From the Salina Public Library Facebook page:

See what's new this week at the Salina Public Library at:

*** <a href="http://wowbrary.org/nu.aspx?fb&amp;p=5578-478&amp;fbclid=IwAR2lVH95cYECZ81YUIt9_fKHbSmciL62QzgkFeUpLZ3SkI6w6WdO1WVWgxo" target="_blank">http://wowbrary.org/nu.aspx?fb&amp;p=5578-478</a> ***

There are nine new movies. The new movies this week include "You: Season 3," "The Quintessential Quintuplets: Season 2 [Blu-ray]," and "The Quintessential Quintuplets: Season 1 [Blu-ray]."&nbsp;&nbsp;

From the Salina Public Library Facebook page:See what's new this week at the Salina Public Library at:*** <a href="http://wowbrary.org/nu.aspx?fb&amp;p=5578-478&amp;fbclid=IwAR2lVH95cYECZ81YUIt9_fKHbSmciL62QzgkFeUpLZ3SkI6w6WdO1WVWgxo" target="_blank">http://wowbrary.org/nu.aspx?fb&amp;p=5578-478</a> ***There are nine new movies. The new movies this week include "You: Season 3," "The Quintessential Quintuplets: Season 2 [Blu-ray]," and "The Quintessential Quintuplets: Season 1 [Blu-ray]."&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
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 <figcaption></figcaption>
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Check out what's new at the Salina Public Library

By NATE KING Salina Post

Performances at Theatre Salina are drawing more people from outside Saline County than ever before. The organization is also in early concept development stages for building a new stage shop at their campus on&nbsp; E. Iron Avenue in Salina.&nbsp;That's the word from Theatre Salina Executive Director Michael Spicer during an exclusive interview with Salina Post earlier this month.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"The scope of what the theater does now is broader than it has ever been," Spicer said.

The Salina Community Theatre Association was first organized in 1960. At the time there was no building dedicated to the theatre or to the members of the community who supported local theatre.&nbsp;

"The organization moved around to different places, even out to Indian Rock Park in the summer, sometimes, at the Washington High School building," Spicer said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;By 1968, the theatre board realized that it needed its own building. The Theatre raised $213,000 for construction and equipment.&nbsp;

"In 1972, when the Kephart Theatre was built, which was a seminal moment in our organization," Spicer said. "When you&nbsp;have a home where people can find you, and you're consistently there, you begin to build a production motif that makes sense for you."&nbsp;&nbsp;

"The Addams Family" marked the 350th&nbsp;subscription production for Theatre Salina.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

"That is just main-stage performances, that doesn't even count the Center for Theatre Arts performances," Spicer said. "When we counted all shows, including CTA, there were 582 lines on the excel spreadsheet."&nbsp;

Spicer arrived at Theatre Salina in 1997 making this year his 26th&nbsp;season with the theatre. The measurability of dollars spent on tickets each year was not readily known when Spicer first arrived.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"In 1997, when I got here, we just didn't have the statistics. But when we began gathering them more than a decade ago, we were at about 30 percent of ticket sales came from outside Saline County. After about a decade of being here, we had grown that to 40 percent," said Spicer.&nbsp;&nbsp;

That trend in outside dollars coming in is continuing. According to Spicer in the two most recent musicals, Kinky Boots and The Addams Family,&nbsp; nearly half of every dollar spent on ticket sales came from outside Saline County.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The continued growth in regional sales comes on the heels of the theatre changing its name from Salina Community Theatre to Theatre Salina. The name change, which took place earlier this year, was years in the making and was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After theatre board members held roundtable discussions with patrons, community members, and business leaders, the board decided to change the name in order to accurately present their motif to visitors and tourists who might have a preconceived notion when they hear the words "community theatre."&nbsp;&nbsp;

"One of the most common conversations I have is that when our patrons and longtime volunteers bring people in from outside the area to see shows here, one of the most regular comments is 'this doesn't feel or look like a community theater,'" Spicer said. "And when they see the productions, 'The Play that Goes Wrong,' 'Kinky Boots,' and 'Addams Family,' their notion of what community theater is, becomes expanded."&nbsp;&nbsp;

Theatre Salina has supported children’s programming since its beginning, bringing in a variety of traveling productions for young people. Salina Theatre for Young People (STYP) was the first incarnation of a structured children’s program. Over the years, the program’s name has been updated to Center for Theatre Arts (CTA). Classes available to students have expanded to include theatre classes, vocal, music theatre and dance classes for all ages. According to a CTA brochure, it is the&nbsp; only performing arts academy between Topeka and Denver.&nbsp;

In 2011, the theater was expanded to meet the needs of CTA’s growing roster of students.&nbsp;

“When we built this building, we hoped we would grow registration from 50 to maybe 150 student registrations a year. Well, we've been consistently at 350 student registrations for several years now,” Spicer said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The COVID-19 pandemic did impact day to day life at the theatre including the wearing of masks on stage and increased social distancing measures for cast and crew. However, student enrollment at CTA was not greatly impacted.&nbsp;

&nbsp;“Our enrollment did&nbsp;drop down a little bit during COVID, but only down to about 275. This year we have 353 student registrations,” Spicer said.&nbsp;

Broadening horizons with theatre education&nbsp;

Salina has a variety of extracurricular sports teams for young people to enjoy, but Spicer spoke about the importance of theatre education in the lives of young people.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"The city has focused a lot on sports. I grew up playing football and doing gymnastics in high school. I know how they benefited me. I also know that I did theater in high school. And that benefited me too," said Spicer. "You have to look at your child and see what might expand their horizons some. I think that it is unimpeachable that taking theater classes, teaches you to communicate, it teaches you to collaborate, it teaches you to be creative, it teaches you to come up with solutions outside the box, often."&nbsp;&nbsp;

Maggie Spicer Brown, is the education director for Theatre Salina.&nbsp;Brown grew up in the Salina area, and was very active with Theatre Salina. She graduated from Salina South High School in 2010.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"Theatre Salina raised me, so I am very lucky to help be part of the formation of our education department that will in turn raise our current students to be the best versions of themselves," Brown said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Brown was offered the position after Megan Coberly, former CTA education&nbsp;director,&nbsp;moved to New York City with her husband who currently works at Columbia University.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"The program was left to me in great form so I'm very fortunate that I get to continue to&nbsp;build&nbsp;upon that and grow it further," Brown said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Brown received her&nbsp;Bachelor of Music degree from Oklahoma City University before moving to New York City, where she lived on and off for the better part of seven years. During that time,&nbsp; Brown worked as a professional actor with favorite credits including&nbsp;Mamma Mia&nbsp;and&nbsp;Matilda&nbsp;at Casa Manana in Texas,&nbsp;Freaky Friday&nbsp;and&nbsp;A Little Night Music&nbsp;at Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma and the North American tour of&nbsp;The Wizard of Oz.&nbsp;Brown has also been able to choreograph many musicals at Theatre Salina, as well as pieces for the summer contemporary shows.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"Previously as a teacher, choreographer and director, I was a little more one on one with students, so my decisions shift into bigger picture ideas than just immediate preparations for rehearsals and class as before," Brown said. "I have really enjoyed it so far. Theatre education is so important, our students value the theatre as their safe space and home away from home and our teachers are passionate. That is what makes this job so easy to love."&nbsp;&nbsp;

Future builds and upcoming season at Theatre Salina

Spicer also told Salina Post that Theatre Salina has preliminary designs to build another series of studios and classrooms for education along E. Iron Street.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“What we're going to build is hopefully a new scene shop, two more dance studios, three vocal performance studios and a parent's lounge in some land along Iron Street. That means we've got to go to the city and ask them to give us some land in Founders Park,” he said.

The Theatre Salina campus is also in preliminary talks to build a new scene shop on their campus in Salina.

“We are in the very beginning stages of the next evolution of this campus. And it's being driven&nbsp; by our need for more storage area. We could build a storage facility and make it bigger than the current one we have and make it climate controlled and have security,” Spicer said.&nbsp; “But it wouldn't be with the best interest of the river project. As the walking path goes by, they don't want to have a storage building out there.”&nbsp;

The theatre looked at the cost of purchasing land, and building a remote storage facility off campus.&nbsp;

“When we counted what it would take and man hours and transportation to go back and forth between But to go several miles, takes our set manager, JR, out of the building and that takes him off of building which slows our process down,” Spicer said.&nbsp;

According to Spicer the best solution to their problem was to build a second, newer scene shop— and he knows exactly where they want it.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;“Where it should have been built the first time, which is based on the theory of theater that James Hall Miller created, that Charles Shaver designed into this facility,” Spicer said. “The scene shop should have been built directly behind the stage house with two big doors, so that you can take scenery in a big circle.”&nbsp;

This project would also include a possible turntable built into the floor of the stage.&nbsp;

The turn table would allow us to move scenery. That would be an exciting possibility. And we are investigating now what the cost of that would be,” Spicer said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The theatre also is looking to enhance its lighting features by installing a permanent LED wall on the upstage part of the stage. According to Spicer this will replace the need to project scenes onto a screen, providing audience members with an ancillary design element.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The theatre board is also looking at contracts for next season's shows which will be the 63rd&nbsp;season at Theatre Salina.&nbsp;

"This is this is always a lengthy process. This is the committee that meets probably more often and more regularly than most other committees. This one does it every couple of weeks for August through December, sometimes even January, February, depending on how long it takes for us to come up with the season that makes sense for us," Spicer said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"We're doing four musicals this year, because we are re-engaging, our partnership with Kansas Wesleyan to do a fourth musical. And so the discussion is, next year do we do four non-musicals and three musicals? I&nbsp;think that we are going to do four musicals again next year for a number of reasons, some of which are artistic, and some of which are financial. But we're not sure what that's going to mean yet."&nbsp;

Upcoming shows at Theatre Salina include the following.

