Abilene is preparing to welcome a captivating new exhibit to its cultural scene. The "See Kansas" exhibit will be showcased at the Abilene Public Library from June 1 to August 7.

"We are truly excited to be able to display the "See Kansas" exhibit in the Jordan Room at the library this summer," said Library Director Wendy Moulton. "Our 2024 Summer Reading theme for all ages is Adventure Begins at Your Library, and the travel poster-inspired art on display will encourage everyone to enjoy and explore our wonderful state and community."

Produced by Parks and Green Spaces&nbsp;Art Projects, the exhibit features the work of nine artists from across the state, celebrating iconic and historic Kansas landscapes. Among these is the latest addition, "See Abilene," highlighting many aspects that contribute to Abilene being recognized as the Best Historic Small Town.

"The "See Kansas" Art Project spotlights some of the most beautiful outdoor spaces in the state," says Mary Gage, director of the project. "Nine Kansas artists were challenged to channel the beloved style of the National Parks Posters of the 1930s and '40s and produce unique new images for Kansans of favorite Kansas places. We're looking forward to sharing the exhibit of the artwork, as well as the new "See Abilene" poster, created in a similar style, with the community of Abilene this summer."

Visitors are encouraged to attend a special sneak peek unveiling of the "See Abilene" at the Abilene Public Library on Thursday, May 30, at 4 p.m.

"We are thrilled to collaborate with the Abilene Public Library and Parks and Green Spaces to bring this series to our community," said Julie Roller Weeks, Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau director. "The "See Kansas" series pieces are beautiful, and we're proud to add 'See Abilene' to its collection."

Copies of the "See Abilene" piece will be available for purchase at the Abilene Visitors Center.&nbsp;

LISTEN:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/6a4e3cd9-a93e-40de-ab9a-856ed8613326">🎙King in the Community Podcast — Jane Anderson, Update on Smoky Hill River Renewal Project funding</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1717167092689.jpeg" alt="Mary Gage, the director of the "See Kansas" art project talks to the public about the new "See Kansas" exhibit for the summer program. Image courtesy Visit Abilene" />
 <figcaption>Mary Gage, the director of the "See Kansas" art project talks to the public about the new "See Kansas" exhibit for the summer program. Image courtesy Visit Abilene</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedAbilene is preparing to welcome a captivating new exhibit to its cultural scene. The "See Kansas" exhibit will be showcased at the Abilene Public Library from June 1 to August 7."We are truly excited to be able to display the "See Kansas" exhibit in the Jordan Room at the library this summer," said Library Director Wendy Moulton. "Our 2024 Summer Reading theme for all ages is Adventure Begins at Your Library, and the travel poster-inspired art on display will encourage everyone to enjoy and explore our wonderful state and community."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1717167184423.jpeg" alt="The new "See Kansas" exhibit for the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum's summer program. Image courtesy Visit Abilene" />
 <figcaption>The new "See Kansas" exhibit for the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum's summer program. Image courtesy Visit Abilene</figcaption>
 </figure>Produced by Parks and Green Spaces&nbsp;Art Projects, the exhibit features the work of nine artists from across the state, celebrating iconic and historic Kansas landscapes. Among these is the latest addition, "See Abilene," highlighting many aspects that contribute to Abilene being recognized as the Best Historic Small Town."The "See Kansas" Art Project spotlights some of the most beautiful outdoor spaces in the state," says Mary Gage, director of the project. "Nine Kansas artists were challenged to channel the beloved style of the National Parks Posters of the 1930s and '40s and produce unique new images for Kansans of favorite Kansas places. We're looking forward to sharing the exhibit of the artwork, as well as the new "See Abilene" poster, created in a similar style, with the community of Abilene this summer."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1717167260005.jpeg" alt="Mary Gage, the director of the "See Kansas" art project, talks to the public about the new "See Kansas" exhibit for the summer program. Image courtesy Visit Abilene" />
 <figcaption>Mary Gage, the director of the "See Kansas" art project, talks to the public about the new "See Kansas" exhibit for the summer program. Image courtesy Visit Abilene</figcaption>
 </figure>Visitors are encouraged to attend a special sneak peek unveiling of the "See Abilene" at the Abilene Public Library on Thursday, May 30, at 4 p.m."We are thrilled to collaborate with the Abilene Public Library and Parks and Green Spaces to bring this series to our community," said Julie Roller Weeks, Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau director. "The "See Kansas" series pieces are beautiful, and we're proud to add 'See Abilene' to its collection."Copies of the "See Abilene" piece will be available for purchase at the Abilene Visitors Center.&nbsp;LISTEN:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/6a4e3cd9-a93e-40de-ab9a-856ed8613326">🎙King in the Community Podcast — Jane Anderson, Update on Smoky Hill River Renewal Project funding</a>

Discover Kansas through art — "See Kansas" Exhibit opens in Abilene

The Salina Symphony is tuning up for an unforgettable Symphony at Sunset D-Day 80th Anniversary Commemoration Concert on Saturday, June 1, on the<a href="https://www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov/"> grounds of the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in Abilene</a>.

Activities begin at 1 p.m. with hands-on history carts in the museum, food vendors, Mounted Color Guard Demonstrations, a flight simulator, and additional displays.

Performances by the Flint Hills Children’s Choir begin at 3 p.m., with Everyday Lights following at 5:30 p.m. and Fort Riley’s 1st Infantry Division Band taking the stage at 7 p.m. The Salina Symphony Concert, conducted by Music Director Yaniv Segal, will begin at 8:30 p.m. just as the sun begins to set.

Join us in honoring our veterans and celebrating the spirit of togetherness at this patriotic event. While admission is free, a donation to the Eisenhower Foundation will ensure the continuity of this beautiful concert for years to come.

Seating is not provided, so please bring your lawn chairs and blankets.

Museum admission is complimentary for the entire day, offering you a chance to explore and to learn. Be sure to visit the D-Day Remembered—Photographs by Fabrice Bourge photo exhibition.

Join the Eisenhower Presidential Library June 4-6 to commemorate D-Day+80 with the World War II Emerging Scholars Symposium culminating in the Remembrance Ceremony and Veterans Panel on June 6. Visit eisenhowerlibrary.gov for the complete schedule.

The Symphony at Sunset Concert is generously sponsored by the Community Foundation of Dickinson County, Marshall Motors of Salina, and the Friends of the Eisenhower Foundation. Additional support is also provided by Kansas Gas Service and Vyve Broadband.

<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Clx1NoYr0uQ?si=s4uEdMbSsvlrka_X" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>By SALINA POSTThe Salina Symphony is tuning up for an unforgettable Symphony at Sunset D-Day 80th Anniversary Commemoration Concert on Saturday, June 1, on the<a href="https://www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov/"> grounds of the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in Abilene</a>.Activities begin at 1 p.m. with hands-on history carts in the museum, food vendors, Mounted Color Guard Demonstrations, a flight simulator, and additional displays.Performances by the Flint Hills Children’s Choir begin at 3 p.m., with Everyday Lights following at 5:30 p.m. and Fort Riley’s 1st Infantry Division Band taking the stage at 7 p.m. The Salina Symphony Concert, conducted by Music Director Yaniv Segal, will begin at 8:30 p.m. just as the sun begins to set.Join us in honoring our veterans and celebrating the spirit of togetherness at this patriotic event. While admission is free, a donation to the Eisenhower Foundation will ensure the continuity of this beautiful concert for years to come.Seating is not provided, so please bring your lawn chairs and blankets.Museum admission is complimentary for the entire day, offering you a chance to explore and to learn. Be sure to visit the D-Day Remembered—Photographs by Fabrice Bourge photo exhibition.Join the Eisenhower Presidential Library June 4-6 to commemorate D-Day+80 with the World War II Emerging Scholars Symposium culminating in the Remembrance Ceremony and Veterans Panel on June 6. Visit eisenhowerlibrary.gov for the complete schedule.The Symphony at Sunset Concert is generously sponsored by the Community Foundation of Dickinson County, Marshall Motors of Salina, and the Friends of the Eisenhower Foundation. Additional support is also provided by Kansas Gas Service and Vyve Broadband.

Salina Symphony at Sunset D-Day Commemoration Concert in Abilene

Join host Nate King on the King in the Community podcast as he talks with Sarah Keck, entertainment director for the 48th annual Smoky Hill River Festival in Salina, Kansas. Sarah shares a sneak peek of the music acts at the festival, including diverse genres and performers.

LISTEN MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/eb9d6b20-de39-4216-9b0a-1c488dfeb1e6">🎙King in the Community — Crystal Hammerschmidt, Salina Arts and Humanities</a>

Sarah also discusses the collaborative effort in selecting artists and highlights returning favorites like Papa Green Shoes and new additions like Wilderness and Scott Mulvahill. Don't miss this celebration of music and community spirit at the 48th annual Smoky Hill River Festival June 13-16.&nbsp;

<div><iframe title="Sarah Keck, Smoky Hill River Festival Entertainment Director" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=jv7te-161f8d7-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=60a0c8" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>By SALINA POSTJoin host Nate King on the King in the Community podcast as he talks with Sarah Keck, entertainment director for the 48th annual Smoky Hill River Festival in Salina, Kansas. Sarah shares a sneak peek of the music acts at the festival, including diverse genres and performers.LISTEN MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/eb9d6b20-de39-4216-9b0a-1c488dfeb1e6">🎙King in the Community — Crystal Hammerschmidt, Salina Arts and Humanities</a>Sarah also discusses the collaborative effort in selecting artists and highlights returning favorites like Papa Green Shoes and new additions like Wilderness and Scott Mulvahill. Don't miss this celebration of music and community spirit at the 48th annual Smoky Hill River Festival June 13-16.&nbsp;<h2>More from King in the Community</h2><div><iframe title="King in the Community" allowtransparency="true" height="315" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:315px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=skmut-558a99-pbblog-playlist&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&order=episodic&limit=10&filter=publish_time&publish_start=2023-11-01&publish_end=2024-05-16&ss=529e65f6691d9b7dddebedc34e283cbe&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=315" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

🎙King in the Community — Sarah Keck, Smoky Hill River Festival

By NATE KING Salina Post

The 2024 Smoky Hill River Festival Medallion Quest is officially over — the medallion has been found.&nbsp;

Salina Arts &amp; Humanities announced this evening that Salinan Mandy Copp found this year's medallion just hours ago in Centennial Park in Salina, Kansas.&nbsp;

"A great story of a team that worked hard to interpret most of the clues correctly to get to the correct space," said Brad Anderson, Director at Salina Arts and Humanities. "We've had people find it [the medallion] fast by misinterpreting clues, and still getting to the right place. They did pretty well at keying in on a couple we thought were obscure."&nbsp;

This year's medallion resembles a railroad spike that holds a railroad tie in place. It was made from hardware, including rebar and threaded pipe. A rolled piece of paper with the medallion information and the message 'You found it' was inside the hollow spike.&nbsp;

Mandy Copp found the medallion in a railroad tie outside the front door of the Friendship Center.

