photo by: Contributed

Volunteers serve hot meals Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, for Lawrence’s annual Community Christmas Dinner.

Friday, Dec. 19

Christmas Through the Ages: Historic Lecompton’s Annual Christmas Tree Display, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Territorial Capital Museum, 640 E. Woodson Ave., Lecompton.

“Holiday Reflections” walk-through village, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Grand Plaza, Union Station, 30 West Pershing Road, Kansas City, Mo.; see unionstation.org for tickets.

“Adornment” Holiday Art Show & Sale, 1-6 p.m., Van Go, 715 New Jersey St.

Lawrence Lights: Making Spirits Bright, 5:30-9:30 p.m., Youth Sports Complex, 4911 W. 27th St. See lawrence-lights.com.

Knights of Lights, 5:30-10 p.m., KC Ren Fest, Queen’s Gate Entrance, 628 N. 126th St., Bonner Springs.

Moving screening: “Trading Places” (1983), 7 p.m., Liberty Hall Little Theater, 644 Massachusetts St. See liberty-hall.com for ticket information.

Kansas City Symphony Presents: Christmas Festival, 7 p.m., Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center, 1601 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.

Wine and Carols, 7-9 p.m., Trivedi Wine, 1826 E. 1150 Road. $5 cover charge.

Kansas City Ballet Presents: “The Nutcracker,” 7:30 p.m., Muriel Kauffman Theatre, Kauffman Center, 1601 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.

KC Rep: “A Christmas Carol,” 8 p.m., Spencer Theatre, UMKC Campus, 4949 Cherry St., Kansas City, Mo.

Saturday, Dec. 20

Festivus Fun Run, 9 a.m., Ad Astra Running, 837 Massachusetts St. See connect.garmin.com/modern/course/239297421 for course.

“Holiday Reflections” walk-through village, 9 a.m.-7 p.m., Grand Plaza, Union Station, 30 West Pershing Road, Kansas City, Mo.; see unionstation.org for tickets.

Christmas Through the Ages: Historic Lecompton’s Annual Christmas Tree Display, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Territorial Capital Museum, 640 E. Woodson Ave., Lecompton.

“Adornment” Holiday Art Show & Sale, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Van Go, 715 New Jersey St.

Silent Book Club meeting, 10:30 a.m., Tous les Jours, 525 Wakarusa Drive. Bring whatever book you’re reading. No assigned reading; readers quietly gather to enjoy their various books in silent companionship.

Festival of Nativities, noon-4 p.m., Centenary United Methodist Church, 245 N. Fourth (corner of Fourth and Elm), North Lawrence.

Holiday Bake Sale to benefit Sunrise Project, noon-4 p.m., 245 N. Fourth St.

Kansas City Symphony Presents: Christmas Festival, 1 p.m., Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center, 1601 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.

KC Rep: “A Christmas Carol,” 2 p.m., Spencer Theatre, UMKC Campus, 4949 Cherry St., Kansas City, Mo.

Kansas City Ballet Presents: “The Nutcracker,” 2 p.m., Muriel Kauffman Theatre, Kauffman Center, 1601 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.

Winter Wonderland, 5-8 p.m., Prairie Park Nature Center, 2730 Harper St. Pre-register at lprd.org.

Lawrence Lights: Making Spirits Bright, 5:30-9:30 p.m., Youth Sports Complex, 4911 W. 27th St. See lawrence-lights.com.

Knights of Lights, 5:30-10 p.m., KC Ren Fest, Queen’s Gate Entrance, 628 N. 126th St., Bonner Springs.

Miller Marley Performing Companies: “Clara’s Dream and a Holiday Musical Revue,” 6 p.m., Lied Center, 1600 Stewart Drive. See lied.ku.edu for tickets.

Kansas Ballet Presents “The Nutcracker” featuring the Topeka Symphony, 7 p.m., Topeka Performing Arts Center, 214 SE 8th St., Topeka.

Kansas City Symphony Presents: Christmas Festival, 7 p.m., Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center, 1601 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.

Kansas City Ballet Presents: “The Nutcracker,” 7:30 p.m., Muriel Kauffman Theatre, Kauffman Center, 1601 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.

Movie screening: “Spaceballs” (1987), 8 p.m., Liberty Hall, 644 Massachusetts St. See liberty-hall.com for tickets.

KC Rep: “A Christmas Carol,” 8 p.m., Spencer Theatre, UMKC Campus, 4949 Cherry St., Kansas City, Mo.

Sunday, Dec. 21

“Holiday Reflections” walk-through village, 9 a.m.-7 p.m., Grand Plaza, Union Station, 30 West Pershing Road, Kansas City, Mo.; see unionstation.org for tickets.

