KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid spoke with the media on Monday.&nbsp; Following is a transcript of his remarks.

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“I don’t really have anything on injuries as of today, but yesterday after I had a chance to meet with you, we found out that (Ben) Niemann had cleared out of the concussion protocol. So, he’s OK to go. Other than that, everything is good as far as the injuries go up to this point. So, I’ll get you informed on it after we get everybody in. As far as the game goes, I think I have similar thoughts to after the game. Defensively, there were some good things with some of our young guys. I thought we did a better job in the red zone. I think there’s room to improve, obviously, but I think some of these young guys getting the experience they did, when we get some of the other guys back it’s going to help us down the road. I thought the guys played hard and aggressive, and we keep challenging. That’s a positive thing as we grow. Then, offensively, again I liked some of the things that went on there. Again, a ton of room to improve, but we were able to move the ball efficiently. I thought Pat (Mahomes) had an outstanding game with five touchdowns. He had the one where he was pressured and had the interception after having his arm hit. Then, I thought there were a lot of individuals that played really well. Again, like the defense, I think the more our offensive line plays together, the better they’re going to continue to get. The fact that Clyde (Edwards-Helaire) was able to get another 100-yard game I think was a positive thing. Obviously, Tyreek (Hill) with his game was tremendous too. But all in all, we have plenty of room to improve as a team, whether it’s special teams, offense or defense. But we’ve got to keep pounding like we have been in practice to work to get better. Then, we’ve got a good team coming in here, so we know that and we’ve got to have a good week of preparation for that. Time’s yours.”

Q:&nbsp;Ben Niemann was involved in a play yesterday where it looked like he forced and recovered a fumble, but it wasn’t challenged. Can you take us through deciding when and how to challenge a play?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I’ve seen that now on tape. The problem was we didn’t get any replay on it and it was on that far corner over there away from us, so it is hard to see exactly what went on. Normally you get a replay up. They didn’t present one, so we weren’t able to get a look at it. In hindsight though, yeah, I should have thrown a flag. But that’s hindsight.”

Q:&nbsp;How does teams going for it on fourth down against you impact how you play the game?

REID:&nbsp;“It’s happening all through the league. It’s crazy, teams are more willing to go for fourth downs now than ever before. And we’ve always been a willing team to do it depending on situations, but you’re seeing it on the plus-side of the field and the minus-side of the field. So, it’s football today, it’s kind of crazy. But they wanted it to be an offensive game and it’s leaning that way where people are taking more chances.”

Q:&nbsp;What have you seen from Clyde Edwards-Helaire that allowed him to bounce back after the fumble in Baltimore?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah things happen. I think people understand that I mean (people) that know football. Things happen and he’s a talented kid and it was good that he put up back-to-back 100-yard games together. I know he and the offensive line take a lot of pride in that.”

Q:&nbsp;What is the probability that Willie Gay will be back in the lineup Sunday?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah there’s a chance. He was kind of getting there last week so we’ll see on this piece, see where he’s at as we go forward here. I think he’s starting to feel a little bit better for sure.”

Q:&nbsp;Where are the points of focus for the defense?

REID:&nbsp;“I think there are areas we got to take care of and it’s more situations we got to take care of and certain coverages and just calls. So, the scheme and we just tighten that up a little bit I think we’ll be okay. Never quite as good as you think and never as bad as you think. A few tweaks here and there I think we’ll be alright.”

Q:&nbsp;Will Josh Gordon be promoted to active roster come Sunday?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah I’m going to just see how he does this week and talk to him. I haven’t talked to him today, but we’ll just see kind of where he’s at and how he’s feeling. There’s a chance, but there’s a chance he’s not also. I’m going to just play it by ear and see how he feels. It’s really more of a comfort thing with the offense. I don’t want to put him in a bad situation out there.”

Q:&nbsp;What have you seen out of Mike Danna the past few weeks?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah so listen I think Mike did a nice job actually. He had two sacks and the one thing Jarran Reed has done is given us the flexibility to move Chris (Jones) out and move him back in certain situations. We’ve kind of moved him all around is what we’ve done, and I think that’s been important and he’s done a nice job. He had several hurries yesterday; he did a nice job with that and was around the quarterback when they did throw the ball at both spots. I think the one thing it normally does out there is free him up, gives him a better opportunity to rush. We rotate them anyway so they’re all going to play whether Chris is inside or out, Mike Danna will play.”

Q:&nbsp;Has Patrick Mahomes had to change the dynamics of how he escapes because these offensive linemen block differently?

REID:&nbsp;“One thing that’s crazy and doesn’t get talked about much is that the quarterbacks all know and have a great feel for their offensive line’s strengths, weaknesses, where they can escape against certain techniques that they’re playing against if they need. Is it other teams working games on them and then where’s the escape pattern there if needed? So, those are all things that get calculated and how your guys handle that. Once you get into the game part, how do they handle it together? It could be a 3-man game, a 2-man game, and how’s that handled? And then, how do you keep your eyes downfield and let that feel take you where you need to go? That takes a little bit of time and adjustment. So, he’s going through that whole process now. He did it during training camp, we had live periods and now he’s doing the same thing now in these games, but I thought it was pretty good yesterday against some good rushers. Those two inside techniques were good and the two outside guys, because those two inside guys are so good, they don’t get enough credit. I think this is a pretty good defensive line there.”

Q:&nbsp;Is there anything that you feel has been missing from the defensive line and how important is it to get Chris Jones going in the pass rush?

REID:&nbsp;“I think that you play three run teams is a factor to it and that’s probably added to the numbers there. I think that you start getting guys back in here and I think you add Frank [Clark] in the equation. Frank was an All-Pro and you’re missing that element, but I think once we get everyone back in there going and kind of in the flow, I think it will pick up a little bit. Second half, I thought it was better. When you look at it, the first half wasn’t quite as good as the second half.”

Q:&nbsp;Is there somebody on the staff or in the booth responsible for replays?

REID:&nbsp;“Absolutely, but when you start throwing the flag, you want to know what you’re throwing it for and so you expect replays to show up in a certain amount of time and that didn’t happen. So, you want to make sure. I’m not going to throw the flag unless I’m absolutely sure that that’s what’s going on. Timeouts are valuable in this league, so I should try to keep those close to the vest unless I know something.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid spoke with the media on Monday.&nbsp; Following is a transcript of his remarks.OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“I don’t really have anything on injuries as of today, but yesterday after I had a chance to meet with you, we found out that (Ben) Niemann had cleared out of the concussion protocol. So, he’s OK to go. Other than that, everything is good as far as the injuries go up to this point. So, I’ll get you informed on it after we get everybody in. As far as the game goes, I think I have similar thoughts to after the game. Defensively, there were some good things with some of our young guys. I thought we did a better job in the red zone. I think there’s room to improve, obviously, but I think some of these young guys getting the experience they did, when we get some of the other guys back it’s going to help us down the road. I thought the guys played hard and aggressive, and we keep challenging. That’s a positive thing as we grow. Then, offensively, again I liked some of the things that went on there. Again, a ton of room to improve, but we were able to move the ball efficiently. I thought Pat (Mahomes) had an outstanding game with five touchdowns. He had the one where he was pressured and had the interception after having his arm hit. Then, I thought there were a lot of individuals that played really well. Again, like the defense, I think the more our offensive line plays together, the better they’re going to continue to get. The fact that Clyde (Edwards-Helaire) was able to get another 100-yard game I think was a positive thing. Obviously, Tyreek (Hill) with his game was tremendous too. But all in all, we have plenty of room to improve as a team, whether it’s special teams, offense or defense. But we’ve got to keep pounding like we have been in practice to work to get better. Then, we’ve got a good team coming in here, so we know that and we’ve got to have a good week of preparation for that. Time’s yours.”Q:&nbsp;Ben Niemann was involved in a play yesterday where it looked like he forced and recovered a fumble, but it wasn’t challenged. Can you take us through deciding when and how to challenge a play?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I’ve seen that now on tape. The problem was we didn’t get any replay on it and it was on that far corner over there away from us, so it is hard to see exactly what went on. Normally you get a replay up. They didn’t present one, so we weren’t able to get a look at it. In hindsight though, yeah, I should have thrown a flag. But that’s hindsight.”Q:&nbsp;How does teams going for it on fourth down against you impact how you play the game?REID:&nbsp;“It’s happening all through the league. It’s crazy, teams are more willing to go for fourth downs now than ever before. And we’ve always been a willing team to do it depending on situations, but you’re seeing it on the plus-side of the field and the minus-side of the field. So, it’s football today, it’s kind of crazy. But they wanted it to be an offensive game and it’s leaning that way where people are taking more chances.”Q:&nbsp;What have you seen from Clyde Edwards-Helaire that allowed him to bounce back after the fumble in Baltimore?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah things happen. I think people understand that I mean (people) that know football. Things happen and he’s a talented kid and it was good that he put up back-to-back 100-yard games together. I know he and the offensive line take a lot of pride in that.”Q:&nbsp;What is the probability that Willie Gay will be back in the lineup Sunday?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah there’s a chance. He was kind of getting there last week so we’ll see on this piece, see where he’s at as we go forward here. I think he’s starting to feel a little bit better for sure.”Q:&nbsp;Where are the points of focus for the defense?REID:&nbsp;“I think there are areas we got to take care of and it’s more situations we got to take care of and certain coverages and just calls. So, the scheme and we just tighten that up a little bit I think we’ll be okay. Never quite as good as you think and never as bad as you think. A few tweaks here and there I think we’ll be alright.”Q:&nbsp;Will Josh Gordon be promoted to active roster come Sunday?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah I’m going to just see how he does this week and talk to him. I haven’t talked to him today, but we’ll just see kind of where he’s at and how he’s feeling. There’s a chance, but there’s a chance he’s not also. I’m going to just play it by ear and see how he feels. It’s really more of a comfort thing with the offense. I don’t want to put him in a bad situation out there.”Q:&nbsp;What have you seen out of Mike Danna the past few weeks?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah so listen I think Mike did a nice job actually. He had two sacks and the one thing Jarran Reed has done is given us the flexibility to move Chris (Jones) out and move him back in certain situations. We’ve kind of moved him all around is what we’ve done, and I think that’s been important and he’s done a nice job. He had several hurries yesterday; he did a nice job with that and was around the quarterback when they did throw the ball at both spots. I think the one thing it normally does out there is free him up, gives him a better opportunity to rush. We rotate them anyway so they’re all going to play whether Chris is inside or out, Mike Danna will play.”Q:&nbsp;Has Patrick Mahomes had to change the dynamics of how he escapes because these offensive linemen block differently?REID:&nbsp;“One thing that’s crazy and doesn’t get talked about much is that the quarterbacks all know and have a great feel for their offensive line’s strengths, weaknesses, where they can escape against certain techniques that they’re playing against if they need. Is it other teams working games on them and then where’s the escape pattern there if needed? So, those are all things that get calculated and how your guys handle that. Once you get into the game part, how do they handle it together? It could be a 3-man game, a 2-man game, and how’s that handled? And then, how do you keep your eyes downfield and let that feel take you where you need to go? That takes a little bit of time and adjustment. So, he’s going through that whole process now. He did it during training camp, we had live periods and now he’s doing the same thing now in these games, but I thought it was pretty good yesterday against some good rushers. Those two inside techniques were good and the two outside guys, because those two inside guys are so good, they don’t get enough credit. I think this is a pretty good defensive line there.”Q:&nbsp;Is there anything that you feel has been missing from the defensive line and how important is it to get Chris Jones going in the pass rush?REID:&nbsp;“I think that you play three run teams is a factor to it and that’s probably added to the numbers there. I think that you start getting guys back in here and I think you add Frank [Clark] in the equation. Frank was an All-Pro and you’re missing that element, but I think once we get everyone back in there going and kind of in the flow, I think it will pick up a little bit. Second half, I thought it was better. When you look at it, the first half wasn’t quite as good as the second half.”Q:&nbsp;Is there somebody on the staff or in the booth responsible for replays?REID:&nbsp;“Absolutely, but when you start throwing the flag, you want to know what you’re throwing it for and so you expect replays to show up in a certain amount of time and that didn’t happen. So, you want to make sure. I’m not going to throw the flag unless I’m absolutely sure that that’s what’s going on. Timeouts are valuable in this league, so I should try to keep those close to the vest unless I know something.”-<a href="http://chiefs.com">CHIEFS</a>-

Chiefs' Reid talks football on Monday

The buildings may have been reclaimed by wind and rain. The foundations may lie silent under wheat or corn. But if you listen, you might hear the hustle and bustle of yesterday’s towns. 

