KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCTV) – Kansas City, Kansas, Mayor Christal Watson and local leaders gathered at Nebraska Furniture Mart Saturday for a women’s leadership panel.

The event brought together women leading in different lanes. The panel featured Watson, CEO and creative entrepreneur Jess Rogers, DJ Dawna, Katie Wedekind and homebuilder Fran Sutton.

Organizers said they wanted the truth about the work behind the wins.

“It’s something we are very passionate about. Being a female leader myself, being a mother of a daughter it’s very important that we help inspiring and lead the way for other women,” said Nastasia Williams, store director at Nebraska Furniture Mart and event organizer.

The panel focused on what comes next for women’s leadership. Watson said meeting people where they are is key to success.

For women juggling work, family and bills, the takeaway was permission to ask for help, to take up space and to learn as you go.

“You can lead with grace and love and still be the power in the room and be the power at the table,” Rogers said.

Ticket proceeds benefit Win for KC, an organization empowering girls and women through sports.

Watson was also recognized at the event, receiving the “Lift Her Up Award” for her work in the community.

A Kansas man has been charged with attempted first-degree murder after allegedly stabbing a woman in an unprovoked attack at a park in Olathe, authorities said.

Kwan Noble Trezvant, 27, was arrested following a report Thursday of an armed disturbance that left a 38-year-old woman, identified in court documents as Jamie Trumpp, with critical injuries, the Olathe Police Department said.

Police said they responded at 12:06 p.m. near the 1000 block of North Ridgeview Road and found the woman suffering from stab wounds.

Trumpp was taken to a hospital for treatment and is expected to survive, according to the Olathe Reporter.

Police told the outlet the attack was “completely unprovoked.”

Trumpp is a choir teacher at Indian Trail Middle School, and community members have organized a meal train fundraiser for her family, the Reporter added.

The Johnson County District Attorney’s Office alleged in its complaint that Trezvant cut Trumpp with a knife in an act of attempted first-degree murder, defined as attempting to “unlawfully, feloniously, intentionally and with premeditation kill a human being.”

Trezvant appeared in court Friday, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 26. He is being held on a $500,000 bond.

Trezvant previously pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery of a law enforcement officer in 2024 and was sentenced to nearly four months in jail.

In 2020, he pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors — obstructing the legal process and possession of drug paraphernalia — and was released on time served.

Bill Self and No. 4 Kansas open up the March Madness slate against No. 13 California Baptist in East Region play.

The Jayhawks are looking to shake off a 22-point blowout loss to Houston in the Big 12 semifinals, while Cal Baptist takes a ride down I-5 South to San Diego, having won six straight games.

Kansas is a 13.5-point favorite, with the Over/Under set at 138.5 total points, per BetMGM Sportsbook.

With No. 12-seed High Point emphatically beating No. 5 Wisconsin, followed by No. 11-seed VCU’s stunning overtime victory against No. 6-seed UNC on Thursday, the underdogs have injected nervousness into the bracket, validating the belief that any team can win.

Could we see another shocker in this No. 13 vs. No. 4 matchup?

California Baptist vs. Kansas prediction, best bet.

Darryn Peterson’s inconsistent ability to play a full 40 minutes has been the defining narrative of Kansas’ season. 

Despite cramping or persistent injuries for the NBA prospect, Kansas managed a 10-2 record without him in the lineup.

His ability to score at all three levels complements the Jayhawks’ top-10 defensive efficiency when he’s on the floor. However, poor shooting nights—such as his 3-of-18 performance at Arizona State—can lead to nightmarish losses for his team.

Melvin Council Jr.’s performance at point guard will be crucial following a poor showing in the Big 12 tournament, where he shot 4-of-26 in two games.

He remains the team’s assist leader, averaging 5.1 per game.

With Flory Bidunga dominating the paint with almost 2.5 blocks per game, Kansas is positioned to potentially seize control later in the contest.

Cal Baptist brings a strong team rebounding approach as well, leading the Western Athletic Conference with 39.9 boards per outing.

Sure, the WAC is not a household name in basketball, but make no mistake, the Lancers’ 25-8 overall record earned them their first-ever bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Cal Baptist, like Kansas, also boasts a clear primary offensive threat in 5-foot-10 Dominique Daniels Jr. 

Daniels Jr. is a potent scorer, averaging 23.2 points per game, the fifth-most in Division I, and his perimeter prowess could create difficulties for Kansas, which has struggled to defend the arc.

While the Jayhawks’ recent 4-5 record over their last nine games is concerning, Cal Baptist presents multiple challenges.

Unlike many other high seeds, the Lancers have faced and lost to three Big 12 teams the Jayhawks are familiar with in BYU (a blowout loss), along with relatively close defeats to Colorado and Utah. 

Betting on College Basketball?

Adding to the difficulty is the Lancers’ near-top-50 defense, which ranks 51st in adjusted efficiency on KenPom, and near home-court advantage, as this game is about two hours from their campus.

Given these factors, the best betting strategy is a play on the first half, as the game is likely to be much closer than expected heading into halftime.

I’m picking Cal Baptist to cover the first half spread because of the Jayhawks’ tendency to get off to slow starts and their mediocre 5-6 road record away from the Phog this season.

The PLAY: California Baptist +8 first-half spread (-115, bet365 Sportsbook)

Why Trust New York Post Betting

Mike Turay is a sports journalist and editor who closely follows the NBA, NFL, college sports and UFC. He has demonstrated expertise in both NBA and NFL player prop bets for nearly three years. Mike is also highly knowledgeable about the sportsbook offer landscape, frequently trying and reviewing the latest apps and sites.