By EMILY HALSTEAD K-State Research and Extension news writer&nbsp;

MANHATTAN - Spring may seem far away, but a Kansas State University horticulture expert said it is time to start thinking about when to plant spring-flowering bulbs.&nbsp;

Ward Upham said late September through October is a great time to plant such bulbs as tulips, crocus and daffodils that will bloom in the spring.&nbsp;

“These plants need to develop roots in the fall and must meet a chilling requirement over the winter in order to bloom in the spring,” Upham said.&nbsp;

When planting spring-flowering bulbs there are a few key factors to consider:

●Choose a planting site that has full sun to partial shade.

●Ideal soil would be a sandy loam, but other soils can be used if amended by adding organic material such as peat moss or compost.

●The pH level of the soil should be between 6.0 and 7.0.

●Bulbs need good aeration as well as good drainage for proper development, Upham said it is best if bulbs are given 12 inches of prepared soil. “If one-third organic material were added, this would require mixing 4 inches of organic material with 8 inches of soil,” he said.&nbsp;

While some planting methods are the same, planting depths depend on the size of the bulbs. According to Upham, tulips and hyacinths are to be set about 6 inches deep whereas daffodils can be set between 6-8 inches deep.&nbsp;

“As a rule of thumb, bulbs are planted 2-3 times as deep as their width. Planting depth is the distance from the bottom of the bulb to the top of the soil,” Upham said.&nbsp;

To make a better display once flowered, make sure to plant in clumps or masses instead of single bulbs, he added.&nbsp;

Fall can also be the perfect time to plant trees, specifically between early September and late October. &nbsp;

“The warm and moist soils normally associated with fall encourage root growth,” Upham said. &nbsp;

Root growth in the fall allows the tree to become established earlier, making it better equipped to withstand the stress of summer. &nbsp;

“Unfortunately, certain trees do not produce significant root growth during the fall and are better planted in the spring,” Upham said. A few examples are beech, birch, redbud and dogwood. &nbsp;

Upham reminded Kansans that fall planted trees require special care. Here are his tips: ●Make sure the soil stays moist but not soggy.

●Mulch can be helpful in minimizing moisture loss and slowing the cooling of the soil to continue root growth. &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&nbsp;<a href="https://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/info-center/newsletters/index.html" target="_blank">available to view online</a>&nbsp;or can be delivered by email each week.&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&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/about/stateandareamaps.html" target="_blank">local K-State Research and Extension office</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631931090237.jpeg" alt="Late September through October is a great time to plant spring-flowering bulbs, according to K-State's Ward Upham.&nbsp;

Image by&nbsp;<a href="https://pixabay.com/users/couleur-1195798/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=3365630">Couleur</a>&nbsp;from&nbsp;<a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=3365630">Pixabay</a>" />
 <figcaption>Late September through October is a great time to plant spring-flowering bulbs, according to K-State's Ward Upham.&nbsp;

Image by&nbsp;<a href="https://pixabay.com/users/couleur-1195798/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=3365630">Couleur</a>&nbsp;from&nbsp;<a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=3365630">Pixabay</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By EMILY HALSTEAD K-State Research and Extension news writer&nbsp;MANHATTAN - Spring may seem far away, but a Kansas State University horticulture expert said it is time to start thinking about when to plant spring-flowering bulbs.&nbsp;Ward Upham said late September through October is a great time to plant such bulbs as tulips, crocus and daffodils that will bloom in the spring.&nbsp;“These plants need to develop roots in the fall and must meet a chilling requirement over the winter in order to bloom in the spring,” Upham said.&nbsp;When planting spring-flowering bulbs there are a few key factors to consider: ●Choose a planting site that has full sun to partial shade.●Ideal soil would be a sandy loam, but other soils can be used if amended by adding organic material such as peat moss or compost.●The pH level of the soil should be between 6.0 and 7.0.●Bulbs need good aeration as well as good drainage for proper development, Upham said it is best if bulbs are given 12 inches of prepared soil. “If one-third organic material were added, this would require mixing 4 inches of organic material with 8 inches of soil,” he said.&nbsp;<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MLekj8TKhRo" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>While some planting methods are the same, planting depths depend on the size of the bulbs. According to Upham, tulips and hyacinths are to be set about 6 inches deep whereas daffodils can be set between 6-8 inches deep.&nbsp;“As a rule of thumb, bulbs are planted 2-3 times as deep as their width. Planting depth is the distance from the bottom of the bulb to the top of the soil,” Upham said.&nbsp;To make a better display once flowered, make sure to plant in clumps or masses instead of single bulbs, he added.&nbsp;Planting Trees in the Fall&nbsp;Fall can also be the perfect time to plant trees, specifically between early September and late October. &nbsp;“The warm and moist soils normally associated with fall encourage root growth,” Upham said. &nbsp;Root growth in the fall allows the tree to become established earlier, making it better equipped to withstand the stress of summer. &nbsp;“Unfortunately, certain trees do not produce significant root growth during the fall and are better planted in the spring,” Upham said. A few examples are beech, birch, redbud and dogwood. &nbsp;Upham reminded Kansans that fall planted trees require special care. Here are his tips: ●Make sure the soil stays moist but not soggy.●Remember roots are actively growing.●Mulch can be helpful in minimizing moisture loss and slowing the cooling of the soil to continue root growth. &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&nbsp;<a href="https://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/info-center/newsletters/index.html" target="_blank">available to view online</a>&nbsp;or can be delivered by email each week.&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&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/about/stateandareamaps.html" target="_blank">local K-State Research and Extension office</a>.&nbsp;

🎥Spring color? Plant bulbs this fall for beautiful garden

Today is Saturday, Sept. 18, the 261st day of 2021. There are 104 days left in the year. 

On Sept. 18, 1975, newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst was captured by the FBI in San Francisco, 19 months after being kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army. 

In A.D. 14, the Roman Senate officially confirmed Tiberius as the second emperor of the Roman Empire, succeeding the late Augustus. 

In 1850, Congress passed the Fugitive Slave Act, which created a force of federal commissioners charged with returning escaped slaves to their owners. 

In 1851, the first edition of The New York Times was published.

In 1927, the Columbia Phonograph Broadcasting System (later CBS) made its on-air debut with a basic network of 16 radio stations. 

In 1947, the National Security Act, which created a National Military Establishment and the position of Secretary of Defense, went into effect. 

In 1961, United Nations Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold was killed in a plane crash in northern Rhodesia. 

In 1965, the situation comedies "I Dream of Jeannie" and "Get Smart" premiered on NBC. 

In 1970, rock star Jimi Hendrix died in London at age 27. 

In 1990, the organized crime drama "GoodFellas," directed by Martin Scorsese, had its U.S. premiere in New York. 

In 2001, a week after the Sept. 11 attack, President George W. Bush said he hoped to "rally the world" in the battle against terrorism and predicted that all "people who love freedom" would join. Letters postmarked Trenton, N.J., that later tested positive for anthrax were sent to the New York Post and NBC anchorman Tom Brokaw. 

In 2010, despite Taliban rocket strikes and bombings, Afghans voted for a new parliament in the first election since a fraud-marred ballot cast doubt on the legitimacy of the embattled government. 

In 2014, voters in Scotland rejected independence, opting to remain part of the United Kingdom in a historic referendum. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club at St. Andrews, Scotland, ended years of male-only exclusivity as its members voted overwhelmingly in favor of inviting women to join. 

Ten years ago: Dominique Strauss-Kahn, former head of the International Monetary Fund, broke his silence four months after a New York hotel maid accused him of sexual assault, calling his encounter with the woman a "moral failing" he deeply regretted, but insisting in an interview on French television that no violence was involved. A magnitude 6.9 earthquake shook northeastern India and Nepal, resulting in some 100 deaths. For a second year, Emmy Awards for drama and comedy went to "Mad Men" and "Modern Family."

Five years ago: At the United Nations, the United States, Japan and South Korea roundly condemned North Korea's latest nuclear test and called for tough new measures to further isolate the communist state. The Los Angeles Rams defeated the Seattle Seahawks 9-3 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in a game that marked the return of pro football to the nation's second-largest market for the first time in nearly 22 years. "Game of Thrones" was honored at the Emmy Awards as top drama for the second consecutive year; "Veep" repeated as best comedy series.

One year ago: Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a towering women's rights champion who became the court's second female justice, died at her home in Washington at the age of 87 of complications from pancreatic cancer; her death set off a battle over whether President Donald Trump should nominate a successor, or the seat should remain vacant until the outcome of the election six weeks away. (Trump would nominate Amy Coney Barrett, who was confirmed by the Republican-led Senate days before the election.) The Commerce Department said it would ban Chinese-owned TikTok and WeChat from U.S. app stores, citing national security and data privacy concerns. (Courts temporarily blocked the attempted ban, and the Biden administration in 2021 dropped those Trump-era executive orders.)

