The 2022 budget, rezoning, and a COVID-19 update are among the City of Salina agenda items for Monday.

Study sessions and city commission meetings will take place in–person in room 107 of the City-County Building, 300 West Ash Street, and via Zoom until further notice. Meetings also can be viewed at the City of Salina YouTube channel,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/cityofSalinaKansas">https://www.youtube.com/cityofSalinaKansas</a>.

To participate via Zoom, citizens will need to use the following link:&nbsp;<a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89275984587">https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89275984587</a>.

The meeting also can be accessed by phone at 1-346-248-7799. Enter Meeting ID:892 7598 4587 when prompted.

If citizens wish to speak, either during the public forum or when the mayor requests public comment on an item, citizens attending via Zoom must raise their hands so that the meeting host can allow them to speak. Those who attend the in-person meeting will have the opportunity to speak at the podium.

Citizens also can send written comments or questions to city commissioners via email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:citycommission@salina.org">citycommission@salina.org</a>.

In order for the commissioners to have an opportunity to review comments in advance of the meeting, please email your comments or questions by 5 p.m. the Sunday prior to the Monday meetings.

Commissioners are scheduled to begin with a study session at 3:34 p.m. Monday. The topic of the study session is Lower Smoky Hill Water Supply Access District meeting.

The regular meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m. A time for public comment is scheduled near the beginning of the meeting.

Commissioners are scheduled to consider authorizing publication of the notice of the budget hearing for the 2022 budget. The measure would set Aug. 16 as the date of the hearing and establishes the maximum limits of the 2022 budget. To read the budget summary, <a href="http://weblink.salina.org/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=474861&amp;dbid=0&amp;repo=Salina">click here</a>.

Additionally, commissioners are scheduled to hear the second reading of an ordinance that would amend the future land use designation of the lots north of W. Claflin Avenue between Highland Avenue and S. Ninth Street. If the ordinance is approved, the designation of those lots would change from urban residential and neighborhood center to public/semi-public.

Kansas Wesleyan University, which owns the property would like to change the land use designation and rezone the four lots on the north side of W. Claflin Avenue between Highland Avenue and S. Ninth Street. Kansas Wesleyan would like to use part of the property for student parking. Additionally, the university wants to convert a former service station building on the property to an art building, according to commission meeting packet information.

Commissioners also are scheduled to hear the second reading of an ordinance that would change the zoning classification of the Kansas Wesleyan property from R-3 (multi-family residential), C-3 (shopping center), and PC-5 (planned service commercial) to U (university). 

A proposed ordinance that would rezone the Salina Public Library campus will also be before the city commission for a second reading. The ordinance would change the zoning classification of the library campus from C-4 (central business district) to P-PF (public use-public facilities). Library staff have requested the change as the current classification does not allow for the library to install an electronic message center sign that could be used to notify the public of library activities, events, and available resources, according to the commission meeting packet.

Other items on the city commission agenda for Monday include the following.

●Hear the second reading of a proposed ordinance that would order the vacation of the south 20 feet of the 80-foot right-of-way for Pine Street between N. Santa Fe Avenue and N. Fifth Street. The ordinance was passed on first reading on Nov. 20, 2017, subject to the condition that the petitioner, Bieberly Architect complete all improvements shown on the site plan concerning the renovation of the former Missouri Pacific depot at N. Santa Fe and Pine Street. The renovation is complete and a certificare of occupancy for the project has been issued, the paved parking area in front of the building has been constructed and striped, and planters have been constructed. According to information from the city, only the installation of landscape plantings has not been completed, however, Bieberly Architects has entered into a landscape compliance agreement to assure completion of the plantings.

●Hear a COVID-19 update from Salina County Health Director Jason Tiller.

To see the entire Salina City Commission meeting packet for Monday (34 pages), <a href="http://weblink.salina.org/WebLink/Browse.aspx?startid=177362&amp;&amp;dbid=0&amp;cr=1">click here</a>. (You also can open agenda items individually.)&nbsp;&nbsp;

By SALINA POSTThe 2022 budget, rezoning, and a COVID-19 update are among the City of Salina agenda items for Monday.About the meetingStudy sessions and city commission meetings will take place in–person in room 107 of the City-County Building, 300 West Ash Street, and via Zoom until further notice. Meetings also can be viewed at the City of Salina YouTube channel,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/cityofSalinaKansas">https://www.youtube.com/cityofSalinaKansas</a>.To participate via Zoom, citizens will need to use the following link:&nbsp;<a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89275984587">https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89275984587</a>.The meeting also can be accessed by phone at 1-346-248-7799. Enter Meeting ID:892 7598 4587 when prompted.If citizens wish to speak, either during the public forum or when the mayor requests public comment on an item, citizens attending via Zoom must raise their hands so that the meeting host can allow them to speak. Those who attend the in-person meeting will have the opportunity to speak at the podium.Citizens also can send written comments or questions to city commissioners via email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:citycommission@salina.org">citycommission@salina.org</a>.In order for the commissioners to have an opportunity to review comments in advance of the meeting, please email your comments or questions by 5 p.m. the Sunday prior to the Monday meetings.Study sessionCommissioners are scheduled to begin with a study session at 3:34 p.m. Monday. The topic of the study session is Lower Smoky Hill Water Supply Access District meeting.Regular meetingThe regular meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m. A time for public comment is scheduled near the beginning of the meeting.Commissioners are scheduled to consider authorizing publication of the notice of the budget hearing for the 2022 budget. The measure would set Aug. 16 as the date of the hearing and establishes the maximum limits of the 2022 budget. To read the budget summary, <a href="http://weblink.salina.org/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=474861&amp;dbid=0&amp;repo=Salina">click here</a>.Additionally, commissioners are scheduled to hear the second reading of an ordinance that would amend the future land use designation of the lots north of W. Claflin Avenue between Highland Avenue and S. Ninth Street. If the ordinance is approved, the designation of those lots would change from urban residential and neighborhood center to public/semi-public.Kansas Wesleyan University, which owns the property would like to change the land use designation and rezone the four lots on the north side of W. Claflin Avenue between Highland Avenue and S. Ninth Street. Kansas Wesleyan would like to use part of the property for student parking. Additionally, the university wants to convert a former service station building on the property to an art building, according to commission meeting packet information.Commissioners also are scheduled to hear the second reading of an ordinance that would change the zoning classification of the Kansas Wesleyan property from R-3 (multi-family residential), C-3 (shopping center), and PC-5 (planned service commercial) to U (university). A proposed ordinance that would rezone the Salina Public Library campus will also be before the city commission for a second reading. The ordinance would change the zoning classification of the library campus from C-4 (central business district) to P-PF (public use-public facilities). Library staff have requested the change as the current classification does not allow for the library to install an electronic message center sign that could be used to notify the public of library activities, events, and available resources, according to the commission meeting packet.Other items on the city commission agenda for Monday include the following.●Hear the second reading of a proposed ordinance that would order the vacation of the south 20 feet of the 80-foot right-of-way for Pine Street between N. Santa Fe Avenue and N. Fifth Street. The ordinance was passed on first reading on Nov. 20, 2017, subject to the condition that the petitioner, Bieberly Architect complete all improvements shown on the site plan concerning the renovation of the former Missouri Pacific depot at N. Santa Fe and Pine Street. The renovation is complete and a certificare of occupancy for the project has been issued, the paved parking area in front of the building has been constructed and striped, and planters have been constructed. According to information from the city, only the installation of landscape plantings has not been completed, however, Bieberly Architects has entered into a landscape compliance agreement to assure completion of the plantings.●Hear a COVID-19 update from Salina County Health Director Jason Tiller.To see the entire Salina City Commission meeting packet for Monday (34 pages), <a href="http://weblink.salina.org/WebLink/Browse.aspx?startid=177362&amp;&amp;dbid=0&amp;cr=1">click here</a>. (You also can open agenda items individually.)&nbsp;&nbsp;

2022 budget, rezoning, and a COVID-19 update among city agenda items

What's the average age of City of Salina employees? What is the average annual wage? What is the breakdown of female and male employees?

