By&nbsp;BILL FIANDER Former planning and development director City of Topeka

Recently as I drove my Silent Generation father-in-law on an out-of-town trip along I-70, he made a peculiar observation. “I never noticed this before but there’s plastic bags everywhere. My gosh. It looks terrible!”

Peculiar because he’s typically not a passenger seat guy. Peculiar because he’s the last person I expect to hear pseudo-environmentally conscious commentary from. But knowing he’s a person who takes seriously where his local tax dollars go and his community’s appearance, combined with a newfound passenger seat status, I took heed of a lesson in local self-determination enshrined in the Kansas Constitution otherwise known as “home rule.”

Put simply: his right to solve a local problem locally.

This session, the Kansas Legislature attempted another end run on home rule with House Bill 2446: a wide-ranging, but straightforward, one-page bill designed to prohibit cities and counties from regulating “auxiliary containers” — plastic straws, bags, cups, packages, bottles, etc. for the transportation, consumption, or protection of food, beverage, or merchandise.

Two weeks ago, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly vetoed the “plastic bag” bill, stunningly without a single reference to preserving the environment, spoiling waterways, toxicity of microplastics in our bloodstream, emitting greenhouse gases, or the Great Pacific garbage patch that’s grown bigger than Kansas itself.

Instead, she reserved her 45-word veto to extoll the virtues of local control and accountability enshrined in the 1961 home rule amendment to the Kansas Constitution where “powers and authority granted cities pursuant to this section shall be liberally construed for the purpose of giving cities the largest amount of self-government.”

Cities no longer had to gain approval from the state for their laws. Local government was given power to reflect their citizens’ needs and values free from state interference.

The logic of home rule presupposes a municipality is unique — what makes sense for Dodge City may not make sense for Manhattan — and will ultimately act in its own best interest lest people vote with their feet or for new representation.

The challenge of home rule is abiding by it.

Effective March 1, the City of Lawrence is determining their best interest as they implement a ban on single-use plastic bags, the first of its kind in the state. They affirmed their desire to think globally and act locally about the 29–36 million discarded plastic bags proliferating annually in the nooks and crannies of their city.

Conversely, passage of HB 2446 would have nullified their residents’ wishes and the wishes of any other city’s residents to self-govern.

Slopes are slippery. If the Legislature begins to assert their voice for local issues in one city, it becomes easier the next day to assert their voice on a local issue important to your city. Previous or current slippage into local control includes smoking in public places, age of tobacco purchasers, political sign regulations, zoning to increase housing supply, solar roof panels, homeless camping, and controlling pet populations.

Maybe some of this is dawning on legislators. For being the only Great Plains state not banning plastic bag bans, the bill had a surprisingly comfortable veto-override proof margin in the House (72-51) and Senate (24-16)

Maybe they’re realizing a statewide ban eliminates enough discarded bags annually in Kansas to circle the earth six times.

Or that it’s harder to escape the irony of condemning federal intrusion into state affairs when you do the same to local affairs.

Bill Fiander is a lecturer of university courses specializing in public administration, urban planning, and state/local government. He is the former planning and development director for the City of Topeka and holds a master's degree in urban and regional planning from George Washington University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713976057142.jpeg" alt="bill fiander" />
 <figcaption>bill fiander</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;BILL FIANDER Former planning and development director City of Topeka Recently as I drove my Silent Generation father-in-law on an out-of-town trip along I-70, he made a peculiar observation. “I never noticed this before but there’s plastic bags everywhere. My gosh. It looks terrible!”Peculiar because he’s typically not a passenger seat guy. Peculiar because he’s the last person I expect to hear pseudo-environmentally conscious commentary from. But knowing he’s a person who takes seriously where his local tax dollars go and his community’s appearance, combined with a newfound passenger seat status, I took heed of a lesson in local self-determination enshrined in the Kansas Constitution otherwise known as “home rule.”Put simply: his right to solve a local problem locally.This session, the Kansas Legislature attempted another end run on home rule with House Bill 2446: a wide-ranging, but straightforward, one-page bill designed to prohibit cities and counties from regulating “auxiliary containers” — plastic straws, bags, cups, packages, bottles, etc. for the transportation, consumption, or protection of food, beverage, or merchandise.Two weeks ago, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly vetoed the “plastic bag” bill, stunningly without a single reference to preserving the environment, spoiling waterways, toxicity of microplastics in our bloodstream, emitting greenhouse gases, or the Great Pacific garbage patch that’s grown bigger than Kansas itself.Instead, she reserved her 45-word veto to extoll the virtues of local control and accountability enshrined in the 1961 home rule amendment to the Kansas Constitution where “powers and authority granted cities pursuant to this section shall be liberally construed for the purpose of giving cities the largest amount of self-government.”Cities no longer had to gain approval from the state for their laws. Local government was given power to reflect their citizens’ needs and values free from state interference.The logic of home rule presupposes a municipality is unique — what makes sense for Dodge City may not make sense for Manhattan — and will ultimately act in its own best interest lest people vote with their feet or for new representation.The challenge of home rule is abiding by it.Effective March 1, the City of Lawrence is determining their best interest as they implement a ban on single-use plastic bags, the first of its kind in the state. They affirmed their desire to think globally and act locally about the 29–36 million discarded plastic bags proliferating annually in the nooks and crannies of their city.Conversely, passage of HB 2446 would have nullified their residents’ wishes and the wishes of any other city’s residents to self-govern.Slopes are slippery. If the Legislature begins to assert their voice for local issues in one city, it becomes easier the next day to assert their voice on a local issue important to your city. Previous or current slippage into local control includes smoking in public places, age of tobacco purchasers, political sign regulations, zoning to increase housing supply, solar roof panels, homeless camping, and controlling pet populations.Maybe some of this is dawning on legislators. For being the only Great Plains state not banning plastic bag bans, the bill had a surprisingly comfortable veto-override proof margin in the House (72-51) and Senate (24-16)Maybe they’re realizing a statewide ban eliminates enough discarded bags annually in Kansas to circle the earth six times.Or that it’s harder to escape the irony of condemning federal intrusion into state affairs when you do the same to local affairs.Bill Fiander is a lecturer of university courses specializing in public administration, urban planning, and state/local government. He is the former planning and development director for the City of Topeka and holds a master's degree in urban and regional planning from George Washington University.

Insight Kansas — Plastic bags test home rule more than environment

“Wheat’s on Your Mind” podcast dissects how communications efforts connect wheat farmers with consumers, Brazilian counterparts and many&nbsp;more.

Whether you are looking to catch up on the latest in the wheat industry, hear stories of Kansas wheat farming families or explore the larger world of wheat, the “Wheat’s on Your Mind” podcast has content for you!&nbsp;

Hosted by Aaron Harries, Kansas Wheat vice president of research and operations, the biweekly broadcast discusses wheat research projects, the latest in the domestic and global wheat markets, policy news like tracking the coming Farm Bill, wheat crop conditions, management decisions and more.&nbsp;

“Wheat’s on Your Mind is meant to be both educational and entertaining, showcasing the stories and people in the wheat world,” Harries said. “We want to reach millers to consumers and everyone in between, so tune in today!”

Two recent episodes&nbsp;walk through&nbsp;the importance of good communication strategy in promoting the U.S. wheat industry, whether by using analytics&nbsp;to better target consumers&nbsp;or by connecting Brazilian and American farmers.&nbsp;

The Podcast About a Podcast, Agro Connection

The latest episode of “Wheat’s on Your Mind” is a podcast about a podcast. More specifically, what started as a podcast to teach Brazilian farmers about American agriculture has evolved into a venture that connects people who want to push the boundaries of knowledge about agriculture.&nbsp;

Agro Connection is a team of young Brazilian agriculture scientists that produce podcasts and social media and guide specialized international agriculture tours. Harries sat down with Carlos Pires, one of the founders of Agro Connection, to learn more about the origins of this information-sharing work and a recent trip the group organized for members of the Kansas Agriculture and Rural Leadership (KARL) program to dive deep into the heart of Brazilian agriculture.&nbsp;

The award-winning podcast started as a random thought discussed between friends over a beer. Today, Agro Connection bills itself as an international information portal that connects people who want to push the frontiers of knowledge about agriculture. Agro Connections is an award-winning podcast with&nbsp;more than&nbsp;9,000 downloads of 37 episodes in less than two years. Its YouTube videos have reached 4,600 subscribers and nearly 200,000 views. The group also runs two WhatsApp groups for about 500 Brazilian farmers, answering their daily questions about American agriculture, including crop rotations, soil fertility applications, inputs and technologies.&nbsp;

“There’s a lot of good information out there that we can take back to our country, so that was the main goal,” Pires said. “The idea was communication because I have a passion for that. My dream was always to find a position as a professor in research and extension, and the podcast was just part of that — a way I found to&nbsp;be connected&nbsp;with farmers in my country.”

