A fundraiser has been established for two Kansas Wesleyan students and couple that suffered from a recent apartment fire, losing all of their belongings.

On January 14, Aidan Henderson and Jaidyn Adams lives were changed after a significant fire struck their apartment. The fire occured when Henderson was at home and Adams left for work just 20 minutes beforehand. 

Henderson described the moments before and during the fire. He was laying down on the couch inside the living room when suddenly he heard a "tapping or scratching" sensation in their office window. When the noise kept going, Henderson got up to walk towards the office and saw the fire building up.

"There is a window directly across from the doorway in the office, and as soon as I walked up to the doorway I could see and hear flames and dark smoke billowing up from under the window outside. My dog immediately started barking, and I started scrambling to find a cage for my girlfriend’s bunnies. However, their cage was buried under a bunch of blankets in the closet, so after about 30 seconds of looking through everything I gut-wrenchingly decided it was best to leave and hope for the best."

Henderson was able to leave with their dog, and he left with nothing but his phone. Fortunately when he got outside, one of his KWU baseball teammates was parked out front and dialed 911.

"I went to him and explained what happened, then called Jaidyn to do the same. For about 5 minutes I was standing across the street in my T-shirt and shorts in 30° cold, trying to wrangle the dog in a massive cloud of smoke, and around a crowd of 40-50 people watching our personal belongings go up in flames."

When Adams received the call from Henderson, she hurried back home and was overwhelmed with a sense of despair. When she arrived, Adams ran towards Henderson with many emotions during the span of first responders taking out the fire.

"All I could think about were my precious bunnies being trapped in that building, alone, scared, and overcome with smoke and fire," Adams said.

"I kept trying to reassure her, although I wasn’t too convinced myself of the good things I was telling her. We all were taken to a fire engine to get out of the cold, and then later to the apartment’s office where we sat for hours," Henderson said.

Fortunately, firefighters were able to save the bunnies from the fire and brought a sense of peace for the both of them.

"When I opened the door of the office, I saw a fireman walking towards me with a terrified, drenched bunny, Layla. As soon as I realized that was her, I ran straight towards the fireman with tears streaming down my face, overjoyed by our reunion," said Adams.&nbsp;"Approximately another 30 terrifying minutes passed until I came back into the office to find that animal control had Charlie. I’ve never felt such an overwhelming sense of relief and joy.&nbsp;Aidan and I were reunited with all of our pets, and that’s what mattered most."

After the fire was extinguished, the couple stayed a few days at a hotel and were able to move to another apartment.

"Walking into a new place with absolutely nothing was surreal. We are slowly filling it up piece by piece but we still barely have things like furniture or clothes we once took for granted. It’s a different way of living now, but it has really proven that we only need each other no matter how tough times get," said Henderson.

"Aidan and I have created an immeasurably strong foundation in our relationship over the past two and half years that has given us the perseverance to endure anything thrown our way," said Adams.

Nothing but endless support the couple has been receiving following the fire. 

The community has been generous providing clothes, supplies for school, monetary donations and their families driving 200+ miles to support them.

With already over $6,000 being raised for the couple, they have been more than grateful for all of those who have supported.

"We have only gotten through this as smoothly as we have because of the support group around us. As soon as word started to spread about the fire, people were texting me asking how they can help, sending us money, sending us clothes. It was an overwhelming amount of support, and we couldn’t be more grateful to have not only a support group like we have, but also a community like Salina surrounding us," said Henderson.

"This entire experience was tremendously traumatizing, yet the biggest emotion I felt was gratefulness. The people and community that have supported us through every step of this journey have kept us going and allowed us to rebuild our lives.&nbsp;From the Ridge apartment staff, Salina fireman and animal control, to our families, friends, and people from our hometown hours away, each of these individuals have given us a second chance at life with our beloved pets," said Adams.

An experience like this can change one's life, and both have had their perspectives change for the better.&nbsp;

"This fire taught us that the most valuable things in life are not mere possessions, but simply the family and people around us. When salvaging anything we could find, Aidan and I both found our Bibles untouched. I had a cross given to me by my grandmother and a prayer box from my sister that were also untouched. Seeing these things remain among everything else that was destroyed, along with the miracle of being reunited with our pets, allowed Aidan and I to understand how truly protected we are in this universe and how God’s hands were over us throughout it all," said Adams.

