After the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/">US Department of Agriculture</a>&nbsp;(USDA) announced on Tuesday, $12 billion in one-time farmer bridge payments will go to American farmers next year, it is highly unlikely local Kernza farmers will receive the benefit.

<a href="https://landinstitute.org/our-work/perennial-crops/kernza/">Kernza</a>, a perennial grain developed at the <a href="https://landinstitute.org/">Land Institute</a> in Salina, most likely won't receive the federal funding.

A Salina Kernza farmer stated the perennial grain is too "novel," to have the figures where there is projected lost income from commodities.&nbsp;

However, there are ways Kernza farmers can still receive federal support. This can be done for planting perennials including Kernza, through the <a href="https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/getting-assistance/get-started-with-nrcs#:~:text=the%20.gov%20website.-,Natural%20Resources%20Conservation%20Service,apply%20for%20NRCS%20conservation%20programs.">Natural Resources Conservation Service</a> (NRCS).&nbsp;

Plus at the University of Minnesota, there is a substantial budget for <a href="https://forevergreen.umn.edu/crops-research#:~:text=The%20Forever%20Green%20Initiative%20combines%20innovations%20in:,*%20Silflower%20(silphium)%20*%20Summer%20annual%20grains">"Forever Green Crops,"</a> which includes Kernza as well. This initiative is&nbsp;focused on developing new crops to ensure agricultural production, and strengthen economies while protecting water and other natural resources.

Background of the $12 billion one-time farmer bridge payments

The $11 billion will be used for those farmers under the <a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/12/08/trump-administration-announces-12-billion-farmer-bridge-payments-american-farmers-impacted-unfair">Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program </a>, which provides broad relief to US row crop farmers who produce&nbsp;Barley, Chickpeas, Corn, Cotton, Lentils, Oats, Peanuts, Peas, Rice, Sorghum, Soybeans, Wheat, Canola, Crambe, Flax, Mustard, Rapeseed, Safflower, Sesame and Sunflower.

FBA will help address market disruptions, elevated input costs, persistent inflation, struggles from droughts and market losses from foreign competitors engaging in unfair trade practices that impede export. The FBA Program applies simple, proportional support to producers using a uniform formula to cover a portion of modeled losses during the 2025 crop year.&nbsp;

Farmers who qualify for the FBA Program can expect payments to be released by February 28, 2026.&nbsp;Eligible farmers should ensure their 2025 acreage reporting is factual and accurate by 5:00 pm ET on December 19, 2025.

Commodity-specific payment rates will be released by the end of the month.&nbsp;

The remaining $1 billion will be available for commodities not covered in the FBA program. This includes specialty crops and sugar, for example.

US Senator Jerry Moran (Kan.), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, gave his comments on the $12 billion provided for American farmers.

“Years of drought, high input costs and trade uncertainty have created economic hardships for American farmers,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“This package is a necessity that will help farmers weather the current uncertainty while the administration works to increase markets for farmers to sell their crops. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on the Senate Agriculture Committee and with the administration to make certain we are providing farmers and ranchers with the resources they need to continue feeding, fueling and clothing the world, and maintaining their businesses and&nbsp;livelihoods.”

Sen. Moran added the USDA will have a formula to determine the payment per acre, which will be decided later this month based upon the cost of production, price and yield.

Moreover, Sen. Moran does not think the $12 billion will completely offset the financial strains farmers have faced this year.

“When China is not buying agriculture commodities, it’s really hard to fill that gap,” he said. “At least in Kansas and many places have had long-term drought, our farmers are just not prepared for another year of significant circumstances. We will continue to be the advocates for the row and specialty crops, to try to make sure there is money available to keep our farmers in business.”

To submit questions, justification for USDA farmer bridge aid, or to request a meeting on farmer bridge aid, producers can reach out to&nbsp;<a>farmerbridge@usda.gov</a>.

Kernza farmers not guaranteed to receive $12 billion one-time bridge payments from USDA

Public meeting dates for the Saline County Commission, will now change from weekly, to bi-weekly starting in 2026.

Starting in January, Saline County Commission public meetings will be held every two weeks per month. This change is mainly due to preventing light agenda meetings, where frequently held meetings are very short at times.