As an extension of this communications effort, Agro Connection started connecting Brazilian and American farmers — first by taking Brazilians working or studying in the United States to visit farms. More recently, they flipped that work to taking Americans to Brazil, including the Kansas Agricultural and Rural Leadership Program.&nbsp;

“Brazil is one of the leaders in the use of biologicals and regenerative agriculture, so we have a lot of long-term notes with years and years of cover crops and very healthy soils,” Pires said. “So, we want to take Americans there to spend some time.”&nbsp;

Pires&nbsp;was raised&nbsp;in southern Brazil, where several of his family members work in agronomy, tracing back to the original family member who immigrated from Italy to Brazil. He recently received his doctorate in agronomy and soil science from Kansas State University and will take the next step in his career this summer at North Dakota State University. Learn more about his story and his goals for connecting farmers across the hemispheres at&nbsp;<a href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001dFYo7l2_9DmmITHffWkzRsNkyfBz0S006vlXVquYhXROL6-qYbtacfMz0WSuiK5vZeOHjSE5551O6PwPk9AnFqCTkIPBrXxEax86KUz_X6Ulko4wIpUhe6pypWHywa6ldx8X9UKVcKopRevEHv3N_UvZj9yQ6QSj5XmPhAj2J4tV8MdqGGIFUOlUsrD5nYDfHXhPAhKM7Bo=&amp;c=zyV-ZdTnfYzpQzUxLVmZyKuixUQCJzxRRUsdGzcEkCa0nILFSulNwA==&amp;ch=_CWmPBcKCBrjXzOQMCyQ2qspIu315k4rrdKIlrriRRJkNhLfTPnMsQ==" target="_blank">WOYM Podcast About a Podcast.</a>

EatWheat.org is a website that tells stories about wheat farmers, educates consumers and inspires creativity with wheat food recipes. The effort started in 2017 and&nbsp;was designed&nbsp;to bridge the gap between wheat farmers and consumers. In this podcast episode, Marsha Boswell, Kansas Wheat vice president of communications, walked Harries through how this wheat industry effort uses innovative strategies and platforms to educate consumers about wheat, its benefits and the farming process.

“For many years, wheat farmers have done a good job of telling what the health benefits of wheat foods are — folic acid, vitamins and minerals, a lot of that type of information,” Boswell said. “But what we haven’t always done is tell the story of how that wheat gets to your plate and the farmers that grow it. The main reason for EatWheat is to connect consumers and farmers with the food, how it’s grown, how it gets to them — that’s what we’re trying to accomplish with this program.”&nbsp;

A changing media landscape that shifted from print to digital and targeted advertising means it is harder for consumers to separate the wheat from the chaff&nbsp;when it comes to&nbsp;nutrition, farming practices, recipes and more. EatWheat.org uses strategies like search engine optimization (SEO) and analytics&nbsp;to better understand&nbsp;what information those consumers want,&nbsp;as well as&nbsp;drive traffic to wheat-related content.&nbsp;Equally as&nbsp;important&nbsp;to this work&nbsp;is storytelling, which helps connect consumers with the origins of their food, featuring farmer profiles and educational resources on wheat varieties and uses.&nbsp;

“The number one page&nbsp;that people&nbsp;come to is the ‘Six Classes of Wheat’ page,” Boswell said. “It ranks high on Google, which is beneficial to us because it brings people to the site&nbsp;and&nbsp;then they have the opportunity to learn more about farmers or find some recipes or&nbsp;learn&nbsp;other things about wheat. There are several other pages that do really well along the same lines of learning about wheat and how it’s grown.”&nbsp;

The combination of storytelling and analysis creates opportunities to create engaging content for challenging platforms like TikTok and Instagram to inspire consumers about wheat foods. Kansas Wheat takes these learnings to communicate with different audiences.&nbsp;This&nbsp;includes leveraging social media and digital content to target audiences with very different interests in the Kansas wheat industry&nbsp;from&nbsp;farmers to international customers.&nbsp;

Whether you are a farmer, a consumer curious about where your food comes from or someone interested in agricultural marketing, this episode offers a wealth of insights into the power of effective communication in bridging the gap between farm and table. Listen now at&nbsp;<a href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001dFYo7l2_9DmmITHffWkzRsNkyfBz0S006vlXVquYhXROL6-qYbtacfMz0WSuiK5vno3neCEFCIwexyNLk_1_Jk1sIMpEZpM96ZJ8VmeY2rJJI6_dRTnM8xmKNpWw9gnxAcGvB9q5cPWio_sMHT6dl5IxKvJ-wig7VOaDhKRVMdquiFLTeqXvQNV92ohTUdsbxAxksVv5PF_60u0AzJvnug==&amp;c=zyV-ZdTnfYzpQzUxLVmZyKuixUQCJzxRRUsdGzcEkCa0nILFSulNwA==&amp;ch=_CWmPBcKCBrjXzOQMCyQ2qspIu315k4rrdKIlrriRRJkNhLfTPnMsQ==" target="_blank">WOYM Eat Wheat.</a>

Kansas Wheat promotes individual episodes on the organization’s social media channels, but listeners should subscribe&nbsp;so they don’t&nbsp;miss any of the excitement. Listeners can tune in wherever they listen to podcasts, including Apple or Spotify. Or check out the podcast’s website at&nbsp;<a href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001dFYo7l2_9DmmITHffWkzRsNkyfBz0S006vlXVquYhXROL6-qYbtacdXG456tDkdCeBxf7lUQ5swGAds68sjkZ-NEo8T2eEfZfeZVm4PztbMejPNMZCmintCDYjW4qfWwy1262vRytCEx7IdeYYxu1o0keQC9VpQX&amp;c=zyV-ZdTnfYzpQzUxLVmZyKuixUQCJzxRRUsdGzcEkCa0nILFSulNwA==&amp;ch=_CWmPBcKCBrjXzOQMCyQ2qspIu315k4rrdKIlrriRRJkNhLfTPnMsQ==" target="_blank">wheatsonyourmind.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1655426692793.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>JULIA DEBES Kansas Wheat“Wheat’s on Your Mind” podcast dissects how communications efforts connect wheat farmers with consumers, Brazilian counterparts and many&nbsp;more.Whether you are looking to catch up on the latest in the wheat industry, hear stories of Kansas wheat farming families or explore the larger world of wheat, the “Wheat’s on Your Mind” podcast has content for you!&nbsp;Hosted by Aaron Harries, Kansas Wheat vice president of research and operations, the biweekly broadcast discusses wheat research projects, the latest in the domestic and global wheat markets, policy news like tracking the coming Farm Bill, wheat crop conditions, management decisions and more.&nbsp;“Wheat’s on Your Mind is meant to be both educational and entertaining, showcasing the stories and people in the wheat world,” Harries said. “We want to reach millers to consumers and everyone in between, so tune in today!”Two recent episodes&nbsp;walk through&nbsp;the importance of good communication strategy in promoting the U.S. wheat industry, whether by using analytics&nbsp;to better target consumers&nbsp;or by connecting Brazilian and American farmers.&nbsp;The Podcast About a Podcast, Agro ConnectionThe latest episode of “Wheat’s on Your Mind” is a podcast about a podcast. More specifically, what started as a podcast to teach Brazilian farmers about American agriculture has evolved into a venture that connects people who want to push the boundaries of knowledge about agriculture.&nbsp;Agro Connection is a team of young Brazilian agriculture scientists that produce podcasts and social media and guide specialized international agriculture tours. Harries sat down with Carlos Pires, one of the founders of Agro Connection, to learn more about the origins of this information-sharing work and a recent trip the group organized for members of the Kansas Agriculture and Rural Leadership (KARL) program to dive deep into the heart of Brazilian agriculture.&nbsp;The award-winning podcast started as a random thought discussed between friends over a beer. Today, Agro Connection bills itself as an international information portal that connects people who want to push the frontiers of knowledge about agriculture. Agro Connections is an award-winning podcast with&nbsp;more than&nbsp;9,000 downloads of 37 episodes in less than two years. Its YouTube videos have reached 4,600 subscribers and nearly 200,000 views. The group also runs two WhatsApp groups for about 500 Brazilian farmers, answering their daily questions about American agriculture, including crop rotations, soil fertility applications, inputs and technologies.&nbsp;“There’s a lot of good information out there that we can take back to our country, so that was the main goal,” Pires said. “The idea was communication because I have a passion for that. My dream was always to find a position as a professor in research and extension, and the podcast was just part of that — a way I found to&nbsp;be connected&nbsp;with farmers in my country.”As an extension of this communications effort, Agro Connection started connecting Brazilian and American farmers — first by taking Brazilians working or studying in the United States to visit farms. More recently, they flipped that work to taking Americans to Brazil, including the Kansas Agricultural and Rural Leadership Program.&nbsp;“Brazil is one of the leaders in the use of biologicals and regenerative agriculture, so we have a lot of long-term notes with years and years of cover crops and very healthy soils,” Pires said. “So, we want to take Americans there to spend some time.”&nbsp;Pires&nbsp;was raised&nbsp;in southern Brazil, where several of his family members work in agronomy, tracing back to the original family member who immigrated from Italy to Brazil. He recently received his doctorate in agronomy and soil science from Kansas State University and will take the next step in his career this summer at North Dakota State University. Learn more about his story and his goals for connecting farmers across the hemispheres at&nbsp;<a href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001dFYo7l2_9DmmITHffWkzRsNkyfBz0S006vlXVquYhXROL6-qYbtacfMz0WSuiK5vZeOHjSE5551O6PwPk9AnFqCTkIPBrXxEax86KUz_X6Ulko4wIpUhe6pypWHywa6ldx8X9UKVcKopRevEHv3N_UvZj9yQ6QSj5XmPhAj2J4tV8MdqGGIFUOlUsrD5nYDfHXhPAhKM7Bo=&amp;c=zyV-ZdTnfYzpQzUxLVmZyKuixUQCJzxRRUsdGzcEkCa0nILFSulNwA==&amp;ch=_CWmPBcKCBrjXzOQMCyQ2qspIu315k4rrdKIlrriRRJkNhLfTPnMsQ==" target="_blank">WOYM Podcast About a Podcast.</a>EatWheat, Marsha Boswell&nbsp;EatWheat.org is a website that tells stories about wheat farmers, educates consumers and inspires creativity with wheat food recipes. The effort started in 2017 and&nbsp;was designed&nbsp;to bridge the gap between wheat farmers and consumers. In this podcast episode, Marsha Boswell, Kansas Wheat vice president of communications, walked Harries through how this wheat industry effort uses innovative strategies and platforms to educate consumers about wheat, its benefits and the farming process.“For many years, wheat farmers have done a good job of telling what the health benefits of wheat foods are — folic acid, vitamins and minerals, a lot of that type of information,” Boswell said. “But what we haven’t always done is tell the story of how that wheat gets to your plate and the farmers that grow it. The main reason for EatWheat is to connect consumers and farmers with the food, how it’s grown, how it gets to them — that’s what we’re trying to accomplish with this program.”&nbsp;A changing media landscape that shifted from print to digital and targeted advertising means it is harder for consumers to separate the wheat from the chaff&nbsp;when it comes to&nbsp;nutrition, farming practices, recipes and more. EatWheat.org uses strategies like search engine optimization (SEO) and analytics&nbsp;to better understand&nbsp;what information those consumers want,&nbsp;as well as&nbsp;drive traffic to wheat-related content.&nbsp;Equally as&nbsp;important&nbsp;to this work&nbsp;is storytelling, which helps connect consumers with the origins of their food, featuring farmer profiles and educational resources on wheat varieties and uses.&nbsp;“The number one page&nbsp;that people&nbsp;come to is the ‘Six Classes of Wheat’ page,” Boswell said. “It ranks high on Google, which is beneficial to us because it brings people to the site&nbsp;and&nbsp;then they have the opportunity to learn more about farmers or find some recipes or&nbsp;learn&nbsp;other things about wheat. There are several other pages that do really well along the same lines of learning about wheat and how it’s grown.”&nbsp;The combination of storytelling and analysis creates opportunities to create engaging content for challenging platforms like TikTok and Instagram to inspire consumers about wheat foods. Kansas Wheat takes these learnings to communicate with different audiences.&nbsp;This&nbsp;includes leveraging social media and digital content to target audiences with very different interests in the Kansas wheat industry&nbsp;from&nbsp;farmers to international customers.&nbsp;Whether you are a farmer, a consumer curious about where your food comes from or someone interested in agricultural marketing, this episode offers a wealth of insights into the power of effective communication in bridging the gap between farm and table. Listen now at&nbsp;<a href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001dFYo7l2_9DmmITHffWkzRsNkyfBz0S006vlXVquYhXROL6-qYbtacfMz0WSuiK5vno3neCEFCIwexyNLk_1_Jk1sIMpEZpM96ZJ8VmeY2rJJI6_dRTnM8xmKNpWw9gnxAcGvB9q5cPWio_sMHT6dl5IxKvJ-wig7VOaDhKRVMdquiFLTeqXvQNV92ohTUdsbxAxksVv5PF_60u0AzJvnug==&amp;c=zyV-ZdTnfYzpQzUxLVmZyKuixUQCJzxRRUsdGzcEkCa0nILFSulNwA==&amp;ch=_CWmPBcKCBrjXzOQMCyQ2qspIu315k4rrdKIlrriRRJkNhLfTPnMsQ==" target="_blank">WOYM Eat Wheat.</a>Subscribe to Wheat’s on Your MindKansas Wheat promotes individual episodes on the organization’s social media channels, but listeners should subscribe&nbsp;so they don’t&nbsp;miss any of the excitement. Listeners can tune in wherever they listen to podcasts, including Apple or Spotify. Or check out the podcast’s website at&nbsp;<a href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001dFYo7l2_9DmmITHffWkzRsNkyfBz0S006vlXVquYhXROL6-qYbtacdXG456tDkdCeBxf7lUQ5swGAds68sjkZ-NEo8T2eEfZfeZVm4PztbMejPNMZCmintCDYjW4qfWwy1262vRytCEx7IdeYYxu1o0keQC9VpQX&amp;c=zyV-ZdTnfYzpQzUxLVmZyKuixUQCJzxRRUsdGzcEkCa0nILFSulNwA==&amp;ch=_CWmPBcKCBrjXzOQMCyQ2qspIu315k4rrdKIlrriRRJkNhLfTPnMsQ==" target="_blank">wheatsonyourmind.com</a>.

