WASHINGTON — Congress convened Sunday for a new session with lawmakers sworn in in separate groups including new First District Representative Tracey Mann.

Elbow bumps replaced handshakes under strict COVID-19 protocols at the Capitol.

Mann wrote on social media, "I’m deeply humbled by the faith you have put in me to represent the First District of Kansas."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609718014523.png" alt="House Speaker Nancy Pelosi swore in the freshman members of the 117th Congress late Sunday afternoon including First District Rep. Tracey Mann(front row, left center with the red tie)-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Nancy Pelosi swore in the freshman members of the 117th Congress late Sunday afternoon including First District Rep. Tracey Mann(front row, left center with the red tie)-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — Congress convened Sunday for a new session with lawmakers sworn in in separate groups including new First District Representative Tracey Mann.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609707619091.png" alt="Early Sunday afternoon, Mann stood when his name was called in the U.S. House of Representatives.-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Early Sunday afternoon, Mann stood when his name was called in the U.S. House of Representatives.-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Elbow bumps replaced handshakes under strict COVID-19 protocols at the Capitol.Mann wrote on social media, "I’m deeply humbled by the faith you have put in me to represent the First District of Kansas."

First District Rep. Mann sworn in as member of Congress

By&nbsp;REBECCA OTTE For Kansas Reflector

My husband and I are amateur photographers and enjoy long drives in hopes of getting that one great photograph.

In 2017, I retired from my profession as a nurse-midwife and we began traveling through Kansas, crisscrossing the state on major highways and rural byways. Kansas is a wonderful place in so many ways, with its wide vistas, open prairie and fiercely independent people. But as we traveled its many roads, we were stunned at the number of towns and farms that are dead or dying.

Of course, we’ve known of this decay in some areas. We are both from Herington and have grieved at the loss of vibrancy it once had. Over the last few decades, as we traveled back to see family, we watched as businesses closed their doors, leaving the downtown area languishing.

Every politician talks about the great state of Kansas and how important it is to preserve family farms. In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsletter?ID=6B28D1D8-BDAC-4186-91A6-10C411FE7428">a recent newsletter</a>, Sen. Jerry Moran wrote about visiting Osborne and the importance of preserving a rural way of life in Kansas. All our representatives and senators for the last 50 years have talked about it, but whatever policies have been enacted on behalf of the rural communities in Kansas clearly have not worked for a great many of them.

These are just a few of the hundreds of photos we’ve taken over the last few months.

Over and over, my husband and I have seen these small rural communities held together by a single coffee shop or perhaps a curio or antique shop, but the energy is gone. The downtowns are empty shells — the beautiful old limestone buildings falling in disrepair, the rusted railroad yards and grain elevators giving lie to the politicians’ rosy speeches.

Yes, there are bright spots in Kansas and I’m sure our politicians and community leaders will be quick to point that out. But from what we’ve seen, far too many communities in our state have lost any hope of prosperity.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609700521952.jpeg" alt="The old pool hall in Herington has been closed for many years. On this block there was a bakery, a Western Auto, a newspaper office — all gone. Across the street, a strip mall was built but it's since been plowed under. (Rebecca Otte)" />
 <figcaption>The old pool hall in Herington has been closed for many years. On this block there was a bakery, a Western Auto, a newspaper office — all gone. Across the street, a strip mall was built but it's since been plowed under. (Rebecca Otte)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;REBECCA OTTE For Kansas ReflectorMy husband and I are amateur photographers and enjoy long drives in hopes of getting that one great photograph.In 2017, I retired from my profession as a nurse-midwife and we began traveling through Kansas, crisscrossing the state on major highways and rural byways. Kansas is a wonderful place in so many ways, with its wide vistas, open prairie and fiercely independent people. But as we traveled its many roads, we were stunned at the number of towns and farms that are dead or dying.Of course, we’ve known of this decay in some areas. We are both from Herington and have grieved at the loss of vibrancy it once had. Over the last few decades, as we traveled back to see family, we watched as businesses closed their doors, leaving the downtown area languishing.Every politician talks about the great state of Kansas and how important it is to preserve family farms. In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsletter?ID=6B28D1D8-BDAC-4186-91A6-10C411FE7428">a recent newsletter</a>, Sen. Jerry Moran wrote about visiting Osborne and the importance of preserving a rural way of life in Kansas. All our representatives and senators for the last 50 years have talked about it, but whatever policies have been enacted on behalf of the rural communities in Kansas clearly have not worked for a great many of them.These are just a few of the hundreds of photos we’ve taken over the last few months.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609700621046.jpeg" alt="This is Burdick. My mother-in-law grew up on a farm not far from here. The Burdick Meat Locker is still operating, but this is essentially the downtown. (Rebecca Otte) " />
 <figcaption>This is Burdick. My mother-in-law grew up on a farm not far from here. The Burdick Meat Locker is still operating, but this is essentially the downtown. (Rebecca Otte) </figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609700690845.jpeg" alt="This is a storefront in Lincolnville. There is no longer any business in the downtown area. The two-story brick school is closed. There is a post office, but nothing else. (Rebecca Otte)" />
 <figcaption>This is a storefront in Lincolnville. There is no longer any business in the downtown area. The two-story brick school is closed. There is a post office, but nothing else. (Rebecca Otte)</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609700746941.jpeg" alt="This is a street in a residential area of Severance. There are no shops here, no post office and few homes. There does not appear to be or has there been any maintenance for the streets. (Rebecca Otte)" />
 <figcaption>This is a street in a residential area of Severance. There are no shops here, no post office and few homes. There does not appear to be or has there been any maintenance for the streets. (Rebecca Otte)</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609700839762.jpeg" alt="In Altoona, we were struck by the charming architecture of some of the buildings, but none are occupied. Across the street from this shot was a beautiful building with arched doors and windows but the roof had fallen in, windows were all broken and trash was scattered throughout the first floor. (Rebecca Otte) " />
 <figcaption>In Altoona, we were struck by the charming architecture of some of the buildings, but none are occupied. Across the street from this shot was a beautiful building with arched doors and windows but the roof had fallen in, windows were all broken and trash was scattered throughout the first floor. (Rebecca Otte) </figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609700911705.jpeg" alt="This is an abandoned school house in Willis. (Rebecca Otte)" />
 <figcaption>This is an abandoned school house in Willis. (Rebecca Otte)</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609700985030.jpeg" alt="This is downtown Wilson, the Czech capital of Kansas. These wonderfully painted eggs are placed every few blocks, but there isn’t anyone downtown now to see them. Almost everything is shut up. (Rebecca Otte) " />
 <figcaption>This is downtown Wilson, the Czech capital of Kansas. These wonderfully painted eggs are placed every few blocks, but there isn’t anyone downtown now to see them. Almost everything is shut up. (Rebecca Otte) </figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609701058217.jpeg" alt="Downtown Dorrance. The tall building has a historical museum on the lower level. Across the street is an old bank that is being renovated. A young man stopped and talked with us about his pride in Dorrance and the community that comes together to celebrate Memorial Day. The high school burned down and was not rebuilt, but the community is using the old gymnasium for gatherings. There is a cafe and a post office, but little else. The Methodist church is abandoned and there is a shell of a building with trees growing in the middle that used to be their market. (Rebecca Otte)" />
 <figcaption>Downtown Dorrance. The tall building has a historical museum on the lower level. Across the street is an old bank that is being renovated. A young man stopped and talked with us about his pride in Dorrance and the community that comes together to celebrate Memorial Day. The high school burned down and was not rebuilt, but the community is using the old gymnasium for gatherings. There is a cafe and a post office, but little else. The Methodist church is abandoned and there is a shell of a building with trees growing in the middle that used to be their market. (Rebecca Otte)</figcaption>
 </figure>Over and over, my husband and I have seen these small rural communities held together by a single coffee shop or perhaps a curio or antique shop, but the energy is gone. The downtowns are empty shells — the beautiful old limestone buildings falling in disrepair, the rusted railroad yards and grain elevators giving lie to the politicians’ rosy speeches.Yes, there are bright spots in Kansas and I’m sure our politicians and community leaders will be quick to point that out. But from what we’ve seen, far too many communities in our state have lost any hope of prosperity.The above opinion piece was republished with permission from <a href="http://kansasreflector.com">Kansas Reflector</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609701340707.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

OPINION: Our trips around Kansas gave us a portrait of decay

The Salina Area United Way is recruiting volunteers for its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

Among the positions needing to be filled are

The volunteers will assist during tax season: February-April 2021, according to information on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/SalinaAreaUnitedWay/">Salina Area United Way</a>&nbsp;Facebook page.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1609274084267.png" alt="Image courtesy Salina Area United Way" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Salina Area United Way</figcaption>
 </figure>The Salina Area United Way is recruiting volunteers for its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.Among the positions needing to be filled areGreetersTax preparersQuality reviewersSite coordinatorsThe volunteers will assist during tax season: February-April 2021, according to information on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/SalinaAreaUnitedWay/">Salina Area United Way</a>&nbsp;Facebook page.