In 2025, Saline County Commission meetings were held three times a week.

Commissioner Joe Hay stated the process of putting together commission meetings is time consuming for county staff, and if there are no items needing a deeper insight then it can be prevented through establishing the bi-weekly meetings.

"Going to two meetings a month I think will ease our staff and actually save taxpayer money," said Hay.

If meetings need to be added further down the line, it will be included.

Commissioner James Weese added this will allow members of the public more opportunities to attend the meetings.

Saline County Commission public meetings changing to bi-weekly in 2026

Salina Area Technical College proudly celebrated a milestone, as it graduated its first cohort of part-time Practical Nursing students. 

The pinning ceremony, held Wednesday evening, honored six graduates who completed the college’s 16-month part-time Practical Nursing (PN) program.

The part-time PN pathway was created to offer a flexible alternative for working adults, parents, and non-traditional students who may not be able to commit to the four- to five-day schedule of the full-time program. Part-time students attend classes two days per week but complete the same rigorous curriculum, ultimately earning a Technical Certificate in Practical Nursing and becoming eligible to sit for the NCLEX-PN licensure exam.

The inaugural graduating class reflects a wide range of ages, backgrounds, and life experiences. Among the graduates was a student who began her journey by earning a GED through the Salina Adult Education Center, completed the Accelerating Opportunities Kansas (A-OK) program, became a Certified Medication Aide through Salina Tech, and returned once more to achieve her Practical Nursing credential.

During the ceremony, Director of Nursing and Allied Health, Naomi Tatro, reflected on the significance of the moment and the perseverance demonstrated by the class.

“Nursing school is not an easy journey. It challenges you, tests your limits, and demands unwavering commitment. And yet, here you are. You’ve made it,” Tatro said. “You are our first Part-Time PN graduating class. We have learned from you just as much as you have learned from us.”

Tatro also acknowledged the families and support systems that helped the graduates reach this milestone, emphasizing that their encouragement made a profound difference.

The college launched the part-time PN program to expand access to nursing education for individuals balancing work, childcare, and other responsibilities. The success of this first cohort affirms the need for flexible nursing pathways in the region. The second part-time cohort recently completed its first semester, and applications are now being accepted for the next fall start.

For more information about the part-time Practical Nursing program or the application process, visit <a href="https://salinatech.edu/">www.salinatech.edu</a> or contact the Admissions Office at 785-309-3100.

Salina Tech celebrates first graduating class of the part-time Practical Nursing Program

This edition of&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/category/salina-sees-you">Salina Sees You</a>, brought to you by&nbsp;<a href="https://local.demandforce.com/b/visionsource-drscoleandcooper">Drs. Cooper &amp; Banninger, LLC Family Vision Care</a>&nbsp;(1000 E. Cloud) presents:

Bill Fekas and the Family Christmas Dinner that occurs annually in Salina. This tradition has been ongoing for the past 40 years, and this year the Fekas family will continue their wonderful service of free dinners for the community on Christmas Day.

Since 1982, Bill Fekas along with many volunteers have kept the ongoing tradition of serving free community meals in Salina on Christmas Day.

Every year, Fekas and many others prep, cook and provide filling meals for those in the public, free of charge. The "Fekas Family Christmas Dinner" not only has a nice hook to it, but is held annually at the 4-H Building (Bob Flaherty Dr.) starting at 11:00 am - 2:00 pm.

Bill Fekas said his team starts the whole process of serving thousands of meals, all day on Christmas Eve. The anticipation is always that there will be more than a 4,000 people that will receive meals.

Last year, there was approximately 5,000 people who received meals.

"I think there will be alot of people this year, especially after the Government shutdown," said Fekas.

This edition of Salina Sees You is brought to you by&nbsp;<a href="https://local.demandforce.com/b/visionsource-drscoleandcooper">Drs. Cooper &amp; Banninger, LLC Family Vision Care</a>&nbsp;(1000 E. Cloud). Call&nbsp;(785) 823-6391&nbsp;or visit today, to make an appointment.

Before Fekas started the Family Christmas Dinner, he served meals at the Salina Country Club. One day, he entertained the vision of giving needy people free meals on Christmas Day.