Today's Birthdays: Actor Robert Blake is 88. Gospel singer Bobby Jones is 83. Singer Frankie Avalon is 81. Actor Beth Grant is 72. Rock musician Kerry Livgren is 72. Actor Anna Deavere Smith is 71. Former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, is 70. Basketball Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino is 69. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., is 67. College Football Hall of Famer and retired NFL player Billy Sims is 66. Movie director Mark Romanek is 62. Baseball Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg is 62. Alt-country-rock musician Mark Olson is 60. Singer Joanne Catherall (Human League) is 59. Actor Holly Robinson Peete is 57. R&amp;B singer Ricky Bell (Bell Biv Devoe and New Edition) is 54. Actor Aisha Tyler is 51. Former racing cyclist Lance Armstrong is 50. Opera singer Anna Netrebko is 50. Actor Jada Pinkett Smith is 50. Actor James Marsden is 48. Actor Emily Rutherfurd is 47. Actor Travis Schuldt is 47. Rapper Xzibit is 47. Comedian-actor Jason Sudeikis is 46. Actor Sophina Brown is 45. Actor Barrett Foa is 44. Talk show host Sara Haines (TV: "GMA3: Strahan, Sara &amp; Keke") is 44. Actor/comedian Billy Eichner is 43. Actor Alison Lohman is 42. Designer Brandon Maxwell is 37. Congressman and former NFL player Anthony Gonzalez, R-Ohio, is 37. Actors Brandon and Taylor Porter are 28. Actor Patrick Schwarzenegger is 28. Country singer Tae Dye (Maddie and Tae) is 26. Actor C.J. Sanders is 25.

<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, Sept. 18, the 261st day of 2021. There are 104 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Sept. 18, 1975, newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst was captured by the FBI in San Francisco, 19 months after being kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army. On this date: In A.D. 14, the Roman Senate officially confirmed Tiberius as the second emperor of the Roman Empire, succeeding the late Augustus. In 1850, Congress passed the Fugitive Slave Act, which created a force of federal commissioners charged with returning escaped slaves to their owners. In 1851, the first edition of The New York Times was published.In 1927, the Columbia Phonograph Broadcasting System (later CBS) made its on-air debut with a basic network of 16 radio stations. In 1947, the National Security Act, which created a National Military Establishment and the position of Secretary of Defense, went into effect. In 1961, United Nations Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold was killed in a plane crash in northern Rhodesia. In 1965, the situation comedies "I Dream of Jeannie" and "Get Smart" premiered on NBC. In 1970, rock star Jimi Hendrix died in London at age 27. In 1990, the organized crime drama "GoodFellas," directed by Martin Scorsese, had its U.S. premiere in New York. In 2001, a week after the Sept. 11 attack, President George W. Bush said he hoped to "rally the world" in the battle against terrorism and predicted that all "people who love freedom" would join. Letters postmarked Trenton, N.J., that later tested positive for anthrax were sent to the New York Post and NBC anchorman Tom Brokaw. In 2010, despite Taliban rocket strikes and bombings, Afghans voted for a new parliament in the first election since a fraud-marred ballot cast doubt on the legitimacy of the embattled government. In 2014, voters in Scotland rejected independence, opting to remain part of the United Kingdom in a historic referendum. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club at St. Andrews, Scotland, ended years of male-only exclusivity as its members voted overwhelmingly in favor of inviting women to join. Ten years ago: Dominique Strauss-Kahn, former head of the International Monetary Fund, broke his silence four months after a New York hotel maid accused him of sexual assault, calling his encounter with the woman a "moral failing" he deeply regretted, but insisting in an interview on French television that no violence was involved. A magnitude 6.9 earthquake shook northeastern India and Nepal, resulting in some 100 deaths. For a second year, Emmy Awards for drama and comedy went to "Mad Men" and "Modern Family."Five years ago: At the United Nations, the United States, Japan and South Korea roundly condemned North Korea's latest nuclear test and called for tough new measures to further isolate the communist state. The Los Angeles Rams defeated the Seattle Seahawks 9-3 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in a game that marked the return of pro football to the nation's second-largest market for the first time in nearly 22 years. "Game of Thrones" was honored at the Emmy Awards as top drama for the second consecutive year; "Veep" repeated as best comedy series.One year ago: Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a towering women's rights champion who became the court's second female justice, died at her home in Washington at the age of 87 of complications from pancreatic cancer; her death set off a battle over whether President Donald Trump should nominate a successor, or the seat should remain vacant until the outcome of the election six weeks away. (Trump would nominate Amy Coney Barrett, who was confirmed by the Republican-led Senate days before the election.) The Commerce Department said it would ban Chinese-owned TikTok and WeChat from U.S. app stores, citing national security and data privacy concerns. (Courts temporarily blocked the attempted ban, and the Biden administration in 2021 dropped those Trump-era executive orders.)Today's Birthdays: Actor Robert Blake is 88. Gospel singer Bobby Jones is 83. Singer Frankie Avalon is 81. Actor Beth Grant is 72. Rock musician Kerry Livgren is 72. Actor Anna Deavere Smith is 71. Former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, is 70. Basketball Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino is 69. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., is 67. College Football Hall of Famer and retired NFL player Billy Sims is 66. Movie director Mark Romanek is 62. Baseball Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg is 62. Alt-country-rock musician Mark Olson is 60. Singer Joanne Catherall (Human League) is 59. Actor Holly Robinson Peete is 57. R&amp;B singer Ricky Bell (Bell Biv Devoe and New Edition) is 54. Actor Aisha Tyler is 51. Former racing cyclist Lance Armstrong is 50. Opera singer Anna Netrebko is 50. Actor Jada Pinkett Smith is 50. Actor James Marsden is 48. Actor Emily Rutherfurd is 47. Actor Travis Schuldt is 47. Rapper Xzibit is 47. Comedian-actor Jason Sudeikis is 46. Actor Sophina Brown is 45. Actor Barrett Foa is 44. Talk show host Sara Haines (TV: "GMA3: Strahan, Sara &amp; Keke") is 44. Actor/comedian Billy Eichner is 43. Actor Alison Lohman is 42. Designer Brandon Maxwell is 37. Congressman and former NFL player Anthony Gonzalez, R-Ohio, is 37. Actors Brandon and Taylor Porter are 28. Actor Patrick Schwarzenegger is 28. Country singer Tae Dye (Maddie and Tae) is 26. Actor C.J. Sanders is 25.

Today in History - Sept. 18

Following is the Saline County Health Department COVID-19 update for Friday.

●Three people have lost their lives to COVID-19 since our last update on Wednesday.

●Salina Regional Health Center reports that they have 20 patients currently hospitalized due to COVID-19.

●There are 63 new cases of COVID-19 reported since Wednesday.

●KDHE has identified 231 variants in the 357 samples sent from Saline County for sequencing.

●The staff at the Saline County Health Department is currently monitoring 715 cases of COVID-19.

More in-depth data and additional information can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001f_M444ezNhbtvfVRB53gHctWKlsBn7wbz4lwfcLO9r-MnSPgUgsVcH2EXa1LCGoKs1tp_FLb0cmwYnRa_OQxKbKPIIDNcsPoRgBjz_e9C1lxMsRzH1v-NyfKodNyT8OlHuWS3uySIXisvkZHXnTOBEj_17jLbhq_&amp;c=&amp;ch=" target="_blank">Saline County Coronavirus webpage</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001f_M444ezNhbtvfVRB53gHctWKlsBn7wbz4lwfcLO9r-MnSPgUgsVcLp9M2VHxiYy9LL53BFZeRdUHuNumVJJ98g601GHy20fUk_vWpPWR6GLIbXuRH4bBs-IXQ_NyH4yNERjzYMBWOPpQMYp99qzgWEZGu9mlabXqZ1ZUYfW58AGS6jsoQ8uXJP3ImCxvsSo&amp;c=&amp;ch=" target="_blank">KDHE COVID-19 Information Site</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001f_M444ezNhbtvfVRB53gHctWKlsBn7wbz4lwfcLO9r-MnSPgUgsVcDuj0KwWiPVorinaQV0KnQCFzu5i7IhiWyu7XdiwQ8Lu2FSpOyBqMo0Beo0aa_bQRNyAZffpgosKRuVe6duMqitwPKIZhuVG2JigpVYPe-0Fo6IIjeJ7IMVqlTL2ko1Q1Fc3zUwcyMXL&amp;c=&amp;ch=" target="_blank">CDC COVID-19 Tracker</a>.

The CDC recently released the Coronavirus Self-Checker. It is an interactive clinical assessment tool that will assist individuals ages 13 and older, and parents and caregivers of children ages 2 to 12 on deciding when to seek testing or medical care if they suspect they or someone they know has contracted COVID-19 or has come into close contact with someone who has COVID-19.

The online, mobile-friendly tool asks a series of questions, and based on the user’s responses, provides recommended actions and resources.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/coronavirus-self-checker.html#">Access the Coronavirus Self-Checker here</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631915343549.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Following is the Saline County Health Department COVID-19 update for Friday.●Three people have lost their lives to COVID-19 since our last update on Wednesday.●Salina Regional Health Center reports that they have 20 patients currently hospitalized due to COVID-19.●There are 63 new cases of COVID-19 reported since Wednesday.●KDHE has identified 231 variants in the 357 samples sent from Saline County for sequencing.●The staff at the Saline County Health Department is currently monitoring 715 cases of COVID-19.More in-depth data and additional information can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001f_M444ezNhbtvfVRB53gHctWKlsBn7wbz4lwfcLO9r-MnSPgUgsVcH2EXa1LCGoKs1tp_FLb0cmwYnRa_OQxKbKPIIDNcsPoRgBjz_e9C1lxMsRzH1v-NyfKodNyT8OlHuWS3uySIXisvkZHXnTOBEj_17jLbhq_&amp;c=&amp;ch=" target="_blank">Saline County Coronavirus webpage</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001f_M444ezNhbtvfVRB53gHctWKlsBn7wbz4lwfcLO9r-MnSPgUgsVcLp9M2VHxiYy9LL53BFZeRdUHuNumVJJ98g601GHy20fUk_vWpPWR6GLIbXuRH4bBs-IXQ_NyH4yNERjzYMBWOPpQMYp99qzgWEZGu9mlabXqZ1ZUYfW58AGS6jsoQ8uXJP3ImCxvsSo&amp;c=&amp;ch=" target="_blank">KDHE COVID-19 Information Site</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001f_M444ezNhbtvfVRB53gHctWKlsBn7wbz4lwfcLO9r-MnSPgUgsVcDuj0KwWiPVorinaQV0KnQCFzu5i7IhiWyu7XdiwQ8Lu2FSpOyBqMo0Beo0aa_bQRNyAZffpgosKRuVe6duMqitwPKIZhuVG2JigpVYPe-0Fo6IIjeJ7IMVqlTL2ko1Q1Fc3zUwcyMXL&amp;c=&amp;ch=" target="_blank">CDC COVID-19 Tracker</a>.