"You realize very quickly that material things don’t matter much. Stripping everything away from us made us fully rely on each other, and truly work together in times of pressure. This experience has definitely made our relationship stronger, no matter how hard these times were for each of us. We may have lost our stuff, but we gained a deeper understanding of what really matters," said Henderson.

Adams' best friend Auna Plummer, started their <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-jaidyn-aidan-rebuild-after-apartment-fire">GoFundMe</a> which has been a huge success for the two in receiving funds from generous donors.

The goal of raising $6,500 is now over 90% and continues to climb.

<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-jaidyn-aidan-rebuild-after-apartment-fire">To fulfill their goal and donate towards Jaidyn and Aidan's fresh start, go here</a>.

KWU couple lives change after apartment fire, close to reaching fundraising goal

Kansas is turning 165 years old this year, and the Smoky Hill Museum plans to offer a FREE public celebration on Saturday, January 31, from 1:00 to 3:00 pm.

The whole family can enjoy learning how to make butter and shell corn at the Kansas Day Open House and Birthday Bash. Plus, there will be demonstrations, a make-and-take craft and delicious birthday cupcakes. Also, be sure to stop by the Museum Store for a wide variety of regional and Kansas products, local artwork and gifts for all ages.

The Smoky Hill Museum is a nationally accredited history museum in downtown Salina, Kansas. This FREE museum is open Tuesdays- Fridays 11-5 and Saturdays 10-5.

For needed accommodations, please call Susan Hawksworth at 309-5776 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Every effort will be made to accommodate known disabilities. For material or speech access, please call at least five working days prior to the event.

Celebrate Kansas’ 165th birthday at the Smoky Hill Museum Jan. 31

The Salina Family YMCA is offering an American Red Cross Lifeguard Training course in February for individuals interested in becoming certified lifeguards.

This 4-day comprehensive training covers essential skills including water rescue techniques, first aid, CPR, and emergency response. 

Participants will be challenged as they learn what it takes to safely respond in aquatic emergencies. A swim test will be conducted at the start of the course, and participants must pass in order to continue with the training.

Lifeguard certification is a valuable skill for anyone looking to gain lifesaving knowledge, improve confidence in the water, or prepare for aquatic leadership roles in a variety of settings. 

An American Red Cross certificate will be distributed upon completion of the course.

· Sunday Feb. 8th 8a-5 p.m. (could end earlier)

<a href="http://salinaymca.org/aquatics">Registration closes on February 1st, more info at the Salina Family YMCA website</a>

Salina YMCA offering American Red Cross Lifeguard Training in February, registration now open

Following is recent booking activity for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.salinecountyks.gov/Sheriff-Office/Online-search/Booking-Activities">Saline County Jail</a>, 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.

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Crim damage to prop;w/o consent &lt;$1K; Disorderly conduct; Brawling or fighting

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Contempt of Court; Direct

REQUESTED CHARGE: Probation Violation&nbsp;

REQUESTED CHARGES: Probation Violation, Failure to appear (2)

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Probation Violation

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Probation Violation; Driving While Suspended; Driving while habitual violator; No Proof Of Insurance; Unlawful acts: vehicle registration violation

NAME:&nbsp;Rodriguez,Rolando Cirilo

*No image available for&nbsp;Sutton Feldkamp,Dannyel Marie (46)*

NAME:&nbsp;Sutton Feldkamp,Dannyel Marie

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

Saline County Jail Bookings, January 24

Editor's note: The Kansas Department of Labor did not publish separate reports for the October and November due to the government shutdown.

Preliminary estimates reported by the Labor Market Information (LMI) division of the Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) show a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 3.8% in December, according to a media release from KDOL.&nbsp; This is unchanged from 3.8% in November and unchanged from 3.8% in December 2024. The labor force participation rate for Kansas increased to 67.5% in December.

The unemployment rate in Saline County, at 2.8 percent in November, remained the same December. The 3.3 percent rate last month in Dickinson County also remained unchanged.

County is up slightly from 2.8 percent in November to 2.9 percent in December.&nbsp; The rate in Geary County is also up from 4 percent to 4.2 percent. The rate is also up slightly in Pottawatomie and Wabaunsee County.