Join Daniel C. Fitzgerald, as he turns back the years and introduces you to some of the ghost towns of central Kansas. He’ll discuss beginnings, growth, people and abandonment, as well as the vital role these towns played in the history of Kansas. Some names may sound familiar while many others will be new.

The Smoky Hill Museum will host this free Zoom presentation on Thursday from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Register to receive a link at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.smokyhillmuseum.org/" target="_blank">www.smokyhillmuseum.org</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Fitzgerald is a Kansas native, now living in Florida. Specializing in regional history, he’s written numerous books about Kansas ghost towns.&nbsp;

The buildings may have been reclaimed by wind and rain. The foundations may lie silent under wheat or corn. But if you listen, you might hear the hustle and bustle of yesterday’s towns. Join Daniel C. Fitzgerald, as he turns back the years and introduces you to some of the ghost towns of central Kansas. He’ll discuss beginnings, growth, people and abandonment, as well as the vital role these towns played in the history of Kansas. Some names may sound familiar while many others will be new.The Smoky Hill Museum will host this free Zoom presentation on Thursday from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Register to receive a link at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.smokyhillmuseum.org/" target="_blank">www.smokyhillmuseum.org</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;Fitzgerald is a Kansas native, now living in Florida. Specializing in regional history, he’s written numerous books about Kansas ghost towns.&nbsp;

Free museum virtural program to look at area ghost towns

<a href="https://www.chaputbuoy.com/obituary/aleta-gile">Obituary | Aleta Marie Gile of Tampa, Florida | Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home (chaputbuoy.com)</a>

Aleta Marie Gile, 87, retired 35 years of work as assistant to the dean of engineering at Wichita State University, died Friday, September 24, 2021 in Tampa, FL. Aleta was born May 2, 1934 to Marvin and Margaret (Sterling) McDaniel in Cloud County, Kansas.

She attended several area grade schools in Concordia and graduated from Concordia High School in 1952.&nbsp; 

She married Marvin D. Gile of Concordia, KS on December 13, 1953, who preceded her in death.&nbsp;

She also was preceded in death by her parents and her mother-in-law and father-in-law and her oldest brother, Donald McDaniel and sister, Shirley McDaniel Yeager. 

She is survived my her brother Marvin D. McDaniel of Sarasota, FL, brother Dennis P. McDaniel (Julie) of Tampa, FL, Bonnie McDaniel of Maryland Heights, MO, and two brothers-in-law, Bill Gile (Mary Ann) of Sacramento, CA and Dennis Gile of Andover, KS. Aleta was also survived by a host of nieces and nephews and their children, all who loved Aunt Aleta very much.

Aleta loved to listen to her husband play piano and encouraged and sponsored musical pursuits by family members. She enjoyed the arts and appreciated the beauty of flowers and birds of her yard. Aleta and Marvin enjoyed many years of touring the highways and byways of our country while wildlife and bird watching. Aleta loved watching WSU Shockers basketball. After moving to Florida in 2018 Aleta discovered a love for Walt Disney World theme parks and visited the parks regularly.

Aleta was cremated in Tampa, FL at Serenity Meadows and a friends and family service will take place at the Wichita Botanical Gardens (701 Amidon Street, Wichita, KS) on Friday, November 5, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Lunch will be provided.

Burial will take place at Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Concordia, KS at 4:00 p.m. 

In lieu of flowers, Aleta requested donations to the WSU Foundation Aleta and Marvin Gile Piano Scholarship or the Larry Gile Memorial Violin Scholarship fund.

Please visit,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.chaputbuoy.com/">www.chaputbuoy.com</a>&nbsp;for online condolences.

<h2>Aleta Marie Gile, Tampa, Florida</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633212936749.jpeg" alt="Aleta Marie Gile" />
 <figcaption>Aleta Marie Gile</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.chaputbuoy.com/obituary/aleta-gile">Obituary | Aleta Marie Gile of Tampa, Florida | Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home (chaputbuoy.com)</a>May 2, 1934 - September 24, 2021Aleta Marie Gile, 87, retired 35 years of work as assistant to the dean of engineering at Wichita State University, died Friday, September 24, 2021 in Tampa, FL. Aleta was born May 2, 1934 to Marvin and Margaret (Sterling) McDaniel in Cloud County, Kansas.She attended several area grade schools in Concordia and graduated from Concordia High School in 1952.&nbsp; She married Marvin D. Gile of Concordia, KS on December 13, 1953, who preceded her in death.&nbsp;She also was preceded in death by her parents and her mother-in-law and father-in-law and her oldest brother, Donald McDaniel and sister, Shirley McDaniel Yeager. She is survived my her brother Marvin D. McDaniel of Sarasota, FL, brother Dennis P. McDaniel (Julie) of Tampa, FL, Bonnie McDaniel of Maryland Heights, MO, and two brothers-in-law, Bill Gile (Mary Ann) of Sacramento, CA and Dennis Gile of Andover, KS. Aleta was also survived by a host of nieces and nephews and their children, all who loved Aunt Aleta very much.Aleta loved to listen to her husband play piano and encouraged and sponsored musical pursuits by family members. She enjoyed the arts and appreciated the beauty of flowers and birds of her yard. Aleta and Marvin enjoyed many years of touring the highways and byways of our country while wildlife and bird watching. Aleta loved watching WSU Shockers basketball. After moving to Florida in 2018 Aleta discovered a love for Walt Disney World theme parks and visited the parks regularly.Aleta was cremated in Tampa, FL at Serenity Meadows and a friends and family service will take place at the Wichita Botanical Gardens (701 Amidon Street, Wichita, KS) on Friday, November 5, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Lunch will be provided.Burial will take place at Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Concordia, KS at 4:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, Aleta requested donations to the WSU Foundation Aleta and Marvin Gile Piano Scholarship or the Larry Gile Memorial Violin Scholarship fund.Please visit,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.chaputbuoy.com/">www.chaputbuoy.com</a>&nbsp;for online condolences.

Aleta Marie Gile

<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/23/5/12685">Stevie Williams</a>&nbsp;(SR/East Los Angeles, Calif.)' accomplishments as a wide receiver are well documented and widely celebrated.

His numerous highlight reel catches since arriving at Kansas Wesleyan have been seen by many, including television viewers worldwide courtesy of ESPN's SportsCenter after a leaping, falling-backwards, one-handed grab against Bethel in 2019.

Williams, a transfer from Pasadena City College (Calif.) before the 2019 season, earned AFCA/NAIA All-America honors his first two seasons at KWU and is on pace to do so again this fall.

He has 24 receptions for 538 yards and eight touchdowns in four games – his latest conquest a mindboggling six-catch, 266-yard, five-touchdown effort against Bethany last Saturday in Lindsborg. The 266 yards were a school record and the five touchdowns tied school and Kansas Conference records.

For all his achievements on the football field, though, Williams' efforts and progress off the field might be more impressive.

"When I first got here, I didn't really know much," he said. "I was a transfer, I thought I knew everything but I didn't."

Williams decided to change and did so while continuing to torture opposing defenses each Saturday in the fall.

"Being a Coyote taught me a lot of things," he said. "It's taught me how to be a man, how to manage time. Everything from the teachers in the classroom to on the field and the coaches.

"As I grew, I had a chance to talk to players, recent and past, and they taught me a lot. I kept my head up and just kept fighting through it. I'm really glad that I chose to come here because it taught me a lot."

The transformation hasn't gone unnoticed.

"His growth from his first year as a great player to now as a great leader and mentor to younger players – leads by example on the field, in the classroom, handles his business the right way all the time – has been an incredible process and so much fun to watch," coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/23/5/12030">Myers Hendrickson</a>&nbsp;said.

The process has manifest itself in other ways on the field where Williams has become the leader of the Coyotes' high-scoring offense.

"I try to do everything right, try to listen to all the coaches and players, try to help other players on and off the field," he said.

"The most enjoyment I've gotten out of Stevie's time here is how he's grown as a leader," he said. "He leads by example and now not only the receiving corps but the whole offense looks to Stevie for advice in a lot of different ways."

After a sensational 2020-21 season Williams opted to return to school after the NAIA granted student-athletes an extra season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The real reason is I felt like I really didn't feel like I did much last season," he said, despite having 60 catches for 903 yards and 10 touchdowns. "If it's a free season I'm going to take it regardless. I felt like there was still some work to be done and had some unfinished business I needed to do."

Williams is quick to credit fellow receivers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/23/5/12816">Eren Jenkins</a>&nbsp;(FR/Chicago, Ill.) and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/23/5/12686">Drevon Macon</a>&nbsp;(JR/Los Angeles, Calif.) for helping him succeed. Jenkins, known as EA, was unstoppable in KWU's 31-24 victory over then-No. 10 Bethel in North Newton two weeks ago when he caught 11 passes for 217 yards and two scores.

"When teams try to key on me, like the Bethel game, then you have guys like EA that step up and have a great game," Williams said. "This past game against Bethany, they left me in one-on-one coverage, they had the safeties on EA's side so I took advantage. Isaiah just threw the ball up to me I had to make a play."

Jenkins and Williams have become a dreaded two-headed monster for opposing defense this season.

"EA brings a different kind of effort to the game," Williams said. "With him every day it's like a competition, we go back and forth. We always joke with each other 'I'm better than you in this rep; no, I'm better than you in this rep.' He gives the receiving corps a huge lift on and off the field."

Macon plays in the slot and is a rushing and receiving threat.

"I feel like next year he's going to be the leader of the receiving corps and everybody's going to follow him," Williams said.

The unbeaten (4-0) and No. 10-ranked Coyotes play Saint Mary at 1 p.m. Saturday at Graves Family Sports Complex. Williams knows his time at Wesleyan is growing short, especially his time on Gene Bissell Field.