A Christmas Story: The Musical, Nov. 18- Dec. 3 and Dec. 16- Dec 18&nbsp;

A Doll's House Part 2, Jan. 6-22&nbsp;

The Savannah Sipping Society, Feb. 3-19&nbsp;

Something Rotten: The Musical, in partnership with Kansas Wesleyan, March 31-April 15&nbsp;

School of Rock: The Musical, June 9-25&nbsp;

By NATE KING Salina PostPerformances at Theatre Salina are drawing more people from outside Saline County than ever before. The organization is also in early concept development stages for building a new stage shop at their campus on&nbsp; E. Iron Avenue in Salina.&nbsp;That's the word from Theatre Salina Executive Director Michael Spicer during an exclusive interview with Salina Post earlier this month.&nbsp;&nbsp;"The scope of what the theater does now is broader than it has ever been," Spicer said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667940046583.jpeg" alt="Theatre Salina Executive Director Michael Spicer. Photo courtesy Theatre Salina" />
 <figcaption>Theatre Salina Executive Director Michael Spicer. Photo courtesy Theatre Salina</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Nomadic beginnings</h2>The Salina Community Theatre Association was first organized in 1960. At the time there was no building dedicated to the theatre or to the members of the community who supported local theatre.&nbsp;"The organization moved around to different places, even out to Indian Rock Park in the summer, sometimes, at the Washington High School building," Spicer said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;By 1968, the theatre board realized that it needed its own building. The Theatre raised $213,000 for construction and equipment.&nbsp;"In 1972, when the Kephart Theatre was built, which was a seminal moment in our organization," Spicer said. "When you&nbsp;have a home where people can find you, and you're consistently there, you begin to build a production motif that makes sense for you."&nbsp;&nbsp;"The Addams Family" marked the 350th&nbsp;subscription production for Theatre Salina.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"That is just main-stage performances, that doesn't even count the Center for Theatre Arts performances," Spicer said. "When we counted all shows, including CTA, there were 582 lines on the excel spreadsheet."&nbsp;Spicer arrived at Theatre Salina in 1997 making this year his 26th&nbsp;season with the theatre. The measurability of dollars spent on tickets each year was not readily known when Spicer first arrived.&nbsp;&nbsp;"In 1997, when I got here, we just didn't have the statistics. But when we began gathering them more than a decade ago, we were at about 30 percent of ticket sales came from outside Saline County. After about a decade of being here, we had grown that to 40 percent," said Spicer.&nbsp;&nbsp;That trend in outside dollars coming in is continuing. According to Spicer in the two most recent musicals, Kinky Boots and The Addams Family,&nbsp; nearly half of every dollar spent on ticket sales came from outside Saline County.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667939901595.jpeg" alt=""Kinky Boots"" />
 <figcaption>"Kinky Boots"</figcaption>
 </figure>The continued growth in regional sales comes on the heels of the theatre changing its name from Salina Community Theatre to Theatre Salina. The name change, which took place earlier this year, was years in the making and was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After theatre board members held roundtable discussions with patrons, community members, and business leaders, the board decided to change the name in order to accurately present their motif to visitors and tourists who might have a preconceived notion when they hear the words "community theatre."&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667939930298.jpeg" alt=""The Play that Goes Wrong"" />
 <figcaption>"The Play that Goes Wrong"</figcaption>
 </figure>"One of the most common conversations I have is that when our patrons and longtime volunteers bring people in from outside the area to see shows here, one of the most regular comments is 'this doesn't feel or look like a community theater,'" Spicer said. "And when they see the productions, 'The Play that Goes Wrong,' 'Kinky Boots,' and 'Addams Family,' their notion of what community theater is, becomes expanded."&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667940011069.jpeg" alt=""The Addams Family"" />
 <figcaption>"The Addams Family"</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Center for Theatre Arts</h2>Theatre Salina has supported children’s programming since its beginning, bringing in a variety of traveling productions for young people. Salina Theatre for Young People (STYP) was the first incarnation of a structured children’s program. Over the years, the program’s name has been updated to Center for Theatre Arts (CTA). Classes available to students have expanded to include theatre classes, vocal, music theatre and dance classes for all ages. According to a CTA brochure, it is the&nbsp; only performing arts academy between Topeka and Denver.&nbsp;In 2011, the theater was expanded to meet the needs of CTA’s growing roster of students.&nbsp;“When we built this building, we hoped we would grow registration from 50 to maybe 150 student registrations a year. Well, we've been consistently at 350 student registrations for several years now,” Spicer said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The COVID-19 pandemic did impact day to day life at the theatre including the wearing of masks on stage and increased social distancing measures for cast and crew. However, student enrollment at CTA was not greatly impacted.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Our enrollment did&nbsp;drop down a little bit during COVID, but only down to about 275. This year we have 353 student registrations,” Spicer said.&nbsp;Broadening horizons with theatre education&nbsp;Salina has a variety of extracurricular sports teams for young people to enjoy, but Spicer spoke about the importance of theatre education in the lives of young people.&nbsp;&nbsp;"The city has focused a lot on sports. I grew up playing football and doing gymnastics in high school. I know how they benefited me. I also know that I did theater in high school. And that benefited me too," said Spicer. "You have to look at your child and see what might expand their horizons some. I think that it is unimpeachable that taking theater classes, teaches you to communicate, it teaches you to collaborate, it teaches you to be creative, it teaches you to come up with solutions outside the box, often."&nbsp;&nbsp;Maggie Spicer Brown, is the education director for Theatre Salina.&nbsp;Brown grew up in the Salina area, and was very active with Theatre Salina. She graduated from Salina South High School in 2010.&nbsp;&nbsp;"Theatre Salina raised me, so I am very lucky to help be part of the formation of our education department that will in turn raise our current students to be the best versions of themselves," Brown said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Brown was offered the position after Megan Coberly, former CTA education&nbsp;director,&nbsp;moved to New York City with her husband who currently works at Columbia University.&nbsp;&nbsp;"The program was left to me in great form so I'm very fortunate that I get to continue to&nbsp;build&nbsp;upon that and grow it further," Brown said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Brown received her&nbsp;Bachelor of Music degree from Oklahoma City University before moving to New York City, where she lived on and off for the better part of seven years. During that time,&nbsp; Brown worked as a professional actor with favorite credits including&nbsp;Mamma Mia&nbsp;and&nbsp;Matilda&nbsp;at Casa Manana in Texas,&nbsp;Freaky Friday&nbsp;and&nbsp;A Little Night Music&nbsp;at Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma and the North American tour of&nbsp;The Wizard of Oz.&nbsp;Brown has also been able to choreograph many musicals at Theatre Salina, as well as pieces for the summer contemporary shows.&nbsp;&nbsp;"Previously as a teacher, choreographer and director, I was a little more one on one with students, so my decisions shift into bigger picture ideas than just immediate preparations for rehearsals and class as before," Brown said. "I have really enjoyed it so far. Theatre education is so important, our students value the theatre as their safe space and home away from home and our teachers are passionate. That is what makes this job so easy to love."&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Future builds and upcoming season at Theatre Salina</h2>Spicer also told Salina Post that Theatre Salina has preliminary designs to build another series of studios and classrooms for education along E. Iron Street.&nbsp;&nbsp;“What we're going to build is hopefully a new scene shop, two more dance studios, three vocal performance studios and a parent's lounge in some land along Iron Street. That means we've got to go to the city and ask them to give us some land in Founders Park,” he said.The Theatre Salina campus is also in preliminary talks to build a new scene shop on their campus in Salina.“We are in the very beginning stages of the next evolution of this campus. And it's being driven&nbsp; by our need for more storage area. We could build a storage facility and make it bigger than the current one we have and make it climate controlled and have security,” Spicer said.&nbsp; “But it wouldn't be with the best interest of the river project. As the walking path goes by, they don't want to have a storage building out there.”&nbsp;The theatre looked at the cost of purchasing land, and building a remote storage facility off campus.&nbsp;“When we counted what it would take and man hours and transportation to go back and forth between But to go several miles, takes our set manager, JR, out of the building and that takes him off of building which slows our process down,” Spicer said.&nbsp;According to Spicer the best solution to their problem was to build a second, newer scene shop— and he knows exactly where they want it.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“Where it should have been built the first time, which is based on the theory of theater that James Hall Miller created, that Charles Shaver designed into this facility,” Spicer said. “The scene shop should have been built directly behind the stage house with two big doors, so that you can take scenery in a big circle.”&nbsp;This project would also include a possible turntable built into the floor of the stage.&nbsp;The turn table would allow us to move scenery. That would be an exciting possibility. And we are investigating now what the cost of that would be,” Spicer said.&nbsp;&nbsp;The theatre also is looking to enhance its lighting features by installing a permanent LED wall on the upstage part of the stage. According to Spicer this will replace the need to project scenes onto a screen, providing audience members with an ancillary design element.&nbsp;&nbsp;The theatre board is also looking at contracts for next season's shows which will be the 63rd&nbsp;season at Theatre Salina.&nbsp;"This is this is always a lengthy process. This is the committee that meets probably more often and more regularly than most other committees. This one does it every couple of weeks for August through December, sometimes even January, February, depending on how long it takes for us to come up with the season that makes sense for us," Spicer said.&nbsp;&nbsp;"We're doing four musicals this year, because we are re-engaging, our partnership with Kansas Wesleyan to do a fourth musical. And so the discussion is, next year do we do four non-musicals and three musicals? I&nbsp;think that we are going to do four musicals again next year for a number of reasons, some of which are artistic, and some of which are financial. But we're not sure what that's going to mean yet."&nbsp;Upcoming shows at Theatre Salina include the following.A Christmas Story: The Musical, Nov. 18- Dec. 3 and Dec. 16- Dec 18&nbsp;A Doll's House Part 2, Jan. 6-22&nbsp;The Savannah Sipping Society, Feb. 3-19&nbsp;Something Rotten: The Musical, in partnership with Kansas Wesleyan, March 31-April 15&nbsp;School of Rock: The Musical, June 9-25&nbsp;

Theatre Salina: Future building expansions, Center for Theatre Arts, and more

Today is Sunday, Nov. 13, the 317th day of 2022. There are 48 days left in the year.