Wheat Scoop: Wheat's on Your Mind Podcast

The 14th&nbsp;Annual SculptureTour Salina exhibit features 22 NEW sculptures&nbsp;SculptureTour&nbsp;Salina will unveil the new 2024 exhibit during the UNwrap Party&nbsp;Saturday, May 4!&nbsp;In&nbsp;memoriam&nbsp;the 2024 SculptureTour is dedicated to Sylvia Rice. The 22 sculptures will&nbsp;be simultaneously unwrapped&nbsp;at precisely 11:00 am.&nbsp;Everyone is encouraged to bring family and friends&nbsp;and come downtown for the BIG reveal!&nbsp;Everyone is encouraged to pick up a Walking Tour/Ballot from:&nbsp;

• One of the silver boxes at the mid-block pedestrian crossings on Santa Fe&nbsp;

• One of many of the downtown merchants&nbsp;

• The Visit Salina Information trailer&nbsp;which&nbsp;will be located in City Lights Stage plaza – at Santa Fe and Ash&nbsp;Then, walk the Sculpture Tour and exhibit.&nbsp;You can vote for your favorite piece and return your ballot to one of the silver boxes or the Visit Salina trailer.&nbsp;

Can’t decide just yet? You have some time to mull it over.&nbsp;Each year,&nbsp;the People’s Choice Award&nbsp;is determined&nbsp;by&nbsp;viewers who complete and submit a ballot through December 31.&nbsp;Voting is fun for ALL ages, with special promotions and contests for voters throughout the year.&nbsp;The winning sculpture&nbsp;is&nbsp;purchased by the City of Salina for&nbsp;an amount&nbsp;up to&nbsp;$20,000,&nbsp;and permanently placed where the public can enjoy it.&nbsp;Be sure to&nbsp;vote,&nbsp;and have your voice heard!&nbsp;

On Saturday, May 4, stop at the City Lights Stage Plaza at 1:00 pm, where the Juror’s Merit Awards, including Best of Show, will be announced from the stage. Salina Downtown, Inc. has some great entertainment scheduled for the weekend, including live music on Saturday at 2:00 pm with the Llew Brown Band.&nbsp;

If you are a fan and enjoy having these changing sculpture exhibits on loan from&nbsp;May-April&nbsp;each year, become a Friend of SculptureTour Salina. Donations made by Friends, plus the generous support of our Charter Sponsors, Site Sponsors, and Partners, make this project possible. For more information, visit our website at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.sculpturetoursalina.org">www.sculpturetoursalina.org</a>. Most sculptures are for sale, so consider purchasing one for your business or personal collection.&nbsp;

This&nbsp;is guaranteed fun for the whole family, as downtown always is! From the sculptures to murals, entertainment, shopping, dining, museums and more…it’s a great way to spend time in downtown Salina! See you there!&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713991070771.jpeg" alt="302162381_467484178723669_748231088927541114_n.jpg" />
 <figcaption>302162381_467484178723669_748231088927541114_n.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedThe 14th&nbsp;Annual SculptureTour Salina exhibit features 22 NEW sculptures&nbsp;SculptureTour&nbsp;Salina will unveil the new 2024 exhibit during the UNwrap Party&nbsp;Saturday, May 4!&nbsp;In&nbsp;memoriam&nbsp;the 2024 SculptureTour is dedicated to Sylvia Rice. The 22 sculptures will&nbsp;be simultaneously unwrapped&nbsp;at precisely 11:00 am.&nbsp;Everyone is encouraged to bring family and friends&nbsp;and come downtown for the BIG reveal!&nbsp;Everyone is encouraged to pick up a Walking Tour/Ballot from:&nbsp;• One of the silver boxes at the mid-block pedestrian crossings on Santa Fe&nbsp;• One of many of the downtown merchants&nbsp;• The Visit Salina Information trailer&nbsp;which&nbsp;will be located in City Lights Stage plaza – at Santa Fe and Ash&nbsp;Then, walk the Sculpture Tour and exhibit.&nbsp;You can vote for your favorite piece and return your ballot to one of the silver boxes or the Visit Salina trailer.&nbsp;Can’t decide just yet? You have some time to mull it over.&nbsp;Each year,&nbsp;the People’s Choice Award&nbsp;is determined&nbsp;by&nbsp;viewers who complete and submit a ballot through December 31.&nbsp;Voting is fun for ALL ages, with special promotions and contests for voters throughout the year.&nbsp;The winning sculpture&nbsp;is&nbsp;purchased by the City of Salina for&nbsp;an amount&nbsp;up to&nbsp;$20,000,&nbsp;and permanently placed where the public can enjoy it.&nbsp;Be sure to&nbsp;vote,&nbsp;and have your voice heard!&nbsp;On Saturday, May 4, stop at the City Lights Stage Plaza at 1:00 pm, where the Juror’s Merit Awards, including Best of Show, will be announced from the stage. Salina Downtown, Inc. has some great entertainment scheduled for the weekend, including live music on Saturday at 2:00 pm with the Llew Brown Band.&nbsp;If you are a fan and enjoy having these changing sculpture exhibits on loan from&nbsp;May-April&nbsp;each year, become a Friend of SculptureTour Salina. Donations made by Friends, plus the generous support of our Charter Sponsors, Site Sponsors, and Partners, make this project possible. For more information, visit our website at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.sculpturetoursalina.org">www.sculpturetoursalina.org</a>. Most sculptures are for sale, so consider purchasing one for your business or personal collection.&nbsp;This&nbsp;is guaranteed fun for the whole family, as downtown always is! From the sculptures to murals, entertainment, shopping, dining, museums and more…it’s a great way to spend time in downtown Salina! See you there!&nbsp;

14th Annual SculptureTour Salina exhibit features 22 NEW sculptures

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post

On Wednesday afternoon, Ellsworth High School announced in a statement that Jeff Landon would be taking over as head boy's basketball coach for the 2024-25 season pending board approval.