The CDC recently released the Coronavirus Self-Checker. It is an interactive clinical assessment tool that will assist individuals ages 13 and older, and parents and caregivers of children ages 2 to 12 on deciding when to seek testing or medical care if they suspect they or someone they know has contracted COVID-19 or has come into close contact with someone who has COVID-19. The online, mobile-friendly tool asks a series of questions, and based on the user’s responses, provides recommended actions and resources.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/coronavirus-self-checker.html#">Access the Coronavirus Self-Checker here</a>

Saline County: 3 additional deaths, 63 new cases

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with&nbsp;Kansas Board of Regents member Carl Ice on the search for a new president at K-State.

<div><iframe title="Forward Ever: Kansas Board of Regents member Carl Ice" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=8mnsk-10c9534-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&btn-skin=3267a3&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with&nbsp;Kansas Board of Regents member Carl Ice on the search for a new president at K-State.

🎤Forward Ever: Kan. Regent Carl Ice on search for new KSU president

The Catholic Diocese of Salina today announced Bill Meagher as the new director of youth ministry and religious education. 

Meagher is a well-known member of the Hays community where he is

currently the director of campus ministry, theology instructor, and head boys basketball coach at Thomas More Prep-Marian. 

Meagher has served the youth of the diocese for many years in various capacities. From sponsoring CYO to serving as the religious education director at his home parish, St. Nicholas of Myra.

“I am so humbled, honored, and excited to have the opportunity to serve the youth of the Salina Diocese. I cannot wait to work with our diocesan pastors, parish religious education directors, youth ministers, parents, sponsors, and catechists who have and continue to bring so many young people to Christ as faithful disciples. Sr. Barb’s incredible legacy will always be her deep love for the young people of our diocese and her desire to serve Christ and His church. It is truly a blessing to get the opportunity to serve the young people of the Salina Diocese, and I am very excited to get started,” said Meagher.

Geoff Andrews, superintendent of Catholic schools for the Diocese of Salina said, “I am very excited to have Bill Meagher leading our youth ministry and religious education office. His vast experience in our programs as both a youth and as an adult will help immensely, and his knowledge of the Salina Diocese

is going to be very beneficial to our programs. I am looking forward to all the wonderful things he will do to serve our youth in a deeper capacity.”

“I am very excited to welcome Bill as the new director of youth ministry and religious education. His experience is already proving to be a huge asset to our diocese, and I am confident that our programs will greatly benefit and continue to flourish,” said Bishop Gerald Vincke.

The Catholic Diocese of Salina today announced Bill Meagher as the new director of youth ministry and religious education. Meagher is a well-known member of the Hays community where he iscurrently the director of campus ministry, theology instructor, and head boys basketball coach at Thomas More Prep-Marian. Meagher has served the youth of the diocese for many years in various capacities. From sponsoring CYO to serving as the religious education director at his home parish, St. Nicholas of Myra.“I am so humbled, honored, and excited to have the opportunity to serve the youth of the Salina Diocese. I cannot wait to work with our diocesan pastors, parish religious education directors, youth ministers, parents, sponsors, and catechists who have and continue to bring so many young people to Christ as faithful disciples. Sr. Barb’s incredible legacy will always be her deep love for the young people of our diocese and her desire to serve Christ and His church. It is truly a blessing to get the opportunity to serve the young people of the Salina Diocese, and I am very excited to get started,” said Meagher.Geoff Andrews, superintendent of Catholic schools for the Diocese of Salina said, “I am very excited to have Bill Meagher leading our youth ministry and religious education office. His vast experience in our programs as both a youth and as an adult will help immensely, and his knowledge of the Salina Dioceseis going to be very beneficial to our programs. I am looking forward to all the wonderful things he will do to serve our youth in a deeper capacity.”“I am very excited to welcome Bill as the new director of youth ministry and religious education. His experience is already proving to be a huge asset to our diocese, and I am confident that our programs will greatly benefit and continue to flourish,” said Bishop Gerald Vincke.

Meagher appointed to Salina Diocese youth ministry, religious education post

Candy Makers- Starting wage $20.65

Starting wages may differ on other positions

Full time positions have benefits. As well as Part Time Relief Positions available.&nbsp;

Russell Stover will hire “ON THE SPOT” on Tuesdays. Drop in for interview from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Or to apply for these online, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.russellstover.com/careers">www.russellstover.com/careers</a>

Russell Stover Chocolates factory and store is located right of I-70 at exit 270 on the west side of Abilene, Kansas and has been in business nationally since 1923. Russell Stover is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Follow the hiring flags.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610422205593.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Candy Makers- Starting wage $20.65Starting wages may differ on other positions· 2nd Shift Machine Operators· 1st Packers· 2nd Packers· 2nd Shift Packers· 1st Kitchen Supervisors· 2nd Shift Service· 2nd Wrapping SupervisorFull time positions have benefits. As well as Part Time Relief Positions available.&nbsp;Russell Stover will hire “ON THE SPOT” on Tuesdays. Drop in for interview from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Or to apply for these online, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.russellstover.com/careers">www.russellstover.com/careers</a>Russell Stover Chocolates factory and store is located right of I-70 at exit 270 on the west side of Abilene, Kansas and has been in business nationally since 1923. Russell Stover is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Follow the hiring flags.

Burglaries at west Salina motel under investigation

A man was arrested after two women were allegedly battered at a residence just south of Salina early Thursday afternoon.

Saline County Undersheriff Brent Melander said this morning that deputies were sent to a residence in the 400 block of E. Water Well Road at 12:15 p.m. Thursday for the report of a disturbance. When they arrived, they discovered that the 45-year-old female victim was at the nearby business from where she called in the incident.

The woman told deputies that while she was at the residence, Andrew Wood, 25, got into a verbal argument with her. According to the woman's account of the incident, the argument escalated and Wood allegedly battered her and another woman, who was still in the residence with Wood, Melander said. Wood also allegedly used a shovel to threaten the woman who reported the incident, he added.

Deputies were able to contact the legal resident of the house, who told them that the two people still inside did not have permission to be there. The victim who reported the incident was the only person who had permission to be there. Melander said that woman had invited the other two people into the house.

Deputies forced their way into the residence and arrested Wood on four active Salina Municipal Court warrants and the following requested charges, Melander said.

●Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon

While there, the deputies discovered that a woman in the residence, Taylor Bennet, 21, of Salina, had two active Salina Municipal Court warrants, so they arrested her as well, Melander said.

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostA man was arrested after two women were allegedly battered at a residence just south of Salina early Thursday afternoon.Saline County Undersheriff Brent Melander said this morning that deputies were sent to a residence in the 400 block of E. Water Well Road at 12:15 p.m. Thursday for the report of a disturbance. When they arrived, they discovered that the 45-year-old female victim was at the nearby business from where she called in the incident.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631893218252.jpeg" alt="Andrew Wood. Photos courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>Andrew Wood. Photos courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>The woman told deputies that while she was at the residence, Andrew Wood, 25, got into a verbal argument with her. According to the woman's account of the incident, the argument escalated and Wood allegedly battered her and another woman, who was still in the residence with Wood, Melander said. Wood also allegedly used a shovel to threaten the woman who reported the incident, he added.Deputies were able to contact the legal resident of the house, who told them that the two people still inside did not have permission to be there. The victim who reported the incident was the only person who had permission to be there. Melander said that woman had invited the other two people into the house.Deputies forced their way into the residence and arrested Wood on four active Salina Municipal Court warrants and the following requested charges, Melander said.●Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon●Domestic battery●Battery●Criminal restraintWhile there, the deputies discovered that a woman in the residence, Taylor Bennet, 21, of Salina, had two active Salina Municipal Court warrants, so they arrested her as well, Melander said.

Man arrested after alleged battery of two women south of Salina

On Monday, officers with the Salina Police Department investigated a burglary at Popeye’s, 720 S. Ohio Street.

The burglary occurred between 10:30 p.m. on Sunday and 8:40 a.m. on Monday. Unknown person(s) entered the restaurant and stole more than $1,900.

If you have any information concerning this incident or identification of the individual(s) involved, call Crimestoppers at 825-TIPS, text SATIPS to CRIMES (274637), or visit <a href="https://new.tipsubmit.com/en/create-report/anonymous/salina.org">https://new.tipsubmit.com/en/create-report/anonymous/salina.org</a> to submit a web tip. You may receive a cash reward of up to $1,000. Tipsters may also contact the Salina Police Department at (785) 826-7210, or Detective Sabrina Voorhees at extension 8547. Case 21-28431.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631881641885.png" alt="Popeye's at 720 S. Ohio Street in Salina. Photo courtesy Crimestoppers" />
 <figcaption>Popeye's at 720 S. Ohio Street in Salina. Photo courtesy Crimestoppers</figcaption>
 </figure>On Monday, officers with the Salina Police Department investigated a burglary at Popeye’s, 720 S. Ohio Street.The burglary occurred between 10:30 p.m. on Sunday and 8:40 a.m. on Monday. Unknown person(s) entered the restaurant and stole more than $1,900.If you have any information concerning this incident or identification of the individual(s) involved, call Crimestoppers at 825-TIPS, text SATIPS to CRIMES (274637), or visit <a href="https://new.tipsubmit.com/en/create-report/anonymous/salina.org">https://new.tipsubmit.com/en/create-report/anonymous/salina.org</a> to submit a web tip. You may receive a cash reward of up to $1,000. Tipsters may also contact the Salina Police Department at (785) 826-7210, or Detective Sabrina Voorhees at extension 8547. Case 21-28431.