On Nov. 13, 2015, Islamic State militants carried out a set of coordinated attacks in Paris on the national stadium, restaurants and streets, and a crowded concert hall, killing 130 people in the worst attack on French soil since World War II.

In 1775, during the American Revolution, the Continental Army captured Montreal.

In 1789, Benjamin Franklin wrote in a letter to a friend, Jean-Baptiste Leroy: "In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes."

In 1909, 259 men and boys were killed when fire erupted inside a coal mine in Cherry, Illinois.

In 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a measure lowering the minimum draft age from 21 to 18.

In 1956, the Supreme Court struck down laws calling for racial segregation on public buses.

In 1971, the U.S. space probe Mariner 9 went into orbit around Mars.

In 1974, Karen Silkwood, a 28-year-old technician and union activist at the Kerr-McGee Cimarron plutonium plant near Crescent, Oklahoma, died in a car crash while on her way to meet a reporter.

In 1979, former California Gov. Ronald Reagan announced in New York his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination.

In 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

In 1985, some 23,000 residents of Armero, Colombia, died when a volcanic mudslide buried the city.

In 2019, the House Intelligence Committee opened two weeks of public impeachment hearings with a dozen current and former career foreign service officials and political appointees scheduled to testify about efforts by President Donald Trump and others to pressure Ukraine to investigate Trump's political rivals.

In 2020, speaking publicly for the first time since his defeat by Joe Biden, President Donald Trump refused to concede the election. Masked workers in teams of two began counting ballots in counties across Georgia; the hand tally of the presidential race stemmed from an audit required by a new state law.

Ten years ago: President Barack Obama put a hold on the nomination of Afghan war chief Gen. John Allen to become the next commander of U.S. European Command as well as the NATO supreme allied commander in Europe amid questions over documents and emails involving Allen and Tampa socialite Jill Kelley (a Pentagon investigation cleared Allen of professional misconduct). Christie's auctioned off the Archduke Joseph Diamond in Geneva for nearly $21.5 million, a world auction record price per carat for a colorless diamond.

Five years ago: A second woman accused Alabama Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore of sexually assaulting her as a teenager in the late 1970s; Moore described the charge as "absolutely false" and a "political maneuver." Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Moore should drop out of the race. (Moore went on to lose a special election to Democrat Doug Jones.) A North Korean soldier was shot several times by his comrades as he fled over the border to the South; he underwent surgery and recovered at a South Korean hospital. The Oakland Raiders broke ground on a 65,000-seat domed stadium in Las Vegas.

One year ago: Almost 200 nations at a climate conference in Scotland accepted a compromise deal aimed at keeping a key global warming target alive, though some were disappointed by a last-minute change put forward by India to "phase down" rather than "phase out" coal power. A prolonged gunbattle between rival gangs inside Ecuador's largest prison killed at least 68 inmates and wounded 25; authorities said it took most of the day to regain control.

Today's Birthdays: Journalist-author Peter Arnett is 88. Actor Jimmy Hawkins is 81. Blues singer John Hammond is 80. Country singer-songwriter Ray Wylie Hubbard is 76. Actor Joe Mantegna is 75. Actor Sheila Frazier is 74. Actor Tracy Scoggins is 69. Actor Chris Noth is 68. Actor-comedian Whoopi Goldberg is 67. Actor Rex Linn is 66. Actor Caroline Goodall is 63. Actor Neil Flynn is 62. Former NFL quarterback and College Football Hall of Famer Vinny Testaverde is 59. Rock musician Walter Kibby (Fishbone) is 58. Comedian and talk show host Jimmy Kimmel is 55. Actor Steve Zahn is 55. Actor Gerard Butler is 53. Writer-activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali is 53. Actor Jordan Bridges is 49. Actor Aisha Hinds is 47. Rock musician Nikolai Fraiture is 44. Former NBA All-Star Metta Sandiford-Artest (formerly Ron Artest and Metta World Peace) is 43. Actor Monique Coleman is 42. Actor Rahul Kohli is 37. Actor Devon Bostick is 31.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSToday is Sunday, Nov. 13, the 317th day of 2022. There are 48 days left in the year.Today's Highlight in History:On Nov. 13, 2015, Islamic State militants carried out a set of coordinated attacks in Paris on the national stadium, restaurants and streets, and a crowded concert hall, killing 130 people in the worst attack on French soil since World War II.On this date:In 1775, during the American Revolution, the Continental Army captured Montreal.In 1789, Benjamin Franklin wrote in a letter to a friend, Jean-Baptiste Leroy: "In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes."In 1909, 259 men and boys were killed when fire erupted inside a coal mine in Cherry, Illinois.In 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a measure lowering the minimum draft age from 21 to 18.In 1956, the Supreme Court struck down laws calling for racial segregation on public buses.In 1971, the U.S. space probe Mariner 9 went into orbit around Mars.In 1974, Karen Silkwood, a 28-year-old technician and union activist at the Kerr-McGee Cimarron plutonium plant near Crescent, Oklahoma, died in a car crash while on her way to meet a reporter.In 1979, former California Gov. Ronald Reagan announced in New York his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination.In 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.In 1985, some 23,000 residents of Armero, Colombia, died when a volcanic mudslide buried the city.In 2019, the House Intelligence Committee opened two weeks of public impeachment hearings with a dozen current and former career foreign service officials and political appointees scheduled to testify about efforts by President Donald Trump and others to pressure Ukraine to investigate Trump's political rivals.In 2020, speaking publicly for the first time since his defeat by Joe Biden, President Donald Trump refused to concede the election. Masked workers in teams of two began counting ballots in counties across Georgia; the hand tally of the presidential race stemmed from an audit required by a new state law.Ten years ago: President Barack Obama put a hold on the nomination of Afghan war chief Gen. John Allen to become the next commander of U.S. European Command as well as the NATO supreme allied commander in Europe amid questions over documents and emails involving Allen and Tampa socialite Jill Kelley (a Pentagon investigation cleared Allen of professional misconduct). Christie's auctioned off the Archduke Joseph Diamond in Geneva for nearly $21.5 million, a world auction record price per carat for a colorless diamond.Five years ago: A second woman accused Alabama Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore of sexually assaulting her as a teenager in the late 1970s; Moore described the charge as "absolutely false" and a "political maneuver." Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Moore should drop out of the race. (Moore went on to lose a special election to Democrat Doug Jones.) A North Korean soldier was shot several times by his comrades as he fled over the border to the South; he underwent surgery and recovered at a South Korean hospital. The Oakland Raiders broke ground on a 65,000-seat domed stadium in Las Vegas.One year ago: Almost 200 nations at a climate conference in Scotland accepted a compromise deal aimed at keeping a key global warming target alive, though some were disappointed by a last-minute change put forward by India to "phase down" rather than "phase out" coal power. A prolonged gunbattle between rival gangs inside Ecuador's largest prison killed at least 68 inmates and wounded 25; authorities said it took most of the day to regain control.Today's Birthdays: Journalist-author Peter Arnett is 88. Actor Jimmy Hawkins is 81. Blues singer John Hammond is 80. Country singer-songwriter Ray Wylie Hubbard is 76. Actor Joe Mantegna is 75. Actor Sheila Frazier is 74. Actor Tracy Scoggins is 69. Actor Chris Noth is 68. Actor-comedian Whoopi Goldberg is 67. Actor Rex Linn is 66. Actor Caroline Goodall is 63. Actor Neil Flynn is 62. Former NFL quarterback and College Football Hall of Famer Vinny Testaverde is 59. Rock musician Walter Kibby (Fishbone) is 58. Comedian and talk show host Jimmy Kimmel is 55. Actor Steve Zahn is 55. Actor Gerard Butler is 53. Writer-activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali is 53. Actor Jordan Bridges is 49. Actor Aisha Hinds is 47. Rock musician Nikolai Fraiture is 44. Former NBA All-Star Metta Sandiford-Artest (formerly Ron Artest and Metta World Peace) is 43. Actor Monique Coleman is 42. Actor Rahul Kohli is 37. Actor Devon Bostick is 31.

Today in History - November 13

Herbert Dettmer&nbsp;asked for candles, salt and a small statue so he could continue to practice his beliefs while he was incarcerated in Virginia in the early 1980s. He was denied access to these items — considered prison contraband — even though similar items were allowed in other religious ceremonies performed by prison chaplains.

The Virginia Department of Corrections did not recognize Dettmer’s beliefs as a legitimate religion. Dettmer, a member of the Church of Wicca, sued and won. In&nbsp;<a href="https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp/617/592/2246829/" target="_blank">Dettmer v. Landon (1985),</a>&nbsp;the District Court of Virginia formally recognized the Church of Wicca as protected by the First Amendment. The court reasoned that because Wiccan beliefs and rituals are “spiritual” and display “similarity to other more widely recognized religions,” the Church should be considered a “real” religion.