Landon, a 1984 Bearcat alum, returns to Ellsworth after ten years coaching college basketball at Sterling College.

He takes the reigns from Brett Rolfs, who served as head coach from 2022-2024.

Prior to his time coaching at the college level, Landon served as assistant girls' basketball coach at Ellsworth High School.

"We are excited to welcome Coach Landon back to the Bearcat family," Ellsworth AD Ron Davis said. "Coach is a fundamental teacher of the game, and brings both leadership and strong ties to Ellsworth basketball."

The Bearcats finished their most recent campaign 19-5, falling in the opening round of this year's 3A state basketball tournament.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostOn Wednesday afternoon, Ellsworth High School announced in a statement that Jeff Landon would be taking over as head boy's basketball coach for the 2024-25 season pending board approval.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>Landon, a 1984 Bearcat alum, returns to Ellsworth after ten years coaching college basketball at Sterling College.He takes the reigns from Brett Rolfs, who served as head coach from 2022-2024.Prior to his time coaching at the college level, Landon served as assistant girls' basketball coach at Ellsworth High School."We are excited to welcome Coach Landon back to the Bearcat family," Ellsworth AD Ron Davis said. "Coach is a fundamental teacher of the game, and brings both leadership and strong ties to Ellsworth basketball."The Bearcats finished their most recent campaign 19-5, falling in the opening round of this year's 3A state basketball tournament.

Jeff Landon hired to lead Ellworth boys basketball team

Kansas Wesleyan is proud to reveal more than $2.7 million raised in support of student scholarships through the university’s second Scholarship Gala, which took place Saturday evening in Mabee Arena.

 The event was highlighted by several gifts above $100,000, including $350,000 from Bob Meyer ’73 and $1 million from Dr. Kent Cox ’65 and wife Adrienne.&nbsp;It was the single largest fundraising event in school history.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Our hearts are full of thankfulness today,” said Ken Oliver, executive vice president of advancement and university operations. “So many individuals and corporate partners stepped up in support of our students. Individuals at different points in their lives, with different occupations and different histories, gave. Businesses saw what investing in scholarships could mean for their talent pool and for the community, and they gave. This level of support can truly change the futures of our students, and for that, we are grateful.”&nbsp;

Longtime supporters Ken and Karen Ebert, along with their family members, gave $100,000, as did the Gruber family and Saturday’s keynote speaker, Dr. Rebecca Chopp ’74 and her husband, Frederick Thibodeau. Foundation Board member Steve Scofield ’65 and wife Jewelda donated $125,000, while title sponsor Mahaska gave $100,000, as did Bennington State Bank and Mike and Debra Berkley. Finally, the Noonan family spearheaded an endowed scholarship in honor of Kevin Noonan ’71, donating $40,000.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Numerous other corporate partners, including Salina Regional Health Center and its foundation, Ryan Roofing, Nex-Tech Creative, CAD Law, and Pestinger Heating and Air, donated a combined $215,000.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Saturday’s event was a tremendous experience," Oliver said. “To see such support for our students is truly inspiring, and it is our hope that other individuals are inspired, as well. We hope that people see the way that KWU changes lives, how it betters north-central Kansas and how it makes Salina a better place to be! It did for each of these individuals and businesses, and it will for many more in the years to come.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713986359203.jpeg" alt="Image Courtesy Kansas Wesleyan University" />
 <figcaption>Image Courtesy Kansas Wesleyan University</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedKansas Wesleyan is proud to reveal more than $2.7 million raised in support of student scholarships through the university’s second Scholarship Gala, which took place Saturday evening in Mabee Arena. The event was highlighted by several gifts above $100,000, including $350,000 from Bob Meyer ’73 and $1 million from Dr. Kent Cox ’65 and wife Adrienne.&nbsp;It was the single largest fundraising event in school history.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Our hearts are full of thankfulness today,” said Ken Oliver, executive vice president of advancement and university operations. “So many individuals and corporate partners stepped up in support of our students. Individuals at different points in their lives, with different occupations and different histories, gave. Businesses saw what investing in scholarships could mean for their talent pool and for the community, and they gave. This level of support can truly change the futures of our students, and for that, we are grateful.”&nbsp;Longtime supporters Ken and Karen Ebert, along with their family members, gave $100,000, as did the Gruber family and Saturday’s keynote speaker, Dr. Rebecca Chopp ’74 and her husband, Frederick Thibodeau. Foundation Board member Steve Scofield ’65 and wife Jewelda donated $125,000, while title sponsor Mahaska gave $100,000, as did Bennington State Bank and Mike and Debra Berkley. Finally, the Noonan family spearheaded an endowed scholarship in honor of Kevin Noonan ’71, donating $40,000.&nbsp;&nbsp;Numerous other corporate partners, including Salina Regional Health Center and its foundation, Ryan Roofing, Nex-Tech Creative, CAD Law, and Pestinger Heating and Air, donated a combined $215,000.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Saturday’s event was a tremendous experience," Oliver said. “To see such support for our students is truly inspiring, and it is our hope that other individuals are inspired, as well. We hope that people see the way that KWU changes lives, how it betters north-central Kansas and how it makes Salina a better place to be! It did for each of these individuals and businesses, and it will for many more in the years to come.”

KWU celebrates largest single scholarship event in school history

<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

Salina Public Schools will host a recognition ceremony for retiring faculty and staff members on Sunday, May 5, at Lakewood Middle School. The event will begin at 3:00 p.m., and all community members are invited to join the celebration for these individuals' dedicated service. Additionally, the district will pay tribute to Michael Hall and Kelsie Wood, who have been named Salina Public Schools Teachers of the Year.

Retiring staff members who will be recognized include Vicky Bruner, Jay Caldwell, Trina Chitty, Kandis Crawford, Eddie Creer, Dawne Darling, Tom Haynes, Tressa Heyde, Mike Keith, Darrin Kochevar, Christal Lantz, Kristi Langdon, Cheryl Myers, Trisha Rohleder, Tammy Westphall and Sharon Wisdom.

The district also will present certificates to individuals who have completed 25 years of service. Qualifying staff are Rochelle Anspaugh, Shelly Arnold, Justin Baird, Megan Baird, Patricia Bandre, Amy Blackim, Damon Boyer, Cynthia Bray, Pamela Burgoon, Amy Calhoun, Anna Campbell, Pamela Chapin, Kim Clements, Dwight Christie, Jody Daily, Jarnee Saiz Fischer, Amanda Francisco, Stacy Garnett, Brenda Geist, Jill Graff, Lisa Hall, Melissa Mall, Michael Hall, Susan Hall, Jennifer Hastings, Jennifer Kay-Higgins, Aimee Holgerson, Kimberlie Householter, Jason Hooper, Ginger Jones, Kari Keck, Elaine Kickhaefer, Angela King, Susan Lawless, Christina Layton, Lisa Lynn, Shawn Loader, Kristen Menzies, Michelle Owen, Cynthia Munk, Edith Polk, Sara Praytor, Karri Robison, Cari Slothower, Amy Wagner, Dana Williams, Nancy Williams, Eric Winters and Catherine Zumbrunn.

Board of Education members have been invited to the event. No official board action will take place.

READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/95a4c0cb-94f9-49fc-b6f3-0949cee40f68">North Central Kansas counties prepare for 'Big Kansas Road Trip'</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713985712105.png" alt="USD 305 Salina Public Schools' retiring staff. Graphic courtesy Salina Public Schools" />
 <figcaption>USD 305 Salina Public Schools' retiring staff. Graphic courtesy Salina Public Schools</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedSalina Public Schools will host a recognition ceremony for retiring faculty and staff members on Sunday, May 5, at Lakewood Middle School. The event will begin at 3:00 p.m., and all community members are invited to join the celebration for these individuals' dedicated service. Additionally, the district will pay tribute to Michael Hall and Kelsie Wood, who have been named Salina Public Schools Teachers of the Year.Retiring staff members who will be recognized include Vicky Bruner, Jay Caldwell, Trina Chitty, Kandis Crawford, Eddie Creer, Dawne Darling, Tom Haynes, Tressa Heyde, Mike Keith, Darrin Kochevar, Christal Lantz, Kristi Langdon, Cheryl Myers, Trisha Rohleder, Tammy Westphall and Sharon Wisdom.The district also will present certificates to individuals who have completed 25 years of service. Qualifying staff are Rochelle Anspaugh, Shelly Arnold, Justin Baird, Megan Baird, Patricia Bandre, Amy Blackim, Damon Boyer, Cynthia Bray, Pamela Burgoon, Amy Calhoun, Anna Campbell, Pamela Chapin, Kim Clements, Dwight Christie, Jody Daily, Jarnee Saiz Fischer, Amanda Francisco, Stacy Garnett, Brenda Geist, Jill Graff, Lisa Hall, Melissa Mall, Michael Hall, Susan Hall, Jennifer Hastings, Jennifer Kay-Higgins, Aimee Holgerson, Kimberlie Householter, Jason Hooper, Ginger Jones, Kari Keck, Elaine Kickhaefer, Angela King, Susan Lawless, Christina Layton, Lisa Lynn, Shawn Loader, Kristen Menzies, Michelle Owen, Cynthia Munk, Edith Polk, Sara Praytor, Karri Robison, Cari Slothower, Amy Wagner, Dana Williams, Nancy Williams, Eric Winters and Catherine Zumbrunn.Board of Education members have been invited to the event. No official board action will take place.READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/95a4c0cb-94f9-49fc-b6f3-0949cee40f68">North Central Kansas counties prepare for 'Big Kansas Road Trip'</a>

Salina Public Schools’ retirement recognition event scheduled

The 43rd annual Cloud County Community College Foundation Scholarship Auction, on Saturday, April 20, raised more than $104,000.