Crimestoppers seeks tips about burglary at Popeye's in Salina

With more than one month gone by in the 2021-22 academic year, Kansas Wesleyan has formally announced its newest faculty and staff members, along with a pair of promotions.&nbsp;

Two new department chairs joined KWU this summer, including the previously announced Dr. James McAllister, who will lead KWU’s Department of Music. In addition, Dr. Michelle Case will head the growing Department of Business and Accounting.

Bernard (Bernie) Botson, former Saline County assistant director of emergency management, comes to KWU as an assistant professor in that discipline, while Lori Brubaker joins the Department of Teacher Education with the same title. Sarah Kingan (nursing education), Bridgette Crosson (nursing education), Brenna Riley (biology), Jeroen Nelemans (graphic design) and Jonathan Hughes (sport and exercise science) also begin their Kansas Wesleyan careers as assistant professors in their fields.

Tissa Salter joins KWU as an instructor in English, Sureni Wickramasooriya does so as an instructor in mathematics, Jennifer Moran will serve as a student success coach and Chris Miertschin rounds out the academic additions as the new director of athletic bands.

On the staff side, Brandon Agee and Ryan Cooper joined the admissions staff as counselors, Juli Wilson is the new assistant director of financial aid and Irma Diaz is a financial aid specialist.

Finally, two promotions were announced. Ken Oliver has been promoted to the position of vice president of Advancement and University Operations, while Bennington native Skylar Nelson ’21 is now a full-time communications specialist in the marketing and communications office.

With more than one month gone by in the 2021-22 academic year, Kansas Wesleyan has formally announced its newest faculty and staff members, along with a pair of promotions.&nbsp;Two new department chairs joined KWU this summer, including the previously announced Dr. James McAllister, who will lead KWU’s Department of Music. In addition, Dr. Michelle Case will head the growing Department of Business and Accounting.Bernard (Bernie) Botson, former Saline County assistant director of emergency management, comes to KWU as an assistant professor in that discipline, while Lori Brubaker joins the Department of Teacher Education with the same title. Sarah Kingan (nursing education), Bridgette Crosson (nursing education), Brenna Riley (biology), Jeroen Nelemans (graphic design) and Jonathan Hughes (sport and exercise science) also begin their Kansas Wesleyan careers as assistant professors in their fields.Tissa Salter joins KWU as an instructor in English, Sureni Wickramasooriya does so as an instructor in mathematics, Jennifer Moran will serve as a student success coach and Chris Miertschin rounds out the academic additions as the new director of athletic bands.On the staff side, Brandon Agee and Ryan Cooper joined the admissions staff as counselors, Juli Wilson is the new assistant director of financial aid and Irma Diaz is a financial aid specialist.Finally, two promotions were announced. Ken Oliver has been promoted to the position of vice president of Advancement and University Operations, while Bennington native Skylar Nelson ’21 is now a full-time communications specialist in the marketing and communications office.

Kansas Wesleyan announces newest faculty and staff

I have decided it’s time to get control of my money. Your plan sounds workable, but I talked to some friends about it, and they think I would be better off using a credit card for emergencies. Can you explain why you advise saving a separate emergency fund?

When bad, unexpected things happen, like a job layoff or a blown car engine, you shouldn’t depend on credit cards. If you use debt to cover emergencies, you’re digging a financial hole for yourself. My plan will walk you out of debt forever, and a strong foundation of any financial house includes an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/saving/quick-guide-to-your-emergency-fund" target="_blank">emergency fund</a>.

Putting together a fully funded emergency fund is Baby Step 3 of my plan for getting out of debt and gaining control of your money. Before you reach&nbsp;this&nbsp;point, however, steps one and two should be completed first. Baby Step 1 is saving $1,000 for a starter emergency fund. Baby Step 2 is where you pay off all debt, except for your home, using the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/debt/debt-calculator" target="_blank">debt snowball method</a>.

A fully-funded emergency fund should cover three to six months of expenses. You start the emergency fund with $1,000, but a full emergency fund can range from $5,000 to $25,000 or more. A family that can make it on $3,000 per month might have a $10,000 emergency fund as a minimum.

What is an emergency? An emergency is something you had no way of knowing was coming—an event that has a major, negative financial impact if you can’t cover it. Emergencies include things like paying the deductible on medical, homeowners or car insurance after an accident, a job loss, a blown automobile transmission or your home’s heating and air unit suddenly biting the dust.

Something on sale you “need” is not an emergency. Fixing the boat, unless you live on it, is not an emergency. Want to buy a car, a leather couch or go to Cancun? Not emergencies. Prom dresses and college tuition are&nbsp;not&nbsp;emergencies, either.

Never rationalize the use of your emergency fund for something you should&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/investment-calculator" target="_blank">save</a>&nbsp;for. On the other hand, don’t make payments on medical bills after an accident while your emergency fund sits there fully loaded. If you’ve gone to the trouble of creating an emergency fund, make sure you are crystal clear on what&nbsp;is&nbsp;and&nbsp;isn’t&nbsp;an emergency.

Also, keep your emergency fund in something that is liquid.&nbsp;Liquid&nbsp;is a money term that basically means easy to access with no penalties. I use growth-stock&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/what-are-mutual-funds" target="_blank">mutual funds</a>&nbsp;for long-term investing, but I would never put my emergency fund there. I suggest a money market account with no penalties and full check writing privileges for your emergency fund.

Your emergency fund account is not for building wealth. It’s an insurance policy against rainy days!

<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/" target="_blank">Dave Ramsey</a>&nbsp;is a seven-time No. 1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of The Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. He&nbsp;has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596845065840.jpeg" alt="Dave Ramsey" />
 <figcaption>Dave Ramsey</figcaption>
 </figure>Dear Dave,I have decided it’s time to get control of my money. Your plan sounds workable, but I talked to some friends about it, and they think I would be better off using a credit card for emergencies. Can you explain why you advise saving a separate emergency fund?LesleeDear Leslee,When bad, unexpected things happen, like a job layoff or a blown car engine, you shouldn’t depend on credit cards. If you use debt to cover emergencies, you’re digging a financial hole for yourself. My plan will walk you out of debt forever, and a strong foundation of any financial house includes an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/saving/quick-guide-to-your-emergency-fund" target="_blank">emergency fund</a>.Putting together a fully funded emergency fund is Baby Step 3 of my plan for getting out of debt and gaining control of your money. Before you reach&nbsp;this&nbsp;point, however, steps one and two should be completed first. Baby Step 1 is saving $1,000 for a starter emergency fund. Baby Step 2 is where you pay off all debt, except for your home, using the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/debt/debt-calculator" target="_blank">debt snowball method</a>.A fully-funded emergency fund should cover three to six months of expenses. You start the emergency fund with $1,000, but a full emergency fund can range from $5,000 to $25,000 or more. A family that can make it on $3,000 per month might have a $10,000 emergency fund as a minimum.What is an emergency? An emergency is something you had no way of knowing was coming—an event that has a major, negative financial impact if you can’t cover it. Emergencies include things like paying the deductible on medical, homeowners or car insurance after an accident, a job loss, a blown automobile transmission or your home’s heating and air unit suddenly biting the dust.Something on sale you “need” is not an emergency. Fixing the boat, unless you live on it, is not an emergency. Want to buy a car, a leather couch or go to Cancun? Not emergencies. Prom dresses and college tuition are&nbsp;not&nbsp;emergencies, either.Never rationalize the use of your emergency fund for something you should&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/investment-calculator" target="_blank">save</a>&nbsp;for. On the other hand, don’t make payments on medical bills after an accident while your emergency fund sits there fully loaded. If you’ve gone to the trouble of creating an emergency fund, make sure you are crystal clear on what&nbsp;is&nbsp;and&nbsp;isn’t&nbsp;an emergency.Also, keep your emergency fund in something that is liquid.&nbsp;Liquid&nbsp;is a money term that basically means easy to access with no penalties. I use growth-stock&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/what-are-mutual-funds" target="_blank">mutual funds</a>&nbsp;for long-term investing, but I would never put my emergency fund there. I suggest a money market account with no penalties and full check writing privileges for your emergency fund.Your emergency fund account is not for building wealth. It’s an insurance policy against rainy days!<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/" target="_blank">Dave Ramsey</a>&nbsp;is a seven-time No. 1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of The Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. He&nbsp;has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.

DAVE SAYS: Think of an emergency fund as insurance

ABILENE - Like many hospitals around the country, Memorial Hospital in Abilene is feeling the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the Emergency Department, for instance, wait times for some patients may be longer because of the greater number of patients who seek treatment from the department. Nonetheless, each patient remains important to the Emergency Department staff.

“With the ER being busier, wait times will unfortunately increase. There are only so many rooms and so many staff to take care of the patients. Each patient is important, but those who are sicker or with more time critical problems will take precedent over those patients with more minor complaints,” said Dr. Brian Holmes.

Emergency departments across the state, indeed, throughout the country are struggling with the increased load of COVID-19 patients, making it difficult, if not impossible to transfer patients in need of more intensive care.

"Recently we have had to transfer several patients out of state who required intensive care unit care because we could not find an ICU bed in Kansas,” Holmes said.