City of Salina human resources recently provided full and part-time employee demographic information in a report accompanying the city commission meeting packet.

Following are Salina city employees by the numbers as of July 31, 2021.

Average annual wage (excluding overtime): $53,414

During a recent city commission meeting staff was asked but did not have current statistics regarding the total number of employees who were at the maximum of their respective pay grades assigned to classified full and part-time positions. Following is the breakdown of employee pay distributions.

When combining the above results, 20 percent of the city workforce is within five percent; 28 percent is within 10 percent, and 39 percent is within 20 percent of the respective maximums of their current pay grades, according to the city report.

Employee years of service and new hires

The following table provides a breakdown of city employees' years pf service.

As shown in the above table, the city has a large concentration of employees who have less than five years of city employment. The following table looks at hiring totals, with the 2021 numbers including new employees through July 18, 2021, according to the city information.

By SALINA POSTWhat's the average age of City of Salina employees? What is the average annual wage? What is the breakdown of female and male employees?City of Salina human resources recently provided full and part-time employee demographic information in a report accompanying the city commission meeting packet.Following are Salina city employees by the numbers as of July 31, 2021.Average age: 43 yearsAverage years of service: 10Age of youngest employee: 19Age of oldest employee: 72Highest years of service: 42Average annual wage (excluding overtime): $53,414Number of female employees: 112Number of male employees: 334<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1627860896847.png" alt="Chart courtesy City of Salina" />
 <figcaption>Chart courtesy City of Salina</figcaption>
 </figure>During a recent city commission meeting staff was asked but did not have current statistics regarding the total number of employees who were at the maximum of their respective pay grades assigned to classified full and part-time positions. Following is the breakdown of employee pay distributions.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1627861126932.png" alt="Courtesy City of Salina" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy City of Salina</figcaption>
 </figure>When combining the above results, 20 percent of the city workforce is within five percent; 28 percent is within 10 percent, and 39 percent is within 20 percent of the respective maximums of their current pay grades, according to the city report.Employee years of service and new hiresThe following table provides a breakdown of city employees' years pf service.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1627861300749.png" alt="Courtesy City of Salina" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy City of Salina</figcaption>
 </figure>As shown in the above table, the city has a large concentration of employees who have less than five years of city employment. The following table looks at hiring totals, with the 2021 numbers including new employees through July 18, 2021, according to the city information.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1627861433794.png" alt="Courtesy City of Salina" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy City of Salina</figcaption>
 </figure>

City of Salina employees by the numbers

By EIAN PRACHT Smoky View 4-H Club reporter&nbsp;

 The Smoky View 4-H Club had their club tour on July 18. The club tour is an annual event in which club members present some of their projects to their club.&nbsp;

During the tour, club member Marik Anderson presented a wreath that looked like an American flag, and Brynna Anderson showed dot art she made in the shape of a Christmas tree on a large piece of wood.&nbsp;

Emma Littich showed the club her chickens, two of whom were named Henrietta and Bertha. Eddie Littich presented a patty pan squash that he grew.

Acacia Pracht showed her Co2 car that looked like a dragon, and Maia Pracht talked about a mug rug coaster that she had woven. Eian Pracht shared a piece of cube-shaped modular origami with the club.&nbsp;

Karson Phil presented some salsa he made.

Krew Swisher talked to the club about his oatmeal butterscotch cookies.&nbsp;

Katelyn Griffin brought a painting, a bracelet, and some pickled and candied jalapenos that she presented. Wyatt Griffin presented some blackberry jam and a zucchini.&nbsp;

Remington Lofdahl made two drawings of his dad’s tractors that he presented; and Hensli Lofdahl showed her graduation dress, a baby toy, and her recycled dress (made from recycled materials), all of which she sewed.&nbsp;

Kayla Norberg presented a dot painting of a flower, and also showed a quilling flower art piece.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Ridge Johnson made a harvest basket that he showed to the club.&nbsp;

Kenzie Isaacson brought a sparkly piece of art of her cat that she showed to the rest of the club

On July 18, the Smoky View 4-H Club also had their July club meeting at the Salemsborg Fellowship Hall and at home. During the club meeting, members talked about their experiences at 4-H camp, Campference, and Discovery Days. Campference is a combination of a camp and a conference designed for older 4-H members.&nbsp;

Discovery Days is a 4-H event that is normally held on the K-State campus in Manhattan. This year, it was held virtually. During Discovery Days, 4-H members learn about different career choices and get to learn more about the careers they are interested in.

●The Tri-Rivers Fair is coming soon, at which 4-H members of the Smoky View 4-H Club will present their projects. The fair starts on July 31 and ends on August 7.

●On July 20, members of the Smoky View 4-H Club painted square boards with bright colors and designs for their float during the county fair parade.

By EIAN PRACHT Smoky View 4-H Club reporter&nbsp; The Smoky View 4-H Club had their club tour on July 18. The club tour is an annual event in which club members present some of their projects to their club.&nbsp;During the tour, club member Marik Anderson presented a wreath that looked like an American flag, and Brynna Anderson showed dot art she made in the shape of a Christmas tree on a large piece of wood.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1627858611875.jpeg" alt="Emma Littich shows one of her chickens at the Smoky View 4-H Club tour on July 18. Photos courtesy Smoky View 4-H Club" />
 <figcaption>Emma Littich shows one of her chickens at the Smoky View 4-H Club tour on July 18. Photos courtesy Smoky View 4-H Club</figcaption>
 </figure>Emma Littich showed the club her chickens, two of whom were named Henrietta and Bertha. Eddie Littich presented a patty pan squash that he grew.Acacia Pracht showed her Co2 car that looked like a dragon, and Maia Pracht talked about a mug rug coaster that she had woven. Eian Pracht shared a piece of cube-shaped modular origami with the club.&nbsp;Karson Phil presented some salsa he made.Krew Swisher talked to the club about his oatmeal butterscotch cookies.&nbsp;Katelyn Griffin brought a painting, a bracelet, and some pickled and candied jalapenos that she presented. Wyatt Griffin presented some blackberry jam and a zucchini.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1627858796430.jpeg" alt="Hensli Lofdahl presents her dress to the other members of the Smoky View 4-H Club during the tour." />
 <figcaption>Hensli Lofdahl presents her dress to the other members of the Smoky View 4-H Club during the tour.</figcaption>
 </figure>Remington Lofdahl made two drawings of his dad’s tractors that he presented; and Hensli Lofdahl showed her graduation dress, a baby toy, and her recycled dress (made from recycled materials), all of which she sewed.&nbsp;Kayla Norberg presented a dot painting of a flower, and also showed a quilling flower art piece.&nbsp;&nbsp;Ridge Johnson made a harvest basket that he showed to the club.&nbsp;Kenzie Isaacson brought a sparkly piece of art of her cat that she showed to the rest of the clubOn July 18, the Smoky View 4-H Club also had their July club meeting at the Salemsborg Fellowship Hall and at home. During the club meeting, members talked about their experiences at 4-H camp, Campference, and Discovery Days. Campference is a combination of a camp and a conference designed for older 4-H members.&nbsp;Discovery Days is a 4-H event that is normally held on the K-State campus in Manhattan. This year, it was held virtually. During Discovery Days, 4-H members learn about different career choices and get to learn more about the careers they are interested in.In other club news:●The Tri-Rivers Fair is coming soon, at which 4-H members of the Smoky View 4-H Club will present their projects. The fair starts on July 31 and ends on August 7.●On July 20, members of the Smoky View 4-H Club painted square boards with bright colors and designs for their float during the county fair parade.

Smoky View 4-H Club has club tour and meeting

Smoke from western wildfires is expected to be an issue in our area through at least Monday, according to a hazardous weather outlook issued by the National Weather Service in Wichita.

Areas of smoke may cause reduced visibility and lower air quality at times through at least Monday, the weather service noted.

Today Areas of smoke. Sunny, with a high near 88. North northeast wind 8 to 13 mph.

Tonight Patchy smoke before 1 a.m. Clear, with a low around 61. North northeast wind 8 to 13 mph becoming light and variable after midnight.

Monday Sunny, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming east northeast 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon.

Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 63. East wind 5 to 7 mph becoming light and variable after midnight.

Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. South southeast wind 3 to 8 mph.

Tuesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 66.

Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 90.

Wednesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 70.

Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 95.

Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 74.

Friday Sunny and hot, with a high near 98.

Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 76.

Saturday Sunny and hot, with a high near 98.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1627857663079.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>UPDATE 5:30 p.m. Sunday:&nbsp;Smoke from western wildfires is expected to be an issue in our area through at least Monday, according to a hazardous weather outlook issued by the National Weather Service in Wichita.Areas of smoke may cause reduced visibility and lower air quality at times through at least Monday, the weather service noted.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1627833203358.png" alt="three-day forecast 81to32021.png" />
 <figcaption>three-day forecast 81to32021.png</figcaption>
 </figure>Here's the Salina forecast for the week:Today Areas of smoke. Sunny, with a high near 88. North northeast wind 8 to 13 mph.Tonight Patchy smoke before 1 a.m. Clear, with a low around 61. North northeast wind 8 to 13 mph becoming light and variable after midnight.Monday Sunny, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming east northeast 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon.Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 63. East wind 5 to 7 mph becoming light and variable after midnight.Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. South southeast wind 3 to 8 mph.Tuesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 66.Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 90.Wednesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 70.Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 95.Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 74.Friday Sunny and hot, with a high near 98.Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 76.Saturday Sunny and hot, with a high near 98.&nbsp;&nbsp;

UPDATE: NWS issues hazardous weather outlook for area due to smoke

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Bills could increase by anywhere from $5 to $11 per month depending on which of KGS’ proposed plans is approved

By&nbsp;ALLISON KITE Kansas Reflector

Customers of Kansas’ largest natural gas utility could be paying off costs from<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/02/18/feds-ramp-up-emergency-help-for-kansas-other-states-hit-by-extreme-weather/">&nbsp;February’s deep freeze</a>&nbsp;for the next 10 years, the company revealed Friday.

The Kansas Gas Service, which serves more than 640,000 Kansas customers,<a target="_blank" href="https://estar.kcc.ks.gov/estar/ViewFile.aspx/S202107301358431182.pdf?Id=5d765b67-4e68-4819-bbf2-85f5bc05d3b2">&nbsp;filed plans with regulators</a>&nbsp;to issue securitized bonds for approximately $390 million in extraordinary costs from the cold snap — plus carrying costs — and recoup the sum from customers over five, seven or 10 years, increasing residential bills by anywhere from about $5 to $11 per month. If the Kansas Corporation Commission doesn’t approve the arrangement, KGS said it would request to recover the costs over three years “to minimize the carrying costs” of the debt.

Its plans come after<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansas.com/news/article252184783.html">&nbsp;Black Hills Energy announced in June that its customers bills would increase by an average of $12.23</a>&nbsp;per month for five years to recover what amounted to a year’s worth of gas charges in one month.

“Compared to traditional regulatory methods over the same period, the company estimates that securitization will save customers from approximately $112 million to $188 million, depending on the recovery time frame approved by the KCC,” KGS spokeswoman Dawn Tripp said in a statement.

February’s deep freeze posed a huge disruption to both gas and electric utilities. In Kansas City, temperatures plunged below 15 degrees for 10 days. At the same time, natural gas prices shot up to record levels. KGS’ filing says, depending on the pipeline, average prices for the company to secure gas in February rose by as much as 10 or 20 times the average over the last five years. A s<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/03/04/mulberry-files-lawsuit-accusing-bp-energy-of-price-gouging-during-extreme-cold/">mall Kansas town suing BP Energy</a>&nbsp;said in its lawsuit the company inflated gas prices from $2.98 per mmbtu on Feb. 9 to $329.615 from Feb. 13 to Feb. 16.

Now utilities are<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/06/16/after-winter-cold-snap-drove-up-natural-gas-prices-utilities-grapple-with-who-should-pay/">&nbsp;grappling with how to recover the huge sums</a>&nbsp;they paid for natural gas in February to keep Kansans’ heat and lights on.

Customers may have already paid high bills for extraordinary usage to keep their homes warm. But natural gas rates are set in advance through the regulatory process, and those high prices weren’t immediately passed on.&nbsp;

The high price of natural gas and lack of supply has been identified as one of the primary reasons electrical utilities were instructed to institute rolling blackouts to avoid the uncontrolled outages affecting millions in Texas. The Southwest Power Pool, a regional transmission organization that coordinates electrical power in Kansas, earlier this week released findings saying that<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/07/26/fuel-shortages-drove-february-blackouts-southwest-power-pool-investigators-find/">&nbsp;natural gas was hard to come by during the deep freeze</a>.

During the storm, the KCC instructed natural gas utilities to keep service on and defer any extraordinary costs to be repaid later. It then opened dockets to investigate each utility and asked them to present a plan to minimize the crush to customers rather than requiring them to pay the exorbitant gas prices immediately.

<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/07/08/after-winter-storm-some-evergy-customers-could-see-savings-while-others-pay-for-years/">Evergy, too, will seek to recover costs</a>&nbsp;from customers. In the Kansas City area, the utility was able to generate more power than it needed and sell the excess to the Southwest Power Pool. But customers outside the metro in Kansas could gradually repay $152.3 million over two years. In parts of Missouri, the company is asking to defer costs from the storm and recover more than $297 million potentially over 15 years.

The figures in KGS’s plan are subject to change, the filing says. The company is disputing $15 million in gas charges from one supplier. Any federal or state relief or findings that the natural gas market was manipulated will be credited to offset the charges to customers, the company said.

David Nickel, executive director of the Citizens’ Utility Ratepayer Board, which advocates for residential customers, said the organization was still looking at the plan, which was filed Friday afternoon. But he said securitization shows promise.