Salina Area United Way seeks volunteers for VITA tax assistance program

By RON WILSON Kansas State University

During the last two weeks, we’ve learned about the Barta family and their success in Kansas football. Today, in the conclusion of this three-part series, we’ll learn about the youngest branch on this football family tree. Many thanks to K-State Sports Information and writer Austin Siegel for the following information.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Previously, we’ve learned about coach Roger Barta at Smith Center and his son Brooks Barta. Both Bartas became successful coaches. Today we’ll learn about the third generation in this remarkable football family.&nbsp;

Mason Barta is the son of Brooks and Tonya Barta and the grandson of Roger and Pam.&nbsp;&nbsp;He grew up at Holton where he was coached by his father and finished his high school career as the top-ranked outside linebacker in the state of Kansas. When it came to his collegiate football career, his father’s alma mater, Kansas State University, was one of the obvious choices.&nbsp;

Mason Barta remembers climbing the steps of the old Vanier Family Football Complex when he was a kid. His dad seemed to know everyone in the building. After his dad renewed old acquaintances, Mason walked into coach Bill Snyder’s office for the first time.&nbsp;

“(Coach Snyder) hung up the phone when my dad came in and we just sat down and talked about life,” Mason said. “I thought that was amazing. This program doesn't forget about the guys that come through here.”&nbsp;

As Mason’s high school career progressed, the recruiting process picked up.&nbsp;

“You could start your career with a Barta and end your career with a Barta,” Brooks told coach Snyder.&nbsp;That's exactly how it played out.&nbsp;Mason chose to come to K-State and became a key contributor at fullback.&nbsp;

“We wanted Mason to choose what was best for him," Brooks Barta said. “Of course, as his parents we were just excited because he was going to be close to home,” Brooks said.&nbsp;

It also made for some interesting phone calls as Mason Barta adjusted to the demands of Big 12 football and a coach with Big 12-level expectations for his players.&nbsp;

“I would call home and be like, ‘Man, Coach Snyder is really on me this week.’ Stuff like that," Mason said. “And my dad would be like, ‘I know exactly what you're talking about.’ But it built a lot of character and it was cool to experience the same things that my dad went through.”&nbsp;

Mason continued to excel after coach Snyder retired and Chris Klieman took the helm as head coach. As a fullback and blocker, Mason was a key contributor to K-State’s running game. In 2019, he helped K-State achieve 178 rushing yards per game, fourth-highest in the Big 12, and helped the Wildcats score 29 rushing touchdowns, the third-highest in the Big 12.&nbsp;

He contributed again in 2020, helping propel K-State to a 55-14 victory over KU. One special highlight was in the Oklahoma game when he made the swing-out block that sprung Deuce Vaughn loose for a game-tying touchdown. That would prove to be one of the defining moments of an upset over the third-ranked Sooners.&nbsp;

Mason also has followed his father’s footsteps in achieving academic success, being named a Second Team Academic All-Big 12 honoree.&nbsp;

Mason definitely adds to the hometown Kansas flavor of the K-State program. He is one of 54 Kansans, more than double the number of players from anywhere else in the country. Of course, his hometown is Holton, a rural community of 3,329 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;

Mason also has a unique perspective on how his father and grandfather didn’t just coach football but prepared their players for life. “They want to coach their players to not just be good football players, but to be men of faith and family,” Mason said. “I know that my grandfather and my dad really coach that family aspect.”&nbsp;

This concludes our three-part series on the Barta family of Kansas football fame. We commend Roger, Brooks and Mason Barta and all their families for making a difference in football and in life. This family tree has deep roots in football.&nbsp;

Audio and text files of Kansas Profiles are available at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansasprofile.com/" target="_blank">http://www.kansasprofile.com</a>. For more information about the Huck Boyd Institute, interested persons can visit&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.huckboydinstitute.org/" target="_blank">http://www.huckboydinstitute.org</a>.

Ron Wilson is director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600566316666.jpeg" alt="Ron Wilson. Photo courtesy KSRE" />
 <figcaption>Ron Wilson. Photo courtesy KSRE</figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Kansas State UniversityDuring the last two weeks, we’ve learned about the Barta family and their success in Kansas football. Today, in the conclusion of this three-part series, we’ll learn about the youngest branch on this football family tree. Many thanks to K-State Sports Information and writer Austin Siegel for the following information.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Previously, we’ve learned about coach Roger Barta at Smith Center and his son Brooks Barta. Both Bartas became successful coaches. Today we’ll learn about the third generation in this remarkable football family.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609629251563.jpeg" alt="Brooks and Mason Barta. Photo courtesy KSRE" />
 <figcaption>Brooks and Mason Barta. Photo courtesy KSRE</figcaption>
 </figure>Mason Barta is the son of Brooks and Tonya Barta and the grandson of Roger and Pam.&nbsp;&nbsp;He grew up at Holton where he was coached by his father and finished his high school career as the top-ranked outside linebacker in the state of Kansas. When it came to his collegiate football career, his father’s alma mater, Kansas State University, was one of the obvious choices.&nbsp;Mason Barta remembers climbing the steps of the old Vanier Family Football Complex when he was a kid. His dad seemed to know everyone in the building. After his dad renewed old acquaintances, Mason walked into coach Bill Snyder’s office for the first time.&nbsp;“(Coach Snyder) hung up the phone when my dad came in and we just sat down and talked about life,” Mason said. “I thought that was amazing. This program doesn't forget about the guys that come through here.”&nbsp;As Mason’s high school career progressed, the recruiting process picked up.&nbsp;“You could start your career with a Barta and end your career with a Barta,” Brooks told coach Snyder.&nbsp;That's exactly how it played out.&nbsp;Mason chose to come to K-State and became a key contributor at fullback.&nbsp;“We wanted Mason to choose what was best for him," Brooks Barta said. “Of course, as his parents we were just excited because he was going to be close to home,” Brooks said.&nbsp;It also made for some interesting phone calls as Mason Barta adjusted to the demands of Big 12 football and a coach with Big 12-level expectations for his players.&nbsp;“I would call home and be like, ‘Man, Coach Snyder is really on me this week.’ Stuff like that," Mason said. “And my dad would be like, ‘I know exactly what you're talking about.’ But it built a lot of character and it was cool to experience the same things that my dad went through.”&nbsp;Mason continued to excel after coach Snyder retired and Chris Klieman took the helm as head coach. As a fullback and blocker, Mason was a key contributor to K-State’s running game. In 2019, he helped K-State achieve 178 rushing yards per game, fourth-highest in the Big 12, and helped the Wildcats score 29 rushing touchdowns, the third-highest in the Big 12.&nbsp;He contributed again in 2020, helping propel K-State to a 55-14 victory over KU. One special highlight was in the Oklahoma game when he made the swing-out block that sprung Deuce Vaughn loose for a game-tying touchdown. That would prove to be one of the defining moments of an upset over the third-ranked Sooners.&nbsp;Mason also has followed his father’s footsteps in achieving academic success, being named a Second Team Academic All-Big 12 honoree.&nbsp;Mason definitely adds to the hometown Kansas flavor of the K-State program. He is one of 54 Kansans, more than double the number of players from anywhere else in the country. Of course, his hometown is Holton, a rural community of 3,329 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;Mason also has a unique perspective on how his father and grandfather didn’t just coach football but prepared their players for life. “They want to coach their players to not just be good football players, but to be men of faith and family,” Mason said. “I know that my grandfather and my dad really coach that family aspect.”&nbsp;This concludes our three-part series on the Barta family of Kansas football fame. We commend Roger, Brooks and Mason Barta and all their families for making a difference in football and in life. This family tree has deep roots in football.&nbsp;Audio and text files of Kansas Profiles are available at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansasprofile.com/" target="_blank">http://www.kansasprofile.com</a>. For more information about the Huck Boyd Institute, interested persons can visit&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.huckboydinstitute.org/" target="_blank">http://www.huckboydinstitute.org</a>.Ron Wilson is director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.

NOW THAT'S RURAL: Mason Barta, football family, part 3

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Recent obituaries

By TIM UNRUH Salina Airport Authority

Job prospects played a big role in Zak Kierstein’s pursuit of a professional pilot a career.

“Demand was insane” in 2016 when he graduated high school in Denver. “I thought I’d give this a shot,” Kierstein said, and he opted for enrollment at Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus in Salina — among the top five flight programs in the nation.

“It was the smaller size of the program, the smaller feel, proximity to the airport,&nbsp;everything is in the same place,” he said, “and their good quality airplanes.”

But like many industries these days, commercial aviation has taken some hits this year, along with flight education, thanks in large part to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

The spread of coronavirus that spiked through the spring and summer — worse this fall — has posed a threat to scheduled air service and corporate/ business jet travel.

Young people pursuing careers as pilots, have wagered their futures on demand for flight remaining high, yet current events pose worries. Fret not, young flyers.

Experts predict the dip in demand to be relatively brief before activity soars again, along with job prospects.

“When we get to the other side of COVID, we hope to return to the hiring levels we experienced pre-COVID,” said Prof. Terry Hunt PhD, aviation department chair at Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus in the Salina Airport Industrial Center.

Flight operations “shut down” this past spring when COVID-19 hammered the world.

K-State Poly instruction went to remote learning and flight operations ceased, and while “the fairly aggressive hiring” of airlines slowed thanks to the drop in passenger numbers, not all was lost for long.

“After COVID safety protocols were developed, we were able to resume flight operations in early June and through the summer, and this fall semester,” Hunt said.

Through the uncertainty and lulls, Kierstein stayed the course.

“There might have been a couple times when I was not sure what was going to happen,” he said.

He graduated in December 2019, and reached the required 1,000 hours of flight time in early September to achieve a Restricted Airline Transport Pilot Certificate.

Professional Pilot graduates are typically hired by regional airlines, Hunt said, where they advance in rank from first officer to captain.

“Many of them will desire to finish with regional airlines, and other go to legacy carriers (among them Southwest, United, American and Delta),” he said.

After a short stint as a K-State Poly flight instructor, Keirstein will pursue work as a professional pilot.