Dettmer and people who are a part of religious communities that are less visible should be protected by the First Amendment, but that doesn’t always happen because of ongoing tensions in how our courts define religion. Only by upholding protection of the most vulnerable religious minorities does the First Amendment protect religious freedom for all.

Wicca is a modern religion rooted in pre-Christian paganism in which followers practice witchcraft through rituals honoring the divine and natural world. Dating back to the Roman Empire, the term pagan historically referred to any “religious other” ­— primarily non-Christians — but today the word is used to characterize a wide array of religious traditions, most of which center around a reverence for nature.

Wicca is a largely decentralized religion, meaning there is no central authority dictating its rules. However, some communities adopt a more formal structure, such as the Church of Wicca, founded in 1958, of which Dettmer was a member. While all religious traditions are internally diverse, the varieties of practices within Wicca are particularly broad. For instance, some Wiccans worship both a feminine and masculine deity while others believe in one or none. Rituals within the Wiccan tradition differ widely but often center around the natural world, such as the 8 Sabbats, festivals marking the passing of the seasons.

Although Wiccans make up a small minority of the population, long-held misconceptions equating Wicca with devil worship have led to prejudice toward adherents. In August 2022, evangelical Christian protestors at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.witchsfestusa.org/" target="_blank">WitchsFest USA</a>, an annual pagan festival, disrupted the gathering, forcing some events to be canceled. Festival attendees said that harassing communities for their religious beliefs defies the spirit of the First Amendment.

Do courts protect religious traditions like Wicca?

When our courts interpret and apply the First Amendment’s protection of religious exercise, they sometimes protect Wiccans like Dettmer, but not always.

One reason:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.freedomforum.org/freedom-of-religion/religious-freedom-faq/#ReligionFAQ6" target="_blank">Our courts have never agreed</a>&nbsp;upon a single definition of religion. Previous attempts to define religion were based on checkboxes that worked for the Christian majority, such as a belief in a single God, one central written text, a clear hierarchy of authority, etc. As a result, Christian (especially Protestant) traditions are structurally favored in religious freedom law.

But this cookie cutter definition does not work for non-Christian, decentralized traditions. The less a religious minority resembles the majority — in belief, hierarchy, rituals, holidays, etc. — the less likely it is to be considered a legitimate religion. Traditions that differ from those of the majority are more likely to be labeled as personal ideology or philosophy, making it more challenging for followers to access their First Amendment rights. Wiccans, whose practice doesn’t include the structures, central text or uniform code of beliefs that Christian traditions do, sometimes struggle to protect their First Amendment rights. Had Dettmer been an independent practitioner of Wicca, instead of a formal member of the Church of Wicca, the court may not have sided in his favor.

What happens when we (re)define religion?

Over the past few decades, our court system has expanded its definition of religion, slowly moving away from applying explicitly Christian standards. However,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2022/09/13/modeling-the-future-of-religion-in-america/" target="_blank">as the Christian majority shrinks</a>&nbsp;and alternative religious communities increase in popularity, the questions remain: How are we still inadvertently limiting religious freedom when our standard of legitimate religion hinges on similarity to the religious majority? On the other hand, what unintended consequences might befall us if the court adopts a more expansive definition of religion? If we extend our definition of religion, do we open the door for communities such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.spaghettimonster.org/" target="_blank">the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0GsLNj648Q" target="_blank">followers of the Star Wars-inspired Jedi Order</a>&nbsp;to make First Amendment free exercise claims? How should the courts balance what religious studies scholar and lawyer&nbsp;Winnifred Fallers&nbsp;Sullivan deems the&nbsp;<a href="https://press.princeton.edu/books/paperback/9780691180953/the-impossibility-of-religious-freedom" target="_blank">“impossibility of religious freedom”?</a>

While the law evolves, one thing is certain: Simply because you find a religious tradition unfamiliar does not change its First Amendment protections. Whether you are Christian, Jewish,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19vkPqL8b-4" target="_blank">atheist</a>&nbsp;or Wiccan, at some point in time&nbsp;your&nbsp;tradition was likely deemed illogical, new or threatening. When we protect the free exercise of our most vulnerable religious minorities, we protect religious freedom for all.

Hannah Santos is the religious freedom program coordinator at the Freedom Forum.

By HANNAH SANTOSHerbert Dettmer&nbsp;asked for candles, salt and a small statue so he could continue to practice his beliefs while he was incarcerated in Virginia in the early 1980s. He was denied access to these items — considered prison contraband — even though similar items were allowed in other religious ceremonies performed by prison chaplains.The Virginia Department of Corrections did not recognize Dettmer’s beliefs as a legitimate religion. Dettmer, a member of the Church of Wicca, sued and won. In&nbsp;<a href="https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp/617/592/2246829/" target="_blank">Dettmer v. Landon (1985),</a>&nbsp;the District Court of Virginia formally recognized the Church of Wicca as protected by the First Amendment. The court reasoned that because Wiccan beliefs and rituals are “spiritual” and display “similarity to other more widely recognized religions,” the Church should be considered a “real” religion.Dettmer and people who are a part of religious communities that are less visible should be protected by the First Amendment, but that doesn’t always happen because of ongoing tensions in how our courts define religion. Only by upholding protection of the most vulnerable religious minorities does the First Amendment protect religious freedom for all.What is Wicca?Wicca is a modern religion rooted in pre-Christian paganism in which followers practice witchcraft through rituals honoring the divine and natural world. Dating back to the Roman Empire, the term pagan historically referred to any “religious other” ­— primarily non-Christians — but today the word is used to characterize a wide array of religious traditions, most of which center around a reverence for nature.Wicca is a largely decentralized religion, meaning there is no central authority dictating its rules. However, some communities adopt a more formal structure, such as the Church of Wicca, founded in 1958, of which Dettmer was a member. While all religious traditions are internally diverse, the varieties of practices within Wicca are particularly broad. For instance, some Wiccans worship both a feminine and masculine deity while others believe in one or none. Rituals within the Wiccan tradition differ widely but often center around the natural world, such as the 8 Sabbats, festivals marking the passing of the seasons.Although Wiccans make up a small minority of the population, long-held misconceptions equating Wicca with devil worship have led to prejudice toward adherents. In August 2022, evangelical Christian protestors at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.witchsfestusa.org/" target="_blank">WitchsFest USA</a>, an annual pagan festival, disrupted the gathering, forcing some events to be canceled. Festival attendees said that harassing communities for their religious beliefs defies the spirit of the First Amendment.Do courts protect religious traditions like Wicca?When our courts interpret and apply the First Amendment’s protection of religious exercise, they sometimes protect Wiccans like Dettmer, but not always.One reason:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.freedomforum.org/freedom-of-religion/religious-freedom-faq/#ReligionFAQ6" target="_blank">Our courts have never agreed</a>&nbsp;upon a single definition of religion. Previous attempts to define religion were based on checkboxes that worked for the Christian majority, such as a belief in a single God, one central written text, a clear hierarchy of authority, etc. As a result, Christian (especially Protestant) traditions are structurally favored in religious freedom law.But this cookie cutter definition does not work for non-Christian, decentralized traditions. The less a religious minority resembles the majority — in belief, hierarchy, rituals, holidays, etc. — the less likely it is to be considered a legitimate religion. Traditions that differ from those of the majority are more likely to be labeled as personal ideology or philosophy, making it more challenging for followers to access their First Amendment rights. Wiccans, whose practice doesn’t include the structures, central text or uniform code of beliefs that Christian traditions do, sometimes struggle to protect their First Amendment rights. Had Dettmer been an independent practitioner of Wicca, instead of a formal member of the Church of Wicca, the court may not have sided in his favor.What happens when we (re)define religion?Over the past few decades, our court system has expanded its definition of religion, slowly moving away from applying explicitly Christian standards. However,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2022/09/13/modeling-the-future-of-religion-in-america/" target="_blank">as the Christian majority shrinks</a>&nbsp;and alternative religious communities increase in popularity, the questions remain: How are we still inadvertently limiting religious freedom when our standard of legitimate religion hinges on similarity to the religious majority? On the other hand, what unintended consequences might befall us if the court adopts a more expansive definition of religion? If we extend our definition of religion, do we open the door for communities such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.spaghettimonster.org/" target="_blank">the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0GsLNj648Q" target="_blank">followers of the Star Wars-inspired Jedi Order</a>&nbsp;to make First Amendment free exercise claims? How should the courts balance what religious studies scholar and lawyer&nbsp;Winnifred Fallers&nbsp;Sullivan deems the&nbsp;<a href="https://press.princeton.edu/books/paperback/9780691180953/the-impossibility-of-religious-freedom" target="_blank">“impossibility of religious freedom”?</a>While the law evolves, one thing is certain: Simply because you find a religious tradition unfamiliar does not change its First Amendment protections. Whether you are Christian, Jewish,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19vkPqL8b-4" target="_blank">atheist</a>&nbsp;or Wiccan, at some point in time&nbsp;your&nbsp;tradition was likely deemed illogical, new or threatening. When we protect the free exercise of our most vulnerable religious minorities, we protect religious freedom for all.Hannah Santos is the religious freedom program coordinator at the Freedom Forum.

FIRST 5: Courts don't have single definition of religion

K-State Research and Extension News Service&nbsp;

MANHATTAN —&nbsp;With a change of seasons, Kansas State University horticulture expert Ward Upham said there are some important factors to consider when taking care of your home garden.