“I grew up in Athens Greece. We were very poor and needed help sometimes,” stated Fekas. “After I came to this country, I decided I was going to do something good for somebody one day.”

Fekas pitched the idea to local philanthropist, <a href="https://www.kshof.org/team/s.-dean-evans">Dean Evans</a>&nbsp;to seek assistance on starting up and the rest was history. In the first dinner, there were about 50 people who attended the dinner.

Since then, the family Christmas dinner has grown well past the 5,000 mark of people who either attend or receive meals.

"We give the people whatever they want and I thank God I am apart of it," said Fekas. "God is with us all the time."

In 2014, Fekas was presented with the "Hero of the Week" award from&nbsp; Bank VI (now Bank of the Plains) for orchestrating the Christmas Dinner.

Donations are welcome as well and you can do so by donating to:&nbsp;Fekas Family Fund,&nbsp;P.O Box 2173, Salina KS.

The Christmas dinner will occur this Christmas Day at the&nbsp;4-H Building (Bob Flaherty Dr.)&nbsp;starting at&nbsp;11:00 am - 2:00 pm.&nbsp;Delivery options are available and you can do so by calling (785) 826-6531 or (785) 826-6532.

Salina sees you, Bill Fekas

If you would like to share your personal story or know anyone who may have a story that will inspire each reader, please email Salina Post News Director, Nicolas Fierro:&nbsp;nicolas.fierro@eaglemedia.com&nbsp;or&nbsp;newstips@salinapost.com&nbsp;(during regular business hours).

You can also contact:&nbsp;(785) 656-9856&nbsp;(during regular business hours).

Salina Sees You: Bill Fekas, Family Christmas Dinner

The City of Salina and Salina Animal Services are urging the public to exercise caution after multiple wildlife calls in the past week have resulted in three suspected cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in local geese. 

This follows a growing number of HPAI detections across Kansas and the region.&nbsp;

HPAI is a severe and often fatal viral disease that spreads rapidly among birds. Recent cases handled by Salina Animal Services have shown classic symptoms associated with the virus, including:&nbsp;

• Neurological impairment – lack of coordination, disorientation,&nbsp; inability to hold the head up, hunched posture, tremors, seizures, or twisted neck&nbsp;

• Difficulty breathing – open-mouth breathing, wheezing 

• Nasal discharge, coughing, or sneezing – sometimes with blood tinged fluid&nbsp;

Birds infected with HPAI may also suffer additional traumatic injuries, as they can collapse or fall from the sky due to weakness and exhaustion while in flight.&nbsp;

Unfortunately, HPAI is not treatable and is fatal for affected birds. 

To prevent further spread, infected birds must be humanely euthanized and&nbsp; properly disposed of. The virus is highly contagious among birds,&nbsp; felines, and potentially transmissible to humans and other species,&nbsp; making prompt reporting and safe handling essential.&nbsp;

If you encounter a bird exhibiting the symptoms listed above—or any&nbsp; bird that appears ill, injured, or unable to fly, please do not approach,&nbsp; handle, or attempt to assist the animal.

• Call Salina Animal Services at (785) 826-6535 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.&nbsp;

• After hours, contact Salina Non-Emergency Dispatch at (785) 826-7210.&nbsp;

• Observe from a safe distance and keep pets away from the area.&nbsp;

For county residents call the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks at 785-452-0478.&nbsp;

Animal Control Officers will respond to safely remove the bird,&nbsp; provide humane euthanasia when necessary, and ensure proper&nbsp; cremation to limit disease transmission.&nbsp;

For current national surveillance data, transmission risks, and&nbsp; recommended precautions, please visit:&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/situation-summary/index.html">https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/situation-summary/index.html&nbsp;&nbsp;</a>

Salina Animal Services will continue monitoring local wildlife and&nbsp; coordinating with state and federal partners to protect public and&nbsp; animal health.

City of Salina urges community to be vigilant of "bird flu" after three suspected cases of virus in local geese

<a href="https://www.305adulteducation.com/">Salina Adult Education Center</a>&nbsp;(SAEC) will be celebrating 45 years with a special art exhibit to commemorate several students, graduates, staff and community partners.