The retro summer camp themed event, “Camp Cloud,” saw attendees bid on silent and live auction items to raise money for the Foundation’s scholarship fund. All funds raised during the evening go directly to the General Scholarship Fund, making Cloud County an option for many students who otherwise might not be able to attend college.

“The 43rd annual auction was a huge success thanks to the generous donors and attendees,” said Heather Gennette, Foundation Executive Director. “This remarkable support ensures that more students than ever will have the opportunity to pursue their dreams at Cloud County Community College.

“The auction only happens with the help of a great team of volunteers and amazing staff. The dedication and time these individuals put toward the event is simply incredible!”

In the history of the auction, the event has raised more than $1.2 million toward student scholarships.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713976485683.jpeg" alt="ITC Great Plains presented a scholarship donation to Cloud County Community College’s Wind Energy Technology program at Saturday night’s Foundation Scholarship Auction. Picture are, left to right: Sen. Elaine Bowers, Foundation Executive Director Heather Gennette, CCCC President Amber Knoettgen, Ernesto De La Rosa, ITC Regional Manager, Local Government and Community Affairs; and Kim Goodnight, ITC Manager, Customer &amp; Business Solutions." />
 <figcaption>ITC Great Plains presented a scholarship donation to Cloud County Community College’s Wind Energy Technology program at Saturday night’s Foundation Scholarship Auction. Picture are, left to right: Sen. Elaine Bowers, Foundation Executive Director Heather Gennette, CCCC President Amber Knoettgen, Ernesto De La Rosa, ITC Regional Manager, Local Government and Community Affairs; and Kim Goodnight, ITC Manager, Customer &amp; Business Solutions.</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedThe 43rd annual Cloud County Community College Foundation Scholarship Auction, on Saturday, April 20, raised more than $104,000.The retro summer camp themed event, “Camp Cloud,” saw attendees bid on silent and live auction items to raise money for the Foundation’s scholarship fund. All funds raised during the evening go directly to the General Scholarship Fund, making Cloud County an option for many students who otherwise might not be able to attend college.“The 43rd annual auction was a huge success thanks to the generous donors and attendees,” said Heather Gennette, Foundation Executive Director. “This remarkable support ensures that more students than ever will have the opportunity to pursue their dreams at Cloud County Community College.“The auction only happens with the help of a great team of volunteers and amazing staff. The dedication and time these individuals put toward the event is simply incredible!”In the history of the auction, the event has raised more than $1.2 million toward student scholarships.

CCCC Foundation auction a success

Hundreds of people from all over the state and beyond will explore Ellsworth and Lincoln counties plus the community of Lucas in Russell County on May 2-5 as part of the sixth Big Kansas Road Trip.

A project of the non-profit Kansas Sampler Foundation, the purpose of the event is to provide the public firsthand experiences in rural communities and to give these cities a chance to showcase who they are and what they have.

&nbsp;“If you have the Explorer spirit and want to get down to the granular level of knowing rural Kansas, this is a friendly space to do that, ”said Marci Penner, co-director of the Kansas Sampler Foundation.

The public chooses their adventure from a list of 256 entries that include attractions, shops, stops, restaurants, and events in the 12 participating cities. Each person makes their own choice of where to go and when.

There are two state lakes, Kanopolis and Wilson and two scenic byways, Post Rock Scenic Byway and parts of the Prairie Trail Scenic Byway,&nbsp; located in the BKRT area.

In Ellsworth County, a sampling of events includes cattle branding, missile silo tours, Czech dancing, Big Band music and swing dancing, frontier army re-enactments, folk music jamming and pie, a ranger chat about petroglyphs plus attractions like Mushroom Rock State Park, Faris Caves, local museums, Kansas Originals, and the World’s Largest Czech Egg.

Grow Ellsworth County Executive Director, Stacie Schmidt said the Big Kansas Roadtrip has a huge impact on communies, like Ellsworth, even long after the road trip is over.

&nbsp;"We've asked community members to be prideful of their community, to be welcoming. Local people keep asking, 'Is it for us?' Yes it is 100%," Schmidt said. "We want our local communities to go out and become a tourist in their own community and look at all the fantastic things they have in their backyard."&nbsp;

In Lincoln County, there will be Danish pancakes served in Denmark, post rock quarry demonstrations, pie on the porch, owl hikes, dark sky viewing, bingo night, and attractions including local museums, the Lincoln Art Center, the Cookbook House, stone bridges, a microbrewery, the Saline River Dam, post rock buildings, restored buildings, grave witching, and fossil displays.

Lucas, the Grassroots Art Capital of Kansas, includes the Garden of Eden and Grassroots Art Center, the Florence Deeble House, Miller’s Park, the World’s Largest Things Roadside Sideshow Expo, the Bowl Plaza, numerous galleries, an artist cooperative, Brant’s Meat Market, Main Street Pole Art, sculptures, murals, Victorian Geckos, stonework demonstrations, and much more.

One of the fun ways event organizers are tracking attendees is through a map pin board.&nbsp;

"We're sending out visitor logs to all of our participating attractions in shops, shops and restaurants," Schmidt said. "We're also inviting people to add a pin to a board map so people can show where they're from."&nbsp;

"I think this is the biggest opportunity that we have seen in Ellsworth County for tourism in maybe ever," Schmidt said. "The other thing I have been telling people is the<a href="https://bigkansasroadtrip.com/2024-bkrt-guide">&nbsp;road trip guide</a>&nbsp;has an extended shelf life and we know that people don't make it to everything they want to see. So they come back and the ripple effects are huge for the host county."&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713884703319.png" alt="Big Kansas Roadtrip" />
 <figcaption>Big Kansas Roadtrip</figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTHundreds of people from all over the state and beyond will explore Ellsworth and Lincoln counties plus the community of Lucas in Russell County on May 2-5 as part of the sixth Big Kansas Road Trip.A project of the non-profit Kansas Sampler Foundation, the purpose of the event is to provide the public firsthand experiences in rural communities and to give these cities a chance to showcase who they are and what they have.&nbsp;“If you have the Explorer spirit and want to get down to the granular level of knowing rural Kansas, this is a friendly space to do that, ”said Marci Penner, co-director of the Kansas Sampler Foundation.The public chooses their adventure from a list of 256 entries that include attractions, shops, stops, restaurants, and events in the 12 participating cities. Each person makes their own choice of where to go and when.There are two state lakes, Kanopolis and Wilson and two scenic byways, Post Rock Scenic Byway and parts of the Prairie Trail Scenic Byway,&nbsp; located in the BKRT area.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597022838119.png" alt="KDWPT Mushroom Rock park.PNG" />
 <figcaption>KDWPT Mushroom Rock park.PNG</figcaption>
 </figure>In Ellsworth County, a sampling of events includes cattle branding, missile silo tours, Czech dancing, Big Band music and swing dancing, frontier army re-enactments, folk music jamming and pie, a ranger chat about petroglyphs plus attractions like Mushroom Rock State Park, Faris Caves, local museums, Kansas Originals, and the World’s Largest Czech Egg.Grow Ellsworth County Executive Director, Stacie Schmidt said the Big Kansas Roadtrip has a huge impact on communies, like Ellsworth, even long after the road trip is over.&nbsp;"We've asked community members to be prideful of their community, to be welcoming. Local people keep asking, 'Is it for us?' Yes it is 100%," Schmidt said. "We want our local communities to go out and become a tourist in their own community and look at all the fantastic things they have in their backyard."&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713884890150.jpeg" alt="Sylvan Grove Post Rock Country" />
 <figcaption>Sylvan Grove Post Rock Country</figcaption>
 </figure>In Lincoln County, there will be Danish pancakes served in Denmark, post rock quarry demonstrations, pie on the porch, owl hikes, dark sky viewing, bingo night, and attractions including local museums, the Lincoln Art Center, the Cookbook House, stone bridges, a microbrewery, the Saline River Dam, post rock buildings, restored buildings, grave witching, and fossil displays.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623422197048.png" alt="The Garden of Eden in Lucas is the oldest intact art environment in the U.S. Kansas Tourism Office" />
 <figcaption>The Garden of Eden in Lucas is the oldest intact art environment in the U.S. Kansas Tourism Office</figcaption>
 </figure>Lucas, the Grassroots Art Capital of Kansas, includes the Garden of Eden and Grassroots Art Center, the Florence Deeble House, Miller’s Park, the World’s Largest Things Roadside Sideshow Expo, the Bowl Plaza, numerous galleries, an artist cooperative, Brant’s Meat Market, Main Street Pole Art, sculptures, murals, Victorian Geckos, stonework demonstrations, and much more.One of the fun ways event organizers are tracking attendees is through a map pin board.&nbsp;"We're sending out visitor logs to all of our participating attractions in shops, shops and restaurants," Schmidt said. "We're also inviting people to add a pin to a board map so people can show where they're from."&nbsp;"I think this is the biggest opportunity that we have seen in Ellsworth County for tourism in maybe ever," Schmidt said. "The other thing I have been telling people is the<a href="https://bigkansasroadtrip.com/2024-bkrt-guide">&nbsp;road trip guide</a>&nbsp;has an extended shelf life and we know that people don't make it to everything they want to see. So they come back and the ripple effects are huge for the host county."&nbsp;&nbsp;

North Central Kansas counties prepare for 'Big Kansas Road Trip'

Red Fern Booksellers is happy to announce our participation in the 11th Anniversary of Independent Bookstore Day!

