OSAWATOMIE, Kan. — The Osawatomie Chamber of Commerce, alongside Oz Mart owner, Tony Singh, cut a ribbon Tuesday night to celebrate the city’s newest store.

The store will offer some of the same items found in a traditional grocery store.

“This is an investment in Osawatomie,” Shay Hanysak, Chamber of Commerce director told community members.

For 17 years, Singh and his family have operated a gas station near U.S. Highway 169.

‘Oz Mart’ will offer traditional convenience store items in downtown Osawatomie.

In addition, it will sell fresh fruits, vegetables, and other household staples.

Ryan Gamboa/KSHB

“Just the fact I can shop in my own town, where I live, when you get to be my age that’s awesome,” Osawatomie resident Kathy Baldwin said.

The United States Department of Agriculture designated Osawatomie, Kansas a Food Desert.

The USDA classifies an area a food desert when 33% of a population is greater than one mile from a large grocery store or supermarket.

Ryan Gamboa/KSHB

The nearest traditional grocery store to Osawatomie is 10 miles north in Paola, Kansas.

“I don’t always have to go to Paola anymore,” Baldwin said. “I will support Tony.”

Ryan Gamboa/KSHB

This new store won’t pull that designation from Osawatomie, but residents say it’s exactly what the town needed.

“I am so proud of Tony for taking this on,” Baldwin said.

Singh told KSHB 41 his inspiration comes from residents concerned about food access.

His ultimate goal is to offer local farmers the opportunity to sell their products in his store.

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KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. He also covers agricultural topics. Share your story idea with Ryan.

The New York Giants have plenty of needs to target in the 2025 NFL draft, and the organization is currently going through its evaluation process to nail down the players it wants to bring in this year.

The early rounds are what most fans clamor for; the potential stars who can instantly make their team better. However, picks in the late rounds are equally as important as picks in the first round, and the Giants have four picks on the third day of the draft.

With that in mind, Kansas running back Devin Neal was recently named the Giants’ best fit on Day 3 of the draft by Pro Football Focus.

Prospect to target: RB Devin Neal, Kansas

Even with Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Devin Singletary in the fold, the Giants’ backfield is far from solidified, evidenced by the unit’s 30th-ranked PFF rushing grade (66.9) in 2024. New York deployed gap runs at the fourth-highest in the NFL last season, making Neal a natural fit after he earned an 86.9 PFF rushing grade on the concept in 2024.

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The Giants drafted Tracy in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL draft, and he took over the starting position from Devin Singletary.

Singletary did have some injuries in 2024, and while Tracy benefitted from that, it’s not what cost I’m the starting role. Tracy did what every backup hopes to do: He out-played his teammate, averaging 4.4 yards per carry to Singletary’s 3.9.

Still, Tracy didn’t break 1,000 yards rushing in 2024. And even if the offensive line carries some of that blame, it leaves the door open for another running back to take on a larger role. Neal may or may not be that guy, but if Singletary ends up with injuries again this year, Neal would have the opportunity to beat out Eric Gray for the backup role.

Neal holds the Kansas school record for rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, and 100-yard games. After rushing for 707 yards and eight touchdowns as a freshman, he ran for over 1,000 yards in each of the next three seasons. As a senior, he rushed 219 times for 1,266 yards and 16 touchdowns, an average of 5.8 yards per carry.

Neal has a solid build for a running back, and he’s strong. He may not be the caliber of a starting running back, but he’s a solid backup option and can assist on special teams.

With 22 games left in the regular season, Kansas already sits one home run away from tying the program record of 75 set in 2023, the first year of the Dan Fitzgerald era. The high-powered offense propelled Kansas to match the best 30-game start to a season, with the team’s record currently sitting at 27-7.

The Jayhawks have obviously dug the long ball, but the offense’s success has been multi-faceted. Kansas is tied for third in Division One in walks (235), 7th in runs scored (320), 11th in hits (367), and 15th in on-base percentage (.432).

“I think so much of hitting is approach, and I think so much of approach is mental toughness,” Fitzgerald said. “Mental toughness is doing the thing you’re supposed to do when you’re supposed to do it every time you’re called on to do it.”

Kansas showcased its toughness from game one of the season, going into extra innings in the opener against Texas A&M Corpus-Christi. Fitzgerald said he told his team that they were going to love, embrace, and enjoy the moments in tight games. The Jayhawks have had a flair for the dramatic this season, notching four walk-off wins with a pair of final-inning comebacks.

“I don’t think anyone enjoys it more than we do, and so a one-run game, a tie game, down two runs in the ninth– whatever it is, there’s a true joy of being in that situation and a gratitude,” Fitzgerald said. “I think what makes these guys different is how much they love to compete together.”

Fitzgerald has a variety of statistical markers for what makes up a successful offense– who wins the “freebie war,” getting on-base to lead off at least four out of the nine innings, and chasing starting pitchers before the fifth inning. Kansas has been good in all three areas, but especially the latter, not allowing a single opposing starter to tally more than five innings in a game against the Jayhawks this season.

Kansas is currently averaging 7.3 walks per game this season. Fitzgerald and hitting coach Tyler Hancock have emphasized winning the 17 inches across the plate.

“I think Fitz and T do a great job of outlining just winning the strike zone and not being able to chase,” Brady Counsell said. “I think them outlining that and us practicing that constantly throughout the year has been a pretty good reason why we’ve not chased a lot.”

When Kansas hitters hop in the cage, they’re instructed not to swing at a pitch outside the strike zone, “Staple 101” of the program. Hitters learn the strike zone in a variety of ways, with experience and confidence playing a major factor. Fitzgerald said good hitters get to two strikes in 45-48% of their at-bats, and you have to remain confident in your ability to work a count.

“I think it’s time, it’s confidence, and it’s the ability to get to two strikes and still string together what you want to do,” Fitzgerald said.

Kansas faces one of its bigger pitching tests this weekend, taking on TCU. The Horned Frogs are second in the Big 12 in ERA and strikeouts, with Tommy LaPour coming off a 7-inning, no-hit outing against BYU last weekend. No matter the face, nothing changes for the Jayhawk lineup.

“It’s gonna be the same approach you always have, just winning the 17 across the plate, as Fitz always says, and just swinging at strikes and taking balls,” Counsell said. “I think we stick to that game plan, we’ll keep that good success on the offensive side.”