Read more: <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/56274f9a-1d62-4408-bade-96c398aa8af0">SAEC prepping for big events: Seeking continual support</a>

Starting January 7 - February 8, SAEC will display "A Peace of My Mind" at the Salina Art Center (242 S. Santa Fe Ave).&nbsp;

This photography exhibit is a set of photos celebrating&nbsp;students, grads, staff and community partners, sharing their testimonies of how SAEC positively impacted their lives.&nbsp;

Throughout the exhibit, an open house will occur on January 16 at the Art Center from 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm, with remarks at 5:30 pm.

Light hors d'oeuvres will be served during the open house as well.

"Come enjoy 56 pieces of art sharing testimony of Salina area adult education students, graduates, staff and community stakeholders. We look forward to seeing you!" said SAEC&nbsp;Director of Adult Education, Kelly Mobray.

These photos were shot and published by photographer, John Noltner.

SAEC will also celebrate 10 years of <a href="https://www.305adulteducation.com/partners-4-success">Partners 4 Success</a>, a 12 week employment training program for individuals who struggle to obtain and/or maintain gainful work.

For more information about SAEC, click <a href="http://www.305adulteducation.com/">here</a>.

Salina Adult Education Center celebrating 45 years with powerful exhibit at Salina Art Center

Following is recent booking activity for the Saline County Jail, as provided by law enforcement. Photos, if provided, are courtesy of Saline County Jail. All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

NAME:&nbsp;Albrecht, Joshua James

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Failure to appear

NAME:&nbsp;Alvarez Lorenzo, Dayany

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Driving While Suspended

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Use/poss drug paraphernalian/human body; Driving While Suspended; Unsafe turning or stopping - Fail to Signal; Poss of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Failure to appear

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Crim damage to prop;w/o consent &lt;$1K; Criminal threat; Cause terror, evacuation or disruption; Stalking; After served a protection order prohibiting contact; 2nd or subs

REQUESTED CHARGE: Failure to appear

NAME:&nbsp;Hardesty, Christopher Cody

REQUESTED CHARGES: Outside Warrant/NCIC hit (2)

NAME:&nbsp;Hayward, Destiny Rochelle

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Outside warrant/NCIC hit (3); Driving while cancelled/suspended/revoked; 1st conviction; Fleeing a LEO; elude pursuing; 3rd+ conviction

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Probation Violation

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Driving While Suspended; Failure to appear; Outside warrant/NCIC hit

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Domestic Battery: rude physical contact

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Outside warrant/NCIC hit

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Failure to appear; Theft of prop/services:Value less than $1,500; Probation Violation

Saline County Jail Bookings, December 11

The active investigation for the 7-week old infant who died in July, is currently being investigated by the <a href="https://www.kansas.gov/kbi/">Kansas Bureau of Investigation</a> (KBI) and Attorney General Kris Kobach.

ORIGINAL: <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/c824c901-bdb0-4b17-bd3f-761cdf5c71d9">Salina Police has moved to an 'active investigation' regarding death of 7-week old infant</a>

According to the Salina Police Department (SPD), KBI and AG Kobach have now become part of the investigation for the male infant who passed away on July 23, 2025.

AG Kobach will ultimately prosecute the ongoing case, once finalized.

This comes after SPD received the final autopsy report from&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/36605e2e-d386-4d26-b7a3-e6ba2afddd94">Frontier Forensics Midwest</a>&nbsp;(Kansas City) on October.

The infant reportedly <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/36605e2e-d386-4d26-b7a3-e6ba2afddd94">passed away inside a home</a> in east Salina.

The initial report was a medical emergency call made by the infant's parents who found their child to be 'unresponsive.'

Salina Post will follow up on more information and updates once received.

UPDATE: KBI & AG Kobach part of investigation for deceased 7-week old Salina infant  

For what started as a welfare check call for a man, then resulted in an arrest of the man for throwing rocks at moving cars in Saline County.

According to the Saline County Sheriff's Office (SO) on Tuesday at around 3:03 pm, the SO received a call regarding a welfare check for a man walking along the road on Cunningham and E. North Street.