Festival of Nativities, noon-4 p.m., Centenary United Methodist Church, 245 N. 4th (corner of 4th and Elm), North Lawrence.

Holiday Bake Sale to benefit Sunrise Project, noon-4 p.m., 245 N. Fourth St.

“Adornment” Holiday Art Show & Sale, 1-5 p.m., Van Go, 715 New Jersey St.

Miller Marley Performing Companies: “Clara’s Dream and a Holiday Musical Revue,” 2 p.m., Lied Center, 1600 Stewart Drive. Tickets at lied.ku.edu.

Knights of Lights, 5:30-9 p.m., KC Ren Fest, Queen’s Gate Entrance, 628 N. 126th St., Bonner Springs.

Kansas Ballet Presents “The Nutcracker” featuring the Topeka Symphony, 7 p.m., Topeka Performing Arts Center, 214 SE 8th St., Topeka.

KC Rep: “A Christmas Carol,” 1 p.m., Spencer Theatre, UMKC Campus, 4949 Cherry St., Kansas City, Mo.

Kansas City Ballet Presents: “The Nutcracker,” 1 p.m., Muriel Kauffman Theatre, Kauffman Center, 1601 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.

Christmas Through the Ages: Historic Lecompton’s Annual Christmas Tree Display, 1-5 p.m., Territorial Capital Museum, 640 E. Woodson Ave., Lecompton.

Kansas City Symphony Presents: Christmas Festival, 2 p.m., Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center, 1601 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.

Drunken Fiddles Holiday Music, 3 p.m., Lucia’s, 1016 Massachusetts St.

Kansas City Ballet Presents: “The Nutcracker,” 5:30 p.m., Muriel Kauffman Theatre, Kauffman Center, 1601 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.

Lawrence Lights: Making Spirits Bright, 5:30-9:30 p.m., Youth Sports Complex, 4911 W. 27th St. See lawrence-lights.com.

KC Rep: “A Christmas Carol,” 6 p.m., Spencer Theatre, UMKC Campus, 4949 Cherry St., Kansas City, Mo.

Movie screening: “Home Alone” (1990), 7 p.m., Liberty Hall Main Theater, 644 Massachusetts St. See liberty-hall.com for tickets.

Kansas City Symphony Presents: Christmas Festival, 7 p.m., Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center, 1601 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.

Monday, Dec. 22

“Holiday Reflections” walk-through village, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Grand Plaza, Union Station, 30 West Pershing Road, Kansas City, Mo.; see unionstation.org for tickets.

Kansas City Ballet Presents: “The Nutcracker,” 2 p.m., Muriel Kauffman Theatre, Kauffman Center, 1601 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.

Knights of Lights, 5:30-9 p.m., KC Ren Fest, Queen’s Gate Entrance, 628 N. 126th St., Bonner Springs.

Lawrence Lights: Making Spirits Bright, 5:30-9:30 p.m., Youth Sports Complex, 4911 W. 27th St. See lawrence-lights.com.

Movie screening: “Holiday” (1938), 7 p.m., Liberty Hall Main Theater, 644 Massachusetts St. Tickets at liberty-hall.com.

Kansas City Ballet Presents: “The Nutcracker,” 7:30 p.m., Muriel Kauffman Theatre, Kauffman Center, 1601 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.

Tuesday, Dec. 23

“Holiday Reflections” walk-through village, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Grand Plaza, Union Station, 30 West Pershing Road, Kansas City, Mo.; see unionstation.org for tickets.

Kansas City Ballet Presents: “The Nutcracker,” 2 p.m., Muriel Kauffman Theatre, Kauffman Center, 1601 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.

Knights of Lights, 5:30-9 p.m., KC Ren Fest, Queen’s Gate Entrance, 628 N. 126th St., Bonner Springs.

Lawrence Lights: Making Spirits Bright, 5:30-9:30 p.m., Youth Sports Complex, 4911 W. 27th St. See lawrence-lights.com.

Kansas City Symphony Presents: It’s a Wonderful Life in Concert, 7 p.m., Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center, 1601 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.

KC Rep: “A Christmas Carol,” 7 p.m., Spencer Theatre, UMKC Campus, 4949 Cherry St., Kansas City, Mo.

Movie screening: “Gremlins” (1984), 7 p.m., Liberty Hall Main Theater, 644 Massachusetts St. See liberty-hall.com for tickets.

Kansas City Ballet Presents: “The Nutcracker,” 7:30 p.m., Muriel Kauffman Theatre, Kauffman Center, 1601 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.