Seasonally adjusted job estimates for Kansas indicate total nonfarm payroll employment decreased by 4,500 from November. Total nonfarm includes private sector and government employers. Private sector jobs decreased by 5,000 over the month, while government increased by 500. The largest job gains in the private sector were in&nbsp;financial activities&nbsp;(+600 jobs). The largest decrease was in trade, transportation, and utilities&nbsp;(-2,100 jobs).

Since December 2024 Kansas’ seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs have decreased by 1,400. This change is due to an increase of 400 private sector jobs and a decrease of 1,800 government jobs.

Technical Note:This release includes nonfarm jobs and labor force estimates for December 2025, which are produced using data from two monthly surveys. Data for nonfarm job estimates is collected through a survey of employers while the main input for labor force estimates is a survey of households. Data collected for this report references the week including December 12.

Jobless rate remains steady in Saline County

As the first severe winter weather system of 2026 arrives in Kansas, now is the time to take simple steps to prevent damage to your home from snow and ice. 

Be sure to review your homeowners and renters’ insurance policies to know what protections you may have against common winter damage and contact your agent to review your policy and ensure you are covered for potential winter-related damages to your home or property.

The Kansas Department of Insurance recommends taking the following precautions to help prevent winter weather damages:

“Every Kansan should take precautionary steps this winter to protect their property from freezing temperatures and winter weather,” said Commissioner Vicki Schmidt. “If you need assistance with an insurance claim that arises from a winter storm, the Department is ready to help.”

If you have an insurance claim this winter, be sure to review the Department’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.insurance.kansas.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/48/638883392754730000">Homeowners Claims Settlement Guide</a>&nbsp;to help you through the claims process. If you or someone you know is having trouble with an insurance claim, please contact the Kansas Insurance Department’s Consumer Assistance Division toll-free at 1-800-432-2484, email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:KDOI.Complaints@ks.gov">KDOI.Complaints@ks.gov</a>&nbsp;or visit the Department online at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://insurance.kansas.gov/">insurance.kansas.gov</a>&nbsp;for any claims-related questions or concerns.

Department of Insurance provides precautionary tips to help prevent winter weather damages in your home

Below you will find a list of closings and cancellations in the Saline-Salina area due to Friday-Monday's winter weather:

If you have or know of any closings and cancellations please reach out to newstips@salinapost.com

- Sunday: All Day (online service on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@trinityumcsalina">Youtube</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TrinityUMCSalina">Facebook</a>)

- Sunday: All Day (online services available on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@salinafirstumc8319">Youtube</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/salinafirstumc">Facebook</a>)

- Sunday: All Day (online services available on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100079495315022">Facebook</a>)

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Saturday&nbsp;Cancellations/Closings at YMCA:

Laundry Love at&nbsp;Quick &amp; Clean Laundry

- Saturday:&nbsp;12 pm - 4 pm canceled&nbsp;

- Sunday: All Day (abbreviated worship service posted on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ImmanuelSalina">Facebook</a>)

Community Market Expo, Tony's Pizza Event Center

- Sunday: All Day (<a href="https://www.apostolicsofsalina.com/content.cfm?page_content=calendar_include.cfm&amp;event_id=16&amp;mm=1&amp;dd=25&amp;yy=2026">holding online Bible study here</a>)

- Sunday: All Day (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@salinaheights/streams">online service available here</a>)

CLOSINGS & CANCELLATIONS: winter weather 

High School Sports LIVE STREAMS

A 58-year old Salina woman had her personal belongings and vehicle stolen, which has been missing since January 11.

According to the Salina Police Department (SPD) the woman was shopping at Goodwill (2640 Planet Ave) in the afternoon on January 11. Reportedly, she lost track of her purse and later found it emptied out in one of the dressing rooms.

Missing from the purse were credit cards, phone, cash and car keys.

The victim then discovered her&nbsp;white 2019 Chevy Trax, KS Tag: 7676ADS was missing from the parking lot as well.

More details of the vehicle include:

- Kansas City Chiefs license plate frame on back of vehicle&nbsp;

-&nbsp;Indiana Fever WNBA logo on passenger-side back window.

- Yorkie sticker on driver-side back window.

Surveillance footage has been collected and revealed a male and female as the suspects. The female suspect was seen getting into the vehicle and driving off from the parking lot.

Tiffany Clinstman (58) is the victim and shared her comments.

Clinstman said she had her purse in the cart while she was shopping. She then could not find her purse in the cart after time passed. She then walked out of the store to her vehicle, to see if her purse was in there.&nbsp;

Afterwards,&nbsp;she spoke with the store manager to report of her missing purse.&nbsp;

"Management did a great job as they looked everywhere in the store," she said.