“Luckily, I have a good job here,” he said. “I have all this training and I’m qualified. I figure I can find something.”&nbsp;

COVID safety measures are strict. Students and instructors must remain masked. Aircraft are deep-cleaned every evening, Hunt said, and surfaces are sanitized between each flight.

Students and instructors are COVID-tested twice a week.

“There have been a few positive cases, but students have been able to return to campus after quarantine,” he said. “I think the department of aviation has worked very hard to minimize the spread.”

As the United States and countries around the globe are on the cusp of releasing COVID vaccines, good pilot prospects have returned.

Analysts at CAE, formerly known as Canadian Aviation Electronics, expect civil aviation to need more than 260,000 new pilots over the next decade. CAE released those findings in its 2020 Airline and Business Jet Pilot Demand Outlook.

A worldwide aviation training leader, CAE predicted “that the active pilot population is expected to return to 2019 levels in 2022.”

The 2020 to 2029 CAE Pilot Demand Outlook reported that “retirement and attrition” will add challenges to the civil aviation industry as air travel recovers progressively.

“This is expected to drive an acute demand for pilots, resulting in an estimated short-term need for approximately 27,000 new professional pilots starting in late 2021,” the report reads.

Those words are golden to the K-State Poly’s aviation department, which is full and stands a good chance of staying that way or gaining in size.

“We at K-State are definitely enrolled to capacity, and we’re moving students forward,” Hunt said. “We are enrolling additional aviation students for the spring semester, and for next fall we expect similar numbers. We expect the inflow of students to remain very strong.”

Many of the airlines use CAE as a reference point, said Gary Foss, owner of the ArkStar Group, and air service consultant for the Salina Airport Authority.

“They are a world leader in training for unique professional positions; pilot training, flight attendants, medical training,” he said. “They need to make estimates for how many flight simulators or medical infrastructure that they need.”

Getting back to normal in aviation is “tied to the (COVID) vaccine,” Foss said. “The story as I see it is the existing pilot shortage will be fairly short-lived. While the industry is long on pilots, I think, by the end of 2021, you’re going to see demand back in a robust fashion. With the herd immunity, we will see people flying unfettered and be back to the demand for pilots that you had previously.”

Forecasts keep plans alive for a department expansion, K-State’s Hunt said.

“We are certainly passionate and optimistic about aviation,” he said. “The airlines, business and corporate aviation are still very strong, and have been hiring pilots. Private aviation within the industry is quite strong.”

Looking at the situation a bit more long-term, Hunt said the past 10 to 12 years have seen “an amazing trend of hiring and growth within the airlines. What we’re seeing now is a COVID-driven slowing of that trend.”

K-State Poly prepares Professional Pilot graduates for more than the airlines, he said. Graduates pursue careers in agricultural aviation, military, corporate and business flying, and air taxi/charter.

“The airlines are the most visible facet of the industry, but the other facets are hiring as well,” Hunt said. “We are producing high quality professional pilots that will successfully compete in any of those facets. They’re definitely going to be more than qualified to compete out there in the workplace.”

The pandemic has so far been just a blip to Kierstein’s plans and those of his K-State colleagues. “It’s basically just a delay at this point. We’re just kind of waiting it out, basically doing all we can do,” he said. “It looks pretty good.”

Four years ago, mentors lauded Kierstein’s luck, because the forecast for 2020 was a good time to enter the pilot job market, given the expected pilot shortage.

That hasn’t changed for the 22-year-old.

The same number of veteran pilots “are still going to reach 65, and the underlying demand remains,” he said. “The cause is still there. This is just delaying some of the hiring, just a bit.”

Did You Know? Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus counted 291 students enrolled in aviation programs in 2018; 334 in 2019, and 376 this year. Enrollment is “at capacity and maybe a little beyond” this year, said Prof. Terry Hunt, PhD, aviation department chair, and interest remains high for next year.

“Enrollment for the spring and fall will be very good,” he said. “This is a great program. It has quite a history of excellence and a very bright future.”&nbsp; &nbsp;

The above article was republished with permission from the Salina Airport Authority. It first appeared in the December 2020 issue of "Reporting Points."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609645336737.jpeg" alt="K-State Poly graduate and flight instructor, Zak Kierstein, of Denver, is confident in his future while pursuing a career as a professional pilot. (Courtesy photo)" />
 <figcaption>K-State Poly graduate and flight instructor, Zak Kierstein, of Denver, is confident in his future while pursuing a career as a professional pilot. (Courtesy photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM UNRUH Salina Airport AuthorityJob prospects played a big role in Zak Kierstein’s pursuit of a professional pilot a career. “Demand was insane” in 2016 when he graduated high school in Denver. “I thought I’d give this a shot,” Kierstein said, and he opted for enrollment at Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus in Salina — among the top five flight programs in the nation. “It was the smaller size of the program, the smaller feel, proximity to the airport,&nbsp;everything is in the same place,” he said, “and their good quality airplanes.” But like many industries these days, commercial aviation has taken some hits this year, along with flight education, thanks in large part to the COVID-19 global pandemic. The spread of coronavirus that spiked through the spring and summer — worse this fall — has posed a threat to scheduled air service and corporate/ business jet travel. Young people pursuing careers as pilots, have wagered their futures on demand for flight remaining high, yet current events pose worries. Fret not, young flyers. Experts predict the dip in demand to be relatively brief before activity soars again, along with job prospects. “When we get to the other side of COVID, we hope to return to the hiring levels we experienced pre-COVID,” said Prof. Terry Hunt PhD, aviation department chair at Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus in the Salina Airport Industrial Center. Flight operations “shut down” this past spring when COVID-19 hammered the world. K-State Poly instruction went to remote learning and flight operations ceased, and while “the fairly aggressive hiring” of airlines slowed thanks to the drop in passenger numbers, not all was lost for long. “After COVID safety protocols were developed, we were able to resume flight operations in early June and through the summer, and this fall semester,” Hunt said. Through the uncertainty and lulls, Kierstein stayed the course. “There might have been a couple times when I was not sure what was going to happen,” he said. Kierstein remained focused. He graduated in December 2019, and reached the required 1,000 hours of flight time in early September to achieve a Restricted Airline Transport Pilot Certificate. Professional Pilot graduates are typically hired by regional airlines, Hunt said, where they advance in rank from first officer to captain. “Many of them will desire to finish with regional airlines, and other go to legacy carriers (among them Southwest, United, American and Delta),” he said. After a short stint as a K-State Poly flight instructor, Keirstein will pursue work as a professional pilot. “Luckily, I have a good job here,” he said. “I have all this training and I’m qualified. I figure I can find something.”&nbsp; COVID safety measures are strict. Students and instructors must remain masked. Aircraft are deep-cleaned every evening, Hunt said, and surfaces are sanitized between each flight. Students and instructors are COVID-tested twice a week. “There have been a few positive cases, but students have been able to return to campus after quarantine,” he said. “I think the department of aviation has worked very hard to minimize the spread.” As the United States and countries around the globe are on the cusp of releasing COVID vaccines, good pilot prospects have returned. Analysts at CAE, formerly known as Canadian Aviation Electronics, expect civil aviation to need more than 260,000 new pilots over the next decade. CAE released those findings in its 2020 Airline and Business Jet Pilot Demand Outlook. A worldwide aviation training leader, CAE predicted “that the active pilot population is expected to return to 2019 levels in 2022.” The 2020 to 2029 CAE Pilot Demand Outlook reported that “retirement and attrition” will add challenges to the civil aviation industry as air travel recovers progressively. “This is expected to drive an acute demand for pilots, resulting in an estimated short-term need for approximately 27,000 new professional pilots starting in late 2021,” the report reads. Those words are golden to the K-State Poly’s aviation department, which is full and stands a good chance of staying that way or gaining in size. “We at K-State are definitely enrolled to capacity, and we’re moving students forward,” Hunt said. “We are enrolling additional aviation students for the spring semester, and for next fall we expect similar numbers. We expect the inflow of students to remain very strong.” Many of the airlines use CAE as a reference point, said Gary Foss, owner of the ArkStar Group, and air service consultant for the Salina Airport Authority. “They are a world leader in training for unique professional positions; pilot training, flight attendants, medical training,” he said. “They need to make estimates for how many flight simulators or medical infrastructure that they need.” Getting back to normal in aviation is “tied to the (COVID) vaccine,” Foss said. “The story as I see it is the existing pilot shortage will be fairly short-lived. While the industry is long on pilots, I think, by the end of 2021, you’re going to see demand back in a robust fashion. With the herd immunity, we will see people flying unfettered and be back to the demand for pilots that you had previously.” Forecasts keep plans alive for a department expansion, K-State’s Hunt said. “We are certainly passionate and optimistic about aviation,” he said. “The airlines, business and corporate aviation are still very strong, and have been hiring pilots. Private aviation within the industry is quite strong.” Looking at the situation a bit more long-term, Hunt said the past 10 to 12 years have seen “an amazing trend of hiring and growth within the airlines. What we’re seeing now is a COVID-driven slowing of that trend.” K-State Poly prepares Professional Pilot graduates for more than the airlines, he said. Graduates pursue careers in agricultural aviation, military, corporate and business flying, and air taxi/charter. “The airlines are the most visible facet of the industry, but the other facets are hiring as well,” Hunt said. “We are producing high quality professional pilots that will successfully compete in any of those facets. They’re definitely going to be more than qualified to compete out there in the workplace.” The pandemic has so far been just a blip to Kierstein’s plans and those of his K-State colleagues. “It’s basically just a delay at this point. We’re just kind of waiting it out, basically doing all we can do,” he said. “It looks pretty good.” Four years ago, mentors lauded Kierstein’s luck, because the forecast for 2020 was a good time to enter the pilot job market, given the expected pilot shortage. That hasn’t changed for the 22-year-old. The same number of veteran pilots “are still going to reach 65, and the underlying demand remains,” he said. “The cause is still there. This is just delaying some of the hiring, just a bit.” Did You Know? Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus counted 291 students enrolled in aviation programs in 2018; 334 in 2019, and 376 this year. Enrollment is “at capacity and maybe a little beyond” this year, said Prof. Terry Hunt, PhD, aviation department chair, and interest remains high for next year. “Enrollment for the spring and fall will be very good,” he said. “This is a great program. It has quite a history of excellence and a very bright future.”&nbsp; &nbsp;The above article was republished with permission from the Salina Airport Authority. It first appeared in the December 2020 issue of "Reporting Points."