A deputy arrived at around 3:13 pm and came in contact with the man, who was identified as 25-year old, Malik Dorsey.&nbsp;

Dorsey was reportedly carrying large trash bags that were filled, as the deputy asked him if he needed any help and offered to give him a ride. The SO stated Dorsey then became angry and started yelling at the deputy, declining assistance.

Three hours later, SO received a call about a man who was reportedly throwing rocks at cars traveling through in the 9800 block of E. Country Club Road.&nbsp;Reports stated he struck several vehicles.

A deputy was then dispatched to the area and found the man to be Dorsey. The deputy approached Dorsey, and moments later a physical altercation occurred between the two during an attempted arrest.

Momentarily, two people in the area stopped by who perceived to be victims of the damaged vehicles, assisted the deputy to place Dorsey into custody.

After the arrest, Dorsey was transported to Salina Regional Health Center&nbsp; for a general check up.

Dorsey was then booked into the Saline County Jail on the requested charges of:

Criminal Damage to Property, Interference w/ a Law Enforcement Officer, Disorderly Conduct and Battery.

Welfare check call results in arrest of man for throwing rocks at moving cars in Saline Co.

The Georgetown Santas are back and ready for action this Christmas season, as they will continue their tradition for the 27th year.

This December 21st - 23rd, 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm each night, the Santas and their elves will give out candy and freshly-popped popcorn to passersby&nbsp;on 2312 Georgetown&nbsp;Road&nbsp;in Salina.

This event is open to all in the community and is FREE of charge, as donations are encouraged to help offset operating expenses.

The community continues to show a desire for this annual tradition as they have fueled the operation to allow the Santas to operate entirely off of donations from the community for the last 20+ years. Year after year, the&nbsp;Santas have continued to receive enough in donations to cover the associated costs of supporting the event for the following year, namely the costs associated with procuring all of the candy and popcorn supplies.

The Georgetown Santas greet thousands of visitors each year in the days leading up to Christmas, from neighbors that approach on foot, to travelers coming in from out of state. The Santas distribute hundreds of pounds of candy, several thousand candy canes, and the Elves pop over 350 lbs. of popcorn in their 3 days of operation, annually.

For those wanting to join this beloved tradition, all you need to do is drive to Georgetown Road, stay in your vehicles, receive road directions from the Elves and&nbsp;roll down the windows to get your treats!

Pictures with the Santas are welcome, and there is a request for you to pull your vehicle ahead to park to not hold up traffic, so that the team can continue to serve other guests.

Jack Schmiedeler, Paul McDaniel, Pete Martin, Mel Augustine, Brian Berner, Jay Caldwell, Kevin Bernhardt and Steve Sperling.

Justin Martin, Larry Thompson, John Miller, Zach Schreiber and Joe Becker.

Since 1999,&nbsp;Santa Jack Schmiedeler would stand out at the end of his driveway and wave at the passersby. He then started handing out candy as cars stopped to see Santa. 

The following year, Santa Paul McDaniel joined up with Santa Jack to spread the Christmas cheer. Within the next three years, Santas Pete Martin, Mike Chaput, and Mel Augustine joined in to support the cause. It was about that time that the Santas and their helpers; Justin Martin, Virgil Michaelis, and Larry Thompson; began handing out freshly-popped popcorn in addition to the candy. 

From these humble beginnings has grown a true Christmas tradition on Georgetown Road.

To listen to the Georgetown Santas soundtrack on Spotify, click <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7mSj8w04OMXfCbgQEaw3B7?go=1&amp;sp_cid=c9de47a24f94723d2a089a71adfeb42a&amp;utm_source=embed_player_p&amp;utm_medium=desktop&amp;nd=1&amp;dlsi=5a8e727d650c4d11">here</a>.

For more information, click <a href="http://www.georgetownsantas.com/visit-us">here</a>.

Watch the video below to see how Georgetown Santas prepare for their tradition since 1999.

🎥 Georgetown Santas are gearing up and ready to give treats to Salinans for the 27th year 

The Salina Rescue Mission is excited to announce a generous $100,000 Matching Gift Challenge,&nbsp;now through December 31st.