Additionally, the length of time of COVID-19 patients' hopsital stays also are putting a strain on the healthcare system.

"COVID patients tend to stay longer in the hospital, both in the ICU and in the regular inpatient rooms, as they tend to be sicker and require longer recoveries. This has led to a shortage of ICU beds across Kansas and many other states as well in the U.S.," Holmes said. "Dealing with the increased volume of COVID patients has strained our ability to take care of other more common problems like heart attacks, strokes, trauma, and even diseases like pneumonia."

To help lessen the number of COVID-19 patients swamping hospitals, Memorial Health System physicians, including those who work in Memorial Hospital, urge all eligible to get vaccinated.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631847063148.jpeg" alt="The emergency entrance to Abilene's Memorial Hospital. Photo courtesy Memorial Health System" />
 <figcaption>The emergency entrance to Abilene's Memorial Hospital. Photo courtesy Memorial Health System</figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTABILENE - Like many hospitals around the country, Memorial Hospital in Abilene is feeling the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.In the Emergency Department, for instance, wait times for some patients may be longer because of the greater number of patients who seek treatment from the department. Nonetheless, each patient remains important to the Emergency Department staff.“With the ER being busier, wait times will unfortunately increase. There are only so many rooms and so many staff to take care of the patients. Each patient is important, but those who are sicker or with more time critical problems will take precedent over those patients with more minor complaints,” said Dr. Brian Holmes.Emergency departments across the state, indeed, throughout the country are struggling with the increased load of COVID-19 patients, making it difficult, if not impossible to transfer patients in need of more intensive care."Recently we have had to transfer several patients out of state who required intensive care unit care because we could not find an ICU bed in Kansas,” Holmes said.Additionally, the length of time of COVID-19 patients' hopsital stays also are putting a strain on the healthcare system."COVID patients tend to stay longer in the hospital, both in the ICU and in the regular inpatient rooms, as they tend to be sicker and require longer recoveries. This has led to a shortage of ICU beds across Kansas and many other states as well in the U.S.," Holmes said. "Dealing with the increased volume of COVID patients has strained our ability to take care of other more common problems like heart attacks, strokes, trauma, and even diseases like pneumonia."To help lessen the number of COVID-19 patients swamping hospitals, Memorial Health System physicians, including those who work in Memorial Hospital, urge all eligible to get vaccinated.

Memorial Hospital: Pandemic affecting more than COVID-19 patients

Scattered thunderstorms are expected across central and northeast Kansas today, according to the National Weather Service. 

The strongest storms may produce dime size hail and wind gusts to 50 mph.

Scattered storms are possible across central Kansas on Friday afternoon and Friday evening, according to the National Weather Service.

 The strongest storm may produce dime size hail and 50 mph winds. Pockets of heavy rainfall may also occur.

UPDATED 7 a.m. Friday:<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631877793065.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Scattered thunderstorms are expected across central and northeast Kansas today, according to the National Weather Service. The strongest storms may produce dime size hail and wind gusts to 50 mph.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631834385616.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Scattered storms are possible across central Kansas on Friday afternoon and Friday evening, according to the National Weather Service. The strongest storm may produce dime size hail and 50 mph winds. Pockets of heavy rainfall may also occur.

UPDATE: Friday storms to bring dime-sized hail, wind up to 50 mph

Today is Friday, Sept. 17, the 260th day of 2021. There are 105 days left in the year. 

On Sept. 17, 1787, the Constitution of the United States was completed and signed by a majority of delegates attending the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. 

In 1862, more than 3,600 men were killed in the Civil War Battle of Antietam in Maryland. 

In 1908, Lt. Thomas E. Selfridge of the U.S. Army Signal Corps became the first person to die in the crash of a powered aircraft, the Wright Flyer, at Fort Myer, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C. 

In 1937, the likeness of President Abraham Lincoln's head was dedicated at Mount Rushmore. 

In 1939, the Soviet Union invaded Poland during World War II, more than two weeks after Nazi Germany had launched its assault. 

In 1944, during World War II, Allied paratroopers launched Operation Market Garden, landing behind German lines in the Netherlands. (After initial success, the Allies were beaten back by the Germans.) 

In 1954, the novel "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding was first published by Faber &amp; Faber of London.

In 1971, citing health reasons, Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black, 85, retired. (Black, who was succeeded by Lewis F. Powell Jr., died eight days after making his announcement.) 

In 1978, after meeting at Camp David, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat signed a framework for a peace treaty. 

In 1980, former Nicaraguan president Anastasio Somoza was assassinated in Paraguay.

In 1987, the city of Philadelphia, birthplace of the U.S. Constitution, threw a big party to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the historic document; in a speech at Independence Hall, President Ronald Reagan acclaimed the framing of the Constitution as a milestone "that would profoundly and forever alter not just these United States but the world." 

In 1994, Heather Whitestone of Alabama was crowned the first deaf Miss America.

In 2001, six days after 9/11, stock prices nosedived but stopped short of collapse in an emotional, flag-waving reopening of Wall Street; the Dow Jones industrial average ended the day down 684.81 at 8,920.70. 

Ten years ago: A demonstration calling itself Occupy Wall Street began in New York, prompting similar protests around the U.S. and the world. Charles H. Percy, 91, a Chicago businessman who became a U.S. senator and was once widely viewed as a top presidential contender, died in Washington.

Five years ago: A bomb explosion rocked Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood, injuring 30 people. (An Afghan-born U.S. citizen was convicted in the bombing and sentenced to life in prison.)

One year ago: At a drive-in campaign event in Pennsylvania, Democrat Joe Biden denounced President Donald Trump's handling of the pandemic as "close to criminal." Marking the 233rd anniversary of the signing of the Constitution, Trump downplayed the historical legacy of slavery in the United States and blasted efforts to address systemic racism as divisive. Firefighter Charles Morton, a member of an elite Hotshot crew, died while battling a blaze in the mountains east of Los Angeles; the fire was sparked when a couple used a device that was supposed to emit blue or pink smoke to reveal their baby's gender. Rescuers on the Gulf Coast of Florida and Alabama used boats and high-water vehicles to reach people cut off by floodwaters in the aftermath of Hurricane Sally.

Today's Birthdays: Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, is 88. Retired Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter is 82. Singer LaMonte McLemore (The Fifth Dimension) is 86. Retired U.S. Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni is 78. Basketball Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson is 76. Singer Fee Waybill is 73. Actor Cassandra Peterson ("Elvira, Mistress of the Dark") is 70. Comedian Rita Rudner is 68. Director-actor Paul Feig is 59. Movie director Baz Luhrmann is 59. Singer BeBe Winans is 59. TV personality/businessman Robert Herjavec (TV: "Shark Tank") is 58. Actor Kyle Chandler is 56. Director-producer Bryan Singer is 56. Rapper Doug E. Fresh is 55. Actor Malik Yoba is 54. Rock singer Anastacia is 53. Actor Matthew Settle is 52. Rapper Vin Rock (Naughty By Nature) is 51. Actor-comedian Bobby Lee is 50. Actor Felix Solis is 50. R&amp;B singer Marcus Sanders (Hi-Five) is 48. Actor-singer Nona Gaye is 47. Singer-actor Constantine Maroulis is 46. NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson is 46. Country singer-songwriter Stephen Cochran is 42. Rock musician Chuck Comeau (Simple Plan) is 42. Actor Billy Miller is 42. Rock musician Jon Walker is 36. NHL forward Alex Ovechkin is 36. Actor Danielle Brooks is 32. Gospel singer Jonathan McReynolds is 32. Actor-singer Denyse Tontz is 27. NHL center Auston Matthews is 24.