Join us on Saturday April 27 for children’s readings, Salina Selfie Station, refreshments, live music, and giveaways!

“It’s really a time to put indie bookstores back in the center of the story. Indie Bookstore Day is a way to say thank you to our loyal and supportive customers," said Harley Hamilton, Proprietor, of Red Fern Booksellers.

Independent Bookstore Day was established in 2013 to promote, celebrate, and highlight the value of the independent bookstore community. The day has been observed on the last Saturday of April every year since 2013. This year there are over 900 stores participating across the country.

Independent Bookstore Day is organized by the American Booksellers Association, a national not-for-profit trade organization, that works with booksellers and industry partners to ensure the success and profitability of independently owned book retailers, and to assist in expanding the community of the book.

Our mission is to provide a safe and welcoming environment for all members of our community in which to nurture a love of reading, engage in thoughtful conversations, and foster empathy.

Red Fern Booksellers is excited to be part of the local fabric that brings a community together, offering a place to discover your new favorite book or browse the latest bestsellers, travel books, cookbooks, and all the things we need to help us dream and create. The bookstore is in the Teague Nelson Building, listed on the Kansas Register of Historic Places, in the heart of Downtown Salina at 106 South Santa Fe Avenue. In addition to a thoughtfully curated selection of thousands of titles, we offer a variety of responsibly sourced artisanal goods including gift wrap, stationery, greeting cards, candles, games, and art.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713974500231.png" alt="IBD-2024-LogoBanner-300px.png" />
 <figcaption>IBD-2024-LogoBanner-300px.png</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedRed Fern Booksellers is happy to announce our participation in the 11th Anniversary of Independent Bookstore Day!Join us on Saturday April 27 for children’s readings, Salina Selfie Station, refreshments, live music, and giveaways!“It’s really a time to put indie bookstores back in the center of the story. Indie Bookstore Day is a way to say thank you to our loyal and supportive customers," said Harley Hamilton, Proprietor, of Red Fern Booksellers.Independent Bookstore Day was established in 2013 to promote, celebrate, and highlight the value of the independent bookstore community. The day has been observed on the last Saturday of April every year since 2013. This year there are over 900 stores participating across the country.Independent Bookstore Day is organized by the American Booksellers Association, a national not-for-profit trade organization, that works with booksellers and industry partners to ensure the success and profitability of independently owned book retailers, and to assist in expanding the community of the book.<h2>About Red Fern Booksellers</h2>Our mission is to provide a safe and welcoming environment for all members of our community in which to nurture a love of reading, engage in thoughtful conversations, and foster empathy.Red Fern Booksellers is excited to be part of the local fabric that brings a community together, offering a place to discover your new favorite book or browse the latest bestsellers, travel books, cookbooks, and all the things we need to help us dream and create. The bookstore is in the Teague Nelson Building, listed on the Kansas Register of Historic Places, in the heart of Downtown Salina at 106 South Santa Fe Avenue. In addition to a thoughtfully curated selection of thousands of titles, we offer a variety of responsibly sourced artisanal goods including gift wrap, stationery, greeting cards, candles, games, and art.

Red Fern Booksellers invites public to celebrate Indie Bookstore Day April 27

Join 910 KINA and Salina Post News Director Nate King for his latest episode of the King in the Community Podcast with Saline County Registrar of Deeds Rebecca Seeman. They discuss Saline County government month, the importance of accurate land records, digital indexing, property ownership, passports, fraud prevention, and what led her to a career in public service. Learn about the meticulous work involved in managing real estate documents in Saline County.

To find out more about the Registrar of Deeds, <a href="https://www.salinecountyks.gov/register-of-deeds">check out their website here.&nbsp;</a>

<div><iframe title="Rebecca Seeman, Registrar of Deeds at Saline County" 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=it5my-15f4d64-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 910 KINA and Salina Post News Director Nate King for his latest episode of the King in the Community Podcast with Saline County Registrar of Deeds Rebecca Seeman. They discuss Saline County government month, the importance of accurate land records, digital indexing, property ownership, passports, fraud prevention, and what led her to a career in public service. Learn about the meticulous work involved in managing real estate documents in Saline County.To find out more about the Registrar of Deeds, <a href="https://www.salinecountyks.gov/register-of-deeds">check out their website here.&nbsp;</a><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=&publish_end=2024-04-22&ss=244ef7a2ea94f6d5ee50ec90bb9036da&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=315" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

🎙King in the Community: Rebecca Seeman, Saline County Registrar of Deeds

By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Lead Reporter - Salina Post

Saline County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to rural Saline County for a semi-truck and trailer on fire at a local towing company around 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23.

According to Saline County Undersheriff Brent Melander, Rural Fire District Seven requested traffic control at North Fifth Street and Pleasant Hill Road due to pockets of fire spreading from the semi-truck in and around the 2700 block of North Fifth Street.

"Once it was under control, we were informed that the property was Palmer Towing," Melander said. "Upon examination,&nbsp;it was discovered&nbsp;that a semi-trailer was separate [from the semi-truck], and it&nbsp;was damaged&nbsp;with an estimated $20,000 of damage."

Melander said the fire completely destroyed the semi-truck, causing a loss of $80,000. Palmer Towing owned both the semi-truck and trailer.

A T&amp;R Construction employee reported the fire to authorities after dropping some items off at the next-door company location.

Rural Fire District Seven found no apparent cause of the fire and deemed it non-suspicious. The semi-truck's engine was not running while parked on the property.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713973226991.jpeg" alt="A semi-truck at Palmer Towing after Saline County Rural Fire District Seven subdued the flames on Tuesday, April 23 north of Salina. Image courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>A semi-truck at Palmer Towing after Saline County Rural Fire District Seven subdued the flames on Tuesday, April 23 north of Salina. Image courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Lead Reporter - Salina PostSaline County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to rural Saline County for a semi-truck and trailer on fire at a local towing company around 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23.According to Saline County Undersheriff Brent Melander, Rural Fire District Seven requested traffic control at North Fifth Street and Pleasant Hill Road due to pockets of fire spreading from the semi-truck in and around the 2700 block of North Fifth Street.<div><iframe src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d7686.996631589735!2d-97.61298160789362!3d38.88502704593528!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x87bcc55e1af9ad63%3A0x3d2f9d05fc1d9996!2sPalmer%20Truck%20%26%20Trailer%20Repair!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1713973055284!5m2!1sen!2sus" width="600" height="450" style="border:0;" allowfullscreen="" loading="lazy" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade"></iframe></div>"Once it was under control, we were informed that the property was Palmer Towing," Melander said. "Upon examination,&nbsp;it was discovered&nbsp;that a semi-trailer was separate [from the semi-truck], and it&nbsp;was damaged&nbsp;with an estimated $20,000 of damage."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713973261344.jpeg" alt="The semi-trailer that sustained damage from the fire after Saline County Rural Fire District Seven subdued the flames on Tuesday, April 23 north of Salina. Image courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>The semi-trailer that sustained damage from the fire after Saline County Rural Fire District Seven subdued the flames on Tuesday, April 23 north of Salina. Image courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>Melander said the fire completely destroyed the semi-truck, causing a loss of $80,000. Palmer Towing owned both the semi-truck and trailer.A T&amp;R Construction employee reported the fire to authorities after dropping some items off at the next-door company location.Rural Fire District Seven found no apparent cause of the fire and deemed it non-suspicious. The semi-truck's engine was not running while parked on the property.READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/95a4c0cb-94f9-49fc-b6f3-0949cee40f68">North Central Kansas counties prepare for 'Big Kansas Road Trip'</a>

Saline County Sheriff's Office aids with non-suspicious rural county fire

Hello and happy Wednesday everybody, it’s Tyler Henry, back with another KINA Sports Update presented by Salina Regional Orthopedic and Sports Medicine.

On Tuesday it was announced that The U.S. Figure Skating championships will take place in Wichita, Kansas, next year in a preview of the names to watch for the American team headed to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

The national governing body announced its calendar of domestically held international events Tuesday, along with awarding the U.S. championships to Wichita. The event will run from Jan. 20-26 at INTRUST Bank Arena.

Meanwhile, up in Kansas City the Royals continued to roll as Bobby Witt Jr. delivered the go-ahead double in the fifth inning and the Royals' bullpen shut down Toronto the rest of the way in a 3-2 victory on Tuesday night.

With this win, the Royals move to 14-10 on the year, good for second in the AL Central behind the Guardians at 17-6.

And finally, more locally, the Southeast of Saline baseball and softball teams each rolled through Minneapolis, handing the Lions and Lady Lions a pair of losses each.