About 15 minutes later, she went to go check her car again and discovered it was gone.&nbsp;

At this time, almost everyone inside the store was searching for her purse. An individual then found her purse, but empty.

“Everyone was concerned and someone when into the changing room and found my purse emptied out," she said. "They took all of the stuff that was important."

Clintsman reported this immediately to SPD, but did not hear anything back until January 20. She left many voicemails and contacted the police department several times for any updates.

She said an officer told her the surveillance video from Goodwill had been tampered and SPD contacted the store to get untampered footage.

FLOCK cameras were reviewed and the vehicle was last seen at 2:15 pm on the 11th and no scans have been picked up since.

The positive identification of the suspects is still pending, with more video from Goodwill expected. 

Clinstman has only had her phone recovered.

If you have any information regarding this incident, contact the non-emergency Salina PD number at:&nbsp;(785) 826-7210

Ongoing investigation: Salina woman missing personal belongings and vehicle since Jan. 11

NASA’s giant new moon rocket, Artemis II, moved to the launch pad Jan. 17, in preparation for astronauts’ first fly-around the moon in more than half a century. The out-and-back trip could blast off as early as February.

The trip will send astronauts farther than any crew has traveled.  Last spring we visited with the pilot of the mission, Victor Glover.

He was selected as an astronaut in 2013 and most recently served as pilot of the Crew-1 Dragon spacecraft which flew to the International Space Station.  Here is our interview with NASA astronaut Victor Glover.

Gary Shorman:&nbsp;&nbsp;Welcome again to "Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times" with a special guest from Houston, astronaut Victor.&nbsp;Thanks for being on our program today.

Victor Glover:&nbsp;Thanks, Gary, great to be here. Thanks for&nbsp;having me.

Gary Shorman:&nbsp;&nbsp;You know, one of the things I know that we talk about on this program is leadership. You have walked in space four times. I believe you've been on the space station. You've lived up there for a while. What puts you in position?

Victor Glover:&nbsp;You know, from a leadership, from a career standpoint, to be in the astronaut program, I love talking about leadership.&nbsp;I love the subject and, well, I think a part of it would be following having a bunch of great leaders to work with and look up to. 

Initially, when you're put into a leadership position, you can freestyle it, or you can mimic what you've seen. So I would say some great leaders do imitate. 

I worked for some amazing people. My squadron commanders, I worked for John McCain for almost a year. Charlie Bolden, who ran NASA, but he was a Marine Corps general when I worked for him the first time, and so I think that's a big part of it, having some really amazing leaders to look up to in the beginning.

Gary Shorman:&nbsp;Were there some key moments in your career that kind of turned you towards being an astronaut?

Victor Glover:&nbsp;Key moments? Wow. I was in college, tutoring for a program, and loved working with kids, teaching engineering, and felt like I really had found my calling. I was considering the military and teaching at the time.

So my boss in that program, thinking she was going to help, really set the hook for being an educator, had me meet the executive director of this program.

I went up to the University of California office, and I walk in his office, and there's a constellation of our solar system and a rocket. And he sees me, leans back in his chair, he takes his glasses off and sets it on a book.

I shake his hand, and sit down, and he taps on that book. And he says, you see that right there? That's how I live my dreams of space exploration and flying. And he says, You have a chance to go fly in the Navy. Go do it, and if anything else, it'll make you a better educator. 

That conversation, which was that quick, really turned my thinking. I've always loved education and the impact we can have on young people, but that really helped me get comfortable with the idea of going and starting this Navy journey, which, you know, lots of other decisions on the way, but that was the big one, whether or not to leave college and go be an educator or to go serve in the military.

Gary Shorman: In our story, you talk to students about that. I'm sure you make those choices, make those things that can change your life. You've done that.

You had a chance to be at the space station, walk in space. Let's talk a little bit about that. What did it feel like to step outside the spaceship and just go shooting? I see space right there that has to be a breathtaking experience.

Victor Glover:&nbsp;That is it? It is breathtaking because you don't know what it's going to feel like when you first get out there. The advice I received that really just kept repeating in my head was, "Keep your world small."

 One of my classmates said to me, and so I just focused on right what was in front of my face, my hands and the handrail, where I'm going next. And so it took me about three hours before I felt like, OK.