<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 Friday, Sept. 17, the 260th day of 2021. There are 105 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Sept. 17, 1787, the Constitution of the United States was completed and signed by a majority of delegates attending the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. On this date: In 1862, more than 3,600 men were killed in the Civil War Battle of Antietam in Maryland. In 1908, Lt. Thomas E. Selfridge of the U.S. Army Signal Corps became the first person to die in the crash of a powered aircraft, the Wright Flyer, at Fort Myer, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C. In 1937, the likeness of President Abraham Lincoln's head was dedicated at Mount Rushmore. In 1939, the Soviet Union invaded Poland during World War II, more than two weeks after Nazi Germany had launched its assault. In 1944, during World War II, Allied paratroopers launched Operation Market Garden, landing behind German lines in the Netherlands. (After initial success, the Allies were beaten back by the Germans.) In 1954, the novel "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding was first published by Faber &amp; Faber of London.In 1971, citing health reasons, Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black, 85, retired. (Black, who was succeeded by Lewis F. Powell Jr., died eight days after making his announcement.) In 1978, after meeting at Camp David, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat signed a framework for a peace treaty. In 1980, former Nicaraguan president Anastasio Somoza was assassinated in Paraguay.In 1987, the city of Philadelphia, birthplace of the U.S. Constitution, threw a big party to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the historic document; in a speech at Independence Hall, President Ronald Reagan acclaimed the framing of the Constitution as a milestone "that would profoundly and forever alter not just these United States but the world." In 1994, Heather Whitestone of Alabama was crowned the first deaf Miss America.In 2001, six days after 9/11, stock prices nosedived but stopped short of collapse in an emotional, flag-waving reopening of Wall Street; the Dow Jones industrial average ended the day down 684.81 at 8,920.70. Ten years ago: A demonstration calling itself Occupy Wall Street began in New York, prompting similar protests around the U.S. and the world. Charles H. Percy, 91, a Chicago businessman who became a U.S. senator and was once widely viewed as a top presidential contender, died in Washington.Five years ago: A bomb explosion rocked Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood, injuring 30 people. (An Afghan-born U.S. citizen was convicted in the bombing and sentenced to life in prison.) One year ago: At a drive-in campaign event in Pennsylvania, Democrat Joe Biden denounced President Donald Trump's handling of the pandemic as "close to criminal." Marking the 233rd anniversary of the signing of the Constitution, Trump downplayed the historical legacy of slavery in the United States and blasted efforts to address systemic racism as divisive. Firefighter Charles Morton, a member of an elite Hotshot crew, died while battling a blaze in the mountains east of Los Angeles; the fire was sparked when a couple used a device that was supposed to emit blue or pink smoke to reveal their baby's gender. Rescuers on the Gulf Coast of Florida and Alabama used boats and high-water vehicles to reach people cut off by floodwaters in the aftermath of Hurricane Sally. Today's Birthdays: Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, is 88. Retired Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter is 82. Singer LaMonte McLemore (The Fifth Dimension) is 86. Retired U.S. Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni is 78. Basketball Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson is 76. Singer Fee Waybill is 73. Actor Cassandra Peterson ("Elvira, Mistress of the Dark") is 70. Comedian Rita Rudner is 68. Director-actor Paul Feig is 59. Movie director Baz Luhrmann is 59. Singer BeBe Winans is 59. TV personality/businessman Robert Herjavec (TV: "Shark Tank") is 58. Actor Kyle Chandler is 56. Director-producer Bryan Singer is 56. Rapper Doug E. Fresh is 55. Actor Malik Yoba is 54. Rock singer Anastacia is 53. Actor Matthew Settle is 52. Rapper Vin Rock (Naughty By Nature) is 51. Actor-comedian Bobby Lee is 50. Actor Felix Solis is 50. R&amp;B singer Marcus Sanders (Hi-Five) is 48. Actor-singer Nona Gaye is 47. Singer-actor Constantine Maroulis is 46. NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson is 46. Country singer-songwriter Stephen Cochran is 42. Rock musician Chuck Comeau (Simple Plan) is 42. Actor Billy Miller is 42. Rock musician Jon Walker is 36. NHL forward Alex Ovechkin is 36. Actor Danielle Brooks is 32. Gospel singer Jonathan McReynolds is 32. Actor-singer Denyse Tontz is 27. NHL center Auston Matthews is 24.

Today in History - Sept. 17

The Saline County Road and Bridge Department has reopened E. Magnolia Road between S. Whitmore Road and S. Kipp Road.

The road had been closed for replacement of cross-road drainage culverts.

The Saline County Road and Bridge Department has reopened E. Magnolia Road between S. Whitmore Road and S. Kipp Road.The road had been closed for replacement of cross-road drainage culverts.

Saline County reopens E. Magnolia Road after culvert work

From late July until mid-September, nearly 4,000 Kansas attended at least one of&nbsp;50&nbsp;community&nbsp;meetings&nbsp;to discuss what K-12 students need to learn to be successful adults, and what schools need to do to give them those skills. The largest group of participants were K-12 educators, but comparable numbers identified as community members, businesspeople, school board members, higher education staff, and students from both K-12 and college.&nbsp;

It was a huge commitment of time from&nbsp;Kansas Education Commissioner Randy Watson,&nbsp;Deputy Commissioner Brad&nbsp;Neuenswander&nbsp;and all 10 members of the State Board of Education&nbsp;– and it was critical because it will take&nbsp;communities across Kansas to&nbsp;make the educational improvements under discussion&nbsp;

Those attending overwhelmingly&nbsp;agreed with two conclusions from a similar&nbsp;series of&nbsp;meetings in 2015.&nbsp;

First,&nbsp;the definition of a successful student should&nbsp;be&nbsp;more&nbsp;than passing&nbsp;“subject area” courses and tests. It should build on&nbsp;academic skills (such as&nbsp;reading and&nbsp;math) but&nbsp;also&nbsp;include a student’s ability to use or apply those skills in&nbsp;the&nbsp;“real world,” plus both personal skills (such as&nbsp;work ethic,&nbsp;perseverance,&nbsp;self-discipline) and interpersonal skills (such as&nbsp;teamwork, speaking and listening, empathy) that&nbsp;help people succeed individually,&nbsp;as members of a&nbsp;community and in the workforce.&nbsp;

Second, to make this happen, schools&nbsp;must change in important ways: more&nbsp;available&nbsp;early childhood programs to help students start school on a more even basis; more attention to social and emotional&nbsp;needs that can&nbsp;hinder learning; education that&nbsp;is&nbsp;more personalized to each student, more flexible and more relevant to the student and family’s needs and goals; and&nbsp;stronger partnerships with business,&nbsp;communities,&nbsp;and families.&nbsp;

Each&nbsp;meeting allowed participants to submit suggestions&nbsp;on what was needed to accomplish these goals.&nbsp;While it&nbsp;will likely be&nbsp;several&nbsp;months&nbsp;before this information is&nbsp;compiled&nbsp;and analyzed,&nbsp;after attending 40 of the 50 meetings,&nbsp;here are&nbsp;my&nbsp;thoughts on next steps.&nbsp;

Clearly define the vision and plan.&nbsp;

The State Board of Education has adopted&nbsp;the vision&nbsp;that Kansas leads the&nbsp;world in the success of each student. It adopted&nbsp;five&nbsp;outcomes to be measured:&nbsp;social-emotional growth measured&nbsp;locally, kindergarten&nbsp;readiness,&nbsp;individual&nbsp;plan of&nbsp;study based on career interest,&nbsp;high school graduation&nbsp;and postsecondary success;&nbsp;and&nbsp;added two other measures for accreditation and&nbsp;recognition:&nbsp;academically prepared for postsecondary and civic engagement.&nbsp;

The board has also adopted a school redesign program with four “principles:”&nbsp;(1)&nbsp;Student success skills&nbsp;that&nbsp;integrate academics with&nbsp;social-emotional&nbsp;growth,&nbsp;(2)&nbsp;family,&nbsp;business,&nbsp;and&nbsp;community partnerships;&nbsp;(3)&nbsp;personalized learning&nbsp;that supports more student choice in&nbsp;time, place,&nbsp;pace,&nbsp;and path; and&nbsp;(4)&nbsp;real-world applications&nbsp;that include project-based learning,&nbsp;internships and civic&nbsp;engagement make learning&nbsp;relevant.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;board has&nbsp;a number of&nbsp;related initiatives. My own experience is that it can be difficult to&nbsp;quickly explain&nbsp;the entire vision and plan, especially&nbsp;to&nbsp;non-educators.&nbsp;It would be helpful to pull all these key components into a single statement or&nbsp;“resolution” explained&nbsp;in simple&nbsp;terms&nbsp;aimed&nbsp;at parents&nbsp;and community members.&nbsp;

Widen the circle of knowledge and support for this vision.&nbsp;

Four thousand&nbsp;is a&nbsp;lot&nbsp;of people, but it’s just a fraction of&nbsp;80,000 educators and school employees, half a million students and their families,&nbsp;and&nbsp;nearly&nbsp;three million&nbsp;people who live in Kansas&nbsp;and depend on a strong school system.&nbsp;

All of&nbsp;these groups will have to help make&nbsp;changes&nbsp;to improve&nbsp;that system&nbsp;– and none of those changes will be easy&nbsp;(or they would already have been done). The fact&nbsp;is&nbsp;many students do well&nbsp;and many adults are comfortable with&nbsp;the current system. Change will require support&nbsp;from teachers,&nbsp;school staff&nbsp;and&nbsp;parents plus the broader community.&nbsp;

Here are some ideas for&nbsp;building on the&nbsp;momentum of&nbsp;50 community meetings.&nbsp;Commit to&nbsp;sharing the information more broadly&nbsp;at the individual school level,&nbsp;with site councils, teacher&nbsp;organizations and parent group and meetings. It would be relatively easy to replicate the&nbsp;commissioner’s message&nbsp;in each school. Use&nbsp;district communication media&nbsp;to explain the vision. Present information to&nbsp;local&nbsp;business, civic and social groups.&nbsp;Ask&nbsp;local and state organizations to formally endorse the Kansans Can vision statement.&nbsp;

It is critical that communities understand and embrace the idea that&nbsp;these changes will help more students become&nbsp;more responsible,&nbsp;employable&nbsp;and self-sufficient, with stronger engagement in their communities and providing the skills Kansans to advance.&nbsp;

Adopt both short-term and long-term goals to achieve this vision.&nbsp;

The State Board has set ambitious long-term goals for&nbsp;graduation rates&nbsp;and postsecondary&nbsp;success, but a long journey begins with a single step.&nbsp;Here are some suggested goals for the next several years.&nbsp;These are my&nbsp;thoughts. Districts&nbsp;will&nbsp;be&nbsp;using their own data for&nbsp;goal-setting&nbsp;as part of the&nbsp;school accreditation system.&nbsp;

Academically Prepared for Postsecondary. State assessments have been flat&nbsp;since 2015, were skipped in&nbsp;2019&nbsp;and are expected to be lower in&nbsp;2020 because of&nbsp;lost learning time and other factors&nbsp;due to COVID.&nbsp;Supported by additional state funding and federal COVID&nbsp;money,&nbsp;we can&nbsp;begin the recovery&nbsp;by increasing&nbsp;2021&nbsp;state&nbsp;assessments&nbsp;over&nbsp;2020.  &nbsp;

High School Graduation. Reach the highest graduation rate in Kansas history for the class of 2022, by&nbsp;meeting&nbsp;or exceeding&nbsp;90% statewide and a high mark for every&nbsp;subgroup by improving in each district.   &nbsp;