“I appreciated the positive exchanges people had on social media and the cooperative spirit that Medallion hunters showed," Anderson said. 

On Friday morning, Mandy and her husband Sean went to Centennial Park after they dropped their son Jacob off at school.&nbsp;

"We were pretty sure the 'south of The King' clue meant the Elvis statue in Spangles," Mandy Copp said at the press conference held on Friday evening. "I told Jacob, 'I'm so sure it is at Centennial Park. I'll pay you $50 to skip Play Day at school to go look for it,'" Mandy Copp said as the audience laughed along with her. "Jacob said,' No.''

LISTEN:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/eb9d6b20-de39-4216-9b0a-1c488dfeb1e6">🎙King in the Community — Crystal Hammerschmidt, Salina Arts and Humanities</a>

Mandy's son Jacob had explored the area where the Medallion was found, laying on his stomach and poking his fingers in the holes of the railroad tie along the sidewalk. He was part of the reason Mandy Copp stayed in the area and started searching more thoroughly.

As 4:30 p.m. drew closer and the next clue was about to be revealed, Mandy and her crew of searchers went back to Centennial Park. They weren't alone — others had caught on and were looking South of the King and west of a wide path — Broadway Boulevard.&nbsp;

"Lots of people were in that area and there was a group of people specifically at the top of the steps where the railroad tie was when Jacob got there," Mandy Copp said. "When I found it everyone was super positive and congratulating us."

READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/b7840647-570e-46c9-b3db-a74fa03752e1">🎥First details released for 48th Smoky Hill River Festival</a>

Mandy Copp found the medallion around 4:45 p.m. on Friday, May 17.

Mandy Copp said each year she looks for the medallion and thinks she is on the right track.&nbsp;

"Inevidably every year I'm like,'This is the year, this has got to be where it is," Mandy Copp said. "And then all the clues come out and I was nowhere close to where it was."

Mandy Copp said with the number of community members out looking for the medallion, she is confident it would've been found today. This year marks the 18th year the Smoky Hill River Festival has held the Medallion Quest.

“The Festival Medallion Quest celebrates our community's patronage of the arts. It is exciting to see how Questers explore and think differently about their city in search of the medallion as it leads up to the Smoky Hill River Festival,” said Visual Arts Coordinator Crystal Hammerschmidt. 

Mandy Copp received a prize package of $1,000 in cash and $2,000 in gift certificates for shopping at the Smoky Hill River Festival Fine Art and Craft Show. Additionally, they received four festival admission wristbands, a complimentary on-grounds VIP parking pass, an invitation for four to the Thursday evening PREMIERE Art Patron Party, and four 2024 River Festival t-shirts.

The prize package is sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield Kansas.

READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/b89d6332-5e91-4fee-bd7d-db2bbd9b72d2">Wristbands for 48th Smoky Hill River Festival now on sale</a>

The 2024 Medallion Quest took just under 48 hours. To view the complete set of this year's&nbsp; Festival Medallion Quest clues, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://festivalmedallionquest.com/">festivalmedallionquest.com</a>&nbsp;and click on the Clues page.

The Smoky Hill River Festival, now in its 48th year, is the flagship event of Salina Arts &amp; Humanities, a department of the City of Salina. The River Festival draws many local residents and out-of-town guests each year to Salina to enjoy outdoor art installations, the Fine Art and Craft Show, three stages of live entertainment, the Artyopolis kid’s area, Festival food, and more. 

The River Festival generates approximately $3.5 million in revenue annually within the local community. Advance-price, four-day Festival Wristbands are available until late Tuesday, June 11, at 40 Salina locations and in 18 other regional cities. Children 11 and under get in FREE.

<a href="https://www.riverfestival.com/">To find out more about the festival click here.&nbsp;</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715991985498.jpeg" alt="2024 Festival Medallion Quest Winner Mandy Copp. Image Courtesy Salina Arts and Humanities" />
 <figcaption>2024 Festival Medallion Quest Winner Mandy Copp. Image Courtesy Salina Arts and Humanities</figcaption>
 </figure>By NATE KING Salina PostThe 2024 Smoky Hill River Festival Medallion Quest is officially over — the medallion has been found.&nbsp;Salina Arts &amp; Humanities announced this evening that Salinan Mandy Copp found this year's medallion just hours ago in Centennial Park in Salina, Kansas.&nbsp;"A great story of a team that worked hard to interpret most of the clues correctly to get to the correct space," said Brad Anderson, Director at Salina Arts and Humanities. "We've had people find it [the medallion] fast by misinterpreting clues, and still getting to the right place. They did pretty well at keying in on a couple we thought were obscure."&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715991074200.jpeg" alt="Salina Arts and Humanities Director Brad Anderson addresses attendeees at the Medallion Quest Press Conference on May 17, 2024. Photo by Nate King" />
 <figcaption>Salina Arts and Humanities Director Brad Anderson addresses attendeees at the Medallion Quest Press Conference on May 17, 2024. Photo by Nate King</figcaption>
 </figure>This year's medallion resembles a railroad spike that holds a railroad tie in place. It was made from hardware, including rebar and threaded pipe. A rolled piece of paper with the medallion information and the message 'You found it' was inside the hollow spike.&nbsp;Mandy Copp found the medallion in a railroad tie outside the front door of the Friendship Center.“I appreciated the positive exchanges people had on social media and the cooperative spirit that Medallion hunters showed," Anderson said. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715990738749.jpeg" alt="The 2024 Medallion Photo by Nate King" />
 <figcaption>The 2024 Medallion Photo by Nate King</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>How the Medallion was Found</h2>On Friday morning, Mandy and her husband Sean went to Centennial Park after they dropped their son Jacob off at school.&nbsp;"We were pretty sure the 'south of The King' clue meant the Elvis statue in Spangles," Mandy Copp said at the press conference held on Friday evening. "I told Jacob, 'I'm so sure it is at Centennial Park. I'll pay you $50 to skip Play Day at school to go look for it,'" Mandy Copp said as the audience laughed along with her. "Jacob said,' No.''LISTEN:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/eb9d6b20-de39-4216-9b0a-1c488dfeb1e6">🎙King in the Community — Crystal Hammerschmidt, Salina Arts and Humanities</a>Mandy's son Jacob had explored the area where the Medallion was found, laying on his stomach and poking his fingers in the holes of the railroad tie along the sidewalk. He was part of the reason Mandy Copp stayed in the area and started searching more thoroughly.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715990926871.jpeg" alt="From left: Jacob Copp, 2024 Medallion Winner Mandy Copp, Sean Copp and their family friend Jon Loader. Photo by Nate King" />
 <figcaption>From left: Jacob Copp, 2024 Medallion Winner Mandy Copp, Sean Copp and their family friend Jon Loader. Photo by Nate King</figcaption>
 </figure>As 4:30 p.m. drew closer and the next clue was about to be revealed, Mandy and her crew of searchers went back to Centennial Park. They weren't alone — others had caught on and were looking South of the King and west of a wide path — Broadway Boulevard.&nbsp;"Lots of people were in that area and there was a group of people specifically at the top of the steps where the railroad tie was when Jacob got there," Mandy Copp said. "When I found it everyone was super positive and congratulating us."READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/b7840647-570e-46c9-b3db-a74fa03752e1">🎥First details released for 48th Smoky Hill River Festival</a>Mandy Copp found the medallion around 4:45 p.m. on Friday, May 17.Mandy Copp said each year she looks for the medallion and thinks she is on the right track.&nbsp;"Inevidably every year I'm like,'This is the year, this has got to be where it is," Mandy Copp said. "And then all the clues come out and I was nowhere close to where it was."Mandy Copp said with the number of community members out looking for the medallion, she is confident it would've been found today. This year marks the 18th year the Smoky Hill River Festival has held the Medallion Quest.“The Festival Medallion Quest celebrates our community's patronage of the arts. It is exciting to see how Questers explore and think differently about their city in search of the medallion as it leads up to the Smoky Hill River Festival,” said Visual Arts Coordinator Crystal Hammerschmidt. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715981702021.jpeg" alt="The five clues that led Mandy to find the medallion in Centennial Park. Photo by Oliva Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>The five clues that led Mandy to find the medallion in Centennial Park. Photo by Oliva Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>Mandy Copp received a prize package of $1,000 in cash and $2,000 in gift certificates for shopping at the Smoky Hill River Festival Fine Art and Craft Show. Additionally, they received four festival admission wristbands, a complimentary on-grounds VIP parking pass, an invitation for four to the Thursday evening PREMIERE Art Patron Party, and four 2024 River Festival t-shirts.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716000460891.jpeg" alt="medallion quest" />
 <figcaption>medallion quest</figcaption>
 </figure>The prize package is sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield Kansas.READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/b89d6332-5e91-4fee-bd7d-db2bbd9b72d2">Wristbands for 48th Smoky Hill River Festival now on sale</a>The 2024 Medallion Quest took just under 48 hours. To view the complete set of this year's&nbsp; Festival Medallion Quest clues, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://festivalmedallionquest.com/">festivalmedallionquest.com</a>&nbsp;and click on the Clues page.The Smoky Hill River Festival, now in its 48th year, is the flagship event of Salina Arts &amp; Humanities, a department of the City of Salina. The River Festival draws many local residents and out-of-town guests each year to Salina to enjoy outdoor art installations, the Fine Art and Craft Show, three stages of live entertainment, the Artyopolis kid’s area, Festival food, and more. The River Festival generates approximately $3.5 million in revenue annually within the local community. Advance-price, four-day Festival Wristbands are available until late Tuesday, June 11, at 40 Salina locations and in 18 other regional cities. Children 11 and under get in FREE.<a href="https://www.riverfestival.com/">To find out more about the festival click here.&nbsp;</a>

UPDATED: The Festival Medallion has been found, winner announced

Join the Tumbleweed for an intimate acoustic show featuring three singer-songwriters from Nashville.&nbsp;&nbsp;Jason Michael Carroll &amp; Craig Campbell, accompanied by the bigger-than-life Bigg Vinny!&nbsp;&nbsp;

Doors and bar&nbsp;open at 5 p.m.&nbsp; The show starts at 6 p.m.&nbsp; There will be a silent auction during the music with a live auction following.&nbsp;&nbsp;All proceeds will be split between the American Legion, VFW Post 1432, and Kansas Honor Flight.&nbsp;

VIP ticket holders:&nbsp; Dinner provided by Buffalo Wild Wings from 5-6 p.m. with a&nbsp;meet and greet&nbsp;and Q &amp; A&nbsp;with all the artists.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.tickettailor.com/events/tumblweedllc/1178366">For tickets and information click here.</a>&nbsp;

Country music hit-maker Jason Michael Carroll from Youngsville, North Carolina, rose to fame after being discovered at a local talent competition in 2004 and later signed to the Arista Nashville label in 2006, releasing his debut album Waitin’ In The Country. The album produced three Top 40 hits including “Alyssa Lies,” “Livin’ Our Love Song,” and “I Can Sleep When I’m Dead” and soared to number one on the US Country charts, selling nearly half a million copies. Both of Carroll’s following albums, Growing Up Is Getting Old and Numbers have charted on the Billboard Top 200.