But he says he's ready for whatever the future holds.

"I feel like I can take everything they taught me here and take it into the real world," he said.

The above feature story is republished with permission from <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com">kwucoyotes.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633192974992.jpeg" alt="Coyotes' Stevie Williams. Photo courtesy <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com">kwucoyotes.com</a>" />
 <figcaption>Coyotes' Stevie Williams. Photo courtesy <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com">kwucoyotes.com</a></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/23/5/12685">Stevie Williams</a>&nbsp;(SR/East Los Angeles, Calif.)' accomplishments as a wide receiver are well documented and widely celebrated.His numerous highlight reel catches since arriving at Kansas Wesleyan have been seen by many, including television viewers worldwide courtesy of ESPN's SportsCenter after a leaping, falling-backwards, one-handed grab against Bethel in 2019.Williams, a transfer from Pasadena City College (Calif.) before the 2019 season, earned AFCA/NAIA All-America honors his first two seasons at KWU and is on pace to do so again this fall.He has 24 receptions for 538 yards and eight touchdowns in four games – his latest conquest a mindboggling six-catch, 266-yard, five-touchdown effort against Bethany last Saturday in Lindsborg. The 266 yards were a school record and the five touchdowns tied school and Kansas Conference records.For all his achievements on the football field, though, Williams' efforts and progress off the field might be more impressive."When I first got here, I didn't really know much," he said. "I was a transfer, I thought I knew everything but I didn't."Williams decided to change and did so while continuing to torture opposing defenses each Saturday in the fall."Being a Coyote taught me a lot of things," he said. "It's taught me how to be a man, how to manage time. Everything from the teachers in the classroom to on the field and the coaches."As I grew, I had a chance to talk to players, recent and past, and they taught me a lot. I kept my head up and just kept fighting through it. I'm really glad that I chose to come here because it taught me a lot."The transformation hasn't gone unnoticed."His growth from his first year as a great player to now as a great leader and mentor to younger players – leads by example on the field, in the classroom, handles his business the right way all the time – has been an incredible process and so much fun to watch," coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/23/5/12030">Myers Hendrickson</a>&nbsp;said.The process has manifest itself in other ways on the field where Williams has become the leader of the Coyotes' high-scoring offense."I try to do everything right, try to listen to all the coaches and players, try to help other players on and off the field," he said.Hendrickson concurs."The most enjoyment I've gotten out of Stevie's time here is how he's grown as a leader," he said. "He leads by example and now not only the receiving corps but the whole offense looks to Stevie for advice in a lot of different ways."After a sensational 2020-21 season Williams opted to return to school after the NAIA granted student-athletes an extra season because of the COVID-19 pandemic."The real reason is I felt like I really didn't feel like I did much last season," he said, despite having 60 catches for 903 yards and 10 touchdowns. "If it's a free season I'm going to take it regardless. I felt like there was still some work to be done and had some unfinished business I needed to do."Williams is quick to credit fellow receivers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/23/5/12816">Eren Jenkins</a>&nbsp;(FR/Chicago, Ill.) and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwucoyotes.com/roster/23/5/12686">Drevon Macon</a>&nbsp;(JR/Los Angeles, Calif.) for helping him succeed. Jenkins, known as EA, was unstoppable in KWU's 31-24 victory over then-No. 10 Bethel in North Newton two weeks ago when he caught 11 passes for 217 yards and two scores."When teams try to key on me, like the Bethel game, then you have guys like EA that step up and have a great game," Williams said. "This past game against Bethany, they left me in one-on-one coverage, they had the safeties on EA's side so I took advantage. Isaiah just threw the ball up to me I had to make a play."Jenkins and Williams have become a dreaded two-headed monster for opposing defense this season."EA brings a different kind of effort to the game," Williams said. "With him every day it's like a competition, we go back and forth. We always joke with each other 'I'm better than you in this rep; no, I'm better than you in this rep.' He gives the receiving corps a huge lift on and off the field."Macon plays in the slot and is a rushing and receiving threat."I feel like next year he's going to be the leader of the receiving corps and everybody's going to follow him," Williams said.The unbeaten (4-0) and No. 10-ranked Coyotes play Saint Mary at 1 p.m. Saturday at Graves Family Sports Complex. Williams knows his time at Wesleyan is growing short, especially his time on Gene Bissell Field.But he says he's ready for whatever the future holds."I feel like I can take everything they taught me here and take it into the real world," he said.The above feature story is republished with permission from <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com">kwucoyotes.com</a>.

Learning on, off gridiron: Williams discusses growth at KWU

All the talk on the news about inflation is a little scary. Is there any way to protect yourself against it on a day-to-day basis?

When people start talking about inflation, it seems like there are always some who want to start collecting gold, fill every container they own with gasoline and stick their cash under their mattresses. But listen, you can prepare&nbsp;for inflation and address the results&nbsp;without&nbsp;being panicked.

You&nbsp;are still in control of your money, inflation or not. You’ll be able to make sure your money is going toward the right things, while being able to find places where you can cut spending, if you’re living on a written,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/useful-forms" target="_blank">monthly budget</a>. If you’re noticing the prices of things like food and gas rising in your area, you’ll need to adjust your budget to account for this. That way, you’ll know exactly what you’re working with, and it will help you avoid any nasty surprises.

If you’re really feeling the pinch and want to save even more, look for specific ways to&nbsp;lower your grocery bill&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/the-secret-to-saving-money" target="_blank">save money</a>&nbsp;on gas.&nbsp;Maybe it’s time you switched to&nbsp;generic brands,&nbsp;or started a carpool into work. If you find great deals on canned food and things you can&nbsp;stock your pantry&nbsp;with—I’m talking about stuff you’ll actually use—go ahead and buy a little extra. Just make sure you’ve budgeted for it before heading to the grocery store. You’ll want to already know exactly what you’re going to spend, so you don’t get swept up into impulse buying.

Like it or not, inflation is a thing. If you plan on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/investment-calculator" target="_blank">retiring</a>&nbsp;one day, it’s pretty much guaranteed that the cost of a loaf of bread, a tank of gas and even a cup of coffee will have gone up by then. The best way to protect yourself against inflation that’s bound to happen is to&nbsp;invest your money—and the sooner the better. But remember, if you still have debt other than your mortgage, and don’t have an emergency fund of three to six months of expenses, you need to take care of those things first!

<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/" target="_blank">Dave Ramsey</a>&nbsp;is a seven-time No. 1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of&nbsp;The Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. He&nbsp;has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596845065840.jpeg" alt="Dave Ramsey" />
 <figcaption>Dave Ramsey</figcaption>
 </figure>Dear Dave,All the talk on the news about inflation is a little scary. Is there any way to protect yourself against it on a day-to-day basis?GarretDear Garret,When people start talking about inflation, it seems like there are always some who want to start collecting gold, fill every container they own with gasoline and stick their cash under their mattresses. But listen, you can prepare&nbsp;for inflation and address the results&nbsp;without&nbsp;being panicked.You&nbsp;are still in control of your money, inflation or not. You’ll be able to make sure your money is going toward the right things, while being able to find places where you can cut spending, if you’re living on a written,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/useful-forms" target="_blank">monthly budget</a>. If you’re noticing the prices of things like food and gas rising in your area, you’ll need to adjust your budget to account for this. That way, you’ll know exactly what you’re working with, and it will help you avoid any nasty surprises.If you’re really feeling the pinch and want to save even more, look for specific ways to&nbsp;lower your grocery bill&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/the-secret-to-saving-money" target="_blank">save money</a>&nbsp;on gas.&nbsp;Maybe it’s time you switched to&nbsp;generic brands,&nbsp;or started a carpool into work. If you find great deals on canned food and things you can&nbsp;stock your pantry&nbsp;with—I’m talking about stuff you’ll actually use—go ahead and buy a little extra. Just make sure you’ve budgeted for it before heading to the grocery store. You’ll want to already know exactly what you’re going to spend, so you don’t get swept up into impulse buying.Like it or not, inflation is a thing. If you plan on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/investment-calculator" target="_blank">retiring</a>&nbsp;one day, it’s pretty much guaranteed that the cost of a loaf of bread, a tank of gas and even a cup of coffee will have gone up by then. The best way to protect yourself against inflation that’s bound to happen is to&nbsp;invest your money—and the sooner the better. But remember, if you still have debt other than your mortgage, and don’t have an emergency fund of three to six months of expenses, you need to take care of those things first!Dave<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/" target="_blank">Dave Ramsey</a>&nbsp;is a seven-time No. 1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of&nbsp;The Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. He&nbsp;has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.

DAVE SAYS: Protect against inflation?

MANHATTAN&nbsp;– Head coach&nbsp;Bruce Weber&nbsp;met with the area media on Thursday morning to discuss the upcoming 2021-22 men’s basketball season, as the Wildcats hit the hardwood for their first team practice at Ice Family Basketball Center.

K-State returns four of its top-5 scorers, including super senior&nbsp;Mike McGuirl&nbsp;and rising sophomores&nbsp;Davion Bradford,&nbsp;Selton Miguel&nbsp;and&nbsp;Nijel Pack. In all, the Wildcats return nine lettermen, including juniors&nbsp;Kaosi Ezeagu&nbsp;and&nbsp;Carlton Linguard, Jr., and sophomores&nbsp;Luke Kasubke&nbsp;and&nbsp;Seryee Lewis. The team added seven newcomers in the offseason, including Division I transfers&nbsp;Mark Smith&nbsp;(Missouri),&nbsp;Markquis Nowell&nbsp;(Little Rock) and&nbsp;Ismael Massoud&nbsp;(Wake Forest) and a pair of freshmen in&nbsp;Maximus Edwards&nbsp;and&nbsp;Logan Landers.

Season tickets are currently on sale with the Wildcats slated to play 18 games at Bramlage Coliseum, beginning with an exhibition game against Pittsburg State on Nov. 4. The official opener is set for Nov. 10 against Florida A&amp;M.

Fans can purchase season tickets in a variety of ways, including toll free at (800) 221.CATS (2287) and online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kstatesports.com/tickets" target="_blank">www.kstatesports.com/tickets</a>.

The Wildcats will host an open practice on Saturday morning from 11 a.m., until 1:30 p.m., CT at Bramlage Coliseum prior to the Oklahoma football game.

Fans can enter the arena through the Northwest or Northeast entrances with the doors to Section 4-5-6 on the West side and Section 18-19-20 on the East side opening at 11 a.m., CT. Admission is free.

Below is a transcript of Weber’s comments.