Grad enthused as K-State Poly anticipates more pilot job demand when COVID subsides

Today is Sunday, Jan. 3, the third day of 2021. There are 362 days left in the year. 

On Jan. 3, 1977, Apple Computer was incorporated in Cupertino, California, by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Mike Markkula Jr. 

In 1777, Gen. George Washington's army routed the British in the Battle of Princeton, New Jersey. 

In 1833, Britain seized control of the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic. (Almost 150 years later, Argentina seized the islands from the British, but Britain took them back after a 74-day war.) 

In 1870, groundbreaking took place for the Brooklyn Bridge.

In 1959, Alaska became the 49th state as President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a proclamation. 

In 1961, President Dwight D. Eisenhower announced the United States was formally terminating diplomatic and consular relations with Cuba. 

In 1967, Jack Ruby, the man who shot and killed Lee Harvey Oswald, the accused assassin of President John F. Kennedy, died in a Dallas hospital. 

In 1975, the original version of the TV game show "Jeopardy!," hosted by Art Fleming, ended its nearly 11-year run on NBC.

In 1990, ousted Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega surrendered to U.S. forces, 10 days after taking refuge in the Vatican's diplomatic mission. 

In 2000, the last new daily "Peanuts" strip by Charles Schulz ran in 26-hundred newspapers. 

In 2007, Gerald R. Ford was laid to rest on the grounds of his presidential museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan, during a ceremony watched by thousands of onlookers.

In 2008, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama won Democratic caucuses in Iowa, while Mike Huckabee won the Republican caucuses. 

In 2013, students from Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, reconvened at a different building in the town of Monroe about three weeks after the massacre that had claimed the lives of 20 first-graders and six educators. The new 113th Congress opened for business, with House Speaker John Boehner re-elected to his post despite a mini-revolt in Republican ranks. 

Ten years ago: Democrat Jerry Brown was sworn in as California's 39th governor, returning to the office he'd left 28 years earlier. Prosecutors in Dallas declared Cornelius Dupree Jr. innocent of a rape and robbery that had put him in prison for 30 years.

Five years ago: Republican presidential contender Donald Trump brushed off an African militant group's video that showed him calling for Muslims to be banned from coming to the U.S., telling the Sunday news shows he wouldn't be dissuaded from saying what he thought. Saudi Arabia announced it was severing diplomatic relations with Shiite powerhouse Iran amid escalating tensions over the Sunni kingdom's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric.

One year ago: Health authorities in the Chinese city of Wuhan said the number of cases of a newly diagnosed respiratory illness linked to a food market there had risen to 44, with lung damage appearing in a "small number" of cases. Authorities in Hong Kong activated a newly-created "serious response" level as fears spread about the disease that may have been brought back by visitors to Wuhan. The United States killed Iran's top general in an airstrike at Baghdad's international airport; the Pentagon said Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds force, had been "actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members" in Iraq and elsewhere. Iran warned of retaliation.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Dabney Coleman is 89. Journalist-author Betty Rollin is 85. Hockey Hall of Famer Bobby Hull is 82. Singer-songwriter-producer Van Dyke Parks is 78. Musician Stephen Stills is 76. Rock musician John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) is 75. Actor Victoria Principal is 71. Actor-director Mel Gibson is 65. Actor Shannon Sturges is 53. Actor John Ales is 52. Jazz musician James Carter is 52. Contemporary Christian singer Nichole Nordeman is 49. Musician Thomas Bangalter (Daft Punk) is 46. Actor Jason Marsden is 46. Actor Danica McKellar is 46. Actor Nicholas Gonzalez is 45. Singer Kimberley Locke (TV: "American Idol") is 43. Actor Kate Levering is 42. Former NFL quarterback Eli Manning is 40. Actor Nicole Beharie is 36. Pop musician Mark Pontius (Foster the People) is 36. Rhythm-and-blues singer Lloyd is 35. Pop-rock musician Nash Overstreet (Hot Chelle Rae) is 35. Actor Alex D. Linz is 32.

<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, Jan. 3, the third day of 2021. There are 362 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Jan. 3, 1977, Apple Computer was incorporated in Cupertino, California, by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Mike Markkula Jr. On this date: In 1777, Gen. George Washington's army routed the British in the Battle of Princeton, New Jersey. In 1833, Britain seized control of the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic. (Almost 150 years later, Argentina seized the islands from the British, but Britain took them back after a 74-day war.) In 1870, groundbreaking took place for the Brooklyn Bridge.In 1959, Alaska became the 49th state as President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a proclamation. In 1961, President Dwight D. Eisenhower announced the United States was formally terminating diplomatic and consular relations with Cuba. In 1967, Jack Ruby, the man who shot and killed Lee Harvey Oswald, the accused assassin of President John F. Kennedy, died in a Dallas hospital. In 1975, the original version of the TV game show "Jeopardy!," hosted by Art Fleming, ended its nearly 11-year run on NBC.In 1990, ousted Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega surrendered to U.S. forces, 10 days after taking refuge in the Vatican's diplomatic mission. In 2000, the last new daily "Peanuts" strip by Charles Schulz ran in 26-hundred newspapers. In 2007, Gerald R. Ford was laid to rest on the grounds of his presidential museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan, during a ceremony watched by thousands of onlookers.In 2008, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama won Democratic caucuses in Iowa, while Mike Huckabee won the Republican caucuses. In 2013, students from Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, reconvened at a different building in the town of Monroe about three weeks after the massacre that had claimed the lives of 20 first-graders and six educators. The new 113th Congress opened for business, with House Speaker John Boehner re-elected to his post despite a mini-revolt in Republican ranks. Ten years ago: Democrat Jerry Brown was sworn in as California's 39th governor, returning to the office he'd left 28 years earlier. Prosecutors in Dallas declared Cornelius Dupree Jr. innocent of a rape and robbery that had put him in prison for 30 years.Five years ago: Republican presidential contender Donald Trump brushed off an African militant group's video that showed him calling for Muslims to be banned from coming to the U.S., telling the Sunday news shows he wouldn't be dissuaded from saying what he thought. Saudi Arabia announced it was severing diplomatic relations with Shiite powerhouse Iran amid escalating tensions over the Sunni kingdom's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric.One year ago: Health authorities in the Chinese city of Wuhan said the number of cases of a newly diagnosed respiratory illness linked to a food market there had risen to 44, with lung damage appearing in a "small number" of cases. Authorities in Hong Kong activated a newly-created "serious response" level as fears spread about the disease that may have been brought back by visitors to Wuhan. The United States killed Iran's top general in an airstrike at Baghdad's international airport; the Pentagon said Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds force, had been "actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members" in Iraq and elsewhere. Iran warned of retaliation. Today's Birthdays: Actor Dabney Coleman is 89. Journalist-author Betty Rollin is 85. Hockey Hall of Famer Bobby Hull is 82. Singer-songwriter-producer Van Dyke Parks is 78. Musician Stephen Stills is 76. Rock musician John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) is 75. Actor Victoria Principal is 71. Actor-director Mel Gibson is 65. Actor Shannon Sturges is 53. Actor John Ales is 52. Jazz musician James Carter is 52. Contemporary Christian singer Nichole Nordeman is 49. Musician Thomas Bangalter (Daft Punk) is 46. Actor Jason Marsden is 46. Actor Danica McKellar is 46. Actor Nicholas Gonzalez is 45. Singer Kimberley Locke (TV: "American Idol") is 43. Actor Kate Levering is 42. Former NFL quarterback Eli Manning is 40. Actor Nicole Beharie is 36. Pop musician Mark Pontius (Foster the People) is 36. Rhythm-and-blues singer Lloyd is 35. Pop-rock musician Nash Overstreet (Hot Chelle Rae) is 35. Actor Alex D. Linz is 32.

Today in History -- Jan. 3

By&nbsp;HUASCAR MEDINA For <a href="http://kansasreflector.com">Kansas Reflector</a>

Kansas writers are among the most relevant and influential in America this year and we need to acknowledge it.

These four Kansas writers keep showing up, front and center, winning awards, prestigious positions and nominations in film and literature. It’s been a tough year and we need something to cheer about. So here it is.

Kevin Willmott, born in Junction City, professor of film at the University of Kansas, continues to set the tone, focusing on Black issues in his films. He won an&nbsp;<a href="https://film.ku.edu/oscar-winner-ku-professor-kevin-willmott-shares-his-love-activism-kansas-and-teaching">Academy Award in 2019</a>&nbsp;for Best Adapted Screenplay for “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Blackkklansman-John-David-Washington/dp/B07G7DBTSN">BlacKkKlansman</a>” with Spike Lee. On June 12, 2020, “<a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81045635">Da 5 Bloods</a>” was released on Netflix, starring Chadwick Boseman. “Da 5 Bloods” was co-written by Willmott, Paul De Meo, Danny Bilson and Spike Lee. Willmott also collaborated with Lee on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/spike-lees-necessary-overwhelming-chi-raq">“Chi-Raq</a>” in 2015, and Lee directed all three movies.