On the softball diamond, Lexi Jacobson tossed a no-hitter in game one as the Lady Trojans rolled to wins of 15-0 and 16-1

Meanwhile, Grady Gebhardt swiped a single-season school record 30th bag as the Southeast baseball team won 16-1 and 17-7

That’s your sports update for today, but for even more great area sports content like this, check out the <a href="https://twitter.com/SPostSports?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">Salina Post</a> and stay tuned to <a href="http://910kina.com">KINA</a>.

<div><div style="position:relative;overflow:hidden;padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/mE84sMxC-ATjzBQNW.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Kinasu 4-24-24" style="position:absolute;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
</div>Hello and happy Wednesday everybody, it’s Tyler Henry, back with another KINA Sports Update presented by Salina Regional Orthopedic and Sports Medicine.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>_________On Tuesday it was announced that The U.S. Figure Skating championships will take place in Wichita, Kansas, next year in a preview of the names to watch for the American team headed to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.The national governing body announced its calendar of domestically held international events Tuesday, along with awarding the U.S. championships to Wichita. The event will run from Jan. 20-26 at INTRUST Bank Arena._________Meanwhile, up in Kansas City the Royals continued to roll as Bobby Witt Jr. delivered the go-ahead double in the fifth inning and the Royals' bullpen shut down Toronto the rest of the way in a 3-2 victory on Tuesday night.With this win, the Royals move to 14-10 on the year, good for second in the AL Central behind the Guardians at 17-6._________And finally, more locally, the Southeast of Saline baseball and softball teams each rolled through Minneapolis, handing the Lions and Lady Lions a pair of losses each.On the softball diamond, Lexi Jacobson tossed a no-hitter in game one as the Lady Trojans rolled to wins of 15-0 and 16-1Meanwhile, Grady Gebhardt swiped a single-season school record 30th bag as the Southeast baseball team won 16-1 and 17-7_________That’s your sports update for today, but for even more great area sports content like this, check out the <a href="https://twitter.com/SPostSports?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">Salina Post</a> and stay tuned to <a href="http://910kina.com">KINA</a>.

910 KINA Sports Headlines — April 24

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. 

In celebration of Arbor Day this Friday, April 26, Kansas Wesleyan University will hold its sixth annual Arbor Day tree-planting ceremony by planting three trees on campus and a fruit tree in the adjacent community garden.

The public is invited to the Outdoor Living Room on campus at 1 p.m. to participate. Students, faculty and staff of KWU, and City of Salina Parks and Forestry workers will assist with the planting.

Friday’s plantings will put KWU on schedule for its sixth consecutive year of Tree Campus Higher Education recognition.

The KWU Tree Advisory Committee, composed of students, community members and faculty, has been working during the past six years on a tree inventory to identify and tag the more than 230 trees on campus.

Trees create biodiversity, provide countless ecosystem services, enhance property value and improve our quality of life and health. The city of Salina is also recognized as a long time Tree City USA Community.

For more information on the Arbor Day Foundation, visit www.arborday.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713969100395.jpeg" alt="KWU Tree Planting" />
 <figcaption>KWU Tree Planting</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedIn celebration of Arbor Day this Friday, April 26, Kansas Wesleyan University will hold its sixth annual Arbor Day tree-planting ceremony by planting three trees on campus and a fruit tree in the adjacent community garden.The public is invited to the Outdoor Living Room on campus at 1 p.m. to participate. Students, faculty and staff of KWU, and City of Salina Parks and Forestry workers will assist with the planting.Friday’s plantings will put KWU on schedule for its sixth consecutive year of Tree Campus Higher Education recognition.The KWU Tree Advisory Committee, composed of students, community members and faculty, has been working during the past six years on a tree inventory to identify and tag the more than 230 trees on campus.Trees create biodiversity, provide countless ecosystem services, enhance property value and improve our quality of life and health. The city of Salina is also recognized as a long time Tree City USA Community.For more information on the Arbor Day Foundation, visit www.arborday.org.

Kansas Wesleyan University to celebrate Arbor Day Friday

Adelaide Easter, senior in agricultural economics and global food systems leadership with minors in leadership and international agriculture,&nbsp;Salina, is Kansas State University's 39th&nbsp;<a href="https://www.truman.gov/">Harry S. Truman scholar</a>.

The Truman scholarship is a highly competitive national award that provides up to $30,000 for graduate studies, leadership training, career counseling, and special internship and fellowship opportunities in the federal government.

Truman scholars demonstrate outstanding leadership potential, a commitment to a career in government or the nonprofit sector, and academic excellence.According to the Truman Foundation, 60 scholarships were awarded this year from a candidate pool of 709 students nominated by 285 colleges and universities.

"Adelaide epitomizes K-State's commitment to excellence and service," said President Richard Linton. "Her dedication to addressing global food insecurity and promoting agricultural equity embodies the essence of our land-grant mission. Adelaide represents the next generation of leaders who will drive positive change, and we are immensely proud of her and confident in her ability to make a meaningful impact on the world."

Easter will attend the Truman Foundation's 2025 Summer Institute program, where she hopes to work as a Zero Hunger Intern for the Congressional Hunger Center in Washington, D.C., to address food insecurity. Through the summer institute, she will also participate in a seminar series focused on domestic and global hunger, advocacy, and the root causes of hunger and poverty.

 Easter said to end the summer, she will complete a research project examining hunger in her local community and present potential solutions to address the problem.In the summer of 2024, she will participate in Truman Leadership Week in Liberty, Missouri, where she will meet other Truman scholars. She will also work with K-State Research and Extension as a Local Food Fellow to establish a food recovery network at K-State.

"I am passionate about combating global hunger and committed to meeting basic needs through advocacy for education and innovation," Easter said. "I am dedicated to working to build capacity that creates long-term solutions for food security and agriculture worldwide."Before graduate study, she plans to gain field experience working in the policy and development sector, potentially with the Food Research and Action Center, the World Food Programme or the Peace Corps.

Easter intends to pursue a master's in food and agriculture law to work at the intersection of policy and development, making agriculture more equitable and addressing the root causes of hunger.She is interested in one day being a U.S. Foreign Service Officer for the U.S. Agency for International Development or serving on the congressional Senate Agriculture Committee."I want to do on-the-ground work involving intentionally and ethically interacting in communities to establish sustainable projects," Easter said.

"Ultimately, I hope to work towards addressing global food insecurity through making agriculture more accessible to women, people of color, and small-holder farmers."She has already made strides toward this goal. Through 4-H, she presented the problem of feeding an estimated 10 billion people by 2050 to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. As a Flinchbaugh Food and Agriculture Policy Fellow, she interned at the state and federal levels, including with Kansas Grain Sorghum, National Sorghum Producers and U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran's office, furthering her knowledge of agricultural policy and international food assistance issues.

Easter holds leadership positions in several campus organizations, including director of leadership programming, Blue Key Senior Honorary; director of stakeholders and public relations, Food Security Scholars; student coordinator, Global Food Systems Leadership Program; founder and president, Student Basic Needs Coalition; and For Sophomores Only co-chair, Student Alumni Board.

She is a member of the Staley School of Leadership Ambassadors, the Cats' Cupboard Advisory Board, and the University Honors Program. Easter is also a Connected 'Cat intern for the president's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/president/initiatives/regional-community-visits/">regional community visits</a>.Easter's undergraduate research experience includes an in-depth desk review analyzing Kenyan women farmers' barriers to success for the Global Food Systems Leadership in Action course.

She also traveled to Orvieto, Italy, for the Culture and Context in Leadership program, where she learned about local and global advocacy and completed a research paper about how food insecurity disproportionately affects marginalized groups.The daughter of Monica Bachamp, D.O., and Jeff Easter, Adelaide is a graduate of Sacred Heart Junior-Senior High School in Salina."

As a Truman scholar, I am excited to join a community of changemakers making progress on all issues across the world, and I cannot wait for the experiences I will gain being a part of this network," Easter said.