Knotweed Control&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Knotweed is an annual that germinates in late February or early March,” Upham said. “So a pre-emergence herbicide can be used in the late fall.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

The beginning of November is the ideal time to apply herbicide. For pre-emergence knotweed, Upham recommends brand names Scotts Halts, Weed Impede, Barricade, Dimension or XL. For post-emergence, Trimec, Weed-Out, Weed-B-Gon or Weed Free Zone can be applied in spring.&nbsp;&nbsp;

If seeding in the spring, another option is tilling, which will adequately control knotweed without the addition of a herbicide.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Compost Pile&nbsp;&nbsp;

Fallen leaves and other materials are abundant for the compost pile. It is vital to keep the compost pile moist in order for the materials to efficiently decompose.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“(T)he compost needs to be kept moist so that the bacteria and fungi can break down raw materials,” Upham said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

During times without a recent rain, a sprinkler can be used to soak through the pile. After wetting, the pile can be allowed to drain. Aim for the entire pile to be moist but not waterlogged. Edges can dry out quicker than the rest of the pile and can be lightly sprinkled to be moistened again.&nbsp;&nbsp;

For more information on composting, the K-State Department of Horticulture provides an instructional video or series of publications.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Upham and his colleagues in K-State’s Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources produce a weekly Horticulture Newsletter with tips for maintaining home landscapes. The newsletter is available to view online or can be delivered by email each week.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Interested persons can also send their garden- and yard-related questions to Upham at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:wupham@ksu.edu" target="_blank">wupham@ksu.edu</a>, or contact your local K-State Research and Extension office.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668282398156.jpeg" alt="Compost bins still need to be tended to. Photo courtesy Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Compost bins still need to be tended to. Photo courtesy Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>K-State Research and Extension News Service&nbsp;MANHATTAN —&nbsp;With a change of seasons, Kansas State University horticulture expert Ward Upham said there are some important factors to consider when taking care of your home garden.Knotweed Control&nbsp;&nbsp;“Knotweed is an annual that germinates in late February or early March,” Upham said. “So a pre-emergence herbicide can be used in the late fall.”&nbsp;&nbsp;The beginning of November is the ideal time to apply herbicide. For pre-emergence knotweed, Upham recommends brand names Scotts Halts, Weed Impede, Barricade, Dimension or XL. For post-emergence, Trimec, Weed-Out, Weed-B-Gon or Weed Free Zone can be applied in spring.&nbsp;&nbsp;If seeding in the spring, another option is tilling, which will adequately control knotweed without the addition of a herbicide.&nbsp;&nbsp;<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/q0qULMjcrfc" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Compost Pile&nbsp;&nbsp;Fallen leaves and other materials are abundant for the compost pile. It is vital to keep the compost pile moist in order for the materials to efficiently decompose.&nbsp;&nbsp;“(T)he compost needs to be kept moist so that the bacteria and fungi can break down raw materials,” Upham said.&nbsp;&nbsp;During times without a recent rain, a sprinkler can be used to soak through the pile. After wetting, the pile can be allowed to drain. Aim for the entire pile to be moist but not waterlogged. Edges can dry out quicker than the rest of the pile and can be lightly sprinkled to be moistened again.&nbsp;&nbsp;For more information on composting, the K-State Department of Horticulture provides an instructional video or series of publications.&nbsp;&nbsp;Upham and his colleagues in K-State’s Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources produce a weekly Horticulture Newsletter with tips for maintaining home landscapes. The newsletter is available to view online or can be delivered by email each week.&nbsp;&nbsp;Interested persons can also send their garden- and yard-related questions to Upham at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:wupham@ksu.edu" target="_blank">wupham@ksu.edu</a>, or contact your local K-State Research and Extension office.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🎥Change in seasons? There’s still work in the garden

When you add it all up, Sacred Heart math students did quite well at the 43rd annual Fort Hays State Math Relays Thursday.

According to a news release from the school, the 15 students competing for Sacred Heart brought home the following.

Those finishes earned the students a school-record 100.5 points and a first-place trophy in the Class 2A-3A category. Additionally, the Sacred Heart students were second overall among all classes. A total of 41 schools were entered in the competition.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668266676217.jpeg" alt="Sacred Heart math students&nbsp;back row from left: Jace Douglas, Cooper Ivey, Andy Marshall, Michael Matteucci, Jett Samuelson, Riddick Goss, Hunter Newell, Eli Junk, Luke Newell;&nbsp;front row: Dayne Goss, Abram Anderson, Markus White, Macy Lehman, Isabella Berndt, Jason Marrs. Photo courtesy Sacred Heart High School" />
 <figcaption>Sacred Heart math students&nbsp;back row from left: Jace Douglas, Cooper Ivey, Andy Marshall, Michael Matteucci, Jett Samuelson, Riddick Goss, Hunter Newell, Eli Junk, Luke Newell;&nbsp;front row: Dayne Goss, Abram Anderson, Markus White, Macy Lehman, Isabella Berndt, Jason Marrs. Photo courtesy Sacred Heart High School</figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTWhen you add it all up, Sacred Heart math students did quite well at the 43rd annual Fort Hays State Math Relays Thursday.According to a news release from the school, the 15 students competing for Sacred Heart brought home the following.Five first-place finishesFour second-place finishesFour third-place finishesOne fourth-place finishTwo fifth-place finishesTwo sixth-place finishesThose finishes earned the students a school-record 100.5 points and a first-place trophy in the Class 2A-3A category. Additionally, the Sacred Heart students were second overall among all classes. A total of 41 schools were entered in the competition.

Sacred Heart team places first at FHSU Math Relays

Below normal temperatures will continue for today and Sunday with highs generally in the 40s. Gusty south winds can also be expected on Sunday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668286785329.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>National Weather ServiceBelow normal temperatures will continue for today and Sunday with highs generally in the 40s. Gusty south winds can also be expected on Sunday.

NWS: Gusty winds expected on Sunday

By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/09/01/kansas-foster-care-provider-criticizes-coverage-while-nebraska-lawmaker-asks-for-fraud-inquiry/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — A federal grand jury has indicted the former CEO and IT director of Saint Francis Ministries for scheming to defraud the foster care provider of at least $4.7 million by using fake invoices.

The indictment follows a two-year investigation into accusations of financial mismanagement that led to the dismissal of former CEO Robert “Father Bobby” Smith.

Prosecutors say Smith approved invoices submitted by William Whymark that inflated the actual cost of providing IT services. Smith received a previously undisclosed $50,000 kickback disguised as an authorized invoice, the indictment said. He also used Saint Francis credit cards to pay for personal expenses, including cash withdrawals, clothing and jewelry.

Smith and Whymark were indicted on conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 10 counts of wire fraud. Smith was indicted with an additional five charges of wire fraud and a charge of money laundering. Whymark was indicted on three other charges of money laundering.

If convicted, they would face a maximum prison sentence of 20 years in federal prison, plus fines and restitution.

Kansas Reflector first reported on allegations of financial mismanagement by Smith and Whymark in the weeks after they left Saint Francis in November 2020. Whymark’s $10 million IT project, combined with Smith’s personal expenses and a severely underbid contract to provide foster care services in Nebraska, had pushed the faith-based nonprofit to the brink of insolvency. The organization managed to stay afloat by receiving a $10 million Paycheck Protection Program loan that it wasn’t eligible for and never repaid.

Saint Francis is the largest foster care contractor in Kansas, providing services for Wichita and the western two-thirds of the state. In a statement, the Salina-based organization said it was aware of the federal indictment.

“As the case moves forward, Saint Francis will continue to work transparently and collaboratively with federal authorities as part of the investigative process,” the statement said. “We appreciate the diligence exhibited in the pursuit of justice by all parties.”

In January, Saint Francis filed a civil lawsuit in Saline County District Court against Smith, Whymark, former chief counsel David Schaffer and the law firm where Schaffer worked in Chicago. The lawsuit identifies Schaffer as Smith’s friend and Whymark’s brother.

Federal authorities in February seized three of Whymark’s bank accounts, with balances totaling about $700,000.

The grand jury indictment, which was filed Nov. 9, says Smith and Whymark “conspired and engaged in a scheme to defraud Saint Francis Ministries.”

Smith hired Whymark in February 2018 to lead a project to upgrade IT services for the organization. Whymark mispresented his academic credentials, falsely claiming he held a PhD in marketing sciences from the University of Connecticut, according to the indictment. He received an annual salary of $164,000.

Whymark’s company, WMK Research, hired two India-based subcontractors to perform the actual IT services, and instructed them to conceal their work. Emails from the subcontractors show how many hours employees worked and what their wages were.

Whymark submitted invoices, approved by Smith without his board’s knowledge, for inflated amounts. The indictment said payments totaled $10,737,583, of which at least $4,774,637.50 was fraudulent.

Prosecutors said Whymark used the fraudulent payments from Saint Francis to purchase a $4 million home in Armonk, New York, plus luxury vehicles, jewelry and cash withdrawals.

On Aug. 3, 2020, Whymark submitted an invoice for reimbursement of a $50,000 check he made to Smith on July 28. The invoice purported to be for marketing services and consulting work, which wasn’t in the scope of his contract. Smith approved the invoice the same day it was submitted, “causing SFM to unknowingly fund the $50,000 payment from Whymark to Smith,” the indictment said.

The indictment said Smith and Whymark conspired along with unnamed others to commit wire fraud.

Saint Francis hired&nbsp;Smith, an Episcopal priest ordained in 2014 by the Diocese of Chicago, as CEO in 2014. He resigned in November 2020 after an attorney’s investigation substantiated allegations of financial misconduct that previously were outlined by two whistleblowers.

Smith denied being a business partner with Whymark, even though one of Whymark’s companies had identified Smith as a business partner on its website. Smith said he never received compensation from Whymark’s companies.