Willmott continues to elevate the consciousness of the nation through film and has, for years, recaptured history we would not have known of in cinema. This year, he directed, co-wrote and co-produced the historical drama “<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/10/05/kansas-filmmaker-kevin-willmotts-latest-movie-feels-like-a-warning/">The 24th</a>.” The impact and influence that Willmott is having on the American psyche will take years to evaluate but we can agree that it is important now.

Ben Lerner, born in Topeka, still has not received the acknowledgment he deserves in Kansas. It’s time we celebrate his accomplishments proudly, openly and consistently in this state. Lerner’s “<a href="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374277789">The Topeka School</a>,” published in 2019, was a 2020 finalist for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pulitzer.org/prize-winners-by-year">Pulitzer Prize for fiction</a>. Over the years, Lerner has received a Fulbright Fellowship, Guggenheim Fellowship and a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship. Lerner became the first poetry editor at Harper’s in 2016. He was a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalbook.org/people/ben-lerner/">National Book Award finalist</a>&nbsp;for poetry in 2006 for his second collection, “<a href="https://www.coppercanyonpress.org/books/angle-of-yaw-by-ben-lerner/">Angle of Yaw</a>.”

Lerner is one of the most gifted and accomplished writers in the United States and it astounds me that he is still not a household name across his home state. I think about this regularly. Lerner has gone from prodigy to phenom to great in a very short time.

<a href="https://sarahsmarsh.com/">Sarah Smarsh</a>&nbsp;is a fifth-generation Kansan, journalist and author of the biography, “<a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/She-Come-By-It-Natural/Sarah-Smarsh/9781982157289">She Come By It Natural: Dolly Parton and the Women Who Lived Her Songs</a>,” published Oct. 13. Smarsh is the New York Times bestselling author of “<a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Heartland/Sarah-Smarsh/9781501133107">Heartland</a>,” a finalist for the National Book Award for nonfiction in 2018. She is also the host of “<a href="https://www.thehomecomers.org/">The Homecomers</a>,” a podcast recording the voices of those fighting for the rural and working class in America. Smarsh is the most respected and visible spokesperson for Kansas and rural America in media today.

<a href="https://kevinyoungpoetry.com/">Kevin Young</a>, graduate of Topeka West High School, class of ’88, has been the Poetry Editor of The New Yorker since 2017. Young is the director of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nypl.org/locations/schomburg">Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture</a>&nbsp;at the New York Public Library. He’s the author of “<a href="https://kevinyoungpoetry.com/brown.html">Brown: Poems</a>,” published in 2018, which remarks on his years in Kansas in a section titled, “On The Atchison, Topeka &amp; Santa Fe.” In October of this year, “<a href="https://kevinyoungpoetry.com/african-american-poetry-250-years-of-struggle-and-song.html">African American Poetry: 250 Years of Struggle and Song</a>” was published by the Library of America. Young edited the anthology widely regarded as one of the best books of poetry in 2020, a literary landmark and the best anthology of Black poetry. He’s the incoming director of the Smithsonian’s&nbsp;<a href="https://nmaahc.si.edu/">National Museum of African American History and Culture</a>.

These four writers are from Kansas. They are writing right now. They are inspiring, informing and influencing America. If you are an aspiring writer, absorb their work. If you are a teacher, please share their work. If you are a Kansan, be proud. Willmott, Lerner, Smarsh and Young are winning and we should be cheering a lot louder.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609625100115.jpeg" alt="Clockwise from top left: Ben Lerner, Kevin Young, Sarah Smarsh, and Kevin Willmott. (Submitted)" />
 <figcaption>Clockwise from top left: Ben Lerner, Kevin Young, Sarah Smarsh, and Kevin Willmott. (Submitted)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;HUASCAR MEDINA For <a href="http://kansasreflector.com">Kansas Reflector</a>Kansas writers are among the most relevant and influential in America this year and we need to acknowledge it.These four Kansas writers keep showing up, front and center, winning awards, prestigious positions and nominations in film and literature. It’s been a tough year and we need something to cheer about. So here it is.Kevin Willmott, born in Junction City, professor of film at the University of Kansas, continues to set the tone, focusing on Black issues in his films. He won an&nbsp;<a href="https://film.ku.edu/oscar-winner-ku-professor-kevin-willmott-shares-his-love-activism-kansas-and-teaching">Academy Award in 2019</a>&nbsp;for Best Adapted Screenplay for “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Blackkklansman-John-David-Washington/dp/B07G7DBTSN">BlacKkKlansman</a>” with Spike Lee. On June 12, 2020, “<a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81045635">Da 5 Bloods</a>” was released on Netflix, starring Chadwick Boseman. “Da 5 Bloods” was co-written by Willmott, Paul De Meo, Danny Bilson and Spike Lee. Willmott also collaborated with Lee on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/spike-lees-necessary-overwhelming-chi-raq">“Chi-Raq</a>” in 2015, and Lee directed all three movies.Willmott continues to elevate the consciousness of the nation through film and has, for years, recaptured history we would not have known of in cinema. This year, he directed, co-wrote and co-produced the historical drama “<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/10/05/kansas-filmmaker-kevin-willmotts-latest-movie-feels-like-a-warning/">The 24th</a>.” The impact and influence that Willmott is having on the American psyche will take years to evaluate but we can agree that it is important now.Ben Lerner, born in Topeka, still has not received the acknowledgment he deserves in Kansas. It’s time we celebrate his accomplishments proudly, openly and consistently in this state. Lerner’s “<a href="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374277789">The Topeka School</a>,” published in 2019, was a 2020 finalist for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pulitzer.org/prize-winners-by-year">Pulitzer Prize for fiction</a>. Over the years, Lerner has received a Fulbright Fellowship, Guggenheim Fellowship and a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship. Lerner became the first poetry editor at Harper’s in 2016. He was a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalbook.org/people/ben-lerner/">National Book Award finalist</a>&nbsp;for poetry in 2006 for his second collection, “<a href="https://www.coppercanyonpress.org/books/angle-of-yaw-by-ben-lerner/">Angle of Yaw</a>.”Lerner is one of the most gifted and accomplished writers in the United States and it astounds me that he is still not a household name across his home state. I think about this regularly. Lerner has gone from prodigy to phenom to great in a very short time.<a href="https://sarahsmarsh.com/">Sarah Smarsh</a>&nbsp;is a fifth-generation Kansan, journalist and author of the biography, “<a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/She-Come-By-It-Natural/Sarah-Smarsh/9781982157289">She Come By It Natural: Dolly Parton and the Women Who Lived Her Songs</a>,” published Oct. 13. Smarsh is the New York Times bestselling author of “<a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Heartland/Sarah-Smarsh/9781501133107">Heartland</a>,” a finalist for the National Book Award for nonfiction in 2018. She is also the host of “<a href="https://www.thehomecomers.org/">The Homecomers</a>,” a podcast recording the voices of those fighting for the rural and working class in America. Smarsh is the most respected and visible spokesperson for Kansas and rural America in media today.<a href="https://kevinyoungpoetry.com/">Kevin Young</a>, graduate of Topeka West High School, class of ’88, has been the Poetry Editor of The New Yorker since 2017. Young is the director of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nypl.org/locations/schomburg">Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture</a>&nbsp;at the New York Public Library. He’s the author of “<a href="https://kevinyoungpoetry.com/brown.html">Brown: Poems</a>,” published in 2018, which remarks on his years in Kansas in a section titled, “On The Atchison, Topeka &amp; Santa Fe.” In October of this year, “<a href="https://kevinyoungpoetry.com/african-american-poetry-250-years-of-struggle-and-song.html">African American Poetry: 250 Years of Struggle and Song</a>” was published by the Library of America. Young edited the anthology widely regarded as one of the best books of poetry in 2020, a literary landmark and the best anthology of Black poetry. He’s the incoming director of the Smithsonian’s&nbsp;<a href="https://nmaahc.si.edu/">National Museum of African American History and Culture</a>.These four writers are from Kansas. They are writing right now. They are inspiring, informing and influencing America. If you are an aspiring writer, absorb their work. If you are a teacher, please share their work. If you are a Kansan, be proud. Willmott, Lerner, Smarsh and Young are winning and we should be cheering a lot louder.The above opinion piece is republished with permission of <a href="http://kansasreflector.com">Kansas Reflector</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609625066392.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

OPINION: These four Kansas writers are inspiring, influencing America

A winter storm impacted the region New Year's Day, spreading areas of freezing rain and snow across Mid-America. 

Snowfall amounts along and either side of the Kansas Turnpike corridor ranged from roughly 3 to 5 inches, with a narrow strip of 5 to 7 inches across the Wichita metro and adjacent areas of south-central Kansas and northern Oklahoma.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609598091120.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>A winter storm impacted the region New Year's Day, spreading areas of freezing rain and snow across Mid-America. Snowfall amounts along and either side of the Kansas Turnpike corridor ranged from roughly 3 to 5 inches, with a narrow strip of 5 to 7 inches across the Wichita metro and adjacent areas of south-central Kansas and northern Oklahoma.

Saline County dodges bullet; other counties get snow

Salina Public Library has something special planned for the new year—the 2021 Reading Challenge! 