The above story is republished with permission from <a href="http://kansasreflector.com">Kansas Reflector</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1627825393372.jpeg" alt="Andrew French, chairman of the Kansas Corporation Commission, warns in February that natural gas is being sold at far above normal rates. The Kansas Gas Service filed a plan to recover the exorbitant costs from ratepayers over five, seven or 10 years. Photo by Noah Taborda courtesy Kansas Reflector" />
 <figcaption>Andrew French, chairman of the Kansas Corporation Commission, warns in February that natural gas is being sold at far above normal rates. The Kansas Gas Service filed a plan to recover the exorbitant costs from ratepayers over five, seven or 10 years. Photo by Noah Taborda courtesy Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Bills could increase by anywhere from $5 to $11 per month depending on which of KGS’ proposed plans is approved</h2>By&nbsp;ALLISON KITE Kansas ReflectorCustomers of Kansas’ largest natural gas utility could be paying off costs from<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/02/18/feds-ramp-up-emergency-help-for-kansas-other-states-hit-by-extreme-weather/">&nbsp;February’s deep freeze</a>&nbsp;for the next 10 years, the company revealed Friday.The Kansas Gas Service, which serves more than 640,000 Kansas customers,<a target="_blank" href="https://estar.kcc.ks.gov/estar/ViewFile.aspx/S202107301358431182.pdf?Id=5d765b67-4e68-4819-bbf2-85f5bc05d3b2">&nbsp;filed plans with regulators</a>&nbsp;to issue securitized bonds for approximately $390 million in extraordinary costs from the cold snap — plus carrying costs — and recoup the sum from customers over five, seven or 10 years, increasing residential bills by anywhere from about $5 to $11 per month. If the Kansas Corporation Commission doesn’t approve the arrangement, KGS said it would request to recover the costs over three years “to minimize the carrying costs” of the debt.Its plans come after<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansas.com/news/article252184783.html">&nbsp;Black Hills Energy announced in June that its customers bills would increase by an average of $12.23</a>&nbsp;per month for five years to recover what amounted to a year’s worth of gas charges in one month.“Compared to traditional regulatory methods over the same period, the company estimates that securitization will save customers from approximately $112 million to $188 million, depending on the recovery time frame approved by the KCC,” KGS spokeswoman Dawn Tripp said in a statement.February’s deep freeze posed a huge disruption to both gas and electric utilities. In Kansas City, temperatures plunged below 15 degrees for 10 days. At the same time, natural gas prices shot up to record levels. KGS’ filing says, depending on the pipeline, average prices for the company to secure gas in February rose by as much as 10 or 20 times the average over the last five years. A s<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/03/04/mulberry-files-lawsuit-accusing-bp-energy-of-price-gouging-during-extreme-cold/">mall Kansas town suing BP Energy</a>&nbsp;said in its lawsuit the company inflated gas prices from $2.98 per mmbtu on Feb. 9 to $329.615 from Feb. 13 to Feb. 16.Now utilities are<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/06/16/after-winter-cold-snap-drove-up-natural-gas-prices-utilities-grapple-with-who-should-pay/">&nbsp;grappling with how to recover the huge sums</a>&nbsp;they paid for natural gas in February to keep Kansans’ heat and lights on.Customers may have already paid high bills for extraordinary usage to keep their homes warm. But natural gas rates are set in advance through the regulatory process, and those high prices weren’t immediately passed on.&nbsp;The high price of natural gas and lack of supply has been identified as one of the primary reasons electrical utilities were instructed to institute rolling blackouts to avoid the uncontrolled outages affecting millions in Texas. The Southwest Power Pool, a regional transmission organization that coordinates electrical power in Kansas, earlier this week released findings saying that<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/07/26/fuel-shortages-drove-february-blackouts-southwest-power-pool-investigators-find/">&nbsp;natural gas was hard to come by during the deep freeze</a>.During the storm, the KCC instructed natural gas utilities to keep service on and defer any extraordinary costs to be repaid later. It then opened dockets to investigate each utility and asked them to present a plan to minimize the crush to customers rather than requiring them to pay the exorbitant gas prices immediately.<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/07/08/after-winter-storm-some-evergy-customers-could-see-savings-while-others-pay-for-years/">Evergy, too, will seek to recover costs</a>&nbsp;from customers. In the Kansas City area, the utility was able to generate more power than it needed and sell the excess to the Southwest Power Pool. But customers outside the metro in Kansas could gradually repay $152.3 million over two years. In parts of Missouri, the company is asking to defer costs from the storm and recover more than $297 million potentially over 15 years.The figures in KGS’s plan are subject to change, the filing says. The company is disputing $15 million in gas charges from one supplier. Any federal or state relief or findings that the natural gas market was manipulated will be credited to offset the charges to customers, the company said.David Nickel, executive director of the Citizens’ Utility Ratepayer Board, which advocates for residential customers, said the organization was still looking at the plan, which was filed Friday afternoon. But he said securitization shows promise.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625673106778.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The above story is republished with permission from <a href="http://kansasreflector.com">Kansas Reflector</a>.

Kansas Gas Service customers could pay cold snap costs for 10 years

APAC Kansas, Incorporated, has been building the heartland from the ground up for more than a century.

From the supply of aggregate materials, hot mix asphalt, and concrete to the construction of roads and bridges, we do it all. You've seen our trucks and now, we want to hire you!

APAC-Salina is growing and we are hiring for all positions. From truck drivers to mechanics to construction laborers, APAC has your next career.

We offer great pay and benefits. APAC Kansas, Incorporated, is an equal opportunity employer.

Click on the links below to see available positions and apply!

<a href="https://jobs.crh.com/CRH_Americas/job/Salina-Truck-Driver-Tractor-Trailer-Salina%2C-KS-KS-67402/648123201/">Truck Driver-Tractor Trailer, Salina</a>

<a href="https://jobs.crh.com/CRH_Americas/job/Salina-Mechanic-Salina%2C-KS-KS-67402/648122201/">Mechanic, Salina</a>

<a href="https://jobs.crh.com/CRH_Americas/job/Salina-Construction-Laborer-Salina%2C-KS-KS-67402/647729401/">Construction Laborer, Salina</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617672336149.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>APAC Kansas, Incorporated, has been building the heartland from the ground up for more than a century.From the supply of aggregate materials, hot mix asphalt, and concrete to the construction of roads and bridges, we do it all. You've seen our trucks and now, we want to hire you!APAC-Salina is growing and we are hiring for all positions. From truck drivers to mechanics to construction laborers, APAC has your next career.We offer great pay and benefits. APAC Kansas, Incorporated, is an equal opportunity employer.Click on the links below to see available positions and apply!<a href="https://jobs.crh.com/CRH_Americas/job/Salina-Truck-Driver-Tractor-Trailer-Salina%2C-KS-KS-67402/648123201/">Truck Driver-Tractor Trailer, Salina</a><a href="https://jobs.crh.com/CRH_Americas/job/Salina-Mechanic-Salina%2C-KS-KS-67402/648122201/">Mechanic, Salina</a><a href="https://jobs.crh.com/CRH_Americas/job/Salina-Construction-Laborer-Salina%2C-KS-KS-67402/647729401/">Construction Laborer, Salina</a>

NOW THAT'S RURAL: Ray Ford and Joel Heath, Burr Roasters

The City of Salina has announced street microsurfacing work for this week.

On Monday and Tuesday, Vance Brothers of Kansas City, Mo., will resurface the following City of Salina streets, weather permitting:

Local roads will be closed to traffic during construction for a period not to exceed 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residents will be provided sufficient notice of closures and special requests will be accommodated. Arterials and collectors will be resurfaced under traffic.

Microsurfacing is a common method of pavement surface treatment which consists of a polymer modified asphalt slurry (about 3/8 inch thick) that coats the pavement surface and creates a smooth moisture-resistant barrier. It also increases ride-ability and seals smaller cracks. When combined with proper pavement sealing, micro-surfacing extends the service life of the roadway. Streets are estimated for microsurfacing on a 6 to 8 year cycle at an estimated cost of about $5,000 per block.

The $675,000 project is a major component of the City of Salina's $4.7 million 2021 maintenance capital improvement program

The City of Salina has announced street microsurfacing work for this week.On Monday and Tuesday, Vance Brothers of Kansas City, Mo., will resurface the following City of Salina streets, weather permitting:<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627783958975.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Local roads will be closed to traffic during construction for a period not to exceed 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residents will be provided sufficient notice of closures and special requests will be accommodated. Arterials and collectors will be resurfaced under traffic.Microsurfacing is a common method of pavement surface treatment which consists of a polymer modified asphalt slurry (about 3/8 inch thick) that coats the pavement surface and creates a smooth moisture-resistant barrier. It also increases ride-ability and seals smaller cracks. When combined with proper pavement sealing, micro-surfacing extends the service life of the roadway. Streets are estimated for microsurfacing on a 6 to 8 year cycle at an estimated cost of about $5,000 per block.The $675,000 project is a major component of the City of Salina's $4.7 million 2021 maintenance capital improvement program

City of Salina announces additional microsurfacing work

Today is Sunday, Aug. 1, the 213th day of 2021. There are 152 days left in the year.

On August 1, 1907, the U.S. Army Signal Corps established an aeronautical division, the forerunner of the U.S. Air Force.

In 1876, Colorado was admitted as the 38th state. 

In 1936, the Olympics opened in Berlin with a ceremony presided over by Adolf Hitler.

In 1944, an uprising broke out in Warsaw, Poland, against Nazi occupation; the revolt lasted two months before collapsing.

In 1957, the United States and Canada announced they had agreed to create the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD).

In 1966, Charles Joseph Whitman, 25, went on an armed rampage at the University of Texas in Austin that killed 14 people, most of whom were shot by Whitman while he was perched in the clock tower of the main campus building. (Whitman, who had also slain his wife and mother hours earlier, was finally gunned down by police.)

In 1971, the Concert for Bangladesh, organized by George Harrison and Ravi Shankar, took place at New York's Madison Square Garden.

In 1975, a 35-nation summit in Finland concluded with the signing of a declaration known as the Helsinki Accords dealing with European security, human rights and East-West contacts.

In 1977, former U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers, working as a traffic reporter for KNBC-TV in Los Angeles, was killed with his cameraman, George Spears, when their helicopter ran out of fuel and crashed; Powers was 47.

In 1981, the rock music video channel MTV made its debut.