He told the church last year that he wasn’t being investigated by federal authorities.

Rt. Rev. Paula Clark, who became bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago in September, said the church takes allegations of clergy misconduct seriously and cooperates with legal authorities.

“I am deeply concerned about the allegations contained in this indictment,” Clark said. “When I learned of it yesterday, I immediately moved to suspend the Rev. Robert Smith from any and all priestly and ministerial duties and to ensure that he has no direct access to credit cards, bank accounts, or any other funds held by the church. I will meet with the Rev. Smith regularly as these legal proceedings unfold to ensure his compliance with the terms of this suspension.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/SFM2-1024x683.jpg" alt="Former Saint Francis Ministries CEO Robert "Father Bobby" Smith and IT director William Whymark face federal charges for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Former Saint Francis Ministries CEO Robert "Father Bobby" Smith and IT director William Whymark face federal charges for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/09/01/kansas-foster-care-provider-criticizes-coverage-while-nebraska-lawmaker-asks-for-fraud-inquiry/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — A federal grand jury has indicted the former CEO and IT director of Saint Francis Ministries for scheming to defraud the foster care provider of at least $4.7 million by using fake invoices.The indictment follows a two-year investigation into accusations of financial mismanagement that led to the dismissal of former CEO Robert “Father Bobby” Smith.Prosecutors say Smith approved invoices submitted by William Whymark that inflated the actual cost of providing IT services. Smith received a previously undisclosed $50,000 kickback disguised as an authorized invoice, the indictment said. He also used Saint Francis credit cards to pay for personal expenses, including cash withdrawals, clothing and jewelry.Smith and Whymark were indicted on conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 10 counts of wire fraud. Smith was indicted with an additional five charges of wire fraud and a charge of money laundering. Whymark was indicted on three other charges of money laundering.If convicted, they would face a maximum prison sentence of 20 years in federal prison, plus fines and restitution.Kansas Reflector first reported on allegations of financial mismanagement by Smith and Whymark in the weeks after they left Saint Francis in November 2020. Whymark’s $10 million IT project, combined with Smith’s personal expenses and a severely underbid contract to provide foster care services in Nebraska, had pushed the faith-based nonprofit to the brink of insolvency. The organization managed to stay afloat by receiving a $10 million Paycheck Protection Program loan that it wasn’t eligible for and never repaid.Saint Francis is the largest foster care contractor in Kansas, providing services for Wichita and the western two-thirds of the state. In a statement, the Salina-based organization said it was aware of the federal indictment.“As the case moves forward, Saint Francis will continue to work transparently and collaboratively with federal authorities as part of the investigative process,” the statement said. “We appreciate the diligence exhibited in the pursuit of justice by all parties.”In January, Saint Francis filed a civil lawsuit in Saline County District Court against Smith, Whymark, former chief counsel David Schaffer and the law firm where Schaffer worked in Chicago. The lawsuit identifies Schaffer as Smith’s friend and Whymark’s brother.Federal authorities in February seized three of Whymark’s bank accounts, with balances totaling about $700,000.The grand jury indictment, which was filed Nov. 9, says Smith and Whymark “conspired and engaged in a scheme to defraud Saint Francis Ministries.”Smith hired Whymark in February 2018 to lead a project to upgrade IT services for the organization. Whymark mispresented his academic credentials, falsely claiming he held a PhD in marketing sciences from the University of Connecticut, according to the indictment. He received an annual salary of $164,000.Whymark’s company, WMK Research, hired two India-based subcontractors to perform the actual IT services, and instructed them to conceal their work. Emails from the subcontractors show how many hours employees worked and what their wages were.Whymark submitted invoices, approved by Smith without his board’s knowledge, for inflated amounts. The indictment said payments totaled $10,737,583, of which at least $4,774,637.50 was fraudulent.Prosecutors said Whymark used the fraudulent payments from Saint Francis to purchase a $4 million home in Armonk, New York, plus luxury vehicles, jewelry and cash withdrawals.On Aug. 3, 2020, Whymark submitted an invoice for reimbursement of a $50,000 check he made to Smith on July 28. The invoice purported to be for marketing services and consulting work, which wasn’t in the scope of his contract. Smith approved the invoice the same day it was submitted, “causing SFM to unknowingly fund the $50,000 payment from Whymark to Smith,” the indictment said.The indictment said Smith and Whymark conspired along with unnamed others to commit wire fraud.Saint Francis hired&nbsp;Smith, an Episcopal priest ordained in 2014 by the Diocese of Chicago, as CEO in 2014. He resigned in November 2020 after an attorney’s investigation substantiated allegations of financial misconduct that previously were outlined by two whistleblowers.Smith denied being a business partner with Whymark, even though one of Whymark’s companies had identified Smith as a business partner on its website. Smith said he never received compensation from Whymark’s companies.He told the church last year that he wasn’t being investigated by federal authorities.Rt. Rev. Paula Clark, who became bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago in September, said the church takes allegations of clergy misconduct seriously and cooperates with legal authorities.“I am deeply concerned about the allegations contained in this indictment,” Clark said. “When I learned of it yesterday, I immediately moved to suspend the Rev. Robert Smith from any and all priestly and ministerial duties and to ensure that he has no direct access to credit cards, bank accounts, or any other funds held by the church. I will meet with the Rev. Smith regularly as these legal proceedings unfold to ensure his compliance with the terms of this suspension.”

Feds indict former Kansas foster care officials on fraud charges

Snowfall chances are increasing for Monday into Monday evening with some accumulating snow possible that may impact travel.

Check back later with Salina Post as additional information becomes available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668260835598.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>National Weather ServiceSnowfall chances are increasing for Monday into Monday evening with some accumulating snow possible that may impact travel.Check back later with Salina Post as additional information becomes available.

NWS: Chances for snow increasing across the area for Monday

I don’t know about you, but personally, I have a love-hate relationship with Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

I mean, don’t get me wrong—it seems pretty great at first: belly full of stuffing, new fall trends on sale, Christmas shopping done early, decompressing after too much time with that one relative . . .

But what’s wrong with this picture? For one, you probably weren’t considering the obvious risks of holiday impulsive shopping, not to mention slick marketing tactics and bad spending habits. Half the time I feel like I’ve outsmarted this consumer-culture phenomenon, and the other half . . . Well, like a wise little league baseball coach once said: You can’t win ‘em all, kid.

We’ve all made our share of shopping mistakes on that fateful weekend after Thanksgiving, but not this year, my friends. Today, I’m sharing six money-saving tips that will make these sales work for&nbsp;you, not the other way around.

Boom! There you have it. Six steps that set you up for spending (and saving) success. Let’s make sure you and I both have no regrets (or “no ragrets” for fans of&nbsp;We’re the Millers) this shopping season. And if you’re looking for more Black Friday shopping tips, check out&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/7-ways-to-stay-sane-black-friday" target="_blank">this article</a>&nbsp;from my friend Rachel Cruze.

Bonus Challenge:&nbsp;Make it a social affair! Send this article to someone you wouldn’t mind tackling Black Friday and Cyber Monday with. And who knows, maybe your chosen sidekick will have their own strategies to share. No gatekeeping here, folks!

George Kamelis a personal finance expert with a countercultural approach to money. He’s the host of The Fine Print podcast and The EntreLeadership Podcast on the Ramsey Network. Since 2013, George has served at Ramsey Solutions, where his goal is to help people spend less, save more, and avoid consumer traps so they can make the most of their money. Follow George on&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/GeorgeKamel?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank">Twitter</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/georgekamel/?hl=en" target="_blank">Instagram</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/OfficialGeorgeKamel" target="_blank">Facebook</a>&nbsp;or find out more about him online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/personalities" target="_blank">ramseysolutions.com/personalities</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636603961231.jpeg" alt="George Kamel" />
 <figcaption>George Kamel</figcaption>
 </figure>By GEORGE KAMELI don’t know about you, but personally, I have a love-hate relationship with Black Friday and Cyber Monday.I mean, don’t get me wrong—it seems pretty great at first: belly full of stuffing, new fall trends on sale, Christmas shopping done early, decompressing after too much time with that one relative . . .But what’s wrong with this picture? For one, you probably weren’t considering the obvious risks of holiday impulsive shopping, not to mention slick marketing tactics and bad spending habits. Half the time I feel like I’ve outsmarted this consumer-culture phenomenon, and the other half . . . Well, like a wise little league baseball coach once said: You can’t win ‘em all, kid.We’ve all made our share of shopping mistakes on that fateful weekend after Thanksgiving, but not this year, my friends. Today, I’m sharing six money-saving tips that will make these sales work for&nbsp;you, not the other way around.<ol>
 <li>Choose budgeting over browsing.&nbsp;Yep, you already knew this one was coming. And sure, this may seem like overkill for one tiny weekend of shopping, but the truth is: Structure sets us free. Just like your monthly budget puts you back in control of your money, making a Black Friday budget gives you the freedom to decide how much you spend on who and what (and when and where and why).</li><li>Map it out.&nbsp;Most of my Black Friday and Cyber Monday fails have happened because I didn’t have a strategy ahead of time. After you’ve listed your buying goals in the budget, decide which stores and sites should take priority. Will you shop for big-ticket items only? Will you buy gifts for others first, then make personal purchases second? Do what makes sense (and what you can afford), then stick to the plan.</li><li>Flag your favorite emails.&nbsp;We all know there are an obnoxious amount of ad emails coming your way as the big weekend approaches. That marketer’s mama didn’t raise no fool! But you can take the power back by starring the ones you’re interested in and deleting the ones you’re not. This way, you won’t be tempted to click, scroll and buy before the sales even begin. Take inventory now, and revisit your flagged favorites after you’ve had some turkey and time to process.</li><li>Shop for quality over quantity.&nbsp;On this iconic weekend of spending, lots of deals are going to seem epic. But before you buy into every offer you see, use “quality over quantity” as your centering mantra. Go ahead, take a cleansing breath and repeat after me: “Namaste&nbsp;away&nbsp;from pointless purchases.” You do not need 47 candles from Bath &amp; Body Works. You may, however, want to restock your fancy shampoo while it’s on mega sale.</li><li>Use the two-year rule.&nbsp;Buyer’s rush feels great in the moment, but you want to be wise about the future. Ask yourself,&nbsp;Two years from now, will I still be enjoying this purchase?&nbsp;If the answer is no, you may want to reconsider.</li><li>Debt is always a no.&nbsp;No matter where you find yourself in your financial journey, Black Friday and Cyber Monday shouldn’t reverse your progress. That cozy cashmere sweater is tempting as cooler temperatures creep in, but it’s going to get ugly real fast when the new year also brings with it a new credit card bill. Turns out you can still go broke while “saving” money. So, whatever you do, don’t convince yourself you’re saving if you’re actually spending and going into more debt.</li>
 </ol>Boom! There you have it. Six steps that set you up for spending (and saving) success. Let’s make sure you and I both have no regrets (or “no ragrets” for fans of&nbsp;We’re the Millers) this shopping season. And if you’re looking for more Black Friday shopping tips, check out&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/7-ways-to-stay-sane-black-friday" target="_blank">this article</a>&nbsp;from my friend Rachel Cruze.Bonus Challenge:&nbsp;Make it a social affair! Send this article to someone you wouldn’t mind tackling Black Friday and Cyber Monday with. And who knows, maybe your chosen sidekick will have their own strategies to share. No gatekeeping here, folks!George Kamelis a personal finance expert with a countercultural approach to money. He’s the host of The Fine Print podcast and The EntreLeadership Podcast on the Ramsey Network. Since 2013, George has served at Ramsey Solutions, where his goal is to help people spend less, save more, and avoid consumer traps so they can make the most of their money. Follow George on&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/GeorgeKamel?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank">Twitter</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/georgekamel/?hl=en" target="_blank">Instagram</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/OfficialGeorgeKamel" target="_blank">Facebook</a>&nbsp;or find out more about him online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/personalities" target="_blank">ramseysolutions.com/personalities</a>.