According to information on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/salinapubliclibrary">library's Facebook page</a>, the 2021 Reading Challenge is a library program that encourages people to read books from different categories to discuss as a group. Each month has a challenge that is wrapped up the last Tuesday of each month with a book discussion.

Recommendations for each challenge are available at <a href="http://salinapubliclibrary.org/readingchallenge?fbclid=IwAR0MxFb03vj7fk_nPHnMZNADH3KXNv7tn-OeQUO-zC-mOWcrJ9K2xmZD5BU" target="_blank">salinapubliclibrary.org/readingchallenge</a>.

January's challenge is to read a book set in a different country.

Participants will qualify for monthly prize drawings with a grand prize drawing at the end of the year. Participants can also review the books they've read for a chance to win.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609551960036.jpeg" alt="Image courtesy Salina Public Library" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Salina Public Library</figcaption>
 </figure>Salina Public Library has something special planned for the new year—the 2021 Reading Challenge! According to information on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/salinapubliclibrary">library's Facebook page</a>, the 2021 Reading Challenge is a library program that encourages people to read books from different categories to discuss as a group. Each month has a challenge that is wrapped up the last Tuesday of each month with a book discussion. Recommendations for each challenge are available at <a href="http://salinapubliclibrary.org/readingchallenge?fbclid=IwAR0MxFb03vj7fk_nPHnMZNADH3KXNv7tn-OeQUO-zC-mOWcrJ9K2xmZD5BU" target="_blank">salinapubliclibrary.org/readingchallenge</a>. January's challenge is to read a book set in a different country.Participants will qualify for monthly prize drawings with a grand prize drawing at the end of the year. Participants can also review the books they've read for a chance to win.&nbsp;

Library announces 2021 Reading Challenge

2020 is the challenging year that just won’t go away, however much we wish it would, as many current issues over First Amendment freedoms flop over into the new year. In the broad realm of freedom of speech, there’s little doubt debate will continue in the new Congress around the tangential First Amendment controversy over legal protections for companies hosting content on the web — aka Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act.

The law largely removes liability from companies for user-posted content on their sites. While not directly a First Amendment issue, the fight does have major implications for users’ free speech on the web, as we know it today, as well for as social media companies’ rights.

President Donald J. Trump&nbsp;and conservatives claim the provision is being used to hide partisan discrimination by major technology companies against right-wing voices. Liberal critics say the law removes incentives for such online operations to seriously fight misinformation.

Advocates for keeping the law “as is” say that without it, social media companies would face a myriad of potential lawsuits and thus dramatically limit what users can freely post on sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram. No company will be able moderate the web’s current traffic, they say, estimated by multiple sources at 500,000 hours of user video uploaded to YouTube, 188 million emails and 18 million texts every minute.

Controversy will also continue surrounding the First Amendment’s two least-known freedoms — petition and assembly — as multiple state legislatures consider increasing criminal and civil penalties for demonstrators who block streets or sidewalks or simply participate in events where, at some point, a violent act occurs.

Critics of the proposals, many of which have been introduced over the past five years, say their real motives are the stifling of dissenting or minority views, though advocates claim the new provisions are rooted in legitimate law and order concerns about violence and property damages.

In the area of religious liberty, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule this spring on Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, involving both the First Amendment’s free exercise and establishment clauses. In the case, a religious-backed foster care agency is challenging a city decision to cancel a contract because the agency refused to provide services to married same-sex couples, citing religious grounds.

There is no doubt that as COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on public gatherings continue into the new year, so will legal challenges rooted in the First Amendment’s protection of religious liberty.

There are some new First Amendment issues for 2021 as a result of the incoming Biden administration, though even here, many are tinged by actions or views from the Trump years.

A top concern for free-press advocates is the potential for the Supreme Court’s new conservative majority to review the 1963 New York Times v. Sullivan decision, which provided wide protection from defamation claims by government officials and other public figures if actual error was inadvertent or not caused by reckless disregard for the truth.

A longstanding target of press critics and Trump, the decision is rooted in the theory that such protection is needed to foster the widest possible debate on public issues. Trump and others claim the decision makes it virtually impossible for officials and public figures to successfully repair deliberate damage to their reputations and that it gives journalists free license to report so-called “fake news.”

Of concern for some is the potential return to Obama-era regulations reversed by Trump that were aimed at combatting sexual harassment on college campuses, which critics said stepped on free-speech protections, particularly where online comments were deemed to be “sexual in nature.”

The Supreme Court is expected to decide in January whether to hear an appeal of a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit that public school authorities may not punish student speech made away from school grounds. Other circuits have made differing decisions.

Some First Amendment experts also are concerned the incoming administration may be open to reducing or eliminating the First Amendment protections for what some deem “hate speech” or speech demeaning to women or minority religious groups. At present, such speech generally is protected, with some arguing that in addition to a core right to voice one’s own views, it is necessary to hear such speech to effectively argue against it.

Free-press supporters are already calling on&nbsp;President-elect Joe Biden&nbsp;to actively repudiate the Trump claim that mainstream news media are the “enemy of the people,” with some calling for new legislation to aid financially ailing local news operations — seen by some as counterintuitive for a “free press” — along with an international-U.S. effort to support free-press principles and journalists globally.

Welcome to the First Amendment in 2021 — with its echoes of 2020’s year of pandemic, protest and presidential-political turmoil.

Gene Policinski is a senior fellow for the First Amendment at the Freedom Forum, and president and chief operating officer of the Freedom Forum Institute. He can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:gpolicinski@freedomforum.org" target="_blank">gpolicinski@freedomforum.org</a>, or follow him on Twitter at&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/@genefac" target="_blank">@genefac</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593729871227.png" alt="Gene Policinski. Photo courtesy Freedom Forum" />
 <figcaption>Gene Policinski. Photo courtesy Freedom Forum</figcaption>
 </figure>By GENE POLICINSKI2020 is the challenging year that just won’t go away, however much we wish it would, as many current issues over First Amendment freedoms flop over into the new year. In the broad realm of freedom of speech, there’s little doubt debate will continue in the new Congress around the tangential First Amendment controversy over legal protections for companies hosting content on the web — aka Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act.The law largely removes liability from companies for user-posted content on their sites. While not directly a First Amendment issue, the fight does have major implications for users’ free speech on the web, as we know it today, as well for as social media companies’ rights.President Donald J. Trump&nbsp;and conservatives claim the provision is being used to hide partisan discrimination by major technology companies against right-wing voices. Liberal critics say the law removes incentives for such online operations to seriously fight misinformation.Advocates for keeping the law “as is” say that without it, social media companies would face a myriad of potential lawsuits and thus dramatically limit what users can freely post on sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram. No company will be able moderate the web’s current traffic, they say, estimated by multiple sources at 500,000 hours of user video uploaded to YouTube, 188 million emails and 18 million texts every minute.Controversy will also continue surrounding the First Amendment’s two least-known freedoms — petition and assembly — as multiple state legislatures consider increasing criminal and civil penalties for demonstrators who block streets or sidewalks or simply participate in events where, at some point, a violent act occurs.Critics of the proposals, many of which have been introduced over the past five years, say their real motives are the stifling of dissenting or minority views, though advocates claim the new provisions are rooted in legitimate law and order concerns about violence and property damages.In the area of religious liberty, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule this spring on Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, involving both the First Amendment’s free exercise and establishment clauses. In the case, a religious-backed foster care agency is challenging a city decision to cancel a contract because the agency refused to provide services to married same-sex couples, citing religious grounds.There is no doubt that as COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on public gatherings continue into the new year, so will legal challenges rooted in the First Amendment’s protection of religious liberty.There are some new First Amendment issues for 2021 as a result of the incoming Biden administration, though even here, many are tinged by actions or views from the Trump years.A top concern for free-press advocates is the potential for the Supreme Court’s new conservative majority to review the 1963 New York Times v. Sullivan decision, which provided wide protection from defamation claims by government officials and other public figures if actual error was inadvertent or not caused by reckless disregard for the truth.A longstanding target of press critics and Trump, the decision is rooted in the theory that such protection is needed to foster the widest possible debate on public issues. Trump and others claim the decision makes it virtually impossible for officials and public figures to successfully repair deliberate damage to their reputations and that it gives journalists free license to report so-called “fake news.”Of concern for some is the potential return to Obama-era regulations reversed by Trump that were aimed at combatting sexual harassment on college campuses, which critics said stepped on free-speech protections, particularly where online comments were deemed to be “sexual in nature.”The Supreme Court is expected to decide in January whether to hear an appeal of a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit that public school authorities may not punish student speech made away from school grounds. Other circuits have made differing decisions.Some First Amendment experts also are concerned the incoming administration may be open to reducing or eliminating the First Amendment protections for what some deem “hate speech” or speech demeaning to women or minority religious groups. At present, such speech generally is protected, with some arguing that in addition to a core right to voice one’s own views, it is necessary to hear such speech to effectively argue against it.Free-press supporters are already calling on&nbsp;President-elect Joe Biden&nbsp;to actively repudiate the Trump claim that mainstream news media are the “enemy of the people,” with some calling for new legislation to aid financially ailing local news operations — seen by some as counterintuitive for a “free press” — along with an international-U.S. effort to support free-press principles and journalists globally.Welcome to the First Amendment in 2021 — with its echoes of 2020’s year of pandemic, protest and presidential-political turmoil.Gene Policinski is a senior fellow for the First Amendment at the Freedom Forum, and president and chief operating officer of the Freedom Forum Institute. He can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:gpolicinski@freedomforum.org" target="_blank">gpolicinski@freedomforum.org</a>, or follow him on Twitter at&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/@genefac" target="_blank">@genefac</a>.