He has opened for Brooks &amp; Dunn, Trace Adkins, and Alan Jackson, and was a featured part of Carrie Underwood and Martina McBride’s 2008 tour. He was also performed on Good Morning America, thrilled the crowds at the CMA Music Festival, and has graced the Grand Ole Opry stage on multiple occasions.

Jason Michael Carroll is a consummate songwriter and continues to write and release new material. Carroll remains humble and optimistic about the future, stating, “I don’t take for granted what I’m doing, and I thank God and my fans every day I have the chance to keep doing it.”

The magic of the keys brought him his hunger for music as a child. The good ole’ down home boy grew up playing his mother’s piano and singing in church. After graduating high school, he took a job as a corrections officer in his hometown of Lyons, Georgia. But music never left his side. 

Taking a cue from the sounds of classic country and idols like Travis Tritt and Randy Travis, Campbell started a band and played local and national bar gigs. When the guitar player quit, Campbell took that as a sign to chase his dreams all the way to Nashville, Tennessee.

With two rolls of quarters and a roll of dimes given to him by his mother for gas money, Campbell barely made it into town. Starting in 2002, the young hopeful would spend the next several years paying his dues the old fashioned way. 

A demo singer by day and Lower Broadway gigger by night, Campbell was eventually connected to a soon to be signed artist who needed a keyboard player. He and fellow South Georgia native Luke Bryan hit it off and Campbell got the job. A year and a half long keyboard stint with Tracy Byrd soon followed, and on his non travel days, he took over as bandleader down at The Stage on Tuesday nights. His smooth chops and hot blooded stage presence soon caught the eye of industry execs and in 2009, Campbell signed with Bigger Picture Group.

His first single, the sentimental ballad “Family Man”, hit the top 15 on Billboard’s Country Airplay Chart in 2011. “Outta My Head” also cracked the top 15, while the catchy tune “Fish” garnered more than 10 million on demand streams. His 2014 breakout hit “Keep Them Kisses Comin’” was on its way up the charts when Campbell got the unexpected call that after two albums and a string of hits, Bigger Picture had closed. 

However, Campbell and his devoted team continued to press radio stations around the country, so much so that the single ended an impressive run well inside the Top 10, which is unheard of for a song with no financial backing.

Another door opened for Campbell in the form of Red Bow Records, a division of the Broken Bow umbrella. “Tomorrow Tonight” made it into the top 40, followed by perhaps his most poignant and well known work to date, “Outskirts of Heaven.” “Outskirts” took on a life of its own, showcasing Campbell’s vulnerability and deep rooted faith. The uplifting and remarkably personal ballad was praised by&nbsp;Rolling Stoneand&nbsp;Taste of Country, among others.

The impact of “Outskirts” prompted media appearances and memorable performances at nationally televised NFL games, the TODAY show, CMA Fest, and the Grand Ole Opry, the latter of which he has made over 50 appearances to date. And in a full circle moment, the down home Georgia boy reunited with buddy Luke Bryan on his highly successful 2017 Huntin’, Fishin’, and Lovin’ Every Day Tour.

In the summer of 2018, Campbell released his first new music in five years with his “See You Try” EP on Broken Bow. The title track became an instant crowd pleaser with its confident, flirty lyrics and boot stompin’ melody. The EP also found a home for both an electric and acoustic version of “Outskirts of Heaven.” But by August of 2018, Campbell and Broken Bow had mutually parted ways, leaving the door wide open for a long awaited, yet nearly missed opportunity.

“Since August, I’ve been recording and producing music MY way, and that includes things I’ve never done before, like playing piano and producing. I just think the title of the song is perfect because it really is ABOUT TIME for THIS song in particular to be shared,” Campbell said.&nbsp;

First recorded by Campbell in 2013, “It’s About Time” was slated to become the lead single off Campbell’s pending third album after the success of “Keep Those Kisses Comin”. When Bigger Picture closed, Campbell took it with him to BBR and pitched it to his circle of producers over a four year time frame, which resulted in a resounding “no.” But Campbell’s gut wrenching conviction and the listeners’ unwavering approval finally paved the way for Campbell to recut and completely own the current version. And he learned a few strong life and career lessons in the process.

“From now on, I’m not gonna even entertain the idea of recording any song if it doesn’t give me chills. I have to be proud of it. I have to answer for it and it has to get me fired up! But this is why I’m so excited for what this new music sounds like because I get to put my hands on it and be a part of it, not just sing it. I love not having to ask for permission,” Campbell said in his deep-rooted Southern accent. “Man, oh man . . . . I love where I am.”

With his band&nbsp;Trailer Choir,&nbsp;has hit&nbsp;The Top 40 Billboard Hot Country&nbsp;Chart with 5 singles. Best known for the&nbsp;CMT Award-nominated "ROCKIN THE BEERGUT"&nbsp;that has sold over 800k downloads. 

Vinny and his group were signed to&nbsp;Toby Keith’s Showdog Universal Records&nbsp;in June of 2007. Because of the high energy show and infectiously fun songs, Toby wasted no time and immediately put the group on his&nbsp;"Bigg Dog Daddy Tour."&nbsp;Based on fan reaction, radio success, and record sales, Toby decided to keep the band on his tour for 3 straight years which led to their own headlining tour in 2010.

The Biggest Loser, The CMT Awards,&nbsp;Major Motion picture BEER FOR MY HORSES, Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader, Day Jobs, Hosted&nbsp;CMT top 20 countdown,&nbsp;Hosted&nbsp;GAC top 20 countdown, Access Hollywood, Entertainment Tonight, Country Fried Flicks,&nbsp;and&nbsp;many more!

Toby Keith, ZZ TOP, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert, Trace Adkins, Kenny Chesney, Montgomery Gentry, Kid Rock, Big and Rich, Alan Jackson, Chris Young, and so&nbsp;many more.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715963681482.png" alt="Salute to our veterans" />
 <figcaption>Salute to our veterans</figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTJoin the Tumbleweed for an intimate acoustic show featuring three singer-songwriters from Nashville.&nbsp;&nbsp;Jason Michael Carroll &amp; Craig Campbell, accompanied by the bigger-than-life Bigg Vinny!&nbsp;&nbsp;Doors and bar&nbsp;open at 5 p.m.&nbsp; The show starts at 6 p.m.&nbsp; There will be a silent auction during the music with a live auction following.&nbsp;&nbsp;All proceeds will be split between the American Legion, VFW Post 1432, and Kansas Honor Flight.&nbsp;VIP ticket holders:&nbsp; Dinner provided by Buffalo Wild Wings from 5-6 p.m. with a&nbsp;meet and greet&nbsp;and Q &amp; A&nbsp;with all the artists.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tickettailor.com/events/tumblweedllc/1178366">For tickets and information click here.</a>&nbsp;<h2>Jason Michael Carroll</h2>Country music hit-maker Jason Michael Carroll from Youngsville, North Carolina, rose to fame after being discovered at a local talent competition in 2004 and later signed to the Arista Nashville label in 2006, releasing his debut album Waitin’ In The Country. The album produced three Top 40 hits including “Alyssa Lies,” “Livin’ Our Love Song,” and “I Can Sleep When I’m Dead” and soared to number one on the US Country charts, selling nearly half a million copies. Both of Carroll’s following albums, Growing Up Is Getting Old and Numbers have charted on the Billboard Top 200.He has opened for Brooks &amp; Dunn, Trace Adkins, and Alan Jackson, and was a featured part of Carrie Underwood and Martina McBride’s 2008 tour. He was also performed on Good Morning America, thrilled the crowds at the CMA Music Festival, and has graced the Grand Ole Opry stage on multiple occasions.Jason Michael Carroll is a consummate songwriter and continues to write and release new material. Carroll remains humble and optimistic about the future, stating, “I don’t take for granted what I’m doing, and I thank God and my fans every day I have the chance to keep doing it.”<h2>Craig Campbell</h2>The magic of the keys brought him his hunger for music as a child. The good ole’ down home boy grew up playing his mother’s piano and singing in church. After graduating high school, he took a job as a corrections officer in his hometown of Lyons, Georgia. But music never left his side. Taking a cue from the sounds of classic country and idols like Travis Tritt and Randy Travis, Campbell started a band and played local and national bar gigs. When the guitar player quit, Campbell took that as a sign to chase his dreams all the way to Nashville, Tennessee.With two rolls of quarters and a roll of dimes given to him by his mother for gas money, Campbell barely made it into town. Starting in 2002, the young hopeful would spend the next several years paying his dues the old fashioned way. A demo singer by day and Lower Broadway gigger by night, Campbell was eventually connected to a soon to be signed artist who needed a keyboard player. He and fellow South Georgia native Luke Bryan hit it off and Campbell got the job. A year and a half long keyboard stint with Tracy Byrd soon followed, and on his non travel days, he took over as bandleader down at The Stage on Tuesday nights. His smooth chops and hot blooded stage presence soon caught the eye of industry execs and in 2009, Campbell signed with Bigger Picture Group.His first single, the sentimental ballad “Family Man”, hit the top 15 on Billboard’s Country Airplay Chart in 2011. “Outta My Head” also cracked the top 15, while the catchy tune “Fish” garnered more than 10 million on demand streams. His 2014 breakout hit “Keep Them Kisses Comin’” was on its way up the charts when Campbell got the unexpected call that after two albums and a string of hits, Bigger Picture had closed. However, Campbell and his devoted team continued to press radio stations around the country, so much so that the single ended an impressive run well inside the Top 10, which is unheard of for a song with no financial backing.Another door opened for Campbell in the form of Red Bow Records, a division of the Broken Bow umbrella. “Tomorrow Tonight” made it into the top 40, followed by perhaps his most poignant and well known work to date, “Outskirts of Heaven.” “Outskirts” took on a life of its own, showcasing Campbell’s vulnerability and deep rooted faith. The uplifting and remarkably personal ballad was praised by&nbsp;Rolling Stoneand&nbsp;Taste of Country, among others.The impact of “Outskirts” prompted media appearances and memorable performances at nationally televised NFL games, the TODAY show, CMA Fest, and the Grand Ole Opry, the latter of which he has made over 50 appearances to date. And in a full circle moment, the down home Georgia boy reunited with buddy Luke Bryan on his highly successful 2017 Huntin’, Fishin’, and Lovin’ Every Day Tour.In the summer of 2018, Campbell released his first new music in five years with his “See You Try” EP on Broken Bow. The title track became an instant crowd pleaser with its confident, flirty lyrics and boot stompin’ melody. The EP also found a home for both an electric and acoustic version of “Outskirts of Heaven.” But by August of 2018, Campbell and Broken Bow had mutually parted ways, leaving the door wide open for a long awaited, yet nearly missed opportunity.“Since August, I’ve been recording and producing music MY way, and that includes things I’ve never done before, like playing piano and producing. I just think the title of the song is perfect because it really is ABOUT TIME for THIS song in particular to be shared,” Campbell said.&nbsp;First recorded by Campbell in 2013, “It’s About Time” was slated to become the lead single off Campbell’s pending third album after the success of “Keep Those Kisses Comin”. When Bigger Picture closed, Campbell took it with him to BBR and pitched it to his circle of producers over a four year time frame, which resulted in a resounding “no.” But Campbell’s gut wrenching conviction and the listeners’ unwavering approval finally paved the way for Campbell to recut and completely own the current version. And he learned a few strong life and career lessons in the process.“From now on, I’m not gonna even entertain the idea of recording any song if it doesn’t give me chills. I have to be proud of it. I have to answer for it and it has to get me fired up! But this is why I’m so excited for what this new music sounds like because I get to put my hands on it and be a part of it, not just sing it. I love not having to ask for permission,” Campbell said in his deep-rooted Southern accent. “Man, oh man . . . . I love where I am.”<h2>Big Vinny, Vincent Van-Zant Hickerson</h2>With his band&nbsp;Trailer Choir,&nbsp;has hit&nbsp;The Top 40 Billboard Hot Country&nbsp;Chart with 5 singles. Best known for the&nbsp;CMT Award-nominated "ROCKIN THE BEERGUT"&nbsp;that has sold over 800k downloads. Vinny and his group were signed to&nbsp;Toby Keith’s Showdog Universal Records&nbsp;in June of 2007. Because of the high energy show and infectiously fun songs, Toby wasted no time and immediately put the group on his&nbsp;"Bigg Dog Daddy Tour."&nbsp;Based on fan reaction, radio success, and record sales, Toby decided to keep the band on his tour for 3 straight years which led to their own headlining tour in 2010.<h2>As Seen On:</h2>The Biggest Loser, The CMT Awards,&nbsp;Major Motion picture BEER FOR MY HORSES, Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader, Day Jobs, Hosted&nbsp;CMT top 20 countdown,&nbsp;Hosted&nbsp;GAC top 20 countdown, Access Hollywood, Entertainment Tonight, Country Fried Flicks,&nbsp;and&nbsp;many more!<h2>Artists Performed With:</h2>Toby Keith, ZZ TOP, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert, Trace Adkins, Kenny Chesney, Montgomery Gentry, Kid Rock, Big and Rich, Alan Jackson, Chris Young, and so&nbsp;many more.