KAMEL: Make the most of Black Friday, Cyber Monday

Today is Saturday, Nov. 12, the 316th day of 2022. There are 49 days left in the year.

On Nov. 12, 1927, Josef Stalin became the undisputed ruler of the Soviet Union as Leon Trotsky was expelled from the Communist Party.

In 1920, baseball got its first "czar" as Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis was elected commissioner of the American and National Leagues.

In 1936, the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge opened as President Franklin D. Roosevelt pressed a telegraph key in Washington, D.C., giving the green light to traffic.

In 1942, the World War II naval Battle of Guadalcanal began. (The Allies ended up winning a major victory over Japanese forces.)

In 1948, former Japanese premier Hideki Tojo and several other World War II Japanese leaders were sentenced to death by a war crimes tribunal.

In 1970, the Bhola cyclone struck East Pakistan; it's believed that as many as a half million people were killed.

In 1975, Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas retired because of failing health, ending a record 36-year term.

In 1982, Yuri V. Andropov was elected to succeed the late Leonid I. Brezhnev as general secretary of the Soviet Communist Party's Central Committee.

In 1996, a Saudi Boeing 747 jetliner collided shortly after takeoff from New Delhi, India, with a Kazak Ilyushin-76 cargo plane, killing 349 people.

In 2001, American Airlines Flight 587, an Airbus A300 headed to the Dominican Republic, crashed after takeoff from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, killing all 260 people on board and five people on the ground.

In 2009, Army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan was charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder in the Fort Hood, Texas, shooting rampage. (Hasan was later convicted and sentenced to death; no execution date has been set.)

In 2019, Venice saw its worst flooding in more than 50 years, with the water reaching 6.14 feet above average sea level; damage was estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

In 2020, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, a broad coalition of top government and industry officials, rejected President Donald Trump's claims of election fraud, saying that the election was "the most secure in American history" and that there was "no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes or was in any way compromised."

Ten years ago: The United States was re-elected to another three-year term on the U.N. Human Rights Council in the only contested election for the organization's top human rights body.

Five years ago: President Donald Trump said he believed U.S. intelligence agencies, which concluded that Russia meddled in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, but that he also believed that Russia's Vladimir Putin felt that Russia did not interfere. Trump exchanged taunts with North Korea's leader, tweeting, "Why would Kim Jong-un insult me by calling me 'old,' when I would NEVER call him 'short and fat?'"

One year ago: Steve Bannon, a longtime ally to former President Donald Trump, was indicted on two counts of criminal contempt of Congress after he defied a subpoena from the House committee investigating the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. (Bannon would be convicted and sentenced to four months in prison.) The government directed nursing homes to open their doors wide to visitors, easing many remaining pandemic restrictions while urging residents, families and facility staff to keep their guard up against coronavirus outbreaks. A judge in Los Angeles ended the conservatorship that had controlled the life and money of pop star Britney Spears for nearly 14 years.

Today's Birthdays: Singer Brian Hyland is 79. Actor-playwright Wallace Shawn is 79. Rock musician Booker T. Jones (Booker T. &amp; the MGs) is 78. Sportscaster Al Michaels is 78. Singer-songwriter Neil Young is 77. Rock musician Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser (Blue Oyster Cult) is 75. Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., is 73. Country/gospel singer Barbara Fairchild is 72. Actor Megan Mullally is 64. Actor Vincent Irizarry is 63. Olympic gold medal gymnast Nadia Comaneci is 61. Rock musician David Ellefson is 58. Retired MLB All-Star Sammy Sosa is 54. Figure skater Tonya Harding is 52. Actor Rebecca Wisocky is 51. Actor Radha Mitchell is 49. Actor Lourdes Benedicto is 48. Actor Tamala Jones is 48. Singer Tevin Campbell is 46. Actor Ashley Williams is 44. Actor Cote de Pablo is 43. Actor Ryan Gosling is 42. Contemporary Christian musician Chris Huffman is 42. Actor Anne Hathaway is 40. Pop singer Omarion is 38. NBA All-Star Russell Westbrook is 34. Folk-rock musician Griffin Goldsmith (Dawes) is 32. Actor Macey Cruthird is 30.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSToday is Saturday, Nov. 12, the 316th day of 2022. There are 49 days left in the year.Today's Highlight in History:On Nov. 12, 1927, Josef Stalin became the undisputed ruler of the Soviet Union as Leon Trotsky was expelled from the Communist Party.On this date:In 1920, baseball got its first "czar" as Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis was elected commissioner of the American and National Leagues.In 1936, the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge opened as President Franklin D. Roosevelt pressed a telegraph key in Washington, D.C., giving the green light to traffic.In 1942, the World War II naval Battle of Guadalcanal began. (The Allies ended up winning a major victory over Japanese forces.)In 1948, former Japanese premier Hideki Tojo and several other World War II Japanese leaders were sentenced to death by a war crimes tribunal.In 1970, the Bhola cyclone struck East Pakistan; it's believed that as many as a half million people were killed.In 1975, Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas retired because of failing health, ending a record 36-year term.In 1982, Yuri V. Andropov was elected to succeed the late Leonid I. Brezhnev as general secretary of the Soviet Communist Party's Central Committee.In 1996, a Saudi Boeing 747 jetliner collided shortly after takeoff from New Delhi, India, with a Kazak Ilyushin-76 cargo plane, killing 349 people.In 2001, American Airlines Flight 587, an Airbus A300 headed to the Dominican Republic, crashed after takeoff from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, killing all 260 people on board and five people on the ground.In 2009, Army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan was charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder in the Fort Hood, Texas, shooting rampage. (Hasan was later convicted and sentenced to death; no execution date has been set.)In 2019, Venice saw its worst flooding in more than 50 years, with the water reaching 6.14 feet above average sea level; damage was estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars.In 2020, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, a broad coalition of top government and industry officials, rejected President Donald Trump's claims of election fraud, saying that the election was "the most secure in American history" and that there was "no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes or was in any way compromised."Ten years ago: The United States was re-elected to another three-year term on the U.N. Human Rights Council in the only contested election for the organization's top human rights body.Five years ago: President Donald Trump said he believed U.S. intelligence agencies, which concluded that Russia meddled in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, but that he also believed that Russia's Vladimir Putin felt that Russia did not interfere. Trump exchanged taunts with North Korea's leader, tweeting, "Why would Kim Jong-un insult me by calling me 'old,' when I would NEVER call him 'short and fat?'"One year ago: Steve Bannon, a longtime ally to former President Donald Trump, was indicted on two counts of criminal contempt of Congress after he defied a subpoena from the House committee investigating the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. (Bannon would be convicted and sentenced to four months in prison.) The government directed nursing homes to open their doors wide to visitors, easing many remaining pandemic restrictions while urging residents, families and facility staff to keep their guard up against coronavirus outbreaks. A judge in Los Angeles ended the conservatorship that had controlled the life and money of pop star Britney Spears for nearly 14 years.Today's Birthdays: Singer Brian Hyland is 79. Actor-playwright Wallace Shawn is 79. Rock musician Booker T. Jones (Booker T. &amp; the MGs) is 78. Sportscaster Al Michaels is 78. Singer-songwriter Neil Young is 77. Rock musician Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser (Blue Oyster Cult) is 75. Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., is 73. Country/gospel singer Barbara Fairchild is 72. Actor Megan Mullally is 64. Actor Vincent Irizarry is 63. Olympic gold medal gymnast Nadia Comaneci is 61. Rock musician David Ellefson is 58. Retired MLB All-Star Sammy Sosa is 54. Figure skater Tonya Harding is 52. Actor Rebecca Wisocky is 51. Actor Radha Mitchell is 49. Actor Lourdes Benedicto is 48. Actor Tamala Jones is 48. Singer Tevin Campbell is 46. Actor Ashley Williams is 44. Actor Cote de Pablo is 43. Actor Ryan Gosling is 42. Contemporary Christian musician Chris Huffman is 42. Actor Anne Hathaway is 40. Pop singer Omarion is 38. NBA All-Star Russell Westbrook is 34. Folk-rock musician Griffin Goldsmith (Dawes) is 32. Actor Macey Cruthird is 30.