FIRST FIVE: 2020 just won't go away when it comes to 1st Amendment issues

MANHATTAN – Most people know that exercising regularly and eating healthfully is directly connected to aging well, and Kansas State University aging specialist Erin Yelland certainly agrees.&nbsp;

But, she says, those two factors alone are not enough.&nbsp;

“So many times when we hear about health, we’re hearing about those specific health behaviors that we should be doing: eating right and exercising,” Yelland said. “Of course those play a huge role in our health, but when you look at all the things that contribute to our length and quality of life, those specific health behaviors only contribute 30%. The other 70% relates to external factors different from eating well and exercising.”&nbsp;

Speaking recently on the K-State Research and Extension radio program,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/news/radio-network/sound-living.html" target="_blank">Sound Living</a>, Yelland said that such external factors as environment, geographic location, education, socioeconomic status and others contribute to a person’s health at any age.&nbsp;

She noted that each individual’s level of risk often corresponds to public health programs enacted by the community, county or state they live in. One example she cited is a public information campaign to limit tobacco and alcohol advertising in stores.&nbsp;

“That is one example where public health initiatives work to reduce the marketing message that makes consumers think about cigarettes and alcohol, which then makes you less likely to want to buy them,” Yelland said. “These types of local policies can be huge in determining your health behaviors.”&nbsp;

Speaking on the factors that influence healthy aging, Yelland said:&nbsp;

Environment.&nbsp;Air and water quality, housing and transit are included in this category. “Do you live in an environment where there is clean air, or do you live near a factory?” Yelland asked. “Or, do you have clean water with fluoride in it, or do you live in Flint, Michigan,” a city that since 2014 has struggled with high levels of lead in drinking water.&nbsp;

A safe home – free from asbestos or other hazards – and access to transportation are also important to good health.&nbsp;

Geographic location.&nbsp;Urban, suburban and rural communities each have their challenges. Neighborhoods in which younger residents feel unsafe to walk to school are stressful. “It can affect your brain development, and obviously it can be dangerous,” Yelland said.&nbsp;

Rural areas may not feel the pressure of unsafe neighborhoods, but can struggle with access to transportation, food, internet and medical care.&nbsp;

Education.&nbsp;“First of all,” Yelland said, “do you have parents who read to you and support you positively from a young age?” Older children who work to support the family or raise siblings also are at a disadvantage. “There are a lot of questions that go into whether you are able to attain a high school diploma, let alone go on to trade school or a four-year university.”&nbsp;

Education also affects brain composition for the rest of one’s life. “We see that certain aspects of the brain are smaller in people who have higher levels of stress and lower levels of education. The more educated you are, the more likely you are to live a longer and healthier life.”&nbsp;

Yelland added that socioeconomic status “always” affects external factors.&nbsp;

“When we think about things such as broadband internet or healthy eating, having a stable job influences your behavior. If you have more money, you’re more likely to have faster and more stable internet. If you have more money, you’re more likely to be able to access nutritious and healthy, fresh food.”&nbsp;

K-State Research and Extension agents across Kansas are helping to promote healthy communities by building local coalitions that address residents’ needs. Yelland said many of those efforts aim to identify “projects that we can help spearhead or partner with to make our community a safer and healthier place.”&nbsp;

“K-State is using data developed across the world to talk about how we can make Kansas a healthier place, as well as doing our own research,” Yelland said. “There are a lot of things that extension is doing to address the 70% of outside factors that contribute to our good health.”&nbsp;

More information on&nbsp;<a href="http://www.aging.k-state.edu/programs/index.html" target="_blank">healthy aging is available online</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609560231859.jpeg" alt="Reading is an early activity that can affect brain composition, and contribute to a lifetime of good health. Photo courtesy KSRE" />
 <figcaption>Reading is an early activity that can affect brain composition, and contribute to a lifetime of good health. Photo courtesy KSRE</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN – Most people know that exercising regularly and eating healthfully is directly connected to aging well, and Kansas State University aging specialist Erin Yelland certainly agrees.&nbsp;But, she says, those two factors alone are not enough.&nbsp;“So many times when we hear about health, we’re hearing about those specific health behaviors that we should be doing: eating right and exercising,” Yelland said. “Of course those play a huge role in our health, but when you look at all the things that contribute to our length and quality of life, those specific health behaviors only contribute 30%. The other 70% relates to external factors different from eating well and exercising.”&nbsp;Speaking recently on the K-State Research and Extension radio program,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/news/radio-network/sound-living.html" target="_blank">Sound Living</a>, Yelland said that such external factors as environment, geographic location, education, socioeconomic status and others contribute to a person’s health at any age.&nbsp;She noted that each individual’s level of risk often corresponds to public health programs enacted by the community, county or state they live in. One example she cited is a public information campaign to limit tobacco and alcohol advertising in stores.&nbsp;“That is one example where public health initiatives work to reduce the marketing message that makes consumers think about cigarettes and alcohol, which then makes you less likely to want to buy them,” Yelland said. “These types of local policies can be huge in determining your health behaviors.”&nbsp;Speaking on the factors that influence healthy aging, Yelland said:&nbsp;Environment.&nbsp;Air and water quality, housing and transit are included in this category. “Do you live in an environment where there is clean air, or do you live near a factory?” Yelland asked. “Or, do you have clean water with fluoride in it, or do you live in Flint, Michigan,” a city that since 2014 has struggled with high levels of lead in drinking water.&nbsp;A safe home – free from asbestos or other hazards – and access to transportation are also important to good health.&nbsp;Geographic location.&nbsp;Urban, suburban and rural communities each have their challenges. Neighborhoods in which younger residents feel unsafe to walk to school are stressful. “It can affect your brain development, and obviously it can be dangerous,” Yelland said.&nbsp;Rural areas may not feel the pressure of unsafe neighborhoods, but can struggle with access to transportation, food, internet and medical care.&nbsp;Education.&nbsp;“First of all,” Yelland said, “do you have parents who read to you and support you positively from a young age?” Older children who work to support the family or raise siblings also are at a disadvantage. “There are a lot of questions that go into whether you are able to attain a high school diploma, let alone go on to trade school or a four-year university.”&nbsp;Education also affects brain composition for the rest of one’s life. “We see that certain aspects of the brain are smaller in people who have higher levels of stress and lower levels of education. The more educated you are, the more likely you are to live a longer and healthier life.”&nbsp;Yelland added that socioeconomic status “always” affects external factors.&nbsp;“When we think about things such as broadband internet or healthy eating, having a stable job influences your behavior. If you have more money, you’re more likely to have faster and more stable internet. If you have more money, you’re more likely to be able to access nutritious and healthy, fresh food.”&nbsp;K-State Research and Extension agents across Kansas are helping to promote healthy communities by building local coalitions that address residents’ needs. Yelland said many of those efforts aim to identify “projects that we can help spearhead or partner with to make our community a safer and healthier place.”&nbsp;“K-State is using data developed across the world to talk about how we can make Kansas a healthier place, as well as doing our own research,” Yelland said. “There are a lot of things that extension is doing to address the 70% of outside factors that contribute to our good health.”&nbsp;More information on&nbsp;<a href="http://www.aging.k-state.edu/programs/index.html" target="_blank">healthy aging is available online</a>.

Healthy aging goes beyond eating right, exercise

Today is Saturday, Jan. 2, the second day of 2021. There are 363 days left in the year. 

On Jan. 2, 1974, President Richard Nixon signed legislation requiring states to limit highway speeds to 55 miles an hour as a way of conserving gasoline in the face of an OPEC oil embargo. (The 55 mph limit was effectively phased out in 1987; federal speed limits were abolished in 1995.) 

In 1788, Georgia became the fourth state to ratify the U.S. Constitution. 

In 1811, Sen. Timothy Pickering, a Federalist from Massachusetts, became the first member of the U.S. Senate to be censured after he'd improperly revealed the contents of an executive document.

In 1921, religious services were broadcast on radio for the first time as KDKA in Pittsburgh aired the regular Sunday service of the city's Calvary Episcopal Church.

In 1959, the Soviet Union launched its space probe Luna 1, the first manmade object to fly past the moon, its apparent intended target. 

In 1960, Sen. John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts launched his successful bid for the presidency. 

In 1967, Republican Ronald Reagan took the oath of office as the new governor of California in a ceremony that took place in Sacramento shortly just after midnight. 

In 1971, 66 people were killed in a pileup of spectators leaving a soccer match at Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow, Scotland.

In 1981, police in Sheffield, England, arrested Peter Sutcliffe, who confessed to being the "Yorkshire Ripper," the serial killer of 13 women. 

In 1983, the original Broadway production of the musical "Annie" closed after a run of 2,377 performances. 

In 2007, the state funeral for former President Gerald R. Ford began with an elaborate service at Washington National Cathedral, then moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan. 

In 2015, California began issuing driver's licenses to immigrants who were in the country illegally. Little Jimmy Dickens, a diminutive singer-songwriter who was the oldest cast member of the Grand Ole Opry, died at age 94. 

In 2018, Sen. Al Franken formally resigned from the Senate a month after the Minnesota Democrat announced his plan to leave Congress amid a series of sexual misconduct allegations. NBC News announced that Hoda Kotb would be the co-anchor of the first two hours of the "Today" show, replacing Matt Lauer following his firing due to sexual misconduct allegations. 

