The Rock Chalkboard

Thanks, mom: Kansas starters KJ Adams, Gradey Dick and Jalen Wilson learned a lot about the game from their talented, basketball-playing mothers - KU Sports
“I was about 5 or 6 and we were in the backyard playing HORSE and I just remember thinking, ‘Dang, she doesn’t miss,'” Gradey recently told the Journal-World. “She’s more of a post player, so, inside of the 3-point line, she can hit any shot.”

BLOG: Making others play bad was only part of the equation for the midseason turnaround that has Kansas back on top in the Big 12 - KU Sports
“The last three games we’ve done a better job of being a little grimy,” Self said of his team’s three-game winning streak over Texas, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. “(Before that), we liked playing games we were comfortable in. Hopefully we’re getting comfortable being uncomfortable.”

Kansas freshman Gradey Dick on the ‘you suck’ chants thrown his way: ‘I love it’ - KU Sports
Dick’s response to the chant that explains to the KU freshman exactly what opposing fans think about his game while teetering on the line of inappropriate at the same time?

“I love it,” he said. “I love it. I kind of like being the hated one. It definitely fuels the fire for sure.”

Eraser Dust

Ohio town reflects on chemical train derailment aftermath - BBC News
"It's totally wrecked our life," he told the BBC, choking back tears in the parking lot of his business, where the stench of chemicals and sulphur from the derailment remains powerful.

Fox News stars and executives privately trashed Trump's election fraud claims, court document reveals | CNN Business
The most prominent stars and highest-ranking executives at Fox News privately ridiculed claims of election fraud in the 2020 election, despite the right-wing channel allowing lies about the presidential contest to be promoted on its air, damning messages contained in a Thursday court filing revealed.

Biden says objects shot down over North America last week appear to not be part of China's spy balloon operation | CNN Politics
“We don’t yet know exactly what these three objects were but nothing right now suggests they were related to China’s spy balloon program or that they were surveillance vehicles from any other country,” Biden said in his first formal remarks on the objects shot from the sky last weekend over Canada and the US. “The intelligence community’s current assessment is that these three objects were most likely balloons tied to private companies, recreation or research institutions studying weather or conducting other scientific research.”

Bruce Willis has dementia, his family announces - BBC News
The family went on to say frontotemporal dementia is the most common form of dementia in people under 60.

Star Wars’ Next Movie Gets Announcement Update | The Direct
The news comes as Lucasfilm reportedly maps out a five-year plan for new Star Wars. This may not ultimately happen under current president Kathleen Kennedy, who has been leading the studio since Disney acquired Lucasfilm but may be ending her time there as soon as this year.

Republicans take aim at risque jokes and romance novels with anti-sex bills | Republicans | The Guardian
In Texas, a new bill requiring age verification on websites with pornographic content defines images of the female breast “below the top of the areola” as porn, potentially hitting at business advertisements. In West Virginia, a bill outlawing all sexually oriented businesses is on the docket, with a definition that includes art studios with nude models and wrestling arenas. In South Carolina a bill would criminalize using “profane language” related to “sexual or excretory organs or activities” in front of minors during performances. The punishment? Up to a decade in prison.

Billings Clinic, Logan Health Sign Letter of Intent to Merge - Flathead Beacon
The Billings Clinic and Logan Health announced Wednesday that the two health systems have signed a non-binding letter of intent to explore merging the two organizations, signifying the potential for a major change in Montana’s health care industry landscape involving two of the largest health care providers in the state.

Glacier Park International Airport construction closes in on halfway mark | KECI
Construction on new jet bridges, waiting areas, expanded retail and dining areas and more started a year and a half ago.

BLOG: Making others play bad was only part of the equation for the midseason turnaround that has Kansas back on top in the Big 12 - KU Sports
“The last three games we’ve done a better job of being a little grimy,” Self said of his team’s three-game winning streak over Texas, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. “(Before that), we liked playing games we were comfortable in. Hopefully we’re getting comfortable being uncomfortable.”