In 2007, the eight-lane Interstate 35W bridge, a major Minneapolis artery, collapsed into the Mississippi River during evening rush hour, killing 13 people.

In 2013, defying the United States, Russia granted Edward Snowden temporary asylum, allowing the National Security Agency leaker to slip out of the Moscow airport where he had been holed up for weeks.

In 2014, a medical examiner ruled that a New York City police officer's chokehold caused the death of Eric Garner, whose videotaped arrest and final pleas of "I can't breathe!" had sparked outrage.

Ten years ago: The U.S. House of Representatives passed, 269-161, emergency legislation to avert the nation's first-ever financial default; Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords returned to the House for the first time since being shot in Jan. 2011 to cast a "yes" vote.

Five years ago: The United States launched multiple airstrikes against Islamic State militants in Libya, opening a new front against the group at the request of the United Nations-backed Libyan government. Vice President Joe Biden officiated a gay wedding, a first for the early proponent of same-sex marriage as he presided over the union of Joe Mahshie and Brian Mosteller, both longtime White House aides, at the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington.

One year ago: The coronavirus forced baseball's 17th postponement in 10 days, prompting at least two more players to opt out of playing during the shortened season. Character actor Wilford Brimley, whose films included "Cocoon" and 'The Natural," died in a Utah hospital at the age of 85.

Today's Birthdays: Singer Ramblin' Jack Elliott is 90. Former Sen. Alfonse D'Amato, R-N.Y., is 84. Actor Giancarlo Giannini is 79. Basketball Hall of Fame coach Roy Williams is 71. Blues singer-musician Robert Cray is 68. Singer Michael Penn is 63. Rock singer Joe Elliott (Def Leppard) is 62. Rock singer-musician Suzi Gardner (L7) is 61. Rapper Chuck D (Public Enemy) is 61. Actor Jesse Borrego is 59. Actor Demian Bichir is 58. Rapper Coolio is 58. Actor John Carroll Lynch is 58. Rock singer Adam Duritz (Counting Crows) is 57. Movie director Sam Mendes is 56. Country singer George Ducas is 55. Actor Jennifer Gareis is 51. Actor Charles Malik Whitfield is 49. Actor Tempestt Bledsoe is 48. Actor Jason Momoa is 42. Actor Honeysuckle Weeks is 42. Singer Ashley Parker Angel is 40. Actor Taylor Fry is 40. Actor Elijah Kelley is 35.

<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, Aug. 1, the 213th day of 2021. There are 152 days left in the year.Today's Highlight in History: On August 1, 1907, the U.S. Army Signal Corps established an aeronautical division, the forerunner of the U.S. Air Force.On this date:In 1876, Colorado was admitted as the 38th state. In 1936, the Olympics opened in Berlin with a ceremony presided over by Adolf Hitler.In 1944, an uprising broke out in Warsaw, Poland, against Nazi occupation; the revolt lasted two months before collapsing.In 1957, the United States and Canada announced they had agreed to create the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD).In 1966, Charles Joseph Whitman, 25, went on an armed rampage at the University of Texas in Austin that killed 14 people, most of whom were shot by Whitman while he was perched in the clock tower of the main campus building. (Whitman, who had also slain his wife and mother hours earlier, was finally gunned down by police.)In 1971, the Concert for Bangladesh, organized by George Harrison and Ravi Shankar, took place at New York's Madison Square Garden.In 1975, a 35-nation summit in Finland concluded with the signing of a declaration known as the Helsinki Accords dealing with European security, human rights and East-West contacts.In 1977, former U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers, working as a traffic reporter for KNBC-TV in Los Angeles, was killed with his cameraman, George Spears, when their helicopter ran out of fuel and crashed; Powers was 47.In 1981, the rock music video channel MTV made its debut.In 2007, the eight-lane Interstate 35W bridge, a major Minneapolis artery, collapsed into the Mississippi River during evening rush hour, killing 13 people.In 2013, defying the United States, Russia granted Edward Snowden temporary asylum, allowing the National Security Agency leaker to slip out of the Moscow airport where he had been holed up for weeks.In 2014, a medical examiner ruled that a New York City police officer's chokehold caused the death of Eric Garner, whose videotaped arrest and final pleas of "I can't breathe!" had sparked outrage.Ten years ago: The U.S. House of Representatives passed, 269-161, emergency legislation to avert the nation's first-ever financial default; Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords returned to the House for the first time since being shot in Jan. 2011 to cast a "yes" vote.Five years ago: The United States launched multiple airstrikes against Islamic State militants in Libya, opening a new front against the group at the request of the United Nations-backed Libyan government. Vice President Joe Biden officiated a gay wedding, a first for the early proponent of same-sex marriage as he presided over the union of Joe Mahshie and Brian Mosteller, both longtime White House aides, at the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington. One year ago: The coronavirus forced baseball's 17th postponement in 10 days, prompting at least two more players to opt out of playing during the shortened season. Character actor Wilford Brimley, whose films included "Cocoon" and 'The Natural," died in a Utah hospital at the age of 85. Today's Birthdays: Singer Ramblin' Jack Elliott is 90. Former Sen. Alfonse D'Amato, R-N.Y., is 84. Actor Giancarlo Giannini is 79. Basketball Hall of Fame coach Roy Williams is 71. Blues singer-musician Robert Cray is 68. Singer Michael Penn is 63. Rock singer Joe Elliott (Def Leppard) is 62. Rock singer-musician Suzi Gardner (L7) is 61. Rapper Chuck D (Public Enemy) is 61. Actor Jesse Borrego is 59. Actor Demian Bichir is 58. Rapper Coolio is 58. Actor John Carroll Lynch is 58. Rock singer Adam Duritz (Counting Crows) is 57. Movie director Sam Mendes is 56. Country singer George Ducas is 55. Actor Jennifer Gareis is 51. Actor Charles Malik Whitfield is 49. Actor Tempestt Bledsoe is 48. Actor Jason Momoa is 42. Actor Honeysuckle Weeks is 42. Singer Ashley Parker Angel is 40. Actor Taylor Fry is 40. Actor Elijah Kelley is 35.

Today in History - Aug. 1

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

A Facebook group started to help classrooms get needed supplies is building off its successful first year in 2020 in the hope of helping even more students and teachers this school year.

Last summer, Salinan Penny Thompson started the Facebook group <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/996247750819888">Support a Classroom - Saline Co. Kansas</a> to connect teachers in need of classroom supplies with community members willing to help out.

"This school year will also come with new challenges equal and different from last year. The cost of school supplies this year seem to be up and like many things, in short supply," Thompson told Salina Post. "With the introduction of online school last year, this will be a new option for students that will require supplies that might be needed for those families choosing to continue this format."

According to information on the group page, "Teachers can spend on average $500 out of their own pockets during the school year, many times much more."

The concept for the group is a simple one. Teachers within Saline County post their "wish lists" for their classroom needs on the group Facebook page, often using the wish list option on online sites such as <a href="http://Amazon.com">Amazon.com</a>. Community members who are willing and able to help select which teachers they want to assist. By purchasing items through a teacher's wish list on an online site such as Amazon, community members can purchase the needed items and have them directly shipped to the teacher. But supportive community members are not bound to purchse all items on a wish list, nor are they obligated to purchase items online.

The guidelines on the group page are as follows.

TEACHERS/SCHOOLS: Let us know what you need and how we can get it to you. Wish lists are great! Please don't be shy, we want to help!

COMMUNITY: Assist where ever you can!! If a teacher posts a need and you can help fulfill it, let them know! Many teachers are using Amazon lists, but you don't have to purchase those items from Amazon. You can buy locally as well, just connect with the individual for delivery info.

Amanda Morris, who helps Thompson administer the group, said Saline County teachers posted more than 80 wish lists last year. Of those, at least 14 of the wish lists were completely fulfilled while other lists were partially fulfilled.

"We'd love to expand the group with more teachers and more members of the public. We are open to new ideas and suggestions, they can be emailed to <a href="mailto:clearthelistks@gmail.com">clearthelistks@gmail.com</a>," Morris said.

The group currently has 940 members, both teachers and supporters from the community. A year ago, the group had more than 650 members.