Postsecondary Success.  Set a record for the number of Kansas students taking the ACT&nbsp;or ACT&nbsp;WorkKeys&nbsp;this school year; continue&nbsp;efforts to increase&nbsp;high school students participating in concurrent enrollment,&nbsp;dual enrollment, and Excel in CTE programs.&nbsp;

Social Emotional Growth.&nbsp;Report the highest number of K-12 teachers, student support and instructional support staff, and&nbsp;of&nbsp;students participating in mental health programs or partnerships.   &nbsp;

Kindergarten Readiness.&nbsp;Set a record for Kansas children in high quality preschool programs&nbsp;and in the&nbsp;percentage&nbsp;of students entering kindergarten academically and&nbsp;social-emotionally ready for school &nbsp;

Individual Plan of Study.&nbsp;Improve this program for students using the State Board’s&nbsp;Star Recognition&nbsp;criteria.&nbsp;

Civic Engagement.&nbsp;There&nbsp;are&nbsp;countless ways schools could promote&nbsp;civic&nbsp;engagement, and the annual&nbsp;state and local election&nbsp;cycle of is&nbsp;a great&nbsp;opportunity.&nbsp;&nbsp;Districts could commit to&nbsp;student voter registration&nbsp;activities, promote&nbsp;participation&nbsp;in the&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;Secretary of State’s Students Serve program&nbsp;to&nbsp;help local election officials at the polls,&nbsp;and other&nbsp;volunteer&nbsp;activities.&nbsp;

Accelerate&nbsp;sharing ideas&nbsp;of&nbsp;how&nbsp;schools&nbsp;can&nbsp;begin&nbsp;to&nbsp;implement&nbsp;this vision.&nbsp;

It’s clear from&nbsp;the community conversations that&nbsp;there is&nbsp;strong support for the&nbsp;ideas of broadening the definition of student success and&nbsp;adopting schools to&nbsp;achieve&nbsp;it.&nbsp;Although many schools have begun to implement some of these changes,&nbsp;leaders are looking&nbsp;for ways to move faster.&nbsp;

KSDE&nbsp;and state organizations&nbsp;like KASB can work hard to identify and share successful&nbsp;programs,&nbsp;as well as ideas that haven’t worked out. Local school leaders can commit to making time to&nbsp;learn about&nbsp;and consider these changes.&nbsp;For example, school boards&nbsp;could schedule a standing agenda&nbsp;item&nbsp;to discuss&nbsp;how&nbsp;they might implement those school redesign principles.&nbsp;

Examine whether changes in state policies would support this&nbsp;vision or&nbsp;detract from it.&nbsp;

Finally,&nbsp;where there are many changes schools and districts can take on their own,&nbsp;we need to study whether any state laws and policies are&nbsp;barriers. For example, the&nbsp;State Board has&nbsp;set up a task force to study&nbsp;state&nbsp;high school&nbsp;graduation&nbsp;requirements and&nbsp;is considering whether the current system&nbsp;based exclusively on&nbsp;Carnegie units in subject areas&nbsp;effectively supports the skills students need.&nbsp;

Likewise, new proposals&nbsp;concerning education,&nbsp;whether&nbsp;in the State Legislature,&nbsp;State Board of Education or Board of Regents, or at the local level, should be&nbsp;evaluated based&nbsp;on&nbsp;whether&nbsp;they&nbsp;support the&nbsp;vision,&nbsp;goals,&nbsp;and principles.&nbsp;

Mark Tallman is the associate executive director for advocacy for the Kansas Association of School Boards.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582221969260.jpeg" alt="Mark Tallman. Photo courtesy Kansas Association of School Boards" />
 <figcaption>Mark Tallman. Photo courtesy Kansas Association of School Boards</figcaption>
 </figure>By MARK TALLMANFrom late July until mid-September, nearly 4,000 Kansas attended at least one of&nbsp;50&nbsp;community&nbsp;meetings&nbsp;to discuss what K-12 students need to learn to be successful adults, and what schools need to do to give them those skills. The largest group of participants were K-12 educators, but comparable numbers identified as community members, businesspeople, school board members, higher education staff, and students from both K-12 and college.&nbsp;It was a huge commitment of time from&nbsp;Kansas Education Commissioner Randy Watson,&nbsp;Deputy Commissioner Brad&nbsp;Neuenswander&nbsp;and all 10 members of the State Board of Education&nbsp;– and it was critical because it will take&nbsp;communities across Kansas to&nbsp;make the educational improvements under discussion&nbsp;Those attending overwhelmingly&nbsp;agreed with two conclusions from a similar&nbsp;series of&nbsp;meetings in 2015.&nbsp;First,&nbsp;the definition of a successful student should&nbsp;be&nbsp;more&nbsp;than passing&nbsp;“subject area” courses and tests. It should build on&nbsp;academic skills (such as&nbsp;reading and&nbsp;math) but&nbsp;also&nbsp;include a student’s ability to use or apply those skills in&nbsp;the&nbsp;“real world,” plus both personal skills (such as&nbsp;work ethic,&nbsp;perseverance,&nbsp;self-discipline) and interpersonal skills (such as&nbsp;teamwork, speaking and listening, empathy) that&nbsp;help people succeed individually,&nbsp;as members of a&nbsp;community and in the workforce.&nbsp;Second, to make this happen, schools&nbsp;must change in important ways: more&nbsp;available&nbsp;early childhood programs to help students start school on a more even basis; more attention to social and emotional&nbsp;needs that can&nbsp;hinder learning; education that&nbsp;is&nbsp;more personalized to each student, more flexible and more relevant to the student and family’s needs and goals; and&nbsp;stronger partnerships with business,&nbsp;communities,&nbsp;and families.&nbsp;Each&nbsp;meeting allowed participants to submit suggestions&nbsp;on what was needed to accomplish these goals.&nbsp;While it&nbsp;will likely be&nbsp;several&nbsp;months&nbsp;before this information is&nbsp;compiled&nbsp;and analyzed,&nbsp;after attending 40 of the 50 meetings,&nbsp;here are&nbsp;my&nbsp;thoughts on next steps.&nbsp;Clearly define the vision and plan.&nbsp;The State Board of Education has adopted&nbsp;the vision&nbsp;that Kansas leads the&nbsp;world in the success of each student. It adopted&nbsp;five&nbsp;outcomes to be measured:&nbsp;social-emotional growth measured&nbsp;locally, kindergarten&nbsp;readiness,&nbsp;individual&nbsp;plan of&nbsp;study based on career interest,&nbsp;high school graduation&nbsp;and postsecondary success;&nbsp;and&nbsp;added two other measures for accreditation and&nbsp;recognition:&nbsp;academically prepared for postsecondary and civic engagement.&nbsp;The board has also adopted a school redesign program with four “principles:”&nbsp;(1)&nbsp;Student success skills&nbsp;that&nbsp;integrate academics with&nbsp;social-emotional&nbsp;growth,&nbsp;(2)&nbsp;family,&nbsp;business,&nbsp;and&nbsp;community partnerships;&nbsp;(3)&nbsp;personalized learning&nbsp;that supports more student choice in&nbsp;time, place,&nbsp;pace,&nbsp;and path; and&nbsp;(4)&nbsp;real-world applications&nbsp;that include project-based learning,&nbsp;internships and civic&nbsp;engagement make learning&nbsp;relevant.&nbsp;The&nbsp;board has&nbsp;a number of&nbsp;related initiatives. My own experience is that it can be difficult to&nbsp;quickly explain&nbsp;the entire vision and plan, especially&nbsp;to&nbsp;non-educators.&nbsp;It would be helpful to pull all these key components into a single statement or&nbsp;“resolution” explained&nbsp;in simple&nbsp;terms&nbsp;aimed&nbsp;at parents&nbsp;and community members.&nbsp;Widen the circle of knowledge and support for this vision.&nbsp;Four thousand&nbsp;is a&nbsp;lot&nbsp;of people, but it’s just a fraction of&nbsp;80,000 educators and school employees, half a million students and their families,&nbsp;and&nbsp;nearly&nbsp;three million&nbsp;people who live in Kansas&nbsp;and depend on a strong school system.&nbsp;All of&nbsp;these groups will have to help make&nbsp;changes&nbsp;to improve&nbsp;that system&nbsp;– and none of those changes will be easy&nbsp;(or they would already have been done). The fact&nbsp;is&nbsp;many students do well&nbsp;and many adults are comfortable with&nbsp;the current system. Change will require support&nbsp;from teachers,&nbsp;school staff&nbsp;and&nbsp;parents plus the broader community.&nbsp;Here are some ideas for&nbsp;building on the&nbsp;momentum of&nbsp;50 community meetings.&nbsp;Commit to&nbsp;sharing the information more broadly&nbsp;at the individual school level,&nbsp;with site councils, teacher&nbsp;organizations and parent group and meetings. It would be relatively easy to replicate the&nbsp;commissioner’s message&nbsp;in each school. Use&nbsp;district communication media&nbsp;to explain the vision. Present information to&nbsp;local&nbsp;business, civic and social groups.&nbsp;Ask&nbsp;local and state organizations to formally endorse the Kansans Can vision statement.&nbsp;It is critical that communities understand and embrace the idea that&nbsp;these changes will help more students become&nbsp;more responsible,&nbsp;employable&nbsp;and self-sufficient, with stronger engagement in their communities and providing the skills Kansans to advance.&nbsp;Adopt both short-term and long-term goals to achieve this vision.&nbsp;The State Board has set ambitious long-term goals for&nbsp;graduation rates&nbsp;and postsecondary&nbsp;success, but a long journey begins with a single step.&nbsp;Here are some suggested goals for the next several years.&nbsp;These are my&nbsp;thoughts. Districts&nbsp;will&nbsp;be&nbsp;using their own data for&nbsp;goal-setting&nbsp;as part of the&nbsp;school accreditation system.&nbsp;Academically Prepared for Postsecondary. State assessments have been flat&nbsp;since 2015, were skipped in&nbsp;2019&nbsp;and are expected to be lower in&nbsp;2020 because of&nbsp;lost learning time and other factors&nbsp;due to COVID.&nbsp;Supported by additional state funding and federal COVID&nbsp;money,&nbsp;we can&nbsp;begin the recovery&nbsp;by increasing&nbsp;2021&nbsp;state&nbsp;assessments&nbsp;over&nbsp;2020.  &nbsp;High School Graduation. Reach the highest graduation rate in Kansas history for the class of 2022, by&nbsp;meeting&nbsp;or exceeding&nbsp;90% statewide and a high mark for every&nbsp;subgroup by improving in each district.   &nbsp;Postsecondary Success.  Set a record for the number of Kansas students taking the ACT&nbsp;or ACT&nbsp;WorkKeys&nbsp;this school year; continue&nbsp;efforts to increase&nbsp;high school students participating in concurrent enrollment,&nbsp;dual enrollment, and Excel in CTE programs.&nbsp;Social Emotional Growth.&nbsp;Report the highest number of K-12 teachers, student support and instructional support staff, and&nbsp;of&nbsp;students participating in mental health programs or partnerships.   &nbsp;Kindergarten Readiness.&nbsp;Set a record for Kansas children in high quality preschool programs&nbsp;and in the&nbsp;percentage&nbsp;of students entering kindergarten academically and&nbsp;social-emotionally ready for school &nbsp;Individual Plan of Study.&nbsp;Improve this program for students using the State Board’s&nbsp;Star Recognition&nbsp;criteria.&nbsp;Civic Engagement.&nbsp;There&nbsp;are&nbsp;countless ways schools could promote&nbsp;civic&nbsp;engagement, and the annual&nbsp;state and local election&nbsp;cycle of is&nbsp;a great&nbsp;opportunity.&nbsp;&nbsp;Districts could commit to&nbsp;student voter registration&nbsp;activities, promote&nbsp;participation&nbsp;in the&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;Secretary of State’s Students Serve program&nbsp;to&nbsp;help local election officials at the polls,&nbsp;and other&nbsp;volunteer&nbsp;activities.&nbsp;Accelerate&nbsp;sharing ideas&nbsp;of&nbsp;how&nbsp;schools&nbsp;can&nbsp;begin&nbsp;to&nbsp;implement&nbsp;this vision.&nbsp;It’s clear from&nbsp;the community conversations that&nbsp;there is&nbsp;strong support for the&nbsp;ideas of broadening the definition of student success and&nbsp;adopting schools to&nbsp;achieve&nbsp;it.&nbsp;Although many schools have begun to implement some of these changes,&nbsp;leaders are looking&nbsp;for ways to move faster.&nbsp;KSDE&nbsp;and state organizations&nbsp;like KASB can work hard to identify and share successful&nbsp;programs,&nbsp;as well as ideas that haven’t worked out. Local school leaders can commit to making time to&nbsp;learn about&nbsp;and consider these changes.&nbsp;For example, school boards&nbsp;could schedule a standing agenda&nbsp;item&nbsp;to discuss&nbsp;how&nbsp;they might implement those school redesign principles.&nbsp;Examine whether changes in state policies would support this&nbsp;vision or&nbsp;detract from it.&nbsp;Finally,&nbsp;where there are many changes schools and districts can take on their own,&nbsp;we need to study whether any state laws and policies are&nbsp;barriers. For example, the&nbsp;State Board has&nbsp;set up a task force to study&nbsp;state&nbsp;high school&nbsp;graduation&nbsp;requirements and&nbsp;is considering whether the current system&nbsp;based exclusively on&nbsp;Carnegie units in subject areas&nbsp;effectively supports the skills students need.&nbsp;Likewise, new proposals&nbsp;concerning education,&nbsp;whether&nbsp;in the State Legislature,&nbsp;State Board of Education or Board of Regents, or at the local level, should be&nbsp;evaluated based&nbsp;on&nbsp;whether&nbsp;they&nbsp;support the&nbsp;vision,&nbsp;goals,&nbsp;and principles.&nbsp;Mark Tallman is the associate executive director for advocacy for the Kansas Association of School Boards.