Ten years ago: The U.S. Navy said it would investigate raunchy videos broadcast to the crew of the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise. (Capt. Owen P. Honors, who'd produced the videos as the ship's executive officer, was removed as the Enterprise's commander but was later allowed to remain in the Navy.) A magnitude 7.1 earthquake shook southern Chile, sending tens of thousands of people fearing a tsunami to higher ground. Maj. Richard "Dick" Winters, who'd fought in several major battles in World War II and whose quiet leadership was chronicled in the book and television miniseries "Band of Brothers," died in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, at age 92. Actor Anne Francis, 80, died in Santa Barbara, California.

Five years ago: A heavily armed group led by Ammon and Ryan Bundy seized the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon, beginning a 41-day standoff to protest the imprisonment of two ranchers convicted of setting fires on public land and to demand the federal government turn over public lands to local control. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' campaign said it had raised more than $33 million during the previous three months in his bid to win the Democratic nomination, just short of the amount brought in by rival Hillary Clinton during the same period. The mayor of Temixco, Mexico, Gisela Mota, was assassinated a day after being sworn into office; two suspects were killed in a clash with police and three others arrested. Saudi Arabia executed 47 prisoners, including a prominent Shiite cleric; Shiite leaders in Iran and elsewhere across the Middle East swiftly condemned Riyadh and warned of a sectarian backlash.

One year ago: Former Obama housing secretary Julian Castro, the only Latino candidate in the 2020 Democratic presidential race, announced that he was ending his bid, saying he had determined "that it simply isn't our time." The Trump administration announced that it would begin cracking down on most flavored e-cigarettes that were popular with underage teenagers; the plan included exceptions benefitting vaping manufacturers, retailers and adults who used the nicotine-delivery devices.

Today's Birthdays: Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert is 79. TV host Jack Hanna is 74. Actor Wendy Phillips is 69. Actor Cynthia Sikes is 67. Actor Gabrielle Carteris is 60. Movie director Todd Haynes is 60. Retired MLB All-Star pitcher David Cone is 58. Baseball Hall of Famer Edgar Martinez is 58. Actor Tia Carrere is 54. Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. is 53. Model Christy Turlington is 52. Actor Taye Diggs is 50. Actor Renée Elise Goldsberry is 50. Rock singer Doug Robb (Hoobastank) is 46. Actor Dax Shepard is 46. Actor Paz Vega is 45. Ballroom dancer Karina Smirnoff (TV: "Dancing with the Stars") is 43. Rock musician Jerry DePizzo Jr. (O.A.R.) is 42. Rhythm-and-blues singer Kelton Kessee (IMX) is 40. Pop singer-musician Ryan Merchant (Capital Cities) is 40. Actor Kate Bosworth is 38. Actor Anthony Carrigan is 38. Actor Peter Gadiot is 36. Jazz singer-musician Trombone Shorty is 35. Singer-songwriter Mandy Harvey (TV: "America's Got Talent") is 33. Rhythm-and-blues singer-rapper Bryson Tiller is 28.

<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, Jan. 2, the second day of 2021. There are 363 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Jan. 2, 1974, President Richard Nixon signed legislation requiring states to limit highway speeds to 55 miles an hour as a way of conserving gasoline in the face of an OPEC oil embargo. (The 55 mph limit was effectively phased out in 1987; federal speed limits were abolished in 1995.) On this date: In 1788, Georgia became the fourth state to ratify the U.S. Constitution. In 1811, Sen. Timothy Pickering, a Federalist from Massachusetts, became the first member of the U.S. Senate to be censured after he'd improperly revealed the contents of an executive document.In 1921, religious services were broadcast on radio for the first time as KDKA in Pittsburgh aired the regular Sunday service of the city's Calvary Episcopal Church.In 1959, the Soviet Union launched its space probe Luna 1, the first manmade object to fly past the moon, its apparent intended target. In 1960, Sen. John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts launched his successful bid for the presidency. In 1967, Republican Ronald Reagan took the oath of office as the new governor of California in a ceremony that took place in Sacramento shortly just after midnight. In 1971, 66 people were killed in a pileup of spectators leaving a soccer match at Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow, Scotland.In 1981, police in Sheffield, England, arrested Peter Sutcliffe, who confessed to being the "Yorkshire Ripper," the serial killer of 13 women. In 1983, the original Broadway production of the musical "Annie" closed after a run of 2,377 performances. In 2007, the state funeral for former President Gerald R. Ford began with an elaborate service at Washington National Cathedral, then moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan. In 2015, California began issuing driver's licenses to immigrants who were in the country illegally. Little Jimmy Dickens, a diminutive singer-songwriter who was the oldest cast member of the Grand Ole Opry, died at age 94. In 2018, Sen. Al Franken formally resigned from the Senate a month after the Minnesota Democrat announced his plan to leave Congress amid a series of sexual misconduct allegations. NBC News announced that Hoda Kotb would be the co-anchor of the first two hours of the "Today" show, replacing Matt Lauer following his firing due to sexual misconduct allegations. Ten years ago: The U.S. Navy said it would investigate raunchy videos broadcast to the crew of the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise. (Capt. Owen P. Honors, who'd produced the videos as the ship's executive officer, was removed as the Enterprise's commander but was later allowed to remain in the Navy.) A magnitude 7.1 earthquake shook southern Chile, sending tens of thousands of people fearing a tsunami to higher ground. Maj. Richard "Dick" Winters, who'd fought in several major battles in World War II and whose quiet leadership was chronicled in the book and television miniseries "Band of Brothers," died in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, at age 92. Actor Anne Francis, 80, died in Santa Barbara, California.Five years ago: A heavily armed group led by Ammon and Ryan Bundy seized the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon, beginning a 41-day standoff to protest the imprisonment of two ranchers convicted of setting fires on public land and to demand the federal government turn over public lands to local control. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' campaign said it had raised more than $33 million during the previous three months in his bid to win the Democratic nomination, just short of the amount brought in by rival Hillary Clinton during the same period. The mayor of Temixco, Mexico, Gisela Mota, was assassinated a day after being sworn into office; two suspects were killed in a clash with police and three others arrested. Saudi Arabia executed 47 prisoners, including a prominent Shiite cleric; Shiite leaders in Iran and elsewhere across the Middle East swiftly condemned Riyadh and warned of a sectarian backlash.One year ago: Former Obama housing secretary Julian Castro, the only Latino candidate in the 2020 Democratic presidential race, announced that he was ending his bid, saying he had determined "that it simply isn't our time." The Trump administration announced that it would begin cracking down on most flavored e-cigarettes that were popular with underage teenagers; the plan included exceptions benefitting vaping manufacturers, retailers and adults who used the nicotine-delivery devices. Today's Birthdays: Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert is 79. TV host Jack Hanna is 74. Actor Wendy Phillips is 69. Actor Cynthia Sikes is 67. Actor Gabrielle Carteris is 60. Movie director Todd Haynes is 60. Retired MLB All-Star pitcher David Cone is 58. Baseball Hall of Famer Edgar Martinez is 58. Actor Tia Carrere is 54. Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. is 53. Model Christy Turlington is 52. Actor Taye Diggs is 50. Actor Renée Elise Goldsberry is 50. Rock singer Doug Robb (Hoobastank) is 46. Actor Dax Shepard is 46. Actor Paz Vega is 45. Ballroom dancer Karina Smirnoff (TV: "Dancing with the Stars") is 43. Rock musician Jerry DePizzo Jr. (O.A.R.) is 42. Rhythm-and-blues singer Kelton Kessee (IMX) is 40. Pop singer-musician Ryan Merchant (Capital Cities) is 40. Actor Kate Bosworth is 38. Actor Anthony Carrigan is 38. Actor Peter Gadiot is 36. Jazz singer-musician Trombone Shorty is 35. Singer-songwriter Mandy Harvey (TV: "America's Got Talent") is 33. Rhythm-and-blues singer-rapper Bryson Tiller is 28.

Today in History -- Jan. 2

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/category/obituaries" target="_blank">HERE</a>&nbsp;to view the most recent obituaries and service times from our funeral home partners.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/category/obituaries" target="_blank">HERE</a>&nbsp;to view the most recent obituaries and service times from our funeral home partners.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Salina's Nathan McConnell won first place in the&nbsp;2020 Wild About Kansas Youth Landscapes photo category. From the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kdwpt/">Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism</a> Facebook page:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609539124422.jpeg" alt="Image courtesy KDWPT" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy KDWPT</figcaption>
 </figure>Salina's Nathan McConnell won first place in the&nbsp;2020 Wild About Kansas Youth Landscapes photo category. From the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kdwpt/">Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism</a> Facebook page:<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fkdwpt%2Fposts%2F10158255115773640&width=500&show_text=true&height=376&appId" width="500" height="376" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>

Salina's Nathan McConnell places 1st in 'Wild About Kansas' contest

Police are looking for a distinctively marked puppy and the person who stole her from a backyard in central Salina.

An 18-year-old Salina woman reported to police that sometime between 1:40-2:30 p.m. on Dec. 23, someone stole a four-month-old female chocolate Labrador Retriever from a backyard in the 800 block of East Kirwin Avenue, according to Salina Police Detective Sergeant David Villanueva.

Police are looking for a distinctively marked puppy and the person who stole her from a backyard in central Salina.An 18-year-old Salina woman reported to police that sometime between 1:40-2:30 p.m. on Dec. 23, someone stole a four-month-old female chocolate Labrador Retriever from a backyard in the 800 block of East Kirwin Avenue, according to Salina Police Detective Sergeant David Villanueva.The dog has distinct white spotting underneath her two front paws and is valued at $600, he noted.

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