Kansas
Former Kansas State football quarterback Will Howard will fiish his career at Ohio State
Kansas State football quarterback Will Howard on his Wildcat career
Kansas State football senior quarterback Will Howard expressed his love for the school following Saturday’s senior night loss to Iowa State.
MANHATTAN — Former Kansas State football quarterback Will Howard, who helped lead the Wildcats to 18 victories and a Big 12 championship over the past two seasons, is headed to the Big Ten.
After leaving K-State at the end of the regular season, Howard became a hot commodity on the transfer market, and on Thursday he announced on social media that he is headed to national powerhouse Ohio State.
“THE Ohio State University. Thank You God!!” Howard posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account.
Howard had plenty of options after entering the transfer portal as a graduate. He visited both Miami and Southern California before settling on Ohio State, where he will have a chance to close out his career as the successor to Kyle McCord as the Buckeyes’ quarterback.
Ohio State also will put him closer to his hometown of Downingtown, Pennsylvania.
The first sign that Howard might leave K-State with a year of eligibility remaining came on senior night, after the Wildcats lost to Iowa State, 42-35, to close out the regular season.
Why Kansas State football quarterback Will Howard is oozing confidence for the 2023 season
“It’s hard to put it into words, honestly. This place has meant the world to me,” he said. “All the relationships that I’ve had, the people that I’ve come across. All the coaches, all the players.
“Genuinely I love this place and I’ll cherish it for the rest of my life. This place turned me into a man.”
Howard had his ups and downs in four years at K-State, but the highlight was clearly a run to the 2022 Big 12 championship and a Sugar Bowl invitation after he took over for injured starter Adrian Martinez midway through the season.
In 2023 he started every game, throwing for 2,643 yards and 24 touchdowns, and he left as the school career recordholder with 48 touchdown passes. He finished his four years with 5,786 passing yards.
But Howard also struggled in a disappointing loss at Oklahoma State, which pushed true freshman and fan favorite Avery Johnson into the spotlight and led the two of them to be listed as co-starters on the depth chart the rest of the year.
But Howard regained his footing to finish the season strong and was named to the All-Big 12 second team by the league coaches.
Kansas State football quarterbacks Will Howard and Avery Johnson in dead heat for QB1 job
Howard also had some rough patches early in his career, especially after he was forced into action as a true freshman during the 2020 pandemic season when starter Skylar Thompson got hurt. K-State finished on a five-game losing streak with Howard behind center.
With Howard’s decision to transfer, it opened the door for Johnson to get a jump on the 2024 season in the Pop-Tarts Bowl. He responded by leading the Wildcats to a 28-19 victory over North Carolina State and was named the game’s most valuable player.
But Howard leaves a legacy as one of K-State’s top quarterbacks. And now he has a chance to do more of the same at Ohio State.
Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@gannett.com or on Twitter at @arnegreen.
Kansas
Kansas ag officials take comment on proposed water rules
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Updated:
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The Kansas Department of Agriculture held a meeting on Thursday to discuss proposed rules regarding the Kansas Water Appropriation Act.
The Division of Water Resources is proposing new regulations and changes to current regulations under the law.
The division is looking at amending or revoking regulations related to flowmeters tracking water usage.
It is also proposing changes to groundwater usage rules on how far you can move a well from its original location to prevent harming the water rights of other landowners.
Another regulation would create voluntary Water Conservation Areas, where landowners work with the division to establish water conservation plans on their properties.
Some of the concerns raised at Thursday’s meeting dealt with property rights and the transfer of land to new owners. Some expressed concern about the sale of water rights to other landowners in the area.
There is no listed timeline for when the changes could be made.
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Kansas
Rural Kansas fire department reports record number of calls in 2025
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A rural Kansas fire department says it saw yet another increase in calls in 2025.
On Tuesday, Butler County Fire District #3 posted data about last year on social media.
It responded to 782 alarms in 2025, which is a new record.
The majority of the calls were for rescue and emergency medical services, followed by service calls.
The department’s data show the number of calls has been trending upward over the last 20 years.
From 2006 to 2010, the department handled an an average of 550 calls a year. From 2021 through 2025, that average was 720, a 31% increase.
Officials said continued growth in the community has increased the demand for emergency services.
“These numbers reinforce the importance of ongoing training, staffing, equipment planning, and community support to ensure we can continue to provide timely and effective service,” the department said on Facebook.
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Kansas
Clay County Commissioner says he’s ‘done’ negotiating with Kansas City Royals
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Clay County Commissioner Jason Withington said Wednesday that he still loves baseball, but is “done” negotiating with the Royals on a new stadium for the team in the county.
According to Withington, Thursday, Jan. 8, was the deadline for the Royals to appear on the April 2026 ballot in the county.
Withington said the Royals told the county that they were not ready to meet that deadline.
Withington took to Facebook to explain that “the joy has been drained” out of him over the last few years and expressed his dislike towards the business of baseball.
He called negotiations with the team “a closed chapter” and said that the county is shifting its focus elsewhere.
“It’s time for the Commission to focus fully on priorities we control—either upgrading our existing county jail or building a new one,” Withington wrote.
The Royals’ lease at Kauffman Stadium in the Truman Sports Complex in Jackson County expires in January 2031.
KSHB 41’s political reporter Charlie Keegan reported in May 2025 on efforts by Missouri to keep both the Royals and Chiefs in Missouri.
While the Chiefs announced that they will move to a new stadium site in 2031 in Wyandotte County, the Royals have not announced their next steps to get a new ballpark built.
A stadium site near 119th Street and Nall Avenue in Overland Park has emerged as a possibility for a stadium site for the ball club.
Some residents in that area are not happy about that possibility.
KSHB 41 News reached out to the Royals for comment, but has not heard back.
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