"This project is about helping our teachers. We ask so much of them and they always come through, even when faced with a pandemic," Morris said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627779945473.jpeg" alt="Some of the items purchased last year for Carolyn Phalen's first-grade class at Stewart Elementary School. Photo courtesy Carolyn Phalen" />
 <figcaption>Some of the items purchased last year for Carolyn Phalen's first-grade class at Stewart Elementary School. Photo courtesy Carolyn Phalen</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostA Facebook group started to help classrooms get needed supplies is building off its successful first year in 2020 in the hope of helping even more students and teachers this school year.Last summer, Salinan Penny Thompson started the Facebook group <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/996247750819888">Support a Classroom - Saline Co. Kansas</a> to connect teachers in need of classroom supplies with community members willing to help out."This school year will also come with new challenges equal and different from last year. The cost of school supplies this year seem to be up and like many things, in short supply," Thompson told Salina Post. "With the introduction of online school last year, this will be a new option for students that will require supplies that might be needed for those families choosing to continue this format."According to information on the group page, "Teachers can spend on average $500 out of their own pockets during the school year, many times much more."The concept for the group is a simple one. Teachers within Saline County post their "wish lists" for their classroom needs on the group Facebook page, often using the wish list option on online sites such as <a href="http://Amazon.com">Amazon.com</a>. Community members who are willing and able to help select which teachers they want to assist. By purchasing items through a teacher's wish list on an online site such as Amazon, community members can purchase the needed items and have them directly shipped to the teacher. But supportive community members are not bound to purchse all items on a wish list, nor are they obligated to purchase items online.The guidelines on the group page are as follows.TEACHERS/SCHOOLS: Let us know what you need and how we can get it to you. Wish lists are great! Please don't be shy, we want to help!COMMUNITY: Assist where ever you can!! If a teacher posts a need and you can help fulfill it, let them know! Many teachers are using Amazon lists, but you don't have to purchase those items from Amazon. You can buy locally as well, just connect with the individual for delivery info.Amanda Morris, who helps Thompson administer the group, said Saline County teachers posted more than 80 wish lists last year. Of those, at least 14 of the wish lists were completely fulfilled while other lists were partially fulfilled."We'd love to expand the group with more teachers and more members of the public. We are open to new ideas and suggestions, they can be emailed to <a href="mailto:clearthelistks@gmail.com">clearthelistks@gmail.com</a>," Morris said.The group currently has 940 members, both teachers and supporters from the community. A year ago, the group had more than 650 members."This project is about helping our teachers. We ask so much of them and they always come through, even when faced with a pandemic," Morris said.

Local group continues to connect teachers in need with community support

There are jobs to be had. Check out the&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/category/jobs">Jobs page</a>&nbsp;on Salina Post.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

There are jobs to be had. Check out the&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/category/jobs">Jobs page</a>&nbsp;on Salina Post.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Looking for a job? Check this out!

Relatively cooler and drier air will overspread central and eastern Kansas on Sunday and last through early next week, according to the National Weather Service.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627772978618.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Relatively cooler and drier air will overspread central and eastern Kansas on Sunday and last through early next week, according to the National Weather Service.

NWS: Slightly cooler temps, less humidity for early August

Here's what's new at the Salina Public Library. From the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/salinapubliclibrary">Salina Public Library</a> Facebook page:

Here's what's new at the Salina Public Library. From the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/salinapubliclibrary">Salina Public Library</a> Facebook page:<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fsalinapubliclibrary%2Fphotos%2Fa.435863323139%2F10159720935298140%2F&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="658" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>

Check out what's new at the Salina Public Library

Sunbelt-Solomon Solutions is hiring! We are one of the world's largest providers of new and reconditioned transformers and electrical equipment for commercial and industrial markets. We currently have openings for individuals seeking to join a forward-thinking company with excellent benefits and growth opportunities for motivated employees. In this role you will be responsible for:

Installing new/used parts into substations, assisting with fabrication, replacing gauges and checking gaskets. In addition to elevating more complex issues such as voltages, unusual nameplates, and more complex testing issues.

NEW INCENTIVE PROGRAM!&nbsp;For hourly employees hired between 6/15/21 and 12/31/21 we are offering a bonus at 90 days and 6 months.

$100 paid to active eligible employees on the first payroll following 90 days &amp; $400 paid to active eligible employees on the first payroll following 6 months.

Apply online at:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.solomoncorp.com/">www.solomoncorp.com</a>&nbsp;or click the link to the Solomon Corporation careers page at the bottom of this page. EOE

Job Link:&nbsp;Click here to Apply :&nbsp;<a href="https://www.solomoncorp.com/careers/">Solomon Corporation's Career Page</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625787138924.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Full-Service Tech-Subs/RegsSunbelt-Solomon Solutions is hiring! We are one of the world's largest providers of new and reconditioned transformers and electrical equipment for commercial and industrial markets. We currently have openings for individuals seeking to join a forward-thinking company with excellent benefits and growth opportunities for motivated employees. In this role you will be responsible for:Installing new/used parts into substations, assisting with fabrication, replacing gauges and checking gaskets. In addition to elevating more complex issues such as voltages, unusual nameplates, and more complex testing issues.NEW INCENTIVE PROGRAM!&nbsp;For hourly employees hired between 6/15/21 and 12/31/21 we are offering a bonus at 90 days and 6 months.$100 paid to active eligible employees on the first payroll following 90 days &amp; $400 paid to active eligible employees on the first payroll following 6 months.Apply online at:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.solomoncorp.com/">www.solomoncorp.com</a>&nbsp;or click the link to the Solomon Corporation careers page at the bottom of this page. EOEJob Link:&nbsp;Click here to Apply :&nbsp;<a href="https://www.solomoncorp.com/careers/">Solomon Corporation's Career Page</a>

Storms possible to our south on Saturday

My first experience in organized sports was playing soccer as a 7-year-old boy. I loved it, but I was small for my age. I was easily the smallest kid on the field, and I didn’t get a lot of playing time. The coach wasn’t mean or unfair about things. I think he was just afraid I’d get hurt if the ball ever hit me. But it ripped my heart out to sit on the bench every game. I&nbsp;knew&nbsp;I could play if given the chance, and I truly believed in my heart I&nbsp;should&nbsp;be playing more.

I’ll never forget riding home after one game, and sitting dejectedly in the back seat of the car. When my dad asked me what was wrong, I burst into tears and sobbed, “I just want to play!”

I don’t remember what dad said next, or much of anything else about the ride home. But I&nbsp;do&nbsp;recall at one point he looked at me in the rearview mirror and said, “You know what? You’re going to get bigger, you’re going to get faster and you’re going to get better. Stay with it, son. Your time will come.”

He was right. I got more playing time during the next season. Two years later, I led the league in scoring and was selected for the All-Star team. Those encouraging words from my dad stayed with me, and they helped me stay with it. They sustained me.

When it comes to your job, some of you may feel just like a little kid who only wants to get in the game. Instead of playing, you feel like you’re sitting on the sidelines, even though you&nbsp;know&nbsp;you could do it if you just had the chance. But there’s often purpose in waiting. It might not be fun—and it definitely humbles you—but waiting often grows and refines you in ways nothing else can. It also allows you the opportunity to mature and learn more.

You may have heard me talk about the&nbsp;seven stages of finding your dream job: Get Clear, Get Qualified, Get Connected, Get Started, Get Promoted, Get Your Dream Job and Give Yourself Away.&nbsp;Each one takes patience, perseverance and plenty of time watching other people become (what seems like) overnight successes, while you continue to slowly inch forward. Other people will get opportunities you feel should’ve gone to you. They’ll get noticed for their hard work, when you feel you’ve worked twice as hard. You might have to accept or stay in jobs for a while that don’t take full advantage of your skills.

When I was stuck in my job and started over by working toward my dream of being a broadcaster, there was no way for it to happen quickly or easily. I went to broadcast school with 20-year-olds while I was in my mid-30s. I recorded my first podcast in a 5-foot-by-5-foot sound booth with no air conditioning.