“It's always exciting time of the year to get going with real practice. Obviously, times have changed. We have the guys in the spring. We have the guys in the summer. We have the guys in the fall, and we've had some mini practices. You kind of slowly but surely build up but now it's the real stuff, but you still have six weeks. You talk to older coaches that are out of the business who ask, ‘When does practice start, October 15?’ Oh no it doesn't, it starts six weeks before (the season starts) so it's a little bit different but at the same time, there's some excitement there. We're going to have an open practice, get some people in the stands hopefully Saturday before the football game. One; to get our guys out in front of people, but also for our fans to get to know who our players are. We had a great spring, worked very hard on offense and continued to improve their weaknesses. This summer was kind of a combination, working on the offensive part of your game, but also it was important with five new guys to build some chemistry, to build some togetherness. I think if you ask any member on our staff, the first thing when you say what's the best thing about our team is that they get along and enjoy each other. I don't know why, to be honest. I wish it was some magical thing I did, but even the new guys. You got three older guys that joined us in Mark (Smith), Ish (Ismael Massoud) and Markquis (Nowell). They just jumped in like they've been here forever and they're friends with everybody so that was kind of the summer and a little starting to build some toughness. Our big theme was grit, driving for greatness, representing K-State, intensity and toughness and togetherness and we've used that theme throughout the summer into the fall. We did go through a little bit of a boot camp last week with ‘The Program’ and can't say enough about that. I haven't really done anything like that before. We’ve had some events with our strength coach that has put together competitions and strongman things, but this was two former Marines that came in. I couldn't be happier with what happened. Our big thing with that was the toughness parts, but also the details and discipline of the drills they put them through and then probably most importantly, I wanted to have them come together as a group and deal with tough times and when you're in the pool and you got to take your sweatshirt off and put it back on and help your teammates and you don't know how to swim, that was a really tough thing for those guys to do. It really worked out well. I couldn't be happier with how the guys reacted to it, building some leadership, finding out who the leaders were and who stepped up to help their teammates. Now it's real practice and starting to put your concepts in your five-on-five and get that conditioning. We got a ways to go. We have a closed scrimmage on October 23. That'll be our first opportunity. We'll actually have an open scrimmage before the Iowa State football game, then the 23rd we have a scrimmage against an (outside) opponent. And then we have our first exhibition game (on November 4) so we got a ways to go but excited to have the opportunity and excited about the group.”

On the new look Big 12 once the new four schools come in...

“Well, I am thrilled with what happened, the scenario that happened. I think we all, a few months ago, were in limbo and were the eight going to stay together? I didn't know. You guys might know more than me, but we had talked. (Athletic Director) Gene Taylor met with us. I talked to (Executive Associate AD) Casey Scott every week just to get to keep getting feedback and see if we can help but our eight (school) stuck together and we added a good group. Obviously, football wise it really looks good now with BYU and Cincinnati having great years in football. I think the important thing was the media part and the population base. You're getting four schools that have great following that come from media outlets that we need for our next TV contract. I don’t like change. I love where our league was. I've always said when people have asked, ‘What's the best league?’. It's the Big 12. It's a fact and in basketball especially. We've been so good, and I didn't like to change but life is about change and flexibility and dealing with new things and as I said at the start, the scenario to get those teams is a positive thing.”

On if the Big 12 will still be as good of a league moving forward...

“I think you got some pretty good basketball teams. BYU has had success and has been in the NCAA Tournament. Obviously, Cincinnati has had really good success. You had Houston in the Final Four. If you look at it, we got two Final Four teams in Baylor and Houston so that part is good and then UCF. They've had a pretty good run, and they were in the NCAA a few years ago, played Duke in that crazy game and I think everybody watched it. I think it's good. The thing is, I say all the time, how many times have Oklahoma and Texas won the Big 12 basketball in the last 10 years? I think it's a pretty easy answer. They've been great, what Lon (Kruger) did at Oklahoma, every year they were good. Obviously, Texas, Shaka (Smart) had a good run, won the tournament last year, but who's won the Big 12? Kansas, K-State, Texas Tech, Baylor, those schools are all there. We got Oklahoma State who has had a great run. You still got good basketball schools. I think we're in good shape.”

On if anyone has surprised him so far...

“I think right now maybe overall, it might be (senior) Mark Smith. Just when I'm talking leadership, being a good teammate, happy, working hard, and we got a lot of guys. It’s hard for me to single anybody out. As I said before all the newcomers have been very, very receptive. They've jumped in, trusting and want to work. I didn't know if Mark (Smith) being in two different programs and being a little older, I just didn't know to be honest. I told him the other day I met with him I just said, ‘Are you always happy?’ I asked (Missouri head coach) Cuonzo (Martin) last night (at Kansas City Tipoff Dinner), ‘Was he always happy all the time?’. He comes every day with a great attitude and a smile on his face and wants to get better, so if there's one player, he'd be the guy.”

“I think the big thing has been Kaosi (Ezeagu) getting healthy. Kaosi’s made some strides. He’s getting where he feels good. I don't know if he's ever gonna get where he was, but he is making some strides and getting a little healthier. Davion (Bradford), (for him) it's just getting stronger and in better condition and he's made some strides with it. We'd like more. I think he wants more. This next six weeks will be really key for him. But if we can have him and Kaosi healthy, I think you got a pretty good 1-2 punch. Carlton (Linguard) still is recovering from his procedure late last spring. We are starting to get him back. Logan (Landers) gives us another big guy. When you're talking about surprises, I think he's done well. I think he's made as much improvement as anybody over the summer. We're positive about him. And the one thing I should mention is Seryee (Lewis) had a severe injury this fall. He had surgery a couple of weeks ago or 10 days ago. He's gonna miss the season, so it leaves our numbers with big guys a little bit low until Carlton gets back. We're just hoping those main two guys continue to stay in good shape and have good health and see if we get Logan better and understanding what's going on. The bonus would be getting Carlton back and going because with his shooting ability and length, he could give us something that the other guys don't have.”

On the importance of the stretch four in the lineup...

“It's just been a perfect scenario. I think everyone's offense works better if your forward can do guard things and has some length and Ish (Massoud) has got length. He's a little taller than I even thought he'd be. As I said great attitude, happy, works hard, been a really good teammate. He can really shoot the basketball and is kind of figuring out when and how do I get open shots in the offense? When's a good time to shoot, plus to do some of the other things? I think that's our thing with him. Behind that, I think you're gonna end up playing four perimeter guys. Our best players are perimeter guys and you know from Nijel (Pack) and Markquis (Nowell) to Selton (Miguel) and Mike (McGuirl) and Mark (Smith) to Luke (Kasubke) and then Max (Maximus Edwards) coming back from surgery. I think along with Ish, you have some really good perimeter guys that can do some things and what is modern basketball? It's small ball and where did we have success at the end of last year? Small ball. I think we added to that mix, and we can play small ball with somebody with some size, and we could come at people with four little guys. I think a little more depth obviously if we stay healthy with those guards and I hope we can get after people and use Selton’s ball pressure and Markquis can get into people. Mark, it’s been a surprise for me on his athleticism. He's got the big body. He's strong.”

“He is healthy. He did have a tough go of it. I think two contact tracings, COVID, the foot injury, that surgery, putting him in against Texas with about five days of practice. But, he just quietly does his job and has great support from his parents and is starting to make some shots. He is, for me, the biggest surprise last year was his defense and that's what I really worried about, but he stops people. I don't know if you remember last year in the Big 12 Championship game against Baylor, they kept trying to ISO Davion Mitchell on a switch on Luke and Luke kept standing him up. He's taken a little bit of pride. He chests people, maybe not the quickest but he's got some smarts on defense. He moves his feet really well and he'll use his body so he could give us that small ball forward. Now it's just making some shots and part of it last year with him trying to make shots, I said many times we put him in a tough situation. No practice and put him in a Big 12 game. You're gonna play against a team that’s got four players drafted in the NBA Draft and you practice five times in four months. But again, he kept a smile on his face, kept coming back, got better. I think that he's just gonna kind of be our X-Factor, a quiet guy that just does his job every day.”

On Davion Bradford taking the next step...

“I said before, just the strength and a little better condition. The strength so his leg will get stronger. He's had the quad injury, knee type thing since he was in high school that we just need to get stronger. Put as little pressure on that leg as possible, and then where he can maybe get a little more explosive with his jumping and he wants to step out. He's worked on that, the little (Jack) Sikma move in the post. He's worked on that little 12 footer. Guys want to advance their game and that's fine, but we also got to advance the things that he does well. And what he did for us the last game against Baylor was one of his best games or maybe the best against a quality, obviously a national championship team, opponent. Now, can he have that drive and push to continue to do that type of thing on a consistent basis? I guess one word I would use for him if you ask, ‘What does he need to do to improve?’ Be consistent. Give that consistent production every game.”

On the Program experience the team had...

“They contact us all the time. Do you have the time to do it? Through (Kirk) Speraw when he was at Iowa as a grad assistant, they use them. He thought it was pretty positive. Coach Snyder did use them in his last year. We kind of checked around or our strength coach kind of checked around with some of their people. Everyone was real positive and then last year during COVID, it's kind of ironic, Erik (Kapitulik), who runs it is from Connecticut, and he had contacted us and then Mike McGuirl’s high school coach called me and said, ‘Hey, you know Eric does this and he'd love to Zoom with your guys.’ Just everyone's looking for something to help your guys through tough times, so he came on a Zoom with us. Unbelievable presentation. What he's done, his story about losing his soldiers that were under him in a helicopter crash. Some of the guys miraculously survived. His commitment to his soldiers’ kids, and raising money through The Program and also through Ironman competitions, getting sponsors, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, all these different things that he does and all the money goes to those soldiers’ children so they can go to college and have a good upbringing, so it's it's a pretty cool story. I went to Casey Scott and said I know it costs a lot, but I think it would be good for our guys and we put a lot of things on hold the last year and he okayed it. He was kind of dependent on me. I thought it was excellent. Their two representatives that were here with us were Mack (Patrick McNamara) and Fred (Smith), did an unbelievable job and their evaluation of our guys was unbelievable. They spent two hours with us Friday morning as a staff just helping us with some ideas to help the players. They’ve already contacted our guys so they do a good job. It was definitely worth it.”

On the leaders that have emerged...

“Well I think that the thing they talked about. One of the most important things is we got to have great teammates first and how do you do that? You set the example. I think that starts with Mike McGuirl. It starts with the guys that had success last year, your Nigel's and Selton’s to understand what we want on a daily basis. That's important. And then who is going to hold people accountable? That's their next thing and that's where the leadership really comes in play and they flat out asked our guys, ‘Who likes holding people accountable?’ It's not an easy thing to do, and there were a lot of guys that raised their hand and said, ‘I do not like to do that and I'm not comfortable with it.’ Mark Smith jumped out. I think they gave us an evaluation after it was over, and they thought Mark Smith was the best leader from their two days, and I've said to you guys. Somebody asked me earlier, who has been the biggest surprise? I think Mark has taken on a little bit of that role, not to diminish Mike or Nigel or anyone else. They still are leaders in some way. They also talk about first row command, second row command, and you got to have your first row, and then who's going to be next and that's where I think we can slowly and surely do that. Selton is one of the guys that does the verbal part. I think if you asked the coaches who is the best teammate on our team and I've shared this with you guys before. It’s Davion (Bradford). Every day he is there to help you. He's the one when Selton is sitting there crying he's wiping his tears so we got a good mixture but I think if you pick one guy right now, maybe Mark Smith, but we'll see more as as practice goes on.”