TALLMAN: 50 communities, 50 conversations, 5 ideas

Week 2 of&nbsp;

Salina Pain Clinic's Gridiron Glory contest on&nbsp;<a href="http://salinapost.com/">SalinaPost.com</a>&nbsp;begins tonight. Have you made your picks?

Not registered? What are you waiting for? Although the season has begun, you still have time to win great weekly prizes including&nbsp;Chiefs tickets, show tickets, and cash. If you pick well, you'll also be in the running for the local season prize of $1,000 and a national season prize of a trip to Hawaii!

The Week 2 prize is a pair of tickets and a parking pass to the Sept. 26 Chargers-Chiefs game in Arrowhead Stadium.

To get to the registration page,&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/d56f448d-e474-448c-9a47-8f7d4ce8ae6f?contestid=3#registration/login">click here</a>&nbsp;or go to the Contests tab near the top of&nbsp;<a href="http://salinapost.com/">SalinaPost.com</a>.

<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/d56f448d-e474-448c-9a47-8f7d4ce8ae6f?contestid=3#registration/login">Register today</a>&nbsp;and prove that you have what it takes to win Salina Pain Clinic's Gridiron Glory!

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630526425065.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Week 2 of&nbsp;

Salina Pain Clinic's Gridiron Glory contest on&nbsp;<a href="http://salinapost.com/">SalinaPost.com</a>&nbsp;begins tonight. Have you made your picks?Not registered? What are you waiting for? Although the season has begun, you still have time to win great weekly prizes including&nbsp;Chiefs tickets, show tickets, and cash. If you pick well, you'll also be in the running for the local season prize of $1,000 and a national season prize of a trip to Hawaii!The Week 2 prize is a pair of tickets and a parking pass to the Sept. 26 Chargers-Chiefs game in Arrowhead Stadium.To get to the registration page,&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/d56f448d-e474-448c-9a47-8f7d4ce8ae6f?contestid=3#registration/login">click here</a>&nbsp;or go to the Contests tab near the top of&nbsp;<a href="http://salinapost.com/">SalinaPost.com</a>.<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/d56f448d-e474-448c-9a47-8f7d4ce8ae6f?contestid=3#registration/login">Register today</a>&nbsp;and prove that you have what it takes to win Salina Pain Clinic's Gridiron Glory!

Gridiron Glory: Don't forget to make your picks for Week 2

When Salina Tech graduates a nurse, welder or machinist, that typically means one person is on the path to a better career.

But with the college’s newest program, each new graduate may mean new careers for several people, with the impact still being felt decades from now.

Working in cooperation with local employers, school districts and child-care advocates, Salina Tech is launching an Early Childhood Education program, with a “soft launch” planned for January.

The program was approved Thursday by the Kansas Board of Regents. It has already been approved by the Kansas Technical Education Authority, and by the Chicago-based Higher Learning Commission.

When Salina Tech graduates a nurse, welder or machinist, that typically means one person is on the path to a better career.But with the college’s newest program, each new graduate may mean new careers for several people, with the impact still being felt decades from now.Working in cooperation with local employers, school districts and child-care advocates, Salina Tech is launching an Early Childhood Education program, with a “soft launch” planned for January.The program was approved Thursday by the Kansas Board of Regents. It has already been approved by the Kansas Technical Education Authority, and by the Chicago-based Higher Learning Commission.This program will be important to the community in a number of ways, said Eric Brown, President and CEO of the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce.“Lack of child care has become one of the top five obstacles to growing the workforce,” Brown said, explaining that without adequate and affordable child care, many parents who could be working opt to stay home with their children.Brown was part of the college’s Early Childhood Education Advisory Committee, and said that while the immediate effects of a community having high-quality child care are obvious, other benefits take years to be seen.“There are 50 years of studies about the importance of early childhood education,” Brown said. “It’s important for kids under the age of five to have access — the zero to five time frame is very important.”“If you don’t have a quality start, it affects their education throughout their life,” Brown added.“Research shows an ROI of every dollar spent on early childhood education brings $11 back into a community,” said Lori Blake, Executive Director of Child Advocacy and Parenting Services of Salina.Blake also served on the college’s committee that helped get the program started, and is a member of the Southeast of Saline School Board.“We have had a long-standing initiative in Saline County since 2000, working on increasing the quality of child care, called Partners In Early Childhood Education — PIECE, and we’ve been trying to address the issue of access to child care.”“With the new jobs coming at Kubota and Tony’s we already don’t have enough people in the workforce,” Blake added. “By getting Salina Tech involved, we’re training skilled people for our early childhood centers.”The Early Childhood Education program will allow students to earn a variety of certifications in specialized areas, and an Associate of Applied Science degree.Certifications include one in Infant and Toddler Education, for 17 credit-hours, a certification in Pre-School Education, for 19 credit-hours, a 33 credit-hour certification in Early Childhood Education, and a 62 credit-hour Associate of Applied Science degree, which includes several general education classes.Many of the credits earned in the program will transfer to other colleges, should a student decide later to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in education.To learn more about the program, contact the college’s admissions office at 785-309-3100 or <a href="mailto:admissions@salinatech.edu">admissions@salinatech.edu</a>.-<a href="http://www.salinatech.edu">Salina Tech</a>-