I spent years finding the right people and the right places, and I built relationships from the ground up. And you know what? Everything I endured was worth it to get where I am today. Be patient. My guess is it’ll be worth it for you, too!

Ken Coleman&nbsp;is the nationally syndicated radio host of The Ken Coleman Show and No. 1 national best-selling author. He has been featured in Forbes, appeared on Fox News, Fox Business Network, and the Rachel Ray Show. Since 2014, he has served at Ramsey Solutions, where he offers expert advice to help thousands of people every day discover what they were meant to do and how to land their dream job. Follow Ken on&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/kencoleman" target="_blank">Twitter</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/kencoleman/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/KenColemanShow/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/KenColemanShow/featured" target="_blank">YouTube</a>or at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kencoleman.com/" target="_blank">kencoleman.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598543766283.jpeg" alt="Ken Coleman" />
 <figcaption>Ken Coleman</figcaption>
 </figure>By KEN COLEMANMy first experience in organized sports was playing soccer as a 7-year-old boy. I loved it, but I was small for my age. I was easily the smallest kid on the field, and I didn’t get a lot of playing time. The coach wasn’t mean or unfair about things. I think he was just afraid I’d get hurt if the ball ever hit me. But it ripped my heart out to sit on the bench every game. I&nbsp;knew&nbsp;I could play if given the chance, and I truly believed in my heart I&nbsp;should&nbsp;be playing more.I’ll never forget riding home after one game, and sitting dejectedly in the back seat of the car. When my dad asked me what was wrong, I burst into tears and sobbed, “I just want to play!”I don’t remember what dad said next, or much of anything else about the ride home. But I&nbsp;do&nbsp;recall at one point he looked at me in the rearview mirror and said, “You know what? You’re going to get bigger, you’re going to get faster and you’re going to get better. Stay with it, son. Your time will come.”He was right. I got more playing time during the next season. Two years later, I led the league in scoring and was selected for the All-Star team. Those encouraging words from my dad stayed with me, and they helped me stay with it. They sustained me.When it comes to your job, some of you may feel just like a little kid who only wants to get in the game. Instead of playing, you feel like you’re sitting on the sidelines, even though you&nbsp;know&nbsp;you could do it if you just had the chance. But there’s often purpose in waiting. It might not be fun—and it definitely humbles you—but waiting often grows and refines you in ways nothing else can. It also allows you the opportunity to mature and learn more.You may have heard me talk about the&nbsp;seven stages of finding your dream job: Get Clear, Get Qualified, Get Connected, Get Started, Get Promoted, Get Your Dream Job and Give Yourself Away.&nbsp;Each one takes patience, perseverance and plenty of time watching other people become (what seems like) overnight successes, while you continue to slowly inch forward. Other people will get opportunities you feel should’ve gone to you. They’ll get noticed for their hard work, when you feel you’ve worked twice as hard. You might have to accept or stay in jobs for a while that don’t take full advantage of your skills.Do them anyway.When I was stuck in my job and started over by working toward my dream of being a broadcaster, there was no way for it to happen quickly or easily. I went to broadcast school with 20-year-olds while I was in my mid-30s. I recorded my first podcast in a 5-foot-by-5-foot sound booth with no air conditioning.I spent years finding the right people and the right places, and I built relationships from the ground up. And you know what? Everything I endured was worth it to get where I am today. Be patient. My guess is it’ll be worth it for you, too!Ken Coleman&nbsp;is the nationally syndicated radio host of The Ken Coleman Show and No. 1 national best-selling author. He has been featured in Forbes, appeared on Fox News, Fox Business Network, and the Rachel Ray Show. Since 2014, he has served at Ramsey Solutions, where he offers expert advice to help thousands of people every day discover what they were meant to do and how to land their dream job. Follow Ken on&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/kencoleman" target="_blank">Twitter</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/kencoleman/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/KenColemanShow/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/KenColemanShow/featured" target="_blank">YouTube</a>or at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kencoleman.com/" target="_blank">kencoleman.com</a>.

COLEMAN: Good things come to those who wait

The First Amendment protects many activities related to voting — expressing political views near polling stations, signing petitions to put initiatives on a ballot, receiving news coverage on the various candidates. But it stops short of protecting voting itself. The right to express ourselves freely is far more protected under the law than the right to vote, which is strange considering voting is a fundamental expression of our views. Our First Amendment freedoms enable us to figure out what changes we, as a society, want, and the most effective way of enacting those changes is by voting.

As of June 2021, 17 states have enacted 28&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/voting-laws-roundup-may-2021" target="_blank">new laws that place a number of burdens on people who want to exercise their right to vote</a>&nbsp;— among other things, by making it harder to register, by reducing vote-by-mail and early voting opportunities and by allowing partisan poll watchers to challenge the eligibility of voters without any grounds. As&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/08/what-does-the-constitution-actually-say-about-voting-rights/278782/" target="_blank">Garrett Epps&nbsp;wrote back in 2013</a>&nbsp;(also a notoriously bad year for voting rights), “Neither the American people nor the federal courts would tolerate restrictions of this sort if they were imposed on free speech, free assembly, freedom of religion, or freedom to petition the government for redress of grievances.”

As voting rights lawyers&nbsp;Armand Derfner&nbsp;and&nbsp;J. Gerald Herbert&nbsp;<a href="https://ylpr.yale.edu/voting-speech" target="_blank">have written</a>, “It seems like an obvious proposition that a citizen registering to vote or casting a ballot is engaging in free speech, a fundamental right entitled to full protection under the First Amendment … But the current Supreme Court rarely scrutinizes voting regulations as it does other speech regulations.” Even if you don’t consider voting to be speech, it does seem strange that the two concepts are considered so differently under the law. It’s hard to argue that they’re so unrelated to one another when there’s actually quite a bit of overlap between them — in fact, some of the anti-voter laws passed by state legislatures also implicate First Amendment rights.

Just look at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ajc.com/politics/how-georgias-new-voting-law-works/GF6PLR44PNESPKR5FXCBE7VEOY/voting-law/" target="_blank">Georgia’s recently passed voting bill</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.splcenter.org/sites/default/files/sixth_district_of_the_ame_church_v._brian_kemp.pdf" target="_blank">Civil rights and church groups have argued</a>&nbsp;the draconian law that makes it a crime for volunteers to give water to voters waiting in line at the polls interferes with “the type of interactive communication concerning political change that is appropriately described as ‘core political speech.’” The&nbsp;<a href="https://gfaf.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/CFGG-v-Kemp_GFAF-Amicus_6-30-21.pdf" target="_blank">Georgia First Amendment Foundation has characterized</a>&nbsp;the state’s new limitations on observing and photographing important aspects of elections as “vaguely defined criminal laws that would potentially punish routine, constitutionally-protected newsgathering by journalists and interested citizens.”

<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20697346-sb-202-voteamerica-v-raffensperger" target="_blank">Nonprofit civic engagement organizations have challenged</a>&nbsp;the law’s many restrictions around distributing absentee ballot applications to voters as severe burdens on their rights to engage in speech that encourages political participation. It should be clear from these examples that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2021-04-05/opinion-giving-voters-food-and-water-is-a-political-act-not-just-charity" target="_blank">voting doesn’t happen in a vacuum</a>&nbsp;— it’s the culmination of many acts of speech, press, petition and association.

Alternate Viewpoint:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ajc.com/politics/politics-blog/the-jolt-sen-tim-scott-defends-georgia-voting-law-in-gop-response-to-biden/ID6QZS6WWRFT5OWVCKR4QRCVVI/" target="_blank">U.S. Sen. Tim Scott Defends Georgia Voting Law</a>

We place time, place and manner restrictions on First Amendment rights all the time. The government can require you to get a permit in order to hold a rally in a public park, for example. So how is placing restrictions on where, when and how someone can vote any different? It’s true that none of our rights is unlimited.