“He obviously had a really good freshman year. I’m still disappointed that he didn't get acknowledged in the Big 12 but I think it gave him a little motivation going into that Big 12 Tournament and he had two unbelievable games to finish the year. We were talking with the Baylor coaches over the summer recruiting and Davion Mitchell, Jared Butler and (Macio) Teague, they had their way with a lot of people and they said that the one guy they were always mad that they couldn't get to turn it over was Nijel, and you look at his assist-turnover ratio. It's pretty impressive for a freshman, so I think just a little more confidence and mojo, feeling good about himself, talking a little more, becoming a little better on defense. I use a word I probably can't use on this media but add a little stuff to his game. Add to his game a little step back, make some plays with contact at the end of the shot clock. He obviously can shoot. We did a shooting drill the other day that I got from Coach Beilein, and he shattered that drill. I texted Coach Beilein after and he said, ‘Man, that's some of the best numbers I've ever seen.’ He’s had some pretty good shooters through the years. Those are things that we know he'll do and he's consistent with but just gotta add to the game. A little moxie, a little talk. I think that if he can do that and be a little better defensively, we will have a special and consistent player.”

On Mike McGuirl as a great teammate...

“It's one thing we've talked to all of them about, because a lot of them are going to have probably a few less minutes but can you be more productive? Can you be more efficient in your minutes? Because you're a little more rested, are you going to be better also? We've talked to Mike about that and there's no doubt Mike's a great teammate. As soon as The Program was over, Mike text all the coaches and just said, ‘Thank you for doing it. I thought it was big time.’ Here’s a fifth year guy, the guy that's been through it, been through the wars but he's so appreciative. We all told him, ‘Please enjoy. Take advantage of the opportunity, enjoy it, make the most out of it. You know how special K-State is. Be grateful for this opportunity and make the most.’ I'm pretty sure he will. I haven't said he's not the leader but good teams have multiple leaders, and I hope that Mike is in that group because he's older, more mature. He has been through it. He just needs to get a little more consistent numbers and be a little more efficient.”

On Curtis Kelly and Zack Price as GAs...

“It's always good to have a former guy come back. Obviously, I didn't coach Curtis, but he did come back off and on. He worked camp. I loved from day one his enthusiasm, his love for the game, his passion for the game. He comes every day with a smile and with some energy. He's always talking to the players, encouraging and obviously he's a guy that had success, played overseas, played professional basketball for a long time so I hope they're willing to listen to him but he's got a good temperament. I'm so happy, I'd love to always have all players back. Then Zack, a little older guy that's been assistant coach for a very good coach and came through Coach (Brett) Weiberg, played for Coach Weiberg at Missouri Western and been around good people and he brings a little more maturity for us. It's somebody a little older and not afraid to get his hands dirty and do some of the little things that need to be done so excited about that. Proud of our guys that were here. We're really proud too. Somebody brought up to us that we're 11 for 11, our grad assistants have all graduated, got their master's degrees, I know Shane (Southwell) put that diploma up in his office and he's proud of it, Jordan (Henriquez-Roberts), really positive for him to get out with the Lakers and have that opportunity as an intern, and so hopefully it paid some dividends for those guys and, and he got his diploma also.”

On Seryee Lewis making progress before the injury...

“That's the sad part. He had started to figure out how hard you have to play and the intensity at this level. We didn't have practice and he was a contract trace twice. He missed I don't know how many days and he was behind. There's no doubt he was. I probably would’ve redshirted him if it was a regular year, but he was starting to make some progress and then we had the injury and so it's sad for him but just like anyone that gets hurt, we always say use this as an opportunity to get better at something and make a negative into a positive. We talked about Cartier (Diarra) having the knee injury when he was a freshman and going from 42 inch vertical to 45. A lot can happen, there's been a lot of people with these knee injuries that have come back and so we just wish the best for him and it's gonna be a long six, seven months for him but we got to be there to help and support and hope that he continues to make the progress and takes steps to be ready a year from now.”

On what the plans for Lewis were before his injury...

“I think it was still up in the air, but he gives us that athletic, big guy, a little different than some of the other guys we have. I think that was the thing we were looking for him maybe, obviously explosive jumper, runner. Just elite athlete, and so as a big guy, could he give us that that at the five and maybe the four? So that's what we were kind of looking at.”

On coaching Mike McGuirl for so long...

“It's a pleasure, to be honest and I know he's sent some text messages. I think he’s just happy, because he went through some doubt. There's a lot of guys that left programs that have been there. We had the backing of his parents. We had the backing of his high school coach. They wanted him to stay. They thought it was the best thing for him. I think it's great and I just want him to have success and achieve some of his dreams and goals and he wants to leave here on a positive note, being part of a special team and being a leader and I hope he gets to where he wants to go.”&nbsp;

-<a href="http://k-statesports.com">k-statesports.com</a>-

Weber discusses the 2021-22 season as practice begins

WICHITA — The Sedgwick County District Attorney is again alerting the public after a Kansas woman lost over $100,000 in a computer scam. “Microsoft will never proactively reach out to you to provide
unsolicited PC or technical support. If you receive a phone call claiming to be from
Microsoft, or see a pop-up window on your PC with a fake warning message and a&nbsp; phone number to call and get your “issue” fixed, it’s better to be safe and not click any
links or provide any personal information.


Never call the number provided in the error message. Real Microsoft error messages
never include a phone number to call.”&nbsp; That information is at the top of Microsoft’s security page.


A Wichita woman recently received a message on her computer which did include a
phone number. Unfortunately, she called it. Over the course of the next few weeks,
that decision cost her over $100,000.


The person who answered the call told the woman, who is in her late 70s, that her
social security number had been compromised and for security reasons, she needed to
transfer money out of her bank account. The caller said Microsoft would then “clean” her
computer of the virus. The woman was also told that others were listening in on her
phone calls.


As instructed, the woman went to her bank and, when the teller asked why she wanted
to withdraw such large sums from her account, the woman responded, “These are
investments for my family.” The woman later told a consumer protection investigator
from the District Attorney’s Office that the person on the phone had recommended she
use the “investments” explanation if anyone at the bank questioned her about the
withdrawals. She then transferred the money to accounts at the direction of the
purported Microsoft "engineer."


These calls continued between the woman and the alleged Microsoft "engineer" from
July to September of this year. Before the woman’s family discovered what was
happening, the woman had lost over $100,000. Investigators with the Office of the
District Attorney are in the process of trying to recover the money, but it is very rare that
lost funds are able to be retrieved in cases like this.


Sadly, this scam is not new. The "Microsoft Scam" as it has come to be known has
been around since 2009. The usual setup is for the scammers to call or email their
intended target and identify themselves as a "technician" or "engineer" from Microsoft
(or some Microsoft-related company). They then tell their target that their Windows-
based computer has a virus (or other problem) that is causing it to generate all sorts of
error messages on the Internet. They tell the target that any number of bad
consequences await if action is not taken to correct the issue. Ultimately, the target is
told they must transfer the money in their bank accounts to safe locations as directed by
the scammer while the problem is corrected.


The District Attorney’s Office does not want anyone else to fall into this trap. To avoid
scams, please hang up the phone if you receive an unsolicited call from someone
asking for personal information, or if the caller asks you to wire money, mail cash, or put&nbsp; money onto gift cards.


If you are the victim of a scam it should be reported. Make a report with your local law
enforcement.


WICHITA — The Sedgwick County District Attorney is again alerting the public after a Kansas woman lost over $100,000 in a computer scam. “Microsoft will never proactively reach out to you to provide
unsolicited PC or technical support. If you receive a phone call claiming to be from
Microsoft, or see a pop-up window on your PC with a fake warning message and a&nbsp; phone number to call and get your “issue” fixed, it’s better to be safe and not click any
links or provide any personal information.
Never call the number provided in the error message. Real Microsoft error messages
never include a phone number to call.”&nbsp; That information is at the top of Microsoft’s security page.
A Wichita woman recently received a message on her computer which did include a
phone number. Unfortunately, she called it. Over the course of the next few weeks,
that decision cost her over $100,000.
The person who answered the call told the woman, who is in her late 70s, that her
social security number had been compromised and for security reasons, she needed to
transfer money out of her bank account. The caller said Microsoft would then “clean” her
computer of the virus. The woman was also told that others were listening in on her
phone calls.
As instructed, the woman went to her bank and, when the teller asked why she wanted
to withdraw such large sums from her account, the woman responded, “These are
investments for my family.” The woman later told a consumer protection investigator
from the District Attorney’s Office that the person on the phone had recommended she
use the “investments” explanation if anyone at the bank questioned her about the
withdrawals. She then transferred the money to accounts at the direction of the
purported Microsoft "engineer."
These calls continued between the woman and the alleged Microsoft "engineer" from
July to September of this year. Before the woman’s family discovered what was
happening, the woman had lost over $100,000. Investigators with the Office of the
District Attorney are in the process of trying to recover the money, but it is very rare that
lost funds are able to be retrieved in cases like this.
Sadly, this scam is not new. The "Microsoft Scam" as it has come to be known has
been around since 2009. The usual setup is for the scammers to call or email their
intended target and identify themselves as a "technician" or "engineer" from Microsoft
(or some Microsoft-related company). They then tell their target that their Windows-
based computer has a virus (or other problem) that is causing it to generate all sorts of
error messages on the Internet. They tell the target that any number of bad
consequences await if action is not taken to correct the issue. Ultimately, the target is
told they must transfer the money in their bank accounts to safe locations as directed by
the scammer while the problem is corrected.
The District Attorney’s Office does not want anyone else to fall into this trap. To avoid
scams, please hang up the phone if you receive an unsolicited call from someone
asking for personal information, or if the caller asks you to wire money, mail cash, or put&nbsp; money onto gift cards.
If you are the victim of a scam it should be reported. Make a report with your local law
enforcement.

Kansas woman lost over $100K in computer scam

<a href="https://www.tibbettsfischerfuneralhome.com/obituary/Bernie-Mohr">Obituary for Bernie D. Mohr | Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home (tibbettsfischerfuneralhome.com)</a>

July 28, 1943 ~ September 25, 2021 (age 78)

Bernie (Bernard) Dean Mohr was born on July 28, 1943, in Chester, Nebraska, the son of Edward and Odessa (Smith) Mohr. 

Bernie grew up in Chester and graduated from Chester High School. Following high school, Bernie enlisted in the U.S. Navy, and was honorably discharged in 1964. Later, Bernie attended Brown Mackie College, earning his degree in business. Bernie worked for M-C Industries for over 30 years and at Reinke Manufacturing, where he retired as the purchasing manager.

On July 25, 1965, Bernie was united in marriage to Betty (Elizabeth) Feasel, and to this union of 56 years, two daughters were born, Amy and Angie.

Bernie was a lifelong member of the Chester and Belleville Methodist churches, and he also served his community as a member of the Belleville City Council and the Belleville Public Library Board. He enjoyed working in his yard, watching westerns, listening to country music, and watching Dallas Cowboys football games. Bernie especially loved watching his grandchildren grow up and attending their many events.

Bernie passed away at the Republic County Hospital in Belleville with Betty and his girls by his side, on Saturday, September 25, 2021, at the age of 78 years, 1 month and 28 days.