Salute to Our Veterans accoustic performance — May 18 at The Tumbleweed

Join King in the Community podcast host Nate King as he sits down with Crystal Hammerschmidt, the Visual Arts Coordinator for the upcoming Smoky Hill River Festival in Salina. Crystal shares her insights on the festival's visual arts, highlighting the talented artists and diverse artwork that will be showcased. 

From paintings to sculptures to handmade crafts, listeners will get a sneak peek at what art to expect at this year's festival. Tune in to learn more about how the arts community is thriving in Salina and how you can support local artists at this exciting event.

<a href="https://www.riverfestival.com/">For more information check out the Smoky Hill River Festival website here.&nbsp;</a>

<div><iframe title="Crystal Hammerschmidt, Smoky Hill River Festival Visual Arts Coordinator" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=y8gxd-161460e-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=60a0c8" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>By SALINA POSTJoin King in the Community podcast host Nate King as he sits down with Crystal Hammerschmidt, the Visual Arts Coordinator for the upcoming Smoky Hill River Festival in Salina. Crystal shares her insights on the festival's visual arts, highlighting the talented artists and diverse artwork that will be showcased. From paintings to sculptures to handmade crafts, listeners will get a sneak peek at what art to expect at this year's festival. Tune in to learn more about how the arts community is thriving in Salina and how you can support local artists at this exciting event.<a href="https://www.riverfestival.com/">For more information check out the Smoky Hill River Festival website here.&nbsp;</a>

🎙King in the Community — Crystal Hammerschmidt, Salina Arts and Humanities

The 2024 Smoky Hill River Festival Medallion Quest is underway!

The first clue was revealed this afternoon at the Smoky Hill Museum. It is:

The Festival Medallion Quest 2024 prize package includes the following:

· $2,000 in Festival Gift Certificates, to be used for purchases in the Fine Art and Craft Show or Art/Craft Demonstration Area during the Festival weekend

· Four complimentary Festival admission wristbands

· One on-grounds Festival parking pass (weather permitting)

· An invitation for four to attend the evening PREMIERE Art Patron Party on Thursday, June 13

· Four Smoky Hill River Festival t-shirts

“The Festival Medallion Quest is the perfect way to kick off the festival season,” said Salina Arts and Humanities Director Brad Anderson. “Thousands of searchers get to see the town with new eyes as they interpret clues and get creative trying to find the Medallion.”

Clues will be released at 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. daily on the Quest website,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.festivalmedallionquest.com/" target="_blank">www.festivalmedallionquest.com</a>,&nbsp;beginning at 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 15, on the steps of the Smoky Hill Museum.

The clues will also be posted outside the west doors on Eighth Street at the Salina Arts &amp; Humanities office on the corner of Eighth and Iron Ave.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715807316051.jpeg" alt="Salina Arts and Humanities Commissioners unveil the first 2024 Medallion Quest Clue. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Salina Arts and Humanities Commissioners unveil the first 2024 Medallion Quest Clue. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTThe 2024 Smoky Hill River Festival Medallion Quest is underway!<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715808130992.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>The first clue was revealed this afternoon at the Smoky Hill Museum. It is:Clue No. 1: A timely institutionThe Festival Medallion Quest 2024 prize package includes the following:· $1,000 in cash· $2,000 in Festival Gift Certificates, to be used for purchases in the Fine Art and Craft Show or Art/Craft Demonstration Area during the Festival weekend· Four complimentary Festival admission wristbands· One on-grounds Festival parking pass (weather permitting)· An invitation for four to attend the evening PREMIERE Art Patron Party on Thursday, June 13· Four Smoky Hill River Festival t-shirts“The Festival Medallion Quest is the perfect way to kick off the festival season,” said Salina Arts and Humanities Director Brad Anderson. “Thousands of searchers get to see the town with new eyes as they interpret clues and get creative trying to find the Medallion.”READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/b7840647-570e-46c9-b3db-a74fa03752e1">🎥First details released for 48th Smoky Hill River Festival</a>Clues will be released at 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. daily on the Quest website,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.festivalmedallionquest.com/" target="_blank">www.festivalmedallionquest.com</a>,&nbsp;beginning at 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 15, on the steps of the Smoky Hill Museum. The clues will also be posted outside the west doors on Eighth Street at the Salina Arts &amp; Humanities office on the corner of Eighth and Iron Ave.&nbsp;&nbsp;

First Medallion Quest clue: A timely institution

Flatland Cavalry is breaking out into a gallop. After years of hot trotting across their native Texas, the country outfit is primed for a breakout with the release of their third full-length album, the sonically sprawling and wistfully written Welcome to Countryland.

The band is scheduled to perform at the historic Stiefel Theatre on Thursday, May 23 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $39 and are<a href="https://www.stiefeltheatre.org/shows/flatland-cavalry#transition-anchor"> on sale now.</a>&nbsp;

The Texas sextet––bandleader and chief lyricist Cleto Cordero, guitarist Reid Dillon, bassist Jonathan Saenz, drummer Jason Albers, fiddle player Wesley Hall, and utility instrumentalist Adam Gallegos––continue to embrace their trademark sound while further pushing into the wild unknown. When it was time to embark on recording a new album, resting on their laurels was simply out of the realm of possibilities.

Following the release of 2019's critically-acclaimed Homeland Insecurity and their 2016 full-length debut Humble Folks, they’ve been on a healthy trajectory rising through the country ranks. 

After years of working with Lubbock stalwart Scott Faris in the friendly confines of Amusement Park Studios, Flatland decided a change of scenery was necessary. Despite some hesitation and a mix of emotions, they instantly knew recording at Nashville’s Sound Emporium Studio A with rising producer Jake Gear was the right move.

Since its release, Welcome To Countryland has garnered critical praise from Rolling Stone, Wall Street Journal, Holler, Whiskey Riff, Brooklyn Vegan and many other outlets. The band concluded their hugely successful Welcome To Countryland Tour by selling out Billy Bob’s Texas in December 2021, and kicked off 2022 with the release of the Far Out West Sessions. 

These stripped-down, one-take acoustic performance videos of their 2021 hits recorded on-site in the vast deserts and mountain ranges of Far West Texas were an instant hit with fans, so the band released the tapes on streaming platforms and embarked on the Far Out West Tour.

With more new music on the horizon, 17 upcoming stadium shows with Luke Combs, and a stacked touring calendar, Flatland Cavalry is approaching global influence in the Country &amp; Folk music world.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715640006797.jpeg" alt="Flatland Cavalry Image Courtesy Stiefel" />
 <figcaption>Flatland Cavalry Image Courtesy Stiefel</figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTFlatland Cavalry is breaking out into a gallop. After years of hot trotting across their native Texas, the country outfit is primed for a breakout with the release of their third full-length album, the sonically sprawling and wistfully written Welcome to Countryland.The band is scheduled to perform at the historic Stiefel Theatre on Thursday, May 23 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $39 and are<a href="https://www.stiefeltheatre.org/shows/flatland-cavalry#transition-anchor"> on sale now.</a>&nbsp;The Texas sextet––bandleader and chief lyricist Cleto Cordero, guitarist Reid Dillon, bassist Jonathan Saenz, drummer Jason Albers, fiddle player Wesley Hall, and utility instrumentalist Adam Gallegos––continue to embrace their trademark sound while further pushing into the wild unknown. When it was time to embark on recording a new album, resting on their laurels was simply out of the realm of possibilities.Following the release of 2019's critically-acclaimed Homeland Insecurity and their 2016 full-length debut Humble Folks, they’ve been on a healthy trajectory rising through the country ranks. After years of working with Lubbock stalwart Scott Faris in the friendly confines of Amusement Park Studios, Flatland decided a change of scenery was necessary. Despite some hesitation and a mix of emotions, they instantly knew recording at Nashville’s Sound Emporium Studio A with rising producer Jake Gear was the right move.Since its release, Welcome To Countryland has garnered critical praise from Rolling Stone, Wall Street Journal, Holler, Whiskey Riff, Brooklyn Vegan and many other outlets. The band concluded their hugely successful Welcome To Countryland Tour by selling out Billy Bob’s Texas in December 2021, and kicked off 2022 with the release of the Far Out West Sessions. These stripped-down, one-take acoustic performance videos of their 2021 hits recorded on-site in the vast deserts and mountain ranges of Far West Texas were an instant hit with fans, so the band released the tapes on streaming platforms and embarked on the Far Out West Tour.With more new music on the horizon, 17 upcoming stadium shows with Luke Combs, and a stacked touring calendar, Flatland Cavalry is approaching global influence in the Country &amp; Folk music world.