Kansas State University students interested in applying for nationally competitive scholarships should contact Beth Powers, director of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/leadership/scholardevelopmentandundergraduateresearch/">Scholar Development and Undergraduate Research</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/leadership/scholardevelopmentandundergraduateresearch/scholardevelopment/national-scholarships/">Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships</a>, at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:bethpowers@k-state.edu">bethpowers@k-state.edu</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713967256052.png" alt="Adelaide Easter, senior in agricultural economics and global food systems leadership, is K-State's 39th Harry S. Truman scholar." />
 <figcaption>Adelaide Easter, senior in agricultural economics and global food systems leadership, is K-State's 39th Harry S. Truman scholar.</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;MALORIE SOUGÉYAdelaide Easter, senior in agricultural economics and global food systems leadership with minors in leadership and international agriculture,&nbsp;Salina, is Kansas State University's 39th&nbsp;<a href="https://www.truman.gov/">Harry S. Truman scholar</a>.The Truman scholarship is a highly competitive national award that provides up to $30,000 for graduate studies, leadership training, career counseling, and special internship and fellowship opportunities in the federal government.Truman scholars demonstrate outstanding leadership potential, a commitment to a career in government or the nonprofit sector, and academic excellence.According to the Truman Foundation, 60 scholarships were awarded this year from a candidate pool of 709 students nominated by 285 colleges and universities."Adelaide epitomizes K-State's commitment to excellence and service," said President Richard Linton. "Her dedication to addressing global food insecurity and promoting agricultural equity embodies the essence of our land-grant mission. Adelaide represents the next generation of leaders who will drive positive change, and we are immensely proud of her and confident in her ability to make a meaningful impact on the world."Easter will attend the Truman Foundation's 2025 Summer Institute program, where she hopes to work as a Zero Hunger Intern for the Congressional Hunger Center in Washington, D.C., to address food insecurity. Through the summer institute, she will also participate in a seminar series focused on domestic and global hunger, advocacy, and the root causes of hunger and poverty. Easter said to end the summer, she will complete a research project examining hunger in her local community and present potential solutions to address the problem.In the summer of 2024, she will participate in Truman Leadership Week in Liberty, Missouri, where she will meet other Truman scholars. She will also work with K-State Research and Extension as a Local Food Fellow to establish a food recovery network at K-State."I am passionate about combating global hunger and committed to meeting basic needs through advocacy for education and innovation," Easter said. "I am dedicated to working to build capacity that creates long-term solutions for food security and agriculture worldwide."Before graduate study, she plans to gain field experience working in the policy and development sector, potentially with the Food Research and Action Center, the World Food Programme or the Peace Corps.Easter intends to pursue a master's in food and agriculture law to work at the intersection of policy and development, making agriculture more equitable and addressing the root causes of hunger.She is interested in one day being a U.S. Foreign Service Officer for the U.S. Agency for International Development or serving on the congressional Senate Agriculture Committee."I want to do on-the-ground work involving intentionally and ethically interacting in communities to establish sustainable projects," Easter said."Ultimately, I hope to work towards addressing global food insecurity through making agriculture more accessible to women, people of color, and small-holder farmers."She has already made strides toward this goal. Through 4-H, she presented the problem of feeding an estimated 10 billion people by 2050 to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. As a Flinchbaugh Food and Agriculture Policy Fellow, she interned at the state and federal levels, including with Kansas Grain Sorghum, National Sorghum Producers and U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran's office, furthering her knowledge of agricultural policy and international food assistance issues.Easter holds leadership positions in several campus organizations, including director of leadership programming, Blue Key Senior Honorary; director of stakeholders and public relations, Food Security Scholars; student coordinator, Global Food Systems Leadership Program; founder and president, Student Basic Needs Coalition; and For Sophomores Only co-chair, Student Alumni Board.She is a member of the Staley School of Leadership Ambassadors, the Cats' Cupboard Advisory Board, and the University Honors Program. Easter is also a Connected 'Cat intern for the president's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/president/initiatives/regional-community-visits/">regional community visits</a>.Easter's undergraduate research experience includes an in-depth desk review analyzing Kenyan women farmers' barriers to success for the Global Food Systems Leadership in Action course.She also traveled to Orvieto, Italy, for the Culture and Context in Leadership program, where she learned about local and global advocacy and completed a research paper about how food insecurity disproportionately affects marginalized groups.The daughter of Monica Bachamp, D.O., and Jeff Easter, Adelaide is a graduate of Sacred Heart Junior-Senior High School in Salina."As a Truman scholar, I am excited to join a community of changemakers making progress on all issues across the world, and I cannot wait for the experiences I will gain being a part of this network," Easter said.Kansas State University students interested in applying for nationally competitive scholarships should contact Beth Powers, director of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/leadership/scholardevelopmentandundergraduateresearch/">Scholar Development and Undergraduate Research</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/leadership/scholardevelopmentandundergraduateresearch/scholardevelopment/national-scholarships/">Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships</a>, at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:bethpowers@k-state.edu">bethpowers@k-state.edu</a>.

K-State's 39th Truman scholar is from Salina 

Following is recent booking activity for the Saline County Jail, as provided by law enforcement. Photos, if provided, are courtesy of Saline County Jail.

All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

NAME:&nbsp;&nbsp;Dyson,Michael Dewayne REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;Probation Violation

NAME:&nbsp;Glavin,Destne Donn REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;

Theft of prop/services:Value less than $1,500

Poss of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant

NAME:&nbsp;Haynes,Zacchaeus Bernard REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;&nbsp;

DUI; 1st conv; comp evidence of blood/breath .08+

NAME:&nbsp;Henderson,Lyle Reginal REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;Failure to appear

&nbsp;NAME:&nbsp;&nbsp;Kappelman,James Patrick REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;Failure to appear

NAME:&nbsp;Snyder,Abby Jean REQUESTED CHARGE(S): Theft of prop/services:Value less than $1,500, Failure to appear

NAME:&nbsp;Whitley,Desiree Elizabeth REQUESTED CHARGE(S): Probation Violation

Following is recent booking activity for the Saline County Jail, as provided by law enforcement. Photos, if provided, are courtesy of Saline County Jail.All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713964735017.jpeg" alt="Dyson,Michael Dewayne" />
 <figcaption>Dyson,Michael Dewayne</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp;&nbsp;Dyson,Michael Dewayne REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;Probation Violation<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713964759927.jpeg" alt="Glavin,Destne Donn" />
 <figcaption>Glavin,Destne Donn</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp;Glavin,Destne Donn REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;Failure to appearTheft of prop/services:Value less than $1,500Use/poss drug paraphernalian/human bodyPoss of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713964807402.jpeg" alt="Haynes,Zacchaeus Bernard" />
 <figcaption>Haynes,Zacchaeus Bernard</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp;Haynes,Zacchaeus Bernard REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;&nbsp;DUI; 1st conv; comp evidence of blood/breath .08+Improper stopping, standing, parkingDrive w/o lights when neededPoss of marijuanaTransporting an open container<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713964857450.png" alt="Henderson,Lyle Reginal" />
 <figcaption>Henderson,Lyle Reginal</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp;Henderson,Lyle Reginal REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;Failure to appear<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713964886069.jpeg" alt="Kappelman,James Patrick" />
 <figcaption>Kappelman,James Patrick</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;NAME:&nbsp;&nbsp;Kappelman,James Patrick REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;Failure to appear<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713964921470.jpeg" alt="Snyder,Abby Jean" />
 <figcaption>Snyder,Abby Jean</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp;Snyder,Abby Jean REQUESTED CHARGE(S): Theft of prop/services:Value less than $1,500, Failure to appear<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713964968129.jpeg" alt="Whitley,Desiree Elizabeth" />
 <figcaption>Whitley,Desiree Elizabeth</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp;Whitley,Desiree Elizabeth REQUESTED CHARGE(S): Probation Violation

Saline County Jail Bookings, April 24

Salina Police Department (SPD) officers responded to an early morning food burglary on Monday, April 22, after a man claimed another person's residence and walked away with a plate of food and a television remote.

Just before 7 a.m., SPD Capt. James Feldman said a 61-year-old man returned to his home in the 600 block of Beverly Drive and found the burglar.

"Around 6:40 a.m. that morning, he [the victim] entered his residence and determined that&nbsp;his front door had been forced&nbsp;open," Feldman said. "Upon entering, there was a male, later identified as Marcos Martinez."

Martinez, a 54-year-old Salina resident, caused about $150 in damages to the door. Once the victim confronted him, Martinez claimed that he owned the residence.

Feldman said the victim demanded that Martinez leave, which he initially refused, and so the victim physically pushed him through a door out of the residence.

"Then he [Martinez] reentered the residence through the same door the victim pushed him out of," Feldman said. "The victim forced him out again, and the suspect left. The victim determined that he stole a steak, some white bread, sour cream and chives."

Officers then took his description from the victim and sent it to other officers in the area. They found him walking in the middle of Beverly Drive near the 1500 block of the neighborhood.

"An officer&nbsp;who was&nbsp;responding to the area had the suspect description observed him walking down the middle of the street," Feldman said. "He was walking down the middle of the roadway&nbsp;blocking&nbsp;a school bus from proceeding."

Feldman said the victim confirmed that Martinez was the man who burglarized his apartment, which officers confirmed when they found the victim's television remote with Martinez.

Officers then arrested Martinez and requested charges for burglary, damage to property, theft and battery.

READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/2a9a2706-9ca0-42c0-b621-a8ec3dddc8ee">East Salina apartment unit burglarized, suspect arrested</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573750784898.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Lead Reporter - Salina PostSalina Police Department (SPD) officers responded to an early morning food burglary on Monday, April 22, after a man claimed another person's residence and walked away with a plate of food and a television remote.Just before 7 a.m., SPD Capt. James Feldman said a 61-year-old man returned to his home in the 600 block of Beverly Drive and found the burglar."Around 6:40 a.m. that morning, he [the victim] entered his residence and determined that&nbsp;his front door had been forced&nbsp;open," Feldman said. "Upon entering, there was a male, later identified as Marcos Martinez."Martinez, a 54-year-old Salina resident, caused about $150 in damages to the door. Once the victim confronted him, Martinez claimed that he owned the residence.Feldman said the victim demanded that Martinez leave, which he initially refused, and so the victim physically pushed him through a door out of the residence."Then he [Martinez] reentered the residence through the same door the victim pushed him out of," Feldman said. "The victim forced him out again, and the suspect left. The victim determined that he stole a steak, some white bread, sour cream and chives."Officers then took his description from the victim and sent it to other officers in the area. They found him walking in the middle of Beverly Drive near the 1500 block of the neighborhood."An officer&nbsp;who was&nbsp;responding to the area had the suspect description observed him walking down the middle of the street," Feldman said. "He was walking down the middle of the roadway&nbsp;blocking&nbsp;a school bus from proceeding."Feldman said the victim confirmed that Martinez was the man who burglarized his apartment, which officers confirmed when they found the victim's television remote with Martinez.Officers then arrested Martinez and requested charges for burglary, damage to property, theft and battery.READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/2a9a2706-9ca0-42c0-b621-a8ec3dddc8ee">East Salina apartment unit burglarized, suspect arrested</a>