Every dollar given will double the impact during this period, providing twice the hope, twice the care, and twice the life-changing impact for men experiencing homelessness in our community.

For nearly 40 years, the Salina Rescue Mission has been more than a shelter. We are a place where real people with real struggles experience real change—the kind of change that comes from encountering Christ’s love and receiving the support needed to rebuild a life.

Our approach to homelessness goes far beyond offering food and a bed. We walk with each man through a journey of meaningful and lasting heart change that leads to stability, dignity, and renewed purpose. By sharing God’s love, mercy, and forgiveness, and by giving men a second chance with practical tools for success, we’ve seen remarkable transformation.

Once immediate crisis needs are met, we help men address the deeper challenges that often hold them back—health care, addiction recovery, employment readiness, conflict resolution, financial counseling, and more. This holistic approach has restored hope for countless men who had nowhere else to turn.

This Matching Gift Challenge is an invitation to the Salina community: 

Do you want to be part of giving Real People, with Real Struggles, a Real Change in Jesus’ name?

Your gift today will go twice as far in providing meals, shelter, care, and life-changing support to our homeless neighbors in need this winter.

To participate in the Matching Gift Challenge, give securely online at <a href="https://salinarescuemission.com/">SalinaRescueMission.com</a>, or mail your gift to:

Salina Rescue Mission PO Box 1667 Salina, KS 67402

Every gift—large or small—helps transform lives. Together, we can share God’s love and offer a pathway from crisis to stability for those who need it most.

Salina Rescue Mission announces $100,000 matching gift challenge every gift doubled through Dec. 31

<a href="https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Salina&amp;state=KS&amp;site=ICT&amp;lat=38.8158&amp;lon=-97.6178">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

Monitor local weather updates frequently in multiple ways by listening to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/nwr/">NOAA Weather Radio</a>, checking local news and emergency notifications. You can also stay informed by following Saline County and the National Weather Service on social media.

For the latest forecast updates, visit the National Weather Service Wichita office at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/ict/">https://www.weather.gov/ict/</a>. To check forecasts frequently, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/">weather.gov</a>.

Three day weather forecast Salina, December 10 - December 12

Three day weather forecast Salina, December 8 - December 10

Four day weather forecast Salina, December 5 - December 8

According to the US National Weather Service, there is a slight chance of snow flurries for Wednesday afternoon and into the evening in Salina.

A chance of sprinkles before 4:00 pm, then a chance of sprinkles and flurries.&nbsp;Mostly cloudy, with a high near 40. Breezy, with a north wind 18 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.

A chance of flurries before 10pm. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 15. North northeast wind 7 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.

Stay updated with local weather on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/NWSWichita">US National Weather Service Wichita Kansas</a>&nbsp;Facebook page.

Slight chance of flurries in Salina Wednesday evening

Three day weather forecast Salina, December 3 - December 5

What a way to start December, as accumulated snow has touched down in Salina and several areas throughout central Kansas.

KDOT webcams (See above) showing accumulated snow on roadways at Russell and Great Bend in central Kansas early this morning. This will create hazardous travel conditions during the morning commute.

Salina is under a winter weather advisory until 6:00 pm on Monday. The high for today is 28, and the low is 14.

The US National Weather Service has provided winter travel safety tips for those who are will be traveling on the roads for the holidays.

- Share your travel plans with friends or family.

- Frequently check weather forecasts in your area.

Accumulated snowfall throughout Salina and central Kansas kicks off month of December

Three day weather forecast Salina, December 1 - December 3

Traces of snowfall have touched down in Central Kansas, with more snow expected for Monday, plus cold air throughout Saturday and Sunday.

Throughout Central Kansas, colder air will spread southward across the region for Saturday along with strong and gusty northwest winds. Wind gusts of 35 to 50 mph are likely.

Rain will change to snow briefly over parts of central Kansas through mid-morning on Saturday. Minor accumulations on elevated and grassy surfaces are possible.

Low of 7 degrees is expected for Sunday, with a high of 30 in Salina.

Salina is also under a wind advisory until 6:00 pm for Saturday.