Wednesday, Dec. 24

“Holiday Reflections” walk-through village, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Grand Plaza, Union Station, 30 West Pershing Road, Kansas City, Mo.; see unionstation.org for tickets.

Christmas Through the Ages: Historic Lecompton’s Annual Christmas Tree Display, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Territorial Capital Museum, 640 E. Woodson Ave., Lecompton.

Kansas City Symphony Presents: It’s a Wonderful Life in Concert, 11 a.m., Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center, 1601 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.

KC Rep: “A Christmas Carol,” 1 p.m., Spencer Theatre, UMKC Campus, 4949 Cherry St., Kansas City, Mo.

Kansas City Ballet Presents: “The Nutcracker,” 1 p.m., Muriel Kauffman Theatre, Kauffman Center, 1601 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.

KC Rep: “A Christmas Carol,” 5 p.m., Spencer Theatre, UMKC Campus, 4949 Cherry St., Kansas City, Mo.

Knights of Lights, 5:30-9 p.m., KC Ren Fest, Queen’s Gate Entrance, 628 N. 126th St., Bonner Springs.

Lawrence Lights: Making Spirits Bright, 5:30-9:30 p.m., Youth Sports Complex, 4911 W. 27th St. See lawrence-lights.com.

Movie screening: “The Shop Around the Corner” (1940), 7 p.m., Liberty Hall Main Theater, 644 Massachusetts St. See liberty-hall.com for tickets.

Thursday, Dec. 25

Community Christmas Dinner, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 946 Vermont St. Home deliveries also available.

Lawrence Lights: Making Spirits Bright, 5:30-9:30 p.m., Youth Sports Complex, 4911 W. 27th St. See lawrence-lights.com.

Movie screening: “While You Were Sleeping” (1995), 7 p.m., Liberty Hall Main Theater, 644 Massachusetts St. Tickets at liberty-hall.com.

STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation announced Thursday that it is donating $6.3 million in grants to school districts across metro Atlanta to help grow youth sports programs.

DeKalb County Schools received a grant from the foundation to help fill gaps in its middle school flag football teams, said Myss Jelks, executive director of athletics for the district.

“Our goal is to have all 19 middle schools playing flag football next year,” Jelks said.

This year, all 19 high schools in DeKalb County participated in flag football, along with 13 middle schools and almost 70 elementary schools, Jelks said.

The sport’s pilot program was started seven years ago by the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation with 19 schools in Gwinnett County. More than 300 high schools in Georgia now participate in flag football, with 45 schools starting programs in 2025. About 7,000 girls participated statewide this year.

The Georgia High School Association sanctioned girls’ flag football in 2020.

Jelks said she believes her athletic background could have translated to flag football success if the opportunity had existed when she was younger.

“In my head, I think I would have been a great running back,” Jelks said.

Instead, she specialized in sports medicine.

“Well, number one, football is my favorite sport,” Jelks said when asked about her aversion to the historical perception of football as a men’s sport.

Schools are currently classified by location rather than by size, unlike tackle football, which Jelks expects to change soon. She anticipates continued growth in the sport’s popularity.

“It is an everybody sport,” Jelks said.

Copyright 2025 WANF. All rights reserved.

President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that in addition to the headline-grabbing UFC fight on the National Mall next year to celebrate the United States’ 250th anniversary, a host of other events will also be scheduled, including a parade and an athletic competition for high school students.

“We will host the first-ever ‘Patriot Games,’ an unprecedented, four-day athletic event featuring the greatest high school athletes — one young man and one young woman from each state and territory,” Trump said in a pre-recorded video shot from the Oval Office. “But I promise there will be no men playing in women’s sports.”

Trump said that a new nonpartisan organization called Freedom 250 would be responsible for hosting the events and coordinating with the federal agencies to deliver on events nationwide through 2026.

One of the main events will be “the first-ever Patriot Games,” which were first announced in July as part of a slate of anniversary celebrations championed by the Trump administration.

Critics of the Trump administration were quick to point out the plan mirrored the plot of the fictional “Hunger Games” series, which depicts teenage representatives from each district of a country who are forced to fight to the death in a televised event, as part of an annual celebration of their nation’s revolution.

In a post to X on Thursday, the national Democratic Party shared a clip from the movie along with a quote: “And so it was decreed that, each year, the various districts of Panem would offer up, in tribute, one young man and woman to fight to the death in a pageant of honor, courage and sacrifice.”

The Democratic governors of California and Illinois, Gavin Newsom and JB Pritzker, also reposted the White House’s announcement with clips from the film showing the country’s fictional dictator.