COURT WEIGHS SPEECH AND VOTING DIFFERENTLY

Almost every case involving civil rights requires courts to weigh an individual’s rights against the government’s reasons for passing a law or policy that limits those rights. But as the Supreme Court’s 2020-2021 term clearly illustrates, the court puts its thumb on the scale in different places for different rights. In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oyez.org/cases/2020/19-251" target="_blank">Americans for Prosperity v. Bonta</a>, the court sided with nonprofits and their donors who wished to be anonymous, placing their rights to speech and association over California’s argument that it needed nonprofits to disclose the names of their largest donors in order to prevent charity fraud. The court said that California didn’t do enough to prove that it truly needed donor disclosures to investigate potential fraud. The lesson you might take from this is that when the state is going to do something that will deter people from exercising their rights, it had better be able to prove that it’s absolutely necessary. But you’d be wrong. That rubric changes completely when it comes to voting rights.

In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oyez.org/cases/2020/19-1257" target="_blank">Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee</a>, the plaintiffs argued that the state of Arizona violated the Voting Rights Act by passing election laws that disproportionately impacted voters of color. The state of Arizona argued that these laws were necessary to prevent election fraud. The Supreme Court sided with Arizona. What did Arizona have to do to prove that its laws were necessary to prevent the fraud in question? Nothing, really. The court didn’t require evidence that these laws were necessary to prevent election fraud in Arizona. It didn’t even require evidence that there was any election fraud in Arizona.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579206978168.png" alt="Lata Nott. Photo courtesy Freedom Forum" />
 <figcaption>Lata Nott. Photo courtesy Freedom Forum</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;LATA NOTTThe First Amendment protects many activities related to voting — expressing political views near polling stations, signing petitions to put initiatives on a ballot, receiving news coverage on the various candidates. But it stops short of protecting voting itself. The right to express ourselves freely is far more protected under the law than the right to vote, which is strange considering voting is a fundamental expression of our views. Our First Amendment freedoms enable us to figure out what changes we, as a society, want, and the most effective way of enacting those changes is by voting.As of June 2021, 17 states have enacted 28&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/voting-laws-roundup-may-2021" target="_blank">new laws that place a number of burdens on people who want to exercise their right to vote</a>&nbsp;— among other things, by making it harder to register, by reducing vote-by-mail and early voting opportunities and by allowing partisan poll watchers to challenge the eligibility of voters without any grounds. As&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/08/what-does-the-constitution-actually-say-about-voting-rights/278782/" target="_blank">Garrett Epps&nbsp;wrote back in 2013</a>&nbsp;(also a notoriously bad year for voting rights), “Neither the American people nor the federal courts would tolerate restrictions of this sort if they were imposed on free speech, free assembly, freedom of religion, or freedom to petition the government for redress of grievances.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627699886512.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>As voting rights lawyers&nbsp;Armand Derfner&nbsp;and&nbsp;J. Gerald Herbert&nbsp;<a href="https://ylpr.yale.edu/voting-speech" target="_blank">have written</a>, “It seems like an obvious proposition that a citizen registering to vote or casting a ballot is engaging in free speech, a fundamental right entitled to full protection under the First Amendment … But the current Supreme Court rarely scrutinizes voting regulations as it does other speech regulations.” Even if you don’t consider voting to be speech, it does seem strange that the two concepts are considered so differently under the law. It’s hard to argue that they’re so unrelated to one another when there’s actually quite a bit of overlap between them — in fact, some of the anti-voter laws passed by state legislatures also implicate First Amendment rights.<h2>LAWS LIMITING VOTING LIMIT SPEECH TOO</h2>Just look at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ajc.com/politics/how-georgias-new-voting-law-works/GF6PLR44PNESPKR5FXCBE7VEOY/voting-law/" target="_blank">Georgia’s recently passed voting bill</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.splcenter.org/sites/default/files/sixth_district_of_the_ame_church_v._brian_kemp.pdf" target="_blank">Civil rights and church groups have argued</a>&nbsp;the draconian law that makes it a crime for volunteers to give water to voters waiting in line at the polls interferes with “the type of interactive communication concerning political change that is appropriately described as ‘core political speech.’” The&nbsp;<a href="https://gfaf.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/CFGG-v-Kemp_GFAF-Amicus_6-30-21.pdf" target="_blank">Georgia First Amendment Foundation has characterized</a>&nbsp;the state’s new limitations on observing and photographing important aspects of elections as “vaguely defined criminal laws that would potentially punish routine, constitutionally-protected newsgathering by journalists and interested citizens.”<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20697346-sb-202-voteamerica-v-raffensperger" target="_blank">Nonprofit civic engagement organizations have challenged</a>&nbsp;the law’s many restrictions around distributing absentee ballot applications to voters as severe burdens on their rights to engage in speech that encourages political participation. It should be clear from these examples that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2021-04-05/opinion-giving-voters-food-and-water-is-a-political-act-not-just-charity" target="_blank">voting doesn’t happen in a vacuum</a>&nbsp;— it’s the culmination of many acts of speech, press, petition and association.Alternate Viewpoint:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ajc.com/politics/politics-blog/the-jolt-sen-tim-scott-defends-georgia-voting-law-in-gop-response-to-biden/ID6QZS6WWRFT5OWVCKR4QRCVVI/" target="_blank">U.S. Sen. Tim Scott Defends Georgia Voting Law</a>We place time, place and manner restrictions on First Amendment rights all the time. The government can require you to get a permit in order to hold a rally in a public park, for example. So how is placing restrictions on where, when and how someone can vote any different? It’s true that none of our rights is unlimited.<h2>COURT WEIGHS SPEECH AND VOTING DIFFERENTLY</h2>Almost every case involving civil rights requires courts to weigh an individual’s rights against the government’s reasons for passing a law or policy that limits those rights. But as the Supreme Court’s 2020-2021 term clearly illustrates, the court puts its thumb on the scale in different places for different rights. In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oyez.org/cases/2020/19-251" target="_blank">Americans for Prosperity v. Bonta</a>, the court sided with nonprofits and their donors who wished to be anonymous, placing their rights to speech and association over California’s argument that it needed nonprofits to disclose the names of their largest donors in order to prevent charity fraud. The court said that California didn’t do enough to prove that it truly needed donor disclosures to investigate potential fraud. The lesson you might take from this is that when the state is going to do something that will deter people from exercising their rights, it had better be able to prove that it’s absolutely necessary. But you’d be wrong. That rubric changes completely when it comes to voting rights.In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oyez.org/cases/2020/19-1257" target="_blank">Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee</a>, the plaintiffs argued that the state of Arizona violated the Voting Rights Act by passing election laws that disproportionately impacted voters of color. The state of Arizona argued that these laws were necessary to prevent election fraud. The Supreme Court sided with Arizona. What did Arizona have to do to prove that its laws were necessary to prevent the fraud in question? Nothing, really. The court didn’t require evidence that these laws were necessary to prevent election fraud in Arizona. It didn’t even require evidence that there was any election fraud in Arizona.As&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/07/brnovich-vra-scotus-decision-arizona-voting-right/619330/" target="_blank">an analysis from&nbsp;The Atlantic&nbsp;lays out</a>, “The fundamental question in the case is whether the states or voters of color ought to have the benefit of the doubt,” and this decision makes it clear that the Supreme Court gives that to the states. Contrast that with what&nbsp;<a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/06-969.ZO.html" target="_blank">Chief Justice Roberts&nbsp;once wrote</a>&nbsp;about weighing government interests against speech rights: “Where the First Amendment is implicated, the tie goes to the speaker, not the censor.”Alternate Viewpoint:&nbsp;<a href="https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/supreme-court-got-it-right-in-arizona-voting-law-decision" target="_blank">Supreme Court Got It Right in Arizona Voting Law Decision</a>Too many of us consider the freedoms of the First Amendment to be rights guaranteed to all, but the freedom to vote a privilege that only a select few should be able to enjoy without difficulty. A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/politics/2021/07/12/402881/texas-gops-controversial-voting-bills-advance-in-special-session/" target="_blank">Texas legislator even said</a>, “[V]oting is not supposed to be easy. That’s what our men died for,” as if Americans went to war to ensure that their democracy would represent fewer of us. But there’s little sense in protecting all the steps leading up to voting, only to abandon all concern about protecting the act of voting itself.Lata Nott is a Freedom Forum fellow for the First Amendment. Follow her on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/latanott" target="_blank">@LataNott</a>.