Today in History - November 12

The talent of more than 95 young area musicians will be on display during the Salina Youth Symphony Fall Concert Sunday.

The concert is scheduled for 7 p.m. Sunday in the Stiefel Theatre, 151 S. Santa Fe Avenue. The concert will feature members of the Salina Youth Symphony, Youth String Ensemble, Youth Wind Ensemble, and Preparatory Orchestra.

Tickets may be purchased at the Stiefel Theatre Box Office, 151 S. Santa Fe, from noon to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, by calling (785) 827-1998 or online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.stiefeltheatre.org/">stiefeltheatre.org</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Salina Youth Symphony features a full orchestra of advanced string, wind, brass and percussion musicians under the direction of Henry Littich. The Youth String Ensemble is an intermediate string orchestra performing under the baton of Leonardo Rosario and the Youth Wind Ensemble, directed by Adam Keller, is an intermediate wind, brass and percussion ensemble. The Preparatory Orchestra, a beginning string orchestra, will be conducted by Michael Harbaugh.&nbsp;

The Salina Youth Choir Fall Concert will be held Nov. 20, at 7 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church at 122 N. Eighth Street. The choir features 45 members under the direction of Jenna Eshleman. Tickets may be purchased at the door. Seating is by general admission and doors will open at 6:30 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668225640389.jpeg" alt="Members of the Salina Youth Symphony. Photos by&nbsp;Karen Bonar/Heartland Photography" />
 <figcaption>Members of the Salina Youth Symphony. Photos by&nbsp;Karen Bonar/Heartland Photography</figcaption>
 </figure>Salina SymphonyThe talent of more than 95 young area musicians will be on display during the Salina Youth Symphony Fall Concert Sunday.The concert is scheduled for 7 p.m. Sunday in the Stiefel Theatre, 151 S. Santa Fe Avenue. The concert will feature members of the Salina Youth Symphony, Youth String Ensemble, Youth Wind Ensemble, and Preparatory Orchestra.Tickets may be purchased at the Stiefel Theatre Box Office, 151 S. Santa Fe, from noon to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, by calling (785) 827-1998 or online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.stiefeltheatre.org/">stiefeltheatre.org</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Salina Youth Symphony features a full orchestra of advanced string, wind, brass and percussion musicians under the direction of Henry Littich. The Youth String Ensemble is an intermediate string orchestra performing under the baton of Leonardo Rosario and the Youth Wind Ensemble, directed by Adam Keller, is an intermediate wind, brass and percussion ensemble. The Preparatory Orchestra, a beginning string orchestra, will be conducted by Michael Harbaugh.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668225864802.png" alt="Members of the Salina Youth Choir" />
 <figcaption>Members of the Salina Youth Choir</figcaption>
 </figure>The Salina Youth Choir Fall Concert will be held Nov. 20, at 7 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church at 122 N. Eighth Street. The choir features 45 members under the direction of Jenna Eshleman. Tickets may be purchased at the door. Seating is by general admission and doors will open at 6:30 p.m.

Salina Youth Symphony, Youth Choir concerts set

There were 157 reported cases of COVID-19 throughout the month of October, down from the 248 cases reported in the previous month. One person has died of COVID-19 in October, down from three in September.

 Hospitalization numbers were not available.

While COVID-19 continues to spread, the vast majority of cases are being well-managed at home.&nbsp;

Find out more about the COVID-19 situation in&nbsp;Saline County, <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view?list_select_state=Kansas&amp;data-type=CommunityLevels&amp;list_select_county=20169&amp;null=CommunityLevels">click here</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668222369617.png" alt="Image courtesy Saline County Health Department" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Saline County Health Department</figcaption>
 </figure>Saline County Health DepartmentThere were 157 reported cases of COVID-19 throughout the month of October, down from the 248 cases reported in the previous month. One person has died of COVID-19 in October, down from three in September. Hospitalization numbers were not available.While COVID-19 continues to spread, the vast majority of cases are being well-managed at home.&nbsp;Find out more about the COVID-19 situation in&nbsp;Saline County, <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view?list_select_state=Kansas&amp;data-type=CommunityLevels&amp;list_select_county=20169&amp;null=CommunityLevels">click here</a>.

Saline County Health Department COVID-19 update for October

Salina Post’s Nate King broadcasts The Leslie W. Kreps American Legion Post 62 and Salina VFW Auxiliary Post 1432 Annual Veterans Day ceremony.

Despite windy and cold temperatures, members of the community, city officials, students, veterans, and their families gathered to celebrate and appreciate veterans Friday morning in Sunset Park at the Salina-Saline County War Memorial.

"I was very surprised that we had this many people and I was really, really super impressed with the kids from Southeast Saline. Yeah.&nbsp; Like I said, I mentioned, you know, Southeast Saline comes and shows up here, but where are the rest of our schools?," said Stan Britt, American Legion Post 62 president.&nbsp;

Coffee, donuts and hot chocolate were served to ceremony attendees by members of the VFW Auxiliary Post 1432.&nbsp;

"This day is the day to do something that everybody should take the time to do. To think about veterans and their service to this great nation," Britt said.

The war memorial, located in Salina's Sunset Park was dedicated to the City of Salina in 1994. The founding committee of the memorial filed dissolution papers with the state of Kansas in 1995. Over two decades later, a new committee was formed to discuss&nbsp; an expansion of the original memorial to include additional veterans.

"Right along with this war memorial we're trying  to move along and do some improvements here and add more brick stones. This memorial is something that is near and dear to my heart," Britt said.&nbsp;

The new expansion design will include two new octagon shaped memorials that will double as seating areas.&nbsp;

If you would like mor information regarding the memorial improvements click<a href="https://www.sunsetwarmemorial.com/"> here.</a>

<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fsalinapost%2Fvideos%2F1335711227236357%2F&show_text=false&width=267&t=0" width="267" height="476" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Salina Post’s Nate King broadcasts The Leslie W. Kreps American Legion Post 62 and Salina VFW Auxiliary Post 1432 Annual Veterans Day ceremony.By NATE KING Salina PostDespite windy and cold temperatures, members of the community, city officials, students, veterans, and their families gathered to celebrate and appreciate veterans Friday morning in Sunset Park at the Salina-Saline County War Memorial."I was very surprised that we had this many people and I was really, really super impressed with the kids from Southeast Saline. Yeah.&nbsp; Like I said, I mentioned, you know, Southeast Saline comes and shows up here, but where are the rest of our schools?," said Stan Britt, American Legion Post 62 president.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668198802525.jpeg" alt="Southeast Saline High School students read veteran names on the War Memorial.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Southeast Saline High School students read veteran names on the War Memorial.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668198361826.jpeg" alt="Southeast Saline highschoolers in line to get a cup of hot chocolate. Photos by: Salina Post" />
 <figcaption>Southeast Saline highschoolers in line to get a cup of hot chocolate. Photos by: Salina Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Coffee, donuts and hot chocolate were served to ceremony attendees by members of the VFW Auxiliary Post 1432.&nbsp;"This day is the day to do something that everybody should take the time to do. To think about veterans and their service to this great nation," Britt said.The war memorial, located in Salina's Sunset Park was dedicated to the City of Salina in 1994. The founding committee of the memorial filed dissolution papers with the state of Kansas in 1995. Over two decades later, a new committee was formed to discuss&nbsp; an expansion of the original memorial to include additional veterans.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668198679112.jpeg" alt="Salina-Saline County War Memorial located in Sunset Park.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Salina-Saline County War Memorial located in Sunset Park.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>"Right along with this war memorial we're trying to move along and do some improvements here and add more brick stones. This memorial is something that is near and dear to my heart," Britt said.&nbsp;The new expansion design will include two new octagon shaped memorials that will double as seating areas.&nbsp;If you would like mor information regarding the memorial improvements click<a href="https://www.sunsetwarmemorial.com/"> here.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668195029809.png" alt="Concept design for the octagonal granite panel memorial.&nbsp; Renderings courtesy&nbsp;The Leslie W. Kreps American Legion Post 62&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Concept design for the octagonal granite panel memorial.&nbsp; Renderings courtesy&nbsp;The Leslie W. Kreps American Legion Post 62&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668195129644.png" alt="War Memorial Salina Update." />
 <figcaption>War Memorial Salina Update.</figcaption>
 </figure>

🎥 Annual Legion / VFW Veterans Day ceremony in Salina

Below normal temperatures are expected through the weekend. Highs for both today and Saturday are not expected to make it out of the 40s. Normal highs for this time of year are around 60 degrees.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668174058393.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>National Weather ServiceBelow normal temperatures are expected through the weekend. Highs for both today and Saturday are not expected to make it out of the 40s. Normal highs for this time of year are around 60 degrees.

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