Flatland Cavalry performing at Stiefel Theatre next week

By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Lead Reporter - Salina Post

The founders of the Kansas Storytelling Festival in Downs, Kansas, could not have imagined its growth throughout the last 30 years. What started with a few orators in a tiny gazebo has evolved into a multi-venue event with hundreds of attendees.

Over two days, the festival adds another 300 people to Downs' population count of 800, with visitors and storytellers gathering from across the United States to hear stories ranging from fictional tall tales to mysterious local legends.

"Happy, sad, a lot of tall tales, maybe some embellishing of stories going on," said Storytelling Festival Steering Committee member Brenda Guiterrez. "It's the range of emotions and lots of laughter throughout the day."

The 30th Kansas Storytelling Festival kicked off its two days of narrations at the Downs Memorial Hall with storyteller <a href="https://www.leppstorytelling.com/">Bil Lepp</a> from South Charleston, West Virginia, and his comedy-fueled tall tales from his childhood.

Lepp took the stage with just a microphone and a backdrop of locally sewn quilts to help with the echoes inside Memorial Hall. He began telling the story of a young boy named Wallace who caused some mayhem at his elementary school in West Virginia.

"Almost all of my stories are based a little bit on something that I did or somebody I know," Lepp said. "I just take a little thing that happened to me somewhere along the way and&nbsp;just&nbsp;start asking myself, 'What if, what if, what if?' and it just grows into a story."

Lepp said he travels nationwide to tell stories at festivals and enjoys watching the audience absorb and react to his tales.

"A lot of artists never get to see their audience enjoy their art," Lepp said. "A painter, journalist, or a movie director, they don't always get to watch people, but I can stand on stage... to see the people react to it, and that's my favorite part."

READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/468bc8ee-a938-49e5-aa9d-286e2f02e11d">AJ Honey Farms — leading local beekeepers toward success</a>

Five featured storytellers from across the United States visited Downs for the festival this year, including Lepp, <a href="https://andyirwin.com/">Andy Offutt Irwin</a>, <a href="https://www.kimweitkamp.com/">Kim Weitkamp Gum</a>, Anne Rutherford and <a href="http://dinoodell.com/">Dino O' Dell</a>.

Alongside the featured tellers, 13 more orators and Master Storytellers joined the festival, voicing tall tales on four different stages in downtown Downs.

"It's [The Kansas Storytelling Festival] grown to four venues," Guiterrez said. "We have Memorial Hall, our Senior Center, our Historic [Train] Depot  and one of our church fellowship halls."

Guiterrez said that artists switched venues every hour throughout the day so audiences could follow their favorite artists around town or stay in one location to see several performers.

The Kansas Storytelling Festival is unique to Lepp, and he noted the focus on the local community and the support he sees from the region's residents.

"It's a&nbsp;really&nbsp;neat festival, and we go to lots and lots of festivals in lots of small towns, but this one is probably the smallest town," Lepp said. "So many people come out to this festival, and people come from all over the country to come to this festival. There aren't enough motels in this area to house everybody who comes to this festival, which I think is great."

Downtown Downs' parking spaces were filled with visitors for the festival, muffling the sound of passing trains that flow across Morgan Avenue with laughter, gasps of surprise and the continuous murmur of voices telling tales of both faraway places and hometown backyards.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715299313337.jpeg" alt="The Kansas Storytelling Festival kicked off inside the Downs Memorial Hall with storyteller Bil Lepp telling the story of a mischievous young classmate who caused some mayhem at his elementary school as a child in Downs, Kansas, on Friday, April 26. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>The Kansas Storytelling Festival kicked off inside the Downs Memorial Hall with storyteller Bil Lepp telling the story of a mischievous young classmate who caused some mayhem at his elementary school as a child in Downs, Kansas, on Friday, April 26. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Lead Reporter - Salina PostThe founders of the Kansas Storytelling Festival in Downs, Kansas, could not have imagined its growth throughout the last 30 years. What started with a few orators in a tiny gazebo has evolved into a multi-venue event with hundreds of attendees.Over two days, the festival adds another 300 people to Downs' population count of 800, with visitors and storytellers gathering from across the United States to hear stories ranging from fictional tall tales to mysterious local legends.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715299493621.jpeg" alt="Storyteller Bil Lepp tells a fictional tale from his childhood about a mischievous boy named Wallace on Friday, April 26, at the Kansas Storytelling Festival in Downs, Kansas. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Storyteller Bil Lepp tells a fictional tale from his childhood about a mischievous boy named Wallace on Friday, April 26, at the Kansas Storytelling Festival in Downs, Kansas. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>"Happy, sad, a lot of tall tales, maybe some embellishing of stories going on," said Storytelling Festival Steering Committee member Brenda Guiterrez. "It's the range of emotions and lots of laughter throughout the day."The 30th Kansas Storytelling Festival kicked off its two days of narrations at the Downs Memorial Hall with storyteller <a href="https://www.leppstorytelling.com/">Bil Lepp</a> from South Charleston, West Virginia, and his comedy-fueled tall tales from his childhood.Lepp took the stage with just a microphone and a backdrop of locally sewn quilts to help with the echoes inside Memorial Hall. He began telling the story of a young boy named Wallace who caused some mayhem at his elementary school in West Virginia.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715299697468.jpeg" alt="Locally-sewn quilts dressed the walls of the Downs Memorial Hall to dampen the echoes while storytellers narrate tales on Friday, April 26, at the Kansas Storytelling Festival in Downs, Kansas. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Locally-sewn quilts dressed the walls of the Downs Memorial Hall to dampen the echoes while storytellers narrate tales on Friday, April 26, at the Kansas Storytelling Festival in Downs, Kansas. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>"Almost all of my stories are based a little bit on something that I did or somebody I know," Lepp said. "I just take a little thing that happened to me somewhere along the way and&nbsp;just&nbsp;start asking myself, 'What if, what if, what if?' and it just grows into a story."Lepp said he travels nationwide to tell stories at festivals and enjoys watching the audience absorb and react to his tales."A lot of artists never get to see their audience enjoy their art," Lepp said. "A painter, journalist, or a movie director, they don't always get to watch people, but I can stand on stage... to see the people react to it, and that's my favorite part."READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/468bc8ee-a938-49e5-aa9d-286e2f02e11d">AJ Honey Farms — leading local beekeepers toward success</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715299576887.jpeg" alt="Storyteller Bil Lepp narrates the fictional tale of his childhood classmate on Friday, April 26, at the Kansas Storytelling Festival in Downs, Kansas. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Storyteller Bil Lepp narrates the fictional tale of his childhood classmate on Friday, April 26, at the Kansas Storytelling Festival in Downs, Kansas. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>Five featured storytellers from across the United States visited Downs for the festival this year, including Lepp, <a href="https://andyirwin.com/">Andy Offutt Irwin</a>, <a href="https://www.kimweitkamp.com/">Kim Weitkamp Gum</a>, Anne Rutherford and <a href="http://dinoodell.com/">Dino O' Dell</a>.Alongside the featured tellers, 13 more orators and Master Storytellers joined the festival, voicing tall tales on four different stages in downtown Downs."It's [The Kansas Storytelling Festival] grown to four venues," Guiterrez said. "We have Memorial Hall, our Senior Center, our Historic [Train] Depot and one of our church fellowship halls."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715299779917.jpeg" alt="The Historic Train Depot was one of four venues around town for the Kansas Storytelling Festival on Friday, April 26, in Downs, Kansas. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>The Historic Train Depot was one of four venues around town for the Kansas Storytelling Festival on Friday, April 26, in Downs, Kansas. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>Guiterrez said that artists switched venues every hour throughout the day so audiences could follow their favorite artists around town or stay in one location to see several performers.The Kansas Storytelling Festival is unique to Lepp, and he noted the focus on the local community and the support he sees from the region's residents."It's a&nbsp;really&nbsp;neat festival, and we go to lots and lots of festivals in lots of small towns, but this one is probably the smallest town," Lepp said. "So many people come out to this festival, and people come from all over the country to come to this festival. There aren't enough motels in this area to house everybody who comes to this festival, which I think is great."Downtown Downs' parking spaces were filled with visitors for the festival, muffling the sound of passing trains that flow across Morgan Avenue with laughter, gasps of surprise and the continuous murmur of voices telling tales of both faraway places and hometown backyards.

Kansas Storytelling Festival fills downtown Downs with tall tales

Originally from Texas and living in Salina for over twenty years, Mota most recently worked for Transervice Logistics as the Transportation Payroll Manager. She is a candidate for the Business Administration Accounting Pathways Certificate at Salina Tech and will graduate this Spring.

Mota takes pride in being a part of the praise band and a mentor for youth at Iglesia Nueva Esperanza and enjoys serving the community and managing youth projects and activities.

“I am eager to learn about the Festival and of course the opportunity to taste test Festival food! I am also grateful and delighted to be a part of the behind-the-scenes at the Festival, a celebration that brings the community together, where so many lives are touched through art, music, and food,” says Mota.

“Maira’s enthusiasm for community, commitment to excellence, and her professional ambition make her a great addition to our team. We are thrilled she has jumped right into the work,” says Anna Pauscher Morawitz, Operations &amp; Development Manager at Salina Arts &amp; Humanities.

Mota will oversee the Smoky Hill River Festival’s food committee and maintain accounting processes for Salina Arts &amp; Humanities.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714053525612.jpeg" alt="Mota, Maira" />
 <figcaption>Mota, Maira</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedOriginally from Texas and living in Salina for over twenty years, Mota most recently worked for Transervice Logistics as the Transportation Payroll Manager. She is a candidate for the Business Administration Accounting Pathways Certificate at Salina Tech and will graduate this Spring.Mota takes pride in being a part of the praise band and a mentor for youth at Iglesia Nueva Esperanza and enjoys serving the community and managing youth projects and activities.“I am eager to learn about the Festival and of course the opportunity to taste test Festival food! I am also grateful and delighted to be a part of the behind-the-scenes at the Festival, a celebration that brings the community together, where so many lives are touched through art, music, and food,” says Mota.“Maira’s enthusiasm for community, commitment to excellence, and her professional ambition make her a great addition to our team. We are thrilled she has jumped right into the work,” says Anna Pauscher Morawitz, Operations &amp; Development Manager at Salina Arts &amp; Humanities.Mota will oversee the Smoky Hill River Festival’s food committee and maintain accounting processes for Salina Arts &amp; Humanities.READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/b7840647-570e-46c9-b3db-a74fa03752e1">🎥First details released for 48th Smoky Hill River Festival</a>

SAH announces Maira Mota as the agency’s new accounting technician

<a href="https://www.salinaarts.com/programs/#poetry-series">The 40th Salina Spring Poetry Series</a>, sponsored and organized by Salina Arts &amp; Humanities, concludes on Tuesday, April 30, with a reading by Patricia Traxler. The reading will begin at 7 p.m. at Red Fern Booksellers, 106. S. Santa Fe Avenue.