He is preceded in death by his parents, his brother Duane “Pic” Mohr and his wife Arlene, brother-in-law Bert Nelson, brother-in-law Bob Feasel and his wife Mary Lou, Betty’s parents, Ralph and Beulah Feasel, aunt and uncle Arlene and Herman Baloun, and niece and nephew, Shirley and Vic Hann.

Bernie is survived by his wife Betty, daughter Amy Schaffer and her husband Bob of Scottsdale, Arizona, daughter Angie Galindo and her husband Keith of Olathe, grandchildren Ally Schaffer, Nick Schaffer, Jack Schaffer, and Max Galindo. He is also survived by his brother-in-law Gary Feasel and his wife Marilyn, sister-in-law Dian Haldorson and her husband Glen, sister-in-law Marge Nelson, and many nieces and nephews.

Memorial services will be Saturday, October 2, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. at the Central Christian Church in Belleville. Military honors will be provided by the U.S. Navy Honor Detail.

Friends may sign Bernie’s register book on Friday, October 1, from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home in Belleville.

Memorials are requested to the American Heart Association or the Bernie Mohr Memorial and may be sent in care of the funeral home.

Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home assisted the Mohr family with these arrangements, www.tibbettsfischerfuneralhome.com.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Bernie D. Mohr, please visit our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tibbettsfischerfuneralhome.com/obituary/Bernie-Mohr/sympathy">floral store.</a>

<h2>Bernie D. Mohr, Belleville</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632841795725.jpeg" alt="Bernie D. Mohr" />
 <figcaption>Bernie D. Mohr</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.tibbettsfischerfuneralhome.com/obituary/Bernie-Mohr">Obituary for Bernie D. Mohr | Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home (tibbettsfischerfuneralhome.com)</a>July 28, 1943 ~ September 25, 2021 (age 78)Bernie (Bernard) Dean Mohr was born on July 28, 1943, in Chester, Nebraska, the son of Edward and Odessa (Smith) Mohr. Bernie grew up in Chester and graduated from Chester High School. Following high school, Bernie enlisted in the U.S. Navy, and was honorably discharged in 1964. Later, Bernie attended Brown Mackie College, earning his degree in business. Bernie worked for M-C Industries for over 30 years and at Reinke Manufacturing, where he retired as the purchasing manager.On July 25, 1965, Bernie was united in marriage to Betty (Elizabeth) Feasel, and to this union of 56 years, two daughters were born, Amy and Angie.Bernie was a lifelong member of the Chester and Belleville Methodist churches, and he also served his community as a member of the Belleville City Council and the Belleville Public Library Board. He enjoyed working in his yard, watching westerns, listening to country music, and watching Dallas Cowboys football games. Bernie especially loved watching his grandchildren grow up and attending their many events.Bernie passed away at the Republic County Hospital in Belleville with Betty and his girls by his side, on Saturday, September 25, 2021, at the age of 78 years, 1 month and 28 days.He is preceded in death by his parents, his brother Duane “Pic” Mohr and his wife Arlene, brother-in-law Bert Nelson, brother-in-law Bob Feasel and his wife Mary Lou, Betty’s parents, Ralph and Beulah Feasel, aunt and uncle Arlene and Herman Baloun, and niece and nephew, Shirley and Vic Hann.Bernie is survived by his wife Betty, daughter Amy Schaffer and her husband Bob of Scottsdale, Arizona, daughter Angie Galindo and her husband Keith of Olathe, grandchildren Ally Schaffer, Nick Schaffer, Jack Schaffer, and Max Galindo. He is also survived by his brother-in-law Gary Feasel and his wife Marilyn, sister-in-law Dian Haldorson and her husband Glen, sister-in-law Marge Nelson, and many nieces and nephews.Memorial services will be Saturday, October 2, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. at the Central Christian Church in Belleville. Military honors will be provided by the U.S. Navy Honor Detail.Friends may sign Bernie’s register book on Friday, October 1, from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home in Belleville.Memorials are requested to the American Heart Association or the Bernie Mohr Memorial and may be sent in care of the funeral home.Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home assisted the Mohr family with these arrangements, www.tibbettsfischerfuneralhome.com.To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Bernie D. Mohr, please visit our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tibbettsfischerfuneralhome.com/obituary/Bernie-Mohr/sympathy">floral store.</a>

Bernie D. Mohr

<a href="https://www.carlsonfh.net/obituaries/Helen-Elaine-Smith?obId=22483703#/obituaryInfo">Helen Elaine Smith Obituary - Visitation &amp; Funeral Information (carlsonfh.net)</a>

Helen Elaine Smith, 103, of Salina, Kansas, passed away Friday, September 24, 2021. Helen was born in Richter, Kansas on July 16, 1918, a daughter of the late Ethelyn (Staadt) and Thomas Harrison Fleming. Graduating from Pomona High School in 1937 and then Kansas State University in 1941 with a teaching degree in home economics, she taught at Durham High School in Durham, Kansas and later at Garfield High School in Garfield, Kansas. Helen worked at the Sunflower Ammunition Plant in DeSoto, Kansas as a (W.O.W.) Woman's Ordnance Worker, in the summer during World War II. On December 23, 1945, she married Gilman "Buzzy” Smith of Durham, Kansas. Together they raised four children and worked their farm in the Holland area of Dickinson, County.

Being raised in a Christian family, she followed those teachings through her life, and was a multi- faceted member of Mt. Pleasant Presbyterian Church. Helen was a 4-H sewing leader for Holland Sunflower 4H Club and took an active interest in assisting her children with their own various 4-H projects. She was a caring and compassionate community member who enjoyed helping others and being actively involved in community events where she could give back to the community that she felt very fortunate to have belonged to. Helen was artistic and talented. She played the piano, made flower arrangements, did woodwork, refinished furniture, canned pickled beets and other various vegetables, made applesauce, sewed clothing, baked the best lemon meringue pie and angel food cake ever. She gardened, baked bread, quilted, cross stitched, made jewelry, wrote poetry and even won a spelling contest in her 90s. She was very interested in learning her genealogy and family history. She loved birds, nature, going to garage sales, antiquing, reading, and Halloween, when she would plan her costumes a year in advance. Helen and Buzzy traveled to Hawaii, Arizona, Indiana, Alabama, New Mexico, Washington State, Washington, D.C. and Florida to visit their children and grandchildren. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were her pride and joy, and she would often make special time with them to decorate Christmas cookies, dye Easter eggs, put a puzzle together, play a board game or just listen to them play the piano. Helen had a zest and a love for life and others and will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her. Helen is survived by three daughters, Cynthia Warren, of Troutman, North Carolina, Connie Corcoran (Lynn), of Lincoln, Nebraska, Cathy Ahlstedt, of Lindsborg, Kansas; grandchildren Vaughn Warren of Troutman, North Carolina, Kara (Jon) Perricone of San Diego, California, Travis Basgall (Melissa) of Salina, Kansas, Scott Peavler (Anette) of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; and great-grandchildren Jaxon Perricone and Brooklyn Basgall. Helen is also survived by six bonus grandchildren, 20 bonus great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews and extended family. She was preceded in death by son Robert Smith; two sons- in - law, Robert Ahlstedt and Barry Warren; brothers Don Fleming, Bruce Fleming; and sisters -in -law Carol Fleming and Ruth Fleming. Memorial service will be held 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, September 28 at Sunrise Presbyterian Church in Salina, Kansas with Rev. Martha Murchison officiating. In lieu of flowers the family request that memorial contributions be made to Dickinson County Historical Society; Interim Hospice or DVAC of Salina in care of Carlson- Geisendorf Funeral Home, 500 S. Ohio St. Salina, Kansas.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Helen Elaine Smith please visit our&nbsp;<a href="https://carlsongeisendorf-funeral-home-crematory.tributestore.com/?oId=22483703&amp;tag=&amp;tn=MobileSticky|FreeTreeTestFC&amp;otv=Frazer_3BT&amp;source=tco_description&amp;mtph=1" target="_blank">Tribute Store.</a>

<h2>Helen Elaine Smith, Salina</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632839831280.jpeg" alt="Helen Elaine Smith" />
 <figcaption>Helen Elaine Smith</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.carlsonfh.net/obituaries/Helen-Elaine-Smith?obId=22483703#/obituaryInfo">Helen Elaine Smith Obituary - Visitation &amp; Funeral Information (carlsonfh.net)</a>July 16, 1918 - September 24, 2021Helen Elaine Smith, 103, of Salina, Kansas, passed away Friday, September 24, 2021. Helen was born in Richter, Kansas on July 16, 1918, a daughter of the late Ethelyn (Staadt) and Thomas Harrison Fleming. Graduating from Pomona High School in 1937 and then Kansas State University in 1941 with a teaching degree in home economics, she taught at Durham High School in Durham, Kansas and later at Garfield High School in Garfield, Kansas. Helen worked at the Sunflower Ammunition Plant in DeSoto, Kansas as a (W.O.W.) Woman's Ordnance Worker, in the summer during World War II. On December 23, 1945, she married Gilman "Buzzy” Smith of Durham, Kansas. Together they raised four children and worked their farm in the Holland area of Dickinson, County.Being raised in a Christian family, she followed those teachings through her life, and was a multi- faceted member of Mt. Pleasant Presbyterian Church. Helen was a 4-H sewing leader for Holland Sunflower 4H Club and took an active interest in assisting her children with their own various 4-H projects. She was a caring and compassionate community member who enjoyed helping others and being actively involved in community events where she could give back to the community that she felt very fortunate to have belonged to. Helen was artistic and talented. She played the piano, made flower arrangements, did woodwork, refinished furniture, canned pickled beets and other various vegetables, made applesauce, sewed clothing, baked the best lemon meringue pie and angel food cake ever. She gardened, baked bread, quilted, cross stitched, made jewelry, wrote poetry and even won a spelling contest in her 90s. She was very interested in learning her genealogy and family history. She loved birds, nature, going to garage sales, antiquing, reading, and Halloween, when she would plan her costumes a year in advance. Helen and Buzzy traveled to Hawaii, Arizona, Indiana, Alabama, New Mexico, Washington State, Washington, D.C. and Florida to visit their children and grandchildren. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were her pride and joy, and she would often make special time with them to decorate Christmas cookies, dye Easter eggs, put a puzzle together, play a board game or just listen to them play the piano. Helen had a zest and a love for life and others and will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her. Helen is survived by three daughters, Cynthia Warren, of Troutman, North Carolina, Connie Corcoran (Lynn), of Lincoln, Nebraska, Cathy Ahlstedt, of Lindsborg, Kansas; grandchildren Vaughn Warren of Troutman, North Carolina, Kara (Jon) Perricone of San Diego, California, Travis Basgall (Melissa) of Salina, Kansas, Scott Peavler (Anette) of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; and great-grandchildren Jaxon Perricone and Brooklyn Basgall. Helen is also survived by six bonus grandchildren, 20 bonus great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews and extended family. She was preceded in death by son Robert Smith; two sons- in - law, Robert Ahlstedt and Barry Warren; brothers Don Fleming, Bruce Fleming; and sisters -in -law Carol Fleming and Ruth Fleming. Memorial service will be held 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, September 28 at Sunrise Presbyterian Church in Salina, Kansas with Rev. Martha Murchison officiating. In lieu of flowers the family request that memorial contributions be made to Dickinson County Historical Society; Interim Hospice or DVAC of Salina in care of Carlson- Geisendorf Funeral Home, 500 S. Ohio St. Salina, Kansas.To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Helen Elaine Smith please visit our&nbsp;<a href="https://carlsongeisendorf-funeral-home-crematory.tributestore.com/?oId=22483703&amp;tag=&amp;tn=MobileSticky|FreeTreeTestFC&amp;otv=Frazer_3BT&amp;source=tco_description&amp;mtph=1" target="_blank">Tribute Store.</a>

Helen Elaine Smith

I have a good job and make pretty good money, but I’m tired of always worrying about my finances and being strapped for cash at the end of the month. I’ve heard you talk about getting out of debt and living on a zero-based budget, but what exactly is a zero-based budget?