I kind of got the hang of this. I'm going to start looking around and maybe taking some pictures. Actually, on my first spacewalk, I did not take a single picture. There were no selfies to be taken on. it, but it was busy. 

I'll tell you, that's what it is. You're busy. When you're outside, there's a lot to be done, and it all requires intense focus. 

I&nbsp;wrestled in college, and I think space walking has a lot in common with wrestling, even though it may be physical in a different way. It's very physical. It's very three-dimensional.

Your success requires you to integrate the three dimensions and to think about what's coming next. And that's very true in wrestling and space walks. It's so challenging. It's busy physically and mentally.

But most importantly, you're working with a team. And that team, Mike Hopkins, who had been out on a spacewalk before, and led our first one, the first one I went on, and also the ground team, they all helped to make that possible. 

But that first moment when you look out, and you can see that for real, there are just no words to describe it. We train in a pool where you can see the bottom of the pool. When you look out, and it's 250 miles straight down, you go, "Wow! this is amazing and special. But also, what am I doing?"

Gary Shorman:&nbsp;Letting go to actually float would have to be one of those experiences that you can think about, and I can say, "Boy, that'd be hard to do." But letting go when you're out there, and you see that space out there, that's amazing. What did it feel like when you were named to be on the Artemis mission?

Victor Glover:&nbsp;Ah, wow. It's interesting, because people ask about the excitement, and excitement is a part of it. But the professionals who do what I do, understand the risks associated with this.

There's a lot of software, a lot of pieces and parts to this, hardware, lots of people. This is made all over the country, in all 50 states of the Union, and then also parts overseas. 

And it all has to work flawlessly the first time for the duration of the mission. 

So we understand the risk. And so I would say the overriding feeling was, first of all shocked, because I didn't expect to be on this mission, so I was a little shocked. But then also, I know focus isn't a feeling, but the seriousness, that's my overriding feeling, was the seriousness of this. 

This means a lot for our country, for our agency, for our Artemis Accords, international partners, and it's risky. My family is going to have to go on this journey with&nbsp;me. We have a lot to get done in the next couple of years. And so, yeah, profundity, if it's a if that's an emotion, it was profundity.

Gary Shorman:&nbsp;If you look at 50 years since we've had a mission like this, and you'll be the first one to head to the moon, there's more to it than just circling the moon, though. Tell us a little bit more about the long-term plans for the Artemis mission.

Victor Glover:&nbsp;Artemis is our generation's deep-space exploration program. It's not just the Moon Program. We're going to make sure this Orion capsule is safe for humans to fly, so that we can fly it to eventually dock to a lunar lander.

That will get us to the surface of the moon, or to a gateway space station that's orbiting the moon. Both of those things are going to enable future technologies and future techniques and future teams to go beyond the moon on to Mars.

And continue to understand, maybe, how the Earth looked in its past, or where we may be headed in the future, if we don't take better care of our planet. 

So the Artemis program is a big campaign. The moon is just one destination, and that's our mission. Our mission is to do the free return trajectory around the moon, but really to test out Orion as one big step on this journey that's going to eventually get humans to Mars.

Gary Shorman:&nbsp;Orion is your spaceship, and you'll be the pilot of that as you approach the moon and circle the moon. What are you going to be looking for?

Victor Glover:&nbsp;Oh, wow. So there's a potential. The region of the moon, what we would call the Western Hemisphere, looking at it from Earth on the far side. That part has not been completely seen by human eyes, and I just learned that recently.

So the fact that there's a potential for us to see something that's never been seen before, that's amazing. 

But no matter what, even if it's completely dark, to look out the window of the spacecraft and to look at the moon in the foreground, and then see the Earth in the background, in the distance, a quarter of a million miles away, with my crewmates, Reed, Cristina, and Jeremy. I don't know what that's going to feel like, but I'm looking forward to that. That's going to be amazing.

Gary Shorman:&nbsp;I hope you send us pictures back, Victor.&nbsp; I know you're short on time because you have a lot of people and you have a lot of training to do. That has to be intense training, because there are so many moving parts, as you say, that intensity, that focus it takes. How many hours a day do you train?

Victor Glover:&nbsp;So we will start training next month, and I imagine it's going to be chock full. I think they're going to schedule our days full. And you know, while some of it will be technical training, some of it will be continuing to engage the public, like we are now.

