded Titans (11-8) got started quickly. The difference at Arrowhead as opposed to Houston, New England and Baltimore was that the Chiefs had Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins and Damien Williams on offense, and a vastly upgraded defense from when they lost in last year?s AFC title game. Henry was held to 7 yards rushing in the second half.

?They were doubling all these guys,? Mahomes said of his spectacular TD run on which he barely stayed in bounds. ?I just ran it and got some good blocking at the end and found a way to get in the end zone.?

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes works to stay in bounds on a 27-yard touchdown run late in the second quarter on Sunday. RICH SUGG/KANSAS CITY STAR/TNS

A week after they overcame a 24-0 deficit against Houston, the Chiefs had to rally again.

Down 10-0 and 17-7, Kansas City didn?t flinch, building a 35-17 lead while controlling the clock with a strong ground game. Naturally, Mahomes complemented that with sharp passing, spreading the ball on short and deep throws. The dagger came with a 60-yard completion to Watkins for the Chiefs? 28th straight point midway in the final period.

Mahomes thrust both arms in the air as the crowd sang Whitney Houston?s ?I Wanna Dance With Somebody.?

That somebody will be the 49ers in two weeks.

After taking a 3-0 lead on Greg Joseph?s first field goal ? with Tennessee?s penchant for scoring in the red zone, he hadn?t been called upon in his previous four games with the team ? the Titans got a huge break. Bashaud Breeland appeared to make a diving interception, but replay review showed the ball hitting the ground.

Helped by consecutive offside penalties and a a fourth-down pass to Adam Humphries for his first career playoff reception, the Titans converted on, what else, Henry?s 4-yard run.

Then the Chiefs got rolling, scoring on three successive series. Hill took it in on a shovel pass, later beat top Titans cornerback Logan Ryan for a 20-yard reception, and Mahomes finished the half with his brilliant jaunt down the left sideline with half the Tennessee defense seemingly expecting him to step out of bounds.

That gave the Chiefs a 21-17 lead. It went to 28-17 on Williams? 3-yard run to cap a seven-minute drive. Then Watkins toasted Logan for the clinching long pass.

Henry was held to 69 yards on 19 carries after rushing for 588 yards in the past three games as an unstoppable force.

?I feel like our backs were against the wall the whole season,? Henry said. ?But we kept on fighting and kept on believing in each other. I think it speaks volumes about the team we have. We just came up short.?

The Chiefs easily outrushed the Titans on Sunday. Mahomes led the way with 53 of those yards and also was 23 for 35 for 294 yards passing.

 

REID?S RETURN

Reid goes back to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 2004 season, when his Eagles lost to New England. That gap is second longest to Dick Vermeil?s hiatus.

?So much effort that went into this,? said Reid, who joined the Chiefs in 2013 after 14 years in Philadelphia. ?It takes an army, it is not one guy at all. I appreciate the effort by everybody.?

 

TRICKERY

Last week, Henry threw a jump pass for a touchdown against Baltimore. On Sunday, Dennis Kelly emulated his coach, Mike Vrabel. He sneaked free for Ryan Tannehill?s lob, falling back awkwardly but holding on for Tennessee?s second TD. The backup tackle is the only offensive lineman since 2000 with two TDs receiving in a season. He also had one against Jacksonville.

Vrabel caught 12 touchdown passes as a linebacker, including one in the Super Bowl when his Patriots beat Reid?s Eagles.

 

FOURTH DOWNS

Displaying the gambling nature of both coaches, fourth-down conversions were key on early scoring drives. Humphries, who missed the last six games with an ankle problem, caught a 3-yarder on fourth-and-2 at the KC 29. Two plays later, Henry scored.

On the Chiefs? ensuing possession, they went for it on fourth-and-2 from the Titans 28. Travis Kelce?s 4-yard reception continued a march to Hill?s first TD.

 

UP NEXT

Titans: Figuring out if they ran out of gas or were beaten by a more talented team as they head into the offseason.

Chiefs: The Tomahawk Chop will be heard at Hard Rock Stadium in the Super Bowl.