The concept of a zero-based&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/guide-to-budgeting" target="_blank">budget</a>&nbsp;is simple: income minus outgo equals zero.&nbsp;If you bring home $4,000 a month, you want everything you spend, save, give and invest to equal $4,000. That way, you know where every one of your dollars is going. Not knowing where the money’s going is what kills lots of people’s financial dreams. They&nbsp;think&nbsp;they know how much they’re spending and where it’s going, but they really don’t.

Here’s how you do it. List all your income sources for the month.&nbsp;Your income should include paychecks, small-business&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/debt/debt-to-income-ratio-calculator" target="_blank">income</a>, side jobs, residual income, child support and so on. If it’s money that comes into your household’s bank account, write it down and add it up.

Next,&nbsp;list every single expense you have each month.&nbsp;Rent, food, cable, phones and everything in between. Your expenses vary from one month to the next, and this is why you make a new budget each month. Your giving budget might be high in December when&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/the-costly-christmas-mistake" target="_blank">Christmas</a>&nbsp;rolls around. The car budget will spike during months when you pay insurance or renew your tags. Focus on one month at a time.

Now,&nbsp;subtract your expenses from your income.&nbsp;Ideally, this number will be zero. It might take a few months of practice, so don’t worry if it doesn’t balance out immediately. If it doesn’t, it just means you need to do something to bring one of the numbers up, the other one down—or both. If you’re spending more than you make, you need to make some cuts in your spending. If you need to generate more money, get a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/how-extra-work-could-lead-to-huge-financial-rewards" target="_blank">part-time job</a>&nbsp;or sell a bunch of stuff.

The deal with a zero-based budget is this: every dollar must have a name. That means every dollar has a designated job to do. If you fill out every item in your budget and come out $100 ahead—meaning you have nothing for that $100 to do—you haven’t finished your budget. You have to find a job for that $100. It’s your decision what it does, but if you don’t give it a name and purpose, you’ll end up blowing it and wondering where it went.

<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/" target="_blank">Dave Ramsey</a>&nbsp;is a seven-time No. 1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of The Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. He&nbsp;has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596845065840.jpeg" alt="Dave Ramsey" />
 <figcaption>Dave Ramsey</figcaption>
 </figure>Dear Dave,I have a good job and make pretty good money, but I’m tired of always worrying about my finances and being strapped for cash at the end of the month. I’ve heard you talk about getting out of debt and living on a zero-based budget, but what exactly is a zero-based budget?EdwardDear Edward,The concept of a zero-based&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/guide-to-budgeting" target="_blank">budget</a>&nbsp;is simple: income minus outgo equals zero.&nbsp;If you bring home $4,000 a month, you want everything you spend, save, give and invest to equal $4,000. That way, you know where every one of your dollars is going. Not knowing where the money’s going is what kills lots of people’s financial dreams. They&nbsp;think&nbsp;they know how much they’re spending and where it’s going, but they really don’t.Here’s how you do it. List all your income sources for the month.&nbsp;Your income should include paychecks, small-business&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/debt/debt-to-income-ratio-calculator" target="_blank">income</a>, side jobs, residual income, child support and so on. If it’s money that comes into your household’s bank account, write it down and add it up.Next,&nbsp;list every single expense you have each month.&nbsp;Rent, food, cable, phones and everything in between. Your expenses vary from one month to the next, and this is why you make a new budget each month. Your giving budget might be high in December when&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/the-costly-christmas-mistake" target="_blank">Christmas</a>&nbsp;rolls around. The car budget will spike during months when you pay insurance or renew your tags. Focus on one month at a time.Now,&nbsp;subtract your expenses from your income.&nbsp;Ideally, this number will be zero. It might take a few months of practice, so don’t worry if it doesn’t balance out immediately. If it doesn’t, it just means you need to do something to bring one of the numbers up, the other one down—or both. If you’re spending more than you make, you need to make some cuts in your spending. If you need to generate more money, get a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/how-extra-work-could-lead-to-huge-financial-rewards" target="_blank">part-time job</a>&nbsp;or sell a bunch of stuff.The deal with a zero-based budget is this: every dollar must have a name. That means every dollar has a designated job to do. If you fill out every item in your budget and come out $100 ahead—meaning you have nothing for that $100 to do—you haven’t finished your budget. You have to find a job for that $100. It’s your decision what it does, but if you don’t give it a name and purpose, you’ll end up blowing it and wondering where it went.Good luck, Edward!<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/" target="_blank">Dave Ramsey</a>&nbsp;is a seven-time No. 1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of The Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. He&nbsp;has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions

DAVE SAYS: The zero-based budget

WASHINGTON (AP) — With a personal push, President Joe Biden pressed fellow Democrats to hasten work on his big “build back better” agenda, telling them to come up with a final framework and their best topline budget figure as the party labors to bridge its divisions in Congress ahead of crucial voting deadlines.

Biden and Democratic House and Senate lawmakers met for hours of back-to-back-to-back private White House sessions stretching into Wednesday evening, convened at a pivotal juncture for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-5ff8a8f7403e1e8cc27f192d87894d9e">Biden’s $3.5 trillion package</a>&nbsp;as lawmakers struggle to draft details of the ambitious effort. With Republicans solidly opposed, Democratic leaders are counting on the president to galvanize consensus between progressives and centrists in their party.

Biden first conferred with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, then held separate sessions with moderate and progressive senators and representatives. The president listened intently, lawmakers said, but also indicated strongly he wanted progress soon, by next week.

“We’re in good shape,” Pelosi told reporters after returning to the Capitol.

The White House called the meetings “productive and candid” and said follow-up work would be immediately underway. Earlier in the day, press secretary Jen Psaki said the White House realized that with time growing short “there needs to be deeper engagement by the president.”

The intense focus on Biden’s big-money domestic proposal showcases how much is at stake politically for the president and his party in Congress. The administration has suffered setbacks elsewhere, notably with the Afghanistan withdrawal and prolonged COVID-19 crisis, and Democrats are running short of time, anxious to make good on campaign promises.

Congress is racing toward Monday’s deadline for a House vote on the first part of Biden’s plan — a $1 trillion public works measure — which now also serves as a deadline for producing a compromise framework for the broader package.

At one point, Biden told the lawmakers there were plenty of conference rooms at the White House they could use to hunker down this weekend as some suggested they roll up their sleeves and stay to get final details done.

Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a key centrist who has balked at the $3.5 trillion price tag, said the president told him to come up with a number he could live with.

“He just basically said, ‘Find it,’” Manchin said. ”‘Just work on it, give me a number.’”

“The president is really fired up,” said Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, after the evening’s final session.

Meanwhile, the House and Senate remained at a standstill over a separate package to keep the government funded past the Sept. 30 fiscal yearend and to suspend the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-limit-explained-8c9cbcd3d0c4a8fe989a0110f5159f7c">federal debt limit</a>&nbsp;to avert a shutdown and a devastating U.S. default on payments. Senate Republicans are refusing the House-passed bill.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said at a news conference Tuesday that failing to extend the debt limit was “just not something we can contemplate or we should contemplate.”

As for Biden’s big plans, the president and the Democratic lawmakers appeared to have not fully resolved their differences ahead of Monday’s test vote on the smaller public works bill for roads, broadband and public water projects.

Centrist Democrats want swift passage of the slimmer public works bill and have raised concerns about the price tag of Biden’s broader vision, but progressive Democrats are withholding their votes for the $1 trillion measure they view as inadequate unless it’s linked to the bigger package.

Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, a leader of the centrist coalition who attended one of the White House meetings, said all agreed on doing both — passing the bill Monday and working on the bigger package.

But Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington, chairwoman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, issued a statement after another meeting with Biden reiterating that some 50 members plan to vote against the bipartisan measure unless it’s linked to the broader bill. She has said the two bills must move “in tandem” to win the progressive votes.

Beyond the public works measure, Biden’s “build back” agenda is a sweeping overhaul of federal taxes and spending to make what the president views as overdue investments in health care, family services and efforts to fight climate change.

The $3.5 trillion package would impose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-joe-biden-business-personal-taxes-137e00b41f113f85cc241438c780785b">tax hikes on corporations and wealthy Americans</a>&nbsp;earning beyond $400,000 a year and plow that money back into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-health-care-69c7bb592f8d73232bec1d8e15be82e3">federal programs for young and old,</a>&nbsp;along with investments to tackle climate change.

Tensions are high as the Biden agenda is a key campaign promise not only from the president but most of the the Democratic lawmakers, including those in the House who face re-election next year.

“It wasn’t a matter of when we get it done, it was how we get it done,” said Rep. Steven Horsford of Nevada, who was with the moderate group meeting with Biden.

All told, more than 20 lawmakers were invited to confer with Biden, moderates and progressives in separate meetings stretching into the evening, making their best pitches, Manchin and another key centrist Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, among them.

Despite disputes, many Democrats say they expect the final product to align with Biden’s broader vision and eventually have robust party support, even if that version is adjusted or scaled back.

But Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., a leader of the centrist Blue Dog caucus, said the big bill will take more time. “I’m not sure that we’re at a place of closing out just yet,” she said.

While all this is going on, the government faces a shutdown if funding stops on Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year. Additionally, at some point in October the U.S. risks defaulting on its accumulated debt load if its borrowing limits are not waived or adjusted.

Rushing to prevent that dire outcome, the Democratic-led House passed the funding-and-debt measure Tuesday night, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-mitch-mcconnell-janet-yellen-eb14f403fb747f6ec0e05ad4f382bc91">Republicans are refusing to give their support</a>&nbsp;in the Senate, despite the risk of triggering a fiscal crisis.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has said since Democrats control the White House and Congress, it’s their problem to find the votes — though he had relied on bipartisan cooperation to approve debt limit measures when Republicans were in charge.