But also, we will be engaging the team that's developing the hardware or building hardware and software, and thanking them for their hard work and letting them know how much we count on their technical expertise. And so they're going to keep us busy. Gary, you can be best believe we'll have some full days until launch.

Gary Shorman:&nbsp;I can't wait to see how this all develops. Look forward to it, and maybe again later on, once you're back, get a chance to follow up on that. But Victor, thanks for being on our program.

🎥 Forward Ever: Astronaut Victor Glover discusses Artemis II mission to moon

OTTAWA COUNTY—Two people were injured in an accident just after 8a.m. Friday in Ottawa County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Chevy Malibu driven by Joseph Adam&nbsp;Huiett, 25, Tescott, was westbound on Kansas 18 just east of 50th Road. Hulett fell asleep. The car traveled left of center and spun into the south ditch. An eastbound 2019 Dodge Ram driven by Heather&nbsp;Steen, 42, Lincoln spun and came to rest in the westbound lane facing southwest.

EMS transported Huiett and Steen to Salina Regional Health Center. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

2 hospitalized in Salina after driver fell asleep at the wheel

<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, January 23 - January 25

Saline County Emergency Management&nbsp;

The National Weather Service in Wichita reports an&nbsp;Arctic outbreak and winter weather&nbsp;will impact Saline County&nbsp;beginning Friday and continuing through Monday morning, bringing&nbsp;dangerous cold, hazardous travel conditions, and&nbsp;accumulating snow.

Arctic air is expected to move into the area early Friday morning and persist through the weekend, with&nbsp;dangerous wind chills between -10°F and -20°F&nbsp;likely from Friday morning through Monday morning. The coldest conditions are expected during the overnight and early morning hours.

Snow&nbsp;is expected to begin late Friday afternoon or Friday evening and continue through Saturday night, with&nbsp;slick roads&nbsp;and&nbsp;hazardous travel&nbsp;possible. While higher snowfall totals are more likely south of Saline County, confidence is high that snow will affect the area.&nbsp;Travel impacts are expected&nbsp;due to&nbsp;reduced visibility, slick roads,&nbsp;and&nbsp;prolonged cold conditions.

A&nbsp;Winter Storm Watch&nbsp;remains in effect from Friday afternoon through Saturday night, and an&nbsp;Extreme Cold Watch&nbsp;has been issued for the entire forecast area through Monday morning. Confidence is high in the timing and severity of the cold, with medium confidence in exact snowfall amounts due to potential shifts in the heaviest snow band.&nbsp;

<a href="https://files.constantcontact.com/55d47694801/2b6fb17f-1676-4697-ac6f-7c32ed6b5928.pdf?rdr=true">Click here to view the full packet of the upcoming severe weather</a>

Arctic outbreak & winter weather to impact Saline Co. Friday - Monday

Three day weather forecast Salina, January 21 - January 23

Three day weather forecast Salina, January 19 - January 21

Three day weather forecast Salina, January 16 - January 18

High wind gusts are expected to make its way through Salina and central Kansas on Friday.

According to the US National Weather Service, gusty&nbsp;northwest winds are forecasted during the day on Friday. Wind gusts are expected to range from 40-50 mph.

This is also paired with dry conditions, which there will be a very high grassland fire danger in the afternoon.

Russell is expected to have the highest speed of wind gusts with the range being 45-50 mph.

High temperatures for Salina is 41 degrees.

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.

High wind gusts and grassland fire danger expected throughout central Kansas, Salina on Friday

Three day weather forecast Salina, January 14 - January 16

Three day weather forecast Salina, January 12 - January 14

A chance of light rain Friday afternoon is expected to gradually transition into light snow towards the evening.

According to the US National Weather Service, a chance of rain is expected after 1:00 pm with a 50% chance to mix with snow after 4:00 pm.

Portions of central and south-central Kansas could see light snow accumulations up to 1 inch, and slick spots on bridges and overpasses are possible tonight.&nbsp;

A little after 7:00 pm, the mix will likely become all snow.

Higher accumulations are expected across southwest Kansas.

Light snow up to 1 inch expected late Friday afternoon and into the evening in central Kansas

Three day weather forecast Salina, January 9 - January 11

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — American rock climber Alex Honnold ascended the Taipei 101 skyscraper on Sunday without any ropes or protective equipment.