According to the US National Weather Service, light to moderate snow is expected to move-in from the west on Monday and provide many locations with the first measurable snow of the season. 

 Snow will start around or shortly after sunrise and continue through the Monday afternoon hours with travel impacts likely, especially across central and northeast Kansas.

Highs are expected to be between 27-32 degrees, with the low expected to be around 14 degrees throughout the region.

Traces of snow have touched down in Central Kansas, more snow expected for Monday

Four day weather forecast Salina, November 28 - December 1

Salina and parts of Central Kansas will experience a cold front, along with below freezing temperatures and a possibility of snow this upcoming weekend.

According to the US National Weather Service, a cold front is expected to occur this upcoming weekend. Showers are possible Friday and Saturday, along with a light wintry mix on Saturday afternoon into Sunday morning.

Lows for Saturday night are in the teens, with wind chills expected to be near 0 degrees into Sunday morning.

Highs will struggle to even make it above freezing temperatures as well.

Salina has a 47% chance of traces of snow on Saturday afternoon. The low is expected to 17 degrees on Saturday night, with a high of 29 on Sunday.

Stay updated with local weather on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NWSWichita">US National Weather Service Wichita Kansas</a> Facebook page.

Cold front, below freezing temps, possibility of snow anticipated for Salina and Central Kansas

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street set records on Thursday, even as a sell-off for Oracle and worries about a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-bubble-warnings-bank-of-england-imf-b15e54f6d06992371ee39b27f4e6da3a">potential bubble</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence">artificial-intelligence</a>&nbsp;technology weighed on the market.

The S&amp;P 500 inched up 0.2% and eked past&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-rates-fed-china-2ade718b1fb76607f59d22133b86efbd">its prior all-time closing high</a>, which was set in October. The Dow Jones Industrial leaped 646 points, or 1.3%, to top its own record set last month. The Nasdaq composite lagged behind and slipped 0.3% because of the weakness for AI stocks.

It’s the latest return to records for the market following what had appeared to be a debilitating set of worries. Some of the most recent included concerns about what&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-trump-government-shutdown-c388d97a4e4acf5cca538fd901e46b2d">the Federal Reserve will do with interest rates</a>&nbsp;and whether all the dollars flowing into AI chips and data centers will produce profits and productivity as prolific as proponents are promising.

Such worries sent Wall Street last month to some of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-trump-government-shutdown-c388d97a4e4acf5cca538fd901e46b2d">its worst and scariest days since its sell-off</a>&nbsp;during April, but it then got several boosts that helped it regain its footing. Key among them was a continuing parade of companies saying they’re making bigger profits than analysts expected. Stock prices tend to track with corporate profits over the long term.

The Fed also on Wednesday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-economy-inflation-jobs-442de589de9b99bb811f76e402b00948">cut its main interest rate</a>&nbsp;for the third time this year and indicated another cut may be ahead in 2026. Wall Street loves lower interest rates because they can boost the economy and send prices for investments higher, even if they potentially make inflation worse.

The Fed’s chair, Jerome Powell, did hint that interest rates may be on hold for a while. But he helped soothe nerves when his comments appeared less harsh than some investors expected in shutting off the possibility of more cuts in 2026.

Easier interest rates can give the biggest benefits to the smallest companies, which are more likely to be losing money and often need to borrow to grow. The Russell 2000 index of the smallest U.S. stocks jumped 1.2% to help lead the market.

Banks and other companies whose profits are closely tied to the strength of the economy also rallied. Gains of 2.5% for Goldman Sachs and 6.1% for Visa were the strongest forces pushing the Dow higher.

The Walt Disney Co. added 2.4% after OpenAI said the entertainment giant is investing $1 billion in it. It’s part of a three-year agreement that will also allow OpenAI to use more than 200 Disney, Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars characters to generate short, user-prompted social videos.

Eli Lilly rose 1.6% after announcing encouraging results from a clinical trial for adult patients who are obese or overweight and have knee osteoarthritis, without diabetes. Planet Labs PBC soared 35% after the provider of satellite images used by governments and businesses reported stronger results for the latest quarter than analysts expected.

But a return to records for the U.S. stock market does not mean all worries are gone.

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