But in the 50-50 Senate, Democrats will be hard-pressed to find 10 Republicans to reach the 60-vote threshold needed to overcome a filibuster. Other options to try to pass the debt ceiling package could be procedurally difficult.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632405115581.png" alt="The intense focus on Biden’s big-money domestic proposal showcases how much is at stake politically for the president and his party in Congress.-photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>The intense focus on Biden’s big-money domestic proposal showcases how much is at stake politically for the president and his party in Congress.-photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — With a personal push, President Joe Biden pressed fellow Democrats to hasten work on his big “build back better” agenda, telling them to come up with a final framework and their best topline budget figure as the party labors to bridge its divisions in Congress ahead of crucial voting deadlines.Biden and Democratic House and Senate lawmakers met for hours of back-to-back-to-back private White House sessions stretching into Wednesday evening, convened at a pivotal juncture for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-5ff8a8f7403e1e8cc27f192d87894d9e">Biden’s $3.5 trillion package</a>&nbsp;as lawmakers struggle to draft details of the ambitious effort. With Republicans solidly opposed, Democratic leaders are counting on the president to galvanize consensus between progressives and centrists in their party.Biden first conferred with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, then held separate sessions with moderate and progressive senators and representatives. The president listened intently, lawmakers said, but also indicated strongly he wanted progress soon, by next week.“We’re in good shape,” Pelosi told reporters after returning to the Capitol.The White House called the meetings “productive and candid” and said follow-up work would be immediately underway. Earlier in the day, press secretary Jen Psaki said the White House realized that with time growing short “there needs to be deeper engagement by the president.”The intense focus on Biden’s big-money domestic proposal showcases how much is at stake politically for the president and his party in Congress. The administration has suffered setbacks elsewhere, notably with the Afghanistan withdrawal and prolonged COVID-19 crisis, and Democrats are running short of time, anxious to make good on campaign promises.Congress is racing toward Monday’s deadline for a House vote on the first part of Biden’s plan — a $1 trillion public works measure — which now also serves as a deadline for producing a compromise framework for the broader package.At one point, Biden told the lawmakers there were plenty of conference rooms at the White House they could use to hunker down this weekend as some suggested they roll up their sleeves and stay to get final details done.Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a key centrist who has balked at the $3.5 trillion price tag, said the president told him to come up with a number he could live with.“He just basically said, ‘Find it,’” Manchin said. ”‘Just work on it, give me a number.’”“The president is really fired up,” said Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, after the evening’s final session.Meanwhile, the House and Senate remained at a standstill over a separate package to keep the government funded past the Sept. 30 fiscal yearend and to suspend the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-limit-explained-8c9cbcd3d0c4a8fe989a0110f5159f7c">federal debt limit</a>&nbsp;to avert a shutdown and a devastating U.S. default on payments. Senate Republicans are refusing the House-passed bill.Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said at a news conference Tuesday that failing to extend the debt limit was “just not something we can contemplate or we should contemplate.”As for Biden’s big plans, the president and the Democratic lawmakers appeared to have not fully resolved their differences ahead of Monday’s test vote on the smaller public works bill for roads, broadband and public water projects.Centrist Democrats want swift passage of the slimmer public works bill and have raised concerns about the price tag of Biden’s broader vision, but progressive Democrats are withholding their votes for the $1 trillion measure they view as inadequate unless it’s linked to the bigger package.Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, a leader of the centrist coalition who attended one of the White House meetings, said all agreed on doing both — passing the bill Monday and working on the bigger package.But Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington, chairwoman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, issued a statement after another meeting with Biden reiterating that some 50 members plan to vote against the bipartisan measure unless it’s linked to the broader bill. She has said the two bills must move “in tandem” to win the progressive votes.Beyond the public works measure, Biden’s “build back” agenda is a sweeping overhaul of federal taxes and spending to make what the president views as overdue investments in health care, family services and efforts to fight climate change.The $3.5 trillion package would impose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-joe-biden-business-personal-taxes-137e00b41f113f85cc241438c780785b">tax hikes on corporations and wealthy Americans</a>&nbsp;earning beyond $400,000 a year and plow that money back into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-health-care-69c7bb592f8d73232bec1d8e15be82e3">federal programs for young and old,</a>&nbsp;along with investments to tackle climate change.Tensions are high as the Biden agenda is a key campaign promise not only from the president but most of the the Democratic lawmakers, including those in the House who face re-election next year.“It wasn’t a matter of when we get it done, it was how we get it done,” said Rep. Steven Horsford of Nevada, who was with the moderate group meeting with Biden.All told, more than 20 lawmakers were invited to confer with Biden, moderates and progressives in separate meetings stretching into the evening, making their best pitches, Manchin and another key centrist Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, among them.Despite disputes, many Democrats say they expect the final product to align with Biden’s broader vision and eventually have robust party support, even if that version is adjusted or scaled back.But Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., a leader of the centrist Blue Dog caucus, said the big bill will take more time. “I’m not sure that we’re at a place of closing out just yet,” she said.While all this is going on, the government faces a shutdown if funding stops on Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year. Additionally, at some point in October the U.S. risks defaulting on its accumulated debt load if its borrowing limits are not waived or adjusted.Rushing to prevent that dire outcome, the Democratic-led House passed the funding-and-debt measure Tuesday night, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-mitch-mcconnell-janet-yellen-eb14f403fb747f6ec0e05ad4f382bc91">Republicans are refusing to give their support</a>&nbsp;in the Senate, despite the risk of triggering a fiscal crisis.Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has said since Democrats control the White House and Congress, it’s their problem to find the votes — though he had relied on bipartisan cooperation to approve debt limit measures when Republicans were in charge.But in the 50-50 Senate, Democrats will be hard-pressed to find 10 Republicans to reach the 60-vote threshold needed to overcome a filibuster. Other options to try to pass the debt ceiling package could be procedurally difficult.___

Biden presses fellow Dems: Resolve party split on $3.5T plan

Imagine a reality where you can afford to move into your dream house, send your kids to college without debt, and give so generously that it transforms your community.&nbsp;If only&nbsp;. . . right?

With a few changes to your spending habits, you actually&nbsp;can&nbsp;turn your financial dreams into reality.

How Bad Spending Habits Mess Up Your Life

Culture encourages bad money habits all the time through things like impulse shopping, convenience buying and retail therapy. But I don’t want you to spend your life like a rat in a wheel chasing something that is never going to fulfill you. You have to stop these four bad spending habits—and I’ll show you how.

Bad Money Habit No. 1: Spending on impulse

Impulse buying is&nbsp;kind of fun—at least in the moment. You walk into the store for milk, and before you know it, you’ve bought three bags of marked down holiday candy. Oops!

This is normal. Americans spend $183 on impulse every month. Why do those impulse purchases get the better of us? Personally speaking, it’s&nbsp;hard to say no when we think we’re getting a deal. I love a good sale as much as anyone.&nbsp;

The good news is, there are many ways to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/stop-impulse-buys?utm_source=pr&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=rachel_syndicated_content_4_bad_s" target="_blank">overcome impulse spending</a>—like waiting 24 hours before clicking that checkout button. But the most important way is learning to tell yourself no.

Bad Money Habit No. 2: Spending without tracking

It’ll be really hard to succeed at managing your money if you don’t track your purchases. Listen, if you make a plan for your money—aka a budget—but you don’t actually stick it, your budget won’t work.

And let me bust one other myth while I’m here: Budgets don’t tell you what you&nbsp;can’t&nbsp;do—they show you what you&nbsp;can&nbsp;do. I like to say budgets give you permission to spend! And when you track your purchases in a budget, you’ll see where your money is going every month. You may be surprised how much you’re spending on pizza—and that leads us to the next bad money habit we have to conquer.

Bad Money Habit No. 3: Spending on convenience

Delivery apps, valet parking and the drive-thru—we’ve all spent money on these conveniences. With apps, it’s so easy to have dinner delivered straight from your phone. But paying for these conveniences can really add up. Thankfully, convenience spending has a simple cure: planning ahead. My husband, Winston, and I plan and prep our weekly meals on Sundays so that when dinner time rolls around, we never feel the need to grab takeout at the last minute.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627261014766.jpeg" alt="Rachel Cruze" />
 <figcaption>Rachel Cruze</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL CRUZEImagine a reality where you can afford to move into your dream house, send your kids to college without debt, and give so generously that it transforms your community.&nbsp;If only&nbsp;. . . right?Wrong.With a few changes to your spending habits, you actually&nbsp;can&nbsp;turn your financial dreams into reality.How Bad Spending Habits Mess Up Your LifeCulture encourages bad money habits all the time through things like impulse shopping, convenience buying and retail therapy. But I don’t want you to spend your life like a rat in a wheel chasing something that is never going to fulfill you. You have to stop these four bad spending habits—and I’ll show you how.Bad Money Habit No. 1: Spending on impulseImpulse buying is&nbsp;kind of fun—at least in the moment. You walk into the store for milk, and before you know it, you’ve bought three bags of marked down holiday candy. Oops!This is normal. Americans spend $183 on impulse every month. Why do those impulse purchases get the better of us? Personally speaking, it’s&nbsp;hard to say no when we think we’re getting a deal. I love a good sale as much as anyone.&nbsp;The good news is, there are many ways to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/stop-impulse-buys?utm_source=pr&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=rachel_syndicated_content_4_bad_s" target="_blank">overcome impulse spending</a>—like waiting 24 hours before clicking that checkout button. But the most important way is learning to tell yourself no.Bad Money Habit No. 2: Spending without trackingIt’ll be really hard to succeed at managing your money if you don’t track your purchases. Listen, if you make a plan for your money—aka a budget—but you don’t actually stick it, your budget won’t work.And let me bust one other myth while I’m here: Budgets don’t tell you what you&nbsp;can’t&nbsp;do—they show you what you&nbsp;can&nbsp;do. I like to say budgets give you permission to spend! And when you track your purchases in a budget, you’ll see where your money is going every month. You may be surprised how much you’re spending on pizza—and that leads us to the next bad money habit we have to conquer.Bad Money Habit No. 3: Spending on convenienceDelivery apps, valet parking and the drive-thru—we’ve all spent money on these conveniences. With apps, it’s so easy to have dinner delivered straight from your phone. But paying for these conveniences can really add up. Thankfully, convenience spending has a simple cure: planning ahead. My husband, Winston, and I plan and prep our weekly meals on Sundays so that when dinner time rolls around, we never feel the need to grab takeout at the last minute.Figure out where you spend on convenience, and try planning ahead instead. You’ll see significant savings—I promise!&nbsp;Bad Money Habit No. 4: Spending to feel betterSelf-care is important, but I want to be clear: Retail therapy is not self-care.Retail therapy is spending to feel better, and science has proven our addiction to the chemical high that comes from shopping. So yes, purchases can make you feel better—temporarily. But after the Amazon-induced happiness fades away, you’re left with a guilty shopping hangover. You can drop this habit if you drop the comparisons (I’m looking at you, social media!) and stay away from stores when your emotions are high.You can do this, you guys! With a little sacrifice and some self-control, that dream house won’t seem so far away, college tuition will look more like a molehill and less like a mountain, and generosity will become second nature!Rachel Cruze&nbsp;is a two-time No. 1 national best-selling author, financial expert and host of&nbsp;The Rachel Cruze Show.&nbsp;She has appeared on Good Morning America, TODAY Show and Live! With Kelly &amp; Ryan, among others. Since 2010, Rachel has served at Ramsey Solutions, where she teaches people to avoid debt, save money, budget and how to win with money at any stage in life. Follow Rachel on&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/rachelcruze" target="_blank">Twitter</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/rachelcruze/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/rachelramseycruze" target="_blank">Facebook</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/rachelcruze" target="_blank">YouTube</a>or online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rachelcruze.com/" target="_blank">rachelcruze.com</a>.