Admission will be $5 cash at the door and free for students with ID. Traci Brimhall, Kansas Poet Laureate, curated this year’s series. Brimhall selected poets with a broad range of perspectives who will share their work in Salina this month. &nbsp;

“What a privilege and honor to have one of the series cofounders help us celebrate the incredibly long life of this series. Patricia Traxler is a gifted poet whose work has spanned numerous books, awards, and publications in every esteemed venue in the U.S. and even Ireland. She is a devoted teacher, a community advocate, and a talented writer in every genre. She is undoubtedly one of Kansas's brightest literary stars, and Salina is lucky to call her their own," Brimhall said.&nbsp;

In the decades since Patricia Traxler moved to Salina from San Diego, she has been active in the cultural life of the city. The founder and longtime director of Salina's Spring Poetry Series, she also taught at Kansas Wesleyan University for more than three decades. Traxler is the author of four volumes of poetry (most recently, Naming the Fires); a novel, Blood; and a short-story collection, In the Skin.

Traxler is currently working on a book of essays, Don't Ask Me, and a volume of her collected poems, as yet untitled.

 For needed accommodations, please call Amanda Morris at Salina Arts &amp; Humanities at 785-309-5770 between 8:00 a.m. - Noon and 1:00 - 5:00 p.m.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713985938066.jpeg" alt="Patricia Traxler" />
 <figcaption>Patricia Traxler</figcaption>
 </figure>Submitted<a href="https://www.salinaarts.com/programs/#poetry-series">The 40th Salina Spring Poetry Series</a>, sponsored and organized by Salina Arts &amp; Humanities, concludes on Tuesday, April 30, with a reading by Patricia Traxler. The reading will begin at 7 p.m. at Red Fern Booksellers, 106. S. Santa Fe Avenue.Admission will be $5 cash at the door and free for students with ID. Traci Brimhall, Kansas Poet Laureate, curated this year’s series. Brimhall selected poets with a broad range of perspectives who will share their work in Salina this month. &nbsp;“What a privilege and honor to have one of the series cofounders help us celebrate the incredibly long life of this series. Patricia Traxler is a gifted poet whose work has spanned numerous books, awards, and publications in every esteemed venue in the U.S. and even Ireland. She is a devoted teacher, a community advocate, and a talented writer in every genre. She is undoubtedly one of Kansas's brightest literary stars, and Salina is lucky to call her their own," Brimhall said.&nbsp;In the decades since Patricia Traxler moved to Salina from San Diego, she has been active in the cultural life of the city. The founder and longtime director of Salina's Spring Poetry Series, she also taught at Kansas Wesleyan University for more than three decades. Traxler is the author of four volumes of poetry (most recently, Naming the Fires); a novel, Blood; and a short-story collection, In the Skin.Traxler is currently working on a book of essays, Don't Ask Me, and a volume of her collected poems, as yet untitled. For needed accommodations, please call Amanda Morris at Salina Arts &amp; Humanities at 785-309-5770 between 8:00 a.m. - Noon and 1:00 - 5:00 p.m.&nbsp;

Final 2024 Salina Spring Poetry Series, April 30

The #IMOMSOHARD LIVE: LADIES NIGHT TOUR&nbsp;is coming to Salina&nbsp;Oct. 25 at&nbsp;7:30 p.m.&nbsp;at the Historic Stiefel&nbsp;Theartre&nbsp;in Downtown Salina, Kansas.&nbsp;

Tickets start at $35 and go on sale Friday, April 26 at&nbsp;10 a.m.&nbsp;

Buy in person at the Stiefel Theatre Box Office or online at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.stiefeltheatre.org/">www.stiefeltheatre.org</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 785-827-1998.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a target="_blank" href="http://imomsohard.com/">#IMOMSOHARD</a><a target="_blank" href="http://imomsohard.com/">&nbsp;</a>viral sensations/creators&nbsp;Kristin Hensley and Jen Smedley&nbsp;are heading out this fall with a brand new show:&nbsp;#IMOMSOHARD LIVE: LADIES&nbsp;NIGHT&nbsp;promoted by&nbsp;Mammoth, Inc.&nbsp;&nbsp;The 13 North American shows kick off&nbsp;October 4&nbsp;in&nbsp;DeKalb, IL. Tickets go on sale&nbsp;Friday, April 26&nbsp;at&nbsp;10:00 AM&nbsp;(local time) at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.imomsohard.com/">www.imomsohard.com</a>.

Each night&nbsp;Kristin&nbsp;and Jen&nbsp;will take the stage with shows that&nbsp;are guaranteed to&nbsp;make you laugh and, well, maybe pee your pants. These&nbsp;two dive&nbsp;in to&nbsp;all things womanhood, motherhood and friendship.&nbsp;There are new things to&nbsp;talk about&nbsp;and some old things to&nbsp;talk about&nbsp;in new ways&nbsp;like&nbsp;surviving marriage, fashion, and the tween-teen years.

The ladies may be older&nbsp;but&nbsp;they are only getting better. Or bitter. Let's go with better. "Let's all get together and find a way to laugh at the stuff that usually makes us cry." This show is rowdy, raucous and a little bit naughty. Get a group of your lady friends, or fly solo--you can even bring your husband (make sure he sits in the front row) and get ready to laugh.&nbsp;#IMOMSOHARD LIVE: LADIES NIGHT!&nbsp;is the night you need and deserve.

<a target="_blank" href="http://imomsohard.com/">#IMOMSOHARD</a>&nbsp;began as a popular&nbsp;web-series&nbsp;by real-life best friends, comedians, and moms Kristin Hensley and Jen Smedley. One night, over a glass of wine and many tears of frustration, these two friends decided to tell a different&nbsp;kind of&nbsp;story.&nbsp;

With a camera, two husbands, a babysitter, and bottomless mimosas, Kristin and Jen decided to speak openly about their fears and failures and prove that the only way to survive motherhood is through laughter and friendship.&nbsp;Good&nbsp;thing because, while shooting the first video for the series, Jen forgot her newborn daughter’s name. The video was a smash hit, sparking an online community of 2 million of the most engaged followers that social media has ever seen, confirmation that moms and women everywhere needed to laugh and to&nbsp;be heard.&nbsp;

Kristin and Jen followed up with weekly videos about all things woman and mother: hemorrhoids, nipple hair, sex after marriage, mom bods, spanks, wedding dresses, and swimsuits. (Yes, they wore them on camera). Both women write and produce the #IMSH series with a common goal: Maybe we can make you feel better about the job you’re doing if you see the terrible job we’re doing. The videos have received nearly 300 million views worldwide in just&nbsp;5&nbsp;years.

&nbsp;The phenomenon&nbsp;that&nbsp;Kristin and Jen created has since been nabbed for development by Warner Brothers TV.&nbsp;The comedians have&nbsp;sold-out&nbsp;two national tours, written a New York Times&nbsp;Best Selling&nbsp;book, landed branded deals with Fortune 100 companies such as Wal-Mart and Uni-Lever, and taped a standup comedy special for Amazon Prime Video, launching the network’s first standup comedy platform.&nbsp;

They have recently premiered their weekly podcast and a children’s book series with Harper Collins.&nbsp;Kristin Hensley and Jen Smedley are both based in Los Angeles and can often&nbsp;be found&nbsp;selling&nbsp;pizza slices for the PTA or&nbsp;working&nbsp;as parking enforcement at school&nbsp;drop off.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699384815089.png" alt="Stiefel Theatre" />
 <figcaption>Stiefel Theatre</figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTThe #IMOMSOHARD LIVE: LADIES NIGHT TOUR&nbsp;is coming to Salina&nbsp;Oct. 25 at&nbsp;7:30 p.m.&nbsp;at the Historic Stiefel&nbsp;Theartre&nbsp;in Downtown Salina, Kansas.&nbsp;Tickets start at $35 and go on sale Friday, April 26 at&nbsp;10 a.m.&nbsp;Buy in person at the Stiefel Theatre Box Office or online at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.stiefeltheatre.org/">www.stiefeltheatre.org</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 785-827-1998.&nbsp;&nbsp;This show is&nbsp;18+.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713971036967.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a target="_blank" href="http://imomsohard.com/">#IMOMSOHARD</a><a target="_blank" href="http://imomsohard.com/">&nbsp;</a>viral sensations/creators&nbsp;Kristin Hensley and Jen Smedley&nbsp;are heading out this fall with a brand new show:&nbsp;#IMOMSOHARD LIVE: LADIES&nbsp;NIGHT&nbsp;promoted by&nbsp;Mammoth, Inc.&nbsp;&nbsp;The 13 North American shows kick off&nbsp;October 4&nbsp;in&nbsp;DeKalb, IL. Tickets go on sale&nbsp;Friday, April 26&nbsp;at&nbsp;10:00 AM&nbsp;(local time) at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.imomsohard.com/">www.imomsohard.com</a>.Each night&nbsp;Kristin&nbsp;and Jen&nbsp;will take the stage with shows that&nbsp;are guaranteed to&nbsp;make you laugh and, well, maybe pee your pants. These&nbsp;two dive&nbsp;in to&nbsp;all things womanhood, motherhood and friendship.&nbsp;There are new things to&nbsp;talk about&nbsp;and some old things to&nbsp;talk about&nbsp;in new ways&nbsp;like&nbsp;surviving marriage, fashion, and the tween-teen years.The ladies may be older&nbsp;but&nbsp;they are only getting better. Or bitter. Let's go with better. "Let's all get together and find a way to laugh at the stuff that usually makes us cry." This show is rowdy, raucous and a little bit naughty. Get a group of your lady friends, or fly solo--you can even bring your husband (make sure he sits in the front row) and get ready to laugh.&nbsp;#IMOMSOHARD LIVE: LADIES NIGHT!&nbsp;is the night you need and deserve.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713971087475.jpeg" alt="#IMOMSOHARD" />
 <figcaption>#IMOMSOHARD</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>About #IMOMSOHARD</h2><a target="_blank" href="http://imomsohard.com/">#IMOMSOHARD</a>&nbsp;began as a popular&nbsp;web-series&nbsp;by real-life best friends, comedians, and moms Kristin Hensley and Jen Smedley. One night, over a glass of wine and many tears of frustration, these two friends decided to tell a different&nbsp;kind of&nbsp;story.&nbsp;With a camera, two husbands, a babysitter, and bottomless mimosas, Kristin and Jen decided to speak openly about their fears and failures and prove that the only way to survive motherhood is through laughter and friendship.&nbsp;Good&nbsp;thing because, while shooting the first video for the series, Jen forgot her newborn daughter’s name. The video was a smash hit, sparking an online community of 2 million of the most engaged followers that social media has ever seen, confirmation that moms and women everywhere needed to laugh and to&nbsp;be heard.&nbsp;Kristin and Jen followed up with weekly videos about all things woman and mother: hemorrhoids, nipple hair, sex after marriage, mom bods, spanks, wedding dresses, and swimsuits. (Yes, they wore them on camera). Both women write and produce the #IMSH series with a common goal: Maybe we can make you feel better about the job you’re doing if you see the terrible job we’re doing. The videos have received nearly 300 million views worldwide in just&nbsp;5&nbsp;years.&nbsp;The phenomenon&nbsp;that&nbsp;Kristin and Jen created has since been nabbed for development by Warner Brothers TV.&nbsp;The comedians have&nbsp;sold-out&nbsp;two national tours, written a New York Times&nbsp;Best Selling&nbsp;book, landed branded deals with Fortune 100 companies such as Wal-Mart and Uni-Lever, and taped a standup comedy special for Amazon Prime Video, launching the network’s first standup comedy platform.&nbsp;They have recently premiered their weekly podcast and a children’s book series with Harper Collins.&nbsp;Kristin Hensley and Jen Smedley are both based in Los Angeles and can often&nbsp;be found&nbsp;selling&nbsp;pizza slices for the PTA or&nbsp;working&nbsp;as parking enforcement at school&nbsp;drop off.