Cheers erupted from a street-level crowd as he reached the top of the spire of the 508-meter (1,667-foot) tower about 90 minutes after he started. Wearing a red short-sleeve shirt, Honnold waved his arms back and forth over his head.

“It was like what a view, it’s incredible, what a beautiful day,” he said afterward. “It was very windy, so I was like, don’t fall off the spire. I was trying to balance nicely. But it was, what an incredible position, what a beautiful way to see Taipei.”

Honnold, known for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/movies-travel-ff106c6b8ad54702bdcaab40988b0ad7">his ropeless ascent</a>&nbsp;up Yosemite National Park’s El Capitan, climbed up one corner of Taipei 101 using small L-shaped outcroppings as footholds. Periodically, he had to maneuver around and clamber up the sides of large ornamental structures that jut out from the tower, pulling himself up with his bare hands.

The building has 101 floors, with the hardest part being the 64 floors of the middle section — the “bamboo boxes” that give the building its signature look. Divided into eight, each segment has eight floors of steep, overhanging climbing followed by balconies, where he took short rests as he made his way upward.

Honnold's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alex-honnold-taipei-101-climb-netflix-0709f4d062923a09ff6da3786131fdd0">free solo climb of the iconic building</a>&nbsp;in Taiwan's capital city was broadcast live on Netflix with a 10-second delay. The ascent, originally scheduled for Saturday, was delayed for 24 hours due to rain.

Having a cheering crowd was unusual and a bit unnerving at first for Honnold, whose climbs are usually in remote areas.

“When I was leaving the ground, you're like oh it’s kind of intense, there’s so many people watching,” he said. “But then honestly, they’re all wishing me well. I mean basically it just makes the whole experience feel almost more festive, all these nice people are out supporting me and having a good time.”

The climb drew both excitement and concern over the ethical implications of attempting such a high-risk endeavor on live broadcast.

Honnold isn't the first climber to ascend Taipei 101, but he is the first to do so without a rope. French rock climber Alain Robert scaled the building on Christmas Day in 2004 as part of the grand opening of what was then the world’s tallest building.

Associated Press video journalist Taijing Wu and writer Ken Moritsugu in Beijing contributed.

American rock climber reaches top of Taipei 101 skyscraper without ropes

It’s been a year since a measles outbreak began in West Texas, and international health authorities say they will meet in April to determine if the U.S. has lost its measles-free designation.

Experts fear the vaccine-preventable virus has regained a foothold and that the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/canada-loses-measles-elimination-status-1ac3a4bdc7546fac5d8e111bf5196e1e">may soon follow Canada</a>&nbsp;in losing the achievement of having eliminated it.

The reevaluation is largely symbolic and hinges on whether a single measles chain has spread uninterrupted within the U.S. for at least 12 months.

Public health scientists around the country are investigating whether the now-ended Texas outbreak is linked to active ones in Utah, Arizona and South Carolina. But doctors and scientists say the U.S. — and North America overall — has a measles problem, regardless of the decision.

“It is really a question of semantics,” said Dr. Jonathan Temte, a Wisconsin family physician who helped certify the U.S. was measles-free in 2000. “The bottom line is the conditions are sufficient to allow this many cases to occur. And that gets back to de-emphasizing a safe and effective vaccine.”

Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed 2,144 measles cases across 44 states —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-us-texas-mmr-vaccine-rfk-144ed193e13de675a750e52a505423e9">the most since 1991</a>&nbsp;— and nearly 50 separate outbreaks.

The problem has been years in the making, as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccination-rates-cdc-kindergarten-0d261546a130dc256735d7b1ff8c6a5f">fewer kids</a>&nbsp;get routine vaccines due to parental waivers, health care access issues and rampant disinformation. More recently, Trump administration health officials have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccine-safety-mmr-autism-rfk-hepatitis-20d3122d7a9a339cd8447a347bd49928">questioned</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-autism-vaccines-7b1890f626dd5921fafd00fdd1e6425a">sown doubt</a>&nbsp;about the established safety of vaccines at an unprecedented level while also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccines-funding-cuts-5785985d6b74024b0502f6a2fc1576e2">defunding local efforts</a>&nbsp;to improve vaccination rates.

“The most important thing that we can do is to make sure the people who aren’t vaccinated get vaccinated,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, director of Brown University’s Pandemic Center. “We have not issued a clear enough message about that.”

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