The Rock Chalkboard

Kansas football lands first pledge in 2024 class from Red Martel
The Kansas football program is already on the board in the class of 2024, landing a commitment from Mekusapv “Red” Martel. The running back commits to KU during his junior season in high school. Martel plays his high school football with Beggs, which has produced multiple Power 5 prospects in recent years. On the season, Martel has 118 carries for 1,232 yards and 15 touchdowns. Through the air, he has 40 receptions for 402 yards and an additional three scores.

After challenging start, Lorenzo McCaskill playing his best football as a Jayhawk at a crucial time for KU
Lorenzo McCaskill isn’t afraid to talk about his struggles this season. In fact, there’s not much about McCaskill that appears shy, on or off the field. On the field, he’s a physical linebacker who gets to the ball in a hurry and lays big hits on offensive players. Off it — at least when speaking to local media — he comes across as thoughtful yet confident. It’s taken time for everything about McCaskill to shine at KU, though. There have been ups and downs along the way but as KU’s season has hit the home stretch, the super senior is showing up more and more for the Jayhawks.

Eraser Dust

‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Advance Ticket Sales At $45M, 20% Behind ‘Doctor Strange 2’ – Deadline
Advance ticket sales through Sunday for Disney-Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever stand at $45M, about 20% behind Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness at the same point in time and 40% ahead of Thor: Love & Thunder.

Quirky downtown store served as a home for the community | Whitefish Pilot
After running the store for 35 years, the founder, Craig Drynan, sold the business to Bree James in 2014. Due, in large part, to the difficulty in finding employees, the store will close later this month. Many in the community feel a connection to the store and Drynan says that same community helped him raise his daughter.

Ray Hushpuppi: Nigerian Instagram star sentenced to 11 years in prison for money laundering | CNN
A Nigerian social media influencer who flaunted a lavish lifestyle of private jets and luxury cars has been sentenced to 11 years in prison over charges related to a multimillion dollar scam that targeted companies in the United States and overseas.

Alanis Morissette Explains Dropping Out of Rock Hall Performance
The "You Oughta Know" singer-songwriter, 48, posted a lengthy note to her Instagram Story about putting up with many sexist and otherwise troubling work environments throughout her career, noting that she now refuses to endure such treatment. While Morissette didn't make any specific claims about her experience working with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, it seems she wasn't exactly pleased.

US election: Control of Congress hangs in balance after midterms - BBC News
Republicans are favoured to win the House of Representatives, but the fight for the Senate is on a knife-edge.

Ron DeSantis wins Florida governor reelection defeating Charlie Crist, CNN projects | CNN Politics
Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida’s hard-charging Republican leader who became a household name during the pandemic, will win a second term leading the Sunshine State, CNN projects, a development that will almost immediately turn the focus of his future to 2024.

Powerball: A single winning ticket for the $2.04 billion jackpot was sold in California | CNN
A lone winning ticket for the record $2.04 billion Powerball lottery jackpot was sold in Altadena, California, lottery officials said Tuesday, making the lucky ticket holder the winner of the largest lottery prize ever.

Brittney Griner moved to Russian penal colony, lawyer says
American basketball player Brittney Griner, jailed in Russia in what the U.S. calls a wrongful detention, is being moved to a penal colony, her attorneys said Wednesday.