“May the odds be ever in your favor,” Newsom wrote, reprising the phrase told to young Hunger Games participants in the fictional series.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment on Democrats’ “Hunger Games” comparison.

In addition to the Patriot Games, one of Freedom 250’s planned initiatives is a full illumination of the Washington Monument between New Year’s Eve and Jan. 5, “marking the start of this once-in-a-generation anniversary year,” a press release reads.

Memorial Day will be celebrated with a “Spirit of America parade” and a “National Prayer Event on the National Mall will rededicate the nation as One Nation Under God.”

In June, Flag Day will be marked with a first-of-its-kind UFC event, and toward the end of month the National Mall will be converted into the “Great American State Fair” featuring pavilions from each state.

“The event will feature a spectacular flyover by our Nation’s Military, roaring over the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial,” reads a Thursday press release. “A major address by the President of the United States will precede Salute to America: The Nation’s 250th Birthday Fireworks Celebration — the largest fireworks display in the world, illuminating the Mall in a breathtaking finale.”

SIOUX CITY (KTIV) – The Siouxland Sports Academy is planning to rock out at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino during a benefit concert event.

The benefit concert featuring Above the Covers is expected to take place on Friday, Dec. 19.

“We are very excited to be able to host this event in this great facility with this great local band to raise money for kids in need. It is very important to us that we are able to provide opportunities to kids regardless of socioeconomic status,” said SSA Executive Director Dustin Cooper.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for a silent auction and social. The band performs at 7:30 p.m.

The Siouxland Sports Academy says its organization is a 501c3 nonprofit that works to create opportunities for young people in Siouxland.

The nonprofit also says 100% of the proceeds in ticket sales and at the auction will go towards financing local youth sports scholarships.

“During the concert, there will be silent auction items up for grabs that include priceless autographed sports memorabilia, unbelievable sports experiences, and at intermission of the concert, a trip to Turks and Caicos will be live auctioned!” said Siouxland Sports Academy.

Tickets are available on the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino’s website.

Want to get the latest news and weather from Siouxland’s News Source? Follow these links to download our KTIV News app and our First Alert Weather app.

Copyright 2025 KTIV. All rights reserved.

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — Eau Claire has flagged down a major sporting event for 2026: the Pylon 7on7 Flag Football Tournament is heading to the Sonnentag Field House from March 14 to 15. 

The tournament — a traveling flag football tournament for high school athletes — is expected to welcome about 1,000 athletes, coaches, families and fans. Pylon 7on7 said it will welcome more than 30 teams to the Wisconsin-based event.

The Eau Claire tournament will be indoors.

Pylon 7on7 is a “critical exposure platform” for high schoolers looking to play football in college. Over the past 20 years, more than 3,000 student-athletes who have played in Pylon 7on7 committed to Division I programs. More than 300 players made it to the NFL.

“We’re extremely excited to welcome Pylon 7on7 to Eau Claire,” said Lucas Connolly, sports relationship manager for Visit Eau Claire. “This event brings elite competition to our community and provides young athletes with a platform to compete, be seen, and develop, while highlighting the Sonnentag Center as a top-tier venue for national sporting events.”

Visit Eau Claire said it expects a positive, direct economic impact from the tournament.

“This tournament is another example of how Eau Claire continues to grow as a destination for youth sports, and we are excited to partner with Visit Eau Claire to welcome Pylon 7on7 Football and the many athletes, families, and visitors who will experience our community,” said Steve Kirk, Interim General Manager of the Sonnentag Center.

Eau Claire is just one site of more than two dozen Pylon 7on7 tournaments taking place from Jan. through May 2026. Nationals will take place in Indianapolis on May 30 and 31. 

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/Gray News) – Two children in Idaho are critically injured after a tree fell on them while they were waiting for the school bus.

The Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office said high winds caused rotten trees to fall on power lines before collapsing on the children.

The kids, both under the age of 10, and an older sibling were waiting outside for their bus when the tree collapsed. According to the sheriff’s office, the older sibling was not injured.

Aaron Hudson, the Twin Falls fire deputy chief, told KTVB first responders had to first get the kids out from the tree and downed power lines before they could prepare them for transport.

The sheriff’s office said one of the children was taken to the hospital by ambulance, while the other was airlifted.

According to Hudson, the weather conditions caused difficulties during transport. He said that it prevented the helicopter from going any further than the local hospital.

The family of the children has started a GoFundMe to help cover medical expenses.

Copyright 2025 KMVT via Gray Local Media, Inc. All rights reserved.