#IMOMSOHARD Tour coming to Stiefel Theatre in Oct. 

By LESLIE MANNING <a href="https://www.facebook.com/southeastspotlight">The Spotlight</a>

“I probably should’ve used a dart board,” Bill Tuzicka said. “I started out with 40-50 pieces of music laid out on the table and wrote down the titles. Each one I picked has a story.”

Tuzicka will conduct his last concert with the Salina Chorale at 4 p.m. Sunday, April 21 at the Stiefel Theater. Tickets are $15 at the door.

“I couldn’t ask for better people to work with,” Tuzicka said. “Former students, acquaintances - we’re just coming together and we make music.”

Tuzicka ends not just his time with the Salina Chorale, but his residence in the community, as he and his wife, Susan, plan to move to Iowa in June, where their son, Chris, is the technical director at the University of Northern Iowa.

“When I started teaching at Southeast, I was impressed with the community,” Tuzicka said. “The people and the faculty that mentored me when I got there were just wonderful to be around.”

Tuzicka became familiar with Southeast of Saline when he was a high school student at Bison High School. His junior year of high school, he went to watch the state basketball tournament, and Assaria High School played in the tournament. The next year, when he returned to watch the tournament, the community returned a basketball team from Southeast of Saline High School, and they played Pawnee Rock, the winner of the regional bracket that Bison High School had played in.

“I decided to go to Bethany when I was in seventh grade,” Tuzicka said. “I was taking piano lessons from a lady that graduated from Bethany. Twice a year I would go down and take a master class from a piano teacher.”

He decided he wanted to be a music major in the seventh grade, also. In addition to running track and playing basketball at Bison High School, Tuzicka sang in the school’s choir, accompanied soloists for contests, played in the school’s concert band and pep band, competed in forensics and performed in the school plays.

“I started out with the oboe in fourth or fifth grade,” Tuzicka said. “As a freshman, I’d been marching with that crazy oboe, and asked to play something else. They needed another trombone player.”

In 1967, Tuzicka graduated from Bison High School and began studying music at Bethany College. It was in Lindsborg, where he met his wife, Susan.

“I was involved in Broadway RFD, and was in a couple performances there,” Tuzicka said. “My wife walked into the first rehearsal for Carousel. She was going to summer school, and there weren’t very many people to hang around, so that’s where we met. When I met her in college, I was an average student. After we starting going together and hanging out, I was a much better student. I was a much better person. She just made me better, and still does.”

Upon graduating from Bethany College with a bachelors in music education in 1971, Tuzicka sent off four or five applications for jobs - Southeast of Saline included. Jim Buxton was the principal at Southeast of Saline High School, and Eugene Flour was the principal at the middle school, and Tuzicka was invited to interview with the two of them.

“I went back to my dorm room, and someone knocked on my door,” Tuzicka said. “It was the superintendent from Southeast, Don Howe. He offered me a job.”

Tuzicka talked the opportunity over with Susan, and they decided a bird in the hand was worth three or four in the bush. Susan had one more year of college left, and the job would allow him to stay close and commute from Lindsborg.

“It was the right move,” Tuzicka said. “I never wanted to go any place else. When we were thinking of starting a family, I couldn’t think of a better place for my son or daughter to go to school than Southeast of Saline.”

According to Tuzicka, when he started teaching at Southeast of Saline, he had 18 kids in the choir.

“It was just a matter of going out and recruiting and talking to kids,” Tuzicka said. “I was young and still fairly active in sports, so I would go out and play basketball with them on weekends. I guess they thought ‘He’s not too bad, so we will go sing for him.’ I just went from there and had them come in and try it to see if they would like it.”

In his second year teaching at Southeast of Saline, Tuzicka started the Madrigal singing group after a conversation with the high school principal about how to go about the audition process.

“Buxton suggested to make sure that all the communities were involved,” Tuzicka said. “At the time he was telling me, it didn’t make much sense. It just so happened that it worked out, and I did have kids from all the communities. I really believe that part of the success I had in working with the kids out there was because of that conversation I had with Mr. Buxton.”

Tuzicka had a visceral understanding of the school district consolidation process, as Bison High School and Otis High School had consolidated shortly after he graduated from high school. His attitude for inclusion and ability to recruit nurtured a growing program.

“We started to grow, and it was fun,” Tuzicka said. “Once I got the enrollment up, I started doing musicals. I liked doing the musicals with Broadway RFD, so that was another thing we started doing.”

While growing the Southeast of Saline vocal program, his wife, Susan, would give vocal lesson to students. A couple years after Tuzicka took on the high school and middle school vocal program, an elementary music job opened up in the USD 306 school district, and she applied and was accepted.

“She was my right arm, and maybe more than that,” Tuzicka said. “Any amount of success I’ve had with what I’ve been doing, I can truthfully say, a lot of it has to do with her.”

Susan would teach the fundamentals of reading music, and inspire the love of music.

“By the time they got to me, they were so well prepared,” Tuzicka said. “They had an appreciation for music and they understood music. The elementary music teachers all across the nation are the building blocks of whatever takes place in the high schools and colleges, because they learn the stuff down there. That’s where they learn to enjoy it, and that’s what is important.”

The preparation from Susan at the elementary level, allowed Tuzicka to manage a vocal program that averaged 70-80 students in the choir, at 3A Southeast of Saline High School. One year, he remembers having a choir of over 110 students.

When Southeast of Saline USD 306 opened a K-12 building in 1978, Tuzicka offered tech classes. He had been taking some classes in Wichita in tech theater, and worked on some things with some of the technical people at Century II.

“There needed to be a group of students that understood the technical theater and how things worked in there, so we could maintain what was taking place,” Tuzicka said. “The design of the theater was a design for a multi-performance room. It worked for what we did.”

According to Tuzicka, when the building was first designed, the theater was about twice as big as it is, and the choral and band rooms were bigger. He says the whole building was much more elaborate, even including a swimming pool in the original design.

“Of course, the price on that, I don’t think that ever made it to the public to see,” Tuzicka said. “Things had to be cut back and changed.”

The theater was a trending design at the time, one that can also be seen at Beloit High School and Cloud County Community College. The movement was to go away from a proscenium type theater, and make spaces not so formal.

“We made some changes to it, to make it a formal concert venue,” Tuzicka said. “It made it more of a performance area, as opposed to just an open air space. We made it more of like a theater as much as we possibly could.”

The timing was near perfect, as the Southeast of Saline theater wasn’t the only new performance venue being constructed. The Salina Bicentennial Center was built in 1976, and Tuzicka was asked to work there with spotlighting.

“It was a part-time job, and then it kept snowballing, where I was doing more and more,” Tuzicka said. “I got involved with the stage hand union, and I was working all over Kansas helping set up different shows and concerts. It was kind of like on the job training for me. I would bring those things back to Southeast of Saline, like ideas for play sets. I would go see how the pros did it, and bring that information back to Southeast and try it there. It worked out very well.”

As the students at Southeast of Saline became adept in the technical side of performances, many started helping Tuzicka set up for shows at the Salina Bicentennial Center.

“There were times when I didn’t have things going on at Southeast, I would take seniors in,” Tuzicka said. “The acts always brought their own sound and lighting people. It was our job to get them set up and going right.”

After 1996, when the Fox Theater Discover Group formed to research the viability of the Fox Theater in downtown Salina, Tuzicka was called on to share his experience in theater technology.

“I knew they were refurbishing the theater, and since I was involved with some of the things over at the Bicentennial Center at the time, they called me and asked me to come in and look at the plans for the theater for bringing in concerts and so forth,” Tuzicka said. “I said ‘Here are a couple thing you might want to consider or redo or look at.’ That kind of started it, and they asked me to come in and help more.”

The Stiefel Theater opened in 2002, and by 2006, when Tuzicka retired from teaching at Southeast of Saline, the facility was starting to do more and more shows. Tuzicka was hired as the technical director, also overseeing the facility maintenance. The technical director at the Stiefel Theater involves similar job responsibilities as that of the Bicentennial Center, taking care of everything on the stage in terms of lighting and sound - setting it up so the lighting and sound guys will have the best control possible.

“It was kind of an extension of the career at Southeast of Saline,” Tuzicka said. “This is the greatest working environment. I’m so lucky to have the people, the board, Jane Gates, everbody. The best thing about my job, I get a chance to talk to some of these (performers.) My door is always open. They walk in. Martina McBride said it looks like someone actually works in here.”

Also upon retirement from teaching at Southeast, Tuzicka and his wife, Susan, joined the Salina Chorale under the direction of Dr. Joseph Figg. When health issues prevented Dr. Figg from continuing with the chorale in 2009, Tuzicka was asked to take over and finish out the semester.

“I’ve been doing it ever since,” Tuzicka said. “It’s my therapy. Every Monday night, I go to therapy.”

The last concert of the Salina Chorale, under the direction of Tuzicka, will involve some Southeast of Saline vocal program history.

“I think one of the things about music, there’s no such thing as a piece of music you’ve done, that cannot be elaborated on or made better,” Tuzicka said. “It’s never perfect. It’s always a work in progress. You can never be satisfied with it, because it is never done.”

In 1996, Tuzicka took his first group of students to sing in Washington D.C. One of the first stops when arriving in Washington D.C. was a visit to the Albert Einstein statue. The students crawled all over the statue for a photo opportunity, and Tuzicka, in an impromptu moment, directed the group in the song by the King Singers, You are the New Day.

“That was the first piece any of my choirs sang in Washington D.C.,” Tuzicka said. “The hope for a new day is what keeps everybody going.”

Along with You are the New Day, the Salina Chorale will sing Corner of the Sky from the musical Pippin. Pippin was the musical performed at Southeast of Saline in the fall of 1997, his son, Chris’s, senior year of high school.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713539227732.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;Bill Tuzicka, and his wife and right hand, Susan, stand with the Salina Chorale. The chorale will perform their last concert under the direction of Tuzicka at 4 p.m. Sunday, April 21 at the Stiefel Theater. Image Courtesy Leslie Manning" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Bill Tuzicka, and his wife and right hand, Susan, stand with the Salina Chorale. The chorale will perform their last concert under the direction of Tuzicka at 4 p.m. Sunday, April 21 at the Stiefel Theater. Image Courtesy Leslie Manning</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE MANNING <a href="https://www.facebook.com/southeastspotlight">The Spotlight</a>“I probably should’ve used a dart board,” Bill Tuzicka said. “I started out with 40-50 pieces of music laid out on the table and wrote down the titles. Each one I picked has a story.”Tuzicka will conduct his last concert with the Salina Chorale at 4 p.m. Sunday, April 21 at the Stiefel Theater. Tickets are $15 at the door.“I couldn’t ask for better people to work with,” Tuzicka said. “Former students, acquaintances - we’re just coming together and we make music.”Tuzicka ends not just his time with the Salina Chorale, but his residence in the community, as he and his wife, Susan, plan to move to Iowa in June, where their son, Chris, is the technical director at the University of Northern Iowa.<h2>Making music</h2>“When I started teaching at Southeast, I was impressed with the community,” Tuzicka said. “The people and the faculty that mentored me when I got there were just wonderful to be around.”Tuzicka became familiar with Southeast of Saline when he was a high school student at Bison High School. His junior year of high school, he went to watch the state basketball tournament, and Assaria High School played in the tournament. The next year, when he returned to watch the tournament, the community returned a basketball team from Southeast of Saline High School, and they played Pawnee Rock, the winner of the regional bracket that Bison High School had played in.“I decided to go to Bethany when I was in seventh grade,” Tuzicka said. “I was taking piano lessons from a lady that graduated from Bethany. Twice a year I would go down and take a master class from a piano teacher.”He decided he wanted to be a music major in the seventh grade, also. In addition to running track and playing basketball at Bison High School, Tuzicka sang in the school’s choir, accompanied soloists for contests, played in the school’s concert band and pep band, competed in forensics and performed in the school plays.“I started out with the oboe in fourth or fifth grade,” Tuzicka said. “As a freshman, I’d been marching with that crazy oboe, and asked to play something else. They needed another trombone player.”In 1967, Tuzicka graduated from Bison High School and began studying music at Bethany College. It was in Lindsborg, where he met his wife, Susan.“I was involved in Broadway RFD, and was in a couple performances there,” Tuzicka said. “My wife walked into the first rehearsal for Carousel. She was going to summer school, and there weren’t very many people to hang around, so that’s where we met. When I met her in college, I was an average student. After we starting going together and hanging out, I was a much better student. I was a much better person. She just made me better, and still does.”Upon graduating from Bethany College with a bachelors in music education in 1971, Tuzicka sent off four or five applications for jobs - Southeast of Saline included. Jim Buxton was the principal at Southeast of Saline High School, and Eugene Flour was the principal at the middle school, and Tuzicka was invited to interview with the two of them.“I went back to my dorm room, and someone knocked on my door,” Tuzicka said. “It was the superintendent from Southeast, Don Howe. He offered me a job.”Tuzicka talked the opportunity over with Susan, and they decided a bird in the hand was worth three or four in the bush. Susan had one more year of college left, and the job would allow him to stay close and commute from Lindsborg.“It was the right move,” Tuzicka said. “I never wanted to go any place else. When we were thinking of starting a family, I couldn’t think of a better place for my son or daughter to go to school than Southeast of Saline.”According to Tuzicka, when he started teaching at Southeast of Saline, he had 18 kids in the choir.“It was just a matter of going out and recruiting and talking to kids,” Tuzicka said. “I was young and still fairly active in sports, so I would go out and play basketball with them on weekends. I guess they thought ‘He’s not too bad, so we will go sing for him.’ I just went from there and had them come in and try it to see if they would like it.”In his second year teaching at Southeast of Saline, Tuzicka started the Madrigal singing group after a conversation with the high school principal about how to go about the audition process.“Buxton suggested to make sure that all the communities were involved,” Tuzicka said. “At the time he was telling me, it didn’t make much sense. It just so happened that it worked out, and I did have kids from all the communities. I really believe that part of the success I had in working with the kids out there was because of that conversation I had with Mr. Buxton.”Tuzicka had a visceral understanding of the school district consolidation process, as Bison High School and Otis High School had consolidated shortly after he graduated from high school. His attitude for inclusion and ability to recruit nurtured a growing program.“We started to grow, and it was fun,” Tuzicka said. “Once I got the enrollment up, I started doing musicals. I liked doing the musicals with Broadway RFD, so that was another thing we started doing.”While growing the Southeast of Saline vocal program, his wife, Susan, would give vocal lesson to students. A couple years after Tuzicka took on the high school and middle school vocal program, an elementary music job opened up in the USD 306 school district, and she applied and was accepted.“She was my right arm, and maybe more than that,” Tuzicka said. “Any amount of success I’ve had with what I’ve been doing, I can truthfully say, a lot of it has to do with her.”Susan would teach the fundamentals of reading music, and inspire the love of music.“By the time they got to me, they were so well prepared,” Tuzicka said. “They had an appreciation for music and they understood music. The elementary music teachers all across the nation are the building blocks of whatever takes place in the high schools and colleges, because they learn the stuff down there. That’s where they learn to enjoy it, and that’s what is important.”The preparation from Susan at the elementary level, allowed Tuzicka to manage a vocal program that averaged 70-80 students in the choir, at 3A Southeast of Saline High School. One year, he remembers having a choir of over 110 students.When Southeast of Saline USD 306 opened a K-12 building in 1978, Tuzicka offered tech classes. He had been taking some classes in Wichita in tech theater, and worked on some things with some of the technical people at Century II.“There needed to be a group of students that understood the technical theater and how things worked in there, so we could maintain what was taking place,” Tuzicka said. “The design of the theater was a design for a multi-performance room. It worked for what we did.”According to Tuzicka, when the building was first designed, the theater was about twice as big as it is, and the choral and band rooms were bigger. He says the whole building was much more elaborate, even including a swimming pool in the original design.“Of course, the price on that, I don’t think that ever made it to the public to see,” Tuzicka said. “Things had to be cut back and changed.”The theater was a trending design at the time, one that can also be seen at Beloit High School and Cloud County Community College. The movement was to go away from a proscenium type theater, and make spaces not so formal.“We made some changes to it, to make it a formal concert venue,” Tuzicka said. “It made it more of a performance area, as opposed to just an open air space. We made it more of like a theater as much as we possibly could.”The timing was near perfect, as the Southeast of Saline theater wasn’t the only new performance venue being constructed. The Salina Bicentennial Center was built in 1976, and Tuzicka was asked to work there with spotlighting.“It was a part-time job, and then it kept snowballing, where I was doing more and more,” Tuzicka said. “I got involved with the stage hand union, and I was working all over Kansas helping set up different shows and concerts. It was kind of like on the job training for me. I would bring those things back to Southeast of Saline, like ideas for play sets. I would go see how the pros did it, and bring that information back to Southeast and try it there. It worked out very well.”As the students at Southeast of Saline became adept in the technical side of performances, many started helping Tuzicka set up for shows at the Salina Bicentennial Center.“There were times when I didn’t have things going on at Southeast, I would take seniors in,” Tuzicka said. “The acts always brought their own sound and lighting people. It was our job to get them set up and going right.”After 1996, when the Fox Theater Discover Group formed to research the viability of the Fox Theater in downtown Salina, Tuzicka was called on to share his experience in theater technology.“I knew they were refurbishing the theater, and since I was involved with some of the things over at the Bicentennial Center at the time, they called me and asked me to come in and look at the plans for the theater for bringing in concerts and so forth,” Tuzicka said. “I said ‘Here are a couple thing you might want to consider or redo or look at.’ That kind of started it, and they asked me to come in and help more.”The Stiefel Theater opened in 2002, and by 2006, when Tuzicka retired from teaching at Southeast of Saline, the facility was starting to do more and more shows. Tuzicka was hired as the technical director, also overseeing the facility maintenance. The technical director at the Stiefel Theater involves similar job responsibilities as that of the Bicentennial Center, taking care of everything on the stage in terms of lighting and sound - setting it up so the lighting and sound guys will have the best control possible.“It was kind of an extension of the career at Southeast of Saline,” Tuzicka said. “This is the greatest working environment. I’m so lucky to have the people, the board, Jane Gates, everbody. The best thing about my job, I get a chance to talk to some of these (performers.) My door is always open. They walk in. Martina McBride said it looks like someone actually works in here.”Also upon retirement from teaching at Southeast, Tuzicka and his wife, Susan, joined the Salina Chorale under the direction of Dr. Joseph Figg. When health issues prevented Dr. Figg from continuing with the chorale in 2009, Tuzicka was asked to take over and finish out the semester.“I’ve been doing it ever since,” Tuzicka said. “It’s my therapy. Every Monday night, I go to therapy.”<h2>Telling the story</h2>The last concert of the Salina Chorale, under the direction of Tuzicka, will involve some Southeast of Saline vocal program history.“I think one of the things about music, there’s no such thing as a piece of music you’ve done, that cannot be elaborated on or made better,” Tuzicka said. “It’s never perfect. It’s always a work in progress. You can never be satisfied with it, because it is never done.”In 1996, Tuzicka took his first group of students to sing in Washington D.C. One of the first stops when arriving in Washington D.C. was a visit to the Albert Einstein statue. The students crawled all over the statue for a photo opportunity, and Tuzicka, in an impromptu moment, directed the group in the song by the King Singers, You are the New Day.“That was the first piece any of my choirs sang in Washington D.C.,” Tuzicka said. “The hope for a new day is what keeps everybody going.”Along with You are the New Day, the Salina Chorale will sing Corner of the Sky from the musical Pippin. Pippin was the musical performed at Southeast of Saline in the fall of 1997, his son, Chris’s, senior year of high school.A song titled, Kittery, is one of Southeast of Saline’s historical performance pieces, a version of the Lord’s Prayer sang with a kind of sound you can hear in Slovac countries.“It’s a little bit different,” Tuzicka said. “It is a harsh sound. No great beautiful singing, so it is going to clean everybody’s ears to start with.”Other pieces on the setlist include One Tin Soldier; Lonesome Road by James Taylor; Shenandoah; Cantique de Jean Racine; Prayer of the Children; Home in the Heartland - a piece from Riverdance written about the plains and the Midwest; River of Judea and The Old Irish Blessing as the encore. The Salina Chorale will also perform Home on the Range, because Tuzicka assumes that if he ever directs a choir in Iowa, they are probably not going to let him do Home on the Range.A song special to the Salina Chorale, God Be in My Head, will be included in the set, as a remembrance to Dr. Joseph Figg.“I am going to miss the community and I’m going to miss the people and I’m going to miss what I do, but, just turn the page,” Tuzicka said. “How much I feel indebted to the community at Southeast of Saline. I was so lucky to somehow get into that community, and they accepted me. I have always had the highest amount of respect for the people who are on the school board out there, the people who stepped forward and had the well being of the students and the young people of the community at heart. That’s doesn’t just come from the school board, that comes from all the community.